Despite fall season losing some of the luster it used to have when it came to television programming, there’s no denying that broadcast and cable networks still very much see the start of Autumn (and the weeks following the Emmys) as the start of a new prime-time year. It’s why you’ve likely been bombarded with ads for new shows about lawyers and doctors and nurses and politicians. September brings with it cooler weather as well as TV shows that hope to become fodder for water-cooler conversations. And just as in years past, there’s a wealth of talent in front and behind the camera for much of the new and returning dramas and comedies that are sure to dominate the Fall season. We still live in the age of Peak TV after all, with newer streaming services from NBC, Disney, and Apple (Peacock, Disney+ and Apple TV+, respectively) continuing to crowd an already overcrowded market.
One of the great things about the wealth of new content being created by networks both old and new is that underrepresented storylines and characters are finally given the chance to shine. On the wake of the success of shows like Orange is the New Black, Jane the Virgin, Vida, and Narcos: Mexico, it’s rewarding to see more and more shows putting Latinx creators and stars front and center. Moreover, that they encompass everything from reboots of classic cult hits to Mexico-set family dramas shows that there is no such thing as a singular Latino or Latin American show. Take a look at the 21 projects starring Latinos you should add to your must-watch list.
1
Mayans M.C. (FX)
The Sons of Anarchy spinoff is back for its second season. Set in a post-Jax Teller world, Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes (JD Pardo) is a prospect in the Mayans M.C. charter on the Cali-Mexi border. Once the golden boy with the American dream in his grasp, EZ is trying to reconcile with his brother “Angel” (Clayton Cardenas) while searching for the truth behind their mother’s death. Meanwhile, their father “Felipe” (Edward James Olmos) is struggling to lead his sons down a righteous path.
Mayans M.C. is airing Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on FX.
2
The I-Land (Netflix)
When ten people wake up on a treacherous island with no memory of who they are or how they got there, they set off on a trek to try to get back home. They soon discover this world is not as it seems. Faced with the I-Land’s extreme psychological and physical challenges, they must rise to their better selves — or die as their worst ones. This ensemble-driven show is headlined by Natalie Martinez, who plays Gabriela Chase, a military veteran imprisoned for her mother’s murder.
The I-Land is currently streaming on Netflix.
3
Monarca (Netflix)
Executive produced by Salma Hayek, Monarca takes its title from the tequila-born Mexican business empire that Fausto Carranza (David Rencoret) has built and is now ready to bequeath to one of his children. Not a decision to be made lightly, he’s intent on trusting his only daughter Ana María (Irene Azuela), who’s been living abroad, over her siblings, Andrés (Osvaldo Benavides) and Joaquín (Juan Manuel Bernal), both of whom see no problem in continuing the illicit and corrupt practices that have kept them wealthy and in power. Of course, once the family patriarch dies, the choice of Monarca’s future will lie with his wife, who’ll have to make the tough decision of what kind of future for family and business her children will create.
Monarca is currently streaming on Netflix.
4
Undone (Amazon Prime Video)
Starring Alita herself (Rosa Salazar) Undone is a half-hour, genre-bending, animated dramedy that explores the elastic nature of reality through its central character, Alma, a twenty-eight-year-old living in San Antonio, Texas. After getting into a car accident and nearly dying, Alma finds she has a new relationship to time. She develops this new ability in order to find out the truth about her father’s death.
Undone is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
5
Bluff City Law (NBC)
Coming from a famous Memphis family known for taking on injustice, brilliant lawyer Sydney Strait used to work at her father Elijah’s celebrated law firm until their tumultuous relationship got in the way. After barely speaking to him for years, Sydney is suddenly thrust back into the family fold when her philanthropist mother passes away unexpectedly. In the wake of her loss, hoping to reconnect with the daughter he loves, Elijah asks Sydney to rejoin his firm. Jimmy Smits stars as Elijah Strait on the new NBC drama Bluff City Law.
Bluff City Law premieres September 23, 2019, at 10 p.m. on NBC.
6
9-1-1 (FOX)
Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear’s ensemble-driven show is all about those various emergencies that get called into 911. The drama, which draws from real-life, high-pressure experiences of first responders who regularly face heart-stopping situations that are often unpredictable, intense and uplifting at the same time, follows firefighters, dispatchers and police officers as they navigate emergencies at work and in their own lives. After joining the show last season, Ryan Guzman’s Eddie Diaz is making a return in the show’s upcoming third season.
9-1-1 returns September 23, 2019, at 8 p.m. on FOX.
7
Modern Family (ABC)
The groundbreaking and Emmy-winning comedy is taking one last lap as it wraps its eleventh-and-final season this coming Fall. Everyone who’s fallen in love with the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan — which includes Sofía Vergara’s Gloria and her son Manny (Rico Rodriguez), amid a blended family that spans four generations — will get one more chance to see what high jinks the likes of Claire and Phil (Julie Bown and Ty Burrell) and Mitchell and Cameron (Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet) will get to when the beloved sitcom returns.
Modern Family returns September 25, 2019, at 9 p.m. on ABC.
8
Stumptown (ABC)
Based on the series of graphic novels by the same name, Stumptown follows Dex Parios (Cobie Smulders), a strong, assertive and sharp-witted Army veteran who has a complicated love life, gambling debt and a brother to take care of in Portland, Ore. Her military intelligence skills make her a great private investigator, but her brash, unapologetic style puts her in a league of her own, landing her in the firing line of hard-core criminals while not quite in alliance with the rules and objectives of the local police. Joining her is Adrian Martinez’s Tookie, a taco stand owner who was created solely for the show and which will offer the comic relief such a dark drama all but calls for.
Stumptown premieres September 25, 2019, at 10 p.m. on ABC.
9
Superstore (NBC)
America Ferrera and Ben Feldman star in this hilarious workplace comedy about a unique family of employees at a supersized megastore. The NBC show centers around Amy (Ferrera), who recently was promoted to be the store manager and is the glue holding the place together, and Jonah (Feldman), a dreamer determined to prove work doesn’t have to be boring. Their fellow associates include an eclectic cast of characters, including Mateo (Nico Santos) who was a self-promoted floor supervisor, until being detained due to his undocumented status. Blending humor with a penchant for timely storytelling, this ensemble comedy is an heir apparent to NBC’s Must-See-TV block.
Superstore returns September 26, 2019, at 8 p.m. on NBC.
10
How To Get Away With Murder (ABC)
After five seasons of getting away with several murders in plots that have come very close to being outright ridiculous, the #TGIT staple is bidding goodbye to the ‘Keating Five’ with one “final killer season.” How Annalise Keating and her lawful (and lawless) protégés, who include Laurel Castillo (Karla Souza), in addition to her ride-or-die colleague (Amirah Vann) will survive yet another season full of bloody plot twists is still up in the air, but one thing’s for sure: the Shonda Rimes legal drama will be nothing if not utterly watchable.
How To Get Away With Murder returns September 26, 2019, at 10 p.m. on ABC.
11
Sunnyside (NBC)
Garrett Modi (Kal Penn) was living the American dream. As the youngest New York City Councilman ever, he was rubbing elbows with the political elite, attending star-studded parties and was the pride of Queens. But instead of spending his time in office helping the people that got him elected, he lost his way amid the power and glamour of politics. When his downward spiral got him busted for public intoxication (and downright stupidity), it was all caught on tape and ended his career. Now, Garrett’s crashing with his sister Mallory and wondering where it all went wrong. That is, until he’s hired by a diverse group of idealists (played by, among others, Diana Maria Riva) who dream of becoming American citizens and believe he can help — giving him a new sense of purpose and a chance for redemption, as long as he remembers where he came from.
Sunnyside premieres September 26, 2019, at 9:30 p.m. on NBC.
12
Magnum P.I. (CBS)
A fresh take on the Tom Selleck classic with Jay Hernandez as the title role, this procedural is as breezy as its lead is dreamy. Hernandez plays Thomas Magnum, a decorated former Navy SEAL who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator. A charming rogue, an American hero and a die-hard Detroit Tigers fan, Magnum lives in a guest cottage on Robin’s Nest, the luxurious estate where he works as a security consultant to supplement his P.I. business.
Magnum P.I. returns September 27, 2019, at 9 p.m. on CBS.
13
Living Undocumented (Netflix)
In 2018, eight undocumented families took the extraordinary risk of allowing film crews to chronicle their lives as they faced potential deportation. Ranging from harrowing to hopeful, their journeys illuminate and humanize the complex US immigration system. From Emmy-winning executive producers Aaron Saidman and Eli Holzman, and executive producer Selena Gomez, Living Undocumented depicts the struggles many must endure in their quest to pursue the American dream.
Living Undocumented premieres October 2, 2019, on Netflix.
14
Riverdale (the CW)
After a jaw-dropping season finale that teased a major death to come, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s take on the classic Archie comics characters promises to be just as sexy and dangerous and outright bonkers as we’ve come to expect. With its Dungeons and Dragons (ahem, sorry, Gryphons and Gargoyles) storyline wrapped up, who knows what’ll await Archie (KJ Apa), Veronica (Camila Mendes), Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Jughead (Cole Sprouse) once they return to school this coming Fall. Except, of course, plenty of intrigue and a possible bloodied murder.
Riverdale returns October 9, 2019, at 8 p.m. on the CW.
15
Rhythm + Flow (Netflix)
Global superstars Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, and Tip “T.I.” Harris search for the next hip hop sensation in Rhythm + Flow, Netflix’s first music competition show. The series brings together industry legends across a multicity search in hip hop epicenters Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta and Chicago, to find raw talent and help undiscovered artists pursue their come up.
Rhythm + Flow premieres October 9, 2019, on Netflix.
16
Charmed (the CW)
Everyone’s favorite trio of witches is coming back for a second season. Starring Melonie Diaz, Sarah Jeffery and Madeleine Mantock as the titular Charmed Ones, the reboot of the Alyssa Milano-starring drama from the old WB days follows a very similar plot, what with three sisters getting recruited to fend off the forces of evil once their powerful magic is activated. Set on a college campus and featuring a brilliant geneticist, a Women’s Studies professor, and a Bio Tech company that’s very obviously evil, this modern take on witchcraft puts an emphasis on the sisterly drama at its center.
Charmed returns on October 11, 2019, at 8 p.m. on the CW.
17
The Purge (USA Network)
Based on the hit movie franchise about a 12-hour period when all crime, including vandalism, murder, arson and theft, is legal, this anthology series will be exploring a different kind of world in its second season. It will explore how a single Purge night affects the lives of four interconnected characters over the course of the ensuing year, all inevitably leading up to the next Purge. It may open on Purge night but the season dives deeper than ever before in to what the Purge world looks like the other 364 days of the year. It stars Paola Nuñez as Esme Carmona as a top employee at an NFFA surveillance center where she has dedicated her life to spotting crimes and digitally tagging lawbreakers.
The Purge returns October 15, 2019, at 9 p.m. on USA Network.
18
La casa de las flores (Netflix)
Everyone’s favorite dysfunctional family is back for its second season. And while the Manolo Caro comedic take on a telenovela will be returning without one key cast member (Veronica Castro first announced she wouldn’t be coming back last year and more recently images and trailers confirmed her character was killed off) this story of a family who owns a flower business and a cabaret is sure to keep offering audiences exactly what they love about its first season. Namely, a rare mix of wry wit and melodrama, tackling everything from homosexuality and drag queens to weed dealing and adultery, all wrapped up in tenderhearted takes on tight-knit modern family values.
La casa de las flores returns October 18, 2019, on Netflix.
19
The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Taking place five years after the fall of the Empire (aka five years after Return of the Jedi and before everything we saw in The Force Awakens) this first Star Wars television show stars Pedro Pascal as an independent Mandalorian bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic. Aiming to be an epic Western, this ambitious Disney+ project was created by Jon Favreau (he of Iron Man fame) and will also have episodes directed by Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), who also voices IG-11, a droid “who does not know sarcasm or how to lie.”
The Mandalorian premieres November 12, 2019, on Disney+.
20
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+)
As its title suggests, this Disney+ series is a meta-remake take on the beloved High School Musical movie. Shot as a docu-style series, the limited series follows a group of students at East High who stage a performance of High School Musical for their winter theater production, only to realize that as much drama happens offstage as onstage. Each episode will include a new rendition of a song from High School Musical as well as an original song. Its cast includes Olivia Rodrigo as Nini (voted “Most likely to have a Hamilton lyric as her senior quote”) and Frankie Rodriguez as Carlos (the musical’s choreographer).
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series premieres November 12, 2019, on Disney+.
21
Marvel's Runaways (Hulu)
Every teenager thinks their parents are evil. But what if they really were? When six L.A. teens in Marvel’s Runaways stumble onto a terrible secret, they realize their parents have been lying to them all their lives. But what are their parents after? And why? While the kids investigate, the adults start to wonder if their kids are hiding secrets of their own. The parents close in on the truth just as the kids uncover a plan with devastating consequences. Now, this unlikely crew of teenagers must band together to stop their parents before it’s too late. Based on the comic book series of the same name, this fresh take on the teen superhero genre stars Allegra Acosta as young super strong Molly Hernandez and Ariela Barer as quick-witted Gert Yorkes.
Marvel’s Runaways returns December 13, 2019, on Hulu.