Can you smell that? It’s the scent of coffee shops dusting off their pumpkin spice syrup bottles. And can you hear that? It’s the faint sound of Gilmore Girls la la la-ing their way back into your ‘Continue watching’ feed now that the temperature is teasing us by dropping a degree or two. But before you sink back into an old faithful rewatch (we listen and we don’t judge!), make sure you check out all the new things that are coming your way this fall as well.
You’ve got hotly-anticipated debuts like Ryan Murphy’s All’s Fair, Glen Powell’s Chad Powers, and Rachel Sennott’s I Love LA; reboots and reworks of some old faves, like The Office spiritual-spin-off The Paper and Welcome to Derry; and returning shows like the second part of Wednesday’s latest season and the final end to Stranger Things after almost a decade of kind of being on our screens.
Here are the most anticipated TV shows of the fall.
New Shows
All’s Fair (Hulu)
Date TBA
High gloss, campy drama? Check. A completely bonkers assemblage of stars that spans Oscar nominees and reality TV mainstays? Check. An ensemble collection of icy women with sharp outfits and even sharper bobs throwing jabs at each other? It’s a new Ryan Murphy joint. All’s Fair brings together Kim Kardashian, Sarah Paulson, Naomi Watts and Glenn Close (IMDB cast lists are being written on a level we’ve never seen before) as a team of high-powered divorce lawyers. Do we need to know much more? The fewer specifics we get of a Ryan Murphy brainchild, the better. Expect enough backstabbing, saucy secrets, and nonsensical cameos to more than make up for the loss of And Just Like That.
The Chair Company (HBO)
Date TBA
Wake up, there’s a new Tim Robinson vehicle for your boyfriend to start obsessively quoting. Robinson is bringing his particular brand of insanity to us in a new way, thanks to this new half-hour comedy series about a man who starts investigating a far-reaching conspiracy after a humiliating incident at work. We’d say to expect the usual when it comes to Tim Robinson, but that’s an impossible task. The Chair Company is co-created by frequent Robinson collaborator Zach Kanin and executive-produced by Adam McKay.
Welcome to Derry (HBO Max)
Date TBA
If there’s one nostalgia-bait IP worth mining, it’s probably It. With a monster that’s been enacting a reign of terror every 27 years for generations, there’s plenty of Pennywise backstory to sift through. The HBO Max series is a prequel series to the wildly popular It and It Chapter Two films and will take place in the 1960s, deep-diving into Derry’s most malevolent force. Bill Skarsgård will reprise his role as the iconic child-killing clown, and will be joined by Jordan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar and Madeleine Stowe.
The Paper (Peacock)
Sept. 4
Ever wondered what a The Office-style mockumentary would be like against the decaying landscape of the print media world? No, we hadn’t either. But Greg Daniels, who adapted The Office for the US, did, and he’s delivered a kind of pseudo-sequel where the only returning cast members are the unseen documentary crew and Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nuñez). Domnhall Gleeson stars as the new editor-in-chief of a flopping Toledo newspaper tasked with revitalising its output. The necessary cohort of kooky side characters includes The White Lotus’s Sabrina Impacciatore, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young, Tim Key and Chelsea Frei.
Task (HBO)
Sept. 7
In the landscape of movie megastars taking the small screen, Mark Ruffalo has been conservative in his offerings. Bar 2023’s All the Light We Cannot See and 2020’s I Know This Much Is True, the Oscar nominee has mostly stuck to the dimensions he knows best. But this changes with Task, the new series from Mare of Easttown creator Brad Ingelsby, where Ruffalo dusts off a tried and tested prestige TV move—that of an FBI agent with some mysterious trauma forced to confront while he delves into the criminal underworld. In this series, that trope manifests as Ruffalo tasked to take down a gang running a spate of violent home robberies, led by Tom Pelphrey.
The Girlfriend (Prime Video)
Sept. 10
If there’s one thing that goes down so smooth once the nights draw in and the concept of being bundled up on your couch takes favor over being outside, it’s a psycho-sexual thriller series. The Girlfriend sees Robin Wright in front of and behind the camera as the rich, loving (read: maybe overbearing) mother whose precious baby boy (adult man) brings home his new girlfriend, played by Olivia Cooke. Wright’s Laura is convinced that Cooke’s Cherry is hiding something, but is that just boy mom paranoia coloring her perspective, or is something seriously shady happening?
Black Rabbit (Netflix)
Sept. 18
If Succession taught us one thing, it’s that we love messy inter-familial drama set against the backdrop of the bougie New York elite. Well, that and the importance of marking up your will clearly. In Black Rabbit, we’re back with more family strife in the form of Jude Law and Jason Bateman playing brothers squabbling over the family’s restaurant and bar that’s now the hottest ticket in NYC. Law plays the head of the restaurant, while Bateman plays his troubled sibling who, with his return, brings in all sorts of drama and danger. Serendipitously, Succession’s Dagmara Dominczyk also co-stars.
The Lowdown (FX)
Sept. 23
TV in the 2020s has taken a shine to Western aesthetics and ideals (just look at the juggernaut that is the Yellowstone Cinematic Universe). The Lowdown plants us in the heart of Tulsa, with Ethan Hawke’s Lee Raybon, a gritty, hard-boiled sleuth obsessed with uncovering the corruption at the heart of the city. Naturally, his latest case takes him on a path of mystery and unravelling secrets. The show is the latest project from Reservation Dogs creator Sterlin Harjo.
Wayward (Netflix)
Sept. 25
Mae Martin is known for making us laugh and swoon with their comedy specials and the TV rom-com Feel Good, but now they’re ready to give us goosebumps with Wayward, a new genre-bending series that follows the sinister world of the troubled teen industry in a small, Twin Peaks-style town that paints its sinister vibe with a veneer of something wholesome. Martin stars as a police officer who starts looking into a mysterious school and its cultish leader (played by Toni Collette).
The Savant (Apple TV+)
Sept. 26
Is it possible to stop a mass shooting before it happens? That was the question posed by a Cosmopolitan article back in 2019 that followed a woman known as ‘The Savant’, who infiltrated online groups to prevent large domestic incidents, and what this new Apple TV+ series is based on. Jessica Chastain stars as the mysterious ‘Savant’ who worms her way into these forms, and she also executive produces the series.
Chad Powers (Hulu)
Sept. 30
It’s no longer Glen Powell summer, but with Chad Powers, we can make it Glen Powell fall. Powell stars as the titular Powers in the series that he also co-created and co-wrote with Michael Waldron. The show is loosely based on the experience of Eli Manning when he donned prosthetics to go undercover at Penn State football tryouts. The pair have taken this conceit and reworked it to be about a football player who, after blowing his college career, dons a whole new disguise, that of Chad Powers, and tries to win it all back.
Boots (Netflix)
Oct. 9
Netflix’s Boots takes us into the world of the Marine Corps and the world of Cameron Cope, played by Miles Heizer, and his best friend Ra McAffey, played by Liam Oh. The series, a comedic drama set in the 90s, is inspired by Greg Cope White’s memoir The Pink Marine about his time coming-of-age and navigating his sexuality when it was illegal to be openly gay in the military, in the belly marine boot camp. The book has been described as a unique look at how all different walks of life find themselves and learn their limits in the Marine Corps.
The Last Frontier (Apple TV+)
Oct. 10
True Detective’s last season gave us cold cops in the frigid Alaska climate, and now The Last Frontier is planting us back on the ice with more criminal activity. Jason Clarke plays a US Marshal in Alaska whose life is turned upside down when a prison plane carrying dozens of inmates crashes in his jurisdiction, setting all the inmates free. Think Con-Air, but with more snowshoes.
Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy (Peacock)
Oct. 16
Dramatised retellings of some of history’s most depraved serial killers have done well for the streamers in recent years, and now it’s time for one of America’s most iconically terrifying murderers to get his own limited series. John Wayne Gacy, the man known as the ‘Killer Clown’ due to his public life as a party performer away from his moonlighting grift as a murderer, racking up more than 30 male and child victims, will be played by Severance’s Michael Chernus. Elsewhere in the cast, you have Gabriel Luna, Michael Angarano and Chris Sullivan.
Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV+)
Oct. 17
After decades behind the camera, it’s time for Martin Scorsese to be put under the spotlight with this five-part documentary about his life and work, all told through interviews with some of the iconic friends and collaborators he’s racked up over the years, like Robert De Niro, Steven Spielberg and Mick Jagger. Director Rebecca Miller was apparently given ‘unrestricted access’ to Scorsese’s personal archive to round out the project, making it arguably the most comprehensive look at the iconic director in history.
Talamasca: The Secret Order (AMC)
Oct. 26
The AMC Anne Rice Cinematic Universe is extending its reach with Talamasca: The Secret Order. The show will be the third offering from Rice’s novels, following Mayfair Witches and Interview with the Vampire (arguably one of the best shows on TV right now). Talamasca, which will feature IWTV alum Eric Bogosian, focuses on the secret society tasked with keeping track and keeping in line all the witches and vampires littered across the world. Nicholas Denton will lead the series as Guy Anatole, who’s been brought into the secret order after being marked since childhood.
Down Cemetery Road (Apple TV+)
Oct. 29
Apart from the dystopian series Years and Years back in 2019, Emma Thompson has mostly shied away from TV since its ascent as the new home of mega movie stars. But in Down Cemetery Road, she will star alongside prestige TV veteran Ruth Wilson as a private investigator who helps uncover the mystery of a child who goes missing in the aftermath of a house fire. As the pair unravel more secrets than they expected, the life they thought they understood seems to have entirely turned on its head.
I Love LA (HBO)
Nov. 2
Rachel Sennott’s upcoming HBO series is one of the most-hyped things on the fall slate. Having become a new Gen Z it girl, thanks to roles in Bottoms (2023), Shiva Baby (2020), Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) and as arguably one of the only redeeming aspects of The Weeknd’s The Idol (2023), Sennot seemingly received a blank check from HBO to assemble a cohort of cool kids and make, well, anything she wants. The result is a show about a codependent group of friends reuniting in Los Angeles that will star Odessa A’zion, Jordan Firstman, Josh Hutcherson, Leighton Meester, and Elijah Wood. Say no more!
All Her Fault (Peacock)
November 6
Following her stellar run on Succession, Sarah Snook will be back on our TV screens in All Her Fault, the story of a mother’s worst nightmare. She stars as Marissa Irvine, who, upon picking up her son from a playdate at a friend’s house, is greeted by someone she doesn’t recognise and who claims to have never even heard of her son before. The series, based on the book by Andrea Mara, also stars Dakota Fanning, Jake Lacy, Sophia Lillis and Michal Peña.
Death by Lightning (Netflix)
Nov. 6
After wrapping up the political bloodbaths of Westeros years ago, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are turning to more recent, and real, history. The series follows the life of James Garfield, the 20th US president, played by Michael Shannon, and his death just six months into his presidency at the hand of Charles Guiteau, his one-time greatest admirer, played by Matthew MacFadyen. The series will also star Nick Offerman, Betty Gilpin, and Bradley Whitford.
Pluribus (Apple TV+)
Nov. 7
If you make Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, arguably two of the greatest shows of the prestige TV era, you’re allowed to never work again. But Vince Gilligan didn’t get that memo, so he’s back with a new offering, the sci-fi drama Pluribus. Not much is known about the series except that it’s set in Albuquerque (like his previous shows), has a similar tone to The Twilight Zone, and has a weird and wonderful teaser trailer that gives nothing away. The series has already been commissioned for two seasons by Apple TV+.
The Beast in Me (Netflix)
Nov. 13
From the creator of The X Files comes The Beast in Me, a new Netflix series starring Matthew Rhys and Claire Danes. The series follows a reclusive author (Danes) who becomes obsessed with her new neighbour (Rhys), a real estate mogul who was once the lead suspect in his wife’s disappearance. If it sounds like your usual cut-and-dry domestic thriller, think again, because we’ve been promised something a little more twisty-turny than that.
The American Revolution (PBS)
Nov. 16
Veteran filmmaker Ken Burns is arguably the auteur of factual American history programming, and now he is turning his eyes to the modern birth of the nation—the American Revolution. The 10-part PBS series will take an expansive look at the figures behind the war—from political and military leaders, Native soldiers and British officers—that wrote part of the history of this country.
Returning Shows
Bel-Air S4 (Peacock)
Date TBA
The reboot of Will Smith’s iconic series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which landed the story of the fictionalised Smith ending up in the bougie neighbourhood of So-Cal from the mean streets of Philly in the present day, will finish its run with a fourth and final season. The last season left us with a bunch of cliffhangers, so there’s plenty for the show to cover in its last outing.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story (Netflix)
Date TBA
After the success of their foray into the twisted minds of Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez Brothers, Netflix and Ryan Murphy are turning their Monster lens onto arguably one of the most depraved killers in history – Ed Gein. Charlie Hunnam will play the notorious murderer who, among other things, fashioned trinkets and furniture out of the corpses from robbed graves. Not exactly light and breezy stuff, but when has that ever been Murphy’s style?
With Love, Meghan S2 (Netflix)
Aug. 26
Following its first series in March, Meghan Markle is back with a new instalment of her Martha Stewart-lite foray into the unflappable hostess with the mostest industrial complex. She’s not reinventing the wheel here – the series is mostly just a revolving door of accessible DIYs, crafts, recipes, celebrity friend cameos, and kitchen porn – but it’s sure to be the kind of show you put on to have on.
Wednesday S2 P2 (Netflix)
Sept. 3
A lot’s been going on so far in this season of Wednesday, thanks, in part, to Netflix’s weird obsession with chopping their story arcs into two parts. The last instalment of this season (the show has been renewed already for a third), will bring with it the return of Gwendoline Christie’s presumed-dead Principal Weems, and Nevermore will open its gates to the mother of all monsters, literally Mother Monster herself, Lady Gaga, in an as-yet unknown role. She will also release a new song for the series, so you can probably expect another viral Wednesday dance challenge to litter your TikTok FYPs at the same time.
Only Murders in the Building S5 (Hulu)
Sept. 9
It’s a testament to the strength of Only Murders in the Building as a cosy piece of TV excellence that they can keep murdering people in the vicinity of the same three people and it never feels like a stretch. For this season, the murder gang’s beloved doorman, Lester, dies in mysterious circumstances, so they do what they do best – kind of somehow figure out who the murderer is through a series of mostly shoddy detective work. Known for corralling A-listers, Only Murders will see Keegan-Michael Key, Renée Zellweger and Logan Lerman joining the cast this season.
Gen V S2 (Prime Video)
Sept. 17
After a very long hiatus, Gen V is finally back for a second season, with school back in session for this new generation of supes. This season will focus around a new mysterious figure, as Hamish Linklater joins as the school’s new dean, and the events of the extended The Boys universe bleed into everyday life at Godolkin University. Tragically, the series had to account in its story for the real-life passing of Chance Perdomo, who starred as Andre Anderson.
The Morning Show S4 (Apple TV+)
Sept. 17
After launching Reese Witherspoon into space last season, where else could The Morning Show possibly go? As of right now, the exact plot of the high-sheen soap is under wraps, but if the previous seasons’ plucking of current affairs is anything to go by, we can probably predict a few real-world events that could make good fodder for some story. What we do know is that it’s continued to amass a roster of names rivalled only by Only Murders in the Building. This season, Jeremy Irons, William Jackson Harper, Aaron Pierre, and Marion Cotillard will all join the show’s cutthroat world of TV news.
The Golden Bachelor S2 (Bravo)
Sept. 24
Following the runaway success of its first season (and a following Golden Bachelorette season), 66-year-old former NFL star Mel Owens is looking for love this season as the newest Golden Bachelor. Somehow, he’s already whipped up controversy by saying he won’t date women who are over 60, which is awkward, considering so many of his hopeful matches are over that threshold.
English Teacher S2 (FX)
Sept. 25
While it was one of the more critically acclaimed shows of 2024, it was still a surprise that Brian Jordan Alvarez’s English Teacher series picked up a second season. After he was accused of sexual assault by a former collaborator, it was unclear if the series would end in a one-and-done order. But FX appears to be pushing ahead. Alvarez denied the allegations, saying to Vulture that his behaviour was “not only consensual but actively encouraged.” The next season of the comedy series will continue to follow Alvarez’s Evan Marquez, an English teacher at a high school in Texas, figuring out how to be himself at work.
Slow Horses S5 (Apple TV+)
Sept. 25
Slow Horses has lived by its namesake, slowly but surely cementing itself as one of the best and most consistently good shows in recent history – with a production schedule to match (it’s already been renewed for two more seasons after this). Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb, the de facto leader of a bunch of down-on-their-luck spies, will be back in Slough House for more adventures based on Mick Herron’s series of books. Not much is known about the new season, except that it’s been described as ‘topical’.
Abbott Elementary S5 (ABC)
Oct. 1
Quinta Brunson’s critically acclaimed comedy mockumentary series set in the walls of an underserved Philadelphia public school will be back for a fifth season, just a few months after its fourth season wrapped up. Shows releasing on an annual schedule? We forgot we could live like this.
Love Is Blind S9 (Netflix)
Oct. 1
By now, we probably should have worked out whether love really is blind, thanks to eight seasons of Netflix’s grand experiment. But even with the data on hand, the series is just too juicy, messy and addictive to let go. We’ll be heading back into the pods with a new cast of singles who try and figure out whether they can fall in love without seeing their partner.
Elsbeth (CBS)
Oct. 12
We are all for an extended universe of shows that don’t match in tone (here to claim that She-Hulk was good, actually!). Elsbeth takes the world of The Good Fight and The Good Wife and flips it on its head as a dramedy, bolstered by a rotating cast of comedic guest stars. Carrie Preston will return as Elsbeth Tascioni, an NYPD detective and attorney investigating a series of howdunits. This season, Julia Fox joins the alum roster of guest stars that includes Nathan Lane, Stephen Colbert, Matthew Broderick, and Amy Sedaris.
Matlock S2 (CBS)
Oct. 12
Matlock was one of the surprise hits of the 2024 TV slate, so it’s no surprise it got quickly snapped up for a second season. Kathy Bates stars as a septuagenarian lawyer, and even in its first episode, the series turned the premise on its head, meaning viewers didn’t really know what to expect. Given the bombshells it dropped at the end of its first run of episodes, it’s clear the second season will have similar twists and turns.
Loot S3 (Apple TV+)
Oct. 15
TV is always good when Maya Rudolph is on it. Loot, the series where Rudolph stars as Molly Wells, a newly minted billionaire on a search for self-discovery, ended its second season on somewhat of a cliffhanger, with Wells boarding her plane with Nicholas, her assistant, played by Joel Kim Booster, after pushback from fellow billionaires for being ‘too philanthropic’ for their liking. The new season will continue the show’s premise of trying to give away all of Wells’ vast fortune, but no doubt there will be some roadblocks along the way.
The Diplomat S3 (Netflix)
Oct. 16
If there’s one thing The Diplomat loves, it’s a cliffhanger. The first season wrapped up with a mystery over whether Rufus Sewell’s Hal Wyler was dead (spoiler: he lived), and the second ended with Alison Janney’s Grace Penn assuming the presidency right after Keri Russell’s Kate Wyler accuses her of staging a terrorist plot. Now, Kate is her VP – awkward! The Diplomat is such a hit that a fourth season has already been commissioned, even before Season 3 hits our screens.
Nobody Wants This S2 (Netflix)
Oct. 23
The series that finally let Adam Brody become the romantic lead thousands of teenage girls had clamoured for 20 years ago, when he graced their screens as Seth Cohen in The OC, is coming back, and for that, we thank you, Kristen Bell. The hit rom-com about an unlikely match between a rabbi and a sex podcaster ended its first season on a surprisingly sentimental note, with Brody’s Noah choosing his love for Bell’s Joanne over his lifelong dream of becoming his synagogue’s head rabbi. Season 2 will likely follow the fallout of that decision and all the calamities that will no doubt arise from it.
Mayor of Kingstown S4 (Paramount+)
Oct. 26
The Taylor Sheridan web continues its expansion with more Mayor of Kingstown, the series starring Jeremy Renner as the de facto mayor of a town in Michigan, constantly on the brink of war between its police force and organised crime underworld. Lennie James, Edie Falco, and Laura Benanti have all joined this season as a new threat unfolds in Kingstown.
Selling Sunset S9 (Netflix)
Oct. 29
More mansions, more drama, more questionable decor and more deeply inappropriate office outfits. Selling Sunset will return for its ninth season, bringing us back into the fold of the catty world of luxury real estate selling in Hollywood.
The Witcher S4 (Netflix)
Oct. 30
It feels like forever ago that Liam Hemsworth was confirmed as taking over the role of Geralt of Rivia from Henry Cavill in the Netflix fantasy series (after Cavill left the show to play Superman for about three minutes), and it’s almost time to finally see that come to fruition. The fourth outing will be the show’s penultimate season, and will cover the Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow, and Lady of the Lake from Andrzej Sapkowski’s series of books. Can the show pull off its ambitious lead switch-out?
Vince Staples Show S2 (Netflix)
November 6
Netflix has renewed the series loosely based on rapper Vince Staples’ life for a second season. The often absurd slice of life series that follows the kind of famous, kind of not Staples around Long Beach, and ended its first season on a simple premise that it will likely continue in the new batch of episodes: that there are always more days to come and you have literally no idea what’s going to happen in them.
Palm Royale S2 (Apple TV+)
Nov. 12
In 2025, just because a series ends on a cliffhanger doesn’t mean it’s coming back for a second go—even if that cliffhanger involves a failed assassination attempt of Richard Nixon from a pistol hidden in a bouffant wig and a decades-old murder and identity snatch that hasn’t yet come to light. Luckily, that isn’t the case for Palm Royale, the candy-colored 60s dramedy starring Kristen Wiig as a social-climbing wannabe in 60s coastal Florida. Hopefully, we’ll get some resolution to the first season’s bombshell ending, and if that wasn’t enough, Patti LuPone and John Stamos are joining the cast this time around as well!
Selling the OC S4 (Netflix)
Nov. 12
Sun, sea and seriously cutthroat real estate agents in micro-miniskirts will return with the new season of Netflix’s expansive Selling universe in Orange County, California. Expect hefty price tags and even heftier drama.
A Man on the Inside S2 (Netflix)
Nov. 20
Following the 21 Jump Street rule of undercover escalation, Ted Danson’s professor-turned-detective from Mike Schur’s A Man on the Inside will go from working undercover at an assisted living facility to going undercover at a college. This season, a whole new host of guest stars will join, including Max Greenfield, Jason Mantzoukas, David Strathairn, and Mary Steenburgen
Stranger Things S5 Vol 1 (ep 1-4) (Netflix)
Nov. 26
Stranger Things is ending, if you can believe it. Well, it’s kind of ending, with yet another 2-part series drop. We genuinely never thought we’d see the day that the final offering of the Duffer Brothers’ 80s nostalgia fest officially closed the doors to the Upside Down for good, almost a decade on from its 2016 debut. It’s taken a few years to complete the last part of the story of Hawkins, but in case you forgot, the big bad Vecna managed to get its claws in the Indiana town once and for all, and we left the series with the Upside Down seemingly let loose on our real world. Seems like a big problem to fix, but that’s what Eleven and the gang are there to do. Just don’t ask who will die, because we’re not sure we can handle the answer!
The post The 48 Most Anticipated TV Shows of Fall 2025 appeared first on TIME.
