BENJAMONSTER NEWSLETTER: October 19, 2026
Welcome back to my Monday newsletter! This week, I am looking at the new seasons of The Lowdown and The Diplomat. Plus, the latest episodes of Elsbeth and Cupertino, my Top 10 TV Shows starting with T, some Week 6 NFL musings and more!
WHAT'S NEW
One of my favorite shows of 2025 returned on schedule a year later as The Lowdown premiered on FX/Hulu with its second season this week. While this was a favorite with critics, it didn't get much traction with viewers and was invisible to awards bodies so a second season was far from a sure thing. But boy am I glad it happened and that we get another season of Ethan Hawke's Lee Raybon and company.
The second season introduces two major new characters with Betty Gilpin as public defender Ginger and Tommy Lee Jones as Lee's father, Lee Raybon Sr. Many of last year's characters have not been seen yet (though the trailer tells me some will pop up) and there really wasn't much of Keith David and Ryan Keira Armstrong in the first two episodes. So it takes some getting used to the new cast but Gilpin and Jones are fantastic and the second episode was also highlighted by a terrific guest appearance by Paul Schneider (hard to believe this was the same guy who weighed down the early episodes of Parks and Recreation). And regardless of who is around, the one who matters most - Ethan Hawke - was front and center and just brilliant.
So far, I am not completely invested in the new season's case but I remember feeling that way early last season too. I'm sure it will get there and as much as I loved last season's players, I think a pitfall for a successful show that tries to tell a new story is feeling like they have to service characters no longer super important to the plot (hello, Ted Lasso). So, I am happy to enjoy the ride with Hawke and whoever comes into his orbit this season and I'll enjoy The Lowdown for as long as we have it.
I thought The Diplomat was mostly enjoyable in its first season and then disappointing in its second season but I thought the third season was its best yet as it really settled into more of a The West Wing meets Scandal vibe. The show returned for a fourth season this week (like The Lowdown, on a yearly schedule - yay!). I have only watched the first three episodes of an eight episode season and so far I am a little more mixed on the season than the third season. First of all, does every presidential themed or adjacent show have to include an assassination attempt? It felt like only a matter of time before that happened on The Diplomat and it all hit notes we have seen before on the shows mentioned above and many others. But my biggest problem is I worry the show is getting into a rut with the Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell dynamic. They have a great chemistry with each other but I feel like their story isn't really evolving so much as just going in circles. At least through three episodes, there's too much talking (and not just between Russell and Sewell) and not enough action. Maybe the rest of the season will change my mind but that's where I am after three episodes.
Also...
I may still check out Crystal Lake but haven't yet. I have no connection to Friday the 13th and would give priority to Carrie of the two recent spooky shows so we'll see if I end up ever checking it out.
LAST WEEK ON...
I was mixed on the season premiere of Elsbeth but the second episode (and apparently first filmed for the season) was one of my all-time favorites. First of all, it had a theater-themed story and Elsbeth always seems to be playing with homefield advantage when they do a theater plot given how many Broadway people have been involved in the show (they definitely have some Broadway superfans in the writers' room because this week's episode definitely had shades of a very online and niche story related to the musical Titanique). Second, there was a bevy of great guest stars (Nicholas Braun, Richard Thomas, Betsy Aidem and more). But most importantly, the show broke from its format to not reveal the killer in the first couple minutes and instead make it a twisty story of "who done it" (even though I did guess the killer, I second guessed myself a couple times. I don't mind the show sticking to its format most of the time if it does some deviations once in awhile.
Cupertino "Vik & Bo"
Even though I had a good sense of what this show would look like weekly, I was excited to see the second episode and see it start to settle into a weekly broadcast network approach. I felt just as good, if not better, about the show after its second episode. Busy Phillips made her first appearance to provide a different dynamic to the show. The case of the week was decent and had some funny moments. And the final few minutes, which really showed the series is not afraid to go deep on AI topics, was really riveting. So far, so good for Cupertino... except for its ratings.
THE BEST TV ALPHABETICALLY: LETTER T
In honor of 2026, I am looking at the 26 letters of the alphabet and listing my Top 10 TV Shows of All Time that start with that letter (no "The" or "A" don't count as the first letter of a show). This week, I am looking at letter T!
I have never been a regular Today watcher but there's something comforting about knowing its there, broadcasting live from Rockefeller Center every weekday. And the ups and downs of their on-screen pairings and off-screen issues always makes for interesting reading. It's still an institution in an ever-changing landscape.
9. That Girl (ABC, 1966-1971)
That Girl is a classic 60s sitcom and somewhere in between the smartest comedies of the era (The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Andy Griffith Show) and the many dumb sitcoms about talking cars and flying nuns. Grounded by a terrific performance from Marlo Thomas, it has some stellar highs and a bunch of decent episodes.
8. Task (HBO, 2025-Present)
The newest entry on this list, Task has only had one season so far but I was incredibly high on it. It felt so fully lived-in and committed to its unique setting in the rural areas outside Philadelphia. It was a very perfectly contained story so I'm leery of the upcoming second season but I trust Brad Ingelsby to have a story worth telling.
7. Timeless (NBC, 2016-2018)
A real guilty pleasure show for me. I'm a sucker for time travel stories to the past, especially when visiting real life historical events so this show was right up my alley. Yes, it's corny with a capital C and the overall mythology is a little unnecessarily convoluted, but I still was totally engaged in each week's adventure in the past and I wish it had lasted longer than two seasons (and a wrap-up movie).
6. 24 (FOX, 2001-2010)
I actually never finished 24 but I did watch through its Emmy-winning fifth season. Yes, there are absolutely some questionable elements in the show with its depictions of torture among other things. It's also utterly preposterous in many ways. But there are few shows that are more addictive and effective at cliffhanger after cliffhanger after cliffhanger.
5. The Twilight Zone (CBS, 1959-1964)
The truth is I really like some episodes of The Twilight Zone a LOT while many others leave me much more cold. But the most compelling episodes are so far ahead of their time and as good as any TV drama ever. "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street," "A Stop at Willoughby," and "Deaths-Head Revisited" are among my all-time favorites.
4. That 70s Show (FOX, 1998-2006)
Look, I know That 70s Show is not an all-time TV classic or a feat in comedy writing. But it sure is fun. With an excellent cast and a willingness to just have fun all the time, the show is one of my all-time favorite "background" shows with a re-watchability and comfort level that can be missing from far superior shows. And it also has a killer theme song.
3. Ted Lasso (Apple TV, 2020-Present)
I have been all over the map with Ted Lasso. I adored the first season and thought the second season was nearly as good and unfairly maligned by many. But then the third season really frustrated me so I was ready to see it come to an end. When it recently returned for its fourth season, I felt a wave of nostalgia and was happier to have it back then I thought I would be even though some problems remained. So ultimately I think this show is not as bad as some critics have started to think but it's also not the all-time greatest show like some of my facebook friends think.
2. This is Us (NBC, 2016-2022)
One of the last great network dramas, This is Us took the twists and turns of a thriller and applied it to a family drama. With stellar performances from the likes of Sterling K. Brown, Justin Hartley, Chrissy Metz, Milo Ventimiglia, the completely underrated Mandy Moore and many great recurring and guest stars, the show got knocked a bit for being too manipulative and sentimental. Maybe it was those things but it was also ambitious, thoughtful and heartfelt and I miss having it on TV.
1. Taxi (ABC/NBC, 1978-1983)
When I was a kid and watching Nick at Nite in 1995, I would watch on Friday nights until 10pm when Taxi would come on. My parents didn't think it was appropriate for me and I didn't really care much about it so I came to this much later than other Nick at Nite shows of that era. It's one of the sharpest written sitcoms of all time and a great bridge between the MTM shows of the 70s and Cheers in the 80s. And it has a few incredible comedy performances from Christopher Lloyd, Andy Kaufman and especially Danny DeVito.
NFL MUSINGS
Here's some thoughts on an exciting Week 6 that included a couple major upsets before the week wraps up tonight in San Francisco where the wounded Commanders arrive to take on the undefeated 49ers.
- I've mentioned before my Super Bowl pick was Rams vs. Texans. Two weeks ago, I still felt pretty good about my Rams pick following their gutsy comeback against Philadelphia while Houston was sitting at 0-4. But now? The Texans have won two straight including over the division-leading Jaguars in London. While their defense still is not playing anywhere close to its usual level, CJ Stroud and the offense are playing very well and I certainly wouldn't count out this team becoming only the second 0-4 team ever to sneak into the playoffs. As for the Rams, I don't even know what to say after their stunning loss to Arizona coming less than a week after their Overtime meltdown against the Bills. It seems to always happen with these "dream teams" that get put together but I thought the Rams were different. I still don't think they are going to stay this bad but they could be four games behind the 49ers in the division after tonight and the playoffs will be a reach, much less the Super Bowl.
- It definitely seems possible like the Carolina Panthers are going to run away with the NFC South and not with something embarrassing like an 8-9 record. Yes, the Eagles are reeling but the Panthers are playing more confident and complete every week. With the Falcons and Saints being up and down at best and the Bucs not being a threat, these Panthers could definitely be the best product the NFC South has produced in several years.
- The NFC East might actually be this year's version of the NFC South with another faceplant from the division. Somebody's gotta win it and which team does might hinge on the QB decision John Harbaugh has to make and how said decision plays out. If I was Harbaugh, I think I would give Jameis Winston one more try. JJ McCarthy was very impressive today but we've seen how volatile life with McCarthy is. While that is true for Winston too, he is beloved in the locker room and I think it just needs to be a little more crystal clear to get the team behind the move.
- If not for the Arizona upset later in the day, we'd probably be talking more about the Cleveland Browns upsetting the Baltimore Ravens. But I still just don't totally buy the first place Browns. The Ravens didn't have Lamar Jackson and it was an ugly 13-10 win. This is a team that just lost to the Jets. Like the Raiders, they feel like an early feel-good story that can't really sustain an entire season.
- Watch out for the Bears. Their defense still has major concerns but with Caleb Williams back in the saddle, they are a supremely confident team. And if Williams goes down again, it's time to insert Case Keenum instead of Tyson Bagent as the backup.
- Kudos to the Titans for getting off the winless streak before the Chargers and Dolphins when they looked to be in the most dire shape. This is a horrible, horrible look for the Colts who need to burn it down and start over. It is shocking that Chris Ballard has lasted as long as he has. It's time for Indianapolis to start at square one. Last year's fast start was fool's gold and probably pushed everything back a year later than it should have.
COMING UP
While the weeks full of premieres are past us now, each week between now and Thanksgiving has at least a few premieres of note. This week kicks off with Phony premiering on Hulu on Tuesday. I am very curious to see the reviews of this show. I liked the trailer and love Connie Britton so I've been hopeful but I feel like Hulu has done very little to promote this (very late announcing the date and then not providing a lot of detail). Maybe they're trying to keep it a hidden gem ala Furious or maybe it's a dog and they know it. On Wednesday, Prime Video has the second season premiere of The Terminal List coming over four years after the first season aired in Summer 2022. The exact opposite of that timeline comes the next day when Nobody Wants This returns for a third season on its yearly cadence. The second season did not seem to be as well received but still received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series. Finally on Friday, NBC has the third season premiere of Reba McEntire's Happy's Place leading into the new comedy Newlyweds starring real life couple Tea Leoni and Tim Daly. In theory, it seems like it could fit well with Happy's Place for a demographic where a lead-in might still matter.
I am now a contributor to The TV Ratings Guide and posting them there on Tuesdays. Check it out!
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