Off the Wall: Tracking 'Outlaw' and more fall shows

Off the Wall just loves this fall tube fun.

NEW SEASON! Fall TV is upon us, with one big arrival this week: Jimmy Smits' nutso legal hour "Outlaw" (previews Wednesday at 10 p.m., regular time period Sept. 17 at 10 p.m., NBC/4). Returning shows are led by Fox's Saturday night tandem of "Cops" (Saturday at 8 and 8:30 p.m.) and "America's Most Wanted" (Saturday at 9 p.m., Fox/5), the latter offering a special 9/11 hour from Ground Zero. Other returnees include "90210" (Monday at 8 p.m., CW/11), "Gossip Girl" (Monday at 9 p.m., CW/11), "One Tree Hill" (Tuesday at 8 p.m., CW/11), "Life Unexpected" (Tuesday at 9 p.m., CW/11) and "Survivor: Nicaragua" (Wednesday at 8 p.m., CBS/2). The following week is stuffed with 17 new shows, so look for Newsday's complete TV fall preview in the Sept. 19 Fanfare section.

UNSCRIPTED PREMIERES They say you're not supposed to chase tornadoes or hurricanes, but apparently it's OK if it makes good TV. "Storm Riders" (Saturday at 8 p.m., Weather) follows two young meteorologists who drive 2,400 miles a week chasing dangerous weather. In "World of Jenks" (preview Sunday at 11 p.m., regular time period Monday at 10 p.m., MTV), documentarian Andrew Jenks embeds himself with everybody from homeless people to rap stars. "Sextuplets Take New York" (Tuesday at 10 p.m., TLC) features the bilingual Carpio kids from Queens. "A Different Spin With Mark Hoppus" (Thursday at 7 p.m. fuse) covers the latest in music, hosted by the blink-182 star with Rockville Centre comic Amy Schumer. Lots more "Spin" at trustmeiminaband.com.

SCRIPTED MARATHONS Catch up to the latest / greatest and oldies / goodies. "Parenthood" (Saturday 8-11 p.m., NBC/4) runs three weekend episodes to prime us for its Tuesday 10 p.m. second-season start featuring William Baldwin. Catch all eight episodes of "Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town" (Sunday noon-4 p.m., IFC), the crazy new mystery tale from the comic sketch quintet. "The Big Bang Theory" (Thursday 8-10 p.m., CBS/2) offers four encores on its new fall-season night. Flash back to "Freaks and Geeks" (Sept. 17, 2:45-11:45 p.m., IFC), Judd Apatow's influential high school saga with Linda Cardellini, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jason Segel, Busy Philipps and many more who've since become familiar film and TV faces. Clips and more at ifc.com/freaks-and-geeks.

AWARDS ALERT Chelsea Handler hosts this year's "MTV Video Music Awards" (Sunday from 9 to 11 p.m., MTV). Live from L.A., the show is stuffed with celebs like Cher, Ellen DeGeneres, Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, and the casts of "Glee" and "Jersey Shore." Look for music from acts including Linkin Park, Kanye West, Eminem, Justin Bieber, Drake, Mary J. Blige and Usher. Preshow at 8 p.m. All you need to know at vma.mtv.com.

ARE YOU READY FOR MORE FOOTBALL? Those who can't get enough now get four more hours on weekdays. "Boomer & Carton" (Tuesday-Friday 6-10 a.m., MSG) hits cable as a video simulcast of WFAN's morning radio show hosted by Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton. Sneak peek at msg.com/tv/shows/boomer-and-carton.

FALL'S STRANGEST SHOW It's 20 years old, and it's still the mondo bizarro-est thing out there. Catch David Lynch's classic mystery "Twin Peaks" (Thursday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Chiller) from the beginning, starting with the two-hour pilot that turned network TV twisted back in 1990. Everything "TP" at lynchnet.com.