We’re coming up on the Labour Day weekend, which marks the unofficial end of the summer. That can only mean one thing: Fall TV is upon us!
Let’s bitch it out…
This is always that awkward time of the year. The weather is still nice, we’re still kind of in vacation mode and – for the first time in many years – the TV is actually still really good. And yet we’re on the cusp on the new TV season, looking forward to mid-September when new and returning shows come back to the airwaves to delight and entertain. And so, without further ado, let’s take a look at what we’re tackling this September.
First, though, let’s explore our continuing coverage:
- Teen Wolf: Mondays at 10pm EST on MTV (Finale airs Sept 8)
- Doctor Who: Saturdays at 9pm EST on BBC America
- Outlander: Saturdays at 9pm EST on STARZ (Coverage starts w/t Ep 4)
In addition to continuing coverage, we’ve got you covered until premiere week with a few special posts addressing what we’ve been watching throughout summer:
- Friday, Sept 5: Summer TV wrap-up Pt. 1
- Friday, Sept 12: Summer TV wrap-up Pt. 2
And now, the main event. Here’s what our September coverage will look like:
The Good Wife S6
Courtesy of CBS
- Where did we leave off? S5 ended with one of the show’s trademark cliffhangers as protagonist Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) questioned whether to continue practicing law or pursue a role in the DAs office. Oh and Diane (Christine Baranski) left her own firm amidst mutiny from the other partners and asked to join Cary (Matt Czuchry) and Alicia at their upstart. It was madness.
- Why should you care? Last season The Good Wife celebrated a number of milestones: it passed 100 episodes, the episode ‘Hitting The Fan’ may be the best the show has ever done and then original cast member Josh Charles left the show in an emotional (and controversial) surprise shooting. Somehow a show in its fifth season was operating at the top of its game.
- Who’s covering it? cinephilactic offers his take every Monday morning.
- Returns: Sunday, Sept 21 at 9:30pm EST on CBS
Gotham S1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3MWXRT7GU8&list=UU2zkeSg_I8EsNpx3nA_OYSw
- What’s it about? The tagline kinda says it all: before Batman, there was Gotham. The series follows the downfall of the notorious city and incorporates a number of famous characters, including James Gordon (Ben McKenzie), young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz), Penguin (Robin Taylor), Riddler (Cory Michael Smith), young Catwoman (Camren Bicondova). Plus: Jada Pinkett Smith as new villain Fish Mooney.
- Why should you care? Word on the street is that Gotham is the show to watch this season. Critics are raving about the dark approach, the cinematic execution feels large for network TV and the built in audience all but guarantees a break-out smash.
- Who’s covering it? TVAngie tackles the Batman-less show every Tuesday morning.
- Debuts: Monday, Sept 22 at 8:00pm EST on FOX
Sleepy Hollow S2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VnOzjR7bP8
- Where did we leave off? S1 ended with a cliffhanger as our protagonists – Ichabod (Tom Mison) and Abbie (Nicole Beharie) – were captured and imprisoned by Henry Parrish (John Noble) who was revealed to be not only Ichabod’s long-lost son, but also the right hand man of major baddie, Morlock.
- Why should you care? Shockingly enough, Sleepy Hollow turned out to be one of last year’s least guilty “guilty-pleasures”. The show’s manic energy and leading dynamic duo turned what could have been a trainwreck into one of the most consistently entertaining shows of the year. Can season two sustain the momentum? You’ll have to tune in to find out.
- Who’s covering it? couchpotato will deliver her verdict every Tuesday morning.
- Returns: Monday, Sept 22 at 9:00pm EST on FOX
The Blacklist S1
http://youtu.be/zZJVO3GmXzA
- Where did we leave off? The first season was revealed to be an elaborate revenge plot against Red (James Spader). Oh…and a bunch of stuff happened with the team, but no one cares about that, right?
- Why should you care? Spader delivers a highly entertaining performance in a mediocre show. So basically the appeal of Red Reddington will bring you back for more. Us? We’re just here to pontificate on the status of Meagan Boone’s wig.
- Who’s covering it? cinephilactic will offer a quick take most Tuesday mornings.
- Returns: Monday, Sept 22 at 10:00pm EST on NBC
Scandal S4
Courtesy of ABC
- Where did we leave off? In true Scandal fashion, the season finale was gong-show insane: Eli (Joe Morton) pulled off an upset by murdering Fitz’s (Tony Goldwyn) son and potentially murdering Harrison. The events of the finale prompted Liv (Kerry Washington) to realize her role as the center of the maelstrom, prompting her decision to board a plane to destinations unknown.
- Why should you care? Scandal is by-far the craziest show on TV and S3 raised the madness to new (and often ludicrous) heights…sometimes at the expense of the narrative. With a third show debuting, will series creator Shonda Rhimes manage to keep the series on track or will it go even more off the rails?
- Who’s covering it? couchpotato will cover the scandal every Friday morning.
- Returns: Thursday, Sept 25 at 10:00pm EST on ABC
Transparent S1
Courtesy of Amazon
- What’s it about? An all-star indie cast stars in this darkly-comedic web series about a dysfunctional Los Angeles family. Transparent was one of several shows ordered to series last year in Amazon’s voted-by-the-public pilot season so its first episode has been available for quite some time and if the rest of the series can deliver on the promise of the pilot, we’re in for a treat.
- Why should you care? To reveal the “twist” that anchors the series’ conflict would be a spoiler (it’s contained in the preview above), but this dry, witty comedy has loads of potential.
- Who’s covering it? cinephilactic will explore the dysfunctional antics
- Debuts: Amazon adopts the Netflix model by dropping the entire series on Friday, Sept 26 (edit: corrected from Saturday, Sept 27)
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. S2
Courtesy of ABC
- Where did we leave off? Like seemingly all of the other shows we’re covering, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. finished its first season with a few loose narrative threads. The biggest may be the dead/alive status of nerd Fitz (Iain De Caestecker), who was last seen stranded underwater. Meanwhile Agent Ward (Dalton Ward) stayed bad and was packed off, although his role on the series will continue, presumably in an ill-advised attempt to rehabilitate the character.
- Why should you care? S.H.I.E.L.D. was basically sitting in Gotham‘s position this time last year as the show to watch. Unfortunately it failed to capitalize on its audience goodwill and floundered during the first two-thirds of the season with weak characterizations, dull plotting and surprisingly mediocre FX. Then Captain America 2 dropped, S.H.I.E.L.D. was overrun by Hydra and the show suddenly became “must-see” good. Can the sudden uptick in quality continue and, more importantly, will audiences return to find out?
- Who’s covering it? cinephilactic will evaluate the S2 quality every Wednesday morning.
- Returns: Tuesday, Sept 30 at 9:00pm EST on ABC
That’s it for us. What are you watching in September?