Everything is right in the world: Pumpkin Spice Lattes just returned, it’s Gilmore Girls season, and a new month of highly-anticipated TV shows and movies are on their way. 2023 is a year for entertainment lovers because streaming platforms and theaters have been stacked with binge-worthy shows and captivating movies — and the September watchlist is no different.
September is a busy month with back-to-school season and the transition into fall, but there is always time for a new entertainment fix. You might be mourning The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 finale or drowning in syllabi, but the upcoming month’s new releases are here to save the day. There are romantic comedies to pregame the upcoming cuddling season, reality TV to rot in bed with, and enamoring coming-of-age shows making their return. Whether you’re on the hunt for a new show or need a comfort one to get you through the end-of-summer blues, here are September 2023’s new TV and movie releases. BRB, entering my fall binge-watching goblin mode.
Netflix
Love Is Blind: After the Altar Season 4 (Sept. 1)
Is anyone else still recovering from the chaotic season finale of Love Is Blind Season 4? I know I am. But it’s time to put feelings aside and get some much-needed closure because the cast of Season 4 is returning to screens for After the Altar (yes, even Irina). With the reunion special just around the corner, there are so many unanswered questions. Did Marshall find his perfect match? Is Shelby still a villain? Does Zach still serenade Bliss? These are burning questions, people. The best part: The cast is hashing out all remaining tension through a flag football tournament. They leave all out on the field on Sept. 1.
Virgin River Season 5 Part 1 (Sept. 7)
The small town of Virgin River is filled with secrets, drama, and most of all, love — and Season 5 Part 1 is sticking to the reputation. OTP Mel and Jack are returning to your screens as they navigate parenthood and their undying love for one another, while other Virgin River residents are discovering love of their own. Though Virgin River is filled with small town romance good enough for a Hallmark movie, Season 5 seems to be taking a heavier turn with a wildfire taking precedence as seen in the trailer. Will the small town of Virgin River ever be the same? Tune in on Sept. 7 to find out.
Selling The OC Season 2 (Sept. 8)
Drama and selling real estate go hand-in-hand, apparently. The messiness of Orange County’s luxury real estate agents returns when Selling The OC Season 2 releases Sept. 8. Jason and Brett Oppenheim, twin brothers who are real estate royalty, recently expanded their empire to Orange County. In Season 1, the agents showcased the hottest homes in the area while also getting themselves into some steaming hot drama. It seems Season 2 is picking up where it left off with high-profile sales, scandalous dating rumors, and breathtaking listings.
Love At First Sight (Sept. 15)
You know that tension you feel when you see someone your age at the airport? Maybe it’s the delusion brought on by layovers or the pressurized air, but something about airports is kind of mysterious and… romantic. Romantic comedy Love At First Sight plays into the meet-cute trope when Hadley, played by Haley Lu Richardson, has an instant connection when she meets Oliver at JFK Airport. And by some crazy chance, they are seated together on a seven-hour flight to Heathrow, U.K. where they fall in love. The seven hours are done in the blink of an eye, and the two are left scouring the streets of London to find their way back to each other. In the trailer, the narrator says the couple only has a 0.2% chance of finding each other again, but when it comes to love, fate trumps all.
Sex Education Season 4 (Sept. 21)
With back-to-school season in full swing, it’s only right to stream Sex Education in your free time. The students of Moordale Secondary are back for the fourth and final season (sad face). After years of exploring sexual identities and their own identity, the Moordale bunch are moving on from their teen years and entering college life, but separated. Due to the closure of Moordale Secondary in Season 3, the group is having to part ways. Otis and Eric are now facing a new feat as they embark on their first year at Cavendish Sixth Form College in the new season. Maeve is studying at Wallace University in the U.S. The others are finding their footing. The future of the group is unknown, but hopefully, the final season gives them (and viewers) the perfect ending.
Love Is Blind Season 5 (Sept. 22)
Love Is Blind churns out seasons quicker than I can recover from the last one, but I’m not complaining. In Season 5, new hopeful singles embark on a wild journey of finding love based on an initial emotional connection. If it’s anything like the last few seasons, finding love blindly is not as easy as it seems. Be ready to cry, cringe, and scream as the first four episodes of Season 5 roll out on Sept. 22.
Hulu
The Other Black Girl (Sept. 13)
Based on the bestselling novel, The Other Black Girl is kicking the fall vibes into high gear with a binge-worthy mystery thriller series. Hulu’s new release tells the story of Nella, an editorial assistant and the only Black woman at her company. As the only Black woman, she deals with marginalization, so when Hazel is hired, she is thrilled. However, her happiness plummets quickly as Hazel’s arrival brings out sinister truths about the company.
The D’Amelio Show Season 3 (Sept. 20)
The D’Amelio family are the next Kardashians with their overnight success and rapidly increasing fan base. The D’Amelio Show gives a closer look into the family’s new Hollywood life, but above all, shows how they are just a down-to-earth family. Season 3 picks up on Sept. 20 as viewers follow the family as they navigate challenges, relationships, and family drama.
American Horror Story: Delicate: Part 1 (Sept. 21)
Spooky season is just around the corner, so it’s only fitting to pregame with the beloved American Horror Story (AHS). AHS 12 is sure to feed American Horror Story stans with a new twisted and intriguing story. Of course, Emma Roberts is back, but this time as a haunted mother and actress, Anna Victoria Alcott. Anna has always yearned for motherhood, but with multiple failed IVF attempts she hasn’t been successful. Now, she seems to have a bigger problem at hand: Something is targeting her and her dream of being a mother. AHS 12 seems to uphold its reputation of nail-biting storylines and unexpected twists, including appearances from Kim Kardashian herself and Cara Delevingne. American Horror Story: Delicate: Part 1 premieres on FX on Sept. 20 and will be available to stream on Sept. 21.
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test Season 2 (Sept. 26)
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test takes celebrities from many genres and puts them to the ultimate test. In a collection of training exercises and harsh challenges, celebrities fight to discover their own emotional and physical resilience. Season 2 features some familiar faces, including Tyler Cameron, Jojo Siwa, and Tom Sandoval. You can see your favorite celebs battle it out on Sept. 26.
The Kardashians Season 4 (Sept. 28)
Listen, The Kardashians is my guilty pleasure show and I have no shame. The Kardashians gives viewers an authentic and real look into the life of Hollywood’s biggest family as they go through ups and downs, relationships, parenthood, and business endeavors. Season 4 is back on Sept. 28 with a glimpse into Kardashian family life, love, and more drama.
The Golden Bachelor (Sept. 29)
Bachelor Nation is a multiverse of dating shows and its newest installment will pull on the heartstrings and revive the franchise. The Golden Bachelor follows Gerry Turner, a 71-year-old widower, on a journey to find his next great love in life (I’m already crying). Several dozen women will vie for Gerry’s love and a rose, with one lucky woman hopefully being engaged to Gerry at the end. If Gerry has a million fans, I am one of them. The show will premiere Sept. 28 on ABC and be available to stream on Hulu the following day.
Bachelor In Paradise Season 9 (Sept. 29)
Taking a complete 180 from The Golden Bachelor, the new season of Bachelor in Paradise is bringing summer into fall. Hot singles who weren’t successful in finding love the first go around on their The Bachelor franchise shows are heading to the beach to get another shot at love. Fans will see some Bachelor Nation favorites return, such as glitter queen Jess and former Bachelorette lead Rachel. You might even see some men from Bachelorette Season 20 whether you want to or not, aka the villain of Charity’s season, Brayden.
Prime Video
Sitting In Bars With Cake (Sept. 8)
Your 20s can be a tumultuous time, but Sitting In Bars With Cake proves that with a best friend by your side, you can get through it. The Prime Video’s heartfelt comedy based on true events tells the story of best friends (and polar opposites) Jane (Yara Shahidi) and Corinne (Odessa A’zion). Corinne convinces Jane to take her baking talents to their local bar scene as a way to develop confidence and meet new people. While doing their self-proclaimed “cake-barring,” Corinne receives a life-altering diagnosis that tests not only their friendship, but also life as they know it. Sitting In Bars With Cake is a celebration of female friendships, community, and living life.
Apple TV+
The Morning Show Season 3 (Sept. 13)
Is the show good or does it just have Jennifer Aniston in it? For The Morning Show, the answer is both. Season 3 of the hit show featuring Aniston kicks off on Sept. 13. In the newest season, the candid drama takes on a deeper tone as the future of the news network is uncertain when a tech titan is taking interest in taking it over. Lies, truths, secrets, and alliances all come to the forefront as the newsroom bears all.
Still Up Season 1 (Sept. 22)
This new series will have you reevaluate your friendships and explore deeper connections. In the new comedic series Still Up, two best friends, Lisa and Danny, keep in contact late at night when their insomnia hits. Through their late-night chats, they find themselves developing a deeper relationship while also discovering the world around them.
In Theaters
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (Sept. 8)
It’s the year for female directors, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is on the top of the list. The iconic rom-com franchise is finally getting a female director, Nia Vardalos. Vardalos, who played Toula in the previous movies and worked on the films, is bringing the franchise to new heights with a pang of nostalgia for the older films and a true chick-flick in the third installment of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It seems you will be reunited with your faves from the previous movies as Focus Features’ synopsis hints at a family reunion in Greece that will be filled with love, laughter, and chaos.
After Everything (Sept. 13)
The fifth and final installment of the After movies comes out on Sept. 13 and fans are dying for answers after the fourth movie, After Ever Happy, left them on a cliffhanger. Tessa and Hardin’s love story has been a steamy but bumpy ride. In After Everything, Hardin is thinking about Tessa following their breakup that ensued when she found out he was writing about their relationship. To overcome his writer’s block, he books a flight to Lisbon where Tessa is currently. On a journey to confront his past and make amends, will Hardin and Tessa’s love story come to a happy ending or will that chapter end for good?