With September comes a new season. Beach season is over, the seasonal drinks at Starbucks become a priority (yes, pumpkin spice latte is always a must), school’s back in session and the holidays are right around the corner. But most importantly, Fall TV is back in session! And while the summer’s enjoyable, it’s hard not to be excited when all our favorite shows debut or return.
The Young Folks staff put together a list of our most anticipated new and returning TV shows. We couldn’t narrow it down to just ten, so we picked 14 instead! Each of these shows have a lot of buzz going into the new season and there’s so much exciting potential for each of them.
So go ahead and check out our top 14 picks for most anticipated TV shows below and let us know in the comments which shows you’re most excited about this season!
The Good Place
After the first season of the Michael Schur-created fantasy-comedy series, The Good Place yanked viewers’ arms in a direction they definitely weren’t expecting to be tugged — “This is the bad place!” being the line that exploded millions of brains across the globe. It was hard to believe that the show’s sophomore turn would be as jaw-dropping or feature a twist as big, bold, and narrative-changing as Eleanor Shellstrop’s (Kristen Wiig) realization. And then it did. Season two of The Good Place wrapped up on a wild note, with a revived Eleanor (yes, we’re still screaming about the fact our dead faves got a second chance) traveling to Australia to meet Chidi (William Jackson Harper). Where will the series about flawed people in the afterlife go now that its characters are actively working on making up for their shortcomings in the land of the living? It’s anyone’s guess for now, but once season three of the fresh, smart, hilarious, feel-good series premieres on September 27, all shall, hopefully, be revealed. —AJ Caulfield
The Good Place premieres on September 27 at 8/7 on NBC.
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
In an interview with Digital Spy, Melissa Joan Hart compared The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, saying it will be about more darker, witchcraft stuff, with some family drama thrown in. It’s technically a spin-off of The CW’s Riverdale, but with Sabrina dropping all of its episodes October 26 on Netflix, crossovers might be difficult to make happen. Still, a darker, edgier version of the Sabrina the Teenage Witch around Halloween time? I’m so there. According to Digital Spy, the forces of evil Sabrina will go up against are demonic Madam Satan and the Church of Night’s high priest Father Blackwood. Check out some of the concept art from showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s twitter page and watch the first trailer here. —Katey Stoetzel
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina premieres October 26 on Netflix.
Homecoming
Adapted from the fictional podcast of the same name, Homecoming centers on Julia Roberts’ character, Heidi, a caseworker at a facility that helps soldiers transition back to civilian life. Years later, Heidi has moved on to a new life until someone comes into it asking her questions about her former job. Homecoming also stars Sissy Spacek, Shea Whigham, Jeremy Allen White, Alex Karpovsky, and Dermot Mulroney.
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Amazon gave Homecoming a two season straight-to-series order. Maybe they’re betting on Roberts’ star-power to make it a hit or maybe they are impressed with what Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot) has produced with Homecoming. Esmail is signed on to write and direct the entire first season of this psychological thriller, which consists of ten episodes, and if Mr. Robot indicated anything about his penchant for twisty stories, viewers are bound for something great with this new show. Esmail broke ground with Mr. Robot, and while the premise of Homecoming does not feel that unique, I have a feeling there is more to the show than what they’ve revealed so far. —Gabrielle Bondi
Season one of Homecoming will premiere on Amazon November 2nd.
Charmed
The popular ’90s show is now a reboot on the CW, a network that already has a massive TV lineup. The three witches are back, but how similar will it be to the original? The series will most likely have its own flair, but also pay homage to the original in some way. Not to mention that the cast is far more inclusive than the original. For someone who hasn’t watched the original series, I’m excited to see this brand new take with fresh eyes. Charmed was a cult favorite in the past and there’s no reason it can’t happen again. —Ashley Bulayo
Charmed will make its debut on The CW during its new Sunday line-up, beginning October 14 at 9/8c.
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The Romanoffs
From Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner comes a new anthology series, The Romanoffs. The trailer has already dropped and it’s the first and only look at the new Amazon series. Further details have been under wraps, but the series is essentially about several people who believe themselves to be descendants of the Romanoff family (yes, that Romanoff family). Each episode will be focused on a different group of people, and the series’ cast members include Aaron Eckhart, Diane Lane, Ron Livingston, and many, many more. The series is set to debut each episode over the course of eight weeks, which is different than what Amazon has done in the past. It’s certainly an interesting premise (and certainly interesting how everyone seems so hell bent in their need to prove their lineage) and we can’t help but wonder how it’ll all play out. —Mae Abdulbaki
The Romanoffs will be available to stream on Amazon October 12th.
Maniac
From Carey Fukunaga, who brought us Jane Eyre and Beasts of No Nation, comes his latest, Maniac. This mini-series, set to make its premiere on Netflix, is described as a dark comedy which follows Emma Stone and Jonah Hill’s characters as they go through an unknown pharmaceutical trial. Fukunaga is a strong storyteller and Maniac has an intriguing and unique premise that could potentially lead to commentary on the state of the pharmaceutical industry. But more than that it’s exciting to see Emma Stone take on her first major television role and from the trailer, description, and pictures, it could prove to be a type of character we’ve never seen her play before. The same goes for Jonah Hill, who seems to be leaning into slightly darker roles from the ones he’s played in the past. The rest of the cast is impressive as well, with Justin Theroux, Sally Field, and Sonoya Mizuno in supporting roles. Maniac has all the makings of a deeply psychological outing that will have audiences wanting more and I trust that Fukunaga, who also directed True Detective and has a strong directorial eye, will make this ten-episode series worthwhile. —Mae Abdulbaki
Maniac will premiere on Netflix September 21st.
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Runaways
While Netflix may be the go-to place for Marvel TV, Hulu has somehow made my current favorite Marvel TV show with Runaways. From the same producing team as The O.C. and Gossip Girl, Runaways infuses teen drama with parental melodrama and superpowers in a way that is highly entertaining and at times moving. While it’s unfair to compare it to other Marvel properties where the production value is higher and the performances better, Runaways is, unlike the other shows, very watchable. Binging through the season is a breeze, not a task and it doesn’t suffer from the same pacing issues as other Marvel shows. It’s also simply fun, with characters that viewers grow to love in each new episode. The first season did a great job setting the foundations for this show, and I’m excited to see the next part of these characters’ journeys now that they’ve begun to discover or settle into their powers. —Gabrielle Bondi
Marvel’s Runaways’ second season will premiere December 21st on Hulu.
Superstore
Since Parks and Rec and The Office are gone, this is the next best show to watch. This show struck gold and it’s clever to base it off of everyday people working in a very similar Walmart-type store. The biggest question we want answered from last season is “WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT LIVESTREAM OF AMY AND JONAH?” I’m sure we’re all over the will they/won’t they saga so, can we just call it a day and have them be together already? I’m also here for Sandra having some fortunate happenings in her life. She deserves more spotlight. —Ashley Bulayo
Season four of Superstore will premiere on NBC October 4 at 8/7c.
This is Us
Who isn’t waiting for this show? The last episode had everyone questioning what the heck will happen for the future of the Big 3. I’m ready for the tears again. Last season, we saw them jump into the future. So not only are we going into the PAST, but we could get more scenes set in the future. Would we have to follow three timelines now? Asking for a friend. Ultimately, it’s all of the emotional moments on this show that truly makes it exciting to see what’s in store for the characters we’ve grown to love (like the fact that we’ll also get to see Kevin and Zoe’s romance flourish). —Ashley Bulayo
This is Us season three will premiere on ABC on September 25 at 8/7c.
The Flash
“I’m your daughter, Nora, from the future. And I think I made a big, big mistake.” It’s hard to not be excited for The Flash’s fifth season after the season four cliffhanger finally revealed Mystery Girl’s identity as none other than Nora West-Allen, Barry and Iris’ daughter from the future. Nora’s identity is only one piece of a much larger mystery, the first one being why she’s in 2018 and not in her own time.The Flash seems hyper-focused on family for season five, what with Barry and Iris working to be parents to an adult child, Joe and Cecile dealing with being new parents and grandparents, and the theme of the season being about legacy and what you leave behind. There’s also a lot more to look forward to with regards to Iris getting to investigate again, American Pie’s Chris Klein as the villain Cicada, and Team Flash finally leaving the confines of STAR Labs (which includes Caitlin seeking answers about her own family history with the help of Ralph and Cisco). After an uneven and often underwhelming season four, Nora’s arrival is exciting and is exactly the refreshing change the show needs going into season five. —Mae Abdulbaki
The Flash’s season five premieres on October 9 at 8/7c on The CW.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
With a modest, yet impassioned, following, CW cult hit Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has found a sweet spot, boasting witty, lavish musical numbers, while also tastefully addressing issues around life with mental illness. Each chapter in Rebecca Bunch’s (Rachel Bloom) ongoing journey toward acceptance has taken unexpected twists and turns, so the show’s fourth (and final) season is sure to go out with a bang. Although little is known about the coming episodes, we can expect guest roles from the likes of Patton Oswalt and Nia Vardalos, as well as the return of Greg Serrano (now played by Skylar Astin, instead of Santino Fontana). When we last saw Rebecca, she had just backed herself into another corner, pleading guilty to her sins and awaiting punishment. No matter how the rest of her story unfurls, it is sure to be worth tuning in for, especially since this will be the first season that finds Rachel Bloom in the director’s chair. Anything could happen. —Brian Thompson
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s fourth and final season will premiere on October 12 on The CW.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Cliched though it might be to say, the truth of the matter is, Amazon’s delectable The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel lives up to its title. And then some. The Emmy nominated, Peabody Award-winning newcomer series from creator Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls), is as witty, whimsical and wonderfully wholesome as a freshman season can be. It comes together like lightning, meticulously-but-masterfully producing one of the most enjoyable, endearing and emotionally-investing first seasons of television to come around in ages — even in today’s era of Peak Television™.
There’s no denying that it bares the mark of its creator. Sherman-Palladino’s influence is abundant, from the rapid-fire dialogue to the sharp and sensitive focus on smart, determined, vulnerable and complex women at the forefront. But it is truly Rachel Brosnahan’s series, and she makes the absolute most of it in a role that she seemed destined to play. Previously best known for her tragic role in Netflix’s House of Cards, Brosnanhan is an invigorating, energetic, hilarious and well-layered lead in a role that provides a wonderful ray of light to the series. It also challenges the norms of its time period, particularly when its title character decides to try her hand at stand-up comedy following the dissolve of her marriage.
It is a series that bounces between comedy and drama at the dime of a hat, a show that requires its lead actress to display a full range of emotions, even within a single long shot, and Brosnanhan makes it look effortless. It’s going to be hard to top this first season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but it’s going to (hopefully) be a great joy to see all these fantastic characters return to the screen, providing us with enriched stories, stronger character dynamics and lively banter. When shows start out this good, there’s reasonable cause for concern that they might not to able to match their previous successes. But we have hope that this newest season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will once again live up to its title. —Will Ashton
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season two will premiere on Amazon later this year.
Riverdale
ARCHIE! That’s who is on every character’s mind, including us. Just when we thought everyone was happy in their own lives, Hiram is here to tear everyone’s happiness down, even his daughter’s. I’m excited to see how this summer changed the group of friends and how Archie will go about clearing his name. And, of course, how will Jughead deal as the Serpents’ new fearless leader (again, but now officially)? —Ashley Bulayo
Riverdale’s third season will premiere on October 10 at 8/7c on The CW.
Supernatural
It’s season 14 for Supernatural, and while the over-arching stories of the recent seasons haven’t been consistent, the show still manages solid stand-alone episodes and world- building. With 14 comes the 300th episode, so we’ll probably get another heavy meta episode to mark the milestone. And even though Wayward Sisters didn’t get greenlit as a spin-off, Jody Mills and company still have story to tell. As far as the brothers go, it’s Jensen Ackles’ time to shine as the archangel Michael, after Dean was left with no other choice than to agree to be Michael’s vessel, with the last closing shot of season 13 being of a much fancier Dean walking down the street. Showrunner Andrew Dabb has said the season will be Dean-less for awhile, but that makes room for Sam to work on his own while also giving screen time to Jack, Mary, and alternate universe Bobby. With a slightly shorter season at 20 episodes, perhaps we’ll get a more streamlined story. —Katey Stoetzel
Season 14 of Supernatural premieres on October 11 at 8/7c on The CW.
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