CREDIT: AMC.COM
Andrew Lincoln was back to work reprising his role as Rick Grimes on the set of The Walking Dead in Atlanta, Georgia.

As autumn approaches, television networks are preparing for the colder season by rolling out a number of new television shows and returning favourites. With so many different series set to air this fall, the discerning television geek may feel at a loss as to which show is worth their time (especially considering we all need to wait until April to catch a new episode of Game of Thrones).

The fall season takes on a new significance with two programs, one of which is considered to be one of the finest shows in television history in Breaking Bad, and another that has perhaps overstayed its welcome in Dexter, coming to an end. Regardless of any public and critical opinions, both of these shows have drawn in huge viewing numbers every Sunday night for the last several years and their respective networks (Showtime and AMC) will be hoping that the loss of their flagship programs does not cause a dramatic drop in viewership.

Luckily for AMC at least, they have another television juggernaut that attracts an ever-increasing number of viewers: the extremely geek-friendly The Walking Dead. By far the most successful comic-based television show in history, the program is set to begin its fourth season on October 13, with the network slowly releasing trailers and teaser images to keep the anticipation at a high. A program that does not shy away from violence, or showing just how far mankind can fall after everything we know is gone, The Walking Dead will continue the story of former sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), Darryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and the rest of their band of survivors as they attempt to continue their survival behind the walls of a prison after a zombie outbreak. Highlights of the season are sure to be an extended role for Tyrese (Chad Coleman), one of the most popular characters in the comics whose story has taken a different direction on the show, and the still-looming presence of The Governor (David Morrisey), who retreated from the prison at the end of last season, only after massacring most of his former army.

Keeping in vain with the traditionally geeky, there are two other comic-book based programs for people to tune in to this fall. The CW's Arrow follows Oliver Queen's continuing vigilante mission to return justice to Star City, helping both the city and those close to him recover from the events of the season one finale. DC Comics fans will be excited at the announcement of many characters taken from the pages of the comics, no more so than the debut of The Flash, hopefully opening a door for his own series.

The biggest question mark this fall by far hangs over Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Marvel Comics' attempt to bring their billion-dollar film universe to the small screen. Set in the aftermath of The Avengers, the program will follow the S.H.I.E.L.D. as the agents investigate occurrences related to the increase in superhero activity on Earth. With the pilot episode directed by The Avengers director and geek icon Joss Whedon, and the promise of the program tying in to the film universe, things are looking bright for the new program. Another factor is Clark Gregg returning as fan-favourite film character Agent Phil Colson, the man who told Iron Man “I will taze you in the neck and watch Supernanny for an hour while you drool onto the carpet” and lived to tell the tale, fans have been scouring the Internet for answers as to how Coulsen is walking around after being (seemingly?) killed by Loki in the last film. With the studio keeping it under wraps, fans are going to have to wait until the September 24 premiere on CTV to find out.

While waiting for these more nerd-friendly programs to begin, the final chapter of television's longest love story will begin on September 23 with the ninth season of How I Met Your Mother. With the face of Ted Mosby's (Josh Radnor) future wife finally revealed, the final season will detail a single weekend, as the mother meets the rest of the HIMYM gang during the events of Barney's wedding to Robin (Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders) before her fateful first meeting with Ted.