The Most Anticipated Shows of Fall 2024

The fall TV season is historically the busiest time of the year, and 2024 is no exception. This fall will bring us a bunch of returning favorites (Yellowstone, Heartstopper, What We Do in the Shadows), a dueling pair of comic book antihero dramas (Agatha All Along and The Penguin), and some intriguing new series (The Perfect Couple, Disclaimer, Dune: Prophecy). If you're looking to figure out what's worth watching as the weather gets cooler, we've got you covered with our picks for the best shows to watch this season.

Read on for our preview of the best shows to watch from September through November.

ALSO READ: The complete guide to fall TV

Until now, if you knew the name Brian Jordan Alvarez, it probably meant you were a particular type of "terminally online" person. But with his new comedy English Teacher, Alvarez graduates to the mainstream. He created and stars in this series as Evan Marquez, a Texas high school teacher who finds his personal life intersecting with his work life in increasingly complicated ways. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

History's Alone is one of the most popular survival shows out there, but the one complaint I have about it is that the contestants — who are dropped into the wilderness of Alaska to fend for themselves with very few tools in a last-man-standing battle — are a little too alone. Netflix's Outlast alters that formula by forcing its competitors to join together because of one rule: In order to be eligible for the million dollar prize, they must be part of a team. Aside from that, there are no restrictions, and sabotage is definitely on the table. The looseness of the show led to one of reality TV's most notorious moments in Season 1 as competitiveness brought out the worst in some people, and now that others have seen how it can be done, will Season 2 see similar societal norms collapse? -Tim Surette [Trailer]

Everyone loves it when Samuel L. Jackson points a gun in someone's face and curses up a storm while referencing the Bible. And that's exactly what happens in the opening scene of this '70s-set heist drama created by Shaye Ogbonna. Kevin Hart stars as Chicken Man, an Atlanta hustler who holds a huge bash to celebrate Muhammad Ali's return to the ring, only to see his get-together busted up by a bunch of armed crooks. In addition to Hart and Jackson, the cast includes Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard (Empire reunion!), Don Cheadle, and Chloe Bailey, all dressed up in groovy threads. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

It's always a good day when Nicole Kidman comes back to TV. In this adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand's novel, she plays the matriarch of the exorbitantly wealthy Winbury family, whose son's wedding is shaping up to be Nantucket's hottest event of the season... until a body washes up on the beach, kicking off a murder investigation where everyone is a suspect. Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Dakota Fanning, Meghann Fahy, and Jack Reynor co-star. -Allison Picurro [Trailer] [Review]

One of FX's biggest shows of 2022 is about to become one of FX's biggest shows of 2024. The twisty first season of The Old Man ended with on-the-run former CIA agent Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges) catching up with former friend and pursuer Harold Harper (John Lithgow), bringing together the two acting titans to finally share the screen after many episodes of "catch me if you can." In Season 2, the duo are paired up for the whole season as they try to rescue their "daughter" from her biological father, the terrorist Faraz Hamzad, while battling younger whippersnappers and hostile agents, both foreign and domestic. Expect a mission in Afghanistan, Zoe's (Amy Brenneman) return, and John Lithgow riding a horse. -Tim Surette [Trailer] [Everything we know about The Old Man Season 2] [Review]

It's been too long since we saw Natasha Rothwell on TV. Yes, every White Lotus fan celebrated when HBO announced she would be reprising her role as Belinda in the series' third season — but that's not returning until 2025. Thankfully, How to Die Alone, which Rothwell co-created and stars in, arrives this fall. She portrays Mel, a broke and lonely JFK employee who's sleepwalking through life. It takes a near-death experience for Mel to finally decide to leave her comfort zone and to start living. Conrad Ricamora, Jocko Sims, and KeiLyn Durrel Jones round out the cast. -Kat Moon [Trailer]

Gather 'round, Betty Gilpin fans. Gilpin, DeWanda Wise, and Gabrielle Creevy play the titular three women in Three Women, which follows a trio of "ordinary" women whose lives are at an inflection point. Gilpin's Lina is a suburban housewife having an affair; Wise's Sloane is an entrepreneur in an open marriage; and Creevy's Maggie is a student who accuses her English teacher of an inappropriate relationship. The Starz series is based on the book of the same name by Lisa Taddeo, who basically becomes a character in the series herself: Gia, played by Shailene Woodley, is a grieving writer who sets out on a cross-country journey, meets these women, and convinces them to tell their stories. -Kelly Connolly [Trailer] [Review]

Dwight "The General" Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone) was arrested at the end of Tulsa King Season 1 for bribery of a federal agent, but what fun would Taylor Sheridan's crime-comedy be if its main wise guy were behind bars? Manfredi is back on the streets of Tulsa and growing his casino and weed business in Season 2, but other crime families are sniffing around and eager to move into his territory, including new characters played by classic gangster actors Neal McDonough and Frank Grillo. Terence Winter left his post as showrunner between seasons (but he'll still be writing and executive producing), and the series is trying the unusual move of proceeding without a traditional showrunner. Hmmm... let's see how this goes. -Tim Surette [Trailer] [Everything we know about Tulsa King Season 2] [Preview]

After the events of WandaVision, the witch Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) finds herself in the worst place she could be: without her powers, and trapped by one of Wanda's (Elizabeth Olsen) spells. It's only after meeting a goth teen — portrayed by Heartstopper's Joe Locke — that she begins to dream of regaining her magic. There's just one problem, though. They must first survive a journey through the deadly Witches' Road. Agatha All Along is helmed by WandaVision showrunner Jac Schaeffer, and it also stars Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, Debra Jo Rupp, Patti LuPone, and Aubrey Plaza. -Kat Moon [Trailer] [Everything we know about Agatha All Along] 

Don't let the quick divorce of Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner and Season 1 "winner" Theresa Nist sour you on ABC's newest addition to its popular reality franchise. Joan Vassos, a fan-favorite contestant and frontrunner for Gerry's heart on The Golden Bachelor who was forced to leave early for a family emergency, is the new prize, and she'll be picking from a stable of AARP-eligible men who will woo her. The winning formula shouldn't change too much: The earnest approach to love and the ticking clocks make the franchise's senior editions worth the watch. -Tim Surette [Trailer] 

Releasing a DC TV show the day after a Marvel show is a choice, but HBO is banking on one of Batman's most famous villains to steal some of Agatha All Along's magic. Colin Farrell reprises his role as Oz Cobb/The Penguin from 2022's The Batman, showing some layers to the character with Batman not hogging the screen all the time. In case you care: The Penguin is not expected to be part of James Gunn's new extended DC universe, however. Here's everything we know about The Penguin. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

Ryan Murphy's Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story was a smash hit for Netflix when it was released in 2022 (despite the word salad title), and the anthology returns for a second season and another new high-profile case about cold-blooded murder. The new installment dramatizes the 1989 murders of José and Kitty Menendez by their two sons Lyle and Erik, who claimed years of sexual and psychological abuse at the hands of their father as motive for ending their parents' lives. The cast includes General Hospital's Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle, Cooper Koch as Erik, Javier Bardem as José, and Chloë Sevigny as Kitty. -Tim Surette [Trailer] [Everything we know about Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story]

After a relatively short stint at Netflix that produced big hits like Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and The Watcher, Ryan Murphy is back at FX (via a deal with FX owner Disney) with Grotesquerie, a new horror drama starring Niecy Nash-Betts. Like with most Murphy projects, specific details are being kept in a heavily guarded underground vault somewhere, but what we do know is Betts plays a detective investigating heinous crimes in her small community who joins forces with a nun (Micaela Diamond) to figure out what's going on. Ghosts? Demons? Aliens? With Murphy, everything is on the table. Courtney B. Vance, Lesley Manville, and Travis Kelce — yes, Travis Kelce — star. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

Here's some news that should excite people of a very specific age group: Veronica Mars and Seth Cohen — uh, sorry, Kristen Bell and Adam Brody — are coming back to TV. On Nobody Wants This, a new comedy loosely based on creator Erin Foster's life, Bell plays Joanne, an outspoken podcaster, and Brody plays Noah, a stuck-in-his-ways rabbi. The series explores the unlikely romance between an agnostic woman and a man of faith, and it also boasts a fun supporting cast in Succession's Justine Lupe and Veep's Timothy Simons. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

Watching the first two seasons of Heartstopper felt like being wrapped in a warm blanket. There's just something so comforting about the rom-com series based on Alice Oseman's graphic novels of the same name. In Heartstopper Season 2, Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick's (Kit Connor) relationship was tested in new ways. But through every stormy test, they remained the anchor in each other's lives. Oseman has said that "Season 2 ended with Nick beginning to understand the extent of Charlie's mental health issues, and it's this that will drive the story through Season 3." What else should we expect for Season 3? A cameo by Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey as Charlie's celebrity crush, Jack Maddox. -Kat Moon [Teaser]

Created by Veep's Armando Iannucci, Succession's Jon Brown, and Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, The Franchise is going to do for superhero movie franchises what Veep did for the government. The showbiz satire follows the cast and crew of a blockbuster film as it faces challenges getting made, and with Iannucci on board, hopefully we'll get a lot of creative curses about spandex and capes. The excellent cast includes Himesh Patel, Aya Cash, Jessica Hynes, and Billy Magnussen. -Tim Surette [Teaser] 

The ending of Outer Banks Season 3 offered some relief. At last, John B (Chase Stokes) and his swashbuckling group of friends found the gold. And unlike past instances when they got their hands on the treasure only to watch it slip through their fingers, the prize of El Dorado doesn't seem to be going anywhere. In fact, the Pogues may have their next hunt lined up already. In the Season 3 finale, a mysterious man approached John B and his friends with the proposal of using Blackbeard's centuries-old diary as a treasure map. All signs are pointing to the Pogues saying yes to this invitation. Here's everything we know about Season 4, which premieres in two parts, on Oct. 10 and Nov. 7. -Kat Moon [Teaser]

Here's a disclaimer: Just because a show has a bunch of famous people involved in it, it doesn't mean it's automatically going to be good — just ask Apple TV+, which has a knack for stuffing mediocre shows with big-name talent. (See: The Morning Show.) But the cast and crew for the streamer's new limited series Disclaimer is ridiculous: Cate Blanchett, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville, and Kodi Smit-McPhee in front of the camera and Roma's Alfonso Cuarón behind it? That's too good. It's based on Renée Knight's 2015 novel and follows a female journalist (Blanchett) who built a career on exposing the transgressions of others and discovers she's the main character in a book that threatens to expose a long-held secret of hers. Plus, it has one of the coolest teaser trailers of the year. -Tim Surette [Teaser] 

Season 5 of What We Do in the Shadows ended with a big change — Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) finally becoming a vampire — which was almost immediately undone when he reverted back to his human form after discovering he was not in fact cut out to be a vampire. In the comedy's sixth and final season, the experience puts Guillermo at a personal crossroads as he reconsiders everything about his life. Meanwhile, his vampire roommates are forced to examine their own eternal lives when an old friend reappears after a 50-year nap. The beginning of the end of TV's best horror comedy is the ideal way to wind down spooky season. -Allison Picurro

Somebody Somewhere flies far enough under the radar that its every renewal has hit like an underdog victory. We've been celebrating the news of a third season ever since it was announced in June 2023, but it looks like our luck has run out: Season 3 will be the last for this terrific show. It's hard not to want more time with Sam (Bridget Everett), Joel (Jeff Hiller), and the rest of their Kansas community, but Somebody Somewhere is sure to go out with flair, balancing biting humor with heartfelt examinations of friendship and grief. The official description for the final season comes with a big promise: "In Season 3, we see growth against all odds." -Kelly Connolly [Teaser]

For some, Oct. 31 is known as Halloween. For others, it's known as The Diplomat Season 2 day. In the first season finale, Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) — the titular diplomat — realized that British Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear) was responsible for an attack on a British aircraft carrier off the coast of Iran. The season ended on a cliffhanger when she learned that Trowbridge had ordered a second attack, which put the lives of Kate's husband Hal (Rufus Sewell), embassy deputy chief Stuart Hayford (Ato Essandoh), office clerk Ronnie (Jess Chanliau), and MP Merritt Grove (Simon Chandler) at risk. Season 2 is set to pick up in the aftermath of that bombshell discovery. If that wasn't enough, Allison Janney is joining the cast. Here's everything we know about Season 2 so far. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

Three years after Arcane's groundbreaking first season, the animated series set in Riot's League of Legends universe is finally returning. In Season 1, the relationship between sisters Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell) was changed forever. Now, they find themselves on opposite sides of a war between the wealthy utopia that is Piltover and its impoverished undercity, Zaun. Based on the teaser, Season 2 promises more action-packed sequences, evocative voice acting, and, of course, an addictive and rousing soundtrack. (We're still listening to Imagine Dragons and JID's "Enemy" on repeat). -Kat Moon [Trailer] [Everything we know about Arcane Season 2]

After a long hiatus — the last new episode aired on Jan. 1, 2023 — Yellowstone is finally getting back in the saddle. But when the mega-hit drama returns, it will be without star Kevin Costner, who won't be dusting off John Dutton's cowboy hat due to apparent scheduling conflicts with his Horizon Western films. Between Costner's exit, the news that this season will be the last, and questions about how the upcoming contemporary spin-off series (now titled The Madison) might tie in to the flagship show, it's hard to say what Yellowstone might have in store in its final episodes. But with Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Jamie (Wes Bentley) at each other's throats, it's safe to assume the Duttons aren't riding into the sunset peacefully. Here's everything we know about what's next for Yellowstone. -Kelly Connolly

Bad Sisters coming back for a second season feels a little like when Big Little Lies came back for a second season: At first you're like, "Huh? Why?" and then you're like, "Actually, I'm excited to see those characters again." Season 2 picks up two years after the Garvey sisters covered up the truth about their abusive brother-in-law John Paul's (Claes Bang) death. But when the past begins to catch up to them, the women are thrust back into the spotlight and forced to consider who they can actually trust. -Allison Picurro

James Patterson's Alex Cross is the latest book character to make the jump to his own Prime Video series, joining the likes of Jack Reacher, Jack Ryan, and Harry Bosch. And Cross has already secured a second season before the first has even premiered, so it looks like Amazon is confident they've got a hit on their hands. They've definitely landed a lead actor who's up to the task. Aldis Hodge takes on the role of Alex Cross, a detective, forensic psychologist, and doting father who's got a knack for hunting down killers. Naturally, he's also driven by a family tragedy. -Kelly Connolly [Teaser]

Despite being a pair of, essentially, very expensive and vibey arthouse pictures — I wouldn't dare refer to them as "movies" — Denis Villeneuve's Dune films have been equally successful with critics and audiences alike. It only makes sense, then, for Warner Bros. and HBO to try to capitalize on that success with a glossy spin-off series. Dune: Prophecy, which takes inspiration from Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's novel Sisterhood of Dune, is set thousands of years prior to the movies and focuses on the origin of the Bene Gesserit, the witches whose machinations would eventually lead to the rise of Paul Atreides. Starring Emily Watson, Travis Fimmel, Olivia Williams, Mark Strong, and Jodhi May, Dune: Prophecy didn't have the smoothest production — it's had four different showrunners, and reshoots and re-castings galore on top of that. While that's worrying, it wouldn't be the first time HBO managed to make something like this work — Game of Thrones actually had pretty similar issues before its first season, and, as we know, that ended up working out OK. -Phil Owen [Teaser] [Everything we know about Dune: Prophecy]

Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan will stop making television shows when someone pries the pen from his cold, dead hands. Until then, the prolific TV producer will pump out the macho dramas that have made him one of the industry's most well-known names, and his newest has a shot at being his biggest. Landman is a drama set around the oil rigs of West Texas and the big business of black gold, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore, Jon Hamm, Ali Larter, and Andy Garcia. It's supposedly an upstairs/downstairs drama following the big billionaire corporations as they stake out claims and the rough necks who squeeze the earth for Texas Tea. The series, which is based on the podcast Boomtown, has reportedly already been renewed for a second season. -Tim Surette [Trailer] [Everything we know about Landman]

Charles Yu's 2020 novel Interior Chinatown is one of the most significant works of Asian American literature in recent years, and its TV adaptation is finally almost here. The story follows Willis Wu, a background character in the fictional procedural Black and White who dreams of becoming something so much bigger. But his plans are halted when he accidentally witnesses a crime. If the show is anything like the novel, we're anticipating a heavy exploration of themes that include the search for one's identity, racism, and the American Dream. The series stars Jimmy O. Yang as Willis Wu, Ronny Chieng as Fatty Choi, and Chloe Bennet as Detective Lana Lee. -Kat Moon