After the ball dropped in New York courtesy of Lady GaGa, 2012 officially began. And through the next few weeks, old favorites and new series will be premiering over the Winter 2012 television sweeps. Here is a preview of some returning shows and some more to look out for in the coming weeks:
The Bachelor (Monday, 8 p.m., ABC): Ben F., after being brutally rejected by Ashley Hebert in the last season of The Bachelorette, returns as the new Bachelor. The premiere of this season features 25 women in a limo professing their already-undying love for the man they don’t know. With horses, grandmas, Kentucky Derby hats, pompous models, emotionally-unstable bloggers and too much champagne, this season already looks to be yet another dramatic overhaul of the meaning of “love.” At least it’s better than Jersey Shore.
Pretty Little Liars (Monday, 8 p.m., ABC Family): “Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret,” says Sara Shepard (author of the Pretty Little Liars book series). The not-so-pretty Liars return for their mid-season premiere no longer sporting their trendy outfits but orange jumpsuits and claws as they fight each other picking up trash in a park. The plot and character acting steadily improves each season, as do suspicions regarding “A”‘s identity. This epic series return ends with an encounter where the girls are mere inches from “A”‘s face, but will they finally find out who “A” is? Tune in to catch up on the juicy drama.
Modern Family (Wednesday, 9 p.m., ABC): A fan-favorite show from its hilarious beginning, the Dunphy family returns with an oddly solemn structure for its first episode of the new year. When the family misses the doctor’s call on Saturday (and Phil runs out of his life-time supply of razors), Phil fears for his life and tries to spend time with his family before his supposed demise. Jay encounters some fatherly competition when Manny’s biological father comes back and takes the boys to a horse race. Tension builds as Mitchell wins an award, so Cam feels the need to share his trophies, too. Our family away from home, the Dunphys prove they will always be here to provide laughs, love and lots of good television.
Revenge (Wednesdays, 10 p.m., ABC): The riveting new soap-opera style drama returns with a bang as Daniel’s old college friend, Tyler, starts to mentally unravel in his elaborate blackmailing of the Graysons. The episode revolves around Daniel’s birthday, as Tyler crashes the party with a gun, threatening to shoot those who don’t tell the truth. As Amanda pretends to be Emily Thorne while sitting a few seats away from the real Emily Thorne, who is parading as Amanda Clark, confusion and tension are brought to the surface. While not much plot progression may be made in the episode itself, the show begins to explore the Graysons’ fear of Amanda Clark’s return while the real Amanda Clark silently observes with a smile. One of the better-reviewed new shows of the season, Revenge is shaping up to be an enjoyable escape to the Hamptons week after week.
