Fall Shows: The veterans ('Homeland', 'Scandal', 'Revenge', 'Once Upon a Time', 'The Vampire Diaries')

The third season of Homeland premieres tonight at 9PM EST on Showtime.

The first two seasons of this drama-thriller literally swept through television audiences like wildfire, including our own President. Although terrorist affairs aren't typically my preference of TV entertainment, so many factors contribute to the greatness of this show. Two-time Emmy award-winner Claire Danes is poignant as the bipolar, jazz-loving CIA agent Carrie Mathison. We endured the critical events of Agent Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), a man who turned on his country for reasons pertaining to his past relationship with high-ranking terrorist Abu Nazir. Following the track from last season's finale, we're about to witness severe vetting in regards to the bombing of the CIA headquarters. Most notably, Saul Berenson, whom I have waited specifically to hear from. The trailer for the third season of Homeland gives a peek into federal trials

                      

Scandal premieres its third season on October 3 at 10PM EST on ABC.

Shonda Rhimes hit another ABC gold mine with Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope. Season three for Pope and Associates will include the season's theme, "The Secret is Out", consistent with us last seeing Olivia blasted by media asking about her affair with the President. We also now have Olivia's father in the picture, adding to the story development we should see with other characters like Huck and Quinn. This third season should prove to be as electrifying as the last. See one of the latest promo trailers for Scandal season three below.

                                         

Revenge premieres its third season tonight at 9PM EST on ABC.

Even though this show might be described best as a superior soap opera, there's something about The Hamptons, Emily Thorne, Victoria Grayson, and the deep-rooted vendetta that sucks me in. Executive producer and show runner Mike Kelley stepped down after last season and is replaced by Sunil Nayar. At perhaps the critical moment in the show's story, you want to see Revenge respond accordingly from Emily Thorne's anticipated confession in the season two finale. The trailer for tonight's premiere begs for plenty of questions to be asked, and we'll see if the implications of Jack's knowledge of the real Amanda Clarke have anything to do with it. Check out the trailer below.

                                       

Once Upon a Time premieres its third season at 8PM EST tonight on ABC.

Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz cultivated a pretty extensive fairy tale drama series for ABC. The cursed town of Storybrooke is host to classic names like Snow White, Prince Charming, Little Red Riding Hood, Jiminy Cricket, Cinderella, and Captain Hook. Our heroes travel to Neverland for the third season, where Peter Pan will serve as more of a villain than you'll remember from the original story. If anything else, Once Upon a Time is reminiscent of childhood fables, crafted into a running narrative that brilliantly binds these characters and their fates. The trailer for season three is below.

                                         

The Vampire Diaries premieres its fifth season on October 3 at 8PM EST on The CW.

I've already expressed my preference for the supernatural, and watching TVD through the first and second seasons was a compelling experience. Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson's series based on the novel series by L.J. Smith is not without it's overarching love story, but I watch for the plot twists and story/character developments. I also enjoy the more genuine, wholesome, human-based aspect of TVD as compared to its counterpart True Blood (full comparison to come soon). The upcoming fifth season will now have Elena decidedly with Damon, and hopefully a worthy new villain (Silas) to replace Klause. Remember, Silas is now Stefan's 'doppelganger'. Also remember that Katherine is now human. I'd like to see The Vampire Diaries return to some of it's prior glory. Check out the trailer for season five below.

                                     

Fall Shows: Freshman, spin-offs ('The Blacklist', 'Hostages', 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.', 'Sleepy Hollow', 'OUAT in Wonderland', 'The Originals', 'Dracula')

The Blacklist premieres tonight at 10PM EST on NBC.

Kicking off my new interests for this fall's TV slot is The Blacklist, starring James Spader and Megan Boone. Spader plays Red Reddington; an international fugitive who suddenly turns himself in with questionable motives to assist the FBI. He specifically requests his own FBI profiler Liz Keen (Megan Boone) as he aids in capturing some of the world's most coveted bad guys listen on a "blacklist".

The greatness of James Spader has me concertedly tapped in for tonight's premiere. There seems to be plenty of room for twisting suspense, the kind that is able to ensure my investment after the pilot episode. This also seems more worthy of the late Monday night slot than Revolution from last year. Nice adjustment. See just a bit more about NBC's new drama from the latest promo spot below.

                   

Hostages premieres tonight at 10PM EST on CBS.

This one will play out like a 15-episode movie plot. Toni Collette and Dylan McDermott star in this drama-suspense series about a rogue FBI agent who takes a family hostage. The family is that of Ellen Sanders, a doctor who is performing surgery on the President. We know that McDermott's character, Duncan Carlisle, plans on using Sanders' operation to kill the President. Although the whole hostage scenario is a bit cliche, I like McDermott as a presence for this series and the potential for development. See the whole preview for Hostages below.

                     

Sleepy Hollow premiered on FOX last Monday night.

The premiere for the first show on FOX I've watched since 24 had a monster opener last week with a 3.4 rating among adults 18-49 and 10 million viewers. I was one of those 10 million viewers intrigued by this colonial, Headless Horseman semi-horror series. Tom Mison plays Ichabod Crane, a soldier from the American Revolution awoken simultaneously in modern day with an evil he once beheaded. The supernatural elements are appeasing for me (seems like we've got witches and demonic armies coming) but I'm interested to see how reception lasts through the season, particularly with all of the significant historic implications of the plot. Here's the promo for tonight's next episode.

                                          

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premieres Tuesday at 8PM EST on ABC.

This is a delicate situation for me and any other super hero enthusiast. The great news? Joss Whedon is involved. The bad news? This isn't The Avengers. Our premise includes a reincarnation of Agent Phil Coulson and his assembly of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents taking on new and strange cases. I think Joss Whedon makes this watchable from a visually and technologically entertaining standpoint, and ultimately pulls through on coolness. Check out the official trailer for Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. below.

                     

The Tomorrow People premieres October 9 at 9PM EST on The CW.

Even though this show has me crossed between my beloved Heroes and the movie Push with Chris Evans, and even though the CW is probably the sappiest network I watch, The Tomorrow People is on my list for the fall. Based on an original British series, this science-fiction, super human evolution show has something of an X-Men dynamic to it. The trailer shows some of the effects and also the first twist to the plot. 

                      

Dracula premieres October 25 at 10PM EST on NBC.

Look, I'm watching the only vampire shows of respect (True Blood, TVD) so I can't turn my back on this. Two points of encouragement are Jonathan Rhys Meyers, I think he makes a good vampire, and NBC, who has my complete trust since watching last season of Hannibal. The show was shot in Budapest. Apparently, Dracula is going to London posed as an American entrepreneur who wants to bring science to the Victorian society. In reality, he seeks revenge on those who betrayed him centuries ago. He also encounters and falls in love with a woman who could be his reincarnated wife. I think I'll like the darkness of this project. It's a nice risk using Dracula for a TV series, and a nice touch dropping it around Halloween. Check out a trailer for Dracula below.

                      

The Originals will premiere on October 3 after The Vampire Diaries at 9pm EST on The CW.

Keeping the vampire theme running is the first of two spin-offs I'll be watching this fall. Based on the character Niklaus Mikaelson (the hybrid) and his siblings, the original vampires, who wreaked havoc on TVD for the past few seasons. The backdoor pilot showed Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) pregnant with Niklaus' child. Now in New Orleans, the city where Klaus and his family originally made birth, he must take on his protege' Marcel to re-claim what was once his. Niklaus has been one of my favorite characters/villains on TV and his spin-off could become just as coveted as it's predecessor. Check out The Originals promo trailer below.

                      

Once Upon A Time in Wonderland premieres October 10 at 8PM EST on ABC.

My other spin-off comes from writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and the Once Upon A Time original series, which debut its third season this Sunday night. This recapitulation is fascinating as it pertains to the classic story of Alice. Their variation will show her struggles with proving that Wonderland and the genie she fell in love with both exist. If you're not familiar with what Kitsis and Horowitz have created with this brilliant fantasy series, they seem to want you to. Check out the trailer for Once Upon A Time in Wonderland below.

                     

Finale Recaps & Questions: 'Once Upon a Time', 'Revenge'

"And Straight On 'Til Morning"

Developments in the storyline for ABC's spellbinding fantasy/drama series reached new depths this season. Emma's former lover, Neal, is also Baelfire, the abandoned son of Rumplestiltskin (Mr. Gold), not to mention Henry's father, making Henry the grandson of the Dark One. We met Captain Hook's scheming character and learned of his storied rivalry with "the crocodile" (also Mr. Gold). We saw Mary Margaret (Snow White) blacken her heart by murdering Regina's mother. We saw Emma struggle with the idea of returning with David (Prince Charming) and Mary Margaret back to the enchanted forest, and the constant dissonance between Emma and Regina over Henry. More crucially, we encountered the first outside intruders to Storybrooke, Greg and Tamara, who nearly succeed at vanquishing the town of it's magic. Of course, the episode prior to the finale brought into play what Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz began developing after season one: the incorporation of Peter Pan and Neverland. Baelfire landed in London after being abandoned by his father, where he encountered Wendy Darling. Although, Horowitz and Kitsis have chosen to treat Pan as a ghost villain, and seemingly the primary antagonist for next season. The "lost land" is not the Neverland of typical depictions, but rather a loyal troop of orphans serving Pan, who is never shown or referenced by name (in Voldemort fashion for Harry Potter folks). As we now await the third season of TV's most intricate fantasy series, here are the burning questions fans should be asking in the meantime:

- Rivals became allies in the final scene as Captain Hook, Mr. Gold, Regina, and the Charmings sail into the portal to rescue Henry from Neverland. How will sworn enemies co-exist in these efforts?
- "The prophecy" states that Henry would be "the undoing" of the Dark One. Is Mr. Gold truly bent on saving him, and to what end?
- WHAT EXACTLY is Captain Hook's connection to Baelfire?
- Is Baelfire even dead?
- Mr. Gold mentions his familiarity with Peter Pan in the final minutes. What experience has he had with Pan, and just how dark will his character be?

"Truth" (Pt. 1, Pt. 2)

The drama lives on in the Hamptons. To back track, this season began with priorities surrounding Emily Thorne's mother and "The White Haired Man". We've since met members of the constructed Initiative, Emily's fellow revenger/lover Aiden, learned of Victoria's abandoned son, scowled at Conrad's rise to power as governor of New York, and witnessed the death of Jack's wife and Emily's devoted cover as Amanda Clarke. The two-hour conclusion this past Sunday night produced epic implications. For one, Conrad Grayson is governor of New York, and the Initiative technically never existed. Meanwhile, Jack's ongoing cold war with the Graysons led to Declan's death, by Conrad's hands no less. Aiden's impatience with Emily's plan made him impulsive enough to murder Takeda and bankrupt the Graysons, which has seemingly landed Nolan in dire circumstances with the feds. Let's not forget that Charlotte is pregnant and yet unaware that the father of her child is dead. But, as promised from the finale promo, "the confession you thought you'd never get from Emily Thorne". In the wake of chaos around her; Aiden leaving, Declan's death, and Jack's misguided mission, the real Amanda Clarke revealed herself. Just like that, the game has changed for next season. Here are the pivotal questions 'Revenge' fans should be asking in anticipation for season three:

- Did Daniel Grayson channel his season one antics (Tyler) and kill Aiden before attending his father's acceptance speech?
- How will Charlotte respond to the challenge of single motherhood, as she looks to disconnect from the Grayson name?
- How will Victoria handle the arrival of her abandoned son, Patrick? What role will he play?
- HOW WILL JACK PORTER HANDLE THE REINCARNATION OF AMANDA CLARKE?
- What effect will Jack's knowledge of the situation have on the show's storyline and Amanda's plan?