Ahhh, autumn -- the season of changing leaves, lots of layers to combat the chill in the air, and perhaps most importantly -- the return of quality television shows. Most summer filler programs have likely been cancelled, making room for the heavy hitters to come back and dominate Sunday and Thursday nights (undoubtedly the best nights for television drama). So now that all of the shows have had their season premieres and had a chance to get the ball rolling, let’s dig in like girlfriends do and gossip about what’s been going on in TV land... (beware, spoilers ahead).

Scandal

If Grey’s Anatomy is the past-its-prime oldest child, Private Practice was the neglected middle kid, and Scandal is the spitfire youngest of the bunch that’s filled with energy and potential. Shonda Rhimes clearly has a favourite TV baby and Scandal is it. Are you watching yet? Please tell me you’re all caught up now (though probably still asking a million questions like the rest of us). 

via ABC

This season started with Olivia being publicly named as the president’s mistress and viewers finding out that the creepily cold and calculating commander of B613, Eli Pope, is also her father. I wonder if Olivia has pieced together her father’s role in that sex tape with her and Jake...? Anyway, last week’s episode was a bit slow with the bomb lady trying to find out what happened to her son. We all knew that, of course, Olivia would make it out alive. Poor Huck is trying to work out his issues and Mellie’s sippin’ on some southern moonshine and talking smack to Fitz. The First Lady has surprisingly become one of my favourite characters in Scandal. In fact, she’ll soon be experiencing a situation of her own as Lisa Kudrow, rumoured to be playing a congresswoman, will be making some waves for Mellie in the weeks to come.

grey's anatomy

The new interns are annoying and get way too much screen time. The best thing that happened this season was in the premiere, when Brooks (blondie on the left) finds Richard electrocuted after the storm and rushes to help him, frying her brain and knocking herself out in the process. Am I an awful person for laughing throughout that whole sequence? Yes probably, but you know you did too. 

via ABC

I have no patience for Arizona who is trying to get back with Callie after cheating on her with Peyton from One Tree Hill (I’m guilty of watching that 10 season masterpiece as well). Meredith is all tired after baby number two yet somehow still has perfect hair. She's a weak point in the show sadly. Cristina will be leaving Grey's Anatomy at the end of this season (Sandra Oh didn’t resign her contract) and once that happens I think I will be saying goodbye to Seattle Grey Mercy West Mark Sloane Lexi Grey whatever-the-hell-it’s-called Hospital as well. I mean, really, how many more disasters can these doctors live through? I think it’s time to hang up the scrubs.

The Walking Dead

via AMC

As The Walking Dead starts its fourth season, Andrea is finally dead, the Governor is at large, and Rick the Farmer is tending to the vegetable patch. All is seemingly good in zombie world but really Rick, where the hell did you get that iPod? Anyone else notice that last week? Daryl and Michonne are in charge of the supply runs and ooh look! Little blondie preacher’s daughter hit puberty and found a boy! Which, speaking of, can we talk about why Glenn and Maggie are having unprotected sex? Really, have you learned nothing from Lori about giving birth and having zombie babies in a post-apocalyptic world?

Premieres tend to be a little slow but this one was… gah…. let’s pick up the pace! Rick traipsing after the Irish woman in the woods was a waste of time (though at first I thought this was a new twist in the series -- omg the zombies can talk!). 

Fortunately last night’s episode had a lot of activity inside the prison which prompted some questions. 

• For the zombies along the fence line, why is it not all hands on deck? In fact, why isn’t everyone in the prison already working?
• Why are they treating the children and knives situation so delicately? Carol is right, man up, it’s a different kind of world now. 
• Who is the mouse-feeding character hiding in the prison/woods that we keep seeing little glimpses of?!!?

The unfortunate pig feast sparked the return of The Ricktatorship and with that, The Walking Dead is about to get good again. (Hopefully.)

Homeland

Okay if you saw Sunday’s episode then all I can say is WHAT??!!? Please tell me I wasn’t the only one who was blindsided by the twist!?!?!? That is some serious love for your country. I’m happy the writers are taking the crux of the story back in the operative direction, seeing Carrie back in the CIA trenches, reunited with Saul, back where she does her best work. 

Homeland needed that twist because as the Brody family drama has been dragging along, so too has the third season. How did Brody himself end up in Venezuela, what does this mean in terms of his future potential terrorist plans, and why oh why are Dana and her maybe-murderer teenage boyfriend such a big part of the storyline? The Dana scenes are the point in the show where I get up to refill my glass of wine.  

via TV.com

Despite the teenage drama, of all the TV shows that I watch Homeland is my favourite with Scandal as a close second. In both series the acting is so solid and I completely get sucked into the storylines since they seem like they really could be plausible situations that happen behind closed doors.

Do you share any of these fall TV favourites? Let me know, what’s your take on things?