7 TV and Streaming Shows You Should Binge-Watch in September
Here are the shows you should catch up on before they return this month.
Bad British spies, a football player in disguise, and a dog named Colin are among the popular characters returning in must-see TV shows in September. They are joined by a newspaper staff, HBCU students, a trio of witches, and four foul-mouthed boys from a mountain town in Colorado. From Slough House to Hillman College, here are the seven streaming series you should catch up on before they continue this month.
Chad Powers (Hulu)
What it is: Glen Powell stars as disgraced quarterback Russ Holliday in this sports comedy based on a prank sketch by Eli Manning. The scripted series follows Russ as he assumes the eponymous false identity to return to the football field and play for the fictional South Georgia Catfish. He helps the team succeed within the SEC, but at a great personal cost. Chad Powers: Season 2 premieres in full on Hulu on Thursday, September 3, with six new episodes.
Why you should watch it: Powell brings his immense charm and knack for performing in disguises to the deceptive title role and elicits big laughs from a familiar premise. While college football fans will appreciate seeing such real-life SEC favorites as the Georgia Bulldogs, the short-season series appeals to anyone who enjoys a swift comedy of mistaken identity. Frankie A. Rodriguez also deserves a shoutout as Russ/Chad’s scene-stealing sidekick, Danny.
Where to watch: Hulu (subscription, Season 1)
Commitment: Approx. 3.5 hours (for Season 1)
The Paper (Peacock)
What it is: A spin-off of The Office, this mockumentary workplace sitcom follows the employees of a Midwestern newspaper called the Toledo Truth Teller. Oscar Nunez reprises his supporting role from the earlier series as accountant Oscar Martinez, whose current boss is the awkwardly virtuous new editor-in-chief of the Ohio publication. The second season of The Paper premieres in full on Peacock on Wednesday, September 9, with 10 new episodes.
Why you should watch it: If you’re a fan of The Office and the similarly structured Parks and Recreation, you will also enjoy this show from their co-creator, Greg Daniels, set in yet another Great Lakes state. The premise allows for a fresh assortment of hilarious characters, including Domhnall Gleeson’s earnest editorial lead and Sabrina Imacciatore’s scene-chewing Esmerelda Grand, who represents the worst traits in clickbait-driven online news media.
Where to watch: Peacock, Prime Video, or The Roku Channel (subscription, Season 1); buy on Prime Video, Fandango, Apple TV, and Google Play
Commitment: Approx. 5 hours (for Season 1)
Colin from Accounts (Paramount+)
What it is: Created by and starring Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer, Colin from Accounts is an Australian rom-com series about a couple who meet-cute during a car accident followed by a joint effort to save the titular stray dog they’ve injured in the wreck. The first two seasons bring the pair together as they also eventually try to adopt Colin. The third and final season premieres in full on Paramount+ on Thursday, September 10, with eight new episodes.
Why you should watch it: Brammall and Dyer being married in real life contributes to the winning chemistry of their on-screen coupling, though the disabled canine character is undoubtedly the show’s biggest charmer. The series has the remarkable distinction of maintaining a perfect Tomatometer score through its first two seasons, and Season 3 is already receiving unanimously positive reviews, so it’s time to get caught up before it ends.
Where to watch: Paramount+ (subscription, Seasons 1-2); buy on Prime Video, Fandango, Apple TV, and Google Play
Commitment: Approx. 7.5 hours (for Seasons 1-2)
Slow Horses (Apple TV)
What it is: Based on the Slough House novels by Mick Herron, this spy series is about a group of MI5 agents designated as screw-ups, led by the crude but brilliant Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). Each season deals with a unique domestic threat that only this unconventional team can fumble their way toward thwarting, albeit not without casualties. The sixth season of Slow Horses premieres on Apple TV on Wednesday, September 16.
Why you should watch it: Slow Horses is one of the best shows that’s not talked about enough. It’s a low-key dependable spy thriller with an amusingly stellar performance from Oscar-winner Oldman, who gets at least one obligatory gas-passing scene per season (and the bit never gets old). While the show can usually be picked up at any time, the new season brings back many characters from the past, making their respective seasons vital viewing.
Where to watch: Apple TV (subscription, Seasons 1-5)
Commitment: Approx. 23 hours (for Seasons 1-5)
South Park (Comedy Central)
What it is: Set in the fictional Colorado mountain town of South Park, this long-running animated sitcom satirizes everything from pop culture to politics while centering around the lives of four elementary school kids. Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny cause plenty of trouble, but in the end, they’re innocent figures amid the greater situations impacting their community. South Park: Season 29 premieres on Comedy Central on Thursday, September 17.
Why you should watch it: The show’s famous fictional setting and many iconic characters have held a mirror to the world for almost 30 years, exposing the hypocrisies of modern Americans, from the rich, famous, and powerful to the average everyday population. South Park has gone viral countless times for always having its finger on the pulse of current events and culture with its shockingly immediate send-ups and commentary.
Where to watch: Paramount+ (subscription, Seasons 1-28, plus seven specials and the feature film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut); buy on Prime Video, Fandango, Apple TV, and Google Play
Commitment: Approx. 130 hours (for Seasons 1-28, the seven specials, and the feature film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut)
American Horror Story (FX)
What it is: Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, American Horror Story is an anthology series with self-contained seasons that also cross over within a shared universe. The terror-driven show typically casts its ensembles from a company of recurring players, including Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, and Angela Bassett. The first three episodes of the 13th season, titled American Horror Story: 13, premiere on FX on Thursday, September 24.
Why you should watch it: While some seasons have been received more favorably than others, American Horror Story is consistently one of the most talked-about TV shows of the century. Its high-caliber troupe of regulars and stunt casting of celebrity guest stars such as Lady Gaga go perfectly with its scary, shocking, and camp-filled plots. The new season pulls characters from many previous installments, so it’s time to be up to date on the show.
Where to watch: Hulu and Prime Video (subscription, Seasons 1-12)
Commitment: Approx. 98 hours (for Seasons 1-12)
A Different World (Netflix)
What it is: The original run of A Different World aired as a spinoff of The Cosby Show from 1987 to 1993, initially following the character Denise Huxtable as she went off to college. The sitcom quickly became its own entity, portraying student life at a fictional historically Black university. The new sequel series, in which Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, and others reprise the roles they began almost 40 years ago, premieres on Netflix on Thursday, September 24.
Why you should watch it: Sitcom revivals tend to cater primarily to the nostalgia of their original audience, and since A Different World was a big hit in its time, launching now-returning leads Guy and Hardison to stardom, it’ll draw a significant crowd. Plenty of these sequel series also find new relevance with modern narrative and thematic focus and next-generation casts. Considering the substance of many of the old episodes, the new version should follow suit.
Where to watch: Netflix (subscription, Seasons 1-6)
Commitment: Approx. 54.5 hours (for Seasons 1-6)
Thumbnail image by John P. Fleenor/Peacock
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