Fall TV: Inside Dish on 27 Shows

Mondays 8PM · Fox · Premieres Sept. 20
Starring: Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, Robert Sean Leonard

The season of Huddy has arrived! ''It would be ridiculous for us to get them into [a relationship] and then just end it,'' says series creator David Shore of the long-awaited romance between House and Cuddy. ''They want it to work and they're going to try and MAKE it work.'' —Michael Ausiello

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Mondays 9PM · NBC · Premieres Sept. 20
Starring: Blair Underwood (L.A. Law), Jason Ritter (Joan of Arcadia), Laura Innes (E.R.), Scott Patterson (Gilmore Girls), Zeljiko Ivanek (Damages)

What's it about? Tricky question. One of the joys of the crackerjack pilot is the thrill of discovery; the show doesn't fully reveal its own genre until the very last scene. What we can tell you is that the show is a mystery-thriller that evokes both 24 and Lost. Underwood plays the president, Elias Martinez, who has recently learned that the military has been maintaining a secret prison in a remote location for an unspecified period of time. Things go crazy once he decides to go against the wishes of powerful voices in his administration and liberate the detainees (a mysterious group led by Innes' Sophia Maguire). Key to the plot is Jason Ritter's Sean Walker, whose search for his abducted girlfriend has something to do with the conspiracy. The burning question facing The Event — besides ''What is The Event?'' — is whether the audience is ready for another intensely serialized mystery drama so soon after the end of Lost. Ritter says that if prospective viewers are worried that the show has no master plan or isn't committed to resolving mysteries quickly, then they shouldn't worry so much. ''I had the exact same concerns,'' says Ritter. ''But you could tell from the pilot script that the writers have a master plan. And I am able to say, having read to episode 4, it's not going to let anyone down. Or maybe I should say it hasn't let me down. I had similar concerns, and they've been quelled.'' —Jeff Jensen

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Tuesdays 8PM · Fox · Premieres Sept. 21
Starring: Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Jane Lynch

The pop culture phenomenon returns with the glee club, New Directions, attempting to recover from their season-finale loss to rivals Vocal Adrenaline at Sectionals. ''It's a new school year,'' explains co-creator/executive producer Brad Falchuk. ''What's gonna happen? They've had this year of growing and making their mark in the school and showing everybody that they can be cool. Are they any cooler? Winning might bring something, but losing, then getting a reprieve, certainly doesn't get you much.'' —Tim Stack

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Tuesdays 9:30PM · Fox · Premieres Sept. 21
Starring: Will Arnett, Keri Russell

Arrested Development's Arnett stars as selfish oil-company heir Steven Wilde, whose life changes when he reunites with childhood sweetheart-turned-environmental activist Emmy (Russell). ''This show, where it's gonna be different [from Arrested Development] is we learned a lot in terms of relationships on that show,'' Arnett says. ''For us this was the logical next step, to actually deal with relationships in a much realer way than we did before.'' —Jennifer Armstrong

Running Wilde: Go behind the scenes of EW photo shoot with Will Arnett and Keri Russell!

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Tuesdays 10PM · CBS · Premieres Sept. 28
Starring: Julianna Margulies, Josh Charles, Chris Noth, Christine Baranski, Archie Panjabi, Matt Czuchry

Part legal drama, part family drama, part hot office crushing (will Will find a way to woo Alicia this year?), this sophomore success story is addictive. ''We love what the audience loves about [Emmy-winning actress Archie Panjabi, who plays] Kalinda. There is a mystery and depth to her, but we thought it would be really fun to see her set back on her heels by a new investigator in the firm (Scott Porter),'' says exec producer Robert King. —Jessica Shaw

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Tuesdays 10PM · NBC · Premiered Sept. 14
Starring: Peter Krause, Lauren Graham, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Monica Potter, Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Sam Jaeger

After a rocky start and mediocre ratings, the touching family drama (loosely based on the Steve Martin film) picked up steam last season and became NBC's most promising scripted hour. ''I think it did get better. We had to figure out how to work with each other, because it's not your typical television work environment,'' says Krause of the show, which favors improvisation. ''I like that it's both poignant and funny. It feels really honest and believable to me.'' To us, too. —Dave Karger

Parenthood: Ken Tucker's take on the season premiere

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Wednesdays, 8PM · NBC · Premieres Sept. 22
Starring: Boris Kodjoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Steven (Kodjoe) and Samantha (Mbatha-Raw) have found an unusual way to reinvigorate their marriage: taking back their old jobs as killer spies. This J.J. Abrams series promises to be heavy on the romance and action, and light on the tricky mythology. ''It's a show that was by design a much lighter and more fun affair,'' says Abrams, creator of such shows as Alias, Lost, and Fringe. ''Having said that, you will discover as you watch that there are things about their past that the other doesn't know that comes back to haunt them. You will see that there are things about why they're even being brought back at all that they're in no way aware of.'' —Dan Snierson

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Wednesdays 8PM · CBS · Premieres Sept. 15
Starring: Jeff Probst

The 21st season of the reality competition show features a battle of the ages — literally — with one tribe all 40-and-over and another one all 30-and-younger. Also keep an eye for the show's most high-profile contestant ever, two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Jimmy Johnson, as well as a new twist called the Medallion of Power, which gives a tribe an advantage in a challenge. ''I think initially it hurts me,'' says Johnson on how his being a celebrity impacts his game. ''Without question I'm going to be a target and they're going to say, 'He doesn't need the money. Let's get him out of here.' But if I can somehow survive the first week or two, I think I can be successful in this game, because I'll contribute. I'm an outdoors guy, I live on the beach, I fish, I scuba dive. I can do some things to help the tribe.'' —Dalton Ross

Survivor: Jeff Probst talks new season — and his own future with the series

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Wednesday, 9PM · ABC · Premieres Sept. 22
Starring: Ed O'Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Eric Stonestreet, Sofia Vergara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson

The Emmy-winning mockumentary/family comedy returns with a new batch of episodes (meet Cam's mother! earthquake!), and, according to this guy named Ty, it's the same ol' Modern Family. In a good way. ''It was incredibly fun and comforting to come back and start working and to realize, 'Oh, this really is as fun as I've been saying it is for the last four months,''' says Burrell. ''The writing did not skip a beat.'' —DS

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Wednesdays 9PM · DirecTV · Premieres Oct. 27
Starring: Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton

Thirteen more episodes and it's game over for the beloved drama. ''Everyone involved with the show really wanted to make it a great ending,'' says exec producer Jason Katims. ''We wanted [the series finale] to be as rich and satisfying as possible.'' —MA

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Wednesdays 9:30PM · ABC · Premieres Sept. 22
Starring: Courteney Cox, Christa Miller, Busy Phillips, Josh Hopkins, Ian Gomez, Brian van Holt, Dan Byrd

Reason No. 1 to watch: It's not about so-called cougars.
Reasons Nos. 2-100: It's one of the funniest ensembles on TV. They're twisted, they're loyal, they're hilarious, they're emotional disasters, they're loving, and they're exactly the kind of people you want to spend Wednesday nights with. ''I would say we do get away with some stuff. I love the kind of humor where you go, 'Did she just say that?' I like comedy that pushes the envelope a little. I don't mind that it's offensive to some,'' says Cox. —JS

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Thursdays 8PM · The CW · Premiered Sept. 9
Starring: Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley

In the second season, the bloodsucking Salvatore brothers — good guy Stefan (Wesley) and bad boy/Ultimate Sexy Beast Damon (Somerhalder) — deal with their mutual feelings for Stefan's teenage human girlfriend Elena (Dobrev), the return of their manipulative vampire lover Katherine from 1864 (Dobrev, having all kinds of fun), witches, werewolves, and more. Exec producers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec know how to keep viewers tuning in: Each episode ends with a cliff-hanger, and the Salvatore brothers are frequently shirtless. ''Paul and Ian really, really committed as actors to achieving a physicality that represents the vampire physicality and worked their asses off, so they're actually kind of proud to show the results as opposed to wanting to keep their clothes on,'' Plec says. ''They understand that it's a sexy, scary, gothic show, and we don't do anything too gratuitous,'' Williamson adds. Says Plec, ''We actually sit and spend time debating about why people need to put their clothes back on for the scene.'' —Mandi Bierly

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

The Vampire Diaries: Get our take on the season premiere

Thursday 8PM · CBS · Premieres Sept. 23
Starring: Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg

The fourth season of the hit nerd-com picks up a few months after the curious first encounter between Sheldon (Parsons) and the Sheldon-esque Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) in May's finale. And while Penny (Cuoco) and Leonard (Galecki) will remain exes for now, expect Howard (Helberg) to turn over a new leaf thanks to the return of both ex-girlfriend Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) and Katee Sackhoff, as the imaginary embodiment of his conscience. ''Katee speaks to him [about] moving into a real relationship,'' says exec producer Chuck Lorre. —Adam B. Vary

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Thursdays 8:30PM · CBS · Premieres Sept. 23
Starring: William Shatner, Jonathan Sadowski

The show, pronounced Bleep My Dad Says, is based on the popular and profanely titled Twitter feed. ''You know this guy,'' says exec producer David Hohan (Will & Grace) of Shatner's war-vet papa. ''Not because he's vulgar, [but] because he speaks the unvarnished truth and doesn't care.'' —ABV

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Thursdays 8:30PM · NBC · Premieres Sept. 23
Starring: Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski

Liz (Fey) and Jack (Baldwin) will deal with the fallout of being in — gasp! — actually kind-of-real relationships, hers with pilot Carol (Matt Damon) and his with now baby-mama Avery (Elizabeth Banks). ''We're [also] dealing with all the Kabletown fun, which hopefully our new Kabletown bosses will enjoy,'' exec producer Robert Carlock says. ''I mean Comcast, the wonderful people of Comcast. We have not gotten any notes from them, but people who have met with them report back that they have a good sense of humor. We're going to put that to the test. I assure you it all comes out of a deep and abiding love.'' —JA

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Thursdays 9PM · NBC · Premieres Sept. 23
Starring: Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer

It's the beginning of the end for Steve Carell's Michael Scott. ''It's going to be a very busy year,'' acknowledges exec producer Greg Daniels of Carell's impending exit. ''The big thing is we want to do justice to this wonderful character and really send him off in great style.'' —MA

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Thursdays 9PM · The CW · Premiered Sept. 9
Starring: Maggie Q, Shane West, Lyndsay Fonseca

A reboot based loosely around the 1990 Luc Besson film, La Femme Nikita (which also spawned a Bridget Fonda remake and a USA series), the series follows an assassin (Maggie Q) as she plots revenge on the shadowy government agency that trained her to kill. ''The original film is an origin story,'' says executive producer Craig Silverstein. ''We're following Nikita in a chapter of her life you've never seen before. In that way, it's sort of an amalgam of the movie and the [USA] TV series.'' —TS

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Nikita: Get our take on the season premiere

Thursdays 9PM · The CW · Premieres Sept. 24
Starring: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles

The monsters are coming! The monsters are coming! ''The initial mystery that Sam and Dean are looking into has to do with the fact that monsters are acting off pattern in this sort of postapocalyptic landscape,'' reveals exec producer Sera Gamble. ''There's a [bit of a] monster mystery.'' —MA

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Supernatural: See season 6 trailer!

Thursdays 10PM · NBC · Premieres Sept. 16 at 9PM
Starring: Donald Trump

For the first time in three years, The Apprentice jettisons celebrities and returns to its roots. The twist this year for relevancy? All of the contestants have been majorly affected by the recession, ensuring that they're all extra hungry to win — and be nasty in the infamous boardroom. ''We've taken people that have tremendous educations, tremendous potential, and in many cases, have had tremendous success in jobs — but don't have that now,'' Trump explains, ''and we're putting them into a very tough situation where they have to prove that they can do it.'' —Tanner Stransky

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Fridays 8PM · The CW · Premieres Sept. 24
Starring: Tom Welling, Erica Durance, Kristin Kreuk

Sky's the limit for Clark Kent as the Superman drama bows out after 10 seasons. ''Never say never,'' muses Durance (Lois) of the possibility of an 11th season. ''It's been a great ride. It's a great story. People love superhero stories.'' —MA

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Fridays 10PM · CBS · Premieres Sept. 24
Starring: Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes

A New York family full of law enforcers — Selleck's police commissioner Frank Reagan, detective son Danny (Wahlberg), assistant-DA daughter Erin (Moynahan), and cop Jamie (Estes) — fight crime by day and squabble with each other around the dinner table. ''I hope what we get out of the police commissioner's point of view at work is not just that I know how to bark orders,'' Selleck says. ''It's easy for people to understand the pressure on the streets because it's right there, but the pressure of leadership is ordering people into battle. And he's gotta balance that with the fact that he doesn't want people to think he's favoring his kids.'' —JA

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Fridays 10PM · NBC · Premieres Wednesday, Sept. 15
Starring: Jimmy Smits

Supreme Court justice Cyrus Garza (Smits) steps down from the high bench to get back to helping the masses as a lawyer — but unfinished business from both his ultra-conservative political life and his very-loose personal life continues to dog him. ''[The show] can be very topical and substantive thematically,'' says Smits. ''I'm always more drawn to something that hopefully can provoke thought.'' —JA

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Sundays 8-9PM · AMC · Premieres Oct. 31 (with a 90-minute pilot directed by Frank Darabont)
Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Jeffrey DeMunn, Sarah Wayne Callies

A band of survivors attempt to keep their humanity — and their intestines — intact during a zombie apocalypse in this adaptation of Robert Kirkman's long-running comic book. ''If you're aware of the graphic novel then you'll absolutely know that it's character-based,'' says Lincoln. ''One of the most entertaining things about the job, frankly, is that you can be doing this intimate love scene and then the next scene you've got to beat a zombie to death.'' —Clark Collis

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Sundays 9PM · Showtime · Premieres Sept. 26
Starring: Michael C. Hall

At the end of last season, blood-spatter analyst/serial murderer Dexter Morgan (Hall) vanquished the Trinity Killer (John Lithgow), but not before...SPOILER ALERT...SPOILER ALERT...Trinity murdered Dexter's wife, Rita (Julie Benz). This season, we pick up mere minutes after her death, as Dexter experiences something resembling grief and guilt while trying to play the role of single dad. He'll also encounter Lumen (Julia Stiles), a young woman dealing with a different kind of trauma. Says Hall of Dexter: ''I think the tension between the suppression of real emotion and the existence of real emotion has never been more intense.'' —DS

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Sundays 9PM · ABC · Premieres Sept. 26
Starring: Eva Longoria, Marcia Cross, Felicity Huffman, Teri Hatcher, Vanessa Williams

Big news this year: Vanessa Williams is joining the ladies of Wisteria Lane as the fifth Housewife! Her character, Renee, is a high-rolling baseball wife who will butt heads with several of the ladies this season, but especially with her old college roommate, Lynette. ''I think that people who love Wilhelmina [from Ugly Betty] will be happy to continue to see nuances that they might be yearning for,'' says former Betty star Williams of her new character on Desperate, ''but it's a different show, and I don't have my Marc, and I don't have my Betty to insult on an episode-by-episode basis.'' —TS

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Sundays 9PM · CBS · Premieres Sept. 26 at 10PM
Starring: Bosses announced for this season include executives from NASCAR, DirecTV, Chiquita, and Great Wolf Resorts

As the American economy continues to sputter, Undercover Boss shines a welcome spotlight on the myriad of workers who help keep this country's giant corporations chugging along. Perhaps that explains why this reality series, in which executives go undercover as entry-level employees of their own companies, was last year's most watched new program. ''Many viewers felt, 'I wish my boss was like that,''' says show creator Stephen Lambert. ''People feel that there's a lot wrong with the workplace, [but] here's a show about workers being appreciated for doing ordinary jobs. That's hugely emotional for those involved, and also for the viewers.'' —John Young

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.

Mondays 10PM · CBS · Premieres Sept. 20
Starring: Alex O'Loughlin, Scott Caan, Daniel Dae Kim, Grace Park

A reboot of the classic TV series that still falls back on some of the beloved old features, like the kick-ass theme song and the occasional ''Book 'em Danno.'' More than a remake, this is an origin story, insists executive producer Peter Lenkov. ''They did that show for 12 years. It was a great show. But the one thing that was missing from those 12 years was how this team came together. That's what I felt like I could add to this — mining the series and looking for little clues that existed to tell that backstory.'' —Lynette Rice

For more on this show, check out our Fall TV Preview issue.