It's almost that time of the year again: that time when kids go back to school, stores start selling sweaters and scarves, leaves start falling off of trees and there's a chill in the air.
That's right, fall is almost here.
It's also that time of year when TV becomes interesting again. Even though most TV networks have embraced a summer season, fall is when TV pulls out all the stops and brings back its biggest shows and most anticipated new series.
This year is no different, and with all the old series returning and new series premiering, it's hard to keep up with it all.
Of course, you can check our handy fall TV premiere guide, but it's likely that there are shows you'd like to catch when they return, but fell behind on episodes at some point along the way.
That's OK, because we've put together a list of 10 of the most popular series returning to TV in the next few months and how and where you can catch up on them before their new seasons premiere.
Btw, if you want to catch up on any of these series and it isn't available on your favorite subscription service, you can always purchase individual episodes or full seasons on Amazon Instant Video or iTunes.
Episodes are also usually available on Google Play, Vudu and other similar services.
The Blacklist
Netflix: Season 1
Amazon Prime: Not available
Hulu: Season 2, Episodes 19-22
The Blacklist stars James Spader as a former U.S. Navy officer who becomes a high-profile criminal. After he turns himself in to the FBI, he offers the agency a list of the world's most dangerous criminals: in exchange, he doesn't get prosecuted for his own crimes. Of course, there's a catch: he will only work with a specific FBI profiler, Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone).
The Walking Dead
Netflix: Seasons 1-4
Amazon Prime: Not available
Hulu: Not available
Comic-book based series The Walking Dead remains one of the biggest genre TV shows on the air. Now going into its 6th season, the zombie survival horror series returns this fall to AMC, promising even more drama and adventure for Rick and company. With so many episodes under its belt, it might feel daunting to catch up on, but once the series sinks its teeth into you, you're hooked. This is where binge-watching on Netflix comes in handy, because that's the only place you'll find it.
The Flash
Netflix: Not available
Amazon Prime: Not available
Hulu: Season 1, Episodes 6-11
The Flash became a huge hit for The CW last year, now that superheroes are hotter than ever. The comic book-based series even crossed over with The CW's other comics-related series, Arrow, so you might want to catch up on those episodes, too. Unfortunately, though, The CW only allows the last five episodes to go up on Hulu, so if you missed the first part of season one, you're out of luck.
Doctor Who
Netflix: 8 Seasons (plus classic episodes)
Amazon Prime: Not available
Hulu: 8 Seasons (plus classic episodes)
Both Hulu and Netflix got the most recent season of Doctor Who recently, the one introducing us to new Doctor Peter Capaldi. However, if you really want to get caught up, you should probably start with the first season of New Who. For diehard fans, though, there are classic Who episodes available on both Netflix and Hulu, but make sure you have plenty of time: the series celebrates its 52nd anniversary this year.
Castle
Netflix: Not available
Amazon Prime: Not available
Hulu: Seasons 1-7
Castle is a crime drama that stars geek extraordinaire Nathan Fillion as a best-selling mystery author Rick Castle who works with an NYPD homicide detective (Stana Katick playing Kate Beckett) to solve unusual crimes in New York City. Of course, there's some romance between the two characters, too. It's not a genre show, but it still pulls in a lot of Firefly fans because of Fillion's involvement.
Empire
Netflix: Not available
Amazon Prime: Not available
Hulu: Season 1
Empire was the break-out hit of last year's fall season. The drama centers on a hip hop music and entertainment company owned by a family fighting over it and its profits. The show stars Terence Howard, who plays a former drug dealer who is now the mogul of the company, and Taraji P. Henson, who plays Cookie, his former wife and co-founder who is out of prison and wants back in the business.
Nashville
Netflix: Not available
Amazon Prime: Not available
Hulu: Seasons 1-3
Like Empire, Nashville centers around the music industry, but this time, it's all about country music. The show follows the lives of fictional country singers, including Rayna Jaymes (Connie Britton) and Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere). The series is popular among TV viewers, but is also a hit with critics.
Criminal Minds
Netflix: Seasons 1-9
Amazon Prime: Not available
Hulu: Not available
Criminal Minds is one of those police procedural shows that always remain popular on TV. This one takes place at the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico and focuses mostly on profiling criminal behavior, catching criminals that way, rather than through other means. Of course, the show also delves into the personal lives of its main characters.
Sleepy Hollow
Netflix: Not available
Amazon Prime: Not available
Hulu: Seasons 1-2
Sleepy Hollow was a breakout hit when it debuted a few years ago, one of the surprises of the 2013 fall season. The show did slip during its 2014-2015 season, but the later episodes made a lot of changes to get the series back on track for its premiere for this fall season. There's a lot to catch up on, but if you only have time to watch just one season, the first is always a sure bet.
Grimm
Netflix: Not available
Amazon Prime: Seasons 1-3
Hulu: Season 4, Episodes 17-22
Another supernatural drama – this one based on fairy tales – Grimm is also a hit with viewers and critics alike. Grimm combines the concept of police procedural with fantasy and mixes it all up to create a fantastical world inspired by Grimms' Fairy Tales.
Photo credit: NBC
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