THE TV COLUMN

Revolution returns March 25 after long break

— I can always tell when the holiday season is over in Arkansas when my e-mail picks up about missing programs.

During the Christmas and New Year’s hiatus viewers are usually busy doing other stuff - spending time with friends and families, washing Junior’s clothes he brought home from college, packing away those 400 feet of dangling icicle lights they strung from the gutters.

This year had the added bonus of 11 inches of snow, loss of electricity and piles of dead limbs to cut and stack.

Eventually, however, the TV viewing routine returns and folks begin to realize there favorite shows are no longer on the tube. Then panic sets in. Then I get email. Here’s a verbatim recent example:

“Whatever happened to that show on NBC that had a girl in it, and also that guy who was in Twilight that wasabout what happened after the power went out? I loved that show and never missed an episode. Have they canceled it like they always do my favorite programs?”

One of the problems I see frequently is that even with series where viewers “never miss an episode,” they havetrouble recalling even the title of the show after a couple of weeks. These days our attention spans are even shorter than usual.

In addition, with the frequent cancellation of shows nowadays, the networks have trained us to quickly forget about a program once it has disappeared.

The series that reader was asking about is NBC’s Revolution. In her defense, Revolution’s holiday hiatus is longer than most. The midseason break came after Episode 10 on Nov. 26, and it won’t end until 9 p.m. March 25.

I, too, never miss an episode. The series has everything anybody could want - action, adventure, romance, intrigue, mystery and one heckuva cliffhanger.

I can’t wait to see what happens next. When last we saw our heroes, they werestanding in awe as the evil militia managed to power up a helicopter and its mini guns.

After so many years of not having anything electrical functioning, that must have seemed wondrous - and ominous.

Already back: In case you’ve been away from your routine or haven’t checked your DVR’s prerecorded list, these shows have already debutedor returned from their holiday break.

Sundays: The Biggest Loser, 8 p.m., NBC: Downton Abbey, 9 p.m., PBS.

Mondays: The Bachelor, 7 p.m., ABC; Switched at Birth, 7 p.m., ABC Family; Bunheads, 8 p.m., ABC Family.

Tuesdays: Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, 7 p.m., NBC; Pretty Little Liars, 7 p.m., ABC Family; The Lying Game, 8 p.m., ABC Family;Cougar Town, 9 p.m., TBS; Justified, 9 p.m., FX; Snooki & JWOWW, 9 p.m., MTV.

Wednesdays: The Millionaire Matchmaker, 8 p.m., Bravo; Property Wars, 9 p.m., Discovery; Kathy, 9 p.m., Bravo.

Coming soon: These shows will return in the next couple of weeks.

Sunday: Girls, 8 p.m., HBO; Enlightened, 8:30 p.m., HBO; and on Showtime - Shameless, 8 p.m.; House of Lies, 9 p.m., Californication, 9:30 p.m.

Monday: Being Human, 8 p.m., and Lost Girl, 9 p.m., both on Syfy.

Tuesday: Face Off, 8 p.m., Syfy.

Wednesday: American Idol, 7 p.m., Fox.

Jan. 17: Anger Management, 8 p.m., FX; Archer, 9 p.m., FX; Suits, 9 p.m., USA.

Jan. 22: White Collar, 9 p.m., USA.

Jan. 23: Necessary Roughness, 9 p.m., USA.

Jan. 25: Spartacus: War of the Damned, 8 p.m., Starz.

Down the road: These series won’t be back until February and March.

Feb. 4: Rules of Engagement, 7:30 p.m., CBS.

Feb. 5: Smash, 8 p.m., NBC (two-hour return); Body ofProof, 9 p.m., ABC.

Feb. 7: Community, 7 p.m., NBC.

Feb. 8: Touch, 7 p.m., Fox (two-hour premiere).

Feb. 10: The Walking Dead, 7 p.m. AMC.

Feb. 13: Survivor, 7 p.m., CBS.

Feb. 17: The Amazing Race, 7 p.m., CBS.

Feb. 27: Psych, 9 p.m., USA.

March 3: The Celebrity Apprentice, 8 p.m., NBC.

March 18: Dancing With the Stars, 7 p.m., ABC.

March 25: The Voice, 7 p.m., NBC; Revolution, 9 p.m., NBC.

March 31: Game of Thrones, 8 p.m., HBO.

Miss America: ABC will air this year’s 86th Miss America Pageant live from Las Vegas at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Quick - name the reigning Miss America. Give up? She’s Laura Kaeppeler from Wisconsin.

Tune in to cheer on Miss Arkansas 2012 Sloane Roberts. The blond, tap-dancing beauty from Rison was only 19 when she was crowned in July.

The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. E-mail:

mstorey@arkansasonline.com

Weekend, Pages 30 on 01/10/2013

Upcoming Events