LB: New Shows I’m Looking Forward to This Fall

by Larry Brody

From where I sit as a guy who’s been playing the “Should I or Shouldn’t I Cut the Cord” game for about six years, the vast number of new series awaiting my eyeballs – and yours – has turned the much ballyhooed “Golden Age” contemporary TV into a “Time of Terror.”

In other words, there are so many possible new loves out there on so many delivery systems that I’m afraid to get my hopes up because:

1. Like so many demanding lovers idealists, I’m afraid no show will meet my not exactly high but certainly demanding (and eccentric) standards
2. Like everyone I know who has limited electronic means and/or a limited budget (which means everyone I know except, maybe, the Old Billionaire), I’m pretty sure that I won’t be able to watch all the shows I should because I either won’t be able to find them or I won’t be able to afford them, or both.

Eternal optimist that I am, I try to be pragmatic. (I was going to say “realistic,” but if you know me you also know that’s not possible with my brain) so here are several shows I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to both find  and ante-up for (unless I go bust) in the upcoming 2019-2020 Season.

• • Carnival Row – Amazon. This one combines two of my favorite genres, Victorian Supernatural and Political Metaphor (you know, like good ole 1984).  Plus the creators are René Echevarria? and ?Travis Beacham, and while I’m not sure who Mr. Beacham is (apologies, dood), everyone knows Mr. Echevarria was the real secret weapon in the Law & Order writers rooms.
  • Evil – CBS. The trailers tell me this is a Procedural/Supernatural combo, and that combined with creators Robert King and Michelle King makes this a must-try. Well, actually, the Kings are the real draw here, but the genre helps.
  • On Becoming a God in Central Florida – Showtime.  I love anything that plays with the concept of God or even “god,” and George Clooney once held an elevator for me, so I’m looking forward to this one…and hoping it’s even better than Clooney’s Catch-22.
  • Penny Dreadful – Showtime. Okay, this isn’t really a new series. It’s season two of an older one. Or is it? How can I resist the the chance to see more of John Logan’s writing…and the off-chance of seeing more Eva Green?
  • Picard – CBS All Access. Because Picard! The world’s best father figure rejuvenated into the best grandfather this side of, erm, well, me.
  • Sunnyside – NBC. Michael Schur, Kal Penn, the best serio-comedy writing staff this side of The Good Place. C’mon!
  • The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance – Netflix. I loved the film way back when. I still love everything that bears the slightest impression of Jim Henson’s stamp. And Javier-Grillo-Marxuach is one of the creator-writers. No way this can fail. You hear me? No damn way!
  • The Stand – CBS All Access. One of my favorite books, as in, yes, this baby is in my Top Ten. Adapters Josh Boone and Ben Cavell know what they’re doing, and this has to be better than the last couple of versions, right?
  • Watchmen – HBO. I’m not a big Damon Lindelof fan – neither Lost nor The Leftovers made much of an impression on me, but dammit, Jim, this is Watchmen and I’m just about positive that even if I hate it I’ll love it!

That’s it for my future TV watching. What about yours?

Oh, and coming later this week – maybe even tomorrow: New Shows I’m Never Going to Watch This Fall No Matter How Much Other People Love Them.

Seeya!

Author: LB

A legendary figure in the television writing and production world with a career going back to the late ’60s, Larry Brody has written and produced hundreds of hours of American and worldwide television and is a consultant to production companies and networks in the U.S. and abroad . Shows written or produced by Brody have won several awards including - yes, it's true - Emmys, Writers Guild Awards, and the Humanitas Award. View all posts by LB