October is the month of ghosts and goblins, and this year the TV business seems to have taken the theme to heart. Horror shows and crime thrillers dominate the list of series that have been renewed this month, while, as of Tuesday, no cancellations had been announced at all.

Here is a guide to the biggest October renewals so far, based on the running tracker from TV Guide and announcements from the networks and streamers.

The horror hits

Carrie (Prime Video). Mike Flanagan’s modern take on Stephen King’s debut novel has been renewed for a second season. Flanagan returns as showrunner and executive producer, with King also on board as an executive producer. The renewal was announced on October 22.

American Horror Story (FX). Speculation that Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s anthology would end at Season 13 has been put to rest. FX confirmed a 14th season on October 20, shortly after the Season 13 premiere became Murphy’s biggest streaming premiere ever on Hulu, according to TV Guide. As usual with Murphy, details about the theme and cast are being kept under wraps.

Coven Academy (Disney+/Hulu/Freeform). The young-adult drama about teenagers at a boarding school for witches and warlocks in New Orleans is coming back for Season 2, announced October 26. The show premiered on Freeform on October 1, and the full season, made up of short episodes of about 15 minutes each, landed on Disney+ and Hulu the next day.

Crime pays

Tulsa King (Paramount+). Sylvester Stallone’s mob drama has been renewed for a fifth season, and it is leaving Tulsa behind. Production will move to New York for Season 5 to fit the storyline. The show filmed its first season in Oklahoma and has shot in Atlanta since Season 2.

Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed (Apple TV). Tatiana Maslany’s thriller about a single mom caught up in a murder conspiracy has been picked up for Season 2.

The Hunting Wives (Netflix). More than a month before its second season even debuts, the soapy thriller has already been renewed for a third. The series was originally set up at Starz before landing at Netflix.

Imperfect Women (Apple TV). What was planned as a limited series is now an ongoing one. Kerry Washington returns for Season 2, which will follow her character, Eleanor, back to her hometown on Martha’s Vineyard.

Neagley (Prime Video). The Reacher spin-off starring Maria Sten as investigator Frances Neagley has been renewed after a strong debut. Prime Video says Season 1 ranks among the top 10 most-viewed seasons of any of its original series.

Everything else that’s coming back

  • Avatar: Seven Havens (Paramount+): Renewed for Seasons 3 and 4 on the day of its series premiere, announced at New York Comic Con.
  • A Different World (Netflix): The sequel series was renewed for Season 2 just a week after its debut.
  • Big Brother (CBS): Renewed for two more summers, taking the reality competition through Season 30.
  • Bravo reality: “In the City” (Season 2), “Next Gen NYC” (Season 3, plus a new “Next Gen Atlanta” spin-off) and “Southern Hospitality” (Season 5) are all returning.

Why so many renewals, so fast?

A few patterns stand out. Several of these shows were renewed within days of premiering, or before a new season even arrived. That suggests streamers are making decisions earlier, often based on opening-week viewing data, to lock in casts and production schedules.

The genre mix is telling too. Horror has proven to be dependable for streaming, especially around Halloween, and crime thrillers with recognizable stars keep viewers coming back week after week. Franchises also help: two of this month’s renewals, “Neagley” and “A Different World,” are spin-offs or continuations of familiar brands.

What to watch while you wait

Most of these renewals will not air until well into 2027 or later. In the meantime, the current seasons are the place to start:

  1. Binge “Coven Academy” in an afternoon, thanks to its short episodes.
  2. Catch up on “American Horror Story” Season 13 on Hulu before Halloween.
  3. Start “Tulsa King” from the beginning to see the show’s Oklahoma roots before it moves to New York.

The bottom line

October’s TV report card is almost all good news: plenty of renewals and, so far, no cancellations. If you like scares or schemes, your watchlist is safe for another year.

Image: Vintage television (Unsplash) by Sven Scheuermeier sveninho via Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0