The season of pumpkin spice and sweaters is upon us and as we say goodbye to the guilty pleasure television of summer it’s time to get serious about TV. In the coming months we will be bombarded with new sitcoms and dramas hoping to catch the eyes (and tweets) of many people. So, how does one decide what to watch? What new fall shows are worthy of our excitement and time? Well, dear reader, this list is here to help.
1. This Is Us (NBC, Tuesday September 20th)
Our early 2000s selves are freaking out over the marriage of Milo Ventigmilia (Jess from Gilmore Girls) and Mandy Moore (Jamie from A Walk to Remember) who play a couple expecting a baby. This ensemble dramedy is one of the most talked about shows of the fall season. The plot revolves around intertwining stories of people all born on the same day. While the synopsis is vague, the trailer already has us ugly crying, laughing, and falling in love with sure to be breakout star, Chrissy Metz.
2. Notorious (ABC, Thursday September 22nd)
Shondaland fans don’t panic, TGIT will be retuning come midseason but until then we get to see Piper Perabo (a truly underrated actress/Coyote Ugly dancer) and hottie Daniel Sunjata (Rescue Me) craft scandalous TV in this sexy, some what true story of a TV producer and a criminal attorney who manipulate headlines together for a news show. The premise is relevant, morals will be questioned, and steamy scenes between the two should hold over even the most dedicated Shonda fans.
3. The Good Place (NBC, Monday September 19th)
Honestly, who doesn’t love Kristen Bell? The voice of Anna from Frozen stars in this sitcom about a woman who dies and is sent to “The Good Place” where she meets her mentor Michael (Ted Danson). Bell’s character, who hasn’t done a single good deed in her life, quickly realizes her new afterlife is filled with overly peppy people, no cursing, and no alcohol. How can anyone survive?
4. Pitch (FOX, Thursday September 22nd)
An interesting story, a diverse cast, and a plot that could potentially come true. This is the story of a young woman who joins an MLB (Major League Baseball) team, becoming the first to do so. She will have to deal with the critics, fans, and the memories of her father who taught her how to pitch. This is one that is sure to be the topic of discussion in many ways and it will be exciting to see newcomer Kylie Banbury, who already is generating buzz for her lead role in the series.
5. Conviction (ABC, Monday October 3rd)
With the popularity of Making a Murder still present, it was only a matter of time before we got a show inspired by the ideas of those wrongfully convicted. Hayley Atwell (fresh off her cancelled ABC show Agent Carter) plays the ex-first daughter who is blackmailed into working for a unit of the government that specializes in getting innocent convicted clients out of jail. It’s hard for us not to get involved in this drama, and it already looks like one that will provide twist after wonderful twist.
6. Speechless (ABC, Wednesday September 21st)
Based on the real life experiences of creator Scott Silveri, this sitcom follows the story of the DiMeo family (led by Minnie Driver) who move to a new town in order to give their son with cerebral palsy a better school setting. If this doesn’t sound like an LOL plot, fear not because we all had the same thoughts but after watching the trailer we were laughing while our hearts filled with the love that was shown on screen between the members of this family.
7. Westworld (HBO, Sunday October 2nd)
How does one describe Westworld? Maybe using the words: JJ Abrams, HBO, future, robots, theme park, and wild west. Yup, that about sums it up. If you are confused, don’t worry because so is just about everyone who visits the IMDB page for this sci-fi adventure that took 15 years to make. The cast is stacked with the talents of Evan Rachel Wood, Anthony Hopkins, Thandie Newton, and James Marsden. This show is clouted in so much mystery that we don’t want to be left in the dark when everyone starts tweeting about it.
8. Bull (CBS, Tuesday September 20th)
A show based on the early career of Dr. Phil. That’s right, you heard us right, Dr. Phil. If you can stop laughing for a quick second, the show actually has great potential. CBS sweetheart Michael Weatherly (NCIS) stars as Dr. Bull who is an expert at picking jury members for high profile cases. The trailer looks light hearted, funny, and has just enough drama to get obsessed over. Dr. Phil don’t steer us wrong!
9. American Horror Story: Season 6 (FX, Wednesday September 14th)
While not a brand new show, the exciting thing about AHS is that it is technically new every year. New plot, new characters, new location and new theme. So that’s why we are counting it as new. What is even more exciting this year is that the theme was completely secret right up until the premiere! Theories had been floating around the internet such as Slender Man, the Bloody Benders, and the Manson Family, but episode one confirmed a popular theory– the lost Roanoke colony. The stakes are high for AHS this year, let’s hope it delivers the thrills.
It’s crazy to believe that these are only nine of the new shows hitting our small screens this fall, but that’s what happens when you are living in the second golden age of television. Hopefully this article takes some of the stress off of the fall TV season. So, grab your pumpkin spice, put on your cozy socks, and get ready to live tweet.