The Definitive Fall TV Survival Guide
Full stream ahead!
Put down your mojitos and toss out your sun hats — it’s fall, baby! The season of dead leaves, decorative gourds, and an overwhelming amount of small screen content. No. Seriously. What lush hell the era of peak TV hath wrought.
Just like the changing of the seasons, the sudden tidal wave of fall tv happens every year — and yet every year it catches us off guard. When did it get so cold? When did that very busy celeb have time to shoot an entire Netflix series? How are you going to cram in all this prime time content into your eye sockets?
Fear not, for I come bearing gifts: a guide, to ease your struggle and cut through the cacophony. There are only so many hours in the day…especially as we near winter. Having a plan of attack is essential when there’s this much content vying for your precious views.
Below are our recommendations for the shows you should actually give a shit about; highlights from the fall roster, as well as a comprehensive list of all the shows coming out in the following months. Caution: with some exceptions, we’ve left out reality TV, kids shows, and TV movies.
Full stream ahead:
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FXX)
September 5th
feat: Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson, Danny DeVito, Glenn Howerton
Our own Liz Baessler says it best: It Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a beautiful show about horrible people. And as it enters its thirteenth (thirteenth!) season, It’s Always Sunny lives up to its reputation as proof of “the power of a camcorder and a dream.” And if the Time’s Up jokes and unsettling Dennis sex-doll snippets from the trailer weren’t enough proof that the gang’s still got it, Season 13’s premiere episode is called “The Gang Makes Paddy’s Great Again.” Oh boy.
American Horror Story: Apocalypse (FX)
September 12th
feat: Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Kathy Bates, Jessica Lange, Emma Roberts, Billy Eichner, Billie Lourd
Apart from a couple true-to-form teasers in which scorpions claw their way out of pomegranates we don’t have a lot of details about the latest entry in Ryan Murphy’s ooky spooky anthology series. What we do know is that it’s a crossover season with previous entrants Murder House and Coven, which means witches and Satan, baby. And hey, who knows, maybe even an actual satanic witch baby. Actors will be putting in double time in multiple roles, there’s going to be a “very high concept” fifth episode, and, most importantly everyone’s favorite occult aunt Stevie Nicks is back.
BoJack Horseman (Netflix)
September 14th
SO, THIS HAPPENED… pic.twitter.com/ZgRcG7anIF
— BoJack Horseman (@BoJackHorseman) September 21, 2017
feat: Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Aaron Paul, Paul F. Tompkins
At the end of season four, everyone’s favorite failed 90s sitcom star learned the truth about Hollyhock’s biological parents and was geared up to star in the online series “Philbert” — albeit, against his knowledge (Princess Carolyn forged his signature on the contract). BoJack has distinguished itself as one of the small screen’s most heartbreaking and hilarious offerings, by running the emotional gamut of celebrity, trauma, and depression. With season four’s uncharacteristically optimistic conclusion, here’s hoping BoJack and friends enjoy a little peace before the well of sadness is invariably back in business.
Forever (Amazon)
September 14th
feat: Maya Rudolph, Fred Armisen, Catherine Keener
Sometimes your marriage gets stuck in a rut and you have to spice things up. The brainchild of Parks and Recreation vets Alan Yang (Master of None) and Matt Hubbard (30 Rock), Forever sees June and Oscar trapped in suburban limbo, and looking for a change. Which naturally means taking a (seemingly harmless) recreational ski trip. But the knife, too-big bonfire, and dead stares in the trailer hint at something darker.
Maniac (Netflix)
September 21st
feat: Jonah Hill, Emma Stone, Justin Theroux, Julia Garner, Sally Field
Based on a 2014 Norwegian series of the same name, True Detective creator Cary Fukunaga is back at it, promising mystery, style, and compelling performances from heavy hitters/Superbad cast-mates Hill and Stone. Maniac sees two strangers participating in a pharmaceutical trial, hoping to fix their respectively broken brains with a wonder drug. But as the pair grow closer, things get trippy (aka some multi-reality brain magic shit).
This Is Us (NBC)
September 25th
feat: Sterling K. Brown, Milo Ventimiglia, Reggie Watkins, Megan West, Mandy Moore, Michael Angarano, Chrissy Metz, Justin Hartley
Mark your calendars and stock up on tissues, the weepy time-hopping soap is back! As teased at the end of season two’s devastating crock-pot episode, season 3 will feature Jack’s time in Vietnam, as well as a whole host of “oh wow—didn’t see that coming”s. With burning questions to spare (who is the “her” Randall is going to see??) and new character focuses like Miguel, and Jack’s brother Nicky, season three shows no signs of slowing down the drama train.
The Good Place (NBC)
September 27th
feat: Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, Jameela Jamil, William Jackson Harper, Manny Jacinto, D’Arcy Carden
Oh, fork yes. Last we saw them, the judge (Maya Rudolph) sent the gang back to Earth (in a new timeline where they didn’t die) to prove their goodness. The finale focused on Eleanor’s struggles to live morally after her near-death experience, but after some gentle nudging by incognito Michael, she flies to Australia to meet Chidi. Of season three’s change of venue, Kristen Bell explains: “[we’re] all left on Earth separately…and what we learned from the first two seasons is that our strengths come when we’re together.” Aw.
The Romanoffs (Amazon)
October 12th
feat: Aaron Eckhart, Christina Hendricks, Isabelle Huppert, Diane Lane, Amanda Peet, Andrew Rannells
The first anthology series for Amazon, The Romanoffs brings a modern-day focus to the infamous historical subject of whether the Russian royal bloodline survived its supposed extinction in 1918. With a head honcho in Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner, each episode will feature “a different cast, a different story, and a different location,” but retain the same guiding principle: namely, the belief of being of Romanov descent and, in Weiner’s words, a “questioning [of] who we are and who we say we are.”
Salt Fat Acid Heat (Netflix)
October 19th
feat: Samin Nosrat
This fall, Netflix is adapting the New York Times best-seller and James Beard Award-winning “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,” into a four-part docu-series and we should be so lucky. Chef, TV personality, and author Samin Nosrat will be our culinary guide through Japan, Italy, Mexico, and her old haunt Chez Panisse. Nosrat is one of the great cooking teachers and does a great job demystifying the kitchen and making an edible education accessible. Think a practical response to Chef’s Table.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Netflix)
October 26th
feat: Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Davis, Miranda Otto, Michelle Gomez, Jaz Sinclair, Ross Lynch, Chance Perdomo
An adaptation of the 1960s-set comic of the same name (penned by showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa), Chilling Adventures follows a young Sabrina Spellman as she struggles to choose between a mortal life and being a full-blown witch. There’s a character called Madam Satan. All the promotional materials give me macabre and teen drama jush. Look Chilling Adventures, if you’re going to put “occult” and “coming of age” in the same sentence, at least buy me dinner first.
Castlevania (Netflix)
October 26th
![Castlevania: Season 2 | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Kbb8zPQBmOw/hqdefault.jpg)
feat: Richard Armitage, Graham McTavish, Alejandra Reynoso, James Callis
I have gone on record that Castlevania is the best video game movie of all time. Sure, it’s not technically a movie (it’s four 30-minute episodes), but why quibble over semantics? Season 1 actually felt like it lived in the same creative world as its interactive predecessors; it crackled with wit, irreverent bloodlust, and the capital-g Gothic. And blessed be, season 2 will be twice as long and, by default, twice as bloody.
House of Cards (Netflix)
November 2nd
feat: Robin Wright, Diane Lane, my boy Greg Kinnear
Netflix’s first home run original series is coming to a close. The final run of the now-controversy marred political thriller sees Claire Underwood in the oval office. Which, in light of the sexual misconduct allegations against Kevin Spacey, was absofuckinglutely the right move. Confirmed as interim President at the end of the last season, Claire will offer a new course-corrected (but probably just as maniacal) perspective to bookend the series.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix)
November 16th
https://twitter.com/Gingerhazing/status/1018926076389556224
feat: Aimee Carrero, Karen Fukuhara, AJ Michalka, Marcus Scribner, Sandra Oh
Produced by the folks behind Lumberjanes and Steven Universe, She-Ra promises kickass magical girls, a rebellion against evil, and warrior princess whimsy. Early promo pics show character designs that are less video vixen, so much as reflective of the show’s younger target audience. In other words: they look like goddamn people. Which is great! Reboots shouldn’t be rehashes! The “how am I supposed to fap to this children’s cartoon” jerks can choke on a sword! The hype is real!
Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
November 18th
feat: Benicio del Toro, Patricia Arquette, Paul Dano, Bonnie Hunt
In this upcoming, Ben Stiller-directed limited series, Clinton Correctional Facility employee Tillie (Arquette) decides to help the two inmates she has been bonking (del Toro and Dano) escape from prison. A manhunt ensues. Based on a real prison break from 2015, Escape at Dannemora wafts of Fargo-like stranger-than-fiction, quirk, and character. The people love true crime!
September 1st
Cathedral of the Sea (Netflix)
My Cat From Hell (Animal Planet)
Sisters (Netflix)
September 2nd
Married to Medicine (Bravo)
September 3rd
A Place to Call Home (Acorn TV)
Snapped: Notorious BTK Serial Killer (Oxygen)
Twisted Sisters (ID)
September 4th
Mayans M.C. (FX)
The Purge (USA)
Model Squad (E!)
The Bobby Brown Story (BET)
September 5th
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FXX)
September 6th
I Love You, America (Hulu)
September 7th
Marvel’s Iron Fist (Netflix)
Atypical (Netflix)
Cable Girls (Netflix)
City of Joy (Netflix)
Sierra Burgess is a Loser (Netflix)
Stretch Armstrong & the Flex Fighters (Netflix)
September 8th
FLCL Alternative (Adult Swim)
Behind Closed Doors (Reelz)
September 9th
Rel (FOX)
The Bad Seed (Lifetime)
Shameless (Showtime)
The Deuce (HBO)
Kidding (Showtime)
You (Lifetime)
The Last Ship (TNT)
The Miniaturist (PBS)
The 2018 Black Girls Rock! Awards (BET)
September 10th
Swiped (HBO)
September 11th
Daniel Sloss: Live Shows (Netflix)
September 12th
American Horror Story: Apocalypse (FX)
On my skin (Netflix)
American Junkie (Viceland)
September 13th
Snatch (Crackle)
The Oslo Diaries (HBO)
To Catch a Killer (ID)
September 14th
BoJack Horseman (Netflix)
Forever (Amazon)
The First (Hulu)
The Dragon Prince (Netflix)
Ingobernable (Netflix)
American Vandal (Netflix)
The Angel (Netflix)
Deadly Women (ID)
In Plain Sight (ID)
The Land of Steady Habits (Netflix)
Norm Macdonald Has a Show (Netflix)
The Wrong Friend (Lifetime)
The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes (Netflix)
Car Masters: Rust to Riches (Netflix)
September 15th
Cops (Paramount Network)
Creative Arts Emmy Awards (FXX)
Deaf Out Loud (A&E)
Unspeakable Crime: The Killing of Jessica Chambers (Oxygen)
September 16th
The Circus (Showtime)
Warriors of Liberty City (Starz)
September 17th
The Emmys (NBC)
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Nickelodeon)
70th Primetime Emmy Awards (NBC)
Inside the Manson Cult: The Lost Tapes (Fox)
September 18th
The Hunt for the Trump Tapes with Tom Arnold (Viceland)
D.L. Hughley: Contrarian (Netflix)
September 20th
Dead Lucky (Sundance Now)
September 21st
The Good Cop (Netflix)
Maniac (Netflix)
Quincy (Netflix)
Nappily Ever After (Netflix)
Hilda (Netflix)
Pete the Cat (Amazon)
September 23rd
9-1-1 (FOX)
Anne of Green Gables: Fire & Dew (PBS)
September 24th
The Voice (NBC)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Young Sheldon (CBS)
The Resident (FOX)
Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
Magnum P.I. (CBS)
Manifest (NBC)
Bull (CBS)
The Good Doctor (ABC)
Jane Fonda in Five Acts (HBO)
September 25th
NCIS (CBS)
The Gifted (FOX)
This Is Us (NBC)
FBI (CBS)
Lethal Weapon (FOX)
New Amsterdam (NBC)
NCIS: New Orleans (CBS)
Mr. Inbetween (FX)
September 26th
The Goldbergs (ABC)
American Housewife (ABC)
Chicago Med (NBC)
Empire (FOX)
Survivor (CBS)
Modern Family (ABC)
Single Parents (ABC)
Big Brother (CBS)
Chicago Fire (NBC)
Star (FOX)
Chicago P.D. (NBC)
A Million Little Things (ABC)
South Park (Comedy Central)
September 27th
The Good Place (NBC)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Mom (CBS)
Murphy Brown (CBS)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
How to Get Away With Murder (ABC)
S.W.A.T. (CBS)
September 28th
The Last Man Standing (FOX)
The Cool Kids (FOX)
MacGyver (CBS)
Hawaii Five-0 (CBS)
Blue Bloods (CBS)
Hell’s Kitchen (FOX)
Dateline (NBC)
Chef’s Table (Netflix)
King Lear (Amazon)
September 29th
Crimetime Saturday (CBS)
48 Hours (CBS)
September 30th
America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC)
The Simpsons (FOX)
Bob’s Burgers (FOX)
Family Guy (FOX)
God Friended Me (CBS)
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)
The Durrells in Corfu (PBS)
Poldark (PBS)
October 1st
The Neighbourhood (CBS)
Happy Together (CBS)
October 3rd
Seal Team (CBS)
Criminal Minds (CBS)
October 4th
Superstore (NBC)
Will & Grace (NBC)
I Feel Bad (NBC)
Station 19 (ABC)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
October 5th
Fresh Off the Road (ABC)
Speechless (ABC)
Child Support (ABC)
Into the Dark (Hulu)
The Man in the High Castle (Amazon)
October 6th
Flight of the Conchords: Live at the London Apollo (HBO)
Versailles (Ovation)
October 7th
Dancing With the Stars: Juniors (ABC)
Madam Secretary (CBS)
Shark Tank (ABC)
The Walking Dead (AMC)
October 9th
The Flash (The CW)
Black Lightning (The CW)
October 10th
Riverdale (The CW)
All American (The CW)
October 11th
Supernatural (The CW)
October 12th
Dynasty (The CW)
Blindspot (NBC)
The Romanoffs (Amazon)
Light as a Feather (Hulu)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW)
October 14th
Supergirl (The CW)
Charmed (The CW)
Camping (HBO)
The Alec Baldwin Show (ABC)
October 15th
Arrow (The CW)
October 16th
The Conners (ABC)
The Kids are Alright (ABC)
black-ish (ABC)
Splitting Up Together (ABC)
The Rookie (ABC)
Loudermilk (Audience)
October 19th
Lore (Amazon)
Salt Fat Acid Heat (Netflix)
October 21st
The Woman in White (PBS)
October 22nd
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (The CW)
Legacies (The CW)
October 23rd
Native America (PBS)
October 25th
Deutschland 86 (Sundance)
October 26th
Midnight, Texas (NBC)
Castlevania (Netflix)
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Netflix)
October 28th
Ray Donovan (Showtime)
October 31st
Stan Against Evil (IFC)
November 2nd
Homecoming (Amazon)
House of Cards (Netflix)
Into the Dark: Flesh & Blood (Hulu)
November 4th
Outlander (Starz)
November 9th
Outlaw King (Netflix)
November 12th
Mars (Nat Geo)
November 16th
The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix)
November 18th
Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
November 28th
Vikings (History)
December 15th
Springsteen on Broadway (Netflix)
December 21st
The Runaways (Hulu)
December 30th
The Orville (FOX)
