Fall TV has just started trickling out, but it’s October when things really kick off. And here at Fangirlish, we’re more than excited. We love procedurals. We also love our spooky shows that come with a Halloween vibe. And hey, if there’s some good animation around, we won’t say no. It’s a little too early to prepare for Christmas, but anything else is fair game.
The list of what returns in October is long. Like really, really long. Overwhelmingly so. And we can’t watch everything. I mean, we can try, but we probably can’t. So, here are our recommendations for what to watch in this upcoming month. And you better get that DVR ready, because even if this list includes only our top picks, that’s still a lot of TV.
NCISverse
That’s cheating, you’ll say! The NCISverse includes four running shows, with 3 coming back in October. But we really can’t pick. NCIS ended on quite a cliffhanger, and it’s bringing Michael Weatherly back as Tony DiNozzo to lure fans in. As if that’s not enough, NCIS: Origins is bringing back Mark Harmon himself as Gibbs. Plus, NCIS: New York is LL Cool J’s return to the role of Sam Hanna. We’re going to have to watch them all.
When and where: Catch them on CBS starting Tuesday, October 6. NCIS airs at 8 ET, NCIS: New York follows at 9 ET, with NCIS: Origins closing out the night at 10 ET. New episodes will air on Tuesdays after that.
One Chicago
You can’t separate the Chicago shows, either. Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. not only air back-to-back, but they often bring in characters from the other shows for mini-crossovers. Oh, and they typically give us one big crossover for the season. You might like one more than the other, but there’s something about visiting just one universe for the night and knowing you don’t have to think about anything else.
When and where: Catch them on NBC starting Wednesday, October 7. Chicago Med airs at 8 ET, Chicago Fire follows at 9 ET, and Chicago P.D. closes out the night at 10 ET. New episodes will air on Wednesdays after that.
Eternally Yours
We thought we’d had enough of vampires, but maybe we can compromise for funny vampires. Eternally Yours is giving Ghosts vibes, in the best way. Except, you know, with vampires instead of Ghosts. And since we cannot have our favorite ghosts back since midseasons, we’ll give the vampires a try.
When and where: The series premieres Thursday, October 8 at 8:30 ET on CBS, with new episodes airing on Thursdays after that.
Cupertino
Wherever the Kings lead, we shall follow. Cupertino is a legal show set in California, but don’t think this will be anything like what you’ve seen before. And we’re not just saying that because Mike Coulter in a suit is something different. This is a David vs. Goliath kind of show, and it’s always fun to see David win.
When and where: Cupertino premieres on Thursday, October 8, at 10 ET on CBS. New episodes will air on Thursday after that.
Avatar: Seven Havens
More Avatar? Sign us up! We already consumed Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, and the recent movie, and we’ll continue to follow this universe blindly. And if for some reason you’ve never checked out the show, this isn’t kids’ animation, not really. Anyone can enjoy it, and it’s never too late to get into it. We promise.
When and where: The first 3 episodes will premiere on Paramount+ on October 9, with three more episodes releasing on Friday the next three Fridays. The show has 13 episodes in total.
VisionQuest
If you loved WandaVision (who didn’t?) and Agatha All Along (we certainly did), then VisionQuest is the obvious next step. From the mind of one of our favorites, Terry Matalas (12 Monkeys remains a top show for us), comes the next chapter for our favorite android. What’s he been up to?
When and where: The show premieres with two episodes on Disney+ on October 14, with the following episodes released on Wednesdays. The season will have 8 episodes.
9-1-1
Yes, that’s a river of lava in the middle of Los Angeles. No, we can’t explain it either. But after a beenado, a tsunami, an earthquake, and Hen and Athena going to space, what’s a little lava between friends? Besides, if 9-1-1 ever stops being absurd, we won’t even know what show we’re watching. And we’re watching this one.
When and where: 9-1-1 returns to ABC for Season 10 on Thursday, October 15 at 8 ET, followed by 9-1-1: Nashville. New episodes will air on Thursdays after that.
Yaga
Sexy feminist witchy show? Count us in for Yaga! We even reviewed it already. Clark Backo and Noah Reid bring the chemistry, Carrie Ann Moss brings the allure, and Hudson Williams is here to show us a very different side of himself. Talk about a show perfect for Halloween. And considering the Kat Sandler play it’s based on, we’re ready for quite a few twists and turns.
When and where: The show premieres with two episodes on Friday, October 23 on AMC+ in the US and Crave in Canada. After that, one episode will air weekly until the two-episode season finale on November 27.
What else to check out: There’s a little bit of everything, from an upcoming season of Jail, streaming on Roku, Prime, Vizio, and Sony, to Netflix’s adaptation of the John Steinbeck classic East of Eden, without forgetting AMC+’s Kill Jackie, the new Carrie on Prime Video, Is it Cake?: Halloween on Netflix, NOVA: Evolution on PBS, and The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story on HBO Max. Basically, something for everyone!
