"Rel," Fox/5, Sept. 8, 9:30 p.m.
Cast: Lil Rel Howery; Sinbad; Jess "Hilarious" Moore; Jordan L. Jones
What it's about: Howery was a breakout on "The Carmichael Show," then broke out further in "Get Out." When he arrives this fall, he'll arrive with some name recognition, or enough to have his new show named after him. This multicamera sitcom is in fact autobiographical, or thinly so, about a guy who finds out his wife is having an affair with his barber. Sinbad (who plays Rel's father) meanwhile returns to Fox for the first time in a quarter-century, since "The Sinbad Show" of the early '90s.
"Magnum P.I.," CBS/2, Sept. 24, 9 p.m.
Cast: Jay Hernandez (Thomas Magnum); Perdita Weeks; Zachary Knighton; Stephen Hill
What it's about: "Magnum, P.I." (1980-88) was always one of those shows at the top of any potential reboot list, or at the top of CBS', save for one little impediment _ who to play Magnum? Tom Selleck's role was so memorable that any other Magnum might pale by comparison. (What? No 'stache?) Hernandez _ with a stubble here but, sorry, no 'stache _ is therefore a departure. A Californian of Mexican descent, he appeared (briefly) in "Scandal" and in AMC's well-regarded "The Expanse." Otherwise, Hernandez arrives with a relatively low profile, which is about to be raised, dramatically. He plays the same ol' Magnum _ ex-military, now security consultant to millionaire author, living on his Hawaiian estate _ with some new tricks and new friends, including his best one, TC (Stephen Hill) and property manager Juliet Higgins (Perdita Weeks). She's got Dobermans, too, by the way. The cars, meanwhile, are still lavish and apparently expendable.
"Manifest," NBC/4, Sept. 24, 10 p.m.
Cast: Melissa Roxburgh ("Valor"), Josh Dallas ("Once Upon a Time"), Athena Karkanis ("Zoo"), J.R. Ramirez ("Power"), Luna Blaise ("Fresh Off the Boat"), Jack Messina and Parveen Kaur ("Saving Hope")
What it's about: This Robert Zemeckis thriller almost distantly recalls (for very different reasons) "Lost" and "Gilligan's Island." Passengers get on board Montego Air Flight 828 for a short flight, if not quite a three-hour tour, and finally disembark five years later. What happened to Flight 828? On the ground, the world thinks it's disappeared forever. But the passengers and crew know otherwise. They've all changed when they finally get off that plane, and their destinies have as well.
"New Amsterdam," NBC/4, Sept. 25, 10 p.m.
Cast: Ryan Eggold. Freema Agyeman, Janet Montgomery, Jocko Sims, Tyler Labine, Anupam Kher
What it's about: Just to dispel any confusion, this is not a reboot of the old Fox series of the same name, and instead of cops, think doctors. This hospital drama was largely inspired by Eric Manheimer's nonfiction account of Bellevue Hospital ("Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital"), where he was medical director. Eggold will play his fictional counterpart, young idealist Dr. Max Goodwin, who wants to break rules to fix the system. (And, yes, this is one of 37 episodic TV series filming in an around New York City this summer.) NBC has placed "New Amsterdam" behind "This Is Us," so hopes are apparently high.
"FBI," CBS/2, Sept. 25, 9 p.m.
Cast: Missy Peregrym, Zeeko Zak, Ebonee Noel, Jeremy Sisto, Sela Ward
What it's about: The king of the law procedural, Dick Wolf, returns to New York _ apparently having run out of Chicago institutions upon which to base more procedurals. Here Peregrym plays Special Agent Maggie Bell out of the New York office of the bureau and along with some other stouthearted agents, they "tenaciously investigate cases of tremendous magnitude, including terrorism, organized crime and counterintelligence," per CBS press notes. You'll be intrigued to learn that they tenaciously investigated one in Franklin Square, during a shoot in early August. Expect other Long Island locales during the first season, too.
"Single Parents," ABC/7, Sept. 26, 9:30 p.m.
Cast: Taran Killam, Leighton Meester, Kimrie Lewis, Jake Choi, Marlow Barkley, Tyler Wladis, Devin Trey Campbell, Mia Allan, Ella Allan, Brad Garrett
What it's about: For all of those wondering what happened to Taran Killam since leaving "Saturday Night Live" a couple of seasons ago, you are about to have your answer. He stars here as Will, a single parent raising a young daughter. He does that to the exclusion of a personal life, which is where the other single parents come in. His friends join together to get Will to rejoin the world.
"A Million Little Things," ABC/7, Sept. 26, 10 p.m.
Cast: David Giuntoli, Ron Livingston, Romany Malco, Allison Miller, Christina Moses, Christina Ochoa, Grace Park, James Roda, Stephanie Szostak, Lizzy Greene
What it's about: After a group of people from Boston get stuck on an elevator and bond during the ordeal, they become close friends and are all brought together again when one of them takes his own life. They then begin the process of understanding what happened, and what each may have had to do with it. Of that title, another character explains that friendship is "a million little things." While this is probably not ABC's attempt to repurpose "This Is Us," it probably wouldn't mind the comparison, either. "I truly think everything in life happens for a reason," says one of the characters in this ensemble drama. "The challenge is to find that reason." Or the next network hit.
"Murphy Brown," CBS/2, Sept. 27, 9:30 p.m.
Cast: Candice Bergen, Faith Ford, Joe Regalbuto, Grant Shaud, Nik Dodani, Tyne Daly, Jake McDorman
What it's about: "Fake News," 24-hour cable, Facebook, Twitter, #Metoo and a very different occupant of the White House each indicate that this reboot of a '90s prime-time icon won't be the same-old-same-show. Some of the new faces do as well: McDorman joins the original cast as Avery, Murphy's adult son, and Daly is on board as Phyllis, who runs the bar once run by her brother Phil (the late Pat Corley). While the gang otherwise is mostly all here, there is a major missing piece _ Charles Kimbrough, who played starchy news anchor Jim Dial. He will turn up in cameos in a few episodes. Like the recent "Roseanne" reboot, "Murphy" has a lot of catching up to do after 20 years (the original aired from 1988 to 1998). CBS promises it will.
"Last Man Standing," Fox/5, Sept. 28, 8 p.m.
Cast: Tim Allen, Nancy Travis, Amanda Fuller, Christoph Sanders, Jordan Masterson, Jonathan Adams, Hector Elizondo
What it's about: The gang's mostly all back for this Fox revival of the long-running ABC series. (Mostly _ Kaitlyn Dever, youngest Baxter daughter, is not, so far.) Meanwhile, the same premise holds: Mike Baxter, marketing director of a Denver-based outdoor sporting goods chain, is a beset "man's man," trying to navigate a world, and a family full of women, constantly challenging his self-image and place in the world. This Fox redo appears reluctant to step into the political forum. Unlike now-departed Roseanne Conner, it's unclear who he voted for, although his opinions remain the same. As Fox press notes explain, Mike deploys his "Outdoor Man vlog" to "spout off about the environment, health care, international politics or any other topic occupying his mind."
"The Cool Kids," Fox/5, Sept. 28, 8:30 p.m.
Cast: David Alan Grier, Martin Mull, Vicki Lawrence, Leslie Jordan
What it's about: Think "Golden Girls (and Boys)," this sitcom set in a retirement home boasts a cast of legends in support of an otherwise straightforward premise. Figuring they've got nothing left to lose, this group of friends and retirees "break all the rules" in pursuit of a good time. They are Hank (Grier), described as an Archie Bunker type; Charlie (Mull), a bumbler and eccentric; Sid (Jordan) a histrionic hedonist; and Margaret (Lawrence), the bossy member of the little group of geriatric pals. (Charlie Day, of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," produces, by the way.)
"God Friended Me," CBS/2, Sept. 30, 8:30 p.m.
Cast: Brandon Micheal Hall, Violett Beane, Suraj Sharma, Javicia Leslie, Joe Morton
What it's about: Miles Finer (Hall, of last season's "The Mayor") is an unrepentant atheist whose father, Arthur (Morton, most recently "Scandal"), just happens to be the reverend of a major Harlem church. One day, Miles gets an unusual friend request on one of his social media accounts. God "pokes" him a few times until he accepts, and that leads Miles _ and this new dramedy _ on a quest to change other people's' lives. Miles initially thinks this request is a hoax, but slowly, he and his friends begin to suspect otherwise. By the way, Greg Berlanti _ TV's most prolific producer _ is behind this.
"The Neighborhood," CBS/2, Oct. 1, 8 p.m.
Cast: Cedric the Entertainer, Max Greenfield, Sheaun McKinney, Marcel Spears, Hank Greenspan, Tichina Arnold, Beth Behrs
What it's about: Dave (Greenfield) is a hyper-friendly conflict negotiator from Michigan who moves his family to L.A., and right next door to his human opposite: Calvin (Cedric), who thinks Dave will ruin the neighborhood with his upbeat, feel-good vibes. Calvin's wife, Tina (Arnold), and son Malcolm (McKinney) aren't so unwelcoming, and soon begin to think this new guy could be a good addition to the neighborhood. And yes, since you wondered, this series is indeed the replacement of "Kevin Can Wait," which was axed in the spring after only a couple of seasons.
"Happy Together," CBS/2, Oct. 1, 8:30 p.m.
Cast: Damon Wayans, Jr., Amber Stevens West, Felix Mallard, Stephnie Weir, Victor Williams, Chris Parnell
What it's about: Accountant Jake (Wayans) and restaurant designer Claire (West) are a happily married couple settling into a middle-age life, mostly on the couch in front of TV. Then, change arrives to disrupt their bland bliss in the form of one Cooper James (Mallard). One of Jake's clients, he's a Justin Bieber-like (or wannabe) pop star who figures he can escape both paparazzi and fans by moving next door to Jake and Claire. (Parnell, by the way, plays Coop's agent, Wayne.) Soon enough, each begins to change the other. Jake and Claire rediscover their younger selves while Cooper starts to settle into a middle-age comfort zone, too, even though he's barely out of his teens, if that. Newcomer Mallard, by the way, has previously starred in the long-running Australian soap, "Neighbours."
"I Feel Bad," NBC/4, Oct. 4, 9:30 p.m.
Cast: Sarayu Blue, Paul Adelstein, Zach Cherry, Johnny Pemberton and James Buckley.
What it's about: Emet (Blue) is described, if not self-described, as the perfect mother, boss, wife, friend and daughter, Then why does she feel bad? And she feels bad about a lot of things, notably her sexuality, her kids, her family and who knows what else. And so to make herself feel better, she enlists the help of her co-workers _ a ragtag group of millennial bros who could stand some self-help guidance of their own. This family sitcom, produced by Amy Poehler, is the first starring role for Blue, who launched her career in the 2007 theatrical "Lions for Lambs," and has since appeared in a dozen network series, most recently in The CW's "No Tomorrow."
"All American," CW//11, Oct. 10, 9 p.m.
Cast: Taye Diggs, Daniel Ezra, Michael Evans Behling, Jordan Belfi, Bre-Z, Cody Christian, Jalyn Hall, Briana Lane, Samantha Logan
What it's about: Spencer James _ played by British newcomer to U.S. TV, Ezra, who previously starred on "Prime Suspect 1973" and "The Missing" _ is a star football player at South Crenshaw High in Compton who is recruited to join the Beverly Hills High team by Coach Baker (Diggs). And so maybe think of "All American" as "Friday Night Lights" meets "Beverly Hills, 90210." This high school drama is about a fish out of water who tries to fit in while others _ notably the coach's jealous son, starting quarterback Jordan (Behling) _ compete for Coach Baker's attention, while another player, Asher (Christian), wants him off the football team altogether. This new series was "inspired" by life of former Giants linebacker Spencer Paysinger, who was indeed a star player and team captain at Beverly Hills High.
"Charmed," CW/11, Oct. 14, 9 p.m.
Cast: Melonie Diaz, Sarah Jeffery, Madeleine Mantock, Ser'Darius Blain, Ellen Tamaki, Rupert Evans
What it's about: After the mysterious death of their mother, three sisters _ Melanie (Diaz), Maggie (Jeffery) and Macy (Mantock) _ discover that they are witches and (per The CW) soon "this powerful threesome must stand together to fight the everyday and supernatural battles that all modern witches must face: from vanquishing powerful demons to toppling the patriarchy." If this all sounds familiar, well, it should. "Charmed" is another network TV reboot, this one based on the long-running WB cult series (1998-2006) of the same name about the sisters who used their "Power of Three" to fight evil, and which starred Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano (and later, Rose McGowan, after Doherty left).
"The Alec Baldwin Show," ABC/7, Oct. 14, 10 p.m.
What it's about: Baldwin gets a shot at the rarest of the rare _ a prime-time talk show on one of the major commercial networks. (In recent years, there has only been one, the short-lived "Jay Leno Show.") ABC previewed this last March after the Oscars, and expect something similar, notably one-on-one interviews with people who (in Baldwin's words) have nothing in particular to promote, but lots to say about culture, politics and themselves ("the watchword for me is origins," he said in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, as in finding out what made the person who they have become).
"The Kids Are Alright," WABC/7, Oct. 16, 8:30 p.m.
Cast: Santino Barnard, Sawyer Barth, Michael Cudlitz, Caleb Foote, Jack Gore, Mary McCormack, Christopher Paul Richards, Sam Straley, Andy Walken.
What it's about: Remember "Eight Is Enough," the long-ago ABC sitcom about a widowed dad (Dick Van Patten) and his unruly eight-headed brood? That's a starting point for "Kids," about the eight-is-enough Clearys, and the mother (McCormack) and father (Cudlitz) who hold uneasy dominion over their tribe. These eight are boys who live in a working-class section of Los Angeles and who get minimal supervision. The oldest, Lawrence (Straley), is set up as a model because he's been off studying at the seminary. Then he returns home to say he's no longer pursuing a life in the priesthood, and that's when the chaos really begins. This comedy, set in the '70s, is produced by veteran showrunner Tim Doyle, who brought some of this spirit to the last show he produced for ABC, "Last Man Standing."
"The Rookie," ABC/7, Oct. 16, 10 p.m.
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, Titus Makin, Mercedes Mason, Melissa O'Nei, Afton Williamson, Eric Winter.
What it's about: Everything that's old is new again, or at least on TV, and specifically on "The Rookie," which distantly echoes Paul Sorvino/DW Moffett cop drama of the late '80s, "The Oldest Rookie." For this newcomer, ABC has dropped the word "oldest" because that's rarely been successful in attracting audiences. John Nolan (Fillion, "Castle") is recently divorced when he disrupts a bank robbery in progress. Suddenly, his career prospects take an unexpected turn. He joins the LAPD as the force's oldest rookie, where he's either embraced _ his new partner, Angela Lopez (Diaz), is willing to give him a chance _ or ridiculed. His ranking officer, Sgt. Grey (Jones) says, "I hate what you represent _ a walking midlife crisis." Fillion, by the way, is 47. And since you wondered, is there an age limit on joining the LAPD? In fact, per the recruiting website, you need to be "at least 20 years of age at time of application" and 21 by age of graduation. That's it.
"Legacies," CW/11, Oct. 25, 9 p.m.
Cast: Danielle Rose Russell, Jenny Boyd, Kaylee Bryant, Quincy Fouse, Aria Shahghasemi, Peyton Alex Smith, Matt Davis
What it's about: This is the sequel to recently wrapped "The Originals," which itself was the spinoff prequel to "The Vampire Diaries." About a brand-new generations of witches, vampires and werewolves at the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted, they include: Hope (Russell), the teen daughter of Klaus Mikaelson (one of the Original Vampires, played by Joseph Morgan); also twins Lizzie (Boyd) and Josie (Bryant), the progeny of Alaric Saltzman (Matthew Davis), from "TVD," and back for this one. Per CW, "Will these young witches, vampires and werewolves become the heroes they want to be _ or the villains they were born to be?" Sounds familiar and well it should.
"The Conners," ABC/7, Nov. 16, 8 p.m.
Cast: John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Lecy Goranson, Michael Fishman (ABC says additional casting will be named by airdate)
What it's about: "After a sudden turn of events, the Conners are forced to face the daily struggles of life in Lanford in a way they never have before." The world pretty much learned in May what this "sudden turn of events" was when Roseanne Barr was fired for her offensive tweets from her eponymous rebooted sitcom, which was then canceled. Thus "The Conners" becomes something unprecedented in this era of TV redos: a reboot of a reboot. But if Barr was dropped for those tweets in real life, what happens to Roseanne Conner in her fictional one? That will be the major reveal when "The Conners" launches. After that? As it turns out, there is some precedence here: Valerie Harper was written out of her own (also eponymous) NBC show by the time the second season started in the fall of 1986. By then, Sandy Duncan had joined as Valerie's sister, and replacement. What was to become "The Hogan Family" lasted another four seasons. There may be life in the Conners yet.
