Fall TV 2018: Exclusive looks at 104 of this year's biggest shows

Candice Bergen reprises her iconic role as an investigative journalist, but this time she hosts an eponymous talk show with her old pals Corky (Faith Ford), Frank (Joe Regalbuto), and Miles (Grant Shaud). Her son Avery (Jake McDorman) is now a grown man working as the lone liberal voice on a Fox News-like network, much to his mom’s chagrin. “Unlike Murphy, he’s really interested in moving toward the middle and having a conversation with some of these people he met on the campaign trail who felt like they haven’t been represented.” Tyne Daly also joins the action as a less-than-tolerant barkeep named Phyllis. —Lynette Rice

NBC’s outstanding afterlife comedy The Good Place returns for season 3 with its feet planted firmly on Earth, where in-limbo souls Eleanor (Kristen Bell), Chidi (William Jackson Harper), Tahani (Jameela Jamil) and Jason (Manny Jacinto) have been granted do-overs by Judge Jen (Maya Rudolph). “A lot of stuff happened in that year,” sums up Good Place creator Mike Schur. “They’re in wildly different places than we’ve ever seen them.” No spoilers here — okay, one spoiler: After questioning the nature of his existence, Jason decides to… focus even harder on his dance crew. —Dan Snierson

Enough with the lonliness already! Expect a far-more-adventurous Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) this season—at least when it comes to love. “Meredith is gonna date,” Pompeo explains. “People who lose their spouses do want to find love again.” A patient who’s also a matchmaker shows up in the first episode, which helps set the stage for a lighter, more romantic tone in the first part of the season, especially when it comes to Maggie (Kelly McCreary) and Jackson (Jesse Williams) “exploring love that they have finally claimed,” teases executive producer Krista Vernoff. The real drama comes with the return of Dr. Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) and how her presence affects Owen (Kevin McKidd) and Amelia (Caterina Scorsone). “I don’t even know where that story goes yet, but boy is it fun trying to figure it out,” adds Vernoff.

Last season, Frank (Charlie Weber) recognized Gabriel Maddox (Rome Flynn) and immediately placed a call to a mysterious person. “Her kid is here,” Frank said on the phone. Fans immediately speculated the “her” in that sentence was Bonnie (Liza Weil), who revealed in season 4 that she gave birth to a stillborn after she was raped at 15. The new season will explore more of that backstory, while a far-less-tortured Annalise (Viola Davis) will figure out what’s next in her always complicated life. “Does she have room in her life for love?” teases executive producer Pete Nowalk. Timothy Hutton also joins the cast in a secret role. — Lynette Rice

For the squad’s milestone 20th season—tying it with the original Law & Order and Gunsmoke as the longest-running prime-time drama—SVU is going big with a two-hour opener that will leave fans “shocked,” showrunner Michael Chernuchin teases. Keeping with the show’s tradition of ripping plots from the headlines, expect to see episodes around immigration, incels, and the #MeToo movement. Meanwhile, Benson (Mariska Hargitay) will be facing her own mortality. As Chernuchin warns: “She’s been working very hard for 20 years, and she doesn’t run as fast as she used to.” — Jessica Dershowitz

After getting kicked off the team for lying and letting down Hondo (Shemar Moore) last season, Jim Street (Alex Russell) begins season 2 of this law enforcement drama in a bad place—and we’re not just talking about how he’s been downgraded to the patrol division. “He isn’t handling it well and is kinda spiraling a bit,” explains executive producer Shawn Ryan. S.W.A.T. team-mate Chris Alonso (Lina Esco) tries to mediate the situation so the old gang can get back together, but “that won’t be such a quick journey,” adds Ryan. Hondo also meets a love interest in the district attorney’s office played by Nikiva Dionne, but it’s not for keeps. “It’s more like two people in need of each other at this particular moment.” — Lynette Rice

In the new series star Vicki Lawrence is referring to as “Leisure World shenanigans,” an unlikely group of friends in a retirement home find themselves in a weekly series of misadventures. Lawrence, in her first leading role on television in years, stars alongside David Alan Grier, Martin Mull, and Leslie Jordan as the titular “Cool Kids.” When the death of a friend leaves an empty spot at their boys’ club lunch table, Margaret (Lawrence) seizes the moment to become one of the self-christened “Cool Kids.” It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Charlie Day created the show, which Lawrence bills as an
older version” of the FX sitcom. —Maureen Lee Lenker

Tim Allen’s sitcom has a new network, new night, and even a new daughter (Molly Cook replacing Molly Ephraim), but otherwise the family comedy is picking up right where it left off when ABC controversially axed the show after six seasons last year. Expect more of fishing store owner Mike Baxter’s (Allen) brand of middle America perspective as the revival tackles family and social issues (while perhaps picking up some of ABC’s discarded Roseanne audience). —James Hibberd

MacGyver (Lucas Till) has left the country. After quitting the Phoenix Foundation in the season 2 finale, September’s premiere finds the absurdly handy agent living in Nigeria. “We did an episode last year where there was a well fire, and he connected with a man in a village,” says executive producer Peter Lenkov. “He goes back to that village and ends up falling in love with a local girl there. He’s found a new purpose.” That new purpose, however, won’t last. The Phoenix Foundation will need MacGyver’s special set of skills as early as episode 1. After all, who else can start a car engine using only a set of dog tags? — Samantha Highfill

Gordon Ramsay has been be-rating inept cooks for undercooked scallops and burnt Wellingtons for more than a decade, so why check out the 18th edition of Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen? Coming off last season’s popular “All-Stars” edition, the series introduces a new twist with “Rookies vs. Veterans,” pitting returning favorites against hungry newcomers. “I wanted to give the all-stars a kick in the ass,” Ramsay says. “Our rookies are millennials who have been studying on YouTube. They’re hungry, raw talent and it’s incredibly competitive.” The result, Ramsay declares, is “by far” the show’s best season yet (and let’s face it: Chef is nothing if not judgy). — James Hibberd

If last season of Blue Bloods was about grief and acceptance — as Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) struggled to move on from his wife Linda’s shocking death — this one is all about new beginnings. A refresher for where we left off: After years of squad-car bickering, Jamie (Will Estes) and Eddie (Vanessa Ray) abruptly announced at a Reagan family dinner that they were engaged. And season 9 won’t waste any time unpeeling the lovebirds’ new dynamic, particularly as it relates to them figuring out how to still work together as partners. “Like anybody in a relationship, you think, ‘Nothing’s going to change, right?'” teases Ray. Yeah, we wouldn’t bet on that. —David Canfield

Trip into season 29 to see a frog jumping onto a freaked-out macho man, a turkey going postal on a mailman—plus, a boy trying on his first pair of glasses and noticing Mom’s wrinkles, “which could be wrong and fun at the same time,” says host Alfonso Ribeiro. Also, home-security cameras will capture painful spills. “That should be funny, especially in winter when we get a bunch of icy porches and sidewalks,” says Ribeiro. “As long as we don’t draw blood, we’re good.” — Dan Snierson

In the season 30(!!!) premiere, when an injured Bart (Nancy Cartwright) lies to Marge (Julie Kavner) and tells her he saw Jesus, “Homer [Dan Castellaneta] and Ned [Harry Shearer] are asked to write a Christian movie about it,” says showrunner Al Jean. Gal Gadot auditions as Lisa (Yeardley Smith), and, in the film, “she’s eating hamburgers and saying she can’t sing, and it makes the real Lisa very aggravated,” he adds. Also, “Treehouse of Horror XXIX” parodies Jurassic Park and features “an opening where Cthulhu gets into an eating contest with Homer,” says Jean. “I’ll leave you to guess who might win.” — Dan Snierson

Is Tina Belcher really boy crazy? Her family certainly thinks so. But the oldest Belcher kid (voiced by Dan Mintz) faces her biggest source of hormonal confusion head-on in the Bob’s Burgers season 9 premiere. She chases her crush to the open auditions for boy band Boyz4Now, where she ends up amid hundreds of teenage guys. The episode will feature multiple musical numbers with Broadway royalty—namely Hamilton alum Daveed Diggs and Book of Mormon’s Andrew Rannells, Josh Gad, and Rory O’Malley—voicing the objects of Tina’s affection. —Piya Sinha-Roy

If you received a friend request from someone claiming to be the Almighty, you’d probably assume it was a fake account—until that account directed you to saving a stranger’s life. CBS’ new drama sees atheist and podcast host Miles (Brandon Micheal Hall) set on a life-changing course via Facebook. “He’s a modern-day prophet, but not by God—by social media,” says EP Bryan Wynbrandt. “People think these apps are divisive tools, but Miles uses them to bring people together, which is what they were designed for in the first place.” —Ruth Kinane

Season 16 begins with a two-part episode in which Brian (voiced by creator Seth MacFarlane) marries a terminally ill woman (Casey Wilson). “As is always the case with marriage,” says EP Rich Appel, “nothing is surprising after the vows.” In another two-parter, Donald Trump recruits Peter (also MacFarlane) to be his press secretary, but they duke it out after the president “crosses the line” with Meg (Mila Kunis). “We should be so lucky if he tweeted that he hated it,” EP Alec Sulkin notes of Trump. “Also, for the first time ever, we’re contemplating doing a Russian version of the show that we can release for his true fans.”

After the team’s car was hit by a rocket in the season 9 finale (dang that Mexican cartel!), the action picks up seconds later with the lives of G. Callen (Chris O’Donnell), Sam Hanna (LL Cool J), Marty Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen), and Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah) hanging in the balance. “Let’s just say we have our fingers crossed!” teases showrunner R. Scott Gemmill about potential deaths or injuries. And for those who manage to survive, “there will be some long-term effects, physically and mentally, on our characters as well as their careers,” he adds. “The full fallout lasts for several episodes.” —Lynette Rice

Cedric the Entertainer returns to TV as Calvin Butler, a Los Angeles dad with a wife, Tina (Tichina Arnold), and two sons whose world is rocked when a chipper white guy named Dave Johnson (Max Greenfield) moves in next door with his lovely wife, Gemma (Beth Behrs), in the predominantly black neighborhood. The Johnsons seem unfazed by their new surroundings, but Calvin thinks “the sky is falling,” explains Cedric, who believes the country is ready for a sitcom like this. “We can have interesting conversations in funny ways about our country’s racial divide,” he says. “It also allows us to show we’re more the same than we are different.” —Lynette Rice

Damon Wayans Jr. is happy again. The Happy Endings alum stars as accountant Jake, half of a married couple whose “Netflix and chill—without the chill” life is thrown upside down when his firm’s client, a world-famous pop star (Felix Mallard), moves in with them to escape the spotlight. But the show’s central partnership between Jake and his wife, Claire (Amber Stevens West), is what appealed most to Wayans. “A lot of times on television [a couple is] just putting up with each other,” he says. “This couple actually enjoys each other.” But Wayans insists he’ll carry on the tradition of the sitcom husband: “There’s always a lesson to be learned!” —Derek Lawrence

The action picks up six months after Jason Hayes (David Boreanaz) returned home from Afghanistan with a noggin injury. He’s fully recovered and back to work, but the Bravo Team’s deployment to the Middle East continues to have a negative impact on their relationships, and Ray Perry (Neil Brown Jr.) is still in the doghouse after lying about his shoulder. “Season 2 is all about expanding the scope of the world and deepening our understanding of Tier One operators,” explains executive producer John Glenn. The SEAL Team will also travel to new regions of the world, including a special two-part episode this year that takes the show to Mumbai. —Lynette Rice

The season 14 premiere episode is the show’s 300th, so executive producer Erica Messer has a treat for the sentimental fans, starting with some footage from the drama’s 2005 pilot and flashbacks of how the current team was introduced. “For a second, you will see old characters across the screen, but it’s all about the present team and how most of them have been together for over a decade,” explains Messer. “It’s just a little reminder and a little shout-out to those who have watched the evolution of the show.” —Lynette Rice

The NBC workplace comedy’s third season ended with the moment fans had been waiting for: Amy (America Ferrera) and Jonah (Ben Feldman) finally hooked up — and every Cloud 9 store around the world watched them do it. You can expect that this will have an affect on everyone in season 4, which picks up four or five months after the finale. “We’re going to find out that Jonah and Amy have both been suspended for a number of months,” says Spitzer. “Everyone else knows there’s something there [between Amy and Jonah] and that changes the way they deal with each other and the way everybody deals with them.” Overall, Spitzer promises that change will be big a part of the season. “This season is going to be really exciting and a little bit of a departure from what we’ve seen in the past.” —Chancellor Agard

The premiere will pick up seconds after the season 1 finale, when just about everyone’s lives were in jeopardy while battling a skyscraper fire. The crisis will have a profound impact on Ben Warren (Jason George), who starts to question whether transitioning from Grey Sloan Memorial to a firehouse was really the best idea. “You go full steam ahead and then you evaluate, especially when you go through something like that fire,” explains executive producer Stacy McKee. “He’s left with a difficult decision to either save a victim or to save one of his fellow firefighters.” Does that mean his wife, Miranda Bailey (Grey’s Anatomy‘s Chandra Wilson), comes to his rescue? “We definitely have a lot of ways in which [the two series’] worlds will be crossing paths, for sure,” McKee promises.

The second season of the revival is jam-packed with guest stars: Matt Bomer and David Schwimmer as love interests for Will (Eric McCormack) and Grace (Debra Messing), Chelsea Handler as a Grace Adler Designs client who falls for Grace’s sister Janet (Mary McCormack), Olympic medalist Adam Rippon in a cameo, and Minnie Driver reprising her role as Karen’s nemesis Lorraine Finster. Meanwhile, Jack (Sean Hayes) is navigating his new relationship with Estefan Gloria (Brian Jordan Alvarez). “They describe their relationship as monogam-ish,” teases executive producer Max Mutchnick.

“We all walk around feeling like we’re not good enough and apologizing for just existing,” says Sarayu Blue, the star of NBC’s new sitcom—from executive producer Amy Poehler—about Emet, an overwhelmed mother/wife/daughter/videogame designer with a persistent guilty conscience. “Emet is a delightful disaster making her way through life’s craziness, and this brings that female perspective to the forefront in a relatable way,” says Blue (No Tomorrow, Monday Mornings). Her costar and on-screen husband, Paul Adelstein, a Shonda Rhimes favorite who’s appeared in everything from Private Practice to Scandal as well as Bravo’s Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, agrees. “It really blows up the whole Instagram-perfect family we assume everyone else exists in,” he says. “Sometimes on TV there’s conflict, but it’s nice and neat with little bows, a lesson and hug at the end; that’s not this.” Prepare to feel good about feeling bad. —Ruth Kinane

Fresh off the success of Crazy Rich Asians, Constance Wu is back in suburban Orlando. In season 5 of the comedy, Wu’s character, Jessica, is getting her own taste of the spotlight as her crime thriller, A Case of a Knife to the Brain, is published. “You’re going to see her deal with the realities of publishing and putting her work out there and what it means to her and how it will affect her whole family,” says Wu. Plus, NBA superstar Scottie Pippen guest-stars as himself, Jessica and Louis’ (Randall Park) eldest son, Eddie (Hudson Yang), is learning to drive, and neighbors Honey (Chelsey Crisp) and Marvin (Ray Wise) bring home their baby. “It’s interesting to see the different parenting styles,” says Wu, who adds that, of course, “Jessica has her opinions.” —Patrick Gomez

Minnie Driver reunites with her Will & Grace dad, John Cleese, in the season 3 premiere of her family sitcom. The two are playing father and daughter again—and their relationship is just as complicated. “They had a huge fight 20 years ago, and they haven’t spoken,” says Driver. “And when we get evicted from our house in Los Angeles [in the season 2 finale], the only thing left to do is to go to London and ask my dad for money.” Oh, and there’s a musical number! “There is a musical aspect to the new season,” says Driver, who first sang on the show in the season 2 premiere. “I think there’s gonna be a lot more because I’m obsessed with it.” —Patrick Gomez

Ricky Gervais is taking part in a different kind of conference-room meeting. The Office co-creator trades paper salesmen for “scary smart” kids on Child Support—the sophomore quiz show hosted by Fred Savage where the lifeline for contestants is a group of youngsters gathered with Gervais at a separate location. “People say never work with animals or children, but I think I prefer both to actors,” jokes the comedian. “I come in and spend a couple of days with kids, and then leave and the grown-ups have to do all the work.” David Brent would be proud. —Derek Lawrence

Though they had to start writing season 2 before season 1 of the animated puberty comedy launched last September, co-creator and star Nick Kroll says the team was “pleasantly surprised” they bet on the right elements to go bigger with for season 2. (Read that as more musical numbers, including a female-body-empowerment song from Maya Rudolph as the Hormone Monstress.) Speaking of going bigger, Gina Rodriguez joins the cast as a classmate whose newly developed breasts have the boys staring and the girls feeling inadequate. “You see less of women’s and girls’ puberty expressed in popular culture, and we saw a lot of great stories to tell in that space,” says Kroll, who also teases a “coming-of-age moment” for his character Coach Steve and the addition of the Shame Wizard (voiced by Fargo‘s David Thewlis) as a nemesis for the hormone monsters. “We were watching Fargo season 3 as we were writing the Shame Wizard,” says Kroll. “David’s Fargo character is one of the most charming, disturbing, villainous characters that I can remember. We sort of used that as inspiration for the Shame Wizard, and we thought, ‘There’s just no way this fine actor will do this show, but we might as well ask him.’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, I’d love to!'” —Patrick Gomez

The alternate-history drama—in which the Allies lost World War II—is finally going all-in on alternate realities after two seasons of glimpsing other timelines through Tagomi (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa). “We go far deeper into the sci-fi space than we have in previous seasons,” executive producer Isa Dick Hackett promises, adding that this season adapts chapters of Philip K. Dick’s planned, but never completed, sequel to the novel that serves as the series’ source material. “There is a grand plan at work.” That grand plan involves a black-market dealer named Wyatt (Jason O’Mara), a new man in Juliana’s (Alexa Davalos) life. “He’s inspired by Juliana,” EP Daniel Percival hints. “They develop a very meaningful partnership.” And in a fascist reality, the more allies, the better. —Shirley Li

The final season of Versailles begins with the unveiling of the title palace’s gleaming centerpiece: the Hall of Mirrors. So, now that Louis XIV has completed the magnificent château he set out to build in season 1, “we wanted to try to explore the idea of the man who has everything,” says George Blagden, who plays the young Sun King. “What next?” Taking on the church—not to mention a mysterious man in an iron mask, that’s what. Mon dieu! —Mary Sollosi

Twelve of the nation’s best under-14 ballroom dancers will pair up with well-known kiddie celebs in this why-did-it-take-so-long spin-off of ABC’s long-running competition series. DWTS season 25’s Jordan Fisher and Frankie Muniz host, while DWTS: Athletes champ Adam Rippon, pro Val Chmerkovskiy, and choreographer Mandy Moore serve as judges. Pros Lindsay Arnold, Cheryl Burke, and others will be mentors. “Casting was amazing!” says EP Andrew Llinares. “There were a lot of kids who were excited about being part of the show. I think they’ll surprise people.” —Lynette Rice

Leading man Andrew Lincoln will be departing the cable hit in the first half of season 9 to spend more time with his family in his native England. And one of the leading ladies, Lauren Cohan, is leaving to star alongside Scott Foley on ABC’s midseason drama Whiskey Cavalier. But new TWD showrunner Angela Kang points out that this is certainly not the first time the show has had to deal with saying goodbye to a beloved character. “Loss has always been part of the [show],” says Kang, who also notes the new possibilities such change can provide. “It gives characters an opportunity to step up in different ways that maybe we haven’t seen,” she says. “So beyond the responsibility that we feel towards servicing those stories of those that are leaving, it’s also really making sure that the stories of the wonderful cast that we have staying are engaging and rich and take us in different directions.” Whether those directions involve Rick dying remains to be seen. —Dalton Ross

Former secretaries of state Hillary Clinton, Colin Powell, and Madeleine Albright play themselves in the season 5 premiere, but sadly they’re not there to stump for Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni), who is considering a run for president. “Here’s the dilemma,” says creator Barbara Hall. “The minute she declares her run, she can’t be secretary of state anymore. And it’s not time for her to run. The president [Keith Carradine] is only on the second year of his term. We’ll try to fit this in real time and do a season when she announces. Maybe next season?” But the nation needs her now! —Lynette Rice

Season 10 boasts guests like Miami Dolphins executive Matt Higgins and “big surprises and shocking outcomes that leave the Sharks’ mouths agape,” says showrunner Clay Newbill. Plus, guest Shark/NBA legend Charles Barkley will slack jaws. “The most unforgettable moment is his take on a male grooming company for the nether regions,” teases Newbill. “The other Sharks about fell out of their chairs.” Brace also for true commitment from two more-than-business partners: “When the pitch was over, the male entrepreneur took a knee and proposed,” says Newbill. “They were pitching, oddly enough, engagement rings.” What percentage of their wedding gifts will Mr. Wonderful get? —Dan Snierson

Season 5 might be the show’s best one yet. “I think this could be very similar to season 1 in [terms of] the heart and humor and scope,” says star Grant Gustin. The revelation that Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) is Iris (Candace Patton) and Barry’s (Gustin) grown daughter from the future is a source of both lightheartedness and family drama. “They’re learning all the lessons parents learn when their kids grow up,” says EP Todd Helbing. Furthermore, Nora’s presence is connected to the villainous Cicada (Chris Klein), who can dampen other metahumans’ powers. Says Gustin, “He comes on really hard and fast the first time we meet him.” —Chancellor Agard

There’s no going back to the way things used to be for the Pierce family in season 2 of this superhero drama, which explores the consequences of the secrets that came out in season 1. “We quickly discover that a new normal is gonna have to be found,” says star Cress Williams. Picking up a week after the finale, the season tracks the effects of the Green Light drug on Freeland while also following Anissa (Nafessa Williams)—a.k.a. Thunder—as she cultivates a life outside of being a superhero, which opens the door for the return of her season 1 love interest, Grace Choi (Chantal Thuy).

Even simple fun in Riverdale turns deadly. Season 3’s major murder mystery revolves around some “ritualistic” killings connected to a popular role-playing game. “One of the things that the kids discover pretty early on is that the murder victims in the present were playing a Dungeons & Dragons-like game called Griffins & Gargoyles,” says executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. “And what our kids in the present discover is that their parents, when they were in high school, also were playing this game and there was a similar murder that happened in the past.” Maybe it’s best to stick to Scrabble. —Tim Stack

Based on the real life of former NFL player Spencer Paysinger, All American follows high schooler Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) as he chases his dream of playing football. That dream, however, takes him out of his hometown in South Central Los Angeles and into the world of Beverly Hills when Coach Billy Baker (Taye Diggs) recruits him. The result is a story about a kid who has to go back and forth from a world he knows to one he doesn’t. “He’s very much straddling those two worlds and feeling like he doesn’t belong in either,” showrunner April Blair says. —Samantha Highfill

Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) is gone. For now. Supernatural’s season 13 finale saw the archangel Michael (Christian Keyes) take over Dean’s vessel in order to defeat Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino) and save the world. That’s the good news. The bad news is that, at the start of season 14, Michael is still in possession of Dean’s vessel, and he’s not exactly looking to give it back. Instead, he’s trying to figure out how to “make a better world,” says co-showrunner Andrew Dabb. What that means, however, remains to be seen. —Samantha Highfill

When the thriller picks up three months after Jane (Jaimie Alexander) reawakens as alter ego Remi, the team still hasn’t picked up on her, well, new personality. “Every time she doesn’t necessarily remember anything, she can chalk it up to her memory problems,” showrunner Martin Gero points out. “She’s got a cover.” But with Sandstorm dismantled, Remi’s left untethered—and she’s more dangerous because of it. “She’s completely infiltrated the FBI, so what does she do now?” Gero says. “In the beginning of season 4, she’s formulating a plan.” Looks like after all this time, Jane remains her own worst enemy. —Shirley Li

The Carringtons’ world quite literally went up in flames at the end of Dynasty’s first season, but somehow the drama is only just beginning. Season 2 will introduce a new Cristal (played by telenovela star Ana Brenda Contreras) and the character of Kirby (Maddison Brown), the daughter of the Carringtons’ butler, Anders. “[Kirby] had a lot of issues with Fallon and the Carringtons in general, and she arrives as a real pot-stirrer at the beginning of the season,” showrunner Sallie Patrick says. And let’s not forget a major mystery that has yet to be solved: Who started the fire? —Samantha Highfill

Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) is kicking off Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s fourth and final season in the worst place possible: Prison. Quick refresher: She ended season 3 by confessing to attempted murder. “It was a slightly misguided opportunity to take responsibility for everything by pleading guilty in a metaphysical sense,” co-creator Aline Brosh McKenna says. “But they don’t put you in jail for very long for metaphysical crimes.” And don’t worry, Rebecca won’t leave jail until she puts her own twist on Chicago’s “Cell Block Tango.” —Samantha Highfill

This new take on Shirley Jackson’s classic novel (previously adapted for film in 1963 and 1999) finds a group of estranged adult siblings dealing with ghosts that have been haunting them since they lived in the titular house as children. “The house represents the past, and we can’t escape it,” says star Elizabeth Reaser. “The house is inside of us all now, in a way.” The series jumps back and forth in time, with the story being told in present day as well as through flashbacks to the family’s disturbing time at Hill House. (Henry Thomas and Carla Gugino play the parents in the flashbacks.) Adds creator/exec producer Mike Flanagan (Oculus): “This is a show about confronting the past, and for these characters the only way to do that is to return to the house. But the big question is whether all of them will come out.” —Tim Stack

“I said yes before they could finish asking,” Kerry Bishé (Halt and Catch Fire) says of signing on to appear in one part of The Romanoffs, an eight-installment anthology series from Mad Mencreator Matthew Weiner. It begins streaming with two parts available Oct. 12, and then airs weekly. The show traverses multiple continents, and the stand-alone tales—which vary in tone—are loosely threaded together by a character (or characters) claim to ties to the famous Russian dynasty of the title. Although The Romanoffs is shrouded in Weiner-esque mystery, Bishé was satisfied when she saw her piece of the puzzle. “I feel like each episode of the show is sort of like a riddle, and I was relieved when I got to the end and I was like, ‘Oh, we came in for a landing. I feel good about the resolution here.'” —Sarah Rodman

DC Universe’s inaugural series follows Robin, a.k.a. Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites), as he teams up with several other young superheroes — Starfire (Anna Diop), Beast Boy (Ryan Potter), and Raven (Teagan Croft) — to prevent Hell on Earth; however, it’s worth noting that the Dick we meet on the series isn’t the well-adjusted, balanced hero that’s currently running around in the comics as Nightwing. “It’s definitely a Dick Grayson that’s more violent than people are used to. It’s definitely a Dick Grayson that is struggling more than I think people are used to,” says executive producer Geoff Johns. “The story revolves around this young girl [Raven] struggling with her dark side. We really wanted to pick an access point for Dick Grayson where he was also at a place where he was struggling.” —Chancellor Agard

Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist) took a step back from CatCo in season 3, but you can expect National City’s main source of news to take up renewed importance in season 4. “[Executive producer Robert Rovner] and I really wanted to tell stories this year that were more grounded and reflecting the real world issues,” says EP Jessica Queller. “Part of what interested us was really reflecting reporters and journalists as heroes.” As fear of aliens spreads throughout National City — thanks to Agent Liberty (Sam Witwer) and his human first group the Children of Liberty— Kara will be faced with a threat that she won’t be able to just punch her way through. —Chancellor Agard

The power of three is reborn in this reboot being billed as fierce, feminist, and funny. Melonie Diaz, Madeleine Mantock, and Sarah Jeffery are the three fresh faces at the heart of the show, starring as Mel Vera, Macy Vaughn, and Maggie Vera respectively. The suspicious death of their mother leads the trio to discover they’re witches (and sisters!) and soon they must band together to fight demons. With savvy one-liners, fun special effects, and feminist storylines involving the Time’s Up movement, Charmed is poised to cast a spell over a new generation (and hopefully some of the older ones too). —Maureen Lee Lenker

Alec Baldwin is so talented (how talented is he?!) that ABC has given its Match Game emcee his own prime-time talk show. The actor/President Trump satirist says it’s his “dream to interview people who may shape the future of the country”—pop culture figures and politicians alike (Jerry Seinfeld and Kate McKinnon appeared in the post-Oscars pilot). “Interviewing people is a form of storytelling, and the story is about the life and work of my guests.” And as a “rich and cool” touch, says EP Jason Schrift, episodes will regularly feature an animated version of one guest’s story, thanks to New Yorker caricaturist Steve Brodner. —Gerrad Hall

What do you get when you gather four dysfunctional couples in the wilderness for a weekend? A recipe for disaster, that’s what. In Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner’s (Girls) adaptation of the British comedy of the same name, Jennifer Garner stars as the neurotic Kathryn, who struggles to corral her guests. Free-spirited Jandice (Juliette Lewis) keeps rejecting her itinerary, Kathryn’s meek husband Walt (David Tennant) couldn’t be more unhelpful, and (spoiler alert!) a bear shows up at one point. “It’s almost like the entire series is a bottle episode,” Konner explains. “There’s something about camping that’s like, it’s the whole wide world, and yet it’s so claustrophobic.” Sure seems like it. —Shirley Li

After six years as Star City’s hero, Oliver Queen is entering a different kind of hell in season 7, which finds Oliver behind bars after admitting to being the Green Arrow. Like his experience on Lian-Yu, this time on the inside will test him in more ways than one. “He has to make some questionable choices to survive,” teases showrunner Beth Schwartz. “We sort of wanted to write to the reality of what that situation would look like if he was locked up with a bunch of previous villains that he’d previously put in there and they’re now on the same playing field.” Meanwhile on the outside, his former teammates will have to learn how to be heroes without their masks. Good luck with that! —Chancellor Agard

In an interview about the Roseanne spin-off, John Goodman told a U.K. magazine last month that his character Dan will “be mopey and sad because his wife’s dead.” Oops! ABC was never specific about how they will address Roseanne Barr’s absence on the new iteration, but executive producer Bruce Helford confirmed as much to EW. “Obviously, there’s a huge change in their lives,” he admits. But other than the title character, everyone is coming back for the spin-off, including The Big Bang Theory’s Johnny Galecki as Darlene’s ex, David. “It’s important to us to have the recognition that this is part of the same universe of Roseanne,” Helford says. “We are gonna be the same trouble-making, groundbreaking show that deals with working-class families in a very authentic way.” —Lynette Rice

ABC’s new family sitcom takes the action back to 1972 and centers on the brash, tightly knit Irish-Catholic Cleary clan. When eldest son Lawrence (Sam Straley) returns home from the seminary and announces he’s quitting to go “save the world,” the whole family gets thrown for a loop. “Everything seems to be going on track in their lives until this moment in time,” explains Michael Cudlitz, who plays patriarch Mike. Character development aside, expect the show to have plenty of fun with its throwback setting. Teases costar Mary McCormack, “The fashion stuff is unlimited—there’s going to be some great clothes.” —David Canfield

Creator Kenya Barris recently stepped down as showrunner, but his replacement, Jonathan Groff (not the Glee actor), promises that Barris’ stamp is intact in season 5. “Kenya’s still reading the scripts, but we know these characters really well,” says Groff, who’s been an EP on the show since season 1. The series is leaving the season 4 arc of Dre (Anthony Anderson) and Bow’s (Tracee Ellis Ross) separation behind, but the Johnsons are still in a point of transition with Junior (Marcus Scribner) shocking his parents by taking a gap year before starting college. “He’s trying to find himself,” Groff says. “And his parents struggle with that.” —Patrick Gomez

At the end of season 1 of ABC’s unconventional family comedy, Martin (Oliver Hudson) and Lena (Jenna Fischer) got back together. So how does that work out for the show’s whole breaking-up premise? “There’s a bit of a honeymoon, but let’s just say we’re not changing the title to Getting Back Together Again,” says Hudson. With Martin’s ex-girlfriend Lisa (Monica Barbaro) potentially pregnant, the father of three could end up splitting up together with more than one former partner. “Lisa Apple is back,” confirms Hudson. “Sometimes you have to find the bottom to reach the top, and Lena and Martin haven’t hit rock bottom yet.” —Ruth Kinane

How does Ron Livingston describe his character, Sam Loudermilk? Well, he leaves that to others. “A lot of people describe him as the biggest a–hole you’ve ever met,” the actor says with a laugh. “And I don’t believe that not to be true.” The Office Space alum is back as the recovering alcoholic/substance-abuse counselor with “impossible standards and zero filter” in season 2 of director Peter Farrelly’s comedy, which will find Loudermilk dealing with the loss of his sponsor and his group. “He’s got to start over,” shares Livingston. “It’s about putting things back together again.” —Derek Lawrence

Nathan Fillion once again becomes the odd man out in this ABC crime procedural, but unlike Rick Castle (of, you know, his last crime procedural Castle), Fillion gets to don a badge and wield a gun as officer John Nolan, a fortysomething hitting reset on his life by pursuing his lifelong dream of joining the LAPD. Most of the force may question his intentions, but showrunner (and former Castle EP) Alexi Hawley says Nolan’s age is a strength, not a weakness. “He’s a rookie police officer with an empathy 25-year-olds don’t have,” he explains. EW stopped by the set of The Rookie in August and spoke to the show’s star about why he signed on before he even saw a script. —Shirley Li

Aaron Mahnke has been chilling listeners with tales of the macabre and mysterious on his podcast, Lore, since 2015. But for those who prefer a visual component to their horror stories, Amazon has adapted the series into an anthology all about things that go bump in the night. Season 2 will cover our culture’s “most fascinating foundational myths, whether it’s the story of witchcraft in America or one of the most significant mass murderers of all time,” says EP Gale Anne Hurd. “We also have episodes this season that were not based on podcasts.” FYI, that mass murderer? Hungarian noblewoman Elizabeth Báthory, who allegedly murdered hundreds of young girls in order to bathe in their blood in an attempt to retain her youth. Another FYI: We might be streaming with the lights on. —Dana Schwartz

“We’ve always wanted to make a show that looked at sex in a truthful way and honestly showed how crucial sex is to relationships,” executive producers Jude Liknaitzky and Roanna Benn say of their new drama. The six-episode series stars Toni Collette as Joy, a therapist who is trying to keep the spark alive with her husband, Alan (Steven Mackintosh), after a cycling accident causes them to reassess their relationship. “It’s a profound and funny story about desperately clawing at a deeper life,” says Collette. “There’s a notion that once we’re adults, we’re fully cooked. But life is constant change.” —Patrick Gomez

A unicorn at Woodstock, a fairy godmother in Salem, Mass., and leprechauns in ’70s punk-rock London! In season 4, the Legends will be tracking down mystical creatures that have escaped into our world (a.k.a. time fugitives), but there’s a twist. “We see a unicorn, but it’s not the unicorn you would think from fairy tales. It’s a murderous unicorn,” says star Caity Lotz. You can expect the fugitives, and occult detective John Constantine’s (Matt Ryan) increased involvement with the team, to make this season’s stories “more mysterious, spookier, and more terrifying,” says EP Phil Klemmer, but “in a fun way.”

Welcome back to Mystic Falls! Less than two years after The Vampire Diaries ended, and almost three months after The Originals’ series finale, the Vampire universe lives on with the latest spin-off, Legacies. The new series follows 17-year-old Hope Mikaelson (Danielle Rose Russell), daughter of Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan) and Hayley Marshall (Phoebe Tonkin). We’ll see her life at the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted, where Alaric Saltzman (Matthew Davis) is headmaster, his daughters Lizzie (Jenny Boyd) and Josie (Kaylee Bryant) are students — and the town, believe it or not, has a new set of problems. —Samantha Highfill

Being on hiatus for more than a year gave the new Midnight, Texas showrunners, Nicole Snyder and Eric Charmelo, the opportunity to reboot the supernatural drama. “Season 2 is much soapier, scarier, sexier,” shares Snyder, who says the show is aiming to be more like the hit HBO vampire drama True Blood. Adds Charmelo: “We were thinking of this season as a supernatural noir…. Don’t believe what you’re seeing because there’s always a twist on a twist on a twist.” What viewers should expect to see are dueling love triangles, “demonic cancer,” and witches’ and vampires’ worst nightmare: hipsters. Ours, too. —Derek Lawrence

Most teens look forward to their 16th birthday. It’s the sweet 16! Maybe they’ll get a car! But for Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka), her birthday marks the day the half-witch half-mortal has to choose between a magical life and a normal one. The real issue? Choosing the magical life means signing a very powerful book. “There’s this minor little thing of signing your soul away that sounds a little intense to Sabrina,” Kiernan Shipka says. If only the signature came with a car… —Samantha Highfill

There’s finally something Ray Donovan (Liev Schreiber) can’t fix: his own life. After a suicide attempt following his wife Abby’s (Paula Malcomson) death, L.A.’s go-to guy wakes up on a New York riverbank saved by one of Staten Island’s finest, who takes him in and brings him into a world of brotherhood—and corruption. “It’s a simple story of a man whose life was saved by another man,” says showrunner David Hollander. “Ray’s relationship with the police is not through business or any fixing. It stems from that friendship.” But Donovan’s former client, media mogul Samantha Winslow (Susan Sarandon), draws him back into the world of fixing. “She brings us a crafty and complicated woman who has different lessons to impart to Ray,” says Hollander. —Joseph Longo

The Daily Show alum Hasan Minhaj is striking out on his own for what he describes as a “comedy investigative visual podcast,” in which he will use his perspective and visual storytelling to “explore the larger trends shaping our fragmented world.” Minhaj says he’s “beyond humbled” to become the first Indian-American host of a weekly comedy show. “I revered all the late-night hosts growing up, but they all looked a very specific way,” he shares. “We were either spoken to or spoken for, and I think this is one of the first times where people will be able to turn on their TV and go, ‘Yes, finally.'” —Derek Lawrence

The season 2 finale of this underrated gem of a horror comedy found Stan (John C. McGinley) and Evie (Janet Varney) playing with time, to potentially disastrous results for the creepily endearing little town of Willard’s Mill. “The whole premise of it is: ‘You can’t mess with time and that, even if you try, time will correct itself,'” says creator Dana Gould. In this case, hopefully to hilariously scary ends with guest stars including Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad) and Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite). Gould also says his character, Kevin the gravedigger, will return, and he is ready to go on a date, joking, “I can guarantee you some of the ugliest kissing in prime-time television.” —Sarah Rodman

Based on a Spanish-language series, Kevin Williamson’s psychological thriller Tell Me a Story reimagines Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and The Three Little Pigs in modern-day Manhattan. “We all grew up with fairy tales,” says actor James Wolk, who stars alongside Kim Cattrall, Billy Magnussen, Paul Wesley, and Dania Ramirez. “We’re taking those stories and flipping them on their head and deconstructing them. I think people are going to be excited to see their beloved fairy tales, but in a very grim and gritty way.” —Aja Hoggat

Julia Roberts heads to Amazon for her first major TV series playing a caseworker at a mysterious government facility called Homecoming. Roberts’ Heidi works with a soldier named Walter (Stephan James) who’s recently returned home from service. “They form a very special and unique bond, this Heidi and Walter,” teases James (Shots Fired). “And that bond is something I don’t think will ever be broken.” But the relationship is tested as the pair begin to suspect that this program might not be as good-natured as believed and their paranoia begins to grow. —Tim Stack

The political drama returns for its sixth and final season but without star Kevin Spacey, the subject of multiple harassment allegations. “It was a significant pivot, obviously,” says executive producer Melissa James Gibson of writing the culmination without the lead actor. “We had to rethink to a profound degree. However, I would say thematically and what it felt like the show needed to grapple with, at the end of the day didn’t change so much.” The final batch of Cards will find Claire (Robin Wright) as President and, Gibson says, an important question: “Who owns the White House?” —Tim Stack

After waking up on a Georgia beach last season, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) start their new lives in North Carolina by moving in with his Aunt Jocasta (Maria Doyle Kennedy) on her epic River Run plantation. Too bad Claire doesn’t find much reason to stay. “There’s a likeness between the two women, but for Claire it’s very hard to get past the fact that Jocasta is a plantation owner with slaves,” Balfe tells EW. “Jocasta doesn’t understand what Claire’s concerns are. That stops them from being able to really form any proper bond.” —Lynette Rice

This 10-part series follows 10 people from around the globe who are traveling across space to “get a chance at a second start on a new planet,” explains star Tom Felton (the Harry Potter films, The Flash). Most of the action takes place on the spaceship, with some flashbacks to the passengers’ time on Earth showing why these travelers decided to take the journey—which goes very Alien. “My character is a very disenfranchised young man from California who has never had much love or support around him,” says Felton. “He never had much hope in his life, but it’s a very soft, sweet story as to why he actually gets on the ship.” —Patrick Gomez

Chuck Lorre, best known for creating sitcom megahits like Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory, has his most personal project yet with The Kominsky Method. “I wrote it to see if I could,” he admits of his new geriatric dramedy. “I wanted to write about getting older.” Michael Douglas stars as a washed-up performer–turned–revered acting coach, and Alan Arkin plays his caustic agent and friend, Norman. Things get heavy, but Kominsky still brims with humor. “There’s a great deal of loss and heartache that goes with [aging],” Lorre says. “And yet: If you take a step back, it can be perceived through a comic lens and it becomes kinda hilarious.” —David Canfield

Don’t call it “Narcos season 4.” This new iteration of the addictive Netflix drug-smuggling drama is considered an all-new series now that the show has changed its setting, cast, and time period for a major creative reset. Narcos: Mexico stars Diego Luna (Rogue One) as formidable cartel boss Felix Gallardo who united a collection of independent dealers in the early 1980s and also stars Michael Peña (End of Watch) as DEA agent Kiki Camarena who moves with his family from California to Mexico to try to take down the burgeoning cartel. —James Hibberd

Ben Stiller directs this eight-part limited series chronicling the real-life 2015 upstate New York prison break, during which two murder convicts crawled out with the help of a prison employee with whom they’d both had sex. (Yeah, it’s incredibly twisted.) Benicio del Toro and Paul Dano star as the inmates-turned-escapees, while an unrecognizable Patricia Arquette plays Joyce “Tilly” Mitchell, the accomplice. It’s a role the actress couldn’t wait to sink her (false) teeth into. “It’s interesting exploring what the world perceives as monsters,” Arquette says. “As a woman, you go from being an ingenue to playing a mom — to not get to do some deeper character work is really exciting.” —Shirley Li

The team behind The Night Manager is back with another blockbuster John le Carré adaptation—this time, the Israel-Palestine spy saga The Little Drummer Girl. Emmy winner Alexander Skarsgård plays an Israeli intelligence officer who seemingly strikes up a romance with a young actress (Florence Pugh), only to thrust her into a high-stakes plot overseen by a ruthless spymaster named Kurtz (Michael Shannon). The six-hour production, shown across three consecutive nights, is helmed by Park Chan-wook (Oldboy), so it’s got visual flair to spare. “[Park] brings his own sensibilities to the show, and they’re unique and particular to him in very exciting ways,” says executive producer Stephen Cornwell. —David Canfield

From Monk creator Andy Breckman comes another tale of offbeat detecting. Josh Groban makes his debut as a television series regular portraying Tony Jr., a straightlaced, extremely by-the-book cop. In his first leading role on television in two decades, Tony Danza stars opposite as Groban’s father, Tony Sr., a disgraced former cop who’s come to live with his rule-following son. With 10 episodes streaming on Netflix, the series offers a fun, old-fashioned procedural filled with quirky cases that are bursting with Breckman’s signature wit and inventiveness. Those hoping to catch some of Groban’s pipes will have to look elsewhere. “I’m doing a show with Josh Groban, and I’m singing and he’s fighting” Danza jokes. —Maureen Lee Lenker

For the second season of winter’s biggest new hit, producers are shaking things up…literally. The second and third episodes of the first responders series, created by American Horror Story’s Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear, will find LA facing a 7.1 magnitude earthquake. But they’re also changing up the casting with the addition of new face Jennifer Love Hewitt, who plays the sister of Buck (Oliver Stark) and a new 911 operator. Says Hewitt, “”She’s putting her life back together, figuring out who she is, and really enjoying being in other people’s dramatic situations rather than her own for a while.” —Tim Stack

Wallace Shawn reprises his role as Dr. John Sturgis, the professor who teaches Sheldon (Iain Armitage) at a local college. Jason Alexander also will return as Mr. Lundy, the drama teacher who persuaded Sheldon to try acting. As for the little egghead? He gets the harebrained idea to take apart the family refrigerator when it starts to make a funny noise. “I’m pretty hard to live with,” Armitage says of his infuriating, but no less lovable, alter ego. —Lynette Rice

Jay Hernandez takes over the iconic role of Magnum, a former Navy Seal in Oahu who works as a private investigator with help from his onetime military pals TC Calvin (Stephen Hill) and Rick Wright (Zachary Knighton). To help pay the bills, Magnum also serves as a live-in security guard for a successful but very elusive author whose property manager (Perdita Weeks) just happens to be a disavowed Mi6 agent. “I know people are gonna have opinions,” says Hernandez, who eschewed the idea of a mustache. “I thought it was a smart thing not to do because you’re never gonna replace Tom Selleck.” —Lynette Rice

The highest-rated sitcom in TV history will end in May, but the producers promise an “epic creative close” to season 12, which begins with Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Amy (Mayim Bialik) on their honeymoon while Amy’s parents (Kathy Bates and Teller) stick around the apartment building, much to the chagrin of Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki). Raj (Kunal Nayyar) struggles as the only single member of his friend group, so (naturally?) he gets into a Twitter war with Neil deGrasse Tyson. “Raj is the most romantic character, and we do want him to be happy,” says EP Steve Holland. “At the same time, it’s nice to have a single character because that’s a different type of story we can tell.” After 11 seasons, that’s not so easy to create. The decision to end the series came after Parsons declined to sign on past this season. In a recent Instagram tribute to his costars, Parsons said, “I feel such intense gratitude.” —Lynette Rice

Things are chaotic as ever at Chastain Park Memorial when The Resident returns for its second season — but a lot is different, too. For starters, AJ (Malcolm-Jamal Warner, now a series regular) — a.k.a. the Raptor — is adjusting to his new role at the hospital and hopes to take Mina (Shaunette Renée Wilson) on as his protegée. And Conrad (Matt Czuchry) is dealing with even bigger life changes: His estranged father (Glenn Morshower) is now in charge of the hospital, and his relationship with Nic (Emily VanCamp) is, well, finally romantic. “It’s not something we’ve seen before,” Czuchry hints. “We’ll kind of see them go through some good stuff and some bad stuff.” As if we’d expect anything less. —David Canfield

American Idol reunion! Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson have both been coaches on NBC’s reality singing competition once before, but they’ll be on the panel together for the first time this fall, taking seats in those famous red chairs next to mainstays Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. While host Carson Daly says Clarkson has been a “shot of energy” to the show (her team member Brynn Cartelli won in May), he also teases Hudson and Shelton’s unexpected chemistry: “People might think, how did they happen? But they hit it off and it’s really fun to watch.” We’ll turn our chair for that! —Gerrad Hall

The last time we saw Dr. Jason Bull (Michael Weatherly), he was having a heart attack on the steps of the courthouse. Is the brash and charming trial consultant going to make it? Like you need to ask. “He went away to Arizona, actually, to one of those wellness places, and learned how to take care of himself, how to control his temper, all those sorts of things,” executive producer Glenn Gordon Caron says of Bull, whose drinking and self-destructive behavior had become prohibitive to his work over season 2. “Three months will have gone by, and he’s ready to return to work. But things change. People move on. There are a bunch of changes involving different members of the Trial Analysis Corporation team that Bull didn’t anticipate.” —Lynette Rice

“I was thinking about family and emotional storytelling and looking for a big idea,” says creator Jeff Rake of the inception of his new NBC supernatural thriller. “It hit me like a ton of bricks: A family that’s torn apart and brought together again in the most tantalizing of ways.” How’s this for tantalizing? Brother and sister Ben (Josh Dallas) and Michaela (Melissa Roxburgh) suffer momentary turbulence when flying home from vacation, only to land five years later. “Now the question is, where did they go?” says Rake. “And why are they back?” While Michaela begins to believe a higher power is responsible for their return, Ben turns to science for answers. “Whatever the reason, the people on this plane were there to witness something,” says Dallas. “If Manifest is about anything, it’s about the idea of second chances. If you get one, what would you do with it?” —Ruth Kinane

In the season 15 finale, NCIS director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) was whisked away by a terrorist he and Sloane (Maria Bello) had known — and feared — for years. The situation resolves itself in the premiere. “There are no body bags,” reassures coexecutive producer Steven D. Binder. But it remains a challenge for Gibbs (Mark Harmon) & Co. going forward. In the meantime, the team investigates a murder on a cozy suburban block. “It’s like a dysfunctional Wisteria Lane,” Binder says with a laugh. —Lynette Rice

The Good Doctor’s season 2 premiere — which was written by series star Freddie Highmore — wastes no time in dealing with the repercussions of Dr. Shaun Murphy (Highmore) and the ailing Dr. Glassman (Richard Schiff) telling Dr. Andrews (Hill Harper) about Shaun’s near fatal mistake in surgery. “Big changes are going to be occurring at the hospital, and not only in terms of a new power structure that will be in place,” says Highmore, who also teases some rough times ahead for Shaun and his newly returned love interest Leah (Paige Spara). “The return of Shaun’s ex-neighbor and at times ex-best friend might not be the immediately happy reconciliation that everyone hopes for.” —Chancellor Agard

Law & Order franchise king Dick Wolf is bringing his expertise to CBS with this new procedural that focuses on the day-to-day of the FBI’s New York bureau. Jeremy Sisto plays a special agent who runs the nerve center of the office. “The face of crime is ever-changing, and there are a lot of different organizations in place to prevent those crimes. The FBI is the organization that really ties them all together and brings them into a place where they can operate as one,” says Sisto. “There’s some very scary threats out there to our freedom, and these are the people who are out in front. It’s given me a sense of security.” — Lynette Rice

Necar Zadegan (Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce) joins the cast at the start of season 5 as Special Agent Hannah Khoury, a character experienced in international intelligence who takes a leadership role on the team after Pride (Scott Bakula) is presented with a new opportunity within NCIS to advance his career. And while it’s no surprise that Pride survived last season’s assassination attempt, “there are ramifications for him,” explains executive producer Christopher Silber. “Part of them are physical, and part of them are psychological.” The show will also celebrate its 100th episode this season. “We’re trying to make it iconic!” promises Silber. —Lynette Rice

Seann William Scott fills the void left by the fired Clayne Crawford by playing Wesley Cole, an ex-CIA agent who partners with Damon Wayans’ Roger Murtaugh. But have no fear, fans: he’s just as lethal as Martin Riggs. “Seann’s character had to be a loose cannon,” explains EP Matt Miller. “We needed to replace the engine of Riggs without betraying the dynamic that people have come to love about the show.” —Lynette Rice

Ray Shoesmith seems like an average guy. He eats ice cream with his 8-year-old daughter, bickers with his ex-wife, and starts dating a woman he meets while walking his dog. But beneath it all, Ray’s masking a secret — he’s a hitman. FX’s new series Mr Inbetween, created by and starring Australian filmmaker Scott Ryan, follows the sometimes absurd and often bloody life of a hitman, fusing comedic moments with life-or-death stakes. “I’d like the audience to actually see that just because you kill people for a living doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a really bad person,” says Ryan. —Piya Sinha-Roy

Starring Ryan Eggold (The Blacklist), this medical drama — based on a memoir by Dr. Eric Manheimer, the former medical director of Bellevue, America’s oldest public hospital — aims to inspire change by showing exactly what it’s like to work in the U.S. healthcare system. “Do you remember watching The West Wing and how you felt like you were a part of the process?” asks EP David Schulner (Reverie). “It got people engaged in politics and created a whole generation of speechwriters and politicians… We hope we can get people to get into medicine for the right reasons.” Consider that a healthy outlook. — Shirley Li

At the end of the X-Men (or rather, X-Men-adjacent) drama’s first season, the Strucker family splintered, the Mutant Underground disbanded, and Sentinel Services lost a loyal agent in Jace (Coby Bell). With so many characters moving in different directions, season 2 expands the universe, delving into more mutant groups like the Morlocks and the frosty Inner Circle, led by Reeva Payge (Empire alum Grace Byers). “One of our big goals [for the second season] was humanizing all the different perspectives,” showrunner Matt Nix explains. “This season’s really been about doubling down on the characters, the themes, and the aspects of last season that we loved the most.” Doubling down? Where’s Multiple Man when you need him? — Shirley Li

Jack may be dead, but he’s far from gone. Season 3 of the heartfelt family drama will dig deeper into the past of the Pearson patriarch/Vietnam veteran (played by Milo Ventimiglia). “As much as Vietnam is a big part of our season, the brother relationship between Jack and Nicky [Michael Arangano] is even bigger,” says creator Dan Fogelman. “Obviously our show is a show about family, and Jack being this man who raised two brothers. Reflecting on his relationship with his brother feels very much a part of our show. Even when we go to Vietnam, the show still lives in the This Is Us space, because there’s brother stuff happening between the lines.” Along with a twist or two, probably. —Dan Snierson

Don’t expect the same old Lyons when TV’s First Family of music returns. “It feels like a reset,” says star Jussie Smollett. “This season is probably the best yet because it grounds us in a way that we haven’t been able to be since season 1.” Picking up two years after May’s deadly finale, season 5 finds middle son Jamal (Smollett) becoming “a grown-ass Lyon.” Adds Smollett with a laugh: “He’s Simba after he hangs with Timon and Pumbaa.” If that’s not enough of a tease, the actor promises something that’s “never been done on television.” —Derek Lawrence

Beverly Goldberg (Wendi McLendon-Covey) loves her children, but she’s not a fan of son Barry’s (Troy Gentile) decision to propose to Lainey (AJ Michalka) in the season 5 finale. “When a high school kid and a college dropout say they’re going to get married, does that ever work?” McLendon-Covey says. “The only normal reaction to have is ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?!'” That’s precisely how Bev will react in the season 6 premiere, a tribute episode to a John Hughes classic from 1984. “The reason we forget Adam’s [Sean Giambrone] birthday is because we’re dealing with Barry and Lainey’s stupidity,” McLendon-Covey says. “So, like Sixteen Candles, we try to have a big ol’ party for him, and that goes completely out-of-bounds.” —Samantha Highfill

This ensemble drama follows a group of eight friends left reeling after one of them dies unexpectedly — but while that premise may seem dark, A Million Little Things instead aims to explore the ways people approach (or re-approach) their lives after such an event. Starring Ron Livingston, James Roday, Grace Park, Allison Miller, and more, the series is “a great platform to open up a dialogue on introspection, purpose, and depression,” Romany Malco, who plays Rome, told EW at the TCAs in August. Added Park: “The tragedy really gets everyone to look at their lives and how much they should be coming clean to one another, and how much they should share.” Ah, we’re already reaching for the Kleenex. —Shirley Li

If you’re the type who roots for the underdog, then it’s pretty clear which tribe will have your attention at the start of Survivor‘s 37th season. “We went with 10 superstrong, athletic, beautiful, successful people, and 10 people who have been underserved, underprivileged, came from nothing, and had to fight for everything,” says host Jeff Probst of the season’s David vs. Goliath theme. But how both tribes deal with some nasty Fijian weather — which Probst promises will have an impact — could determine the winner. —Dalton Ross

Having successfully organized a charity gala featuring Nathan Fillion and a camel, Katie Otto (Katy Mixon) has finally found her place in wealthy Westport, Conn. But as her three children continue to grow up, Katie is inspired to consider a major life change of her own. “She’s trying to find her place and figure out what the next 10 years look like,” Mixon says. “Katie is a career girl, so I think that’s always in the back of her head: ‘What would life be if I went back to work?'” —Christian Holub

Can you handle…a Russian conspiracy? When Alex (Ariel Winter) applies for a government job, “we find out that Phil [Ty Burrell] may have been an unwitting spy for the Russians,” says co-creator Christopher Lloyd. Elsewhere, death will befall a “significant character,” he shares. “It will be a moving event — and has repercussions across several episodes.” In the lighter season 10 premiere, Jay (Ed O’Neill) is the overly grand grand marshal of a July 4 parade. “If you like Ty Burrell and physical comedy, and you can imagine him in a hot-dog-eating contest with a painful jaw condition,” hints Lloyd, “this is the episode for you.” —Dan Snierson

With singer and actress Brandy Norwood (yes, that Brandy) now upped to series-regular status as confrontational Cassie Brown, we know Cassie and Carlotta (Queen Latifah) survive their sister standoff. “We pick up [season 3] right at that table where we pulled out our weapons on each other,” Norwood says. Cassie brings “a lot of spice,” going head-to-head with her older sister in Atlanta’s music scene, where Carlotta is a surrogate mother for budding girl group Take 3. Cassie also forges a toxic relationship with real estate investor Xander McPherson (Chad Michael Murray). Expect sparks (and stars) to fly. —Joseph Longo

Taran Killam returns to TV with Brad Garrett and Leighton Meester on this comedy about single parenting. The chameleonic SNL vet relishes the chance to play the same person each week: “We’ve read three scripts, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, we’re referencing things that happened two weeks ago; I’m in a very similar costume and I’m not wearing a wig!'” He’s still taking on his fair share of wackiness, toting a mermaid purse and singing Moana’s “How Far I’ll Go.” Yet it’s the show’s heart and message of found families that drew him in. “Laughing is wonderful, but our show really succeeds at tugging at the heart-strings,” he says. —Maureen Lee Lenker

This season, new commissioner Chief Grissom (Gary Cole) causes tensions for Severide (Taylor Kinney) and Boden (Eamonn Walker), and a new paramedic, played by Annie Ilonzeh, will bring a fresh dynamic to the tight-knit family. Meanwhile, Gabby Dawson’s (Monica Raymund) departure leaves both her husband, Matt (Jesse Spencer), and her partner, Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer), with “unresolved feelings, anger, and an inability to understand” her decision.

Season 6 picks up with the team still grieving the death of Olinsky (Elias Koteas). Anne Heche joins as the new deputy superintendent, while a romance blossoms between two characters “that we haven’t seen before,” showrunner Rick Eid says.

The new season picks up after a two-month time jump and introduces a new batch of medical students—plus the reveal of whether Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto) accepts Will Halstead’s (Nick Gehlfuss) proposal. Connor and Ava Bekker (Norma Kuhling) have to assess their relationship after he’s offered the job of a lifetime, while April Sexton (Yaya DaCosta) and Dr. Choi (Brian Tee) face complications regarding his sister Emily (Arden Cho), a recovering drug addict. And a cast member will be leaving, teases co-showrunner Andy Schneider, adding that it’ll “surprise” viewers.