As we go into 2013, a ton of new and returning TV series await in the months ahead. There’s more combat in Westeros, the end of Spartacus’ adventures, multiple stories about serial killers (including a kid named Norman), another semester at Greendale and, at last, the return of the Bluth family!
Among the series we’re highlighting, we’re only focusing on those beginning new seasons or returning from a notably long midseason break – if a show just had a typical few weeks off from December to January, it’s not highlighted, though you will find the dates for shows resuming their seasons after such a break on the final page.
If you're wondering about shows premiering beyond May, well, that's what our Summer 2013 Preview will be for in a few months...
Network: Syfy
Premiere: 1/4/13
The UK import comes to a close this year, with the fifth and final season. Season 5 sees the arrival of the druid boy Mordred – which is obviously bad news for King Arthur, as the battle for Camelot nears its conclusion. Anthony Stewart Head returns to guest star, as Morgana’s plans come to a head and Merlin sees ominous visions of Arthur’s future.
Network: IFC
Premiere: 1/4/13
Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein return for the third season of the Portland, OR-based sketch series. This season uptight Dave and Kath thrive in a blackout; Nina and Lance's passionate relationship takes a turn when Nina plans a lavish birthday blow out; and militant bike messenger Spyke tries to turn back the clock. Guest stars will include Roseanne Barr, Patton Oswalt, J Mascis, Juliette Lewis, Rose Byrne and more.
Network: Cartoon Network
Premiere: 1/5/13
No one is quite sure what to make of Cartoon Network abruptly yanking their DC Nation block off the air last fall, after it had just come back with new episodes. And while there is a lot of speculation and rumors about why this occurred, ultimately the consensus was the same for fans: The delay sucked. In fact, it happened so last minute, the episodes were still released on iTunes (and we reviewed them!). But at last, barring any other “WTF?” delays, we’ll finally get to see more of what happens next for these DC heroes…
Network: NBC
Premiere: 1/7/13
The pitch for this one must have been "Veronica Mars meets The Killing meets Dark Blue meets Revenge-ish meets..." you get it. The basic premise is that unfathomably wealthy heiress to the Bowers pharmaceutical empire, and “notorious party girl”, Vivian Bowers is found dead of an apparent overdose. FBI agent Will Moreno (Laz Alonso, "Avatar") isn’t buying it, however, so he calls on his former girlfriend/ Vivian’s childhood best friend (now) Detective Joanna Locasto (Meagan Good, "Think Like a Man") to go undercover to discover the secrets the Bower’s family would kill to keep. You’ll have to do some mental gymnastics to buy into some of the logical leaps the show makes. It has a slick, poor-little-rich-folks-and-the-people-they-screw-over-and-kill soapy quality that may appeal, though.
Network: TBS
Premiere: 1/8/13
Big Joe, penny can and the cul-de-sac crew have been saved by TBS. After a rocky road on ABC, Season 4 of the wine-soaked comedy heads over to the cable network. Jules and Grayson adjust to married life, Travis tries his hand with the ladies, Ellie goes back to work, Bobby jumps back into the dating scene and nosey neighbor Tom continues to stalk. Except a slightly more Meta tone to the show, as well as a subtle upswing in permissible raunch to accompany the new time and place.
Network: FX
Premiere: 1/8/13
Season 4 of the gunslinger drama features some intriguing guest-stars and new recurring players. Patton Oswalt joins the cast as Raylan Givens’ high-school friend, along with Ron Eldard (E.R.) as an old acquaintance of Boyd’s: military police sergeant Colt. Boyd will fight to maintain his position in Harlan County as Raylan picks at the thread of a cold case over 30-years in the making, unraveling a riddle that echoes all the way back to his boyhood and his criminal father’s bad dealings.
Network: Spike
Premiere: 1/8/13
Nine years after its second season, Spike TV’s meta-reality series returns. Reality TV has only become more prolific in the past decade, giving the Schmo producers new sources to pull from as one hapless target believes he is part of a reality show searching for “the next bounty hunter.” What he doesn’t know is that everyone else participating, from the other contestants to the host (the returning Ralph Garman), are actors who are seeing just how far they can push reality TV type nonsense before the guy at the center realizes something is up.
Network: NBC
Premiere: 1/10/13
Pitched as Modern Family meets The West Wing, Josh Gad (The Book of Mormon) acts as both co-executive producer and star of this family comedy set within the White House. Bill Pullman leads the charge in his first post-Independence Day turn as the President of the United States. Yep. He is joined by first lady Jenna Elfman and kids Martha MacIsaac (Superbad), Amara Miller (The Descendants), Benjamin Stockham (Sons of Tucson) and Gad as Skip, the PR-disaster child. From what we’ve seen to date, 1600 Penn is a standard half-hour family comedy cloaked in a heightened setting.
Network: Showtime
Premiere: 1/13/13
In Season 3 of the dysfunctional family dramedy, the Gallaghers are still gloriously off their ever loving rockers. Fiona attempts to lead the charge to keep the family together and the property taxes paid, as Frank struggles to remember what month it is. Drugs, piñatas and criminal mayhem abound in another season filled with the insane antics of a family “just trying to live the American dream one scheme at a time.”
Network: HBO
Premiere: 1/13/13
The critically acclaimed yet somewhat polarizing series from Lena Dunham returns for a second season. By now, you’ve probably decided if you’re in or out, as Hannah (Dunham) continues her erratic ways, including more comedic drama with Adam, as he recovers from being hit by that car in Season 1’s finale, and a new relationship with Sandy, played by Community’s Donald Glover. The New Normal’s Andrew Rannells and Bridesmaids’ Chris O’Dowd return for more episodes, while Alex Karpovsky (“Ray”) is now a series regular.
Network: Showtime
Premiere: 1/13/13
Don Cheadle’s Marty Kaan and his team unapologetically greedy and conniving management consultants return to do even more “unspeakable things” to people they’ve never met in Season 2 of Showtime’s stylized drama. Kristen Bell’s Jeannie Van Der Hooven struggles to reestablish her position in the company after the sexual harassment scandal, and recall her misbegotten night with Marty. Ben Schwartz and Josh Lawson return to fill out the motley crew.
Network: Showtime
Premiere: 1/13/13
Season 6 will find Hank Moody hired by rock star Atticus Fetch (Tim Minchin) to write a rock opera for him, in the process also meeting Atticus’ “muse” (as in groupie), Faith (Maggie Grace). We’re guessing sex ensues.
Also look for Marilyn Manson guest starring as Marilyn Manson. And drugs.
Continue to Page 2 for Felicity the KGB spy, Kevin Bacon vs. a serial killer, Spartacus' last stand and more.
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