Kids have dreaded September for time eternal, and with good reason. No one wants to kiss summer goodbye, particularly if it means going back to school. But a silver lining accompanies the cloud that is the end of summer freedom, and it comes in the form of television.

Though networks have tried in recent years to create a 12-month TV cycle – with varying success – September has retained its place as the best month for our favourite shows to return and new serials to debut.

To help navigate the increasingly muddled waters of the digital TV guide, Lifestyle has compiled our list of what to watch and when. Put your shorts in storage, welcome that favourite pair of sweatpants back into rotation and curl up on the couch. It’s TV time again.

Monday

Featured Favourite: How I Met Your Mother, 8 p.m., CBS

Though traditional, four-camera-and-laugh-track sitcoms seem like relics in the wake of shows like Scrubs and Arrested Development, HIMYM’s frequent use of flashbacks and spot-on pop culture references manage to keep both young viewers and seasoned sitcom audiences captivated. Look for star Neil Patrick Harris, this year’s Emmy host, to also take home some hardware for his turn as womanizer Barney Stinson.

One to try: Castle, 10 p.m., ABC

There’s just something likable about Nathan Fillion. Despite a fervent fan campaign online, he was passed up for the role of Green Lantern in the coming blockbuster (in favour of his former Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place  co-star Ryan Reynolds). Thus, Fillion returns to the small screen this fall as Richard Castle, a murder-mystery writer whose novels spawn a copycat killer. Castle then teams up with the attractive and predictably sassy detective assigned to the case, and the two set about stopping the killings. Though the premise is a bit predictable, Fillion’s congeniality can probably carry the show for at least a season.

Tuesday

Featured Favourite: Scrubs, 9 p.m., ABC

The first (and in our opinion, still best) show about medical interns graduates to a new setting this year. Gone (save for a few cameos) is former star Zach Braff’s J.D. character, in favour of former supporting cast members Donald Faison and John C. McGinley. The action shifts from the halls of Sacred Heart Hospital to the medical school classroom, as Faison’s Turk and McGinley’s Cox take up teaching roles. Though the new format feels forced, the previous (and supposedly final) season was the show’s strongest in years, and Faison and McGinley have been stealing scenes from Braff for at least four seasons.

One to try: NCIS Los Angeles, 9 p.m., CBS

Take CSI, add Mark Harmon and a military backdrop, you get NCIS. Now Take NCIS, add Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J, and you’ve got NCIS Los Angeles. With FOX and ABC both trotting out dancing shows this hour, pickings are slim. At least this procedural can carry you until Leno’s new show comes on at 10 p.m. over on NBC. Maybe he’ll have Nathan Fillion on!

Wednesday

Featured Favourite: The New Adventures of Old Christine, 8 p.m., CBS

Fox hauls out yet another dancing program tonight, while ABC offers Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton new chances to fail (Hank and The Middle, respectively). They could take a page out of Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ book, as she finally bested the so-called Seinfeld curse and picked up an Emmy in 2006 for work on Christine, but it’s unlikely. Stick with the proven winner while Grammer and Heaton continue to get their groove back in the wake of their last failed joint experiment, Back to You.

One to try: Parenthood, 9 p.m., NBC

This hour-long dramedy comes jam-packed with star power. Produced by Ron Howard (and based on his 1989 film of the same name), it features a bevy of TV veterans, including Craig T. Nelson, Peter Krause and Maura Tierney. Its premise, parents of various ages dealing with the challenges of raising kids in an era of text messages and IM-ing, is relatable enough, and the show should carry a wide enough appeal to last the season.

Thursday 

Featured Favourite: 30 Rock, 9:30 p.m., NBC

Perhaps a predictable choice given its slew of Emmy nods and the glut of accolades it’s already accumulated, 30 Rock continues to look like the jewel of an improved Thursday night comedy crown for NBC. Remember, this is the show that gave us the following exchange between Tracy Morgan’s wild comedian character and Alec Baldwin’s stuffy television executive.

Tracy: I’m gonna make you a mixed tape. You like Phil Collins?

Jack: I’ve got two ears and a heart, don’t I?

One to try: Flash Forward, 8 p.m., ABC

Following the Lost model, this sci-fi show comes loaded with premise and packed with promise, if it can deliver. Due to a mysterious global pandemic, every person in the world simultaneously blacks out for two minutes, during which time they catch a glimpse of their future six months down the line. What they see in their future, and how they get there from the present, will provide much of the show’s drama. Though we’re initially skeptical of such a high-concept show, ABC’s commitment to Lost demonstrates its willingness to let these things play out — if it can muster up a loyal enough audience.

Friday 

Featured Favourite: Smallville, 9 p.m., the CW

Friday is traditionally known as a TV graveyard, where networks ship shows they either expect or want to die. Why the CW has moved Smallville, one of its most highly rated shows of all time, to week’s end remains a mystery. New time slot aside, the man who will be super finally starts acting like it in this, the show’s ninth and possibly final season. Clark dons a super suit – no, not the suit, but he’s getting there. With rumours swirling about the fate of the next Superman big screen adaptation and when, if ever, we’ll see Tom Welling don the traditional suit and cape, this season could be as interesting for what happens off screen as on.

One to try: Southland, 9 p.m., NBC

Technically, this police procedural debuted last spring as a mid-season replacement that took over ER’s former time. The show, from former ER boss John Wells, was good enough to get a full season pickup and begins again in earnest this fall. Keep an eye out for former The O.C. heartthrob Benjamin McKenzie in a more adult turn, as a rookie cop with a tough beat on the mean streets of Los Angeles. McKenzie received rave reviews for his turn in 2008’s remake of Johnny Got His Gunand seems poised for stardom, but with little time to establish a following last spring, the show could have trouble staying afloat on Friday night.