A guide to Black TV shows you don’t want to miss this fall

From haunted small towns to laugh-out-loud comedies and big-budget finales, Black talent is leading the fall TV line-up. 

The leaves aren’t the only thing turning this fall—TV is back, and Black stars are everywhere. 

Fall TV is serving everything from fresh debuts to long-awaited returns with Black talent front and center. Tracy Morgan will potentially bring the laughs in not one but two new shows this season. Meanwhile, Maya Rudolph is flexing her billionaire comedy chops as Jessie Williams navigates an action-packed mystery. New comedies like “The Paper” and “DMV” are ushering in new Black talent. Then, we have Caleb McLaughlin closing out one of Netflix’s biggest shows. In short, this season is jam-packed with stories.

From haunted small towns to laugh-out-loud comedies and big-budget finales, here’s your cheat sheet to the shows starring Black talent you don’t want to miss this fall. 

New shows

“The Paper”

In this Office spinoff, Oscar Núñez (returning as Oscar Martinez), Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, and others join Domhnall Gleeson as they try to revive a failing Midwest newspaper with volunteer reporters. All 10 episodes dropped September 4, 2025, on Peacock.

“Hotel Costiera”

Jesse Williams plays a half-Italian former U.S. Marine turned fixer who returns to Italy and unravels a mystery when the hotel owner’s daughter vanishes in this new action-packed thriller series premiering September 24, 2025, on Prime Video.

“DMV”

Starring Tim Meadows, this comedy dives into the chaos and camaraderie of employees at the Department of Motor Vehicles, showing what they endure when bureaucracy meets everyday life. It debuts October 13, 2025, on CBS.

“It: Welcome to Derry”

This supernatural prequel, featuring Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, and others, explores the original evil in the town of Derry before the events of Stephen King’s infamous novel “It.” The new series premieres October 26, 2025, on Max.

“Crutch”

Tracy Morgan leads as a Harlem widower whose empty-nest plans are turned upside down when his adult son and free-spirited daughter move back home in this spinoff of the “Neighborhood,” which is slated to debut on CBS and Paramount+ on November 3. 

“The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”

Tracy Morgan has been busy. He also stars as a disgraced former football star trying to redeem his reputation both in public and in his personal life, with Daniel Radcliffe playing a filmmaker capturing his comeback in the upcoming new series slated to air sometime this fall on NBC. 

Returning shows

“Beauty in Black”

Starring Taylor Polidore Williams, Crystle Stewart and Ricco Ross, the stylish and juicy hit family drama returns for a second season — amid a wild shakeup within the infamous Bellaire cosmetics dynasty — on Netflix on September 11. 

“Abbott Elementary” (Season 5)

Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and the rest of the gang bring back the irreverent, optimistic energy of teaching in an underfunded school when the hit comedy “Abbott Elementary” returns for its fifth season on October 1, 2025, on ABC and streaming on Hulu and Disney+.

“9-1-1” (Season 9)

Featuring Angela Bassett among its ensemble, this high-stakes procedural returns on October 9, 2025, on ABC, continuing with first responders confronting life-or-death calls amid personal crises.

“Loot” (Season 3)

Maya Rudolph returns as the endearingly tone-deaf Molly Wells, who, after divorcing her billionaire husband, must figure out what to do with her $87 billion payout while re-engaging with the foundation she founded. Season 3 kicks off on October 15, 2025, on Apple TV+.

“Gen V” (Season 2)

With Jaz Sinclair and a cast of young supes, this spinoff of “The Boys,” which amplifies the power, ambition, and betrayal inside a super-powered university, returns September 17, 2025, on Prime Video.

“Stranger Things” (Final Season) 

Caleb McLaughlin and the rest of the Hawkins gang face the ultimate threat as the final battle looms when the final season of the epic series arrives in three parts on Netflix: November 26, December 25, and December 31.

“Scrubs” again…

Donald Faison, Zac Braff, and other original cast members return in the highly anticipated hospital comedy reboot, which is currently planned for the 2025-2026 TV season with ABC.