What to expect from NCIS , American Gigolo , The Good Doctor , and 28 other fall shows

Murder! Mystery! And ... Chucky? With so many shows premiering in the coming months, we're here to give you the intel on what to expect. Here's a preview of 31 shows we're excited about in September and October.

You're welcome.

Justin Lubin/SHOWTIME Jon Bernthal on 'American Gigolo'

American Gigolo (Showtime, Sept. 9)

Let's talk about sex. Specifically, the sex Jon Bernthal is having on screen in Showtime's American Gigolo, a continuation of the story that began in the Richard Gere-led film of 1980. The series, which just premiered today, "is a story about sex and sex culture, as well as a crime noir story," says producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who was also involved in the original film. "Both are enduring story engines and, just as with the movie, the series mixes the two seamlessly together." Yes, there will be plenty of moments where Bernthal's Julian Kaye will find himself shirtless and pant-less, but Bruckheimer emphasizes the character-driven approach. "The time constraints of a feature film 42 years ago did not allow us to explore the backstory of how Julian became a gigolo," he explains. "The series unpacks this journey. We also spend more time in Michelle Stratton's world and even learn a lot more about Detective Sunday." (Hector Elizando in the film, Rosie O'Donnell in the series.) "Finally, the world of gigolos and sex workers has changed dramatically so the series takes a fresh look at the life of a gigolo in present day." —Nick Romano

Shanna Besson/Starz Samantha Morton on 'The Serpent Queen'

The Serpent Queen (Starz, Sept. 11)

Starz has long circled the English throne with dramas about the Tudors (and the Plantagenets before them), but now, they're taking us to 16^th-century France and the court of Catherine de' Medici. Played by Oscar-nominated Samantha Morton, Catherine narrates her own life story, detailing what she's done in order to survive and ascend to the title of Queen of France. Known as "the Serpent Queen," historically, Catherine de' Medici has been depicted as a scheming figure, notorious for her use of poison and her role in acts of religious persecution. But Morton, 45, who has played historical figures ranging from the madam of a Georgian brothel on Harlots to Mary, Queen of Scots in Elizabeth the Golden Age, stresses that this series offers audiences a much more complex rendering of Catherine. "Women have been vilified throughout history for being women — and for being strong and making choices," says Morton. "The show feels very contemporary with that. Because history is written by men. But these women are surviving in a very male-dominated world — and they have to play dark games of chess to do that. Catherine de' Medici says, 'I belong in this room' and creates space for herself. She's seen as this villain, but she had this deep connection to her children, her family, and her court." —Maureen Lee Lenker

SHERRI 'Sherri' will replace 'The Wendy Williams Show' with a new premiere date later this year.

Sherri (Sept. 12)

Making TV magic doesn't get any easier than it does on Sherri, a new talk show that, according to its namesake comedian, delivers exactly what the title promises: Classic Sherri Shepherd. "People know me," the actress, ex-View panelist, and stand-up comic says of what to expect from the live program. Fulfilling a lifelong dream for Shepherd, Sherri will premiere with a mix of comedy, viral video commentary, heartwarming human interest stories, and celebrity chats — all delivered via the star's signature brand of sisterly charm. "That's why you loved Oprah," Shepherd remembers. "Because you knew when you turned on that television, you were nurtured." Though she's not hitting as hard as she did on The View (she doesn't "have to be political or take a stand," here), she's bringing sharpened journalistic chops to the Sherri show, too, teasing "some great names" for interviews after picking up tips from Barbara Walters' "master course" in conversation. She'll synthesize it all for a show that she hopes stands on its own in the wake of a time slot vacated by Williams' cancellation. "Am I inheriting or carrying a torch? No," she says. "It's always been this way." Sherri's way, to be clear. —Joey Nolfi

Netflix

Fate: The Winx Saga (Netflix, Sept. 16)

With Farah Dowling (Eve Best) dead and Saul Silva (Robert James-Collier) in jail, Alfea is a different school with "wartime headmistress" Rosalind Hale in charge in season 2. "Get used to harsh training, early curfews, and armed guards," says creator Brian Young. Bloom Peters (Abigail Cowen) and her friends will have to deal with Blood Witches on top of Rosalind's new world order. "With powerful new magic and terrifying creatures by their side, the Blood Witches want their revenge," teases Young. On a lighter note, the wait for Flora's (Paulina Chávez) arrival is over! "Her fearless self-confidence shines a light on all our girls, especially her cousin, forcing Terra [Harvey, played by Eliot Salt] to confront some personal truths she's been hiding her whole life. Truths she may not have shared without Flora by her side," Young says about Flora joining Fate: The Winx Saga. —Alamin Yohannes

Jeff Neumann/FOX Élodie Yung and Naveen Andrews on 'The Cleaning Lady.'

The Cleaning Lady (Fox, Sept. 19)

The Cleaning Lady continues to explore the difficulties undocumented immigrants in the United States face when attempting to access healthcare and resources in season 2. Thony (Elodie Yung) will use her medical abilities to find ways to help her community as a doctor while working with criminal Arman (Adan Canto) to fund her noble aims, which pulls her further into his dark world. Complicating things for them both will be new character Robert Kamdar, played by Naveen Andrews. "Robert Kamdar is Nadia's [Eva De Dominici] dangerously unpredictable ex-lover who pulled Nadia out from the slums of Argentina and brought her to America, so they have a deep, complicated history together, and the moment Nadia steps back into his life, he's determined to win her back by creating a wedge between her and Arman," showrunners Melissa Carter and Miranda Kwok said in a statement. —A.Y.

NCIS (CBS, Sept. 19)

Some shows don't get two seasons, let alone 20, but NCIS is that rare exception. Originally premiering in 2003 as a spin-off of JAG, the D.C.-set NCIS went on to spawn a popular franchise all its own with series set in Los Angeles, New Orleans, Hawaii, and even Sydney. But nothing quite beats the original, which is now American television's seventh longest-running scripted primetime show. And for its seminal 20th season, the show is out to prove it's still got a few tricks up its sleeve. "Twenty years is a helluva ride and everyone at NCIS is filled with pride and excitement at what we've got planned for season 20," says executive producer and showrunner Steven D. Binder. "So grab your gear and get ready to see your favorite characters like you've never seen them before. The only question is whether we call it 'season of surprises' … or the 'season of love.'" —Lester Brathwaite

Eric Liebowitz/NBC Conner Marx, Jocko Sims, Ryan Eggold, and Janet Montgomery on 'New Amsterdam'

New Amsterdam (NBC, Sept. 20)

The New Amsterdam medical staff weathered both literal and metaphorical storms in the season 4 finale: A hurricane wreaked havoc on the city. Iggy's (Tyler Labine) marriage imploded. Lauren (Janet Montgomery) and Leyla (Shiva Kalaiselvan) called it quits. And the biggest one yet: Helen (Freema Agyeman) left Max (Ryan Eggold) at the altar. When the fifth and final season returns, "All your burning questions of why it happened and how it happened and what happens next" will be answered, creator David Schulner promises. "We've put all of our characters in the same position of having their lives explode." In the final season, "The only people who can help them are each other," he says, teasing a more celebratory and love-filled swan song for Max and Co. (Prepare for one particularly joyful Bollywood musical number.) As for Agyeman's surprise departure ahead of season 5, Schulner teases that we might not have heard the last of Helen after all, who, he says, is "not entirely gone." —Jessica Wang

The Resident (Fox, Sept. 20)

When The Resident returns, Conrad (Matt Czuchry) will have resolved the love triangle that ended season 5, but the doctors of Chastian will have a lot more to deal with than questions of romance. "Chastain is under attack from a governor who was a healthcare executive, and in that role, has committed the biggest medicare fraud in history," teases co-creator Amy Holden Jones. This new villain will cut the hospital's budget and clash with Bell (Bruce Greenwood). As for new additions, Ian (Andrew McCarthy) will be working medical miracles while hiding his own addiction and new intern Maya Nunez will look to Leela (Anuja Joshi) for guidance. Plus, The Resident celebrates 100 episodes this fall with Bell and Kit's wedding! —A.Y.

ABC/Scott Everett White Hayley Orrantia on 'The Goldbergs'

The Goldbergs (ABC, Sept. 21)

Erica Goldberg, along with brothers Barry and Adam, have grown up on TV. And Sept. 21, when ABC's The Goldbergs kicks off season 10, they — along with mom Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) — enter a new chapter of their lives: patriarch Murray has died in the time that's passed since the season 9 finale, and newlyweds Erica (Hayley Orrantia) and Geoff (Sam Lerner) are having a baby. "I didn't connect the dots that Erica was nauseous because she was pregnant," Orrantia admits of reading the script for the ninth season closer. "So it was not until they actually said out loud 'We're having a baby' that I was like, "Oh, my God!'"

The story line has proven to be a mix of emotions for Erica — and Orrantia along with it — balancing the excitement of impending motherhood while mourning Murray's death. "Even though we are a sitcom and we're meant to keep it lighthearted, I think that what makes a good show and even a good sitcom is being able to balance it with a lot of heart and the reality of what that would be like," the actress says of balancing Erica's needs with those of her family's. "The Goldbergs has always been a really great show for that: combining where the heart meets the hilarity. So [the season premiere] was a tough episode for me, but I was excited that we were able to translate it from script and TV." Hilarity being key, of course, and Orrantia teases that some of that will come from Erica becoming a mom: "We're probably gonna see a lot of Beverly come out in Erica….We're gonna get to see her kind of becoming a smother of her own." —Gerrad Hall

Temma Hankin/ABC Jimmy Tatro and Topher Grace on 'Home Economics'

Home Economics (ABC, Sept. 21)

Michael Colton and John Aboud, two executive producers behind Home Economics, say the upcoming third season is "full of unexpected disasters." But, hey, at least they get to go to Disneyland. The crew shot at the happiest place on earth for the premiere episode, coming to ABC this Sep. 21. "If you're watching our Disneyland premiere wondering, 'Are they really having that much fun?' the answer is, yes, there was very little acting required," says star Topher Grace, who also executive produces the show about the equally heartfelt and complicated relationship between three adult siblings. The trip becomes anything but happy when Tom (Grace) learns that Connor (Jimmy T) is his new boss. As for those other "unexpected disasters" that await, Colton and Aboud note that Sarah (Caitlin McGee) and Denise (Sasheer Zamata) have a flood, Tom and Marina (Karla Souza) have a fire, and Connor runs out of sushi. "We flashback to the 2000s for Tom and Marina's wedding, Tom's book finally comes out and — in the most hilarious way ever — the siblings find out they actually have another sibling," Grace adds. "I can't spoil who's playing the new Hayworth, but they're one of my favorites." —N.R.

ABC/Michael Moriatis Katheryn Winnick on 'Big Sky'

Big Sky (ABC, Sept. 21)

Dust off those hiking shoes and get ready for a glamping adventure in the Montana wilderness. Big Sky, er, Big Sky: Deadly Trails, is back for a third season, replete with its usual mystery, danger, and… death. Jenny Hoyt (Katheryn Winnick), Cassie Dewell (Kylie Bunbury), and new temporary sheriff Beau Arlen (Jensen Ackles) face off against the Barnes clan, a family with a backpacking business and a long list of missing customers. They're led by matriarch Sunny, played by country music legend Reba McEntire. "She's a mama bear that you don't cross," teases showrunner Elwood Reid. "What's going to be fun is seeing how far she'll go to defend her family. She's got a bit of an edge and some darkness to her. But if you squint, you can justify some of the stuff she's going to be doing." Reid also promises more case-of-the-week storytelling for Jenny and Beau, as well as glimpses into their pasts. And what about those sparks of chemistry between the two officers? "One thing you have to be careful with on Big Sky is the minute somebody gets close, they end up getting killed," Reid adds, ominously. "The actors get very nervous like, 'If we fall in love and we start having an affair, are you going to kill us off?'" It's always a risk in big sky country. —M.L.L.

The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist (Netflix, Sept. 21)

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase "The Bling Ring"? Possibly the 2013 Sofia Coppola film of the same name, the infamous meme of reality star Alexis Neiers (now Haines) crying on a phone call about Louboutin heels, or the fact that before 2009, Paris Hilton kept the front door to her Hollywood Hills mansion unlocked at most times. While all thoughts are valid, the upcoming docuseries from Netflix, The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist aims to give you all the information you need to form your own conclusions on the scandal that was The Bling Ring. From 2008 to 2009, a group of fame-obsessed teens broke into various high profile homes, and stole about $3 million worth of clothes and personal items from the likes of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Audrina Patridge. Now with more than a decade to contemplate their actions, two real members of the Bling Ring, Haines and Nick Prugo (now Norgo), will share their side of the story. "Finally we discover the real motivations of the teenage gang in their own words," says series producer and director Miles Blayden-Ryall and executive producer Larry Walford. "How they were influenced by society's obsession with celebrity and the birth of social media, surrounded by fame, fortune and failure in LA. Ultimately, the series paints the true picture of fanatical Hollywood excess, which acts as a cautionary tale, even more relevant for today's celebrity-obsessed teenagers than those of the time." —Calie Schepp

Law & Order crossover event (NBC, Sept. 22)

It's dun dun three times over with this massive crossover, which will see the season premieres of Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, and Law & Order: Organized Crime combine into a three-hour event. "Unlike most crossovers that we see on network television that are handoffs — one show hands it off to the next show, and then the next show hands it off to the next show — this one is much more integrated, where all the characters are in every hour in an integrated, seamless way," L&O showrunner Rick Eid tells EW. In it, the characters will first come up against a homicide, which spins into an investigation of a sex trafficking ring, which ultimately sees the investigators looking into a potential terror event. And while it will have a mostly self-contained conclusion, the events of the crossover do have some spillover into the shows' respective seasons, such as the introduction of Mehcad Brooks' detective on L&O. It all required a stunning amount of tireless coordination to pull off, and when asked if such an event was something we might see more of in the future, Eid at first says with a laugh, "For the love of God, no." After pausing, though, he admits, "I think we're always going to be trying to do things that are a little out of the box that elevate our profile and bring more eyeballs to our shows. So you know, having said that, as I'm talking, it sounds like the answer is yes." —Lauren Huff

Suspect (Britbox, Sept. 27)

Everyone is a suspect in this aptly titled BritBox thriller, which follows veteran detective Danny Frater (James Nesbitt), who gets the shock of his life when he goes to a routine autopsy ID check and finds his estranged daughter, Christina, is the deceased. He's told her death was a suicide, but, refusing to believe that, Danny sets out to learn who might have killed her. Each of the eight 30-minute episodes follows a different person of interest. One such person is Ryan, played by Outlander's Sam Heughan, who is a policeman and Danny's former partner. Fans of that series will find that Heughan's character here is a far cry from Jamie Fraser, but the Scottish actor says he "jumped at the chance" to play a character that is "on the darker side of things, who's gone astray a bit, and has some pretty dodgy dealings." Heughan's scenes, which he describes as very physical and action-packed, called for takes as long as 12 minutes, something which he likens to theater. "It felt very intense. And I think for an actor, it's a great gift to really immerse yourself in the character and in the role," he says. Ultimately, Heughan — who teases "a lot of red herrings and decoys" in the "deeply dark show" —  thinks audiences will be equally immersed in Suspect. "Hopefully, the audience, like myself whilst reading and watching it, [is] kept guessing till the end," he says. "Honestly, if they're looking for some high-end drama that's unsettling and dark and intriguing, I think they're going to be thoroughly rewarded." —L.H.

Ser Baffo/Hulu Emayatzy Corinealdi on 'Reasonable Doubt'

Reasonable Doubt (Hulu, Sept. 27)

Kerry Washington, director and executive producer of Hulu's upcoming legal drama Reasonable Doubt, describes the show perfectly in her own words. "Expect an unapologetic, raw, exciting, and sexy exploration of the complicated life of a modern Black woman," Washington says. "There are fiery love triangles, heartwarming friendships, shocking twists and turns, decades-long family secrets bubbling to the surface, a thrilling mystery at the center of it all and much, much more." The series follows whip-smart lawyer Jax Stewart, played with a palpable zest by Emayatzy Corinealdi, and takes you through every facet of her complicated life as a powerful defense attorney in Los Angeles. Creator and writer Raamla Mohamed, who previously worked with Washington on Scandal and Little Fires Everywhere, says that she wanted to create a show that she would want to watch and see herself in. "When we see these female-driven dramas, it's someone who's really good at their job and then they're terrible with their personal life," Mohamed says. "As a woman you're always balancing, it's trying to be all the things all the time. I really wanted to show a female lead who's doing that and show the conflicts in that." Reasonable Doubt is the first scripted series from Onyx Collective, Disney's new curated content brand for creators of color and underrepresented voices. Corinealdi says that she was excited to play this fully flawed woman that Mohamed created. "Jax could be described as being morally ambiguous but she's about the truth, at the end of the day that's all that matters to her," Corinealdi says. "The show plays out in a relatable, dramatic and messy way, such as life." —C.S.

Sarah Enticknap/NBC 'La Brea' season 2

La Brea (Sept. 27)

La Brea's Josh (Jack Martin) and Riley (Veronica St. Clair) did not heed the age-old rule of thumb — don't go into the light! — and now they find themselves in the year 1988 when season 2 kicks off this Sep. 27 on NBC. "Being in 1988 opens up a lot of exciting and new opportunities for the show," says series creator and showrunner David Appelbaum. "It's a chance for us to showcase the fun of the time period — the fashion, the music, the pop culture. But it's also going to give us a chance to explore and deepen the central mythology of the show. It's through Josh and Riley's adventures that we're going to start to understand why these sinkholes exist in the first place and what our characters' role in that story really is." Appelbaum realizes 1988 is not the kind of time twist fans might've been expecting from the show about a Los Angeles sinkhole that sent a family to a primordial world. But the executive producer was on the hunt for something that would surprise his audience. "Josh and Riley weren't even born in 1988. So there was something inherently fun about exposing them to things they've never experienced," he explains. "We also loved the chemistry between the two actors and thought putting them on their own in this situation would be a great showcase for that dynamic. But on a deeper level, both of these characters are trying to figure out who they are and what their place in the world is. So sending them far away from their families — where they will have to function on their own — seemed like a good way to further those ideas." —N.R.

Jon Pack/Hulu

Ramy (Hulu, Sept. 30)

"There's a crisis of faith", comedian Ramy Youssef says of the upcoming season of Ramy. "Up until now, Ramy hasn't really questioned his faith before, he's only struggled with it." The series chronicles the ups and downs of a young man trying to bridge the gap between his Muslim family and the fast-paced life filled with millennials, and this season will see Ramy face his toughest decisions yet. "We're watching this family navigate the unseen through their spiritual lineage," Youssef said. Ultimately, Ramy is a show about the humor of life and how different generations perceive each other. Plus, this season Bella Hadid joins the cast in a surprise role that Youssef promises to be "fun and weird… it's the last thing anyone would think she'd do." —Keith Langston

Michael Greenberg/CBS Queen Latifah on 'The Equalizer'

The Equalizer (Oct. 2)

Robyn McCall's (Queen Latifah) struggles to separate her personal life from her equalizer life came to a head in the season 2 finale, where she was kidnapped in front of daughter Delilah (Laya DeLeon Hayes) and Aunt Vi (Lorraine Toussaint). Season 3 will pick up after that nail-biter moment, which star and executive producer Queen Latifah says will be "traumatic" for all involved — namely, Delilah. "She's going to want to be more involved," Latifah teases of the mother-daughter dynamic. "I don't think she's going to want to just back away or stick her head in the mud, so that may present challenges." The importance of family will be a season 3 focal point, as will Robyn's continued quest to avenge the death of her mentor William Bishop (Chris Noth). "She's a woman on a mission," Latifah says. "She's absolutely not going to let it go." Season 3 will be action-packed, full of suspense, and "litty for the city!" she declares. —J.W.

Peter Kramer/CBS

East New York (CBS, Oct. 2)

On East New York, newly promoted Deputy Inspector Regina Haywood (Amanda Warren) is determined to improve the relationship between her officers and the Brooklyn community their precinct operates in. "Our hope is that viewers will get a sense of the connectedness that is threaded through a community like East New York — a Brooklyn neighborhood that holds pride in its image and place in the DNA of New York City," says EP Mike Flynn. Part of Regina's work will be focusing on community policing. "We'll define it only by saying that the cops and the community are not separate entities," EP Billy Finkelstein says about the show's approach to community policing. East New York aims to explore how it can be an effective tool if executed with diligence. —A.Y.

ABC/Jeff Weddell

The Good Doctor (ABC, Oct. 3)

The doctor is in … over his head. The sixth season of ABC's hit medical drama kicks off with a bloody bang following the violent attack that interrupted the wedding of Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) and Lea Dilallo (Paige Sparra). "In our action packed season opener, Shaun and the rest of our characters — including his brand new bride Lea — deal with the immediate aftermath of the terrible attack on Dr. Lim (Christina Chang) and Nurse Villaneuva (Elfina Luk) in last year's finale," says executive producer/co-showrunner Liz Friedman. While the San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital family was on the roof celebrating Shaun's and Lea's nuptials, Villanueva and Lim were stabbed by the nurse's abusive partner Owen, leaving their fates in the balance. "Lives are on the line, and decisions are made that will reverberate all the way through our mid-season finale," Friedman says. "We'll see lives changed, friends pitted against each other, and our characters tested — can they come through the trauma better and stronger on the other side?" —L.B.

Rafy/SYFY 'Chucky' season 2 premieres Oct. 5.

Chucky (Syfy and USA, Oct. 5)

Prepare for a religious experience on season 2 of the killer doll show. Chucky creator Don Mancini channeled his own Catholic upbringing by sending season 1 survivors Jake (Zackary Arthur), his boyfriend Devon (Björgvin Arnarson), and their pal Lexy (Alyvia Alyn Lind) into the care of nuns and priests. "Our kids are sent to a Catholic reform school," says Mancini. "So we follow this budding gay relationship in a Catholic school setting. As you can imagine, there's going to be some conflict going on." As you can also imagine, the Brad Dourif-voiced Chucky does not make things any easier. "Chucky's not done with them," says Mancini. "He has sworn vengeance on those who thwarted him in season 1 and he attempts to get it."

Devon Sawa also returns despite perishing (twice!) in season 1. "In the way that Ryan Murphy would bring actors back in different roles [on American Horror Story], I guess Devon Sawa is this franchise's Jessica Lange," laughs Mancini. "He's playing the headmaster of the school where the kids get sent." —Clark Collis

Station 19 (ABC, Oct. 6)

Everything is about to change for Andy (Jaina Lee Ortiz). The season 5 finale of the firefighter drama saw Andy experience a real rollercoaster of life events. First, the district attorney dropped all charges against her. Then, Jack (Grey Damon) shocked everyone and left, something Andy found out when she was offered a lieutenant position. Heading into season 6, "Andy is a lieutenant," showrunner Krista Vernoff tells EW. "And she's back at Station 19. One of the things we've really been talking about is Andy's emergence as a leader. All that she's learned and all that she's continuing to learn is a big part of the season." Vernoff is particularly excited about the lack of things standing in Andy's way: "She's not being held back by her dad, not being held back by secret romances, not being held back by anything and really coming into her own." —Samantha Highfill

HBO Max 'Pennyworth' season 3

Pennyworth (HBO Max, October)

Every season of Pennyworth is different from the last, as the series (originally on Epix, but now on HBO Max) moves through its alternate history timeline. Following the English civil war of season 2, a brave new world is starting to take shape. We're still a ways off from Batman and the present-day DC Universe, but supernatural individuals are starting to appear more and more frequently in season 3's 1970s setting. Alfie (Jack Bannon) takes it all in stride. "It's hard to make him raise an eyebrow," Pennyworth creator Bruno Heller says. "That's his most ferocious reaction to things: 'Oh, this is happening now, okay,' and then he'll deal with it." Alfie's friends the Waynes, meanwhile, are more concerned with domestic issues. Following the birth of their daughter (wasn't that a twist?), Thomas (Ben Aldridge) and Martha (Emma Paetz) are unnerved by the unexpected arrival of Thomas' father Patrick Wayne and his lover Virginia Deveraux (Lorraine Burroughs). Keep an eye out: All is not as it seems with these two. "Patrick Wayne's arrival reminds us that this is the Batman world and this is a very dysfunctional family," Heller says. "Virginia is a loose cannon thrown into that. She is not who she appears to be at first." —Christian Holub

Fire Country (CBS, Oct. 7)

With a mix of the professional and the personal, new CBS series Fire Country brings something new to the world of procedurals. Inspired by Max Thieriot's life in his hometown, the series centers on Bode Donovan (played by Thieriot), a man serving time who unexpectedly ends up back in his hometown after volunteering for the inmate firefighter program. "Everything affects everybody, everyone knows each other, and the stories are intertwined because of it," says star and EP Thieriot. Expect life-threatening emergencies, love triangles, family drama, and other small town hijinks on Fire Country. —A.Y.

Nick Wall/HBO The cast of 'Avenue 5'

Avenue 5 (HBO, Oct. 10)

Season 1 of the science fiction comedy concluded with the passengers on the titular tourist space ship having their already delayed return home accidentally extended to eight years. Creator Armando Iannucci teases that matters will become even worse in the second season of the show, which includes Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, and Lenora Crichlow. "Really, all hell ensues," Iannucci says. "They fly toward the sun in one episode, there's an outbreak of fascism, there's a lockdown while someone dangerous is onboard the ship, and then there's a death lotto. It's basically everyday life but in space!"

Iannucci explains that the worsening situation prompts Laurie's Captain Ryan Clark to be "even more worn down by the weight of responsibility on his shoulders" while Josh Gad's space ship-owning Herman Judd tries, and fails, to keep a low profile. "We find him trying to hide and disassociate himself from the ship as much as possible, so he's not blamed by the passengers, which is hard because his name's absolutely everywhere," says the show creator. "I think in episode one he says, 'Well, I'm the owner in name only, you might as well blame Martin Luther King for king-sized beds. It's just a name!' So that's where he's at." —C.C.

Disney/Christopher Willard John Stamos and Sophia Mitri Schloss on 'Big Shot'

Big Shot (Disney+, October 12)

Now that the Westbrook Sirens have earned a spot in Division II, coach Marvyn Korn (John Stamos) is focused on three things: Being there for his daughter, Emma (Sophia Mitri Schloss); helping the girls secure a national championship; and keeping his temper in check. For the latter, Coach Korn turns to meditative new hobby. "Someone had just sent me a bonsai tree," recalls Stamos. "I looked at it and was like, 'What if that's what he uses to calm down?'" As for the championship, Marvyn and the Sirens will face an unexpected obstacle: Boys. "What starts to play out this season is the inequality of women's sports versus men's sports," explains Stamos. Charlie Hall (Sex Lives of College Girls) joins the cast as Nick, a basketballer who has the opposite of a meet-cute with Sirens star Louise (Nell Verlaque). This season, Disney+ will release the series as a binge — something Stamos hopes will help fill the bleachers with more viewers. "You show me another series that is 98 percent diverse female with female-forward stories in its DNA," he says. "There isn't one. And that's what I love about it." —Kristen Baldwin

High School (Amazon Freevee, October)

High school can be tough enough on your own, so imagine going through adolescence while constantly being compared to your twin sister. High School is based on pop duo Tegan and Sara Quin's memoir of the same name and their life as teens growing up in 90's Canada. Amongst grunge and rave culture, the young women explore their sexuality, love for music and their relationship with each other. "Often young women are rounded off, over-simplified, or ignored altogether on TV," Tegan Quin says. "We were determined to be a part of changing that by bringing something like our memoir to TV." Quin, along with her sister Sara and showrunner Clea DuVall, created the show with TikTok creators Railey and Seazynn Gilliland as their leads. "Before this project I had only heard Tegan and Sara's names a couple of times," Railey says. "I haven't seen anything like this show, honestly. It's something that feels really new and unique. And I'm not just saying that because I want you to watch it." —C.S.

Matt Grace/PEACOCK Marianly Tejada, Jess McLeod, and Melissa Collazo on 'One Of Us Is Lying'

One Of Us Is Lying (Peacock, Oct. 20)

The Bayview Four finally proved they weren't murderers by the end of One of Us Is Lying's first season — only to then kill the real murderer and cover up his death in the finale in a massive departure from author Karen M. McManus' books. When Peacock's high school murder mystery returns for season 2, picking up "seconds" after the finale's shocking twist ending, the story continues to get further and further away from the source material. "It's totally its own story now, a whole new mystery," showrunner Erica Saleh tells EW. "In the book and in season 1, they're innocent. It's fun to tiptoe into the gray areas of, they're still certainly good people, but they've done something very, very bad." She adds that it was always the plan to stray from the original book's ending since the sequel, One of Us Is Next, "has all new characters and jumps forward in time, and we were so in love with our Bayview Four that we wanted to keep them as our main characters and keep them in high school. That's why we created this new mystery that is different from the books and that is really about the journey that they've gone on. All season 1, they didn't kill someone and people are calling them Murder Club, and then going into season 2, we really loved the irony of, they did kill someone, so who are they now, and can they protect this even bigger, more dangerous secret?" —S.B.

Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities (Netflix, Oct. 25)

Guillermo del Toro has so much to show you. The Oscar-winning director behind The Shape of Water has produced a new horror anthology series for Netflix. Each of the eight episodes of Cabinet of Curiosities adapts a scary story for the screen, handled by different directors. Catherine Hardwicke knows a thing or two about horror adaptations, having directed the first Twilight movie. Her installment of Cabinet of Curiosities is based on H.P. Lovecraft's story "The Dreams in the Witch House." "Lovecraft's story really only takes place in this one house, and it's very internal," Hardwicke tells EW. "To make it more cinematic, we expanded on that and added these other layers so that the story is expressed in emotions, not just words. We had to do the same kind of thing with Twilight, since Stephanie Meyer wrote it very internally, based on what Bella was thinking. I was like, I want to see what it means to have a vampire boyfriend — or in this case, what it means to fight with a witch!"

Del Toro's longtime collaborator Guillermo Navarro handles another episode, "Lot 36," that is based on an original story by Del Toro himself. "I was the cinematographer on many of his movies," says Navarro, who even won an Oscar for his work on Pan's Labyrinth. "We've been partners in crime before, but this was a great opportunity for both of us to try a new creative relationship, and it worked out great! This is a very character-driven story, but all the elements create a real scare." —C.H.

Disney+ Tony Hale on 'The Mysterious Benedict Society'

The Mysterious Benedict Society (Disney+, Oct. 26)

The kids are certainly not alright when The Mysterious Benedict Society returns for season 2. The Disney+ series kicks off an all-new mission on Wednesday, Oct. 26 as Mr. Benedict's (Tony Hale) gifted orphan recruits find themselves all on their own after his nefarious twin brother Dr. L.D. Curtain (also Hale) kidnaps him for his latest scheme. "Benedict and Number Two [Kristen Schaal] have been kidnapped and the kids go on this big adventure to find us," Hale tells EW. "At the same time, Curtain has reinvented himself as kind of a self-help guru. We thought we got him, but now the world loves him because he's selling the idea of happiness to people. Season 2 has this really cool messaging of the difference between the facade of happiness and what true happiness is." —S.B.

Henry James/Prime Video Peter Capaldi in 'The Devil's Hour'

The Devil's Hour (Prime Video, Oct. 28)

In this British thriller show from the producers of Sherlock, Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife) plays a social worker and single mom attempting to deal with her worryingly placid son, her ailing mother, and her own alarming hallucinations. "She's having these visions of bad things that are going to happen," says writer Tom Moran. "She finally takes some action, she finally trusts them, and that's a turning point for her that then propels her into the rest of the series." The cast also includes Nikesh Patel and Alex Ferns as a pair of cops investigating a homicide, as well as Peter Capaldi as a mysterious figure seen in flash-forward scenes. "He's made this enigmatic character very, very human and kind of vulnerable," Moran says of the former Doctor Who star. "It's a really interesting performance. I can't wait for people to see it."

How do these plot strands connect? That's for Moran to know and for viewers to try and figure out during the six-part first season. "It's the kind of show that invites the audience to come up with their own ideas of what might be going on," says Moran. "Hopefully we have a very satisfying ending for the first season, where all the pennies drop at once. It's a rainstorm of pennies in episode six!" —C.C.

Make sure to check out EW's Fall TV Preview cover story — as well as all of our 2022 Fall TV Preview content, releasing over 22 days through Sept. 29.

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