New shows join old favorites in fall TV, streaming season.
Action, comedy and variety programs add to TV, streaming mix
The start of fall television is a seasonal ritual as American as the coming of pumpkin spice lattes. It’s when we’re baited by the lure of new, promising shows and the return of favorite series that, sometimes, left us anticipating what will happen next. In recent years, networks and cable have been joined by streaming providers in offering us some of their choicest new viewing come September. It’s good news for TV bingers, bad news for weekend chore lists. From returning favorites to debuts, here’s our list of top TV picks for fall, including the newera visage of a familiar superhero, a “Blackish” spinoff and the return of a British royal drama we’ve been missing too long. There are also a few farewells coming, including the longrunning network sitcom “Modern Family” and the groundbreaking Amazon streaming show “Transparent.”
MONDAY, SEPT. 9
“The Kelly Clarkson Show”: The original American Idol brings audiences her take on the variety show. NBC
SEPT. 18
“American Horror Story: 1984”: Ryan Murphy’s overthetop anthology series goes to sleepaway camp for its ninth season, and gets extremely campy, based on the slasherstyle teasers. FX
SEPT. 23
“All Rise”: Simone Missick stars in this new courthouse drama as newly appointed judge Lola Carmichael. CBS
“Prodigal Son”: Tom Payne stars as a criminal psychologist whose father just happens to be a serial killer in this new series. Fox
“Bob (Hearts) Abishola”: Billy Gardell has a heart attack and Folake Olowofoyeku is the nurse he falls for, with Christine Ebersole as Gardell’s mother. CBS
“Bluff City Law”: Former “L.A. Law” star Jimmy Smits returns to the legal drama genre, this time fighting for civil rights in Memphis. NBC
SEPT. 24
“The Conners”: The “Roseanne” spinoff, sans Roseanne, is back for a second season and we’re as jumpy as Aunt Jackie for its return. ABC
“This is Us”: Heartstrings, get ready to be tugged. Everyone’s favorite family flashback series returns for season four. NBC
“Mixedish”: The “Blackish” prequel focuses on Rainbow’s childhood in the 1980s, when her hippie parents leave commune life for the harsh vibes of the suburbs. ABC “Emergence”: This new series is described as a crime thriller about a police chief who takes in an amnesiac child and is drawn into a conspiracy. ABC “Empire”: It’s been an explosive ride with the Lyon family and its dramafilled entry into the music business. Will this sixth and final season be the Lyon family’s winter? Fox
SEPT. 25
“Modern Family”: After 11 seasons, the Emmywinning mockumentary comes to a conclusion. ABC
“Stumptown”: Cobie Smulders, who still might be working in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stars in this crime drama based on the graphic novel of the same name. ABC
SEPT. 26
“Perfect Harmony”: Bradley Whitford, so good as an elitist curmudgeon, stars in this musical comedy about a former Princeton choir director who lands at a smalltown church. Anna Camp of the “Pitch Perfect” films costars, as a singer. NBC
“The Unicorn”: Walton Goggins returns to TV after his excellent run in “Justified” to star as a widower and single father pulling it together for his two daughters. CBS
“Evil”: Crime drama meets supernatural thriller as a psychologist and a priest team up to solve mysteries. CBS
“Carol’s Second Act”: “Everybody Loves Raymond” matriarch Patricia Heaton returns to CBS in this series as a woman who becomes a doctor at age 50 and is the oldest resident intern at her hospital. CBS
SEPT. 27
“The Politician”: Ben Platt (”Pitch Perfect”) stars in this Ryan Murphy offering, with Gwyneth Paltrow and Murphy favorite Jessica Lange, about a high schooler who aims for higher office. Netflix
SEPT. 28
“Saturday Night Live”: The writers and cast have a lot to work with in their 45th season, mostly related to the 45th president, a frequent source of the show’s best recent material. But they will have to do it without favorite Leslie Jones, who recently announced she won’t be returning. NBC
“Transparent”: The series will end without former star Jeffrey Tambor, who was fired after allegations of abuse against cast members. The solution? Kill off Tambor’s character and make it a musical film. Amazon
SEPT. 29
“Bless the Harts”: Fox’s latest animated series was created by veteran writer/actor Emily Spivey (“Wine Country”) and follows a Southern family. With the voices of Maya Rudolph, Kristin Wiig and Ike Barinholtz. Fox “Godfather of Harlem”: Forest Whitaker stars as reallife 1960s crime boss Bumpy Johnson in this new series. Epix
OCT. 2
“Almost Family”: This spermdonor comedy explores whether or not DNA makes a family by following three young women who discover they are biological sisters. Fox
OCT. 6
“Batwoman”: Ruby Rose breaks new ground as lesbian Kate Kane, alterego of superhero Batwoman. It’s TV mimicking comic books as the longtime character was recently updated to reflect a change in sexuality. The CW “Kids Say the Darndest Things”: The classic series is rebooted (again!) with Tiffany Haddish playing interviewer and host to the titular kids who say things. ABC “Back to Life”: Daisy Haggard stars as a woman returning to her small hometown after a long prison sentence. Showtime
OCT. 9
“Riverdale”: The dark take on Archie Comics returns for its first season after the death of actor Luke Perry, who played Archie’s father. The CW
“Nancy Drew”: Kennedy McMann stars as the sleuth whose college plans are disrupted by a mystery. The CW
OCT. 18
“Looking for Alaska”: Charlie Plummer stars in this teen drama adapted from John Green’s novel of the same name. Green’s the guy who gave us “The Fault in Our Stars,” and this story was inspired by his own teenage years. Hulu “Modern Love”: A new anthology series based on the New York Times relationship column. Amazon
NOV. 12
“The Mandalorian”: This new “Star Wars” story, characterized as a Western, is one of the first original series on Disney’s new streaming service and follows a gunfighter (Pedro Pascal) around the galaxy. Disney Plus
NOV. 15
“Dollface”: Kat Dennings (”Two Broke Girls”) stars as a woman recently dumped by her boyfriend who is trying to rediscover her female friends. Hulu
NOV. 17
“The Crown”: After two years of waiting, the popular royal drama is back, led by Oscar winner Olivia Colman and a whole new cast of Windsors. Netflix
DEC. 8
“The L Word: Generation
Q”: Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig and Leisha Hailey return for this reboot of the series about queer women. Showtime