Remember the days before streaming when the fall TV season was a source of anticipation? So many new shows premiering in a nice, tidy chunk over a few weeks. It was so easy to stay on top of it all.

Streaming has altered the television landscape, from the number of shows to the kinds of shows available. Premieres happen year-round now, which dampens the collective thrill that once accompanied this time of year, but let’s try to generate some excitement, shall we?

Wait, isn’t that actually the job of networks and streamers?! Well, very few shows get a big promotional push these days. Or if they do, it’s harder to reach a mass audience because the monoculture of old is gone, replaced by algorithms that silo us off from one another.

But like I said! Let’s generate some excitement of our own, yes? Here’s a look at what’s coming up this fall in chronological order. There are at least four separate “hmmm, something strange is going on”-type thrillers starring women. Make of that what you will.

“Second Sight” (Sept. 1; BritBox): Clive Owen plays a dogged police detective who is hiding a secret: He’s losing his sight. A new detective joins his serious crime unit and, when she figures out what’s going on, forms an uneasy alliance with him. She will help him fill in the gaps, but wants career advancement in return.

“Return to Paradise” (Sept. 2; BritBox): Another detective show, this one set in a surfing town in Australia called Dolphin Cove, where a detective who made her reputation in London returns to her childhood home: “She’s still no fan of the town, and the people of Dolphin Cove are certainly no fans of hers; everyone would prefer her not to be there.”

“The Paper” (Sept 4; Peacock): The premise for this mockumentary sounds a bit strained, but maybe that won’t matter. The never-seen documentary crew who filmed the haphazard goings on at a Scranton paper supply company (that’s right, “The Office”) have moved on to their next project: A struggling Midwestern newspaper. An early description of the show said the journalists were volunteers — which rankled many of us who are struggling to hang on to the paying journalism jobs that remain — but I’m not seeing that language in more recent marketing materials, so who knows if that aspect was reworked. Regardless, I’m curious enough to check it out. Though set in Toledo rather than Scranton, the show exists in the “same stylized comedic universe” as “The Office” and includes one familiar face: Oscar Nuñez is the paper’s accountant. Also, Greg Daniels (who developed “The Office” for U.S. television) is one of the show’s creators.

“Task” (Sept. 7; HBO): Mark Ruffalo plays an FBI agent in this seven-episode series set in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia, where he heads up a task force working to solve a string of violent robberies. His performance as the Hulk aside, Ruffalo tends to go for thoughtful over machismo, so here’s hoping that’s what the role entails.

“Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television” (Sept. 9; HBO): The two-part documentary examines the history of Black people and Black culture on television, from “early, stereotypical portrayals, to today’s more authentic and complex narratives, the series highlights how Black television makers have not only survived but thrived, despite the industry’s early reluctance to fully recognize their power and creativity.”

“Only Murders in the Building” (Sept. 9; Hulu series): The comedic murder-mystery returns for a fifth season (somehow that number feels like a miracle in the streaming era). This time the show’s trio of sleuths (played by Martin Short, Steve Martin and Selena Gomez) work to uncover a “dangerous web of secrets connecting powerful billionaires, old-school mobsters and the mysterious residents of the Arconia.”

“The Girlfriend” (Sept. 10; Amazon): Robin Wright returns to television for this psychological thriller based on the 2017 novel. In it, she plays a woman whose perfect life falls apart when her son starts dating a woman who might be an opportunist using the relationship to improve her social status.

“aka Charlie Sheen”(Sept. 10; Netflix): This two-part docuseries about the life of actor Charlie Sheen was made with his cooperation, like so many other celebrity documentaries these days, and the end result is usually an exercise in celebrity image management. But who knows, hope springs eternal and maybe this one will break the pattern. If anything, there’s probably some curiosity about how Sheen will look back on his own infamy.

“The Morning Show” (Sept. 17; Apple TV+): I have nothing good to say about this ridiculous show, which is back for a fourth season. But I will admit, the synopsis for this season sounds similar enough to the recent Paramount-Skydance deal that I’m the tiniest bit interested to see what the show has to say about its own fictional media merger: “With the UBA-NBN merger complete, the newsroom must grapple with newfound responsibility, hidden motives and the elusive nature of truth in a polarized America. In a world rife with deepfakes, conspiracy theories and corporate cover-ups — who can you trust? And how can you know what’s actually real?”

“Black Rabbit” (Sept. 18; Netflix series): Jude Law and Jason Bateman star as brothers “pushed to the brink by their duty to family and the pursuit of success” running a VIP establishment called Black Rabbit that is in jeopardy if they can’t figure out how to navigate old problems and new.

“Slow Horses” (Sept. 24; Apple TV+): Another streaming show hitting its fifth season, huzzah! This time, the gang’s tech expert, Roddy Ho, has a new girlfriend who seems too glamorous to be hooking up with this guy. Based on Mick Herron’s novel “London Rules.”

Gary Oldman and his Slough House misfits are back for Season 5 of “Slow Horses.” (Jack English/Apple TV+/TNS)

“House of Guinness” (Sept. 25; Netflix): On one hand, the brewery probably has an interesting history. On the other, how is this not yet more corporate myth-making along the lines of “Air” (Nike basketball sneakers), “Tetris” (the eponymous video game), “Blackberry”(the smartphone brand) and “Flamin’ Hot” (processed snack foods)? The story is set in both Dublin and New York in the 19th century. An interesting footnote: Per Wikipedia, “Before 1939, if a Guinness brewer wished to marry a Catholic, his resignation was requested. According to Thomas Molloy, writing in the Irish Independent, ‘It had no qualms about selling drink to Catholics but it did everything it could to avoid employing them until the 1960s.’” Here’s hoping this aspect is part of the story, as well.

“The Savant” (Sept. 26; Apple TV+): Jessica Chastain stars in this thriller as an investigator who “infiltrates online hate groups in an effort to stop domestic extremists before they act.”

“Chad Powers” (Sept 30; Hulu): Glen Powell leads this comedy playing a former hotshot college quarterback who sees his prospects evaporate after some bad behavior. So he disguises himself and “walks onto a struggling Southern football team as the talented, affable Chad Powers.” Eli and Peyton Manning are executive producers.

“Boots” (Oct. 9; Netflix): A coming-of-age dramedy set in the “tough, unpredictable world of the U.S. Marine Corps” in the 1990s. One recruit is closeted. Another is the son of a decorated Marine. They are all facing pressures while also figuring out who they are.

“The Diplomat” (Oct. 16; Netflix): Big fan of the first season of this show, wherein Keri Russell plays a U.S. ambassador to Great Britain. I was lukewarm on Season 2, but let’s see what Season 3 has in store. The ambassador’s charming but untrustworthy husband has been scheming to get her appointed as vice president; the current office holder (Allison Janney) is about to be engulfed in a scandal that will necessitate her resignation. Turns out the latter is more formidable than anyone anticipated. And she’s not going anywhere; Season 2 ended with the death of the president and now she’s the big cheese.

Martin Scorsese in “Mr. Scorsese.” (Melinda Sue Gordon/Apple TV+)

“Mr. Scorsese” (Oct. 17; Apple TV+): The five-part docuseries about the career of Martin Scorsese is directed by Rebecca Miller, whose credits include the film “Personal Velocity.” She’s also spent her life around legendary figures, as the daughter of Arthur Miller and the wife of Daniel Day-Lewis, so perhaps she has a unique insight into what makes men like this tick. She was given “exclusive, unrestricted access to Scorsese’s private archives” according to the press materials. The series will include new interviews with Scorsese as well as those with his family, friends and creative collaborators. If any old sports figure is getting the docuseries treatment these days, no reason a filmmaker like Scorsese shouldn’t be either.

“From Rails to Trails” (Oct. 20; WTTW): This one-hour documentary is narrated by Edward Norton and looks at the “60-year struggle to convert thousands of miles of private, abandoned railways into public trails for cycling and walking,” including the Illinois Prairie Path, which will be featured. Chicago-based producer Dan Protess directs.

“Nobody Wants This” (Oct. 23; Netflix): I’m a sucker for the pleasures of a banter-fueled a romantic comedy, which fuels “Nobody Wants This,” about a cute rabbi played by Adam Brody who falls for a very non-religious woman played by Kristen Bell. Can they have a future together if she decides not to convert? Presumably all will be explored in Season 2.

Kristen Bell, left, and Adam Brody in Season 1 of “Nobody Wants This.” (Hopper Stone/Netflix/TNS)

“Down Cemetery Road” (Oct. 29; Apple TV+): Starring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, the series is adapted from the novel by Mick Herron (whose books also form the basis for Apple’s “Slow Horses”). A bored housewife (Wilson) hires an investigator (Thompson) to help her unravel what happened after an explosion in suburban Oxford, England, led to a girl’s disappearance. The pair find themselves in a “complex conspiracy that reveals that people long believed dead are still among the living, while the living are fast joining the dead.”

“Death by Lightning” (Nov. 6; Netflix): The four-part miniseries is a historical drama about U.S. President James Garfield (Michael Shannon) and his admirer Charles J. Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen), who would ultimately kill him. The series also stars Nick Offerman, Bradley Whitford, Shea Whigham and Betty Gilpin. “Game of Thrones” creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss are executive produers along with the miniseries’ creator Mike Makowsky.

“All Her Fault” (Nov. 6; Peacock): In her first series since “Succession,” Sarah Snook stars as a mother who arrives to pick up her son from a playdate, only to be greeted by an unfamiliar woman answering the door; she not only doesn’t have the kid, she’s has never even heard of him. Based on the Dublin-set 2021 novel by Andrea Mara, the TV adaptation takes place in Chicago (though it only filmed locally for a few days for exteriors; it was otherwise filmed in Australia). The cast also includes Jake Lacy, Dakota Fanning, Michael Peña and Jay Ellis.

“Pluribus” (Nov. 7; Apple TV+): The latest from “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” creator Vince Gilligan stars Rhea Seehorn (of “Better Call Saul”) and is described as a “genre-bending original in which the most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness.” Not sure where Gilligan is going with this, but based on his track record, likely someplace interesting.

“The Beast in Me” (Nov. 13; Netflix): A limited series starring Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys, it follows an author dealing with writer’s block ever since the death of her son. Her professional spark is reignited when an infamous real estate mogul —who happens to be the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance — moves in next door. Suddenly, she has something to write about again.

“A Man on the Inside” (Nov. 20; Netflix): I liked the first season of this Ted Danson comedy about a man bored with his golden years who goes undercover at a retirement village to solve a mystery. Another mystery awaits in Season 2. (Also on Netflix with a similar theme: “The Thursday Murder Club” starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and Ben Kingsley, which premiered earlier this month.)

 

By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

If you like eating and cooking foods from across the globe, you’ll probably agree that sometimes the one ingredient that makes a certain dish sing is one you can’t easily pronounce if you don’t speak that country’s language.

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For me, that includes anything that gets a savory heat with ‘nduja (pronounced en-DOO-ya), a soft and spicy sausage made with small but mighty sun-dried chilies from the Calabria region of Southern Italy.

The fatty ground pork that makes the spreadable salume such a tasty topping for pizza and pasta melts when it is heated up in a pan, blooming the Calabrian chile in the sausage’s own fat. The result not only imbues the dish with a flaming red hue — that bleeds onto your fingers, if you’re not careful — but adds a spicy, umami-rich flavor that is quite addictive.

In this recipe adapted from Serious Eats, the sausage gives a spicy kick to mussels steamed in dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc, which also is good for pairing with the finished dish) along with sauteed shallot and garlic. A good squeeze of lemon along with its zest adds to its bright finish.

To serve, you definitely need a crusty, quality bread — such as sourdough or a baguette, hopefully toasted — to soak up the broth.

Mussels are best prepared and eaten the day you buy them. When cooking them, be sure to discard any that are cracked or don’t close when tapped with another mussel. To remove grit, scrub shells well under cold running water. To remove beards (that look like wisps of hair trapped between the shells) grab and pull toward the hinge-end of the mussel.

You can find ‘nduja at most Italian markets. While unopened logs can last several months in the fridge or pantry, once opened it should be refrigerated to prevent it from drying out and absorbing other flavors.

Steamed mussels and ‘nduja

‘Nduja, a spreadable pork sausage made with Calabrian red chilies, adds a spicy finish to mussels cooked in white wine. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

2 ounces ‘nduja (about 1/4 cup)

1 cup dry white wine

1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Juice and zest from 1 lemon

Toasted bread, for serving

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering.

Add shallots and garlic, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not brown, 5-7 minutes.

Add ‘nduja and, using a wooden spoon, break it into pieces and stir vigorously to combine with shallots and garlic.

Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until fat from ‘nduja separates and shallots and garlic are stained red and fully coated with ‘nduja, 3-5 minutes longer. Add wine, increase heat to high and bring to a boil.

Add mussels, stir, cover pan with a lid and cook, shaking pan constantly and peeking every 30 seconds to stir.

Cook just until all the mussels are open, 2-4 minutes. Remove from heat, and using tongs, quickly transfer to a warmed heatproof serving bowl. Discard any mussels that did not open.

Cover mussels with saucepan lid to keep warm.

Add chopped parsley, lemon juice and zest to saucepan and stir to combine.

Taste broth and adjust seasoning with salt, if needed.

To serve: Remove lid from the serving bowl, and pour contents of saucepan over mussels.

Serve immediately, passing toasted bread at the table along with a large empty bowl for collecting empty mussel shells.

Serves 2.

— adapted from seriouseats.com

©2025 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Jackie Fortiér, Oona Zenda, KFF Health News

“My son was diagnosed with congenital CMV, a virus that can cause hearing loss. As part of this diagnosis, he will be required to have routine hearing tests every few months until he is 10 years old. I reached out to you because I wanted to know why my son’s hearing tests weren’t covered by our insurance and why we needed to pay for it.”

— Anna Deutscher, 29, from Minnesota, writing about her infant son, Beckham

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Trying to figure out why her claim was denied took Anna Deutscher a lot of time and work.

Baby Beckham’s hearing screenings were preventive care, which is supposed to be covered by law. Every hearing test cost them about $350 out-of-pocket. Between those bills and Beckham’s other health costs, the family maxed out two credit cards.

“Everything just immediately goes right to trying to pay that debt off,” Deutscher said.

At times, she felt overwhelmed by her son’s medical needs, on top of working. Deutscher said she “didn’t know what else to do” when her insurance company kept saying no to her requests that it pay for the hearing tests.

No one wants to spend time fighting their health insurance company. Many people feel they don’t have the knowledge or stamina to do it. But if, like Deutscher, you’re denied for a preventive service, it may be worth it.

Here are a few tips — a slingshot and a few stones, so you can be David when facing a health care Goliath.

1. Check Your Policy

Read your plan documents to confirm whether the treatment or service is covered. Pay attention to any exclusions or limitations. Deutscher’s plan documents say hearing tests are not covered. But even when a sought-after benefit is excluded, that might not be the end of the line.

2. Is the Service Preventive?

Many types of preventive care are supposed to be covered without additional cost under the Affordable Care Act. If you receive a recommended preventive screening and have private insurance, including through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, there should be no copayment at the time of service, and you shouldn’t get a bill later. A small number of insurance plans are “grandfathered in,” which means you may not have the same rights and protections as the ACA provides. Check with your employer’s human resources benefits manager to find out for sure.

A physician recommended regular hearing screenings for the Deutschers’ baby, which the healthcare.gov list indicates should be considered preventive and covered by insurance. But JoAnn Volk, an insurance expert and a research professor at Georgetown University, said real life often doesn’t match what the law requires.

“It really does come down to everyone sort of being on their best behavior on the provider and plan side to truly interpret and follow what should be covered,” Volk said.

3. Peel Apart the Denial

If you’ve been denied coverage, you need to know why. Health insurance companies are required to explain every denial. The denial letter or your explanation of benefits should state the reason, which may be a coverage exclusion, incorrect coding, or a determination that the service was deemed not medically necessary. Follow up and ask for specific details about the denial and the criteria used, and request an explanation of benefits. Then use that information to build an appeal, being sure to address the reason for the denial.

4. File the Appeal

There are a few steps to know, but you don’t have to be a lawyer to figure them out. Usually there’s an appeal form to fill out. Visit your insurer’s website, check your explanation of benefits, or call your insurer and ask how to get started. The process typically includes writing a letter saying why you disagree with the denial. Include any medical records or test results that support your case and a copy of the federal guidelines that show the care is a covered, preventive service. If you can, ask your physician to write a letter explaining why the service is preventive and necessary.

Your insurance company has 30 to 60 days to respond, depending on your state and health plan. If your appeal is denied, try again. Some people win on the second go-round.

If your appeal is denied a second time, you can request an external medical review. That process is led by a medical professional who is supposed to make an unbiased decision. In California, for instance, many health plans fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Managed Health Care.

“In 2023, 72% of health plan members that came to us and filed an independent medical review ended up getting the service that they requested,” said Mary Watanabe, who leads the department.

Keep deadlines in mind. How much time you have to file should be on your explanation of benefits. Your insurer is required by law to accept the external reviewer’s decision.

For more help starting an appeal or asking for an external review, visit healthcare.gov or your state insurance department.

5. Ask Human Resources for Help

If you get coverage through your job and you’re hitting roadblocks, consider emailing your human resources department. HR folks have contacts with the insurance companies you don’t and may save you a few calls to the 800 number on the back of your insurance card. Legally, HR is under no obligation to help, and covering a health service may not be in your employer’s financial interest. But sending HR the documents you prepared for the insurance appeal may prompt them to push the insurance company to take another look.

“The whole point of employers offering benefits is to attract and retain a solid workforce, right?” Volk said.

Making a case to HR may be a ramp toward getting the treatment or service covered the next time your company revises its health plan offerings, said Rhonda Buckholtz, a consultant who advises businesses on medical billing.

She said consumers can do a quick online search to see whether other large insurance companies in their area cover the health care service they need. That information can give you leverage, Buckholtz said.

Going to HR helped Deutscher. Eventually, her employer said it would cover the cost of hearing tests for baby Beckham for the current plan year. Deutscher’s employer has a self-funded plan, which gives companies the ability to customize benefits. It ultimately decided to add hearing tests as a standard benefit for all employees.

“It’s been like this constant cloud hanging over my head, so for that to suddenly be lifted, it didn’t feel real. I also have never gone to my HR for something like this before. I didn’t even know this was an option,” Deutscher said.

Health Care Helpline helps you navigate the health system hurdles between you and good care. Send us your tricky question and we may tap a policy sleuth to puzzle it out. The crowdsourced project is a joint production of NPR and KFF Health News.

©2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.

A Reddit user recently asked for advice about whether to save for retirement, or for their young children’s future college expenses.

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Respondents urged the user to prioritize retirement. Take care of yourself, one said, so you won’t be a burden to your children one day.

You can take out loans for college, but not for retirement, another noted.

We asked financial experts the same question. How can parents juggle these two competing financial goals?

Think about your family’s priorities

The decision may not be so cut-and-dried for you.

As with other kinds of personal finance decisions, this one comes down to very personal choices, says Kevin Mahoney, a certified financial planner and founder of Illumint, a financial planning firm for millennials based in Washington, D.C.

“Some people have a specific retirement lifestyle in mind, which has significant implications for how much money they’ll need in retirement,” he says.

Similarly, he adds, some families are committed to paying whatever is needed for college to ensure their children can attend the school they want.

How people value those two experiences can determine where they want to put their money, Mahoney says.

Put yourself first

The sentiment among the Reddit responses was to prioritize your own needs, which experts agree is sound advice.

“Just like on an airplane, put your own oxygen mask on first,” says Marguerita Cheng, a certified financial planner and CEO of Blue Ocean Global Wealth in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

“There’s all kinds of financial aid for your child, but there’s no financial aid for retirement,” she adds, echoing the Reddit comments.

That’s why she suggests prioritizing saving for retirement — as well as an emergency fund — before turning to college savings.

Get an early start, if possible

“You want to magnify the compounding effect of your retirement savings, so the earlier you begin saving, the better,” says Steven Conners, founder and president of Conners Wealth Management in Scottsdale, Arizona.

A lot of people find themselves unprepared when it comes time to retire, he says.

At the very minimum, Conners suggests, if your job offers a retirement plan with an employer match, contribute enough to get the match. Doing so early gives your money the best chance to grow.

Then, with your contributions on autopilot, you can turn to college savings, which can also compound. A 529 plan allows your money to grow tax-free when used for qualifying education expenses.

Because, as one Redditor suggested, saving for both (retirement and college) is ideal.

College plans also allow for flexibility: You can transfer plans between children and leftover money can be rolled into a Roth IRA in the beneficiary’s name. There is a lifetime limit of $35,000, as long as the account has been open for at least 15 years.

Adjust as you go

Even if you only have a little money available to set aside for retirement or general savings each month, don’t wait, says Cheng.

As young children transition to school and child care costs decrease, you might be able to contribute more and focus on college savings accounts, too.

“The most important thing is to start,” Cheng says, even if you’re only setting aside $50 a month and scaling up from there.

If you lose your job or experience another type of financial hardship, it’s OK to pause savings into both accounts until you recover, Mahoney says.

Another option is to set money aside in a savings or brokerage account that doesn’t come with tax benefits, but gives you maximum flexibility.

“If someone is really conflicted, it’s OK to just invest in a brokerage account and let it grow, then you can make the choice later on,” Mahoney says.

Familiarize yourself with payment options

Mahoney likes to remind clients that savings aren’t the only way to pay for college. There’s also scholarships, student loans and other discounts.

Try getting your kids involved.

Conners says requiring kids to have a part-time job or to otherwise contribute to their college expenses can be a useful life lesson.

It can also teach them to appreciate the value of college more.

“If they realize some of the cost themselves, it’s not totally on the parent,” he says.

Reddit is an online forum where users share their thoughts in “threads” on various topics. The popular site includes plenty of discussion on financial subjects like saving priorities, so we sifted through Reddit forums to get a pulse check. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.

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Kimberly Palmer writes for NerdWallet. Email: kpalmer@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @kimberlypalmer.

The article Asked on Reddit: Should I Save for My Retirement or My Child’s Education? originally appeared on NerdWallet.