What's new for the fall TV season

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The new fall season is upon us. Here's what to watch on television in September TUESDAY, SEPT. 9

Fox's "Fringe" airs "remote-free"

The highly anticipated new J.J. Abrams drama is Fox's experiment in "remote-free TV," running with about half the usual number of ads per episode. That could please viewers and advertisers alike. If not, the network will shrug, confident that "American Idol" will still kick everybody's butt come January.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 13

"SNL" launches 34th season

With politics-minded "Saturday Night Live" bound to shine this year, the franchise has finally earned the honor NBC bestowed on "Deal or No Deal" and "The Office": overexploitation. Next month, a batch of spinoff "Thursday Night Live" specials will zero in on the election; bet on "SNL" alum Tina Fey returning to mimic her new doppelganger, GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 18

"Survivor" vs. "Hole in the Wall"

CBS' "Survivor" will be challenged by the Japanese-inspired "Hole," which could benefit from the success of ABC's similar "Wipeout." Expect critics who once trashed "Survivor" as the end of Western civilization to defend it against Fox's end-of-Eastern-civilization newbie.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 21

Emmy Awards prediction

A little basic cable network's period drama ("Mad Men") might teach the big boys a thing or two about getting academy attention. The next day, broadcasters will console themselves when Emmy ratings are about the same as a little basic cable network's period drama. (Oh, and nobody will believe it when Howie Mandel wins for best reality host.)

MONDAY, SEPT. 22

NBC's "Heroes" returns

This sci-fi hour is one of many returning shows whose previous season was derailed by the Hollywood writers strike. Now networks will get a sense of how much those eight months on the shelf really cost. Meanwhile, showrunners will blow their hard-fought new-media earnings on a bag of Skittles.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 24

CBS launches Wednesday comedy block

Introducing a new comedy called "Worst Week" during Premiere Week is not a good omen for CBS. But the network wants to open a second comedy block that includes "Gary Unmarried," a Jay Mohr vehicle originally called "Project Gary." Maybe "Worst Night" would be a better title given the odds for success.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 25

"Grey's Anatomy" is back

After Katherine Heigl withdrew herself from Emmy consideration because she was not "given the material to warrant" a nomination, speculation had it that the show's writers would get revenge on her character, Izzie, in this season's scripts. Showrunner Shonda Rhimes says there's no beef. But if Izzie trips in front of a steamroller, maybe they're miffed after all.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 26

McCain vs. Obama

The debate, from the University of Mississippi, will be the first time voters can watch the two presidential candidates spar. Usually such affairs are aired as a wearisome network obligation. But considering that Barack Obama's Democratic nomination acceptance speech drew 38 million viewers, the typically depressed Friday night ratings likely will get their biggest spike since the Beijing Olympics.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 28

Showtime shows off

Showtime is gunning for HBO, scheduling the returning seasons of "Dexter" and "Californication" up against its new vampire drama "True Blood" and "Entourage." Couldn't the pay network pick another night of the week besides Sunday? Showtime is like the guy who comes into an otherwise empty movie theater and sits right next to you.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter