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 Friday 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.

On September 26, Hawaii Five-0 and Blue Bloods will both be back for their fifth seasons.

The fourth season of Hawaii Five-0 came to a close with Wo Fat (recurring guest star Mark Dacascos) breaking out of a super-max prison and the ramifications of that escape will play out in this season’s 100th episode. Any lingering questions, including whether McGarrett (series lead Alex O’Loughlin) and Wo Fat are related and what is Wo Fat’s relationship to Steve’s mother, will be answered in that episode. It was also announced that Michelle Borth, who played McGarrett’s girlfriend Catherine Rollins has left the show; and a new, yet-to-be-cast love interest for him is on the way. Meanwhile, Jorge Garcia (Lost and Once Upon a Time) has been promoted to series regular, Carol Burnett will be back along with Four Seasons frontman Frankie Valli and guest stars will include Amanda Setton (The Crazy Ones) and Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New Black).

Blue Bloods will return for its fifth season with much of the season’s drama being focused on the little black book of a murdered call girl; and their 100th episode will also air. In the premiere, Frank (series lead Tom Selleck) will get off on the wrong foot with Dutton, the new District Attorney. They will clash in an unfortunate sequence of events, causing the death of a mentally ill homeless man. Holt McCallany (Lights Out), Bill Irwin (CSI and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) and LaTanya Richardson Jackson (A Raisin in the Sun) will all recur. And, Rebecca Mader (Lost and Once Upon a Time) will guest star.

Meanwhile, Grimm will be back for its fourth season and Constantine will make its debut on October 24.

Grimm will enter season four right where it left off last season with Nick (series lead David Giuntoli) losing his Grimm powers and leaving Monroe and Rosalee’s (series leads Silas Weir Mitchell and Bree Turner) wedding in an utter melee. The question now will be does Nick even want to be “re-Grimmed” or not. And, Monroe and Rosalee will face a kind of Wesen Klu Klux Klan who does not like intermarriage. Also, Renard (series regular Sasha Roiz) is nearing death and there is nothing that medical science can do for him. Guest stars will include Louise Lombard (CSI) and Elizabeth Rodriguez (Orange Is the New Black).

NOTE: There currently is not a trailer for the fourth season of Grimm, which is most likely due to the later start for the new season.

Constantine is based on the DC Comic about John Constantine (series lead Matt Ryan from Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior), an enigmatic and irreverent con man-turned-reluctant supernatural detective who is thrust into the role of defending us against dark forces from beyond. Harold Perrineau (Lost) will play Manny, an authoritative angel assigned to watch over Constantine while Charles Halford (True Detective) will play Chas Chandler, Constantine’s oldest friend and staunch companion and Angélica Celaya (Dallas) as Zed Martin. Lucy Griffiths (True Blood) will appear as Liv Aberdeen in the pilot episode only. Among the guest stars will be Joelle Carter (Justified).

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 Thursday 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 network dramas will either premiere or debut on September 25 with Grey’s Anatomy back for its 11th season and Scandal will be back for its fourth season. The new drama How to Get Away With Murder will debut while Bones will be back for its 10th season. Also, Parenthood will be back for its final sixth season.

Grey’s Anatomy will be back for its 11th season and will be a Meredith-centric (series lead Ellen Pompeo) season because she has lost her ‘person’ – Christina (former series regular Sandra Oh) left at the end of last season – and her husband Derek (series regular Patrick Dempsey) wants to move on to someplace else. Supposedly the new season will pick up right where the last season left off. And, there just might be flashback periods to the younger days of Drs. Ellis Grey, Meredith’s mother and Richard Webber. It would appear that Callie (series regular Sara Ramirez) and Arizona (series regular Jessica Capshaw) will continue to have troubles. What is also known is that Dr. Shane Ross (Gaius Charles) and Dr. Leah Murphy (Tessa Ferrer) will not be back for the new season, but the rest of the remaining cast will be back. Also, Caterina Scorsone, who plays Dr. Amelia Shepherd, one of Derek’s sisters, has joined the show as series regular. Veteran actress Geena Davis will also have a major guest arc playing a surgeon, and Annet Mahendru (The Americans) will also guest star.

Scandal, of course, saw Olivia Pope (series lead Kerry Washington) leaving Washington with Jake Ballard (series regular Scott Foley) in tow at the end of last season. The question, as the new season starts, will be “where on Earth is Olivia Pope?” And, President Fitzgerald Grant (series regular Tony Goldwyn) and his family will be reeling with the unexpected death of his son, which was perpetuated by Olivia’s father (recurring guest star Joe Morton). It is known that Harrison Wright (Columbus Short) will not be back on the show and there will be a time jump of about two-and-a-half months, right in time for the election. Guest stars for this new season will include Matthew Del Negro (Teen Wolf), Mary McCormack (In Plain Sight) and Josh Randall (Ed) and Portia de Rossi (Ally McBeal and Arrested Development).

How to Get Away With Murder will focus on brilliant, charismatic and seductive Professor Annalise Keating (Viola Davis from The Help), who gets entangled with four law students from her class, “How to Get Away with Murder”. Little do the students know that they will have to apply what they learned to real life. The cast includes Aja Naomi King (Emily Owens, M.D.), Jack Falahee (Twisted), Katie Findlay (The Killing and The Carrie Diaries), Tom Verica (American Dream), Liza Weil (Gilmore Girls and Scandal), Charlie Weber (Buffy, the Vampire Slayer), Billy Brown (Hostages and Sons of Anarchy), Matt McGorry (Orange is the New Black), Latino star Karla Souza (Instructions Not Included) and Alfred Enoch (the Harry Potter franchise). Guest stars will include Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New Black), Ana Ortiz (Devious Maids and Ugly Betty)

Last season of Bones found Booth (series lead David Boreanaz) and Brennan’s (series lead Emily Deschanel) home riddled with gunfire and Booth being framed and falsely accused of murdering three federal agents, which found him being sentenced to jail. This new season will pick up right where the finale left off, albeit with a four month time jump, with huge ramifications, both physically and emotionally. Brennan will, of course, be trying to find a way to prove Booth’s innocence along with the squints. The way to do that is to finish what Booth started by uncovering who is behind the conspiracy at the FBI. Also at some point in the season, there just might be a chance for Booth and Brennan to have another child. John Boyd (24) will have a recurring role, playing James Aubrey, a junior FBI agent working under Booth, which means Brennan and the squints must find a way to set him free.

Parenthood will be back for its sixth and final season and it is expected that storylines affecting the Braverman family will be tied up. It is possible that viewers will see the loss of family matriarch or patriarch, Zeek (series regular Craig T. Nelson) or Camille (series regular Bonnie Bedelia [but that has not been confirmed]. Since the show has focused on so many hard-hitting subjects – cancer, failed marriages, affairs, heartbreak and the like – it will be interesting to see what comes next for the large Braverman family.

Here is a preview for the final season of Parenthood.

The new drama Gracepoint (the US adaptation of the British mini-series Broadchurch) will debut on October 2 while that same night The Vampire Diaries will be back for its sixth season and the second season of Reign will return too.

Gracepoint will focus on what happens when a young boy is found dead on an idyllic beach in the small northern California seaside town of Gracepoint. A major police investigation is launched with Detective Emmett Carver (David Tennant from Broadchurch and Doctor Who) in charge. He just arrived in Gracepoint to fill a high position in the town’s police force that was previously promised to Detective Ellie Miller (Anna Gunn from Breaking Bad). Miller has to put aside resentment and work the case with her prickly new boss. The cast includes Josh Hamilton (American Horror Story), newcomer Jack Irvine, Michael Pena (End of Watch), Virginia Kull (Boardwalk Empire), newcomer Madalyn Horcher, Kendrick Sampson (The Vampire Diaries), veteran actor Nick Nolte, Kevin Rankin (Justified), Sarah-Jane Potts (Kinky Boots), Stephen Louis Grush (Lucky 7), Kevin Zegers (Transamerica), Jessica Lucas (Cloverfield) and veteran actress Jacki Weaver.

The Vampire Diaries had a massive season finale with Mystic Falls being overrun with Travelers, the group bent on stripping the town of all its magic; but Elena (series lead Nina Dobrev), Damon (series lead Ian Somerhalder) and Bonnie (series regular Kat Graham) coming up with a dangerous plan to destroy them. That didn’t work out, though, ending with Damon and Bonnie being left on The Other Side as the supernatural world crumbled with them vanishing in a white light. The new season will pick up a couple months later with everyone dealing with the loss; namely with Stefan (series lead Paul Wesley) leaving the town to go soul searching, Elena resorting to witchy drugs in her attempt to hallucinate Damon and Jeremy (series regular Steven R. McQueen) drinking alone in the woods. Meanwhile, a mysterious new community watch program will come to the town. Matt Davis will be back as Alaric, who now has a teaching job at the local university; and Jodi Lyn O’Keefe (Nash Bridges and Hit the Floor) and Colin Ferguson (Eureka and Haven) will guest star.

The second season of Reign will see the plague spread, Francis (series lead Toby Regbo) will find Lola (series regular Anna Popplewell) and his newborn son and Bash (series lead Torrance Coombs) knocking down doors to save his wife Kenna (series regular Caitlin Stasey). Of course, Francis and Mary (series lead Adelaide Kane) will face countless obstacles; and the former will have a great deal of guilt hanging over his head. The dynamic between Mary and Catherine (series regular Megan Follows) will remain incredibly tense. Jonathan Keltz has been promoted to series regular and that will allow for an interesting “quadrangle” between he and Greer (series regular Celina Sinden) and her betrothed Lord Castleroy (recurring guest star Michael Therriault) and Castleroy’s daughter Yvette (guest star Sarah Winter). Oh, and don’t rule out seeing Clarissa (recurring guest star Katie Boland) again. Guest stars this season will be Craig Parker (Spartacus and Legend of the Seeker) and British actress Rose Williams.

Lastly, Elementary will be back for its third season on October 30.

Season three of Elementary will experience an eight-month time jump, will find Joan (series lead Lucy Liu) in her own apartment, a steady boyfriend and a solo P.I. gig; then Sherlock (series lead Jonny Lee Miller) returns to the States after working with MI6. And that’s not all: he will be accompanied by a “new and decidedly different protégé named Kitty. Needless to say, the two women in Sherlock’s life will not get off to a good start with each other. Among the guest stars will be Gina Gershon (Rescue Me), British actress Ophelia Lovibond (the mini-series Titanic: Blood and Steel), Raza Jaffrey (Smash), Sonya Walger (Lost), Zak Orth (Revolution), Mamie Gummer (Off the Map and Emily Owens, M.D.) and Jacob Pitts (Justified).

NOTE: There currently is not a trailer for the third season of Elementary, which is most likely due to the later start for the new season.

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 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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