With friends like Johnny Drama, Olive Snook, Gabrielle Solis and Gregory House, who needs a life? Though there’s a fair share of new kids on the block invading the networks, the majority of shows set to storm our living rooms again are those old favorites–the ones we’ve missed for what seems like an eternity.
Read our “Fall TV Preview Guide: Returning Shows” to find out what gifts our familiar friends have lined-up for this beautifully strike-less fall season.
For new shows premiering this fall, check out our Fall TV Preview: New Shows
For other returning show roundups, check out CBS and NBC; CW and other cable networks
FOX
Prison Break
When: Returns on September 1; airs Monday nights at 9/8c on FOX.
Main Players: Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Sarah Wayne Callies, Wade Williams, Michael Rapaport
What’s it all about?: Michael Scofield breaks into prison to help his brother escape, but that’s just the beginning of his struggles.
Where’d we leave off?: Michael bid farewell to Sona towards the conclusion of last season. This time around, producers say the return of Dr. Sara Tancredi is imminent, and a plotline will be employed that has an FBI agent, played by Michael Rapaport, helping Michael Lincoln to bring down The Company once and for all.
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FOX
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
When: Returns on September 8; airs Monday nights at 8/7c on FOX.
Main Players: Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Richard T. Jones, Shirley Manson, Garret Dillahunt, Brian Austin Green
What’s it all about?: The newest addition to the Terminator franchise reveals what happens when Sarah Connor stops running and goes on the offensive against a technological enemy set on destroying her life and the world.
Where’d we leave off?: Only a small run of episodes came our way before the strike wreaked havoc on the Connors, so the Terminator universe is still open for plenty of exploration. A pack of new cast members and the warning that one major player will soon be dead were the bits we got from the cast and crew’s panel at this year’s Comic Con. No, it won’t be Cameron, at least in regards to last season’s cliffhanger.
FOX
When: Returns on September 16; airs Tuesday nights at 8/7c on FOX.
Main Players: Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, Robert Sean Leonard, Omar Epps, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer, Peter Jacobson, Kal Penn, Olivia Wilde
What’s it all about?: Gregory House, the doctor with the least possible amount of bedside manner, solves medical enigmas while incessantly causing turmoil among his staff.
Where’d we leave off?: The shocking death of Amber in last season’s finale will still be felt throughout the Princeton-Plainview Teaching Hospital. When Wilson, still heartbroken, decides to resign from his post, House must use his wit and guile, not to cause further trouble for once, but to get him to stay and keep their friendship alive.
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FOX
When: Returns on September 3; airs Wednesday nights at 8/7c on FOX.
Main Players: David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel, Michaela Conlin, T.J Thyne, Michael Badalucco
What’s it all about?: Dr. Brennan is a highly skilled forensic anthropologist who needs no crime scene evidence–aside from the ones left on the victim’s bones.
Where’d we leave off?: Last time around we bade farewell to the young intern Zack, who was discovered to have been working as the Gormogon serial killer’s apprentice all along. Expect a new face to replace him, and more than enough cases to keep pouring into the lab.
FOX
When: The two-hour prequel to 24’s seventh season airs November 23.
Main Players: Kiefer Sutherland, Peter MacNicol, Cherry Jones, Colm Feore, Gil Bellows, Robert Carlyle, Tony Todd, Jon Voight, Powers Boothe
What’s it all about?: Jack Bauer winds up in Africa in the middle of a charged military coup.
Where’d we leave off?: It’s been so long, who could remember? All that needs to be known is that more than a year ago, Jack Bauer ended his last mission beaten physically and emotionally. But instead of R&R, he gets an African civil war instead. Poor guy.
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FOX
When: Returns on September 10; airs Wednesday nights at 9/8c on FOX.
Main Players: Brad Garrett, Joely Fisher, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Kat Foster, J.B. Smoove
What’s it all about?: Eddie and Joy Stark have been married for ages, and it’s beginning to show; especially when peppy newlyweds move in next door.
Where’d we leave off?: Not really the type of series for too many continuing storylines, so don’t worry about getting caught up. Just know that the battle of the boob job commences in season three’s first episode.
FOX
Kitchen Nightmares
When: Returns on September 4; airs Thursday nights at 9/8c on FOX.
Main Players: Gordon Ramsay
What’s it all about?: Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay visits flailing restaurants across America to tell them, in his own special way, how to turn things around.
Where’d we leave off?: We left off the same way we’ll start back up, with pathetic restaurant owners wandering into the bulls-eye of Ramsay’s target each and every time. Let the curse words fly.
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FOX
Are You Smarter Than a 5TH Grader?
When: Returns on September 5; airs Friday nights at 8/7c on FOX.
Main Players: Jeff Foxworthy
What’s it all about?: Adult contestants must answer grade school-level questions to win the cash prize.
Where’d we leave off?: There are a lot of dumb grown-ups out there, folks. Can’t deny it. There are also, in turn, a lot of brilliant kids that we see on the show, so I suppose it all evens out in the end.
FOX
The Simpsons
When: Returns on September 28; airs Sunday nights at 8/7c on FOX.
Main Players: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer
What’s it all about?: The “typical” American family/community gets an animated and satirical makeover.
Where’d we leave off?: Lisa won Entertainer of the Year after picking up work as Krusty’s new assistant. This new season will see guest appearances from DJulia Louis-Dreyfus, Denis Leary, Matt Damon, and Brian Grazer, among others.
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FOX
When: Returns on September 28; airs Sunday nights at 8:30/7:30c on FOX.
Main Players: Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, Pamela Segall Adlon, Britttany Murphy, Johnny Hardwick, Stephen Root
What’s it all about?: The Hills and their friends are more than proud of their down-home Texas lifestyle.
Where’d we leave off?: Peggy’s brother, Hoyt, returned to Arlen after a stint in the slammer, only to be turned away by the Hills. Turned out he wasn’t so rehabilitated after all.
FOX
Family Guy
When: Returns on September 28; airs Sunday nights at 9/8c on FOX.
Main Players: Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Mike Henry
What’s it all about?: A dysfunctional family with an advanced, sadistic toddler, live and fight together in their home of Quahog, Rhode Island.
Where’d we leave off?: Chris fell in love with an intern at the vet’s office. He approached his dad for advice on this, but instead inadvertently inspired him to steal a parrot from said vet and terrorize the town as a modern-day pirate. For show news, we may be soon saying goodbye to Cleveland, whose own series is a planned midseason replacement for FOX.
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FOX
When: Returns on September 28; airs Sunday nights at 9:30/8:30c on FOX.
Main Players: Seth MacFarlane, Wendy Schaal, Scott Grimes, Rachael MacFarlane, Dee Bradley Baker
What’s it all about?: CIA Agent Stan Smith, his family, an alien, and a talking fish live together in a Virginian suburb outside of Washington D.C.
Where’d we leave off?: Stan spiraled toward a mid-life crisis, choosing to satisfy his nagging nostalgia by taking a ‘spring break’ trip that ended in disaster.
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ABC
When: Returns on September 22; airs Monday nights at 8/7c on ABC.
Main Players: Tom Bergeron, Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli
What’s it all about?: Celebrities partner with professional ballroom dancers to become the ultimate champion of the cha-cha.
Where’d we leave off?: Figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi took home the prize in season six. A big cloud of secrecy for several weeks taunted audiences regarding who’d be mambo-ing onscreen this fall; however, recently some flashy names in a diverse line-up have been offered, including: Susan Lucci, Lance Bass, Kim Kardashian, Toni Braxton and Rocco Dispirito to name a few.
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ABC
Samantha Who?
When: Returns on October 6; airs Monday nights at 9:30/8:30c on ABC.
Main Players: Christina Applegate, Barry Watson, Jean Smart, Jennifer Esposito, Melissa McCarthy, Kevin Dunn, Tim Russ
What’s it all about?: After being hit by a car and having her memory erased, Samantha attempts to create a new life for herself, while also healing the damages leftover from her old one.
Where’d we leave off?: Samantha was celebrating her birthday in the 15th and final episode of the show’s first season, the party for which was a severe point of contention between Regina and Andrea.
ABC
When: Returns on September 22; airs Monday nights at 10/9c on ABC.
Main Players: William Shatner, James Spader, Candice Bergen, John Larroquette, Christian Clemenson, Tara Summers
What’s it all about?: The legal drama tells the personal stories of a group of brilliant but often emotionally challenged attorneys.
Where’d we leave off?: It was the showdown to end all showdowns as Denny and Alan sat on opposite sides of the courtroom in the case of Concord, Mass. vs. America. As always, though, a personal lesson was learned from the battle, and the two best ‘frenemies’ ultimately enjoyed a laugh and cigar on the balcony. [PAGEBREAK]
ABC
Eli Stone
When: Returns on October 14; airs Tuesday nights at 10/9c on ABC.
Main Players: Jonny Lee Miller, Loretta Devine, Victor Garber, Natasha Henstridge, Katie Holmes (guest)
What’s it all about?: Eli Stone is a high-powered attorney who, as a result of a brain aneurysm, begins to have larger-than-life visions, which lead him to do extraordinary things.
Where’d we leave off?: Eli went under the knife to remove his aneurysm, and came face to face with God during surgery. This season, look for the show to continue finding its way story-wise, and expect a pair of superstars to help it do so–Sigourney Weaver and Katie Holmes are two names inked to visit Eli as guest stars.
ABC
When: Returns on October 1; airs Wednesday nights at 8/7c on ABC.
Main Players: Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Kristin Chenoweth, Chi McBride, Swoosie Kurtz, Ellen Greene, David Arquette
What’s it all about?: Ned has the gift of bringing back the dead with just one touch, but if he keeps them alive for longer than a minute, another person in the near vicinity perishes instead. He seems to go far in mastering his skill and the clock over the years, until he revives his childhood sweetheart and can’t seem to let her go. The bad news? One more touch, and she’s gone forever.
Where’d we leave off?: It’s a whimsical, Tim Burton-esque take on love, pie, and crime. Ned and Chuck, along with Emerson Cod, did their best to solve a large number of mysteries last season, but will the temptation for the two lovebirds to kiss or hold hands become too difficult to ignore?
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ABC
When: Returns on October 1; airs Wednesday nights at 9/8c on ABC.
Main Players: Kate Walsh, Amy Brenneman, Tim Daly, Taye Diggs, Audra McDonald, Paul Adelstein, KaDee Strickland, Chris Lowell
What’s it all about?: Having left behind Seattle Grace, McDreamy, and McSteamy, Addison moves to L.A. for a new set of personal and professional opportunities.
Where’d we leave off?: A disappointing first season for this much-talked about spin-off, both in that it only got nine episodes on air before the strike shut down production, and also because it lacked the zip and chemistry that its parent show, Grey’s Anatomy, has in abundance. It will be interesting to see if a full season is indeed what the doctor ordered.
ABC
Dirty Sexy Money
When: Returns on October 1; airs Wednesday nights at 10/9c on ABC.
Main Players: Peter Krause, Donald Sutherland, William Baldwin, Natalie Zea, Glenn Fitzgerald, Samaire Armstrong, Seth Gabel, Zoe Mclellan, Blair Underwood, Jill Clayburgh, Lucy Liu
What’s it all about?: In the current tabloid-heavy landscape of New York City, the uber-wealthy Darling family often gets mixed up in some bad legal and P.R. situations. Fortunately, lawyer Nick George takes care of the dirty work, which always launches him into some shady territory.
Where’d we leave off?: It was astounding to see the amount of tense situations the Darling children got themselves into last year. Unsurprisingly, and much to Nick’s dismay, it’s about to happen all over again.
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ABC
When: Returns on September 25; airs Thursdy nights at 8/7c on ABC.
Main Players: America Ferrera, Ana Ortiz, Ashley Jensen, Becki Newton, Christopher Gorham, Eric Mabius, Judith Light, Mark Indelicato, Michael Urie, Rebecca Romijn, Tony Plana, Vanessa Williams, Lindsay Lohan (recurring), Victoria Beckham (recurring)
What’s it all about?: A true outsider in an insider’s universe, plain ol’ Betty attempts to navigate the choppy waters of the dog-eat-dog fashion industry.
Where’d we leave off?: After being faced with the decision between marrying Henry or going to Italy with Gio last season, Betty, in the first episode of the new season, opts for neither, choosing a much-needed vacay by her lonesome. Both Lindsay Lohan and Victoria Beckham are on the guest list for this year, so expect the already-high profile of the show to be raised substantially.
ABC
When: Returns on September 25; airs Thursday nights at 9/8c on ABC.
Main Players: Patrick Dempsey, Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, T. R. Knight, Chandra Wilson, Katherine Heigl
What’s it all about?: Putting a human face to the typically stoic television medical drama, Grey’s Anatomy follows the fallible staff members of Seattle Grace as they attempt to save their patients–and themselves.
Where’d we leave off?: McDreamy and Grey?! What an ending it was last season, but ‘will it last?’ is the question we’re always left with, thanks to the up and down nature of pretty much all of the show’s characters. With Grey’s Anatomy, there really is only one way to find out, and that’s to watch each and every week. That’s how they get ya’.
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ABC
When: Returns on September 28; airs Sunday nights at 9/8c on ABC.
Main Players: Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Eva Longoria Parker, Marcia Cross, James Denton, Nicolette Sheridan
What’s it all about?: The primetime soap takes a dark look at suburbia, where the lives of housewives aren’t as dull as we’ve always believed.
Where’d we leave off?: Was that Desperate Housewives in the final scenes of season four, or did Lost get a sexy makeover? As the turmoil surrounding Katherine’s ex died down, we were launched five years into Wisteria Lane’s future, affording us a view of some of the changes in store. In the new episodes set to launch this month, expect to settle back into the present.
ABC
When: Returns on September 28; airs Sunday nights at 10/9c on ABC.
Main Players: Sally Field, Rachel Griffiths, Calista Flockhart, Rob Lowe, Balthazar Getty, Ron Rifkin
What’s it all about?: The Walker family confronts romance, divorce, death, addiction, and infidelity, as they try hard to persevere, live their individual lives, and maintain a sense of familial normalcy.
Where’d we leave off?: Two big moments coming out of season two: Kevin and Scotty committing to a life partnership together, and another one of William’s big secrets got leaked to the family. These will no doubt affect the action in the upcoming season (no, not 24-type action, guys).
