The Boys spinoff, Netflix’s Castlevania, Kardashians, and more new TV

The Continental, the John Wick spinoff show on Peacock, is airing its second episode this week. The Wheel of Time season 2 continues upping the ante with its Seanchan villains with each new episode (and its penultimate chapter airs this Friday). American Horror Story: Delicate is finally here, and it’s… not schlocky! Dare we say it’s even promising?

But let’s also not forget the reason we’re here: There is new TV, and it is shiny and fun this week. The Boys spinoff Gen V arrives with three episodes, and while it retains the original series’ gross-out humor and antiheroism, there’s a lot of heart to this spinoff that makes it well worth checking out.

Here are all the significant TV premieres and finales this week:

New shows on Netflix

Castlevania: Nocturne

Genre: Vampires
Release date: Sept. 28, with all episodes
Showrunner/creator: Clive Bradley
Cast: Edward Bluemel, Pixie Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Nastassja Kinski, Zahn McClarnon

As the title suggests, this show comes as the latest entry in the world of Castlevania, spinning off the Netflix animated series based on the video game series of the same name (specifically Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and its sequel, Symphony of the Night). Richter Belmont (Edward Bluemel) is a descendant of a great vampire-hunting clan and works with a group of hunters and magicians to prevent an apocalypse. Oh, and this is all happening during the French Revolution.

New shows on Hulu

The Kardashians

Genre: Rich people reality show
Release date: Sept. 28, with 1 episode
Showrunner/creator: The Kardashians
Cast: Also the Kardashians (plus the Jenners)

It’s the Kardashians! You know what you’re getting into — specifically because this season will cover events that have already been well documented, like them going on vacation to Cabo San Lucas, or attending the Met Gala, or partnering with Dolce & Gabbana. This show has long been trying to shake the reputation that it doesn’t actually add anything to the narrative now that the Kardashians have more control over it; will season 4 make the case?

New shows on Max

Starstruck season 3

Genre: Rom-com
Release date: Sept. 28, with all episodes
Showrunner/creator: Rose Matafeo
Cast: Rose Matafeo, Nikesh Patel, Emma Sidi, and more

Season 3 of Starstruck is taking its unorthodox approach to rom-coms even further: Jessie is exploring single life, after her and Tom (Nikesh Patel) broke up. And like anyone in their 30s dealing with a breakup, she’s suddenly inundated with questions about adulthood and choices as her friends are all moving on with their lives, leaving Jessie feeling very out of step with where she’d like to be.

Reservation Dogs season 3 finale

Image: Hulu

Genre: Prestige comedy
Release date: Sept. 27
Showrunner/creator: Sterlin Harjo
Cast: Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Paulina Alexis, Lane Factor, and more

There’s a reason this show is on our best shows to watch on Hulu list, and our best shows of 2022 list, and why it’ll probably [Ed. note: definitely] end up on our best shows of 2023 list. In its final season, Reservation Dogs has proven to be poignant and incredible. It’s a show that will be missed, but hopefully one whose impact doesn’t end with this episode.

Futurama season 8 part 1 finale

Image: Hulu

Genre: Animated sci-fi comedy
Release date: Sept. 25
Showrunner/creator: Matt Groening and David X. Cohen
Cast: Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Phil LaMarr, Lauren Tom, and more

Futurama’s newest revival season is coming to a close. The show has ended plenty of times before, and each finale said something about when it aired. One imagines this latest one will be the same. Then again, a second part of this season is coming at a to-be-announced date; Futurama springs eternal.

New shows on Prime Video

Gen V

Genre: Superhero satire (but brutal, like The Boys)
Release date: Sept. 29, with three episodes
Showrunner/creator: Craig Rosenberg, Evan Goldberg, and Eric Kripke
Cast: Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Maddie Phillips, Derek Luh, London Thor, Asa Germann, Shelley Conn, and more

Gen V exists in the world of The Boys, but it is very pointedly not that. I mean, in a lot of ways it is — expect The Boys’ gross-out humor and “holy shit they just did that, huh” moments. But Gen V follows a group of superpowered students at Vought’s preeminent college for young supes. And the struggles they face are very different, and potentially more mysterious.