My Top 20 Choices for September TV

September TV is upon us, and with that comes the Fall TV season on the major networks, lots of new made-for-TV movies, plenty of new dramas to watch and new seasons of shows on the streaming services.

As usual, I have gone through the extensive list of programming options for the upcoming month, selecting my top list of “must watch” items

First of all, here are the Fall TV dramas that I am most looking forward to seeing back on the small screen:

NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i on CBS on September 19
9-1-1 on FOX on September 19
New Amsterdam on NBC on September 20
The Rookie on ABC on September 25
La Brea on NBC on September 27

Not to be outdone are a couple of streaming dramas that will be back with new seasons in September, including:

Season 5 of Cobra Kai on Netflix on September 9
Season 2 of Fate: The Winx Saga on Netflix on September 16

Then there are the made-for-TV movies that will air on streaming and Hallmark:

Love in the Villa on Netflix on September 1. Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries) stars in a movie about a woman who takes a trip to romantic Verona, Italy, after a breakup, only to find that the villa she reserved was double-booked, and she’ll have to share her vacation with a cynical British man (Tom Hopper from The Umbrella Academy).

Marry Me in Yosemite on Hallmark Channel on September 3, starring Cindy Busby (from the Mr Darcy movies on the network) plays Zoe, a top photojournalist who has published successful coffee table books featuring her images of iconic places. Her publisher wants her next subject to be Yosemite, so she heads west despite not being sure she can do justice to the majesty of the landscape. While there, she meets Jack (Tyler Harlow), an intriguing tour guide who opens her eyes to new possibilities as they take a journey together.

Marry Go Round on the Hallmark Channel on September 10. Amanda Schull and Brennan play high school sweethearts who were married for a brief time. Many years later, Abby’s life seems perfect as she gets ready for a new life in Paris along with her soon-to-be husband Edward. When an unexpected letter arrives throwing Abby off course, she must decide what her heart really wants

The Secrets of Bella Vista on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries on September 18. Tess Delaney (Rachelle Lefevre) gets the surprising news by estate executor Damhnaic McAuley (Niall Matter) that she has inherited half of an apple orchard from the father she never knew and has a half-sister she didn’t know about. When she visits the orchard and connects with her new-found family, she learns that the orchard is dep in debt. Using her knowledge as an antiques expert, Tess and her half-sister work to unravel the mystery of their grandmother’s “treasure” that could hold the key to saving the orchard. And, in the process, Tess ultimately finds a new understanding of herself.

Fly Away With Me on the Hallmark Channel on September 24. When Angie (Natalie Hall) moves into her “no pets allowed” building, a parrot arrives unexpectedly. New neighbor Ted (Peter Mooney) and the dog he’s secretly sitting try to help her find the bird’s owner without being caught.

Francesca Quinn, PI on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries on September 25. When private investigator Francesca “Frankie” Quinn’s (Mallory Jansen) fiancé is murdered, his sister hires her to find the killer. Frankie must work with Wyn (Dylan Bruce), the local detective assigned to the case… who also happens to be her ex. As the one-time couple joins forces to unravel a serpentine plot, the investigation strikes at their hearts.

Then there are the new dramas that will be debuting throughout the month. My choices follow:

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Amazon on September 2. Set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.

Monarch on FOX on September 11. The Romans, the first family of country music, are headed by the insanely talented, but tough as nails Queen of Country Music Dottie Cantrell Roman (Susan Sarandon) and her beloved husband, “Texas Truthteller” Albie Roman (Trace Adkins). They have created a country music dynasty, but even though the Roman name is synonymous with authenticity, the very foundation of their success is a lie. And when their reign as country royalty is put in jeopardy, heir to the crown Nicolette “Nicky” Roman (Anna Friel) will stop at nothing to protect her family’s legacy, while ensuring her own quest for stardom.

Vampire Academy on Peacock on September 15. A small screen adaptation of the (failed) box office movie, but based on the popular book franchise, the show focuses on two young women’s friendship that transcends their strikingly different classes as they prepare to complete their education and enter vampire society. One as a powerful Royal, the other a half-vampire Guardian trained to protect against the savage ‘Strigoi’ who threaten to tear their society apart. That is, if Royal infighting doesn’t do the job first.

Quantum Leap (the reboot of the original) on NBC on September 19. It’s been 30 years since Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished. Now a new team has been assembled to restart the project in the hopes of understanding the mysteries behind the machine and the man who created it.

The Rookie: Feds (the spin-off to The Rookie) on ABC on September 27. Niecy Nash-Betts stars as Simone Clark, the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy.

So Help Me Todd on CBS on September 29. Marcia Gay Harden stars as razor-sharp, meticulous attorney Margaret Wright and Skylar Astin is Todd, her talented but scruffy, aimless son whom she hires as her law firm’s in-house investigator. As the black sheep of the well-heeled Wright family, Todd is a laid-back, quick-thinking, excellent former private detective who fell on hard times after his flexible interpretation of the law got his license revoked. Margaret’s penchant for excellence and strict adherence to the law is at complete odds with Todd’s scrappy methods of finding his way through sticky situations: by the seat of his wrinkled pants. When Todd inadvertently teams with his mother on a case, she’s surprised to find herself duly impressed by – and proud of – his crafty ability to sleuth out information with his charm and his wide-ranging tech savvy.

Our full September TV calendar went live yesterday so check it out, mark your calendars and let us know what you are most looking forward to watching throughout September.