Must Watch "Fall" TV Shows
Welcome back, readers!
I hope you’ve all been well! As you may remember, in 2019, I wrote a quick guide to some of my favorite movies that are either set in fall or have some cozy “fall vibes” in store for viewers. This year, I have an updated version for you: my favorite fall television shows! While I will always be partial to spending my evenings curled up on the couch with a good movie, sometimes it’s fun to turn on a television show while I’m doing some things around the house or just in the mood to watch something quick and easy. So, in true “hot girl fall” fashion, here are my favorite shows to watch when the weather gets a little cooler. Don’t worry, it will continue to be updated! Happy watching!
The Chair
Credit: NETFLIX
Synopsis: This 2021 dramatic comedy tells the story of an accomplished English Literature professor turned department chair at a prestigious East Coast University, Ji-Yoon Kim (played by Sandra Oh), who attempts to balance her work life and personal life. Before accepting the position of the department chair of English, maintaining a separation between the two was completely manageable. Unfortunately, this new job and responsibility come with many unfortunate challenges and obstacles. Will Ji-Yoon find a way to have it all?
Why I Love It: absolutely love The Chair because it has everything I could want in a fall movie: an East Coast autumn, academia, a ridiculous amount of thick wool sweaters, and a love story to rival Harry and Sally (How Harry Met Sally was included in my last fall entertainment roundup; go check it out!) However, it also does an amazing job of touching on some subject matter that is more than deserving of a platform for discussion. Without telling you much more about the series, Ji Yoon is the first woman of color to not only become a professor of English Literature at her university, but also the first to be the department chair. However, when she’s elected, the department has been suffering from a lack of interest and enrollment from the university’s students, an outdated curriculum, and decreased funding. The show has so many interesting layers to it and makes for a really heart-warming and hilarious watch.
The Queen’s Gambit
Credit: NETFLIX
Synopsis: Set in the mid-’60s, The Queen’s Gambit recounts the trailblazing career and life of fictional young prodigy chess player Elizabeth Harmon. While she is undoubtedly a talented chess player, Beth suffers some devastating blows early in her life that continue to haunt her well-being and capacity for greatness. Will Beth Harmon become the champion chess player she’s trained her whole life to become, or will she allow her dark past to cloud what could become a bright future?
Why I Love It: If you’ve frequented this blog or any of my social media platforms in the past year, I’m sure you’ll recognize this show as one of my all-time favorites! It’s edgy, dark, heartbreaking, and altogether beautiful. As inspiring and troubled as she is, Beth Harmon is perhaps one of the most relatable characters I’ve been introduced to. So much of her personality is rooted in a traumatic past that drives her desire to learn, grow, and be the greatest chess player there is. I, like Beth Harmon, often find myself struggling to accept and understand my past as I start making my first strides into adulthood. This is an excellent watch for you if you’ve ever had an interest in the world of chess, love moody period pieces, feel drawn to the groovy aesthetics of the 1960s, or just need a television show that will leave you thinking. While the show does occur over the years, so much of it seems to occur in Fall and Winter.