Summer went by in a flash, didn’t it? For most, that’s a bummer; the wonderfully warm weather, fun at camp, trips to the beach. But for those of you who consider yourselves an avid TV watcher, the fall couldn’t come fast enough. Sure, summer was brimming with fantastic shows this year (I’m looking at you, Mr. Robot). Even still, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of being reacquainted with your favorites characters you spend time with the most, from September through May. And now, we’ve made it! The leaves are just starting to fall from trees, and that can mean only one thing: it’s pick up your remote and fire up the DVR. The fall TV season begins now!
Jump after the break to browse fall programming guides for all the major networks including CBS, NBC, FOX, and The CW. Get familiar with new shows, too, with my personal recommendations and links to preview them all. Have a happy premiere week!
CBS
Thursday Night Football kicks off on Sept. 17, four days before The Eye’s fall schedule gets started in earnest. Make note of some of the timeslot shuffling going on here. After Big Brother airs its finale on Wednesday, Sept. 23, Criminal Minds and new Marcia Gay-Harden medical drama Code Black join Survivor on that night starting Sept. 30. The network’s Sunday night lineup, which includes Madam Secretary, The Good Wife, and CSI: Cyber, launches Oct. 4, one week after the special CSI series finale airs. Monday gets knocked around a bit on Oct. 26 when Supergirl flies into the the 8:30pm slot to comfortably premiere after The Big Bang Theory; the following Monday, Nov. 2, sees it air in its regular 8pm slot, followed by Scorpion and NCIS: LA. Big Bang and Life in Pieces move to Thursdays starting Nov. 5, where they’ll be joined by Mom, new Jane Lynch sitcom Angel from Hell, and Elementary.
Of CBS’ new fall programming, I’m recommending ensemble comedy Life in Pieces, the Bradley Cooper-produced Limitless, and Greg Berlanti’s next superhero adaptation, Supergirl.
Preview all new CBS shows right here.
*CAPS denotes new program / Red text denotes recommendation
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17
7:30pm Thursday Night Football Pre-Game Show
8:25pm Thursday Night Football (Denver @ Kansas City)
MONDAY, SEPT. 21
8pm The Big Bang Theory
8:30pm LIFE IN PIECES
9pm Scorpion
10pm NCIS: LA
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22
8pm NCIS
9pm NCIS: New Orleans
10pm LIMITLESS
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23
8pm Survivor
9:30pm Big Brother Finale
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25
8pm The Amazing Race
9pm Hawaii Five-0
10pm Blue Bloods
SATURDAY, SEPT. 26
10pm 48 Hours
SUNDAY, SEPT. 27
7pm 60 Minutes
9pm CSI (two-hour series finale)
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30
9pm Criminal Minds
10pm CODE BLACK
SUNDAY, Oct. 4
8pm Madam Secretary
9pm The Good Wife
10pm CSI: Cyber
MONDAY, OCT. 26
8pm The Big Bang Theory
8:30pm SUPERGIRL
9:30pm Scorpion
10:30pm Comedy encore
MONDAY, NOV. 2
8pm SUPERGIRL (regular time period premiere)
9pm Scorpion
10pm NCIS: Los Angeles
THURSDAY, Nov. 5
8pm The Big Bang Theory
8:30pm LIFE IN PIECES
9pm Mom
9:30pm ANGEL FROM HELL
10pm Elementary
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NBC
After football gets underway on the Peacock network and Neil Patrick Harris’ variety show Best Time Ever debuts early following the AGT finale, NBC’s fall schedule revs up on Monday, Sept. 21 with the return of singing competition The Voice and perhaps the most highly anticipated drama this fall, the tattooed mystery Blindspot. Lots of scheduling changes here, especially on Tuesday night, so take note. NPH‘s Best Time Ever moves to the Tuesday 8pm slot starting Sept. 29, paired with The Voice. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, Chicago Fire joins that lineup at 10pm. And then on Nov. 10, The Voice moves to 8pm, followed by the premiere of Dick Wolf’s latest spinoff, Chicago Med; the following week (Nov. 17), Chicago Fire joins the Tuesday lineup. Moving on… Chicago P.D. enters the Wednesday lineup a week after Law & Order: SVU‘s two-hour premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Since Heroes Reborn is airing a two-hour premiere on Thursday, Sept. 24, The Blacklist‘s return is bumped to the following week, where it will air sandwiched between Heroes and new Vegas-set action drama The Player. Friday’s rollout is slow, beginning Oct. 9 with a one-hour live episode of Undateable, followed by the premieres of new sitcom Truth Be Told (fka People are Talking) and genre fare Grimm. SNL returns for its 41st season on Oct. 3 with host and musical guest Miley Cyrus. This year, Lorne Michaels added just one new featured player into the mix. It’s also been confirmed that Taran Killam will play Donald Trump during the election-themed sketches.
Of NBC’s new fall programming, I’m recommending mystery thriller Blindspot and, if you were a fan of the Heroes‘ original run (especially the stellar first season), there’s no harm in checking out what creator Tim Kring has in store this time around.
Preview all new NBC shows right here.
*CAPS denotes new program / Red text denotes recommendation
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10
8:30pm Sunday Night Football (Pittsburgh at New England)
TUESDAY, SEPT. 15
8pm America’s Got Talent (two-hour season finale)
10pm BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS
MONDAY, SEPT. 21
8pm The Voice
10pm BLINDSPOT
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23
8pm The Mysteries of Laura
9pm Law & Order: SVU (two-hour premiere)
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24
8pm HEROES REBORN (two-hour premiere)
10pm THE PLAYER
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29
8pm BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS (regular time slot premiere)
9pm The Voice (two hours)
WEDNESAY, SEPT. 30
10pm Chicago P.D.
THURSDAY OCT. 1
9pm The Blacklist
SATURDAY, OCT. 3
11:35pm Saturday Night Live
FRIDAY, OCT. 9
8pm Undateable (one hour)
TUESDAY, OCT. 13
8pm BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS
9pm The Voice
10pm Chicago Fire
FRIDAY, OCT. 16
8:30pm TRUTH BE TOLD
FRIDAY, OCT. 30
9pm Grimm
TUESDAY, NOV. 10
8pm The Voice (two hours)
10pm CHICAGO MED
TUESDAY, NOV. 17
8pm The Voice
9pm CHICAGO MED
10pm Chicago Fire
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ABC
Reality competition Dancing with the Stars gets an early start on Monday, Sept. 21, and then veteran crime procedural Castle joins it the following week. After DWTS retreats to its once-a-week scheduling pattern, ABC’s Tuesday night lineup will look like this: The Muppets, Fresh Off the Boat, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Shark Tank offshoot Beyond the Tank. New sunset strip drama Wicked City will take over Tank‘s 10pm spot starting Tuesday, Oct. 27. Ken Jeong’s new family sitcom Dr. Ken joins the Friday night lineup starting Oct. 2, sandwiched between Last Man Standing and Shark Tank. And that’s all of ABC’s major scheduling swaps this fall–not too shabby, comparatively speaking.
Of ABC’s new fall programming, I’m recommending the long-awaited return of The Muppets, Sunday night terrorist-conspiracy thriller Quantico, and serial killer thriller Wicked City.
Preview all new ABC shows right here.
*CAPS denotes new program / Red text denotes recommendation
FRIDAY, SEPT. 11
10pm 20/20
MONDAY, SEPT. 14
8pm Dancing with the Stars
MONDAY, SEPT. 21
10pm Castle
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22
8pm THE MUPPETS
8:30pm Fresh Off the Boat
9pm Dancing with the Stars: The Results
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23
8pm The Middle
8:30pm The Goldbergs
9pm Modern Family
9:30pm black-ish
10pm Nashville
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24
8pm Grey’s Anatomy
9pm Scandal
10pm How to Get Away with Murder
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25
8pm Last Man Standing
9pm Shark Tank
SUNDAY, SEPT. 27
8pm Once Upon a Time
9pm BLOOD & OIL
10pm QUANTICO
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29
9pm Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
10pm Beyond the Tank
FRIDAY, OCT. 2
8:30pm DR. KEN
SUNDAY, OCT. 11
7pm America’s Funniest Home Videos
TUESDAY, OCT. 27
10pm WICKED CITY
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FOX
After the Emmys celebrates last year’s best in television, FOX’s fall schedule starts right away on Monday, Sept. 21 with the return of Gotham and the Minority Report adaptation. FOX’s sked is pretty straightforward, with little changes occurring over the fall. Just note that the series premiere of Ryan Murphy’s dramedy Scream Queens is two hours long, pushing the premieres of new sitcoms Grandfathered (with John Stamos) and The Grinder (with Rob Lowe) to the following week. The network’s Thursday night lineup–including Bones and Sleepy Hollow–comes into effect on Oct. 1.
Of FOX’s new fall programming, I’m recommending Scream Queens (from the creator of Glee and American Horror Story!) and sitcoms Grandfathered and The Grinder (both feature big, endearing stars with fun, light-hearted premises).
Preview all new NBC shows right here.
*CAPS denotes new program / Red text denotes recommendation
SUNDAY, SEPT. 20
8pm 67th Annual Primetime Emmys
MONDAY, SEPT. 21
8pm Gotham
9pm MINORITY REPORT
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22
8pm SCREAM QUEENS (two-hour premiere)
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23
8pm ROSEWOOD
9pm Empire
SUNDAY, SEPT. 27
7:30pm Bob’s Burgers
8pm The Simpsons
8:30pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine
9pm Family Guy
9:30pm The Last Man on Earth
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29
8pm GRANDFATHERED
8:30pm THE GRINDER
9pm SCREAM QUEENS (regular timeslot premiere)
THURSDAY, OCT. 1
8pm Bones
9pm Sleepy Hollow
FRIDAY, Nov. 6
8pm Masterchef Junior
9pm World’s Funniest
THE CW
Music will fill the air, and then The CW’s fall schedule will fall into place come October. The post-“premiere week” rollout is a CW tradition at this point; the network takes pleasure in premiering its programming a distance away from the big four nets. The majority of its shows debut the week of Oct. 4. The Monday night lineup, however, comes into focus the following week, on Oct. 12, with new musical comedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Jane the Virgin.
Of The CW’s new fall programming, I’m recommending sole newbie Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Star Rachel Bloom plays odd and quirky just right, and the musical twist adds a unique element into this sitcom that was originally developed for Showtime.
Preview all new CW shows right here.
*CAPS denotes new program / Red text denotes recommendation
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29
8pm iHeart Radio Festival Night One
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30
8pm iHeart Radio Festival Night Two
TUESDAY, OCT. 6
8pm The Flash
9pm iZombie
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7
8pm Arrow
9pm Supernatural
THURSDAY, OCT. 8
8pm The Vampire Diaries
9pm The Originals
FRIDAY, OCT. 9
8pm Reign
9pm America’s Next Top Model
MONDAY, OCT. 12
8pm CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND
9pm Jane the Virgin
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