While some series pay respects to television’s yesteryear by simply adapting old shows, NBC’s newest project aims to revive the way we TV used to be approached: live broadcasts. The network has put into development the multi-camera comedy Hospitality with Chris Moynihan (Man Up), Sean Hayes (Sean Saves the World) and Todd Milliner, all of whom will executive produce. Live from New York, it’s…Hospitality. 

According to Deadline, the series would center on a hotel in the middle of Manhattan, and the stories would all revolve around the staff. Can we all take a leap and assume that these characters are all super quirky and that the hotel will have a signature wacky set of guests? I’m not even saying that pejoratively. I absolutely love series like Newheart and Fawlty Towers, and don’t get me started on The Shining. Plus, I used to work in a hotel so that subject matter is fine with me. 

But it’s not the setting that makes this project exciting, it’s the live aspect. Not only would the show’s weekly episodes be put out that way, but each commercial break would feature live ads. Honestly, that sounds almost as intriguing as the show itself, since it’s such a rarity these days. Back in TV’s earliest years, it was much more commonplace, which meant you were only seeing one or two products being put on display. I’m intrigued to see how a modern television production would handle live ads on a weekly basis. Take a peek at a 61-year-old Coca Cola commercial below. 

Outside of Saturday Night Live, awards ceremonies and sporting events, live TV is more of a gimmick for series to use for sweeps weeks. Most notably to me were the episodes of 30 Rock presented this way. It allowed for jokes like the one below to happen, which is the kind of humor I hope Hospitality goes for, but I don’t expect it to. 

Hayes and Milliner, who co-own the production company Hazy Mills Productions, have a handful of successful series under their belts, including the TV Land series The Soul Man and Hot in Cleveland. TV Land, incidentally, ran live commercials with their series premieres back in March. NBC saw big ratings for their live broadcast of The Sound of Music, despite the critics not being so kind. But that was an adaptation of a beloved musical, so who knows what people will think of a live sitcom. 

Do you guys think live TV still has a shot of being relevant in today’s viewing world?

SEE ALSO: NBC Is Paying For Matt Lauer's Helicopter Rides To Work From The Hamptons

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This fall, two dozen new shows will compete for your attention on television. 

Get ready to see Laurence Fishburne go from FBI agent on NBC's "Hannibal" to a hip grandpa on ABC, while "Doctor Who" fans can see Karen Gillan transform into a social media Queen on "Selfie."

We'll also see the return of a few familiar faces to the small scree like Ben McKenzie and Debra Messing, along with silver screen stars Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis.

"Forever" (ABC)

Stars: Ioan Gruffudd ("Fantastic Four"), Alana De La Garza ("Law & Order")

Premiere date: Tuesday, September 23 at 10 p.m.

What it's about: The criminal drama follows New York City medical examiner, Doctor Henry Morgan (Gruffudd), who is trying to figure out why he can't die.

Watch the trailer

"Black-ish" (ABC)

Stars: Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross ("CSI"), Laurence Fishburne ("Hannibal")

Premiere date: Wednesday, September 24 at 9:30 p.m.

What it's about: Anderson plays a wealthy black man who is afraid his four children have started assimilating so much at school that they've forgotten their black heritage.

Watch the trailer

"How to Get Away With Murder" (ABC)

Stars: Viola Davis ("The Help"), Billy Brown ("Star Trek")

Premiere date: Thursday, September 25 at 10 p.m.

What it's about: Davis will star as law professor Annalise Keating in Shondra Rhimes' ("Grey's Anatomy,""Scandal") latest Thursday night drama. Keating will be teaching a class on, you guessed it, how to get away with murder which looks like it will come in handy for some of her students.

Watch the trailer

Ever since Craig Ferguson announced in April that he will be departing CBS' "The Late Late Show," the rumor mill has been swirling as to who will replace him.

On Monday, CBS finally confirmed that reported frontrunner James Corden — a 35-year-old English actor, comedian, and writer — will officially be taking over for Ferguson.

“I can't describe how thrilled and honored I am to be taking over from the brilliant Craig Ferguson,” Corden said. “To be asked to host such a prestigious show on America's #1 network is hugely exciting. I can't wait to get started, and will do my very best to make a show America will enjoy.”

Nina Tassler, Chairman of CBS Entertainment, fully endorsed the network's pick, saying in a statement:

“James Corden is a rare entertainment force who combines irresistible charm, warmth and originality with a diverse range of creative instincts and performance talent. He is the ultimate multi-hyphenate – a writer, creator and performer who is loved and respected in every medium he touches, including theater, comedy, music, film and television. James is already a big star in the UK and he's wowed American audiences on Broadway; we're very excited to introduce his considerable and very unique talents to our network television audience on a daily basis.”

Corden, who won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor for his starring role in the Broadway play “One Man, Two Guvnors,” first rose to prominence in the UK as the co-creator, co-writer, and star of the BBC sitcom "Gavin & Stacey."

Corden had a supporting role in this summer’s 'Begin Again' starring Keira Knightley and leads the upcoming Disney musical 'Into the Woods' alongside Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep, opening this Christmas.

While Corden isn't a recognizable name in the U.S., he does boast more than 4.3 million Twitter followers, which could draw a younger audience to CBS.

In his personal life, Corden's wife, Julia Carey (below), is currently pregnant with the couple's second child.

Check out some of Corden's past professional work below:

SEE ALSO: Here Are The 24 New Shows Coming To TV This Fall

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Along with today's news that Justin Lin is in talks to direct two episodes of HBO's "True Detective," Variety reports that Rachel McAdams is vying for the female lead role alongside Elisabeth Moss.

While this is the first we're hearing about Rachel McAdams being in contention, Elisabeth Moss revealed last month that she had not been approached to star in the series, just days after a report revealed she was up for the female lead. However, a lot can change in one month, and it seems now that Elisabeth Moss is, in fact, in the running.

The role in question is, according to a July report, a sheriff from Montery, California who has a troubled past. Jessica Chastain was previously sought for the role in May, but she turned it down.

Variety also reports that Colin Farrell, Taylor Kitsch and Vince Vaughn are currently in final negotiations for the other three lead roles. With shooting scheduled to begin later this month, these actors and the female lead should be confirmed very soon.

Rachel McAdams doesn't have a slew of TV experience, appearing in Canadian shows such as "Slings and Arrows" and "Earth: Final Conflict" before her movie career took off. Elisabeth Moss, on the other hand, returns for the final episodes of Mad Men next year. Would you rather see Rachel McAdams or Elisabeth Moss as the female lead on True Detective? Chime in with your thoughts below.

SEE ALSO: A Ridiculous Rule Is Allowing 'True Detective' To Go Up Against 'Breaking Bad' At The Emmys

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Fox has one break-out hit this fall, but it's not Batman prequel "Gotham."

It's a show about a group of teens living in a swanky hospital called "Red Band Society" ("RBS") from executive producer Steven Spielberg and starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer ("The Help").

Over the weekend, we watched the season premiere episodes of Fox's new fall lineup and the dramedy had the audience at our screening laughing, and, I'd be surprised if it didn't leave everyone crying (or at least tearing up) near its end.

A series about sick children is a tough sell. Audiences could be deterred from what may sound like sensitive subject matter.

But from the moment Spencer enters on screen walking to her job at Los Angeles’ Ocean Park Hospital with a coffee cup labeled with the name "Scary Bitch," you know you're in for a ride.

Spencer plays Nurse Jackson who keeps the kids and her co-workers in line and doesn't take bull from anyone. Someone wants her to hold an elevator because they're running late? Take the stairs. A co-worker tries to hand her some friendship muffins as a bribe to leave work early? Not happening. Muffins, meet the trash. However, underneath her hard exterior, you see glimpses of a maternal mama hen. 

The actress is not in the pilot episode much, but every time she's on screen she's a scene stealer you want to see more.

It's not just her performance that's great. What happens in the first few minutes of the show solidifies that it's a game changer.

[Minor spoilers ahead]

The show opens with narration from a young boy as he introduces each character one by one from a young girl with an eating disorder and an unpopular cheerleader with an enlarged heart to a boy with one leg who has been fighting cancer.

It's a typical story layout until several minutes into the pilot you learn the boy narrating is actually in a coma! When you first hear that you may be quick to do an eyeroll, but it's not done cheesily and it's not done for shock value — something that has probably been in Fox's vocabulary since the network began in 1986 ("Married with Children,""Family Guy").

This is one of those sensitive items that could go over well or poorly, but the dramedy does it right, suggesting the character can hear everything going on in the show. Again, if you're ready to do an eyeroll, suspend all disbelief for a moment.

[End of spoilers]

Never do you feel like any of these characters' illnesses is exploited for TV ratings. Instead, the main focus of the show is these kids and the bond they form — a "red band society" dictated by the red hospital bands given out during their surgeries.

Aside from Charlie Rowe ("The Golden Compass"), Griffin Gluck ("Private Practice"), and Nickelodeon star Ciara Bravo, you may not recognize any of the young talent, but the chemistry between the actors is great. Leo (Rowe) and Dash (Brian Bradley) are a two man band of mischief while the more reserved Emma (Bravo) is a whose quick tongue can hold her own among the boys. Then there's fiery cheerleader Kara (Zoe Levin) who you can tell may be an instigator among the group.

The show itself balances jokes and light, silly moments with heavy ones like when two boys discuss what it's like to lose a leg to cancer.

"Red Band Society" also appears to borrow a few pages from ABC's hit medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" which is going into its 11th season this fall. Spencer's Jackson character reminds us of feisty general surgeon Miranda Bailey. There's also a doctor named McAndrew. We're still debating whether or not this is a direct nod (jab?) at McSteamy and McDreamy — nicknames for two "Grey's Anatomy" doctors. 

From the premiere episode, you can already imagine where the show will go for the rest of the season and beyond. You're introduced to potential love interests, personal issues that may complicate friendships, and drugs and alcohol come into play.

Of course, there's also each character's health to consider.

The only complaint so far is that the hospital setting doesn't appear realistic at all as the kids seem to have no real supervision. Nurse Jackson just shows up when needed. The kids are able to wander around through the halls, smoke weed (and get caught with no real repercussions), find time to make graffiti in between classes taught in the hospital, and even manage to escape the confines of their swanky solitary (Where's the security in this place?) to take a joyride to a liquor store and persuade a man to sell alcohol to minors (You can't say no to a teen with one leg).

We also wondered where the majority of the children's parents were in the opening episode. These kids all live in this hospital that feels more like a hotel than a medical facility with life-threatening illnesses and their parents are no where to be found.

Unlike other shows we watched so far, it wasn't nagging aboutone person's imperfections or trying to be the next "True Detective" miniseries. Nor was it aiming for cheap laughs with a laugh soundtrack.

"Red Band Society" came across as a real, personal genuine drama that can be enjoyed together by a family.

Fox was in need of a hit to take over after "Glee" ends its six-season run next year. It has definitely found it.

The series premieres on Fox September 17 at 9 p.m. Watch a trailer for the show below.

SEE ALSO: The 24 new shows coming to TV this fall

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There are quite a few benefits to catching new releases on video on demand as opposed to the theater.

The average cost of a HD rental for a new film is $9.99, which certainly bests movie theater prices. When you factor in that multiple people can view the rental for the same cost, the savings truly add up. There's also no need to "shush" any obnoxious patrons sitting near you, as you are watching from the comfort of your own home.

With more and more independent films popping up on video on demand services prior to or in accordance with a proper theatrical release, choosing which one deserves your hard-earned money can be difficult. 

Here are some great new September releases now available on video on demand:

1. "Frank"

This quirky comedy about real life pop-star Frank Sidebottom is anything but your standard biopic. Michael Fassbender stars as the titular Frank, although you'd never know it by just watching the film as he remains under that silly mask the entire time. The film, which explores what it means to be an artist and all the psychological treachery that the lifestyle inspires, has receieved rave reviews. 

Watch the trailer here.

2. "Ida"

This gorgeous, critically acclaimed film revolves around the spiritual education of a Polish nun who finds out she's actually Jewish the very week she is to take her vows. While its stunning black-and-white cinematography certainly shines on the big-screen, the film packs just as much of an emotional punch at home. Ida's journey through Poland functions is rendered unforgettable by the sheer beauty of its locations and the photography.

Watch the trailer here.

3. "Night Moves"

The latest from indie darling Kelly Reichardt ("Old Joy,""Wendy and Lucy") stars Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning and Peter Sarsgaard as radical environmentalists who wish to blow up a dam as their ultimate form of protest. When things don't go as planned, they must deal with the repercussions of their actions and learn what i truly means to stand for something in the process. The character-driven film features stellar performances from its leads and is a great example of how a realistic approach and a compelling story can succesfully fuel a narrative.

Watch the trailer here.

4. "The Rover"

Australian director David Michod's follow-up to his debut "Animal Kingdom" pays tribute to "Mad Max" and other post-apocalyptic road movies while weaving a tale of his very own. The film follows Guy Pearce as he searches the vast, empty landscape that the world has become for the men who stole his car. Robert Pattinson turns in a particular excellent performance in this dark, moody and violent film.

Watch the trailer here.

5. "Life of Crime"

This adaptation of Elmore Leonard's "The Switch" acts as somewhat of a prequel to "Jackie Browne," and while it may be nowhere near as memorable as the Tarantino film, it's still a fun and star-studded affair. John Hawkes and Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) star in the roles made famous by Robert DeNiro and Samuel L. Jackson as two bumbling criminals whose plan to kidnap the wife of a wealthy businessman backfires when the husband has no interest in paying the ransom.  It may be a minor film in the Elmore Leonard catalogue, but with such great talent involved, it's still worth a watch.

Watch the trailer here.

There are plenty of other recent releases worth checking out on VOD, including:

• "Locke"
• "The One I Love"
• "The Zero Theorem"
• "Only Lovers Left Alive"
• "Palo Alto"
• "Fading Gigolo"
• "Breathe In"
• "Life Itself"
• "The Congress"
• "Belle"

SEE ALSO: 5 Foreign Film Gems To Check Out On Netflix

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Bad Judge may have nabbed a series order at NBC, but that doesn’t mean it is green skies and clear pastures ahead for the comedy. This weekend, the brand spanking new NBC series lost its showrunner, Liz Brixius, leaving the series in a bit of a lurch. Luckily for potential fans, the move should not affect NBC’s planned October 2 premiere of the series. 

Brixius is most famous for her work as the showrunner on Nurse Jackie, however, she switched to a consulting producer on the show in 2013, presumably so she could spend more time working with NBC on the now-defunct comedy series Go On. While funny, that show never managed to find a large audience at the network and was canceled after its first season. Then, Brixius tried to get another comedy pilot moving forward at NBC, this time with Christina Ricci. Girlfriend in a Coma also failed to move forward. You would think Brixius would be stoked to see Bad Judge go to series, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. According to Deadline, Brixius wasn’t happy with the direction of the series and left over “creative differences.” 

This could be bad news for Bad Judge, for multiple reasons. First, the show has only shot four episodes. While Bad Judge only nabbed a 13-episode order, that’s still a long way to go to get to the end of the season, and NBC will need to find a new showrunner as soon as possible since the comedy’s early October premiere date is looming. Secondly, it seems like Brixius wasn’t happy with the final product she was seeing. It sounds like she wanted to take the series one way and NBC wanted her to take it another way and they couldn’t find any middle ground. While it's hard to decipher exactly what "creative differences" means, there’s certainly some sort of disconnect between the showrunner and the network, and that's not a good sign. 

Honestly, I was having trouble with the Bad Judge concept before this news even broke. Kate Walsh is the lead in the series, and she’s a great and sometimes funny comedic actress, but for whatever reason, the trailer for the Bad Judge pilot doesn’t really do it for me. It’s not even that Walsh is playing a total wreck—she was arguably a bigger mess in Fargo and I’d give that gig two thumbs up. The problem with the Bad Judge trailer is that it's suffering from the bland vanilla comedy values NBC has been offering us for several years, now. Despite having a mess to work with, the network isn't really reaching for an in-depth portrayal or an outside-the-box character at all. 

Maybe it’s the too-cute kid and maybe it’s the scene where Walsh tries to get it on in her judging chambers. Perhaps it’s just that I have been watching Jeffrey Tambor kill it on The Good Wife for the past several seasons, and he only needs a few seconds in a given episode to nab a laugh. Whatever the problem is, it caused Brixius to leave Bad Judge, and we have to sit back and hope that doesn't reflect poorly on the series. 

If you’d like to catch Walsh playing a judge with a penchant for bad behavior, you can catch Bad Judge when it premieres on NBC on Thursday, October 2 at 9 p.m. ET. 

SEE ALSO: Here Are The 24 New Shows Coming To TV This Fall

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How does Kelly Ripa's salary compare to Matt Lauer's on "Today" and Jimmy Fallon's on "The Tonight Show"?

TV Guide recently released its annual salary report, a list that rounds up the paychecks of some of television's highest-paid actors and TV personalities.

Jon Stewart may be the highest-paid late-night host; however, there's one woman who has been keeping him at bay from being the highest-paid on television.

[TIE] 17. Chelsea Handler: $10 million

Reports say Handler recently signed a $10 million deal with Netflix consisting of several comedy specials and a talk show for the streaming service. Handler previously made between $8 million and $12 million for her E! show over the past two years.

[TIE] 17. Jimmy Kimmel: $10 million

Kimmel's "Lie Witness News" and "Celebrities Read Mean Tweets" sketches have been big hits on the ABC late-night show.

[TIE] 17. Shepard Smith: $10 million

The FOX News anchor's contract was renewed last year. Smith was also named both the host of "Shepard Smith Reporting" and the managing editor of the network's new breaking news division.

In a bold but somewhat shocking move, Saturday Night Live writer Michael Che has landed a spot at the Weekend Update table for Season 40. He’s replacing Cecily Strong in the process, and will co-anchor the skit along with Colin Jost when NBC's late night sketch comedy series hits the schedule later this month. Today’s news marks another shakeup for Weekend Update, which has changed formatting a few times since Seth Meyers left the show last year. 

THR got the scoop, noting that Che isn’t a total unknown to the cast and crew of Saturday Night Live. He’s a comedian who joined SNL after acting as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He wrote a few sketches in 2014, but with his correspondent background, he was probably itching to get back in front of the camera. He wouldn’t be the first SNL writer to make the transition to the Weekend Update table. In recent years, Seth Meyers was the head writer on SNL when he took over as the Weekend Update co-anchor. Che will hopefully have no trouble transitioning, as well. 

The news is great for Che, but probably a huge bummer for Cecily Strong, who I actually thought has had pretty great delivery while delivering the Weekend Update news. She had practice working with Meyers before he officially left the show at the start of the season. After Meyers left, Jost joined the segment as a co-anchor. I honestly think she’s a bit more memorable than Jost, but obviously the powers that be over at NBC feel differently. Maybe all the weird faces she likes to make were not going over all that well. 

On the bright side, Strong will be staying on SNL as a player, which is better news than some of last year’s cast have gotten over the last several months. Brooks Whelan was fired in July. Shortly after, John Milhiser and Noel Wells were also let go. The other big cast shake-up is Nasim Pedrad, who officially quit the series to join the Fox comedy Mulaney. 

It’s the nature of SNL to be high pressure and subject to change, but even a brief stint doing something important on the show can change a player’s life forever. Here's to hoping the new lineup will continue to improve SNL as we move into Season 40. NBC’s Saturday Night Live will hit the schedule on Saturday, September 27 at 11:35 p.m. ET. 

SEE ALSO: 23 Times Women Made History On 'Saturday Night Live'

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ABC has found tremendous success with “Shark Tank,” and that means the network wants more of it. That could come in the form of a companion series that serves as a kind of sequel for the entrepreneurs and products that appear on the parent show.

Mark Burnett is attached as producer of “Beyond the Tank,” according to The New York Times, which is expected to be announced soon by the network. The newspaper suggests that the show could become part of ABC's schedule as early as this season.

Also read: ABC's Diversity Push: Can It Put the Network Back on Top?

The appeal of this companion show's format is that it answers the question of what happens next for the participants on “Shark Tank.” Once they've secured investors for their products, it's time to take the next step. For viewers interested in what that step is, their main recourse was to head to Google and start trying to track down the entrepreneur or their product.

While details were scarce on the pending project, as no deals have been finalized, the investors from “Shark Tank” would be expected to take some kind of role in “Beyond the Tank,” as they remain involved in the business ventures they've invested in.

Also read: Mark Burnett, Roma Downey Producing Guardian Angels Drama at NBC

ABC current does this in short segments in various episodes of “Shark Tank” itself. But these are just quick check-ups on how past entrepreneurs are thriving, or not, after their time on the show. “Beyond the Tank” will offer a much more in-depth exploration of what happens after they leave the “shark tank.”

“Shark Tank” has grown into one of ABC's most consistent and strongest performers, averaging 7.2 million viewers last season, while beating most of its Friday competition each week in the 18-49 demographic advertisers covet.

“Shark Tank” kicks off its sixth season with a two-hour premiere on Friday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.

SEE ALSO: Mark Cuban Shares The 4 Simple Keys To A Perfect Pitch

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At the end of September, two of TV's biggest animated cartoons, "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy," will unite in an epic crossover episode.

A road trip gone awry will send the Griffins to Springfield in the one-hour 12th season premiere of "Family Guy."

The episode, which has been in the works for two years according to Entertainment Weekly, will show the Quahog family interacting not only with the Simpsons' family but also engaging with plenty of Springfield's locals.

The big crossover episode will air Sept. 28 on Fox at 9 p.m.

Fox released a bunch of new photos previewing the upcoming episode entitled "The Simpsons Guy," and it looks like one you won't want to miss.

"The Simpsons Guy" will feature each character as they interact with their counterpart when the Griffin family from "Family Guy" accidentally end up in Springfield.

Lisa will invite Meg to try out her saxophone.

Talking dog Brian from "Family Guy" will see what a real dog's life is actually like.

Expect shows to swap character gags as Chris is seen here sucking on an identical Binky to Maggie's.

Stewie won't only learn how to skateboard, but will also dress up as a mini Bart. Hopefully, we get a "cowabunga."

Naturally, Homer and Peter will team up.

They'll head to the local tavern.

And, of course, will swap some donuts.

They'll also team up to ... wash cars?

Don't expect this budding relationship to be perfect bliss. The two are supposed to engage in an epic brawl reminiscent of Peter's popular chicken fight from "Family Guy."

According to Fox, this will lead to the two getting into "all sorts of trouble."

It looks like a blast.

SEE ALSO: The 24 new shows coming to network TV this fall

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Married with Children achieved some buzz recently, thanks to actress Katey Sagal receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Sagal’s star is big news, but it’s not as big as the news we are about to drop. Apparently, a Married with Children spinoff is in the works. 

Sony Pictures Television has plans to pitch a spinoff based around David Faustino’s character on the series, Bud Bundy. Back in the nineties, Bud was a really horny teenager, prone to attempting and then failing at sleeping with numerous females. He also liked to tease his sister because, well, she brought it on herself. In short, he was like a less successful version of his father. He had the same anger. The same low class attitude, but no high school football glory and no job as a shoe salesman. That being said, we have no idea what grown-up Bud would be like, and we may get the chance to find out. According to E!, the spinoff pitch is still in the early stages, but based on a THR report, we know it's definitely happening. It just hasn't been picked up. Yet. 

While Faustino is presumably involved, I’m not sure how many of the other cast members would have roles or even return for guest appearances. Series leads Sagal and Ed O’Neill are well sought out in the acting world, with the former currently appearing on the final season of Sons of Anarchy and the latter crushing the ratings on Modern Family. Since Christina Applegate is currently between shows and also mentioned the potential project to E!, using the words “We’re going to do something.” I’d say there’s a bigger chance she’s involved, but she could have just been saying “we” as in Married with Children. 

Married with Children is clearly still well-liked by its fans. The series sometimes airs in reruns and a couple of years ago, Fox released a Married with Children special for the show’s 25th Anniversary. People love to feel nostalgic, and Married with Children would fit right in with Girl Meets World and the Full House revival that is in the works with Warner Bros. Television. We’ll let you know if the Married With Children spinoff manages to make it past the pitching stage and into a real possibility. 

Until then, feel free to reminisce about your favorite Bundy family moments. The wild family helped push television standards forward, and alongside The Simpsons, turned Fox into a real network. So, whether it gets to series or not, the show always deserves to be remembered for what it's already given us.

SEE ALSO: Here Are The 24 New Shows Coming To TV This Fall

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This fall, two dozen new shows will compete for your attention on television. 

Get ready to see Laurence Fishburne go from FBI agent on NBC's "Hannibal" to a hip grandpa on ABC, while "Doctor Who" fans can see Karen Gillan transform into a social media Queen on "Selfie."

We'll also see the return of a few familiar faces to the small scree like Ben McKenzie and Debra Messing, along with silver screen stars Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis.

"Forever" (ABC)

Stars: Ioan Gruffudd ("Fantastic Four"), Alana De La Garza ("Law & Order")

Premiere date: Tuesday, September 23 at 10 p.m.

What it's about: The criminal drama follows New York City medical examiner, Doctor Henry Morgan (Gruffudd), who is trying to figure out why he can't die.

Watch the trailer

"Black-ish" (ABC)

Stars: Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross ("CSI"), Laurence Fishburne ("Hannibal")

Premiere date: Wednesday, September 24 at 9:30 p.m.

What it's about: Anderson plays a wealthy black man who is afraid his four children have started assimilating so much at school that they've forgotten their black heritage.

Watch the trailer

"How to Get Away With Murder" (ABC)

Stars: Viola Davis ("The Help"), Billy Brown ("Star Trek")

Premiere date: Thursday, September 25 at 10 p.m.

What it's about: Davis will star as law professor Annalise Keating in Shondra Rhimes' ("Grey's Anatomy,""Scandal") latest Thursday night drama. Keating will be teaching a class on, you guessed it, how to get away with murder which looks like it will come in handy for some of her students.

Watch the trailer

Fox's most-anticipated new show of the fall season is definitely Batman prequel series, "Gotham."

The show will serve as an origin story telling not only how the billionaire Bruce Wayne eventually becomes the Dark Knight, but also how his most compelling foes transformed into some of the Caped Crusader's most dangerous villains.

Fox has already revealed a few of the characters from Batman's Rogue's Gallery who will appear on the show: Selina Kyle (the future Catwoman), Edward Nygma (the future Riddler), and Oswald Cobblepot (the future Penguin).

So far, there hasn't been any mention of Batman's biggest future nemesis on the show, the Joker, but that could change.

During a recent media conference call with "Gotham" executive producer and writer Bruno Heller ("The Mentalist") explained there's no limit to the potential villains who could appear on the show in the future.

"The simple answer is: No. We're ready to go with any of them [Batman's villains]," said Heller.

"We haven't excluded anyone from the mix potentially, but generally what we're looking at is characters where there is some drama or a story behind how they got to be the way they are," added Heller. "We're looking for characters who live in the real world of Gotham as opposed to the even more super real world of Metropolis if you like. It's not about super powers, it's about super will, if you like. We veer towards those characters who are interesting as people, rather than interesting for their particular power or their particular gimmick or their costume."

Heller hinted you may not see every favorite on screen. Some are just simply harder to adapt.

"There are certainly characters that would be very difficult to put on the screen. That crocodile guy is a tough one — although we may go there," Heller explained.

The "crocodile guy" he refers to is Killer Croc, a man born with a condition that caused him to slowly transform into a crocodile. (For those not familiar with Batman mythology it sounds a bit silly.) 

Here's how the character appeared in the Emmy winning "Batman: The Animated Series."

It's also interesting that he dropped the Metropolis. While that could certainly mean nothing, could we be seeing a young Clark Kent wandering around, too?

"Gotham" premieres on Fox Monday, Sept. 22 at 9 p.m. 

Watch a trailer for the series below.

SEE ALSO: The new Batmobile makes a mockery of Batman's no gun rule

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Tragedy befell production of TNT’s sci-fi drama Falling Skies on Monday night, as a security guard was killed near the set in a most horrible and unpredictable manner. The Season 5 production was shut down today so that the proper authorities could handle the situation. 

Around 8:30 p.m. on Monday night, in Burnaby, British Columbia, an unattended truck began to roll down the hill that it was parked on, striking the guard and pinning him against a tree. It’s not clear whether the initial impact is what killed him, or if he died due to complications from his injuries. The identity of the security guard, who was a part of Vancouver Teamsters Local 155, is being kept from the public at this time, according to Deadline. 

Scott McCloy, spokesman for British Columbia’s Workers’ Compensation Board, said the truck was on a 6% slope and its tailgate was lowered, which meant it was being used to unload equipment. Apparently whoever was using it didn’t give much thought to the admittedly small slope, failing to engage the parking brake. McCloy also said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are investigating the truck to see if there was anything that could have gone mechanically wrong that led to its rolling backwards. Good old Canada isn’t going to assume the obvious here, and maybe they’ll find something out. However it goes, it doesn’t make the situation any less saddening. 

Earlier this year, the production of the Gregg Allman biopic Midnight Rider faced a major disaster when camera assistant Sarah Jones was struck and killed by a train during production. (Several others were injured as well.) While that incident at first looked like a crazy accident, it was soon revealed that the Randall Miller-directed film didn’t even have clearance to film in the area. Miller, his wife and co-writer Jody Savin and executive producer Jay Sedrish were charged with Involuntary Manslaughter and Criminal Trespassing, with a status hearing set for next week. 

Season 4 of Falling Skies just ended on August 31, with TNT putting in its order for a fifth and final season back in July. If next season is like the last four, it will presumably be starting up again in June. It’s unclear just how long Falling Skies’ production will be shut down, but it doesn’t seem likely that this will cause any delays. Unless things go the Midnight Rider route. 

We at Cinema Blend send our condolences and thoughts to the guard’s family and friends in their time of grief. 

SEE ALSO: Lead Actor William Hurt Exits Allman Brothers Biopic After Crew Member's Death

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One of the best aspects of Netflix's adult animated comedy "Bojack Horseman" is the sheer amount of talent involved: In addition to stars like Will Arnett, Aaron Paul, and Alison Brie in the leading roles, the show also features a number of hilariously unexpected co-stars like Stanley Tucci, JK Simmons, Olivia Wilde, Keith Olbermann, and Naomi Watts.

Case in point is the random and hilariously drole appearance of "This American Life" host Ira Glass in a ringtone: "Your telephone is ringing. I'm Ira Glass. Thank you for being a sustaining member of public radio. Everyone has a story, and your phone's story is that it's ringing."

Business Insider reached out to Glass for comment on how he got involved with the program, and this is what he had to say: 

"They called me and I was honored to be included. I've been stunned by how many people want an Ira Glass ringtone. Obviously this is a business opportunity for me. If I play this right, my hope is to eliminate the public radio pledge drive with our sales." 

SEE ALSO: Netflix Knows What We Really Want, And It's An Alcoholic Talking Horse

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If there's one new show you can take off your watch list, it's NBC's new series "The Mysteries of Laura."

The first reviews for Debra Messing's ("Will & Grace") return to TV are back, and critics say it's among the worst new shows the fall is offering.

"The Mysteries of Laura," premiering Wed., Sept. 24 at 9 p.m., follows Messing as she tries to juggle life as both a homicide detective and a mother of two twin boys.

NBC suggests the show is a hilariously authentic look at what it really means to be a 'working mom' today."

Critics aren't in agreement.

Newsday's Verne Gay gives the pilot a C+ saying the show has no idea what it wants to be.

"This jarring, discordant opener (comedy? cop procedural? mystery thriller? who knows?) features a grating Columbo wannabe with an obnoxious ex, and a deplorable brood, yet insists that we find the inherent charm in each of them. This series, which blends and bends genres, tries to balance sketchy character development with a sketchy tone, then ends with a payoff that's rushed and implausible."

Vulture's Margaret Lyons comes out and says it in her headline: "'Mysteries of Laura' is a Bad Show. It's a Bad, Bad Show."

"Laura's main character trait is that she's frazzled, and that's not really enough to hang a show on; wearing Spanx and having a messy car does not a full character make. She keeps momming things up at work, accidentally leaving juice boxes around the precinct and all! Classic mom. Aren't moms always just momming everything with their momness? I'm like, Mom!"

The Hollywood Reporter's Tim Goodman is particularly brutal.

"In this case, nobody had the guts to say, 'This is a terrible script. It should be completely rewritten by someone who can write.' Nor did they say, later, 'We just pissed away millions of dollars on this crappy pilot. Can we just agree that we've made a horrible mistake, not pick this up and pretend it never happened?' Instead, everybody must have ignored the striking warning signs and said nothing when given the chance. Who knows anymore. Maybe a pig stood on a buzzer at some audience testing facility, and here we are."

Time's James Poniewozik puts it pretty bluntly.

"You can be a terrible cop show and a terrible parenting show. You can be a ridiculous drama and an unfunny comedy. You can try to glom on to the legitimate problems of working mothers yet insult them, and your audience in general, in the process. NBC only sent the pilot episode of Mysteries for review, and that’s usually not enough basis to write off a show completely–if the problems are on the level of writing, plot and execution. So to be generous, the pilot of Mysteries is bad in ordinary ways that might eventually be fixed by better scripts."

Hitfix's Alan Sepinwall can't figure out why this show made it to air unless NBC is doing Messing a favor.

"The Mysteries of Laura" is trying to be big and comic and goofy even as it's trying to sell its heroine as both a badass cop (the opening scene involves her shooting to wound a hostage-taker after he taunts her by saying, "Bite me, b----!") and a caring mom. Nothing flows together, the main character is abrasive, the suspects are all caricatures, the frequent plugs for a certain big box store are clumsy even by the standards of modern product integration and nothing in it works.

A bigger mystery than 'How can a woman be a cop and a mom?' is why in the world NBC picked up this show."

Variety's Brian Lowry doesn't see a reason for viewers to stick around:

"While it’s really no mystery why the network chose to gamble on 'Laura,' the riddle that goes unsolved is why anybody who watches the first hour should be inspired to return for another."

The New York Times' Neil Genzlinger is a bit more forgiving:

"The premiere doesn’t always get the balance right — the crime of the week is bland, and a lot of the “cute” comes off as trying too hard — but a few savvy scenes suggest there’s potential for improvement."

"The ingredients here need time to jell, and the writing needs to move beyond generic glop and take advantage of Ms. Messing’s full range of talents."

SEE ALSO: The highest-paid actors on TV this fall

AND: The 24 new shows coming to TV

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There's one mystery on FX show "Louie" that has never really been addressed.

While Louie's ex-wife "Janet" is played by black, Jamaican actress Susan Kelechi Watson, his two daughters are very white, very blonde little girls.

Despite leaving viewers guessing about the backstory of the relationships, the race issue has never been fully explained on the show — and that's intentional.

"We play around with ethnicities. Janet is African American, but both of their kids are white and Louie’s white so how does that work? Look, it probably doesn’t make sense but Louie wanted to cast someone to play his on-screen ex-wife who was unlike his real ex-wife,"casting director Gayle Keller tells Business Insider. "He didn’t want that much reality in this show."

But the race of the actress wasn't necessarily a premeditated decision, Louis just thought Watson was the best person for the part.

"We auditioned people who were African American and white, we auditioned both," explains Keller. "We didn’t limit ourselves to someone who was just Caucasian. Louis just felt that the woman who we cast [Watson] was best for the part and she happened to be African American and he didn’t care about that. He didn’t feel like he had to explain that in any way and have two Caucasian children and an African American wife."

Watson talked to Essence magazine in 2012 of her confusion during the audition process:

"I'd seen the show before I auditioned so I knew the kids on the show. And they were White. So when I go into the audition I say, 'I don't know what part I'm auditioning for but I know it can't be his wife because I've seen his kids.' They were like, 'Okay, we're just gonna press record.' After I got the role I was still thinking it can't be to play his ex-wife, maybe his friend, but not the ex-wife. I just thought it was hilarious, and that Louis [C.K.] was kind of brilliant for casting it that way."

In 2012, Louis C.K. told Jimmy Kimmel: “If the character works for the show, I don’t care about the race. When a black woman tells you to get a job, it’s just more … ” he added, trailing off with a laugh.

To make matters more confusing on the show, the "Janet" character was played by white actress Brooke Bloom in a season 4 flashback sequence.

Casting director Keller says she auditioned African American, Caucasian, and Asian actresses for the flashback role.

"Ethnicity is not what was important for that role," says Keller. "It was more about the fact that we wanted someone who just understood the character immediately. All of the actors who come in to audition go on tape and they only get the material when they get to the audition. Everything is a cold reading because Louis likes when actors are not that prepared and forced to go with their instincts." 

At the end of the latest season 4, Louie's very candid new girlfriend, played by Pamela Adlon, finally asks the question on everyone's minds, pointing out, "those kids can’t come from that woman."

Louie vaguely responds by saying that Janet is biracial, giving no real explanation for his very white children.

"I think Pamela’s character, who she is as a person, to get into a relationship with Louie and see the children and see the ex-wife, she has the tenacity as a character to ask that question," says Keller. "That’s just who she is and she’s not going to let that go by without commenting about it." 

While writer Dustin Rowles says Louis C.K. is "just f------ with us" when it comes to the interchangeable races of roles, Watson, who plays "Janet" on the show, told Essence:

"I think people have found it to be a lot like what Louis' been saying all along. If you follow the show you understand that there's no real continuity, and that Louis is a bit of a maverick in terms of not having any allegiance to doing something one way. People see it and go, 'What? This makes no sense.' And then they go, 'Oh, that's 'cause we're watching Louis.' And they take it with a grain of salt.

I think it's remarkable because for so long we've been saying we just want to see each other as human beings. Our culture is very important, of course, but this feels like a moment where someone has said, 'Your culture is irrelevant at this moment. It's more about whether you feel like you're right for this role and what you're bringing to it.

SEE ALSO: Here's How 'Louie' Lands Such Amazing Guest Stars

MORE: Here's How Much Ad-Libbing Is Done On 'Louie'

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The rumors have been swirling for a while that Colin Farrell was in talks for True Detective Season 2, but now the actor has confirmed that we will indeed appear.  There’s still no official confirmation that Vince Vaughn will be appearing (or Taylor Kitsch for that matter), but now that this piece of info is firmed up I would expect some more official announcements in the coming weeks.

Season 2 of Nic Pizzolatto‘s show will reportedly take place in three different California cities with a plot that, to me, is beginning to resemble Chinatown via Zodiac in that it’s about land deals but also how different law enforcement agencies intersect with each other.  The casting news came with this semi-logline that this next stretch of episodes, “looks set to pick up on the vicious murder of a corrupt businessman found dead the night before he completes a deal.”  

Farrell told The Sunday World, “I’m doing the second series. I’m so excited.”  He then elaborated that the season would indeed be shooting within the “environs” of Los Angeles.    Apparently his character is named Ray Velcaro a man “who has been damaged by years of trauma in both his personal and professional lives.”

Vaughn is reportedly circling the role of Frank Semyon, “a former thug-turned-businessman, who’s wheeling and dealing gets him into some sticky situations.”  Interestingly enough, the World also reports that Elizabeth Moss and Rachel McAdams are up for the same part.  The show is due to start shooting soon, so I imaging they’ll need to work that out quickly.  It was previously reported that Justin Lin would be directing the first two episodes. Here’s hoping they can pull off eight episodes as singular as last year’s masterful outing.

SEE ALSO: A Lot Of New Shows Are Trying To Copy The Success Of 'True Detective'

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There are 24 new fall shows coming to network TV this fall and even more coming to cable.

It can be overwhelming to decide what's worth watching, so we narrowed down the picks to 10 shows worth checking out across the networks, cable, and online.

Here's what you should tune into.

"Madam Secretary" (CBS)

Premieres: Sun., Sept. 21 at 8:30 p.m.

What it's about: Téa Leoni stars as the new White House Secretary of State who steps in after the previous one died in a suspicious plane crash.

Why you should watch: Initialreviews have been mixed; however, it sounds as if there's potential for the series to be a mix between "The West Wing" and "The Good Wife" mixed with "Scandal." Writer Barbara Hall has previously worked on "Judging Amy."

Watch the trailer.

"Selfie" (ABC)

Premieres: Tues., Sept. 30 at 8 p.m.

What it's about: The modern version of "My Fair Lady," follows Karen Gillan ("Doctor Who") as a self-absorbed social media addict, Eliza Dooley, who asks a coworker, Henry (John Cho), to rebrand her after she realizes she has no friends in real life.

Why you should watch: While the concept sounds gag inducing and a little outdated (Time considered the term a buzzword two years ago) the ABC comedy is actually good. We previewed the show at an event with an audience in which it was well received. The chemistry between Cho and Gillan makes this show worthwhile. Everything that perturbs you about Gillan's character is reflected by Henry, and it turns out he has a few quirks that could be straightened out by Dooley as well.

The main problem here is that the show’s marketing could use some rebranding. The initial trailer is alienating to a general audience who may get offended by a "vapid, social media obsessed narcissist." ABC pulled it from public viewing on YouTube after it was first released. 

Watch the trailer.

"The Flash" (The CW)

Premieres: Tues., Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. 

What it's about: The series will focus on the origin story of how Barry Allen turns into the Flash, the DC superhero with lightning speed.

Why you should watch: The series received a lot of praise from fans when it debuted earlier this year at San Diego Comic-Con. If you're a fan of the CW's other comic book series, "Arrow," you'll enjoy crossover moments between both shows along with a hint of the Flash's main villain in the season premiere.

Watch the trailer.