Returning Favorites: A Sneak Peek at ‘Scorpion,’ ‘Once Upon a Time,’ ‘The Exorcist’ and More
Scorpion
Season Premiere: Monday, Sept. 25, 10/9c, CBS
Scorpion…The Musical? We’re used to the crew of geniuses using their science know-how to save the world, but the opening moments of the Season 4 premiere feature another skill set. The group sings and dances to an original tune, “Everything Is Absolutely Genius,” penned by co–executive producer Nick Santora. “It’s a full-on Broadway production,” says Robert Patrick (Agent Gallo). The majority of the cast—Katharine McPhee (Paige), Elyes Gabel (Walter), Ari Stidham (Sylvester), Jadyn Wong (Happy) and Eddie Kaye Thomas (Toby)—have musical experience, but this was Patrick’s first on-screen musical number. “That’s the great thing about Scorpion,” he says. “It pushes me to do things outside of my comfort zone.” —Marisa Roffman
Once Upon A Time
A hybrid modern/medieval fantasy, ABC’s seven-season show follows characters in the fictional town of Storybrooke, Maine where the residents are fairy tale characters in the real world. This show pulls a lot of different types of literature and folklore for its fantasy elements.
Available on Netflix
Superstore
Season Premiere: Thursday, Sept. 28, 8/7c, NBC
In the aftermath of last season’s store-destroying tornado, the repair and changes to Cloud 9 take center stage in Superstore’s Season 3 premiere. A few months post-disaster, Amy (America Ferrera) and the rest of the staff are hard at work putting things back together. “There are cosmetic differences on the outside,” says executive producer Justin Spitzer, “and astute fans might notice that the layout of the store is reversed now.” The comedy also gets a visit from America’s Got Talent judge Howie Mandel, playing himself—but Dina (Lauren Ash) mistakes him for a new Cloud 9 employee. Awkward! —Marissa Roffman
Designated Survivor
Season Premiere: Wednesday, Sept. 27, 10/9c, ABC
Potus, prepare to up your Washington IQ. When Designated Survivor returns for Season 2, President Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland)—who was thrust from a low-level cabinet position to the Oval Office in the wake of a devastating terrorist attack—will be a year into his first term. But he still has plenty to learn about being a power player, which is why Chief of Staff Emily Rhodes (Italia Ricci) enlists the help of savvy political adviser Lyor Boone (Royal Pains’ Paulo Costanzo). “Lyor sees that Kirkman has the potential to be a great president, but in order to do that, he has to stay the president, and that might require some moves that aren’t always full of integrity,” Costanzo says. “It’s smart for Kirkman to have an adviser who will give him options, but it will create a tug-of-war.” —Ingela Ratledge
The Exorcist
Season Premiere: Friday, Sept. 29, 9/8c, Fox
The Exorcist relocates to Seattle for Season 2—and instead of Season 1 star Geena Davis as the original film’s adult Regan, it’s John Cho’s Andrew Kim who is bedeviled by things that go bump in the night on the supernatural series. “He is a recently widowed ex–child psychologist who lives on an island in this old house that he shared with his wife and their five foster children,” explains Ben Daniels, whose rogue Father Marcus is back to battle demons with Alfonso Herrera’s Father Tomas. “It’s really creepy and in stark contrast to Season 1’s Chicago.” Especially after one of Kim’s kids goes missing, leading him to one hell of a scary late-night trek through the woods.
—Damian Holbrook
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
Season Premiere: Tuesday, Oct. 10, 9/8c, The CW
White Canary vs. Julius Caesar? Hail, yeah! Now that they have broken time, the Legends will spend Season 3 fixing history’s newly created anachronisms, those “people, places and things that have been displaced in time,” says executive producer Marc Guggenheim. In the premiere, the Waverider crew’s Aruba vacay is cut short by the wayward Roman emperor (Spartacus vet Simon Merrells), whose plan to conquer the Caribbean isle leads to a beachfront smackdown with Sara (Caity Lotz). “She probably gets in the best licks,” says Guggenheim. “But Rory [Dominic Purcell] gets the best line…he tells Caesar that his salad sucks.” —Damian Holbrook
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Season Premiere: Friday, Oct. 13, 8/7c, The CW
Yes, it’s possible—Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) is getting even nuttier. When the musical comedy’s third season begins, Rebecca declares war on her former fiancé, Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III), for ditching her at the chuppah. (Her first move is picking up “revenge gear” at the drugstore while wearing a robe and slippers.) Luckily for Josh—and any local rabbits—Rebecca can’t bear to go full-on Fatal Attraction. “She’s steeling herself to be the vengeful villain she thinks the situation calls for,” executive producer Aline Brosh McKenna says, “but her natural goodness, her friends and some good old-fashioned Jewish guilt hold her back.” —Aubry D’Arminio
Musical numbers, new cast members and big twists. Check out the gallery above for a first look at some of the changes on your fall favorites.
