Fall TV is officially here, the Emmys have delivered plenty to celebrate, and the TV Corner is packed with shows, news, and recommendations.
Welcome back to TV Corner Notes, my weekly roundup of the biggest—and sometimes not-so-big—things happening in television. This week, I’m reflecting on Noah Wyle’s memorable Emmy speech, looking at American Idol’s move from Hollywood to Georgia, and breaking down what the BBC’s Doctor Who reset could mean for the future of the franchise. Plus, I’ve got three very different shows to talk about and a packed fall TV lineup worth keeping an eye on.
Noah Wyle's Emmy Speech Was a Perfect Reminder of Why We Love TV
One of my favorite moments from the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards wasn’t simply Noah Wyle winning his second consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for The Pitt—it was what he said afterward. In barely a minute, Wyle managed to capture something that extends far beyond acting. Reflecting on growing up in Los Angeles, he said, “I was raised on television, and movie theaters were my places of worship.” He explained that acting was all he had ever wanted to do and that this was “the only club I’ve ever wanted to join,” before simply saying, “Thank you for accepting me.”
That sentiment stayed with me because it wasn’t only about actors. It was about everyone who makes television—from writers and directors to the crews working behind the scenes—as well as the viewers who spend countless hours immersed in these stories. Wyle also took time to praise his fellow nominees, calling Gary Oldman a career “benchmark,” before thanking the cast, crew, and executives behind The Pitt. He even joked about having to return to work early the next morning.
After decades in the business, Wyle’s speech felt like a genuine reminder of why television matters in the first place. It isn’t simply about awards or ratings. It’s about loving the craft, wanting to be part of something bigger than yourself, and feeling grateful for the opportunity to tell stories for a living—or simply to be part of the audience watching them. For me, it was one of the most memorable moments of this year’s Emmys and a nearly perfect example of what the television community is all about.
American Idol Is Leaving Hollywood for Georgia
After 24 seasons in Los Angeles, American Idol is officially leaving Hollywood behind. Fremantle has confirmed that Season 25 will move production to the Atlanta area, marking the end of the show's long-running connection to Southern California. The move comes as L.A.'s production industry continues to struggle, with FilmLA reporting a significant year-over-year decline in television production during the second quarter of 2026, particularly in reality TV. The Masked Singer and Shark Tank have also recently moved production out of Los Angeles.
Georgia's production tax incentives are an important part of the larger conversation, offering productions significant financial benefits that can make relocating attractive. While Fremantle hasn't publicly pointed to the tax credit as the specific reason for Idol's move, the financial advantages are hard to ignore. For Los Angeles, losing another long-running unscripted production also means losing the steady behind-the-scenes jobs and business that come with it.
For viewers, though, American Idol itself isn't changing all that much. Ryan Seacrest will return as host, with Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Carrie Underwood back at the judges' table for the milestone season, which is expected to premiere in 2027. Still, there's something oddly fitting—and a little ironic—about Idol leaving Hollywood. For nearly a quarter-century, "You're going to Hollywood!" was one of the show's most recognizable traditions. Now, the next chapter of American Idol is heading to Georgia.
Doctor Who Is Going Back to the Drawing Board
Doctor Who is officially going back to the drawing board. The BBC has launched a competitive tender process to find a production company to lead the long-running sci-fi series into its next era. The move follows the end of the show’s co-production deal with Disney, as well as the departures of showrunner Russell T Davies, production company Bad Wolf, and current Doctor Ncuti Gatwa. The previously planned 2026 Christmas special has also been canceled as the BBC focuses on restructuring the franchise. The BBC will retain ownership of Doctor Who, while BBC Studios will continue to handle its global distribution.
So, what exactly does the tender process involve? The BBC is inviting eligible production companies to pitch their visions for the future of Doctor Who. Rather than simply hiring a new showrunner, the broadcaster is asking companies to present comprehensive creative and production plans for a multi-episode series, including specials, targeted for 2028 or 2029. The winning company may also have the opportunity to produce a second series. The BBC has described the process as “bake-off-style,” meaning multiple companies will compete by presenting their ideas before the broadcaster chooses the team it believes can take the franchise forward.
There are several important requirements. The BBC would prefer the new production to remain based in Wales, and bids must meet Ofcom’s regional production rules. These include spending at least 70% of the production budget and employing at least 50% of the off-screen talent in the region. Interested companies must submit their initial pitches and demonstrate that they have the necessary funding, studio space, and talent by October 2, 2026. BBC Studios, World Productions, and Electric Entertainment are reportedly among the interested companies. The BBC is expected to select the winning production team and creative vision in spring 2027.
It is a significant reset for one of Britain’s most recognizable television franchises. After the Disney partnership gave Doctor Who a major international boost, the BBC now has an opportunity to shape the show’s next chapter. For the first time in a while, the big question is not just who will play the Doctor—it is who will decide where the TARDIS goes next.
What I Watched This Week
From a tense Lioness finale and another complicated Line of Duty investigation to the hilarious chaos of Not Going Out, this week’s viewing lineup had a little bit of everything. Here’s what I watched—and what I thought.
Lioness Season 3 Finale: A Brutal and Emotional Ending
Special Ops: Lioness wraps up Season 3 with a tense, emotionally heavy finale that brings the season’s biggest storylines together while setting the stage for what could come next. The episode delivers plenty of action and suspense, but it’s the emotional fallout that really makes the finale stand out.
Zoe Saldaña once again brings real weight to Joe, especially as the season-long conflict between her dangerous career and her family life reaches a breaking point. The finale isn’t perfect—the conspiracy gets a little complicated, and some of the action feels chaotic—but the character drama gives the episode plenty of impact.
Want the full breakdown? Check out my full, spoiler-filled review of the Lioness Season 3 finale, where I dive into the major twists, Joe’s family conflict, and that devastating ending.
Line of Duty Series 5: AC-12 Faces Its Most Complicated Case Yet
Just when you think AC-12 has uncovered its biggest conspiracy yet, Line of Duty finds another way to make things even more complicated. Series 5 delivers everything that makes the show so addictive: intense investigations, morally complex characters, explosive interrogations, and a conspiracy that seems to run deeper within the police force with every revelation. Stephen Graham is a standout as John Corbett, an undercover officer whose pursuit of the mysterious “H” takes him down an increasingly dangerous path, while Adrian Dunbar gets some fantastic material as Ted Hastings finds himself under intense scrutiny.
The conspiracy can occasionally become a lot to keep track of, but the character drama and relentless tension kept me invested. Martin Compston and Vicky McClure remain the heart of AC-12, while the season continues to prove that nobody is ever completely safe—or completely innocent.
Want to know how everything comes together? Check out my full review of Line of Duty Series 5 for the major twists, the “H” reveal, and my thoughts on that incredibly unsettling ending.
You can stream Line of Duty on BritBox and Acorn TV.
Not Going Out Series 3: Lee and Lucy Steal the Show
Lee is falling for Lucy, Tim is making terrible decisions, and somehow, everything keeps getting worse—yep, Not Going Out is becoming one of my favorite sitcom discoveries. After making my way through Series 3, I think I’ve found my favorite season so far. The writing feels sharper, the characters are more developed, and the chemistry between everyone makes the comedy even more enjoyable. And then there’s Lee and Lucy, whose increasingly complicated relationship has quickly become one of my favorite parts of the show.
Series 3 has everything I’ve been enjoying about Not Going Out: Lee's ridiculous schemes, Tim's lovable stupidity, Lucy's attempts to keep everyone under control, Daisy becoming a regular, and Barbara's wonderfully chaotic appearances. What really stands out to me, though, is how much personality the show has developed. The jokes are funny on their own, but they land even better because we know these characters and understand how they’ll react when everything inevitably goes wrong.
Want to know which episodes and moments stood out most to me? Check out my full review of Not Going Out Series 3, where I break down my favorite episodes, the Lee-and-Lucy moments I've been waiting for, and why this has become my favorite series so far.
You can catch Not Going Out on YouTube, Pluto TV, and BritBox.
What to Watch This Week
Fall TV is officially kicking into high gear, and this week is packed. From new network dramas and returning favorites to big streaming premieres, season finales, documentaries, and a whole lot of reality TV, there’s something for pretty much every kind of viewer. Here are the premieres, finales, and movies I’ll be keeping an eye on this week.
Monday, September 21
8/7c Celebrity Name That Tune Season 6 (Fox)
8/7c The Voice Season 30 (NBC, three-night premiere)
9/8c Celebrity Weakest Link Season 2 (Fox)
10/9 Line of Fire (NBC): Peter Krause headlines this new drama about a family of law enforcement agents whose personal relationships collide with their professional lives as they tackle cases involving the FBI, U.S. Marshals, the Secret Service, and the Department of Justice.
Tuner (Paramount+): A new thriller arrives on streaming to round out Monday night.
Tuesday, September 22
8/7c Judge Judy: Unfiltered, Unforgettable (CBS): Judy Sheindlin looks back on 30 years of Judge Judy, with appearances from Amy Poehler, RuPaul, Samuel L. Jackson, Sherry Lansing, Steven Spielberg, and more.
9/8c Doc Season 3 (Fox)
9/8c House Shock (HGTV): Arielle Vandenberg and contractor Steve Lewis secretly renovate spaces for unsuspecting homeowners, with their loved ones helping keep the surprise under wraps until the big reveal.
9/8c Siren: The Voices of Shelley Beattie (HBO): This documentary explores the lives of deaf athlete Shelley Beattie and Hollywood veteran Marlee Matlin, including their experiences with fame, discrimination, abuse, addiction, and navigating a hearing world.
Wednesday, September 23
Brothers (Apple TV+, two-episode premiere): Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson play fictionalized versions of themselves whose lifelong friendship is upended by a decades-old secret suggesting they may actually be brothers. Holland Taylor co-stars.
Wonka's The Golden Ticket (Netflix, seven-episode premiere): Twelve Golden Ticket winners and their chosen partners enter Wonka's Chocolate Factory for a competition filled with challenges, surprises, and plenty of chocolate-fueled chaos.
8/7c The Floor time-period premiere (Fox)
8/7 Survivor Season 51 (CBS)
9/8 99 to Beat Season 2 (Fox)
9/8 America's Got Talent Season 21 finale (NBC)
9/8 Next Gen NYC Season 2 Reunion, Part 2 (Bravo)
The Love Hypothesis (Prime Video): Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman star in this romantic comedy about a Ph.D. candidate who impulsively kisses an intimidating professor, leading to a fake relationship that gradually becomes something more complicated.
Toy Story 5 (Disney+)
Thursday, September 24
A Different World** (Netflix, 10-episode binge): A new generation heads to Hillman College as Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert's youngest daughter begins her freshman year, trying to escape the shadow of her famous parents.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 finale** (Paramount+)
Team Moms: Baseball (Paramount+, eight-episode binge): Executive-produced by Kim Kardashian, this docuseries follows parents whose sons attend Legendary Prep Academy, an elite baseball training school in Scottsdale, Arizona.
8/7c Hell's Kitchen Season 25 (Fox)
9/8c American Horror Story Season 13 (FX, three-episode premiere)
9/8c Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 5 (Fox)
9/8c Stuart Fails to Save the Universe Season 1 finale (HBO Max)
Go Deep: The DeSean Jackson Story (Prime Video): Using thousands of hours of home video filmed over three decades, this documentary chronicles Jackson's journey from a Pop Warner standout to an NFL star and explores his complicated relationships with his brother Byron and his father.
Jackass: Best and Last (Paramount+)
Friday, September 25
The Great British Baking Show Collection 14 (Netflix)
Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars Season 2 (Apple TV+, two-episode premiere)
9/8c 20/20 Season 49 (ABC)
9/8c Dateline NBC Season 35 (NBC)
9/8c Fightland Season 1 finale (Starz)
9/8c Sing Democracy 250 (PBS): Nearly 200 singers and a 60-piece orchestra come together for a massive Minneapolis concert celebrating the nation's founding ideals and the enduring promise of democracy.
10/9c S.W.A.T. Exiles (Starz): After a high-profile mission goes wrong, Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson (Shemar Moore) comes out of forced retirement to lead an experimental unit made up of untested recruits.
Backrooms (HBO Max)
Unabomber (Netflix): Jacob Tremblay stars as Ted Kaczynski in a film that chronicles his transformation from a Harvard prodigy and test subject into the man behind the infamous Unabomber case. Russell Crowe and Shailene Woodley co-star.
Saturday, September 26
7/6c Baseball Night in America Season 12 finale (Fox)
7:30/6:30c Farm Aid 2026: Music Festival Live (CNN): Willie Nelson and Family, Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds, Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff, and more take the stage.
11:30/10:30c Saturday Night Live Season 52 (NBC)
8/7c Sole Survivor of Flight 119 (Lifetime): Sarah Wayne Callies stars as a woman who survives a devastating plane crash deep in the Mexican jungle. Joy Bryant co-stars.
8/7c Pumpkin Regatta Romance (Hallmark Channel): Mishael Morgan and Corey Sevier play the children of two feuding fathers who team up to repair their families' relationship and revive their town's annual Pumpkin Regatta.
And that’s another week in the TV Corner! Fall TV is officially underway, so there’s plenty more to watch, discuss, and add to the ever-growing list.
What are you watching this week, and which fall premiere are you most excited about? Grab the remote, check the DVR, and I’ll see you next time right here at the TV Corner!
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