Winter TV Spoiler-Palooza! Your Scoop-Filled Guide To 31 Returning Favorites

The Americans

THE AMERICANS PREVIOUSLY ON... | 
Philip moved back home, Paige started connecting the dots about her parents' extracurricular activities, Nina played Stan (officially joining the double agent ranks), Claudia was on the verge of being reassigned, and Elizabeth was (seriously but not fatally) shot. COMING UP NEXT | Whereas the first season focused on Philip and Elizabeth's marriage, Season 2 will concentrate on "the family as a whole," previews exec producer Joel Fields, with Paige's continuing suspicions driving much of that narrative. Elsewhere, despite her commitment to CBS' The Millers, Margo Martindale will be back as "Handler" Claudia for several episodes (fellow EP Joe Weisberg calls her return "emotional" and "surprising"); Philip's "crazy and dangerous" faux marriage to Martha will continue to be explored; and Russian actor Costa Ronin joins the cast as a young KGB officer with "a talent for technology," teases Fields. RETURN DATE | Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 10/9c (FX)

Arrow

ARROW PREVIOUSLY ON... | Brother Blood aka alderman Sebastian Blood started using the Mirakuru serum to create a super-powered army -- and injected Roy as his next test subject. Backing Blood, it was revealed, is Slade Wilson, who has his (one) eye set on revenge against Oliver. Barry Allen paid Starling City a visit, charmed Felicity and, once back home in Central City, got zapped when STAR Labs' particle accelerator went haywire. COMING UP NEXT | "We're coming back [from the holidays] with a bang," showrunner Andrew Kreisberg promises. As Arrow obsessively hunts the man in the skull mask, "We'll be seeing Slade and his machinations to bring about Oliver's downfall." As for the frenemy's end game, "Slade has a very specific goal in the back half of the season, and I think people will be surprised to discover both what it is and what it means to Oliver." The coming run will also bring back Amanda Waller, serve up another Diggle-centric episode and solve this Season 2 mystery: What up with Laurel?! "These next four episodes are a big Laurel chapter," says Kreisberg. "We'll see her drug use come back to bite her, and she hits rock bottom." In turn, "Katie Cassidy is delivering the most amazing performances" -- including in pre-island flashbacks from Miss Lance's POV. And what of the other lady in Ollie's life? In managing Felicity and Oliver's attraction, "We just do what we feel is right," Kreisberg says, "and up until this point we’ve been lucky that most of the audience has agreed with our choices…. Our lead has chemistry with multiple actresses. It’s nothing we’re going to be upset about." RETURN DATE | Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 8/7c (The CW)

The Big Bang Theory

THE BIG BANG THEORY PREVIOUSLY ON... | The gang developed a newfound appreciation for Sheldon when they imagined a world without him in it. Amy, meanwhile, learned that Sheldon updated his screensaver rotation with a photo of her (swoon), and Leonard still hadn't popped the question to Penny. COMING UP NEXT | The first two episodes back are big ones for Leonard and Penny, whose relationship reaches a turning point. And, believe it or not, there's an NCIS connection. "Penny gets a small part in NCIS and she learns at the viewing party -- in front of everyone -- that it got cut," previews exec producer Steve Molaro, who adds that the setback leaves her "devastated" and forces her to "reevaluate both her career and her relationship with Leonard." Elsewhere, Amy learns that she has a not-so-secret admirer in Burt (the returning Brian Posehn), and, as TVLine previously scooped, Josh Peck (Drake & Josh) will guest star as the owner of a local comic book store that competes with Stuart's shop. RETURN DATE | Thursday, Jan. 2 at 8/7c (CBS)

Bones

BONES PREVIOUSLY ON... | 
Booth and Brennan settled into married life, Booth and Angela buried the hatchet and Cam's identity thief turned out to be her old college roommate Haley. COMING UP NEXT | The successor to Pelant's throne of terror, The Ghost Killer, will be introduced in the first episode back… sorta. As exec producer Stephen Nathan explains, the evildoer in question "will not necessarily be personified" in the Jan. 10 episode. "We will know that he or she -- most probably a she -- exists," the EP adds, "but this is a very ephemeral villain." Speaking of frightening new foes, Squintern Wendell "is greeted with a pretty shocking health concern" -- one that he will be dealing with "for the rest of the season," says Nathan. And on a somewhat lighter note, Booth and Brennan will find themselves navigating some of the "crazy little practical things" that newlyweds and parents face. "What happens if something happens to one or both of them?" Nathan muses. "What is their financial situation? Are they pooling their money? All of the practical things that confront couples will be confronting Booth and Brennan." RETURN DATE | Friday, Jan. 10 at 8/7c (Fox)

Castle

CASTLE PREVIOUSLY ON... | Betrothed Rick and Kate began brushing up against such topics as wedding themes (outer space?), honeymoon destinations (Middle Earth?) and babies, while on the professional front they fretted that the 3XK killer (or his groupie) is coming after them. COMING UP NEXT | In the coming run of winter episodes, Ryan and Jenny welcome their baby, Castle's spy daddy (played by James Brolin) resurfaces, a case involving a Miley Cyrus-like starlet mirrors Beckett's own brush with "fame" (as a popular author's fiancée) and a wedding dress gets eyeballed, in an episode that revisits Kate's brief turn as a fashion model. Lastly, a case revolving around prep school "mean girls" conspicuously also features a real estate agent – is Beckett -- unloading her place, or are she and Rick shopping for a new one? RETURN DATE | Monday, Jan. 6 at 8/7c (ABC)

Community

COMMUNITY PREVIOUSLY ON... | In Dan Harmon-less fashion, Jeff Winger graduated and vowed to use his law degree to help the little guy. Pierce received a diploma, as well. COMING UP NEXT | With Community's fearless leader back at the helm, the cult comedy is gearing up for a "repilot" of sorts. "What’s really cool is that there’s a bunch of new information that happened while we’re away that now informs the characters that didn’t before," Joel McHale tells TVLine. "When you can come in with this brand new backstory that wasn’t there before, it’s really great." Some examples of a fresh start at Greendale: Jeff finds reason to return to the school, Chang and Duncan get back in the education business and Breaking Bad fave Jonathan Banks joins the mix, too. Abed, meanwhile, will be nursing a broken heart when Donald Glover and his beloved alter ego Troy exit the series after the first five episodes (more on that here).RETURN DATE | Thursday, Jan. 2 at 10/9c (NBC)

Cougar Town

COUGAR TOWN PREVIOUSLY ON... | Grayson, having moved in with Jules at the start of Season 4, finally sold his house to an elderly couple. The Cul de Sac Crew took a vacation to Los Angeles -- and set up a magical date with Tippi Hedren for Jules' ailing father Chick. After multiple near-misses, Laurie and Travis shared their first kiss. COMING UP NEXT | Laurie and Travis' relationship will ignite -- emotionally and physically -- and the heat might prove to be more than Jules can handle. The launch of Buccaneer Week in Gulf Haven will prove to be a major test of Andy's mayorship -- especially after Bobby encounters a killer jellyfish and Ellie's alter ego Chellie (aka "Charming Ellie") is called upon to rub elbows with some snobby socialites. And the gang discovers Tom has built a detailed model of the entire neighborhood in his garage -- complete with painstakingly accurate models of its residents. RETURN DATE |Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 10/9c (TBS)

Dallas

DALLAS PREVIOUSLY ON... | John Ross eloped with Pamela, thus giving him a third of Barnes Global, while Christopher, upon confirming that his mother is in fact dead, claimed his birthright: the other two-thirds. Elena, having learned that J.R. years ago cheated her family out of oil-rich land, left Christopher and sought out a powerful friend. And J.R. executed his "masterpiece": Knowing that he was dying of cancer, he had Bum kill him and frame Cliff Barnes for the deed. COMING UP NEXT | With Season 3 split into spring and summer halves, showrunner Cynthia Cidre describes the opening salvo as "an eight-hour miniseries." And though no one person could ever fill the shoes of Larry Hagman or J.R., Dallas is hoping a team effort can come close. "We have embraced bad this season, more so than I think in Season 1 or 2," says Cidre, who hopes to develop one "J.R.," John Ross, into "a more layered version" of his father, while amplifying the antics of another "J.R.," Judith Ryland. ("Judith Light loves being wicked and devious!") On the romantic front, John Ross is wed to Pamela but still canoodling with Emma, Christopher will rebound from Elena with "a no-nonsense ranch hand" played by 90210's AnnaLynne McCord, and at least two ladies will be drawn to the enigmatic hunk Elena sought out, corporate raider Nicholas Trevino (played by Argentinian actor Juan Pablo Di Pace). "This guy’s perfect," Cidre raves, citing Di Pace's blend of ruthlessness and European sophistication. And lest we forget Sue Ellen's return to drink, Cidre warns: "She is going to go off the wagon bad before it gets better." RETURN DATE | Monday, Feb. 24 at 9/8c (TNT)

Downton Abbey

DOWNTON ABBEY PREVIOUSLY ON... | It was the crash heard around the world as Matthew Crawley met his untimely, bloody end shortly after the birth of his son. In it-sucks-for-you-but-nearly-as-much-as-it-does-for-Mary developments, housemaid Edna got the boot after kissing Branson and James squashed Thomas' affections (though they agreed to be friends). COMING UP NEXT | A grieving Mary “reverts back” to “that colder side of her,” says star Michelle Dockery. Helping to pull her out of that funk is fellow widower Tom. “They have to work together closely with the running of the estate, so they become good friends.” Just don't expect romance between the kindred souls. “He becomes very much a member of the family…. like a brother,” insists the actress. Plus, there's plenty of other men to occupy Lady Mary's time, including old family friend Gillingham (played by Tom Cullen), fresh face Blake (Julian Ovenden) and the return of Evelyn Napier (Brendan Patricks). Meanwhile, a “very different” and “active” season is in store for unlucky-in-love Edith, teases exec producer Gareth Neame, while Thomas gets a “shake-up” and Isobel struggles to find a purpose now that her son is gone. RETURN DATE | Sunday, Jan. 5 at 9/8c (PBS)

Glee

GLEE PREVIOUSLY ON... | Rachel continued rehearsals for Funny Girl while also finding time to join Kurt's band Pamela Lansbury -- alongside Santana, her girlfriend Dani and new recruit Elliott/Starchild -- which booked a second gig after a poorly attended debut. Ms. Berry also struck up a flirtation with Sam (!) when the McKinley senior visited NYC to explore a career as a male model. Back in Ohio, Sue shored up her spot as permanent principal at McKinley, New Directions prepared for Nationals, and Marley put the kibosh on reigniting her romance with repentant cheater Jake. COMING UP NEXT | Aside from a return to Tuesday nights... expect to see New Directions face tough competition at Nationals from Throat Explosion -- and its star performer Jean-Baptiste (played by Pitch Perfect's Skylar Astin). Jayma Mays' Emma will crop up in Episode 10 for a juicy "Wemma" arc that will mark her "penultimate" appearance on the show. Back in NYC, look for a Kurt-Elliott duet that involves pole dancing and a rumored Rachel-Elliott collaboration on Heart's "Barracuda." Meanwhile, the show's milestone 100th episode -- set for March 18 -- will include appearances by fan favorites including Dianna Agron, Heather Morris Mark Salling, Amber Riley, Harry Shum and Kristin Chenoweth. RETURN DATE | Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 8/7c (TBS)

The Good Wife

THE GOOD WIFE PREVIOUSLY ON... | 
Will worked through (and perhaps past?) his anger towards Alicia in a crowded courtroom, Kalinda bedded a badass cop (played by Jordana Spiro), and Marilyn announced in front of a stunned Eli that she's naming her unborn son... Peter! COMING UP NEXT | The first episode back picks up seconds after Eli's epic spit-take. Peter isn't really the father of her child, right? As exec producer Robert King recently told TVLine, "Eli’s going to look at the dates and see if it makes sense." Elsewhere, Cary will get a new love interest (whose name may or may not be Robyn) and Alicia will make a new friend (who will be played by Matthew Goode). RETURN DATE | Sunday, Jan. 5 at 9/8c (CBS)

Grimm

GRIMM PREVIOUSLY ON... | Nick's heightened senses seemed to help him be a better Grimm, but what's up with his tendency to imitate a corpse every once in a while? Capt. Renard traveled to Austria to join the burgeoning anti-Royals movement. Adalind, also in Austria, was summoned to meet Eric Renard's replacement, a cousin named Viktor who knows about the (monstrous?) child she's carrying. COMING UP NEXT | The situation in Europe will evolve, show creators David Greenwalt and James Kouf tell TVLine -- and Adalind "is the emphasis for the change," Greenwalt says. Something else won't be the same: The gang back in Portland will find out about the Hexenbiest's impending blessed event, "and all these various factions and de-factions -- if that's a word -- will come together," Greenwalt says. "It's going to cause a heck of a lot of turmoil for Nick's life" -- and by the end of the season storylines will cross, creating a "big mess." Moving to a completely different sort of mess, the series creators hint that the approach of Rosalee and Monroe's long-heralded wedding means we're going to meet both of their families -- and that there'll be hard feelings all the way around. "We have some real issues coming up with Monroe and his family," Kouf says, but Rosalee's home situation isn't all sweetness and light, either. "She does have a sordid past, and there are some deep wounds on both sides of that very fence," Greenwalt notes. Also: In a Wu-centric hour, we'll see the sarcastic sergeant "undergo an amazing change," Greenwalt promises. RETURN DATE | Friday, Jan. 3 at 9/8c (NBC)

How I Met Your Mother

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER PREVIOUSLY ON... | The Mother met Lily, Barney (long before the wedding weekend!) and Marshall, who finally made it the Farhampton Inn. COMING UP NEXT | The next slap is coming very soon, and star Jason Segel offers this cryptic tease: “Hillary Clinton.” Another momentous occasion will occur in late January when the show airs its 200th episode, “How Your Mother Met Me.” (In case you couldn't tell, it will be very heavy on The Mother.) Back at the wedding, “It’s a bruising weekend for everybody,” says executive producer Carter Bays. “A lot goes down. But [Ted is] going to meet [The Mother] at exactly the right time in his life.” But what about the future Mrs. Mosby's first encounter with his ex, Robin? “It happens late in the season, and there's definite significance,” EP Craig Thomas teases. “It's a very important moment when they run into each other.” Also on tap as the series wraps up its run: The Mother gets a name, Ashley Williams returns and Marshall and Lily's story takes on some twists.RETURN DATE | Monday, Jan. 13 at 8/7c (CBS); hour-long series finale airs March 31

Justified

JUSTIFIED PREVIOUSLY ON... | 
Ava was prison-bound for the murder of Delroy, Nicky Augustine's reign of terror came to an end in a hail of bullets, and Winona's was still with child. COMING UP NEXT | Season 5 will introduce us to Dewey Crowe's extended crime family, and his brood is every bit as dysfunctional and deplorable as the Bennetts of Season 2. But there's one major difference between the two crazy clans: Whereas Mags' bloodline "had a history in the region," Dewey's Florida-based kin (led by Michael Rapaport's ruthless Dale) "are an invasive species," notes exec producer Graham Yost. An unhinged-as-ever Boyd, meanwhile, is doing "everything he can to get Ava out of jail," a pursuit that "forms the story for the first five episodes" and beyond, notes Yost, who promises that Ava's struggle behind bars will be less Orange is the New Black and more, well, Justified (translation: expect a healthy dose of jailhouse savagery). And there's big news for Raylan on the personal front. Not only does he meet a special new lady (an insightful, shrewd social worker played by Amy Smart), but he's finally a father. Yep, when the new season picks up, Winona will have already given birth to a healthy baby [spoiler]. But don't expect a reunion between mom and dad to follow, partly because Natalie Zea has other commitments (including Fox's The Following) and partly because, as Yost points out, "They know being together is just too hard." RETURN DATE | Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 10/9c (FX)

Nashville

NASHVILLE PREVIOUSLY ON... | Rayna put everything on the line to liberate her music and her fledgling label from Edgehill Records. Deacon mulled the idea of becoming a front man. Juliette nearly confessed her love to Avery. Scarlett, smarting from Gunnar and Zoey's new relationship, doubted her future as a country artist. Thinking Teddy was responsible for his imprisonment, Lamar put out a hit that inadvertently felled Peggy. Self-loathing over being gay drove Will to put himself in front of an oncoming train. COMING UP NEXT | The fall finale's cliffhanger -- Is Peggy or Will bound for the Grand Ole Opry in the sky? -- will be resolved ASAP. If Pegs is the casualty, showrunner Dee Johnson tells TVLine, the development "will absolutely have an impact" on Rayna's relationship with her ex. Fortunately, Ms. Jaymes will have work to keep her busy… and possibly Deacon as a Highway 65 artist? "How can you not have that floating around our universe?" Johnson says, laughing. "You can imagine that would be fraught with problems, if we went down that road." The younger set will have no less drama, starting with Scarlett's inability to get past Zoey and Gunnar's sneaking around. Meanwhile, Juliette's feelings for Avery aren't going to fade just because Scarlett wandered into her doorway confession. "Those guys have something coming up, I'll just say that," notes Johnson. And hey, remember the suggestion that Lamar was involved in his wife's death? "You can't introduce something like that in Episode 1 [of the season] and not" have it come up again, Johnson teases. RETURN DATE | Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 10/9c (ABC)

NCIS

NCIS PREVIOUSLY ON... | When terrorist group leader Benham Parsa began targeting members of Gibbs' team, Ziva used the opportunity to leave NCIS -- and Tony -- and move forward in her life. She was shortly thereafter replaced by NSA analyst Ellie Bishop. COMING UP NEXT | "The Parsa story is going to come back in a big way" when Season 11 resumes on Jan. 7, showrunner Gary Glasberg says. "That episode is going to come out of the gate hot" and set in motion "a roller coaster ride for a good portion of the winter." Susannah Thompson reprises her role as Hollis Mann in that episode ("Her and Mark Harmon's moments together are terrific,” Glasberg effuses), while Wendy McKenna's Dr. Cranston shows up a week later, to help the team cope with a crisis. Also on the horizon is Episode 250, which among other things features the return of DiNozzo's dad (played by Robert Wagner) -- though he's not alone this time, but with a lady on his arm. The result, says Glasberg, is "lots of questions and uncomfortable moments" for son Tony, a combo of "angst and lightness and fun." RETURN DATE | Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 8/7c (CBS)

NCIS: LA

NCIS: LOS ANGELES PREVIOUSLY ON... | Hetty shook up the team by sending Kensi off with Granger on a top-secret mission in Afghanistan, thus (somewhat) disrupting the growing closeness between Deeks and his partner. COMING UP NEXT | Kensi's assignment "came at the very, very worst possible time for her and Deeks," show boss Shane Brennan acknowledges. "But it's been a lot of fun, and we've really enjoyed doing it" – which is in essence found gold, seeing as Season 5 wasn’t headed that way until it needed to set up Daniela Ruah's maternity leave. And while Brennan long ago ruled out writing in that pregnancy, "Densi" nonetheless is on track to experience a shock "that turns everything on its head … and impacts them in a very, very, very big way." Until then and elsewhere, viewers can count on "a lot of fun episodes" that play off the classic Callen/Sam chemistry, an episode where Deeks goes undercover as a "fabulous" interior decorator named Sven and a February sweeps outing guest-starring Danny Trejo (Machete) as a man from Hetty's past. And while Nell will continue to find herself "out and about" with field assignments, Eric's "past life pays a call on him" on or around Episode 17. RETURN DATE | Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 9/8c (CBS)

Once Upon a Time

ONCE UPON A TIME PREVIOUSLY ON... | After Rumplestiltskin gave his life to vanquish Peter Pan/his father Malcolm, Regina managed to stop Pan's curse, but it came with a price: Everyone not from this realm was sent back to from whence they came, leaving Emma (immune to the curse, as Savior) and Henry to have a life together in New York City, albeit sapped of their Storybrooke/adoption memories. But one year later, an anxious Captain Hook came knocking…. COMING UP NEXT | Spoilers are scarce at this time, given the extra-long hiatus. But as indicated by the fall finale -- which split the narrative between two realms and skipped over a year -- what lies ahead is "a compelling new mode of storytelling… an exciting new variation on things we've done before," series cocreator Adam Horowitz told us. And to keep things extra-interesting, cocreator Eddy Kitsis promised "a new villain that we are very excited about": The Wicked Witch, played by Lost's Rebecca Mader. Also known to be on tap for the second half: An Emma-centric midseason premiere, the ABC series' fresh spin on Rapunzel and Covert Affairs' Christopher Gorham in a secret role. As for Regina finally coming face-to-face with her true love, Robin Hood, Kitis urges fans, "Keep watching!" RETURN DATE | Sunday, March 9 at 8/7c (ABC)

The Originals

THE ORIGINALS PREVIOUSLY ON... | Klaus proposed that he and Marcel rule New Orleans together. Rebekah threatened Marcel with a deep, dark secret. Adding to the new kings' problems, Cami regained her memories, once again, and Davina became aware of Marcel's manipulations. COMING UP NEXT | “There may be someone besides Rebekah and Marcel who also has access to that secret,” warns executive producer Michael Narducci. “Part of that story will then be how Marcel and Rebekah, who are not exactly on the same page, figure out what they’re going to do to keep the secret from getting out?” Marcel and Klaus will find formidable opponents in super witch Davina and Cami, who form “an interesting little alliance.” Meanwhile, the discovery of the Original's wolfy bloodline will unspool a lot more story in the second half of the season. “We have just really scratched the surface of what the werewolf population means and what they will do,” teases Narducci. “We've got some new characters planned for the not-too-distant future.” In the romance department, being under the same roof again will put Elijah and Hayley in “a great place, emotionally, where you have these two people that secretly want the same thing but, on the surface, are a bit opposed.” RETURN DATE | Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 8/7c (The CW)

Parenthood

PARENTHOOD PREVIOUSLY ON... | Ryan ended things with Amber after deciding to re-enlist in the Army, while Julia neglected to tell Joel that she and her "friend" Ed had shared and passionate kiss. Elsewhere, Drew was delighted by the return of his ex, Amy; Kristina lost her bid for mayor; and Sarah hooked up with her hot neighbor, Carl. COMING UP NEXT | Kristina and Adam's post-election life will center on Max and his "struggle" in the latter half of the season. "This is a story that is so personal to [showrunner] Jason [Katims], so for him it was really important to show what it's like when a kid like Max starts to become aware that he's different," says executive producer Sarah Watson. "We're going to see Adam and Kristina grapple with how much they get involved and how much they stand back because he is getting older." Hank, too, will be by his buddy Max's side through it all. Also, expect to see "the aftermath" of Julia's secret smooch play out, Watson shares, adding: "Her feelings for Joel are strong; she's just confused and figuring out who she is right now." And did you hear that Matt Lauria's Ryan will be back in "spectacular" fashion? RETURN DATE | Thursday, Jan. 2 at 10/9c (NBC)

Person of Interest

PERSON OF INTEREST PREVIOUSLY ON... | Still reeling from Carter's death, Reese retreated to his father's bar in Colorado, where Fusco found him (for better or for worse). Finch and Shaw meanwhile met the mysterious Control (guest star Camryn Manheim), and in doing so discovered there may be a second Machine out there! COMING UP NEXT | As EP Jonah Nolan puts it, no less that "a clusterf—k of villains" will target Team Machine in Episode 12 -- including but not limited to Control and Vigilance. Describing the theme for the second half as "escalation," Nolan says, "As taxing, difficult and ultimately lethal as the battle [with HR] was, that was just the beginning of the challenges put in front of our heroes." Adds EP Greg Plageman: "We're going to see these various entities jockey for control of The Machine or at least something commensurate with it," triggering a situation "where Root starts to take matters into her own hands." And what about Reese? Did Fusco beat some sense into the Man in the Suit? Not quite. "The loss of Carter created a rift between our guys on Team Machine as well as disillusionment on Reese's part," Plageman notes. "Something much bigger has to happen if he's ever to come back into the fold." RETURN DATE | Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 10/9c (CBS)

Reign

REIGN PREVIOUSLY ON... | Mary and Francis had sex and declared their love and desire to marry... but then Mary learned that, per Nostradamus' prediction, her marriage to Francis would bring about the future king's death. A botched poisoning by the shadowy Clarissa wound up killing Aylee instead of Kenna, who was agitating for Diane's ouster from the castle. Scared by the death and hoping to save Francis' life, Mary runs away from the castle with Bash as her escort. COMING UP NEXT | After a small time jump, we'll pick up with Mary and Bash "on the lam," executive producer Brad Silberling says, pointing out that while they didn't run off romantically, "They know in the eyes of everybody else, it will appear that they have. It will appear that he's betrayed Francis and, essentially, she's done the same." Silberling allows that the pair are likely to return to court, where power-hungry Henry is going to keep pushing for a marriage (and a worried Mary will continue to stall). Enter Mary's mom (Private Practice alum and Silberling's wife, Amy Brenneman), who may (or may not) provide the emotional support her harried daughter needs. "There are going to be many opposing forces at work to see Mary, somehow, finally in a relationship through which she can kind of claim the throne of England," Silberling previews.RETURN DATE | Thursday, Jan. 23 at 9/8c (The CW)

Revenge

REVENGE PREVIOUSLY ON... | 
A drunken Daniel, armed with the knowledge that Emily faked her pregnancy in a ploy to get him to the proverbial church on time, shot his bride in the gut. Making matters worse for Em, Victoria has photographic evidence that she's not who she says she is. COMING UP NEXT | A wounded Em awakens in the hospital with a convenient case of amnesia. And she's not faking it, insisted exec producer Sunil Nayar in a recent interview. At least not at first. "She has at the moment lost her memory of all of it," he maintained. "We play with the amnesia idea in many different ways." Daniel, meanwhile, will "wrestle with the demons" that come with almost murdering your wife. "There’s a regret that will come from it initially, but then it will grow into a strength [and] a hardening," Nayar previewed. "Because the person he trusted the most has really upended the nature of that trust." And although Victoria still doesn't know Em is Amanda Clarke "she at least knows that this woman is not on the level and that some of her suspicions are actually correct, which gives Victoria a great engine going into the second half of the season. She now has the power in the relationship." RETURN DATE | Sunday, Jan. 5 at 9/8c (ABC)

Scandal

SCANDAL PREVIOUSLY ON... | Olivia helped her "dead" mother escape to Hong Kong, only to realize too late that Maya, and not her father, is the "monster." Cyrus helped Sally cover up her murder of husband Daniel, but David Rosen was presented with evidence that the VP had done a bad thing. As the fall finale drew to a close, Fitz placed Jake in charge of B6-13, Quinn retreated into Charlie's arms upon losing her "gladiator" status and Maya gave Olivia a call… from just outside the White House lawn! COMING UP NEXT | The truncated, eight-episode back half of Season 3 will focus more on Fitz's reelection campaign, which is bound to be complicated by loose threads. For one, EP Betsy Beers mused, "It’s going to be interesting to see how much the fat lady sung" when it comes to Daniel Douglas' "heart attack." Beers also forecast an "incredibly complicated combo plate of reactions" if Liv learns of Jake's role as Command and suggested that Quinn's gladiator status might not be officially revoked. Jon Tenney (The Closer) is booked for an arc as a rumored romantic interest for long-forsaken Mellie, while "Olitz"... does what Olitz does. "Fitz and Olivia are always intertwined in very odd and new ways," Beers notes. "I would expect that that’s something that will continue." RETURN DATE | Thursday, Feb. 27 at 10/9c (ABC)

Shameless

SHAMELESS PREVIOUSLY ON... | Unbeknownst to Fiona, Jimmy marched to his death. Lip got into college, while Ian enlisted in the army. Frank's drinking finally took its toll on his body. COMING UP NEXT | With Jimmy MIA, Fiona is moving on. “She's dating her boss [Mike] at the cup factory,” reveals stars Emmy Rossum. “She has, for the first time, a normal existence” -- complete with an income and health insurance! But of course, this is Fiona, who's addicted to chaos, so “she'll start to get antsy and begin to self-sabotage” herself with Mike's brother and by making “a huge mistake” that gets her arrested. As for the rest of the Gallagher brood, Frank desperately needs a liver -- his only match, Fi, denies him -- leaving the patriarch to drop a big family bomb. The kids, meanwhile, are growing up: Debbie gets some new “progressive” friends, Lips discovers he's not the smartest one in the room at college and Ian returns drastically changed. RETURN DATE | Sunday, Jan. 12 at 9/8c (Showtime)

Sherlock

SHERLOCK PREVIOUSLY ON... | Shortly after witnessing Moriarty's suicide, Sherlock jumped off the roof of St. Bartholomew's Hospital to his apparent death, only to reappear in the finale's closing moments very much alive and well. How'd he do it?!?!
 COMING UP NEXT | Season 3 picks up "exactly two years" after Sherlock's "passing," confirms series cocreator Steven Moffat, who was predictability tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding the sleuth's faux suicide and imminent resurrection (although he did cop to being "really pleased" with the resolution). Moffat, sadly, confirmed that Irene Adler (Lara Pulver) will not be featured in S3, although he doesn't rule out her return in Season 4. "It's not impossible because she's still alive and out there," he concedes. "Heaven knows what the status of her relationship with Sherlock is though — we don't know what happened that night after he saved her [in Season 2's "A Scandal in Belgravia."] On the bright side, Moffat assures us that the new season will feature "plenty of Molly," adding that everyone's favorite (Sherlock included) lab rat will be "as prominent as ever, if not slightly more." And in case you missed the bulletin, Danish actor Lars Mikkelsen will appear in the third of the three installments, titled "His Last Vow," as Sherlock's new nemesis, Charles Augustus Magnussen. Spoiler alert: Moriarty, he's not. Teases Moffat: "He's a different kind of villain." RETURN DATE | Sunday, January 19, 9:58/8:58c (PBS)

Sleepy Hollow

SLEEPY HOLLOW PREVIOUSLY ON... | Ichabod learned that Katrina birthed a son named Jeremy, whose supernatural powers threatened Katrina's coven so much the witches stopped his heart and buried him. Abbie found out that her ancestor assisted at Jeremy's birth. Some kind of malevolent being stalked Capt. Irving's daughter Macey. Moloch delivered a chilling message: He was going after Abbie's soul, and Ichabod would deliver it to him. COMING UP NEXT | "We've always said, the devil doesn't win by coming into your room and murdering you. The devil wins by turning neighbor against neighbor," co-creator Roberto Orci says of the show's final Season 1 episodes. Along those lines, "The fear that exists is Sleepy Hollow is finally coming to a climax, and the question is: Will the town destroy itself?" Looks like Abbie and Ichabod will be busy, especially when secrets about Crane's lineage and ancestors are revealed. Orci won't say exactly what will happen, but hints, "Everyone's going to end up in a really difficult place." Meanwhile, when we meet Ichabod's father (played by Alias alum Victor Garber), we'll be privy to "clues… that he never knew were clues back then. You'll see that there were already things going on back in the day that will inform [Ichabod's] present." It all leads up to the drama's Jan. 20 season finale, which Orci vows is a must-see. "You bet your butt that we're going to corner ourselves into something juicy. Let's see how we get out of it next year."RETURN DATE | Monday, Jan. 13 at 9/8c (Fox); double-episode season finale airs Jan. 20 at 8 pm.

Suburgatory

SUBURGATORY PREVIOUSLY ON... | Tessa and Dalia got into a nasty scuffle just as George and Dallas prepared to move in together -- leading to a painful breakup in which Dallas realized she might have been more invested in the relationship than her man. As Dalia sought solace with "Daddy Altman," a furious Tessa -- feeling neglected by her dad -- reunited with her estranged mom. Meanwhile, Ryan went off to college in Florida. COMING UP NEXT | If Season 2 was all about Tessa and George's assimilation into Chatswin life, then Season 3 is centered on their efforts to repair their damaged relationship and stay true to themselves, says series creator Emily Kapnek. "They almost feel like they survived a zombie attack," she adds. As for George and Dallas, an early episode will explore their first time bumping into one another post-breakup. "It's at the dog park. George has his new dog, Dallas has Yakult. And the animals draw them into each other's orbits," Kapnek teases. Speaking of romantic complications, Ryan comes home from college in Episode 3 -- with a new girlfriend in tow. "The expectation for Tessa is that he'll bring home a blonde bimbo from Florida," explains Kapnek. "But post-Tessa, Ryan's tastes have changed -- and he's gravitated to someone who feels she's every bit Tessa's equal." Meanwhile, to help cope with Ryan's absence, the Shays take in a foster child -- and Lisa finds herself in a "very confrontational" mode as she attempts to maintain her position in the family hierarchy. RETURN DATE | Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 8:30/7:30c (ABC)

Suits

SUITS PREVIOUSLY ON... | Louis discovered that Mike doesn't have a file at Harvard; Rachel made a deal with Jessica, allowing her to stay at the firm; and Harvey told Scottie he wants her in his life. COMING UP NEXT | What Louis didn't find will “bore a hole in [his] crazy mind,” previews executive producer Aaron Korsh. “As Louis pursues what is going on with Mike,” his investigation will have “ramifications on many different people.” In the season opener, Rachel and Mike take a step forward in their relationship, while Harvey and Jessica deal with the fact that he didn't get her OK before offering Scottie a job. As a result, they'll be forced to “figure out how are they going to run this firm together” when they disagree, Korsh explains, adding that their resolution “will have an impact on what their power structure is moving forward.” For Harvey, there's no taking back his offer of his heart to Scottie, either. For the first time in his life, the lawyer will be “navigating... what it means to be in a relationship, and he’s going to make some mistakes. And he’s going to have to learn from them,” says Korsh. RETURN DATE | Thursday, March 6 at 9/8c (USA Network)

Supernatural

SUPERNATURAL PREVIOUSLY ON... | Ezekiel was revealed to be the angel Gadreel -- and after making a deal with Metatron and taking over Sam's body full-time, he killed Kevin Tran. COMING UP NEXT | The tragic events of the fall finale will be “a crushing blow to Dean,” who makes it his mission to “do whatever it takes to track down Gadreel and eject him from Sam,” executive producer Jeremy Carver previews. That quest will lead the elder Winchester to make “less savory alliances.” Speaking of partnerships: Gadreel discovers that “getting Metatron's ultimate approval is probably going to be a harder journey than even what we've seen so far.” Elsewhere, Cas, with his grace intact, finds “himself in the angelic fray more than ever and at a point of decision he never considered a few short months ago,” teases Carver. “It's going to be a little of a be-careful-what-you-wish-for [situation].” Bonus: Look for the return of “a good handful” of “beloved” characters who come in “for all different reasons.” RETURN DATE | Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 9/8c (The CW)

The Vampire Diaries

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES PREVIOUSLY ON... | Damon broke up with Elena so he wouldn't change her, Katherine had a heart attack and the truth about Wes and Grayson Gilbert's experiments came out. COMING UP NEXT | The show hits the big 100 with surprises, tears, romance, nostalgic moments, juicy twists and maybe one or two familiar faces, executive producer Julie Plec previews. At the center is a dying Katherine, but she isn't exactly surrounded by well-wishers. “She doesn't have a huge fan base at the Salvatore house where she is, so Stefan is the person who's there for her,” says EP Caroline Dries. The milestone hour will also be a “huge” one for Damon and Elena as the action picks up right after their split. “[We] see how they're both handling it,” says Dries, adding that things between the pair are “still so tender. There's still so much that is unresolved about it.” Another couple, Bonnie and Jeremy, will “hit some speed bumps,” while Caroline “needs some lovin!” the EP notes with a laugh. And did we mention Klaus and another Originals character will visit Mystic Falls? RETURN DATE | Thursday, Jan. 23 at 8/7c (The CW)