This October, TV revives CSI and Chucky, makes the Muppets spooky, and pits Sam Neill against an Invasion

The countdown to Halloween has begun, and TV is getting into the spirit of things with murderous dolls, aliens, and not-so-scary apparitions. This October will see the return of , , and , which means blood spatter galore. We’ll witness an when Apple TV+ launches a new sci-fi drama led by Sam Neill. Ghosts come to CBS, as the Muppets star in their first Halloween special, . But because reality is often scarier than fiction, this month’s premieres also include a searing look at the opioid crisis and a new examination of the debate over recovered memories. For those who aren’t so keen on observing All Hallow’s Eve, there’s a new show, a reboot, Shion Takeuchi’s new animated series, and a promising YA thriller.

Inspired by Stephanie Land’s memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, And A Mother’s Will To Survive, this Netflix dramedy follows single mother Alex (Margaret Qualley). Alex is in an abusive relationship with Sean (Nick Robinson), but after he punches the wall in a fit of anger, she escapes with her 2-year-old daughter Maddy. Alex is left to deal with her circumstances on her own—her friends take Sean’s side and her mother is too selfish to care. To make ends meet, she turns to cleaning lavish mansions, hoping to eventually create a better life for Maddy. Maid offers an unflinching portrayal of poverty and generational trauma. The cast includes Anika Noni Rose, Billy Burke, and Qualley’s real-life mother Andie MacDowell. [Saloni Gajjar]

kidding, CBS, pretending you could leave CSI to rest after the mega-popular crime procedural ended a 15-year run? Those spin-offs weren’t enough; the Eye Network had to get the forensics band back together for this limited series. William Petersen, Jorja Fox, and Wallace Langham all reprise their roles alongside new cast members Paula Newsome (), Mel Rodriguez (), Mandeep Dhillon (Bulletproof), and Matt Lauria (). When the series begins, the head of the Las Vegas Crime Lab, Maxine Roby (Newsome) tries to bolster the reputation of her organization by bringing back Gil Grissom (Petersen) and Sara Sidle (Fox). Guess how long it takes to get Grissom back in the lab—now cut that time in half. As with most limited series these days, the real question is how long before the network decides to make it a regular recurring drama. [Danette Chavez]

In CBS’s Ghosts, a remake of a popular British sitcom, young couple Sam (’s Rose McIver, who’s familiar with the undead) and Jay (’s Utkarsh Ambudkar) inherit a massive country estate that they decided to turn into a bed and breakfast. Unfortunately for them, the mansion is overrun with ghosts, from a pants-less yuppie to a colonial nobleman to a bloodthirsty Viking creatively named Thor. Horrified at the thought of their beloved homestead being turned into a hotel plagued by strangers, the spirits band together in a haunting effort to try to oust the couple. Unfortunately, this new series might be shaping up to be another poor American translation of a superior British series (see: , et al.); the early looks CBS has provided aren’t very promising. [Gwen Ihnat]

This YA thriller is here to fill the -shaped hole in your heart. Based on Karen M. McManus’ 2017 novel of the same name, One Of Us Is Lying centers on a group of high school students who become murder suspects after their friend, Simon (Mark McKenna), dies when they’re all in detention. The teen was known for starting an online gossip group to snitch on classmates, which may have made him a target. Once it’s determined Simon’s death was no accident, the series begins to unravel the motives the four students might have had to kill him. The first three episodes will premiere on October 7, with three more in the following week, before the last two episodes drop on October 21. [Saloni Gajjar]

After trying (and mostly failing) to teach audiences in 2017, Eugenio Derbez stars in a story inspired by that Ken Marino film. Acapulco is a coming-of-age comedy with a -style framing: A grown-up, seemingly affluent Máximo (Derbez) reflects on his adolescent life in the eponymous Mexican city. There are two timelines—the present and 1984, the latter of which is where most of the story takes place. Enrique Arrizon plays the young Máximo, who thinks he’s landed the job of his dreams as a cabana boy at a luxurious resort. Hijinks ensue, in English and Spanish, as Máximo learns that other people’s vacations require a lot of work. Acapulco takes as much inspiration from classic Mexican comedies as recent streaming shows like . [Danette Chavez]

try to get spooky with a trip to a Haunted Mansion in a new special. The premise, like the characters, is very familiar: Gonzo The Great and Pepé The King Prawn agree to spend the night in the eponymous accursed abode in exchange for some sort of fabulous prize. But, as a mysterious butler (Will Arnett) makes plain, they could pay dearly if they chicken out before the night is over. Truly, the only shocking thing is that this is the first Halloween special to feature the Muppets, but it still looks like a grand old time. Just take a gander at the guest star roster: Taraji P. Henson, Darren Criss, Yvette Nicole Brown, and of course, all your favorite Muppets, albeit in spectral form. [Danette Chavez]

​​One of the best things about being a ’90s kid is that you never really have to grow up, to the point now where childish dreams of, say, getting to be on Legends Of The Hidden Temple are even easier to achieve thanks to The CW. , this adult-oriented reboot of the classic Nickelodeon show quickly demonstrates why it isn’t being made with kids, and it’s not because kids in 2021 are somehow even worse at assembling the Silver Monkey. It’s because the kids who grew up watching the original show are still furious at all of the lucky children who got to go on the show and failed miserably at its trivia challenges and proto-escape room puzzles. They don’t want to see some new kids fail, they want to get in there and fail themselves! [Sam Barsanti]

This four-part docuseries follows the shocking story of Eileen Franklin, who, while playing with her young daughter in 1989, suddenly recovered a hidden memory of witnessing the rape and murder of her childhood best friend, Susan Nason, 20 years earlier. Her memories led to the reopening of the cold case. In a horrifying twist, Eileen recalled that the murderer is her own father, George Franklin. Through first-person interviews with family members, friends, law enforcement, and mental health and memory experts, Buried reveals Eileen’s and Susan’s story as well as the impact of uncovering traumatic incidents, and poses vital questions about the subconscious mind. [Saloni Gajjar]

It’s about time Don Mancini’s terrifying killer doll from made its way to the small screen. Mancini created and wrote the eight-episode series, which serves as a sequel to the 2017 film . In the series, an idyllic American town is thrown into chaos after a vintage Good Guy turns up at a garage sale. The residents are faced with horrifying murders and the threat of having their secrets and hypocrisies exposed. Friends and foes from Chucky’s past also show up, threatening to reveal his murderous origins and how a seemingly ordinary child became a notorious monster. and Jennifer Tilly reprise their roles from the films, alongside franchise newcomers Alyvia Alyn Lind, Barbara Alyn Woods, and Teo Briones. [Saloni Gajjar]

Based on Beth Macy’s best-selling book, Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors And The Drug Company That Addicted America, this wrenching drama is going to need to be taken one week at a time (though, fair warning that Hulu is sticking to its three-episode premiere schedule). The series, from executive producer Danny Strong, traces the roots of the opioid epidemic in the U.S., and the singular role that played in creating it. It’s a harrowing story, one that was recently examined through the documentary lens in HBO’s . Dopesick maintains the limited series tradition of attracting a staggering cast, including Michael Keaton, Kaitlyn Dever, Michael Stuhlbarg, Peter Sarsgaard, Philippa Soo, Rosario Dawson, and more. [Danette Chavez]

After leading Amazon Prime Video’s Widow in 2019, Kate Beckinsale returns to the small screen, this time as a disgraced journalist in the dramedy Guilty Party. The Underworld star plays Beth Burgess, who attempts to salvage her reputation and career by helping a young mother, Toni Plimpton (Jules Latimer), who has been sentenced to life for a crime she says she did not commit: maiming and murdering her husband. As her bond with Toni evolves, the show will tackle Beth’s “white savior complex.” She’ll find herself in over her head as she faces Colorado’s gun smugglers, clickbait culture, and her own past, all of which begins to affect her marriage. Geoff Stults, Tiya Sircar, and Andre Hyland also star. [Saloni Gajjar]

Jimmy Fallon is digging his claws further into NBC with a new talk show, The Kids Tonight Show. The hosts, none older than 12, include Young Dylan, Recker Eans, Olivia Perez, and Mykal-Michelle Harris. Conan’s Brian McCann is set as the show’s head writer. Taped in Studio 6A at Rockefeller Center, just across the hall from The Tonight Show, The Kids Tonight Show will feature signature bits from Fallon’s show along with opening sketches, monologues, and the witty kids will also interview celebrities, play games, and do demonstrations. [Saloni Gajjar]

After failed to launch a Marvel-style cinematic universe, Warner Bros. learned that its DC superhero adaptations are better when they try and do their own thing rather than imitate the successes of others. See: , . Now the studio is taking that to an extreme with the animated Aquaman: King Of Atlantis trilogy. The cartoon is explicitly not trying to be the movies or Super Friends or really even any comic book that DC fans might know, and that means it can tell whatever kinds of stories it wants. That has the potential to be so much more fun than another retreat of familiar superhero mythology. The series stars Cooper Andrews as Aquaman, Gillian Jacobs as Mera, Thomas Lennon as Vulko, and Dana Snyder as Ocean Master. [Sam Barsanti]

It’s been 48 years since first taunted readers, and 15 years since the last installment in inspired by Lois Duncan’s page-turner. Apparently, teens remain bad enough drivers to warrant another reimagining. You probably know the story, but if not, IKWYDLS begins with some vehicular manslaughter and a pledge among friends to keep the death a secret. Guilt resurfaces for some characters, while others aren’t quite so convinced of their wrongdoing. This IKWYDLS enters a TV landscape that’s already seen a few adaptations of horror franchises (Scream) and YA thrillers in the last 10 years. But if anyone can give a worn premise new vitality, it’s James Wan, who executive produces along with Neal Moritz. [Danette Chavez]

​​ABC’s Queens has a lot in common with Peacock’s , which came out in May of this year—it’s also about four members of a popular girl band from decades past decide to reunite. Queens moves the genre to hip-hop, and the second act of ’90s sensation Nasty Girls: Eve as mother of five Brianna (a.k.a. Professor Sex), Naturi Naughton as now-religious Jill (Da Thrill), Nadine Velazquez as disgraced daytime host Valeria (Butter Pecan), and Brandy as failed solo act Naomi (Xplicit Lyrics). As with Girls5eva, there’s the obligatory scene of these now-middle-aged women trying to relearn the complicated, risqué choreography of their youth (prior to a performance in front of a live audience, for some reason). But as the title implies, Queens steers away from Girls5eva’s satirical bent into a heartwarming dramedy vibe, as all the former Nasty Girls strive to overcome the past and take control of their new lives. [Gwen Ihnat]

Apple TV+ goes for the sci-fi drama hat trick, following up and the recently premiered with Invasion, a new series from David Weil () and Simon Kinberg (a bunch of stuff, including and ). The trailer is full of scenes of people gawking at the changing sky, soldiers battling something, and power grids shutting down around the world, as Sam Neill intones a speech about finding our purpose, together. The fairly generic name and what looks like stock footage of frightened people running in every direction in the trailer suggest another riff on , Hopefully, Weil and Kinberg and Emmy-nominated director Jakob Verbruggen () have something more inventive up their sleeves. [Danette Chavez]

Netflix’s new adult animated comedy has an impressive voice cast, including Lizzy Caplan, Christian Slater, Andrew Daly, Tisha Campbell, and Brett Gelman. Inside Job follows a dysfunctional team whose full-time job is to manage global conspiracies, including convoluted cover-ups and secret societies. Do lizard people exist? Was the moon landing faked? These are just a few of the questions that anti-social tech genius Reagan Ridley and her team will handle. Reagan chases a big promotion, earnestly believing she can make a difference in this world. Now if only she can manage her unhinged, manifesto-writing father Rand and her irresponsible coworkers. [Saloni Gajjar]

4400 is a reboot of the 2004 science-fiction thriller The 4400; series creators Anna Frickle and Arianna Jackson have simply cut the “the” from the original’s title. Led by Joseph David-Jones, the show follows 4,400 people, all from marginalized groups, who vanished without a trace over the last century. They suddenly reappear without having aged a day, and with no memory of where they were or what happened to them. Some of the returned people include a 1950s civil rights activist, a reverend from the 1990s, a parole officer, and a social worker. The Black-led series will address our country’s inability to reckon with its history of white supremacy. [Saloni Gajjar]

As the first kids show set in the -verse, Prodigy checks boxes for all-ages entertainment and a solid addition to the generation-spanning story that first came to life more than 50 years ago. An untested crew that eventually grows as close as a family? Check. Very cool visuals and sound effects? Pew-pew-pew (or yes). Mettle-testing adventures and a variety of alien life forms? Absolutely. A beloved Trek character to offer wisdom and tie things together? A resounding yes, thanks to . But the focus of Star Trek: Prodigy is on the ragteam team: Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui), Dal (Brett Gray), Zero (Angus Imrie), Jankom (Jason Mantzoukas), Gwyn (Ella Purnell), and Murf (Dee Bradley Baker). John Noble and Jimmi Simpson voice characters who make more than a little trouble for the Prodigy crew. [Danette Chavez]

Ava DuVernay’s highly anticipated six-episode limited series follows the early years of NFL quarterback and activist Colin Kaepernick. Jaden Michael plays “Young Colin” in this coming-of-age drama, while Kaepernick, who co-executive producers the series, narrates the action. Nick Offerman and Mary-Louise Parker co-star as Colin’s well-meaning parents. The series will portray the important moments in Kaepernick’s life, before his activism became known around the world: growing up as a biracial child in a white adoptive family, pursuing a career in sports. The series’ directors include DuVernay, Sheldon Candis, Robert Townsend, Angel Kristi Williams, and Kenny Leon. [Saloni Gajjar]

October’s other sports biography is based on NBA superstar and Olympic gold medalist Kevin Durant, who executive produces along with Brian Grazer and Reggie Rock Bythewood. Swagger stars Isaiah Hill as Jace, one of the top-ranked youth basketball players in the country. His mother Jenna (Shinelle Azoroh) is determined to help her son make the most of his talents. O’Shea Jackson Jr., Quvenzhané Wallis, and Tristan Mack Wilds are among the exciting cast members. Swagger will take on aspiration and ambition, professional sports and corporate greed, and what life is like for Jace as a teen and a phenomenon in the making. This suggests a story closer to  or than —and for that, we want courtside seats. [Danette Chavez]

season-two premiere (10/8); season-two premiere (10/11); season-seven premiere, season-three premiere (10/13); Project Runway season 19 premiere (10/14); season-three premiere; season-three premiere (10/17); season 18 premiere (10/19); season-two premiere (10/22); season-five premiere (10/24); season-two premiere (10/28)