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5 most anticipated Netflix shows of fall 2024, ranked

Keri Russell flanked by two others in a White House room in The Diplomat.
Netflix

Netflix always has a steady stream of new TV shows being released. While the fall season is historically a time when new shows debut on linear networks, streaming services follow this trend, too, with hot new titles announced as the leaves begin to fall from the trees and winter is on the horizon.

You might want to curl up to a thrilling drama as you head into the holiday season, like the second season of Squid Game, which is out on Boxing Day. Maybe you prefer a lighthearted comedy drama like Emily in Paris, which returnedwith a new batch of episodes just prior to Fall, or Heartstopper, which debuts its third season on October 3.

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A true crime docuseries or crime show might be what’s on the menu for you, and Netflix has plenty in those categories, too. There are lots of shows to look forward to this fall, but when it comes to Netflix, these are the five most anticipated Netflix shows of fall 2024.

5. Nobody Wants This (September 26)

Nobody Wants This | Official Trailer | Netflix

If you’re into sappy romance, or just want something as a lead-in to those Hallmark holiday movies to come, Nobody Wants This is a show that you should be anticipating. The romantic comedy from Erin Foster, daughter of record producer and music executive David Foster, stars Kristen Bell and Adam Brody. She’s Joanne, an outspoken agnostic woman who falls for a handsome man named Noah (Brody), whom she later discovers is a rabbi. They begin an unlikely whirlwind romance that is threatened by their very different outlooks on life and religion.

Nobody Wants This is based on Foster’s own personal life experiences, adding a level of authenticity to the story, akin to Kumail Nanjiani’s The Big Sick, which was inspired by his own love story. The 10-episode first season also stars Justine Lupe (Succession) and Timothy Simons (Veep), along with a list of recurring stars that include Jackie Tohn (GLOW), Paul Ben-Victor (Entourage), and Tovah Feldshuh (The Walking Dead).

Stream Nobody Wants This on Netflix. 

4. A Man on the Inside (November, TBA)

Ted Danson speaking into a recorder in A Man on the Inside.
Colleen E. Hayes / Netflix

While there’s no official premiere date yet for A Man on the Inside, it is confirmed to be coming to Netflix some time in November. The new series hails from Mike Schur, the producer behind The Office and Parks and Recreation, as well as creator of The Good Place and co-creator of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He reunites with Ted Danson who plays Charles, a retired man who answers an ad to work as a private investigator. His advanced age means he’s the perfect candidate to go undercover in a nursing home. The client believes that his mother is being mistreated, but needs evidence and hopes Charles can help him get it.

Once Charles acclimates to life around his elder peers, he starts to befriend the residents and learn all about their lives, including their darkest secrets. The star power in this series, both behind the screen and in front of it, has fans excited for A Man on the Inside. The series also stars several Brooklyn Nine-Nine alums, including Stephanie Beatriz and Marc Evan Jackson.

Stream A Man on the Inside on Netflix. 

3. Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 (November 15)

Two men square up in karate while one man refs.
Curtis Bonds Baker / Netflix

The Karate Kid‘s sequel series is coming to an end next year, and the final season is being delivered in three parts. Fans got to see the first five episodes of Cobra Kai season 5 on July 18, 2024, and the next five will be out this fall. The story picks up with Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), former rivals, finally on the same team as they train a new generation of kids in their combined dojo. They are preparing for the worldwide Sekai Taikai tournament, an event much bigger than the local All Valley compettition. Training their fighters means trying to get along themselves, and fending off enemies they thought were long gone.

With the first part of the final season ending with a shocking cliffhanger, fans are eager to see what happens in the next set of episodes, which pick up at the commencement of the tournament. With old rivalries, personal trauma, and everything on the line for their futures, it’s all about the new kids. But there’s also potential for redemption with fan favorite adult characters, too. An Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy nominee, Cobra Kai is corny, but incredibly entertaining. While it’s an ideal show for fans of The Karate Kid who love the nostalgia factor of the adults’ storylines, it’s also plenty fun for a new generation that never saw the original films.

Stream Cobra Kai on Netflix. 

2. The Diplomat, season 2 (October 31)

The Diplomat: Season 2 | Official Teaser | Netflix

The first season of this political thriller ended with a major cliffhanger, and fans can’t wait to see what happens in season 2. Primetime Emmy Award nominee Keri Russell stars as Kate Wyler, newly appointed U.S. ambassador to the U.K. Thrust into this position, she is tasked with helping defuse a potential international crisis, which is not an easy task for anyone, much less a newcomer to the role. Plus, she has her own crisis at home, dealing with a marriage on the verge of collapse while needing to keep up appearances. Her husband, Hal (Rufus Sewell), a controversial former U.S. ambassador, is having a tough time taking a back seat to her new prominent position as well, and he’s constantly getting in her head.

Filled with plenty of political dialogue and intense moments, The Diplomat hails from Debora Cahn, who wrote and served as an executive producer for Homeland and was a writer and producer on The West Wing. Expect a similar tone and feel with this series, which picks up in the wake of shocking revelations and tragedy. Joining the cast this season is Allison Janney as U.S.  Vice President Grace Penn.

Stream The Diplomat on Netflix. 

1. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (September 19)

MONSTERS: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story | Official Trailer #1 | Netflix

Out just a few days before the official end of summer, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is the latest installment in Ryan Murphy’s biographical true crime anthology series. Following on the heels of the widely successful first installment, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, this nine-episode series centers around the stories of Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were charged, convicted, and sentenced with the gruesome murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez. The case garnered national attention back in 1996 and has sparked plenty of debate since.

The trailer suggests that Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story will capture both sides of the story. Notably, the public was outraged not only at the heinous acts the boys admitted to committing, but also their strange, remorseless behavior afterward, as they lived it up with their parents’ money. On the other hand, they also claimed to have endured terrifying abuse from parents they allege were far different than their public personas. How Murphy chooses to handle this delicate and controversial case will be eyed closely, making Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story the most anticipated Netflix series coming this fall.

Stream Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story on Netflix. 

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Christine Persaud
Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…
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