What is a TV season these days? Where does it start and where does it end? What is fall? What is life?
OK, too far with that last one. The point is, what constitutes the beginning of the traditional fall TV season has become increasingly vague in the past few years.
Our official fall TV preview section will appear in a few weeks, as the majority of shows are set to debut or return toward the end of September. But a significant number of programs will burst out of the gate before that, some even before Labour Day.
In an ultra-competitive TV landscape, there are various strategies but no sure things.
Some argue it's worthwhile to have your show debut early, thus getting ahead of the competition.
Others argue that big debuts bring eyeballs to everything, no matter how crowded the schedule is. It's the same line of thinking that results in a row of car dealerships on the same street, or a bevy of fast-food joints side by side.
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Anyway, let's highlight some of the shows that have adopted the first strategy, which means they're debuting within the next couple of weeks.
Wednesday, Sept. 1: Shattered (Global).
Canadian series starring Callum Keith Rennie as a cop with multiple personalities. We'll go with whichever personality knocks the most kilometres-per-hour off our speeding ticket.
Wednesday, Sept. 1: The Big C (Super Channel).
A hit among critics, Laura Linney plays a non-descript high school teacher who vows to live what's left of her life differently after being diagnosed with cancer. More funny than depressing.
Wednesday, Sept. 1: Rescue Me (Showcase).
Denis Leary curses through a sixth season.
Wednesday, Sept. 1: William Shatner's Weird or What? (History).
Not the show where Shatner says bad things, or the show where he interviews people, but the other one.
Wednesday, Sept. 1: Dinner Party Wars (Food).
Early favourite: John Belushi.
Thursday, Sept. 2: Totally Tracked Down (TVtropolis).
Host Marshall Jay Kaplan embarks upon a personal journey to meet some of TV's quirky stars of the past. Hello, George Costanza's mother!
Friday, Sept. 3: Camp Rock 2 (Family).
Okay, not a series. But Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers won't be cute forever.
Sunday, Sept. 5: Weeds (Showcase).
Given the shocking way last season ended, we can't wait to see what happens with the increasingly creepy Shane.
Tuesday, Sept. 7: Princess (Slice).
A noble attempt to rehabilitate economically oblivious "princesses" who are putting their families in the poor house.
Tuesday, Sept. 7: Burn Notice (Showcase).
A cable fave in the United States, here's a chance for Canadians to catch up from the beginning.
Wednesday, Sept. 8: Hellcats (CW, A).
We couldn't be further removed from the target audience here. But honesty is the best policy: We loved this pilot about a college cheerleading team. What does that say about us?
Wednesday, Sept. 8: America's Next Top Model (CW, A).
Thank God this show exists to help address the tragic model shortage in America. Courage, my friends, courage.
Wednesday, Sept. 8: Selling New York (HGTV).
Real estate in Manhattan? Reasonably priced, we assume.
Thursday, Sept. 9: Nikita (CW, A).
Veers close to Dollhouse territory, and nobody watched that sucker. But Maggie Q is compelling in the lead role, so open minds, everyone.
Thursday, Sept. 9: The Vampire Diaries (CW, A).
Last season concluded with Elena's vampire body-double Katherine making her first modern-day appearance. If Katherine is a big part of Season 2, Canadian Nina Dobrev can get more in touch with her evil side.
Saturday, Sept. 11: Merlin (Space).
It's a tad surprising this fantasy series got a second season. Maybe it was magic.
Saturday, Sept. 11: Cash Cab (Discovery).
Host Adam Growe challenges zoned-out taxi passengers with trivia tests for cash prizes. How can we excel at this game when we're drunk enough to need a taxi in the first place?
MAJOR FALL TV DEBUT DATES
(always subject to change by the networks)
Sept. 1: Shattered (Global); The Big C (Super Channel); Rescue Me (Showcase).
Sept. 5: Weeds (Showcase).
Sept. 7: Burn Notice (Showcase).
Sept. 8: Hellcats (CW, A); America's Next Top Model (CW, A).
Sept. 9: Nikita (CW, A); The Vampire Diaries (CW, A).
Sept. 12: Lost Girl (Showcase); 90210 (Global).
Sept. 13: Gossip Girl (CW).
Sept. 14: Parenthood (NBC, Citytv); One Tree Hill (CW); Life Unexpected (CW).
Sept. 15: Outlaw (NBC); Survivor (CBS, Global).
Sept. 16: The Apprentice (NBC, Global).
Sept. 17: Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO Canada); Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Teletoon).
Sept. 19: Boardwalk Empire (HBO Canada); Call Me Fitz (HBO Canada); Law and Order: SVU (CTV).
Sept. 20: Castle (ABC, CTV); House (Fox, Global); Lone Star (Fox, Global); The Event (NBC, Citytv); Mike and Molly (CBS, A); Hawaii Five-0 (CBS, Global); Chase (NBC, Citytv); Chuck (NBC); Dancing with the Stars (ABC, CTV); How I Met Your Mother (CBS, Citytv); Rules of Engagement (CBS, Citytv); Two and a Half Men (CBS, A).
Sept. 21: Being Erica (CBC); This Hour Has 22 Minutes (CBC); Rick Mercer Report (CBC); Detroit 1-8-7 (ABC); Glee (Fox, Global); Raising Hope (Fox); Running Wilde (Fox); The Biggest Loser (NBC, Citytv); NCIS (CBS); NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS, Global).
Sept. 22: The Tudors (CBC); Hell's Kitchen (Fox); Undercovers (NBC, Citytv); Criminal Minds (CBS, CTV); The Defenders (CBS, CTV); Dragons' Den (CBC); The Middle (ABC); Better Together (ABC); Modern Family (ABC, Citytv); Cougar Town (ABC, Citytv); The Whole Truth (ABC, Citytv).
Sept. 23: Community (NBC, Citytv); 30 Rock (NBC, Citytv); The Office (NBC, Global); Outsourced (NBC, Global); The Big Bang Theory (CBS, CTV); $#*! My Dad Says (CBS, CTV); CSI (CBS, CTV); The Mentalist (CBS, CTV); My Generation (ABC); Grey's Anatomy (ABC, CTV); Private Practice (ABC, A); Bones (Fox, Global); Fringe (Fox, Citytv); Law and Order: UK (Citytv).
Sept. 24: Body of Proof (ABC); Blue Bloods (CBS, CTV); CSI: New York (CBS, CTV); Medium (CBS, A); The Good Guys (Fox); School Pride (NBC); Dateline (NBC, A); 20/20 (ABC); The Ron James Show (CBC); Smallville (CW); Supernatural (CW).
Sept. 25: 48 Hours Mystery (CBS).
Sept. 26: Dexter (The Movie Network, Movie Central); The Simpsons (Fox, Global); The Cleveland Show (Fox, Global); Family Guy (Fox, Global); Eastbound and Down (HBO Canada); Bored to Death (HBO Canada); 60 Minutes (CBS); The Amazing Race (CBS, CTV); Undercover Boss (CBS, CTV); Brothers and Sisters (ABC, Global); Desperate Housewives (ABC, CTV); America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC); Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC, Citytv); Heartland (CBC); Battle of the Blades (CBC); All for One with Debbie Travis (CBC).
Sept. 28: The Good Wife (CBS, Global); No Ordinary Family (ABC, CTV); Baseball: The Tenth Inning (PBS).
Sept. 29: Law and Order: Los Angeles (NBC, CTV).
Oct. 1: Teach: Tony Danza (A&E); Human Target (Fox, CTV).
Oct. 3: CSI: Miami (CBS, CTV); American Dad (Fox, Global); Wallander II: Faceless Killers (PBS).
Oct. 4: Men With Brooms (CBC).
Oct. 25: In Treatment (HBO Canada); Durham County (HBO Canada); Drop Dead Diva (Showcase).
Oct. 31: The Walking Dead (AMC).
Nov. 8: The Conan O'Brien Show (CTV).
Nov. 10: Lie to Me (Fox, Global).
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