Top 10 Best Shows to Get into the Fall Spirit

Melanie Bumpus | Writing Contributor

Fall is on its way. It’s time to curl up in your favorite sweater with a mug of hot apple cider and enjoy one of these 10 must-watch tv shows for the best fall vibes.

 

Friday Night Lights (2006-2011)

Friday Night Lights is arguably one of the best shows of all time. This NBC sports drama is based in a fictional Texas town. It follows a high school football team, the lives of the athletes and their families as they struggle with sports, school, relationships and real-world issues. This star-studded cast will keep your eyes glued to the screen, and its unpredictable plot will have you on the edge of your seat.

 

Felicity (1998-2002)

This drama tells the story of a girl fresh out of high school who follows her school crush to college across the country against her parents’ wishes. While there, she finds herself in a love triangle. It takes place in New York which makes it the perfect watch to get into the fall spirit. This show is an extremely underrated pick to ‘spice up’ your Autumn!

 

One Tree Hill (2003-2012)

One Tree Hill takes place in a fictional North Carolina town and follows the journey of two half-brothers who compete for a spot on their high school’s basketball team and the drama that ensues. It is full of family drama and heartbreak and is sure to pull on your heartstrings. It is a heartwarming show that depicts the ups and downs of everyday life in the early 2000s while sharing inspiration through each of the characters.

 

Hart of Dixie (2011-2015)

Hart of Dixie is a comedy-drama about a New York doctor named Zoe Hart. Hart accepts an offer from a stranger, Dr. Harvey Wilkes, to take over his medical practice in the fictional small town of Bluebell, Alabama. This show, which was filmed on the same lot as Gilmore Girls, is essentially the “Gilmore Girls of the South,” as it has the same comforting vibes, and it is perfect for Alabama football fans. It stars the actor Scott Porter, who is also in Friday Night Lights.

 

Gossip Girl (2007-2012)

Yes, another show based in New York. This iconic show follows the lives of Manhattan’s elite, privileged teenagers on the Upper East Side. This show features iconic early 2000’s fashion, music and storylines full of drama that will have you wanting more. It is best to watch during the fall especially because of its ever-so-iconic Thanksgiving episode (it is Blair Waldorf’s favorite holiday, after all).

 

Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996-2003)

Fun fact: lead actress Melissa Joan Hart is an Alabama Football fan herself! In the show, she plays teenager Sabrina Spellman who, on her 16^th birthday, is told by her aunts that she is a witch. What better way to enjoy fall than to watch a family-friendly, spooky show. Follow along with Sabrina’s adventures with her wacky aunts, mortal boyfriend, and adorable yet sassy cat, Salem.

 

The Haunting of Hill House (TV Mini Series 2018)

This supernatural horror drama is a miniseries that came to Netflix in 2018. It is perfect for those who are looking for something scarier to watch, especially for horror fans. This series is based on a Shirley Jackson novel of the same name, and is about siblings who grew up in what became the most haunted house in the country and follows them as adults who come together after a tragedy to uncover secrets (and ghosts) from their past.

 

Twin Peaks (1990-1991)

Kyle MacLachlan stars in this famous mystery series depicting an investigation – headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper – into the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer. It is almost a soap opera mixed with supernatural elements, and features cameos from stars such as Amanda Seyfried, Kiefer Sutherland and Michael Cera. It is rumored to have inspired the Disney Channel Cartoon series Gravity Falls (another great fall show), as there are many parallels.

 

Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)

A beloved fan-favorite comedy drama series of which this list would not be complete without. Gilmore Girls is the ultimate fall show for many fans who cannot wait get enough of mother and daughter Lorelai and Rory Gilmore’s fast-talking, coffee-loving, drama-filled lives in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. This series is super cozy and heartwarming, and features a few love triangles. This is a timeless show that is loved by fans of all ages and is fun to rewatch every year to make the viewer feel like they are living in Stars Hollow with its fall leaves, cozy sweaters and lots of coffee.

 

Gravity Falls (2012-2016)

It is time to end the list with a family friendly show that is intensely entertaining while also slightly creepy. This cartoon aired on Disney Channel in 2012 and follows the unexpected adventure of twins Mabel and Dipper Pines as they spend the summer with their Great Uncle “Grunkle” Stan in the mysterious town of Gravity Falls, Oregon. Watching this show during fall brings a sense of nostalgia and comfort. It is funny, odd, heartfelt and full of many easter eggs for fans to discover.

 

Honorable Mention: Boy Meets World: Season 5, Episode 17: “And Then There Was Shawn”

This list would not be complete without bringing attention to perhaps the most iconic episode of Boy Meets World: the Halloween episode. This episode is a slasher parody guest starring scream queen Jennifer Love Hewitt and features the main cast being stalked by a masked figure in their high school. The episode pays homage to various horror films including Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, and there is even a South Park reference. It could not be more iconic, and this particular episode is one many people come back to every fall because it is just that great.

 

Melanie Bumpus serves as a writing contributor for Alice Magazine.