Looking for new TV shows to watch? Fall 2017 does not look very promising. After an amazing 2016 premiere season with shows like Atlanta, Insecure, Westworld, Fleabag, Stranger Things and more, Hollywood appears to be on a lunch break. Blame it on the rise of Netflix and streaming services, the trend of shorter seasons, or the decline of as-it-airs viewership… whatever the case, the fall 2017 lineup is lackluster to say the least, especially for network TV. But before we get to all the shows we’re feeling ‘meh’ about, here are the best new and returning TV shows we are looking forward to most.
For new shows, ABC’s The Mayor seems like a cheaper version of Atlanta, but still holds promise and is at least something different. The Deuce certainly has the sex appeal to do big things for HBO this fall, but it has big shoes to fill with Insecure and Game of Thrones gone for a while. However, White Famous on Showtime and Spike Lee’s Gotta Have It on Netflix will give HBO some competition. Netflix is also set to air a new original animated comedy titled Big Mouth, helmed by Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg. At the top of our list, though, is Netflix’s surprising anime offering, Neo Yokio, starring Jaden Smith.
In the realm of sci-fi and comic books is Star Trek: Discovery, a valiant effort by the CBS streaming platform All Access that has a huge potential for viewership. Marvel’s Inhumans, which premiered in IMAX theaters to a zero percent Rotten Tomatoes score, airs on ABC in the Friday time slot. Fox is adding another comic book series to its lineup with The Gifted, loosely based on X-Men. It’s extremely exciting that Hulu will also step into the comic book genre with Marvel’s new Runaways, although we haven’t seen footage just yet.
The last few years of fall premiere season have given us many of the most anticipated returning shows. Gotham, which had four Emmy nominations this year, is the first of the DC comic book shows to return on Sept. 21. Supergirl, The Flash, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and Riverdale all return the week of Oct. 9. On the Marvel side, the fifth season of Agents of SHIELD is slated to return after Inhumans wraps up late fall. And last but not least, The Walking Dead is back on Oct. 22.
There’s also a couple dramas with huge followings that return this fall. Mr. Robot Season 3 is at the top of the list. It’s been over a year since we caught up with Elliot, but he’ll be back on USA Oct. 11. Stranger Things Season 2 drops on Netflix just in time for Halloween, Oct. 27. Oprah’s Queen Sugar, which has a small but loyal and active Twitter following, returns Oct. 3. FX also has Better Thing s and You’re The Worst returning, which could pick up some steam now that the first seasons of each are available to stream in full. Check out the premiere dates for new and returning shows below.
Best New
Sept. 10 - The Deuce, HBO
Sept. 22- Neo Yokio, Netflix
Sept. 24 - Star Trek: Discovery
Sept 29 - Marvel’s Inhumans, ABC
Sept. 29 - Big Mouth, Netflix
Oct 2 - The Gifted, Fox
Oct 3 - The Mayor, ABC
Oct. 15 - White Famous, Showtime
Nov. 5 - SMILF, Showtime
Nov. 14 - Future Man, Hulu
Nov. 21 - Marvel’s Runaways, Hulu
Nov. 23 - She’s Gotta Have It, Netflix
TBD - The Punisher, Netflix
Best Returning
You're The Worst Season 4 - Sept. 5, FX
BoJack Horseman Season 4 - Sept. 8, Netflix
Better Things Season 2 - Sept. 14, FX
Gotham Season 4 - Sept. 21, Fox
Transparent Season 4 - Sept. 22, Amazon
Lucifer Season 3 - Oct. 2, Fox
Queen Sugar Season 2 - Oct 3, OWN
Supergirl Season 3 - Oct. 9, The CW
The Flash Season 4 - Oct. 10, The CW
Legends Of Tomorrow Season 3 - Oct 10, The CW
Riverdale Season 2, Oct. 11, The CW
Mr. Robot Season 3 - Oct 11, USA
Arrow Season 5 - Oct. 12, The CW
Stranger Things Season 2 - Oct. 27, Netflix
Agents Of Shield Season 5 - TBD, ABC
The Crown Season 2 - Dec. 8, Netflix
The Walking Dead, Oct. 22, AMC
And for those shows we are feeling pretty 'meh' about, comedies seem to be the trend this year. ABC is sticking with Fresh Off The Boat and Black-Ish, both of which return on Oct. 3. NBC still has Superstore for Season 3 and will add a Will & Grace reboot, both of which airs on Sept. 28. CBS is going all-in with the premiere of Big Bang Theory Season 11 and the spinoff series, Young Sheldon, back to back on Sept. 25, as well as a new CBS comedy Me, Myself & I starring Bobby Moynihan and John Larroquette, premiering on Sept. 25. Fox also premiered The Orville on Sept. 10, a space comedy from Seth MacFarlane, to mixed reviews. TBS grabbed Tracy Morgan and Jordan Peele for The Last OG, premiering on Oct. 24 . Adam Scott and Craig Robinson also team up for Ghosted on Oct. 3, which has a love it or hate it People of Earth vibe except with more well-known actors.
Comedy continues to take over, with Broad City returning for Season 4 on Comedy Central Sept. 13. FX also has two comedies Better Thing s and You’re The Worst, both picking up steam in the absence of classic dramas aside from NBC’s hit, This Is Us, which returns Sept. 26. Showtime is giving fans yet another round of Shameless – Season 8 premieres on Nov. 5.
A surprising amount of news, talk shows, and stand-up specials will air. HBO has Russell Simmons’ All Def Comedy up its sleeve, while BET has 50 Central courtesy of, well, 50 Cent. MTV is reviving TRL for the millennial audience. Hulu snagged Sarah Silverman for a Hulu topical, I Love You, America.
Because of the lack of drama shows, Scandal Season 7 is on its way to ruling Thursday primetime, though it’ll face some competition from The CW’s strong Thursday lineup of Arrow and Supernatural, which is on its thirteenth season. But the only real competition in sight is Fox’s Empire Season 4, which has held steady since premiering in 2015. FX also has American Horror Story returning Sept. 5. The CW’s cult ‘80s soap opera reboot series, Dynasty, may find some sort of audience since it’s paired with Riverdale on Wednesdays. Oh, and there’s another season of Fuller House coming to Netflix Sept. 22, if you’re into that...
Nobody seems to be particularly excited about fall TV this year, so it will be interesting to see if Netflix or Amazon capitalizes on the situation and surprises viewers with some fresh content. What shows are you looking forward to most? Let us know in the comments.
