Entertainment

The 20 Most Anticipated TV Shows Returning This Fall

EntertainmentPublished Sep 23, 2019
By Martha Sorren
Olivia Colman in The CrownSophie Mutevelian/Netflix

In case no one told ya, the fall season is peak TV season. Modern Family, Silicon Valley, and Arrow are among the fan faves that are drawing to a close, with other series -- like The Walking Dead -- set to experience major casting shake-ups in this upcoming season. (It's going to be hard losing longtime character Michonne, played by Danai Gurira.) Regardless of the beloved television show that tickles folks' fancy, there's nothing more lovely than cozying up on the couch with some apple cider, a snuggly blanket, and our DVR full of shows.

In anticipation of what's to come throughout September, October, and November, Rotten Tomatoes took a survey of its users to see what they were most excited about. The agreed-upon top anticipated fall TV shows for 2019 include tons of returning favorites. Plus, several of the upcoming series are ending this year, and fans are eagerly awaiting the fates of their favorite characters -- or perhaps dreading the end in sight.

A couple of the shows on this list have already started airing, like American Horror Story: 1984, and Mindhunter, which means interested parties can go watch them ASAP. Fans will have to wait for most of the other shows, with many of them airing in late September or early October.

So without further ado, here's a look at 20 of the most anticipated television shows returning this fall.

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20: 'The Simpsons'-placeholder
20: 'The Simpsons'
20th Century Fox Film Corporation

20: 'The Simpsons'

Where to Watch: Fox

This satirical cartoon take on an everyday American family is the longest-running scripted show, according to USA Today. The adventures of Homer and his wife, Marge, along with their children -- Bart, Lisa, and Maggie -- and a host of quirky townspeople has stretched on for over 600 episodes.

Season 31 of The Simpsons premieres September 29.

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19. '9-1-1'
Fox Network

19. '9-1-1'

Where to Watch: Fox

Ryan Murphy, who has helped create such shows as Glee, Pose, and American Horror Story, also co-created 9-1-1. The drama follows both 911 call center employees and the firefighters, paramedics, and police officers who respond to emergency situations in Los Angeles. Each episode has a harrowing new case with lives that need saving, and some are even based on true stories

Season three premieres on September 23.

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18. 'Silicon Valley'-placeholder
18. 'Silicon Valley'
HBO

18. 'Silicon Valley'

Where to Watch: HBO

Silicon Valley follows a group of men who work at a startup tech company. Deadline reported that, after six seasons, the show will come to an end this year. The final seven episodes (a shorter season for the show than usual) will play on HBO this fall. 

The final season premieres on October 27.

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17. 'The Blacklist'
Virginia Sherwood/NBC

17. 'The Blacklist'

Where to Watch: NBC

In The Blacklist, a high-profile criminal (James Spader) agrees to work with an FBI rookie (Megan Boone) to catch other criminals in exchange for immunity. The two form a unique and complex crime-fighting team.

Season seven premieres October 4.

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16. 'The Rookie'-placeholder
16. 'The Rookie'
ABC

16. 'The Rookie'

Where to Watch: ABC

Castle star Nathan Fillion plays John Nolan in this new show. John decides to join the LAPD as a rookie, even though he's decidedly older than most of his team, which often leads to conflict. But he's still out there doing his best to protect the citizens of Los Angeles.

Season two premieres September 29.

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15. 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'-placeholder
15. 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'
Peter Kramer/NBC

15. 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'

Where to Watch: NBC

Law & Order: SVU has been running for 20 years and is coming up on its 21st season. Along the way, some characters have come and gone, but Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson has been there from the beginning -- solving the types of crimes no one wants to even think about. She's the only original character still on the show two decades later.

Season 21 premieres September 26.

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14. 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'
Patrick McElhenney/FXX Networks

14. 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'

Where to Watch: FXX

Everyone's an anti-hero in this sitcom about five friends who run a bar in Philadelphia. The whole premise of the show is that these characters are pretty terrible, but viewers secretly love them anyway. 

Season 14 premieres September 25.

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13. 'The Good Doctor'
ABC

13. 'The Good Doctor'

Where to Watch: ABC

Bates Motel actor Freddie Highmore stars in The Good Doctor as Shaun Murphy. Shaun has autism and savant syndrome, which allows him to be extremely proficient as a surgeon, though he struggles in other areas of his life, like with personal connections. The show is popular among viewers who've given the series an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Season three premieres September 23.

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12. 'Arrow'-placeholder
12. 'Arrow'
The CW

12. 'Arrow'

Where to Watch: The CW

This superhero show follows vigilante Oliver Queen as he uses his bow and arrow to clean up crime in his city. Arrow is heading into its eighth and final season and plans to bring back a fan favorite character for its swan song season. TV Line reported that Oliver’s sister, Thea, is slated to return for several episodes.

Season eight premieres October 15.

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11. 'NCIS'-placeholder
11. 'NCIS'
Sonja Flemming/CBS

11. 'NCIS'

Where to Watch: CBS

NCIS stands for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The show, which is a police procedural, follows a group of special agents who handle crimes that have to do with any Navy or Marine employees. It's been running on CBS since 2003 and still appears to be going strong.

Season 17 premieres September 24.

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10. 'Rick and Morty'-placeholder
10. 'Rick and Morty'
Adult Swim

10. 'Rick and Morty'

Where to Watch: Adult Swim

This popular animated show follows a scientist named Rick and his grandson Morty through all their various adventures. The show has been off the air since 2017, so fans are eagerly awaiting its next installment this fall.

Season four returns in November.

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9. 'Jack Ryan'-placeholder
9. 'Jack Ryan'
Jonny Cournoyer/Amazon/Paramount Production

9. 'Jack Ryan'

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime

This CIA thriller is based on characters created by author Tom Clancy. It stars John Krasinski who has moved on from his days in The Office sitcom to more dramatic action projects, like Jack Ryan.

Season two premieres November 1.

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8. 'The Crown'
Sophie Mutevelian/Netflix

8. 'The Crown'

Where to Watch: Netflix

The Crown chronicles the life of Queen Elizabeth II from childhood through present day. The first two seasons followed her early years as queen, with the role played by Claire Foy. Season three will introduce a more middle-aged Queen Elizabeth played by Olivia Coleman

Season three of The Crown premieres November 17.

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7. 'The Flash'-placeholder
7. 'The Flash'
The CW

7. 'The Flash'

Where to Watch: The CW

Barry Allen's speedy superpowers help him take on evil in his hometown under the guise of his superhero identity, The Flash. Each season introduces new villains for The Flash and his friends to defeat.

Season six premieres October 8.

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6. 'The Walking Dead'
Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

6. 'The Walking Dead'

Where to Watch: AMC

After 10 seasons, a group of survivors is still trying to escape the ever-increasing horde of zombies that are out for brains. The Walking Dead had a major casting shake-up last season when star Andrew Lincoln, who played Rick Grimes, exited the series. The upcoming season will also lose a main character: Danai Gurira is leaving the show in Season 10.

Season 10 of TWD premieres October 6.

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5. 'Modern Family'-placeholder
5. 'Modern Family'
ABC

5. 'Modern Family'

Where to Watch: ABC

After 10 years, Modern Family is coming to a close after season 11. For a decade, the ABC sitcom has chronicled the lives of three interconnected families. Viewers got to watch their favorite characters grow up, get married, and have children, but now it's all coming to an end. It'll be interesting to see how the writers choose to wrap up these beloved characters' story lines in the final episodes.

Season 11 of Modern Family premieres September 25.

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4. 'This Is Us'
Ron Batzdorff/NBC

4. 'This Is Us'

Where to Watch: NBC

The award-winning drama series follows the Pearson family through three generations. This Is Us is filled with twists and flashbacks that can make viewers rethink everything they thought they knew about the characters. It was recently renewed for three more seasons, so viewers will get to keep up with the Pearsons for a while longer.

Season four premieres September 24.

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3. 'The Good Place'-placeholder
3. 'The Good Place'
Colleen Hayes/NBC

3. 'The Good Place'

Where to Watch: NBC

The final season of The Good Place airs this fall. Creator Michael Schur told TV Line that he's had the ending planned since season two, and viewers will get to watch it play out soon. The series follows a group of friends who find themselves in the afterlife who are sent to "The Good Place," which wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Kristen Bell stars.

Season four premieres September 26.

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2. 'Mindhunter'-placeholder
2. 'Mindhunter'
Patrick Harbron/Netflix

2. 'Mindhunter'

Where to Watch: Netflix

Mindhunter follows two FBI agents who profile serial killers. The chilling series is based on a true story and features terrifying details about history's most prolific serial killers. Two seasons of Mindhunter are currently streaming on Netflix.

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1. 'American Horror Story: 1984'-placeholder
1. 'American Horror Story: 1984'
FX Network

1. 'American Horror Story: 1984'

Where to Watch: FX

The ninth installment of American Horror Story premiered on September 18. This year's theme is "1984," and it takes place at a remote summer camp in California. The season takes tons of inspiration from classic '80s slasher films, so it's the perfect pre-Halloween show to watch.

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