With the Delta variant still running rampant all over the United States, we are back to figuring out how to entertain ourselves at home – so let’s talk about what to watch this fall. It helps that the sun is setting earlier each night and the weather is turning quite a bit. After a summer of enjoying those evening walks and outdoor activities, we are back to evenings in front of the television. So, read through out list of what to watch this fall and plot out your evening activities.
what to watch this fall
Television Shows to check out on streaming services
Hacks
Can we all say we are the biggest Jean Smart fans? I mean, I have been since Designing Women, but some people are just getting to know her now thanks to Mare of Easttown and this show, Hacks. It’s an HBO show that only has one season and it’s fantastic. There is just one season and it’s all available on HBO Max. Jean Smart plays a comic that has been in the business for a long time and currently has a Vegas residency. Her career is in danger and she is paired with a young Hollywood writer who doesn’t necessarily want to be in Vegas writing for a comedian. It’s wonderful and if you haven’t tried it yet, get started.
Impeachment: American crime story
If you’re anywhere near my age (mid-thirties), you remember all the news coverage about Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, but when I actually try and recall the facts of the story – I come up short. American Crime Story Season 3 is covering the story in their perfect way and I can’t get enough. It’s currently airing on FX on Tuesday nights. It’s like having a history lesson play out in an interesting way. There is so much I did not know about the Clinton presidency because what middle school kid follows the news religiously like I do now? Highly recommend this (and the other two seasons as well).
black-ish
I cannot get enough of Tracee Ellis Ross in anything and everything. We started watching Black-ish on Hulu from the beginning and it’s one of our favorite sitcoms. The kids are hilarious and there are some fantastic cameos and guest appearances. There are seven seasons out so far, plus a couple of spin off shows, so it will keep you entertained for a while.
succession
If you have not yet watched the Roy family on HBO, I’m a little jealous. I wish I could start this whole show over again. But the third season is about to release in October, so it’s a perfect time to get caught up on the first two seasons. Imagine if we got full access into the drama of the Murdoch family behind Fox News in real life… that’s essentially the storyline. It’s not a factual story about them, but it seems to borrow some real life inspiration from them.
yellowstone
So, if you’ve already watched Succession and wish there was more – try Yellowstone. It’s a story of another rich family, but this time, it’s located in Montana instead of New York City. There are three seasons out of this show with a HUGE CLIFFHANGER at the end of the last season, but season four is starting in November, so you can curl up and binge this one. The scenery is incredible. Also, fair warning, it’s a little graphic in parts (especially the first scene), but the story is so good that it’s worth looking away during those scenes. We watched this on Peacock, but I think it’s also available on other streaming platforms.
Ted lasso
Back to the comedy that EVERYONE is talking about. And for good reason. First of all, Jason Sudekis needs some extra love after his lady moved on to Harry Styles. But more importantly, this is just the positive, happy show that we have all been looking for. It deserved all the Emmy love and I can’t wait to watch the second season and probably rewatch the entire series this winter. Apple TV is the only spot to get your hands on this, but you can also watch The Morning Show, so pay for it for a few months and catch up on everything available.
the Americans
This show is not new at all, but it’s one we discovered during lockdown last year. And I’d hate to give you a bunch of shows that are ongoing without giving you something to watch from beginning to end. It’s about two Russian spies living in the United States during the height of the Cold War. The entire story is fascinating and will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you like Homeland or even the old school, 24, you’ll probably fly through this. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys are fantastic and you’ll be shocked which side you are on this entire series.
only murders in the building
EEEEEEK. This new show exceeded all expectations. Who ever thought that Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short would be the threesome that you couldn’t get enough of. Maybe I’m just a sucker for a good NYC show, but this is serving up everything I was hoping for in a new fall show. Many of us have been sucked into a true crime podcast, so imagine if you were living in a spot that you could host your own…. Brilliant.
what to watch this fall for Movies
the Twilight series
Alright, hear me out. We just moved to the PNW and made our first trip to Olympic National Park. Forks. WA is one of the towns you drive through while taking a tour of the peninsula, so we were inundated with Twilight pictures and memorabilia while driving through. We couldn’t resist giving these teenage vampire/werewolf cheesy ass movies another look. Both my husband and I were thoroughly entertained for the entire series. I will admit that a lot of our entertainment came from the ridiculousness of the entire story and taunting our friends that were somehow “team Edward” but we watched all five movies over a three week period and didn’t hate it. Each movie seems to get a little weirder and weirder, but when you remember that you’re signing up for a Vampire/Werewolf young adult genre… you get what you get.
cruella
Disney does it again. Cruella is a very well done movie that tells the back story of Cruella DeVil. We waited until it was offered for free with a Disney+ subscription and watched it just a few weeks ago. We both loved it. It’s a great back story for a Disney villain and stays very true to the original 101 Dalmatians story. The casting was brilliant and the story was fantastic. I already can’t wait to watch it again.
vacation friends
I did NOT think I would ever be recommending a Jon Cena flick, but here I am. If you have been looking for a funny, ridiculous, over-the-top streaming movie, watch Vacation Friends. It was “recommended” to us on our Hulu homepage and we just said yes. The movie is completely absurd, but it was totally enjoyable and made us LOL multiple times. It’s stupid, but when you’re looking for a funny movie that allows you to shut off your brain – this is the ticket. Plus, it might make you think differently in the future about vacation friends – we’ve all made some…
Come from away
The 20th anniversary of September 11th, 2001 just happened and we weren’t really sure how to feel about it. I definitely don’t need to rewatch all the documentaries including that footage. I was a 16 year old that definitely has not forgotten every second of the things we watched on television that day. So, when I found out that Apple TV was releasing a recording of the broadway show, Come From Away, I knew that it would be the perfect thing to watch for this monumental anniversary.
For those of you who have never heard of this play (you are not alone, because it was new for me), Come From Away is a show about all the planes that were flying to the US and got rerouted to a small town in Newfoundland, Canada while the US airspace was shut down after 9/11. It’s a beautiful, true story of a town that rallied together to help the thousands of people from all over the world that were stranded there. It was always on my list to see when we lived in NYC, but it seemed extra special to watch on this anniversary in my pajamas at home so I could do something to remember that day without reliving the horror of the news.
If you have watched the Hamilton “movie” on Disney+, this is similar. It has incredible music and they were able to pay Broadway stars to put on a show during the pandemic. You may not get the chance to see this show in person, so it’s definitely worth checking out via the streaming services.
What’s On Next
Fall is the time to curl up and indulge in some of the new television, so we are definitely trying to figure out what to watch this fall. Downtown Abbey just released all seasons on Netflix and I’m tempted. We will definitely be watching the new episodes of the Morning Show on Apple TV because I love Jennifer Aniston in everything she does. Also, with Halloween around the corner, it’s time for all the seasonal movies like Hocus Pocus, Harry Potter and those bad 90s thrillers like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer.
What are you watching this fall? Tell us all your recommendations because we are happy to avoid all public activities and plant ourselves on the comfortable couch in front of the TV.
