Fall 2014 television schedule: TV for lovers of horror, paranormal, dark fantasy, suspense (and retro.)

It’s still hot and sultry here in Minnesota, with no hint of autumn weather to lure me outdoors. Last week, I provided a selection of Halloween-themed crafts and hobbies that can be started now, in the dog days of August and September. This week, I’ve scoured the web to  find and curate a list of  new and returning television shows to watch while crafting or hobby-ing. (Or simply escaping the weather.)

Disclaimers: I like my television paranormal, gothic, fantastic, and/or mysterious. (I don’t watch much in the way of personality-based reality and/or investigative shows like Ghost Hunters or Paranormal State. Documentaries are another story entirely, but I’ll save those for another post.)  I also have a taste for juicy historical and retro shows.

Information: I’ve included the premiere dates for new AND returning shows that are likely to appeal to my readers. (But I don’t watch them all.) For returning shows, I’ve researched the availability of past seasons, just in case you think you maybe made a mistake in the past by not making room for a particular show. (I regret not watching Grimm from the beginning.)

Tips: If you click on the pic, you’ll be taken to either IMDb (for new shows) or Wikipedia (for returning shows.) If the series has specific page provided by the network, I’ve linked to it with the word ‘homepage’. If the series is available via Netflix, I’ve linked to the appropriate listing to simplify your queue management.

SUMMER SHOWS FINISHING UP

Under the Dome | CBS | Mondays | 10/9c | resumed June 30th
(2nd season, 9 of 13 episodes have aired.)
Season 1 is available on Netflix discs. Season 2 can be reserved, but is not yet available.
From the homepage:
“Based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel about a small town that is suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by a massive transparent dome.”

Witches of East End | Lifetime | Sundays | 10/9c | resumed on July 6th.
(2nd season, 7 of 13 episodes have aired.)
Season 1 is available on Netflix streaming.
From the homepage:
“Inspired by Melissa de la Cruz’s New York Times best-selling novel, “Witches of East End” centers on the mysterious Beauchamp family: free-spirited artist Joanna (Ormond) and her two grown daughters, wild-child bartender Freya (Dewan Tatum) and shy librarian Ingrid (Boston), both of whom are unaware that they are gifted (and cursed) with a magical birthright.”

Extant | CBS | Wednesdays | 9/8c | debuted July 9th, 2014 | NEW
Episodes 4-10 are available at the homepage. (Apparently it will have 13 episodes.)
From the homepage:
“In a thrilling drama, Berry will play an astronaut who returns home from a year-long solo mission in space and tries to reconnect with her husband and son in their everyday life. Her experiences in space and home lead to events that ultimately will change the course of human history.”

The Strain | FX | Sundays | 10/9c | debuted July 13th | NEW
All  previously aired episodes are available IF you can access them via you service provider. Click “VIDEO” tab at this link and follow the instructions, or just check to see if they are available on your TV ON DEMAND. (My Comcast Xfinity has them.)
From the homepage:
“The Strain is a high concept thriller that tells the story of “Dr. Ephraim Goodweather,” the head of the Center for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City. He and his team are called upon to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak with hallmarks of an ancient and evil strain of vampirism. As the strain spreads, Eph, his team, and an assembly of everyday New Yorkers, wage war for the fate of humanity itself. Co-Creators, Executive Producers and Writers Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan co-wrote the pilot script for The Strain, which was directed by del Toro.”

THE FALL TV LINE-UP

Oh. My. God. Have you heard about THIS?!?

Utopia | FOX | Tuesdays | 9/8c | Sept 7 (NEW)
From the homepage:
“Behold UTOPIA, a bold new series based on the hit Dutch program. Watch what happens as 14 pioneering Americans wave goodbye to the lives they’ve known, move to a remote location, and set out to create a society from scratch. They’ve got limited supplies, wildly diverse backgrounds, and zero bathrooms…” No, seriously go read the rest here.

Okay. Back to sane TV:

Haven | Syfy | Thursdays | 10/9c | Sept 11  (RETURNING – 5th season)
Seasons 1-4 are available on Netflix streaming. (Formerly only available via disc.)
from the homepage:
“Syfy’s one-hour drama series Haven, starring Emily Rose, is based on the novella The Colorado Kid from renowned author Stephen King. The series follows the shrewd and confident FBI agent Audrey Parker (Rose) as she arrives in the small town of Haven, Maine on a routine case. Before long, her natural curiosity lands her in the epicenter of activity in this curious enclave, which turns out to be a longtime refuge for people that are affected by a range of supernatural afflictions. The truth about Audrey’s mysterious past (which she can’t fully remember) starts to come out as well.”

Z Nation | SYFY | Fridays | 10/9c | Sept 12 (NEW)
From the homepage:
“Z Nation starts three years after the zombie virus has gutted the country, a team of everyday heroes must transport the only known survivor of the plague from New York to California, where the last functioning viral lab waits for his blood. Although the antibodies he carries are the world’s last, best hope for a vaccine, he hides a dark secret that threatens them all. With humankind’s survival at stake, the ragtag band embarks on a journey of survival across three thousand miles of rusted-out post-apocalyptic America. Z Nation comes from The Asylum, the production house behind Sharknado and Sharknado 2.”

Sleepy Hollow | FOX | Mondays | 9/8c | Sept 22nd (RETURNING – 2nd season)
Seasons 1 is available on Netflix discs.
from the homepage:
“In this modern day twist of Washington Irving’s classic, Ichabod Crane is resurrected and pulled two and a half centuries through time to unravel a mystery that dates all the way back to the founding fathers. Revived alongside Ichabod is the infamous Headless Horseman who is on a murderous rampage in present-day Sleepy Hollow. Bound to the Headless Horseman by a blood spell cast on the battlefield of the American Revolution, Ichabod quickly realizes that stopping Headless is just the beginning, as the resurrected rider is but the first of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”

Gotham | FOX | Mondays | 8/7c | Sept 22nd (NEW)
From the homepage:
“GOTHAM is an origin story of the great DC Comics Super-Villains and vigilantes, revealing an entirely new chapter that has never been told. GOTHAM follows one cop’s rise through a dangerously corrupt city teetering between good and evil, and chronicles the birth of one of the most popular super heroes of our time.”

The Blacklist | NBC | Mondays | 10/9c | Sept 22 (RETURNING – 2nd season)
Season 1 is available on Netflix discs.
From the homepage:
“For decades, ex-government agent Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader) has been one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives. Brokering shadowy deals for criminals across the globe, Red was known by many as “The Concierge of Crime.” Now, he’s mysteriously surrendered to the FBI with an explosive offer: He will help catch a long-thought-dead terrorist, Ranko Zamani, under the condition that he speaks only to Elizabeth “Liz” Keen, an FBI profiler fresh out of Quantico. For Liz, it’s going to be one hell of a first day on the job.”

Forever | ABC | Tuesdays | 10/9c | Sept 23rd (NEW) –
Update: Episode 1 is on Mon. 22, then show is regularly on Tuesdays, starting the 23rd.
From the homepage:
“Doctor Henry Morgan, New York City’s star medical examiner, has a secret.  He doesn’t just study the dead to solve criminal cases, he does it to solve the mystery that has eluded him for 200 years—the answer to his own inexplicable immortality.  This long life has given Henry remarkable observation skills which impresses his new partner Detective Jo Martinez.  Each week, a new case and their budding friendship will reveal layers of Henry’s long and colorful past.  Only his best friend and confidant, Abe knows Henry’s secret.”

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D | ABC | Tuesdays | 8/7c | Sept 23rd (RETURNING – 2nd season)
Season 1 is available on Netflix discs.
From the homepage:
“Clark Gregg reprises his role of Agent Phil Coulson from Marvel’s feature films, as he assembles a small, highly select group of Agents from the worldwide law-enforcement organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Together they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary.” Executive producer: Joss Whedon

NCIS: New Orleans | CBS | Tuesdays | 10/9c | Sept. 23rd (NEW)
From the homepage:
“NCIS: NEW ORLEANS is a drama about the local field office that investigates criminal cases affecting military personnel in The Big Easy, a city known for its music, entertainment and decadence. Leading the team is Special Agent Dwayne Pride, aka “King,” a native of New Orleans who is driven by his need to do what is right. Working with Pride is Special Agent Christopher LaSalle, who plays hard but works harder; and Special Agent Meredith “Merri” Brody, a charismatic and tough interrogator who transferred from the Great Lakes office in search of a fresh start. Supporting them is coroner Dr. Loretta Wade, who is as eccentric as she is smart. This colorful city that harbors a dark side is a magnet for service personnel on leave, and when overindulgence is followed by trouble, Pride’s team is at its best.”
NOTE: This is clearly more crime drama than paranormal, but: New Orleans (!) Scott Bakula (!) & Lucas Black(!)

How to Get Away With Murder | ABC | Thursdays |10/9c | Sept 25 (NEW)
From the homepage:
“The brilliant, charismatic and seductive Professor Annalise Keating gets entangled with four law students from her class “How to Get Away with Murder.” Little do they know that they will have to apply what they learned to real life, in this masterful, sexy, suspense-driven legal thriller.”

Once Upon A Time | ABC | Sundays | 8/7c | Sept 28th  (RETURNING – 4th season)
Seasons 1-3 are available on Netflix streaming.
From the homepage:
“This is Fairy Tale Land. It’s filled with magic, monsters and all of the characters we all know from stories growing up. It’s real, and so are the people in it. But unlike the “happily ever after” you may have heard about, their stories continued, and The Evil Queen cast a Dark Curse over the land….This is Storybrooke. It’s a quiet, little, New England town filled with people who go about their everyday lives with no idea who they really are. The Queen’s Curse has trapped them here and placed her in near-complete control. They have no real memories and no real hope.”

NOTE: There is a special scheduled to air on Tuesday, Sept. 2nd, at 8/7c, called: The Story of Frozen

Resurrection | ABC | Sundays | 9/8c | Sept 28th (RETURNING – 2nd season)
Season 1 is available on Netflix discs.
From the homepage:
“The people of Arcadia, Missouri are forever changed when their deceased loved ones suddenly start to reappear. An 8-year-old American boy wakes up alone in a rice paddy in a rural Chinese province with no idea how he got there. Details start to emerge when the boy, who calls himself Jacob, recalls that his hometown is Arcadia, and an Immigration agent, J. Martin Bellamy, takes him there. The home he claims as his own is occupied by a 60-year-old couple, Henry and Lucille Langston , who lost their son, Jacob, more than 30 years ago…”

Stalker | CBS | Wednesdays | 10/9c | Oct 1 (NEW)
From the homepage:
“…a psychological thriller about detectives who investigate stalking incidents – including voyeurism, cyber harassment and romantic fixation – for the Threat Assessment Unit of the LAPD. Det. Jack Larsen is a recent transfer to the Unit from New York City’s homicide division, whose confidence, strong personality and questionable behavior has landed him in trouble before – but whose past behavior may also prove valuable in his new job. His boss, Lt. Beth Davis, is strong, focused and an expert in the field, driven by her traumatic personal experience as a victim. With the rest of their team, young but eager Det. Ben Caldwell and deceptively smart Det. Janice Lawrence, Larsen and Davis assess the threat level of cases and respond before the stalking and intimidation spirals out of control, all while trying to keep their personal obsessions at bay.”
Note: Another crime drama, but I do love Dylan McDermott.

Gracepoint | FOX | Thursdays | 8/9c | Oct 2 (NEW)
From the homepage:
“When a young boy is found dead on an idyllic beach, a major police investigation gets underway in the small northern California seaside town where the tragedy occurred. Soon deemed a homicide, the case turns neighbor against neighbor and sparks a media frenzy, which throws the boy’s family into further turmoil and upends the lives of the town’s residents.”
NOTE: Okay. It’s ANOTHER crime drama, but there’s certainly a creepy vibe.

American Horror Story – Freakshow |  FX   |  Wednesdays | 10/9c | Oct 8th
(RETURNING – BUT ALSO ENTIRELY NEW, IN THE WAY OF AHS)
Season 1: Murder House & Season 2: Asylum are available on Netflix streaming.
Season 3: Coven – Not yet available on Netflix.
For some reason, FX has not yet provided us with a new homepage for AHS: Freakshow.
From Wikipedia:
“The fourth season will be set in Jupiter, Florida in 1952. It will be centered around one of the few remaining freak shows at the time, as its members do anything to keep the business alive. The season will focus on the conflict between the freaks and the “evil forces” who do not understand them. The season will also feature a “clown killer” and a “bearded lady”.”

The Walking Dead | AMC  | Sundays |Oct 12 (RETURNING – 5th season)
Seasons 1 – 3 are available via Netflix streaming.
AMC is pretty great about doing marathons before a new season begins … keep an eye out for season 4.
Homepage here. I trust no story description is necessary?

Constantine | NBC | Fridays | 10/9c |Oct 24th NEW
From the homepage:
“Based on the wildly popular comic book series “Hellblazer” from DC Comics, seasoned demon hunter and master of the occult John Constantine is armed with a ferocious knowledge of the dark arts and a wickedly naughty wit. He fights the good fight – or at least he did. With his soul already damned to hell, he’s decided to abandon his campaign against evil until a series of events thrusts him back into the fray, and he’ll do whatever it takes to protect the innocent. With the balance of good and evil on the line‎, Constantine will use his skills to travel the country, find the supernatural terrors that threaten our world and send them back where they belong. After that, who knows… maybe there’s hope for him and his soul after all.”

Grimm | NBC | Fridays | 9/8c | Oct 24th  (RETURNING – 4th season)
Seasons 1 – 3 are available on Netflix discs.
From the homepage:
“Grimm” is a drama series inspired by the classic Grimm Brothers’ Fairy Tales. After Portland Homicide Detective Nick Burkhardt discovers he’s descended from an elite line of criminal profilers known as “Grimms,” he increasingly finds his responsibilities as a detective at odds with his new responsibilities as a “Grimm.”

Stuff on The CW:

I don’t watch this network, but it appears to be overflowing (like a heaving bosom from a tight bodice) with paranormal / horror shows. Here’s a few highlights, but if these kind of programs are your thing, it’d be best for you to explore the whole CW line-up.

The Vampire Diaries | Thursdays | 8/7c | Oct 2nd (RETURNING – 6th season) 
Seasons 1 – 4 available on Netflix streaming.

The Originals | Mondays | 9/8c | Oct 6th (RETURNING – 2nd season) Vampires & New Orleans!! 

Supernatural | Tuesdays | 10/9c | Oct 7th (RETURNING – 10th season)
Seasons 1 – 8 are available on Netflix streaming.

SHOWS WE’LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR

Penny Dreadful | HBO | Season 2 expected spring 2015 (Season 1 not available via Netflix.)
NEW: The Whispers | ABC | “coming soon”
NEW: Aquarius | NBC | “coming soon”
NEW: Emerald City | NBC | “to be announced”
Salem | WGN | Season 2 will air Apr 2015 (Season 1 is not available via Netflx.)
Hannibal | NBC | Season 3 expected spring 2015 (Seasons 1 & 2 available on Netflix discs.)
NEW: Wayward Pines | Fox | 2015 – mid-season replacement | Juliette Lewis, Matt Dillon. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan. (I’m excited about this one!)
The Following | FOX | Fridays | 9/8c | 3rd season expected January 2015 (Season 1 available on Netflix streaming.)
Downton Abbey | PBS | Sundays | 5th season expected Jan 4th, 2014 (Seasons 1-4 available on Netflix discs.)
Bates Motel | A&E | Mondays | 10/9c | 3rd season expected early 2015 (season 1 on Netflix streaming.)
Mad Men | AMC | Sundays | 8th (and final) season is likely to begin in Apr 2015
Lost Girl | Syfy | Sundays | 10/9c |5th season expected 2015

Cancelled, but:

CANCELLED: Crossbones | NBC | – | John Malkovich as Blackbeard (Can watch all episodes online.)
CANCELLED: Believe | NBC | – | (Can watch all episodes on Netflix discs.)

Did I miss anything you love? What show are you most looking forward to?

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