With the fall season in full swing, numerous TV shows have been released alongside it. Oftentimes, however, these fall releases are overlooked, being crammed between the busy summer and winter seasons of big releases. That doesn’t mean that shows released in the fall are bad, however, but it doesn’t guarantee that they’ll be perfect either. Basing opinions off of just the first two episodes, we’ll be looking at three releases of the fall and seeing if they’re hidden gems or if they deserve to be ignored.
Perhaps one of the most talked-about shows this fall is the second season of James Gunn’s “Peacemaker,” based on DC Comics. Released weekly after August 21st, “Peacemaker” came out shortly after the success of Gunn’s “Superman” in the summer, superhero fans were especially excited to see what DC had in store for “Peacemaker”.
“Peacemaker’s” second season focuses on the titular Peacemaker, after facing hardships in life that leave him wanting more, Peacemaker discovers a way to a better world where he can live the life he’s always wanted. The first episode ends with him killing the alternate universe version of himself from that world, and the second episode picks up with how he manages to integrate himself into that new world, and how he can attempt to balance his life in his world and this new one. Meanwhile, Rick Flag Sr., a pre-established character throughout many of James Gunn’s other projects, wants to hunt down Peacemaker for the murder of his son Rick Flag Jr., in “Suicide Squad”.
Another notable recent release is “The Paper”. Released on Sept. 4th, “The Paper” is a spinoff/sequel series to the hit comedy show “The Office”, albeit years after the show’s conclusion.
After explaining the events between the end of “The Office” and the beginning of “The Paper” the show introduces viewers to its new focus point: the Toledo Truth Teller Newspaper. Starring Domhnall Gleeson as Ned Sampson, the first episode focuses on Ned coming in as the new editor-in-chief for the Toledo Truth Teller and how he tries to gain the respect of his new coworkers. The second episode features a similar low-stakes plot, focusing on an editorial that needs writing for the newspaper. Ned soon learns that his staff aren’t all that good at writing, so he focuses on trying to help them grow as writers. Ned eventually ends up writing the article himself, helping earn the respect he sought from his coworkers from the start.
The final fall release we’ll be talking about today is the all-new series “IT: Welcome to Derry,” Inspired by the book “It” by Stephen King, as well as the movie released in 2017. Released on Oct. 26th, “IT: Welcome to Derry” serves as a prequel series for the movie.
Introducing viewers with a horrifying opening scene that truly captures the essence of Stephen King’s dark writing, “IT: Welcome to Derry” focuses on a missing child in the town of Derry and a small group of kids trying to solve the mystery of their town. The first episode is the introduction of the Hanlon family, consisting of Leroy, Charlotte, and Will Hanlon. These three move to Derry sometime after the disappearance of a young boy, leading Will and a few kids to research the mysteries of Derry. The episode ends with a gruesome massacre, leaving viewers (myself included) shocked. The second episode focuses on the aftermath of the ending of episode one, as well as further unravelling the mysteries of Derry’s history.
Overall, the fall season has a great selection of shows to offer. While viewers who prefer plot and a centralized story may be drawn to “Peacemaker” or “IT: Welcome to Derry”, more casual TV watchers may want to enjoy the laughs that “The Paper” has to offer. Overall, the fall season is by no means lacking in entertainment, and has so many more equally great shows to watch than the three I mentioned above. I highly recommend these three shows to TV watchers, and advise them to keep an eye out for more releases happening in the coming months.
