Rueben's Ramblings

Here is the list of the programming options to expect on TV this coming week:

On September 5, the series finales of both Roswell, New Mexico and In the Dark will air on The CW at 8 and 9 PM respectively.

The new Acorn TV series Recipes for Love and Murder will debut online on September 5. Maria Doyle Kennedy (Outlander and Orphan Black) stars in this mystery series based on the best-selling novels by Sally Andrews that follows a newspaper recipe advice columnist, Tannie Maria, who offers guidance and counsel and helps investigate crimes in her small town in the vibrant, beautiful region of the Karoo in South Africa.

On September 6, the season premiere of Queen Sugar will air on OWN at 8 PM.

The new 3-episode Hulu drama Tell Me Lies will debut online on September 7. The series follows a tumultuous but intoxicating relationship as it unfolds over the course of eight years. When Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White) meet at college, they are at that formative age when seemingly mundane choices lead the way to irrevocable consequences. Although their relationship begins like any typical campus romance, they quickly fall into an addictive entanglement that will permanently alter not only their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.

On September 8, the final season of The Good Fight will premiere online on Paramount+.

The box office movie Pinocchio will have a special presentation on Disney+ on September 8. Tom Hanks stars as Geppetto, the woodcarver who builds and treats Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as if he were his real son in this live action and CGI retelling of the beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy. Directed by Robert Zemeckis the cast includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jiminy Cricket, Cynthia Erivo asthe Blue Fairy, Keegan-Michael Key as”Honest” John, Lorraine Bracco as new character Sofia the Seagull and Luke Evans as The Coachman.

On September 8, the 5-part limited series Last Light will debut online on Peacock. Based on Alex Scarrow’s best-selling novel of the same name, the series follows Petro-chemist Andy Yeats (Matthew Fox from Lost and Party of Five) knows how dependent the world is on oil; if something were to happen to the world’s oil supply, it would set off a chain reaction: transportation would grind to a halt, supplies would cease to be delivered, law enforcement would be overwhelmed. While on a business trip to the Middle East, Andy realizes that his worst fears are coming true and his family is separated at this crucial moment. His teenage daughter, Laura , is alone at home in London while his wife, Elena (Joanne Froggatt from Downton Abbey), and young son, Sam, are in Paris. Amid this chaos, each family member will sacrifice everything to find one another, despite the distance and the dangers that separate them.

Season 5 of Cobra Kai will premiere online on Netflix on September 9.

On September 10, the Hallmark Channel movie Marry Go Round will debut at 8 PM. Abby Foster (Amanda Schull) and Luke Walker (Brennan Elliott) were high school sweethearts who were married for a brief time. Many years later, Abby’s life seems perfect as she gets ready for a new life in Paris along with her soon-to-be husband Edward. When an unexpected letter arrives throwing Abby off course, she must decide what her heart really wants.

The GAC Family movie A Taste of Tuscany will debut on September 10 at 8 PM. April (Laura Mitchell) is an uptight health-chef guru on the verge of notoriety, but her brand of cooking is failing. Despite her assurances healthy is tasty, those who have tried her recipes disagree. Her cookbook publisher and publicity team are thinking about dropping her. Unwilling to give up on her hard work and career, April vows to reinvent herself. She goes to Italy to learn how to incorporate the country’s notorious rich culture of food in her own recipes. There, she meets Rob (Brad Johnson), a brilliant chef hoping to open his own restaurant someday. Between Rob and the Italian cuisine, April finds new joy and freedom in life and cooking—and also love. It allows her to see what she’s been missing. With that, she discovers she needs to start living and enjoying life to bring out its best flavors.

On September 11, the Starz drama The Serpent Queen will debut at 8 PM. A historical drama with an edge, “The Serpent Queen” puts a contemporary spin on conventional storytelling to tell the tale of Catherine de Medici’s (Samantha Morton from The Walking Dead) rise to power. In the series premiere, “Medici Bitch,” Catherine’s tale unfolds through flashbacks as she defends her actions and imparts the lessons she’s learned to her new servant confident, Rahima. At 14, the young, orphaned Catherine marries into the 16th-century French court. Despite her commoner status, her uncle Pope Clement (Charles Dance from Game of Thrones), has negotiated a large dowry and a geopolitical alliance in return for the union, and with it comes the expectation of many heirs. However, on her wedding night, Catherine learns that her new husband is in love with Diane de Poitiers, a beautiful lady-in-waiting twice his age. With her future suddenly uncertain and with little hope of conceiving, Catherine must quickly learn who she can trust – both within her personal entourage of courtiers and the members of the royal court – while outmaneuvering anyone who underestimates her determination to survive at any cost. The cast includes Colm Meaney, Raza Jaffrey and Rupert Everett.

The FOX drama Monarch will (finally) debut on September 11 at 8 PM. The (delayed till fall) drama is a Texas-sized, multi-generational musical drama about America’s first family of country music. The Romans are headed by the insanely talented, but tough as nails Queen of Country Music Dottie Cantrell Roman (Susan Sarandon) and her beloved husband, “Texas Truthteller” Albie Roman (Trace Adkins). They have created a country music dynasty, but even though the Roman name is synonymous with authenticity, the very foundation of their success is a lie. And when their reign as country royalty is put in jeopardy, heir to the crown Nicolette “Nicky” Roman (Anna Friel) will stop at nothing to protect her family’s legacy, while ensuring her own quest for stardom. The cast includes Beth Ditto, D. W. Moffett, Damon Dayoub, Josh Sasse and Reshma Shetty. Sarandon’s own daughter Eva Amurri will play the younger version of her character.

NOTE: The show will move to its regular 9 PM time slot starting on September 20.

On September 11, the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie To Her, With Love will debut at 9 PM.
Kayla (Skye P. Marshall) heads back to her hometown of Stansville, North Carolina, after her substitute teaching job at an elite, private high school comes to an early end. On her first day back, her loving yet inquisitive mother (Maria Howell) sets up a job interview at her high school alma mater. Kayla, who ultimately wants to get into a competitive teaching program in London, is hesitant to apply. However, when it turns out that her high school best friend Tanya (Brittany L. Smith) is a teacher there, and she is offered the job on the spot, she quickly accepts. When Kayla initially struggles to connect with her students, Jordan (Tobias Truvillion), a jack-of-all-trades teacher who is devoted to supporting underserved students, steps in to help. Though reluctant to accept his input at first, she is soon inspired to try a fresh approach to help each of her students tap into their unique artistic passions and her students begin flourishing. When Kayla learns the school may be cutting the arts department due to budget cuts, she and Jordan work together to set up a fundraising showcase, with a little help from her longtime friend Shanice Wilson-Knox. Soon, sparks are flying between Kayla and Jordan as they discover a shared love of teaching, service and Sidney Poitier movies. However, when Kayla receives some teaching opportunities that would take her away from Stansville – and Jordan – she finds that her heart may still have a few things to teach her about what will make her happy.

The new movie Finding Love in Big Sky will debut on UPtv at 7 PM on September 11. An independent country girl (Hedy Nasser) accepts help from her ex-boyfriend (Jonathan Stoddard) to raise the funds needed to refurbish her beloved grandfather’s ranch.

On September 11, the finale of Tales of the Walking Dead will air online on AMC+ while that same night, the finale of Guilt on Masterpiece will air on PBS at 9 PM.

Lastly, also on September 11, the new Showtime drama American Gigolo will debut at 9 PM. The series will follow Julian Kaye (Jon Bernthal) after his wrongful conviction release from 15 years in prison as he navigates his complicated relationships with his former lover Michelle (Gretchen Mol), his troubled mother and the people who betrayed him. While Julian struggles to reconcile the escort he was in the past and the man he is today, Detective Sunday (Rosie O’Donnell) seeks the truth about the murder that sent Julian to prison all those years ago, unearthing a much larger conspiracy along the way. The series will also feature Wayne Brady, Sandrine Holt and Leland Orser.

Mark your calendars!