(Photo: Courtesy of BBC America (Luther); Mitchell Haaseth/Courtesy of NBC (Community); Giovanni Rufino/Courtesy of the CW (Gossip Girl); Eric McCandless/Courtesy of ABC (No Ordinary Family); Chris Haston/Courtesy of NBC (Undercovers))

11. My Generation
Imagine the members of TheBreakfast Club participating in the reality show High School Reunion. That’s essentially this gimmicky drama’s premise, about a jock, a brain, a rich kid, et al., ten years after high school. It’s a love-it or loathe-it idea, but nerdy Kenny (Keir O’Donnell) is instantly TV’s most compelling 28-year-old virgin.
Debuts Sept. 23 on ABC.

12. 30 Rock
Six words: October’s live episode starring Tracy Morgan. Returns Sept. 23 on NBC.

13. Community
Eagerly awaited: Jeff and Annie’s developing romance—and the May–December cracks from Abed and Troy that will result.
Returns Sept. 23 on NBC.

14. Bored to Death
The lackadaisically hilarious comedy starring Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis, and the sublime Ted Danson perfected a genre we never even knew we were missing: the detective-novelist sitcom.
Returns Sept. 26 on HBO.

15. Eastbound & Down
In season two, former major-league pitcher Kenny Powers (Danny McBride)—Eastbound’s insufferable, so-funny-it-hurts star—finds himself in Mexico, playing for a mediocre club, hoping to find the fans he (and this show) deserves.
Returns Sept. 26 on HBO.

16. No Ordinary Family
A family develops superpowers in what amounts to a live-action version of The Incredibles. If nothing else, it brings Michael Chiklis (Detective Vic Mackey!) back to TV.
Debuts Sept. 28 on ABC.

17. The Good Wife
Will Alicia (Julianna Marguiles) stand by her husband (Chris Noth) or take up with her boss (Josh Charles)? That question, as well as meeting Alicia’s gay brother and a Kalinda love interest (of to-be-determined sexuality), will get answered, no doubt with the show’s usual smarts, wit, and elegance.
Returns Sept. 28 on CBS.

18. The Walking Dead
A drama about zombies from Frank Darabont. No one has seen it, but come on: zombies, the director of The Shawshank Redemption, from the network that brings you Mad Men and Breaking Bad—how awful could it be?
Debuts Oct. on AMC.

19. Luther
A riveting new drama starring The Wire’s Idris Elba answers the burning question: What if Stringer Bell were a British cop?
Debuts Oct. 17 on BBC America.

20. Untitled Conan O’Brien Project
Nearly ten months after his ignominious ouster from The Tonight Show, O’Brien sets out to prove Team Coco right.
Debuts Nov. 8 on TBS.

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PLUS

NEW
Sept. 8: Terriers, a dramedy about unlicensed PIs, starring Donal Logue (FX).
Sept. 21: Detroit 1-8-7, a gritty cop drama headed up by Michael Imperioli(ABC).
Sept. 22: The Whole Truth, with Maura Tierney as a New York D.A. (ABC).
Sept. 23: Outsourced, a comedy about a call center in India(NBC); $#*! My Dad Says, a sitcom based on a website and starring William Shatner (CBS).

RETURNING
Sept. 7: Sons of Anarchy (FX).
Sept. 9: The Vampire Diaries (CW).
Sept. 14:Parenthood (NBC).
Sept. 15: Survivor: Nicaragua (CBS).
Sept. 16: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX).
Sept. 20:Dancing With the Stars (ABC).
Sept. 23: Big Bang Theory (CBS).
Sept. 24:Supernatural (CW).
Sept. 26: The Amazing Race (CBS); Dexter (Showtime).

Related:

• Archive: “Guides”
• Table of Contents: Aug 30, 2010 issue of New York | Subscribe!