“Berlin Station”
Synopsis: A CIA analyst is transferred to Berlin in the hope of uncovering the source of damaging leaks.
What You Need To Know: Of the two Epix shows listed here, we’re much more intrigued by “Berlin Station,” which might seem to cover some familiar territory but has significant talent involved. The appetite for espionage drama never seems to go away, with “The Night Manager” and “London Spy” joining the long-running “Homeland” recently, and this show looks to fall firmly in that territory, with a slight Cold War-vibe enhanced by a post-Snowden context. Indeed, it almost looks too familiar, but the cast is very fine —“Hobbit” actor Richard Armitage is in the lead, with Richard Jenkins, Rhys Ifans, Michelle Forbes and Leland Orser in support. It’s created by excellent spy novelist Olen Steinhauer, executive produced by Eric Roth, and has its first two episodes directed by “Bullhead” helmer Michael Roskam. It might not be high on your radar right now, but this could put Epix on the prestige TV map.
Airdate: Oct 16th on Epix
“Chance”
Synopsis: A San Francisco forensic neuropsychiatrist’s relationship with a patient puts him in serious danger.
What You Need To Know: After long-running hit “House” and this year’s surprise smash “The Night Manager,” Hugh Laurie’s bonafides as a major TV draw are more than proven. So his decision to go for a Hulu streaming series for his next role is a mark of the way that the network is at last beginning to find a proper foothold for original programming. He’s playing a doctor again in this adaptation of a novel by surf-noir writer Kem Nunn (who’s also written for “Sons Of Anarchy”), but Dr. Chance looks to be a very different character from Dr. House, with an irresponsible romance leading to twisty crime shenanigans. Laurie’s joined by a fine cast —Gretchen Mol, Paul Adelstein, Diane Farr, Lisa Gay Hamilton and Clarke Peters— and directing duties for the first few episodes fall to Lenny Abrahamson, who’s red hot after an Oscar nomination for “Room.” Hulu has ordered this for two seasons, an indication of confidence in the show’s prospects.
Airdate: Oct 19th on Hulu
“Black Mirror”
Synopsis: A new installment of the anthology series that looks at the influence of technology on our lives, and the way it can bring out the worst in human nature.
What You Need To Know: Of all the British exports that have taken off in the U.S. recently, “Black Mirror” might be the most surprising. Charlie Brooker’s anthology series, originally made for Channel 4 in the U.K, received relatively little promotion but became a serious word-of-mouth hit for Netflix. And when C4 dallied about recommissioning the show, the streaming giant stepped in, commissioning a third run of the show made up of six episodes. Brooker’s written the bulk of the new stories, but there are some other collaborators on board (including an episode written by Rashida Jones and Mike Schur), while a killer lineup of directors has been brought on, including Joe Wright, (trying to shake off “Pan”) and “10 Cloverfield Lane” helmer Dan Trachtenberg. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mackenzie Davis, Jerome Flynn, James Norton, Bryce Dallas Howard, Alice Eve, Michael Kelly, Malachi Kirby, Kelly MacDonald and Wyatt Russell are among the stars set to appear. Plot details remain under wraps, but few TV events this fall are more eagerly anticipated.
Airdate: October 21st on Netflix
“Dirk Gently”
Synopsis: A ‘holistic’ detective (who ignores clues in favor of looking at interconnectivity) and his assistant find themselves with their biggest case yet to unravel.
What You Need To Know: The late great Douglas Adams perhaps isn’t as universally well known as fellow British comedy-geek legends like Monty Python, but his work has nevertheless attracted millions of fans over the years, both through his original books and various adaptations. The last time Adams’ milieu reached U.S. screens was with the often inspired but somewhat uneven “Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy” movie over a decade ago, and now, only a few years after a short-lived BBC series starring Stephen Mangan, a new take on Adams’ other major creation, Dirk Gently, arrives. The good news is that trailers make it look like a more comedic riff on “Sherlock,” with an appealing duo of former “History Boy” Samuel Barnett and Elijah Wood in the lead, while “Galaxy Quest” helmer Dean Parisot directs. The bad news is that Max Landis is the guy who’s adapted Adams’ work. Hopefully it’ll be more “Chronicle” than, well, anything else Landis is done in terms of quality, because we’d love for this to work.
Airdate: Oct 22nd on BBC America
“Good Girls Revolt”
Synopsis: This drama follows a group of researchers working for News Of The Week magazine in 1969 as they battle for gender equality amid a turbulent time.
What You Need To Know: Amazon might have had their breakout hits now —“Transparent” is critically adored, while “The Man In The High Castle” seems to be popular with audiences— but its bench isn’t that deep, with a fair amount of shows that haven’t made a huge impact yet. Of all the service’s shows to debut in the coming months, the most promising might be “Good Girls Revolt.” A fictional take on Lynn Povich’s book about how the women working at Newsweek magazine in 1970 sued their bosses for sexual discrimination and adapted by “Narcos” writer/producer Dana Calvo, it looks on the surface to be a bit of a “Mad Men” rip-off. But the pilot that debuted late last year suggested a highly watchable show, a little more broad than Matthew Weiner’s masterpiece, but one that could be niftily written and well performed by an excellent cast (including Genevieve Angelson, Anna Camp, Erin Drake, Chris Diamantopolous, Hunter Parrish, Jim Belushi, Joy Bryant and Grace Gummer). A potential sleeper hit in the making.
Airdate: October 28th on Amazon
“The Crown”
Synopsis: An epic drama following the life of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, beginning with her life before she took the throne and her courtship with Prince Phillip.
What You Need To Know: With “Downton Abbey” now over, costume drama fans are in the market for a new obsession, and it might be here in the shape of Netflix’s “The Crown.” Ambitiously setting out to tell the entire life of Britain’s longest-running (and still going…) monarch, this show comes from the pen of Peter Morgan, who’s had enormous success with this subject matter with the Oscar-nominated “The Queen” (and again on Broadway with “The Audience”). There are more awards-friendly names behind the camera for this show as well: “Billy Elliot” helmer Stephen Daldry directed the pilot, and Stephen Frears has done an episode or two. The cast is superb: Claire Foy, so good in “Wolf Hall,” has the lead role, “Doctor Who” veteran Matt Smith is future husband Philip, John Lithgow is Winston Churchill, Jared Harris is George VI, and plenty more British drama luminaries are involved as well. But will it be “Downton Abbey”-style pandering, or will have it a little more bite?
Airdate: November 4th, so you have until then to teach your parents how to use Netflix.
