The 7 best new fall TV shows, according to critics

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The 7 best new fall TV shows, according to critics

single parents

ABC

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This fall TV season already has a few standout shows that are good now, and have the potential to get into a great groove. So they're worth investing in now before you have dozens of episodes to catch up on.

While the networks certainly have some stinkers this season, some also have new shows with a lot of potential, like ABC's "Single Parents" and CBS' "God Friended Me."

If you've run out of good TV to watch, or just want to be up on new shows people are talking about, we took to ratings aggregator Rotten Tomatoes to rank the best shows of fall 2018. Along with the critic ranking, we included the Rotten Tomatoes audience ranking, a sample of what critics have said so far, and show descriptions courtesy of IMDB.

Here are the best TV shows of fall 2018 (so far), ranked according to critics:

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No 7. — "Happy Together" (CBS)

No 7. — "Happy Together" (CBS)

Description: Claire and Jake's married life is mired in routine, but when megastar Cooper shows up at their door, they get dragged into his life of fame.

Critic Score: 60%

Audience Score: 57%

"Given the opportunity to sing, dance and flail around ridiculously in the pilot, Wayans and West try hard and I smiled frequently at their effort." -The Hollywood Reporter

No. 6 — "God Friended Me" (CBS)

No. 6 — "God Friended Me" (CBS)

Description: An atheist's life is turned upside down when God adds him as a friend on Facebook.

Critic Score: 63%

Audience Score: 81%

"It's definitely not the worst drama you could find on network TV, and Hall is a likable, charismatic actor. Give it a one-episode trial and see how you feel." -The Ringer

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No. 5 — "The Cool Kids" (Fox)

No. 5 — "The Cool Kids" (Fox)

Description: Three friends at a retirement center have their comfortable existence rattled by a newcomer to the community.

Critic Score: 69%

Audience Score: 86%

"It's not particularly ambitious, in form or content, but it hits the marks it assigns itself." -Los Angeles Times

No. 4 — "Single Parents" (ABC)

No. 4 — "Single Parents" (ABC)

Description: A group of single parents form their own support system as they raise their kids and struggle to start new relationships.

Critic Score: 73%

Audience Score: 65%

"While the show doesn't exactly feel fresh, it does have heart and what feels like the bones of a show that could go bolder and nuttier if it gets a chance to find its way over a full season." -CinemaBlend

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No. 3 — "Maniac" (Netflix)

No. 3 — "Maniac" (Netflix)

Description: Two strangers are drawn to a mysterious pharmaceutical trial that will, they're assured, with no complications or side-effects whatsoever, solve all of their problems, permanently. Things do not go as planned.

Critic Score: 80%

Audience Score: 86%

"Maniac is the rare series that plays with reality without alienating the viewer emotionally." -The New Republic

No. 2 — "All-American" (The CW)

No. 2 — "All-American" (The CW)

Description: When a star high school football player from South Central is recruited to play for Beverly Hills High School, two separate worlds collide.

Critic Score: 86%

Audience Score: N/A

"This young adult saga is still filled with fun, and not just because it turns fictional high school football into riveting high drama ... If any new series deserves a spotlight in its metaphorical face, it's All American." -Refinery 29

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No. 1 — "Mr. Inbetween" (FX)

No. 1 — "Mr. Inbetween" (FX)

Description: In Mr. Inbetween, Ryan plays "Ray Shoesmith," a father, ex-husband, boyfriend and best friend: tough roles to juggle in the modern age. Even harder when you're a criminal for hire.

Critic Score: 87%

Audience Score: 100%

"What it offers instead is a conundrum, complicated by Ryan's charisma and the woeful state of the men who surround Ray." -The Atlantic