Fall TV Spoilers 2018: Scoop on 40 Returning Favorites

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Image Credit: Courtesy of Fox

9-1-1

Picking up several months after the first season finale, 9-1-1 returns with a lovesick Buck refusing to accept that Abby (former cast member Connie Britton) has left town for good. “He’s still living in her place, housesitting while she’s gone, expecting her to return,” showrunner Tim Minear tells TVLine. “The people around him are gently trying to persuade him that maaaybe it’s over.” In other couple news, Bobby and Athena’s relationship “has progressed a bit, though there’s still more progression to be had,” while Hen and Karen attempt to move forward and repair their marriage. “The threat of Eva has not gone away,” however, “so that’s going to have to be dealt with.” Fresh additions to the team include Buck’s sister Maddie (played by Jennifer Love Hewitt), a new 9-1-1 dispatcher (“not Abby 2.0!”) who reconnects with her estranged brother after escaping an abusive relationship, and firefighter Eddie (played by PLL‘s Ryan Guzman), a former Army medic and single father to a 7-year-old boy with cerebral palsy. “While there’s some rivalry [between Buck and Eddie], once these guys bond, it’s a pairing that you can’t get enough of.”

BONUS SPOILER!: Someone with “ulterior motives” will enter Buck’s life and take advantage of his good nature.

RETURN DATE: Sunday, Sept. 23 after the NFL doubleheader (Fox)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of The CW

ARROW

What excites new showrunner Beth Schwartz most about having Oliver behind bars, shoulder-to-shoulder with many of the baddies he bested in the past, is “they’re all on the same playing field.” But wanting to be a model inmate and not make waves, Oliver will need to “make different moral choices because of the position he’s in.” Of course, since Oliver is the one who brokered the deal that traded his freedom for the feds’ help against Diaz — keeping wife Felicity in the dark — “He’s going to learn that might not have been the best idea!” says Schwartz. On the villain front, Diaz will resurface as “more of the Dragon” comic book character he’s based on, while the Longbow Hunters — an almost mythical band of assassins — will prove they are “in fact quite real.” As for Colton Haynes’ return as a series regular, Schwartz will only affirm that he is “definitely” playing the Earth-One Roy Harper that we know and Thea loves (loved?).

BONUS SPOILER!: Know how we previously reported that Felicity is coping the worst in the wake of Oliver’s imprisonment? Well, guess who is faring the best? “I would say Laurel,” Schwartz shares, confirming that the team’s Earth-Two frenemy is now Star City’s DA.

RETURN DATE: Monday, Oct. 15 at 8/7c (The CW)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS

THE BIG BANG THEORY

With the recent announcement that Season 12 will be the sitcom’s last, showrunner Steve Holland hints that a long-gestating Big Bang plot will finally have a payoff. “Raj’s search for love will definitely play a big role this season,” the EP confirms. Perhaps to that end, a fall storyline will find Raj turning to his dad to arrange a marriage for him. Penny and Leonard, meanwhile, will finally “tackle the question of whether or not they want kids,” says Holland of the childless couple. And the newly wedded Sheldon and Amy will encounter a marital speed bump when “Sheldon realizes that he didn’t just marry Amy, he married her family and decides to become friends with Amy’s parents” (played by returning guest stars Kathy Bates and Teller).

BONUS SPOILER!: Will Sheldon’s late childhood hero, Arthur Jeffries aka Professor Proton, make one final appearance before the May climax? Replies Holland: “There are certainly people that we love that we want to see again — like Bob Newhart.”

RETURN DATE: Monday, Sept. 24 at 8/7c, before settling into its regular day and time, Thursday, Sept. 27 at 8/7c (CBS)
The Book of Consequences: Chapter One: The Rise of the Green Light Babies

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BLACK LIGHTNING

The title of Season 2’s opening arc — “The Book of Consequences: Rise of the Green Light Babies” — tells you pretty much all you need to know about the superhero drama’s sophomore run, which picks up just a week after the events of the finale. Per showrunner Salim Akil, “We’re going to deal with the consequences of having discovered the pod children; the consequences of Green Light hitting the streets; and the consequences of Jefferson’s daughters discovering they have powers.” Black Lightning himself remains in a “win and lose situation,” seeing as how the Green Light Babies and the mayhem they make will keep some Freelanders wary of their metahuman-powered vigilante. Tobias Whale, last seen beaming over a mysterious, gleaming briefcase, still clutches onto a two-pronged agenda — kill Black Lightning, take over Freeland — “and in the first episode you’ll see exactly what motivates him to ‘burn the city down,’ as he says.” On the personal front, Akil says that Anissa’s new relationship with Grace Choi will make for “really, really good” drama, while Jennifer will juggle the idea of Khalil’s redemption with the fact that, as Painkiller, her ex (briefly) killed her dad!

BONUS SPOILER!: As first reported by TVLine, Black Lightning will be introducing the DC Comics character of Looker, to be played by Medium alum/Supergirl guest star Sofia Vassilieva.

RETURN DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 9/8c (The CW)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of ABC

BLACK-ISH

We all can exhale: When the ABC comedy picks up with Bow and Dre newly reunited, months after their separation, “They’re in a really good place,” EP Jonathan Groff tells TVLine. “We wanted to come out of the gate this season and just have a return to normal [and] being really funny, even when we’re tackling more serious issues.” Among those: an examination of the “sometimes uneasy relationship between black citizens and the police, where Dre has to decide whether to call the police on some neighbors,” Groff previews, as well as “an honest look at how families grieve” (pegged to how Bow and her mom are faring in the wake of her father’s death last season). And perhaps the most traumatizing event of all? “Jack and Diane are in middle school!” Groff says, though Junior taking a gap year and getting a job instead of starting college as planned might be a close second.

BONUS SPOILER!: The series’ 100th episode, directed by Drumline‘s Charles Stone III, has a musical component “which will showcase our whole cast in ways we’ve never seen them,” Groff says.

RETURN DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 9/8c (ABC)
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BLINDSPOT

Season 4 will kick off with a three-month time jump, at which point “Remi is still Remi” and “kind of undercover at the FBI,” according to series creator Martin Gero. As Remi realizes that most of her allies are dead and Sandstorm has essentially been dismantled, “she’s kind of a lost soldier in a war that is over… and she’s trying to figure out, ‘Well, what’s the plan now?'” To that end, viewers will meet for the first time “an old Sandstorm ally” with whom Remi makes contact in the premiere. Meanwhile, the FBI team — sans Weller, who for several episodes will be recovering from his near-fatal gunshot wound — will be busy deciphering the “critically important” data drive that Roman left Jane before he died. “There are 12 [drives] in total, and it’s really a huge priority for them to find them,” Gero hints. “There’s an insane amount of information about what Roman was up to… and there’s information on ZIP poisoning, which Remi is obviously very interested in.”

BONUS SPOILER!: Patterson and Rich Dotcom (whose portrayer, Ennis Esmer, was promoted to series regular) have “this phenomenal, almost-season-long story about something they find on Roman’s cache that they’re very interested in,” Gero teases. “But they don’t want to bring the team in on it right away.”

RETURN DATE: Friday, Oct. 12 at 8/7c (NBC)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC

CHICAGO FIRE

The departure of Gabby Dawson (exiting series regular Monica Raymund) blurs hubby Casey’s focus so much in the season opener “that it might be affecting him on a fire call,” showrunner Derek Haas previews. But it’s not just the captain who is impacted by Dawson’s absence. Stella, too, will feel the loss, while Brett — who is struggling with “unresolved feelings” from her big fight with her partner — “isn’t too quick to embrace” new paramedic Emily Foster (Arrow‘s Annie Ilonzeh). The first part of Season 7 also finds Firehouse 51 “under the eye” of new CFD commissioner Grissom, who is “looking for any mistake.” Elsewhere, Stella and Severide are still going strong, Cruz gets a new love interest and Herrmann is facing “big changes” in his life.

BONUS SPOILER!: The Oct. 3 crossover with Chicago Med and Chicago P.D. “focuses on the biggest, nastiest fire we’ve ever done,” Haas shares. The incident centers around “a residence tower fire, above the 20th floor of a skyscraper downtown, with all three shows coming together to save as many residents as possible and, ultimately, to hunt down the person or persons responsible for the tragedy.”

RETURN DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 9/8c (NBC)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC

CHICAGO P.D.

Following Olinsky’s death and the shooting incident involving Voight, “We’ll find the team, at the beginning of this season, in a less-than-cohesive place,” showrunner Rick Eid previews, adding that the inquiry into that aforementioned incident “creates a lot of conflict” in Intelligence, particularly between Ruzek and Antonio. “They’re heartbroken, they’re emotional, they’re angry, they’re confused,” Eid says of the “fractured” unit. But work goes on, with Atwater “a little more politically motivated and politically active than he’s been” in the past, while Burgess is “trying to navigate the political scene” within CPD as she hopes to become a detective.

BONUS SPOILER!: “We’re going to delve into the mayoral election a bit, and see how the political machine in Chicago works, and how that affects the police department,” Eid shares. Enter Anne Heche (The Brave) as Deputy Superintendent of the CPD, who is committed to getting her boss elected as mayor so she can move up the ranks. “She’ll have a pretty interesting relationship with Voight and others in Intelligence.”

RETURN DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 10/9c (NBC)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of ABC

THE CONNERS

“All I can say is that she will not be there,” showrunner Bruce Helford hedges when asked to confirm reports that Roseanne Barr’s MIA matriarch will vanish via body bag. Regardless of how she exits, the loss of the sitcom’s center — precipitated by Barr’s racist, job-terminating tweet — places a dark cloud over the 11th-hour spinoff. And keeping with franchise tradition, the 10-episode offshoot will lean into that drama. “We don’t shy away from the heavy moments,” Helford maintains. “I don’t know that there’s any show that can better handle [such a weighty storyline].” Helford previews that “everyone in the family” steps up to fill the void, particularly Darlene and Dan, the latter of whom “becomes more involved [in the lives of grandchildren] Mark, Harris and Mary.”

BONUS SPOILER!: Talks are underway for Johnny Galecki to return as David for “at least one” episode, says Helford. And even if David remains an off-screen presence, the EP confirms that we will definitely meet his never-before-seen girlfriend Blue, whose presence creates “some big complications for Darlene.”

RETURN DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 8/7c (ABC)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of The CW

CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND

The fourth and final season of The CW’s musical rom-com plays out like “the final act of a movie,” according to co-creator Aline Brosh McKenna, with all of Rebecca Bunch’s romantic chickens coming home to roost… including the return of Greg, now “reimagined” in the form of Pitch Perfect‘s Skylar Astin. “There’s a lot that she has to figure out in terms of all the men in her life,” McKenna hints. First, though, Rebecca has to deal with the fallout from pleading guilty to attempted murder, which leads to her spending “a little bit of [time] behind bars” and drives a wedge between her and Nathaniel: “He doesn’t understand the idea of taking moral responsibility… so it’s very hard for him to not take it personally.” But Rebecca’s guilty plea does give her and Paula “a clean slate on the friendship,” Rachel Bloom reveals, while she and her former obsession Josh Chan “are actually drawn together as friends” as Josh starts to look inward (for once). As McKenna puts it, “introspective Josh Chan is pretty hilarious.”

BONUS SPOILER!: Tovah Feldshuh will return as Rebecca’s overbearing mom for the final season, Bloom confirms. “The biggest unresolved relationship in Rebecca’s life is not with Greg, or any man,” she notes. “It’s with her parents.”

RETURN DATE: Friday, Oct. 12 at 9/8c (The CW)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS

CRIMINAL MINDS

The season premiere (aka Episode 300!) picks up “just moments” after The Messiah’s followers — VICAP Agent Meadows (played by Karen David) included — ordered Reid to free the cult leader, lest Garcia meet a grim fate. “You see the team racing to figure out what has happened, and piece together where Reid and Garcia are,” says showrunner Erica Messer. Once that crisis reaches its climax, watch for its impact on Garcia to be played out for a stretch of episodes, “because what she does in order to survive, we’ve never truly played before.” In fact, Episodes 2 through 9 of the crime drama’s upcoming 15-episode run will each visit “one of our heroes in their home life in some way,” Messer says, including an exploration of why Alves “is a bit of a lone wolf.” As for frightful stuff, one of this season’s cases almost plays out in real time, following an UnSub who attacks every 27 minutes — with a machete!

BONUS SPOILER!: Rossi now has Wife No. 3, played by Gail O’Grady, back in his life — and perhaps for good. “You know how I’m a sucker for my backyard weddings…,” Messer teases.

RETURN DATE: Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 10/9c (CBS)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of The CW

DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW

Yep, in vanquishing Mallus, the Legends did what they do best — “created a new problem,” says EP Keto Shimizu — by opening our world to hobgoblins from “a broad spectrum” of “myth, legend and fairy tale,” and now the mission is to “hunt ’em down and bag ’em up!” Alas, this new wrinkle arrives just as Sara is “finally starting to have a life” (with girlfriend Ava included), Caity Lotz notes, “and all of that gets jeopardized pretty quickly.” And though Amaya bid the team adieu in the finale, Maisie Richardson-Sellers is back as “a mythical fugitive” who will keep the Legends guessing as to whether she is friend or fiend. Similarly, now that Courtney Ford is a series regular, Nora Dahrk is poised to segue into a “complicated ally.” Lastly, with Nate parked in 2018 to tend to a “very real story” involving his dad (Back to the Future’s Tom Wilson), that frees up a bunk for Constantine. And free he will be! “He doesn’t like to wear a lot of clothing going to and from the shower…,” EP Phil Klemmer previews.

BONUS SPOILER!: A former Legend will be returning in an unexpected form to try and kill the team.

RETURN DATE: Monday, Oct. 22 at 9/8c (The CW)
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DYNASTY

The reboot’s second season finds the Carringtons “rising from the ashes and redefining themselves after some major life changes,” teases executive producer Sallie Patrick — the biggest being the arrival of the real Cristal, played by Ana-Brenda Contreras. “She’s here to clear the air. Some mistruths have been circulating, so she’s coming to set that story straight. She’s not going to un-complicate things.” Also arriving to muck things up is Anders’ “irreverent, rebellious” daughter Kirby, who still carries a grudge over her perceived mistreatment at the hands of the Carringtons. “Even after the truth comes out, she’ll continue wreaking havoc on the family, especially Fallon and Alexis.” Speaking of truths coming out, Melissa’s pregnancy will serve as “one of several bumps” in Steven and Sammy Jo’s marriage, while Jeff and Monica (aka the newest Carringtons) will have to decide how involved they want to be with the family. As for Alexis, “she’ll always hold a torch for Blake, and she’ll always be very passionate… about money.” Lastly, we’ll get to meet Liam’s family (including his mother, played by Sharon Lawrence), a brood that’s “almost more screwed up than the Carringtons.” Is that possible?

BONUS SPOILER!: Patrick teases a possible “accident on horseback” that should sound familiar to fans of the original series.

RETURN DATE: Friday, Oct. 12 at 8/7c (The CW)
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EMPIRE

Two years will have passed since Lucious and Cookie’s understated nuptials, but the incendiary soulmates “are very much still in love,” confirms showrunner Brett Mahoney. “They are still Cookie and Lucious [though], and do not see eye to eye on most things.” The duo’s biggest source of contention is, not surprisingly, the family business — or lack thereof. “They have spent much of the past two years fighting to regain their Empire [following Eddie’s betrayal],” Mahoney previews. “While Cookie is aggressively pursuing talent on the streets, Lucious is pursuing the financials. Lucious’ ‘ride or die’ mentality will question everyone’s loyalty and love, including Cookie’s.” Jamal, meanwhile, returns from his London sabbatical with a new gig and, more importantly, a new man. “He has fallen in love and has founded his own label,” the EP reveals. “Though it’s not yet profitable, he is definitively his own man, and plans to remain that way.” Mahoney refers to Jamal’s new squeeze Kai (played by Sense8‘s Toby Onwumere) as “the love of his life,” but adds, “Jamal must learn to balance his love for his family with the needs and love of a real partner.”

BONUS SPOILER!: Mahoney describes the drama’s Season 5 theme thusly: “Be careful for what they wish. Fame and fortune come with a hefty price tag.”

RETURN DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 8/7c (Fox)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of The CW

THE FLASH

New Big Bad Cicada (American Pie‘s Chris Klein) isn’t too concerned with the Scarlet Speedster – “His endgame isn’t about The Flash. It’s more of a bigger-scale issue,” executive producer Todd Helbing notes – but he will impact Barry & Co. “A big part of the story of this season [is about] the metas, where they got their powers from, and it’s tied into everybody’s journey this year,” the EP shares. “Cicada’s powers are different than DeVoe’s [and] any of the speedsters in the way they affect our team.” Elsewhere, Nora’s presence “starts to have a little strain” on her parents’ relationship. “Iris and Barry become second to Mom and Dad,” Helbing explains. Meanwhile, Cisco is having a difficult time getting over his break-up with Gypsy, Caitlin searches for her Killer Frost origins and Ralph struggles to earn the respect of the city as a superhero.

BONUS SPOILER!: The newest Wells, Sherloque, is “a master detective from a different earth,” Helbing describes, “and he’s come to help [the team] track down Cicada. He’s pretty awesome at his job, and Ralph doesn’t take too kindly to somebody that has skills that may or may not be better than his.” Plus, Sherloque will get a lady love!

RETURN DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 8/7c (The CW)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of Fox

THE GIFTED

As Season 2’s “mutants against mutants” narrative unfolds following a months-long time jump, we see that Lorna, Andy and the Frosts have allied with Reeva (Empire’s Grace Byers, photo), the Inner Circle leader whose cutthroat approach — fueled by a personal vendetta — will make the downing of a private jet look like child’s play. Inside the Mutant Underground, meanwhile, Caitlin (now hardened in the style of Terminator 2‘s Sarah Connor) and Reed (who will be exploring his untapped and “volatile” mutant powers) struggle to draw Andy back into the family fold without also losing daughter Lauren to the dark side. Amidst all that infighting, Lorna has a very special delivery to make in the form of her and Marcos’ daughter, who as you-know-who’s (duh, Magneto’s!) grandkid represents so much more than a bouncing bundle of joy. On the romantic front, Blink’s identification with the subterranean Morlock community (as well as a secret she is keeping) may present a new obstacle for her and Thunderbird, while Andy is in line to experience “first love” (awww).

BONUS SPOILER!: Among the new characters we will meet in Season 2 is Twist, a mutant who “initially comes across as a sweet wounded bird” but reveals herself to be “a sociopath who lives for chaos.” Newcomer Anjelica Bette Fellini will play the role.

RETURN DATE: Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 8/7c (Fox)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of ABC

THE GOLDBERGS

The Season 6 premiere finds the family so preoccupied with Barry and Lainey’s engagement that they forget Adam’s birthday, which “gives him and his friends the idea that they should have a Sixteen Candles party like they did at Jake Ryan’s house,” executive producer Alex Barnow previews. On the romance front, Adam and Jackie’s relationship is “going to grow,” while Erica — who gets a waitressing gig at a karaoke bar in the hopes of getting on stage — and Geoff will experience a role-reversal as he applies to college. And although all the parents are opposed to Barry and Lainey getting married, the couple has a shot at winning over one of the ‘rents. “There’ll be talk of babies, and that might get Beverly excited,” the EP teases.

BONUS SPOILER!: Sixteen Candles isn’t the only cultural touchstone getting the tribute treatment. The show’s annual Halloween installment will “explore the horror movie genre in the ’80s,” Barnow shares. Another episode pays homage to the biker movie Rad.

RETURN DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 8/7c (ABC)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of ABC

THE GOOD DOCTOR

The first episode back, written by series star Freddie Highmore, picks up a couple of days after Season 1’s cliffhanger. “Andrews is newly installed as president of the hospital… and Glassman is dealing with his diagnosis… [and] all of the hardships that lie ahead of him,” exec producer David Shore tells TVLine. Shaun is not getting “fired or suspended” in the wake of his surgical mishap, but there’s a “new sheriff in town” who’s “going to expect more [from him]. He does not simply tolerate Shaun’s weaknesses.” Also getting grief from Andrews is Jared, who at the end of last season already had one foot out the door. “That’s probably the most significant part at the beginning, that Andrews didn’t like Jared and Jared didn’t like Andrews,” Shore says. “It’s a proper farewell episode [for departing series regular Chuku Modu].” The premiere also introduces House vet Lisa Edelstein, who plays Glassman’s oncologist Dr. Blaize. The two rarely see eye-to-eye, but he “respects and values her” as a doctor.

BONUS SPOILER!: Shaun and Lea ‘shippers shouldn’t expect the former neighbors to suddenly enter into a relationship upon her return from Pennsylvania. The dynamic between them is “surprisingly complicated,” Shore previews. “There’s a lot of ups and downs between the two of them” at the beginning of Season 2.

RETURN DATE: Monday, Sept. 24 at 10/9c (ABC)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC

THE GOOD PLACE

Just because Eleanor and her fellow humans are back on Earth doesn’t mean that NBC’s afterlife comedy is losing any of its otherworldly magic in Season 3. “We figured out stories where, at least once per episode, something very non-terrestrial happens,” creator Michael Schur promises. That includes a flashback to last season’s finale, to see Eleanor’s return to Earth from Michael’s perspective: “We put together exactly how he got down there, and how he made that decision.” We’ll also check in on the ethical progress of Chidi, Tahani and Jason, which Schur characterizes as “like a New Year’s resolution story. It’s very easy to go to the gym on January 4th. But on January 19th and March 3rd and May 16th… it gets a little harder every day.” Chidi will have some help with the addition of Killing Eve‘s Kirby Howell-Baptiste, who plays Simone, a scientist at the university where Chidi teaches. Fearing that something’s wrong with his brain, “Chidi seeks out the help of someone who knows about the brain, and that person is Simone.”

BONUS SPOILER!: Yes, Maya Rudolph will be back to reprise her role as the all-knowing Judge Gen. “She is a very busy lady,” Schur says, “but we managed to snag her.”

RETURN DATE: Thursday, Sept. 27 at 8/7c (NBC, one-hour premiere)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of ABC

GREY’S ANATOMY

Good news, Jolex fans: When Season 15 kicks off, the newlyweds aren’t just still in the honeymoon phase, “they’re literally on their honeymoon,” says showrunner Krista Vernoff. “We pick up the day after the end of Season 14.” Which means that Owen doesn’t yet know that Teddy’s in Seattle — or that she’s pregnant with his baby. “You’ll see the scene where they see each other for the first time since Germany in the premiere,” the EP promises. After that, the parents-to-be and Amelia will get tangled in what Vernoff calls “the most complicated love triangle I have ever written — [because] there are no villains.” The scribe is less forthcoming about Meredith’s new guy. In fact, “I cannot tell you a single thing about the man who will become the next great love of her life,” she insists. “Not even an adjective.” At least she admits that Grey “has a lot of courters this season, and I think some of them will surprise you.”

BONUS SPOILER!: Vernoff is also reluctant to reveal too much about Chris Carmack’s “ortho god” — even his full name since she says it’s funny. “But we call him Link. He was once the team surgeon for the Seattle Mariners, so he was a bit of a rock star.”

RETURN DATE: Thursday, Sept. 27 at 8/7c (ABC, two-hour premiere)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS

HAWAII FIVE-0

The Season 9 premiere, in its retelling of the original Hawaii Five-O’s pilot, will introduce Rochelle Aytes (Mistresses) as a CIA operative/old flame of McGarrett’s, who will recur as a nemesis for the team. Beyond that, showrunner Peter M. Lenkov says, viewers will meet Junior’s father as well as the training officer Tani famously decked back at the academy; Danny will take daughter Grace on a college campus tour; Eddie the Dog will get a bit of an “origin story”; and the Thanksgiving episode, written by Chi McBride, guest-stars Louis Gossett Jr. as Lou’s dad. Even further down the line, as first reported by TVLine, the midseason finale will channel the action-film team-up The Expendables and bring back “a lot of people that over the years have helped us.”

BONUS SPOILER!: With Jerry now a part of the team, watch for an episode that flashes back to one of his Goonies-style adventures as a pre-teen conspiracy theorist!

RETURN DATE: Friday, Sept. 28 at 9/8c (CBS)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of ABC

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER

Season 5 of the ABC drama will have “a Season 1 vibe,” according to showrunner Pete Nowalk, in that Annalise will return to teaching and the series will revisit a Case of the Week format. “[The students] are in a third-year legal clinic, so they’ll get to try their own legal cases and be lawyers in the courtroom,” Nowalk tells us, adding that the Keating Four “have to compete to get into this clinic… and there might be one of our people who doesn’t get in.” Much of the season also will be dedicated to Gabriel Maddox, whose connection to Annalise & Co. “is probably our biggest mystery,” Nowalk shares. “He will factor in in a huge way, for all of the characters.” As for Laurel’s mommy issues, viewers “will get an answer in the premiere” about whether Sandrine is alive or dead, but the Murder writers are otherwise “happy to put aside Laurel’s family drama for a bit.” And, yes, the season premiere will feature another trademark flash-forward, which Nowalk confirms takes place at “a big party… and something bad happens there.”

BONUS SPOILER!: Now that Michaela and Asher have split up, seemingly for good, “there’s still [Scandal‘s] Marcus on Michaela’s mind,” Nowalk says. “We’ll find out what happens [between them] early in our season.”

RETURN DATE: Thursday, Sept. 27 at 10/9c (ABC)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of Fox

LAST MAN STANDING

The revival’s cold open (which was first previewed here) addresses the sitcom’s previous cancellation head-on. The premiere then delves into the continued “fallout from the 2016 election and how it’s dividing families… along ideological lines,” exec producer Kevin Abbott tells TVLine. In this instance, the show’s “resident lefty” Ryan, astounded by what he sees on the news, insists that “he’s going to move his family to Canada.” The show will also wink at the fact that Molly McCook, aka Mandy 2.0, looks nothing like her predecessor Molly Ephraim. “Mandy’s mad at Kyle because she’s changed something about her looks and he can’t tell what it is,” Abbott says. “He thinks she looks exactly the same, and so does Mike.” But other than a few not-so-subtle nods at the beginning, “we’re literally writing the character the same.” Episode 2, meanwhile, will see Mandy giving Kyle a makeover of his own as he attempts to move up the corporate ladder at Outdoor Man.

BONUS SPOILER!: Mandy and Kyle are starting a family… or at least trying to, anyway. “We find out that Kyle and Mandy have been trying to get pregnant… for a little while and things aren’t going well,” Abbott says. An upcoming episode will also deal with them still living under Mike and Vanessa’s roof after a year-and-a-half of marriage.

RETURN DATE: Friday, Sept. 28 at 8/7c (Fox)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC

LAW & ORDER: SVU

NBC’s unstoppable procedural kicks off its 20th (!) season with a two-hour premiere about “what it means to be a man,” showrunner Michael Chernuchin tells TVLine. Dylan Walsh (Nip/Tuck) guest-stars in the season opener as an upstanding businessman who’s known as a great guy in his community… so he’s gotta be a closet pervert, right? “Nobody’s perfect,” Chernuchin says. “Let’s put it that way.” SVU, now airing Thursdays, also will introduce George Newbern (Scandal) as Dr. Al, aka the escort-loving cardiologist Rollins dated last season (“They haven’t seen each other since she dumped him,” the EP notes); and Sandrine Holt (Homeland) as Lisa Abernathy, a psychologist who’ll help Peter Stone with his grief over his sister’s murder. On the Windy City side of things, Carl Weathers will bring his Chicago Justice character Mark Jefferies to town, and former Chicago Fire star Monica Raymund will direct Episode 8. Meanwhile, remember how Fin pulled strings to stay at SVU despite his promotion to sergeant? There’ll be consequences, Chernuchin previews, and “we’ll deal with that during the season.”

BONUS SPOILER!: Carisi will wonder why he’s shut out of Rollins’ private life, but take heart, detective: “We are planning on sprucing up his love life a little bit later on in the season,” the EP says.

RETURN DATE: Thursday, Sept. 27 at 9/8c (NBC, two-hour premiere)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of Fox

LETHAL WEAPON

For a last glance at Clayne Crawford before he’s gone from Fox’s buddy dramedy forever, watch the season premiere, where “Riggs is bleeding and dying in the cemetery” — thanks to leftover Season 2 footage, executive producer Matt Miller says. Viewers won’t see Riggs’ funeral nor any goodbyes between the rogue cop and his partner Murtaugh; rather, the series will skip ahead six months, to when Trish and the kids are urging Roger to move past his grief. “Unfortunately,” Miller notes, “he’s in a bit of a rut.” Murtaugh’s investigation of Riggs’ shooting leads him to cross paths with former CIA operative Wesley Cole, played by new series regular Seann William Scott, a Los Angeles cop who — while not the reckless agitator his predecessor was — has his own baggage: a 12-year-old child and a “strained” relationship with the kid’s mom, Natalie (Psych‘s Maggie Lawson), who’s an ER doc in Los Angeles.

BONUS SPOILER: In the premiere, Murtaugh destroys “any chance of a political future that Avery has,” Miller says. Welcome back to the precinct, captain!

RETURN DATE: Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 9/8c (Fox)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS

MADAM SECRETARY

When it comes to guidance on international matters, Elizabeth McCord has a rather deep bench — as evidenced by the three real-life former Secretaries of State who will play themselves in Madam Secretary‘s season premiere. Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright and Colin Powell will offer “their wisdom and experience, which is something that apparently Secretaries of State do. They call on each other for advice,” EP Barbara Hall says. In more domestic matters, Elizabeth “hasn’t officially told anyone” that she wants to run for president, Hall notes, but as in real-life politics, some key political players will already have an inkling long before an official announcement. Given that Elizabeth will have to resign her position once she tosses her hat into the presidential ring, both EP Lori McCreary and Hall affirm that the show will take its time with the lead-up to that big moment, including Elizabeth’s realization of “the difference between being a diplomat and a politician,” Hall says. “She’s never run for anything. She was appointed to this job.” Of course, there’ll also be the usual geopolitical drama afoot: a trade war with China, the Syrian refugee crisis and retrieval of MIA soldiers’ remains from the Philippines all will come across Elizabeth’s desk at or near the start of the season.

BONUS SPOILER: “We might get a glimpse of Dmitri,” Hall teases.

RETURN DATE: Sunday, Oct. 7 at 10/9c (CBS)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC

MIDNIGHT, TEXAS

When the “demonic cancer” François Arnaud teased at Comic-Con manifests at the start of the supernatural drama’s sophomore season, co-showrunner Nicole Snyder says, the medium will experience “maniacal, murderous urges, and the people bearing the brunt are his friends.” But don’t worry: There’s still time for pulpy fun in the spooky Texas town, where Snyder and co-showrunner Eric Charmelo promise a “soapier, sexier, scarier, more salacious” Season 2 in the vein of author Charlaine Harris’ other TV adaptation, True Blood. Along those lines: Olivia and her father will meet face-to-face again (but don’t expect a happy reunion); vampire Lem will undergo a “metamorphosis of sorts,” Charmelo notes; Bobo will become the proprietor of the Cartoon Saloon, a local watering hole that “feels a little bit like Merlotte’s,” Snyder previews; Fiji will learn more about her lineage via a major storyline involving witches; and newly arrived hoteliers Kai (Lost‘s Nestor Carbonell) and Patience (The Magicians‘ Jaime Ray Newman) won’t be universally embraced by the townsfolk — after all, “People get jealous easily in Midnight,” Snyder points out.

BONUS SPOILER!: Remember those spirits we saw in the hotel windows at the end of last season? “The nefarious activity that takes place in the hotel has very little to do with ghosts,” Snyder teases. Charmelo adds that a haunting would seem like a picnic compared to “what’s actually happening.”

RETURN DATE: Friday, Oct. 26 at 9/8c (NBC)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS

MURPHY BROWN

The Emmy-winning CBS comedy returns to primetime for the first time since 1998… but it’s not still stuck in the Bill Clinton era. The new episodes, which find Murphy and her old FYI pals working at a 24-hour cable news network, will take inspiration from the latest political headlines, creator Diane English promises: “We’ve always been a political show with something to say… we have the ability to go in and pop in something extremely topical.” (That includes a #MeToo-themed episode, slated to run in October.) The new cast members include Tyne Daly as Phyllis, the new proprietor of Phil’s Bar, and Jake McDorman (Limitless) as Murphy’s now-adult son Avery, who serves as “the liberal voice on the Wolf Network,” the show’s sly take on Fox News. Plus, look out for a cameo from “an enormously famous person in our first episode,” English hints.

BONUS SPOILER!: Charles Kimbrough, who played comically stiff anchor Jim Dial on the show’s original run, isn’t a regular cast member on the revival, but he will appear in three episodes as a guest star. Jim is now “a retired newsman,” English reveals, “but he does find a compelling reason to return to the gang for a short period of time.”

RETURN DATE: Thursday, Sept. 27 at 9:30/8:30c (CBS)
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NCIS

Season 16 opens just a day or two after Vance’s abduction, but following the title sequence jumps ahead four weeks, where Gibbs, filling in as director, “is in a position of authority that he doesn’t feel comfortable with,” says co-showrunner Frank Cardea. In fact, that added burden will eventually tee up an episode the producers are very excited about, in which “Gibbs decides to take a little R&R at his favorite cabin in the middle of nowhere,” only to get unexpected guests in the form of Fornell and Captain Phillip Brooks (returning guest star Don Lake) — “and they drive him crazy,” reports EP Steven Binder. Other early outings include a whimsical “mystery on Wisteria Lane” (as they call it), followed by an episode that “explores what happens when NCIS meets reality-TV” (and in doing so reveals which agent is surprisingly fluent in the TV genre). Then, in Episode 6, when Ducky seeks to return to autopsy on a full-time basis (alongside a more confident Jimmy Palmer), “We’ll see how that works, with two chefs in the kitchen!” says Cardea.

BONUS SPOILER!: “It’s been a while since we’ve done anything with Gibbs’ ex-wives,” Cardea notes. “Those episodes always pop, so we may be seeing more of them.”

RETURN DATE: Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 8/7c (CBS)
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NCIS: LOS ANGELES

Reflecting on May’s highly explosive finale, showrunner R. Scott Gemmill admits, “I wasn’t sure who was going to be coming back, so we figured we’d see where the chips will fall after contract negotiations!” Then teasing said outcome, the EP says, “Deeks is probably the worst off,” having suffered a TBI, “although the others suffer injuries that are certainly life-threatening.” Taking stock of life and limb, however, “is the least of their problems,” seeing as “they’re still being hunted” by the cartel. Even once all of that dust has settled, “Everybody” — not just Mosley, on whose behalf the team acted — “is going to catch some heat” for this unsanctioned op, Gemmill warns. “There is going to be hell to pay.” That’s where Esai Morales (NYPD Blue) comes in, as a Deputy Director “who will try to protect our people as much as possible” from a DoD prosecutor. On the far lighter side of things, “Callen has a lot of girl trouble this season,” Gemmill reports with a laugh, in the form of Anna and Joelle.

BONUS SPOILER!: The boat that is used for Sam’s digs is up for sale in real life, which does not bode well for Agent Hanna. “I think we’re going to buy it so that we can blow it up later this season!”

RETURN DATE: Sunday, Sept. 30 at 9:30/8:30c (CBS)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Television

OUTLANDER

Claire and Jamie Fraser strike out to make a place for themselves in the New World — aka the 13 colonies — in Season 4 of Starz’s historical drama. But as readers of Diana Gabaldon’s Drums of Autumn know, the book’s biggest moment arrives when Jamie Fraser and his adult daughter, Brianna Randall, are face-to-face for the first time. “I can say that they will meet, and it will bring some tears,” executive producer Matthew B. Roberts says cagily. “This moment is such a big deal, we try to be as true to the source material as possible.” Look for the season’s action to take place from a bunch of standpoints — “We definitely open up the POVs,” Roberts says — but don’t worry about missing out on Himself and his missus. “Jamie and Claire will always be the centerpiece of Outlander,” the EP notes. As such, the Frasers’ journey to build a new home will lead them to encounters with Jamie’s formidable Aunt Jocasta, a “psychopath” named Stephen Bonnet and some eerie evidence that perhaps Claire is not the first time-traveler to traverse the New World.

BONUS SPOILER: Might we see the return of Jamie’s beloved godfather this season? “When we decided way back to keep Murtagh alive, there was a reason for it,” Roberts says, declining to offer specifics.

RETURN DATE: Sunday, Nov. 4 at 8/7c (Starz)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of Fox

THE RESIDENT

The arrival of Conrad’s father to Chastain Park Memorial will make way for “a season-long arc between father and son… that’s going to be uncomfortable at times and emotionally powerful at times,” executive producer Todd Harthan reveals. “Can they figure out a way to move forward and have a meaningful relationship? It’s a tremendous roller coaster ride.” But at least one person will be highly irked by Marshall’s presence: Dr. Bell, who will engage in “an interesting game of chess” with Conrad’s old man in order to maintain power at the hospital. Elsewhere in Season 2, Conrad and Nic’s rekindled romance will get plenty of screen time, including their relationship’s origin story. “We’re going to give the audience a nice snapshot into what it was like during the honeymoon phase of their relationship, all the way up until things imploded and why,” Harthan teases. Also getting some time in the romantic spotlight will be Mina and Micah, as the early Season 2 episodes explore “the trials and tribulations of their relationship, his health issues and her career desires.”

BONUS SPOILER!: Episode 6, which serves as the drama’s Halloween installment, will feature a “fun, crazy, wildly entertaining” medical case. “It’s a condition that none of us were aware of, which is tied to nightmares,” Harthan offers.

RETURN DATE: Monday, Sept. 24 at 8/7c (Fox)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of The CW

RIVERDALE

Don’t expect Archie’s murder trial to turn Season 3 of The CW’s teen soap into a full-blown courtroom drama: “We see the results of that trial really quickly,” showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa reveals. “We’ll find out his fate in Episode 1.” And while the decision “might pose a threat” to Archie and Veronica’s relationship, the pair “is proving more resilient than [we] originally thought… Their attraction is pretty epic.” That speedy verdict also allows more time to explore the WTF strangeness of Alice and Polly’s new cult-like home The Farm, which will be one of “a couple of different mysteries that sort of crisscross as the season goes,” Aguirre-Sacasa teases. “Cults felt very zeitgeist-y, and very relevant to Riverdale.” Meanwhile, Jughead becoming the boss of the Southside Serpents triggers an unexpected side effect: the return of his mom Gladys and sister Jellybean. Gladys’ arrival will also act as “a fly in the ointment” for the long-awaited pairing of F.P. and Alice, the EP adds.

BONUS SPOILER!: Yes, this season’s musical episode will be based around another production staged at Riverdale High… but the exact show hasn’t been selected yet. “We have a lot of shows we’ve been talking about,” Aguirre-Sacasa hints. “There are a couple musicals we’ve been circling.”

RETURN DATE: Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 8/7c (The CW)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of The CW

SUPERGIRL

Curious about that second Kara we met at the end of Season 3? Be patient, because she’s “going to be threaded in as a mystery that doesn’t come to fruition until later this season,” according to EPs Robert Rovner and Jessica Queller. In the immediate future, Kara will deal with threats from Mercy Graces (played by Rhona Mitra, The Last Ship), whose complicated history with the Luthors triggers an objective that “quickly puts her in conflict with Supergirl.” There’s also Agent Liberty (Sam Witwer, Being Human), whose goal is to “foster division and turn America against the aliens that have emigrated.” The premiere also introduces Nia Nal (newcomer Nicole Maines), a reporter at CatCo who is revealed to be Dreamer, TV’s first transgender superhero. Taken under Supergirl’s wing, “Nia’s journey will be reminiscent of Kara’s in Season 1 as she figures out how to use her powers and become a fully realized hero.” Meanwhile, Brainy will form a surprising bond with Alex, who has difficulty “trying to date” while running the DEO; and Lena and James’ relationship will “play out in a real way” as they get even closer.

BONUS SPOILER!: Jeremy Jordan may be Broadway bound, but Winn will return: “His arrival will come once he’s done with the play.”

RETURN DATE: Sunday, Oct. 14 at 8/7c (The CW)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of The CW

SUPERNATURAL

Michael still wants to purify the world, but now that he’s loose on our earth — in Dean’s body, no less! — “his method is going to change,” executive producer Andrew Dabb previews. Back at the bunker, little bro Sam and heavenly pal Castiel are “extremely driven to find Dean,” with the latter even seeking help from “certain people, possibly with black eyes, who he would not normally contact.” Despite their efforts, “Sam, ultimately, and even Cas, to a degree, are a little pessimistic,” the EP says. “They’re not sure if it’s going to work out.” The Winchesters’ mom, Mary, however, “is optimistic, but sometimes that optimism can be very annoying.” Meanwhile, powerless Jack is back to hunter basics, “learning how to throw a punch [and] decapitate a vampire,” with the help of Bobby. Up in Heaven, Naomi and the few remaining angels are “trying to hold everything together.” As for the dark side, “we’re going to get a really good preview of what’s going on in Hell, actually, in the first episode,” Dabb teases.

BONUS SPOILER!: In Episode 4, “Sam and Dean and our whole crew get involved in our homage to ’80s slasher movies,” Dabb shares. “We’ve got some really cool gory stuff planned for that.”

RETURN DATE: Thursday, Oct. 11 at 8/7c (The CW)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC

SUPERSTORE

The premiere picks up several months after Jonah and Amy’s hookup was accidentally live-streamed to every Cloud 9 store in the world. “[They] were both suspended for a while, and the [opener] deals with their first day back,” exec producer Justin Spitzer tells TVLine, adding that the ep explores “people’s different reactions to Jonah versus Amy given what they know,” and the “different reactions to when a man has sex versus when a woman has sex.” Further down the line, this year’s Halloween outing finds Amy struggling to find “a good costume given how pregnant she is.” Speaking of whch, she and Dina will both give birth in a subsequent episode, at which point Adam resurfaces, fully aware of what went down with Jonah and his baby momma.

BONUS SPOILER!: Sad sack Sandra will finally see things go her way when boyfriend Jerry is released from the hospital. “We’re going to see how Carol reacts to Sandra moving in with Jerry, which I think will be fun,” Spitzer says.

RETURN DATE: Thursday, Oct. 4 at 8/7c (NBC)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC

THIS IS US

Now that the family drama knows it has fans (and their tear ducts) hooked, it’s going to mess with ’em in Season 3 — in a good way. “All bets are off,” EP Isaac Aptaker says, laughing. “Maybe we’ll have something that jumps five timelines in an episode. We’re really pushing the limits of what people can comprehend.” Aptaker and co-showrunner Elizabeth Berger promise that the drama will include at least one flash-forward this season, but also tease that it’ll spend “a good amount” of time in Vietnam, chronicling Jack’s war experience. “It’s going to be some pretty groundbreaking stuff for network television in terms of how big a world we’re going to create,” Aptaker says. Elsewhere, Beth has a “great origin story” that will unfold, Toby and Kate’s arc won’t be just about his depression (“It’s not all angst,” Aptaker vows), and flashbacks will focus on the “lighter, more fun” early days of Jack and Rebecca’s courtship. But what about the “her” that Randall and grown-up Tess were going to meet at the end of last season? “We don’t like to withhold information for so long that it becomes frustrating,” Berger says. “So we’re very conscious of parsing it out, and we will be giving — hopefully — some very satisfying answers this season.”

BONUS SPOILER!: Ron Cephas Jones, who has a series-regular role on Apple’s Are You Sleeping, will be around “a fair amount” in Season 3, Aptaker says.

RETURN DATE: Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 9/8c (NBC)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of AMC

THE WALKING DEAD

Picking up 18 months after the Season 8 finale, Season 9 is “an exciting succession of new’s,” says Scott Gimple, chief content officer for all things Dead. “It’s like, new, new, new!” Not only will we be introduced to a dozen new survivors — foremost among them, Samantha Morton’s Alpha, the vicious leader of the Whisperers — but we’ll visit a new locale (Washington, D.C.), get new intel about that helicopter (and Anne’s connection to it) and get to know a Negan that Gimple suggests is “like this brand-new character.” Mind you, there remains some old business to be addressed, too — specifically, new mom Maggie’s beef with Rick. “There’s a lot of tension underneath the surface,” says Gimple. And, since Andrew Lincoln’s exit is imminent, the twosome and Daryl will have to make peace fast. “There is brutality” to Rick’s ending, Gimple warns, “and there is grace… and a very epic aspect.”

BONUS SPOILER!: The photo AMC released of Carol and Ezekiel looking happy and couple-y didn’t necessarily mean that one of them was doomed. “It’s understandable why you’d think it’s a harbinger of terrible things,” Gimple says with a laugh. “But sometimes it’s just tough for people who have been through terrible things to live with good things.”

RETURN DATE: Sunday, Oct. 7 at 9/8c (AMC)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC

WILL & GRACE

If Jack and Estefan end up walking down the aisle (and we have to assume that’s a very big if), the wedding likely won’t take place until the end of the season, giving showrunners Max Mutchnick and David Kohan plenty of opportunity to mine the stressful nuptial-planning process for laughs. Compounding the angst is the fact that “Estefan and Karen don’t like each other,” notes Mutchnick, who adds, “Another hiccup is that Jack has never been in a monogamous relationship for an extended period of time and it will take some getting used to.” Grace will be navigating her own rocky relationship journey with the new man in her life (played by Friends‘ David Schwimmer in a five-episode arc). “If they are both similarly inclined, they’d be a perfect couple,” teases Kohan. “But they’re not.” And Will? Kohan confirms that the titular singleton “will have at least two romantic entanglements this season,” one of whom, as previously announced, will be played by Matt Bomer.

BONUS SPOILER!: Karen dusts off her Russian alter ego Anastasia Beaverhausen when an infidelity scandal (i.e.: Stan learns she’s been shagging Alec Baldwin) forces her into hiding.

RETURN DATE: Thursday, Oct. 4 at 9/8c (NBC)
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Image Credit: Courtesy of CBS

YOUNG SHELDON

In an early Season 2 episode, Mary suffers a “crisis of faith” after a teenager at her church is tragically killed in a car accident, exec producer Steven Molaro tells TVLine. “It comes down to Sheldon helping her believe in God again.” In the following episode, Sheldon meets a fellow prodigy named Paige (Fuller House‘s Mckenna Grace) in Dr. Sturgis’ class. “Paige is three weeks younger than [Sheldon] and as smart, if not smarter, than him,” Molaro says. “I don’t know if I’d call her a friend… I’d call her a frenemy.” Meanwhile, in Episode 3, “Sheldon is really bothered by a sound coming out of the refrigerator that only he can hear,” and takes it apart to see what’s causing it. There’s just one problem: He doesn’t know how to put it back together, and it costs the family $200 to repair. “George really, understandably, lays into him in a very dramatic moment,” while Missy offers her twin brother a shoulder to cry on. “Sheldon bursts into tears and Missy gets up off her bed and just holds him… It’s one of my favorite moments in Season 2 so far.”

BONUS SPOILER!: Big Bang Theory fans will be treated to another Easter egg when the game Mystic Warlords of Ka’a enters Sheldon’s life for the very first time.

RETURN DATE: Monday, Sept. 24 at 8:30/7:30c, before settling into its regular day and time, Thursday, Sept. 27 at 8:30/7:30c (CBS)