What: A to Z
Where: NBC
When: Thursday October 8, 9 p.m.
Who: Ben Feldman (Mad Men); Cristina Milioti (How I Met Your Mother); Rashida Jones (Parks & Recreation; I Love You Man) as executive producer
Why you should watch:
This romantic comedy of a show has already been compared to genre classics How I Met your Mother and 500 Days of Summer.
If you like either of these, you’ll probably sympathize with protagonist Andrew, who resembles both Ted Mosby and 500’s Tom with his hopelessly romantic belief in true love. The best part? Andrew works for an online dating site. He first meets Zelda, his love interest, on a business meeting to discuss a mismatching incident she experienced as a user of the site. Of course, he ends up falling for her.
Tune in to see if he gets the girl—and moreover, if he can keep her.
What: Gotham
Where: FOX
When: Monday September 22, 8 p.m.
Who: Ben McKenzie (The O.C.; Southland)
Why you should watch:
This prequel to the Batman comic series follows a young detective Jim Gordon as he’s just starting out before all of his commissioner glory.
The first crime he and his partner are assigned to is none other than the deaths of the Waynes—the parents of one young Bruce Wayne, aka Batman in the making.
This show is recommended for any fan of the DC Comics classic and will provide insight not only into Gordon’s back story, but will also depict the rise of infamous villains such as Catwoman and the Riddler.
What: Gracepoint
Where: FOX
When: Thursday October 2, 9 p.m.
Who: David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad)
Why you should watch:
Fresh off his exit from Doctor Who, David Tennant once again brings British television stateside.
The show, based on the UK show Broadchurch, follows two detectives as they investigate the death of a young boy found on the beach in a California town.
His death is soon ruled a homicide, and invites an onslaught of media attention and rumormongering to the tiny, otherwise sublime town.
This is a classic whodunit with plenty of drama and some serious actors on board. What’s not to like?
What: How to Get Away with Murder
Where: ABC
When: Thursday September 25, 10 p.m.
Who: Viola Davis (The Help)
Why you should watch:
Viola Davis stars as a brilliant law school professor with a powerful firm in the newest show from Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy; Scandal.)
Her students, however, get more than they bargained for when they find themselves caught in a real-life murder scandal. They must figure out a way to get themselves out, and will do so at all costs.
If you’re a fan of Rhimes, this show is a don’t-miss. And you probably won’t: it follows Grey’s Anatomy at 8 p.m. and Scandal at 9 p.m. for a jam-packed night of back-to back Rhimes.
What: Red Band Society
Where: FOX
When: Wednesday September 17, 9 p.m.
Who: Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Why you should watch:
This buzzed-about drama follows the lives of varied characters in an L.A. hospital’s children’s ward.
Although the characters are dealing with everything from cancer to comas (the narrator of the show is, in fact, a boy in a coma), they’re also still dealing with the problems of ‘normal’ teenagers. This show has been hailed as The Breakfast Club with a twist—and, I’d reckon, a whole lot more tears.
