2014 Fall TV Preview: the Returning Shows on NBC

I’ve reached the end of yet another Fall TV preview. It was, by far, the least successful in the blog’s history. I am on my way, friends and well-wishers. NBC has Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, which is about all that’s positive for the network.

THE BLACKLIST returns Monday, September 22 at 10PM

Season 2 either begins in Berlin or introduces a new villain named Berlin. Perhaps the new villain named Berlin comes from Berlin and disrupts a planned vacation for the main characters to Berlin. There’s a new antagonist to introduce. NBC wants fans to wonder “Is Red Liz’s father?” Fans speculated about that exact possibility months ago, in the weeks after the premiere. Yes, Red is Liz’s father.

CHICAGO FIRE returns Tuesday, September 23 at 10PM

Death to the main characters! Across the networks shows will kill off a main character. Ratings suck for every network except for CBS. The Simpsons taught folks that struggling shows or networks will add a flashy new character or kill off an existing character for the sake of more eyeballs. A major character will die this season on Chicago Fire.

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT returns Wednesday, September 24 at 9PM

Warren Leight, executive producer, said Olivia Benson would make choices that’d affect her life. I assume that means Mariska Hargitay will leave the show mid-season. Another character will work the traffic beat in Queens. There’s nothing of note about Ice T’s character. The remaining Dick Wolf shows may cross over this season and beyond.

CHICAGO PD returns Wednesday, September 24 at 10PM

There’s a murder mystery to solve in the season premiere, which is like saying there’s dough in chocolate chip cookies. Crime procedural solves murder mysteries every week; however, every crime procedural reserves its personal murder mysteries for premieres and finales. The Chicago police department will solve the mystery of how one of their own died—and get their answer by season premiere’s end. I inserted the dash for the purpose of drama. It’s a hook.

PARENTHOOD returns Thursday, September 25 at 10PM

NBC revealed a ‘major’ spoiler for Parenthood during Monday’s Emmy Awards. It’s the other major storyline besides ‘a character will die’, though that seems in the cards for Parenthood this season, too.

ABOUT A BOY returns Tuesday, October 14 at 9:30PM

GRIMM returns Friday, October 24 at 9PM

Nick lost his powers in the finale after falling for the classic ‘female nemesis uses magic to look identical to your girlfriend and sleeps with you’ trick. Trubel will kick ass for him while he waits for his abilities to return or while Rosalee concocts an antidote for what happened to him. Greenwalt teased that a piece of mythology introduced in season one and rarely seen since will return. Renard was left dying in the finale. Wu may piece together what’s been happening to him and around him. That will rock. Grimm’s consistently solid.