New Shows in November 2020: TV Premieres for Hulu, HBO, and Showtime

The end is in sight. With the calendar now firmly on the other side of Halloween, we’re into the home stretch of 2020. But before the overwhelming tide of year-end recaps and glances toward 2021, there’s still two more months’ worth of TV premieres to sift through.

As much as we’ve talked about the potential drain on new programming becoming available in the latter half of this past year, there’s still a steady stream of fresh seasons available for stateside viewers. Some of these November premieres are part of that growing pack of overseas imports, but there are also a number of series that have long been slotted as part of their respective networks’ year-end pushes.

Animated shows, updates of cinematic classics — and recent indie breakouts — food shows, dog shows, documentaries on the private lives of presidents, and even a good-old-fashioned multi-cam sitcom: All are ready to help audiences get through whatever the rest of November may bring.

To help plan out the next few weeks of TV watching, we’ve included synopses and basic viewing info for 20 of these new shows below. (And, as always, in case you’ve missed any of our past monthly roundups, you can find former editions for February, March, April, May, June, July, August, October, and our fall preview.)

“Roadkill” (Nov. 1, PBS)

Image Credit: The Forge

With an eye on advancing even higher in the British government, Peter Laurence (Hugh Laurie) is facing danger on a pair of fronts. With personal and political scandals bubbling just beneath the surface, he’ll have to fend off challengers in all arena to keep his career afloat. Co-starring Helen McCrory, this series comes from “Collateral” (Mulligan, not Mann) writer David Hare.
“B Positive” (Nov. 5, CBS)

Image Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS

Against all odds, new network sitcoms are still a thing this year. Thomas Middleditch stars as a therapist in search of a kidney donor. Turns out that the best match is a familiar face (played by Annaleigh Ashford) from his own personal history. Kether Donohue also stars in this series directed by multicam comedy legend James Burrows. (Stream via CBS All Access.)
“Save Me” (Nov. 5, Peacock)

Image Credit: Alison Painter/Sky UK Limited/Peacock

After first premiering in the UK in early 2018, Starz aired the first season of this show stateside later that year. Now making the jump to Peacock, the tale of one man’s search for his missing, estranged daughter gets a new batch of episodes. Lennie James, who’s written most of the episodes in both seasons, stars alongside Suranne Jones, Stephen Graham, and Jason Flemyng.
“Moonbase 8” (Nov. 8, Showtime)

Image Credit: A24 Films/Showtime

Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker, and John C. Reilly starring as astronauts stuck on a simulated lunar base? If that doesn’t sell you, not much else will, but also consider that this season — which is premiering all at once on Showtime’s streaming service and airing weekly on its over-the-air network — is co-written by the trio and “Tim and Eric”/”Portlandia” vet Jonathan Krisel. (“Moonbase 8” is also the latest TV entry under the A24 banner.) (Stream via Showtime.)
“Industry” (Nov. 9, HBO)

Image Credit: Amanda Searle/HBO

“Industry” features a group of apsiring financial players working new jobs at a London-based investment firm. Famously, high-level banking is a perfectly stable, not-at-all cutthroat sector to work in, so we’re sure everything works out totally fine for each and every one of them. The eight-episode series, written by co-creators Mickey Down & Konrad Kay and featuring an opening episode directed by Lena Dunham, will air weekly through mid-December.
“The Mighty Ones” (Nov. 9, Hulu)

Image Credit: Hulu

Hulu continues its ever-growing 2020 animation slate with this series of backyard adventures between a strawberry, a twig, a leaf, and a pebble. Co-creators Sunil Hall and Lynne Naylor have an extensive combined history in the animation world and, along with a voice cast that includes Jimmy Tatro from “American Vandal,” Jessica McKenna from “Off Book,” and Josh Brener from “Silicon Valley,” these should be some fun nature-based hijinks. (Stream via Hulu.)
“A Teacher” (Nov. 10, FX on Hulu)

Image Credit: Chris Large/FX

Hannah Fidell’s debut feature caused quite a stir at Sundance back in 2013. Taking the same premise — a high school teacher carries on a destructive relationship with one of her students — Fidell directs over half of this 10-episode season with Kate Mara and Nick Robinson playing the show’s central pair. The new series joins “Mrs. America” and “Devs” as part of the first wave of “FX on Hulu” programs to make their way to the streaming service. (Stream via Hulu.)
“Eater’s Guide to the World” (Nov. 11, Hulu)

Image Credit: Hulu

Maya Rudolph narrates this globe-trotting documentary series that looks at local food offerings in spots across different continents. Yes, this show presented in part by the food site Eater does have installments that look at the New York and Los Angeles scenes. There are also excursions to Morocco, Costa Rica, and Tijuana, complete with regional entrees, desserts, and everything in between. (Stream via Hulu.)
“Alex Rider” (Nov. 13, IMDbTV)

Image Credit: Hal Shinnie/Eleventh Hour Films/Sony Pictures Television

The long-running YA spy novel series gets a TV adaptation as the long-running move-credits-info site stretches its own content wings. Otto Farrant stars as Alex, a master of teenage espionage balancing the challenges of school and combatting a sinister global conspiracy ring. The entire season, based on the second book in the series, will be released at once. (Stream via Amazon.)
“The Reagans” (November 15, Showtime)

Image Credit: Courtesy of The Ronald Reagan Library.

Matt Tyrnauer, the director behind feature portraits of Scotty Bowers, Valentino Garavani, and Roy Cohn, makes his first major foray into documentary series. Part of Showtime’s growing push into nonfiction, this four-part series is set to look at both terms of the Reagan administration, balancing the public perception of White House goings-on and some of the day-to-day events that happened away from the public eye. (Stream via Showtime.)
“No Man’s Land” (Nov. 18, Hulu)

Image Credit: Sife Elamine/Hulu

The disappearance of his sister leads Antoine (Félix Moati) right into the heart of the Syrian civil war in this eight-part French series. In search of who he believes might be his missing sibling, Antoine teams with a group of Kurdish fighters on their way to the heart of ISIS-controlled territory. The series is co-created by Ron Leshem, who also created the original Israeli version of “Euphoria.” (Stream via Hulu.)
“Small Axe” (Nov. 20, Amazon Prime Video)

Image Credit: Amazon Prime Video

However you want to categorize it, Steve McQueen’s anthology series will release new installments on a weekly basis through the remainder of 2020. McQueen directed all five chapters, with the first three screening and highlighting this year’s virtual New York Film Festival back in late September. In addition to “Mangrove,” “Lovers Rock,” and “Red, White and Blue,” “Alex Wheatle” and “Education” will be coming to Amazon Prime Video in December. (Stream via Amazon.)
“The Pack” (Nov. 20, Amazon Prime Video)

Image Credit: David Scott Holloway/Amazon Studios

Hosted by Lindsey Vonn, this reality competition series takes “The Amazing Race” and adds dogs. A dozen canine-human pairs will compete in various challenges relying on skill, agility, and endurance. There are mustaches and tie-dyed poodles, mazes and obstacle courses. Admit it: You’re definitely curious. (Stream via Amazon.)
“Black Narcissus” (Nov. 23, FX)

Image Credit: Miya Mizuno/FX

On the surface, the Powell-Pressburger classic doesn’t seem extremely high on the list of films needing a limited series update, but director Charlotte Bruus Christensen and writer Amanda Coe seem up for the challenge. Gemma Arterton steps into the role played by Deborah Kerr in the 1947 film, as a nun looking to establish a mission in Nepal while confronting her feelings for a military envoy sent to help them in their efforts (Alessandro Nivola). As with last year’s gritty “Christmas Carol” reboot, FX will air the entire three-part series on the same night. (Stream via Hulu.)
“The Flight Attendant” (Nov. 26, HBO Max)

Image Credit: HBO Max

One of the first projects announced back in those bygone days when a new Warner streaming service was just a glint in our collective cultural eye, this Kaley Cuoco-led, genre-blending mystery follows an airline employee whose life gets upended when she finds herself in an unfamiliar hotel room with no memory of how she got there. With episodes directed by “Booksmart” co-writer Susanna Fogel, the show’s cast also includes Michiel Huisman, Rosie Perez, Zosia Mamet, and T. R. Knight.