What to Watch Tonight: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Begins Its Quest

September only means one thing around these parts: It's fall TV season. And the first day of September is all about The Lord of the Rings. Amazon's mega-pricey new series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres today at 9/8c (it's being released at the same time globally — head here for more timing information), and it's pretty good! One does not simply spend that much money without seeing some results, apparently. But if you're not a Lord of the Rings person (or even if you are), we also recommend Pantheon on AMC+, a cool new animated sci-fi show with a great cast.

Our full list of editors' picks for Thursday, Sept. 1 is below, but if that's not enough and you're looking for even more hand-picked recommendations, sign up for our free, spam-free Watch This Now newsletter that delivers the best TV show picks straight to your inbox. You can also look at our guide to everything to watch in September, as well as our list of suggestions for what to watch next based on shows you already like.

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THE BEST SHOW TO WATCH TONIGHT

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Series premieres at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Amazon Prime Video
Want to see what half a billion dollars looks like? Amazon's most expensive bet since same-day delivery is this eight-episode series set in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy world during the Second Age of Middle-earth, thousands of years before the popular trilogy. But hey, there are still dwarves, elves, and orcs, as well as details on the forging of the Rings of Power and Sauron's rise. The first two episodes premiere Thursday, Sept. 1 at 9 p.m. ET and 6 p.m. PT before moving to Fridays at midnight ET and 9 p.m. PT for subsequent episodes. Yet another reason the left coast is the best coast. In his TV Guide review, Keith Phipps says the ambitious new series is off to a promising start and "has already established itself as one of the most visually striking shows around." -Tim Surette

What to Watch Tonight from Tuesday, Aug. 30

MORE NEW SHOWS AND MOVIES ON TV TONIGHT

• Bloods Season 2 Part 2 (Hulu): This British comedy follows the unlikely partnership between two paramedics.
• JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean (Netflix): The anime returns for a new chapter set inside a Florida prison.
• Love in the Villa (Netflix): Kat Graham stars in this rom-com about a woman whose post-breakup Italian getaway hits a snag when her villa is double-booked, forcing her to share it with a cynical Brit (Tom Hopper).
• Pantheon (AMC+): This animated series follows a bullied teen who gets help from her dead father over the internet. The voice cast includes Daniel Dae Kim, Paul Dano, Taylor Schilling, and Maude Apatow.

For everything new to watch this weekend, head to our listings page and our live sports page. For more recommendations, check out our Ultimate Guide for What to Watch in September.

WHAT ELSE TO WATCH

Stargirl

Season 3 premiered Wednesday on The CW
The start of fall is over three weeks away, but one could, with a bit of a reach, say the fall TV season started yesterday with the Season 3 premiere of DC's Stargirl. While other networks wait until September to show off new series, The CW is getting an unusual jump on them all with its most youthful and fun superhero series currently airing. It all began when Starman's daughter Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger) found her dad's weapon and became Stargirl, the leader of the second incarnation of the Justice Society of America. Season 3 brings back Joel McHale as Starman, as well as Luke Wilson and Amy Smart. -Tim Surette