Yes, there are reasons to watch Netflix in September besides the move of the recent animated adaptation of Dog Man from Peacock to here. This month’s highlights include: the acclaimed film adaptation of a Judy Blume classic deemed “controversial” for its discussion of puberty’s effects on girls’ bodies; a Korean mystery RPG where players are both detectives and suspects; what happens when a horror sensibility is brought to the nature documentary; and a series from the creator of “Money Heist” about rich people trying to survive World War III. 

Whether you’re in the mood for a romance anime involving two students from polar opposite schools or the new historical drama from the creator of Peaky Blinders, this month on Netflix might surprise you with what’s on tap.

The Blackening—In this parody of horror film tropes involving Black people, a group of Black friends plan to celebrate Juneteenth weekend at an isolated cabin in the woods.  However, what’s supposed to be just a weekend of drinking and games turns serious when the party goers are forced to play a deadly game called The Blackening to save the life of one of their own.  Who knew not knowing the names of all the Black actors who guest-starred on "Friends" could have deadly consequences?

Chicken Run—Even with Mel Gibson voicing the male lead, this is still an Aardman Animations classic which crosses a “Shaun The Sheep” story with a prison escape movie.  The chickens of Tweedy’s Egg Farm are well aware of the need to escape the farm.  The literal chop falls on any chicken who unfortunately fails to meet the Tweedys’ egg laying quota.  Things get more urgent when the villainous Mrs. Tweedy (voice of Miranda Richardson) develops an interest in a machine which can turn an unfortunate chicken into a far more profitable chicken pot pie.  Yet chicken leader Ginger has repeatedly failed in her escape attempts.  A possible answer comes when an American rooster named Rocky (voice of Gibson) comes flying over the Egg Farm’s fence.  Can the rooster teach the chickens  how to fly so they can escape? 

The Dead Girls–This adaptation of Jorge Ibarguengoitia’s novel is set in politically turbulent 1960s Mexico.  Sisters Serafina and Arcangela Baladro build a brothel empire thanks to lots of ambition and more than a few dirty deals.  When merciless murder gets added to the Baladros’ SOP mix, who will survive?   

The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity–In this adaptation of Saka Mikami’s romantic comedy, Rintaro Tsumugi and Kaoruko Waguri are high school students who meet at the Tsumugi patisserie and develop a relationship.  The problem is, Rintaro hails from Chidori High, a boys’ school for society’s dregs aka those with the lowest grades.  Kaoruko attends neighboring Kikyo Girls’ High, an educational institution catering to the daughters of wealthy high-class families.  The girl thinks seeing Rintaro’s gentle heart suffices to make their relationship work.  But the boy is well aware the prejudices of their classmates and relatives will hamper their attempts to find happiness.

Her Mother’s Killer Season 2–In the first season of this Colombian telenovela, political strategist Analia Guerrero succeeded in getting revenge against Guillermo Leon Mejia, the presidential candidate who murdered her mother three decades ago.  As the new season opens, with Mejia politically ruined and in prison, Guerrero is at peace and wants to make a fresh start in life by pursuing her own political career.  However, that dream dissipates after Mejia escapes from prison.  The vengeful former candidate sets out to rebuild his career by publicly painting himself as an innocent victim of Guerrero’s supposedly extremist actions.

Inglorious Basterds—Quentin Tarantino’s alternate World War II black comedy involves two intersecting storylines.  In Occupied France, Shosanna Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent) plots revenge against the Nazis for the murder of her family.  In the other storyline, U.S. Army Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) leads the Basterds, a black ops unit which terrorizes the Nazi forces in Occupied France by killing and scalping their victims.  These two stories will converge thanks to the Paris premiere of a German propaganda film.  Don’t be surprised if MAGAt types avoid Tarantino’s film because they hate seeing movies where their swastika-wearing soul brothers are treated as villains.

Inspector Zende–This 1970s-1980s set Indian crime comedy is based on actual events.  When notorious and resourceful serial killer Carl Bhojraj escapes from Tihar Jail, Indian authorities set Mumbai police inspector Madhukar Zende on Bhojraj’s trail.  The cop captured the clever serial killer fifteen years ago.  Does he still have the talent to put Bhojraj behind bars again?  

Kiss Or Die Season 1–In this reality comedy series, a group of male comedians compete in an improv drama that’s heavy on the sexual steam.  The goal is to deliver the ultimate kiss at the drama’s finale.  However, the competitors can’t do so unless they resist the blandishments of their sexy co-stars, who truly turn on the carnal heat.

Love Con Revenge–Ever see the Netflix documentary “The Tinder Swindler?”  Then you may recognize one of that criminal’s victims, Cecilie Fjellhoy.  In this docuseries, this former fraud victim joins forces with relentless private investigator Brianne Joseph to help men and women who have been duped like Fjellhoy by romance scammers.  As it turns out, romance fraud is a lot more prevalent than a person may think.  Here’s hoping the physical confrontations with these scammers will provide satisfying justice.

Orphan Black Seasons 1-5–When con artist Sarah Manning (Tatiana Maslany) sees her apparent doppelganger Beth Childs commit suicide, she assumes the late woman’s life and job as a police detective.  This job allows her to discover that she and Childs are clones who were part of an illegal cloning experiment…and that someone is plotting to kill all the clones created in that experiment.  To find out who created them and why, Manning will join forces with two of her other clones (both played by Maslany).  The trail will lead them to the Neolution movement as well as the biotech corporation behind the clones’ creation.

Phantom Thread—Dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) are at the center of 1950s London’s fashion scene.  The House Of Woodcock’s creations have graced the bodies of the rich and the famous.  But the dressmaker’s orderly and emotionally distant life becomes unstuck by his encounters with the strong-willed Alma (Vicky Krieps).  She becomes his muse and lover, and their relationship soon sets off a power struggle in Woodcock’s house.   

Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret—This acclaimed adaptation of Judy Blume’s titular teen novel stars Rachel Mc Adams as Margaret Simon’s mother Barbara and Kathy Bates as Margaret’s grandmother Sylvia.  But the film’s emphasis is on the titular 11-year-old girl.  She’s just moved to a New Jersey suburb with the rest of her family, and is starting to learn$ about such things as boys, periods, and what role religion will play in her life.  The girl’s fumbling for answers will wind up bringing her closer to her family. 

Maledictions–In this Argentine political thriller, there’s a crucial vote on lithium exploitation which needs to happen.  But at an important moment, the ambitious governor is derailed when his daughter’s abducted by his supposedly trustworthy right hand man.  That abduction winds up being connected to a 13-year-old conspiracy that intermingles both politics and family secrets.

You And Everything Else–Ryu Eun-Joong and Cheon Sang-Yeon have been frenemies since childhood.  They’ve gone through cycles of being close together then dropping out of touch.  Now at 42, Eun-Joong writes for a drama series while Sang-Yeon is a successful movie producer.  When Sang-Yeon drops back into Eun-Joong’s life, the producer has a request that the writer accompany her through her final days.

Nashville Seasons 1-6–This popular country music drama makes its Netflix debut.  Rayna Jaymes (Connie Britton) has been the reigning queen of country music for two decades.  But her star is fading and she’s now under pressure to reinvent herself to stay relevant.  Ambitious but troubled singer Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere) smells blood in the water and is determined to take Jaymes’ place at the top of the country music scene.

The Ba***ds Of Bollywood–It’s nepo baby time when Aryan Khan (as in son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan) directs this series about the adventures of Aasmaan Singh, an ambitious outsider whose dreams of conquering Bollywood involves navigating the glitz and naughtiness of the Bollywood film industry.  Expect to see cameos from some actual Bollywood stars.  Don’t hold your breath waiting for serious blood to be drawn here regarding Bollywood’s shortcomings.

Black Rabbit—Brothers Jake (Jude Law) and Vince (Jason Bateman) Friedkin co-founded Manhattan restaurant and VIP lounge Black Rabbit.  Under Jake’s direction, Black Rabbit’s about to become an It Place.  However, screwup brother Vince’s return to the business also brings trouble in his wake, serious enough to possibly destroy everything the two brothers worked for.

Billionaires’ Bunker Season 1–Alex Pina, creator of “Money Heist,” returns with a new series set in Kimera Underground Park.  That’s the name of a luxury underground bunker whose amenities include a basketball court, a zen garden, and a cocktail bar.  It’s here that a group of billionaires have sought refuge from the pending arrival of World War III.  However, just because these rich people are protected from the chaos happening above their heads, it doesn’t mean they’re protected from the consequences of old lingering grudges.

Haunted Hotel Season 1—This new adult animated series comes from the pen of “Rick And Morty” writer Matt Roller.  Recently divorced mother Katherine Freeling thinks she’s making a fresh start when she decides to take her kids and run the Undervale Hotel, which she inherited from her dead brother Nathan (Will Forte).  What Katherine doesn’t realize is that the Undervale happens to be haunted by all manner of supernatural creatures…and they’re all high maintenance.  Even Nathan’s still around, except he’s now a ghost offering tons of “helpful” suggestions on running the hotel.

Crime Scene Zero–Korea’s hit crime-solving reality show makes its U.S. debut.  Players are both suspects and detectives as they try to solve a murder while also proving they didn’t commit the crime.  Expect a lot of bluffing, psychological battles, and serious people-reading.  Don’t expect anything resembling fair play: every clue could be a trick and every explanation could be a cover-up.     

Alice In Borderland Season 3–It’s the long-awaited return of the live-action adaptation of Haro Aso’s hit manga.  Teens Arisu and Usagi were stuck in a purgatory known as the Borderland and were forced to play deadly games to survive.  At the end of last season, the duo and the other surviving teens chose to return to the real world.  But for Arisu and Usagi, the price of doing so is forgetting their feelings for each other.  However, as the new season begins, Usagi gets kidnapped and taken back to the Borderland.  Arisu goes back as well, but finding Usagi will be difficult as they’re now on separate teams.  And are some previously killed characters such as Mira making return appearances?

House Of Guinness—This new historical drama comes from “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven DeKnight.  When Sir Benjamin Guinness (the head of the Guinness brewery dynasty) dies, the execution of his will has far-reaching consequences on the fates of his adult children (Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Ben).  The children’s loyalty to preserving their father’s legacy varies to huge degrees.  And in the wings, there are commercial competitors who wait to take advantage of the chaos to bring down the Guinness brand.

Wayward— Small-town cop Alex Dempsey (Mae Martin) investigates Tall Pines Academy, a local facility for troubled teens run by Evelyn Wade (Toni Collette).  Supposedly, the academy aims to “solve the problem of adolescence.”  Yet a series of mysterious goings on in the town (such as the disappearance of certain youngsters) are somehow connected to the Academy.  Why is Wade forcibly restraining a new student?  Why are current Academy students Abbie and Leila desperate to escape the facility?  And what sort of solution to adolescence does Wade have in mind?

Mantis–In this spinoff from Korean action film “Kill Boksoon,” Han-Ul aka Mantis is an elite assassin who returns from vacation to learn that his employer MK Enterprise is in turmoil.  He decides to look for new assassination employment elsewhere, and hopes his friend and fellow assassin Jae-Yi  can help.  However, she holds complex feelings towards Mantis.  Meanwhile, Mantis’ former teacher (and co-founder of MK Enterprise) Dok-Ko comes out of retirement to provide stability to the company and hopefully convince Mantis to return to MK Enterprise.  To add to all this turmoil, everybody in the hired killer world is gunning to be the new Number One Assassin.

Interview With The Vampire Season 2–The new season of this Anne Rice adaptation continues Louis de Pointe du Lac’s recollections of his 150-year-long life to aging journalist Daniel.  This season Louis travels through World War II-torn Europe with teenage vampire Claudia in search of others of their kind.  While they do encounter a vampire named Daciana in Romania, their quest will ultimately take them to Paris and its seductive Theatre Des Vampires, where some decisions will be made that will have long-lasting consequences.

Nightmares Of Nature Season 1—Tired of nature documentaries that paint nature in soft-focus terms?  Then you need to see what happens when footage of such creatures as a little frog, raccoons, and mice (among others) are given to Blumhouse’s horror film directors.  The result is a depiction of life in the wild where trees bleed and vampire fish are rulers of the water.  Here, if you’re a prey animal who manages to live another day in the midst of these terrors you can claim victory.