Fall TV Preview: 20 New and Returning Shows We’re Excited About This Season
The fall TV season looks mighty unusual this year — but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to watch.
More from TVLine
Though Hollywood’s concurrent strikes have gutted the traditional fall calendar, leaving broadcast networks to air reality shows and reruns galore, we’ve still got more than three dozen new and returning series to enjoy across cable, streaming and, yep, even broadcast in the coming weeks.
In the list below, Team TVLine has highlighted 20 shows we’re especially excited to watch this fall, even though the calendar isn’t quite as jam-packed as it used to be. Our picks encompass adaptations of beloved books (All the Light We Cannot See), unscripted fare (FBoy Island), a spinoff (Gen V) and a revival (Frasier), along with fresh seasons of returning shows like FX’s American Horror Story and HBO’s The Gilded Age.
Keep scrolling to see all of the shows we’re looking forward to watching this fall, then drop a comment with the series you’re most eagerly anticipating.
All the Light We Cannot See (Netflix)
WHY IT EXCITES US: Anthony Doerr’s 2014 novel, on which the series is based, is a gorgeous, vividly written story set during World War II, and we’re eager to see how Netflix (and its budget) brings the emotional tale to life. That said, do we need extra reasons to be excited beyond Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie, who respectively co-star as Daniel LeBlanc (father to the young blind girl Marie-Laure) and Etienne LeBlanc (Marie-Laure’s great-uncle)? We think not.
SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Thursday, Nov. 2 (all episodes)
American Horror Story: Delicate (FX)
WHY IT EXCITES US: God help us, we’re always going to be excited about a new season of American Horror Story, even if it’s more of a cautious excitement — a morbid curiosity, if you will. After a few ambitious-but-uneven installments, we’re relieved that Delicate looks and feels like a return to form for Ryan Murphy’s FX franchise. We’re also dying to see if acting newbie Kim Kardashian can, ahem, keep up with a group of seasoned veterans.
SEASON 12 PREMIERE DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 9/8c
Bargain (Paramount+)
WHY IT EXCITES US: Over the past two years, a few TV projects have touted themselves as “the next Squid Game,” but this South Korean thriller — which seems to have materialized out of nowhere and landed Stateside on Paramount+ — sure seems to have the same dark, twisted tone. An illegal auction of involuntarily donated human organs gets waylaid by an earthquake? After which victims, buyers and seers fight to stay alive? Game on!
SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Thursday, Oct. 5 (all episodes)
Chucky (Syfy/USA Network)
WHY IT EXCITES US: Whether you’re an OG Child’s Play fan or a new viewer looking for a campy Halloween treat, the murderous redhead has consistently delivered disgusting kills and cheeky one-liners for two full seasons now. The return of Devon Sawa (as POTUS this time!) adds a new layer to the doll’s third go-around, and who can resist franchise vet Jennifer Tilly, who’s seemingly having the time of her life playing Tiffany Valentine 25 years (!) after becoming Chucky’s Bride? Apologies to frequent victims Jake, Devon and Lexy, but we hope Chuck’s reign of terror never ends.
SEASON 3 PREMIERE DATE: Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 9/8c
The Continental: From the World of John Wick (Peacock)
WHY IT EXCITES US: We know, we know — Mel Gibson, ugh. But in this 1970s-set prequel series, 1) he’s barely in the first two episodes (and you’ll be rooting for his comeuppance), and 2) if one can look past his involvement, The Continental delivers an undeniable visual flair as it chronicles a pivotal time in Winston Scott’s (Colin Woodell as a young Ian McShane) past.
SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Friday, Sept. 22 (three weekly episodes)
The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
WHY IT EXCITES US: Horror auteur Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor)… reunited with many members of his acting troupe (Carla Gugino, Rahul Kohli, Kate Siegel, Zach Gilford, Michael Trucco, T’Nia Miller, Annabeth Gish)… plus heavy hitters like Battlestar Galactica’s Mary McDonnell and Star Wars’ Mark Hamill… in an eight-episode limited series for Netflix inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s classic tale of Gothic fiction? We’ve been counting the days since this one was announced! Flanagan and producing partner Trevor Macy have a proven track record of wringing deeply felt emotion and highly disturbing scares in equal measure, and we expect this new tale — about mysterious deaths plaguing the family behind a pharmaceutical dynasty — will be no different.
SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Thursday, Oct. 12 (all episodes)
Fargo (FX)
WHY IT EXCITES US: It’s been a while since we’ve frozen our keisters off with FX’s chilly crime anthology — it last aired a full three years ago — and Season 5 has assembled another all-star cast, led by Ted Lasso‘s Juno Temple as a housewife with a dark past and Mad Men‘s Jon Hamm as a sheriff hot on her trail. Throw in actors like Joe Keery, Lamorne Morris and Jennifer Jason Leigh (and character names like Ole Munch and Danish Graves), and you betcha we’re pulling our parkas out of storage already.
SEASON 5 PREMIERE DATE: Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 10/9c
FBoy Island (The CW)
WHY IT EXCITES US: After that jaw-dropping Season 2 finale twist in which Tamara revealed she was an “FGirl” — who then dumped both of her final choices and took the $100,000 prize instead — we’re dying to see what other surprises this wildly entertaining reality show has in store. We’re further enticed by the addition of onetime Bachelorette star Katie Thurston, who will look for love among 13 self-proclaimed “Nice Guys” and 13 self-proclaimed “FBoys.”
SEASON 3 PREMIERE DATE: Monday, Oct. 16 at 8/7c
Fellow Travelers (Showtime)
WHY IT EXCITES US: White Collar‘s Matt Bomer + Bridgerton‘s Jonathan Bailey + love story + decades-spanning period piece = swoon! Need we say more?
SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Sunday, Oct. 29 at 9/8c (and Friday, Oct. 27, for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers)
Frasier (Paramount+)
WHY IT EXCITES US: We’re admittedly a bit wary of a Frasier without Niles, Daphne and Martin, but we’ll still happily sit down for another serving of tossed salads and scrambled eggs with Kelsey Grammer’s snooty psychiatrist. In the revival, Frasier moves back to Boston to spend more time with his firefighter son Freddy (Jack Cutmore-Scott), which promises a prickly new father-son dynamic… and also allows for cameos from the old Cheers gang. But really, once we heard “Lilith is back,” we were sold.
SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Thursday, Oct. 12 (first two episodes, followed by one episode per week)
Gen V (Prime Video)
WHY IT EXCITES US: It’s probably going to be a long time before we see Season 4 of The Boys, so we’re thankful that we have this spinoff to tide us over. And judging by the trailer, Gen V is poised to deliver on the bloody violence and twisted sense of humor that we’ve come to expect from the franchise. Plus, there are more than a few Boys cameos in the offshoot, which will help set up the next season of the mothership series.
SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Friday, Sept. 29 (first three episodes, followed by one episode per week)
The Gilded Age (HBO)
WHY IT EXCITES US: First of all, the mere notion of Christine Baranski throwing whip-smart shade whilst donning long, lacy gloves should be enough to excite anyone, but sure, we’ll come up with a few more reasons. How about lavish period sets and costumes? How about a score so sweeping it could reduce a grown man to tears? How about Carrie Coon devouring 1880s New York society snobs and spitting out their bones? (Not literally, of course, but we’d totally watch that show, too.) If you can’t tell, we fell in love with this show in its first season last year, and we can’t wait for the affair to resume this fall.
SEASON 2 PREMIERE DATE: Sunday, Oct. 29 at 9/8c
Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+)
WHY IT EXCITES US: Lessons in Chemistry has been everybody’s favorite beach read since it came out in 2022 — one of those books that made you tell all your friends, “Hey, this would make a great TV show.” And now, here it is! But even if you haven’t read Bonnie Garmus’ book about a woman who becomes a cooking show host after being fired as a chemist, the series adaptation has the potential to be top-level TV, thanks to the stunning aesthetics of a 1950s California paired with the acting chops of Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson.
SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Friday, Oct. 13 (first two episodes, followed by one episode per week)
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
WHY IT EXCITES US: If you watched the Season 3 opener, which began streaming earlier this week (read our recap), you know that this season of Apple TV+’s A-lister drama is off to a freewheeling start — and we can happily report that it only gets more deliciously wacky as the episodes roll out. Under the leadership of new showrunner Charlotte Stoudt (Homeland), the series has left its #MeToo and COVID storylines (mostly) in the past in favor of soapier developments for Jennifer Aniston’s Alex and Reese Witherspoon’s Bradley. (Think secrets, sex and sexy secrets.) Add in cast newbies Jon Hamm (Mad Men) as a dashing tech mogul and Nicole Beharie (Sleepy Hollow) as UBA’s newest anchor, and you’ve got appointment television that network exec Cory Ellison would kill for.
RELEASE SCHEDULE: New episodes drop every Wednesday through Nov. 8.
Quantum Leap (NBC)
WHY IT EXCITES US: The sci-fi drama wrapped its first season on a thrilling cliffhanger, hinting that Ben’s journey through time and space had not come to an end, despite completing the mission that prompted his unauthorized leap in the first place. With the entire core cast set to return, and intriguing cast additions like Manifest’s Melissa Roxburgh and The 100’s Eliza Taylor, we’re itching to see what new adventures await the Quantum Leap team in the coming episodes.
SEASON 2 PREMIERE DATE: Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 8/7c
Sex Education (Netflix)
WHY IT EXCITES US: Because Otis and Maeve finally admitted their feelings for each other and can finally be a couple — ya know, as soon as Maeve returns from her study abroad program. And we’re cautiously optimistic about the series’ transition away from Moordale. A change of scenery worked wonders for another beloved Netflix dramedy by the name of Orange Is the New Black.
SEASON 4 PREMIERE DATE: Thursday, Sept. 21 (all episodes)
Starstruck (Max)
WHY IT EXCITES US: Season 2 of the U.K. import ended with Rose Matafeo’s Jessie and Nikesh Patel’s Tom confessing their love for each other and making out in the middle of a lake. So color us surprised by the trailer for Season 3, which not only reveals that Jessie and Tom are not together now, but Tom is engaged to someone else. Gasp! We’re looking forward to filling in the blanks on Tom and Jessie’s complicated relationship, aided as always by Matafeo’s razor-sharp comedic voice.
SEASON 3 PREMIERE DATE: Thursday, Sept. 28 (all episodes)
Still Up (Apple TV+)
WHY IT EXCITES US: Quite frankly, we’ve missed having Good Doctor vet Antonia Thomas on our screens every week. And after how much Claire was put through during her four-year stint at St. Bonaventure, we’re looking forward to seeing Thomas in something decidedly lighter — a romantic-comedy about a pair of insomniacs who can only avoid their feelings for so long.
SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Friday, Sept. 22 (first three episodes, followed by one episode per week)
The Super Models (Apple TV+)
WHY IT EXCITES US: Before Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner, there were Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. In the age of online influencing, we can’t wait to do a deep dive on the nearly extinct elite modeling world and discover how these iconic foremothers transcended and transformed the fashion industry.
SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 20 (all episodes)
Survivor (CBS)
WHY IT EXCITES US: Not only is the long-running reality titan coming off a strong 44th season, but its casting department has been firing on all cylinders, delivering quirky characters like Yam Yam Arocho and Carolyn Wiger amid a steady stream of gamers like Frannie Marin and Carson Garrett. The show has conquered the age-old adage of “adapt or die” by continually shaking things up with new wrinkles, twists and (yes, dare we say it?) advantages, keeping us and its players on the edge of our seats. Plus, 90-minute episodes all season long! Fiji beckons, so consider our bags packed.
SEASON 45 PREMIERE DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 8/7c
Best of TVLine
Get more from TVLine.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
