Rueben's Ramblings

The fall TV season is nearly upon us and it is time to take a look at what the major networks have in store for us.

Here is the final night of programming, focusing on the new and returning dramas that will debut or air their season premieres when the fall TV season gets started.

The following is the Sunday night schedule (courtesy of TV Line):

NOTE: You can double click on the image above to see a larger size of the Monday night chart.

The new CBS drama Madam Secretary will debut on September 21 followed by the season six premiere of The Good Wife.

Madam Secretary stars Téa Leoni as Elizabeth McCord, the shrewd, determined, newly appointed Secretary of State who drives international diplomacy, battles office politics and circumvents protocol as she negotiates global and domestic issues, both at the White House and at home. A college professor and a brilliant former CIA analyst who left for ethical reasons, Elizabeth returns to public life at the request of the President following the suspicious death of her predecessor. The President values her apolitical leanings, her deep knowledge of the Middle East, her flair for languages and her ability to not just think outside the box, but to not even acknowledge there is a box. The cast includes Bebe Neuwirth (Cheers), Tim Daly (Private Practice), Zeljko Ivanek (Revolution), Geoffrey Arend (Body of Proof) and Erich Bergen (Jersey Boys).

The Good Wife will launch its sixth season with Eli (series regular Alan Cummings) attempting to convince Alicia (series lead Julianna Margulies) to run for state’s attorney, which will set off Finn Polmar’s (series regular Matthew Goode) feelings since he once sought that office himself. In addition, there will be a story arc involving Kalinda (series regular Archie Panjabi) that will come close to the earthquake-level intensity of last season’s violent death of Will and the mutiny at Lockhart-Gardner. Among the guest stars will include David Hyde Pierce (Frasier), Connie Nielson (The Following), Steven Pasquale (Rescue Me) and Taye Diggs (Murder in the First).

The majority of the Sunday night dramas will then air on September 28 with CSI airing its 15th season premiere on CBS. Meanwhile on ABC, Once Upon a Time will air its fourth season premiere followed by the season four premiere of Revenge and the second season premiere of Resurrection.

The 15th season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation will explain the “extended leave of absence” of Captain Jim Brass (former series regular Paul Guilfoyle) by jumping into a serial killer case that will run throughout the season. In lighter stories, Julie Finlay (series lead Elisabeth Shue) will get a new love interest in Mark Valley (Human Target and Body of Proof) while Greg (series regular Eric Szmanda) and Sara’s (series regular Jorja Fox) close bond will be explored further. George Eads will continue to be a series regular and Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Franklin and Bash) and Bella Thorne (Shake It Up) will guest star.

Here is a teaser for the season premiere of CSI.

The fourth season of Once Upon a Time will, of course, focus on the arrival of Queen Elsa of Arendelle (from the box office film Frozen), her sister Anna and Anna’s fiancé Kristoff (to be played by Georgina Haig from Fringe and Reckless, newcomer Elizabeth Lail and Scott Michael Foster from Greek and Chasing Life respectively). The season will also show Regina’s (series regular Lana Parrilla) reaction to the unexpected return of her new love Robin Hood’s (recurring guest star Sean Maguire) long-believed dead wife Marian (guest star Christie Laing from Arrow); how Snow White (series lead Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (series regular Josh Dallas) are adapting to being new parents; how well Emma (series lead Jennifer Morrison) and Hook (series regular Colin O’Donoghue) will deal with their burgeoning relationship and if Belle (series regular Emilie de Ravin) will learn the truth about what new husband Rumpelstiltskin (series regular Robert Carlisle) is really up to. Guest stars this season will include Frances O’Connor (Mr. Selfridge and Timeline) and Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost and V); and Kristin Bauer van Straten (True Blood) will be back as Maleficent and Michael Socha (Once Upon a Time in Wonderland) will be back as The Knave.

Here is an extended trailer for season four of Once Upon a Time.

Season four of Revenge will find the show taking a different direction with Victoria Grayson (series lead Madeleine Stowe) now the one aiming to take down Emily Thorne (series lead Emily VanCamp). In addition, the series will focus on the very much unexpected return from the dead of David Clarke (new series regular James Tupper) whose dynamic with Emily is “not what you’re going to be expecting”. The dead girl left in Daniel’s (series regular Josh Bowman) will “lead to a significant change” in the Hamptons’ golden boy; and we will see a very different Jack Porter (series regular Nick Wechsler). Oh, and there will be a death; a man with ties to Conrad Grayson (series regular Henry Czerny). Guest stars will include Brian Hallisay (The Client List), Nestor Serrano (Graceland), Yeardley Smith (best known as the voice of Lisa on The Simpsons) and Elena Satine (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).

Resurrection will be back for its second season, picking up one week after the season one finale and answering the question whether Bellamy (series lead Omar Epps) is one of the Returned. Sheriff Fred Langston (series regular Matt Craven) will be at his “lowest point” and the return of his mother (Michelle Fairley from Game of Thrones) will have a “profound impact” on him. Time will also be spent on Deputy Carl Enders (recurring guest star Christopher Berry) and the Returned people in his life. Stage and screen actress Donna Murphy (Tangled) will have a recurring role.

Mark your calendars!