Podcast #703: New TV Shows for Fall 2015

Few things in life are as highly anticipated as television premier season every Fall. The Super Bowl maybe? A wedding or the birth of a child perhaps? But most of them pale in comparison to the awesomeness that is premier season. All of your favorite shows coming back for another year, and a ton of new shows to potentially add to the DVR. One of them might just become your new favorite show.

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New TV Shows for Fall 2015

Few things in life are as highly anticipated as television premier season every Fall. The Super Bowl maybe? A wedding or the birth of a child perhaps? But most of them pale in comparison to the awesomeness that is premier season. All of your favorite shows coming back for another year, and a ton of new shows to potentially add to the DVR. One of them might just become your new favorite show.

Research compiled with the help of TV Guide.

Media Life Magazine has a great post with all the Fall Premiere Dates by date, time, and Network.

ABC

Blood & Oil

Premieres: Sunday, Sep. 27 at 9:00 PM

Don Johnson won't be getting Blood & Oil all over his Miami Vice linen clothes in this dirty series about a modern-day oil boom in North Dakota. Johnson plays an oil tycoon who's the antagonist to ambitious young couple Billy (Chace Crawford) and Cody (Rebecca Rittenhouse), who do everything they can to break off a little piece of that oil pie for themselves. Will everything of theirs — including their marriage — stand up to the challenge?

Dr. Ken

Premieres: Friday, Oct. 2 at 8:30 PM

Community's Ken Jeong, who was once a real-life doctor, can now say he plays a doctor on TV. Jeong stars as the titular character, a great physician who lacks bedside manner and a husband and father of two who drives everyone up the wall. The multi-camera comedy should be a good fit on Friday nights, where it will be paired with Last Man Standing. Suzy Namamura, Tisha-Campbell Martin, Dave Foley, Jonathan Slavin and Albert Tsai also star.

The Muppets

Premieres: Tuesday, Sep. 22 at 8:00 PM

Everyone's favorite (or at least top 10) puppets are coming back to television, but this time, they have even more sass. This new version of The Muppets is presented as a modern-day documentary catching us up with Kermit, Miss Piggy and everyone else as they go on with their professional (running a late-night show) and personal (puppet romance!) lives. ABC is pitching this as a more adult version of The Muppets that's still good for kids of all ages. The Big Bang Theory's Bill Prady will run the show.

Quantico

Premieres: Sunday, Sep. 27 at 10:00 PM

Let's just call this one How to Get Away with Terrorism, because this twisty ensemble thriller has a lot in common with ABC's big hit from last fall. A new incredibly attractive (obvs) class of FBI recruits at Quantico all joined the FBI for different reasons, which will be shown to the audience via flashbacks. But the real interesting part? One of the recruits — we don't know who — is responsible for the biggest domestic terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. Let the twists begin! Priyanka Chopra, Jake McLaughlin, Johanna Braddy and Graham Rogers star.

Wicked City

Premieres: Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 10:00 PM

Anthologies, period pieces and murder dramas are all the rage, and ABC smashed 'em all together in Wicked City. Set in 1980s Los Angeles, the first season is all about a detective (Jeremy Sisto) chasing down coupled-up serial killers (Ed Westwick, Erika Christensen) who prey on young women. Enjoyment tip: Try not to think about how half the cast wasn't even born when the series takes place.

CBS

Angel From Hell

Premieres: Thursday, Nov. 5 at 9:30 PM

Jane Lynch stars as a guardian angel. Or does she star as a crazy person who thinks she's a guardian angel? That's what Maggie Lawson's character — a straight-laced dermatologist — will have to figure out in this oddball buddy comedy. But you'll have to figure out when to laugh — this is a rare single-camera comedy on CBS.

Code Black

Premieres: Wednesday, Sep. 30 at 10:00 PM

Marcia Gay Harden stars in this medical drama about an emergency room in Los Angeles that's overcrowded, understaffed and under-equipped. But the doctors get it done, because this is a television show! Based on Ryan McGarry's award-winning documentary of the same name, Code Black also stars Luis Guzman, Raza Jeffrey, Benjamin Hollingsworth and Bonnie Somerville.

Life in Pieces

Premieres: Monday, Sep. 21 at 8:30 PM

A fantastic cast highlights this multi-generational family comedy that's told from the point of view of every family member. Babies will be born, kids will go to college and sitcom situations will go down at funerals. Dianne Wiest, James Brolin, Colin Hanks, Zoe Lister-Jones, Angelique Cabral, Thomas Sadoski, Betsy Brandt and Dan Bakkedahl star.

Limitless

Premieres: Tuesday, Sep. 22 at 10:00 PM

You thought the movie was OK, now see the television show based on the OK movie! This thriller stars Greek's Jake McDorman as a man who takes a drug that gives him access to 100 percent of his brain, meaning he's gifted physically and intellectually. Naturally, that makes him the perfect person to solve crime! Jennifer Carpenter, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Hill Harper co-star. Bradley Cooper, the star of the original 2011 film and executive producer of the series, will recur and reprise his character.

Supergirl

Premieres: Monday, Oct. 26 at 8:30 PM

Add CBS to the list of networks riding on the cape of the superhero phenomenon, as Melissa Benoist suits up as Superman's cousin in this light hearted drama. Come for bubbly heroine Kara saving National City from disaster, stay for the Devil Wears Prada work environment with Kara's nightmare boss Cat (Calista Flockhart) and wardrobe changes. Mehcad Brooks, David Harewood, and Chyler Leigh also star.

FOX

Grandfathered

Premieres: Tuesday, Sep. 29 at 8:00 PM

It's time to finally take down your Teen Beat John Stamos poster from your bedroom wall because Stamos is a grandfather! At least he is in this new single-camera comedy, in which Stamos plays a playboy restaurateur who finds out that he not only has a son, but his son also has a daughter. Old-man-changing-diapers hilarity ensues! Rounding out the cast are Josh Peck, Paget Brewster and Christina Milian.

The Grinder

Premieres: Tuesday, Sep. 29 at 8:30 PM

Rob Lowe can't stay off TV for too long! He headlines this comedy about an actor on a popular legal TV drama who returns to his small-town home to work in his family's real-life law practice with his brother (Fred Savage), despite only knowing law from the scripts of TV. What could go wrong? Umm, lots. But maybe that small town will teach him a thing about humility. Hey, this writes itself.

Minority Report

Premieres: Monday, Sep. 21 at 9:00 PM

Set 15 years after the Tom Cruise film of the same name, Minority Report follows a pre-cog — psychics who have the ability to predict the future — named Dash who uses his ability to stop crimes with the help of a detective. But Dash must do all he can to keep his abilities secret as there are people out there who want to detain pre-cogs and do all sorts of bad things to them, like poke their brain or open them up to see what makes them tick. Stark Sands stars as Dash, with Meagan Good on board to play his partner.

Rosewood

Premieres: Wednesday, Sep. 23 at 8:00 PM

The latest brilliant medical mind on television who has a problem is Morris Chestnut, who plays the titular Rosewood. And his problem? He's endlessly optimistic and loves life. Annoying! But his real problem appears to be legitimate medical issues, which leads him to live every moment like it's his last. (YOLO!) As Miami's top pathologist, he'll help a skeptical cop (Jaina Lee Ortiz) solve the murders that the Miami PD can't.

Scream Queens

Premieres: Tuesday, Sep. 22 at 8:00 PM

The latest idea to crawl out of Ryan Murphy's brain is an anthology comedy-horror series that's one of the hottest tickets of the year. Season 1 will be set in the ripest of horror settings — a snooty sorority — when the school's new dean demands that all potential sisters must be accepted in the pledging process. Oh, and a serial killer is on the loose murdering at least one character in each episode. Emma Roberts, Jamie Lee Curtis, Lea Michele, Nasim Pedrad, Oliver Hudson, Keke Palmer and Ariana Grande highlight the impressive cast.

NBC

Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris

Premieres: Tuesday, Sep. 15 at 10:00 PM

If there was ever a person suited to bring back the variety show, it's Neil Patrick Harris. The Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor is a singer, dancer, magician and just generally a doer of funny things. Based on the popular British series Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, Best Time Ever features appearances by stars, stunts, comedy skits, incredible performances, mini game shows, audience giveaways and hidden camera pranks. If you can think of it, it'll probably pop up on this hour-long series.

Blindspot

Premieres: Monday, Sep. 21 at 10:00 PM

You know that recurring dream where you wake up naked in Times Square? Well, that really happens to Thor's Jaimie Alexander in this new drama from Arrow and The Flash executive producer Greg Berlanti. Alexander's character takes the nightmare to a whole new level, though, when she discovers her body is covered in intricate tattoos and she has no memory of how she got there or who inked her up like a gas station bathroom. Strike Back's Sullivan Stapleton appears as the FBI agent who follows the clues from her tattoos to reveal a larger conspiracy, the truth about her identity and hopefully, if he's lucky, who to call for a good time.

Chicago Med

Premieres: Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 10:00 PM

The newest spin-off in Dick Wolf's popular Chicago franchise, Chicago Med stars Oliver Platt, S. Epatha Merkerson, Laurie Holden, Nick Gehlfuss and Yaya Dacosta. It follows the day-to-day activities of one of Chicago's busiest and probably most dramatic hospitals, if we've learned anything from medical dramas. The series will draw inspiration from topical events as the doctors, nurses and cafeteria staff forge relationships in, out and probably around the emergency room. And yes, you can expect to see Chicago's hunkiest firefighters and top-notch lawmen swing through its doors on a semi-regular basis.

Heroes Reborn

Premieres: Thursday, Sep. 24 at 8:00 PM

A reboot of NBC's Heroes, this new series is exactly like the old one only with less Milo Ventimiglia and more Zachary Levi. And although Peter Petrelli won't be back, some other familiar faces will make appearances, including Jack Coleman as H.R.G., Greg Grunberg as Matt Parkman and Masi Oka as Hiro Nakamura, among others. But what is this new chapter in the Heroes story about? Following a terrorist attack in Odessa, Texas, that left the city decimated, those ordinary folks with extraordinary abilities are blamed. Most have gone into hiding or are on the run, but something tells us they won't stay hidden for for long, because otherwise WTF is the point of this show?

The Player

Premieres: Thursday, Sep. 24 at 10:00 PM

Philip Winchester stars opposite Wesley freakin' Snipes in this new Las Vegas-set action series about a former military operative and current security expert who's drawn into a high-stakes game in which a bunch of wealthy jerks bet on his ability to stop crimes before they happen. You can probably think of it as Strike Back: Las Vegas but with fewer explosions, more Snipes and some truly ridiculous, convoluted scenarios.

Truth Be Told

Premieres: Friday, Oct. 16 at 8:30 PM

Formerly known as People Are Talking, this new hangout comedy is about two couples who over-analyze and obsess about everything as if they're the heir apparent to Dawson Leery. Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Franklin & Bash) stars as Mitch, a college professor (LOL) who's married to Vanessa Lachey's (Dads) Tracy. Meanwhile, Tone Bell (Bad Judge) and Bresha Webb (Hung) portray their BFFs and neighbors, Russell and Angie. You can probably expect a lot of talking that doesn't really say much.

CW

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Premieres: Monday, Oct. 19 at 8:00 PM

The CW's only new series this fall, this new comedy with musical elements hails from Rebecca Bloom who stars in the hour-long series as Rebecca Bunch, a determined (and possibly crazy) young woman who gives up her partnership at a law firm in Manhattan to move to West Covina, Calif., in a desperate attempt to find love and happiness with an ex-boyfriend. Remember when we said she might be crazy?

AMC

Fear the Walking Dead

Premieres: Sunday, Aug. 23 at 9:00 PM

Don't call it a prequel! It's a companion series. Set during the time Rick Grimes was in a coma, the L.A.-set Fear the Walking Dead will show what happened when the zombie outbreak first began. But don't expect the same harrowing tales of survival from its wildly successful cousin; this drama will focus on a family unit and the problems it has with an outbreak backdrop. Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis, and Frank Dillane star.

A look back at the new TV shows for Fall 2014

How many survived? Of the shows we looked at for Fall premieres last year, not that many. This doesn’t include shows we didn’t talk about, or other late premiere shows like mid-season or summer replacement series.

ABC (2/6)

• Black-ish - renewed

• Cristela - canceled

• Forever - canceled

• How to Get Away With Murder - renewed

• Manhattan Love Story - canceled

• Selfie - canceled

CBS (3/5)

• Madam Secretary - renewed

• The McCarthys - canceled

• NCIS: New Orleans - renewed

• Scorpion - renewed

• Stalker - canceled

NBC (1/6)

• A to Z - canceled

• Bad Judge - canceled

• Constantine - canceled

• Marry Me - canceled

• The Mysteries of Laura - renewed

• State of Affairs - canceled

FOX (1/5)

• Gotham - renewed

• Gracepoint - canceled

• Mulaney - canceled

• Red Band Society - canceled

• Utopia - canceled

CW (2/2)

• The Flash - renewed

• Jane The Virgin - renewed

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Comments

[Rick K.]

Well, the seasons have been getting worse and worse in recent memory. To the point where the new fall season isn't really that exciting anymore. The good stuff seems to happen in the mid-season replacements. I can think of three from last season that I very much enjoyed and there may have been more (Backstrom, Battle Creek, iZombie).

The unfortunate part is that at least two of them got cancelled! Should have seen that coming.

The sitcom situation is dreary, at best. I, too, wanted to like Life In Pieces but it seemed very forced; like they were just trying to get the label of coolest comedy. And it fell short for me because it was so obvious and grasping. I did see the Muppets and, as much as you both feared the final product, I'm going to say it has a damn good shot at being best new comedy of the season.

What IS Mysteries Of Laura still doing on?