Fall is great for one important reason. Sure, the leaves change, sweaters come out of drawers, and coffee shops start serving pumpkin spice lattes. None of that compares to the real reason autumn is golden: fall television season. During the next few weeks, everyone's favorite old shows — and plenty of new ones — start airing once again, each like a tiny Christmas present you've been waiting all summer long to open.
The New...
The 2011 fall lineup is chock full of new television shows to watch. Two actresses that have been missed from television sets, Rachel Bilson and Sarah Michelle Gellar, both return with their own shows. Bilson stars in "Hart of Dixie" (Sept. 26) and Gellar, in her first television show since "Buffy," stars in "Ringer" (Sept. 13). Fans of Zooey Deschanel can tune in weekly to watch the actress be socially awkward and obviously adorable on "New Girl" (Sept. 20).
Those who like fairytales should try "Once Upon A Time" (Oct. 23), created by "Lost" writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, about a town frozen in time with fairy-tale figures, like Snow White and Prince Charming, who have no recollection of their real identities. "Mad Men" enthusiasts should check out "Pan Am" (Sept. 25), to see a show about the glamourous, and surprisingly sexy, lives of airplane stewardesses in the 1960s.
The Returning...
Many shows ended their previous seasons with a lot of unanswered questions. Returning Sept. 22, "Parks and Recreation," "Community" and "The Big Bang Theory" all left fans on the edge of their seat, but "The Office" definitely takes the cake with anticipation. Since Steve Carell left and took the lead of the show Michael Scott with him, everyone is wondering if this season will be any good, with actor James Spader taking over "The Office." And popular comedy-musical "Glee," (Sept. 20) is losing Sam, played by Chord Overstreet.
In the world of drama, "Fringe," (Sept. 23) and "Gossip Girl" (Sept. 26) also have characters not returning. "Fringe" last saw the disapperance of Peter Bishop, and Vanessa and little Jenny Humphrey have officially left the "Gossip Girl" building. On the other hand, both in their respective final season, "Desperate Housewives" (Sept. 25) and "Chuck" (Oct. 21) bring in new faces to stir up the drama: "Housewives" has new love interests and "Chuck" brings in Mark Hamill of "Star Wars" fame as the new villain.
And the Exciting...
Not to say that all the old and new shows aren't exciting, but there are three series that definitely have people talking. "Terra Nova," (Sept. 26) the new dinosaur show, is the most buzzed about series for the fall, in large part because it's being produced by Steven Spielberg. "The Vampire Diaries" (Sept. 15) left fans with more cliffhangers than almost any other show on the air. Good guys turning bad, vampires coming back from the dead and romance blossoming in new places — the new season is a must see.
Lastly, "Two and a Half Men" (Sept. 19) will get a spike in viewership, with Ashton Kutcher permanently joining the cast. After the premiere, though, curiosity will probably wear off. With so many other great shows to watch, this one might hit the bottom of the barrel.