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Get the scoop on what's coming up on your favorite returning shows

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1 of 53 Mark Schafer/SHOWTIME

​The Affair (Showtime)

Premieres: Sunday, Oct. 4 at 10/9c

Where We Left Off: Alison and Noah spent several months apart but are reunited when the Solloways and Lockharts meet to discuss Whitney's relationship with Scotty, which ends in a violent confrontation with Cole. Noah finished his book and is offered a $500,000 advance. In present day, it's revealed that Noah and Allison are together and have a baby, but Noah is arrested for Scotty's murder.

What's Next: The new season will feature stories from all four main characters' perspectives. Noah and Helen will attempt an amicable divorce, but there is some inevitable tension, namely due to the fact that Alison and Noah are now living together. While Cole is dealing with the end of his marriage in self-destructive ways, Helen finds a surprising way to move on. Richard Schiff joins the cast as an attorney hired by Helen (!) to defend Noah in his arrest.

2 of 53 Dean Buscher/The CW

​Arrow (The CW)

Premieres: Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 8/7c

Where We Left Off: After finally defeating Ra's Al Ghul, Oliver realized he was missing out on what was really important in life and left Starling City with Felicity. Malcolm Merlyn made a deal with Oliver to take over the League of Assassins and Ray accidentally blew up Palmer Technologies while working on the Atom suit.

What's Next:
After five months of domestic bliss, Oliver and Felicity are called back into action. But Oliver won't return as the Arrow we knew. "He's happy and we want the show to reflect that," executive producer Wendy Mericle says. Oliver will also take a major step towards officially becoming the Green Arrow when he debuts a badass new costume. In his absence, Speedy and Black Canary will have developed into formidable heroes in their own right, but they'll need Oliver's help when Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough) returns to Starling City. "He's a sociopath," Mericle says. "He has no morals. He has no center at all. He doesn't really care about what he does in the name of pursuing his personal agenda." Darhk is also tied to H.I.V.E., which will be of particular interest to Diggle as he searches for closure in regard to his brother's death. Joining Season 4 are villains Anarky (Alexander Calvert) and Baron Reiter (Jimmy Akingbolo), who will terrorize Oliver in the flashbacks, and the future Mister Terrific (Echo Kellum), a gay tech super-genius who works under Felicity at Palmer Tech. Maybe the most exciting casting news is that Sara Lance (Caity Lotz) will return to Starling City long before she makes her Legends of Tomorrow debut. "Laurel is very excited to have her sister back and is a key player in the decision to [bring her back from the dead," Mericle says.

3 of 53 Sonja Flemming/CBS

​The Big Bang Theory (CBS)

Premieres: Monday, Sept. 21 at 8/7c

Where We Left Off: Feeling that they're moving too slowly, Amy told Sheldon that she has left to reevaluate their relationship, which was bad timing since Sheldon had bought an engagement ring. Leonard and Penny were en route to Las Vegas to elope, but Leonard's confession that he had kissed a woman two years ago on his North Sea expedition - when he and Penny weren't together - seemed to give her pause. Raj told Emily he loves her, and Howard and Bernadette tried to get Stuart to move out, but backed off when they found out it was his birthday.

What's Next: Leonard and Penny might just make it down the aisle. The Season 9 premiere picks up moments after the finale, with the couple's arrival in Vegas, so regardless of what happens, we'll see it all play out. The first episode back will also reveal when exactly Sheldon bought the engagement ring. Amy won't be back yet, but that doesn't mean it's over between them. "With the two of them, all the rules go out the window, but what I think Sheldon has learned is to try to make it work," executive producer Steve Molaro says. Amy will make her way back eventually and we'll find out more of her backstory. "You may learn she had a great, great uncle who didn't play by the rules," writer Eric Kaplan said.

4 of 53 Kelsey McNeal/ABC

​Black-ish (ABC)

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 9:30/8:30c

Where We Left Off: After Jack and Diane had to make a family tree for school, Dre told his kids the story of how his great-grandfather fell in love with his great-grandmother during the Harlem Renaissance in the '20s.

What's Next: Look for more Pops stories and Laurence Fishburne in general now that Hannibal is (unfortunately) done. After the success of the Harlem Renaissance finale, Anthony Anderson is also hoping to do throwback episodes from other pivotal points in history to show how the Johnson family came to be.

5 of 53 Eric Liebowitz/NBC

​The Blacklist (NBC)

Premieres: Thursday, Oct. 1 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: Agent Liz Keen shot the Attorney General of the United States (he deserved it), and went on the run with Red.

What's Next: Now that there's an FBI manhunt for Liz, she and Tom "have completely flipped roles," creator Jon Bokenkamp says. "She is now the criminal, and he is innocent, which gives it an interesting dynamic." As Liz relies on Red, she'll get a better look at how his network of curious characters operates and rub shoulders with the likes of Mr. Kaplan and Glen. Meanwhile, Ressler is now in charge of the task force while Cooper is under suspicion, which brings Ressler in direct opposition with Tom. Plus: Twilight's Edi Gathegi will guest-star as Mr. Solomon, a new enemy.

6 of 53 John Paul Filo/CBS

​Blue Bloods (CBS)

Premieres: Friday, Sept. 25 at 10/9c

Where We Left Off: Deputy Chief Donald Kent and his wife were killed by Warrior Kings gang member Mario Hunt, while Linda was shot by Curtis, another gang member who later gave up Hunt to Danny. Frank then paid gang leader Clinton Wallace in prison to charge him with the murders and turn him to the feds, since Kent was also a federal agent, ensuring Wallace will get the death penalty.

What's Next: Season 6 will explore more of Danny and Linda's relationship as she recovers from the shooting and Jamie and Eddie's partnership, now that they've got a year under their belt. "The most important [part] of the show for us is the family and relationships, and we want to get deeper into those with every passing year. The crime stories are secondary," executive producer Kevin Wade says. Also look for Mary Stuart Masterson to make an appearance early in the season.

7 of 53 Patrick McElhenney/FOX

​Bones (Fox)

Premieres: Thursday, Oct. 1 at 8/7c

Where We Left Off:
After solving a murder committed by the protégé of long-dead serial killer Pelant, Booth and Brennan decided to walk away from their jobs at the FBI and the Jeffersonian, respectively.

What's Next:
The show jumps ahead six months, when Booth and Brennan are the proud parents of a healthy baby boy. But the good news only lasts so long because... Booth goes missing! "We do a big, noisy reset," executive producer Jonathan Collier says. "It's a big, horribly unfortunate event that ends up having the best possible result for them." Indeed, once guest star Kim Raver presumably helps save the day, Booth and Brennan get back to work. "They didn't leave work lightly, but this event shows them that they're doing the right thing," Collier says. "They're returning to something they love and that fulfills them. But there will be emotional consequences. We're going to challenge all our characters, but especially Booth and Brennan. There will be events from their past histories that catch up with them."

8 of 53 Eddy Chen/FOX

​Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX)

Premieres: Sunday, Sept. 27 at 8:30/7:30c

Where We Left Off: Chief Wuntch had Captain Holt transferred to the NYPD's PR division, and the 99 were just about to meet their new captain.

What's Next: The new captain will be played by Saturday Night Live alum Bill Hader. "He has a different set of expectations that makes life at the precinct much harder," co-creator Dan Goor says. "But also, Amy and Jake have just kissed, and they're trying to figure out what that means for their relationship." Also, Boyle will be looking for love, and The Good Wife's Archie Panjabi will guest-star as a lieutenant who has her eye on him. Terry is still expecting a new addition to his family, Rosa and Marcus are going strong, and Jake may or may not have landed his first serial-killer case.

9 of 53 Richard Cartwright/ABC

​Castle (ABC)

Premieres: Monday, Sept. 21 at 10/9c

Where We Left Off:
We learned what drove Castle to become a mystery writer when he was driven to solve a case with eerie similarities to an event from his childhood. After acing her captain's exam, Beckett was approached to possibly run for a New York Senate seat.

What's Next: Say hello to Capt. Beckett! Although new co-showrunners Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter considered having Beckett take on a higher office, they didn't want to so drastically alter the DNA of the show. "At the end of the day, what we were trying to do was shake up relationships," Hawley says. Adds Winter: "She's not going to be a captain like Montgomery or Gates. She's still going to be very boots-on-the-ground, but now she has to work with Esposito and Ryan much differently than in the past, and that's going to cause more conflict. And it's much different when your wife is the captain, the boss, versus when your wife is the detective." The show will also add two new faces -- security specialist Hayley Shipton (Toks Olagundoye) and tech analyst Vikram Singh (Sunkrish Bala) -- while also reintroducing Jack Coleman's William Bracken in the two-part season-opener. But the fundamentals of the show won't change. "It's always been about the Castle-Beckett love story," Hawley says.

10 of 53 Elizabeth Morris/NBC

​Chicago Fire (NBC)

Premieres: Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 10/9c

Where We Left Off: Gabby learned she's pregnant, but when she went to Matt's place to tell him the shocking news, she found Katia dead and Matt was missing, presumably taken by Nesbitt's shady peeps.

What's Next: When Matt's eventually found (he can't be dead, right?), he and Gabby will have to decide what a baby will do to their broken engagement. Elsewhere, expect some new faces, including The Vampire Diaries alum Steven R. McQueen, who recurs as a new candidate. Plus: The work drama isn't settling down for Severide, whose management skills are called into question over the high turnover rate on the squad. When the higher-ups bring in a new captain (Brian White), Severide must think long and hard about his future with Squad 3.

11 of 53 Matt Dinerstein/NBC

​Chicago P.D. (NBC)

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 10/9c

Where We Left Off: Still reeling from the death of Nadia, Lindsay handed over her badge and hit the bottle with her mom. In happier news, Burgess and Ruzek got engaged!

What's Next: The squad isn't getting rid of Lindsay just yet! Just when she thinks she's done with P.D., she's pulled back into Intelligence when one of their own is kidnapped.

12 of 53 Cliff Lipson/CBS

​Criminal Minds (CBS)

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: The season-long unsub turned out to be a human trafficking ring, which kidnapped Kate's niece Meg and her friend Markayla. After rescuing them, Kate resigned to prepare for the birth of her baby. JJ is also pregnant.

What's Next: Aisha Tyler will recur as Dr. Tara Lewis, filling the void left by Kate and JJ when A.J. Cook is on maternity leave. Hotch hires Lewis, a forensic psychologist, after she impresses him during an investigation. Look for old faces to help out with the BAU as executive producer Erica Messer doesn't want to replace Kate's position outright. "I feel like when you look at 10 years of people we could bring back, it would be fun to do that," she says, adding that that would also allow the show to focus on the team without having to service a new regular character. One such way will be via Jane Lynch, whom Messer is hoping to bring back as Reid's mom now that Glee is over and her new sitcom Angel From Hell is on CBS. "We've got to find a reason to bring her back because I don't want it to be unrealistic or just to have her," she says. Other guest stars include Marisol Nichols (NCIS) and Tim Kang (The Mentalist).

13 of 53 Robert Voets/CBS

​CSI (CBS)

Premieres: Sunday, Sept. 27 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off:
The team finally took out the "Gig Harbor Killer," but not before he captured Finlay. After the killer's death, D.B. found Finlay in the trunk of a stolen car, but after spending time in the hospital, she remained unresponsive. Nick decided to take a position leading his own CSI lab in San Diego.

What's Next: The long-running procedural will wrap its run with a two-hour special that features returning original cast members William Petersen, Marg Helgenberger and Paul Guilfoyle, among others. (George Eads and Elisabeth Shue will not return, which may speak to Finlay's fate.) So what gets the old band back together? "There's a catastrophic event that paralyzes Las Vegas," says creator Anthony Zuiker, who wrote the finale. " And that dovetails into Lady Heather [Melinda Clarke]. There's some level of implication there." While Zuiker wouldn't confirm if the perpetrator of the event is a familiar foe, he insists that this will be a proper farewell. "There's a lot of minutiae in there, a lot of homage -- a little something for everyone, from the one-percenters to the casual fans," he says. "We did the best we could to write a story that was able to have sufficient closure for all the people we love."

14 of 53 Michael Yarish/CBS

​CSI: Cyber (CBS)

Premieres: Sunday, Oct. 4 at 10/9c

Where We Left Off: Avery finally confronted the former patient who ruined her practice and has been spying on her all these years. (The story also introduced Avery's ex-husband as well as their now-deceased daughter Hannah.) Krumitz is suspected of killing the parolee who murdered his parents, but he eventually revealed that his sister committed the crime.

What's Next:
After being reunited with her ex, Avery will try to slowly rebuild that relationship -- though don't expect any sort of immediate reconciliation. After all, Avery is still a bit haunted by the experiences of last season. "She's having nightmares associated with that event [from the finale] and all the things it pulled out," executive producer Pam Veasey. Not to mention she has to deal with a new team member -- Ted Danson's D.B. Russell, who joins the show from the outgoing CSI -- as well as the departure of Peter MacNicol's Simon Sifter. "She has an opportunity to take his job, but it's not something she quickly embraces," Veasey says. "It means different things for her job. She sees that Sifter's job involved a lot of dealing with the brass and the politics of cyber." Elsewhere, a time jump will allow the show to pick up at the end of Krumitz's sister's trial, and the result will have a profound impact on him. "Krumitz makes a promise to her that will dictate how he behaves the rest of the season," Veasey teases.

15 of 53 Simon Ridgway/BBC America

​Doctor Who (BBC America)

Premieres: Saturday, Sept. 19 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: After adjusting to the Doctor's new incarnation, Clara tried to balance her life at Coal Hill School with dating Danny with her TARDIS adventures. Unfortunately, Danny died in a very pedestrian way, and following an odd Christmas experience, the Doctor and Clara were resolved to not waste time and seize the day.

What's Next: The Doctor and his companion will run into Missy, who comes back in a surprising way, Daleks and some Zygons in a story that was set up in the 50th Anniversary special. Of the familiar faces, expect to see the graffiti artist Rigsy again as well as Osgood, who we thought was killed by Missy. "It was always the plan [for her to return]," executive producer Steven Moffat says. "Everything has been set up for a particular kind of story. She's got a very big part in that." As for unfamiliar faces, the Doctor will meet a mysterious character played by Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams, of whom we first got a glimpse in this trailer.

16 of 53 Jeff Neira/CBS

​Elementary (CBS)

Premieres: Thursday, Nov. 5 at 10/9c

Where We Left Off: Sherlock got pulled into a pointless, unsolvable case by his former dealer Oscar Rankin, which ultimately prompted Sherlock to beat the crap out of him and also relapse. In light of this behavior, Joan revealed that Sherlock's dad was flying in from England.

What's Next: Sherlock's dad Morland Holmes (played by Fringe and Sleepy Hollow star John Noble) will arrive. "Over the years, Sherlock has conjured certain images of him and has compared him to certainly Satan, and on one occasion to Dracula," creator Rob Doherty says. "When he finally shows up in the fourth season, we're going to see what looks like some very genuine concern for his son who's been through a trauma. So, it's difficult for Sherlock to reconcile the person his father was and the person he seems to be today." Sherlock's work with the NYPD will be at risk after his behavior with Oscar, and upcoming cases include working exclusively with the FBI and one in which a man who preys on women asks for Sherlock's help in clearing his name for the disappearance of his wife.

17 of 53 Chuck Hodes/FOX.

​Empire (Fox)

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: It turned out Lucious doesn't have ALS, but he named Jamal his successor anyways. Cookie discovered Lucious murdered her cousin Bunkie, so she smothered him with a pillow before deciding to let him live. Hakeem started hooking up with Anika, and the duo joined forces with Cookie and Andre to take back control of Empire. Dwight Walker, aka Lucious, was arrested right before he took the stage at his big concert, but the Feds couldn't find their main witness Vernon because Andre and Rhonda, who's pregnant, accidentally killed him and covered it up.

What's Next: Just because Lucious named Jamal the successor of Empire, that doesn't mean the war is over. Cookie, Hakeem, Andre and Anika continue plotting against Lucious -- and by proxy, Jamal -- and attempt to recruit lesbian venture capitalist Mimi Whiteman (Marisa Tomei) to their side. However, they run up against a few unexpected bumps during their attempted coup. And though he's behind bars, Lucious will continue to meddle in company business, even recruiting new talent from prison. But when he finds himself locked up with Frank Gathers, the man Cookie helped put behind bars, Lucious discovers he's also going to have to fight for his life before he fights for his company. Season 2 will also feature Ludacris as a prison guard, Kelly Rowland as Lucious' mom, Alex Rodriguez as a love interest for Cookie, Alicia Keys and Lenny Kravitz.

18 of 53 Chris Large/FX, Chris Large

​Fargo (FX)

Premieres: Monday,Oct. 12 at 10/9c

Where We Left Off: Lorne Malvo was shot by Gus Grimley, and the cops eventually caught up to Lester Nygaard, who fell through the ice to his death. Molly and Gus were expecting a baby.

What's Next: The anthology series goes back in time to the 1970s after the Vietnam War. Lou Solverson (Molly's dad, now played by Patrick Wilson) comes across a mysterious trio of murders at a local diner and gets pulled into a bizarre investigation that includes waffles, an unwitting hairdresser (Kirsten Dunst), a local crime family and a huge mob syndicate.

19 of 53 Cate Cameron/The CW

The Flash(The CW)

Premieres: Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 8/7c

Where We Left Off:Wells offered Barry a deal: Let him return home and Barry would be able to save his mother's life. Barry went back in time, but decided not to save his mother. Back in the present, Barry and Wells fought it out and right when Wells was going to kill Barry, Eddie shot himself, thereby wiping Wells out of existence. Oh, and Ronnie and Caitlin got married.

What's Next: Season 2 will introduce multiple universes, which could explain how Tom Cavanagh is returning as a series regular, and characters from Earth 2. This means we'll be getting two new speedsters, Jay Garrick (Teddy Spears) and Wally West (Keiynan Lonsdale). And Barry will need all the help they can offer since Zoom, the season's villain, is faster than even Reverse Flash and The Flash. Barry will also get a new love interest, Patty Spivot (Shanel VanSanten), Joe West's new partner. Though the season picks up a few months after the events of the finale, Barry and Cisco will both still be dealing with the fallout. Eddie's sacrifice will leave Barry struggling with his role as a hero and isolating himself from the team. Meanwhile, Cisco is faced with exploring his metahuman abilities that Wells pointed out.

20 of 53 Michael Ansell/ABC

​Fresh Off the Boat (ABC)

Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 8:30/7:30c

Where We Left Off: The Huang family, after moving from Washington to Orlando, made peace with how much they'd assimilated to suburban living while still valuing their Chinese heritage.

What's Next: Every family member gets bigger and better stories, including Emery, Evan and even Grandma! The assimilation continues with the Huangs going on their first family vacation and "experiencing the way white people go crazy for Halloween in that suburban way," executive producer Nahnatchka Khan says. "Obviously Jessica's not a fan of the holiday. I think we have a line where she's like, 'Begging for candy in a mask to hide your shame? No, thanks.'"

21 of 53 Danny Feld/ABC

​The Goldbergs (ABC)

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 8:30/7:30c

Where We Left Off: Erica left for a summer art school, while Barry and Adam both dropped the L-word to Lainey and Dana, respectively. Unfortunately for Adam, Dana's father got a job offer in Seattle, so she might be moving soon.

What's Next: Season 3 will open with a Risky Business tribute and then focus on Adam going through puberty and trying to be independent (we're sure Bev will love that). "Next year will be less of the little boy saying, 'Mama' and cuddling with his mom and more about separating and going through adolescence and puberty hitting hard," creator Adam F. Goldberg says. AJ Michalka has been promoted to series regular, so expect Lainey and Barry to be going strong, with Bev butting in, of course. Goldberg's also on the hunt for an old video of himself performing "Mr. Roboto" at a talent show. "I threw the tape away, so I'm asking friends if they have it so I can put it on the show and do an episode about it," he says. "It seemed great in my head, but it's really the first time I publicly bombed in that way. ... I wanna tap into that feeling. It was so embarrassing that no one even talked about it."

22 of 53 Paul Sarkis/CBS

​The Good Wife (CBS)

Premieres: Sunday, Oct. 4 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: Kalinda left after a CGI-ed reunion with Alicia. Finn also left because he's giving it another go with his wife and can't work with Alicia because of their sexual tension. Someone who can work with her? Canning, who asks the disgraced State's Attorney-elect if she wants to partner for a new firm. Peter has been asked to run for president so he could be a viable VP candidate on a ticket.

What's Next: A lotta new faces. Jeffrey Dean Morgan has joined as a series regular playing Alex -- the new Kalinda - an experienced investigator Alicia hires. Since co-creator Robert King teased that Alicia will "definitely" refocus on her love life in Season 7, you can connect the dots. Margo Martindale will recur as Willa Eastman, a campaign manager who will go toe to toe with Eli. Torchwoodstar Cush Jumbo will recur in a mysterious new role that will fill the "same interesting dynamic" that Kalinda had on the show, King says. And Michael J. Fox is also returning as Canning and Alicia hash out their new firm. Will it last? Or could she return to Lockhart, Agos & Lee despite their uneasy relationship? "There is this paranoia that comes out -- is this the new normal or are they gonna find some stasis?" King says. "That will be the beginning of Season 7."

23 of 53 Nicole Rivelli/FOX

​Gotham (Fox)

Premieres: Monday, Sept. 21 at 8/7c

Where We Left Off: The Falcone-Maroni gang war culminated with Gordon betraying Penguin, Falcone leaving town and Penguin shoving a just-returned Fish Mooney to her (presumed) death and declaring himself the "king of Gotham." With the help of Alfred, Bruce Wayne discovered a secret entrance to his father's (cave-like) private office.

What's Next: Season 2 has been dubbed "The Rise of the Villains." "This season is going to be more intense, more epic, more of a saga," executive producer Bruno Heller says. "Gotham is descending into anarchy. This season, Gotham transforms into the world that needed Batman to come and save it." While that might seem to bode well for Penguin, don't expect his reign at the top to be permanent. Elsewhere, Harvey has left the force and Gordon's been demoted to a uniform cop when Capt. Barnes (new series regular Michael Chiklis) picks up where Jim's "save the GCPD" crusade ended. The secrets Bruce finds in his father's office may put him at odds with his caretaker. "His father's office makes very real what was previously a childish revenge fantasy," Heller says. "He plunges into a much darker and more adult world than we've seen him in before." Plus: James Frain joins the cast as Theo Galavan, a prodigal son returning to Gotham with an insidious plan.

24 of 53 Richard Cartwright/ABC

​Grey's Anatomy (ABC)

Premieres: Thursday, Sept. 24 at 8/7c

Where We Left Off: Meredith returned to Seattle with her three kids and started adjusting to life after Derek's death. April told Jackson she wanted to go on another Army rotation, Richard and Catherine got married, and Jo bought a loft apartment for her and Alex. It's also up in the air who will be named the hospital's new chief of surgery.

What's Next: After the ultimate "dark and twisty" season, which culminated with Derek's death and its aftermath, Grey's is returning to a lighter tone in Season 12, according to executive producer Shonda Rhimes. Meredith, Maggie and Amelia -- all single -- are living together in Ellis' house and trying to make a fresh start. Callie and Arizona will also start to dip their toes back into the dating pool. Jason George, who plays Ben, has been promoted to a series regular, and Martin Henderson is joining the cast as a series regular who will likely be a love interest for ... someone.

25 of 53 Scott Green/NBC

​Grimm (NBC)

Premieres: Friday, Oct. 30 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: After Nick's girlfriend Juliette went all aggro-Hexenbiest, fellow Grimm Trubel had no choice but to kill her. Meanwhile, Adalind is still pregnant with Nick's baby after that faked encounter when she masqueraded at Juliette.

What's Next:
Of the parents-to-be, co-creator David Greenwalt says, "They're in an unusual situation, which is they've had a child, but they've never had a relationship. Their relationship is based on trying to kill one another." Meanwhile, Adalind will try to find a job as a lawyer again, and Rosalee's addictions will resurface, which will put a strain on her relationship with Monroe. This year will also bring the show's take on the Loch Ness Monster, the Rat King and Peter Pan.

26 of 53 Norman Shapiro/CBS

​Hawaii Five-0 (CBS)

Premieres: Friday, Sept. 25 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: A national security threat derailed Adam and Kono's wedding. Catherine made a surprise return and reunited with McGarrett, and Danny discovered that he's Charlie's father.

What's Next: The season premiere picks up "maybe an hour or two" after the finale, with the revelation that Adam and Kono did indeed make it down the aisle, showrunner Peter Lenkov says. McGarrett and Catherine's relationship takes a "surprising turn" by the end of the third episode that will determine their future, while Chin Ho will finally be getting a love interest of his own later in the season. And Danny's realization that he's Charlie's father causes him to reconsider his priorities, as Charlie's road to recovery proves to be a difficult one.

27 of 53 Stephan Rabold/SHOWTIME

​Homeland (Showtime)

Premieres: Sunday, Oct. 4 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off:
Carrie, Saul and Quinn returned to the States after their disastrous run in Pakistan. Carrie reunited with her mother after her dad's death, but rejected Quinn's desires to start a relationship. As a result, Quinn signed up for another deadly mission in Syria. Carrie was furious to learn that Saul backed Dar Adal's move to make a deal with terrorist leader Haqqani to remove him from the CIA kill list.

What's Next:
Season 5 resumes two years later, with a still embittered Carrie living in Berlin and working as head of security for a German philanthropist (Sebastian Koch). Among her colleagues is her new boyfriend Jonas (Alexander Fehling), who works as legal counsel for the security firm. Miranda Otto joins the cast as Allison Carr, the Berlin Chief of Station working under Saul. That's right, Saul is back in Berlin, which means the season's tagline -- "the only way out is back in" -- will come true soon enough.

28 of 53 Mitchell Haaseth/ABC

How to Get Away With Murder (ABC)

Premieres: Thursday, Sept. 24 at 10/9c

Where We Left Off: Frank, not Sam or Rebecca, killed Lila, though Annalise has convinced Wes it was his gal pal. While the students believe Rebecca has run away, she's actually dead in Annalise's basement, and ostensibly only Frank and Annalise know about it and both claimed they didn't kill her. Oliver also tested positive for HIV and Laurel had Michaela's ring the whole time.

What's Next: You won't have to wait a whole season (or even half) to find out who offed Rebecca: Her killer will be revealed in the premiere. After that, the show will dive into a new mystery -- thought it won't necessarily be a murder -- and explore everyone's backstories and how people met. "I think the premise of the show for me is that things get more and more complicated, whether or not that means a murder each season, there's going to be a mystery," executive producer Peter Nowalk says. There'll also be some new faces, including recurring guest stars Famke Janssen, who'll play a brilliant defense attorney, and Kendrick Sampson (The Vampire Diaries), who'll make his first appearance in the premiere. Is he the person Rebecca texted?

29 of 53 Diyah Pera/The CW

​iZombie (The CW)

Premieres: Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: Blaine gutted Major with a knife, but Liv arrived and stabbed Blaine with the zombie cure and saved Major's life by turning him into a zombie. But before he could complete his transformation, Liv used the last remaining dose of the antidote on Major. Liv was then faced with the choice of letting her brother die or donating her blood and turning him into a zombie.

What's Next: Season 2 will pick up three months after the disastrous showdown at the Meat Cute. Major, still angry at Liv and unable to find another job in social work, is putting his life back together piece by piece. Blaine is doing everything he can to hold onto the life he led as a zombie. "He's still attempting to supply Seattle zombies with brains they need. It's just he's now playing his own game of trying not to let anyone of the people he needs to fear him know that he's no longer a zombie," Rob Thomas says. Both men will discover the cure Liv gave them comes with its own set of unforeseen side effects, leaving Ravi to try and track down more tainted Utopium in order to continue his experiments. This season will also find Liv getting back into the dating scene after the death of Lowell and continuing her work with the Seattle P.D. However, Clive, unsatisfied with the police's explanation for what happened at the Meat Cute, will continue investigating Major and his involvement. And Liv will find herself forced to work with Blaine when Max Rager moves forward with its plan to eliminate Seattle's zombies.

30 of 53 Patrick Wymore/The CW

​Jane the Virgin (The CW)

Premieres: Monday, Oct. 19 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: Jane and Rafael welcomed baby Mateo Gloriana Rogelio Solano Villanueva, but not before Sin Rosetro got her hands on the newborn and kidnapped him from the hospital! Xo and Rogelio got married and Petra got her hands on Rafael's last remaining sperm sample, which no one knew existed.

What's Next: The mystery of where the baby has been taken will wrap up quickly. "The search for the baby is an action-adventure part of the premiere, but the ramifications and reasons for why the baby was taken and all the drama stirred up by those events have long-lasting implications for the characters," executive producer Jennie Urman says. Baby drama aside, Jane is getting married to either Rafael or Michael! And she's not the only one walking down the aisle. "By the fifth episode there's an unexpected marriage of two characters and that will be our first [of the two weddings]," Urman says.

31 of 53 Mary Cybulski/Cinemax

​The Knick (Cinemax)

Premieres: Friday, Oct. 16 at 10/9c

Where We Left Off:
Cornelia aborted her child with Algernon and went ahead with her wedding to Phillip Showalter. Barrow enlisted Ping Wu to take out Collier, but instead now finds himself in Wu's debt. And after Thackery's drug-addled paranoia led him to perform an ill-advised blood transfusion on a young girl, Bertie and Lucy check Thackery into a rehab clinic, where the doctors want to fight his cocaine withdrawal with a new wonder drug: heroin.

What's Next:
Thackery's struggle with recovery won't be swept under the rug. "We wanted to show that really until the '70s and '80s, we never really bothered to understand addiction," executive producer Jack Amiel says. However, the struggle might also unlock Thackery's next great medical accomplishment. "He's going to set out to find what is the root of this addiction," executive producer Michael Begler says. " And if he can figure it out for himself, maybe he can figure it out for everyone." Naturally, he might have trouble getting his staff to go along with it, especially Bertie, who is still smarting from his broken heart over Lucy. "There's a sense of the fallen idol," Begler says. "Everyone revered him and thought he was almost superhuman, and now they're seeing behind the curtain. Bertie feels completely betrayed by him on more than one level." Elsewhere, the board of The Knick continues plans to move uptown and Cornelia struggles with the path she's chosen.

32 of 53 Patrick McElhenney/FOX

​The Last Man on Earth (Fox)

Premieres: Sunday, Sept. 27 at 9:30/8:30c

Where We Left Off: When Todd revealed Tandy's plot to murder Phil to the rest of the Tucson residents, Phil knocked Tandy out and left him in the desert. Fortunately, Carol came to the rescue, and the two decided to move somewhere new together. But Carol wasn't the only one looking for Tandy: His brother (Jason Sudeikis) was spotted desperately trying to contact Earth from space.

What's Next: Now that Phil (who no longer has to be called Tandy) and Carol have left Tucson behind, don't expect the couple run to into a whole new gang of post-apocalyptic survivors. "After a while, when you introduce new characters, when you do it enough, I think people kind of expect it," Will Forte says. "So we went into this season thinking, 'How can we shift it up a little bit so that people don't catch on to where the show is going?' So we have a bunch of fun ideas that aren't necessarily character additions to the show." That includes a Rashomon-style episode, in which the show will re-examine the events of the previous episode from a different perspective, as well as learning more about Phil's brother, who will return next season.

33 of 53 HBO

​The Leftovers (HBO)

Premieres: Sunday, Oct. 4 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off:
The Guilty Remnant's Memorial Day stunt -- placing mannequins of all the departed townspeople of Mapleton in their loved ones' homes -- sent the town into a fiery riot. Just as Nora was planning to leave a note for Kevin explaining her intention to leave town, she found Holy Wayne's baby, perhaps the beginning of a new family with Kevin and Jill.

What's Next:
Season 2 shifts the action to Jarden, Texas, home of Miracle National Park, which honors the only town in the world that had zero departures. Kevin and Nora have moved there to start over. "Season 1 was about how a family fell apart," executive producer Tom Perrotta says. "And Season 2 is about how a family tries to come back together. Adds executive producer Damon Lindelof: "They're not a married couple in the traditional sense. They've kind of come crashing into one another. So the decisions that they're making are instinctive and impulsive and romantic, and this season is a lot about sort of exploring the upside and the downside of making decisions that way." With the move comes some friendly new neighbors (including Regina King) and, somehow, the return of Ann Dowd's Patti.

34 of 53 Sarah Shatz/CBS

​Madam Secretary (CBS)

Premieres: Sunday, Oct. 4 at 8/7c

Where We Left Off: Bess completed her first year in office, while her husband Henry accepted a teaching job at National War College.

What's Next: The season premiere will include a major event that sets up a central mystery that will carry through the rest of the season -- and may have some overlap with last season's investigation into who killed former Secretary of State Marsh. Bess will face more political challenges during her second year in office, and many of them will come from close to home. "The first year, she had a lot of wins," executive producer Barbara Hall says. "Once you get too successful, people arrive to sort of tear that down a little, and she's going to have to confront that." Enter a National Security Advisor played by new cast member Julian Acosta, who butts heads with Bess when it comes to foreign policy.

35 of 53 Kelsey McNeal/ABC

​Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC)

Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 9/8c

Where We Left Off: Fitz and Simmons finally decided to go on a date, but after Fitz accidentally unlocked the crate holding the Kree stone, Simmons was absorbed into the mystical object. Coulson lost an arm after catching a falling Terrigen crystal, and Cal went through the Tahiti protocol after killing Skye's mother Jaiying. Ward accidentally killed Agent 33 and, blaming S.H.I.E.L.D. for her death, became the new leader of Hydra. Bobbi and Hunter walked away from S.H.I.E.L.D., while May took a hiatus from the organization to spend time with Andrew.

What's Next: Now that the Terrigen has been released into the world, anyone could become Inhuman at any moment. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is particularly well suited to try and find those people, get those people, help those people, or stop those people, depending on how they come out of their transformation," executive producer Jeff Bell says. The team begins working toward forming the Secret Warriors, though Bell says "there's a slow burn" before the organization comes to fruition. And while Ward doubles-down on being a bad guy, expect to see both Simmons and May changed by their respective time away from the team.

36 of 53 John Fleenor/NBC

​The Mindy Project (Hulu)

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 15

Where We Left Off: Mindy revealed her parent's don't know that Danny is her boyfriend and the father of her child. After Danny and Mindy had it out about his resistance to getting married, he wound up flying to India to meet Mindy's parents and tell them he's in love with their daughter.

What's Next: Mindy will give birth early into the fourth season and though she has no idea how to be a mother, Mindy will approach parenthood the same way she does everything: hilariously. This season will also provide more time for the ensemble cast, including a lot of scenes between Jeremy and Tamra and even a road trip episode with Morgan and Danny. Garret Dillahunt joins the cast as Mindy's maternity leave replacement along with actress Fortune Feimster. And The Mindy Project will continue its run of amazing guest stars in the premiere, which pays homage to Sliding Doors. In the episode, Mindy explores what her life would be like had she married Matt (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a Bravo reality show producer. And when she goes to check on Danny in this reality, she discovers he's dating Freida Pinto, who will play a version of herself.

37 of 53 Eric McCandless/ABC

​Modern Family (ABC)

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: Haley's and Andy's feelings for each other went unstated, and Andy was last seen on his way to propose to his girlfriend Beth. Alex got ready to go to college, while Claire prepared to take over her father's business. Mitch finally came clean to Cam about losing his job.

What's Next: The Andy/Haley situation will be resolved in the season opener, but while they might get a happy ending, don't expect it to be a smooth one. "It's tumultuous," executive producer Chris Lloyd says. "But we see a good deal of Andy in the coming season." Alex, like so many college freshmen, finds herself in an interesting roommate situation and misses her family -- but she also has some male suitors coming her way. Phil, meanwhile, is having a tough time adjusting to Alex being away and Luke discovering "a bit of a criminal streak," according to Lloyd. Jay is getting close to retirement, while Gloria explores her entrepreneurial side by marketing her own hot sauce -- and they both become very involved with Joe's hippie preschool. And, while Mitch tries to sort out his career path, he and Cam start an Airbnb-like business with the upstairs apartment they've purchased, which brings a whole host of interesting characters into their lives.

38 of 53 Darren Michaels/WARNER BROS.

​Mom (CBS)

Premieres: Thursday, Nov. 5 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: After a tense few weeks sparked by Bonnie falling off the wagon, she and Christy finally reconciled. Violet decided to move in with her fiancé Gregory, and Roscoe opted to live full time with his father, Baxter.

What's Next: Christy and Bonnie are in a good place -- for now -- and Bonnie's struggle to stay sober will be less of an issue this season, co-creator Gemma Baker promises. "They're on the same page and they're looking toward the future," she says of the mother-daughter duo. Among the things the future holds are new romantic interests for both women. "Both Christy and Bonnie are going to make some bad choices in the dating arena this season," Baker says. Emily Osment is joining the show as Jodi, a troubled drug addict whom Christy and Bonnie help after meeting her at an AA meeting, and Jaime Pressly and Beth Hall, who play Jill and Wendy, have both been promoted to series regulars. Viewers can also expect to see more of Octavia Spencer's Regina in Season 3. While producers have no concrete plans for a wedding for Violet and Gregory this season, they are still in a relationship and Gregory "inspires [Violet] to make some life changes that will send her in a better direction," Baker teases.

39 of 53 Eric Liebowitz/NBC

​The Mysteries of Laura (NBC)

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 8/7c

Where We Left Off: Jake got shot, but after a little heart-to-heart that had Laura re-evaluating her feelings for her ex-husband, Jake seemed to lose his memory of the conversation.

What's Next: Let the love triangle continue! "Laura is still torn between Jake and hot boyfriend Food Truck Tony, [but] a winner will be declared by midseason," executive producer Jeff Rake says. And as if Laura's life couldn't get more complicated, expect a tense reunion between her and her (now-imprisoned) former boss (Enrico Colantoni), whom she busted for killing his wife's lover in the series premiere.

40 of 53 Mark Levine/ABC

​Nashville (ABC)

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 10/9c

Where We Left Off: Someone was flatlining in the hospital -- and it's either Deacon or his sister. (Our money's on the sister.) Rayna lost her top two artists after Sadie Stone left town and Juliette quit Highway 65, while also vying for the Worst Mother of the Year Award. Will came out of the closet with an emotional speech.

What's Next: Producers are staying mum on who seems to be biting the dust, but whether Deacon lives or dies, it's going to throw Rayna for a loop. When the season picks up, about a month after the events of Season 3, "nothing is going to be the same," executive producer Dee Johnson says. "[Rayna] comes into this new world order having to kind of start from scratch again on a lot of levels." On the professional side, that entails building up her roster again, which she does by recruiting an indie rocker who has a huge fan base and an ego to match. On the Juliette front, she continues to distract herself from motherhood by throwing herself into her music and going out on tour with Luke. Will is "in a self-imposed exile," Johnson says, as he tries to navigate the waters of his relationship with Kevin and his new role as an out country artist. And Layla and Jeff find themselves "on slightly more equal footing" in their relationship, but look for Layla to feel slighted since she's no longer Jeff's No. 1 client.

41 of 53 Sonja Flemming/CBS

​NCIS (CBS)

Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 8/7c

Where We Left Off: Gibbs was shot in a marketplace in Iraq while investigating an organization that's recruiting child soldiers.

What's Next: Is Gibbs alive? Yes -- but he's definitely not 100 percent. "There are definite changes and adjustments to the Gibbs character in this near-death experience that he has," executive producer Gary Glasberg says. "There are physical changes. There are psychological changes. There are changes in his approach to his agent-ing. ... It's tricky." Jon Cryer guest-stars in the season premiere as a quirky surgeon who's tasked with saving Gibbs' life, and will recur throughout the season. Gibbs' recovery leads to a few clashes between him and Tony, and also results in Tony and McGee stepping up into bigger leadership roles.

42 of 53 Neil Jacobs/CBS

​NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)

Premieres: Monday, Sept. 21 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: Callen learned his presumed-dead father is actually alive and well.

What's Next: NCIS: LA is essentially cramming two seasons' worth of story lines into the action-packed Season 7, according to executive producer Shane Brennan. The season picks up after a three-month time jump and kicks off with Callen finding out a key piece of information from someone from his past. He "goes a little rogue" as a result, which doesn't sit well with Sam or Hetty. Elsewhere, the internal affairs investigation that has been looming over Deeks' head will finally be resolved, though not necessarily in a positive way. "When the internal affairs investigation reaches its conclusion, and you find out what it's all about, it will be a catalyst for Deeks making decisions about his future," Brennan teases. An October episode will cross-over with NCIS and feature Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) working with the Los Angeles division. And toward the end of the season, Sam will face "the greatest challenge of his entire life," Brennan teases.

43 of 53 Skip Bolen/CBS

​NCIS: New Orleans (CBS)

Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: The main Season 1 villain, Baitfish, was killed as Pride and the rest of the team thwarted a terrorist attack on a nuclear power plant. Pride wrote a letter requesting that his father be released from prison.

What's Next: Season 2 will be more character-driven, according to creator Gary Glasberg. Shalita Grant, who plays probie officer Sonja Percy, and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, who plays Patton Plame, have been upped to series regulars. With Sonja around a lot more, sparks may start to fly between her and LaSalle. "Coming off the situation with his brother, coming off the situation where he lost the girlfriend, he's struggling," Glasberg says of Pride's right-hand man. "Pride has to really be there for him as a mentor and as a brother, and LaSalle will rely heavily on his team members as well, on Brody and this new relationship that'll form with Sonja." Dr. Wade will adjust to life with her two new adopted sons and turns to Pride for help. Pride's divorce is finalized and he's ready for a "reset" after a tumultuous year -- part of which involves purchasing a bar.

44 of 53 Jack Rowand/ABC

​Once Upon a Time (ABC)

Premieres: Sunday, Sept. 27 at 8/7c

Where We Left Off: Gold finally got freed from the dagger's hold, but he was left in a coma. Before the darkness could claim Regina, Emma sacrificed herself and was whisked away, leaving only the dagger behind with her name etched on it.

What's Next: Emma's friends and family, led by Regina, will try to find a way to save her before she becomes the full-on Dark Swan. But this means tracking down the sorcerer Merlin, which brings them to Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table. Brave archery lass Merida (Amy Manson) will join the show as well. "This is a mash-up show," co-creator Edward Kitsis says. "This is the show where the Wicked Witch is sisters with the Evil Queen, and they also know Cruella De Vil. So what a bummer if we had King Arthur and he never got to meet Merida." King Arthur will also bro it out with Charming, and Robin will try to figure out a way to deal with accidentally impregnating his girlfriend Regina's wicked half-sister.

45 of 53 Quantrell D. Colbert/The CW

​The Originals (The CW)

Premieres: Thursday, Oct. 8 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: The siblings vs. parents chapter officially came to a close as Esther helped defeat their aunt Dahlia. Klaus, who came thisclose to kissing Cami, took his daughter back at the expense of casting a werewolf curse on Hayley, who's suffering at the bayou with Jackson.

What's Next: As a custody battle ensues over baby Hope, another group of enemies is coming for Klaus: his own sire line! "The Mikaelsons have been around for 1,000 years and they turned a bunch of people into vampires. So, if an Original dies ... an entire sire line will be wiped out," executive producer Michael Narducci said at Comic-Con. "So, what do they think about the continued existence of the Mikaelson family? That's the seed for Season 3." Added executive producer Julie Plec: "The 'children' are coming to town with an ax to grind." (Bonus: You can get a sneak peek of them here in a scene that was cut from the finale!) Plus: Veronica Mars fan favorite Jason Dohring joins as a (human) detective.

46 of 53 Sven Frenzel/The CW

​Reign (The CW)

Premieres: Friday, Oct. 9 at 8/7c

Where We Left Off: While Mary and Francis decided to put their tumultuous past behind them and re-commit themselves to each other (yay!), it turned out Francis is dying, according to Nostradamus (boo!). Plus: Queen Elizabeth made her first appearance and appeared to be teaming up with Catherine against Mary.

What's Next: Just when Mary could use some motherly advice, Marie de Guise (Amy Brennenman) is returning! Plus: The show heads to London as Queen Elizabeth becomes a fixture.

47 of 53 Eric McCandless/ABC

​Scandal (ABC)

Premieres: Thursday, Sept. 24 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: After Rowan had a busload of jurors killed, David dropped the B613 case, but Olivia got her pops arrested on embezzlement charges. Quinn figured out that Huck was the one who killed the jurors and pointed a gun to his head. Lizzie Bear "accidentally" told Fitz that Rowan blackmailed both newly elected Virginia Senator Mellie into giving him the jurors' names and Cyrus into blackmailing David to drop the case, so he kicked Mellie out and replaced Cyrus with Liz as his chief of staff. Then POTUS reunited with Liv, while Jake left because "my mission is complete."

What's Next: Judging by this, Quinn didn't pull the trigger... yet. Regardless, the show won't be short on talent. Portia de Rossi and Cornelius Smith Jr., who plays Marcus Walker, are now regulars. Might Marcus be the new Gladiator? Season 5 will pick up shortly after the events of the finale, and Olitz might just last a wee bit longer this time. "What's exciting is exploring the possibility of really seeing what happens next versus doing the thing I think everyone expects us to do, which is bounce everybody back into the place that they were," Shonda Rhimes says.

48 of 53 Monty Brinton/CBS

​Scorpion (CBS)

Premieres: Monday, Sept. 21 9/8c

Where We Left Off: After getting stuck in a car on the side of a cliff, Walter was saved by his Scorpion team. Later, in the hospital, Paige finally admitted her feelings to herself and kissed Walter while he was asleep.

What's Next: Walter will soon learn of Paige's actions, and they'll work toward "a much more cognizant kiss between the two characters. We're going full conscious on this one," executive producer Nicholas Wootton says. Sylvester's love life is a tough one, knowing that his girl is dying, but he'll also be put into a position that will be outside of his comfort zone in many ways. Meanwhile, Walter will make his first-ever non-nerd/non-Scorpion friend named Ray, played by Alias' Kevin Weissman. "He's a guy who gets nailed for a nonviolent misdemeanor now and then," creator Nick Santora says. "He's more of a nuisance criminal, has a heart of gold, lives in his '72 Gremlin. At first [Walter] can't stand the guy, but then he's gonna become buddies with this guy."

49 of 53 Tina Rowden/FOX

​Sleepy Hollow (Fox)

Premieres: Thursday, Oct. 1 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: Abbie accidentally traveled back to the Revolutionary War era alongside Katrina, who had aligned herself with Abraham. But with the help of Grace Dixon, Abbie and Ichabod were able to undo Katrina's time-travel spell. And once back in current day, Crane killed Katrina, who was reunited with Henry in the afterlife.

What's Next: Picking up a year after the events of the finale, Season 3 will find Abbie and Ichabod reuniting after spending some time apart. "Crane has gone on a little bit of a sojourn in search of who he is and continuing to look for his place and his role in this modern time," new showrunner Clifton Campbell says. But when Crane discovers something important on this journey, he returns to Sleepy Hollow to help Abbie face down the second of the seven tribulations. And though Irving, Hawley and even Headless will be absent this year, Jenny will play a much more important role. Not only will her relationship with Abbie be in a stronger place than ever, but she'll team up with Joe Corbin -- whom we met briefly in Season 2 -- to track down things to help the Witnesses face the mysterious new big bad. The flashbacks will also continue to play an important role this year, as the show explores Ichabod's relationship with Betsy Ross (Nikki Reed) and unexpected twists in American history. "Even [Ichabod] is surprised at things that were happening right under his nose that he wasn't fully aware of," Campbell says.

50 of 53 Diyah Pera/The CW

​Supernatural (The CW)

Premieres: Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off: Death revealed that if Dean is rid of the Mark of Cain, he will unleash the Darkness. In order to stop Sam from doing this, Dean prepared to kill Sam, but at the last minute, he couldn't go through with it and killed Death instead. Rowena, armed with the Book of the Damned and more powerful than ever, used her magic to sic Castiel on Crowley and completed a spell that released the Darkness.

What's Next: Season 11 will pick up immediately where the finale left off and will soon find Team Free Will uniting together against the Darkness. The gravity of this new evil means that the brothers will have to quickly put their differences aside, once again becoming the loving, brotherly team we've missed so much. Baby will also get her due this season, with the fourth episode taking place entirely inside the Impala.

51 of 53 Bob Mahoney/The CW

​The Vampire Diaries (The CW)

Premieres: Thursday, Oct. 8 at 8/7c

Where We Left Off: A major chapter came to a close as Kai put Elena in a sleep spell, effectively writing Nina Dobrev out of the show. Before that, Kai also killed his sister Jo -- in the middle of her wedding to Alaric! -- and Lily Salvatore was reunited with her band of heretics. In the end, a major time jump previewed a post-apocalyptic-looking Mystic Falls.

What's Next: The heretics -- there are five introduced in the premiere -- are taking over, and executive producer Julie Plec calls them "nasty little sh--s." Among the new cast members are same-sex couple Nora and Mary Louise (Scarlett Byrne and Teressa Liane), who "out mean girl Caroline and take pleasure in torturing her," Plec says, and the moody broody Valerie (Elizabeth Blackmore), who hates everyone. Damon will mourn the loss of Elena by being volatile and dangerous (but not celibate!) while using Bonnie as his moral compass. Stefan and Caroline might finally be together and Alaric will "explore his grief in some very unconventional ways involving a lot of booze and ... psychics and witches and trying to contact the dead," Plec says.

52 of 53 Gene Page/AMC

​The Walking Dead (AMC)

Premieres: Sunday, Oct. 11 at 9/8c

Where We Left Off:
Rick & Co. settled into Alexandria, but quickly convinced the naïve townsfolk that they weren't equipped to survive in the new world. After Pete accidentally killed DeAnna's husband while trying to attack Rick, DeAnna ordered Rick to shoot him -- as the just-returned Morgan looked on at his old friend in horror.

What's Next: Although DeAnna yielded some power to Rick, there will still be plenty of tension between his group and the Alexandrians. "Can the Alexandrians see the world the same way Rick does? Will the world actually give them a chance to work that out?" executive producer Scott M. Gimple asks. "If you know how to survive in a dangerous would, you have power. Do you have a responsibility to do something with that power?" More importantly, Rick's actions will set up a "difficult" relationship with Morgan this season. "At the end of the season, [Morgan] was heard to opine, 'All life is precious.' And then he lays eyes on Rick shooting someone in the face. He may not be rooting Rick on in that sort of thing." Of course, the gang won't have a ton of time to argue as the Wolves seemed to poised to strike -- although Gimple suggests that gang isn't the only threat this season.

53 of 53 Hulu

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