‘Paranormal Activity’ prank spooks unsuspecting house hunters

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Are you a fan of the Internet pranks that truly terrify people in the name of good marketing? Well, today’s your lucky day. I’ve got a juicy one here for you, and it comes from Paramount, the studio behind the Paranormal Activity franchise. To boost awareness for The Ghost Dimension, the sixth and final film in the franchise, PA producer Oren Peli has dropped this highly entertaining prank video that follows unsuspecting house hunters entering the original haunted house featured in the 2007 original film. Peli shared the clip on his Facebook page with the caption, “Can you blame me for selling my house?” Fun fact: Peli, who wrote and directed the first one, shot it in this very San Diego-based home that he owned at the time. Now watch as the open house hauntings make those who enter quake in fear and scream bloody murder.

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension opens October 23.

Status update #1 on your favorite new and returning shows

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We’re nearly one month into the 2015 fall TV season, so there’s no better time than now to check on the status of your favorite shows, new and old. I’ll break it down by network.

At CBS, its summer fare was taken under the microscope and only one series made it out alive. Zoo, the animal-themed thriller based on the James Patterson novel starring James Wolk, is coming back for a second season next summer. Sci-fi dramas Extant and Under the Dome are ending after two and three season runs, respectively. The Halle Berry starrer underwent a creative reboot in season 2 and simply couldn’t drum up the ratings needed to continue. Dome, based on Stephen King’s novel, ran out of steam fast as the show quickly exhausted its source material.

NBC is the first network to grant a new fall series a full-season order. Blindspot, starring Jaimie Alexander as an amnesiac Jane Doe who’s covered head-to-toe in mysterious tattoos that are connected to a larger conspiracy, will live on to air a full 22-episode first season on the Peacock network. The FSO follows a pickup of nine additional scripts ordered more than a week prior. Elsewhere, Debra Messing and her crime procedural The Mysteries of Laura has been awarded five additional scripts as its second season aims to go the distance (read: May sweeps).

Fox is showering its Animation Domination fans with love by renewing cult comedy Bob’s Burgers for a seventh and eighth season. As far as new programming is concerned, and in a fairly surprising move, Fox is handing out a full-season order to the Morris Chestnut crime procedural Rosewood before making decisions on higher profile offerings like Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens and sophomore The Last Man on Earth. Rosewood‘s FSO comes a week after Fox ordered three additional scripts for it. Elsewhere, things are looking up for new sitcoms Grandfathered and The Grinder. The John Stamos and Rob Lowe comedies have both been tasked to pump out six additional scripts apiece. Monday night sci-fi drama Minority Report, on the other hand, reports a gloomy forecast; due to low ratings, the network has cut three episodes from its original 13-episode run. Episode 10, which was written as a fall finale, will now serve as a season (or series) finale, according to Deadline.

More updates from ABC, The CW, FX, and AMC after the break. Continue reading Status update #1 on your favorite new and returning shows →

Twitter’s Moments grants you access to fleeting trending topics in a new & interactive way

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Twitter’s added a new section to its mobile and desktop portals called Moments. This particular social network works best when its users spread breaking news in an instant across the world. Twitter’s latest hub, Moments, provides a streamlined way to access such breaking news, whether or not you follow the accounts commenting on world affairs. For example, let’s say it’s awards season and the Oscars are airing live and you’re interested in knowing the night’s winners and the big, ahem, moments from the show. You’re away from a TV and the majority of your friends and other accounts you follows typically don’t post entertainment-related tweets. Moments relives you of this quagmire; simply click the new tab to view an interactive and visually appealing hub home to trending moments happening right now. If the Oscars are on, you’ll see related tweets, GIFs, Vines, and more, regardless of who you follow on the regular. You can even opt to follow a Moment–related tweets from relevant accounts will show up on your timeline. When the Moment ends (when related tweets start to die down), Twitter will automatically unfollow the Moments and you’re timeline will return back to normal.

Visually speaking, Moments is essentially an interactive version of the Trending Topics list that’s hidden inside Search on mobile. In the new hub you can quickly glance at topics people are raving and/or ranting about, with images and video to help contextualize it all. In addition to following Moments, you can also favorite and retweet sub-tweets inside Moments. Categories include Today, News, Sports, Entertainment, and Fun.

Moments are curated by Twitter as well as content partners including Bleacher Report, Buzzfeed, Entertainment Weekly, Fox News, Getty Images, Mashable, MLB, NASA, New York Times, Vogue, and the Washington Post. Even more partners are promised in the future.

iPhone and Android users can explore Moments on their mobile devices today, and desktop users in the US also have access to it as well. If you’re outside the US, the Moments hub is still out of reach (for now), but you can still access them whenever you see a Moment shared in your timeline.

If you’re someone who doesn’t like to follow celebrities or sports figures but still enjoys being “in the know” across interests like entertainment and sports, Moments is the destination to get your fix, right now.

[Via Twitter]

9 premieres to look out for in October: ‘Homeland,’ ‘The Leftovers,’ ‘AHS: Hotel,’ ‘The Walking Dead’ & more

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We’ve made it through premiere week, and now as we enter October there’s more than a handful of cable offerings you cannot miss. Popular series like Homeland and The Walking Dead make their highly anticipated returns this month. On Halloween, Ash vs. Evil Dead raises hell (literally) as the iconic Sam Raimi creation comes to the small screen. And there’s so much more debuting in-between. Check out my picks after the break. Continue reading 9 premieres to look out for in October: ‘Homeland,’ ‘The Leftovers,’ ‘AHS: Hotel,’ ‘The Walking Dead’ & more →

‘Serial’ podcast transitions to television with new investigative case in the works

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Serial, NPR’s This American Life offshoot podcast that took the nation by storm last October, is coming to television. Host Sarah Koenig and her producing partner Julie Snyder are behind the TV adaptation, and they’re teaming up with Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The Last Man on Earth, The LEGO Movie) to make it happen. According to Deadline, they’re “develop[ing] a cable series that would follow the making of the podcast as it follows a case.” The case at hand, mind you, is not the Adnan Syed investigation featured in the podcast’s first season; the TV show will tackle a new, still undisclosed case.

It was previously reported that Koenig and Snyder have been hard at work on seasons 2 and 3 of the Serial podcast. Last week, I attended a Serial-themed event hosted by the producing partners and they confirmed that they’re still concurrently working on the new seasons, due out this fall and in Spring 2016, respectively. They also referenced a mystery third project in the works, and perhaps the Serial TV series is what they were teasing.

Lord and Miller and Fox21 Television Studios have optioned the rights to the podcast and are currently shopping it around to cable networks. Due to Serial‘s immense popularity, it won’t take long for nets to bite.

“Chris and Phil take an unexpected approach to telling stories and that is so appealing to us at Serial,” Snyder said. “Developing a show with them is exciting because we feel like we speak the same language, only they’re smarter than us.”

“From the very first week of Serial’s release last fall, everyone at Fox 21TVS was obsessed with the podcast,” Fox21 head Bert Salke commented. “One year later, thanks to the incredible passion of Chris and Phil, who flew to New York and shared their vision with Sarah, Julie, Alissa [Shipp, This American Life producer] and Ira [Glass, This American Life host/producer] for what the series could be, we’re moving forward on this exciting project. What you have here is a ‘once every ten years creative storytelling phenom’ with a ‘once in ten years take’ with a ‘once in twenty-five years creative team.’ We are confident we’ll attract a spectacular writer and look forward to pitching it to outlets very soon.”

A self-proclaimed ardent fan of Serial the podcast, this news makes perfect sense to me. Serial, to me, was more than a podcast; it truly felt like I was listening to a TV show and imagining it come to life in my mind. Sort of like an audiobook, I guess. Taking that inventiveness and broadcasting it on a more mainstream platform opens up the addicting world of Serial to a larger audience. Details are scarce, but it sounds like the show will have a camera crew follow Koenig & co. as they perform their investigative duties and try to get to the bottom of an intriguing, unsolved case. This is me spitballing here, but maybe the series will follow the making of Serial’s third season, serving as a visual companion to the podcast. Whatever form it takes, the exciting possibilities are making my head spin. Serial is officially taking over, and there’s no better news than that.

[Via Deadline]

PS4’s latest update is massive, with improved social capabilities all around

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Sony’s PlayStation 4 is receiving its most significant system software update since launch and version 3.00 packs quite the punch. The ability to share gameplay with a wider audience is included thanks to expanded support for YouTube and Twitter. Joining Twitch and Ustream on the Broadcast Gameplay screen is YouTube; click the Share button on your DualShock 4 controller to access this screen and stream gameplay from PS4 directly to YouTube. Over on the Upload Video Clip screen, Twitter is now an option alongside Facebook, YouTube, and Daily Motion. Double tap the Share button to start recording your gameplay, and once it’s captured you can send up to 10 seconds of it to the Twittersphere. Live broadcast streams, video clips, and screenshots can be shared and viewed in the improved Live from PlayStation app; here you can browse popular trending content in real time.

You’ll surely notice two new icons featured on the PS4’s home screen. A new hub called Events provides an overview of activities taking place in the games you play most, as well as official broadcasts. Additionally, a dedicated section for PlayStation Plus gives you quick access to membership management, lists of the monthly free games to download, PS Plus deals, and a catalog of games you’ve redeemed through the subscription service on PS4. Oh, and here’s a biggie: online storage capacity has increased from 1GB to 10GB for all PS Plus members.

Sony is taking Party Chat to the next level with Communities. The former feature remains, but the latter one helps gamers foster groups based around shared interests, like games, genres, etc. When a Community is created, members can take advantage of a general discussion message board; text-based conversations and shared screenshots are supported here. Looking to jump into a friend’s game session? Hit him up on the Community board, or better yet, send him a “Request to Watch” notification–that’s new, too.

The Messages and Friends apps has been updated as well. You can now mark PSN friends as favorites, making it easier to group together and later find the people you chat and play games with the most. Stickers are supported in Messages; the first batch include ones themed around Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Knack, LittleBigPlanet 3, and Resogun.

Free system software update 3.00 hits PS4 on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Jump after the break to watch a brief glimpse of what’s in store, and click here to view more screenshots of the enhanced UI.

[Via PS Blog 1, 2] Continue reading PS4’s latest update is massive, with improved social capabilities all around →

Sam Smith selected to perform next James Bond theme song [Update: Hear it now]

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UPDATE (9/25): Right on time, Sam Smith’s Bond theme music has arrived and you can stream it now on Spotify or purchase it on iTunes. Generally, “Writing’s On The Wall” is being greeted with polarizing reviews. It’s a beautiful song, no doubt about that; Smith’s falsetto paired with the track’s cinematic strings is mesmerizing. The song, however, fails to provide its anticipated “drop” and it doesn’t boast the signature Bond boldness audiences have become accustomed to. It’s unapologetically a different kind of Bond theme, a soft ballad focused on delicate nuance. Me? I appreciate it and enjoy it, and I think it’s going to work well in SPECTRE, a Bond movie that aims to get personal and introspective. Take a listen. What do you think?

PREVIOUS (9/8): Adele. Jack White. Madonna. Sheryl Crow. Tina Turner. Gladys Knight. Duran Duran. Paul McCartney. What do all of these musicians have in common? Answer: Each of them have performed a James Bond theme song. Today, a new name gets added to the list. Rising crooner Sam Smith, who released his Grammy award-winning debut album In the Lonely Hour just last year, has been selected to sing the theme song for the upcoming 24th Bond film, SPECTRE. He’s the first British male solo artist since 1965 (Tom Jones, Thunderball) to record a Bond theme song.

Smith’s name had been rumored pool of artists to tackle the track, along with Ellie Goulding. But just last week when BBC Radio 2 asked the 23-year-old singer if he was secretly working on it behind closed doors, he shut it down. “That’s not me. That’s definitely not me,” he said. Lies! …I’m sure he was sworn to such secrecy. And then, early yesterday morning, Smith posted to Instagram an image with no caption–he’s wearing a ring with the infamous SPECTRE logo etched on it. The cat was out of the bag, and the very next day the announcement was made official.

The name of the track is “Writing’s On The Wall” and its written by Smith and Jimmy Napes. If you’ve been following Smith’s career so far, then the Napes name should ring a bell. The Grammy-winning producer assisted Smith with writing many songs from Lonely Hour including the popular single “Stay with Me.” Napes was also there during Smith’s Nirvana EP days, and he was also commissioned by Disclosure to co-write the Sam Smith-assisted hit “Latch.” Speaking of Disclosure, the English electronic brothers disclosed on Twitter that they, too, had a hand in producing “Writing’s On The Wall.” Full circle, indeed.

With permission granted, Smith hopped back onto Instagram to reveal the track artwork (see above) and share this message with his fans: “This is one of the highlights of my career. I am honoured to finally announce that I will be singing the next Bond theme song. I am so excited to be a part of this iconic British legacy and join an incredible line up of some of my biggest musical inspirations. I hope you all enjoy the song as much as I enjoyed making it. You can pre-order ‘Writing’s On The Wall’ on CD or vinyl using the link on my profile, or on iTunes from midnight.”

SPECTRE producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli added, “Sam and Jimmy have written the most inspirational song for Spectre and with Sam’s extraordinary vocal performance, ‘Writing’s On The Wall’ will surely be considered one of the greatest Bond songs of all time.”

The countdown is on; “Writing’s On The Wall” drops September 25. CD and vinyl singles can be preordered here. As soon as it releases, I’ll amend this post to include the highly anticipated track. SPECTRE hits theatres November 6.

[Via 007]

Netflix picks up cult British anthology series ‘Black Mirror’ for 12 new episodes

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Netflix knows how to pick ’em. Today the streaming service added Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror to its slate of original programming.

If you haven’t heard of the cult sci-fi series, it’s about time you did. Ever since the British anthology show made its way to Netflix, I’ve been spreading gospel about its unique nature and gripping storytelling. I previously described Black Mirror as The Twilight Zone for today’s tech-obsessed generation. Each standalone episode, to varying degrees, pulls back the curtain on what society might look like in our collective not-so-distant future. Episodes are intrinsically satirical, disturbing, unsettling, and most of all, wildly compelling. What’s out there now is a quick binge, too. Brooker produced two seasons (each comprising three episodes) and a special (featuring guest star Jon Hamm) for the UK’s Channel 4 network. All installments (minus the elusive special) are currently available to stream on Netflix, and I highly recommend you add them to your queue, stat.

Brooker has a keen sense of the world’s trepidations as our little “black mirrors” continue to consume our lives (read: smartphones, computers, televisions). Season 1’s “The Entire History of You” is widely considered the series best installment so far; in it, people are embedded with a device that allows you to record everything you do and see and hear. Obviously, this plays to people’s fears about Big Brother always watching, but it makes this fear even more intriguing by adding a personal twist. And then, of course, there’s “National Anthem” which focuses on a fictional Prime Minister who must have sex with a pig in order to save the kidnapped princess. Is a merely a coincidence that Brooker was able to predict something along these lines would actually take place in real life? I think not; he’s that good.

I’m happy to report that Brooker and his executive producing parter Annabel Jones are returning to helm the new episodes coming to Netflix soon. Brooker is already penning the 12 fresh installments, and production begins later this year in the UK. A release date has not been disclosed, but we can certainly cross our fingers for a 2016 launch.

“It’s all very exciting — a whole new bunch of Black Mirror episodes on the most fitting platform imaginable,” said Brooker in a press release. “Netflix connects us with a global audience so that we can create bigger, stranger, more international and diverse stories than before, whilst maintaining that ‘Black Mirror‘ feel. I just hope none of these new story ideas come true.”

“Charlie has created a one-of-a-kind series with an uncanny voice and prescient, darkly comedic vision. We’re tremendously proud to bring Black Mirror to our members as a Netflix original series,” added Cindy Holland, Netflix Vice President, original content.

Check out a mini-teaser after the break.

[Via Netflix] Continue reading Netflix picks up cult British anthology series ‘Black Mirror’ for 12 new episodes →

Nickelodeon ramps up the nostalgia factor with new ’90s programming block ‘The Splat’

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Four years after reintroducing its classic animated and live-action programming from the 90s, Nickelodeon is doing it again, but this time with a new name, a longer block, and a massive marketing push. So long, The ’90s Are All That. Welcome The Splat. This new programming block kicks off on TeenNick on October 5 and will air from 10pm to 6am. That’s a major expansion as the previous ’90’s block aired from midnight to 3am.

From the get-go, The Splat will air reruns of classic shows including All That, Are You Afraid of the Dark, Kenan & Kel, Rocko’s Modern Life, Rugrats, Salute Your Shorts, and The Wild Thornberrys.

“We are looking at our library to bring back ideas, shows that were loved, in a fresh new way,” Russell Hicks, president of content and development at Nickelodeon, spilled to Variety. “We are getting ready to bring back some of the ones [fans] told us multiple times they want to have brought back.”

The Splat is all about recreating Nick during the ’90s. So, for full nostalgia effect, programming stunts (Super Toy Run), promotions and interstitials (Doo-Wop Dinosaurs, Opera Lady) that filled air time during commercial breaks will also be making a comeback. It’ll feel as if you’ve been transported back in time, and that’s exactly what the network is going for here.

“We have been listening closely to our first generation of Nick kids that are craving the great characters and shows they grew up with watching Nickelodeon in the ‘90s,” said Cyma Zarghami, president of Viacom Kids and Family Group. “We designed The Splat with fans and their requests in mind, which means we’re bringing together these beloved series and a high level of digital engagement to give fans a retro media experience they can’t get anywhere else.”

In addition to airing the programming block, Nick intends to increase awareness with a website, a social media push across YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, and other popular platforms, and a custom emoji keyboard featuring related stickers and GIFs.

The time is ripe for something like The Splat. Need proof? Jimmy Fallon recently hosted a Good Burger reunion, inviting All That and Kenan & Kel alum Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell to the Tonight Show for some nostalgic fun. The sketch, embedded after the break, has racked over 4.3 million views in just two days. Watching it instantly brought me back to my youth, and there’s no doubt The Splat will do the same when it launches next month. Continue reading Nickelodeon ramps up the nostalgia factor with new ’90s programming block ‘The Splat’ →

Jimmy Fallon & ‘The Tonight Show’ present the quintessential ‘Empire’ parody, “Jimpire”

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The next Tonight Show Digital Original sketch is the Empire parody we should have gotten months ago when SNL didn’t quite hit the mark with theirs. This short is nothing short of hysterical.

Jimmy Fallon stars as Lyon patriarch Lucious. His Terrence Howard impression is one of his best to date; he’s got Howard’s shaky voice cadence down to a science. The premise borrows from the Fox soap. Jimmy’s vetting his inner circle to pick his heir to The Tonight Show, or as it’s aptly called here, the “Jimpire.” The late-night talk show host is self-deprecating at the top of the pre-taped sketch–he makes fun of his finger injury that’s seemingly taking forever to heal.

So who are Jimmy’s possible successors? There’s Questlove of The Roots, the Tonight Show‘s bandleader who harbors “a little secret.” Clearly this is a take on Empire‘s Jamal, but the secret isn’t what you think. Roots MC Tariq is another candidate, and he channels Hakeem with some drip-dripitty-drop-ing. Andre, the eldest Lyon, is also accounted for and the sketch has fun with the character’s temperamental mood swings. And finally there’s Tonight Show announcer Steve Higgins playing Higgy, the Cookie sendup here. He’s just as outrageous in the role as you think he’d be, and more.

There are a couple exciting Empire cameos sprinkled in, but I won’t ruin those for you. Who do you think has what it takes to run the Jimpire? Mash play and find out! (In case you’re wondering, the real Empire returns for its second season this Wednesday, Sept. 23 on Fox.) Continue reading Jimmy Fallon & ‘The Tonight Show’ present the quintessential ‘Empire’ parody, “Jimpire” →

‘Game of Thrones’ & ‘Veep’ win big at record-breaking Emmys

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Andy Samberg of Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine proved to be a fun host at the 67th Emmy Awards. He opened the star-studded night with a pre-taped opening number very much in the vein of his classic SNL Digital Shorts; I related to the sketch about a rabid TV binge-watcher a little too much. It was absolutely hysterical, and Samberg would go on to stretch that funny and quirky tone throughout the rest of the telecast. Later, another pre-taped segment aired featuring Samberg, his Lonely Island crew, and Parks and Rec‘s Jim O’Heir spoofing the Mad Men series finale. There was even a point where the host shared his HBO NOW login information; friends confirmed that it actually worked! Feel free to try it now–using the login khaleesifan3@emmyhost.com and password password1–though be warned that by now someone has likely changed that information to keep the account locked down for him or herself. All in all, though this year’s Emmys ran in a very traditional format (there weren’t any out-of-left-field surprises, unless you count Tracy Morgan’s comeback appearance at the end), Samberg managed to keep audiences thoroughly entertained as a welcome stage presence.

Moving onto the actual awards, this was a record-setting year at the Emmys for myriad reasons. First let’s start with the night’s big winners. HBO’s Game of Thrones and Veep were crowned Outstanding Drama and Comedy, respectively, taking home the most coveted awards of the evening. Thrones won a total of 12 Emmys this year–that’s the most wins in a single year for a series. The previous record holder was The West Wing which won 9 Emmys in 2000. In addition to Outstanding Drama, Thrones also won for its writing (David Benioff and Dan Weiss, “Mother’s Mercy”), directing (David Nutter, “Mother’s Mercy”), and acting (Peter Dinklage). Veep, meanwhile, broke Modern Family‘s winning streak just as the ABC sitcom was hoping to secure a record-setting sixth consecutive win. The HBO comedy took home trophies recognizing its actors (Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tony Hale) and writing (Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, and Tony Roche, “Election Night”). The premium cable network that airs these shows had the best night: HBO took home a grand total of 14 Emmys (thanks, in part, to Olive Kitteridge dominating the Limited Series categories) and it managed to do something that hasn’t been done in 13 years. The last time the same network had two series that won the Outstanding Drama and Comedy trophies in the same year was back in 2002 when NBC did it with West Wing and Friends.

Elsewhere, the incomparable Viola Davis became the first African American to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama for her role as Annalise Keating in ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder. Her historic acceptance speech was the best and most memorable of the night; if you missed it, you must watch it now. In addition to eloquently quoting Harriet Tubman, she went on to say this amazing line. “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity.”

Also of note, it was the cast of Mad Men‘s final year to win an Emmy and at long last leading man Jon Hamm got the statue. Though he was nominated for his iconic role as Don Draper seven times before, it took lucky number eight to finally break the mold and come out on top. His awkward crawl to the stage made the wait worth it.

Click here to browse all of the winners (and losers) from this year’s Emmy Awards. Spoiler alert: Amazon’s Transparent did well, too. Continue reading ‘Game of Thrones’ & ‘Veep’ win big at record-breaking Emmys →

Your guide to 2015 fall programming–CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX & CW premiere dates inside

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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! Continue reading Your guide to 2015 fall programming–CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX & CW premiere dates inside →