Before parenthood, my date nights used to involve a foxy little black dress, a candlelit restaurant, a bottle of wine, and a roll in the hay. Now that we’ve got a 4-year-old and a new baby, I’m lucky if my husband and I can find an hour to watch TV in our pajamas. So on those rare nights when we can still keep our eyes open after the kids are down, we deserve some good TV. You know, something a notch above “Bachelor in Paradise.”
That’s why I’m really excited for the Fall premiere season, with frothy new comedies and tantalizing dramas arriving every week. I’ve done my research, and I’m here to share it. These 13 shows are worth a look, and hopefully at least one will become your new date night sensation (bonus: no babysitter required!).
Fall TV Preview: 13 Shows Worth Watching on Date Night
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The Grinder
Because life is better with Rob Lowe in it, you should watch this winning comedy about a TV star who quits Hollywood to join his family’s law practice. One catch: Our hero is not a real attorney. He just plays one on TV, on a hit procedural show called "The Grinder," which he believes is equivalent to graduating from law school. Dean's brother and law partner (Fred Savage from "The Wonder Years") is a hard-working family man who knows the law but could use a lesson in courtroom theatrics -- from The Grinder, naturally.
Premieres: Tuesday, September 29, on Fox
Photo: The Grinder/Twitter
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The Muppets
Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal and the rest of the gang are back in primetime and better than ever. The premise: Kermit is the executive producer of a talk show called “Up Late with Miss Piggy,” hosted by his tempestuous ex. Using the mockumentary style made famous in “The Office,” the Muppets will dish on their personal lives and relationships in cutaway interviews. While the show seems kid friendly, adults will appreciate current humor about everything from Tinder to selfies. Guest stars include Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Groban, and Laurence Fishburne.
Premieres: Tuesday, September 22, on ABC
Photo: abc.com
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Supergirl
Imagine if Superman and Lois Lane were one person and you might get someone like Kara Zor-el (Melissa Benoist), a feisty but sometimes flustered young woman working as an assistant to a Miranda Priestly-esque boss (hey there, Calista Flockhart!). Kara’s like any modern millennial -- except she just happens to have super powers that could save the world. In this refreshing update to the comic, Supergirl goes on blind dates in between rescuing airplanes and taking down aliens. Also, former Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen (Mechad Brooks) is hunky now.
Premieres: Monday, October 26, on CBS
Photo: cbs.com
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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
A single, successful lawyer (Rachel Bloom) uproots her entire life to follow (okay, lightly stalk) the ex-boyfriend who dumped her in high school. And she sings about it. (Did I mention it’s a musical comedy?) From the screenwriter of The Devil Wears Prada and 27 Dresses, this risky show could succeed wildly or fail hard, but either way it gets an A+ for originality.
Premieres: Monday, October 12, on The CW
Photo: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend/Facebook
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Scream Queens
From the twisted mind of Ryan Murphy (creator of "Glee" and "American Horror Story") comes a campy horror comedy that’s a bloody good time. Emma Roberts plays Chanel, the b*tchy head of an exclusive sorority who is forced by the Dean (Jamie Lee Curtis) to accept a pledge class of misfits. Just slightly worse: Someone is murdering sorority girls. Abigail Breslin, Nick Jonas, Niecy Nash, Ariana Grande, and Oliver Hudson round out a fun cast, for however long they survive the campus killer.
Premieres: Tuesday, September 22, on Fox
Photo: Scream Queens/Facebook
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Quantico
Who masterminded a shocking terrorist attack on New York City? The criminal investigation focuses on the new class of FBI recruits who were trained in Quantico, Virginia, including agent Alex Parrish (gorgeous and compelling Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra), who is possibly being framed for the heinous crime. The mystery unfolds each week with stories toggling between the past and present. Like a sexier “24,” "Quantico" promises edge-of-your seat action, revelations of secrets and a plot that keeps on twisting.
Premieres: Sunday, September 27, on ABC
Photo: abc.com
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Project Greenlight
After a decade-long absence, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck brought their documentary series back to give another aspiring filmmaker a chance to make a low budget movie. It's brimming with tension and drama -- and that’s just behind the camera. In the premiere episode, execs battle over diversity (spoiler alert: the contest winner is a white male) and the newly anointed director’s first order of business is to fire the project’s writer. I can’t wait to watch the fur fly as they cast the roles, crew up, and begin shooting.
Premieres: Sunday, September 13, on HBO
Photo: Project Greenlight/Facebook
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Grandfathered
From the writer of “Crazy Stupid Love” comes a comedy about Jimmy (John Stamos), a bachelor restauranteur who learns he’s not only the father of a grown son, he’s also the grandfather of an adorable baby girl. As Jimmy adjusts to these curveballs, he bonds with his son by helping him in the romance department, trying to win his baby mama’s affections. “Grandfathered” isn’t the most original show in the fall line-up, but who can resist Stamos smooching a really cute baby? Total mommy porn. Also, “Full House” reunion alert: Look for both Bob Saget and Dave Coulier to guest star.
Premieres: Tuesday, September 29, on Fox
Photo: Grandfathered/Twitter
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Angel from Hell
Who’s the weird lady following Allison (Maggie Lawson from “Psych”) and how does she know all her secrets (like how Allison got her first period at Red Lobster)? Why, it’s her guardian angel, played by a tartly funny Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester on “Glee”). Allison -- a dermatologist who works with her father (Kevin Pollak) -- could indeed use some guidance as she unloads a cheating boyfriend and tries to get her life on track after losing her mom. It would take a guardian angel to predict whether the plot will be interesting enough to sustain this "Drop Dead Diva"-ish show, but Jane Lynch’s outspoken riffs are reliably hilarious.
Premieres: Thursday, November 17, on CBS
Photo: Angel from Hell/Twitter
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Blindspot
A naked woman (Jaimie Alexander) is found alive inside a duffel bag left in Times Square. She has no memory, but is covered in fresh tattoos -- each one a clue to a criminal conspiracy that the FBI must unravel. In a TV season marked by several movie adaptations (including Minority Report and Limitless), “Blindspot” feels the most cinematic, reminiscent of Memento and The Bourne Identity. And viewers can play along at home, trying to solve the tattoo clues before the FBI does.
Premieres: Monday, September 21, on NBC
Photo: nbc.com
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Life in Pieces
If you're a fan of "Modern Family" and "Parenthood," you might like this multi-generational family comedy with a strong ensemble cast led by Dianne Wiest, James Brolin, and Colin Hanks. In one of four storylines, Hanks and Zoe Lister-Jones play first-time parents trying to figure out life with a new baby. The moment that spoke to me was when Zoe's character disobeys her OB and explores her postpartum nether regions with a hand mirror. Big mistake.
Premieres: Monday, September 21, on CBS
Photo: Life in Pieces/Facebook
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Master of None
Comedian Aziz Ansari, best known for playing Tom Haverford on "Parks and Recreation," stars in a semi-autobiographical scripted comedy about a 30ish actor trying to figure out his life. Aziz cast his real-life parents (who are not actors) to play his mom and dad, and Claire Danes (!) will guest star. I've been loving Netflix's original comedies ( "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," "Grace and Frankie," "Wet Hot American Summer") so I've got high hopes for this one.
Premieres: Friday, November 6, on Netflix
Photo: Master of None/Netflix
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The Man in the High Castle
But enough with all the comedy, how about something truly scary? Imagine a future in which the U.S. lost World War II to Germany and Japan. "The Man in the High Castle" depicts an America under fascist rule, with the only glimmer of hope coming from a mysterious newsreel that shows the allied forces actually winning the war. Where did it come from, what does it mean, and how can it help the underground resistence? Chilling images--like a giant swastika on the Times Square Jumbotron --make this one of the most talked about pilots of the fall season.
Premieres: Friday, November 20, on Amazon
