6 Of The Best Grownup TV Shows This Fall

There's truly something for everyone.

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AARP (HBO; Netflix; Prime; Apple TV+; HBO)

When the leaves change, it’s beautiful but also full of raking, lunch making, homework to worry about and so many other things. Thankfully a new lineup of great shows are going to drop this fall to help us laugh, or cry, for a little while. Here are some shows I’m looking forward to escaping into. There’s tense drama, a little mystery, lots of laughs and some meta-casting that brings an interesting mix of real life into the reel lives.

It’s a good season to pop some popcorn and enjoy a cozy night inside.

Sharon Horgan seated at an office desk holding a smartphone in the television show, "Youth."
Sharon Horgan in "Youth" on HBO.
HBO

'Youth' (HBO) — Sharon Horgan is on her way to Reese Witherspoon status as she writes, produces, and acts in her upcoming series 'Youth.' I loved her previous show 'Bad Sisters' and 'Youth' looks to be a comedy that boasts her signature drama-with-a-smirk, while perhaps plumping up the laughs a bit more than her previous shows. It also stars Cillian Murphy’s real-life son, Aran, adding an extra layer of Hollywood legacy to the mix.

Horgan plays a divorced woman searching for love, or at least sex, while also taking care of her aging parents and parenting her not quite fully adult son. This show looks like it will be one we can not only relate to, but feel like we’re living right alongside Horgan, only she gets to take care of the details of her world, not us.

Sienna Miller and Dominic West standing inside a wood-paneled elevator in the television show, "War."
Sienna Miller and Dominic West in "War" on HBO.
HBO

'War' (HBO) — HBO seems to have divorce on its mind. I’m hopeful that Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) in HBO’s 'The Gilded Age’s' season 4 will not be losing everything she’s worked so hard for this fall, and I can’t wait to see Sienna Miller and Dominic West star in their bold new legal drama that’s all about the biggest divorce case for two of London’s top firms. Where 'The Gilded Age' takes us back in time, 'War' is modern aristocracy splitting at the seams. When someone wins big, that means others will have to lose, but this show is going to be one heck of a fight to watch.

Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson stand together at a microphone in the television show, "Brothers."
Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in "Brothers" on Apple TV+.
Apple TV+

'Brothers' (Apple TV+) — Small screens are now where we get to spend time with our Oscar-winning stars and this show offers eight episodes of hanging out with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. They play fictionalized versions of themselves who may actually be brothers but never knew it. Holland Taylor plays Matthew’s mom who lets the secret slip. Harrelson’s character brings his family out to McConaughey’s ranch for an extended holiday, thinking it would be a great getaway from their problems, while spending time with his best friend. Then the ball drops and we get to see them work out feelings while juggling life. Blending their real lives and lore with the current zeitgeist, this show promises to be something to tune in for and rediscover these two mega stars in a new way.

Maria Sten standing engages in a conversation with Greyston Holt in television show, "Neagley."
Maria Sten and Greyston Holt in "Neagley"
Sabrina Lantos/Prime

'Neagley' (Amazon Prime Video) — If you loved Maria Sten’s character, Frances Neagley, in 'Reacher,' she’s got her own show now. Executive produced by original author Lee Child, this sharp spin-off lets the fan-favorite investigator step out from Jack’s massive shadow. Instead of replacing the original, you get overlapping shows with Reacher’s Alan Ritchson guest starring in 'Neagley' just after the latest season of his show drops on the platform. This new eight-part season focuses on Neagley putting herself in danger to find justice for a dear friend who she discovers was killed in a suspicious accident. She’s learned a lot from Jack Reacher and this show will let her shine in the spotlight, hopefully showing a tad more equality and justice for women everywhere.

Kadeem Hardison and Jada Pinkett Smith walk along a pathway outdoors in the television series, "A Different World."
Kadeem Hardison and Jada Pinkett Smith in "A Different World" on Netflix.
Netflix

'A Different World' (Netflix) — Debbie Allen is back behind a show she turned into a cultural phenomenon. If you grew up watching the original 'A Different World,' you can tune in for the nostalgia or see what your kids are watching and learning about in college. With many original cast members returning, this show aims for a multigenerational audience or those curious about how the new one stacks up against the original. With 10 fresh episodes, the new 'A Different World' promises to tackle issues we’re dealing with now, from changing college cultures, mental health issues, to financial realities. It might foster some great conversations along with the laughs.

'Newlyweds' (NBC/Peacock) — The irony of the title could be a glimpse into how great this show is going to be. Téa Leoni and Tim Daly being a real-life couple who’ve already played a couple on another show know a thing or two about the diplomatic relations of sharing a bathroom. They get to start anew once more in a new setting, where their opposites-attract characters impulsively get hitched after a whirlwind courtship. With Jamie Lee Curtis as a co-creator and co-star, I can’t wait to see the scene stealing and all around chemistry. This promises to be a feel good, bingeable, old fashioned comedy that puts the Leoni-Daly marriage on display even after the cameras are put away, much like an 'I Love Lucy' from the golden age of TV.

Which of the above are YOU looking forward to watching? Let us know in the comments below.

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