Fall is the most wonderful time of year. The schools are back in session, the storms prevent Phoenicians from commenting on the dry heat, and the leaves turn colors in pictures from other parts of the country where trees grow. However, the best part of the season comes somewhere between the new football season and Halloween, and that is the debut of the fall TV season. The long drought of summer television is now approaching its conclusion, and all of our favorite network shows will finally be returning to the airwaves. Even better, in addition to all of the old, familiar shows that we all know and love, there will be several new series premiering. Here are 10 that stood out from the pack and seem to be worth checking out.
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Sleepy Hollow Inspired by the classic story by Washington Irving, this supernatural mystery/action show follows the adventures of Ichabod Crane, a soldier from the Revolutionary War who is pulled through time to 2013, where he must team with a young police officer to stop the murderous rampage of the Headless Horseman. Expect supernatural mysteries and a different view of American history than you learned about in high school when the show premieres September 16 on Fox.
Dads From Seth McFarlane, Alec Sulkin, and Wellesley Wild, the creators of the Family Guy, this comedy stars Seth Green and Giovanni Ribisi as two successful 30-something friends whose lives are thrown into chaos when their dads come to live with them. The premise seems a bit thin, but the talented cast makes up for it; in addition to Green and Ribisi, this show also includes comedy legend Martin Mull and Emmy-nominee Peter Riegert as the two fathers. Dads premieres September 17 on Fox.
Agents of SHIELD Joss Whedon has had some problems with television networks in the past, but after helming one of the highest grossing films of all time, he is willing to take another chance. Agents of SHIELD is a continuation of the Avengers film; it deals with the secretive government organization that protects humanity against threats that normal law enforcement is not equipped to deal with. The nerd community has been waiting with baited breath to see Clark Gregg return as Agent Phil Coulson, a popular character from several of the previous Marvel superhero movies, who (spoiler alert) died during the Avengers. The new Whedon show premieres September 24 on ABC.
The Crazy Ones CBS has been making a big deal about the return of Robin Williams to network television, but this has overshadowed the inclusion of Sarah Michelle Gellar from the cult-classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer series. This comedy pairs them as a father-and-daughter team that runs a successful advertising firm. While Simon Roberts, (played by Williams) is a genius in the field, his methods and behavior are increasingly erratic, and it is up to his daughter Sydney (played by Gellar) to keep him in line. There is no indication in the above trailer, but we're hoping that Robin Williams can slip in an occasional "Shazbot!" and rock the rainbow suspenders. See for yourself when the show premieres September 26 on CBS.
Witches of East End Loosely based on the novel of the same name from author Melissa de la Cruz, this is a drama about the Beauchamp family, a secretive clan living in the small town of East Haven. A series of bizarre occurrences forces the mother to finally tell her daughters that they come from a long line of immortal witches. This series features an exceptionally strong cast, including Julia Ormond, Mädchen Amick, and Virgina Madsen. Witches premieres on Lifetime October 6.
The Tomorrow People A remake of a British show from the 1970s, this series is about a group of four teenagers that were born with special powers and abilities. They are a genetically advanced offshoot of humanity, and they are being pursued by a shadowy organization that wants to put an end to them before they replace us normal humans. Basically, the CW does the X-Men starting October 9. Expect lots of angst, abs, and no costumes.
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland A spin-off from the popular series Once Upon a Time, this show eschews fairy tales and instead concentrates on the world of Lewis Carol's Alice in Wonderland. A girl in Victorian England begins telling fantastic stories about a land on the other side of a rabbit hole, populated by fantastical beings. She is considered insane by the medical experts of the day, but before they can attempt to cure her, she is whisked away by the Knave of Hearts and the White Rabbit, who take her back to Wonderland on October 10 on ABC.
The Originals Taking place in New Orleans, the home of everything spooky, this show details the Original Vampire family coming together after decades of being apart. The cast will feature vampires, werewolves, witches, humans, and a vampire/werewolf hybrid, all vying for control of the family and the town in which they all live starting October 15 on the CW.
Dracula There just weren't enough vampires on television yet, so NBC is bringing you this tale of the original bloodsucker. In the 19th century, the mysterious Dracula moves to London and begins investing heavily in modern technology, especially electricity. He has come to England to take revenge on the people who originally turned him into a vampire, but his plan goes awry when he meets a woman who may be the reincarnation of his long-deceased wife. Produced by the team that won an Emmy for Downton Abbey, this show looks gorgeous and very British. It premieres October 25 on NBC.
Almost Human From J.J. Abrams and J.H. Wyman, the team behind Fringe, comes this series about a police officer in the future learning to deal with an android partner. Fresh off this summer's Star Trek Into Darkness and Riddick, Karl Urban stars as John Kennex, a cop who wakes up after a 17-month coma and is assigned a robot as a partner. The show starts November 4 on Fox.