Not a huge surprise that there’s a ton of derivative tv (reboots, remakes, prequels, etc.) and while that doesn’t mean it’s bad I’m always hopeful for something that isn’t just a rock block of cops. I’ll be tuning in to see if any of these get added to season passes. Since the network barely scratches the surface of new offerings I did include a handful of cable and streaming as well that I might keep my eye on. Along with some returning fall favorites and an endless backlog of options.

• Monarch (Fox, Sunday 9/11) – A little old-fashioned soapy family dynasty with a country twist, I caught the first which in fact felt a little old-fashioned
• Quantum Leap (NBC, Monday 9/19) – I’m sure I watched a few of these and I remember it fondly, though Bakula declined to be a part of it we will have to tune in to see if this scenario from the past of the week is captivating and if there’s a new spin.
• The Rookie: Feds (ABC, 9/27) – For all you Rookie fans, I like me some Nathan Fillion but didn’t stick with it for whatever reason, we’ll see how Niecy Nash in the FBI version does.
• So Help Me Todd (CBS, 9/29) – With Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin as a mother/son duo who have different sensibilities about adherence to the law as attorney and PI, let’s hope they’re able to shine.
• East New York (CBS, 10/2) – A newly promoted deputy inspector looks to lead the police to protect and serve.
• Family Law (CW, 10/2) – Abby’s a mess and the only way she can keep practicing law is with the help of her estranged father and his new family members.
• Alaska Daily (ABC, 10/6) – Hilary Swank as a big-time journalist looking into small-town Indigenous Alaska issues is likely worth a look.
• Walker Independence (CW, Thursday 10/6) – Prequels seem to be having a thing, look at the Walker’s journey out west.
• Fire Country (CBS, 10/7) – Prisoners get to knock time of their sentence by fighting fires, and one prisoners ends up back in his home town.
• The Winchesters (CW, Tuesday 10/11) – For fans of Supernatural a prequel about Sam and Dean’s parents.
• Lopez vs Lopez (NBC, Friday 11/4) – Father and daughter George and Mayan Lopez star in this family comedy.

Some cable and streaming highlights:

• Reboot (Hulu, 9/20) – A comedic look at bringing a sitcom cast back together, enough quality peeps I hope it gives them something to work with.
• Interview with a Vampire (AMC, 10/2) – The story has been told but it’s not a bad one, Anne Rice in as EP.
• A Friend of the Family (Pea, 10/6) – If you’ve seen the documentary Abducted in Plain Sight you might get de ja vu, a scripted take.
• Let the Right One In (Show, 10/9) – More repurposed tales, the movie was good so maybe a series about a 12-year-old vampire.
• High School (Freeveem, 10/14) – Based on the high school memoir of Tegan and Sara it looks like a good perspective and it’s got a nice pedigree.
• Shantaram (App+, 10/14) – Charlie Hunnam as a fugitive getting lost in Bombay, sure.
• From Scratch (Net, 10/21) – Zoe Saldana and her husband in a book adaptation about an American woman who falls for a Sicilian chef in Italy.
• Dangerous Liaisons (Starz, 11/7) – Right another one of these.
• The English (Am, Nov) – 1900s Western English woman played by Emily Blunt shows up to avenge her son’s death.
• Tulsa King (Paramount+, 11/13) – I’m not optimistic about Stallone’s acting abilities though happy to eat my words, but intrigued by the tale of ex con trying to build a new crew by the Yellowstone creators.
• Welcome to Chippendales (Hulu, 11/22) – The story of an Indian immigrant who founded the male-stripping empire.
• Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin (Pea, 11/23) – A spinoff of the movie, we follow one of the characters to Germany.
• Also slated for November: Wednesday (Net), Kindred (AMC), Fleishman is in Trouble (Hulu), and The Idol (HBO).

Stay tuned for new and noteworthy for reminders and additional fare. And things change so please check your local listings.

Well, last year the pandemic put most new tv out of commission. But things have been happening and networks are back to their old tricks. Network tv is of course only a small sliver of new tv but streamers and cable don’t have quite the same fall feel to me. I called a bunch of these out in New and Noteworthy last week but still felt like this deserved its own post. Note I don’t have any insight as to whether anything is actually supposed to be any good.

• The Big Leap (Fox, 9/20) Mondays at 9pm – A scripted drama where Scott Foley works on a reality dance show where dancers get a second chance, I like Scott Foley and this hodge podge of people looks both fun and heartwarming.
• NCIS: Hawaii (CBS, 9/20) Mondays at 10pm – They’re taking the formula and hanging it on Vanessa Lachey, I don’t watch these.
• Ordinary Joe (NBC, 9/20) Mondays at 10pm – James Wolk plays three versions of himself in a sort of sliding doors fashion, I mean he’s due a hit right, but while this looks like a good showcase for him I’m dubious?
• Our Kind of People (Fox, 9/21) Tuesdays at 9pm – This looks like it could be good bad or just bad soapy show showing an unwelcome entry into the area of Black elite on Martha’s Vineyard.
• The Wonder Years (ABC, 9/22) Wednesdays at 8:30pm – This reenvisioning from the previous white family in the late 19060s to a Black family in Alabama at the same time. looks like a good version of revisiting.
• FBI International (CBS, 9/21) Tuesdays at 9pm – Adding to a full night of FBI action, I also don’t watch these but assuming similar.
• La Brea (NBC, 9/28) Tuesdays at 9pm – Natalie Zea among others get sent into a primeval world through a sinkhole in LA, looks ridiculous, so you know maybe.
• CSI: Vegas (CBS, 10/6) Wednesdays at 10pm – At least some of the originals are back in this reboot, were we missing CSI? I watched this for a bit but dropped and didn’t keep up with the spinoffs.
• Ghosts (CBS, 10/7) Thursdays at 9pm – Rose McIver stars as a woman who can see the ghosts in the property purchased in hopes of turning it into a B&B, based on the British version which I haven’t seen.
• Queens (ABC, 10/19) Tuesdays at 10pm – A musical drama version of Girls 5eva with Brandy?
• 4400 (CW, 10/25) Mondays at 9pm – A reboot of the 2004 series which I don’t remember, but vanished people return, with no memories.

Premiere dates are subject to change so stay tuned for “next week”s and check your local listings.

Fall is looking a little different this year and while things are now starting to kick back into production there will be a bit of a lag. In addition to a few new shows that are making it out we’ll start to see re-purposing shows that have already been released in one way or another, which I think is a great idea.

This isn’t the first time this has happened but it’s been kicked up a bit, CBS All Access (CBSAA) showed the first season of The Good Fight on CBS, but only the first season which was enough to get me hooked to pay for the next season(s) through Amazon. Syfy showed the first season of Harley Quinn from DC Universe, but only the first season (it’s now on HBO Max) and I’ve yet to break down to pay for any further services (though it’s very fun). We are up through season 3 of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Burden of Truth on the CW which makes an entertaining enough summer show. Oh and Schitt’s Creek, you can thank the CBC for that one too, it aired on Pop though most of you are seeing it on Netflix.

A few of these are in their wrap up phase but here are a few exchange students you might want to say hello to:

• Coroner (CW, 8/5) – From the CBC, so far this show is a good procedural where our protagonist is struggling with her own demons and solving crimes through the bodies found, a third season has been ordered.
• Dead Pixels (CW, 8/18) – This British show has been renewed for a second series where we’ll see what happens with three obsessive online gamers, somewhat entertaining but not my thing, finale 9/22.
• Devils (CW, 10/7) – An international co-production from Italian and French companies, Patrick Dempsey works his way into the picture as American CEO while a head of trading tries to get to the bottom of a scandal, it’s been renewed for a second season.
• LA’s Finest (Fox, 9/21) – From Spectrum, Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union are cop partners in an offshoot of the Bad Boys franchise, renewed for a second season, early reviews are middling.
• Manhunt: Deadly Games (CBS, 9/21) – From Spectrum this is a scripted true-crime anthology focused on Richard Jewell and the ’96 Olympic bombing, the first season on Unabomber aired on Discovery and was solid enough though wouldn’t go too far out of my way for it.
• One Day at a Time (CBS, 10/12) – This fun re-imagining of the original ’70s show started on Netflix and got picked up by Pop starting with season 4 which is where we’ll start on CBS, it’s a fun one and if you can go back and catch earlier shows do it.
• Star Trek: Discovery (CBS, 9/24) – From CBSAA, the seventh in the franchise, based on history I’m not sure we’ll continue to get these on CBS but the third season is targeting later this year, generally favorable reviews.
• Swamp Thing (CW, 10/6) – From DC Universe this was cancelled after the first season so this tale of mysterious swamp creature will be one shot (I was under the impression this got axed with a network direction change and not because it was a stinker).
• Tell Me a Story (CW, 7/28) – From CBSAA the first of the two seasons starts with riffs on fairy tale themes but as a modern day serialized drama, I passed on this.
• Transplant (NBC, 9/1) – More of the Canadians as this story of a Syrian refugee who is rebuilding his medical career and so far is a good procedural, and has been renewed for a second season, also playing on Hulu so you can catch up.

There are also a few new shows coming up, these are the ones that look like they’ve been scheduled:

• Connecting (NBC, 10/1 moved to 10/8) – A video chats in the pandemic show, and based on my impressions of comparable step into separate filming Love in the Time of Corona, turns out you actually need to have a good show to make this format work, we’ll see.
• Filthy Rich (Fox, 9/21) – Kim Cattrall is the matriarch of this mega-rich evangelical family, early notes on this say it’s not quite capturing the soapy magic it should.
• NEXT (Fox, 10/6) – Delayed from midseason, an AI gets loose and it’s creator, played by John Slattery, helps try to protect the world from it.
• Big Sky (ABC, 11/17) – Are two disappeared sisters not the only missing girls in this area, the latest from David E. Kelley.

Note: Schedules are even more fluid than normal so stay tuned to “New and Noteworthy TV” posts, which will also continue to feature the ever releasing cable and streaming, as well as your own local listings. 

I tend to try to watch all the new scripted shows at least once, and usually at least twice, so I keep spreading myself pretty this at the beginning of fall. Stay tuned for each Next Week to hear a little more including the cable and streaming series noted below but here’s what we’ve got that’s new.

• All American (CW, 10/10) – TVG’s Matt Roush gives this the Friday Night Lights and The OC comparison, both faves and tough tones to match but with Taye Diggs as coach I’ll tune in.
• Charmed (CW, 10/14) – I never thought the original of this was amazing but liked the sisters enough (still sad Doherty left) to stay tuned for more than a few seasons but not sure this revisit with new sisters will rise to the queue.
• The Conners/The Kids Are Alright (ABC, 10/16) – Aside from the whole Roseanne thing I thought the return season of this just felt off so not sure I’m that interested even without her, but hearing some good things about Mary McCormack and Michael Cudlitz as ’70s parents of 8.
• The Cool Kids (Fox, 9/28) – Hijinks in a retirement community with Vicki Lawrence, David Alan Grier, Leslie Jordan, and Martin Mull could have its moments.
• I Feel Bad (NBC, 9/19 preview, 10/4) – I wasn’t won over by the first ep of this woman overwhelmed, from the gaming job to her Indian parents it all just felt a little forced.
• FBI (CBS, 9/25) – The latest from L&O’s Dick Wolf follows a new set of those around law, or is it order?
• God Friended Me (CBS, 9/30) – Either because or despite being non-religious person I am often charmed by shows like Joan of Arcadia and Kevin Probably Saves the World so will check out this done more digital style.
• Legacies (CW, 10/25) – Vampire Diaries lore lives on through it’s youth and can’t imagine this boarding school for vampires, werewolves, and witches won’t hit the sweet spot for that crowd.
• Magnum PI (CBS, 9/24) – I can only assume this will feel like the Hawaii 5-0/MacGyver reboot.
• Manifest (NBC, 9/24) – This is the latest swing at the weird when a plane lands five years later without the flight having lost a beat, and rumor has it this has some good ingredients but maybe doesn’t quite put them altogether.
• A Million Little Things (ABC, 9/26) – This is being pushed as sort of the new This Is Us and while I’m over that show I do enjoy a good dose of friend and family drama so I’m willing to give these friends, made up of a cast with potential, shaken by suicide a shot.
• The Neighborhood/Happy Together (CBS, 10/1) – New neighbors and a new long standing house guest all have good cast (Cedric the Entertainer, Max Greenfield Beth Behrs and Damon Wayans Jr, Amber Stevens West respectively) so we’ll have to see if either of them can hit the sweet sitcom spot.
• New Amsterdam (NBC, 9/25) – These promos are already bugging me but  maybe Ryan Eggold is allowed to reach a less smug ‘saving the hospital but doing it the right but maybe nonprofitable way’ story.
• Rel (Fox, 9/9 preview, 9/30) – Another early preview that didn’t win me over with some flat jokes around this newly single dad getting a new start.
• The Rookie (ABC, 10/16) – Ok so Nathan Fillion is probably closer to 50 than the 40 year old he plays but he’s always charming enough to see how he fills this out.
• Single Parents (ABC, 9/26) – Another hope that the cast including Taran Killam, Brad Garrett, and Leighton Meister can keep the premise afloat.

And for other cable and streaming options: Camping (HBO, 10/14), Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Net, 10/26), Dirty John (Bravo, TBD), Escape at Dannemora (Show, 11/18), The First (Hulu, 9/14), Forever (Net, 9/14), The Good Cop (Net, 9/21), The Haunting of Hill House (Net, 10/12), Homecoming (Prime, 11/2), Into the Dark (Hulu, 10/5), Kidding (Show, 9/9), The Kominsky Method (Net, 11/16), The Little Drummer Girl (AMC, 11/19), Maniac (Net, 9/21), Mayans MC (Fx, 9/4), Mr Inbetween (Fx, 9/25), Narcos: Mexico (Net, 11/16), Origin (YT Prem, 11/14), The Romanoffs (Prime, 10/12), Sorry for Your Loss (Face, 9/18), Tell Me A Story (CBSAA, 10/31), Titans (DCUniverse, 10/12), Wanderlust (Net, 10/19), You (Life)

Premiere dates are subject to change so stay tuned for “next week”s and check your local listings.