The Golden Bachelorette premieres this Wednesday night on ABC. Frankly, it couldn’t come at a better time. It’s been a bumpy five months for the franchise as a whole, starting with the OG Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner’s divorce from Theresa Nist after only a few months of marriage. Then came the announcement that Jenn Tran would be The Bachelorette, which was a huge step forward for the franchise in terms of featuring the first Asian-American lead, only to be overshadowed by the fact that apparently she wasn’t the first choice. (As a result, the men weren’t quite tailored to her.)
Then, of course, who could forget the recent Bachelorette finale, when Bachelor fans—and alums—criticized the show for making Tran sit through her now broken marriage proposal next to the man who crushed her heart. (In all fairness, Jenn later told us she knew her proposal was going to be shown, and she wanted her ex, Devin, to have to watch it in front of an audience.)
Now on the heels of that backlash comes the premiere of The Golden Bachelorette starring fan favorite Joan Vassos. By all accounts, the show should be greeted with the same amount of fanfare as Gerry Turner’s inaugural season, but it’s a tricky spot for fans who might well feel let down after the last several months. It’s understandable—if Theresa and Gerry couldn’t make it work, who’s to say Joan’s season will be any different?
I myself am a little Bachelor fatigued—especially after that recent Bachelorette finale—but also hopeful for what’s to come. The Golden Bachelor was a refreshing departure from anything else we’d seen before on the show, and I think The Golden Bachelorette will do the same. Joan Vassos is also beloved by fans, and her story—she left Turner’s season early to tend to her daughter, who was going through postpartum—makes her someone viewers want to see get a second, or third, chance. As host Jesse Palmer tells Glamour, “Many of the men are coming into The Golden Bachelorette with rich backstories and standout charisma; these guys were really in tune with their feelings and weren’t afraid to talk about them.”
There’s also a lot of upheaval in the world (as there has been for a while), so many viewers just want a relatively wholesome show to take their minds off the everyday chaos. I have every reason to believe The Golden Bachelorette is that show. I was on set for a future episode, and let’s just say it was magical. I have to believe that everyone involved, from the producers to ABC and Warner Horizon, wants to make sure it stays that way.
“It’s truly a historic tale of love and hope,” Palmer says of this season. “Joan’s journey is uplifting and emotional, with twists and turns throughout. I don’t want to speak on behalf of Joan, but I think she came face to face with many of her own personal conflicts [during the season], which stem from her own unique life experiences.”
Something else? Most episodes will be at least 90 minutes. (However, the premiere episode will be two hours.) Says Palmer: “The longer format allows for viewers to dive deeper into the lives, experiences, and emotions of Joan and the men. So many fans reached out wanting the episodes to be longer, and they wanted more Joan. I’m happy we can do that.”
So count me in, Golden Bach. Don’t let me down.
Sunday, September 15
The 76th Emmy Awards (ABC): The live three-hour telecast will be hosted by Emmy-winning father and son duo Eugene and Dan Levy. Presenters include Christine Baranski, Kathy Bates, Meredith Baxter, Candice Bergen, Matt Bomer, Connie Britton, Nicola Coughlan, Billy Crystal, Viola Davis, Lily Gladstone, Selena Gomez, Joshua Jackson, Allison Janney, Mindy Kaling, Jimmy Kimmel, Padma Lakshmi, Greta Lee, Steve Martin, Reba McEntire, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Taylor Zakhar Perez, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Jean Smart, Gina Torres, Dick Van Dyke, Susan Kelechi Watson, Kristen Wiig, and so many more. For the full list of nominees, click here. 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT and streaming the next day on Hulu
Baby Animal Rescue (National Geographic): Conservationist Giles Clark travels to South Africa to work with two dedicated teams rescuing and caring for wildlife orphans, including a baby pangolin and a troubled baby elephant looking to join a herd of his own kind again. 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT and streaming the next day on Hulu
Kingdom of Dreams (The Network): The four-part fashion documentary tells the story of high fashion from the early 1990s to the 2010s, showcasing the formation of Gucci and LVMH as global fashion conglomerates while following the careers of Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, John Galliano, and Alexander McQueen. Streaming
Tuesday, September 17
Dancing With the Stars (ABC/Disney+): Season 33 kicks off with Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough returning as hosts, along with judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough. The pairings include: Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola with partner Witney Carson, notorious scammer Anna Delvey with partner Ezra Sosa, The Bachelor’s Joey Graziadei with partner Jenna Johnson, NBA champion Dwight Howard with partner Daniella Karagach, television personality Chandler Kinney with partner Brandon Armstrong, Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher with partner Alan Bersten, model Brooks Nader with partner Gleb Savchenko, Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik with partner Rylee Arnold, reality star Phaedra Parks with partner Val Chmerkovskiy, actor Eric Roberts with partner Britt Stewart, actor Tori Spelling with partner Pasha Pashkov, The Bachelorette’s Jenn Tran with partner Sasha Farber, and actor Reginald VelJohnson with partner Emma Slater. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT and simulcast live on Disney+; streaming the next day on Hulu
High Potential (ABC): The new series, starring Hacks Emmy nominee Kaitlin Olson, focuses on a single mom with an exceptional mind who is recruited to the LAPD Major Crimes unit. Her unconventional knack for solving crimes leads to an unusual and unstoppable partnership with a by-the-book seasoned detective. 10 p.m. ET/PT, 9 p.m. CT and streaming the next day on Hulu
Child Star (Hulu): Demi Lovato makes her directorial debut alongside producer Michael D. Ratne, who directed and produced Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil. This documentary examines how some of the most well-known former child stars, including Lovato, Drew Barrymore, JoJo Siwa, and Keenan Thompson, dealt with growing up in the spotlight and how their ascension to fame, riches, and power affected their future. Streaming
Nöthin’ But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of ’80s Hair Metal (Paramount+): The three-part documentary showcases the true story behind the notoriously wild 1980s hard rock phenomenon. And no hair docuseries would be complete without the participation of Bret Michaels, Stephen Pearcy, Nuno Bettencourt, Dave “Snake” Sabo, Riki Rachtman, Corey Taylor, or Steve-O. Streaming
Stopping the Steal (HBO/Max): Emmy-winning filmmaker Dan Reed (HBO’s The Truth vs. Alex Jones) directs this documentary focusing on the inside account of President Trump’s unsuccessful challenge to the results of the 2020 presidential election as told by former White House staff and appointees. That includes former attorney general William Barr and elected Republican officials in Arizona and Georgia who resisted pressure to change the results of the vote in their states. 9 p.m. ET/PT, and streaming on Max
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu): In the fourth season’s fourth episode, titled “The Stunt Man,” Charles, Oliver, and Mabel delve into the particular universe of stunt people where they encounter a suspect with an incredibly…familiar…face. Streaming
Wednesday, September 18
The Golden Bachelorette (ABC): Twenty-four men in the prime of their lives will roll up their sleeves and step into the spotlight, all vying to make a lasting impression on Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos. Plus, Jesse Palmer says to expect some familiar faces and Bachelor Nation favorites to make cameos this season. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT and streaming the next day on Hulu
Survivor (CBS): The 47th season begins tonight with a two-hour premiere. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT
Big Cats 24/7 (PBS): In Botswana’s wild Okavango Delta, the Big Cats 24/7 team of local and international filmmakers follows lions, leopards, and cheetahs day and night using the latest filming technology. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT
Boneheads (Lemonada Media): Another rewatch podcast to take note of! Nearly two decades after the premiere of Bones, costars and real-life friends Emily Deschanel (Dr. Temperance Brennan) and Carla Gallo (Daisy Wick) reunite to share their favorite behind-the-scenes moments and catch up with the cast and crew. Available wherever you get your podcasts
Thursday, September 19
The Penguin (HBO/Max): Colin Farrell stars as Oz Cobb (The Penguin) in this eight-episode DC Studios limited series. Developed by showrunner Lauren LeFranc, the series centers on Cobb/The Penguin and also stars Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone, Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar, Michael Kelly as Johnny Viti, Shohreh Aghdashloo as Nadia Maroni, Deirdre O’Connell as Francis Cobb, Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni, James Madio as Milos Grapa, Scott Cohen as Luca Falcone, Michael Zegen as Alberto Falcone, Carmen Ejogo as Eve Karlo, and Theo Rossi as Dr. Julian Rush.
LeFranc tells Glamour that despite its comic book name, “The Penguin is really more of a character-forward crime drama. Oz Cobb is a smarmy ‘wild man’ who is violently unpredictable but also strangely charming. He’s hard to put a finger on—as each of our characters are, especially Sofia Falcone. If you’re looking for something strange, emotional, wry, and yes, a bit violent, it’s worth checking out The Penguin. It just might surprise you.” 9 p.m. ET/PT, 8 p.m. CT and streaming on Max
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (Netflix): The second installment of Netflix’s Monster anthology series (the first being Dahmer) from Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan chronicles the case of the real-life Menendez brothers who were convicted in 1996 for the murders of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez. Javier Bardem, Chloë Sevigny, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, and Cooper Koch star. Streaming
Frasier (Paramount+): Season two premieres today with two episodes, followed by one new episode a week. In the new season, Dr. Frasier Crane returns to his radio roots at Station KACL in Seattle for an episode. The episode will feature previously announced guest stars stepping back into their roles from the original Frasier, including Dan Butler as Bob “Bulldog” Briscoe, Edward Hibbert as Gil Chesterton, and Harriet Sansom Harris as Frasier’s delightfully devilish agent, Bebe Glazer. Meanwhile, Peri Gilpin will return as a recurring guest star in her beloved role of Roz Doyle. Other guest stars include Rachel Bloom, Yvette Nicole Brown, Greer Grammer, Patricia Heaton, and Amy Sedaris. James Burrows also returns to direct two episodes. Streaming
Friday, September 20
His Three Daughters (Netflix): Three sisters come together to be with their dad in his final days. Carrie Coon plays Katie, a controlling Brooklyn mother dealing with a wayward teenage daughter; Elizabeth Olsen stars as free-spirited Christina, who is separated from her offspring for the first time; and Natasha Lyonne plays Rachel, a sports-betting stoner who has never left her father’s apartment. Streaming
La Maison (Apple TV+): The 10-episode French-language family drama is set within a Paris-based high-fashion atelier. La Maison follows two rival illustrious, dysfunctional, and powerful families as they vie for dominance in the cutthroat world of high-fashion. Two episodes streaming at launch, followed by one episode a week
How to Die Alone (Hulu): In the fifth episode, Mel (Natasha Rothwell) arrives to her family’s Thanksgiving dinner desperate to be seen in a new light while secretly engaging in psychological warfare with her brother. Then, in episode six, it’s graduation day, and Terrance surprises Mel with a gift she never expected. Streaming
Long Gone Heroes (Lionsgate): Josh Hutcherson, Frank Grillo, Andy Garcia, and Melissa Leo star in this action thriller about a special-forces soldier who has given up country, religion, and even hope until he’s forced back into the field of battle to save his niece, who is being held in South America. In theaters
Whiplash (Sony Pictures Classic): The Oscar-winning film from Damien Chazelle returns to theaters for its 10th anniversary. Starring J.K. Simmons, who won the Academy Award for best supporting actor, and Miles Teller, the film centers on Andrew Neiman, an ambitious young jazz drummer who is single-minded in his pursuit to rise to the top of music conservatory. Paul Reiser and Melissa Benoist also star. It’s intense, highly entertaining, and worth seeing again on the big screen. In theaters
And Mrs. (Vertical): Aisling Bea, Colin Hanks, and Billie Lourd star in this romantic comedy about Gemma, a woman living in London whose American fiancé Nathan dies shortly before their wedding day. When she decides to go ahead and marry him anyway, she has to overcome public opinion, the law of the land, and even her own family’s objections. In theaters
Saturday, September 21
Falling Together (Hallmark Channel): Ashley Williams stars as Natalie, a woman who has just relocated to Pittsburgh for work and is eager to become part of her new town. Per the official synopsis, “While exploring her surroundings, she comes across the perfect opportunity for involvement and joins the Walk to End Alzheimer’s as a volunteer. Meanwhile at home, her efforts to bring the building residents together as a community have fallen flat, and Mark (Paul Campbell), the prickly super, advises her to leave well enough alone. As the two spend time together while Natalie continues her quest to win over her neighbors, she and Mark become close and a spark begins to grow. But just when it looks like building harmony has been restored, things unexpectedly unravel. Disheartened, Natalie focuses her time and energy on the Walk, which just may be the path to healing and happily ever after.” Hallmark will make fashion, including wardrobe and accessories from Falling Together, available for purchase through online resale company LuxAnthropy, with all proceeds being donated to the Alzheimer’s Association. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT
