Fall is upon us, and that means watchable TV has finally returned. "Sons of Anarchy" is revving up for its swan song, "Scandal" is ready to serve up more guilty pleasures and the "Frozen" sisters are about to invade "Once Upon a Time."
As all of our favorite shows prepare to unleash new episodes, you may be pondering jumping onboard with something new. But what if there's a show that you've always been meaning to watch that you've fallen behind on? Or maybe that buzz-heavy series you missed at the outset has left you in the dust after years of complex plots?
Well that's where the miracle known as Netflix makes its money.
Here are 7 hot shows that are returning to TV (some as soon as this week) that you can get caught up with right now. So go forth and stream, TV lovers.
Sons of Anarchy
FX's underdog hit about the internal turmoil of a motorcycle gang caught between old-school illegal activities and modern legitimate business returns with its 7th and final season starting tonight with an overlong episode that's a whopping two-and-a-half-hours in length. Catch up with (most of) the series on Netflix now.
Note: Netflix currently offers Seasons 1-5 of "Sons of Anarchy," but not Season 6. It's unknown why 6 hasn't made it to Netflix yet, but there's no reason to assume it won't arrive soon.
Season 7 Premiere: Tuesday, September 9, 2014 at 10:00 PM on FX.
Haven
Loosely inspired by Stephen King's The Colorado Kid, Syfy's earth-bound series finds FBI Agent Audrey Parker investigating bizarre crimes in a small town in Maine that individuals with supernatural abilities seem to be drawn to. It's hard to believe that "Haven" has made it to five seasons, but it's true, and Netflix has the first four.
Season 5 Premiere: Thursday, September 11, 2014 at 10:00 PM on Syfy.
The Blacklist
"The Blacklist" was the breakout new series of the 2013 fall season. NBC's James Spader vehicle managed to appeal across demographics almost entirely because of the actor's captivating performance as fugitive-turned-government-agent Raymond Reddington. Luckily, Netflix recently acquired the exclusive streaming rights to "The Blacklist" in a multi-million-dollar deal, and the company has already added the entire 1st season to its catalog.
Season 2 Premiere: Monday, September 22, 2014 at 10:00 PM on NBC.
Scandal
Shonda Rhimes' compulsively watchable soap/thriller about a professional "fixer" who makes political problems go away returns for a fourth season later this month. This is the perfect time to get caught up on this popular series, since ABC is blocking out an entire night of programming for Rhimes' shows. "Scandal" will sit right between "Grey's Anatomy" and Rhimes' newest, "How to Get Away With Murder."
Season 4 Premiere: Thursday, September 25, 2014 at 9:00 PM on ABC.
Parenthood
NBC's smartly-written, well-acted family drama is kicking off its final season in late September. How will the Braverman clan go out? Given the recent hints being dropped by creator Jason Katims about a major character death, it's a safe bet it will involve lots and lots of tissues.
Season 6 Premiere: Thursday, September 25, 2014 at 10:00 PM on NBC.
Once Upon a Time
How's this for corporate synergy: ABC, which is owned by Disney, airs fairy tale series "Once Upon a Time," which often features live-action versions of characters from classic Disney animated films. Disney's most recent (and highest grossing) animated film is "Frozen." So they're putting the two together and bringing Elsa, Anna and Hans into the show's real world. Well played, Mickey.
Season 4 Premiere: Sunday, September 28, 2014 at 8:00 PM on ABC.
Revenge
In a nutshell: there's this girl who's bitter about her father's murder (even though it was a really long time ago), and she's been holding a grudge for three seasons now. Now you can binge-watch all of that bitterness before Season 4 kicks off.
Season 4 Premiere: Sunday, September 28, 2014 at 10:00 PM on ABC.
