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.

Over the course of this week, I will focus on each individual night of programming; specifically the new and returning dramas that will debut or air their season premieres when the fall TV season gets started.

The following is the Wednesday 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 drama Red Band Society will debut on September 17 and there will be a sneak peek of the new drama The Mysteries of Laura on September 17 as well.

Red Band Society is based on the award-winning Spanish series Polseres Vermelles and takes a provocative, unconventional and, at times, comic look at the lives of patients in the pediatric ward of Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles. The cast includes Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (The Help) as Nurse Jackson, a caregiver with a take-no-prisoners approach; Dave Annable (Brothers & Sisters) as Dr. Jack McAndrew, the country’s top pediatric surgeon and newcomer Rebecca Rittenhouse as gullible and naïve Nurse Brittany Dobler. The patients will be played by Griffin Gluck (Private Practice), a 12-old coma patient (and narrator of the series); Nolan Sotillo (Prom) as Jordi Palacios, the new kid at the hospital; Charlie Rowe (Neverland) as Leo Roth, the leader of the patients; Astro (The X Factor), as Dash Hosney, the rebel among the group who is dealing with cystic fibrosis; Ciara Bravo (Big Time Rush) as Emma Chota, who is coping with an eating disorder and Zoe Levin (The Way Way Back) as Kara Souders, a mean girl cheerleader.

The Mysteries of Laura is an adaptation of the Spanish series Los misterios de Laura that will star Debra Messing (Will & Grace) as Laura Diamond, a brilliant NYPD homicide detective who balances her day job with a crazy family life that includes two unruly twin boys and a soon-to-be ex-husband (Josh Lucas) – also a cop – who just can’t seem to sign the divorce papers. Between cleaning up after her boys and cleaning up the streets, she’d be the first to admit she has her “hot mess” moments. The cast includes Janina Gavankar (Arrow and True Blood) and Laz Alonso (Breakout Kings).

The 16th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the second season of Chicago P.D. and Nashville will start its third season all on September 24.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit will return for a 16th season finding Sergeant Olivia Benson (series lead Mariska Hargitay) juggling work, a new acting commander Dominick “Sonny” Carisi (Peter Scanavion from Person of Interest and The Blacklist) and her new life as a foster mother to baby Noah. Detective Nick Amaro (series regular Danny Pino) will be undercover and this work will involve people connected to Noah’s mother, putting the baby in danger. He will also deal with a long-distance separation from his daughter; and viewers just might meet Rollins’ (series regular Kelli Giddish) mom. Peter Gallagher (Covert Affairs and The O.C.) will have a recurring role.

The season finale of Chicago P.D. found tech and surveillance expert Detective Sheldon Jin (Archie Kao) found dead after being confronted by Sergeant Hank Voight (series lead Jason Beghe) about his snooping into Voight for internal affairs. His death and Voight’s possible connection to it, will divide the unit. Meanwhile, Detective Erin Lindsay (series regular Sophia Bush) and Severide (Taylor Kinney from Chicago Fire) are “going strong” while Officer Kim Burgess (series regular Marina Squerciati) and Office Adam Ruzek (series regular Patrick Flueger) are keeping their romance quite to protect her shot at an Intelligence job. Meanwhile, Detective Antonio Dawson (series regular Jon Seda) will be dealing with the aftermath of his wife leaving and taking their children with her. Actress Markie Post (Night Court) will guest star in multiple episodes of the show, playing Bunny, Lindsay’s mom, a bartender in a dive bar who has been estranged from her daughter.

Nashville will return for season three with Rayna James (series lead Connie Britton) making a decision between old flame Deacon Claybourne (series regular Charles Esten) and new love Luke Wheeler (recurring guest star Will Chase). And Juliette Barnes (series lead Hayden Panettiere) will find out she’s pregnant [writing in the actress’ real life pregnancy). Fans can also expect the departure of Tandy Hampton (recurring guest star Judith Hoag), Rayna’s sister, who will leave for San Francisco to work with a West Coast non-profit organization. Guest stars this season will include Derek Hough (Dancing with the Stars), Alexa Vega (The Tomorrow People and the Spy Kids franchise) and Tony Award winner Laura Benanti (Royal Pains).

Here is a look at season three of Nashville via ABC.

Season 10 of Criminal Minds and the debut of Stalker will air on October 1.

Criminal Minds will find the entire main cast returning for its tenth season except for Alex Blake (Jeanne Tripplehorn), who left the show last season. The team will have a new member, Kate Callahan (Jennifer Love Hewitt from Ghost Whisperer and The Client List), a former undercover FBI agent. And fans will possibly find out who was the sender of Hotch’s (series lead Thomas Gibson) text message. An early episode will see the team being called to the site of “one of the largest disasters with mass casualities they’ve seen in their 10-year history.” Guest stars this season will include C.S. Lee (Dexter), Alicia Coppola (Jericho) and Kerr Smith (Dawson’s Creek and The Fosters).

Stalker will find Maggie Q (Nikita) and Dylan McDermott (Hostages and American Horror Story) starring as detectives who investigate stalking incidents, including voyeurism, cyber harassment and romantic fixation, for the Threat Assessment Unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. The cast includes Mariana Klaveno (Devious Maids and True Blood) and Elizabeth Rohm (Law & Order). Warren Kole (Common Law and The Following) will have a recurring role in the series.

The third season of Arrow will start on October 8 and The 100 will be back with its second season on October 22.

Arrow will come back for its third season with Arrow (series lead Stephen Amell) now a hero to the citizens of Starling City. Crime is down and people feel safe, and Captain Lance (series regular Paul Blackthorne) calls off the Anti-Vigilante Task Force. Oliver now believes he can finally have a private life, asking Felicity (series regular Emily Bett Rickards) out on a date; but a deadly villain reappears forcing him to don the hood once again. There will also be flashbacks to Oliver off the island under the supervision of Amanda Waller (recurring guest star Cynthia Addai-Robinson); and Malcolm Merlyn (series regular John Barrowman) will begin training his daughter (series regular Willa Holland) to be so much more than she ever was before. Oh, and Ra’s al Ghul will make an appearance and there will be a Felicity-centric flashback too. There will be a lot of guest stars this season, including Matt Ward (Hellcats), Rila Fukushima (Wolverine), Amy Gumenick (Supernatural), Nolan Funk (Glee and Awkward), David Cubitt (Medium), Charlotte Ross (NYPD Blue), J.R. Ramirez (Emily Owens, MD), Brandon Routh (Superman Returns and Chuck), Austin Butler (The Carrie Diaries and Switched at Birth) and Peter Stormare (Prison Break and The Blacklist).

The 100 will return to explain the aftermath of the fight between the Grounders and the remaining members of the 100 who woke up in sterile white rooms (they are with the Mountain Men on Mount Weather), what was the fate of Finn (series regular Thomas McDonnell) and Bellamy (Bob Morley) and what happens for the surviving members of the Ark who made it to Earth. Reunions will be a key storyline this season; and viewers will learn about other groups on Earth and see an even darker season than last (which saying a lot). Veteran actor Raymond J. Barry (Justified) will have a recurring role.

Here is a recap video of season one of The 100.

Mark your calendars!

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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.

Over the course of this week, I will focus on each individual night of programming; specifically the new and returning dramas that will debut or air their season premieres when the fall TV season gets started.

The following is the Tuesday 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 majority of the Tuesday night dramas will either air their season premieres or their series debuts on September 23. NCIS will return for its 12th season while Person of Interest will return for its 4th season. Chicago Fire will be back for its 3rd season and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will be back for its second season. Also, the new dramas NCIS: New Orleans and Forever will debut.

The number one TV drama will continue in its procedural pattern with the NCIS team solving countless military related cases; and for once not having a tumultuous cliffhanger ending. The premiere episode will find Gibbs (series lead Mark Harmon) and McGee (Sean Murray) heading to Russia to bring a computer engineer back to the USA. Things, of course, go awry. Also on tap this season is putting a face to the long-MIA Mrs. Gibbs No. 2 and unveiling another never-seen Gibbs spouse. And, the storyline of McGee’s dad will be revisited at some point; we will meet Bishop’s (series regular Emily Wickersham) husband and CGIS Agent Borin (recurring guest star Diane Neal) will return. Guest stars this season will include Stephanie Jacobsen (Melrose Place), as a new love interest for Tony, Leslie Hope (24 and Revolution) will be back as the current SecNav and Adam Campbell (Mixology and Touch) will play Ducky in a flashback episode.

Person of Interest ended last season with Samaritan going online and the team heading off in separate directions. As the new season starts, it is about six weeks after Samartian went online with Root (series regular Amy Acker) and Shaw (series regular Sarah Shahi) working as, of all things, cosmetics counter girls in their new identities while it appears that Reese (series lead Jim Caviezel) is now a cop and Harold (series lead Michael Emerson) is a college professor (of sorts). Meanwhile, Detective Fusco (series regular Kevin Chapman) will become a useful asset in a different aspect than before because Samaritan is not aware he worked with the rest of the team. This season will, assuredly, see a battle of the Machine versus Samaritan with the team trying to get back to work together. Jason Ritter (Parenthood), Monique Curnen (Lie to Me) and Cara Buono (Mad Men) will guest star this season.

The finale of Chicago Fire found nearly the entire cast of characters inside a burning building that exploded. The aftermath of that explosion will have ramifications on everyone and not everyone will make it out. Fans can expect a 1 ½ month jump between the building explosion and the ramifications of that horrible incident. This catastrophe will be devastating for Chief Boden (series regular Eamonn Walker), who just got married, has a baby on the way and then this tragedy strikes. What is known is that Severide (series lead Taylor Kinney) will survive, but he will deal with the consequences in a possible self-destructive manner. And the engagement of Gabby (series regular Monica Raymund) and Casey (series lead Jesse Spencer) “is still on”.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ended its debut season with the agency being dismantled from within by Hydra, and the team learning that Grant Ward (series regular Brett Dalton) was actually working for Hydra all along. Ward and Hydra will not be gone this season, with the former discovering just what he wants out of life since he’s been a follower and has been told what to do for so long. There will also be a small time jump at the start of this season with Coulson (series lead Clark Gregg) working to rebuild SHIELD as the new director. But there is the little problem of the alien serum affecting his brain. Among the guest stars this season will be Henry Simmons (Ravenswood and NYPD Blue), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks), Simon Kassianides (Nikita), Brian Patrick Wade (Teen Wolf), Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights), British actor Nick Blood (The Bletchley Circle) and Lucy Lawless (Spartacus). And, B.J. Britt, who was seen for much of the latter part of the debut season, will be around a lot too. Also, Hayley Atwell will appear as Agent Carter in an early episode, helping to set up the debut of the new series.

NCIS: New Orleans is yet another spin-off series from the franchise, focusing on the local field office in The Big Easy. Leading the team is Special Agent Dwayne Pride (aka King) [Scott Bakula from Quantum Leap); and by his side are Special Agent Christopher LaSalle (Lucas Black from Fast & the Furious Tokyo Drift), Special Agent Meredith Brody (Zoe McLellan from Dirty Sexy Money), Dr. Loretta Wade (CCH Pounder from Warehouse 13) and Rob Kerkovich (Chasing Life) as Sebastian Lund, a forensic scientist. Washington may happen bigger cases, but the NOLA field office goes from Pensacola all the way around the Gulf to Texas so the cases will not just be centered The Big Easy. Viewers can, of course, expect crossovers between the mothership series and NCIS:NOLA.

Forever focuses on Doctor Henry Morgan (Ioan Gruffudd from Ringer and the Fantastic Four franchise), who is New York City’s star medical examiner. But he has a secret. He doesn’t just study the dead to solve criminal cases, he does it to solve his own 200-year old mystery, as he is immortal. The cast includes Alana De La Garza (Law & Order) as Detective Jo Martinez; Judd Hirsh (Taxi) as Abe, Henry’s best friend and confident (and the only person who knows Henry’s secret) and Lorraine Toussaint (Orange Is the New Black) as Lt. Joanna Reece.

And then on October 7, The Flash will debut on The CW followed by Supernatural starting its 10th season.

The Flash is a spin-off from Arrow that will focus on Central City CSI Investigator Barry Allen (series lead Grant Gustin from Glee), who is struck by lightning during an accident when a cutting edge particle accelerator at S.T.A.R. Labs exploded. Nine months later, Barry awakens from a coma, learning that he has developed superhuman speed. He ends up working with disgraced physicist Harrison Wells (series regular Tom Cavanagh from Ed) and his team members Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker from Necessary Roughness) and Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes from Broadway’s Once) to determine just how far his new-found powers can go. The cast also includes Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order), Candice Patton (The Game) and Rick Cosnett (The Vampire Diaries). Fans can expect crossovers from Arrow as well as guest appearances by Greg Finley (Star-Crossed and The Secret Life of the American Teenager), Clancy Brown (Sleepy Hollow), Kelly Frye (Rake), Wentworth Miller (Prison Break), William Sadler (Roswell), Robbie Amell (The Tomorrow People) and Robert Knepper (Prison Break) will reprise his Arrow role of the Clock King.

Supernatural opens its 10th season this fall coming off a tumultuous year where the Winchester brothers Sam (series lead Jared Padalecki) and Dean (series lead Jensen Ackles) were not only defeated by Metatron (recurring guest star Curtis Armstrong) but Dean’s life was also taken by the fallen angel. However, Crowley (series regular Mark Sheppard) brought Dean back using the Mark of Cain’s weapon, but Dean is now a demon. Sam will spend the early part of the season searching for his brother while Castiel (series regular Misha Collins) will be dealing with the aftermath of Metatron’s aborted plot to take over heaven and struggling with how to get his angelic grace back. Contained within the new season will be the series’ 200th episode that will be music-based, but isn’t exactly being called a musical episode. Guest stars will include Kim Rhodes, returning as Sheriff Mills, Brianna Buckmaster back as Sheriff Donna Hanscum and a surprise returning character that has yet to be revealed. Also, Scottish actress Ruth Connell will recur as a mysterious old-school witch named Rowena.

Don’t miss out!

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