Listen up, my fellow TV lovers! The time is once again upon us (at last!). In just a few short days we can all go back to our usual spots in front of the TV and revel in our guiltiest guilty pleasure. The question is, as always, what to watch? With so many options and so little time, here is a short list of the ones that you should be watching, and why.
1. Empire: This intense drama focuses on the life of a family (you guessed it) empire and how they connive, scheme and work against, with, in spite of each other to advance their own personal agendas. I won’t reveal much but you should know that the music is incredibly good, and Taraji P. Henson is a boss in it. There’s also a lot of drama, murder, and intrigue. Most importantly: there’s lots of fur.
2. Scandal: Everyone knows that everything and anything created/produced/breathed on by Shonda Rhimes is going to be a hit, and this political drama/romance is no exception. Now entering its fifth season, Scandal shows no signs of slowing down. We are finally going to see our beloved Olitz together (or will we?) and surely we’re going to get another hefty dose of confusion courtesy of Rowan & Mama Pope. If you haven’t seen it already, there’s still time to binge watch before it returns on September 24th!
3. Scream Queens: This new show by the creators of American Horror Story promises to bring on the gore, regardless of how pretty and famous its stars are (included in the list are Nick Jonas, Ariana Grande and Emma Roberts, to name a few). You should watch it not only because it’s a change of pace from the usual but because your childhood self will thank you for changing the way you saw all of those child stars. Besides, who doesn’t like a good scream once in a while?
4. The Good Wife: Legal dramas aren’t always fun (okay, they never are) but this show, now entering its seventh season, shows no signs of slowing down. Julianna Margulies is a stellar role model to say the least. She holds her ground, fights for what she wants and runs her own business, all while dealing with countless other dramatic situations. She’s basically fits all your future professional goals, so watch it for the sake of inspiration.
5. Jane the Virgin: This telenovela-like dramedy will make you laugh and cry, as well as gasp and scream. If you love drama, you should be watching this. If you love love triangles, you should be watching this and if you love Gina Rodriguez (who plays the titular Jane) you definitely must watch this as soon as it returns in October.
6. Grandfathered: What more could you ask of a show that stars John “never-aging” Stamos and Josh Peck surrounded by cute children? Basically nothing. For those of you who have only 30 minutes to spare and are looking for some light-hearted TV, this is the show for you. Plus, John Stamos is in it and let’s be honest, that’s a good enough reason to watch!
7. American Horror Story, Hotel: Much like Scream Queens, this show’s fifth season promises to bring a lot of gore to many of our beloved favorite celebrities. The cast includes Lady Gaga, Naomi Campbell and Kathy Bates, so expect lots of drama and extravagant costumes (as always). Scary isn’t always everyone’s cup of tea, but with these incredibly talented stars, it would be a waste not to watch for the sake of entertainment.
8. Limitless: Remember the Bradley Cooper movie from 2011 where he takes a pill that makes him the smartest person on the planet? Well, this show is based on that movie (Bradley’s in it for a few episodes, apparently) and it looks super interesting. For those of you who like crime, mystery and thrillers, this is the perfect show to be watching. Limitless will premiere on September 22nd, so you have the perfect amount of time to catch up on the movie and get hyped for the show!