New and Returning Broadcast and Cable Series This Week: October 2 – October 8, 2022

The return of our regularly scheduled programming continues this month with some old favorites and even more new series:

The Walking Dead (October 2, AMC) – Season 19

The final chapter (or the final piece of the final chapter) of this post-apocalyptic zombie drama has finally arrived. Count on more epic battles, more disgusting zombies, more character deaths, and set up for a number of spin offs.

Family Law (October 2, The CW) – Season 1

A Canadian import, Family Law follows attorney Abigail Bianchi, an attorney whose alcoholism gets her disbarred and separated from her children. The only way for her to continue practicing law is if a senior attorney mentors her. The only attorney willing to take the risk on her is her estranged father, Harry Svevensson. Most excitingly, the series starts Jewel Staite and Victor Garber.

Interview with the Vampire (October 2, AMC) – Season 1

Based on the 1976 novel by Anne Rice, the series tells the story of vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac’s life.

East New York (October 2, CBS) – Season 1

The newly promoted boss of the 74th precinct in East New York, Deputy Inspector Regina Haywood is determined to use creative solutions to policing her district, if only she can get everyone else on board.

The Good Doctor (October 3, ABC) – Season 6

Freddie Highmore plays Dr. Shaun Murphy, a talented young surgical resident with autism in this long-running series. Like many other medical dramas, not every storyline makes sense in this series, but Highmore’s performance as Shaun, and the care the series has taken to address his autism, makes the show one worth watching.

Kung Fu (October 5, The CW) – Season 3

One of the few CW shows that seems to have survived the network’s genre purge (for now), Kung Fu follows Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang), who abruptly left her life and family to learn martial arts in a monastery in China. When she returns home, she uses her skills to protect her family and her neighborhood.

Reginald the Vampire (October 5, Syfy) – Season 1

You’ll recognize Jacob Batalon as Ned from the latest Spiderman movies, but here he stars as Reginald, an average guy in a dead end job whose life changes when he is turned into a vampire.

Grey’s Anatomy (October 6, ABC) – Season 19

Is this long-running series coming to an end? No one knows, but we do know that series star Ellen Pompeo will only be in eight of the episodes this season, which doesn’t indicate anything good about its future (or at least Meredith Grey’s future). Let’s see what medical disaster they can dream up this season.

Station 19 (October 6, ABC) – Season 6

After a season where Andy Herrera stood trial for accidentally killing the man who tried to rape her, I am ready for a slightly lighter season of this firefighter series.

Walker: Independence (October 6, The CW) – Season 1

A prequel to the CW series Walker (which is a reboot of Walker Texas Ranger), after Abby Walker (played by Katherine McNamara) sees her husband get murdered, she and outlaw Hoyt Williams (Matt Barr) make their way to Independence, Texas. The two will destiny of this small town and its inhabitants.

Alaska Daily (October 6, ABC) – Season 1

Hilary Swank stars as Eileen Fitzgerald, an award-winning New York journalist looking for a fresh start in Anchorage, Alaska and gets a less than warm welcome. Her first assignment involves a cold-case involving a serial killer.

Fire Country (October 7, CBS) – Season 1

Because we can never have too many firefighters on TV, this newest series combines finds convicts given a chance at early parole and redemption by helping elite firefighters tackle massive fires. Bode Donovan (Max Thieriot) is one such convict who ends up assigned to his hometown where he will work alongside former friends as well as fellow convicts in hopes of redemption.

Let the Right One In (October 7, Showtime) – Season 1

A father tries to provide for his twelve-year-old vampire daughter. Vampires seem to be having a moment once again – this is at least the fourth new vampire series of the season so far.

Of the returning shows, I’m most excited for The Walking Dead, if only to see how this epic saga turns out. From the new shows, I’m excited to see Family Law – as a Firefly fan, I’m willing to watch Jewel Staite in just about anything.

If this isn’t enough TV for you, be sure to check out the New and Returning Streaming Series This Week: October 2 – October 8, 2022.

Photo: THE GOOD DOCTOR – ABC’s “The Good Doctor” stars Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy. (ABC/Art Streiber)