The 2022 Emmy Awards celebrated some of the best modern shows television has to offer. Luckily, we don’t have to wait much longer for their onscreen returns. Here are some shows to look out for new releases this fall!
Fall is the primetime season for television shows to make their hit debut or renowned return. Seeing fan favorite characters return to fictional worlds we know and love with new gripping stories to tell is often long-awaited. The return for recent TV hits comes fresh off the 2022 Emmys, where many were recognized as nominees and winners. Here’s a look at upcoming shows — and ones that have only just begun — returning to screens this season.
Abbott Elementary, Season 2
Abbott Elementary is fresh off its Emmy wins for Sheryl Lee Ralph as the character Barbara Howard (Best Supporting Comedy Actress), Quinta Brunson (Best Comedy Writing), and Best Casting for a Comedy Series. The mockumentary stylized show returned for its second season Wednesday, Sept. 21. With non-stop laughing from any Principal Ava (Janelle James) scenes to Gregory’s (Tyler James Williams) sarcastic, deadpan self, and just about every character in between, the strong ensemble really holds this workplace comedy up. The sophomore season upgrades to 22 episodes from its prior 13, allowing fans to have even more feel-good moments. While season one did a great job of establishing the characters in relation to one another and the feel of the Philadelphia elementary school setting, Brunson has promised that season two opens the atmosphere up more, offering new glimpses into some of the characters. Of course, character antics will be in full swing, including some fun cameos, like the premiere’s Philadelphia Flyers’ mascot Gritty. Plus, actor William Stanford Davis, who plays janitor Mr. Johnson, has been newly promoted to a series regular, so audiences will gladly be getting to see much more of him. And hopefully, season two will bring more of the budding romance between Janine (Brunson) and Gregory (Williams). The first episode, “Development Day,” found our favorite teachers prepping for the new year: Barbara gets a ramp in place and searches for a desk for a new handicapped student; Jacob brings his new knowledge of ASL; Gregory struggles to plan accordingly in his new full-time role; Melissa has 10 extra kids to deal with, and Janine tries her best to put on a happy front while her financial situation dwindles. There’s not too much of Ava featured, but she still manages to keep the audience cracking up. New episodes are available to watch weekly Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on ABC, and Thursdays on Hulu. HBO Max will also add season two following the finale.
The White Lotus, Season 2
The White Lotus will be coming back with its second season Oct. 30 on HBO Max. Carrying on as an anthology and departing from the previous Hawaii location, the comedy murder-mystery sets its sights on Sicily for a week, taking place at the Four Seasons San Domenico Palace Taormina. The show racked up 10 Emmy wins out of its 20 nominations, most notably including Best Limited Series, Mike White taking home Best Directing and Best Writing for a Limited/Anthology Series, Murray Bartlett winning Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series for his role as resort manager Armond, and Jennifer Coolidge for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series as guest Tanya. Coolidge will be returning to lead season two, as well as her love interest Greg, played by guest star Jon Gries. They’ll be featured alongside an entirely new cast, which stars Sabrina Impacciatore as the hotel manager, Aubrey Plaza, Michael Imperioli, Will Sharpe, Theo James, Haley Lu Richardson, and F. Murray Abraham, among other talents. Many of the cast and crew have shared that this season will be a completely different vibe from the last, with much of the location and surrounding culture having an effect on the change. HAIM singer Este Haim will also be the music consultant for the new season. Episodes are expected to follow suit with season one, premiering weekly.
Atlanta, Season 4
Donald Glover’s comedy-drama Atlanta returned for its fourth and final season on Sept. 15 with its first two episodes. After taking a detour with season three being entirely set in Europe during Paper Boi’s tour, the show will be returning to its home grounds this season. Episode one, “The Most Atlanta,” shows the core four characters getting equal screen time, refamiliarizing themselves with the setting and themes of the classic Atlanta atmosphere. Episode two, “The Homeliest Little Horse,” parallels Earn’s meaningful therapy discussions with the failing career of an aspiring author. It’s a rare sighting to see layers unfold about Earn’s background, but an episode like this reminds viewers of Glover’s insane gift for acting, and why he certainly deserved his 2022 Emmy nomination for Lead Actor in a Comedy. Hiro Murai also snagged a nomination for Best Directing for a Comedy for the episode “New Jazz.” The season will have 10 episodes, and will take time to refocus on the main four: Earn, Al “Paper Boi” (Brian Tyree Henry), Darius (Lakeith Stanfield), and Van (Zazie Beetz). With the journey they’ve been through, the season will show how far the characters have come with the experiences they’ve had, seemingly coming full circle. This show and all of its episodes are very unique, and there’s no doubt this season will be the most reflective of them all, ending in a place of familiarity. New episodes air every Thursday at 10 p.m. EST on FX and are also available on Hulu the following morning at 3 a.m. EST.
Saturday Night Live, Season 48
Saturday Night Live won the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series for the sixth year in a row. The everlasting comedy had nine nominations this year, including Bowen Yang for Supporting Actor in a Comedy and Kate McKinnon for Supporting Actress in a Comedy. Plus, the show’s longest-tenured cast member Kenan Thompson hosted the awards, putting his comedic skills front and center. The show will be returning to NBC on Oct. 1 and just recently announced its first three guest hosts and music acts. Actor Miles Teller will be opening the season with Kendrick Lamar, followed by actor Brendan Gleeson and Willow on Oct. 8, and Megan Thee Stallion pulling double duty on Oct. 15. During his acceptance speech, creator Lorne Michaels stated the new season will be a “transition year,” as many stars such as McKinnon, Pete Davidson, Kyle Mooney, and Aidy Bryant have departed the show. The season will be welcoming four new stars to its roster: Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow, Marcello Hernandez, and Molly Kearney. The show will have its usual Saturday 11:30 p.m. EST slot, as well as the next day on Peacock. The season premiere will also air live on Peacock.
Nailed It!, Season 7
Nominated for Outstanding Competition Program and Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program for Nicole Byer, Nailed It! will be returning to Netflix for its seventh season on Oct. 5. The bake-off reality show has become a staple for the streaming platform, consistently upping its previous season. This year, the season will be focused on all-things Halloween and will feature surprises from some popular Netflix shows. Despite its typical six to eight episodes, season seven will be capped at four episodes at about 45 minutes each. It will continue its classic method of having three bakers compete and recreate elaborate cakes from the internet for a $10,000 prize. Season seven will be sure to emphasize the Halloween meaning of “trick or treat.”
Catch these highly anticipated shows and a lot more hits returning to screens this fall!
