I know you have all been waiting for this, so here is my list of returning shows that I am most looking forward to in 2017. Sometimes, I look back at these lists and mourn the shows we have lost too soon or found their natural end. Hopefully, there are not too many of them this year.

1. BONES, season 12 premieres January 3rd on Fox, Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, T.J. Thyne, Tamara Taylor, John Boyd, Patricia Belcher, Michael Grant Terry, Eugene Byrd, Carla Gallo, Pej Vahdat, Ryan O’Neal, Joel David Moore, Ignacio Serricchio, Laura Spencer, and Eric Milligan. In this final season premiere, Dr. Brennan has been kidnapped by former squintern Zack Addy. No one knows what Zack is up to, but Agents Booth and Aubrey, with the help of the Jeffersonian team, must find her and bring her home safely. This has never been one of my “must-watch” shows, but it has been consistently well-written, and the chemistry among the entire cast is always excellent. I am interested to see how they bring this series to a close.

2. HOMELAND, season 6 premieres January 15th on Showtime, stars Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Rupert Friend, F. Murray Abraham, Sebastian Koch, and Elizabeth Marvel. Carrie is back in the United States with Franny, and is working as an advocate for Muslim Americans. Saul and the CIA have a new President-Elect to brief, and she is not necessarily on their side. Quinn is awake, and dealing with the reality of his health situation. It all sounds like it might hit a little too close to home for our country right now, which means it should definitely be an interesting season.

3. MERCY STREET, season 2 premieres January 22nd on PBS, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, AnnaSophia Robb, McKinley Belcher III, Patina Miller, Hannah James, Norbert Leo Butz, Josh Radnor, Lyne Renée, Tara Summers, Bryce Pinkham, L. Scott Caldwell, Brían F. O’Byrne, Luke Macfarlane, Jack Falahee, Donna Murphy, Brad Koed, Gary Cole, Suzanne Bertish, Shalita Grant, and Peter Gerety. I did not watch the first season as it aired, but once I realized what a fantastic cast it had, I decided I need to give it a try. Set during the Civil War, this show takes places at a hospital in Virginia, where both Union and Confederate soldiers are treated. The nurses, doctors, and the freed slaves that work at the hospital all have differing views about what it means to do good during this time of conflict. The second season picks up in June of 1862 and everyone is realizing that things in the country are going to get much worse before they get better.

4. OUTSIDERS, season 2 premieres January 24th on WGN America, stars David Morse, Ryan Hurst, Kyle Gallner, Thomas M. Wright, Gillian Alexy, Joe Anderson, and Christina Jackson. The first season ended with a stand-off on the mountain between the Farrells and the local law enforcement and, from the trailer, it looks like there will be a pretty epic fight in the first episode back. The coal company and the town are still looking for a way to contain the Farrells, which causes some fighting within the clan. I loved the first season, and this second one looks even more action-packed, so I am very excited to see what happens next.

5. SUITS, the second half of season 6 premieres January 25th on USA Network, stars Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Rick Hoffman, Meghan Markle, and Sarah Rafferty. Just when I think I have figured out what is going to happen at Pearson Specter Litt, they turn around and pull the rug out from under me. Jessica has quit, leaving Harvey and Louis to work together, with the help of Donna and Rachel, to save their law firm. Mike is out of prison, and has to figure out what to do with his life now that he can no longer be a lawyer.

6. BLACK SAILS, season 4 premieres January 29th on Starz, stars Luke Arnold, Toby Stephens, Hannah New, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Toby Schmitz, Clara Paget, and Tom Hopper. I only recently started watching this show, so I am a little sad that it is ending already, but I am very excited for this final season. The pirates have started to come together to take back Nassau from the British, and they have made their intentions clear: If you are not with them, you are against them. I know whose side I am on, but will they be victorious?

7. THE 100, season 4 premieres February 1st on The CW, stars Eliza Taylor, Bob Morley, Marie Avgeropoulos, Devon Bostick, Christopher Larkin, Lindsey Morgan, Richard Harmon, Zach McGowan, Paige Turco, Isaiah Washington, and Henry Ian Cusick. This show has changed so much from the first season, it is often hard to describe what is even happening as each new season begins, which is one of the reasons I love it so much. In the most succinct way possible, ALIE has been destroyed, but Clarke and the Skikru must now deal with the nuclear consequences of those actions. Every character is still trying to figure out where they fit in this world, and I am constantly surprised by where each new twist leads, so I will not even begin to speculate, but just sit back and enjoy the ride.

8. iZOMBIE, season 3 premieres April 4th on The CW, stars Rose McIver, Rahul Kohli, Malcolm Goodwin, Robert Buckley, David Anders, and Aly Michalka. I am continually surprised that more people are not watching this fabulous show. In trying to convince a friend to check it out, I described it as “Veronica Mars with zombies, but without the gore of The Walking Dead.” Even though Liv eats brains, her meals often look more sophisticated than what I regularly eat. Last season’s finale was one of my favorite episodes of the year, so I am very much looking forward to the new season. We have to wait a little longer for this one to start, but it will definitely be worth it. The first two seasons are on Netflix, so you have plenty of time to catch up!