Fall 2025 TV Preview

Given that a couple of these have already started, I thought I should get a 2025 Fall TV Preview out real quick. After trying 6 new shows last year (5 of which got picked up for a second season!), we can’t find much of anything new we’re interested in this year. Maybe Spring 2026 will have some interesting offerings. Here’s what we have on deck (or already running) for the fall:

• Tony & Ziva – September 4 on Paramount+ – They announced that this was coming, then went pretty much radio silent, then boom, it was out! We’ve already seen the first 3 episodes. It’s fine. I’m all for non-linear shows and movies, but this one is jumping back and forth a bit much even for me. And the production value is down a notch from what I am accustomed to seeing on the network shows. I haven’t seen “the mother ship” show (NCIS, the original) in several years. I hope its production value hasn’t slipped as much.
• Only Murders in the Building, Season 5 – September 9 on Hulu – We’re also 3 episodes in on this one, and so far, I’m enjoying it more than last season. Episode 2 was especially good.
• High Potential, Season 2 – September 16 on ABC – This will be our first network show to make its debut this fall. And it will be the only one for a month! Really looking forward to it, though. This turned out to be one of my two favorite new shows (NCIS: Origins being the other one, and they’re so tonally different that it’s hard to pick one over the other, so let’s call it a tie).
• Law and Order: Toronto Criminal Intent – September 24 on The CW – I know I have a few Law and Order junkies among my friends and family, so I thought I’d throw this one in there. I had no idea they had Canadian “branches” of Law and Order. Cool!
• Marvel Zombies – September 24 on Disney+ – This is a short 4 episode spin off from the Marvel’s What If…? animated series. They had a single zombie episode in Season 1 – which I have not seen! (I don’t do zombies in any form) – that was so popular, they decided to do a few more (which I also have zero plans to see). Be aware that they will be rated TV-MA. All 4 episodes will drop on September 24.
• Chad Powers – September 30 on Hulu – Glen Powell is about to be *everywhere* for the next few months, between this new series and Running Man in theaters in November. Inspired by a true event involving Eli Manning, the series is also being produced by Eli and Payton Manning; it should be pretty interesting. But what is Powell’s obsession with pretending to be someone else in his projects (like Hit Man)? We want to see that pretty face!
• Maigret – October 5 on PBS – Adapted from the novel by Georges Simenon, this will be the first time French Chief Inspector Jules Maigret will feather in a contemporary setting. I know my parents are always on the lookout for a new British (or Australian or New Zealand) detective show, so hopefully this one will be good.
• Elsbeth, Season 3 – October 12 on CBS – I’m so sad that newly minted Detective Kaya Blanke will not be partnered with Elsbeth this season! We really loved the chemistry between Carrie Preston and Carra Patterson, though she will be back for some episodes. I was also extremely disappointed with how they ended the story line with Judge Milton Crawford (played by Michael Emerson, who is married to Carrie Preston in real life). It’s like they didn’t know how to ended it, so they did… that. Very frustrating, unless it’s leading somewhere in this season. I guess time will tell.
• Matlock, Season 2 – October 12 on CBS – This series was such a delightful surprise last year! I’ve always loved Kathy Bates, and this just intensified my admiration for her. I love watching Kathy and Skye P. Marshall play off each other! Definitely looking forward to more of that this coming season. They have quite an uphill battle, though, now that the cat is out of the bag with Olympia. We knew the reveal within the show had to come sooner than later, but it’s like, now what? It just changes the whole dynamic, which could change what we love about the show. I sure hope not, though.
• Watson, Season 2 – October 13 on CBS – This was the most disappointing of the new shows we started last year. I kept waiting for them to get into a groove and “click,” but it just never came for us. We don’t dislike it by any means, but we don’t love it either. I’m not sure if we’ll watch Season 2, but I wanted to mention it so any fans know when it starts.
• NCIS: Origins, Season 2 – October 14 on CBS – This was the other stand out new show for us last year. Even my husband (who hasn’t watched any of the other NCIS variants with me) is watching and enjoying it. I can’t wait to see Ducky! They cast the same character who perfectly portrayed “Young Ducky” on the mother ship series, who is now appropriately older and the perfect age for 1990s Ducky and his first meeting with Gibbs.
• Ghosts, Season 5 – October 16 on CBS – I’m so glad my brother turned us on to this show. It is one of only two sitcoms that we watch, and it just gets better each season, IMO. We love all of the kooky characters so much!
• Down Cemetery Road – October 29 on AppleTV+ – Pretty much all you had to say was Emma Thompson, and I’ll watch it. Add in that it seems to be a straight drama (difficult to see much humor in a show about a girl missing after a house explosion), and I’m now even more intrigued.
• Happy’s Place, Season 2 – November 7 on NBC – I don’t know what made me give this show a try, but it is such a delight. Definitely an “old school” sitcom, but it’s so fun and sweet. In fact, I enjoyed it so much, I went back and watched all five seasons of Reba (her original sitcom) over the summer. Given that they have the same writers, showrunner, and 2 of the same actors (playing largely the same characters), it makes sense that they have the same vibe. And Van from Reba, played by Steve Howey, will be on High Potential this season! (Van was my favorite.)
• The American Revolution – November 16 on PBS – Any new documentary from Ken Burns is always worth mentioning. This one seems pretty self-explanatory.

The only other two shows we watch – The Rookie and Will Trent, both on ABC – won’t premiere until sometime in the spring. And we’re still hoping they will manage to squeak in Season 3 of Silo on AppleTV+ before the end of the year, though no official air date has been announced. Fingers crossed!