Fall TV Preview 2024: Exclusive Scoop and Photos on 25+ Returning Favorites!
Welcome back, Normal Fall TV Season! How we’ve missed you.
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Last year’s dual Hollywood strikes left us with an uncharacteristically bare (and heavy on all things unscripted) fall calendar, making this year’s robust lineup all the more enjoyable. And because fall TV is back in a big way, so is TVLine’s preview of scripted series returning for new seasons in September, October and November.
In the list below, you’ll be treated to exclusive photos and scoop you can’t find anywhere else about your favorite broadcast, cable and streaming series. Why, exactly, has 9-1-1‘s Eddie grown a mustache? Which Blue Bloods character is “back in a significant way” for the final episodes? Who’s getting a Heartstopper origin story? And which of CBS’ Ghosts is feeling “smug” in the upcoming season?
You can find the answers to those questions below, along with the latest intel on Grey’s Anatomy, Abbott Elementary, NCIS, Outer Banks, Superman & Lois and many more shows. So, get scrolling! And be sure to hit the comments with the season premiere(s) you’re most anxiously awaiting.
Want even more scoop on any of the following shows? Email [email protected] and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line.
9-1-1
Eddie’s Season 8 mustache, which showrunner Tim Minear confirms to TVLine is a “manifestation of something that’s going on within him,” has taken social media by storm — but we’re sad to report that, like all good things, it won’t last forever. Minear says the emotional reason behind the ‘stache will be explored “in an episode where he shaves it off.” Speaking of mustaches, Buck has an especially difficult time bowing to Gerrard as the 118’s new captain. (“He’s awful, and he’s an awfully fun character to have in the mix.”) On the bright side, Buck’s relationship with Tommy is going strong (“They’re still getting to know each other a little better”), so at least he’ll have someone to complain to after a long day of putting up with his racist, sexist, homophobic boss. Meanwhile, Bobby becomes a technical advisor on a “ridiculous firefighter show that’s nothing like reality”; Councilwoman Ortiz will remain a thorn in Hen and Karen’s sides as they fight to get their foster care license reinstated; newlyweds Maddie and Chimney weigh the pros and cons of growing their own family; and the return of a familiar face from Athena’s past will force her to “deal with a seminal event in her canonical life.”
BONUS SPOILER!: The two recurring villains of Season 8, Captain Gerrard and Councilwoman Ortiz, are “connected in many ways,” Minear hints.
RETURN DATE: Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8/7c (ABC) — Andy Swift
9-1-1: Lone Star
The fifth and final season wastes no time addressing Sierra McClain’s departure, explaining Grace’s absence in a manner that’s meant to both satisfy viewers and honor the “irreplaceable” character. “People are allowed to feel the feelings they have about it, but I would say that we did all we could to protect her,” showrunner Rashad Raisani says to TVLine of the chosen storyline. Grace’s exit leads to a time of great “complexity” for Judd, who recently stepped away from the 126 and becomes “adrift” in a “deep place of isolation,” leading him to confront “uncomfortable feelings he doesn’t want to admit to himself.” Judd’s son Wyatt, now a dispatcher, “had a whole training period with Grace that happened before the season started, so he’s been taught by the best.” Still, we’ll see him “waffle under pressure” as he settles into his position. Meanwhile, Owen finds himself “living in a fog,” an overwhelming feeling he must “go to a dark place” to overcome; Tommy attempts to move forward in her relationship with Trevor, culminating in a “character-defining” moment; Carlos’ obsession with solving his father’s murder takes a toll on his marriage to TK, creating some “interesting and compelling drama”; and Marjan and Paul will “share in the delusion” that competing for lieutenant won’t affect their friendship.
BONUS SPOILER!: Now a Texas Ranger, Carlos gains a new partner with whom he goes to some “very interesting places,” Raisani says, adding that he’s been “desperately pushing” for them to get their own spinoff. “They’re great together, and the stories they tell are some of the most explosive and dynamic that we’ve done.”
RETURN DATE: Monday, Sept. 23, at 8/7c (Fox) — A.S.
Abbott Elementary
A new school year brings new threats for Abbott: “There’s this larger, looming change happening in the neighborhood where Abbott is, essentially, located, and we’re seeing the impact of that on our school,” executive producer/star Quinta Brunson previews for TVLine. Meanwhile, the EP isn’t spilling if Janine and Gregory’s heated finale kiss means the pair is now officially a couple, but “it is something that changes their dynamic,” Brunson says. “With the finale, it was clear that they are two people who are going to go for what they want, and now it’s about exploring what [that means]. Decision made, now what? How does your workplace change because of that?” As for the rest of the Abbott staff, viewers will meet some of Jacob’s family; Barbara’s “evaluating where she is [and] does she need to make changes” to keep up with an evolving world; some “flat-out funny” Melissa episodes will showcase the unsung Lisa Ann Walter; and even the mysterious Mr. Johnson will get “larger storylines.” Brunson is also “pumped” about a “really cool” crossover that she first teased at San Diego Comic-Con, and that’s all she can say about it.
BONUS SPOILER!: You didn’t think we forgot about Abbott’s principal, did you? “We’ll definitely see more about Ava than we’ve ever seen in any season,” Brunson shares. “These are very revealing stories for her. We’re learning a lot more about her ethos as a person, why she is the way she is.”
RETURN DATE: Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 9:30/8:30c (ABC) — Vlada Gelman
Blue Bloods
There are now just eight episodes left to air, and before crafting the 14-season cop/family drama’s grand finale, showrunner Kevin Wade tells TVLine he revisited how M*A*S*H, Cheers, The Sopranos “and even The Mary Tyler Moore Show” famously wrapped their own runs. “What it boiled down to was they did a great show, and in the last few minutes there was a little pivot toward, ‘This is also the last show,’” he reports. But before Blue Bloods fades to black, watch for Mayor Chase to find himself “in a jam” and essentially say to Frank, “Here are the keys, you drive,” Wade previews. Erin will embrace her decision to “make a difference on the ground” by not running for DA (but clash with a peer played by Mira Sorvino), and viewers can expect “a welcome surprise” on both the Jamie/Eddie and Danny/Baez fronts. As for recurring characters RSVPing for this farewell run, “Everybody that the audience loved, and that we thought contributed to storytelling, we found a way to bring them in,” Wade promises. Case in point…
BONUS SPOILER!: Peter Hermann, as Erin’s ex-husband Jack Boyle, “is back in a significant way,” Wade shares.
RETURN DATE: Friday, Oct. 18, at 10/9c (CBS) — Matt Webb Mitovich
Chicago Fire
Season 13 picks up with the immediate reaction to Damon’s news that Benny is his father, then jumps ahead about six weeks. The reveal “really shakes [Severide] up in lots of ways, and he has to make some big decisions,” showrunner Andrea Newman tells TVLine. Meanwhile, Severide and Damon’s growing closeness “raises all sorts of flags” for Cruz. (Remember, he went through his own brother drama with Leon.) As for Severide’s other half, Stella also has some choices to make “in terms of what next steps are in their relationship, in terms of work,” especially following Severide’s own bombshell that he wants to start a family, which will be “addressed pretty quickly,” Newman says. At the firehouse, Chief Dom Pascal (played by new series regular Dermot Mulroney) “makes it clear right from the start that he is not Chief Boden,” Newman shares, adding that “there will be surprises in terms of who he bonds with and who he butts heads with.” Elsewhere, Mouch and Herrmann’s professional journeys up the ladder are “going to create lots of drama for their friendship”; Violet and Carver both have “a lot to work out” with the respective “ghosts” of their pasts; and the show will “peel back the layers” on Novak.
BONUS SPOILER!: “This is a big, Ritter-heavy season. Ritter has a lot of changes coming his way,” Newman reveals.
RETURN DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 9/8c (NBC) — V.G.
Chicago Med
“The season premiere is framed around a mass casualty incident. There is a commuter ship that is docked in Navy Pier and a smaller vessel collides into it,” new showrunner Allen MacDonald previews for TVLine. “It’s an all-hands-on-deck sort of situation.” Good thing there’s a new doc on staff: Dr. Caitlin Lenox (played by new series regular Sarah Ramos) is hired by Goodwin to help with the patient overflow from a closing nearby hospital. “Dr. Lenox very quickly does what she can to assume control of a lot of aspects of the ED, which Dr. Archer is not pleased about,” MacDonald says. Meanwhile, Darren Barnet’s Dr. John Frost is a pediatrician at the aforementioned closing hospital who brings a patient to Gaffney, “gets to know Maggie Lockwood and develops some relationships with the staff there.” As for last season’s cliffhanger, “Ripley was not and has not been fully transparent about what went down with Pawel. Because of that, there’s a real kind of iciness between [Hannah and Ripley] as the season begins,” MacDonald shares.
BONUS SPOILER!: Maggie and her new beau Loren are still going strong, but “there might be some bumps in the road,” MacDonald warns.
RETURN DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 8/7c (NBC) — V.G.
Chicago P.D.
After Upton’s departure, Intelligence will bring patrol officer Kiana Cook (played by Warrior Nun’s Toya Turner) into the fold in Season 12. Of the newcomer, showrunner Gwen Sigan says we’ll meet her on an active case. “She has been through a lot within the police department and is looking for a place where she fits in… She’s going to find a family within the 21st,” the EP teases. We’ll also see Burgess and Ruzek’s bond “grow even closer” following their engagement last season, while Voight will contemplate his mortality after surviving that brutal basement torture. The harrowing experience forces him to “be a little bit introspective,” per Sigan, and realize he doesn’t have much time. Additionally, viewers can expect “a fast-paced Ruzek episode that is just an action ride,” as well as an impactful Torres installment which showcases him in a way we haven’t seen before.
BONUS SPOILER!: Atwater is getting a love interest! We hear that it’s someone who can “see him” and quickly understands who he is. “There’s a nice relationship that forms because of that,” Sigan notes. “There’s this more accepting openness to it.”
RETURN DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 10/9c (NBC) — Keisha Hatchett
Elsbeth
With the Wagner investigation wrapped up, “we are adding some new serialized elements,” showrunner Jonathan Tolins shares with TVLine. “We’re going to get to have a little bit more time in the lives of our main three characters, and that’s going to be fun to do.” In keeping with that, Elsbeth, Wagner and Kaya will all be confronted with the past and “each have to deal with something that happened before the season began.” As the new episodes dig into why Elsbeth left behind Chicago, the show will bring in “a little bit” of The Good Wife mythology. “It’s things that maybe she hasn’t wanted to think about too much, but they catch up,” executive producer Michelle King teases. Meanwhile, a new character “adds tension in the precinct that will help upset the sort of stability that we ended up with in Season 1” between Elsbeth and Wagner, Tolins previews. As for Kaya, “she’s going to come up against some unexpected twists and challenges that lead to some new things she’s going to have to deal with on the road to becoming a detective,” Tolins shares.
BONUS SPOILER!: “We hope to bring other parts of [Elsbeth’s] life into the season, because she’s a woman with a heart, and she has emotional connections to some people,” Tolins says, when asked if we’ll see Elsbeth’s son and/or ex-husband in Season 2.
RETURN DATE: Thursday, Oct. 17, at 10/9c (CBS) — V.G.
FBI
Season 7 has a new showrunner, Mike Weiss, but kicks off in a fashion that is typically explosive for the CBS procedural, with the mysterious, tactical assassinations of two blue-collar New Yorkers. “That raises the question: What powerful people targeted these two ordinary men?” Weiss previews for TVLine. On the personal front for the Special Agents, Maggie will struggle to balance the demands of work with her surrogate mothering of young Ella; OA will try to figure out how girlfriend Gemma fits into his world; and Jubal will have to protect his son when Tyler “gets swept up in something at school,” Weiss shares. There’s also a sad goodbye to be said, when Katherine Renee Kane ends her four-season run as Tiffany early in Season 7. “Of course it’s going to be a little tough to be making FBI without Katherine,” Weiss says while keeping mum on her exit storyline. “She’s such a major talent, and she will be deeply missed on set by cast and crew.”
BONUS SPOILER!: A visit from an old Army Ranger friend threatens to test OA’s loyalties — and cause problems not only for him “but the entire team,” Weiss teases.
RETURN DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 8/7c (CBS) — M.W.M.
Fire Country
A free Bode is a fun Bode, so watch for the former Three Rock inmate to cool off. “We’ve been dream-seeking for a couple of seasons, so now there’s a lot of wish fulfillment,” showrunner Tia Napolitano tells TVLine. “Bode has agency. He can be at Smokey’s, he can take a walk…. There’s an ‘I’m not incarcerated anymore’ lightness that’s really fun and threaded throughout the season.” Said fun might also include ex-con Audrey, played by True Detective’s Leven Rambin. Like Bode, “she really caught the fire bug from fire camp,” the EP previews, “so she’s meant to populate that area of his life.” Elsewhere, Sharon and Vince will revel in their “late empty nesters” status, and ex-con Rick, introduced in the finale, “is going to surprise you” and also Gen’s guardian Jake. But before everything above unfolds, “Everyone’s going to get all of the answers they were itching for at the end of Season 2,” Napolitano promises — including whether Gabriela and Diego actually wed after 1) Bode nearly interrupted the ceremony, 2) father of the bride Manny was hauled away by the sheriff’s department, and 3) a [Spoiler] crashes into the church?!
BONUS SPOILER!: Now a (Three) Rock star on the professional front, Eve is “going to have to examine some difficult dynamics within her family,” Napolitano says — meaning, get ready to meet some of her kin!
RETURN DATE: Friday, Oct. 18, at 9/8c (CBS) — M.W.M.
Found
With Sir on the loose and Lacey back in his grasp, Gabi has her work cut out for her in Season 2. “Gabi’s guilt is on a 10,” showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll tells TVLine. “Everything she’s done has been about keeping Lacey safe, and she achieved the exact opposite of that.” In the coming episodes, she must “reconcile that guilt and have it not shut her down in a way where it stops her ability to do the super important job she has.” And although Sir escaped Gabi’s basement at the end of last season, that “seesawing power dynamic” between them will continue and expand now that “they’re on a bigger playground,” Carroll adds. Meanwhile, Gabi’s colleagues at M&A are still reeling from the betrayal that she’d been holding Sir captive — and lied about it. Per Carroll, they all have “different ways that this broken bond is affecting how they do their job.” Newcomers this season include Michael Cassidy (Good Trouble, The O.C.), Dionne Gipson (NCIS) and Danielle Savre (Station 19).
BONUS SPOILER!: Cassidy will play Christian, a grief counselor with an interesting connection to the story. “No one feels comfortable resting until [Sir is] captured, which means they need to get to know everything about him,” Carroll explains. “Having a character like Christian come aboard is a way for [M&A and the audience] to get to know more about Sir in a way that we couldn’t in just his interactions with [teen and adult] Gabi.”
RETURN DATE: Thursday, Oct. 3, at 10/9c (NBC) — K.H.
Frasier
Peri Gilpin is back for more episodes as Frasier’s pal Roz in Season 2 of the Paramount+ revival — but what actually brings Roz back to Boston? “Her daughter Alice is now attending grad school in Providence, Rhode Island,” executive producer Chris Harris explains to TVLine, “so that gets her to the East Coast enough times to be in a few episodes for us.” Alice will be played by Kelsey Grammer’s real-life daughter Greer Grammer… and she might just catch the eye of Frasier’s son Freddy. (“I know it feels incestuous, but it’s really not,” Harris emphasizes.) Plus, Frasier goes back to Seattle to reunite with his old KACL radio colleagues, which allows him to “maybe see some other old haunts in Seattle that he may have frequented once or twice,” EP Joe Cristalli hints. Hmmm, do we smell coffee brewing?
BONUS SPOILER!: Emmy winner Patricia Heaton joins the cast as bartender Holly, and “you can feel that natural chemistry” between her and onetime Back to You co-star Grammer, Harris says. Holly is the complete opposite of Frasier, though — she’s a blue-collar, beer-drinking sports fan; he’s, well, Frasier — and “the idea of him finding himself attracted to someone that he normally wouldn’t think of himself as pairing well with felt like a really interesting thing for us to explore.”
RETURN DATE: Thursday, Sept. 19; two-episode premiere (Paramount+) — Dave Nemetz
Ghosts
After dragging him into the dirt, Puritan ghost Patience (played by Mary Holland) “connects with, ironically, Isaac quite a bit,” co-showrunner Joe Port previews for TVLine. “She’s interested in being part of a group again, and she yearns for that kind of acceptance.” The new addition will play a heavy role in this year’s Halloween episode, even though she’s not a fan of the holiday, and the hourlong Christmas special will introduce Jay’s family, while Episode 2 brings in Dean Norris as Sam’s dad. Meanwhile, Jay — who will see the ghosts at some point — and Sam’s relationship “is going to be tested a little bit as they’re spread kind of thin with what will be two fledgling businesses,” Port shares, adding that the couple will also be “dealing with a bit of success in business.” As for the ghosts, Isaac and Nigel have “some raw emotions and loose ends to tie up”; Flower and Thor are the “stable” couple!; Sas is getting a love interest; Pete is feeling “smug” and “confident” thanks to his power; Trevor is “trying to take care of some unfinished business”; and Hetty and Alberta are “taking Sam under their wing and helping her with a couple big goals,” co-showrunner Joe Wiseman says.
BONUS SPOILER!: Viewers will see more of Sas’ power, which allows him to enter dreams. “He and Jay are going to have some adventures this season,” Port teases.
RETURN DATE: Thursday, Oct. 17, at 8:30/7:30c (CBS) — V.G.
Grey’s Anatomy
After Season 20’s finale left Meredith, Amelia, Teddy and Owen pink-slipped, and Jo unexpectedly expecting, “the vibe of Season 21 is along the lines of resilience,” showrunner Meg Marinis tells TVLine. “Jobs are in jeopardy, relationships are in jeopardy… We’re picking up right in the middle of this mess.” Though it’s a safe bet that the docs won’t be unemployed for long, “how that situation resolves will be very surprising,” the EP promises. “It’s not as easy as kissing and making up [with Catherine].” When it comes to Jo and Link, there’s room for “some light and fun,” Marinis says. But anticipate some Sturm und Drang, too, “based on the heavy conversation they had last season [about not having a baby together yet].” As for Simone and Lucas, “the sheer fact that she’s the reason [the residents] all banded together and walked into that conference room [to save his butt] speaks volumes about how she feels about him as a person and a doctor. She put her own career on the line to stand up for his.” Ben is returning after seven years as a firefighter to complete his surgical residency. But, Marinis warns, “it won’t be an easy road back for him.”
BONUS SPOILER!: While Jake Borelli and Midori Francis will be leaving as Levi and Mika, respectively, Marinis assures us that “you’re going to see those characters again.”
RETURN DATE: Thursday, Sept. 26, at 10/9c (ABC) — Charlie Mason
Heartstopper
Describing Season 3 of the beloved LGBTQ+ dramedy as one of “growth,” creator Alice Oseman acknowledges that for fans, there may be some growing pains. As Nick, Charlie and other members of their friend group move beyond kissing, “I think there will be a very wide range of reactions” from the audience, she tells TVLine. “But I feel very happy with the story going there; it’s honest and real for where these characters are in their relationships.” Though the eight new episodes also do a deep dive into Charlie’s mental health struggle, Oseman promises that there is light at the end of the tunnel. “That’s sort of what Heartstopper is about,” she says. “These characters go through dark periods, but Heartstopper assures you that things are going to be all right in the end.”
BONUS SPOILER!: “There is a character who I know fans have a lot of negative opinions about,” Oseman teases, “and this season, we see things from their point of view a little bit more and understand what their backstory is. It’s a really complex journey, because the character isn’t evil, they just have their own issues.”
RETURN DATE: Thursday, Oct. 3 (Netflix) — C.M.
The Irrational
While Jesse L. Martin’s Alec might be living in blissful ignorance at the start of the Season 2 premiere, “He will find out very early in the episode that Rose has been kidnapped, and he will immediately get on the case with Marisa,” showrunner Arika Lisanne Mittman tells TVLine. And while Prof. Mercer usually has the inside track on people’s motivations from the jump, “He’s going to be flying blind a little bit at first,” the executive producer adds. “He will bring those to the FBI, but they’re really groping to figure this out.” However the season-opening crisis shakes out, she continues, viewers can expect a slightly different Irrational than they saw in Season 1. “Rather than focusing on a season-long mystery, we’re focusing on character journeys,” Mittman says. And might there be a chance that one of those journeys ends with some lovin’ for Alec’s sister, Kylie? “There’s a chance, yes,” she teases.
BONUS SPOILER!: Speaking of romance, are we the only ones who feel a little something-something brewing between Phoebe and Rizwan? “So far, we are exploring the relationship as a friendship,” Mittman says, “but you never know what could happen in the future.”
RETURN DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 10/9c (NBC) — Kimberly Roots
Law & Order: SVU
After the procedural’s milestone — and shortened, thanks to strikes — last season, the theme of SVU 26 is “back to basics,” showrunner David Graziano tells TVLine. “Classic SVU,” adds executive producer Julie Martin, who points out that Capt. Benson’s ongoing personal journey will continue “as her healing comes through helping others get through their trauma.” Aid in that endeavor will come from a fortified squad including Velasco, Fin, Bruno (newly promoted series regular Kevin Kane), Curry and new addition Det. Kate Silva (played by Griselda’s Juliana Aidén Martinez), a former homicide cop who is “paying a penance for something, and we’ll slowly unpack what that penance is over time,” Graziano teases. Plus, we’ll get a bunch of visits from Rollins, who’s got a new gig within the NYPD (and is still happily married to Carisi). The first few episodes of the season will deal with a sextorted TV reporter, new charges in a decades-old crime and a home invasion involving law students. And look for Benson to make a crossover appearance in an October episode of the Law & Order revival, which also will feature Elizabeth Marvel playing SVU lawyer Rita Calhoun.
BONUS SPOILER!: Speaking of crossovers… what about the possibility of Law & Order: Organized Crime’s Stabler and SVU’s Benson playing in each other’s sandboxes this season? While both SVU’s Mariska Hargitay and OC’s Chris Meloni have publicly supported the move, Graziano and Martin wouldn’t say much about the possibility of the characters mixing it up in the near future. “There’s a porous border between all three shows, let’s put it that way,” he says, “and there always has been.”
RETURN DATE: Thursday, Oct. 3, at 9/8c (NBC) — K.R.
NCIS
Where in the world is Special Agent Jessica Knight, who in the May finale bid D.C. (and beau Jimmy) a bittersweet adieu in order to lead the REACT Team based out of Camp Pendleton? Picking up some six months later, “We’re going to find her out there in San Diego, and she’s going to have gotten into some trouble. Fitting trouble for someone who’s a hostage negotiator,” showrunner Steven D. Binder tells TVLine. “And that throws the whole trajectory of everything up in the air.” Between that drama, a thusly distracted Jimmy, McGee busy angling for a deputy director position and Torres off working undercover, “Papa bird Parker has an empty nest” (as in the season opener’s title). Soon enough, though, Parker will be “set on a journey” of his own, Binder notes — one perhaps involving the “Lily” mystery seeded in the finale. Because just as viewers were left with questions about that gauzy memory, “It’s not entirely clear to Parker, either, who this girl was,” says Binder.
BONUS SPOILER!: Director Vance will see his handling of a “very complicated” diplomatic negotiation “go off the rails” when a former love interest resurfaces!
RETURN DATE: Monday, Oct. 14, at 8/7c; regular time slot premiere Monday, Oct. 21, at 9 pm (CBS) — M.W.M.
The Neighborhood
The early arrival of newborn Daphne creates quite a headache for first-time parents Marty and Courtney, who have not figured out where they’re going to live — or if they’re going to live together. “They come home to Calvin and Tina’s because Marty’s place is not ready yet. Malcolm’s still there, Courtney lives on her own… and it causes a lot of tumult,” co-showrunner Mike Schiff shares with TVLine. “The funny thing for us is that Tina has been waiting and waiting to have a grand-baby — and the baby apparently hates her. The baby is content with everybody else, but screams with her.” Calvin, meanwhile, is caught off-guard when Marty takes time off from work. “He’s entitled to paternity leave at the Fuse Box, and paternity leave is not something that Calvin [is familiar with] at all,” Schiff previews. “Calvin was back at work two hours after Malcolm was born, and this is something that he’s got to wrap his head around.” Conversely, Dave knows just “how important it is for babies to bond with their fathers. He then discovers that Grover doesn’t remember anything that they did when he was little, which stresses him out a bit.”
BONUS SPOILER!: Fellow showrunner Bill Martin reveals that Season 7 will see Dave go through “the dumbest midlife crisis ever filmed on television” after he stumbles upon a list of everything he wanted to accomplish before he turned 40 — a list that includes climbing a volcano and, um, partying like a rock star. “He thought he was going to have a spectacular cavalcade of epic adventures…. It takes him to a dark place,” Martin tells us.
RETURN DATE: Monday, Oct. 21, at 8/7c (CBS) — Ryan Schwartz
Night Court
After a pair of guest spots, Wendie Malick will join the cast of NBC’s courtroom comedy full-time in Season 3 as Dan Fielding’s volatile ex Julianne — who is also the court’s new prosecutor. “She is in fact a lawyer,” executive producer Dan Rubin assures TVLine, “and a pretty good one, who just went astray for a bit and sort of let revenge consume her life.” But it will be “a challenge for her to stay on the straight and narrow and try to give back to the criminal justice system that she’s caused a fair bit of trouble over the years.” She and Dan “do have a romantic past,” Rubin notes, “and they certainly enjoy challenging each other… She’s trying to stay as focused as possible, but I think that’ll be hard for both of them.”
BONUS SPOILER!: Season 3’s guest stars include Superstore alum Nico Santos as an influencer named Dr. Nightlife “who’s come to Night Court in the past and written sort of scathing reviews,” Rubin teases, and Gurgs is “determined to make sure they make a good impression this year.”
RETURN DATE: Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 8:30/7:30c (NBC) — D.N.
Outer Banks
The Pogues will be sitting pretty as Season 4 opens, thanks to their newly found wealth and fame following the El Dorado caper. “They really recreate what they had on the island [at the start of Season 3] when they had this idyllic life, but they do it in a supersized way, because they have a bit of money,” series co-creator/executive producer Josh Pate tells TVLine. “They build the perfect paradise home for themselves, and then the season is about how that paradise is threatened and what they have to do to save it.” His fellow series co-creator/EP Shannon Burke calls Season 4 a “reset,” coming off the Royal Merchant adventure and where it led for the first three seasons. John B. & Co. are “a little older, and they’re all together as couples,” he notes, confirming that John B. and Sara, Pope and Cleo, and JJ and Kiara all are still dating. “When the season starts, they’re all happily in love, and they’ve built this beautiful dream life for themselves in a very Pogue-y way,” Pate adds. Just checking: Does that life include a flag of a chicken wearing Crocs and a coconut bra and smoking a joint? “Of course,” Pate says, laughing. “That was the first thing they put out.”
BONUS SPOILER!: When we query the EPs about Season 4 cast additions like Dalia, a worldly pirate (played by The Walking Dead’s Pollyanna McIntosh), and Chandler, a widower involved in the Pogues’ new adventure (played by Billions’ J. Anthony Crane), Burke and Pate get quiet quickly. “That’s a tough one to answer,” Pate eventually says, adding cryptically: “The way you meet them is not the way they end up.”
RETURN DATE: Thursday, Oct. 10 (Part 1), and Thursday, Nov. 7 (Part 2) (Netflix) — K.R.
Outlander
When we last left the Frasers, they were approaching Jamie’s homeland of Scotland for the first time in decades. And when the back half of Season 7 picks up, we’ll be privy to the many mixed emotions that the visit drums up for the whole clan. “Going home again, it’s tough when you’ve been gone so long,” executive producer Matthew B. Roberts tells TVLine, noting that since so many years have passed since Jamie and Claire left with Young Ian — and a whole new actress is playing Jamie’s sister, Jenny — the series took the opportunity for “a fresh start, a fresh, new place for these characters to interact with each other.” (Don’t worry, fans of the fiery Mrs. Murray: “Jenny’s still gonna be Jenny,” he assures.) Meanwhile, in the show’s 1970s storyline, “Brianna has to survive on her own” after Roger’s trip back through time in the midseason finale. “She has a struggle to survive and keep the family whole,” Roberts teases, “so there’s something for Roger to come back to.”
BONUS SPOILER!: Fans of Diana Gabaldon’s book series, on which the Starz show is based, know that there’s a fairly traumatic event for Mr. and Mrs. Fraser near the end of Echo in the Bone — the book on which Season 7 draws heavily. Here’s what Roberts has to say about that: “There’s going to be a lot of ships, and crossings, and maybe uncrossings,” he says, laughing. “There’s going to be a lot of things that play out.”
RETURN DATE: Friday, Nov. 22, at 8/7c (Starz) — K.R.
Silo
Season 2 spans the back half of the first book in author Hugh Howey’s dystopian Wool/Shift/Dust trilogy, meaning Rebecca Ferguson’s Juliette will need to find a new silo to call home before her oxygen runs out. But first, “We open in a hopefully surprising fashion,” showrunner Graham Yost tells TVLine, by depositing viewers smack dab in the middle of a rebellion — though “we don’t know where it is.” All told, “There are two stories running this season,” Yost previews. “There’s Juliette’s story, and then there’s back in her home silo,” where Tim Robbins’ brilliantly bested Bernard won’t fly off the rails but instead “understands the problem” at hand. Meaning…? “In the second episode, there’s a line, ‘In the event of a failed cleaning, prepare for war,’” Yost warns. New to the mix for Season 2 is Steve Zahn (The White Lotus) as a key Wool character named Solo. “We needed somebody who is amazing, and we got it with Steve,” Yost raves. “He is somebody who can be funny and scary and scared, and a little accustomed to human company,” having been alone inside a vault for decades!
BONUS SPOILER!: Star-gazer/romantic interest Lukas (played by Avi Nash), who was sent to the mines at the close of Season 1, “ends up having the strangest arc of really anyone,” Yost shares, when he suddenly finds himself “somewhere else that is utterly stunning for him.”
RETURN DATE: Friday, Nov. 15; first episode, then weekly (Apple TV+) — M.W.M.
Superman & Lois
Picking up right where we left off, the final season begins with Superman’s fatal face-off against Bizarro Doomsday. Knowing that Season 4 would be the last, showrunners Todd Helbing and Brent Fletcher tell TVLine they focused on ending the iconic hero’s story in a way they thought would “satisfy fans of the character,” Helbing says. Despite the Man of Steel’s disappearing act, however, Tyler Hoechlin is “definitely still a presence,” appearing in every episode. Jordan will attempt to fill his father’s boots, but Superboy “hasn’t proved that he’s ready for it yet.” As for Lex Luthor, “there are a lot of pieces on the chess board that he’s trying to knock off, including Smallville,” Fletcher adds. “We’ll see the origin of where this comes from, and his beef with Superman and Lois Lane. There’s a lot of history that we dive into.” He’ll be assisted by Amanda McCoy (Kung Fu’s Yvonne Chapman, pictured here), with whom he shares an “interesting and surprising” dynamic. Despite no longer being series regulars, the Kent family’s inner circle will remain intact, with familiar faces making appearances throughout the season. From John Henry and Natalie to Lana and Sarah, Helbing says everyone is “going to have an ending to their journeys.”
BONUS SPOILER!: Episode 4 is a “really fun” Kyle and Chrissy-centric hour that includes what Fletcher calls “possibly the best montage the show has ever done,” as well as an “organic backflip” that an unnamed actor performed spontaneously on set.
RETURN DATE: Monday, Oct. 7, at 8/7c (The CW) — A.S.
S.W.A.T.
The CBS procedural will celebrate its (second!) new lease on life by breaking in a refreshed 20-Squad. “It’s now Hondo, Deacon, Tan, Powell, Alfaro and then Gamble,” the new recruit played by Chicago Fire alum Annie Ilonzeh, showrunner Andrew Dettmann tells TVLine. “Devin is brand-new to the team, and nobody really knows a lot about her — other than Hondo, who said she’s the one, which is good enough for everybody else.” Will this latest iteration of 20-Squad, which is now only half vets, be quick to gel and stay liquid? Or will there be bumps ahead? “It’s a little of both,” says Dettmann. “We want to come in loving them, seeing them clicking, but secrets start to come out — Gamble’s past is a bit tricky — and some things start to go awry.” Just don’t expect any drama on the personal front for Hondo, even amid series regular Rochelle Aytes’ exit for CBS’ midseason drama Watson. “We don’t have the opportunity to feature her as much, but Nichelle is very much still a part of the show,” the EP avows. “Hondo has this wonderful home life that still exists.”
BONUS SPOILER!: Having matured into a leadership role, Tan will take over running SWAT Academy, “but it’s not going to go as smoothly as he hoped,” Dettmann teases.
RETURN DATE: Friday, Oct. 18, at 8/7c (CBS) — M.W.M.
Tracker
After introducing Colter’s siblings Russell (Jensen Ackles) and Dory (Melissa Roxburgh) in Season 1, and revealing how “all three of those kids had a different childhood” following their father’s death — “Colter is probably the most f—ked up,” showrunner Elwood Reid posits to TVLine — Season 2 of the Justin Hartley drama will explore not only the depths to which Colter was impacted by this profound loss, but how “other people see what he went through.” New episodes will also feature the return of Wendy Crewson as Colter’s mysterious mother Mary, who was last seen all the way back in Episode 2. “You’re going to see a good bit of her,” Reid promises. “We still need to build out what exactly happened [after] their father’s death. Remember, Dory went to go live with an aunt and uncle… [Russell] joined the military…. They each have pieces of the story, from different sides, that they’ve never shared with Colter.” And once Colter begins to question why Dory kept secret that she was in possession of a box of their father’s journals, “some of the motivations behind what [Mary] was doing with Colter and why she was trying to protect him are going to come out, and it may not be what you think it is.”
BONUS SPOILER!: Expect to learn plenty more about Abby McEnany’s Velma in Season 2. “One of the goals is going to be understanding what her genesis with Colter was, and what she thinks her role could be going forward,” Reid says. “She’s going to have some heartache this year,” following the series departure of Robin Weigert’s Teddi, “and we’re going to see her relationship with Reenie really blossom” as the attorney embarks upon a new business venture.
RETURN DATE: Sunday, Oct. 13, at 8/7c (CBS) — R.S.
What We Do in the Shadows
Our favorite Staten Island vampires are back for one final bat-winged flight, with the FX comedy entering its sixth and final season. In it, we’ll see the fallout from last season’s big twist, with Guillermo turning down the opportunity to become a vampire like he always wanted — which means a new beginning for him and his beloved Nandor. Guillermo “has moved out of the house” in Season 6, executive producer Paul Simms reveals to TVLine. “He and Nandor have established some boundaries. He realizes that now he’s got to go out in the real world and start his own life.” But when Guillermo gets a job, “the vampires are so concerned about his ability to function in the real world that they follow him to his job to quote-unquote ‘help him out.’” (Yes, we’re sure they’ll be a big help.)
BONUS SPOILER!: Simms admits that “we had no idea how we were going to end” the series at first, but “I’m really happy with the ending… We didn’t want to get too bogged down in trying to tie up every loose end or get too sentimental about it. We just wanted to make another super funny season and have the ending proceed logically from that, and I think we’ve done it.”
RETURN DATE: Monday, Oct. 21, at 10/9c (FX) — D.N.
Yellowstone
Yellowstone executive producer David C. Glasser doesn’t mince words when it comes to the long-awaited return of Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western with the back half of Season 5. “It’s everything fans are going to want,” Glasser tells TVLine. Picking up where Episode 8 left off, “it’s going to give the audience an action-packed, edge-of-your-seat season,” he says. Considering that the midseason finale (recapped here) wrapped with Jamie plotting dad John and sister Beth’s murders and John and Beth planning Jamie’s funeral, it’s a safe bet that the Grim Reaper is going to make a guest appearance. “It will be a wild ride, that’s for sure,” Glasser hints. “From where the story has led, we take it up a notch… or two… or three!” But it still may be premature to call Jamie a dead man walking. “Anything can happen,” Glasser says. “Whatever you think is gonna happen just may not. It even surprises me!” Though he can’t discuss whether Yellowstone will, as has been reported, continue into Season 6, he does allow that we are coming to “the end of this chapter. That’s a great way to phrase it. We’ll see where it goes from here, but this is definitely closure on this chapter.”
BONUS SPOILER!: Whether or not Yellowstone winds up being uncancelled, the conclusion of Season 5 will deliver the resolution that Sheridan always imagined for the show. “He knew from day one,” says Glasser, “how it was going to end and what was going to happen.”
RETURN DATE: Sunday, Nov. 10, at 8/7c (Paramount Network) — C.M.
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