TV shows return post-strike

When does the season start? Here’s an update

For TV viewers, the long wait is now ending … slowly. Networks are getting their post-strike seasons in place.
NBC is doing it quite quickly — two comedies (“Extended Family” and “Night Court,” shown here) on Dec. 23, the return of “Transplant” on Dec. 28, then an “America’s Got Talent” spin-off and the “Magnum” finale the next week.
CBS is in less of a hurry; it will start almost everything in the week after it airs the Feb. 11 Super Bowl. Others are in between, with arrivals ranging from early January to mid-March.
Here’s an updated, chronological list, followed by an alphabetical one. Read more…

When does the real season start? Soon … or not

(This is an updated version, adding several CW shows)
After waiting semi-patiently for three months, TV viewers have a logical question:
Now that the strikes have ended, when will the real season start? The answer varies; it will be:
— Quite soon. Two comedies (one is shown here) arrive Dec. 23; 11 more shows arrive in the first week of January.
— Really late. Another 12 shows – led by the eternal “Grey’s Anatomy” – wait until March.
— Or somewhere in between. You could think of the Super Bowl, on Feb. 11, as the turning point. Read more…