17 SHOWS NOT TO MISS
It’s often said that there are just two certainties in life, death and taxes. But TV journalists can add a third: the fall preview. Though the medium has been an abundant, year-round source of stories for some time now, there’s still no more stalwart sign of the days growing shorter (and screen time growing longer) than our annual look ahead to the autumn release calendar. Here are 17 new and returning shows to keep an eye out for in the coming months, as selected by The Times television team. SEPT. 5 ‘Real Girlfriends in Paris’
Remember when we thought “Emily in Paris” was going to kill us with its American fantasy of life in the City of Light? (And some of us inhaled it anyway?) There’s now a reality version to curl up to. “Real Girlfriends in Paris” follows a friend group of six twentysomething American expats who have relocated to Paris to experience, as the show’s description puts it, “their wildest adventure yet in the most beautiful city in the world.” > Bravo
— Yvonne Villarreal
SEPT. 6
‘Bee and PuppyCat’
It’s been nearly a decade since the web pilot of Natasha Allegri’s goofy, lovely, unpredictable cartoon about an aimless young woman and the strange, angry animal that literally falls into her life through a crack in reality. Millions of views led to a Kickstarterfunded full season; since then, there have been an intermittently, unofficially available second; a comic book series; and at least one plush toy (which I own). Now it makes its big-time streaming debut. Allegri is an “Adventure Time” veteran, and one will detect certain stylistic echoes with that series. But “Bee and PuppyCat” also interweaves domestic and romantic storylines with the surreal ones, and Allegri’s humor, hand and pastel palette are her own. > Netflix
— Robert Lloyd
SEPT. 8
‘The Good Fight’
The idea of living in a world without Diane Lockhart, the high-powered attorney with socially progressive views who has captivated us since 2009, is enough to make us want to microdose. The character, expertly and elegantly played by Christine Baranski, was first introduced in CBS’ “The Good Wife” and came into focus in its spinoff, “The Good Fight,” an addictive legal drama that boldly explores timely and provocative social issues. The sixth and final season of the series, which hails from Robert and Michelle King, promises to be just as topical, with Diane feeling a sense of deja vu as she grapples with issues such as the status of Roe vs. Wade, threats to voting rights and displays of violence. (YV)
> Paramount+
SEPT. 11
‘American Gigolo’
When the trailer for this remake dropped, Twitter came to a standstill. And how could it fail to? Heartthrob Jon Bernthal’s sculpted physique, his tailored suits and sleek convertible, the callback to Blondie’s “Call Me”— all conjured up fond memories of Paul Schrader’s erotic noir, which launched Richard Gere to stardom when it premiered in 1980. This time around, Julian Kaye (Bernthal), released from a 15-year stint in prison after it’s discovered that he was framed for murder, returns to sex work, with a side gig in uncovering the truth about who put him away. > Showtime
— Matt Brennan
SEPT. 19
‘The Cleaning Lady’ This drama has a premise so out-of-the-box that I thought it would topple over after a few episodes: A brilliant Cambodian doctor who comes to the United States with her son, who has a rare disease, winds up cleaning up crime scenes for the mob. But the series quickly became one of the
most compelling of last season, accompanied by a relentless torrent of twists and anchored by the committed performance of star Elodie Yung. In addition to being an effective thriller with lots of action and violence, “The Cleaning Lady” also shines a light on the plight of immigrants who come to the U.S. seeking a better life and are victimized by rampant insensitivity and brutal hypocrisy. > Fox
— Greg Braxton
SEPT. 20
‘Reboot’
Poking plenty of fun at the trend of rebooting once-beloved shows, this meta-comedy from “Modern Family” co-creator Steven Levitan goes behind the scenes of a sitcom’s second take. Its original cast have reunited for the project, spearheaded by both its original showrunner (Paul Reiser, who wants to recycle old material) and its new one (Rachel Bloom, who encourages experimentation). Each episode is packed with well-known sitcom tropes, industry satire and lighthearted jabs at Hulu itself. > Hulu
— Ashley Lee
SEPT. 21 ‘Andor’
The prequel series picks up five years before the events of 2016’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (about a rogue team of rebels that steal the Death Star plans that are key to the original 1977 film), to show protagonist Cassian Andor’s (Diego Luna) journey to becoming
a rebellion spy willing to die for the cause. “Rogue One” offered a glimpse into the darker, messier side of a familiar conflict, and I would watch any series expanding on the backstories of the movie’s main team. That the “Star Wars” franchise has made an art out of mining the years between its core series of films for some of its strongest storytelling is just a bonus. > Disney+
— Tracy Brown
SEPT. 30 ‘Entergalactic’
The collaboration between Scott Mescudi, a.k.a. Kid Cudi, and Kenya Barris is an animated musical series about a young artist navigating new love while on the cusp of success. The story will follow Jabari (Mescudi), who moves into a new apartment and meets his neighbor Meadow (Jessica Williams); Cudi’s album of the same name will serve as the series’ soundtrack. “Entergalactic’s” art is stylish and vibrant, and the music promises to be trippy and profound. Sign me up! (TB)
> Netflix
OCT. 2
‘Inter view With the Vampire’
A little thrill will pass through readers when they see the signature early in Episode 1: “Louis de Pointe du Lac.” The story of companion vampires has gotten a glowup from Anne Rice’s seminal 1976 novel and the 1994 movie adaptation starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and a
pre-teen Kirsten Dunst. Jacob Anderson (“Game of Thrones”) puts his imprint on Louis, who sits at the intersection of Black, gay, rich and vampire in early 20th century New Orleans, deepening what series creator Rolin Jones has called an “excitable, progressive, toxic love story.” And the interview is during the COVID-19 pandemic in a penthouse in Dubai, literally elevating the material. But it’s the meditative quality of the language that is set to beguile. So too is Lestat (Sam Reid), whose portrayal may have fans pondering who wore it better. > AMC
— Dawn M. Burkes
OCT. 6 ‘Alaska Daily’
Tom McCarthy, the Oscar-winning writer of “Spotlight,” fields another newspaper drama, starring Hilary Swank, an Oscar-winner twice over, as a “disgraced” New York journalist remaking her life and career in Alaska. As a state you have to cross another country to get to, Alaska provides a sort of American exoticism familiar from “Northern Exposure” and “Men in Trees” (RIP, Anne Heche), two other series featuring transplanted New Yorkers. (And more reality shows than you can shake a fist at.) And like those fine earlier series, “Alaska Daily” promises something both old-fashioned and forward-looking: broadcast network prestige television. (RL) > ABC
OCT. 6 ‘Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman’s Butler’
The show formerly known as just “Pennyworth” returns for its third season with a subtitle so explicative that it practically dares you not to watch, after it dares you not to laugh. There’s one person who has been there for Batman since the moment Bruce Wayne’s mother’s pearls hit the pavement in that alley, and it’s Alfred. “Pennyworth” flew under the radar on Epix during its first two seasons, but it couldn’t have been because of Jack Bannon, who puts it all on the screen as a quietly confused, playfully smoldering Alfred capable of loud and violent things after serving in the British SAS. He’s starting a security firm in 1960s Britain and gets pulled into intrigue by Bruce’s father, Thomas (Ben Aldrige). And yes, Martha Wayne (Emma Paetz) comes through too. (DMB) > HBO Max
OCT. 14 ‘Shantaram’
Hollywood has been trying to adapt “Shantaram,” Gregory David Roberts’ sprawling, quasi-autobiographical novel about a fugitive Australian bank robber on the lam in 1980s Mumbai, for nearly two decades. First there were scrapped film adaptations starting Johnny Depp and Joel Edgerton , then Apple revived the project for television. Now, after pandemicrelated delays, a showrunner change and a production relocation, a 12-episode series with “Sons of Anarchy” star Charlie Hunnam in the lead is almost here. If the finished product is half as dramatic as the show’s backstory, viewers should be riveted. > Apple TV+
— Meredith Blake
OCT. 16 ‘Annika’
The Masterpiece Mystery series may seem like just one more British murder mystery about a singleparent female detective transferred to a beautiful remote location, where as an outsider she leads a team of locals in solving homicides . But this one has Nicola Walker (“Last Tango in Halifax”). Walker’s DI Annika Strandhed is witty, charming and very good at the job of solving killings (so she says). In fourth wallbreaking soliloquies, Strandhed relates whatever mystery she’s solving to works of classic literature, stories from mythology or historical events. She also defends herself to the viewer, proving herself to be a very unreliable narrator. > PBS
— Ed Stockly
NOV. 3 ‘Blockbuster’
Sure, Netflix making a show about the rental chain it helped put out of business is like Amazon making a show about Waldenbooks. But “Blockbuster” has plenty to recommend it, starting with Randall Park, who plays Timmy, a movie lover who runs the last Blockbuster Video store in America, and Melissa Fumero, who co-stars as his No. 2. The singlecamera comedy from “Superstore” alum Vanessa Ramos promises to look at “what it takes for a (now) small business to succeed against all odds.” Irony noted. (M. Blake) > Netflix
NOV. 4 ‘Lopez vs. Lopez’
I still hear War’s “Low Rider” in my head whenever I see a photograph of George Lopez — 120 episodes as the main theme of his 2000s sitcom made sure of that. I was an adolescent allowed to watch way too much TV in the George W. Bush years, and Lopez is among the comedians who lodged in my cerebral cortex early and who I’ve been rooting for ever since. So of course, I’m excited to see him return to the broadcast format that made him a household name, this time opposite his real-life daughter, Mayan, in a comedy about onceestranged family members repairing their relationship. (M. Brennan)
> NBC
NOV. 22 ‘Welcome to Chippendales’
Hulu’s true-crime drama tells the story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee (Kumail Nanjiani), an Indian immigrant who worked his way up from gas station attendant to founder of the first and more successful male exoticdance empire. Along the way, Somen mixes with a colorful assortment of Playmates, players and skeezeballs inhabiting 1980s Hollywood. There’s so much potential for this combination of immigrant tale and Hollywood tragedy: Sabotage, greed and murder were as integral to the rise of Chippendales as gyrating hardbodies in thongs.
> Hulu
— Lorraine Ali
DEC. 22 “The Best Man: The Final Chapters’
Malcolm D. Lee’s hit movie “The Best Man” introduced audiences to its complex group of friends from college in 1999, and they reunited for a Christmas-themed sequel in 2013. Plans for a third film fell apart due to scheduling conflicts among the star-studded cast, but thankfully, all are back for the franchise’s long-promised swan song, in which the group addresses old issues, new dynamics and burgeoning midlife crises. (AL) > Peacock