Top 5 Best Series of September
The new TV season, starting in September, promises to keep you entertained and help you escape the looming autumn blues. With premieres of new shows and continuations of popular series lined up closely, you can easily plan your viewing schedule until the end of the month.
In September, we’re in for an intricate detective story with numerous suspects, the return of beloved characters from a spy drama and a gangster comedy, an attempt to reboot "House" in a psychiatric context, tales of new heroes and villains from Gotham City, and the reincarnation of Mexico's folk hero in a mask.
The Perfect Couple, Netflix
A classic tale of the problems of hypocritical wealthy people and "evil under the sun," based on the eponymous detective novel by Elin Hilderbrand. The action takes place in Nantucket, an island in Massachusetts beloved by local fat cats. A lavish wedding is set to take place here, which many see as a "mismatched marriage"—the groom hails from the wealthy Winbury family, the most influential clan in the region, while the bride is a typical girl from nowhere. The party to celebrate the upcoming event brings together all the local elite, but by the next morning, a dead body is found in the harbour, casting suspicion on almost all the wedding guests. The six-episode show boasts an impressive cast, including Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Dakota Fanning, Jack Reynor, Omar Epps, and Isabelle Adjani, ensuring on-screen drama will be heated and captivating.
Zorro, Paramount+
For younger generations, Zorro is primarily associated with two films starring Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins. However, the noble masked hero, a literary forerunner of Batman and superheroes in general, the defender of the poor in Mexican New Spain, began his on-screen adventures at the start of the last century—Douglas Fairbanks was the first to play Zorro, followed by Dean Reed and Frank Langella. But the cinematic benchmark for Zorro for a long time was Alain Delon in the 1975 film. This time, another popular actor, Miguel Bernardeau, dons the mask of the "Mexican Robin Hood." According to the show's creators, the new version of Zorro will differ from the classic image: the hero has aged, grown tired, and become more human and less absolute than in his younger years.
The Penguin, HBO
The DC comic book universe continues to expand according to a well-laid marketing plan. The 2022 reboot of "Batman" starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell as The Penguin has spawned its first planned spin-off—a series dedicated to Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot, aka The Penguin. This criminal, one of Gotham City's crime lords and a key adversary of Bruce Wayne, now gets his own solo project—luckily, without a change of actor. The role of The Penguin will once again be played by fan-favourite Colin Farrell, though he’s so heavily made up that he's recognisable only by his name in the credits. The series begins a week after the events of the previous film—the catastrophic aftermath of the Riddler's bombing of the dam has been dealt with, the head of Gotham's largest crime syndicate has been killed, and new heroes and villains are emerging on the shadowy stage.
Slow Horses, Apple TV+, Season 4
The hit British-American series, based on the spy novels of Mick Herron, is now in its fourth season. After dealing with the aftermath of "sleeping" Russian spies from the Cold War era, the show’s heroes, a team of failed agents led by the intolerable and scandalous boss Jackson Lamb, brilliantly played by Gary Oldman, are embroiled in a new adventure. This time, it all starts with a terrorist attack in a shopping centre, but, as often happens in such stories, the attack is just the tip of the iceberg, and the real problems for the MI5 operatives are only just beginning. The first two of eight episodes are already available to watch. The entire main cast will return, and it’s been confirmed that the series has been renewed for at least one more season—the fifth.
Tulsa King, Paramount+
Mafia capo Dwight "The General" Manfredi, played convincingly and ironically by Sylvester Stallone, returns in the second season of the successful gangster comedy show created by Taylor Sheridan ("Yellowstone"). The first season told the story of how a retired mobster, exiled to the Oklahoma backwater after serving 25 years in prison, starts from scratch to build a new criminal network, so successfully that his former associates, who just wanted to get rid of the "useless old man," begin to lay claim to all his new achievements. The first season ended on a low note for Dwight—his lover, a police officer, set up the ageing playboy, leading to his arrest. However, the arrest is not the biggest problem Manfredi will face in the new season: in addition to his personal legal troubles, he has a brewing conflict with the criminal authorities of Tulsa, as well as with his former partners from New York (those who survived the events of the first season).
Brilliant Minds, NBC
The new medical drama from NBC, "Brilliant Minds," is based on the bestselling books "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales" and "An Anthropologist on Mars" by the world-renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks. Essentially, this series is an attempt to replicate the success of the legendary "House," and with such strong literary foundations, the attempt seems justified. At the centre of the plot is Dr Oliver Wolfe, an eccentric but incredibly talented neurologist who suffers from a rare condition that gives him a unique perspective on treatment. Wolfe leads a team of young interns dealing with the most mysterious psychological cases in the world. The lead role is played by Zachary Quinto, best known for his portrayal of Spock in the iconic "Star Trek" franchise.