Misfits’ Guide to Fall TV 2010 (Updated 11/11)

By
Tamara Brooks
– September 2, 2010Posted in: Spotlight on, Television

The summer’s winding down, the temperatures will drop, and soon you’ll have to get your sweaters out of storage. But the true proof of Fall’s arrival isn’t the turning leaves, it’s the onslaught of new stuff to watch on TV. To help you navigate the crowded airwaves, here’s a handy dandy guide to shows you may be interested in. There’s only a few scifi/fantasy shows but there’s plenty of action and adventure to be had. I’ve also included a few non-genre shows that may appeal to the nerd/geek in you too. Remember to double check all air times for your region.

So behold! The searchable, oraganizable, print-outable guide extravaganza!

UPDATE (9/6): Batman: The Brave & The Bold premiere date, Ben 10: Ultimate Alien and Leverage added

UPDATE (9/22): Caprica added, Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Tower Prep, Ben 10: Ultimate Alien updated.

UPDATE (9/23): Mythbusters: Buster’s Cut, American Ninja Warrior added; Mythbusters updated.

UPDATE (10/8): Human Target, Leverage, House of Anubis, Voltron Force, Scooby-Doo! Curse of The Lake Monster, Firebreather, and Young Justice all updated.

UPDATE (11/11): Transformers Prime, G.I. Joe: Renegades, Avalon High, Nova: Quest for Solomon’s Mines added; premiere dates added for The Looney Tunes Show, American Ninja Warrior, Young Justice, Firebreather, Triassic Attack, The Lost Future, and the Warehouse 13 and Eureka Christmas specials; House of Anubis, Outcasts, Voltron Force removed (premiering in 2011)

Premiere DateDay it AirsShowTime/ChannelAbout the ShowType of Show
September 1WednesdaySci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible10pm, The Science ChannelTheoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku returns to explore the real life possibilities of some of our favorite scifi movie and TV premises. The back-to-back premiere features creating a second Earth and galactic colonization.Documentary; Science
September 6MondayRegular Show8:15pm, Cartoon Network"Two groundskeepers, Mordecai (a six-foot-tall blue jay) and Rigby (a hyperactive raccoon) are best friends who spend their days trying to entertain themselves by any means necessary, much to the displeasure of Benson (their boss, who is a gumball machine) and to the delight of Pops (an older, lollipop-headed gentleman). Their everyday pursuits often lead to things spiraling out of control and into the surreal: they open portals to other dimensions, summon demons via an ‘80s arcade game and accidentally use choreographed dance moves to send co-workers to the moon."Animated; Comedy
September 6MondayMAD8:30pm, Cartoon Network"MAD is an animated sketch-comedy series utilizing a chaotic mix of animation styles and twisted humor to pull back the curtain and expose the truth behind movies, TV shows, games, pop culture and, of course, curtains!"Animated; Comedy
September 9ThursdayThe Vampire Diaries8pm, CWSupernatural; Teen Drama
September 9ThursdayNikita9pm, CWMaggie Q stars as the titular rogue spy who, a few years after escaping, decides to take down the organization that created her.Action/Adventure; Thriller; Drama
September 9ThursdayDestination Truth9pm, Syfy"The crew’s itinerary will include investigations in Madagascar, Tanzania, Guam, Kenya and Cambodia. The team will also conduct the first underwater paranormal investigation when they travel to a remote Micronesian island to search for the spirits dwelling in a sunken fleet. The season kicks off with a trip to Pompeii, where Josh Gates and crew conduct the very first overnight paranormal investigation in the famous ancient city."Reality - Investigative
September 9ThursdayBeast Legends9pm, Syfy"The six-part series journeys around the world using scientific data to reconstruct what mythological monsters, from Krakens and Griffins to Fire Dragons, would have been like — if they had ever existed. In each of the hour-long episodes, Beast Legends uncovers historical and eyewitness accounts by zeroing in on archaeological and other physical evidence to assemble the most accurate picture possible of these monsters, from where they might have lived to how they would have behaved. The show then uses the information to create incredibly realistic CG animations of the creatures."Reality - Investigative
September 12SundayVenture Bros11:30pm, Adult Swim (Cartoon Network)Animated; Comedy; Not For Kids
September 16ThursdayIt's Always Sunny in Philadelphia10pm, FXComedy
September 17FridayBatman: The Brave and the Bold7pm, Cartoon NetworkThere's 13 episodes left in Season 2 and, after a 13 episode Season 3, the show will be over. Sad panda. But the bright side is that Wonder Woman and Superman will probably make an appearance which will mark the first non-Justice League Trinity team-up in the DC Animated universe. Animated; Action/Adventure; Superheroes
September 17FridaySym-Bionic Titan8pm, Cartoon NetworkGenndy Tartakovsky presents the story of "three alien teenagers who crash-land on Earth and must protect their new home from alien invaders while navigating the perils of high school life." He gave us 'Dexter's Lab' and 'Samurai Jack'. He's giving us this. That should be enough to make you watch.Animated; Action/Adventure; Comedy; Superheroes
September 17FridayGenerator Rex8:30pm, Cartoon NetworkThe show's not really my speed but it's good overall. Except the theme song which I hate to pieces.
September 17FridayStar Wars: The Clone Wars9pm, Cartoon NetworkAnimated (CG); Action/Adventure
September 20MondayChuck8pm, NBCBased on what was revealed at Comic Con, this season's gonna be good...Action/Adventure; Comedy; Spy Fun
September 20MondayThe Event9pm, NBCI'm not digging the promos so much but I like Jason Ritter and Blair Underwood as the President is genius. "When a man goes looking for his missing girlfriend, he stumbles upon a government conspiracy that is bigger than the president himself." The assumption is that the conspiracy is alien related.Drama; Thriller
September 20MondayHawaii Five-010pm, CBSThe classic cop show remake unites sci-fi/fantasy alums to the beach with Daniel Dae Kim ('Lost', 'Angel'), Grace Park ('Battlestar Galactica') and Alex O'Laughlin ('Moonlight'). Rounding out the primary cast is Scott Caan (the Ocean's series, 'Gone in 60 Seconds') and Jean Smart ('24', 'Designing Women').Action/Adventure; Dramedy
September 20MondayCastle10pm, ABCSeason 3 kicks off with Beckett (Stana Katic) having to arrest Castle (Nathan Fillion) for murder. I'm guessing he's exonerated.Mystery; Dramedy
September 20MondayChase10pm, NBCI pretty much universally hate all the promos but I do like butt-kicking chicks and producer Jerry Bruckheimer knows how to shoot an action sequence so I might give it a shot. Stars Kelli Giddish (who should have way more luck with this than 'Past Life'), Cole Hauser ('Pitch Black', 'K-Ville'), Amaury Nolasco ('Prison Break', 'Drive'), Jesse Metcalfe ('Desperate Housewives'), and Rose Rollins ('Mission: Impossible III', 'The L Word').Action/Adventure; Drama
September 22WednesdayUndercovers8pm, NBCThis is the show I'm most looking forward to. I loves me some good spy action and JJ Abrams. Repeats on Saturdays, possibly because the Peacock had to blow it's discretionary fund paying off Conan and repopulating the 10pm weekday timeslots.Action/Adventure; Spy Fun
September 23ThursdayBones8pm, FOXDramedy; Mystery
September 23ThursdayThe Big Bang Theory8pm, CBSComedy
September 23ThursdayCommunity8pm, NBCDid you see the paintball episode? Because it was pretty damn epic. Can't wait to see what they have in store next season. Season 2 kicks off with a Betty White guest appearance.Comedy
September 23Thursday30 Rock8:30pm, NBCMatt Damon will return as Liz Lemon's Pilot boyfriend. It's been revealed that his character is very in touch with his emotions. There's no telling where the show's going to go with this.Comedy
September 23Thursday$#*! My Dad Says8:30pm, CBSI haven't heard great things about the pilot but it stars William Shatner so I'm obligated to list it.Comedy
September 23ThursdayFringe9pm, FOXSeason 2 ended strong but I think I'll refrain from spoiling it for anyone who's still catching up. But I will say that Amy Madigan ('Carnivale', 'Field of Dreams') has signed up to play Oliva's mom for a few episodes.Action/Adventure; Thriller
September 24FridaySmallville8pm, CWThis is it - the last and improbable 10th season of the last WB holdover show still in production. At Comic Con, Geoff Johns revealed he's writing a Booster Gold and Blue Beetle guested episode (Jamie Reyes AND very possibly Ted Kord). Also Pa Kent (John Schneider) and Carter Hall (Micheal Shanks) return, Cadmus Labs debuts, Chloe exits, and Clark will end up in the tights by the end. Oh, and someone asking a question planted the Clone!Superboy seed into the writers/creators' brains...Action/Adventure; Superheroes
September 24FridayThe Good Guys9pm, FOXAction/Adventure; Comedy
September 24FridaySupernatural9pm, CWEric Kripke promoted Sera Gamble to showrunner but still has his creative fingers in the Season 6 pie. Dean (Jensen Ackles) has settled into a hunting-free domestic life...until Sam (Jared Padalecki) returns. This season will focus on the Winchester Brothers' relationship and have more Monster-of-the-Week eps. Oh, and Ben Edlund's writing an episode about fairies. Because yes.Action/Adventure; Supernatural; Dramedy
September 24FridayMedium9pm, CBSDrama; Supernatural
September 25SaturdaySaturday Night Live11:30pm, NBCThere hasn't been a lot of info about Season 36 but we do know Jane Lynch is hosting the third episode, Will Forte has left, Fred Armisen is returning, and they added three new cast members (one a 'Mad TV' alum).Comedy
September 26SundayThe Simpsons8pm, FOXAnimated; Comedy
September 26SundayThe Cleveland Show8:30pm, FOXAnimated; Comedy
September 26SundayFamily Guy9pm, FOXAnimated; Comedy
September 26SundayDexter9pm, ShowtimeDrama
September 26SundayMetalocalypse12am, Adult Swim (Cartoon Network)Dark Comedy
September 28TuesdayNo Ordinary Family8pm, ABCAction/Adventure; Fantasy; Family Comedy; Superheroes
September 28TuesdayStargate Universe9pm, SyfyAction/Adventure; Drama; Intergalactic
September 28TuesdaySanctuary10pm, SyfySeason 3 will focus on the past and secrets of the Sanctuary organization and founder Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping). The 20-episodes will also feature an abnormal bigger than Season 2's Big Bertha and a two-ep arc guest starring Polly Walker ('Caprica', 'Rome')Action/Adventure; Supernatural
October 2SaturdayPlanet SheenNickelodeon"The intergalactic tale of Sheen Guevera Estevez–the hyperactive, attention span-challenged kid from Nickelodeon’s hit Jimmy Neutron–who crash lands on Zeenu and deals with bizarre customs and strange-looking creatures as he tries to return home."Animated; Comedy; Intergalactic
October 3SundayAmerican Dad9:30pm, FOXAnimated; Comedy
October 4MondayScare Tactics9pm, SyfyReality
October 5TuesdayCaprica10pm, SyfyThe powers that be decided to pair the 'Battlestar Galactica' prequel with 'Stargate Universe' as a lead in. I figure they hope a week's head start will lead to big numbers that carry over to 'Caprica'.Drama; Thriller
October 6WednesdayMythbusters: Buster's Cut8pm, Discovery ChannelOlder episodes get remixed thanks to pop-ups of Buster giving us additional info, behind the scenes tidbits, and assorted goodies we didn't know the first time through.
October 6WednesdayMythbusters9pm, Discovery ChannelReality - Investigative
October 6WednesdaySouth Park10pm, Comedy CentralAnimated; Comedy; Not for Kids
October 6WednesdayUgly Americans10:30pm, Comedy CentralAnimated; Comedy; Not for Kids
October 10FridayBen 10: Ultimate Alien7:30pm, Cartoon Network
October 11MondayZevo-3NickToonsAt first I wasn't going to list this new toon because I wasn't a fan of the animation but then I read that the primary villain's name is "Stankfoot." And that's awesome.Animated; Action/Adventure; Superheroes
October 20WednesdayThe Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes8:30pm, Disney XDI'm not quite feeling the animation style but I'll watch if for no other reason than to scrub the memory of that late 90's Avengers cartoon from my brain. UPDATE: 20 five-ish minute shorts which flush out the backgrounds of all the characters begin rolling out on Disney XD, DisneyXD.com/Avengers, Marvel.com, MarvelKids.com and Disney XD Mobile on September 22nd. But if you're too lazy to find them online, they'll air during "Avengers Week" starting October 11.Animated; Action/Adventure; Superheroes
October 19TuesdayTower Prep8pm, Cartoon NetworkA rebellious teenage wakes up one day in a mysterious prep school tasked at finding its students' "unique potential." Ian befriends CJ, Gabe and Suki to investigate the school and try to return home. It's live-action and there will be special powers.Action/Adventure; Mystery; Family Show; Superheroes
October 31SundayThe Walking Dead8pm, AMCI fully expect this show to blow people's minds...and then possibly eat them. Get it? Cuz zombies...and stuff...Action/Adventure; Drama; Thriller; Supernatural
November 8WeekdaysConan11pm, TBSViva la Coco!Talk Show
November 10WednesdayLie To Me8pm, FOXDrama
November 10WednesdayPsych10pm, USAComedy; Mystery
November 11ThursdayBurn Notice10pm, USAAction/Adventure; Thriller; Spy Fun
November 17WednesdayHuman Target8pm, FOXAt the Comic Con panel, new showrunner and 'Chuck' alum Matthew Miller dropped a whole lot of info on the new season. The most important being that our merry band of three will gain two members, both women. One will become their boss (which doesn't sit well with guys who aren't used to taking orders), the other a junior "agent" of sorts. And don't be surprised if Amy Acker guest stars again. As star Mark Valley pointed out, a boat exploded but we never saw a body, did we?Action/Adventure
November 26 sneak peek; November 29 premiereWeekdaysTransformers PrimeHubThe long gestating animated reboot introduces the Autobots and a new set of humans to another wave of Decepticon shenanigans. Features the voices of Dwayne Johnson, Ernie Hudson, Jeffrey Combs, Adam Baldwin, Gina Torres, Kevin Michael Richardson, Josh Keaton, Steven Blum, and, of course, Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime.Animated; Action/Adventure; Intergalactic Robots
November 26 sneak peek; November 29 series premiereWeekdaysG.I. Joe: RenegadesHub"On the run after being accused of crimes they didn't commit, six young G.I.s battle to clear their names -- and expose the real bad guys, COBRA Industries. The world thinks this giant corporation is the good guys, but it's really run by evil people who want to rule the planet. It's up to these renegade Joes to stop COBRA and save the world -- and themselves." I'm not sure if I'm feeling the animation style but the basic plot is an interesting take. Stars the voices of Lee Majors, Jason Marsden, Clancy Brown, Kevin Michael Richardson, and Johnny Messner among others. Original Joe voices Michael Bell and B.J. Ward guest as Duke's parentsAnimated; Action/Adventure
November 26FridayThe Looney Tunes ShowCartoon NetworkThe return of the the Tunes has Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck moving from their respective wild habitats to the burbs. Naturally their neighbors are the rest of the Looney crew. The series will also feature CGI Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner shorts and reportedly brand new two-minute "Merrie Melodies" music videos. Having seen a bit of the show and the CGI, it looks like they've got something here. This might be the first truly successful show since "Tiny Toons" in the 90s.Animated; Comedy
December 8WednesdayAmerican Ninja Warrior8pm, G4The quest to find a Yankee skilled enough to conquer the US course then the infamous Mount Midoriyama continues.Reality - Athletic
December 12SundayLeverageTNTNate and the crew kick off their Winter season with a Christmas themed episode and a two-hour block the next week to pick up where the Summer left off.Action/Adventure; Thriller
DateShowAirs, ChannelDescription
September 11Mandrake9pm, Syfy"Researchers and fortune hunters in search of a mystical 16th century Spanish dagger find themselves trapped in a jungle that is a single living being - the Mandrake - serving as protector of the dagger. The movie is a production of Cinetel."
September 21Nova: What Darwin Never Knew8pm, PBS"One hundred and fifty years later, scientists decode nature's greatest mysteries--a two-hour special."
September 25Sharktopus9pm, Syfy"Research scientist (Eric Roberts/The Dark Knight, Heroes) and his brilliant daughter develop a secret military weapon — a hybrid shark/octopus that can be controlled by electrical implants. But when the controls break down, the monster goes on a killing rampage at the resort beaches of Mexico. With a trailer that has gone wildly viral over the last month, Sharktopus is one of Syfy Saturday’s most anticipated movies of the year. Sharktopus is produced by Roger Corman and Julie Corman, and directed by Declan O’Brien (Wrong Turn 3, Cyclops, Monster Ark, Rock Monster)."
October 9Monster WolfSyfy"On the outskirts of a small Louisiana town, a drilling crew sets blast charges to tap an oil deposit — releasing the Kachinawaya, a Native American animal spirit meant to protect Indian lands from invaders. Stars Robert Picardo (Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) and Jason London (Wildfire). A production of Active Entertainment."
October 5Nova: Astrospies8pm, PBS"An elite corps of secret U.S. astronauts is trained to gather intelligence on the Soviets during the Cold War."
October 12Nova: Secrets of the Parthenon8pm, PBS"How did the ancient Athenians build this near-flawless icon of Greece’s golden age?"
October 16Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake MonsterCartoon Network"The gang take summer jobs at a country club owned by Daphne’s uncle. There they discover strange phenomena at the local lake where mystical moonstones, creepy characters and a monster are at large."
October 19Nova: Building the Great Cathedrals8pm, PBS"How did medieval engineers construct magnificent skyscrapers of glass and stone?"
October 25 - October 29Dead Set12am, IFC"During eviction night on U.K.'s "Big Brother," zombies emerge and begin attacking humans. Meanwhile, the remaining housemates are clueless as to what's happening outside their four walls, and are unknowingly kept safe from the chaos that's erupted on the streets as the undead make their way into the studio only feet away. One of the show's crew members, Kelly, is able to escape and make her way into the house to alert the cast. Will they make it to safety without being bitten?"
October 24, 31 & November 7Sherlock9pm, PBS"Sherlock Holmes stalks again in a thrilling contemporary version of the Arthur Conan Doyle classic, starring Benedict Cumberbatch (The Last Enemy) as the go-to consulting detective in modern-day London, with Martin Freeman (The Office UK) as his loyal friend, Dr. John Watson." This re-imagining is written by Steven Moffat who brought us the new 'Doctor Who' and has already been picked up for a second season by the BBC.
November 12Avalon High8pm, DisneyBased on a book of the same name by Meg Cabot, the story follows students who are reincarnations of Arthurian legend. Stars Molly C. Quinn (who I adore as Alexis on "Castle") among others.
November 13The Lost Future9pm, Syfy"An isolated tribe battles for survival in a landscape overrun by terrible beasts carrying a mysterious and deadly illness." Stars Sean Bean ('Lord of the Rings', 'Percy Jackson & The Olympians').
November 23Nova: Quest for Solomon's Mines8pm, PBS"Archeologists seek the truth about the Bible's most famous king and his legendary riches."
November 24Firebreather7pm, Cartoon NetworkBased on the Image Comic of the same name, the show introduces Ducan Rosenblatt, a typical high schooler who happens to be half dragon.
November 26Young JusticeCartoon NetworkThe animated series will now debut as a one-hour special before beginning its regular series run in 2011. Excited! More info as it breaks from New York Comic Con.
November 27Triassic Attack (formerly "Fossils")9pm, SyfyDirected by Colin Ferguson of 'Eureka' and starring Raoul Trujillo ('True Blood') and Steven Brand ('The Scorpion King'). "When a novelty store owner accidentally brings life to three dinosaur fossils, the giant dinos wreak havoc on the small town and local university."
December 7Eureka Holiday Special9pm, SyfyMatt Frewer returns and joins SNL alum Chris Parnell as guest stars.
December 7Warehouse 13 Holiday Special10pm, Syfy"Pete (Eddie McClintock) and Myka (Joanne Kelly) are called upon to hunt down a malevolent Santa Claus — who terrorizes guest star Paul Blackthorne — while Artie (Saul Rubinek) and his estranged father, Isadore Weisfelt (guest star Judd Hirsch), reunite after 30 years."
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About Tamara Brooks

A few things I wondered about as a kid: Why didn't Wonder Woman punch more bad guys in the face on the tv show?; How does Superman flying around the Earth turn back time?; Could someone really catch bullets with their teeth?; Why didn't the liquid bits of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man cause 3rd degree burns on whoever it landed on? Because melted marshmallow is up there with molten hot lava.