It List: Tate McRae vies for pop stardom, ‘The Monkey’ terrorizes theatergoers, ‘Suits LA’ goes Hollywood

Hello, friends! I’m Kelsey, your guide to all things pop culture for Yahoo Entertainment, and this is the It List, our weekly rundown of what’s new and notable. In it, I recommend a slew of upcoming releases to watch, stream, listen to, read and binge. I’ll walk you through my favorites.

What to watch

🎥 The Monkey gets gory

• When: The Monkey is in theaters Feb. 21.

• What to know: Twin brothers are stalked for decades by a murderous wind-up toy monkey that kills their family members. Gruesome and creative deaths abound. [Deadline]

• Why I recommend it: The film is based on a Stephen King short story, but its writer-director, Osgood Perkins, told me he made it personal by sprinkling in references to his own personal trauma. He’s proud to have a sense of humor about it. [Entertainment Weekly]

📺 Suits LA is on the case

• When: Suits LA premieres Feb. 23 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

• What to know: This Suits spin-off keeps the same legal drama, but adds entertainment law and a host of new characters. Its star Lex Scott Davis assured me you don’t have to watch the original series to love the new one, although you should, because it’s great. [Entertainment Weekly]

• Why I recommend it: I enjoyed the fast-paced intensity of the first few episodes, and the promise of familiar faces appearing soon is enough to keep me hooked. [People]

📺 The Baldwins reintroduce themselves

• When: The Baldwins premieres Feb. 23 at 10 p.m. ET on TLC.

• Why I’ll be watching: TLC loves to spotlight big, unconventional families, and the Baldwins' party of nine fits the bill. They’re a little more high-profile than the network’s typical subjects, though, so I’m eager to find out more. [E! News]

What to listen to

🎧 Tate McRae approaches main pop girl status

• When: Tate McRae’s album So Close to What is out Feb. 21.

• What to know: A week after being randomly name-dropped on Drake’s new album, Tate McRae is back with a full album that includes bangers like “Sports Car” and “2 hands.” [USA Today]

• Why I’ll be listening: The up-and-coming pop star is a dancer first, and her new songs always get me on the dance floor. I get the comparisons to Britney Spears! [Variety]

What to binge

▶️ Gabby Petito docuseries sheds new light on her case

• When: All three episodes of American Murder: Gabby Petito are now streaming on Netflix.

• What to know: The aspiring "van life" content creator Gabby Petito was killed by her fiancé in 2021, sparking a widespread online investigation. Netflix’s new docuseries reexamines what really happened. [Entertainment Weekly]

• Why I recommend it: I remember so vividly how internet sleuths dominated the initial coverage of Petito’s death, but through new interviews and text messages, this show paints a fuller picture of her life. [Yahoo Entertainment]

We’ll be back next week with our latest picks. Want more It List? Click here.

• Are there other things you’re excited about? Let us know in the comments below.