Disney Plus debuts the anime series Star Wars: Visions, and ABC revives The Wonder Years

Also tonight: The fourth and final season of Dear White People drops on Netflix

By Saloni Gajjar | September 22, 2021 | 5:00am

TV Lists The Wonder Years

Disney Plus debuts the anime series Star Wars: Visions, and ABC revives The Wonder Years

The Elder in Star Wars: Visions Photo: Disney+

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Wednesday, September 22. All times are Eastern.

Top pick

Star Wars: Visions (Disney+, 3:01 a.m.): “Star Wars: Visions expands on the themes and histories present within Star Wars while introducing us to fresh faces and concepts in short bursts. There is no shortage to the beauty that exists within Visions, offering nine unique short films presented by seven different studios, each clocking in between 13 and 22 minutes. Though the studio touts it as a ‘fresh and diverse cultural perspective,’ the episodic anthology is more appropriately described as an opportunity for a variety of incredibly talented Japanese animators to play within a massive sandbox of their own creation.” Here is the rest of Juan Barquin’s review.

Regular coverage

Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu, 12:01 a.m., finale)
What If…? (Disney+, 3:01 a.m.)
Archer (FXX, 10 p.m.)
Survivor (CBS, 8 p.m.): In the two-hour premiere, 18 new castaways begin their battle for $1 million and title of Sole Survivor. Myles McNutt will drop in on the first two episodes.

Wild cards

Dear White People (Netflix, 3:01 a.m.): The fourth and final season of Justin Simien young adult dramedy—based on his 2014 film of the same name—comes after over two years since season three dropped. The ten new episodes are set in post-pandemic future. The Winchester students look back at the most formative years of their lives while prepping for an extravagant, ’90s inspired, Afro-futuristic musical event. Returning cast members include Logan Browning, Brandon P. Bell, DeRon Horton, Ashley Blaine Featherson, John Patrick Amedori. Shannon Miller’s review of the season will be up on the site today.

Wonder Years (ABC, 8:30 p.m., series premiere): Inspired by the original series, the new comedy is also a coming-of-age story but set in 1960s Alabama. It focuses on a Black middle-class family and is told through the point-of-view of teen Dean Williams (Elisha “EJ” Williams). An adult Dean, voiced by Don Cheadle, recollects how his family found their “wonder years” amid a turbulent time. The cast includes Dulé Hill, Julian Lerner, Laura Kariuki, Milan Ray, and Saycon Sengbloh. Stephen Robinson will be dropping in on the pilot episode.

Fall TV premieres

The Masked Singer (Fox, 8 p.m., season six premiere): The new season of this singing competition returns with two new episodes. Hosted by Nick Cannon, it features celebrity contestants decked up in costumes from head-to-toe to conceal their identity. Panelists Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Nicole Scherzinger, and Robin Thicke have to guess who the singers are based on clues. The sixth season premiere will include debut performances, three unmaskings, and a double elimination.

Alter Ego (Fox, 9 p.m.): One singing reality series simply isn’t enough for Wednesday night, so the network will follow up on The Masked Singer with new show Alter Ego. The (scary looking) gimmick is that contestants won’t perform as themselves, but will create a dream avatar to reinvent themselves. Their performances will be captured via motion capture technology. The judges are Alanis Morissette, Nick Lachey, Grimes, and will.i.am., and Rosci Diaz is the host.

Fall TV premieres (ABC and NBC): New seasons of Dick Wolf’s Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. debut, as well as ABC comedies The Goldbergs, The Conners, and Home Economics.