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"Lincoln Heights" premieres Sept 16 at 8pm on ABC Family.

Showtime

Dexter

Cast

Michael C. Hall ... Dexter Morgan

Julie Benz ... Rita Bennett

Jennifer Carpenter ... Debra Morgan

Lauren Velez ... Lt. Maria LaGuerta

David Zayas ... Angel Batista

James Remar ... Harry Morgan

C.S. Lee ... Vincent Masuka

Photos (see all 65 | slideshow)	Videos (see all 5 | episode list)

No sane person would ever consciously want to spend time with a serial killer. But that only speaks to "Dexter's" brilliance. Here is a man, a blood spatter expert for the Miami police department, who makes getting ready for work look downright creepy: Every episode opens with him torturing coffee beans and murdering his eggs and ham, whetting our appetite for the action that follows. Nevertheless, Dexter's charisma always wins us over. When Sgt. James Doakes (Erik King), a suspicious co-worker, got too close to the truth and Dexter put him in a cage, we fretted over the welfare of the captor instead of the hostage. And when his obsessed mistress crossed the line and committed murder, Dexter flew to Paris to methodically dispose of her - which, to the viewer, seemed like a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

Yes, we've missed Dexter ever so much. Where season two let the audience tag along as Dexter struggled to figure out who he really was and if there were a higher purpose to his necessary evil of hunting murderers, the third season opens with oedipal overtones. Dexter and Debra have elevated their late father Harry to near-sainthood, but Dexter worships his adoptive dad's memory for reasons very different from his sister's. Harry drilled a Code into Dexter, a set of rules to be satisfied before Dexter can, as he puts it, take out the garbage. This season Dexter begins to question his slavish devotion to Harry's legacy following an act of spontaneity, a development that could end up haunting him.

The stage is set, and expectations are high. After all, this is one of those rare series that got off to a strong start and only got better in season two. We can't wait to explore the dark places he'll take us this time around. Sweetening the deal is the cast addition of Jimmy Smits, who plays District Attorney Miguel Prado. Desmond Harrington also guest stars.

Premieres 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28

TNT

Raising the Bar

Cast

Mark-Paul Gosselaar ... Jerry Kellerman

Gloria Reuben ... Rosalind "Roz" Whitman

Currie Graham ... Nick Balco

Melissa Sagemiller...Michelle Ernhardt

J. August Richards ... Marcus McGrath

Jonathan Scarfe ... Charlie Sagansky

Teddy Sears...Richard Patrick Woolsley

Jane Kaczmarek ... Judge Trudy Kessler

Photos (see all 18 | slideshow)

Steven Bochco's courtroom drama follows a group of young lawyers -- some public defenders, others in the district attorney's office -- and the mercurial judge presiding over their cases. These lawyers also happen to be old friends, which can make being on opposing teams difficult. As a public defender, Kellerman tends to get too close to his cases. Meanwhile, assistant D.A.s Ernhardt and McGrath enjoy going for the win, but not at the expense of justice. Judge Trudy Kessler often enjoys acting as the jagged cliff upon which their cases break but, as it turns out, this iron lady has a secret soft spot as well. This is your basic by-the-numbers legal procedural, with one or two relationships predictably at odds with courtroom ethics, a couple of intriguing characters, and some absolutely laughable writing. (We defy you to keep a straight face as Kaczmarek tells her man that he has a "magical mouth"...and no, she was not referring to his opening or closing arguments.) Even so, TNT has fared well with this brand of drama, so don't be surprised if "Raising the Bar" sticks around long enough to improve its game.

Premieres 10 p.m. Monday, September 1

FX

The Shield

Cast

Michael Chiklis ... Detective Vic Mackey

CCH Pounder ... Captain Claudette Wyms

Benito Martinez ... Councilman David Aceveda

Jay Karnes ... Detective Holland "Dutch" Wagenbach

Walton Goggins ... Detective Shane Vendrell

Catherine Dent ... Officer Danny Sofer

Michael Jace ... Detective Julien Lowe

David Rees Snell ... Detective Ronnie Gardocki

Paula Garces ... Officer Tina Hanlon

David Marciano ... Detective Steve Billings

Cathy Cahlin Ryan ... Corrine Mackey

Photos (see all 85 | slideshow)	Videos (see all 105 | episode list)

"Mad Men" is all the rage this summer, but trust us when we say that acclaimed drama would not exist if not for the gritty struggles of Vic Mackey. Of course "Mad Men" and "The Shield" could not be more different in tone and style. But the latter forever changed ad-supported cable, opening the door for higher quality original content free of the FCC restrictions imposed on broadcast networks. "The Shield" exploded boundaries and challenged its viewers in new and often more brutal ways with each passing season. Thus it is with a mixture of sadness and excitement that fans dive into its final run and, one expects, a reckoning for Vic Mackey.

This L.A. cop is as far from a one-dimensional TV detective as a viewer could fathom. When he leads his equally dirty partners on The Strike Team, Vic is part urban avenger, part damaged soul, undeniably corrupt but unquestionably effective. The team has no problem stealing from drug dealers - Vic has three kids, two of them autistic, to care for - and puts gang bangers behind bars using any means necessary. Vic also has long managed to elude the forces who would take him down for his most significant crimes, although last season ended with the cop and his family on a mob hit list. But executive producer Shawn Ryan plans to tie up a number of loose ends, starting with a concise resolution for the the Strike Team's Armenian money train robbery at the end of the second season -- one of many sins Vic has yet to answer for.

Will he skate? Go down in a hail of bullets? Be forced to retire in an orange jumpsuit? Ryan and the cast are keeping mum on the details. However, Pounder did share this very telling opinion with critics in July: "This finale is what Vic Mackey deserves."

Premieres 10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2

FX

Sons of Anarchy

Cast

Charlie Hunnam ... Jackson "Jax" Teller

Katey Sagal ... Gemma Teller Morrow

Ron Perlman ... Clarence "Clay" Morrow

Drea De Matteo ... Wendy Case

Maggie Siff ... Tara Knowles

Photos (see all 22 | slideshow)	Videos (see all 31 | episode list)

The Sons of Anarchy is a motorcycle gang based out of Charming, Calif., and anchored by the founding family, the Tellers. Jax Teller is the heir apparent who maintains an uneasy bond with his stepfather, Clay, the club president. Jax has always known the gang was supported by an illegal arms business, run behind the scenes as their successful automotive shop provides a front. His mother is eager for him to take the reins of the gang. But when he discovers how vastly his father's original plans for the gang differ from the way Clay has molded it , he begins to quietly question his stepfather's motives and influence. Meanwhile, Jax has to deal with his son's premature birth, his ex-wife's struggles with crank, and the return of his high school flame.

Premieres 10 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 3

FX

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Cast

Charlie Day ... Charlie

Rob McElhenney ... Mac

Glenn Howerton ... Dennis

Kaitlin Olson ... Sweet Dee

Danny DeVito ... Frank

Photos (see all 48 | slideshow)	Videos (see all 183 | episode list)

Paddy's Pub is open for business again as "Sunny's" fourth season kicks off, entertaining us with the further jacked up misadventures of Charlie, Mac, Dennis, Dee ... and Frank, the dirty old man who raised Dennis and Dee, but turned out to be Charlie's biological father. Season four consists of 13 episodes, but FX will produce 39 additional half-hours after that for a total of 52 new episodes. That means viewers will be slacking it with these goofballs for a few more years. Nice.

Premieres 10 p.m. Thursday Sept. 18

HBO

True Blood

Cast

Anna Paquin ... Sookie Stackhouse

Stephen Moyer ... Bill Compton

Sam Trammell ... Sam Merlotte

Ryan Kwanten ... Jason Stackhouse

Rutina Wesley ... Tara Thornton

Nelsan Ellis ... Lafayette Reynolds

Photos (see all 13 | slideshow)

With the invention of synthetic blood, vampires no longer need to feed on humans and have begun taking their place in mainstream society. They're still fighting for acceptance, and the small Louisiana town of Bon Temps has not exactly put out the welcome mat - save for Sookie Stackhouse.

Sookie is a waitress and a telepath whose mind is flooded with people's thoughts every day, and in a place like Bon Temps, her ability only serves to make her feel like more of an outsider. That's only one reason she immediately forges a connection with Bill Compton, a 173-year-old vampire whom she meets at the bar where she works.

HBO has done genre programming before ("Tales From the Crypt," "Carnivale") with varying amounts of success, but opening the vampire coffin invites a completely different and highly enthusiastic kind of viewer. Among them, no doubt, will be fans of the Charlaine Harris novels upon which "True Blood" is based.

Said viewer may also expect a little more bite than the drama's first two hours offer in order to commit to a full 12-episode season, let alone pony up for an HBO subscription. Others who recall the fun and edge woven throughout executive producer Alan Ball's previous HBO series, "Six Feet Under," are likely to pine for a little more depth than "True Blood" initially provides. That is not to call it a failed effort; the story is interesting, and each episode's built-in cliffhanger has the potential to create more than a few addicts. So beware, and be patient. It takes a few hours for the plot's engine to heat up, but by the end of the fifth episode you may be smitten with "True Blood's" sanguinary sex appeal.

Premieres 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7

USA

The Starter Wife

Cast:

Debra Messing ... Molly Kagan

Judy Davis ... Joan McAllister

Chris Diamantopoulos ... Rodney

David Alan Basche ... Kenny Kagan

Danielle Nicolet ... Liz Marsh

Brielle Barbusca ... Jaden

Hart Bochner ... Zach

Photos (see all 21 | slideshow)	Videos (episode list)

Happily split from the jerk she once called a husband, Hollywood divorcee Molly Kagan is ready to move on with her life with the help of her old pals Joan and Rodney, and a new one, Liz. She may even find a little romance with someone who isn't homeless, or one of her husband's former partners. Among numerous guest stars schedule to appear are Alia Shawkat ("Arrested Development") playing a troubled girl Joan meets in rehab, and Joe Mantegna, reprising his role as Lou Manahan, Molly's friend and her ex-husband's business associate.

Premieres 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

Bravo

Top Design

Cast:

India Hicks ... Host

Todd Oldham ... Mentor

Jonathan Adler ... Judge

Margaret Russell ... Judge

Kelly Wearstler ... Judge

Photos (see all 1 | slideshow)	Videos (see all 60 | episode list)

In every failure there are lessons to be learned. Let's hope that's true in this case. A tweak here, and a nip there, brings us to a second season of "Top Design," this time shaped by Magical Elves, the production team behind "Top Chef" and "Project Runway." Fashion model India Hicks is the new host, while Todd Oldham shifts into a mentor role. Jonathan Adler, Elle Decor Editor in Chief Margaret Russell, and interior designer Kelly Wearstler return as series judges; let us hope the failed catchphrase "See ya later, decorator!" does not.

Premieres 10 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3