We’re into October and we’re getting the full-on flood of new shows, including the heart of the Network TV season. 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.

Mondays:
Private Eyes: West Coast, Mondays at 8 p.m. on The CW (Premiered October 5)
About: This new series is a spin-off of a previous series. The show retains the same leads—Jason Priestly and Cindy Sampson—but moves from Toronto to Vancouver and changes the set up a bit. It some light, enjoyable entertainment. The cases are breezy and the rapport between the leads works well enough. If you were a fan of the original, or are a fan of Canadian dramedies, this will be for you.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

Tuesdays:
NCIS: New York, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on CBS (Premiered October 6)
About: This is the latest in the NCIS universe, but it’s relying a bit on the past. For several years, LL Cool J was the star of NCIS in Los Angeles. Now, he’s bringing that same character—Sam Hanna—to the other side of the country. This time he’s paired with Scott Caan, a native New Yorker who is looking to work with the best. The pilot featured a case that brings Sam back from his overseas undercover work and pairs him with Caan to solve a personal case. By the end, they have agreed to partner on a more permanent basis. I like the rapport and I think there’s some potential here. It’s a fine cast but feels very much like other CBS procedurals. If you’re a fan of other CBS crime dramas, this will work for you.
Pilot Grade: C+

Wednesdays:
Small Prophets, Wednesdays on Apple TV (Premiered October 7)
About: This new one for Apple TV is a show that aired earlier in the year in the U.K. It follows a simple man, Michael (Pearce Quigley), who works a simple job, cares for his father (Michael Palin), and holds out hope the girlfriend who disappeared seven years earlier will return. When her brother puts pressure on Michael to declare her dead and settle her estate, Michael is a man in need of answers. His father suggests a novel solution—growing Homunculi to help tell him the truth of his questions. So, he gives it a try. It’s a fun and simple premise, with episodes right around a half an hour. The first two dropped on Wednesday, with the rest of the six-episode season dropping weekly. I like the concept and I like the potential here, and I want to see how this all turns out.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-

Thursdays:
Eternally Yours, Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. on CBS (Premiered October 8)
About: This new sitcom comes from the team behind Ghosts and gets the Ghosts timeslot this Fall. It centers on a coven of Vampires, including a couple who have been married since the 1500s. It’s fair to say things have grown stale. When their daughter meets a human, they have to grapple with all that means. But the pilot makes some choices to set up what we have to look forward to with this series. There are some laughs. It’s a decent cast. But it felt like the pilot lacked some pop. Sometimes it takes a bit for a sitcom to get on track, but this felt like a bit of a letdown at the start.
Pilot Grade: C

War, Thursdays at 9 p.m. on HBO (Premiered October 1)
About: This new drama anthology follows a legal case from the point-of-view of two rival firms each season. This first season is a nasty divorce case between a businessman (Dominic West) and an actress (Sienna Miller). It’s also about the young lawyer (Archie Reneaux) trying to make his way by playing for both sides. It’s a fun concept, and the second episode did a nice job of setting up the potential drama and legal battle to come. I like the concept, but I am curious how they’ll stretch that to fill eight episodes, especially given how far we’ve come in the first two. But it’s a fun watch nonetheless, and a solid new Thursday option for HBO this Fall.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

Cupertino, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on CBS (Premiered October 8)
About: This is the new drama from Robert and Michelle King. It’s a legal drama, focusing on a pair of Silicon Valley lawyers (Mike Colter and Rachel Keller), who make an unlikely team after both being fired unfairly from a startup. The pilot is about their burgeoning partnership and the lawsuit against their former employer that makes it all possible. That makes it something of a question as we move into the second episode. But I loved the writing, and I loved the back-and-forth with Colter and Keller. This was the best of the pilots I’ve watched the past two months and I’m excited to see how it develops into a series this Fall. This looks like a win for CBS.
Pilot Grade: A-

Fridays:
Tip Toe, Fridays on Starz (Premiered October 2)
About: This new drama stars Alan Cumming and David Morrissey as neighbors who have a radically different view of the world. They both have some skeletons in their closet, too. Over the course of just of a week, their relationship deteriorates to the point that at the outset of the series, before we wind back, we know something tragic happened. The second episode makes quite clear what that is. But the rest of the show, from Russell Davies, is aimed at showing how it spiraled out of control. It’s a bit of a dark series concept and a bit of a tough watch. It’s only five episodes, so it’s not a long commitment. But your interest will likely depend on how much you want to sit through something this dark. This wasn’t my speed.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Avatar: Seven Havens, Streaming Fridays on Paramount+ (Premiered October 9)
About: This new series is another animated feature in the world of Avatar. It is a Nickelodeon show that steams on Paramount+. Three episodes dropped on Friday, with another three episodes dropping each of the next three weeks. The episodes are about 20 minutes, meaning it’s a quick one-hour binge a week for those interested in this story and the exploration of a new Avatar. I didn’t mind it, but I wasn’t sucked into the world. This is decidedly aimed at the fans of the franchise.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Streaming Series:
Carrie, Now Streaming on Prime Video (Premiered October 7)
About: By this point in time, we’re familiar with the story of Carrie. It’s based on the novel from Stephen King, and it’s been adapted multiple times for both theaters and television versions. But it’s previously always been adapted as a stand-alone film. This new adaptation, from Mike Flanagan, is an eight-episode limited series. It’s a new take on the material and an expansion of the world. Summer Howell is great as Carrie White, while Samantha Sloyan does a nice job as her mother. The rest of the cast, which includes Matthew Lillard, Rahul Kohli, and Amber Midthunder, among others, does a great job bringing some fresh life and intrigue into the series. I liked the way Flanagan adapted the story. He’s no stranger to a good horror limited series, or to adapting King’s works. He uses his skills here to make something that is fun and seasonal to binge. The series is eight episodes, each between 45 minutes and an hour. It makes for a great, quick watch.
Pilot Grade: B+
Second Episode: B

Below, Now streaming on Netflix (Premiered October 8)
About: This new series finds Josh Hartnett as a father and a fisherman living a small Newfoundland village of Snook’s Arm. It’s a place where plenty of strange things have happened over the years in the bay. When more strange things begin happening, it’s clear something is in the water. That’s right, this is a mysterious sea monster story! It also featured Mackenzie Davis and Charlie Heaton, among others. All of them are sporting some great accents, including Harnett. The series is just six episodes, each around 45 minutes or less. In fact, four of them are less than 40 minutes. It’s a quick binge and a fun idea that makes for some good, seasonal fun. This is a great binge and an easy watch.
Pilot Grade: B
Second Episode: B

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.