November TV Premieres: 11 New Shows To Look Out For This Month
(Wondering if you’re all caught up with the big shows from the past few months? Our August, September, and October previews are here to help guide you.)
“SMILF” (November 5, Showtime)
The ongoing adventures of Bridgette, navigating single motherhood and life in Southie, is the brainchild of star/writer/producer Frankie Shaw. Balancing her job, the rest of her family, and her post-baby sex life, the show has energy and some carefully crafted relationships. With some great supporting performances from Rosie O’Donnell and Connie Britton, this is one to keep an eye on. (If you’re already curious, the pilot is already available for free on YouTube.)
“Damnation” (November 7, USA)
A loose-cannon figure bent on upending everyday American life and the corporate-backed enforcer designed to stop him — it’s a showdown that seems like it could be a modern-day Politico item, but “Damnation” is set firmly in the Midwest in the 1930s. If you’re up for some frontier justice, Killian Scott and Logan Marshall-Green star in this series from “Longmire” writer Tony Tost.
“The Long Road Home” (November 7, Nat Geo)
This isn’t National Geographic’s first foray into scripted programming. But even after the dueling timelines of “Genius,” this miniseries profile of a military unit caught in an April 2004 attack in Baghdad might be the network’s highest profile work to date. Blending intense combat scenes with glimpses of loved ones left behind, the eight-part series stars Michael Kelly, Jason Ritter, Kate Bosworth, Sarah Wayne Callies, Noel Fisher, and Jeremy Sisto.
“If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” (November 7, Amazon)
Look, it’s been a rough few months. The world is terrible. This is the time where we all need some pure happiness. Let’s all dive into the harmless adventures of a friendly rodent and its various human counterparts. Amazon‘s children’s programming is a network strength, so join us in basking in nostalgia for the book. (Unless the cookie is some twisted allegory for stolen government secrets.)
“No Activity” (November 12, CBS All Access)
CBS All Access’ early splashes (“Star Trek: Discovery,” “The Good Fight,” and even the announced bonkers-sounding David Lowery project) mostly fall on the drama side. So there’ll be extra attention on this high-profile cop comedy, co-produced by Funny or Die. Starring Tim Meadows and Patrick Brammall as the central off-kilter police officers, the show’s first season is flooded with a high-profile cast of characters, including appearances from Will Ferrell, Jesse Plemons, Amy Sedaris, Jake Johnson, J.K. Simmons, and Michaela Watkins. (New episodes drop like “Disco” every Sunday night.)
“Ill Behaviour” (November 13, Showtime)
Chris Geere and Lizzy Caplan have each starred in series about toxic relationships and questionable rebounds, so putting them together in this Showtime import has us very intrigued. A show about risky friendships and facing the future with abandon, there’s even a tinge of a thriller in here too. Let the self-destruction roll.
“Future Man” (November 14, Hulu)
An action comedy that’s getting the drop on “Ready Player One,” this Rogen/Goldberg-produced Hulu series looks like it’s ready to add some new visuals to the saving-the-world repertoire. Josh Hutcherson plays a janitor recruited to preserve humanity in a distant generation. With Eliza Coupe and Ed Begley, Jr. along for the ride, this one looks like it has plenty of quality, candy-colored futuristic hijinks.
“Back” (November 16, Sundance Now)
The trio of writer Simon Blackwell and stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb already teamed up to deliver one “Peep Show,” one of the all-time great TV sitcoms. For their latest follow-up, Mitchell and Webb play opposite each other as long-lost brothers of sorts, brought together by the death of their father. The first season made its debut in the UK a few months ago — we’re looking forward to digging into this once it’s stateside.
“There’s…Johnny!” (November 16, Hulu)
This series’ long journey to a wider audience has been well-documented, but we’re eager to see how this labor of love hits screens. A fictionalized chronicle of life behind the scenes at the heyday of Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show,” this seems right in the wheelhouse for late-night obsessives, Tony Danza aficionados, and fans of pastel suits.
“Marvel’s Runaways” (November 21, Hulu)
Another piece in the renewed effort to bring younger stories to the Marvel TV-verse, Hulu’s series about a group of teens dealing with the consequences of their powers seems more “Gossip Girl” than “Gifted.” Still, we’re confident that, based on the strength of the graphic novels, there’s plenty in “Runaways” to prove that superhero stories work at schools that aren’t named after Professor Xavier.
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (November 29, Amazon)
A period piece about a comic making her way through the stand-up scene in late-’50s Greenwich Village? We’d be on board with this even if we didn’t already know it came from “Gilmore Girls” and “Bunheads” auteur Amy Sherman-Palladino. Eight episodes of Midge’s New York adventures drop right after Thanksgiving, and based on early indications, it’s just getting started.
Sign Up Stay on top of the latest film and TV news! Sign up for our film and TV email newsletter here.
