Neal Justin: TV's comeback trail

It's that time of the year when friends are less interested than usual about my health and family. The only question on their mind: How are the fall's new shows? The short but sour answer: Not very good. This rookie class is among the weakest in recent years, with cable reserving some of its best for summer and networks all but refusing to take bold chances.

But all is not lost, thanks to a lineup of returning shows that should have you salivating about what's going to happen next. Here are 10 I'm particularly eager to get to know again.

"Boardwalk Empire": Nucky (Steve Buscemi) and company don't get the respect of TV's other cold-blooded dramas. Maybe the addition of Bobby Cannavale as a ruthless mob man will get viewers to invest a bigger stake. Season premiere: 8 p.m. Sunday, HBO

"Treme": This New Orleans-set drama doesn't have the relentless story lines of creator David Simon's masterpiece, "The Wire," but that's not really the goal. Like the city, this series is mostly about music and mood, both beautifully captured in the upcoming third season. 9 p.m. Sept. 23, HBO

"How I Met Your Mother": With the exception of "Community," no current network comedy has taken more chances -- and thrived to tell about it. Shaky contract negotiations and a steady movie career for Jason Segel suggest that this eighth season may be the last. Suit up! 7 p.m. Sept. 24, WCCO, Ch. 4

"Modern Family": Gloria (Sofia Vergara) is pregnant, a story line that promises to give birth to a new round of smart, sassy humor. Further proof that this show is a minor miracle: At least a half-dozen new comedies are copycats, but none comes close to this "Modern" miracle. 8 p.m. Sept. 26, KSTP, Ch. 5

"Revenge": I'm not a big fan of cheesy prime-time soaps, but even I couldn't help but get sucked into this seriously silly romp. The good news: Jennifer Jason Leigh joins the circus this season. The bad news: A move to an increasingly competitive Sunday-night slot could be murder in the ratings. 8 p.m. Sept. 30, KSTP, Ch. 5

"Homeland": Where does Carrie (Emmy front-runner Claire Danes) go after electroshock treatment? Where else but another case that seems destined to blow her mind? Nicholas (Damian Lewis) was supposed to be killed off last season, but producers wisely kept him alive, guaranteeing another compelling round of cat-and-mouse games. 9 p.m. Sept. 30, Showtime

"30 Rock": Most would agree that this Emmy-winning comedy is past its peak, but last season's live episode was among its finest. With just 13 episodes to go before calling it quits, Tina Fey and company are likely to go for broke. 7 p.m. Oct. 4, KARE, Ch. 11

"American Horror Story: Asylum": Co-creator Ryan Murphy gave us some of the scariest TV since the last season of "Roseanne." Can he do it again? He has a tendency to lose interest after the first season (see "Glee" and "Nip/Tuck"). But Jessica Lange is back, this time as a sadistic nun. Now who doesn't want to see that? 9 p.m. Oct. 17, FX

"Community": NBC's faith in this gutsy and often gut-busting comedy is so low that it fired the sitcom's uber-creative show runner, Dan Harmon, and transferred it to Friday's graveyard shift. Can the cast and writers continue to churn out creative laughs at its previous level? That may be the season's most provocative question. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19, KARE, Ch. 11