TV's official "midseason" takes off in 2016 with a slew of new and returning shows and specials premiering between January and March. Here's a few January titles that might pique your interest.
Downton Abbey
Jan. 3: Cue the intro music and pour the tea, it's the beginning of the final season of Downton Abbey. (8 p.m. PBS)
Bordertown
Jan. 3: Bordertown is the new animated half hour from Family Guy's Seth McFarlane and Mark Hentemann, and Simpsons producer Valentina Graza. Hank Azaria voices the role of border patrol agent Buck Buckwald, who harbors a little ill will toward his more successful immigrant neighbor Ernesto. (8:30 p.m. Fox)
The Bachelor
Jan. 4: The new Bachelor is Ben Higgins, the guy who declared himself "unlovable" to Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe earlier in 2015. This go-round, Ben will have three Texas gals vying for the final rose. Joelle/JoJo is a real estate developer from Dallas who says in her ABC bio that her perfect lunchmates would be her late grandfather, Jesus and Ellen DeGeneres. Maegan is a cowgirl from Weatherford who likes to drink beer on her patio with her mini-horse and chocolate lab. (Take a peek at that little horse in the video above.) But Olivia from Austin may have an edge. The fictional character she'd most like to be is Katniss Everdeen of Hunger Games fame. (7 p.m., ABC)
Fast N' Loud
Jan. 4: Fast N' Loud returns with all-new episodes. Dallas' Richard Rawlings is going for "big risk, big reward" this season, starting with Gas Monkey Garage's first ever lowrider build. (8 p.m. Discovery)
Shades of Blue
Jan. 7: Jennifer Lopez stars in Shades of Blue as Brooklyn police detective turned FBI informant in this most likely forgettable action drama executive produced by J-Lo and Ryan Seacrest among others. But add Ray Liotta (GoodFellas) and Drea de Matteo (The Sopranos, Sons of Anarchy) to the cast, and it must be watched. (9 p.m. NBC)
American Idol
Jan. 6: After 14 years of the groundbreaking singing competition that gave us Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Fantasia Barrino, Phillip Phillips and others, American Idol is ready to crown its final winner. Ryan Seacrest returns as host and chances are there will be plenty of memorable flashbacks, ghosts of seasons past and other surprises. Even Kanye gets in on the Idol action. (7 p.m. Fox)
Sesame Street
Jan 16: Sesame Street has a new home and it's spelled H-B-O. Viewers will see some set changes, at least the viewers who pay for HBO. Big Bird, Elmo and Cookie Monster move into new digs and even Oscar gets a a new trash can. Don't have HBO? Your preschoolers can see the new episodes later in 2016 on PBS. (9 a.m. HBO)
Saturday Night Live
Jan. 16: SNL kicks off 2016 with hot, hot Adam Driver, the evil Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as celebrity host. Expect a Girls spoof during the show as Driver also appears in the HBO series as Adam Sackler. Musical guest is Chris Stapleton. (10:30 p.m. NBC)
Legends of Tomorrow
Jan. 21: Legends of Tomorrow, the latest in the DC series, follows the time-traveling exploits of one Rip Hunter, played by Arthur Darvil. Doctor Who fans will know him as Rory Williams, friend of the Eleventh Doctor. (7 p.m. The CW)
The X-Files
Jan. 24: The long-running sci-fi series that ended in 2002 returns for a six-episode run. In addition to Agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson), most of The X-Files original cast is back as well, including The Smoking Man (William B. Davis). (7 p.m. Fox)
Grease Live!
Jan 31: Grease Live! is the latest in live TV musical broadcasts. The Rydell High redux includes Julianne Hough (Dancing With the Stars) as Sandy, Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical) as Rizzo, and Mario Lopez as Vince Fontaine. Cute casting. But can Broadway actor Aaron Tveit fill John Travolta's shoes as bad boy Danny Zuko? Grease Live! will tape before a live audience in Burbank, Calif. If you want to be in the audience, go here for details. (6 p.m. Fox)
