For U.S. broadcast networks, the fall TV season typically starts in mid to late September and then rolls out through October, with different networks staggering big premieres across several weeks.

Quick Scoop: When does the fall TV season start?

  • Most years, the fall TV season “officially” kicks off around mid‑September , when the first wave of new and returning network shows premieres on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and The CW.
  • Premieres then continue through late September into October , so it feels more like a rollout window than a single start date.
  • Reality and competition staples (like Dancing With the Stars or The Voice) often lead the charge in mid‑September, with big scripted dramas and comedies filling out late September and early October.

How it’s looked recently

  • In recent seasons, you’ll see language like “fall season begins” tied to a specific Monday in mid‑ or late‑September , with detailed nightly grids following for each network.
  • One example schedule shows network lineups starting their major runs between September 16–25 , with additional premieres and full “premiere week” branding in early to mid‑October.

Streaming vs. old‑school “fall season”

  • Streamers (Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, etc.) don’t really follow the classic “fall season” model anymore; big titles drop year‑round, with some clustered in September–November to catch that cozy, stay‑indoors audience.
  • TV guides and entertainment sites now publish rolling fall TV calendars that mix broadcast, cable, and streaming premieres, updated weekly as new dates are announced.

What people are saying in forums

“With the changing landscape of TV these days, do they still do ‘sweeps’?” — a common sentiment when fans notice how scattered premieres feel now.

On fan forums, viewers often note that the “fall season” feels later and more spread out than it used to, thanks to schedule shifts and streaming competition, even though mid‑September is still the rough starting line.

TL;DR: When people ask “when does the fall TV season start?” they usually mean traditional U.S. broadcast TV, which now kicks off around mid‑September , then ramps up with more premieres through October every year.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.