TVSquad

FX announced their fall premiere dates today and it turns out that they've got quite the schedule lined up for the autumn months.

With Rescue Me set to end it's 22 episode fifth season on Tuesday, September 1st, it comes as no surprise that Sons of Anarchy has been scheduled to fill the Tuesday 10PM ET time-slot starting the very next week on September 8th. The motorcycle drama's sophomore season is generating a lot of buzz ever since the announcement of Henry Rollins and Adam Arkin joining the cast.

But wait - there's more!

In the DVR era, I have this new problem/blessing that happens to me every year. I jump on board these shows and then just get too busy to keep up with them and they pile up and sit there on my DVR unwatched. As an example, I just finished "Chapter 5" of John Adams last night; damn that's a good mini-series. But now that 99% of the network shows are wrapping up their seasons, I'm looking at three months of solid catch-up time.

I can also use the time to try out series I've always wanted to get into but just haven't for some reason or another; I'll use that "no time" excuse again. With more videos streaming online at Hulu (thanks ABC), seasons coming out ever faster on DVD and more vintage shows coming out the field is wide open. Of course, I'm probably taking on more than I can handle, but dammit I'm excited!

If you were speculating about whether Timothy Olyphant's character of Wes Krulik was coming back for season three of Damages, it's looking like he's not.

The edgy star's been tapped to play the lead in an FX drama pilot based on Elmore Leonard's short story "Fire in the Hole" (looking forward to the pairing of Leonard and Olyphant). The show revolves around U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Olyphant), who returns to his hometown of Kentucky.

Creator and executive producer Graham Yost describes the character this way: "He has a certain jaggedness, but he also loves his job. He is like an anachronism: He wears a hat, cowboy boots and a holster on his hip. It's a little bit like he was born 100 years too late."

(S02E13) "I've been having one helluva shitty month and someone is gonna pay." - Patty

Another great ending to another great season of television. The general consensus seems to be that season two of Damages far outpaced season one. They were pretty tied up for me - that was, until last night's finale. Just like the first season, by the time we got to the end, we'd already seen most of the episode because of all the flashbacks. Same goes this time around - season two's flash-forwards provided us with a pretty solid sense of what to expect. The beauty of Damages is that there was still about 20 minutes worth of plot holes that needed filling. Seeing it all play out, in order, was phenomenal.

• At 8, ABC has a new Scrubs, followed by new episodes of Better Off Ted, Lost, and the series finale of Life on Mars.
• CBS has the April Fool's special I Get That A Lot at 8.
• FOX has new episodes of Lie To Me and American Idol.
• The CW has a new America's Next Top Model at 8.
• At 9, NBC has a new episode of Life.
• Food Network has a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay at 9.
• Also at 9: Sci-Fi has a new Ghost Hunters.
• At 10, Comedy Central has a new South Park, then the season premiere of Reno 911!
• FX has the season finale of Damages at 10.
• A&E has a new Dog The Bounty Hunter at 10.
• MTV has a new Real World at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

Damages has lived up to the hype. After a jaw-dropping debut season that garnered Glenn Close an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her turn as Patty Hewes, the FX legal drama roared back in January amid speculation regarding whether or not the unique storytelling techniques used in season one could be re-created again. The result? Eight episodes into the new season and Damages is as thrilling as ever.

However, after learning that Patty is indeed the person being held at gunpoint in last week's final moments, it proved one thing - Patty isn't the only one in the hot seat. The creative team behind Damages should be sweating too.

• At 8, NBC has a new Knight Rider.
• FOX has a new American Idol at 8, then a new Lie To Me.
• The CW has the two-hour season premiere of America's Next Top Model at 8.
• Cartoon Network has the movie Ace Ventura Jr.: Pet Detective at 8.
• At 9, ABC has a new Lost, followed by a new Life on Mars.
• There's a Top Chef reunion show on Bravo at 9.
• Also at 9: Sci-Fi has a new Ghost Hunters International.
• At 10, FX has a new Damages.
• TBS has two new episodes of Tyler Perry's House of Payne at 10.
• A&E has a new Dog The Bounty Hunter at 10.
• MTV has a new Real World at 10.
• Travel Channel has a new Man vs. Food at 10.
• At 10:30, Comedy Central has a new Important Things with Demetri Martin.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• At 8, CBS has a new Old Christine, then new episodes of Gary Unmarried, Criminal Minds, and CSI: NY.
• NBC has a new Knight Rider at 8, followed by new episodes of Life and Law and Order.
• FOX has a new American Idol at 8.
• At 9, ABC has a new Lost, followed by a new Life on Mars.
• PBS has a new American Masters at 9.
• History Channel has a new MonsterQuest at 9.
• There's a new Spectacle on Sundance Channel at 9.
• Sci-Fi has a new Ghost Hunters International at 9.
• Fine Living has a new Whatever, Martha at 9.
• At 10, FX has a new Damages.
• TBS has two new episodes of Tyler Perry's House of Payne at 10.
• A&E has a new Dog The Bounty Hunter at 10.
• MTV has a new Real World at 10.
• Also at 10: Bravo has a new Top Chef.
• At 10:30, Comedy Central has a new Important Things with Demetri Martin.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• At 7, G4's Attack of the Show reports from the NY Comic Con.
• At 8, NBC has a new Knight Rider, followed by a new Life and a new Law and Order.
• CBS has a new Old Christine at 8, then new episodes of Gary Unmarried, Criminal Minds, and CSI: NY.
• FOX has a new, two-hour American Idol.
• At 9, ABC has a new Lost, then a new Life on Mars.
• There's a new Ghost Hunters International on Sci-Fi at 9.
• At 10, FX has a new Damages.
• TBS has two new episodes of Tyler Perry's House of Payne at 10.
• MTV has a new episode of The Real World at 10.
• A&E has a new Dog The Bounty Hunter at 10.
• Also at 10: Travel Channel has a new Man vs. Food.
• At 10:30, Comedy Central has the season premiere of Important Things with Demetri Martin.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• At 8, NBC has a new Knight Rider, then new episodes of Life and Law and Order.
• FOX has a new American Idol at 8, followed by a new Lie To Me.
• At 9, ABC has a new Lost, then a new Life on Mars.
• CBS has Katie Couric's All Access Grammy Special at 9.
• Sci-Fi has a new Ghost Hunters International at 9.
• G4 has two new episodes of The Chaser's War on Everything at 9.
• There's a new Spectacle on Sundance at 9.
• Showtime has a new Inside The NFL at 9.
• At 10, TBS has two new episodes of Tyler Perry's House of Payne.
• FX has a new Damages at 10.
• Bravo has a new Top Chef at 10.
• Travel Channel has a new Man vs. Food at 10.
• Also at 10: MTV has a new Real World.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• At 8, CBS has a special edition of The CBS Evening News.
• NBC has a new Knight Rider at 8.
• FOX has new episodes of American Idol and Lie To Me.
• PBS has a two-hour installment of Make 'Em Laugh at 8.
• At 9, ABC has a new Lost, then a new Life on Mars.
• Food Network has a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay at 9.
• There's a new Ghost Hunters International at 9 on Sci-Fi.
• Fine Living has a new Whatever, Martha at 9.
• Sundance has a new Spectacle at 9.
• At 10, NBC has a new Law and Order.
• TBS has two new episodes of Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns at 10.
• FX has a new Damages at 10.
• MTV has a new Real World at 10.
• Also at 10: Bravo has a new Top Chef.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• At 8, FOX has a new, two-hour American Idol.
• CBS has new episodes of Old Christine, Gary Unmarried, Criminal MInds, and CSI: NY.
• NBC has a new Knight Rider at 8.
• PBS has the premiere of Make 'Em Laugh at 8.
• The CW has a new 13: Fear is Real at 8.
• TCM has The Apartment at 8, then Some Like It Hot.
• At 9, Food Network has a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay.
• There's a new Ghost Hunters International on Sci-Fi at 9.
• Sundance has a new Spectacle at 9.
• Showtime has a new Inside The NFL at 9.
• At 10, NBC has a new Law and Order.
• TBS has two new episodes of Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns at 10.
• FX has a new Damages at 10.
• Bravo has a new Top Chef at 10.
• Travel Channel has a new Man vs. Food at 10.
• Also at 10: MTV has a new Real World.
• At 10:30, G4 has a new Human Wrecking Balls.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

(S02E01) "Actually, I take that back. You should be scared. You should be terrified." - Ellen

Payback's a bitch, ain't it? Not if you're Ellen Parsons - then it's a slow, methodical, patience-testing process where it apparently takes six months before you get to shoot a gun. And thus begins the second chapter in the twisted law legacy of Ellen Parsons. After one episode, David Connor's killer is no longer the issue at the top of everyone's mind.

I just finished watching season one of FX's Damages and, wow! What a gripping, twisty-turny show that had me hooked the whole way. Glenn Close acts the socks off anyone in close range, but the rest of the cast are no slouches either.

I've gained new respect for Ted Danson in his role as Arthur Frobisher, a high-stakes entrepreneur who's gotten himself into some pretty deep doo-doo. And Rose Byrne as the young-pup attorney Ellen is like watching a steely-eyed carp in the making.

I can't wait for season two to start on Jan. 7 at 10 PM, but until then I'll have to appease myself with Jonathan's early look and this poster.

I just can't get enough of Damages. Season two is right around the corner (it premieres on FX on Wednesday, January 7th at 10PM ET) and to generate some buzz, FX put together a conference call yesterday with Glenn Close, and Executive Producers/Co-Creators Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler, and Daniel Zelman.

After I got off the call, I typed some thoughts while it was still fresh in my mind; there's a lot I want to talk about.

I've already seen the first two episodes (you can check out my early review here) and with that in mind, be aware that what follows after the jump is 100% spoilerish. Though some of it is general, if you don't want to know what happens as season two kicks off - this is your warning.