In case you missed it, Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas started last night, and the holiday will come at you from all directions as the weeks progress.
There are also several documentaries and docuseries premiering this week that are worth the watch.
And don’t forget to watch Netflix’s adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front, which is a devastating look at World War I.
Saturday, October 22
8/7c We Wish You a Married Christmas (Hallmark)
Robby and Becca have run into a tough time in their marriage.
Although they’ve tried counseling, their hopes are pretty much dashed when their therapist suggests a holiday retreat to a cozy Vermont inn.
From the moment they arrive, forces seem determined to keep them together, but will the holiday magic succeed in repairing their torn relationship? This is the one Hallmark Christmas movie you don’t want to miss. It’s playful, romantic, and an all-around good time!
Sunday, October 23
8/7c Family Law (The CW)
After finding his daughter passed out drunk at work, Harry offers her one final chance. Harry even decides he wants to reconnect with his grandchildren, making things awkward.
The lawyers represent a gay teen who wants to be emancipated from his parents.
They decide to take the case after becoming horrified that his parents want to send him to Pray Away the Gay camp.
8/7c A Kismet Christmas (Hallmark)
Sarah Ramos and Chesapeake Shores’ Carlo Marks star in this new Hallmark Christmas movie.
Sarah is a children’s book author who returns to her hometown, where she reconnects with her family and Travis, her teenage crush.
She soon discovers that a long-held family legend might actually be true.
9/8c Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Starz)
The second season finale finds Raq trying to quell an impending war while she continues to lose her relationship with Kanan.
Lou-Lou will make a discovery, and Burke won’t stop her obsession with discovering Howard’s secrets.
It’s an explosive season finale that will make you happy there’s a season three to look forward to.
9/8c House of the Dragon (HBO)
It all comes down to this, House of the Dragon fanatics!
In the aftermath of Aegon’s ascension to the throne, there will be fireworks as Rhaenys makes her way to the Dragonstone with the news.
How will Rhaenyra react to this act of treason?
9/8c The Toys that Built America (History)
The eight-episode second season turns the lens on an exciting new selection of bold visionaries, including video game pioneer Nolan Bushnell, toy innovator Marvin Glass, and many other creators.
These were the people behind history’s biggest-selling games, puzzles, dolls, and action figures as they built billion-dollar empires against the backdrop of a changing world in the 20th century.
Each one-hour episode is packed with nostalgic products, surprising historical connections, gripping dramatic tales, incredible technological breakthroughs, and a treasure trove of unexpected facts.
9/8c East New York (CBS)
We knew it would happen sooner or later: Bentley will bristle at Sandeford’s advice on the latest episode of East New York!
Meanwhile, Regina and the team have to use their creativity to solve a family conflict, while Regina deals with one in her personal life when her mother encourages her to reconnect with her estranged father.
This should be the perfect blend of personal and professional stories. Tune in and discover why East New York is one of this season’s top-rated new shows!
10/9c Interview With The Vampire (AMC)
We’ll finally be introduced to Claudia in this highly anticipated episode of the freshman hit series.
We’ll see how Louis and Lestat navigate life with a teenage vampire.
And we’ll see how Claudia adapts to a brand-new world.
Hello Claudia.
A new #InterviewWithTheVampire premieres Sunday at 10pm on @AMC_TV. Watch it now on @AMCPlus. pic.twitter.com/iCWicWn1TB
— Interview with the Vampire (@Immortal_AMC) October 17, 2022
10/9c The Rookie (ABC)
It’s a Lopez family affair on an all-new The Rookie, which is exciting since Angela is due for a decent storyline.
But Chenford fans, get ready to get fed more goodness!
When a past injury comes back to haunt Tim, it’s Lucy who is by his side to help him through in more ways than one. We’re ready for it!
Protect Bradford at all costs 🥺 pic.twitter.com/AGl7GyOp7n
— The Rookie (@therookie) October 21, 2022
10/9c NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)
The NCIS team join forces with the FBI.
The two squads are going after a group of grisly murderers known as “The Body Stitchers,” returning after evading capture by NCIS years ago.
Also, Sam’s dad makes a new friend in Arkady.
Monday, October 24
Days of Our Lives (Peacock)
Now that Kristen’s forced her way into Brady’s life, will anyone figure out what’s going on?
And how, exactly, will John and Marlena react to her staying in their house, considering she’s one of their worst enemies?
Meanwhile, Nicole’s decision to re-hire Eric might turn out to be a major mistake when she has to stand in for an absent model, and it reignites feelings she’s been trying to ignore.
8/7c 9-1-1 (FOX)
Karen and Denny find themselves in danger when an explosion rips through her lab.
The 118 will be called to the scene as a frantic Hen looks on.
Amidst the present-day dangers, we’ll get a look at the early days of Hen and Karen’s relationship.
8/7c All American (The CW)
When Spencer joins Olivia in her quest to get former players to talk about Coach Garrett, things start to become real for them. With Jordan’s encouragement, Layla agrees to attend a red carpet with Patience, but Patience is still learning the ins and outs of these exclusive events.
Spencer notices that Grace is doing a lot of wedding things solo, so he comes up with a solution to make her feel special. Asher gets an opportunity to take the next step in his career by going on a recruiting trip.
Meanwhile, Coop gets too involved in a case at work, leading Laura to step in.
9/8c The Cleaning Lady (FOX)
As Armon, Thony, and Garret unexpectedly team up to take down Cortes, he could be on to them and put Thony in danger.
Was Nadia the one who tipped off Robert since she and Arman were having problems?
Meanwhile, Chris’s grief and emotional issues reach new lows, and Fiona tries to keep them safe.
10/9c Quantum Leap (NBC)
Do you feel the earth move under your feet? Well, Ben certainly does when he leaps into the 1989 San Francisco Earthquake!
With no idea what his mission is and the mystery of the other leaper in 1879 on her mind, Addison’s only goal is to keep him alive so he can leap home.
Things get intense as Ben tries to save everyone from collapsing building and falling debris. Keep an eye out for at least one familiar guest star!
10/9c The Good Doctor (ABC)
Jordan and Perez go on a race against time in order to find a severed foot.
Shaun deals with a literal ticking time bomb: a patient whose military reenactment got a little too realistic.
Meanwhile, Shaun and Lim’s problems continue, and Glassman tells Shaun to take responsibility for Lim’s paralysis, which Shaun vehemently disagrees with.
Tuesday, October 25
8/7c The Resident (FOX)
A happy occasion can never come without some drama on The Resident, and Kitbell’s long-awaited wedding day kicks off with a dramatic flair when Bell and Conrad get called in to treat a severely ill daughter of a major donor at the hospital.
If you had any doubts that Billie is coming out ahead in this love triangle business, she spends the day dress-shopping with Gigi and Bell’s granddaughter, Sammie, for the big day.
But let’s be real, what we’re really here for is that wedding! You’re cordially invited to the big affair, and we cannot wait to see what happens.
8/7c The Winchesters (The CW)
What would you do if your next-door neighbor went missing?
Mary and John dig into the disappearance of Mary’s neighbor, which reunites John with someone from his past.
Meanwhile, Carlos and Ada bond during a stakeout to find the demon’s partner.
And Latika taps into old folklore to try to help John and Mary.
9/8c Monarch (FOX)
The truth is out, and now Albie knows that he has a daughter out there, but what will happen when he comes face to face with her and realizes that it’s Catt?
Dottie’s lies and secrets continue to wreak havoc on the family as everything seems to fall apart around them.
Also, what happened on that infamous night?
9/8c La Brea (NBC)
Eve, Gavin, and the others infiltrate the Exiles base to get a shipment of black rock to gain access to the tower.
How much more is there to this mystery, and what’s with the mysterious bugs?
Meanwhile, in 1988, Josh and Riley must convince Caroline not to alter the timeline.
10/9c New Amsterdam (NBC)
Max’s latest quest is the impossible task of making NYC as safe as possible. How he plans to do that is a mystery.
Floyd’s world is upturned when his father has an episode, and he must get him the help he needs for his bipolar.
And Iggy will hopefully enlist the help of Wilder when he has a deaf patient whose parents need help adapting.
Wednesday, October 26
9/8c A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting (HBO)
“We can change other people’s lives in a positive manner because that is what the victims would have wanted.”
A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting recounts the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history and the community that came together in its aftermath.
I’ve seen this documentary, and it’s a tribute to those that died and those who lived through the terrible attack, who still manage to have love in their hearts.
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 continues its stellar storytelling streak with “Motherland.”
With Serena standing in a place very similar to the one she once subjected June to, June still offers her advice to the new mother.
Recalling that advice, June listens to Commander Lawrence’s plans for New Bethlehem with a new frame of thought.
10/9c Reginald The Vampire (SYFY)
The time is 1972; the place is Oakland, California. This is when Angela met Maurice, and that changed everything.
The background of Maurice and Angela gets revealed.
Reginald deals with the consequences of breaking his promise to Maurice and also with the repercussions of revealing his special power.
10/9c Big Sky: Deadly Trails (ABC)
Cassie, Jenny, and Beau team up to take a closer look at what’s happening in the woods near Sunny Days.
But they may not realize just how close to danger they are.
Speaking of danger, Walter is still on the loose, and there’s no telling what he’ll do next.
Thursday, October 27
Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
I swear to the Prophets this is the best season finale Lower Decks has delivered so far.
Their season-long arc has been meticulously seeded to grow into a labyrinthine, multi-layered, mind-blowing onion blossom of a climax.
That guy? Yeah, he’s a baddie. That character we’ve all been waiting for? Yeah, she’s back. Hang onto your warp cores, folks; this is gonna rock your galaxy!
Star Trek: Prodigy (Paramount+)
It’s been a long wait, but we finally get to see how the premiere season of this Nickelodeon/Paramount+ co-produced animated Trek series concludes!
After the crazy wild mid-season finale left us with Zero driving The Diviner mad and IRL Vice-Admiral Janeway en route to the Delta Quadrant, where does the Protostar head next?
Will Dal find his origins? Will the crew find the Federation? Will Gwyn remember the Protostar’s deadly secret before it’s too late?
8/7c Station 19 (ABC)
Prepare for lots of Halloween fun, with Beckett, surprisingly, leading the charge in all things spooky.
The unit responds to a carnival where things escalate when a fire breaks out in a corn maze, and they have to rescue everyone.
Meanwhile, Maya places her life on the line to prove herself to Beckett.
8/7c Law & Order (NBC)
While last time around, Price fought to have evidence kept in, this time, he has to try to keep a shocking fact or two out.
It all has to do with a web of blackmail and lies that Shaw and Cosgrove work hard to untangle.
This sounds like a different kind of case! We’re down for that.
9/8c Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
This is another one of those cases where someone turns to SVU to help, setting off a chain reaction of events.
This time, it’s a young man who’s convinced his boss is preying on his sister — is he right?
Meanwhile, Valesco has a story of his own involving a reluctant witness who must testify. What’s up with that?
10/9c Law & Order: Organized Crime (NBC)
An old case rears its head again when Stabler is asked to testify in court against the Brotherhood. And Kelli Giddish guest stars as Rollins helps Stabler uncover a gang of fake cops that are raping citizens, too.
Meanwhile, Reyes gets some new info about the Silas family, while Bell gets some unpleasant news.
Could Denise be asking for full custody? It wouldn’t be surprising, considering that Bell keeps prioritizing work over her turn with the infant.
9/8c Grey’s Anatomy(ABC)
Can you think of a crazier and more fun time to be at a hospital than on Halloween night?
Nick and Mer desperately try to find some alone time together.
10/9c CSI: Vegas (CBS)
All the guests attending an upscale fundraising soiree for the science department at a local university fall ill.
So the CSI team gears up to investigate.
Also, Catherine enlists Grace’s roommate to help her find clues after Grace disappears.
Friday, October 28
All Quite on the Western Front (Netflix)
All Quiet on the Western Front tells the gripping story of a young German soldier on the Western Front of World War I.
Paul and his comrades experience first-hand how the initial euphoria of war turns into desperation and fear as they fight for their lives and each other in the trenches.
The film from director Edward Berger is based on the world-renowned bestseller of the same name by Erich Maria Remarque.
We’ll have an early review of the film on Thursday, so keep an eye out for it.
Louis Armstrong’s Black and Blues (Apple TV+)
Another movie worthy of your time, this definitive documentary, directed by Sacha Jenkins, honors Armstrong’s legacy as a founding father of jazz, one of the first internationally known and beloved stars, and a cultural ambassador of the United States.
The film shows how Armstrong’s own life spans the shift from the Civil War to the Civil Rights movement, and how he became a lightning rod figure in that turbulent era.
With the full support of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, the filmmakers have access to a treasure trove of rare archival materials, including hundreds of hours of audio recordings, film footage, photographs, personal diaries, and a life’s worth of ephemera for exclusive use in the first significant documentary dedicated entirely to his life.
The Peripheral (Amazon Prime)
Flynne and Wilf start their search for Aelita, but she still keeps her guard up around him. Who can she really trust?
Burton tries to protect everyone and takes steps to eliminate a new threat.
As the hunt continues, the stakes get higher, and Flynne finds herself at risk once again.
8/7c S.W.A.T. (CBS)
What will 20-Squad get into this time?
The squad will, once again, be dealing with something big, but they will definitely be able to handle it.
Make sure to watch to find out!
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.