Also the true crime ‘Law and Order’ spin-off, the continuation of the current Stephen King fever, and a myriad of returning shows.
This week, fall TV season arrives in full swing: beloved classics return, while modern fan-favorites pick up where they left off a few months ago with new seasons. A new Stephen King adaptation honors the fall horror movie tradition and a new spin on a longtime franchise leads the army of police procedural dramas that will take over the small screen.
To help you keep track of the most important programs over the next seven days, here’s our guide to everything worth watching, whether it’s on broadcast, cable, or streaming for September 24th – 30th (all times Eastern):
Star Trek: Discovery (CBS, Sunday 8:30pm)
Every once a while, the powers that be grace us with a new Star Trek series, and after a 12-year wait we get to explore the final frontier once again (at least for more than two and a half hours once a year). Set 10 years before the events of the original series, Star Trek: Discovery explores an important part of the franchise’s mythology: the relationship between the Federation and the Klingons. The fact that Bryan Fuller is its creator bodes well after the success of American Gods, while Alex Kurtzman’s experience with the recent film adaptations could be helpful for the new crew, which carrying on with tradition, features a diverse cast led by Sonequa Martin-Green as the ship’s first officer.
This Is Us (NBC, Tuesday 9pm)
Awards and positive reviews have rained on This Is Us since its premiere: it has been nominated at the Critic’s Choice Awards, the Golden Globes, and more recently last week’s Emmys – where Sterling K. Brown earned his title as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. If you start watching because all these accolades picked your curiosity, it is very likely that you’ll stay for the emotional rollercoaster ride. You still have just enough time to catch up with the Pearsons before the second season begins and brings about important changes for Randall, Kate, and Kevin. Fair warning: you might need to have tissues at hand.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX, Tuesday 9:30pm)
Among the many police-related shows that come back this fall (NCIS, Lethal Weapon, Chicago P.D., Blue Bloods, just to name a few), Brooklyn Nine-Nine stands out as the quirky sitcom. However, not everything is fun and games at the beginning of its fifth season: after being framed for a bank robbery, detectives Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) find themselves behind bars. While they try to adjust to the new environment — accompanied by guest stars Tim Meadows and Lou Diamond Phillips — Amy and Charles try everything to exonerate their colleagues. In spite of the protagonists’ initially bleak prospects, this new season promises a steady supply of entertaining shenanigans.
Law and Order True Crime: The Menendez Case (NBC, Tuesday 10pm)
Law & Order is one of the most long-lived franchises in TV — its two main series count more than 400 episodes each — and now creator Dick Wolf tries to steer it towards two of the most popular trends in modern television: true crime dramas and anthology series. The first season of Law & Order True Crime will follow the trial of Lyle and Erik Menendez, two brothers who were convicted in 1996 for the murder of their parents. Edie Falco stars as Leslie Abramson, the defense attorney who represented Lyle and Erik, as the show focuses not on the crime itself but the alleged motives behind it.
Will & Grace (NBC, Thursday 9pm)
After the positive reception of the 10-minute special webisode that aired last year during the presidential campaign, talks for a revival of the late-’90s sitcom started, and here we are again: 11 years later in the same apartment. The original director, James Burrows, is in charge of the ninth season that will see the return not only of Will, Grace, Jack, and Karen and the witty humor that distinguished the show, but also other familiar faces as guest stars such as Harry Connick Jr., Bobby Cannavale, Minnie Driver, and even Michelle Obama. If you’re worried about the revival not being as good as the original, don’t fear: the first reviews are positive and NBC has already renewed for a 10th season.
Gerald’s Game (Netflix, Friday)
The Dark Tower aside, 2017 is shaping up to be a good year for Stephen King adaptations. Alongside the box office hit IT and the upcoming 1922, Netflix’s take on Gerald’s Game promises to do justice to the author’s work. Directed by Mike Flanagan (Hush, Oculus), the film shows a married couple, played by Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood, who are trying to mend their relationship through a sex game in an isolated lake house. However, things go wrong and the wife finds herself handcuffed to a bed, surrounded by dark visions and facing a dire choice.
Sunday
Outlander S3E3 “All Debts Paid” (Starz, 8pm)
Teen Wolf S6E20 “The Wolves of War” (MTV, 8pm) – series finale
The Vietnam War S1E6 “Things Fall Apart” (PBS, 8pm)
Who Shot Biggie & Tupac? (FOX, 8pm) – documentary special
Star Trek: Discovery S1E1 “The Vulcan Hello” (CBS, 8:30pm) – series premiere
Fear the Walking Dead S3E12 “Brother’s Keeper” (AMC, 9pm)
Ray Donovan S5E7 “If I Should Fall from Grace with God” (Showtime, 9pm)
The Deuce S1E3 “The Principle Is All” (HBO, 9pm)
Ballers S3E10 “Yay Area” (HBO, 10pm) – season finale
Vice Principals S2E2 “Slaughter” (HBO, 10:30pm)
Rick & Morty S3E9 “The ABC’s of Beth” (Cartoon Network, 11:30pm)
Monday
The Big Bang Theory S11E1 “The Proposal Proposal” (CBS, 8pm) – season premiere
The Vietnam War S1E7 “The Veneer of Civilization” (PBS, 8pm)
Young Sheldon S1E1 “Pilot” (CBS, 8:30pm) – series premiere
Clínica de Migrantes (HBO, 9pm) – documentary premiere
Me, Myself & I S1E1 “Pilot” (CBS, 9:30pm) – series premiere
Scorpion S4E1 “Extinction” (CBS, 10pm) – season premiere
The Brave S1E1 “Pilot” (NBC, 10pm) – series premiere
The Good Doctor S1E1 “Burnt Food” (ABC, 10pm) – series premiere
People of Earth S2E10 “Game Night” (TBS, 10:30pm) – season finale
The Opposition with Jordan Keppler (Comedy Central, 11:30pm) – show debut
Tuesday
Difficult People S3E10 (Hulu) – season finale
Def Comedy Jam 25 (Netflix) – comedy special
Lethal Weapon S2E1 “El Gringo Loco” (FOX, 8pm) – season premiere
NCIS S15E1 “House Divided” (CBS, 8pm) – season premiere
The Vietnam War S1E8 “The History of the World” (PBS, 8pm)
Bull S2E1 “School of Scandal” (CBS, 9pm) – season premiere
This Is Us S2E1 “A Father’s Advice” (NBC, 9pm) – season premiere
Brooklyn Nine-Nine S5E1 “The Big House Pt.1” (FOX, 9:30pm) – season premiere
American Horror Story S7E4 “11/9” (FX, 10pm)
Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders S1E1 (NBC, 10pm) – series premiere
Wednesday
The Blacklist S5E1 “Smokey Putnum” (NBC, 8pm) – season premiere
Empire S4E1 “Noble Memory” (FOX, 8pm) – season premiere
The Vietnam War S1E9 “A Disrespectful Loyalty” (PBS, 8pm)
The Goldbergs S5E1 “Weird Science” (ABC, 8pm) – season premiere
Speechless S2E1 “W-e-We’re B-a-Back!” (ABC, 8:30pm) – season premiere
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit S19E1 “Gone Fishin” (NBC, 9pm) – season premiere
Modern Family S9E3 “Lake Life” (ABC, 9pm) – season premiere
SEAL Team S1E1 “Tip of the Spear” (CBS, 9pm) – series premiere
Star S2E1 “The Winner Takes It All” (FOX, 9pm) – season premiere
Channel Zero S2E2 “Nice Neighborhood” (Syfy, 10pm)
Chicago P.D. S5E1 “Reform” (NBC, 10pm) – season premiere
Criminal Minds S13E1 “Wheels Up” (CBS, 10pm) – season premiere
Designated Survivor S2E1 “One Year In” (ABC, 10pm) – season premiere
Liar S1E1 (Sundance, 10pm) – series premiere
You’re the Worst S4E5 “Fog of War, Bro” (FXX, 10pm)
Broad City S4E3 “Just the Tips” (Comedy Central, 10:30pm)
Baroness von Sketch Show S2E3 “I Can’t Vote” (IFC, 11pm)
Rosehaven S1E1 & E2 (Sundance, 11pm) – series premiere
Thursday
StartUp S2 (Crackle) – season premiere
Gotham S4E2 “The Fear Reaper” (FOX, 8pm)
Grey’s Anatomy S14E1&E2 “Break Down The House” “Get Off On The Pain” (ABC, 8pm) – season premiere
Superstore S3E1 “Grand Re-Opening” (NBC, 8pm) – season premiere
The Vietnam War S1E10 “The Weight of Memory” (PBS, 8pm) – series finale
The Good Place S2E3 “Dance Dance Resolution” (NBC, 8:30pm)
Project Runway S16E7 (Lifetime, 9pm)
The Orville S1E4 “If the Stars Should Appear” (FOX, 9pm)
Will & Grace S9E1 “11 Years Later” (NBC, 9pm) – season premiere
Great News S2E1 “Boardroom Bitch” (NBC, 9:30pm) – season premiere
Better Things S2E3 “Robin” (FX, 10pm)
Chicago Fire S6E1 “It Wasn’t Enough” (NBC, 10pm) – season premiere
How to Get Away with Murder S4E1 “I’m Going Away” (ABC, 10pm) – season premiere
The Guest Book S1E10 “Story Ten” (TBS, 10:30pm) – season finale
Friday
Big Mouth S1 (Netflix) – series premiere
Club de Cuervos S3 (Netflix) – season 3 premiere
Gerald’s Game (Netflix) – movie premiere
Long Shot (Netflix) – documentary premiere
Our Souls at Night (Netflix) – movie premiere
Tin Star S1 (Amazon) – series premiere
Marvel’s Inhumans S1E1&E2 “” (ABC, 8pm) – series premiere
Active Shooter: America Under Fire S1E1 (Showtime, 9pm) – documentary series premiere
Hawaii Five-0 S8E1 “Fire Will Never Say that It Has Had Enough” (CBS, 9pm) – season premiere
The Exorcist S2E1 “Janus” (FOX, 9pm) – season premiere
Z Nation S4E1 “Warren’s Dream” (Syfy, 9pm) – season premiere
Blue Bloods S8E1 (CBS, 10pm) – season premiere
Room 104 S1E10 “Red Tent” (HBO, 11:30pm)
Saturday
Halt and Catch Fire S4E7 “Who Needs a Guy” (AMC, 9pm)
Versailles S2E1 “Labyrinthe” (Ovation, 10pm) – series premiere
