Spinning yarns into comedy, chaos and hope

A roundup of new series and documentaries highlights fresh titles arriving across major platforms. “Phony” premieres today, Oct. 20, on Disney+/Hulu. It follows Sonny, a high schooler struggling after surviving a serious car accident, as friends and adults around him question his belief that his single mother and the school principal have been replaced. “Newlyweds” premieres Friday, Oct. 23, on NBC/CTV, then the next day on Crave, as a sitcom created by Gail Lerner and executive produced by Jamie Lee Curtis. Also launching Oct. 23 on Crave is “Yaga,” a comic mystery based on Kat Sandler’s play. On Oct. 27, PBS premieres “In Pursuit: Lessons of American Leadership,” with CBC premiering “Stories That Made Us” on Oct. 30.