It’s always sad to see summer end, but at least we have the promise of fall TV to cheer us up. Autumn 2018 promises to be an exciting season for women-driven television projects.
Some of the most talked about series are reboots of past classics. “Murphy Brown” returns to CBS September 27 with the titular character (Candice Bergen) getting the “FYI” news team back together to report on #MeToo as well as the heavily divided political climate. And October is apparently the month of the feminist coven, as it’ll feature the debuts of the new “Charmed” (October 14, The CW) and the dark “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” update, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” (October 26, Netflix).
Plenty of comedies are making their way to the small screen this fall, too. “Camping,” the new series from “Girls” collaborators Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner, bows on HBO October 14. Starring Jennifer Garner, the show sees a Type A woman attempting — and failing — to pull off a fun camping trip to celebrate her husband’s birthday. Autumn’s network sitcoms include the Aseem Batra-created “I Feel Bad” (October 4, NBC), a portrait of a modern woman learning to accept that she’ll never be the perfect mom/wife/boss/friend/daughter, and “Single Parents” (September 26, ABC), from “New Girl” showrunner Liz Meriwether and writer-producer J.J. Philbin. It follows a group of, you guessed it, single parents helping each other as they raise their kids.
“Sorry for Your Loss” (September 18) and “Homecoming” (November 2) are among the fall’s more dramatic fare. The former is a Facebook Watch series created by Kit Steinkellner exploring the many facets of grief. Elizabeth Olsen stars as a newly widowed woman trying to move on with her life. The latter, an Amazon thriller starring Julia Roberts, centers on a caseworker who helps soldiers re-acclimate to civilian life as part of a shady organization known as the Geist Group.
Here are just some of the TV projects made by and about women premiering this fall — there are lots more to check out. All descriptions are from press materials unless otherwise noted.
September
“You” – Created by Sera Gamble and Greg Berlanti (September 9 on Lifetime)
Starring Penn Badgley, “You” is a 21st century love story that asks, “What would you do for love?” When a brilliant bookstore manager crosses paths with an aspiring writer, his answer becomes clear: anything. Using the internet and social media as his tools to gather the most intimate of details and get close to her, a charming and awkward crush quickly becomes obsession as he quietly and strategically removes every obstacle – and person – in his way. Based on Caroline Kepnes’ best-selling novel of the same name.
“The Miniaturist” (Miniseries) (September 9 on PBS)
“The Miniaturist”: BBC
In 1686, 18-year-old Nella Oortman (Anya Taylor-Joy, “The Witch”) arrives in Amsterdam to meet her wealthy merchant husband, Johannes Brandt (Alex Hassell, “Genius: Picasso”), but is instead met by his sister Marin (Romola Garai, “The Hour”). When Johannes appears, he presents her with a wedding gift: a cabinet that is a miniature replica of their home, to be furnished by an elusive Miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror what is happening within the house in unexpected ways and seem to be predicting and unraveling the future with unsettling precision. As Nella begins to uncover its secrets, and those of the Brandt household, she realizes the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the Miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?
“Swiped: Hooking Up In The Digital Age” (Documentary) – Directed by Nancy Jo Sales (September 10 on HBO)
With more than 40 million Americans currently engaging in online and app dating, this $2.5-billion industry is rapidly changing the rules of dating, while expanding access to potential mates for everything from “hookups” to long-term relationships. This eye-opening look at the evolving nature of sex and dating in the digital age offers candid insights from 20-somethings and experts in the field.
“The Oslo Diaries” (Documentary) – Directed by Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan (September 13 on HBO)
In 1992, with Israeli-Palestinian relations at an all-time low and any communication between the two sides punishable by jail time, a small group of Israelis and Palestinians gathered secretly in Oslo for a series of meetings that came to be known as The Oslo Accords and dramatically changed the political landscape of the Middle East. Articulated through readings of the participants’ diaries from the time and airing on the 25th anniversary of the Accords, this geopolitical story features never-before-seen archival footage and exclusive interviews with key players, including the last on-camera conversation with former Israeli president Shimon Peres.
“Sorry for Your Loss” – Created and Written by Kit Steinkellner (September 18 on Facebook Watch)
“Sorry for Your Loss”
“Sorry for Your Loss” stars Elizabeth Olsen as Leigh Shaw, a young widow struggling to put her life back together in the wake of her husband’s unexpected death. Simultaneously devastating and uplifting, the series dives into grief as an unavoidable, universal, transformative part of life. Leigh’s journey will teach us that grief is not something merely to endure, medicate away or “muscle through,” but an essential part of the human experience.
“Dead Lucky” – Created by Ellie Beaumont and Drew Proffitt (September 20 on Sundance Now)
When an armed robber with a history of murder resurfaces in Sydney, an under pressure Sergeant Gibbs (Rachel Griffiths) and her trainee, Charlie Fung (Yoson An), race to catch him before he wreaks havoc across the city.
“Jane Fonda in Five Acts” (Documentary) – Directed by Susan Lacy (September 24 on HBO)
“Jane Fonda in Five Acts”
Girl next door, sex icon, activist, fitness tycoon, Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda has lived a life marked by controversy, tragedy, and transformation – and she’s done it all in the public eye. From award-winning documentarian Susan Lacy, “Jane Fonda in Five Acts” is an intimate look at one woman’s singular journey.
“Single Parents” – Created by J.J. Philbin and Liz Meriwether (September 26 on ABC)
“Single Parents”
This ensemble comedy follows a group of single parents as they lean on each other to help raise their 7-year-old kids and maintain some kind of personal lives outside of parenthood. The series begins when the group meets Will (Taran Killam), a 30-something guy who’s been so focused on raising his daughter that he’s lost sight of who he is as a man. When the other single parents see just how far down the rabbit hole of PTA, parenting, and princesses Will has gone, they band together to get him out in the dating world and make him realize that being a great parent doesn’t mean sacrificing everything about your own identity.
“Murphy Brown” – Created by Diane English (September 27 on CBS)
“Murphy Brown”: Cliff Lipson/CBS
Amid a divided nation, chaotic national discourse, and rampant attacks on the press, Murphy Brown (Candice Bergen) decides to return to the airwaves and recruits her “FYI” team: lifestyle reporter Corky Sherwood (Faith Ford), investigative journalist Frank Fontana (Joe Regalbuto), and her former wunderkind news producer, Miles Silverberg (Grant Shaud). Joining them is social media director Pat Patel (Nik Dodani), who is tasked with bringing Murphy and the team into the 21st century. Murphy’s millennial son, Avery (Jake McDorman), shares his mother’s competitive spirit and quick wit, and is following in her journalistic footsteps — perhaps too closely. Now back in the game, Murphy is determined to draw the line between good television and honest reporting, proving that the world needs her now more than ever.
October
“I Feel Bad” – Created by Aseem Batra (October 4 on NBC)
“I Feel Bad”: Evans Vestal Ward/NBC
Emet (Sarayu Blue) is the perfect mom, boss, wife, friend, and daughter. Okay, she’s not perfect. In fact, she’s just figuring it out like the rest of us. Sure, she feels bad when she has a sexy dream about someone other than her husband, or when she pretends not to know her kids when they misbehave in public, or when she uses her staff to help solve her personal problems. But that’s okay, right? Nobody can have it all and do it perfectly.
“RX Early Detection: A Cancer Journey With Sandra Lee” (Documentary) – Directed by Cathy Chermol Schrijver (October 8 on HBO)
This deeply personal short documentary follows Sandra Lee, along with those closest to her – including her sister, Kimber, and her longtime partner, NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo – as she faces a cancer diagnosis following a routine annual exam.
“All American” – Created by April Blair (October 10 on The CW)
When a star high school football player from South Central is recruited to play for Beverly Hills High School, two separate worlds collide.
“Light as a Feather” (October 12 on Hulu)
“Light as a Feather” follows five teenage girls as they deal with the supernatural fallout stemming from an innocent game of “Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board.” When the girls start dying off in the exact way that was predicted, the survivors must figure out why they’re being targeted — and whether the evil force hunting them down is one of their own.
“Camping” – Created by Lena Dunham and Jennifer Konner (October 14 on HBO)
“Camping”: HBO
“Camping” follows married couple Kathryn and Walt (Jennifer Garner and David Tennant), who have planned a delightful weekend “back to nature” for Walt’s 45th birthday. But when the camping trip gathers Kathryn’s meek sister, holier-than-thou ex-best friend, and a free-spirited tagalong in one place, it becomes a weekend of tested marriages and woman-on-woman crime that won’t soon be forgotten.
“Charmed” – Written by Jessica O’Toole and Amy Rardin (October 14 on The CW)
“Charmed”: The CW
This fierce, funny, feminist reboot of the original series centers on three sisters (Melonie Diaz, Madeleine Mantock, and Sarah Jeffery) in a college town who discover they are witches. Between vanquishing supernatural demons, tearing down the patriarchy, and maintaining familial bonds, a witch’s work is never done.
“Wanderlust” (October 19 on Netflix)
“Wanderlust”
“Wanderlust” presents an authentic, multi-generational story about the complexities of love, grief, family, and marriage when a relatable couple living a suburban lifestyle tries something unorthodox. Toni Collette plays Joy Richards, a therapist trying to find a way to keep the spark alive with her husband after a cycling accident causes them to reassess their relationship. As we meet her family, friends, neighbors, and clients, remarkable yet relatable stories of love, lust, and forbidden desire emerge.
“Stolen Daughters: Kidnapped By Boko Haram” (Documentary) – Directed by Karen Edwards and Gemma Atwal (October 22 on HBO)
In 2014, 276 Nigerian school girls were kidnapped from a school in Chibok, Northern Nigeria, and hidden in the vast Sambisa forest for three years by Boko Haram, a violent Islamic insurgent movement. Granted exclusive access to the 82 girls who were freed last year and taken to a secret government safe house in the capitol of Abuja, “Stolen Daughters” reveals how the young women are adapting to life after their traumatic imprisonment and how the Nigerian government is handling their reentry into society.
“Legacies” – Created by Julie Plec (October 25 on The CW)
“Legacies” tells the story of the next generation of supernatural beings at The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted, where 17-year-old Hope Mikaelson (Danielle Rose Russell) and others come of age in the most unconventional way possible, nurtured to be their best selves — in spite of their worst impulses — under the watchful eye of headmaster Alaric Saltzman (Matthew Davis). (Deadline)
“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” (October 26 on Netflix)
“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”: Netflix
“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” imagines the origin and adventures of “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult, and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of “Rosemary’s Baby” and “The Exorcist,” this adaptation finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family, and the daylight world humans inhabit. (Deadline)
“Busy Tonight” (Talk Show) – Hosted by Busy Philipps (October 28 on E!)
“Busy Tonight” will feature everyone’s favorite unfiltered Hollywood best friend giving her hilarious and outspoken opinions on the latest pop culture stories and trending topics with candid celebrity guest interviews and original comedic segments.
November
“Homecoming” (November 2 on Amazon)
“Homecoming”: Amazon
Heidi Bergman (Julia Roberts) is a caseworker at the Homecoming Transitional Support Center, a Geist Group facility helping soldiers transition back to civilian life. Walter Cruz (Stephan James) is one of these soldiers, eager to begin the next phase of his life. Overseeing Heidi and the facility is Colin Belfast (Bobby Cannavale), an ambitious company man whose manic demands point to questionable motives. Four years later, Heidi has started a new life, living with her mother (Sissy Spacek) and working as a small-town waitress, when a Department of Defense auditor (Shea Whigham) comes to her with questions about why she left the Homecoming facility. Heidi begins to realize that there’s a whole other story behind the one she’s been telling herself.
“Clique” – Created by Jess Brittain (November 7 on Pop)
Childhood soulmates Georgia and Holly are only a few weeks into the so-called best years of their lives at university in Edinburgh, when Georgia (Aisling Franciosi) gets drawn into the elite clique of alpha-girls, led by lecturer Jude McDermid (Louise Brealey). Jude’s brand of feminism is alluring, just like the circle of bright students she surrounds herself with. Georgia’s effortless entry into the clique leaves Holly (Synnove Karlsen) out in the cold. But Holly’s jealousy soon escalates to panic as Georgia begins acting erratically. Alarmed by this transformation in her best friend, Holly is compelled to follow her into Jude’s closely guarded circle. What she discovers is a seductive world of lavish parties, populated by Edinburgh’s highest-powered businessmen and women. But it’s a world underpinned by sordid compromise, and as Holly exposes its deeply corrupt core, the danger mounts from all angles, for her and Georgia.
“My Brilliant Friend” – Written by Elena Ferrante, Laura Paolucci, Saverio Costanzo, and Francesco Piccolo (November TBA on HBO)
“My Brilliant Friend”: HBO
“My Brilliant Friend” tells the story of Elena Greco, a now-elderly woman who discovers the most important friend in her life, Raffaella “Lila” Cerullo, seems to have disappeared without a trace. A writer, immersed in a house full of books, Greco turns on her computer and starts writing the story of their tempestuous friendship, starting from the point when Elena met Lila during their first year of primary school in 1950. Set in a dangerous and fascinating Naples, their story goes on to cover more than 60 years of their lives as Elena tries to describe the mystery of Lila, her brilliant friend and — in a way — her best friend, and worst enemy.
“We Are Not Done Yet” (Documentary) – Directed by Sareen Hairabedian (November TBA on HBO)
This documentary follows veterans and active-duty service members from varied backgrounds who come together to combat their traumas through the written word in a USO-sponsored arts workshop at Walter Reed National Military Hospital. Sharing fears, vulnerabilities, and victories via poetry becomes a process for bonding, empowerment, and healing that culminates in a live performance of a collaborative poem at Washington, D.C.’s Lansburgh Theater.
