What's on TV this week—Fellow Travelers, The Gilded Age, All The Light We Cannot See

Welcome to What’s On, our weekly picks of must-watch shows. Here’s what you need to watch from Sunday, October 29 to Thursday, November 2. All times are Eastern. [Note: The weekend edition of What’s On drops on Fridays.]

The biggies

Fellow Travelers (Showtime, Sunday, 9 p.m.)

Thomas Mallon’s 2007 novel gets an emotional, sexy adaptation with Fellow Travelers. Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey—who just ooze chemistry—play lovers struggling to hide their romance. Taking place from the 1950s to the 1980s, the show is set against the backdrop of volatile events, ranging from the Vietnam War to the AIDS crisis. Allison Williams, Jelani Alladin, and Chris Bauer round out the cast. Here’s an excerpt from The A.V. Club’s review:

“This is the kind of devastating love story for the ages, brought to life with the undeniable talents of Bomer and Bailey, that will stay with you long after the end credits roll.”

Julian Fellowes is back doing what he does best—cooking up soapy period dramas. The Gilded Age returns for its second season starring Carrie Coon, Cynthia Nixon, Christine Baranski, Morgan Spector, Denée Benton, and Taissa Farmiga. Set during New York City’s 1880s boom, the series unspools the rivalry between the “new money” Russells and the established, wealthy van Rhijn-Brook family. The A.V. Club will recap the show weekly.

Anthony Doerr’s World War II novel All The Light We Cannot See makes its way to Netflix with this four-episode miniseries, which stars Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie, with Free Guy’s Shawn Levy directing. The show alternates between the perspectives of Marie-Laure (Aria Mia Loberti), a blind French girl, and Werner Pfennig (Louis Hofmann), a German teen, as they try to escape their tragic fates. The A.V. Club’s review publishes on Monday.

Hidden gems

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (Shudder, Monday, 3:01 a.m.)

Stephen Cognetti unleashes the fourth film in his Hell House LLC horror franchise, Carmichael Manor. For everyone scared of clowns, consider this … something to skip. The found-footage-style movie, styled as a documentary, is set in the titular mansion. In it, internet sleuth Margot (Bridget Rose Perrotta) is obsessed with the Carmichael case from 1989, and along with her girlfriend and brother, she sets out to spend five days at the manor to solve the mystery.

Hulu’s part-thriller, part-family saga credits Oprah Winfrey as one of its producers. Black Cake follows Covey (Mia Isaac), a runaway bride from Jamaica who is considered a fugitive after her new groom is found dead. Fifty years later, an old woman in America dies and leaves her children letters that reveal the truth about their origins. Glynn Turman, Adrienne Warren, Chipo Chung, Ashley Thomas, Lashay Anderson, and Faith Alabi also star. Check out The A.V. Club’s review on Wednesday.

More good stuff

Love Island Games (Peacock, Wednesday, 3:01 a.m.)

The expansion of reality dating series Love Island knows no bounds. Love Island Games, hosted by Maya Jama, is yet another show in the franchise. Former Island-ers from across the globe return for another shot at love—um, sure?—and the chance to win $100,000.

Mexican drama Hurricane Season follows a group of teens who find a dead body in a canal, which leads to a gruesome investigation by village locals. The show, adapted from the book of the same name, mixes real-world crime and mythological elements to tell its tale.

Can’t miss recaps

The Morning Show (Apple TV+, Wednesday, 12:01 a.m.)

Loki (Disney+, Thursday, 9 p.m.)

Gen V (Prime Video, Friday, 12:01 a.m., season one finale)

The Great British Bake Off (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.)

Arriving now

The Real Housewives Of Miami (Bravo, Wednesday, 9 p.m., season six premiere)

Ending soon

Billions (Showtime, Sunday, 8 p.m., series finale)

Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+, Thursday, 3:01 a.m., season four finale)