It's that time of year where the networks roll out their new TV shows. This is probably the first year where I honestly haven't been excited about the new series premieres, mainly because I haven't been keeping up. I think the only show I've heard about is Gotham, which I have no interest in.
What will you be watching?
Sunday
Mr. Pickles (Cartoon Network)
In Mr. Pickles, the urban sprawl of modern society pollutes the old-fashioned town where the Goodman family lives with their lovable pet dog, Mr. Pickles, a deviant collie with a secret satanic streak. From creators Will Carsola and Dave Stewart. (Premieres September 21)
Madam Secretary (CBS)
MADAM SECRETARY stars Tèa Leoni as Elizabeth McCord, the shrewd, determined, newly appointed Secretary of State who drives international diplomacy, battles office politics and circumvents protocol as she negotiates global and domestic issues, both at the White House and at home. A college professor and a brilliant former CIA analyst who left for ethical reasons, Elizabeth returns to public life at the request of the President following the suspicious death of her predecessor. The President values her apolitical leanings, her deep knowledge of the Middle East, her flair for languages and her ability to not just think outside the box, but to not even acknowledge there is a box. McCord's team includes her Chief of Staff Nadine Tolliver, speechwriter Matt Mahoney, press coordinator Daisy Grant and her charming assistant Blake Moran. When McCord debates third world problems, finesses foreign dignitaries at work and does battle with the President's combative Chief of Staff Russell Jackson, it's just a warm-up for when she goes home to her supportive husband, Henry, and their two bright children, where "politics" and "compromise" take on new meaning. (Premieres September 21)
Mulaney (Fox)
From Emmy Award-winning writer and comedian John Mulaney (Saturday Night Live) comes MULANEY, a multi-camera ensemble comedy series about a rising stand-up comic trying to take his career to the next level and the friends and mentors who lift him up, hold him back and push him around.
JOHN MULANEY is a 29-year-old comedian working the stand-up circuit and looking for his big break. But life drastically changes when self-centered comedy legend and game show host LOU CANNON (Emmy Award winner Martin Short, SCTV, Saturday Night Live, Father of the Bride, Primetime Glick) hires Mulaney as a writer. Lou may be John's entrée into the world of big-money show business, but he's also a total nightmare. Still, the job represents everything Mulaney thinks he wants. But does he really? And, at what cost? And what does it say about him if he quits? And what does it say about him if he stays? And has Lou had work done?
Mulaney's life becomes a tug-of-war between the stress of his new job and his guilt over not being there for his two best friends and roommates: JANE (Nasim Pedrad, Saturday Night Live), a tightly wound, yet directionless personal trainer; and MOTIF (comedian and television newcomer Seaton Smith), a powerhouse comic who shares nothing in common with Mulaney – except the world of stand-up. Rounding out this odd group of friends is ANDRE (Zack Pearlman, The Inbetweeners), a trust-fund baby who has a knack for showing up in Mulaney's life at the worst possible moments.
If Mulaney has one refuge from the chaos that surrounds him, then it's his neighbor, OSCAR (Academy Award nominee Elliott Gould, M*A*S*H, The Long Goodbye, the Oceans 11 franchise), a 71-year-old gay veteran of New York who has seen it all. Oscar is opinionated, refined, gentle, wise and sometimes extremely cantankerous, but most of all, he's an oracle of sound advice when Mulaney feels like life has gone off the rails.
A unique mix of ensemble comedy, stand-up performances and an observational point-of-view, MULANEY is a show about the big questions in life: how hard they are to answer and how easy it is to maybe just ignore them and pray they go away. (Premieres October 5)
Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
Academy Award winner Frances McDormand (Fargo, North Country) and Academy Award nominee Richard Jenkins (The Visitor, HBO's Six Feet Under) star in the four-part HBO Miniseries drama OLIVE KITTERIDGE, a film by Academy Award-nominated director Lisa Cholodenko ("The Kids Are All Right," "Laurel Canyon"). Based on Elizabeth Strout's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name and written by Emmy-winner Jane Anderson (HBO's The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom and Normal)
An HBO Miniseries presentation of a Playtone production in association with As Is, OLIVE KITTERIDGE is executive produced by Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Frances McDormand and Jane Anderson, and marks Hanks and Goeztman's fifth miniseries with HBO under the Playtone banner, following the Emmy winners The Pacific, John Adams, Band of Brothers and From the Earth to the Moon. Other HBO/Playtone collaborations include the Emmy-winning HBO Films presentation Game Change, the series Big Love and a number of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame specials. Steven Shareshian co-executive produces.
OLIVE KITTERIDGE tells the poignantly sweet, acerbically funny and devastatingly tragic story of a seemingly placid New England town wrought with illicit affairs, crime and tragedy, told through the lens of Olive (Frances McDormand), whose wicked wit and harsh demeanor mask a warm but troubled heart and staunch moral center. Richard Jenkins portrays Olive's husband, Henry.
The story, which spans 25 years over the four parts, focuses on Olive, a middle-school math teacher, and her relationships with Henry, the good-hearted town pharmacist, their son Christopher, who chafes at his mother's parenting style, and other denizens of their community.
The supporting cast features Golden Globe winner Bill Murray (Lost in Translation) as Jack Kennison, a widower befriended by Olive; John Gallagher, Jr. (HBO's The Newsroom) as Christopher, Olive and Henry's son; Emmy nominee Peter Mullan (Top of the Lake) as Jim O'Casey, a fellow teacher at Olive's school; Rosemarie DeWitt (Mad Men) as Rachel Coulson, a shut-in who is one of Henry's customers at the pharmacy; Zoe Kazan (Ruby Sparks) as Denise Thibodeau, who works at the pharmacy; and Ann Dowd (Side Effects) as Bonnie, a Kitteridge family friend.
OLIVE KITTERIDGE co-stars Broadway's Cory Michael Smith (Breakfast at Tiffany's) as Kevin Coulson, Olive's former student; Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad) as Jerry McCarthy, Henry's delivery boy; Brady Corbet (Martha Marcy May Marlene) as Henry Thibodeau, Denise's first husband; Audrey Marie Anderson (The Unit) as Ann, Christopher Kitteridge's second wife; Patricia Kalember (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) as Joyce, Christopher's mother-in-law; and Maryann Urbano (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) as Mrs. Kennison, Jack's wife.
The behind-the-scenes team includes Golden Globe-nominated composer Carter Burwell (Where the Wild Things Are), editor Jeffrey M. Werner, A.C.E. (The Kids Are All Right), Emmy-nominated director of photography Frederick Elmes, ASC (HBO's In the Gloaming), production designer Julie Berghoff (The Kids Are All Right), costume designer Jenny Eagan (True Grit) and Emmy-winning casting director Laura Rosenthal, CSA (HBO's Mildred Pierce). (Premieres November 2)
The Affair (Showtime)
At once deeply observed and intriguingly elusive, THE AFFAIR explores the emotional effects of an extramarital relationship. Noah is a New York City schoolteacher and novelist who is happily married, but resents his dependence on his wealthy father-in-law. Alison is a young waitress trying to piece her life and marriage back together in the wake of a tragedy. The provocative drama unfolds when Alison and Noah meet in Montauk at the end of Long Island. (Premieres October 12)
Monday
Mike Tyson Mysteries (Cartoon Network)
In Mike Tyson Mysteries, a new half-hour animated adult comedy series, Mike Tyson is taking the fight from the boxing ring to the streets ... by solving mysteries! Aided by the Mike Tyson Mystery Team - the Ghost of the Marquess of Queensbury, Mike's adopted Korean daughter, and a pigeon who was once a man - Mike Tyson will answer any plea sent to him. If you have a problem that needs solving, Iron Mike is in your corner. The series incorporates live-action appearances featuring Mighty Mike himself, and the gloves come off as the former heavyweight champ and his team gear up for weekly adventures as they put unsolved mysteries down for the count. The series stars Mike Tyson, Norm Macdonald (Saturday Night Live), Rachel Ramras (MAD), and Jim Rash (The Way Way Back, Community). Mike Tyson Mysteries is produced by Warner Bros. Animation. (Premieres October 27)
Scorpion (CBS)
SCORPION, inspired by a true story, is a high-octane drama about eccentric genius Walter O’Brien and his team of brilliant misfits who comprise the last line of defense against complex, high-tech threats of the modern age. As Homeland Security’s new think tank, O’Brien’s “Scorpion” team includes Toby Curtis, an expert behaviorist who can read anyone; Happy Quinn, a mechanical prodigy; and Sylvester Dodd, a statistics guru. Pooling their extensive technological knowledge to solve mind-boggling predicaments amazes federal agent Cabe Gallo, who shares a harrowing history with O’Brien. However, while this socially awkward group is comfortable with each other’s humor and quirks, life outside their circle confounds them, so they rely on Paige Dineen, who has a young, gifted son, to translate the world for them. At last, these nerdy masterminds have found the perfect job: a place where they can apply their exceptional brainpower to solve the nation’s crises, while also helping each other learn how to fit in. (Premieres September 22)
Jane the Virgin (The CW)
When Jane Villanueva was a young girl, her grandmother, Alba, convinced her of two things: telenovelas are the highest form of entertainment, and women must protect their virginity at all costs. Now age 23, Jane is a driven young woman studying to become a teacher, nursing a dream to be a writer, and supporting herself with a job at a hot new Miami hotel.
All the years of watching telenovelas with the two women who raised her – her sexy, young-at-heart mother, Xiomara (known as “Xo”), and her still-devout grandmother, Alba – have given Jane a slightly unrealistic view of romance. Although she is determined not to make the same mistake Xo made – becoming an unwed mother at 16 – Jane could not be closer to the two wonderful women who have shaped her life. They are very different people – Xo lives her life as a perpetual teenager, performing at local clubs and always looking for a new man, while Alba makes religion and prayer the focus of her life – but both women consider Jane the center of their universe and love the grounded, compassionate and ambitious young woman she has become.
Despite the conflicting influences of her mother and grandmother, Jane has managed to find a wonderful fiancé: a handsome, hard-working detective named Michael, who loves her enough to accept her detailed timeline for their future together and even her insistence on “saving herself” until they’re married. All of Jane’s meticulous life plans are turned upside down, however, when she sees her doctor for a routine check-up and is accidentally artificially inseminated with a specimen meant for the patient in the next room. Unbeknownst to her, the specimen belongs to Rafael, a reformed playboy and cancer survivor, who is not only the new owner of the hotel where Jane works but also a former summer crush of hers.
A few weeks later, the unsuspecting Jane is faced with the most important decisions of her life. Will she continue with the pregnancy? How can she explain the situation to her fiancé and family? And what should she do about the wishes of the biological father, Rafael, and his scheming wife Petra? At the same time, Jane’s mother Xo is facing a life-changing decision of her own: after years of letting Jane and Alba believe she didn’t know the identity of Jane’s father, the time has come to admit the truth – Jane’s father is Xo’s former boyfriend Rogelio. Making the situation even more surreal, Rogelio is now a huge telenovela star, and he definitely wants to meet his unsuspecting daughter.
Though she has always tried to be the responsible good girl who does the right thing, Jane’s normally quiet life has suddenly become as dramatic, complicated and unpredictable as the telenovelas she has always loved.
The series stars Gina Rodriguez (Filly Brown, The Bold and the Beautiful) as Jane, Justin Baldoni (Single Ladies, The Bold and the Beautiful) as Rafael, Brett Dier (Ravenswood) as Michael, Andrea Navedo (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Golden Boy) as Xiomara, Yael Grobglas (Reign) as Petra, Ivonne Coll (Switched at Birth, The Bold and the Beautiful) as Alba and Jaime Camil (Devious Maids, Que Pobres Tan Ricos) as Rogelio.
JANE THE VIRGIN is produced by CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television, in association with Electus, with executive producers Jennie Snyder Urman (Emily Owens, M.D.), Ben Silverman (The Biggest Loser), Gary Pearl (10.5: Apocalypse) and Jorge Granier (Que el Cielo Me Explique). (Premieres October 13)
Star Wars Rebels (Disney XD)
Star Wars Rebels, set five years before the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, tells the story of the Rebellion’s beginnings while the Empire spreads tyranny through the galaxy. (Premieres October 13)
Gotham (Fox)
Everyone knows the name Commissioner Gordon. He is one of the crime world's greatest foes, a man whose reputation is synonymous with law and order. But what is known of Gordon's story and his rise from rookie detective to Police Commissioner? What did it take to navigate the multiple layers of corruption that secretly ruled Gotham City, the spawning ground of the world's most iconic villains? And what circumstances created them – the larger-than-life personas who would become Catwoman, The Penguin, The Riddler, Two-Face and The Joker?
GOTHAM is an origin story of the great DC Comics Super-Villains and vigilantes, revealing an entirely new chapter that has never been told. From executive producer/writer Bruno Heller (The Mentalist, Rome), GOTHAM follows one cop's rise through a dangerously corrupt city teetering between good and evil, and chronicles the birth of one of the most popular super heroes of our time.
Growing up in Gotham City's surrounding suburbs, JAMES GORDON (Ben McKenzie, Southland, The O.C.) romanticized the city as a glamorous and exciting metropolis where his late father once served as a successful district attorney. Now, two weeks into his new job as a Gotham City detective and engaged to his beloved fiancée, BARBARA KEAN (Erin Richards, Open Grave, Breaking In), Gordon is living his dream – even as he hopes to restore the city back to the pure version he remembers it was as a kid.
Brave, honest and ready to prove himself, the newly-minted detective is partnered with the brash, but shrewd police legend HARVEY BULLOCK (Donal Logue, Sons of Anarchy, Terriers, Vikings, Copper), as the two stumble upon the city's highest-profile case ever: the murder of local billionaires Thomas and Martha Wayne. At the scene of the crime, Gordon meets the sole survivor: the Waynes' hauntingly intense 12-year-old son, BRUCE (David Mazouz, Touch), toward whom the young detective feels an inexplicable kinship. Moved by the boy's profound loss, Gordon vows to catch the killer.
As he navigates the often-underhanded politics of Gotham's criminal justice system, Gordon will confront imposing gang boss FISH MOONEY (Jada Pinkett Smith, The Matrix franchise, HawthoRNe), mob kingpin CARMINE FALCONE (John Doman, The Wire) and many of the characters who will become some of fiction's most renowned, enduring villains, including a teenaged SELINA KYLE/the future CATWOMAN (acting newcomer Camren Bicondova), OSWALD COBBLEPOT/THE PENGUIN (Robin Lord Taylor, The Walking Dead) and EDWARD NYGMA/the future RIDDLER (newcomer Cory Michael Smith).
The crime drama will follow Gordon's turbulent and singular rise through the Gotham City police department, led by Police Captain SARAH ESSEN (Zabryna Guevara, Burn Notice), as he goes head-to-head with major crimes unit detectives RENEE MONTOYA (Victoria Cartagena, The Bedford Diaries) and CRISPUS ALLEN (Andrew Stewart Jones, Sex & the City). It also will focus on the unlikely friendship Gordon forms with the young heir to the Wayne fortune, who is being raised by his unflappable butler, ALFRED PENNYWORTH (Sean Pertwee, Camelot, Elementary). It is a friendship that will last them all of their lives, playing a crucial role in helping the young boy eventually become the crusader he's destined to be. (Premieres September 22)
State of Affairs (NBC)
Each day the President is faced with dozens of life and death decisions, and to prioritize the biggest international crises facing the country, one top CIA analyst — Charleston Tucker (Katherine Heigl, Grey’s Anatomy) — assembles the President’s Daily Briefing (PDB). This list of the most vital security issues facing the nation brings with it moral and political judgment calls for Charleston and her trusted group of brilliant analysts at the agency. Aside from the political minefields she has to walk, Charlie has a close personal relationship with the President (Alfre Woodard, Desperate Housewives) because she was once engaged to her son before a tragic terrorist attack took his life. Charlie survived that attack and is now determined to bring the perpetrators to justice. Navigating a complex personal life and a pressure-cooker profession is, of course, a challenge, and Charlie sometimes engages in boundary-pushing behavior to avoid facing her grief. But when the clock strikes 2 a.m., she is all about her job — protecting her nation, serving her President and still trying to get to the bottom of her fiancé’s murder that will reveal itself as a shocking mystery. (Premieres November 17)
Ascension (Syfy)
In the vein of past Syfy mini-series such as Taken, Alice, Tin Man and Battlestar Galactica, Ascension is a six-hour event set to debut on November 24.
In 1963, the U.S. government launched a covert space mission sending hundreds of men, women and children on a century-long voyage aboard the starship Ascension to populate a new world. Nearly 50 years into the journey, as they approach the point of no return, a mysterious murder of a young woman causes the ship’s population to question the true nature of their mission.
Tricia Helfer - known and loved by million as Cylon Number Six in Battlestar Galactica- is part of the cast. She will play Viondra Denniger, a beautiful, manipulative and dangerous power broker on the Ascension.
Brian Van Holt - star of Cougar Town and The Bridge - will play William Denninger, captain of the ship and Viondra's husband. A natural leader, William quickly rose through the ranks after playing a heroic role in a fire early in the spacecraft's voyage. While his professional life is solid, William's marriage to Viondra is anything but.
Andrea Roth, star of Rescue Me, will play Juliet Bryce, head doctor of the Ascension. Her relationship with her daughter, Nora (played by Jacqueline Byers) is difficult and strained. Nora, for her part, is a young woman under intense pressure to follow in the family's footsteps of being a doctor despite her own dreams.
Rounding out the cast are Brandon P. Bell as First Officer Oren Gault, who was born on the lower decks of the ship to maintenance workers and must investigate the aforementioned murder; Tiffany Lonsdale as Chief Astronomer Emily Vanderhaus, the older sister of the murder victim; and PJ Boudousque (Pretty Little Liars) as one of the ship's maintenance workers.
Ascension is created and written by Philip Levens (Smallville), who will also serve as Executive Producer and Showrunner. (Premieres November 24)
Tuesday
Selfie (ABC)
Social Media superstar Eliza Dooley (Karen Gillan) has 263,000 followers who hang on to her every post, tweet and selfie. But after a workplace mishap goes viral, she quickly realizes that being "instafamous" isn't all it's cracked up to be and being friended is not the same as having actual friends.
She enlists co-worker and marketing guru, Henry (John Cho), to 'rebrand' her self-obsessed reputation and teach her how to connect with people in the real world. At first, Henry wants nothing to do with Eliza, who is the epitome of all he deems wrong with the app-addicted world. But soon, Henry takes pity on Eliza. With a few expert tweaks and some help from the effervescent office receptionist Charmonique (Randolph) and Eliza's quirky neighbor Brynn (Rachel), he can tone down her palette, teach her a few social graces, and help break Eliza of her instinct to put Internet connection above personal connection.
What Henry doesn't anticipate, however, is how much he'll learn. As a workaholic who rarely makes time for socializing, even Henry's boss, Sam (Harewood), knows he is disconnected from personal relationships. Henry eventually begins to realize that his little "project" just might have something to teach him. After all, keeping life at arm's length is great for taking a selfie, but not so much if you want someone in the picture next to you.
Selfie explores the struggles of Eliza and Henry, as he tries to teach her how to live life offline-whether she 'likes' it or not.
Selfie stars Karen Gillan (Doctor Who, Guardians of the Galaxy) as Eliza, John Cho (Star Trek, Harold and Kumar) as Henry, Da'Vine Joy Randolph (The Angriest Man in Brooklyn) as Charmonique, Allyn Rachel (Weeds) as Bryn, and David Harewood (Homeland) as Sam. (Premieres September 30)
Manhattan Love Story (ABC)
Have you ever wondered what your date was thinking? This romantic comedy exposes the differences between men and women through the unfiltered thoughts, and often contradictory actions, of a new couple who have just begun dating.
Starring: Analeigh Tipton | Jake McDorman | Nicolas Wright | Chloe Wepper | Kurt Fuller (Premieres September 30)
Forever (ABC)
Doctor Henry Morgan, New York City’s star medical examiner, has a secret. He doesn't just study the dead to solve criminal cases, he does it to solve the mystery that has eluded him for 200 years—the answer to his own inexplicable immortality.
Starring: Ioan Gruffudd | Alana De La Garza | Lorraine Toussaint | Donnie Keshawarz | Joel David Moore | Judd Hirsch (Premieres September 22)
NCIS: New Orleans (CBS)
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS is a drama about the local field office that investigates criminal cases affecting military personnel in The Big Easy, a city known for its music, entertainment and decadence. Leading the team is Special Agent Dwayne Pride, aka "King," a native of New Orleans who is driven by his need to do what is right. Working with Pride is Special Agent Christopher LaSalle, who plays hard but works harder; and Special Agent Meredith "Merri" Brody, a charismatic and tough interrogator who transferred from the Great Lakes office in search of a fresh start. Supporting them is coroner Dr. Loretta Wade, who is as eccentric as she is smart. This colorful city that harbors a dark side is a magnet for service personnel on leave, and when overindulgence is followed by trouble, Pride's team is at its best. (Premieres September 23)
The Flash (The CW)
Barry Allen was just 11 years old when his mother was killed in a bizarre and terrifying incident and his father was falsely convicted of the murder. With his life changed forever by the tragedy, Barry was taken in and raised by Detective Joe West, the father of Barry’s best friend, Iris. Now, Barry has become a brilliant, driven and endearingly geeky CSI investigator, whose determination to uncover the truth about his mother’s strange death leads him to follow up on every unexplained urban legend and scientific advancement that comes along.
Barry’s latest obsession is a cutting edge particle accelerator, created by visionary physicist Harrison Wells and his S.T.A.R. Labs team, who claim that this invention will bring about unimaginable advancements in power and medicine. However, something goes horribly wrong during the public unveiling, and when the devastating explosion causes a freak storm, many lives are lost and Barry is struck by lightning. After nine months in a coma, Barry awakens to find his life has changed once again – the accident has given him the power of super speed, granting him the ability to move through Central City like an unseen guardian angel.
Barry has always had the heart of a hero and now he has the legs to match, but he quickly learns that being a superhero is not as easy as it seems -- and he can’t do it alone. While Barry struggles to understand his new abilities, the people around him also have to adjust to a new reality. Joe West, Barry’s surrogate father, is coming to grips with the fact that the world of the extraordinary actually does exist. Joe thought he understood what it meant to chase criminals, but now he’s facing opponents who can do more than just rob a bank, they can control the weather. Though he knows this remarkable turn of events is Barry’s destiny, every time Barry faces danger, Joe is terrified for his surrogate son.
While Joe worries about Barry, Barry worries about Joe’s daughter Iris, and how his new life as The Flash will change their relationship. Iris and Barry grew up together, and she has always believed in Barry’s conviction that unknown forces were at work the night his mother was killed. Barry has kept his romantic feelings for Iris hidden, and now feels he must protect her by keeping his new identity a secret as well. And Iris has a secret of her own -- she has been dating her father’s partner, Detective Eddie Thawne, who is such a good guy, even Barry finds it hard to hate him. Still, there is tension between Barry and Thawne, who is jealous of Iris’ newfound fascination with The Flash and is determined to unmask him. Barry realizes that keeping the secret of his new identity separates him from Iris, even as her growing obsession with uncovering the truth brings her ever closer to The Flash.
Barry has found another kind of surrogate family in the team at Harrison Wells’ S.T.A.R. Labs. Wells himself is quickly becoming a second father figure to Barry, who learned about morality and justice from Joe, and is now learning about science and technology from Wells. Wells’ ultimate agenda remains somewhat mysterious, but Barry is excited by the grander worldview that has been opened for him, and the friendship he’s building with S.T.A.R. lab team members Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon. For Caitlin, who lost her fiancé in the catastrophic explosion, working with Barry is providing a much-needed sense of purpose and a way to deal with her grief. Caitlin’s excitement at seeing Barry learn to use his new power is balanced by her growing concern for his safety – she and Cisco have both learned that accidents have devastating consequences. Cisco was a close friend of Caitlin’s fiancé and secretly blames himself for the tragedy. A mechanical genius who comes up with amazing gadgets that help Barry control his speed, Cisco is happy to suddenly have a new project – and a new friend – in Barry.
While he struggles to combine these two very different groups of people into a crime-fighting unit, Barry is still excited every day by his newfound powers. He is also shocked to discover he is not the only “meta-human” created in the wake of the accelerator explosion – and not everyone is using the new powers for good. In the months since the accident, the city has seen a sharp increase in missing people, unexplained deaths and other strange phenomena. Barry now has a renewed purpose – using his gift of speed to protect the innocent, while never giving up on his quest to solve his mother’s murder and clear his father’s name. For now, only a few close friends and associates know that Barry is literally the fastest man alive, but it won’t be long before the world learns what Barry Allen has become…The Flash.
The series stars Grant Gustin (Glee, Arrow) as Barry Allen/The Flash, Candice Patton (The Game) as Iris West, Rick Cosnett (The Vampire Diaries) as Eddie Thawne, Danielle Panabaker (Necessary Roughness, Justified) as Caitlin Snow, Carlos Valdes (Once on Broadway) as Cisco Ramon, with Tom Cavanagh (Ed, Eli Stone) as Harrison Wells and Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order) as Detective West.
THE FLASH is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti (Arrow, Everwood), Andrew Kreisberg (Arrow, Eli Stone), David Nutter (Arrow, Game of Thrones) and Sarah Schechter. This series is based upon characters published by DC Entertainment. (Premieres October 7)
Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight (DirecTV)
Set in modern Los Angeles, a look at a variety of relationships. (Premieres October 14)
Happyland (MTV)
Happyland is a soapy teen dramedy exploring the underbelly of one of the country's most popular theme parks, going behind the scenes to reveal the not so magical reality of the park workers. The series centers on Lucy (Bianca Santos), the cynical teenage daughter of idealistic park princess mom, Elena (Camille Guaty). Having grown up in a world of manufactured happiness her whole life, Lucy wants to get out and experience something real. When Ian (Shane Harper), the new park owner's son, arrives and sweeps her off her feet, Lucy is left wondering if fairy tale endings do exist after all. But when a scandalous secret turns her life upside down, she learns Happyland is far from a walk in the park. (Premieres September 30)
Marry Me (NBC)
Six years ago, Annie (Casey Wilson, Happy Endings) and Jake (Ken Marino, Eastbound & Down) bonded over their mutual love of nachos and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Now, after returning from a romantic two-week island vacation, Jake’s all set to pop the question. Before he can ask, though, Annie lets loose on Jake for his inability to commit. She was expecting him to “put a ring on it” in paradise and now Jake’s perfect proposal is ruined. Not wanting to spend the next 60 years talking about that mess of a proposal, Jake and Annie decide to hold off on the engagement until they can do it right. Yet if history tells us anything, it’s when we really want things to go right that they all tend to go wrong. The only thing we know for sure is these two are destined to be together whether they can get it together or not. (Premieres October 14)
Town of the Living Dead (Syfy)
Town of the Living Dead is an unscripted series which follows a small Alabama town trying to complete their own independent zombie movie, Thr33 Days Dead – which has been six years in the making. Based on a town urban legend, their film centers on a group of friends trying to survive a zombie apocalypse in rural Alabama.
The intrepid and motley crew of amateur filmmakers now has a deadline to hit - if they finish their film in time, Syfy will air it as an original movie. Given it's taken six years to make it, will getting it done in just a few weeks be achievable? (Premieres October 7)
Halo: Nightfall (Xbox)
Halo: Nightfall provides insight into the origin and backstory of legendary manhunter Agent Locke (Mike Colter, The Good Wife), a pivotal new character in the Halo universe who will play a key role in Halo 5: Guardians. (Premieres November 11)
Wednesday
Black-ish (ABC)
Andre 'Dre' Johnson has a great job, a beautiful wife, Rainbow, four kids, and a colonial home in the 'burbs. But has success brought too much assimilation for this black family?
Starring: Anthony Anderson | Tracee Ellis Ross | Yara Shahidi | Marcus Scribner | Miles Brown | Marsai Martin | Laurence Fishburne (Premieres September 24)
The Game (BBC America)
BBC AMERICA announced new Cold War spy thriller, The Game, set in the secretive world of 1970s espionage. The six-part drama series will premiere this fall as part of BBC AMERICA’s Dramaville programming block, the home of groundbreaking British drama.
Written and created by Toby Whithouse (Being Human, Doctor Who), The Game tells the story of the invisible war fought by MI5 as it battles to protect the nation from the threats of the Cold War. When a KGB defector reveals the existence of a devastating Soviet plot, codenamed Operation Glass, the charismatic but paranoid head of MI5, simply known as Daddy (Brian Cox, Troy, The Bourne Supremacy), assembles a secret committee to investigate. Maybe they’re the best, maybe they’re just the ones he trusts. Each episode will see the team uncover a new traitor to investigate, another piece of the jigsaw and another mission into the unknown. With Cold War tensions at a terrifying peak, how far are they prepared to go to keep ahead of the great game?
The series also stars Tom Hughes (Dancing On The Edge, Cemetery Junction), Paul Ritter (Quantum Of Solace, The Libertine), Shaun Dooley (The White Queen, Misfits), Chloe Pirrie (Misfits, Black Mirror), Victoria Hamilton (Lark Rise To Candleford, What Remains), Jonathan Aris (Sherlock, Bright Star) and Judy Parfitt (Call The Midwife,L ittle Dorrit). The Game is produced by BBC Cymru Wales for BBC One and executive produced by Faith Penhale, Brian Minchin and Toby Whithouse. (Premieres November 5)
Stalker (CBS)
A smart psychological thriller about detectives in the Los Angeles Police Department's Threat Management Unit who specialize in tracking stalkers. (Premieres October 1)
Kingdom (DirecTV)
Kingdom is a raw family drama set against the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in Venice, California. Alvey Kulina (Frank Grillo) owns Navy St. MMA with the help of his girlfriend Lisa Prince (Kiele Sanchez). He is willing to go through extraordinary means to make sure his fighters are taken care of, but all of this responsibility comes at a steep price. He has complicated relationships with both of his sons, Jay (Jonathan Tucker) and Nate (Nick Jonas), who are both struggling with their own identities and places within Alvey’s life and gym. (Premieres October 8)
Red Band Society (Fox)
From Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television and starring Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer (The Help, Fruitvale Station), Dave Annable (Brothers & Sisters, 666 Park Avenue) and a charismatic cast of fresh faces, RED BAND SOCIETY is a provocative, unconventional and unique coming-of-age dramedy about a group of rule-bending friends and the adults who mentor them through the ups and downs of adolescence in Los Angeles' Ocean Park Hospital. Exploring everything from strong friendships, and first loves, to humorous mishaps and heartbreaks, the series is a story of life, with an edgy comedic tone all its own.
Twelve-year-old narrator CHARLIE (Griffin Gluck, Back in the Game, Private Practice) is in a coma and introduces us to this band of unlikely friends, including the “new kid,” JORDI PALACIOS (Nolan Sotillo, Prom), a 16-year-old who comes to California to seek out treatment at the renowned hospital. What Jordi soon discovers is that it's not his illness that's going to change his life, but his new friends. Also at Ocean Park is LEO ROTH (Charlie Rowe, Neverland, Pirate Radio), the 16-year-old, charming and independent “leader” of the group. Leo's best friend is DASH HOSNEY (Astro, The X Factor), a 16-year-old “rebel” with a big personality, who is determined not to let his cystic fibrosis stop him from living his life. Also on the ward is 15-year-old “know-it-all” EMMA CHOTA (Ciara Bravo, Big Time Rush), Leo's on-again-off-again girlfriend who is coping with an eating disorder. Rounding out this group of patients is KARA SOUDERS (Zoe Levin, Arrested Development, The Way Way Back), a “mean girl” cheerleader who shares a room with Charlie. Although her heart is failing, she is realizing for the first time that she actually has one and begins opening it up to her new friends.
The pediatric ward is run by NURSE JACKSON (Spencer), a caregiver with a take-no-prisoners approach to helping these teens get the most from their lives. Little do they know that she puts her own life second, and her stern manner hides her incredible heart that secretly makes their lives more ordinary. Overseeing much of their treatment is DR. JACK McANDREW (Annable), the country's top pediatric surgeon. Also attending to the patients is the naïve and gullible Nurse BRITTANY DOBLER (newcomer Rebecca Rittenhouse), who allows the teens to get away with things they probably shouldn't. These mentors' lives are more complicated than they seem. They are the guiding force for these teens, but in their own personal lives, things might not be so easy.
These teens form a life-changing bond and singular kinship, represented by their red hospital bands. They face shared experiences, both uplifting and challenging, tragic and comedic, ordinary and out-of-the-ordinary – and they do it together. When you're brought to the brink, that's when you laugh the loudest, love the strongest and cry the hardest…This is the story of the RED BAND SOCIETY. (Premieres September 17)
The Mysteries of Laura (NBC)
Debra Messing (Will & Grace) stars as Laura Diamond, a brilliant NYPD homicide detective who balances her "Columbo" day job with a crazy family life that includes two unruly twin boys and a soon-to-be ex-husband - also a cop - who just can't seem to sign the divorce papers. Between cleaning up after her boys and cleaning up the streets, she'd be the first to admit she has her "hot mess" moments in this hilariously authentic look at what it really means to be a "working mom" today. Somehow she makes it all work with the help of her sexy and understanding partner. For Laura, every day is a high-wire balancing act.
The cast also includes Laz Alonso and Janina Gavankar. (Premieres September 24)
Thursday
How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)
The brilliant, charismatic and seductive Professor Annalise Keating gets entangled with four law students from her class “How to Get Away with Murder.” Little do they know that they will have to apply what they learned to real life, in this masterful, sexy, suspense-driven legal thriller.
Starring: Viola Davis | Billy Brown | Alfred Enoch | Jack Falahee | Katie Findlay | Aja Naomi King | Matt McGorry | Karla Souza | Charlie Weber | Liza Weil (Premieres September 25)
The McCarthys (CBS)
THE McCARTHYS is a multi-camera comedy about a close-knit, sports-crazed Boston family whose somewhat athletically challenged son, Ronny, is chosen by his father to be his assistant high school basketball coach, much to the surprise of his more qualified siblings. Ronny wants nothing more than to move away, join the singles scene and find a partner. His distraught mother, Marjorie is not upset that her favorite son is gay, but that he wants to leave Boston and his family. Ronny's plans change, however, when his politically incorrect and outspoken father, Arthur stuns everyone with his choice for an assistant. Touched by his father's offer, Ronny embarks on a completely different future and he can be sure that his loving family, including his twin brothers Sean and Gerard and his sister Jackie, are going to have a very vocal opinion about it. (Premieres October 30)
Gracepoint (Fox)
When a young boy is found dead on an idyllic beach, a major police investigation gets underway in the small northern California seaside town where the tragedy occurred. Soon deemed a homicide, the case turns neighbor against neighbor and sparks a media frenzy, which throws the boy's family into further turmoil and upends the lives of the town's residents.
Welcome to GRACEPOINT, a new 10-episode mystery event series based on “Broadchurch,” the U.K.'s critically acclaimed hit crime drama. GRACEPOINT is an expansion of the original series, introducing new characters, identifying new suspects and threading new storylines through the gripping narrative that will end when secrets are revealed and the killer is caught.
Leading the investigation is Detective EMMETT CARVER (David Tennant, Broadchurch, Dr. Who), who has just arrived in Gracepoint to fill a high position in the town's police force. That job previously had been promised to Detective ELLIE MILLER (Emmy Award winner Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad), who, in light of the tragedy, must put any resentment aside and work the case with her prickly new boss. Det. Miller must break the news of the crime to her doting husband, JOE (Josh Hamilton, American Horror Story), and her son, TOM (newcomer Jack Irvine), who was the best friend of the murder victim, DANNY SOLANO (guest star Nikolas Filipovic, Falling Skies).
Danny is survived by his grieving parents, MARK (Michael Peña, End of Watch) and BETH SOLANO (Virginia Kull, Boardwalk Empire), and his rebellious older sister, CHLOE (newcomer Madalyn Horcher), who has an older boyfriend, DEAN IVERSON (Kendrick Sampson, The Vampire Diaries), unbeknownst to her parents.
All of Gracepoint is pulled into the investigation, including JACK REINHOLD (Emmy Award nominee and Golden Globe Award winner Nick Nolte, Luck), a private man who runs the kayak rental service on the beach, as well as the local wildlife observation program, for which Danny volunteered; and SUSAN WRIGHT (Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominee Jacki Weaver, “Silver Linings Playbook”), a mysterious woman, who lives in the RV park near the coast, with her dog. The town's minister, PAUL COATES (Kevin Rankin, Justified), becomes the de facto spokesperson for the community as the media descends on Gracepoint. Danny's death also impacts tourism, with the decline in visitors felt most harshly by hotel owner GEMMA FISHER (Sarah-Jane Potts, Kinky Boots), a vivacious Brit with secrets of her own. Also touched by Danny's death is Mark's apprentice at his plumbing company, VINCE NOVIK (Stephen Louis Grush, Lucky 7).
The investigation is followed closely by the town's local newspaper reporter, OWEN BURKE (Kevin Zegers, Transamerica), who is Det. Miller's nephew. Owen's ambition is fueled by San Francisco Globe reporter RENEE CLEMONS (Jessica Lucas, Cloverfield), who has a history with Det. Carver and sets up camp in Gracepoint to cover the case.
The riveting crime series carves a powerfully dark wake through the town of Gracepoint with a startling conclusion, as the detectives piece together what happened on the night of Danny's death. (Premiers October 2)
Bad Judge (NBC)
No excuses, no apologies, no compromises. Wild child Rebecca Wright (Kate Walsh, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice) knows how to have a good time, but she also happens to be one of L.A.’s toughest and most respected criminal court judges. She has a reputation for unorthodox behavior in the courtroom, including creative rulings and saying exactly what’s on her mind. Her private life, on the other hand, is anything but innocent. She parties too much and rocks out on the drums in a band with her best friend, Jenny. While there’s no shortage of male admirers who would love to spend time with her, she’s not ready to settle down … except when an 8-year-old boy — whose parents were put in jail by Rebecca — needs her help. He may, in fact, be the one thing that starts to tame this “bad” judge. (Premieres October 2)
A to Z (NBC)
This is the A-to-Z story of Andrew (Ben Feldman, Mad Men) and Zelda (Cristin Milioti, How I Met Your Mother) — a pair that almost wasn’t — and all that happened from the day they met. Andrew has always been a secret romantic … not above crooning to Celine Dion while driving to work, with dreams of finding “the one.” He imagines her to be just like that shimmering beauty he spotted that night in that silver dress at that concert two years ago. Zelda, having grown up with a hippie mom who believed the universe would provide for everything, rebelled into a no-nonsense practical lawyer who prefers the control of online dating. But when a computer glitch sends her a total mismatch, she’s asked to come in for an interview at the Internet dating site where Andrew works, and this is where it all begins. Andrew and Zelda meet for the first time and despite their differences, sparks fly. She thinks it’s chance. He thinks it’s fate. After all, he’s convinced she’s the shimmering girl in the silver dress. Is it true love forever or just a detour in destiny? (Premieres October 2)
Friday
Cristela (ABC)
Cristela’s dream of becoming a lawyer is something her traditional Mexican-American family doesn't quite understand. She’s entering her sixth year of law school after juggling home obligations and working multiple jobs to pay her way.
Starring: Cristela Alonzo | Carlos Ponce | Maria Canals-Barrera | Terri Hoyos | Andrew Leeds | Sam McMurray (Premieres October 10)
Transparent (Amazon)
Written and directed by Emmy-nominee and 2013 Sundance Best Director winner Jill Soloway (Afternoon Delight, Six Feet Under and United States of Tara), Transparent is a darkly comedic story about an LA family with serious boundary issues. In this exploration of sex, memory, gender and legacy, the past and future unravel when a dramatic admission causes everyone's secrets to spill out. (Premieres September 26)
Foo Fighters Sonic Highways (HBO)
In this new series, Foo Fighters commemorate their 20th anniversary by documenting the eight-city recording odyssey that produced their latest, and eighth, studio album.
Foo Fighters founder Dave Grohl directs the series, which taps into the musical heritage and cultural fabric of eight cities: Chicago, Austin, Nashville, Los Angeles, Seattle, New Orleans, Washington D.C. and New York. The band based themselves at a legendary recording studio integral to the unique history and character of each location.
One song was recorded in each city, and every track features local legends. Even the lyrics were developed in an experimental, unprecedented way: Grohl held off on writing them until the last day of each session, letting himself be inspired by the experiences, interviews and personalities that became part of the process.
Foo Fighters Sonic Highways is, in Grohl’s words, “a love letter to the history of American music.” Each episode delves into the identity of each city -- showing how each region shaped these musicians in their formative years and, in turn, how they impacted the cultural fabric of their hometowns. Every artist who appears in the show, regardless of genre or locale, started as an average kid with universal dreams of making music and making it big.
Grohl made his feature film directorial debut in 2013 with the universally acclaimed Grammy-winning Sound City, a celebration of the human element in the creation and recording of music. Foo Fighters have won 11 Grammy Awards, including four for Best Rock Album, more than any other band.
Premiering on the eve of Foo Fighters’ 20th anniversary, Foo Fighters Sonic Highways aims to “give back” to the next generation of young musicians. As guitarist and singer Buddy Guy, an interviewee from the Chicago blues scene, explains, “Everything comes from what’s come before.” (Premieres October 17)
Constantine (NBC)
Based on the wildly popular DC Comics series “Hellblazer,” seasoned demon hunter and master of the occult John Constantine (Matt Ryan, Criminal Minds) specializes in giving hell… hell. Armed with a ferocious knowledge of the dark arts and his wickedly naughty wit, he fights the good fight — or at least he did. With his soul already damned to hell, he’s decided to leave his do-gooder life behind, but when demons target Liv (Lucy Griffiths, True Blood), the daughter of one of Constantine’s oldest friends, he’s reluctantly thrust back into the fray – and he’ll do whatever it takes to save her. Before long, it’s revealed that Liv’s “second sight” — an ability to see the worlds behind our world and predict supernatural occurrences — is a threat to a mysterious new evil that’s rising in the shadows. Now it’s not just Liv who needs protection; the angels are starting to get worried too. So, together, Constantine and Liv must use her power and his skills to travel the country, find the demons that threaten our world and send them back where they belong. After that, who knows… maybe there’s hope for him and his soul after all. (Premieres October 24)
On the Menu (TNT)
On the Menu will be television's first cooking show to give viewers the chance to taste the winning dish after every episode, as well as give everyday cooks the chance to have their dish appear in dining institutions across the country. Ty Pennington is heading to the kitchen as Host, with legendary Chef Emeril Lagasse serving as Menu Master. (Premieres October 3)
The Neighbors (YouTube)
Tommy Wiseau's, The Neighbors is a sitcom consisting of relationship between a group of neighbors who live in an apartment building. The lead character is Charlie, the manager of the building. The tenants are a diverse group of personality of different ages and backgrounds constantly bringing their problems to Charlie and his secretary girlfiend Bebe. The character of Princess Penelope create commotion by seeing the ghost of her uncle Prince Charles. It is a fresh humorous look at human behavior with different view points including plenty of surprises. The demographic is all inclusive. (Premieres September 26)
Saturday
Survivor's Remorse (Starz)
Survivor's Remorse follows Cam Calloway, a basketball phenom in his early 20s who is suddenly thrust into the limelight after signing a multi-million dollar contract with a professional basketball team in Atlanta. (Premieres October 4)
The Missing (Starz)
A gripping dramatic thriller that takes you inside the mind of a father, Tony (played by James Nesbitt), desperate to locate his lost son. (Premieres November 15)
Transporter (TNT)
Frank Martin is The Transporter. You want something moved, moved fast, and moved right, you get Frank Martin. He carries anything, anywhere, no questions asked. Ex-Special Forces, he’s acquired the driving, fighting and survival skills to make the delivery on schedule, and he never quits until the package is where it’s supposed to be. (Premieres October 18)
