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October TV Premieres

By Mario Wario, Alyssa, & DRWHO42

A dash of TV, one giant couch, grab the remote, the month of October has begun. Just, like, this…
As we get ready for Halloween, it is also time to see what is premiering in the world of television for this month. Old and new, this time of the year, October always has a lot to bring. So much that we are picking our favorite shows, our top two picks each for a total of six. Plus, a few others being listed down below that didn’t make our top spots.

Before we get to that, here is the run-down of a few series that are returning. For instance, the usual fan favorites over at The CW, the DCTV universe sees the return of The Flash (4th season), Legends of Tomorrow (3rd season), Arrow (6th season), and Supergirl (3rd season). Meanwhile, based upon the characters from the Archie Comics series, Riverdale comes back for its second adventure. On USA, Mr. Robot comes rolling along for a third time and of course, ‘slowly’ coming back for number eight, we can’t forget AMC’s The Walking Dead. Going to a galaxy far, far away…Star Wars Rebels strikes back on Disney XD for its fourth and final season to rebel against the Empire. And you better go grab those frozen waffles, because Stranger Things (Netflix) comes in a like a ninja to blow your mind for another year. Other shows returning include Lucifer, Van Helsing, Once Upon a Time, The Shannara Chronicles, Dirk Gently, Good Behavior, and Blindspot. Plus, many more that are premiering that we couldn’t fit in.

But our main focus is on the new shows. For instance, if you want something with a side of comedy/light drama plus fantasy, making its debut on ABC is Kevin (Probably) Saves the World starring Jason Ritter might be the one for you. But if you want some more mutant mischief, the one that has caught our attention is FOX’s The Gifted. This new series takes us back to the X-Men universe where we have a group of mutants trying to stay hidden from a government that is hunting them down. By the way, the pilot episode was directed by Bryan Singer, so this new series looks promising. Can it be as good as Legion? We shall find out very soon. Since Halloween is fast approaching, SYFY’s Ghost Wars, which stars Vincent D’Onofrio, this brand-new show has something ‘spooky’ going on at a remote Alaskan town. Looks fun!

How about another ghost series but this time on FOX called Ghosted – starring Adam Scott and Craig Robinson, this comedy is all about saving the world from supernatural events while having fun along the way. It does have that Ghostbusters/The X-Files feel to it, so hopefully that pays off long-term. Moving away from this category, with the military theme being quite popular in 2017, Valor will try to offer something different, which is being a female-driven series. Without giving away too much, it will star Christine Ochoa as an elite helicopter pilot being one of the first to join a special forces group, that finally allowed women to enter. But again, there are too many to talk about, so without further ado, here are our top picks. As always, happy viewing!

Alyssa’s picks: Wisdom of the Crowd, Ghosted
DRWHO42’s picks: Ghost Wars, The Mayor
Mario Wario’s picks: Mindhunter, The Gifted

As a final note, the conversation on the FoCC forum is always interesting. Please visit the FoCC forum to join in on the conversation and tell us the shows you’re looking forward to. You won’t regret it. Now, as promised, here is the list:

October 1

8:30 pm – CBS Wisdom of the Crowd is a drama about a visionary tech innovator who creates a cutting-edge crowd sourcing app to solve his daughter’s murder, and revolutionize crime-solving in the process. Inspired by the notion that a million minds are better than one, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Jeffrey Tanner develops “Sophe,” an online platform for publicly shared information he’s certain will find his daughter’s killer. To assist him, Tanner recruits Det. Tommy Cavanaugh, the original cop who investigated the murder but was unceremoniously forced off the case. Working with them is Sara Morton, a brilliant engineer whose relationship with Tanner goes beyond the professional; Josh Novak, a talented, nerdy-cool head programmer; and Tariq Bakari, a tech genius and expert hacker with issues adhering to the rules. Concerned with Tanner’s obsession is his successful ex-wife, Congresswoman Alex Hale, with whom he shares an unbreakable bond over their shared grief. As Tanner taps into the “wisdom of the crowd,” his unexpected success fuels his determination to solve even more cases than just the one that’s personal to him.  Click for more information

8:30 pm – FOX Ghosted A cynical skeptic (Craig Robinson), and a genius “true believer” in the paranormal (Adam Scott), are recruited by a secret government agency to look into the rampant “unexplained” activity in Los Angeles — all while uncovering a larger mystery that could threaten the existence of the human race. Craig Robinson and Adam Scott will both serve as executive producers, in addition to starring. Other EPs are Naomi Scott, Oly Obst, Mark Schulman and Tom Gormican (“That Awkward Moment”), who penned the pilot. Kevin Etten (“Workaholics,” “Scrubs,” “Desperate Housewives”) has signed on as showrunner and will also serve as an exec producer. Click for more information

10 pm – ABC Ten Days in the Valley stars Emmy Award-winning actress Kyra Sedgwick as Jane Sadler, an overworked television producer and single mother, in the middle of a fractious separation. After her award-winning documentary brings down the San Diego Police Department, Jane Sadler decides to turn her storytelling talents to fiction and launches a new television cop drama—a barely fictionalized account of corruption within the Los Angeles Police Department. But the pressures of balancing her demanding career with being a devoted single mother start to take their toll on Jane. When her daughter, Lake (Abigail Pniowsky), goes missing, and the Robbery-Homicide Division of the LAPD starts to investigate, Jane’s world quickly begins to implode. Click for more information

October 2

8:30 pm – CBS 9JKL stars Mark Feuerstein in a family comedy inspired by his real life. Josh Roberts is a new divorcé and actor between projects who moves home to New York to regroup, living in an apartment sandwiched between his doting, meddlesome parents on one side and his brother, sister-in-law and their new baby on the other. Josh’s well-intentioned mom, Judy, is so excited to have her beloved son home after his 12 years in Los Angeles that she bribes their doorman, Nick, to secretly call her every time Josh comes up the elevator so she can greet him in the hallway. Also thrilled is Josh’s larger-than-life father, Harry, an attorney with no personal boundaries who’s eager to help Josh land his next starring role using his Hollywood “connections.” Teasing Josh about his return home are his competitive brother, Andrew, a successful surgeon who, unlike Josh, doesn’t have a problem saying “no” to their interfering parents; Andrew’s Harvard-educated pediatrician wife, Eve; and 12-year-old neighbor Ian from 5A, who hangs out in the lobby. As Josh’s family literally comes at him from both sides, he realizes he desperately needs to establish some ground rules, because his loving family is always going to be right there for him. Always. Dana Klein, Mark Feuerstein, Aaron Kaplan, Wendi Trilling, Dana Honor and Pam Fryman are executive producers for Kapital Entertainment in association with CBS Television Studios. Fryman directed the pilot. Click for more information

9 pm – FOX The Gifted from 20th Century Fox Television in association with Marvel Television, tells the story of a suburban couple whose ordinary lives are rocked by the sudden discovery that their children possess mutant powers. Forced to go on the run from a hostile government, the family joins up with an underground network of mutants and must fight to survive.  Written by Matt Nix (APB, “Burn Notice”), directed by Bryan Singer (the “X-Men” franchise”) and executive-produced by Nix, Singer, Lauren Shuler Donner (“X-Men: Apocalypse,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “The Wolverine”), Simon Kinberg (“X-Men: Apocalypse,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past”), Jeph Loeb (“Marvel’s Daredevil,” “Marvel’s Jessica Jones”) and Jim Chory (“Marvel’s Daredevil,” “Marvel’s Jessica Jones”), the series stars Stephen Moyer (SHOTS FIRED), Amy Acker (“Person of Interest”), Sean Teale (“Reign”), Jamie Chung (GOTHAM), Coby Bell (“Burn Notice”), Emma Dumont (“Aquarius”), Blair Redford (“Satisfaction”), Natalie Alyn Lind (GOTHAM) and Percy Hynes White (“Night at the Museum 3”). Click for more information

10pm – OVATION The Halcyon From the producers of Downton Abbey and The Crown, comes a critically-acclaimed drama that place inside a bustling and glamorous five-star hotel at the center of London during World War II. A captivating look at the private lives of London socialites and visiting hotel guests through the dark prism of war – revealing the extraordinary impact it has on families, politics and personal relationships. Click for more information

October 3

9:30pm – ABC The Mayor Young rapper Courtney Rose Brandon Micheal Hall needs his big break. For years, he’s toiled away in a small inner-city apartment, making music in his junk-filled bedroom closet. Tired of waiting for opportunity, Courtney cooks up the publicity stunt of the century: Running for mayor of his hometown in California to generate buzz for his music career. Unfortunately for Courtney, his master plan goes wildly awry, ending in the most terrifying of outcomes: An election victory. With the help of his mother Dina Rose (Yvette Nicole Brown), and friends, including Valentina (Lea Michele), Courtney will have to overcome his hubris if he wants to transform the struggling city he loves. Click for more information

10 pm – ABC Kevin (probably) Saves the Day Kevin Finn (Jason Ritter, Parenthood), a cluelessly self-serving person, is on a dangerous path to despair. In a downward spiral, Kevin returns home to stay with his widowed twin sister (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) and niece. On his first night there, an unlikely celestial being named Yvette (Kimberly Hébert Gregory) appears to him and presents him with a mission – to save the world.  A light drama from executive producers Michele Fazekas & Tara Butters. Click for more information

October 5

10 pm – SYFY Ghost Wars Set in a remote Alaskan town that has been overrun by paranormal forces, the series focuses on local outcast Roman Mercer who must overcome the town’s prejudices and his own personal demons if he’s to harness his repressed psychic powers and save everyone from the mass haunting that’s threatening to destroy them all.  Starring: Vincent D’Onofrio, Kim Coates, Avan Jogia, Kristin Lehman, Meatloaf Click for more information

October 6

10 pm – SYFY Superstition
Superstition will follow the Hastings, a family who’s owned the only funeral home and graveyard in the town of La Rochelle for as long as anyone can recall. In addition to providing services for all faiths, the family specialty is handling “afterlife care” for the unexplained deaths of folks at the hands of demonic entities, and other unworldly phenomena that have long haunted the town. The Hastings uses arcane weaponry, incredible strength, mystical alchemy skills, and a deep knowledge of the occult and ancient lore from around the world to quell the evil within the shadows of the town. Starring, Mario Van Peebles, W. Earl Brown, Demetria McKinney, Diamond Dallas Page, Robinne Lee, Brad James, Morgana Van Peebles, T.C. Carter, Tatiana Lia Zappardino Click for more information. (Trailer not available at Press Time).

October 9

9 pm – THE CW Valor “This is a female-driven military drama, which sets it apart,” said Valor EP Anna Fricke. Valor isn’t all about the missions but the characters, and in the case of this CW series, there’s a soapy element to it. The series comes at a pivotal time when, according to Fricke, “female pilots are being taken into a combat position.”
“Most of the time there are rules to follow (in the military) and they have to be buttoned up. Nora (Christina Ochoa’s lead character) and her boyfriend can’t touch each other on base. So we get to see how these people fall apart when they’re at home versus at work,” Fricke said. Deadline link Click for more information

October 11

9 pm – THE CW Dynasty Co-written by Josh Schwartz & Stephanie Savage and Sallie Patrick, the new Dynasty follows two of America’s wealthiest families, the Carringtons and the Colbys, as they feud for control over their fortune and their children. The series will be told primarily through the perspectives of two women at odds: Fallon Carrington, daughter of billionaire Blake Carrington, and her soon-to-be stepmother, Cristal, a Hispanic woman marrying into this WASP family and America’s most powerful class. Dateline link Click for more information

October 13

AMAZON – Lore From an executive producer of The Walking Dead and the executive producer of The X-Files, this anthology series brings to life Aaron Mahnke’s “Lore” podcast and uncovers the real-life events that spawned our darkest nightmares. Blending dramatic scenes, animation, archive and narration, Lore reveals how our horror legends – such as vampires, werewolves and body snatchers – are rooted in truth. Click for more information

NETFLIX – Mindhunter “How do we get ahead of crazy if we don’t know how crazy thinks?” Two FBI agents (Jonathan Groff & Holt McCallany) set out on a sinister investigative odyssey to discover the brutal answers. An agent in the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit develops profiling techniques using the help of other serial killers as he pursues notorious killers and rapists.  Click for more information

October 24

10 pm; 10:30 pm weekly after premiere – TBS The Last O.G. which the SNL alum co-created alongside executive producers Jordan Peele and John Carcieri centers on Tray, an ex-con who is shocked to see just how much the world has changed when he is released from prison after a 15-year stint. Returning to his gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood, he discovers that his ex-girlfriend (The Carmichael Show‘s Tiffany Haddish) has married a successful white man (Superstore‘s Ryan Gaul) who is helping raise the twins Tray never knew existed. Wanting nothing more than to connect with and support his kids, Tray falls back on the skills he learned in prison to make ends meet. Cedric the Entertainer and Allen Maldonado (black-ish) also co-star. Tv line Click for more information

Mario Wario

Scott is a Spidey/Funko/video game fanatic, yet going to a pop culture convention is always his goal. Yes, he is also a fan of Mario and Wario. You can follow him on Twitter @ScottyTheWise.