Another week, another round of new streaming shows to use as an excuse to not get off the couch. Sure, fall foliage is enticing leaf peepers to visit beautiful breweries and distilleries around the country, but there are scary movies to watch and drinks that are just as enjoyable at home.
Flip on your computer or TV, click over to your preferred streaming service, and prepare to get lost in glorious fictitious story lines. These are the top movies and shows streaming today — and the drinks to pair with them.
Netflix
1. “Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories”
The title is pretty self-explanatory. It’s about a diner in a small back alley in Tokyo that is only open from midnight to 7 a.m. The menu served at the diner is just as simple: pork miso soup, beer, sake and shochu. The drama about patrons’ lives, however, is where the interest comes in. Drink pairing: Tiger Beer and warm sake (but not sake bombs).
2. “Containment ” Season 1
Into scary stuff? Go ahead and dive into 13 episodes of “Containment.” It’s about a disease epidemic in Atlanta that forces the capital of the South to be shut off from the rest of the world. Cue the dystopia. Drink pairing: a case of Sweetwater 420 and a whiskey coke (it’s a long season).
Hulu
1. “Return to Halloweentown”
Insert nostalgia here. The fourth and final “Halloweentown” Disney movie follows Marnie to Witch University. It’s a made-for-TV movie, and memories of the original “Halloweentown” are a crucial factor in the enjoyment of the fourth “Halloweentown.” Drink pairing: cider, Calvados or some mulled wine.
2. “StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson”
Time to have your mind blown. Enjoy Tyson’s insight on astrophysics, science and pop culture. You probably don’t want to drink anything too strong here because you’ll want to keep up with everything he is saying. Drink pairing: session beer or one of Tyson’s originals, the Martian Sunrise — 1.5 ounces of rum, four ounces cranberry juice, one ounce orange juice and garnish with a lemon slice.
Amazon
1. “Spectre”
The latest James Bond broke from Bond-drinking tradition. Heineken played a large role in the movie, as did a dirty martini (rather than the much classier — and better — Vesper) and Scotch. That opens up some drinking options, but you should still keep it classy. This is Bond we’re talking about after all. Drink pairing: Bollinger Champagne and popcorn or a vodka martini with a lemon twist.
HBO Go
1. “Joy”
What do you get when you combine Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro? Quality entertainment. “Joy” is about the true story of Joy Mangano, the inventor of the Miracle Mop. The story is hardship turned to inspiration. Drink pairing: Stick with something light like Sauvignon Blanc. If you really want to get into it, though, you can make Jennifer Lawrence’s favorite drink, the Pump-Tini from Vanderpump in West Hollywood. The Pump-Tini is vodka, Pavan liqueur, grapefruit juice, lime, muddled raspberry and served with a sugar rim.