Most Anticipated Returning Shows

One thing that our favorite returning series have in common: They're all a hard-working bunch. There are actors pulling double duty in doppelganger roles, old-timers celebrating milestones, and newbies even hawking clothing lines. Freshman series "Glee" may be the popular kid in the fall lineup of returning shows, but many favorites deserve magna cum laude status for celebrating 100th, even 200th, episodes. Welcome back the top 10 returning favorites, as ranked by searches on Yahoo!, and see what's new with these old friends. [Share this slideshow on Twitter]Friday, August, 27, 2010, 9:27 PM

Britney! Billy Joel! Too bad Liberace's not around! The glory of "Glee" returns to an adoring crowd, including some critics. After a single season, the show's pop culture effect is reaching what "American Idol" took years to accomplish: a waiting list of artists who want to be gleeked (including the aforementioned Spears and Joel), successful live shows, Emmy nominations galore, and even a clothing line. As for what to expect in the coming weeks, look for a quarterback boyfriend for Kurt, a boyfriend for Emma (but maybe not for long), a mom for Sue (Carol Burnett?), and more stories with fewer musical numbers. Bring it on: Ladies (who make up 71% of "Glee"-related searches) are looking forward to going back to school. (Returns September 21 on Fox) [Share this slideshow on Twitter]FOX/Patrick Ecclesine - Friday, August, 27, 2010, 9:27 PM

They may be dysfunctional — what with a stone-cold toddler and an alcoholic canine — but the "Family Guy" crew is among the most dependable on TV these days. The twisted animated sitcom, which made Sarah Palin popping mad over a character with Down Syndrome, celebrates 150 episodes somewhere along its ninth season. James Woods leads the guest star parade in the season premiere, and later come the likes of Charlie Sheen, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Anne Hathaway, Jason Mraz, and a duo cameo of Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase as themselves. (Well, their cartoon selves.) Approaching the milestone won't tone down the show's penchant for outrageousness, which still pulls in a mostly male under-18 crowd. Besides, whatever episodes aren't safe for primetime eventually end up on DVD. (Returns September 26 on Fox) [Share this slideshow on Twitter]FOX - Friday, August, 27, 2010, 9:27 PM

Strictly speaking, "South Park" is more than midway through its 14th season, but like every year the show interrupts for a summer break. So far this year the kids have already skewered Tiger Woods, been diagnosed with sex addiction, staged an intervention, been hit with a class-action lawsuit by humiliated celebrities (beginning with Tom Cruise), and of course been censored over the prophet Mohammed. Whew. No wonder these boys don't have time to get to fifth grade. The Comedy Central show has been renewed through Season 15, so its shock value should be good for a while. (Returns October 6 on Fox) [Share this slideshow on Twitter]Comedy Central - Friday, August, 27, 2010, 9:27 PM

"Survivor: Nicaragua" marks the CBS show's 21st outing. At this point, the title has become just as much a description of its own existence than of competitor machinations. The destination du'season is San Juan del Sur. Nicaragua hopes for a tourism boost, but locals have been reportedly irked for losing access to their best beaches, as the reality show's tribes bicker. Speaking of which, age is this season's dividing factor for teams Espada and La Flor. Given the silver-haired interest in the show (searches on Yahoo! come mostly from the 35-64 age group), the rooting will probably be reserved for Espada's over-40 mates. As for the competitors: Most famous is Dallas Cowboys football coach Jimmy Johnson; most moving back story belongs to Kelly B., a female amputee and Ironman record-holder whose father recently died in Haiti while helping with Food for the Poor; and most "devious" has been claimed by Dan Lembo... who really only had to reveal himself as a real estate executive to get that honor. (Returns September 15 on CBS) [Share this slideshow on Twitter]CBS/Monty Brinton - Friday, August, 27, 2010, 9:27 PM

Things are getting awful personal on Season 8 of "NCIS" — and not always in a good way. Following last season's story thread, a cartel leader nursing a vengeance has Papa Gibbs ("The Waltons" alum Ralph Waite) in her cliffhanger clutches and the entire naval investigative team on her hit list. The more lingering mystery: Will star Mark Harmon, aka team leader Jethro Gibbs, renew his contact, due to expire at the season's end? Plus, he's not the only one: Cote de Pablo (as Ziva David) is also due for contract negotiations. The behind-the-scenes uncertainty could explain this season's nostalgic "origins" story arc, as episodes explore how certain characters joined th NCIS. (Returns September 21 on CBS) [Share this slideshow on Twitter]CBS/Art Streiber - Friday, August, 27, 2010, 9:27 PM

"The Vampire Diaries" has dubbed its sophomore season "The Year of the Kat," as in nasty vampire Katherine Pierce — back from the (19th-century) past to trouble vampire brothers Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) again. Pierce looks like an awful lot like high school innocent Elena Gilbert, currently embroiled in a 21st-century romantic triangle with those Salvatores. (Nina Dobrev plays both roles to get the uncanny resemblance... but does she get twice the combat pay?) Couldn't Kat could just be a fourth for those double dates? Alas, nothing's that easy in Mystic Falls, Virginia. Season 2 also picks up on the fates Gilbert's younger bro Jeremy (Steven McQueen) who overdosed on pills), Carolina Forbes (Candice Accola) in the hospital, and other town chaos. Incidentally, the book-inspired series has in turn inspired a prequel trilogy delving into that whole Stefan-Damon-Katherine affair — look for it in November. (Returns September 9 on The CW) [Share this slideshow on Twitter]The CW/Art Streiber - Friday, August, 27, 2010, 9:27 PM

Young Superman outlasted many other television superheroes, but "Smallville" now faces the end. That means...reunions! Escorting Clark Kent (Tom Welling) into TV history will be his Supergirl cousin (Laura Vandervoort), Isis (Erica Durance, who also plays Lois Lane), Lionel Luther (John Glover) from beyond, Brainiac 5 (James Marsters for a special episode 200), and good ol' dad (John Schneider). The last super-duper villains will be Canadians — well, Canadian actors will play the Darkseid henchmen, although no word yet who plays Darkseid himself. (May we suggest Michael Cera?) The only thing to make this farewell complete would be Kent's old-friend-turned-baddie Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum). (Returns September 24 on The CW) [Share this slideshow on Twitter]The CW/Frank Ockenfels - Friday, August, 27, 2010, 9:27 PM

Rants aside, an Emmy snub isn't going to make these bad boys behave in Season 3. "Sons of Anarchy" heads to Ireland to track a kidnapped Abel Teller, grandson of the motorcycle gang's late co-founder John Teller (voiced by Nicholas Guest). That means differences between club leader Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman) and stepson Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) will be put aside... for now. Meanwhile, motorcycle matriarch Gemma Teller Morrow (Katey Sagal), who has already gone through what no woman should, is still on the run to escape a false murder charge. Her father (Hal Holbrook) will be around — hopefully, that's a good thing. Other cast additions: lots of "Deadwood" alum and a Stephen King cameo. (Returns September 7 on FX) [Share this slideshow on Twitter]FX/Frank Ockenfels - Friday, August, 27, 2010, 9:27 PM

Things move fast in the netherworld. Season 7 just finished up, but the devil himself has handpicked the cooks to toss into the brimstone known as "Hell's Kitchen." Another show in its eigth season, the reality series hits its 100th episode in black-tie style, although most likely the diners will get to wear the tuxes and the cooks will keep their toques on. The grand prize: the head chef position in a Los Angeles Marriott hotel restaurant. (Returns September 22 on Fox) [Share this slideshow on Twitter]FOX/Brian Bowen Smith - Friday, August, 27, 2010, 9:27 PM

For its second season, "Community" brings out the big, fluffy white-haired guns. Betty White shows up right off the bat on the premiere as anthropology professor June Bauer — which, Entertainment Weekly suspects, may involve a "24" riff. Her guest-star stint might help tepid ratings, although the regular cast — which includes Joel McHale, Chevy Chase, Ken Jeong, and John Oliver — are no slouches either. NBC has tried to nurture the comedy with webisodes, a Facebook presence, and even car commercial "vignettes." Do community college students really drive an Infiniti QX 56? Returns September 23 on NBC) [Share this slideshow on Twitter]NBC/Mitchell Haaseth - Friday, August, 27, 2010, 9:27 PM