What to Expect for Mid-Season TV

At one point in time in the world of television, mid-season was seen as a wasteland for repeats and what would become short-lived TV shows for which the networks had no intentions of continuing beyond the limited amount of episodes that were filmed. But now-a-days, mid-season is the exact opposite: it is a place filled with a multitude of programming options from the major and cable networks. Not only are all of the fall shows – new and returning – from the major networks back in play but there are even more new shows to watch from both the major and cable channels.

The following list features all of the brand new shows that will be airing over the next couple of months:

Jane By Design

Jane By Design – This new ABC Family drama debuts tonight (January 3) at 9 PM. The series follows a quirky teen (Erica Dasher), with an eclectic chic fashion sense, who lands a job at a hip fashion house when they mistake her for an adult.

The Firm

The Firm – Based on the hit movie adaptation of the John Grisham novel, this NBC series will have a 2-hour premiere on Sunday, January 8 at 9 PM. The series picks up 10 years after the events in the 1993 movie with lawyer Mitch McDeere (Josh Lucas), who worked with the FBI to bring down a Memphis law firm associated with the Chicago mob, coming out of near total isolation after his family spent a decade in the Federal Witness Protection Program. The series will move to its regular timeslot on Thursday, January 12 at 9 PM.

The Finder

The Finder – This spin-off series from the creator of the popular FOX drama Bones will get its start on Thursday, January 12 at 9 PM. Walter Sherman (Geoff Stults) is an Iraq war veteran who gained a reputation while in the Army Military Police as someone who was very good at tracking down insurgents, deserters and IED’s until one found him. The resulting brain damage from that explosion transformed him from someone skilled at recovering people and things into something much more extraordinary.

The Fades

The Fades – This British supernatural drama will debut on BBC America at 9 PM on BBC America. Seventeen-year old geek Paul (Iain De Caestecker) is haunted by apocalyptic dreams that his therapist can’t explain; neither can his best friend and fellow social outcast, Mac or his unsympathetic and much cooler twin sister, Anna. To make matters worse, Paul has started seeing the spirits of the dead (known as Fades) all around him.

Alcatraz

Alcatraz – This much buzzed-about J.J. Abrams (the man behind Lost, Alias and Felicity) will get its 2-hour debut on Monday, January 16 at 9 PM on FOX. Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia and Sam Neill star as a unique team investigating the shocking reappearance of Alcatraz’s most notorious prisoners, 50 years after they vanished.

Touch

Touch – This Keifer Sutherland-led drama will have its special preview on FOX on Wednesday, January 25 at 9 PM. The series follows a widower and single father who is haunted by an inability to connect to his mute 11-year-old son. But everything changes when he discovers that his son possesses the gift of staggering genius – the ability to see things that no one else can and the patterns that connect seemingly unrelated events. The series will have its official debut on Monday, March 19 at 9 PM.

Luck

Luck – The horse racing world will come to the small screen via the HBO series that will have its series premiere on Sunday, January 29 at 10 PM.  The series stars Dustin Hoffman.

Smash

Smash – The musical drama from Steven Spielberg will break loose on NBC on Monday, February 6 at 9 PM. A successful songwriting team, begin work on a new musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe with a tenacious producer and an acclaimed director jumping on board. A tough Broadway veteran, Ivy Lynn, is the obvious choice for the lead role; but enter Karen Cartwright, a young girl from Iowa with a dream of making it on Broadway who walks in and blows everyone away.

The River

The River – The ABC mystery series laced with supernatural elements will debut on ABC on Tuesday, February 7 at 10 PM. The series follows the story of wildlife expert and TV personality Emmet Cole, who sets course around the world with his wife, Tess, and son, Lincoln, while filming what would become one of the most popular shows in television. After he goes missing deep in the Amazon, his family, friends and crew set out on a mysterious and deadly journey to find him.

GCB

GCB – This new soap opera will debut on ABC on Sunday, March 4 at 10 PM. Amanda Vaughn (Leslie Bibb), once the ultimate high school “mean girl,” is forced to return home to Dallas in disgrace after her marriage ends in scandal. She hopes for a fresh start but the women of her hometown are none too happy to see Amanda back in town.

The Missing

Missing – The Ashley Judd-led global-trotting series will debut on ABC on Thursday, March 15 at 10 PM. The series follows Becca Winstone, who learns that her son has disappeared while studying abroad. It becomes a race against time when she travels to Europe to track him down. A surprising turn of events reveals just how far one mother will go to protect her family.

No matter what your preference is for your viewing pleasure, you should be able to find something among these shows to entertain you. Make sure to mark your calendars!