HBO Max is gearing up for a packed week of premieres, rolling out a diverse slate of new TV shows and movies from September 22 to 28, 2025. From high-stakes dessert competitions and relationship reality shows to hard-hitting documentaries and international originals, the streaming platform is offering a little something for everyone. But perhaps the most anticipated moment on the horizon is the upcoming debut of One Day in October, a limited series dramatizing the harrowing events of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, set to air on October 7, 2025, to mark the two-year anniversary of the tragedy.
For those eager to dive into the week’s entertainment, the action kicks off Monday, September 22, with the return of Halloween Wars for its 15th season on Food Network. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when pumpkin carvers, candy artists, and cake decorators join forces under pressure, this high-energy competition is the answer. According to ScorpioLikeYou, the show is a “high-stress dessert gauntlet” that signals spooky season is officially upon us. Teams vie for the grand prize by creating elaborate Halloween-themed showpieces, and the chaos is, as always, part of the fun.
Tuesday, September 23, brings a medley of premieres. TLC’s Seeking Sister Wife returns for its sixth season, following three families as they navigate the complexities and often awkward conversations of polygamous relationships. The show continues to explore the social dynamics and big life choices that come with adding new partners to the family mix. Also dropping on Tuesday is the second season of Hustlers Gamblers Crooks on Discovery, a docuseries delving into the world of high-stakes betting and the underdogs who risk it all for a shot at changing their lives. The series is described as “glossy, tense, and pairs interestingly with the Tuesday CNN special on the sports betting boom.”
But that’s not all for Tuesday. The lineup also includes American Prince: JFK Jr. (a CNN Original), The Kim Kardashian Heist (working title, discovery+), The Devil Is Busy (an HBO Original), and a special episode of The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper titled “Sports Betting: America’s Biggest Gamble.” True-crime aficionados and documentary fans will have plenty to keep them glued to the screen, with Tuesday being described as “stacked” for those who enjoy stories that blur the line between crime and culture.
On Thursday, September 25, home renovation fans can look forward to the fifth season of Help! I Wrecked My House on HGTV. Jasmine Roth and her team come to the rescue of homeowners whose DIY ambitions have gone awry, delivering both competent fixes and some jaw-dropping reveals. The same day also sees the return of On The Case with Paula Zahn for its 28th season on ID, continuing its long-running investigation into real-life mysteries. Music lovers might catch Jesse & Joy: Lo que nunca dijimos, a new series chronicling the journey of the popular musical duo.
Friday, September 26, broadens the platform’s international reach with two Max Originals: Quiet In Class from Sweden and The Graft from Turkey. As noted by ScorpioLikeYou, Max has been “quietly seeding its lineup with more non-English originals,” and this week’s premieres make that trend visible. These additions are a nod to the platform’s growing global ambitions and its commitment to showcasing diverse storytelling voices.
The weekend keeps the momentum going. Saturday, September 27, features the seventh season of 90 Day Diaries on TLC and the tenth season of Ready to Love on OWN, continuing the tradition of relationship-centric reality TV. Sunday, September 28, closes out the week with the premiere of Heart & Hustle: Houston on OWN, a series that spotlights business and ambition in the bustling Texas city.
Amid this flurry of new releases, all eyes are also turning toward HBO Max’s highly anticipated limited series, One Day in October. According to Breitbart News, this will be the first fictional depiction of the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas, an event that left 1,200 people dead and shocked the world. The series, produced by Sparks Go and Israel’s ZOA Films in collaboration with Fox Entertainment Studios and yes TV, is set to premiere on October 7, 2025, precisely two years after the tragedy.
Filmed on location in Israel, One Day in October promises to deliver “seven emotionally gripping and artistically interwoven narratives of love, courage, sacrifice and survival,” according to its creative team. Drawing on real-life accounts and video footage shot by Hamas, the series aims to portray the victims’ and survivors’ experiences with authenticity and respect. The production team emphasized their careful approach to the material. Fernando Szew, president of Fox Entertainment Studios, stated, “The tragic events on October 7th had a profound impact on all of us. From the very beginning, we approached this series with the utmost care, sensitivity and urgency to ensure that the stories were told with authenticity and respect and paying homage to the victims and the heroic survivors.”
Daniel Finkelman, founder of Sparks Go, echoed this sentiment, saying, “For me, film and television have always been more than entertainment, they are a way to bear witness. These are stories of ordinary people facing extraordinary moments.” He added, “In a time when truth is fragile, the most powerful thing we can do is to appeal to humanity itself. My hope is that these stories will open hearts and spark meaningful conversation.”
The series arrives at a time when the intersection of art, politics, and global conflict is under intense scrutiny. As Breitbart News reported, more than a thousand Hollywood celebrities and international film industry insiders have pledged to boycott the Israeli film industry due to the ongoing war in Gaza. The group, calling itself Film Workers for Palestine, accuses Israel’s film sector of “complicity” in what they allege is genocide in Gaza. Signatories include high-profile directors and actors such as Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava DuVernay, Adam McKay, Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, and Mark Ruffalo, among others. The boycott has sparked heated debate within the industry, with some arguing that cultural exchange should remain separate from political conflict, while others insist that silence is tantamount to complicity.
Against this backdrop, One Day in October stands as both a work of art and an act of remembrance. Its creators hope to foster empathy and dialogue, even as the broader film community grapples with questions of representation, responsibility, and the power of storytelling in times of crisis.
With a week full of premieres that range from lighthearted to deeply serious, HBO Max is demonstrating the breadth of its programming—and its willingness to tackle even the most difficult stories. Whether viewers tune in for candy-fueled competitions, gripping documentaries, or powerful dramatizations of real-world events, there’s little doubt that this week’s lineup will spark conversation and reflection well beyond the closing credits.
