September has arrived, and just like that, the fall TV season is officially in session.
Hello, welcome back to TV Corner Notes, my weekly roundup of all the big, and not-so-big, things happening in the world of television.
Fall is finally here, which means our watchlists are about to get a lot busier. This week has a little bit of everything, from the Casualty 40th anniversary celebration and the return of The Paper to new shows, season finales, football, the Creative Arts Emmys, and several important September 11 documentaries and specials. I’ve also got a few reviews and recommendations to help you figure out what’s worth adding to your schedule. So grab the remote, check the DVR, and let’s dive into another week of TV Corner Notes.
September Is Here, and Fall TV Is Back!
There’s something about September that makes television feel new again. The backpacks are packed, football is back, the leaves are beginning to turn, and suddenly our DVRs are about to get a whole lot busier. With school back in session and football officially kicking off, that can only mean one thing: fall television is back!
This is easily one of my favorite times of year, even if figuring out how to schedule everything can feel like a full-time job. Between school, activities, work, football, and, of course, keeping up with all our favorite shows, the fall TV calendar can get crowded fast.
While the biggest wave of new and returning shows won’t arrive until October, September still has plenty to keep us entertained. There’s the 40th anniversary of one of television’s longest-running medical dramas, the Primetime Emmy Awards (expect my predictions this week), the return of the NFL, and plenty of premieres and events to get the fall season rolling. So grab your remote, check that DVR, and get ready — fall TV is officially here, and I couldn’t be more excited!
What I Watched This Week
It was a busy week of television, but a few shows really stood out. I celebrated Casualty reaching an incredible 40 years, checked back in with Lioness as Joe’s situation becomes increasingly dangerous, and revisited the first season of The Paper ahead of its Season 2 premiere. From anniversary nostalgia to high-stakes action and workplace comedy, these three shows offered very different reasons to keep watching.
Casualty 40th Anniversary Special: A Heartfelt Celebration of Four Decades
To celebrate 40 years on television, Casualty delivered an action-packed, emotional two-part anniversary special that captured exactly what has kept this institution going for so long: community, compassion, tragedy, and plenty of heart. Rather than relying solely on nostalgia, the special threw Holby City ED into one of its biggest disasters yet after an explosion at neighboring St James’ Hospital sent a flood of critically injured patients its way. Meanwhile, Stevie and Flynn faced a terrifying fight for survival after their ambulance became submerged.
At the center of it all was Dylan, trying to lead the ED while privately dealing with a devastating personal loss. Rash also stepped into his first day as a consultant and proved he is ready to become the kind of leader Holby needs. And, of course, seeing Charlie Fairhead and Ethan Hardy return to help their former colleagues was the perfect anniversary treat. Charlie’s return, in particular, carried an emotional weight that longtime viewers could appreciate.
The special ended with a beautiful celebration of Casualty's 40-year legacy and its continued role in telling stories about the NHS and the people who depend on it. It was dramatic, emotional, occasionally heartbreaking, and ultimately full of hope, a fitting celebration of four decades of Casualty. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.
Lioness Season 3, Episode 6 Review: “Sugar Land”
Lioness continues to raise the stakes with “Sugar Land,” an intense episode that places Joe McNamara in an increasingly dangerous situation. As the CIA races to find her, the investigation takes an unexpected geopolitical turn, forcing the team to rethink what they know about her disappearance. Meanwhile, the episode’s flashback timeline adds important context to Joe’s past decisions and the enemies she has made along the way.
What really makes this episode work is the shift in perspective. Joe has spent much of the series being the person who controls the operation, but now she's the one fighting to survive. Zoe Saldaña remains excellent, bringing Joe's trademark toughness and defiance while also showing the emotional cost of everything she's sacrificed for the job. The final stretch delivers some genuinely brutal moments and sets up what could be a very intense run toward the finale.
Catch my review of "Sugar Land."
The Paper Season 1 Review: A Promising New Chapter in The Office Universe
With Season 2 of The Paper premiering this week on Peacock, now is a good time to revisit Season 1. Is this The Office spinoff worth watching? For me, yes. The series expands the universe without simply rebooting the original, following a struggling newspaper and its staff as they try to find their footing.
The show follows the documentary crew from Dunder Mifflin to the Toledo Truth-Teller, where the new editor-in-chief, Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson), tries to save the historic paper. Ned’s chemistry with compositor Mare Pritti (Chelsea Frei) provides the emotional center, while Tim Key’s Ken Davies and Sabrina Impacciatore’s Esmeralda Grand add plenty of chaos. Oscar Martinez’s return is also a fun, natural connection to the original.
The Paper has some early growing pains, but its likable ensemble, funny moments, and heartfelt story make it a promising successor. It isn’t The Office, but that’s why it works. It’s building its own identity while preserving the warmth and awkward humor fans love. If you haven’t watched it yet, Season 2’s premiere is a great reason to catch up. Overall, I give season one an 8.5/10.
Have you watched Season 1? Are you ready for Season 2? Leave a comment.
What to Watch This Week
Fall TV is officially getting into gear, and this week has a little bit of everything. From the return of The Paper and the final season of Colin From Accounts to new dramas, documentaries, football, the Creative Arts Emmys, and plenty of 9/11 programming, there’s a lot competing for space on your watchlist. Here are the biggest premieres, finales, specials, and movies worth checking out this week.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
“Fan Level Midnight: Devoted to The Office” (Peacock, Six-episode binge): explores the enduring legacy and fandom of The Office, featuring interviews with Kathy Bates, Seth Rogen, Andy Buckley, and more.
8/7c “America’s Tailgate on CBS” (CBS): Nate Burleson and Melanie Collins host this Nashville-based special featuring performances from Chase Rice, Gabby Barrett, John Legend, and Sheryl Crow, plus appearances from NFL MVP Josh Allen, Kyle Long, and Russell Wilson.
8/7c “Beat Shazam” Season 8 Finale (Fox): Two-episode season finale.
9/8 “The Librarians: The Next Chapter” Season 2 Finale (TNT)
8/7c “Top of the World” (CNN): This documentary short tells the story of Windows on the World, the legendary restaurant atop the World Trade Center that became a symbol of New York City before its devastating end on September 11, 2001.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
8/7c “Jeopardy! Masters” Season 4 Finale (ABC)
8/7c “Love It or List It” Season 21 Finale (HGTV)
8/7c “The Real Housewives of New York City” Season 16 (Bravo)
9/8c “Assisted Living” Season 7 (BET)
9/8c “The Drop: A Snowfall Saga” (FX): Set in 1990s Los Angeles, this Snowfall spinoff follows Wanda (Gail Bean) and Leon (Isaiah John) as they try to take West Coast rap mainstream while gang wars erupt and record labels move to capitalize on hip-hop culture.
9/8c “Bobby Flay’s The Line” (Food Network): Bobby Flay and his team of chefs take on acclaimed restaurant staff during real-time dinner service, with a $25,000 prize on the line.
“Stavros Halkias: Uncle Stav” (Netflix comedy special)
“Untold: Mr. T – I Pity the Fool” (Netflix): Before the gold chains, mohawk, Rocky III, and The A-Team, there was Laurence Tureaud. This documentary explores the origin story of one of entertainment’s most unlikely icons.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
“Diarra From Detroit” Season 2 Finale (Paramount+)
“The Hardacres” Season 2 Finale (BritBox)
“Last Seen” (Apple TV): Two-episode premiere. Eleven years after his daughter disappeared, a former detective turned police dispatcher becomes convinced a teenage girl's distress call may have come from his missing child. Patrick Brammall stars.
“NFL Play Action” (Paramount+): Kyle Brandt and Ally Love host this weekly magazine-style series covering the NFL’s biggest storylines, players, and moments both on and off the field.
“The Paper” Season 2 (Peacock, 10-episode binge)
8:15/7:15c “Sunday Night Football” Season 40 (NBC)
9/8c “Alone” Season 13 Finale (History)
9/8c “Next Gen NYC” Season 2 Finale (Bravo)
9/8c “The Shards” Season 1 Finale (FX)
10/9c “Resolve to Solve With Miles O’Brien” Finale (PBS)
“Band of Brothers: Legacy” (HBO Max): A look back at the making and lasting impact of Band of Brothers, featuring interviews with Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Michael Cudlitz, Dale Dye, David Schwimmer, and more.
“Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Again?” (Netflix): The couples reunite for the destination wedding of Marcus and Angela’s daughter, bringing plenty of old drama and new complications. Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson, and Jill Scott star.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
“Colin From Accounts” Final Season (Paramount+, Eight-episode binge)
“Cooper and Fry” (BritBox): Two-episode premiere starring Robert James-Collier and Mandip Gill as mismatched detectives investigating crimes in the mysterious Peak District.
“Crew Girl” (Netflix, eight-episode binge): A teenage rowing prodigy is forced to start over at an elite boarding school, where she becomes coxswain for its dysfunctional boys’ varsity crew. Jessica Paré co-stars.
“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” Season 5 (Hulu, five-episode binge)
8:35/7:35c NFL Melbourne Game (Netflix): Live NFL action from Melbourne.
9/8c “CBS Fall First Look 2026” (CBS): A preview of what’s coming to CBS this fall.
9/8c “A Killer Story” (HBO): Three-part docuseries examining the controversial case of Dana Chandler, accused of killing her ex-husband and his girlfriend in 2002, and the three trials that followed over more than two decades.
10/9c “Project Runway” Season 22 Finale (Freeform)
“Supergirl” (HBO Max)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
September 11 brings several important documentaries and specials honoring the victims, survivors, first responders, families, and communities forever changed by the attacks.
8/7c “9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan” (ABC): David Muir, Robin Roberts, and Diane Sawyer lead ABC’s live remembrance from New York.
8/7c “9/11: We Remember” (CBS): Tony Dokoupil anchors this CBS News special from Ground Zero, featuring stories of survival, loss, and hope.
8/7c “102 Minutes Inside the Towers” (Lifetime): Firsthand accounts from survivors who were inside the North and South Towers during the September 11 attacks.
9/8c “Conan O’Brien Must Go” Season 3 Finale (HBO)
9/8c “Daughters of 9/11” (CBS): Twenty-five years later, Elizabeth Miller, Jessica Trant, and FBI special agent Frank Pellegrino confront whether Khalid Sheikhohmed, the man accused of masterminding the attacks, will ever face justice.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
3:30/2:30c “PAC-12 College Football Series” Season 3 (The CW)
8/7c Creative Arts Emmys (FXX)
9/8c “Have I Got News for You” Season 5 (CNN)
8/7c “Robin Roberts Presents Angel in the Rubble: The Genelle Guzman Story” (Lifetime): Sherri Shepherd stars in this movie about Genelle Guzman, the New York City transit worker who survived 27 hours trapped beneath the collapse of the North Tower.
8/7c “Falling Into Place” (Hallmark Channel)
Alvina August and Nathan Witte star as childhood best friends who reunite for their hometown’s fall festival and high school reunion, where they decide to complete their unfinished fall bucket list.
TV Corner Picks of the Week
Must-Watch: The Paper Season 2
Most Anticipated: Colin From Accounts Final Season
New Drama to Watch: Last Seen
For Office Fans: Fan Level Midnight
Football Pick: NFL Kickoff New England vs Seattle
Documentary Pick: Band of Brothers: Legacy
And just like that, September is officially underway—and the fall TV season is wasting no time getting started. Between new shows, returning favorites, football, award season, and plenty of finales, there’s already more television than any one person could possibly watch. And honestly, that’s exactly how I like it.
Thanks for stopping by TV Corner Notes this week! What are you watching as we head into the heart of the fall season? Did anything on this week’s schedule make your must-watch list?
Let me know in the comments, and I’ll see you next week for more TV news, reviews, recommendations, and plenty of television to talk about.
Until next week,
Adam
No comments:
Post a Comment