[SPOILERS BELOW!] Leaves are falling! The Uggs are coming out! Pumpkin-Spiced Lattes are back! And Fall programming season is upon us. There are so many great cable TV shows, old and new, to get excited about. We managed to narrow our list to six. Also, for previews of new cable seasons and sneak peeks for shows, don't forget to check out NCTA’s TV Trailer Page.
THE WALKING DEAD
AMC Network
Walking Dead fans excited about the season five premiere on October 12th have something else to scream about: AMC has a confirmed pilot for a new companion series to this hit show. The new series will be in a new location during the same zombie apocalypse time period. As a diehard fan of these cult shows, we’re always craving more characters and stories to latch onto. So a companion show, where the other corners of The Walking Dead universe are unveiled, is an ultimate thrill. I’m really thinking they can pull this off.
HOMELAND
SHOWTIME
I don’t think I’m alone in my sadness for a Homeland without Brody, but the Season 4 teaser revealed an equally red-haired baby Brody that will hopefully fill the void in all of our hearts. If not, maybe it will be the loved/hated politician Peter Russo (played by Corey Stoll) from House of Cards who’s new to the cast this season. The intense teaser also shows us Quinn is back and so is Saul, despite having moved to the private sector. Yet so many unanswered questions remain. The double episode premiere is on October 5th on SHOWTIME.
SURVIVOR'S REMORSE
STARZ
Move over modeling gigs, branded fragrances and Nike sponsorships. Professional athletes are now adding TV production to their side projects. LeBron James is trying his hand at TV and producing a new show called Survivor’s Remorse from Starz, about the life of a (no surprise here) basketball player. This series will give us a glimpse into the challenges and rewards that come with being a young basketball phenom playing in the pros. Or will it be a glimpse into the life of Lebron James?
AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW
FX Network
Now going into its fourth season, American Horror Story has become a great theatre company. Each season the same great actors dress up as different characters and still manage to terrify us all. Their latest performance: a Freak Show. Set in 1952 Jupiter, Florida, this season will tell the story of one of the last remaining freak shows in America as they struggle to stay in business as the carny experience is slowly dying out. The just-released creepy cast photos are enough to give us all nightmares. American Horror Story premieres October 8th on FX Network.
TOP CHEF
Bravo
To me, Top Chef is like The Bachelor: a recipe for success. Why mess with a good thing if it’s working so well? As Top Chef approaches its twelfth season, I’ve grown to love the same show layout, the same expressions, and dramatic deliberation room music. Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, Padma Lakshmi always return. Even the new twist from Season 11 having contestants watch the judging panel and get immediate feedback on their dishes will continue this season. And here in D.C., we have one of our very own to root for, George Pagonis of Kapnos. Top Chef Season 12 ignites in Boston on October 15th on Bravo.
HAPPYLAND
MTV
For those of us who’ve always wondered what goes on behind the scenes of working at a theme park, MTV has answered our prayers. The network’s newest scripted teen drama centers around the less-than-magical reality of working at one of the largest theme parks in the country. There’s the daughter with the irresponsible mother/best friend who was born and raised working in the park; there’s the CEO’s entitled son; there’s the tough guy and there’s the loner. I think it makes for a perfect combo for a teen soapy love story to round out this October’s new line-up.