The 5 Best New TV Shows of September 2024

As a former teen myself, I can empathize with the subjects in Greenfield’s “Social Studies”. The intersection of technology and adolescence is a complex and often turbulent one, much like the rollercoaster ride of hormones coursing through our veins during those formative years. It’s both depressing and revealing, much like my own high school experience.

We successfully navigated the wilderness. Somehow, we found our way through. The television scene in August was one of the poorest in recent years, but with September here, schedules are bursting at the seams with fresh and captivating premieres. From the standout sitcom of 2024, English Teacher, to the thought-provoking independent gem, Penelope , and the sheer enjoyment offered by Marvel’s Agatha All Along, there’s a little something for every taste and emotion. In truth, I struggled so much to select my top five debuts of the month that I’ve added a quick rundown of five additional shows that would have easily made the list if they had been released at another time during the year.

Agatha All Along (Disney+)

At the onset of the debut episode of the fresh Marvel series “Agatha All Along“, you could find yourself questioning if you’d started the wrong Kathryn Hahn program. Instead of the potent witch Agatha Harkness, who Wanda “Scarlet Witch” Maximoff vanquished in the finale of “WandaVision“, her character is Agnes, a chatty, flannel-wearing, rule-breaking police detective examining a homicide in an archetypal small town. Her condescending counterpart? An FBI agent tasked with keeping her in check, portrayed by Aubrey Plaza. It’s reminiscent of “Mare of Easttown“. However, what’s truly disquieting is the exaggerated acting style displayed by Hahn and Plaza, two exceptional TV actors renowned for their skills.

Those weirdly stiff portrayals are our first clue that Agatha—a WandaVision spin-off from that series’ showrunner, Jac Schaefer, whose first two episodes are now streaming on Disney+—is having a bit of fun with us. Hahn is hamming it up Mare-style because Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) seized Agatha’s powers and sealed her in the same suburban nightmare that had sent the Scarlet Witch hurtling through 20th century family-sitcom clichés for much of the series that bears her name. Who knows how many Strong Female Leads Agatha has been shoehorned into in the three years she’s spent trapped in the TV-trope hellscape that is Westview, New Jersey? Happily, we never find out; Agatha is no WandaVision retread, and its detour into detective-drama hackery is just the first of its many delightful, hyper-culturally-literate surprises. [Read the full review.]

English Teacher (FX)

Written and performed by Brian Jordan Alvarez, the actor, comedian, and internet sensation known for his chair-bound skits, English Teacher isn’t categorized as a dramedy, action comedy, or adult animation but is genuinely a sitcom set in a suburban high school in Austin, Texas. Although comedy series often need time to find their rhythm, English Teacher exudes self-assurance from the get-go, skillfully blending humorous character moments with relevant insights from the rapidly politicizing world of education. It stands out as the best new sitcom of the year so far. What makes it even more essential is that it brings forth genuine, audible laughter, a rarity in today’s television landscape. [Read the full review.]

La Maison (Apple TV+)

Angered by a client from Korea, Vincent Ledu (Lambert Wilson), the long-term creative director of his family’s independent Paris couture house, LEDU, is seen on video making racist remarks that quickly spread online. As the controversy grows into an international incident due to rivalry from a luxury company with a grudge against LEDU where Vincent’s brother Victor (Pierre Deladonchamps) works, it becomes clear that Vincent will either resign or be forced out. The search for his replacement leads to more family discord, as his inexperienced and artistically limited nephew Robinson (Antoine Reinartz) clashes with Paloma (Zita Hanrot), a newcomer with an eco-friendly brand and unconventional methods for challenging the traditional fashion industry, whose link to the Ledu family has been overlooked in the past.

It’s quite understandable why La Maison, a drama revolving around a wealthy, ruthless family in the ever-evolving fashion world, is drawing so many parallels to Succession. However, while the former flourishes on American ambition and the witty, dark humor of its creator, Jesse Armstrong, La Maison embodies the essence of French storytelling. Instead of biting sarcasm, it serves up soap operas, seduction, and heartfelt sincerity. Beneath its glamorous veneer, though, the series delves deep enough into character development and offers an astute portrayal of modern fashion to appeal to both fans of Succession and fashion enthusiasts alike.

Penelope (Netflix)

Produced and scripted by independent film and television luminary Mark Duplass and director Mel Eslyn, who also helmed and served as showrunner, Penelope stands out uniquely in television. Each of its eight episodes offers an immersive, impressionistic experience, with the camera capturing the vivid greens and rich browns of nature, using prolonged shots accompanied by bird calls, the sound of leaves crunching, and peaceful, wordless music. Amidst this natural backdrop, Megan Stott (Little Fires Everywhere) delivers a remarkable performance in the title role, encapsulating, in all her complexity and contradictions, a character who is simultaneously a typical 16-year-old, a girl grappling with an existential dilemma, and the protagonist of a grand allegory. [Read the full review for more insights.]

Social Studies (FX)

Have you truly grasped the significant impact social media has on teenagers’ lives, given all the articles and research you’ve come across? Regardless of your current understanding, a five-part documentary by Lauren Greenfield, an insightful filmmaker known for “The Queen of Versailles,” “Generation Wealth,” and the book “Girl Culture,” is bound to provide you with thought-provoking new perspectives. During the challenging 2021-22 academic year following lockdowns, Greenfield closely observed, facilitated discussions among, and gained access to unfiltered online communications of a diverse group of Los Angeles teenagers from various racial and economic backgrounds.

The characters she selects are intriguing. A resourceful teenager earns income by organizing extravagant high school gatherings. A working-class Latina formerly dated a prominent figure—and continues to grapple with the aftermath of being harassed by his admirers. A compassionate youth is producing a documentary about themselves and their peers’ experiences with social media. While visiting elite universities, a lesbian student grapples with the challenge of revealing her sexuality to her conservative, conspiracy-theory vlogging mother. By juxtaposing the subjects’ real-world environments with their digital footprints—consisting of videos, photos, and messages they share online—Greenfield offers a nuanced depiction of the relationship between technology and adolescence. We witness how platforms and algorithms can worsen body-image concerns, how a scorned lover’s diss track transforms the target into an outcast, and how the pandemic intensified everyone’s reliance on their smartphones. Although often disheartening, Social Studies presents an unvarnished yet never sensationalized snapshot of modern teen life.

Plus five more that would’ve made the list in any other month:

Have I Got News for You (CNN)

Roy Wood Jr., who was previously a well-loved correspondent for The Daily Show, left when it seemed he wouldn’t get the hosting position. Now, surprisingly, he’s at CNN hosting his own amusing game show, based on a British series, where he challenges teams led by comedians Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black on the constantly absurd news cycle we find ourselves in.

How to Die Alone (Hulu)

A comedic production, devoid of overly sweet sentiments, was brought to life by Natasha Rothwell, both its creator and leading actress. The story revolves around an airport employee who’s been repressed, and after a near-death experience, she decides to embrace a more daring lifestyle that she had always yearned for but lacked the confidence to pursue. Similar titles could be: “A Life Less Ordinary” or “Beyond Repression: A Daring Journey”.

Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Romantic comedies are most effective when audiences find themselves fond of both main characters as a couple, and while the interfaith love tale in this story may not always seem genuine, it’s hard not to become smitten with the unconventional soulmates portrayed by Kristen Bell and Adam Brody.

The Perfect Couple (Netflix)

This soapy adaptation of an Elin Hilderbrand murder mystery is not what I would call good TV, but it’s certainly fun TV, with a happily typecast Nicole Kidman playing the icy matriarch to a secretive, blue-blooded family amid a cast that also includes Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Dakota Fanning, Meghann Fahy, and Isabel Adjani.

Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos (HBO)

Instead of a seemingly unimportant bonus feature you’d find on a Blu-ray disc, it turns out to be an enlightening two-part retrospective about a renowned TV series, featuring a genuine dialogue – held in a set mimicking Tony Soprano’s therapist’s office – between the show’s creator, David Chase, and documentarian Alex Gibney.

2024-09-30 16:06