Without your regular favorites to rely on, you might be wondering what you’re going to watch during the fall TV season. Turns out, there’s still plenty of interesting choices to be found among broadcast, cable and streaming networks. From family programming, to thrillers, to thought-provoking dramas, to fun reality competitions, there’s some cool TV to get excited about. Get your watchlist ready with our fall TV preview.
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Sept. 25: The Voice: Season 24 – NBC
Cast: John Legend, Reba McEntire, Niall Horan and Gwen Stefani
Synopsis: NBC’s hit singing competition is back for its first Blake-less season.
First Impression: I’m hoping that losing Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson will put the focus back on the singers in Season 24.
Sept. 25: The Irrational: Season 1 – NBC
Cast: Jesse L. Martin, Maahra Hill, Travina Springer, Molly Kunz, Arash DeMax
Synopsis: Martin is back saving the day as Alec Mercer, a behaviorial scientist who uses his intelligence to help solve high-profile cases.
First Impression: Jesse L. Martin being the smartest, most charming man in the room sounds like a really fun way to spend a Monday night.
Sept. 28: The Golden Bachelor: Season 1 – ABC
Cast: Jesse Palmer
Synopsis: Gerry Turner is the 71-year-old bachelor looking for love in this senior version of the dating series.
First Impression: You just know this is going to be the messiest entry in the franchise. These older ladies know how to play the game.
Sept. 29: Gen V: Season 1 – Prime Video
Cast: Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Shelley Conn, Maddie Phillips, Derek Luh, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sean Patrick Thomas
Synopsis: College kids learn to use their superpowers and figure out what kind of hero or villain they’re going to be.
First Impression: I’m not sure “The Boys: The College Years” will be able to evoke the same visceral response as the original, but it certainly seems like it will be just as bloody.
Sept. 29: Shark Tank: Season 15 – ABC
Cast: Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O’Leary, Mark Cuban, and Lori Greiner
Synopsis: Entrepreneurs pitch their businesses and products to a panel of high-profile investors.
First Impression: Everyone has a dream or a side hustle, and that’s what makes Shark Tank aspirational viewing. Though, the format does feel very predictable at this point.
Oct. 2: Jessica’s Big Little World – Cartoon Network
Cast: Lucia Cunningham; Philip Solomon; Phil LaMarr; Kimberly Hebert Gregory; Alani Ilongwe; Byron Marc Newsome; and Ozioma Akagha.
Synopsis: This preschool-aged spinoff of Craig of the Creek follows his little sister Jessica as she decides she’s tired of being little and tries to accomplish more big kid tasks.
First Impression: It seems like an adorable show that won’t drive parents completely over the edge. Premieres on Max Oct. 7.
Oct. 3: Found: Season 1 – NBC
Cast: Shanola Hampton, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Kelli Williams, Brett Dalton, Gabrielle Walsh, Arlen Escarpeta, Karan Oberoi
Synopsis: Gabi Mosely and her team help find missing people of color the rest of the world doesn’t seem to care about.
First Impression: I’m on board with any procedural that shines a light on this important topic.
Oct. 4: Quantum Leap: Season 2 – NBC
Cast: Raymond Lee; Caitlin Bassett; Mason Alexander Park; Nanrisa Lee; and Ernie Hudson
Synopsis: In addition to unraveling more of the series’ connection to the original, Season 2 finds Ben leaping to the Salem Witch Trials, Egypt in 1961 and the 1992 LA riots.
First Impression: Though Quantum Leap tries very hard to make it seem like a sequel to the Scott Bakula fan favorite, it’s actually better when it works to be its own series. It should wrap up its Sam Beckett mystery and leave the original behind for good in Season 2.
Oct. 5: Loki: Season 2 – Disney+
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ke Huy Quan, Jonathan Majors
Synopsis: Loki, Mobius and Sylvie try to fix the timeline and figure out how to defeat Kang.
First Impression: You already know we can’t wait to see what shenanigans Loki and Mobius get into. Plus, Sylvie working at McDonald’s is sure to be comedy gold.
Oct. 12: The Fall of the House of Usher – Netflix
Cast: Bruce Greenwood, Carla Gugino, Mary McDonnell, Carl Lumbly, Mark Hamill, Michael Trucco, T’Nia Miller
Synopsis: Mike Flanagan’s latest horror series revolves around a rich family’s pharmaceutical business and is based on Edgar Allan Poe’s work.
First Impression: These limited series aren’t just scary, they’re smart. Flanagan reinvented the genre with these projects and adding in Poe will likely take things to a new level.
Oct. 12: Frasier – Paramount+
Cast: Kelsey Grammer, Anders Kieth, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Toks Olagundoye, Jess Salgueiro, Peri Gilpin, Bebe Neuwirth
Synopsis: The 10-episode revival finds Frasier moving back to Boston and reconnecting with his son.
First Impression: I can’t say I desperately needed a Frasier revival and I definitely didn’t need one without Niles. At least we get Lilith back.
Oct. 13: Lessons in Chemistry – AppleTV+
Cast: Brie Larson; Aja Naomi King; Lewis Pullman; and Stephanie Koenig
Synopsis: Brie Larson is Elizabeth Zott, a scientist who is fired because she’s a woman who’s smarter than the men. She becomes a hit as the host of a cooking show, using her platform to advocate for women’s equality in the early ‘50s.
First Impression: I’m interested in any series that makes toppling the patriarchy its main plot point.
Nov. 1: Black Cake
Cast: Mia Isaac; Adrienne Warren; Chipo Chung; Ashley Thomas; Lashay Anderson; Faith Alabi; and Glynn Turman
Synopsis: Based on Charmaine Wilkerson’s book, this drama follows two siblings as they unravel the mysteries of their mother’s life.
First Impression: Executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and starring Adrienne Warren and Glynn Turman is all we need to know.
Nov. 9: Rap Sh!t: Season 2 – Max
Cast: Aida Osman, KaMillion
Synopsis: Shawna and Mia must figure out who they are as artists, and whether they want to do things their way or follow someone else’s vision.
First Impression: Rap Sh!t discovered its voice toward the end of Season 1, so we’re a little intrigued to see where the show decides to go in Season 2.
Dec. 20: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Season 1 – Disney+
Cast: Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, Aryan Simhadri, Virginia Kull, Glynn Turman, Jason Mantzoukas
Synopsis: Young demigod Percy Jackson and his friends search for Zeus’ stolen thunderbolt.
First Impression: A fantasy quest for the whole family with a star-studded cast of God is 100 percent what we need right now.
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