We’re past Labor Day, and now we’re past the Emmys. The Fall TV onslaught is coming. We’re not quite there yet, though we did get a crop of new shows to kickstart September. But what of these new shows is worth your time to check out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new shows this Fall. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesdays:
The Drop: A Snowfall Saga, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on FX (Premiered September 8)
About: This new series is a spin-off of Snowfall, the successful series set in 1980s Los Angeles and focused on the drug trade. That series ran for six seasons and now has a spin-off that moves the action to the early 1990s and focuses on the burgeoning gangster rap movement. It locks on to two characters from the original series—Leon (Isaiah John) and Wanda (Gail Bean)—who are trying to navigate a changing world. Wanda, in particular, is trying to ply her hustle toward making it as a producer in the rap game. She’s set her sights on Artillery (Buddy), a talented rapper who is also a member of the Bloods. She and her cousin Lamar (Asante Blackk) are trying to craft the right beat to entice him to sign with them. The pilot lays out the players and the world. Even if you didn’t watch all of Snowfall, this is easy enough to engage with. It’s an interesting period piece and a deep dive into a world I don’t know well. That being said, the pilot had some nice performances and some interesting enough moments. I’m curious to see how it develops and if it becomes something worthy of attention in an increasingly crowded Fall season.
Pilot Grade: B-

Wednesdays:
Last Seen, Streaming Wednesdays on Apple TV (Premiered September 9)
About: This new series stars Patrick Brammall as Ian Ridley, a former detective whose daughter was taken 11 years earlier. It threw his life into chaos, led to a massive drinking problem and the implosion of his marriage. Now, Ian is trying to stay clean and be of use as the lead dispatcher for Emergency Services. When a body turns up buried in the woods, it opens old wounds and leads to new mysteries. This series is based on the novel by Ryan David Jahns, The Dispatcher, and comes from Australia. It is a six-episode drama, with the first two dropping Wednesday and new episodes dropping weekly. I love Brammall in the lead role and this is an engaging story. The episodes moved at a good pace, and this will make for a short commitment to start the Fall. It’s worth checking out.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-

Sundays:
High Value Target: The Hunt For Saddam, Sundays at 9 p.m. on TNT (Premiered September 13)
About: This new series finds Joel Kinnman leading the hunt for Saddam Hussein. Yes, this is a timely drama series. The show had a two-episode premier, with each running about an hour. It goes back and looks at the War on Terror in the wake of 9/11 and the way the hunt for Hussein folded into that mission. It’s a dispassionate look at things, focused mostly on the experience of CIA Agent John Nixon (Kinnaman). The first two episodes are setting up his life, his role in the mission, and finally getting him out there. It’s an eight-episode series, and despite a strong cast and some potential the episodes felt too dry. There is an indication there will be more of a position on the mission and the lengths we went to as a nation to exact vengeance, revenge, and hunt for Weapons of Mass Destruction. But now in 2026, this doesn’t feel like a topic we want to keep revisiting. If you do, this is for you.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Streaming Series:
Dang!, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered September 8)
About: A new month, a new adult animated series. This one comes from Andrew Law, who voices Andrew Dang, a man who is trying to make something of his life. But it isn’t easy. He lives with his sister Eunice (Poppy Liu) while his other sister Ruthie (Stephanie Hsu) is the one who usually has it all together. But when Ruthie arrives at a crisis point in her life, seeking to get closer to her siblings, they all have to learn to be a family together again. The series is eight episodes, all now streaming. Episodes run about a half an hour and move at a decent enough pace. There are some solid jokes, and this will appeal to fans of the genre who like this style of humor. Is it enough to separate this show from an increasingly crowded market and landscape? I didn’t feel the pull, but you might feel different depending on how this one hits.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Crew Girl, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered September 10)
About: This is a new teen drama about a girl whose father is disgraced, forcing her to move to a new school and try to break into all new social circles. This is some fairly well-worn ground, especially in a series that’s mostly about the teen characters. The wrinkle of a crew team was fun, but mostly the writing and the execution here made this engaging. The eight-episode series is all now streaming, and it feels like a gentle binge watch. The first two episodes are more than 50 minutes, but the rest of the season is a bit shorter, hewing closer to the 45-minute mark. I enjoyed Miku Martineau in the lead role. This was a series that grabbed me and hooked me more than expected, and it likely will for a number of viewers. This is worth checking out.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C+

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.