What's On TV? A Guide to the TV Shows for Fall 2011

My favorite time of the year is coming.

I love fall because of pumpkins, sweaters and scarves, but there is something much more important. This is when TV shows have the premieres, both new seasons and new shows! I always have a hard time finding out which shows start when, so I thought I would do some of the legwork for you. So these are just the shows I'm excited about.

I'm looking forward to some of my favorite shows coming back. ABC's The Middle and Modern Family are starting again on Wednesday Sept. 21. David Cross will be joining Modern Family in a recurring role as Duane, a city councilman. If you're not familiar with David Cross, he played Tobias Funke on Arrested Development. He has also had roles in Just Shoot Me, She's the Man, and the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks (including the Squeakuel, which is the best name for a sequel ever).

NBC fans can look forward to Community, Parks and Recreation, and The Office returning Thursday Sept. 22 so set your DVRS.

I love these comedies and Thursday nights have been my favorite TV night for a while. There is no official date for 30 Rocks' return yet. You might remember James Spader in the last season of The Office applying for a job. He has been hired, but not as the office manager. He will be playing a new CEO. From what I'm hearing there was no one who could really replace Michael Scott, and so no new manager is being cast. Who will be promoted? Jim, Dwight, Darrell?

NBC has spared us the return of the disaster, Outsourced, while the old stand-bys Law and Order: SVU and Biggest Loser both return during this week. I'm not sure that Biggest Loser will be the same without Jillian Michaels. I wasn't a huge fan of the new trainers last season, but I'll definitely give it a chance anyway.

Dozens of new shows will be premiering this season, as well. Only a handful will make it. I'm looking forward to seeing Will Arnett (Arrested Development's Gob) and Christina Applegate work a child into their hectic lives in Up All Night. Just based on the cast, including SNL alum Maya Rudolph, I am excited. Up All Night starts Wednesday Sept. 14 on NBC.

The highly anticipated new show Terra Nova will be coming to Fox. It is about a group of scientists and a family going back in time to save the Earth. I'm willing to check it out just for the dinosaurs. The two-hour premiere will air on Fox Sept. 26.

Fox has made Zooey Deschanel's new show New Girl already free on iTunes with its official premiere on Tuesday, Sept 20. It will be joined by two of my favorites Glee and Raising Hope. I just watched it and it's cute as to be expected. Zooey Deschanel's character is more sincerely likable than she is in some of her other work. She's less dry and isn't overly confident. I'd say overall that the show was pretty corny.

If you haven't seen these old shows, I definitely recommend checking them out. Modern Family is one of the most universally likable shows that I've seen in a while.

What shows are you looking forward to? Have questions about shows I haven't mentioned? Leave a comment, and I will try to answer them ASAP.