Fall, a.k.a. prime TV-watching season, is finally here — so let the games begin. But before you sit down to spend some quality time with your favorite returning characters, ask yourself this: Are you sure you remember where things left off during the spring finales? We didn't think so.
So if you can't recall exactly who was in peril in May, or who was about to get married, or which secret agents were on the brink of a breakup, don't sweat it. We've got you covered. Our guide will clue you into who got coupled up, who broke things off, and who might have been killed with a baseball bat.
Don't be that person constantly asking your friends to pause the DVR to refresh your memory. Go back to your favorite shows totally prepared. It should go without saying, but just in case: Spoilers ahead!
Scream Queens
Season 2 premieres on September 20
Where We Left Off: Hester (Lea Michele), the second baby born to the sorority sister who died in childbirth during the pilot's flashback, was revealed to be the Red Devil. Dean Munsch (Jamie Lee Curtis) knows Hester is the murderer, but to keep her own sins under wraps, she lets the Chanels take the fall. Surprisingly, they actually handle being sentenced to a mental institution fairly well.
What's Happening This Season: In the follow-up to its freshman season, Ryan Murphy's series is sending the Chanels and company from higher education to a psych hospital. The second season will also feature a few notable new cast members, including John Stamos as Dr. Brock Holt and Taylor Lautner as Dr. Cassidy Cascade.
New Girl
Season 6 premieres September 20
Where We Left Off: Cece (Hannah Simone) and Schmidt (Max Greenfield) planned then replanned their wedding before finally holding multiple ceremonies. Nick (Jake Johnson) is following Regan (Megan Fox) to New Orleans (very conveniently for about the length of a summer break, so he'll likely be back with an affection for jazz by the season premiere). Aly (Nasim Pedrad) and Winston (Lamorne Morris) finally got together. Jess (Zooey Deschanel) broke up with Sam (again) and realized she's totally in love with Nick (also again).
What's Happening This Season: Cece and Schmidt are settling into domestic bliss. Will they start a family? Will they start a lifestyle brand? And anything is possible as Jess deals with the realization that she and Nick are endgame.
Grey's Anatomy
Season 13 premieres September 21
Where We Left Off: Last season on Grey's Anatomy, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) got beaten up by a patient (but she's okay!). Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) fell off the wagon but got back up again. April (Sarah Drew) and Jackson (Jesse Williams) were enemies then frenemies, and are now besties who are low-key in love (with a baby!). Chief Bailey (Chandra Wilson) came down hard on her husband after a patient died, but they made up in the season finale (successful emergency C-sections often lead to reconciliation).
What's Happening This Season: What's causing tension going into season 13? Amelia and Owen (Kevin McKidd) are married, but there are a million factors (her drug addiction, his PTSD, the fact that he and Cristina are destined to be together) that could get in the way of their union. Meredith hooked up with Owen's angsty ex-friend, but while they were making sex-eyes at each other, Maggie admitted she has a crush on him. Sister drama, for sure.
Blackish
Season 3 premieres September 21
Where We Left Off: Blackish is getting a new baby! Bow (Tracee Ellis Ross) is pregnant, and Dre (Anthony Anderson) is worried he might get laid off from his job.
What's Happening This Season: Sitcom pregnancy hijinks will most definitely ensue, the whole Johnson family will head to Disney World, and Daveed Diggs (of Hamilton fame) will appear in multiple episodes.
Empire
Season 3 premieres September 21
Where We Left off: Jamal (Jussie Smollett) got shot, but he's (mostly) fine. Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray) got left at the altar, and he's sort of fine. But the season's major cliffhanger is the fate of a very pregnant Anika (Grace Gealey) and a vengeful Rhonda (Kaitlin Doubleday), who were last seen fighting on top of a tall building.
What's Happening This Season: Judging by all the uninterrupted flirting between Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) and Lucious (Terrence Howard), plus some brotherly bonding, it looks like the Lyons might be focusing on outside threats this season. They have plenty of enemies beyond the family, and it could be fascinating to see just how scary the dynasty can be when they're all totally united.
How to Get Away With Murder
Season 3 premieres September 22
Where We Left Off: Wes (Alfred Enoch) had a reunion with his dad, which was unfortunately interrupted by his father getting shot in the head. Wonderful Oliver (Conrad Ricamora) proved he can be underhanded too, when he hid Connor's (Jack Falahee) Stanford acceptance letter from him. Frank (Charlie Weber) might be gone for good (or maybe not because, honestly, nothing on this show ends that simply).
What's Happening This Season: The law students are now real, practicing lawyers. But the school is decorated with Annalise "killer" posters, forcing us to ask the question: Will the gang be getting hauled off to prison (where they might finally get the rest they really, really need)?
Transparent
Season 3 premieres on September 23
Where We Left Off: Sarah (Amy Landecker) and Tammy (Melora Hardin) got married and broke up, while Josh (Jay Duplass) and Raquel (Kathryn Hahn) broke up after they sadly lost their baby. Maura (Jeffrey Tambor) and Shelly (Judith Light) briefly got back together before breaking up again. By the finale, Maura was starting a relationship with Vicki (Anjelica Huston), and Shelly was with Buzz (Richard Masur). Ali has also started a relationship with Leslie (Cherry Jones).
What's Happening This Season: Most of the Pfeffermans are in semi-stable romantic relationships, which probably won't last long. The trailer reveals that Maura will pursue at least one operation. Shelly will start to talk publicly about Maura's transition and the impact it has had on the family, and while Sarah seems to be reconnecting with her husband, Ali's relationship with Leslie might be dissolving.
Once Upon a Time
Season 6 premieres September 25
Where We Left Off: After the magical citizens of Storybrooke took a road trip to NYC, everything seemed pretty chill between Regina (Lana Parrilla) and Emma (Jennifer Morrison), Regina and Henry (Jared Gilmore), and even between Regina and Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin). So chill, in fact, that Regina felt confident taking a serum that split the nice, business-casual part of herself from the purely wicked Evil Queen — then killing her dark side. But in a true surprise moment, the Evil Queen lives.
What's Happening This Season: Characters from Aladdin will be coming to the OUAT world, Regina and the Evil Queen will continue to battle things out. Hook and Emma 'shippers can continue to, at the very least, be hopeful.
Younger
Season 3 premieres September 28
Where We Left Off: Awful cheater Thad (Dan Amboyer) was crushed in the kind of freak accident that keeps New Yorkers up at night. But he has a secret twin (and apparently uninventive parents?) named Chad. Charles (Peter Hermann) and Liza (Sutton Foster) kissed, but Josh (Nico Tortorella) wants to get back together.
What's Happening This Season: The love triangle continues. Liza's secret might be exposed (or it might not). Liza keeps misunderstanding "youth culture" references that someone in their 60s would get just from being alive.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Season 2 premieres October 21
Where We Left Off: Rebecca (Rachel Bloom) had been sleeping with Greg (Santino Fontana), Josh's (Vincent Rodriguez III) bestie. But when Josh's girlfriend finally realizes he doesn't really want to put a ring on it, Josh and Rachel seem ready to give their relationship another try. Until she confesses she did move to the West Coast for him. Also: Greg confesses his love for Rachel, without her actually being present to hear it.
What's Happening This Season: With Josh finally clued into the title of the show, will he still give it a try with Rachel? Or will she give it a real shot with Greg, who kind of always suspected she moved for a high school ex, anyway?
The Walking Dead
Season 7 premieres October 23
Where We Left Off: Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) beat someone to death with a very scary baseball bat.
What's Happening This Season: Someone is dead! Also, there's a tiger.
The Affair
Season 3 premieres November 20
Where We Left Off: The mystery of who killed Scott was finally solved in the season finale: Helen (Maura Tierney) was driving the car but Allison (Ruth Wilson) pushed him into the road. Possibly more shocking than both those reveals? Noah (Dominic West) is taking the fall.
What's Happening This Season: Maura seems adamant that she's not letting Noah go to jail. If she finds out the truth about Allison's hand in Scott's death, will she throw her under the bus?
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Watch The Stranger Things Kids Perform "Uptown Funk" At The Emmys
Rob & Chyna Episode 2 Recap: "Rob-ing The Cradle"
How 4 Different Guys Ended Up Quoting Jay Z In Their Emmys Acceptance Speeches