During TV’s dead week, look ahead

It’s traditionally one of the worst TV weeks of the year.

Right up there with whatever week “Big Brother” returns.

The Christmas specials are over, and unless you’re a fan of watching drunken revelers count backward, there’s not much in the way of new programming.

So what better time to take a look at some of the new and returning midseason series that are right around the corner? As always, dates and times are subject to change.

NBC is debuting “Deception” (10 p.m. Jan. 7, KSNV-TV, Channel 3), a soapy drama about a detective (Meagan Good) who goes undercover in a wealthy family to solve a murder; the Jekyll and Hyde-style medical drama “Do No Harm” (10 p.m. Jan. 31); and the dating series “Ready for Love” (8 p.m. March 31). They’ll join the returning “The Biggest Loser” (9 p.m. Jan. 6), “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers” (8 p.m. Jan. 8), “Smash” (9 p.m. Feb. 5), “Community” (8 p.m. Feb. 7), “All-Star Celebrity Apprentice” (9 p.m. March 3), “Fashion Star” (8 p.m. March 8), “The Voice” (8 p.m. March 25) and “Revolution” (10 p.m. March 25).

ABC has the doomsday drama “Zero Hour” (8 p.m. Feb. 14, KTNV-TV, Channel 13), starring Anthony Edwards, and the San Francisco-set Russian Mob drama “Red Widow” (9 p.m. March 3), as well as the family comedies “How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)” (9:30 p.m. April 3), starring Sarah Chalke, and “Family Tools” (8:30 p.m. May 1), with Kyle Bornheimer. ABC also has the new cooking competition “The Taste” (8 p.m. Jan. 22), along with new seasons of “The Bachelor” (8 p.m. Jan. 7) and “Body of Proof” (10 p.m. Feb. 5).

CBS is unveiling “Golden Boy” (10 p.m. Feb. 26, KLAS-TV, Channel 8), a drama about New York’s youngest-ever police commissioner, and the reality show “The Job” (8 p.m. Feb. 8), in which candidates compete for employment. The network also is bringing back “Rules of Engagement” (8:30 p.m. Feb. 4), “Survivor” (8 p.m. Feb. 13) and “The Amazing Race” (8 p.m. Feb. 17).

Fox is adding the psychological drama “The Following” (9 p.m. Jan. 21, KVVU-TV, Channel 5), starring Kevin Bacon as a washed-out former FBI agent matching wits with a serial killer (James Purefoy), along with the returning “American Idol” (8 p.m. Jan. 16) and “Touch” (8 p.m. Feb. 8).

The CW is going back to 1984 for “The Carrie Diaries” (8 p.m. Jan. 14, KVCW-TV, Channel 33), the “Sex and the City” prequel following a 16-year-old Carrie Bradshaw (AnnaSophia Robb). And the network is going meta with “Cult” (9 p.m. Feb. 19), a thriller about dark doings surrounding a CW thriller named “Cult.”

And PBS has a new season of “Downton Abbey” (9 p.m. Jan. 6, KLVX-TV, Channel 10).

Turning to cable, TNT has the new David E. Kelley medical drama “Monday Mornings” (10 p.m. Feb. 4), starring Ving Rhames and Alfred Molina, along with new seasons of “Dallas” (9 p.m. Jan. 28) and “Southland” (10 p.m. Feb. 13). Its sister channel TBS, meanwhile, has new episodes of “Cougar Town” (10 p.m. Jan. 8), which it rescued from ABC.

Cinemax is debuting “Banshee” (10 p.m. Jan. 11), an action drama about a master thief and ex-con who continues his criminal activities after assuming the identity of the sheriff of Banshee, Pa. Its sister channel, HBO, will deliver new seasons of “Girls” (9 p.m. Jan. 13), “Enlightened” (9:30 p.m. Jan. 13) and “Game of Thrones” (9 p.m. March 31).

FX is launching the KGB-spies-posing-as-suburbanites drama “The Americans” (10 p.m. Jan. 30), starring Keri Russell, and the comedy “Legit” (10:30 p.m. Jan. 17), with Australian comic Jim Jeffries. Look for new seasons of “Justified” (10 p.m. Jan. 8), “Anger Management” (9 p.m. Jan. 17) and “Archer” (10 p.m. Jan. 17), as well.

Showtime has new batches of “Shameless” (9 p.m. Jan 13), “House of Lies” (10 p.m. Jan 13) and “Californication” (10:30 p.m. Jan 13).

USA has ordered up more “Suits” (10 p.m. Jan. 17), “White Collar” (10 p.m. Jan. 22) and “Necessary Roughness” (10 p.m. Jan. 23).

Starz wraps up its graphic gladiator saga with “Spartacus: War of the Damned” (9 p.m. Jan. 25).

And AMC’s “The Walking Dead” (10 p.m. Feb. 10) staggers back for the second half of its third season.

Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567.