The fall 2014 television season is officially underway, with new shows and returning favorites making their premieres in the coming weeks.
But the current television landscape makes it more and more challenging for the broadcast networks — ABC, NBC, Fox and CBS — to compete with the bold storytelling offered by the cable and paid networks like AMC and HBO, or the freedom of streaming services such as Netflix.
This year, the broadcast networks finally have the chance to fight back.
AMC critical hit “Breaking Bad” ended its run last year, and “Mad Men” will end in 2015. HBO ratings juggernaut “True Blood” wrapped up last summer, and “Boardwalk Empire” ends in the next few months. If the broadcast networks want to reclaim their glory, this is the year to do it.
In an effort to draw viewers, many networks are bringing in major movie stars to lead their new shows.
Fox’s “Red Band Society” (premiere Sept. 17, 9 p.m.) stars the Oscar-winning Octavia Spencer (“The Help”) as a nurse in the pediatric ward of a hospital. The show’s quirkiness and teen melodrama are heavily reminiscent of “Glee” — if “Glee” took place in a hospital — and it is likely to attract a similar audience.
Spencer’s co-star in “The Help,” Viola Davis, headlines her own show on ABC, “How to Get Away With Murder” (Sept. 25, 10 p.m.). If any show is likely to be a success this fall, “Murder” is the surest bet — it’s helmed by Shonda Rhimes, the same showrunner who made “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal” major hits. With the promise of a showrunner who knows what she’s doing, “Murder” is the one show to definitely get on board with this season. For those looking for lighter, comedic fare, NBC’s “Marry Me” (Oct. 14, 9 p.m.) is a romantic comedy in the spirit of “How I Met Your Mother.” About a couple who are faced with challenges while trying to get engaged, “Marry Me” has enough edge to avoid becoming overwhelmingly sweet.
ABC’s “Black-ish” (Sept. 24, 9:30 p.m.) is one of the more controversial shows to air this season. Anthony Anderson stars as Andre, a man who fears that his family is losing touch with their African-American roots. “Black-ish” has potential to lead profound discussions of race and identity, much like “All in the Family” did in the 1970s, as long as the show can take itself seriously while also remembering to bring the laughs.
Many shows this season are rooted in comic books, but Fox’s “Gotham” (Sept. 22, 8 p.m.) is likely to be the biggest success, as long as fans are willing to watch a Batman show without Batman. Exploring the origins of the infamous Gotham City, “Gotham” does not star Batman, but rather Detective James Gordon, played by Ben McKenzie.
Whether it is comedy, drama or action, this fall’s TV season might bring enough to the table to lead the discussion away from the cable, paid and streaming networks.