This fall, there are more than a few mysteries to be uncovered, whether it’s by a group of retired amateur sleuths, an FBI task force, a group of children living in small-town Maine or the only unhappy woman in the world — trust us, the last isn’t as dour as it seems (there are donuts). If you would rather stay grounded in reality, streaming documentaries with subjects ranging from Sarah McLachlan to Martin Scorsese to the American Revolution will do just the trick while giving you perspective about the music and film industries and America’s Founding Fathers. But if you prefer to detach and have some laughs, there are several comedies and dramedies that will do just that. And that’s the democratic nature of television — there’s something for everyone.
‘The Thursday Murder Club’
(Netflix, Aug. 28)
The first of Richard Osman‘s wonderful series of novels concerning a group of British retirees who recreationally solve murders has become an almost-straight-to-Netflix feature with a cast that in olden times would have guaranteed a long theatrical ride. Helen Mirren plays Elizabeth, with a background in intelligence; Pierce Brosnan is Ron, a combative ex-trade unionist; Ben Kingsley plays Ibrahim, a shy former psychiatrist; and Celia Imrie is Joyce, the chirpy newcomer, with Naomi Ackie as Donna, the bored police officer who falls under their collective spell. (Plus David Tennant, Richard E. Grant and Jonathan Pryce, if that isn’t enough British thespian firepower for you.) As a fan of the books, I will approach it with some trepidation, but I will absolutely approach it. — Robert Lloyd
‘Task’
(HBO, Sept. 7)
Crime dramas are a dime a dozen, but sometimes one stands out from the crowd and keeps you hooked. The latest HBO series from Brad Ingelsby, who famously brought us Kate Winslet in a Delco accent in “Mare of Easttown,” may well do that. Like “Mare,” it is also set in Pennsylvania, but this time the story revolves around an FBI agent named Tom played by Mark Ruffalo, who is charged with leading a task force to uncover who is behind a string of robberies. Parallel to his story is that of Robbie (Tom Pelphrey) and his best friend Cliff (Raúl Castillo), sanitation workers who are trying to make ends meet. Secrets, twists and turns lie ahead that bridge their stories together and make you question the gray areas between good, bad, wrong and right. — Maira Garcia
‘Black Rabbit’
(Netflix, Sept. 18)
Between TV series (“Ozark”), films (“Carry-On”), podcasts (“SmartLess”) and commercials (State Farm Insurance), Jason Bateman is one of the busiest performers in Hollywood. He returns to Netflix in a limited series, “Black Rabbit,” which teams him with Jude Law. The project features Law as Jake Friedkin, the owner of New York’s popular Black Rabbit restaurant and VIP lounge who runs into trouble when his brother Vince (Bateman) returns years after going on the lam after running up a mountain of gambling debts. Bateman also directs the first two episodes, and is an executive producer along with Law. — Greg Braxton
‘Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery’
(Hulu, Sept. 21)
Sweet nostalgia. Lilith Fair was the first music festival I ever attended as an awkward, introverted teen, and it was the first time I was surrounded by thousands of (mostly) women who I knew felt absolutely free to be themselves. Of course I’d want to relive that. For those who need a refresher, Lilith Fair was a traveling music festival founded by Sarah McLachlan and others to prove the sexist standards that existed in the music industry in the 1990s were morally and financially wrong. Featuring artists like Sheryl Crow, Liz Phair, Queen Latifah, Sinéad O’Connor, the Indigo Girls and many others, the festival made more than 130 stops over its original three-summer run. Directed by Ally Pankiw and touting Dan Levy as one of its producers, “Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery” mined over 600 hours of never-before-seen footage and features interviews with the festival’s organizers, musicians and fans. — Tracy Brown
‘The Lowdown’
(FX, Sept. 23)
Sterlin Harjo, who last gave us “Reservation Dogs,” is back with another Oklahoma-set series, a noir excursion loosely based on citizen journalist Lee Roy Chapman. Ethan Hawke, here called Lee Raybon, is a Tulsa amateur “truthstorian” and rare book dealer, working and living in a store where the cool people hang out. His yen to cure civic rot in the light of day brings him into the orbit of a powerful family, including a suicide (Tim Blake Nelson), a widow (Jeanne Tripplehorn), and a candidate for governor (Kyle MacLachlan). Kaniehtiio Horn, the Deer Lady on “Rez Dogs,” plays his ex-wife because in a show like this, any wife is bound to be an ex, with Ryan Kiera Armstrong as their Nancy Drew of a teenage daughter, and Keith David bringing his formidable Keith David-ness. — R.L.
‘Slow Horses’
Season 5 (Apple TV+, Sept. 24)
The long, and for some of us agonizing, wait is over for the best spy drama on TV. Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) and his MI5 Slough House misfits are at it again, bumbling into all manner of international and inner-departmental intrigue, with their signature results of mess and mayhem. Computer-genius man-child Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung) plays a central figure in this year’s race against time, River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) continues to agonize over the plight of his aging grandfather (Jonathan Pryce) and his own determination to get back to the Park, where Second Desk Diana Taverner (Kristin Scott Thomas) remains under the authority of twitchily incompetent First Desk Claude Whelan (James Callis, having a grand old time.) Pulling everyone’s strings is, of course, Lamb — whether goading his assistant Catherine Standish (Saskia Reeves), locking horns with Taverner or talking his way out of virtually any situation, Lamb is the most noisome, flatulent, stringy-haired super spy ever to grace any screen and it is impossible to imagine a world without him. — Mary McNamara
‘House of Guinness’
(Netflix, Sept. 25)
Arthur Guinness, the founder of the world’s most iconic beer, had 21 children. Only 10 of them survived to adulthood and only four represent the family in this Netflix series. But in the hands of creator Steven Knight, best known for “Peaky Blinders,” four appear to be quite enough. Following their father’s death, Arthur (Anthony Boyle), Edward (Louis Partridge), Benjamin (Fionn O’Shea) and Anne (Emily Fairn) must navigate all manner of tensions and threats, including the draconian terms of their father’s will, violent Fenian protests (Guinness senior was a Protestant who believed in Catholic rights but not Irish self-rule) and various affairs of the heart — Anne smolders early on at the sight of brewery overseer Sean Rafferty (James Norton). Many creative liberties were taken, no doubt, but the inevitable “Succession” meets “Peaky Blinders” (by way of “Rebellion”) description is apt enough. As the adverts for the black stuff say, it is a lovely day for Guinness. — M.M.
‘IT: Welcome to Derry’
(HBO, October)
You just can’t put a terrifying clown down. Almost 40 years have passed since Stephen King terrified readers with “IT,” his massive novel about a vicious clown named Pennywise who targets the children of Derry, Maine. A 1990 miniseries and two theatrical films followed. “Welcome to Derry” continues the “IT“-verse as a prequel set in the 1960s before the “IT” and “IT Chapter 2” films. Bill Skarsgård reprises his portrayal of Pennywise as the series unveils the origins of the menacing clown, while also spotlighting a group of residents wrestling with their own fears and demons. Andy Muschietti, who directed the “IT” films, helped develop the series and is one of the executive producers. The cast includes Jovan Adepo and Taylour Paige. — G.B.
‘Boots’
(Netflix, Oct. 9)
Choosing to join the military can be construed as a major act of patriotism, but oftentimes it is a very personal decision that involves a lot of a sacrifice — choices like where you will live, what you do on a day-to-day basis and who you work with are dictated. Enter Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer), a gay, bullied high school graduate who isn’t sure what’s next until his best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh) — the only person he’s come out to — suggests they join the Marines. Cameron imagines the military to be like summer camp, until reality sets in. This dramedy is set in the ‘90s, when being gay in the military was still grounds for discharge, so not only does Cameron have to endure the brutality of boot camp, he has to keep his sexual orientation a secret. The series is based on “The Pink Marine,” a memoir by Greg Cope White, who serves as a writer. — M.G.
‘DMV’
(CBS, Oct. 13)
Your local department of motor vehicles may seem like the very last place to get a laugh, but CBS has managed to pull it off. Its new workplace comedy centers on a ragtag group of employees who work at an East Hollywood DMV: Gregg (Tim Meadows), a former English teacher; Colette (Harriet Dyer of “Colin From Accounts”), a driving examiner with few boundaries; Vic (Tony Cavalero), a former bouncer; Cici (Gigi Zumbado), an outspoken photographer; and Noa (Alex Tarrant), a handsome surfer whom Colette has her eye on. They’re led by newly minted manager Barbara (“SNL” alum Molly Kearney, delightful to see onscreen again), who becomes dismayed when some consultants arrive — no matter where you work, that’s never a good sign. Despite work and interpersonal turmoil, they make a fun and funny team that should be a welcome addition to CBS’ fall lineup. — M.G.
‘Mr. Scorsese’
(Apple TV+, Oct. 17)
Among the biggest challenges for documentary filmmakers of major figures is figuring out not only how to gain access but also the trust of your subject. The ability to get them to open up can turn an interesting documentary into a great one. And when the subject is Martin Scorsese, one of America’s great auteurs, you want the full portrait of a director who helped shape cinema with iconic films like “Taxi Driver,” “Goodfellas,” “Gangs of New York” and, most recently, “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Director Rebecca Miller (“She Came to Me,” “Personal Velocity”) seems up for the task, having created a five-part docuseries that’s billed as the definitive portrait of 82-year-old Scorsese and will premiere at New York Film Festival this fall. — M.G.
‘Nobody Wants This’
Season 2 (Netflix, Oct. 23)
There will inevitably come a time when the drip-drop of wholesome, rom-com-level video content of Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson on their “Naked Gun” promotional tour will loosen its grip on my social media algorithms, and I’ll return to longing for a fictional romantic comedy to fill the void. That’s where Adam Brody — who really propelled the art of the neck-hugging smooch combo — and Kristen Bell come in. The first season made millennial hearts squeal with its pairing of Brody and Bell — two decades after they rose to fame in the early aughts on teen dramas “The O.C.” and “Veronica Mars,” respectively — in a delightful will they/won’t they set in L.A. Bell is Joanne, a woman who often regales about her single life on the podcast she co-hosts with her sister Morgan (Justine Lupe), while Brody’s Noah is a progressive rabbi who is newly single. But can their relationship make it past hurdles that include their careers, family and religion? The first season ended with a showstopping kiss that suggested they’re willing to give it a try. The sophomore outing promises to unpack what that looks like. Let’s just hope no one in this couple-with-obstacles is proposing a five-year waiting period to deal with personal matters before really giving it a go. (IYKYK.) Plus, “Gossip Girl” alumnus Leighton Meester, Brody’s wife IRL, joins the fun, playing Joanne’s childhood nemesis. — Yvonne Villarreal
‘Star Wars: Visions’
Vol. 3 (Disney+, Oct. 29)
Dave Filoni’s rise at Lucasfilm is proof enough that some of “Star Wars’” best storytelling has happened in animation. My favorite has been “Star Wars: Visions,” an anthology series where international animation houses have been given the freedom to explore their ideas about the Force and the galaxy far, far away outside of the constraints of the franchise’s existing canon. For the first season, Lucasfilm tapped Japanese anime studios for nine shorts, which featured a range of stories including those that centered an ex-Sith ronin, a Jedi Padawan turned lead singer of a rock band and even a Force-wielding droid. The series went even more global for its second season, with studios from Europe, Asia and South America being among those that were enlisted for their takes. The upcoming third season brings the focus back to Japanese anime, with sequels to three of the shorts from Season 1 — including my favorite, “The Village Bride” — among the lineup. — T.B.
‘Last Samurai Standing’
(Netflix, November)
When I saw this series described as “‘Shōgun’ meets ‘Squid Game,’” I had two competing reactions. There was the part of me that was slightly skeptical seeing a logline that leaned on two of the biggest Asian-led shows ever, but the part of me that grew up on a steady diet of chanbara is excited by the idea of a battle royale with samurai — and that part has completely won out. Based on the historical novel series “Ikusagami” by Shogo Imamura, the Meiji-era set “Last Samurai Standing” will involve 292 warriors assembled at a temple in Kyoto for a deadly game with a massive cash prize. Considering the Meiji period was when the samurai became obsolete, the potential for social commentary mixed in with high-stakes combat seems pretty high. — T.B.
‘Pluribus’
(Apple TV+, Nov. 7)
If you thought the grainy footage of Ariana Grande surreptitiously licking a doughnut inside an L.A. shop a decade ago sent shivers down your spine — health codes matter, people! — the first teaser for Vince Gilligan’s new TV opus is just as chilling to behold. Ditching “Better Call Saul’s” signature cinnamon roll pastry for the hole-y American staple, the trailer for the new series takes place in the dead of night at an office building and settles on a woman, in a pink uniform, licking the tops of doughnuts one by one — ASMR at its eeriest — before placing them back in their box as a sign that reads “Help yourself!” with a smiley face comes into focus. Uh, what? The series reunites Gilligan with “Better Call Saul’s” Rhea Seehorn, who was the show’s beating heart with a ponytail as Kim Wexler, a skilled lawyer who gets caught up in the antics and schemes of Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman. In this genre-bending sci-fi drama, she is the most miserable person on Earth who must save the world from happiness — it’s the sort of TV premise that feels like it was tailor-made for my 2025 fatigue. In addition to Seehorn, the series stars Karolina Wydra (“Sneaky Pete”) and Carlos-Manuel Vesga (“The Hijacking of Flight 601”), and guest stars Miriam Shor (“American Fiction”) and Samba Schutte (“Our Flag Means Death”). It’s already been picked up for a second season so you can go in knowing there are no commitment issues. — Y.V.
‘The American Revolution’
(PBS, Nov. 16)
The combination of PBS and Ken Burns (with co-directors Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt and writer Geoffrey C. Ward) returns again to improve your mind and remind you that history is not something that can be edited to suit the whims of a king or dictator, but also that it is made up of a variety of stories from a spectrum of participants. In these parlous times, when conspiracy theories are mistaken for truth and experts for enemies, those who might most profit from “The American Revolution” are perhaps least likely to watch it, but in the course of this six-part, 12-hour foundational tale, anyone is bound to learn something. It will certainly have things to say about how Black and Indigenous people participated in this long moment. And if you have it, send money to your local public broadcaster, who needs it more than ever. — R.L.
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