The 25 Most Anticipated TV Shows Of Fall 2011

Now that summer’s winding down, network executives and show-running producers are sharpening their knives and counting their lucky stars. Per the entertainment industry’s yearly tradition, television’s movers and shakers are prepping a seemingly infinite number of new shows, everything from single-camera sitcoms to hour-long dramas and provocative genre mash-ups.

The fall season has long been TV land’s most fertile breeding ground, and it’s easy to see why. During the summer, couch potatoes vegetate less, venturing off to beaches, pools, and/or destination vacation spots; it’s a shift in priorities that gives TV Guide addicts an endless stream of scenic distractions to choose from that don’t revolve around DVR technology and gluttonous carbohydrate intake—what’s a good sitcom without some tortilla chips and salsa within arm’s reach?

Kicking off next week, the Fall 2011 TV season is looking like it’ll turn us all into lethargic gastronomes whose nightly exercise routine consists of remote control arm-curls. For the first time in years, the slate of new programs is full of imagination, albeit sporadically ridiculous imagination. Viewers are about to meet fairy tale creatures, sadomasochistic ghosts, pissed-off dinosaurs, and scantily-clad bunnies, along with more generic offerings that upgrade familiar tropes with solid casting and ambition.

And then there are the returning champs, complete with zombies (The Walking Dead), hustlers (How To Make It In America), and CBS’s Monday night lineup minus Charlie Sheen. The field is crowded as hell, so narrowing down the impending premieres into the following countdown of our 25 Most Anticipated TV Shows Of Fall 2011 was tougher to complete than the task of enduring all 22 episodes of NBC’S canceled (halle-fucking-lujah) Outsourced. We promise there’s no show here with even the potential to be that awful. Or so we hope.

Written by Matt Barone (@MBarone)

Network: Fox
Stars: Jason O’Mara, Stephen Lang, Shelley Conn, Landon Loboiron, Naomi Scott, Allison Miller, Mido Hamada
Premiere Date: September 26
Why we’re excited: The premise of the new Steven Spielberg-produced Terra Nova taps directly into our elementary school selves’ imaginations: In the year 2149, mankind is on the verge of extinction, so the government sends people back 85 million years into the world where T-Rexes and other dinos reigned supreme. If that sounds Jurassic Park on HGH to you, which means it sounds fucking awesome, you’re not alone. So why are we so uncertain here?

For several reasons, actually. One, Terra Nova was initially supposed to debut in May 2011, a move designed to give the FX team more time to make the dinosaurs look badass, but, still, a red flag nonetheless. Even more alarming is the show’s trailer (posted above), which gives off a strong Avatar-ripoff vibe.

But, again, it’s a show about dinosaurs that’s backed by Steven Spielberg, for fuck’s sake—how can we not be excited? Come September 27th, let’s hope we’re not singing a different, “Fuck out of here, Spielberg” tune.

Network: ABC
Stars: Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor, Annie Ilonzeh
Premiere Date: September 22
Why we’re excited: The fall 2011 season is chockfull of female-led sitcoms, so why not an hour-long action-adventure? One that’s a reboot of a classic TV show from the late 1970s that has already been remixed in two feature films, no less. We’re not so sure. For shallow starters, the threesome at the center of the new Charlie’s Angels isn’t as hot as any version of the original trio (six actresses were featured over five years) or the Drew Barrymore/Lucy Liu/Cameron Diaz trifecta; Minka Kelly might be the sexiest of all of Charlie’s past angels, but her co-stars (Rachael Taylor and Annie Ilonzeh) are slacking.

But now onto the positive side. Charlie’s Angels 2011 seems to follow the blueprint set by CBS’ successful re-imagining of Hawaii Five-0: keep the action prominent and the humor consistent. Early word on ABC’s all-girl private investigation squad isn’t strong, but the proposition of watching Minka Kelly tote guns and kick ass should satiate our interests for the time being.

Network: ABC
Stars: Jennifer Morrison, Josh Dallas, Lana Parrilla, Ginnifer Goodwin, James Dornan, Robert Carlyle, Giancarlo Esposito
Premiere Date: October 23
Why we’re excited: OK, don’t judge us. Yes, the trailer for Once Upon A Time looks like a bad Disney movie directed by Uwe Boll, and, fine, fairy tales are for little girls. But there’s just something so bizarre about ABC’s latest collaboration with TRON: Legacy writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, two of Lost’s main scribes, that we can’t help but look forward to what could very well be a grand debacle.

If the above trailer lost you at “enchanted forest,” here’s the deal: Jennifer Morrison (House, M.D.) stars as a hot blonde who relocates to the New England town of Storybrooke, where classic fairy tale characters are trapped in modern times by the mayor, who’s also the Evil Queen from Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs. Hey, at least it’s not another Extreme Makeover, or another gimmicky show hoping to recapture some of that Lost magic. Oh, right—Kitsis and Horowitz. Nevermind. Just wish for a happy ending.

Network: NBC
Stars: David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Bitsie Tulloch, Silas Weir Mitchell, Reggie Lee, Sasha Roiz
Premiere Date: October 21
Why we’re excited: What’s a new TV season without a string of derivative cop shows, medical dramas, and snarky lawyer comedies? Yes, the best TV season ever. Unfortunately, that’s not the prognosis for fall 2011, though at least one of redundant new program offers up a bizarre twist to a tired formula, as well as a children's book theme shared with Once Upon A Time.

At first glance, NBC’s Grimm seems like yet another law enforcement procedural, with its main character being a homicide detective (David Guintoli) and each episode presenting dude with a new deviant to catch. But here’s the tweak: He’s a “Grimm,” which means that his sole purpose in life is to track down and thwart creatures and other inhuman bastards derived from Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Seriously.

The pilot finds Giuntoli butting heads with a modern-day Big Bad Wolf, who, in Grimm, is also a horrific pedophile. There’s some clunky dialogue, and the cast isn’t exactly electric, but Grimm’s literary roots give it the potential to mash together a wider array of supernatural antagonists than True Blood. Somebody should call the Soska Sisters to write the inevitable “Sleeping Beauty” episode.

Network: Fox
Stars: Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Damon Wayans, Jr., Lamorne Morris, Hanna Simone
Premiere Date: September 20
Why we’re excited: It’s about time someone gave Zooey Deschanel top billing. Since her eccentrically sexy performance in the 2003 indie dramedy All The Real Girls, the gifted comedienne has switched back and forth to lighthearted flicks of independent ((500) Days Of Summer) and mainstream (Yes Man) distinction; let’s overlook 2008’s epic shit sandwich known as The Happening, though. But, even though she’s been a delight in every project, Deschanel has yet to receive a legitimate all-eyes-on-her starring role.

With Fox’s New Girl, she’s finally front and center, and, by the looks of the show’s trailer, Deschanel’s cute aloofness and casually funny line deliveries remain intact. Deschanel plays a happy-go-lucky girl who moves in with three single guys after she catches her boyfriend with another woman…while naked and waiting for him to bone. If only New Girl were on Starz, right?

Interestingly enough, the male roommates don’t seem to have any ulterior motives, either. Whereas, say, we lived with Deschanel, we’d be trying to shit where we eat on an hourly basis (not literally), New Girl’s supporting players are more akin to Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and Romany Malco in The 40 Year Old Virgin: They’re romantic counselors, not initiators. Not to mention, possessors of more self-control than us.

Network: Comedy Central
Stars: Blake Anderson, Adam DeVine, Anders Holm
Premiere Date: September 20
Why we’re excited: Comedy Central has done a fine job of promoting its more popular shows, like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, yet the network’s lesser known properties haven’t fared as well in the marketing department. As a result, uniquely hilarious titles like Ugly Americans and Workaholics have amassed fans under the radar, when, ideally, they’d be right up there with South Park and Tosh.0 in terms of visibility. You can’t get killer ratings if no one knows the show even exists.

We’ve already pledged our support for Ugly Americans, so now let us do the same for Workaholics. Simple in premise (three college buddies live together and work for the same telemarketing company), the ironically titled sitcom (they’re really slackers) utilizes the naturalistic chops of stars Adam Devine, Blake Anderson, and Anders Holm to milk laughs out of set-ups like shroom trips, competing for a promotion, and an Insane Clown Posse concert. It’s like Office Space minus Bill Lumbergh.

Network: HBO
Stars: Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis, Ted Danson
Premiere Date: October 10
Why we’re excited: When Bored To Death premiered back in September 2009, it wasn’t in the best of shape. The cast was there, with Jason Schwartzman put under a well-deserved spotlight (as a struggling novelist who moonlights as a low-rent private eye) and Zach Galifianakis riding high off of The Hangover’s enormous success that summer, but the first batch of episodes were sluggish, and Schwartzman, usually a vibrant delight, awkwardly bumbled through silly plots.

Last season, however, creator Jonathan Ames, the humorous writer whom Schwartzman plays a fictionalized version of on the show, pinpointed Bored To Death’s lifeline: the deadpan comedic chemistry between Schwartzman, Galifianakis, and Ted Danson. Giving more screen time to Danson, specifically, HBO’s quirkiest property found its groove, relying less upon Schwartzman and more upon his co-stars’ more colorful characters.

And now that Bored To Death is locked into a workable ensemble structure, it’s one of TV’s most irreverently funny options. As long as its central trio remains top priority, all should be well. Shit, we might even start to forgive Galifianakis for The Hangover Part II.

Network: Showtime
Stars: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, Desmond Harrington, James Remar, Laura Velez, David Zayas, C.S. Lee
Premiere Date: October 2
Why we’re excited: Dexter has always been a show that completely hinges on its lead actor’s performance; more specifically, the brilliant work of Michael C. Hall, who plays the titular Robin Hood of serial killers with intense complexity and an explosiveness that perfectly complements his calm menace. As for everything else on Showtime’s hit psychodrama, “imbalanced” is the proper word. Last season, Dexter’s inability to maintain excellence around Hall was more palpable than ever, resulting in a 12-episode run that was ultimately pointless; in theory, Dexter could have jumped right from Season Four to here, Season Six.

So will the show’s producers get Dexter back on course? It’s too early to tell, but this year’s new characters all seem promising. Edward James Olmos checks in as a religious nutbag, Mos Def plays an ex-con who’s found God, and Colin Hanks will go against comedic type as an artifacts expert who becomes one of Dexter’s targets. By weaving religion into the mix, Dexter might have finally found something interesting for Hall to do, other than, you know, single-handedly rescuing his own show week by week.

Network: AMC
Stars: Anson Mount, Common, Dominique McElligott, Colm Meaney, Ben Esler
Premiere Date: November 6
Why we’re excited: AMC’s track record for original programming is exemplary thus far. The big dogs, of course, are Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and The Walking Dead; on a less prominent scale are The Killing, which, despite its infuriating season finale and slew of problems, is an arresting murder mystery, and last year’s failed Rubicon, an erratically paced conspiracy whodunit that hit a few incredibly high notes before succumbing to poor ratings death.

So, naturally, any new AMC show is worth a look, but Hell On Wheels doesn’t just pique our interests—it brings to mind HBO’s Deadwood by way of Charles Bronson, and that’s tough to ignore. The western drama, set at the dawn of reconstruction, right around the time of the Civil War, follows a Confederate soldier (Anson Mount) on a manhunt to find and annihilate the Union fighters who killed his wife. Along the way he meets a freed slave (Common) and battles militant Cheyenne Indians.

Remember, AMC is the home of a show that parades crystal meth and gory murders and another that once showed characters gutting a corpse and wearing its intestines as camouflage—there’s no question that Hell On Wheels is going to be viscerally raw. Bring on the carnage.

Network: NBC
Stars: Will Arnett, Christina Applegate, Maya Rudolph, Reid Ewing, Nick Cannon
Premiere Date: September 21
Why we’re excited: Behold the power of magnificent casting! Put any two other performers in the forefront of Up All Night and it’d be nothing more than an unnecessary reminder of Life As We Know It, last year’s brutal rom-com starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel about parental stress.

With Will Arnett and Christina Applegate as its leads, however, NBC’s baby care sitcom deserves a round of applause before its premiere even airs; together, Arnett (he of canceled shows Sit Down Shut Up and Running Wilde) and Applegate (she of Jesse and Samantha Who?) have combined for an unfortunate number of canned TV projects, and that’s not cool.

Arnett, who's still most loved for stints on 30 Rock and the short-lived Arrested Development, is one of Hollywood’s most underrated comic actors, and Applegate’s a hot and talented veteran who should be on Jennifer Aniston’s level. Maybe some of co-star Maya Rudolph’s Bridesmaids mojo will rub off on Up All Night; that’d definitely be better than Arnett’s When In Rome luck or Applegate’s Hall Pass stench.

Network: FX
Stars: Mark Duplass, Paul Scheer, Nick Kroll, Katie Aselton, Stephen Rannazzisi, Jon LaJoie
Premiere Date: October 6
Why we’re excited: Watching FX’s hilarious The League, it’s difficult not to wish that we were a hell of a lot funnier. It’s essentially the story of our lives: A group of crass, beer-loving friends get together, compete in Fantasy Football, and make fun of each other. Except that, in our case, the insults are subpar, the beer is skunky, and we’re not actors getting paid buckets of cash. Fuck our lives.

But hail The League, a witty and uncommonly relatable comedy that FX has shown enormous faith in—though it’s not a ratings juggernaut, the wonderfully cast series entertains a small yet loyal viewership, largely, if not solely, comprised of Internet-only pigskin coaches and managers. Who knows how long FX will keep The League alive, so take advantage of cable’s most underrated laugh-fest, beginning its third season in October, before it’s too late.

Network: NBC
Stars: Amber Heard, Naturi Naughton, Eddie Cibrian, Laura Benanti, David Krumholtz, Jenna Dewan, Leah Renee, Sean Maher
Premiere Date: September 19
Why we’re excited: Have a look at the photo above and take a wild guess. NBC’s The Playboy Club is this season’s closest equivalent to a Hooters restaurant: We’ll sample the menu (in this case, drama set in 1963 inside Chicago’s inaugural, Hugh Hefner-backed club), but, really, we’ll be more focused on the, um, scenery.

Not much is known about the show’s plot, other than its inspection of the club’s inner workings, particularly the comings and goings of new Bunny hire Maureen (Amber Heard), preferred customer Nick (Eddie Cibrian), and Brenda (Naturi Naughton), who’s intent on becoming Playboy’s first-ever black Playmate. As long as Heard, Naughton, and the rest of the curvy female cast remain in those outfits, The Playboy Club promises to be the season’s sexiest hour, even if the characters end up being less-dimensional than The Girls Next Door.

Network: The CW
Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nestor Carbonell, Ioan Gruffudd, Mike Colter, Tara Summers
Premiere Date: September 13
Why we’re excited: Before seeing the commercials and posters for The CW’s new noir-styled series Ringer, we didn’t even realize how much we’ve missed Sarah Michelle Gellar. Her marriage to Freddie Prinze, Jr. notwithstanding, the woman formerly known as Buffy The Vampire Slayer is a fanboy’s dream, equally adept at wearing a scream queen’s victim hat and knuckling up against bloodsuckers and other supernatural baddies. Over the last seven years, though, Gellar’s been distant from Hollywood’s spotlight, stuck in forgettable movies (The Return, The Air I Breathe) and voluntarily sitting at home to fulfill motherly duties.

Instead of testing her current star power in vapid romantic comedies, Gellar has chosen one of the fall season’s most intriguing new shows. In Ringer, she pulls double duty as twin sisters; the flashier sibling disappears, leading the recovering boozer one to pick up the pieces and figure out what happened to her sis. And, it turns out, her more accomplished twin harbored some dangerous secrets.

In recent interviews, Gellar has promised a show that will blast audiences with cliffhangers before each commercial break. A breathless mystery would be nice, but we’re just hoping that Ringer doesn’t go the way of CW’s once-compelling Nikita, which quickly squandered Maggie Q’s hotness by surrounding her with hackneyed side characters and convoluted melodrama.

Network: NBC
Stars: Joel McHale, Alison Brie, Chevy Chase, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Ken Jeong, Gillian Jacobs, Yvette Nicole Brown
Premiere Date: September 22
Why we’re excited: How the hell is Community still underrated? Two seasons deep, NBC’s experimental comedy is still more of a cult favorite than a 30 Rock-like phenomenon, a sad fact that actually leaves us surprised that it’s even receiving a third season. Not that we’re complaining.

Series creator Dan Harmon and his band of community college misfits—led by Joel McHale, Chevy Chase, Donald Glover, and the sexy tandem of Alison Brie and Gillian Jacobs—redefine TV’s sitcom format at a weekly clip, ransacking pop culture influences to craft intelligently subversive episodes about zombie outbreaks, stop-motion animated dreams, magical off-campus mazes, and self-discovery via Dungeons & Dragons. Through all of its wacky set-ups, though, Community always feels grounded in reality, a credit to Harmon’s sharp characterization and the cast’s equivalently strong acting.

The best part of all is that Harmon and company don’t seem to give a shit about becoming more accessible for Nielsen’s sake. Community’s second season got stranger as it progressed, and there’s no doubt that the new crop of episodes will continue the unpredictable energy. If you’re not already a fan, now’s the right time to enroll.

Network: CBS
Stars: Kat Dennings, Beth Behrs, Garrett Morris, Jonathan Kite
Premiere Date: September 19
Why we’re excited: One of the season’s breakout stars may very well be Whitney Cummings, a stand-up veteran who’s also quite easy on the eyes. She’ll headline her own NBC sitcom, Whitney, which appears to be worth a look, but the more highly-anticipated of Cummings’ two new shows is 2 Broke Girls, which she co-created with Sex And The City executive producer Michael Patrick King.

One major reason why 2 Broke Girls has our attention: our recent covergirl Kat Dennings. Riding high on the success of Thor, in which she popped up as the actually funny comic relief, Dennings teams up with fresh-faced Beth Behrs to tap into that post-Bridesmaids demand for raunchy, woman-driven comedy. They play a couple of Brooklyn waitresses insulting customers and stacking checks on their way to opening a cupcake shop, a concept that’s less exciting than the union of Dennings and Cummings, two likeable comediennes on the verge of blowing up. 2 Broke Girls could be their mutually held lit fuse.

Network: FX
Stars: Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Danny DevVito, Kaitlin Olson
Premiere Date: September 15
Why we’re excited: Last month, Charlie Day attempted to leap from the small screen to multiplexes nationwide with Horrible Bosses, the marginally funny dark comedy also starring Jason Bateman and Jason Sudeikis. Clearly hoping to make Day the film’s scene-stealing breakout, the filmmakers welcome every opportunity to turn the It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia frontman into this year’s Zach Galifianakis; unfortunately, Day’s overly manic performance has more in common with The Hangover’s sequel than its 2009, record-breaking predecessor.

It’s a good thing, then, that his day job (no pun intended) is back for a seventh season of mean-spirited hilarity. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia is a less irritating equivalent to HBO’s Entourage, in that none of the characters evolve all that much and each season is mostly identical to those prior. When a show’s as dependably amusing as this one, though, nonexistent growth is dismissible. After all, for narrative complexities, FX always has Sons Of Anarchy.

Network: Fox
Stars: Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown, Jasika Nicole
Premiere Date: September 23
Why we’re excited: Ever since Fox dumped it into the cauldrons of Friday night programming, the J.J. Abrams-backed Fringe has been on a short leash, endlessly flirting with cancellation. That makes the upcoming fourth season all the more crucial—if the ratings continue to dip, there’s no guarantees that sci-fi heads’ modern-day X-Files will make it to a sixth round; anyone who watched the show’s masterful third season can attest to just how infuriating that’d be.

Starting off as a more episodic investigation of supernatural and psychic occurrences, Fringe has matured over the last three years into a meticulous drama with a dense, continuously explored mythology. It’s also in a league of its own when it comes to insane cliffhangers and satisfying payoffs; last season’s emphasis on how two alternate universes affects Peter’s (Joshua Jackson) and Olivia’s (Anna Torv) star-crossed romance culminated in a time travel finale with a mind-raping closing shot.

The creative minds behind Fringe are in the zone, and the show’s quietly delivering some of TV’s best characters and story beats. Sadly, there’s no telling how much longer Abrams’ crack team of genre pushers will get to embarrass their television peers.

Network: CBS
Stars: Jim Caviezel, Michael Emerson, Taraji P. Henson
Premiere Date: September 22
Why we’re excited: The team behind CBS’ buzz-worthy Person Of Interest couldn’t be much stronger: J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot production crew (the gang behind Alias, Lost, Fringe) have joined forces with Jonathan Nolan, brother of blockbuster director Christopher Nolan and co-writer of The Dark Knight. Or, we can put it another way: the guys behind Lost’s mind-bending narrative and the intellectual who dreamed up Christopher Nolan’s breakthrough brain-fuck Memento. Keep the aspirin handy.

Created by Nolan, Person Of Interest appears to be a hybrid of Minority Report and, yes, Fringe. Michael Emerson (Lost’s Benjamin Linus) plays a rich guy who, after conceiving a program that identifies criminals before crimes happen, teams up with CIA veteran (Jim Caviezel) to prevent illegal activities; oh, and the latter is thought to be deceased.

Since it’s a J.J. Abrams production, we’re surprised we even know that much.

Network: HBO
Stars: Bryan Greenberg, Victor Rasuk, Lake Bell, Shannyn Sossamon, Kid Cudi, Luis Guzman, Eddie Kaye Thomas
Premiere Date: October 2
Why we’re excited: The bad news for all fans of the unstoppable Ari Gold, of course, is that Entourage is officially a wrap next month, but here’s the good news: the grieving process won’t last as long as you’d think. That’s because HBO already has its most likely successor to Vinny Chase and his posse of Hollywood movemakers and hangers-on, and it’s How To Make It In America.

Like Entourage, the NYC-set, half-hour series is executive produced by Mark Wahlberg, and, even more similarly, it’s about young entrepreneurs hustling their way through an unforgiving industry as popular hip-hop tracks play in the background. In this case, Byran Greenberg and Victor Rasuk play a pair of fashion designer wannabes, who, unlike Adrian Grenier, are charismatic and agreeable enough to hold the show down without a scene-stealing co-star; though, sexy Lake Bell’s presence certainly doesn’t hurt.

With Entourage out the door, the lane is wide open for How To Make It In America to claim Sunday night’s hipster-friendly throne. We just pray that it doesn’t settle into Entourage’s narrative complacency.

Network: ABC
Stars: Christina Ricci, Kelli Garner, Michael Mosley, Mike Vogel, Karine Vanasse, Margot Robbie, Annabelle Wallis
Premiere Date: September 25
Why we’re excited: AMC’s beloved hit Mad Men has proven that audiences love a bit of richly written nostalgia, and that’s precisely what the folks behind Pan Am hope will drive their new endeavor. Set in 1963, ER writing veteran Jack Orman’s creation follows the daily lives of Pan American World Airways’ flight attendants and pilots, which, we’re guessing, include tons of cavorting, drama, and, hopefully, Mile High Club subplots.

Will Pan Am inspire trend-jumpers to start dressing like its characters, a la dudes who worship at the closet of Mad Men’s Don Draper? Probably not, but that’s not to say Pan Am’s historical, they-had-sex-back-then-too slant isn’t just as intriguing. Plus, word has it that one of the sexy female leads (one of whom is Christina Ricci, a huge plus) plays an undercover spy, adding a possible Jane Bond element to the pre-Civil-Rights, milquetoast ensemble. Now, the question is, will Pan Am be first class or coach?

Network: HBO
Stars: Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham, Aleksa Palladino, Stephen Graham, Michael Stuhlbarg, Michael K. Williams, Paz de la Huerta, Anthony Luciara, Gretchen Mol
Premiere Date: September 25
Why we’re excited: After a triumphant first season, the pressure’s off for Boardwalk Empire creator Terrence Winter and executive producer Martin Scorsese. Heading into last year’s September debut, HBO’s 1920s gangster series was the center of intense anticipation, fanned by Winter’s involvement with a little show known as The Sopranos and Scorsese’s own status as an iconic mastermind of crime drama. The void left by The Sopranos seemed to finally have a filler, as long as Boardwalk Empire capitalized on its stellar cast and bountiful, Prohibition-era Atlantic City setting.

Eighteen Emmy nominations later, Winter and company definitely showed and proved; now, Boardwalk Empire is off and running. Spoilers for Season Two have been non-existent so far, and that’s a good thing; all we can gauge is that, based on the brief teaser trailer, Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) is the primary target of damn near everyone in AC’s criminal underworld, especially former protégé Jimmy (Michael Pitt). But, as Season One confirmed, one shouldn’t fuck with Nucky. We can’t wait to see fools try.

Network: MTV
Stars: Mike Judge
Premiere Date: October 27
Why we’re excited: At last month’s San Diego Comic-Con, geeks worldwide rejoiced over the latest comic book news and superhero movie breaks, but, really, there was only one major announcement, aided by the above sneak peek footage, that flipped our lids: After 14 years off the air, Beavis And Butt-Head have returned. Starting on October 27th, popular culture’s most shameless targets will get assaulted with a barrage of immaturely sexual innuendos and “fart knocker” jokes. For all those who grew up during the mid-'90s, the Great Cornholio is about to make the world a much better, and funnier, place.

In a stroke of formatting genius, series creator Mike Judge and MTV will alter the original show’s music video interludes, during which Beaver and Butt-Hole (right, Coach Buzzcut?) would skewer awful music and fawn over heavy metal clips; now, the boys will rip apart music visuals and YouTube videos and scenes from MTV’s reality shows, such as Jersey Shore and Teen Mom.

Which means we’ll get to hear Butt-head comment on Snooki’s “Hook-Up Board” with, “This is like a family tree, if your family was made of whores.” Welcome back, fellas.

Network: AMC
Stars: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Norman Reedus
Premiere Date: October 16
Why we’re excited: If not for the excellent Season Two trailer, we’d be in a full-fledged state of panic in regards to AMC’s The Walking Dead. As uneven as the show’s six-episode first season was, the ratings monster, which adapts Robert Kirkman’s graphic novel series, is still unlike anything else on television, paying equal credence to intense character development and gory, hardcore horror imagery. So the thought of a lengthened, 13-episode second season is, on the surface, cause for celebration; the world is established, and creator Frank Darabont doesn’t have to worry so much about introducing the show’s various tones on a per-episode basis.

Which brings us to that aforementioned panicked state: Darabont’s out as showrunner, so now he really doesn’t have to worry as much. In his place is Glen Mazzara, who executive produced The Shield; but Mazzara’s coronation didn’t come voluntarily on Darabont’s part. A recent Hollywood Reporter story revealed how AMC is slashing The Walking Dead’s budget and turning its behind-the-scenes process into an artistic nightmare.

How will all of that affect the show itself? That’s the big question looming over Season Two, which reportedly takes place mostly on the farm of a new character, Hershel Greene (Scott Wilson). Darabont himself wrote the October 16th premiere, a positive detail considering that he also wrote the show’s phenomenal pilot episode. So, chances are, The Walking Dead will kick off with a bang; fingers crossed that the backstage drama doesn’t result in the show eating itself alive throughout subsequent episodes.

Network: FX
Stars: Dermot Mulroney, Connie Britton, Jessica Lange, Taissa Farmiga, Evan Peters, Denis O’Hare, Frances Conroy
Premiere Date: October 5
Why we’re excited: Earlier this year, it was reported that Glee co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk would return to cable, after overseeing FX’s dark hit Nip/Tuck, with American Horror Story, an enigmatic, hour-long dose of weekly, straightforward genre material. They couldn’t have picked a broader title, either; with its generic moniker, their new FX program left pundits and Gleeks in the dark as to what the hell the show is exactly.

Having seen the absolutely batshit pilot, we’re able to shed some light on American Horror Story, and, in turn, are also stoked. Dermot Mulroney and Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) star as a husband and wife who, after he cheats on her, relocate to a creepy old house with their teenage daughter (Taissa Farmiga) to start over, so to speak. From there, the show devolves into a perverted spin on The Shining, with ghostly twins, a sexually motivated apparition dressed in a latex S&M outfit, an old woman who appears to be a horny maid in Mulroney’s wandering eyes, and a freaky, pint-sized demon garbed in a child’s pajamas.

And that’s just in the first episode. How Murphy and Falchuk will extend what seems to be a one-note haunted house spookfest into a full season’s worth of entertainment, let alone a multi-season series, is anyone’s guess. But, as the pilot solidifies, they’re swinging for the fences here. Jarring edits, unnerving music, and one of the eeriest opening credits sequences in years contribute to the season’s most sinister, and exciting, new show. We can’t wait to see how Murphy and Falchuk sustain the craziness, or, frankly, if they even can.