TV for fall 2025: 25 shows, including a Glen Powell comedy and the return of the rom-com 'Nobody Wants This'
Published in Entertainment News
Remember the days before streaming when the fall TV season was a source of anticipation? So many new shows premiering in a nice, tidy chunk over a few weeks. It was so easy to stay on top of it all.
Streaming has altered the television landscape, from the number of shows to the kinds of shows available. Premieres happen year-round now, which dampens the collective thrill that once accompanied this time of year, but let’s try to generate some excitement, shall we?
Wait, isn’t that actually the job of networks and streamers?! Well, very few shows get a big promotional push these days. Or if they do, it’s harder to reach a mass audience because the monoculture of old is gone, replaced by algorithms that silo us off from one another.
But like I said! Let’s generate some excitement of our own, yes? Here’s a look at what’s coming up this fall in chronological order. There are at least four separate “hmmm, something strange is going on”-type thrillers starring women. Make of that what you will.
“Second Sight” (Sept. 1; BritBox): Clive Owen plays a dogged police detective who is hiding a secret: He’s losing his sight. A new detective joins his serious crime unit and, when she figures out what’s going on, forms an uneasy alliance with him. She will help him fill in the gaps, but wants career advancement in return.
“Return to Paradise” (Sept. 2; BritBox): Another detective show, this one set in a surfing town in Australia called Dolphin Cove, where a detective who made her reputation in London returns to her childhood home: “She’s still no fan of the town, and the people of Dolphin Cove are certainly no fans of hers; everyone would prefer her not to be there.”
“The Paper” (Sept 4; Peacock): The premise for this mockumentary sounds a bit strained, but maybe that won’t matter. The never-seen documentary crew who filmed the haphazard goings on at a Scranton paper supply company (that’s right, “The Office”) have moved on to their next project: A struggling Midwestern newspaper. An early description of the show said the journalists were volunteers — which rankled many of us who are struggling to hang on to the paying journalism jobs that remain — but I’m not seeing that language in more recent marketing materials, so who knows if that aspect was reworked. Regardless, I’m curious enough to check it out. Though set in Toledo rather than Scranton, the show exists in the “same stylized comedic universe” as “The Office” and includes one familiar face: Oscar Nuñez is the paper’s accountant. Also, Greg Daniels (who developed “The Office” for U.S. television) is one of the show’s creators.
“Task” (Sept. 7; HBO): Mark Ruffalo plays an FBI agent in this seven-episode series set in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia, where he heads up a task force working to solve a string of violent robberies. His performance as the Hulk aside, Ruffalo tends to go for thoughtful over machismo, so here’s hoping that’s what the role entails.
“Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television” (Sept. 9; HBO): The two-part documentary examines the history of Black people and Black culture on television, from “early, stereotypical portrayals, to today’s more authentic and complex narratives, the series highlights how Black television makers have not only survived but thrived, despite the industry’s early reluctance to fully recognize their power and creativity.”
“Only Murders in the Building” (Sept. 9; Hulu series): The comedic murder-mystery returns for a fifth season (somehow that number feels like a miracle in the streaming era). This time the show’s trio of sleuths (played by Martin Short, Steve Martin and Selena Gomez) work to uncover a “dangerous web of secrets connecting powerful billionaires, old-school mobsters and the mysterious residents of the Arconia.”
“The Girlfriend” (Sept. 10; Amazon): Robin Wright returns to television for this psychological thriller based on the 2017 novel. In it, she plays a woman whose perfect life falls apart when her son starts dating a woman who might be an opportunist using the relationship to improve her social status.
“aka Charlie Sheen”(Sept. 10; Netflix): This two-part docuseries about the life of actor Charlie Sheen was made with his cooperation, like so many other celebrity documentaries these days, and the end result is usually an exercise in celebrity image management. But who knows, hope springs eternal and maybe this one will break the pattern. If anything, there’s probably some curiosity about how Sheen will look back on his own infamy.
“The Morning Show” (Sept. 17; Apple TV+): I have nothing good to say about this ridiculous show, which is back for a fourth season. But I will admit, the synopsis for this season sounds similar enough to the recent Paramount-Skydance deal that I’m the tiniest bit interested to see what the show has to say about its own fictional media merger: “With the UBA-NBN merger complete, the newsroom must grapple with newfound responsibility, hidden motives and the elusive nature of truth in a polarized America. In a world rife with deepfakes, conspiracy theories and corporate cover-ups — who can you trust? And how can you know what’s actually real?”
“Black Rabbit” (Sept. 18; Netflix series): Jude Law and Jason Bateman star as brothers “pushed to the brink by their duty to family and the pursuit of success” running a VIP establishment called Black Rabbit that is in jeopardy if they can’t figure out how to navigate old problems and new.
“Slow Horses” (Sept. 24; Apple TV+): Another streaming show hitting its fifth season, huzzah! This time, the gang’s tech expert, Roddy Ho, has a new girlfriend who seems too glamorous to be hooking up with this guy. Based on Mick Herron’s novel “London Rules.”
“House of Guinness” (Sept. 25; Netflix): On one hand, the brewery probably has an interesting history. On the other, how is this not yet more corporate myth-making along the lines of “Air” (Nike basketball sneakers), “Tetris” (the eponymous video game), “Blackberry”(the smartphone brand) and “Flamin’ Hot” (processed snack foods)? The story is set in both Dublin and New York in the 19th century. An interesting footnote: Per Wikipedia, “Before 1939, if a Guinness brewer wished to marry a Catholic, his resignation was requested. According to Thomas Molloy, writing in the Irish Independent, ‘It had no qualms about selling drink to Catholics but it did everything it could to avoid employing them until the 1960s.’” Here’s hoping this aspect is part of the story, as well.
“The Savant” (Sept. 26; Apple TV+): Jessica Chastain stars in this thriller as an investigator who “infiltrates online hate groups in an effort to stop domestic extremists before they act.”
“Chad Powers” (Sept 30; Hulu): Glen Powell leads this comedy playing a former hotshot college quarterback who sees his prospects evaporate after some bad behavior. So he disguises himself and “walks onto a struggling Southern football team as the talented, affable Chad Powers.” Eli and Peyton Manning are executive producers.
“Boots” (Oct. 9; Netflix): A coming-of-age dramedy set in the “tough, unpredictable world of the U.S. Marine Corps” in the 1990s. One recruit is closeted. Another is the son of a decorated Marine. They are all facing pressures while also figuring out who they are.
“The Diplomat” (Oct. 16; Netflix): Big fan of the first season of this show, wherein Keri Russell plays a U.S. ambassador to Great Britain. I was lukewarm on Season 2, but let’s see what Season 3 has in store. The ambassador’s charming but untrustworthy husband has been scheming to get her appointed as vice president; the current office holder (Allison Janney) is about to be engulfed in a scandal that will necessitate her resignation. Turns out the latter is more formidable than anyone anticipated. And she’s not going anywhere; Season 2 ended with the death of the president and now she’s the big cheese.
“Mr. Scorsese” (Oct. 17; Apple TV+): The five-part docuseries about the career of Martin Scorsese is directed by Rebecca Miller, whose credits include the film “Personal Velocity.” She’s also spent her life around legendary figures, as the daughter of Arthur Miller and the wife of Daniel Day-Lewis, so perhaps she has a unique insight into what makes men like this tick. She was given “exclusive, unrestricted access to Scorsese’s private archives” according to the press materials. The series will include new interviews with Scorsese as well as those with his family, friends and creative collaborators. If any old sports figure is getting the docuseries treatment these days, no reason a filmmaker like Scorsese shouldn’t be either.
“From Rails to Trails” (Oct. 20; PBS): This one-hour documentary is narrated by Edward Norton and looks at the “60-year struggle to convert thousands of miles of private, abandoned railways into public trails for cycling and walking,” including the Illinois Prairie Path, which will be featured. Chicago-based producer Dan Protess directs.
“Nobody Wants This” (Oct. 23; Netflix): I’m a sucker for the pleasures of a banter-fueled a romantic comedy, which fuels “Nobody Wants This,” about a cute rabbi played by Adam Brody who falls for a very non-religious woman played by Kristen Bell. Can they have a future together if she decides not to convert? Presumably all will be explored in Season 2.
“Down Cemetery Road” (Oct. 29; Apple TV+): Starring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, the series is adapted from the novel by Mick Herron (whose books also form the basis for Apple’s “Slow Horses”). A bored housewife (Wilson) hires an investigator (Thompson) to help her unravel what happened after an explosion in suburban Oxford, England, led to a girl’s disappearance. The pair find themselves in a “complex conspiracy that reveals that people long believed dead are still among the living, while the living are fast joining the dead.”
“Death by Lightning” (Nov. 6; Netflix): The four-part miniseries is a historical drama about U.S. President James Garfield (Michael Shannon) and his admirer Charles J. Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen), who would ultimately kill him. The series also stars Nick Offerman, Bradley Whitford, Shea Whigham and Betty Gilpin. “Game of Thrones” creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss are executive produers along with the miniseries’ creator Mike Makowsky.
“All Her Fault” (Nov. 6; Peacock): In her first series since “Succession,” Sarah Snook stars as a mother who arrives to pick up her son from a playdate, only to be greeted by an unfamiliar woman answering the door; she not only doesn’t have the kid, she’s has never even heard of him. Based on the Dublin-set 2021 novel by Andrea Mara, the TV adaptation takes place in Chicago (though it only filmed locally for a few days for exteriors; it was otherwise filmed in Australia). The cast also includes Jake Lacy, Dakota Fanning, Michael Peña and Jay Ellis.
“Pluribus” (Nov. 7; Apple TV+): The latest from “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” creator Vince Gilligan stars Rhea Seehorn (of “Better Call Saul”) and is described as a “genre-bending original in which the most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness.” Not sure where Gilligan is going with this, but based on his track record, likely someplace interesting.
“The Beast in Me” (Nov. 13; Netflix): A limited series starring Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys, it follows an author dealing with writer’s block ever since the death of her son. Her professional spark is reignited when an infamous real estate mogul — who happens to be the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance — moves in next door. Suddenly, she has something to write about again.
“A Man on the Inside” (Nov. 20; Netflix): I liked the first season of this Ted Danson comedy about a man bored with his golden years who goes undercover at a retirement village to solve a mystery. Another mystery awaits in Season 2. (Also on Netflix with a similar theme: “The Thursday Murder Club” starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and Ben Kingsley, which premiered earlier this month.)
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