Hold on tight to your remote controls, fellow couch potatoes; the wild ride is about to begin.
The fall 2015 TV season begins Monday when Nielsen officially starts counting eyeballs. The season begins with three new and six returning programs. Although there have been a handful of early birds, the vast majority of fresh shows arrive this week and next, and drag on through October.
A few even show up in November.
Ah, but first let's pause briefly to celebrate all the good stuff from last season with the Emmy Awards (7 p.m. today on Fox), before plunging into the chaos and clutter of the new. Read my Emmy roundup in today's TV Week insert.
After last fall's preview, several readers pointed out that they organize their live viewing and DVR recording by the day of the week, not from one long list. So this year, I'm breaking down the new arrivals and returning favorites on a nightly basis.
Here's your planner through October with arrival dates and times. I'd suggest you record and check out any new show that sounds intriguing, but I'd be disappointed if you overlooked the cream of the freshman crop.
The new season can be daunting, but the goal is to remain calm, get organized and stay focused, especially since several shows debut on one day for maximum exposure, then shift to their regular time slots later.
SUNDAY
New shows:
Blood & Oil, 8 p.m. Sept. 27, ABC. An oil-soaked melodrama featuring Don Johnson (Miami Vice) as a tycoon in North Dakota.
Quantico, 9 p.m. Sept. 27, ABC. One of the recruits in a new FBI class is a secret terrorist. It's a whiz-bang pilot, but can the series keep it up?
Returning shows:
Sept. 27 -- Bob's Burgers, 6:30 p.m., Fox; Once Upon a Time, 7 p.m., ABC; The Simpsons, 7 p.m., Fox; Brooklyn Nine-Nine, 7:30 p.m., Fox; Family Guy, 8 p.m., Fox; Last Man on Earth, 8:30 p.m., Fox.
Oct. 4 -- Madam Secretary, 7 p.m., CBS; The Good Wife, 8 p.m., CBS; Homeland, 8 p.m., Showtime; CSI: Cyber, 9 p.m., CBS; The Affair, 9 p.m., Showtime.
Oct. 11 -- America's Funniest Home Videos, 6 p.m., ABC; The Walking Dead, 8 p.m., AMC.
Sunday notes:
The CSI two-hour series finale movie airs at 8 p.m. Sept. 27. Lots of familiar faces will be returning to say farewell.
Alfonso Ribeiro replaces longtime host Tom Bergeron on America's Funniest Home Videos.
MONDAY
New shows:
Life in Pieces, 7 p.m. Monday, CBS. This is a family comedy told from every generation. The top-notch cast includes Dianne Wiest and James Brolin as the senior members.
Minority Report, 8 p.m. Monday, Fox. Set 15 years after the Tom Cruise movie, a "precog" psychic and detective bust crimes before they happen.
Blindspot, 9 p.m. Monday, NBC. Drama where the clues to a conspiracy are in the tattoos totally covering a comely young thing who wakes up naked in Times Square. It's New York. I'm surprised anyone noticed her.
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, 10 p.m. Sept. 28, Comedy Central. We already miss Jon Stewart.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, 7 p.m. Oct. 12, The CW. Hour-long musical comedy-drama revolves around a promising young lawyer who abandons her career path in the big city to stalk her ex back home. The rapturously delightful (and slightly scandalous) Rachel Bloom stars.
Fargo, 9 p.m. Oct. 12, FX. The next chapter in the "true crime" anthology is set in 1979 and features Kirsten Dunst, Brad Garrett and the always outstanding Jean Smart.
Supergirl, 7:30 p.m. Oct 26, CBS. Glee's perky Melissa Benoist saves the day as Superman's caped cousin. Calista Flockhart plays her boss from hell. She'll remind you of Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada.
Returning shows:
Monday -- Gotham, 7 p.m., Fox; The Voice, 7 p.m., NBC; The Big Bang Theory, 7 p.m., CBS; Scorpion, 8 p.m., CBS; Castle, 9 p.m., ABC; NCIS: LA, 9 p.m., CBS.
Oct. 12 -- Jane the Virgin, 8 p.m., The CW.
Monday notes:
Supergirl shifts to 8 p.m. Nov. 2.
TUESDAY
New shows:
Scream Queens, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Fox. Ryan Murphy's comedy-horror series features a sorority, a serial killer and Emma Roberts, Jamie Lee Curtis, Lea Michele and Ariana Grande.
The Muppets, 7 p.m. Tuesday, ABC. They're back! It's a contemporary "mocumentary," more adult version that will still be fun for the whole family.
Limitless, 9 p.m. Tuesday, CBS. Jake McDorman (Greek) pops a pill and becomes the world's smartest person. It's based on the 2011 movie of the same name that starred Bradley Cooper. Cooper serves as executive producer and reprises his character on a recurring basis.
Grandfathered, 9 p.m. Sept. 29, Fox. Comedy with John Stamos as a ladies man who suddenly discovers he's not only a father, but a grandfather.
The Grinder, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29, Fox. Sitcom where Rob Lowe played a beloved lawyer on TV and returns to his small hometown to join the practice of his brother (Fred Savage). Hilarity ensues. Seriously.
Wicked City, 9 p.m. Oct. 27, ABC. Anthology crime drama set in 1980s Los Angeles has Jeremy Sisto hunting serial killers.
Returning shows:
Tuesday -- NCIS, 7 p.m., CBS; The Voice, 7 p.m., NBC; Fresh Off the Boat, 7:30 p.m., ABC; NCIS: New Orleans, 8 p.m., CBS.
Sept. 29 -- Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., 8 p.m., ABC; Beyond the Tank, 9 p.m., ABC.
Oct. 6 -- The Flash, 7 p.m., The CW; iZombie, 8 p.m., The CW.
Oct. 13 -- Manhattan, 8 p.m., WGN; Chicago Fire, 9 p.m., NBC.
Tuesday notes:
Having debuted Tuesday, NBC's Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris moves to its regular 7 p.m. time slot Sept. 29. Scream Queens moves to its regular 8 p.m. time slot Sept. 29. The Voice finally settles in to an hour Tuesday version at 8 p.m. Oct. 13.
Chicago Med, the latest from Dick Wolf, arrives at 8 p.m. Nov. 10 on NBC. It's (yawn) yet another emergency room drama.
WEDNESDAY
New shows:
Rosewood, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Fox. Hunky Morris Chestnut (Nurse Jackie) plays a private Miami pathologist who helps the police solve murders.
Code Black, 9 p.m. Sept. 30, CBS. Yet another (yawn) emergency room medical drama. Marcia Gay Harden heads the team of young and pretty docs.
American Horror Story: Hotel, 9 p.m. Oct. 7, FX. Lady Gaga plays the owner of the Hotel Cortez. Others in the ensemble include Sarah Paulson, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Chloe Sevigny, Matt Bomer and Jonesboro native Wes Bentley.
Returning shows:
Wednesday -- The Mysteries of Laura, 7 p.m., NBC; Survivor, 7 p.m., CBS; The Middle, 7 p.m., ABC; The Goldbergs, 7:30 p.m., ABC; Empire, 8 p.m., Fox; Law & Order: SVU, 8 p.m., NBC; Modern Family, 8 p.m., ABC; black-ish, 8:30 p.m., ABC; Nashville, 9 p.m., ABC.
Sept. 30 -- Criminal Minds, 8 p.m., CBS; Chicago P.D., 9 p.m., NBC.
Oct. 7 -- Arrow, 7 p.m., The CW; Supernatural, 8 p.m., The CW.
Wednesday notes:
Season 5 of the American Horror Story anthology is the first without Jessica Lange. Are you still watching Survivor? Season 31 (!) is set in Cambodia.
THURSDAY
New shows:
Heroes Reborn, 7 p.m. Thursday, NBC (two-hour premiere). It's a 13-episode reboot of the 2006-2010 series. This time around features Zachary Levi. Watch for several old familiar faces, including Jack Coleman, Greg Grunberg and Masi Oka.
The Player, 9 p.m. Thursday, NBC. Wesley Snipes is a security expert in Las Vegas dealing with wealthy gamblers who bet on his ability to halt crimes before they happen.
Returning shows:
Thursday -- It's Shonda Rhimes Night on ABC: Grey's Anatomy, 7 p.m.; Scandal, 8 p.m.; How to Get Away With Murder, 9 p.m.
Oct. 1 -- Bones, 7 p.m., Fox; The Blacklist, 8 p.m., NBC; Sleepy Hollow, 8 p.m., Fox.
Oct. 8 -- The Vampire Diaries, 7 p.m., The CW; The Originals, 8 p.m., The CW.
Thursday notes:
NFL football will air Thursday nights through Oct. 29 on CBS. On Nov. 5, the CBS lineup will be Big Bang Theory, Life in Pieces, Mom, Angel From Hell and Elementary.
Angel From Hell stars Jane Lynch as Maggie Lawson's unfiltered guardian angel.
FRIDAY
New shows:
Dr. Ken, 7 p.m. Oct. 2, ABC. Real-life doctor Ken Jeong (Community) plays one in this comedy. He's not funny and neither is the show.
Truth Be Told, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16, NBC. Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Saved by the Bell) heads a soporific sitcom about two couples who talk and talk and obsess a lot. Don't blink or it'll be gone.
Returning shows:
Friday -- The Amazing Race, 7 p.m., CBS; Last Man Standing, 7 p.m., ABC; Hawaii Five-0, 8 p.m., CBS; Shark Tank, 8 p.m., ABC; Blue Bloods, 9 p.m., CBS.
Oct. 9 -- Reign, 7 p.m., The CW; Undateable, 7 p.m., NBC.
Oct. 30 -- Grimm, 8 p.m., NBC.
Friday notes:
America's Next Top Model returns from hiatus at 8 p.m. Oct. 9 on The CW. Season 3 of Undateable will be all live episodes.
SATURDAY
New shows:
None.
Returning shows:
Saturday -- 48 Hours, 9 p.m., CBS.
Oct. 3 -- Saturday Night Live , 10:30 p.m., NBC.
Saturday notes:
Saturday is network TV's dead zone, however there's good stuff on cable. Doctor Who, which debuted Saturday, airs at 8 p.m. on BBC America.
And the eight-part The Last Kingdom arrives at 9 p.m. Oct. 10 on BBC America. The series, which will remind viewers of Game of Thrones, tells the tale of King Alfred the Great and the early days of Britain.
Style on 09/20/2015