American Horror House with Alessandra Torresani airs on Syfy tonight

American Horror House starring Morgan Fairchild and Alessandra Torresani premieres tonight at 9/8c on Syfy.

Synopsis:

On Halloween night a sorority house is overrun with ghosts while a vengeful housemother goes on a killing spree. The American Horror House Original Movie is directed by Darin Scott (Dark House) and stars Morgan Fairchild and Alessandra Torresani.

Entertainment Weekly says:

Continuing Syfy's schlock legacy, HORROR pits buxom sorority pledges against an evil housemother (Morgan Fairchild) who's harvesting the souls of unfortunate visitors. The gore, acting, and screenplay are decidedly camp — which I suspect is kind of the point — making for silly, brainless Halloween fun. And to prove it's ultra-contemporary, it's all set to dubstep! No, really.

Dead Souls with Magda Apanowicz premieres on Chiller tonight

Dead Souls, starring Jesse James, Magda Apanowicz and Bill Moseley, airs tonight at 9/8c on Chiller.

Here is the synopsis:

Adapted from the novel by Bram Stoker Award Finalist Michael Laimo, Chiller’s latest original production Dead Souls tells a harrowing tale of family secrets and ancient evils.

On his 18th birthday, Johnny Petrie learns he was adopted when he inherits a farm in Maine, abandoned for the 18 years since his natural family died at the hands of his father, the local preacher. Eager for a new life, he leaves home to start over in his new dwelling. However, as he digs into his past, he soon uncovers the horrifying details of his father’s questionable teachings. In a frightening revelation, he also learns that his return has revived decades-old forces trapped in the home and sets in motion a heart-stopping finale to a ritual that already claimed the lives of his family.

Arrow premieres tonight (8/7c, CW)

Arrow has its series premiere tonight at 8pm on the CW.

Brian Markinson, Hiro Kanagawa and Roger Cross guest star in the pilot, Ty Olsson will make an appearance next week, and Tahmoh Penikett will guest star in at least one episode later in the season. The show is filmed in Vancouver, so there will probably be other familiar faces showing up throughout the season.

Press release for the pilot:

After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. When he returns home to Starling City, his devoted mother Moira, much-beloved sister Thea, and best friend Tommy welcome him home, but they sense Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island.

While Oliver hides the truth about the man he's become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was. Most particularly, he seeks reconciliation with his former girlfriend, Laurel Lance. As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow - a vigilante – to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society, and restore Starling City to its former glory.

Polly Walker on The Mentalist & Once Upon a Time season premiere

Once Upon a Time and The Mentalist are among the shows returning with new seasons tonight (if anyone needs a reminder about Dexter, Homeland, The Good Wife, The Simpsons and Revenge - they're also back tonight), and there is also a new episode of Hell on Wheels at 9/8c on AMC.

Polly Walker has a recurring role on The Mentalist this season, and will make her first appearance in the premiere tonight at 10/9c on CBS.

Synopsis:

“The Crimson Ticket” — While Jane tries to decipher Lorelei’s connection to Red John, the CBI team is forced to partner with the FBI to solve the murder of a hotel employee, on the fifth season premiere of THE MENTALIST on Sunday, Sept. 30 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Emmanuelle Chriqui (“Entourage”) returns as Lorelei Martins, Polly Walker (“Rome”) guest stars as Senior FBI Agent Alexa Schultz and Ivan Sergei guest stars as FBI Agent Gabe Mancini.

And another bit from EW:

The CBI’s New FBI “Colleagues.” Season 5 will see the CBI squad working — and clashing — with a trio of FBI agents also chasing Red John. Polly Walker from Rome plays the group’s boss; Ivan Sergei (Jack & Jill, Gravity) and Drew Powell (Southland, Straw Dogs) play a “lovely bizarro world version of Rigsby and Cho.”

The season two premiere of Once Upon a Time airs at 8/7c on ABC. Jane Espenson is still on the writing team and her first episode airs next Sunday. Speaking of, watch this puppy if you haven't:

And back to Once, BSG's Keegan Connor Tracy returns as Mother Superior/Blue Fairy in the premiere.

Here is what to expect this season:

In the premiere episode, "Broken," reality and myth begin to merge as the fairytale characters awaken from Evil Queen Regina's broken curse and remember who they were. But to their dismay, they aren't transported back to fairytale land. To make matters worse, Rumplestiltskin - aka Mr. Gold - in an effort to gain the upper hand in his power struggle with Regina, has introduced magic into the town. In fairytales magic has its place, but in our world it can have unfathomable consequences. Meanwhile, back in the fairytale land, Prince Phillip awakens his sleeping beauty, Aurora (Sarah Bolger, "The Tudors"), but discovers that he and his traveling companion, Mulan (Jamie Chung, "Sucker Punch," "The Hangover Part II"), will soon have to face a deadly foe, on the Season Premiere of "Once Upon a Time," SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Promo:



And a BTS featurette:

Winston Rekert, R.I.P.

Very sad news today.

Winston Rekert lost his battle with cancer yesterday. He was 63.

He played Obal Ferras in Caprica ("Unvanquished"). Before that, he appeared in a couple of episodes of Battlestar Galactica as the priest who swore in Baltar ("Lay Down Your Burdens, Pt. 2") and Roslin ("Collaborators") as presidents.

He is best known for starring in the Canadian shows Adderly (1986-87) and Neon Rider (1989-94), and for his theatre work in Vancouver.

Earlier this year, he received the Sam Payne Lifetime Achievement Award for his "accumulative outstanding body of work in the industry."

The Vancouver Sun has a great article about his life and work.

And this is from The Province:

Rekert, 63, is best known as the star of the B.C.-filmed Neon Rider TV series in the late 1980s and 1990s, for which he also did some writing, directing and producing. The Vancouver actor won Gemini awards for his roles in Cold Squad (2001) and Blue Murder (2003). Rekert also starred alongside Jane Fonda, Meg Tilly and Anne Bancroft in the 1985 feature Agnes of God.

He and his childhood friend, producer Danny Virtue, created the syndicated series Neon Rider together in 1989.

"He got half the town started in this business," Virtue said. "He was cherished by a lot of people. I’ve known him and loved him since we were kids."

The show, which starred Rekert as a therapist who ran a ranch for troubled teens, ran for 64 episodes and helped launch Vancouver as a film and TV production centre. Details of a celebration of Rekert’s life were being worked out.

Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and fans.

TV tonight: Grimm season two & Major Crimes series premiere

Grimm is back with the season two premiere, "Bad Teeth," tonight at 10 pm on NBC, and Mary McDonnell finally gets her own show at 10 pm on TNT.

Here is the synopsis for the Grimm season premiere:

After their face-off with Kimura (guest star Brian Tee), Nick (David Giuntoli) finds himself trying to come to grips with the return of his mother, Kelly Burkhardt (guest star Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). A trail of brutal murders unveils a foreign conspiracy to hunt down Nick, leading to several revelations about his past. Meanwhile, Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) still lies in her mysteriously-induced coma as Rosalee (Bree Turner) and Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) work tirelessly to bring her out of it safely.

Elsewhere, Hank (Russell Hornsby) struggles with the shocking truths he’s recently seen and Captain Renard (Sasha Roiz) deals with unexpected family issues when his estranged brother (guest star James Frain) comes back into his life. Reggie Lee also stars.

Mike Dopud will make an appearance in next week's episode, and John Pyper-Ferguson guest stars in episode 2x03.

Grimm will air Mondays at 10 until Friday, September 14, when it moves back to its old slot, Fridays at 9. Collider has a pretty good overview of things to look forward to this season. Here is a preview with the cast:

Hell on Wheels is back tonight

Hell on Wheels is back with the season two premiere tonight on AMC at 9 pm.

Christopher Heyerdahl is a regular this season and Ryan Robbins makes his first appearance as Hawkins the train robber in tonight's episode.

Synopsis:

On the run for his crimes, Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) robs trains with a group of ex-Union soldiers, while Lily Bell (Dominique McElligott) and Durant (Colm Meaney) continue the Union Pacific Railroad's westward progress.

On Sun., Aug. 12 at 9/8c, the second season of Hell on Wheels continues its epic story of post-Civil War America, focusing on Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount), a former Confederate soldier, and his dramatic journey west as he struggles to leave his past behind.

Executive produced by John Shiban (Breaking Bad, The X-Files), Joe and Tony Gayton (Faster, Uncommon Valor) and Endemol USA’s Jeremy Gold, the show depicts the traveling town known as Hell on Wheels, a dangerous, raucous, lawless melting pot that follows and services the construction of the first transcontinental railroad.

Hell on Wheels also stars Common as Elam Ferguson; Colm Meaney as Thomas “Doc” Durant; Dominique McElligott as Lily Bell; Christopher Heyerdahl as The Swede; Robin McLeavy as Eva; Tom Noonan as Reverend Cole; Ben Esler as Sean McGinnes; Philip Burke as Mickey McGinnes; and Eddie Spears as Joseph Black Moon.

Here is a sneak peek: