What to Watch: September

by Julian Spivey

Photos: Netflix, Paramount, Peacock & HBO

NCIS: Tony & Ziva (Paramount+) – Thursday, September 4
“NCIS,” the popular CBS crime drama that has been on the air since 2003, certainly didn’t need another spinoff. There have already been five (two of which are still on the air). But, bringing two fan-favorite characters from the original series, Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo and Cote de Pablo’s Ziva David, together for their own series should be a winning combination for fans of the series – maybe even some who have given up on the original series after more than 20 years on TV.  “NCIS: Tony & Ziva” premieres on Paramount+ on Thursday, Sept. 4, and it wouldn’t be surprising if it immediately became the streamer’s most popular series.

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The Paper (Peacock) – Thursday, September 4
Peacock’s latest series, “The Paper,” is a loosely based spinoff of “The Office” in that it’s created by Greg Daniels, told via the mockumentary aspect that made “The Office” revolutionary among American television, and features Oscar Nunez’s Oscar Martinez, one of the characters in “The Office.” “The Paper” follows a fledgling local print newspaper (aren’t they all) in Toledo, Ohio, which has been taken over by a new editor in Domhnall Gleeson’s Ned Sampson. Featuring a supporting cast including Sabrina Impacciatore and Chelsea Frei, it’ll be interesting to see how many fans of the beloved “The Office” will find “The Paper.” “The Paper” premieres on Peacock on Thursday, Sept. 4, and unlike most Peacock series, all 10 episodes will be dropped at once. 

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Task (HBO/HBO Max) – Sunday, September 7
Creator/writer Brad Ingelsby took the TV world by storm in 2021 with the limited series “Mare of Easttown,” which dominated at the Emmy Awards with three acting wins, including its lead Kate Winslet. His next project for HBO is “Task,” starring Oscar-nominated actor Mark Ruffalo as an FBI agent tasked with ending a string of violent robberies in Philadelphia. The supporting cast features Tom Pelphrey and Emilia Jones. “Task” premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, Sept. 7. 

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Black Rabbit (Netflix) – Thursday, September 18
Jason Bateman has had a lot of success with his Netflix relationship, with the revival and resumption of “Arrested Development,” his Emmy-nominated acting and Emmy-winning directing turn in the dark drama “Ozark” and starring in one of the streamer’s most popular original films, “Carry-On.” His latest work for the streamer is the miniseries “Black Rabbit,” in which he plays the chaotic Vince Friedken, who reenters the life of his brother, Jake, played by Jude Law, and throws his life into escalating dangers that might bring down his successful life. “Black Rabbit” premieres on Netflix on Thursday, Sept. 18. 

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The Lowdown (FX) – Tuesday, September 23
Sterlin Harjo. After three brilliant seasons of his series “Reservation Dogs,” an FX production that aired on Hulu, I will follow him to anything he does. His follow-up to “Reservation Dogs” is “The Lowdown,” premiering on FX on Tuesday, Sept. 23. “The Lowdown” is reportedly about a man “who knows too much,” and is loosely based on Lee Roy Chapman, a Tulsa-man who’s researched helped reshape contemporary understanding on the racial history of Tulsa, Okla. Ethan Hawke, who memorably appeared in a guest role in “Reservation Dogs,” will lead the series with a supporting cast that includes Tim Blake Nelson, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Kyle MacLachlan and Keith David.  

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English Teacher: Season 2 (FX/Hulu) – Thursday, September 25
“English Teacher,” the FX comedy created by and starring Brian Jordan Alvarez, was one of the surprise hits of 2024. Alvarez stars as high school English teacher Evan Marquez, who struggles with both working with today’s students and his love life. The series features an incredibly hilarious supporting cast that includes Stephanie Koenig, Sean Patton and Enrico Colantoni. Season two premieres on FX on Thursday, Sept. 25, and the entire season will be available on Hulu the following day. 

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The Savant (AppleTV+) – Friday, September 26
Jessica Chastain is the latest Oscar-winning movie star to try her hand at prestige television with AppleTV+’s thriller miniseries “The Savant.” Chastain stars as the titular savant, who infiltrates online hate groups in efforts to prevent large-scale public attacks. The series, created by Melissa James Gibson, is based on a 2019 Cosmopolitan article about a real-life woman known as “the Savant,” who does the same. “The Savant” premieres on Friday, Sept. 26.