‘Who Saw the Peacock Dance in the Jungle?’ and All the Other TV Shows Coming to HBO Max This Week

The week of Monday, October 13 through Sunday, October 19 brings a grab bag of reality staples, true-crime shockers, prestige Polish noir, and a wave of buzzy Japanese dramas. Below you’ll find quick, fact-packed rundowns: what each project is about, who’s in it, and the creative minds behind the scenes. Dates are when each title lands this week.

From long-running favorites like ‘7 Little Johnstons’ and ‘Graveyard Carz’ to recent imports such as ‘Vivant’ and ‘La Grande Maison Tokyo,’ there’s a lot to dip into. If you like to scan casts and creators before pressing play, this list keeps it simple: plot essentials, principal actors and roles, plus key writers, directors, and production credits—no fluff.

‘7 Little Johnstons’ (2015)

The long-running TLC reality series chronicles the Johnston family—parents Trent and Amber and their five children, all living with achondroplasia dwarfism—as they navigate everyday life, milestones, and big transitions; this season’s arrivals come Wednesday, October 15. The ensemble features Trent Johnston, Amber Johnston, Jonah Johnston, Anna Johnston, Elizabeth Johnston, Alex Johnston, and Emma Johnston. The show is produced by Figure 8 Films, a company known for family-centric docuseries.

Behind the camera, ‘7 Little Johnstons’ uses a multi-camera docu-reality format typical of TLC’s family series. Figure 8 Films has long collaborated with TLC on titles in this lane, and the production keeps the focus on work, school, relationships, and health updates—cornerstones of the franchise’s storytelling—now returning on October 15.

‘Graveyard Carz’ (2012)

Arriving Wednesday, October 15, this automotive reality series follows Mark Worman and his Springfield, Oregon shop as they resurrect late-1960s/early-1970s Mopar muscle cars. Regulars include Worman, Royal Yoakum, Will Scott, Allysa Rose, Dave Rea, and others. The series is independently produced by The Division Productions, LLC.

Created by Mark Worman (with early contributions from Aaron Smith and Casey Faris), the show has cycled through multiple producers and directors over its long run. Episodes document end-to-end restorations—bodywork, drivetrain, and period-correct detailing—anchored by the shop’s “Mopar or No Car” ethos, with fresh episodes landing October 15.

‘Mother, May I Murder?’ (2023)

This true-crime docuseries returns Wednesday, October 15, dramatizing cases in which mothers and their children conspire in killings. Episodes unpack motives, manipulation, and the investigative threads that cracked each case. It streams under the Investigation Discovery banner.

Across the season, cases feature interviewees and re-enactment casts; credits include directors and producers working across ID’s crime slate, with Season 1 materials listing Jamie Welham among directors. New additions roll in October 15, continuing the show’s focus on American cases shaped by family dynamics.

‘True Beauty’ (2024)

Landing Friday, October 17, this entry refers to the hit ‘True Beauty’ adaptation centered on Lim Ju-kyung, a high-schooler who transforms her life through makeup while juggling secrets, friendship, and romance. Principal cast includes Moon Ga-young (Lim Ju-kyung), Cha Eun-woo (Lee Su-ho), and Hwang In-youp (Han Seo-jun). Director Kim Sang-hyeop helmed the series from writer Lee Si-eun, adapted from Yaongyi’s webtoon.

The production blends school romance with themes of self-acceptance and bullying. Supporting players include Park Yoo-na and Jang Hye-jin, among many others. With episodes touching on idol industry scandals and family subplots, the show’s ensemble and creative team helped make it a breakout youth drama—arriving here October 17.

‘The Thaw’ (2022)

The Polish crime drama (Polish: ‘Odwilż’) bows Friday, October 17, following Detective Katarzyna Zawieja as she probes the death of a young woman whose newborn is missing—an investigation that spirals through Szczecin’s institutions. The series stars Katarzyna Wajda, Bartłomiej Kotschedoff, and Cezary Łukaszewicz.

Created and written by Marta Szymanek (with Piotr Gerard Szymanek), the series is directed by Xawery Żuławski, with music by Łukasz Targosz. Produced by HBO Europe and Magnolia Films, it premiered in 2022 and continues here with its tightly plotted, procedural-meets-character approach on October 17.

‘Vivant’ (2023)

Arriving Friday, October 17, this high-stakes Japanese thriller tracks salaryman Yūsuke Nogi (Masato Sakai) as a massive accounting anomaly pulls him into an international conspiracy. The main cast features Hiroshi Abe, Fumi Nikaido, Tori Matsuzaka, Koji Yakusho, and Kazunari Ninomiya, with narration by Megumi Hayashibara.

Directed by TBS hitmaker Katsuo Fukuzawa with episodes also by Yōhei Miyazaki and Akiko Kato, and scripts credited to a writers’ room including Hiroyuki Yatsu and Lee Jeong-Mi, the 10-episode run blends corporate intrigue, espionage, and field ops—rolling out here October 17.

‘Ignite’ (2025)

Debuting Friday, October 17, ‘Ignite: Hō no Muhōmono’ follows rookie lawyer Ryō Uzaki, who pivots to law after his father’s death and joins Peace Law Office, taking on cases that pit him against powerful adversaries. Shotaro Mamiya leads as Ryō, with Moka Kamishiraishi, Ryoki Miyama, and Tōru Nakamura among the ensemble.

The legal drama airs in TBS’s Friday 22:00 slot in Japan and is structured as an 11-episode renzoku (serialized) series. Credited details list its broadcast window in spring 2025 and a theme by B’z, as the show mixes courtroom maneuvering with serialized backstory—arriving here October 17.

‘Mr Mikami’s Classroom’ (2025)

Also landing Friday, October 17, this TBS Sunday-theater drama stars Tori Matsuzaka as Takashi Mikami, an elite Ministry of Education bureaucrat “exiled” to teach at a private high school, where he confronts entrenched power in the education system. The setup rallies students and faculty into systemic reform arcs.

Directed by a team including Yōhei Miyazaki, Koya Shimada, and Sakura Komaki, and written by Roba Shimori, the series aired January–March 2025 in Japan. Official materials list a large student ensemble; coverage highlights co-stars such as Masaki Okada and others across ministry and school roles—now arriving October 17.

‘Beach Cottage Chronicles’ (2022)

Dropping Friday, October 17, this Magnolia Network docuseries spotlights the design and architecture of waterfront cottages across the U.S., with each short episode focusing on one property’s history, renovation, and setting. Season highlights include New Jersey’s century-old “Lighthouse Cottage,” restored by a young family.

Directed and produced by a rotating team (including credits for Emmanuel Moran; executive producers Roxy Hunt and Tony Castle across seasons), the series has released episodes across multiple seasons and platforms, capturing layouts, materials, and period details—continuing with fresh installments here on October 17.

‘Light of My Lion’ (2024)

Arriving Friday, October 17, this Japanese family drama follows brothers Hiroto (Yuya Yagira), a city-hall employee, and Michito (Ryota Bando), an autistic artist, whose lives change when a mysterious young boy nicknamed “Lion” appears. The ensemble includes Asuka Saitō and other supporting players tied to the brothers’ past.

Written by Kōji Tokuo and Yoshino Ichinohe and directed by Toshio Tsuboi, Takahiro Aoyama, and Izumi Masahide, the drama originally aired in Japan in October 2024 (TBS Sparkle production). Its art elements incorporate works by a real-life painter, noted in production features—reaching new viewers here October 17.

‘Who Saw the Peacock Dance in the Jungle?’ (2025)

Bowing Friday, October 17, this live-action adaptation of Rito Asami’s josei manga trails Komugi, who uncovers a conspiracy after her ex-cop father’s Christmas-Eve murder. The cast includes Suzu Hirose, Kenichi Matsuyama, and Win Morisaki across a 10-episode arc.

The series aired in Japan in early 2025 and is listed under its Japanese title ‘Kujaku no Dansu, Dare ga Mita?’; materials outline its investigative structure and media-industry threads, with episode synopses circulating via listings and databases—now set for October 17 here.

‘Grand Maison Tokyo’ (2019)

Arriving Friday, October 17, this culinary drama stars Takuya Kimura as disgraced chef Natsuki Obana, who partners with chef Rinko Hayami (Kyōka Suzuki) to aim for three Michelin stars after a career-wrecking incident. The cast also features Yūta Tamamori and Aki Asakura.

Created by writer Tsutomu Kuroiwa and directed by Ayuko Tsukahara, Daisuke Yamamuro, and Takahiro Aoyama for TBS’s “Sunday Theater,” the series ran 11 episodes in late 2019 with culinary supervision from top chefs like Shuzo Kishida—serving up character-driven kitchen drama on October 17.

‘Until I Destroy My Husband’s Family’ (2024)

Landing Friday, October 17, this dark Japanese revenge drama centers on Minori, who discovers her husband’s 15-year affair and plots to destroy his lover’s family—weaponizing social ties and guardianship to upend their lives. Marika Matsumoto and Terunosuke Takezai star.

Episode guides and synopses outline a serialized scheme that leverages parenting and community systems as pressure points. Credits list writers including Mana Akaishi on individual episodes and directors like Takehito Muroi across the run—arriving here October 17.

Share which of these you’re pressing play on first—and why—in the comments!