Sure, we all start the fall TV season with good intentions, but with 100 shows premiering this fall, you’d have to be a human DVR to keep up. Besides, not every show (sorry, Manhattan Love Story) is necessarily worth the time investment. Here are the 16 best-reviewed shows of the fall — some new, some returning, all Certified Fresh — and where to watch them right now.
What It’s About: Annie (Casey Wilson) and Jake (Ken Marino) are a longtime couple who encounter a series of omens en route to the altar.
What Critics Think: Marry Me‘s premise may be simple, but the talents of stars Casey Wilson and Ken Marino — and a top-notch supporting cast — push it past other rom-coms.
Where to Watch:
What It’s About: In Bravo’s first scripted series, a famous self-help author (Lisa Edelstein) faces single life with the help of her divorced friends.
What Critics Think: Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce has a familiar Housewives feel, but it transcends genre tropes with Lisa Edelstein’s witty, hurt-filled performance — and a premise perfect for its network’s target demographic.
Where to Watch:
Vudu,
Hulu,
What It’s About: Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) takes a post as the CIA Station Chief in Kabul, where she quickly learns the high price of power.
What Critics Think: Homeland is back on top, with a renewed energy and focus not seen since its first season.
Where to Watch:
What It’s About: The ACN “News Night” team tries to stay afloat in the midst of bad ratings and hostile management.
What Critics Think: With an energetic new arc and deeper character development, The Newsroom finds itself rejuvenated in its third season — even if it still occasionally serves as a soapbox for creator Aaron Sorkin.
Where to Watch:
What It’s About: After a 10-year hiatus, Valerie Cherish (Lisa Kudrow) is back on reality TV, trying to jumpstart her career with a new Paulie G project.
What Critics Think: Substantially similar to its predecessor in all the best ways, The Comeback‘s resurrection thrives on Lisa Kudrow’s starring performance as Valerie Cherish.
Where to Watch:
What It’s About: A father (Anthony Anderson) worries that his four children are losing touch with their African-American identity by growing up in a mostly-white, wealthy neighborhood.
What Critics Think: Although it seems uncertain of its target audience, black-ish ingratiates with a diverse cast and engaging cultural issues.
Watch Now:
Vudu,
Hulu,
What It’s About: Law professor Professor Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) entangles her students with a real-life application of her lesson plans.
What Critics Think: How to Get Away with Murder isn’t conceptually original, but it delivers thrills with melodramatic twists and a captivating lead.
Where to Watch:
Vudu,
What It’s About: A dark entity threatens the safety of townsfolk and carnival freaks alike in 1950s Florida.
What Critics Think: Though it may turn off new viewers unaccustomed to its unabashed weirdness, Freak Show still brings the thrills, thanks to its reliably stylish presentation and game cast.
Where to Watch:
Vudu,
Hulu,
What It’s About: In this Batman prequel set in the corruption of Gotham City, Detectives Jim Gordon (Benjamin McKenzie) and Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) investigate the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents.
What Critics Think: High production values, a talented cast, and an appealingly stylized approach to the Batman mythos help Gotham overcome its occasionally familiar themes.
Where to Watch:
Vudu,
What It’s About: The story of an extramarital affair between a Montauk waitress (Ruth Wilson) and a New York City novelist (Dominic West) unfolds through the subjective viewpoints of its two participants.
What Critics Think: Thanks to some smart, creative storytelling and spectacular performances, The Affair is a somber, bewitching exploration of truth and desire.
Where to Watch:
What It’s About: Eight years after the disappearance of his young son, Tony Hughes (James Nesbitt) returns to France to uncover more clues.
What Critics Think: The Missing turns a common premise into a standout thriller with heartfelt, affecting performances.
Where to Watch:
What It’s About: After a freak explosion at S.T.A.R. Labs, scientist Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) develops superhuman speed.
What Critics Think: The Flash benefits from its purposefully light atmosphere, making it a superhero show uniquely geared toward genre fans as well as novices.
Where to Watch:
Vudu,
What It’s About: Rick and Co. find themselves in more post-apocalyptic zombie peril, as questions of right and wrong become even more complicated.
What Critics Think: Thanks to a liberal dose of propulsive, bloody action and enough compelling character moments to reward longtime fans, The Walking Dead‘s fifth season continues to deliver top-notch entertainment.
Where to Watch:
Vudu,
What It’s About: A patriarch of a well-to-do L.A. family (Jeffrey Tambor) comes out to his adult children as a woman named Maura.
What Critics Think: As much about a change in television as it is about personal change, Transparent raises the bar for programming with sophistication and sincere dedication to the human journey, warts and all.
Where to Watch:
What It’s About: After a shocking twist, Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) is back in the courtroom and contemplating her political future.
What Critics Think: Though in its sixth season, The Good Wife remains one of network television’s best shows with sharp writing, vibrant characters, and high production values.
Where to Watch:
Vudu,
What It’s About: A young woman (Gina Rodriguez) finds herself accidentally inseminated after a routine visit to the OB-GYN goes sideways.
What Critics Think: Jane the Virgin‘s dubious premise has become part of its unlikely charm — along with delightfully diverse writing and a knockout performance by Gina Rodriguez.
Where to Watch:
Vudu,
