by Jesus Ibarra
Bones: FOX Monday 9/16/13 @ 8 p.m.
Beginning its ninth (possibly its final) season, Booth and Brennan are stronger than ever. Finally, getting together and making a baby in the last two seasons was the creative jolt this show needed to keep long time fans happy. Not only that, but also this season is the season where marriage finally happens unless producers are teasing us in a cruel way. My one wish for this season is to get a better big bad, and scrap the one that has been plaguing our duo: computer wizard, sorry genius, Pelant. He has overstayed his welcome, isn’t menacing anymore, and pulls off the stupidest crimes on the show to be served as plot devices. Apart from a wedding, this season will feature guest stars such as Freddy Prince Jr., Mather Zickel, and UFC star Chuck Liddell. The only bad thing about this season that may prove a deciding factor on whether or not it gets a final tenth season (both producers and lead actors have said a tenth season would be a good ending point) is how it does on Fridays. Yes that’s right, Bones is moving to Fridays beginning in November. But considering fans have followed the show throughout many schedule changes, it may prove to be a success for FOX.
Castle: ABC Monday 9/23/13 @ 10 p.m.
Castle finally got their couple Richard and Kate together this past season and brought back some of the great chemistry, banter, and clashes between the investigative duo that had been lost in the angst of Beckett solving her mother’s murder. This show does its best when it sticks to having its cast investigate a crime and just interact with each other, instead of having unrealistic conspiracies that come off as contrived rather than good. This past season was a breath of fresh air that showed us Castle and Kate in a relationship. It ended with a proposal, well two actually. Kate was offered a job in DC, and Castle to prove his commitment proposed. Well when the show returns we do indeed get an answer on both fronts, and apparently someone’s life is in danger in this two-part premiere.
Hostages: CBS Monday 9/23/13 @ 10 p.m.
This new show’s premise is that Dr. Ellen Sanders (Toni Collette) is ordered to kill the President of the United States on whom she is performing surgery, or else her family will be killed. An interesting premise for a TV show that is serialized, a rare thing for CBS. The mystery will be why do these people want the President dead, and how will this doctor save her family.
Marvel Agents of SHIELD: ABC Tuesday 9/24/13 @ 8 p.m.
This show is technically not a complete mystery show, but it is certainly going to be a procedural of sorts. Spinning out of the movie franchise: the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this show hopes to bridge mediums between TV and the movies. Don’t expect Thor, Iron Man, or Captain America to make an appearance, but do expect a lot more back story and connective tissues between this show and movies. Aside from investigating cases as a spy show, the show’s biggest mystery is how Agent Phil Coulsen is alive since Loki killed him in the Avengers movie. Don’t cry spoilers, the movie has been out for a year and made a billion at the box office. And it is created and run by Joss Whedon, so you know that it has the potential to be amazing.
Law & Order: SVU: NBC Two-Hour Premiere Wednesday 9/25/2013 @ 9 p.m.
SVU returns for its whopping fifteenth season with Detective Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) in danger of her life and possibly worse. What’s even more surprising is how this show is still alive. Many thought that once Christopher Meloni’s Elliot Stabler left the show, it would die off soon, but nope. It has continued to thrive, although ratings aren’t the powerhouse it used to be, NBC can’t afford to cancel it. With renewed focus, the show has had cases that are more interesting and has focused on its new and old characters incredibly well. And it did the amazing thing of bringing back Dean Winters who was a guest on the show back in its first season. I am a bit hesitant about this season, as the current promos show Olivia being terrorized by a murder/serial rapist. The show has done a season of this before, so I don’t know if retreading this water would be good, however Mariska Hargitay is such a phenomenal actress that this material is perfect for her.
Elementary: CBS Thursday 9/26/13 @ 10 p.m.
Oh Elementary, my favorite new show of last season returns for a second season, featuring more Holmes and Watson solving crimes while continuing to nurture their friendship. Gender bending has never been so good, and although there are still detractors (a lot of critics actually came around on the show especially because of the twist in the season finale) that say Watson could never be a woman, Lucy Liu continues to astound. And not to knock Jonny lee Miller, who plays the titular character, but in the season one finale the women stole the show. That is all I will say about the Irene Adler twist, and Watson coming into her own as a detective. What started out as another procedural that happened to feature some people named Holmes and Watson has turned into a show about Holmes and Watson. Watson, no longer his sober companion, is now Sherlock’s apprentice and is learning his methods while developing her own brand of investigation.
Mentalist: CBS Sunday 9/29/13 @ 9 p.m.
This show about a former con man/fake psychic who reads people returns for its sixth season with Patrick Jane continuing his quest to find Red John, the man who murdered his wife and child. After countless fake outs and red herrings, this season the Red John mystery will finally end. Mostly this procedural shows Jane solving crimes with the fictional police agency CBI, and the over arc of the Red John hanging over the show. Unfortunately, two main characters are leaving the show this season only to be replaced by two new show regulars, which is a common occurrence with CBS shows.
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My God! I am appalled by the promos of SVU. My favorite detective, the beautiful and talented Mariska Hargitay is in danger. I only watch to see SVU Olivia Benson. Love the character and Mariska is fantastic.