Sci-Fi This Week: The Walking Dead Returns

Keep your friends close and your anti-zombie weaponry closer: The Walking Dead is back! The cable juggernaut begins the second half of its fifth season Sunday on AMC, with another eight new episodes.

Also up this week: Agent Carter calls on the Howling Commandos, while on Helix the CDC team inches closer toward finding the source of the deadly new pathogen. Team Arrow joins forces with none other than Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman), and on The 100 the attempt to penetrate Mount Weather has disastrous consequences.

Here’s your schedule for this week in sci-fi television:

GOTHAM
FOX, 8/7c
“The Fearsome Dr. Crane.” Fish Mooney reveals a secret of Oswald Cobblepot’s, prompting Maroni to take him on a trip to test his loyalty. Meanwhile, Gordon and Bullock hunt down a killer who targets victims with severe phobias and Bruce Wayne confronts Gordon for failing to make progress on his parents’ murder case.

SLEEPY HOLLOW
FOX, 9/8c
“Spellcaster.” After escaping Purgatory, a warlock who triggered the Salem witch trials returns to find a dangerous book of spells. Meanwhile, Abbie attempts to trust Frank Irving again, while Henry struggles to find his identity.

THE FLASH
The CW, 8/7c
“Crazy for You.” The team searches for Shawna, a meta-human with teleportation powers, who just busted her boyfriend Clay out of Iron Heights. When Henry snoops around in an attempt to help Joe and Barry solve the crime, he ends up in the infirmary after getting roughed up by inmates.

AGENT CARTER
ABC, 9/8c
“The Iron Ceiling.” Peggy is finally trusted with a mission and calls upon her trusted Howling Commandos squad for backup. But her cover could be at risk when SSR Chief Dooley also sends Agent Thompson with her.

ARROW
The CW, 8/7c
“Uprising.” Still operating without Oliver and desperate to stop Brick, Team Arrow is forced to consider Malcolm’s offer to help shut Brick down as Malcolm has a personal score to settle with the felon. Meanwhile, the flashbacks chronicle Malcolm’s descent from kind-hearted father and husband to cold-blooded killer after the murder of his wife.

THE 100
The CW, 9/8c
“Coup de Grace.” Bellamy and Lincoln’s attempt to sneak into Mount Weather has brutal consequences. Abby fights to stay in control as Clarke steps up in her new leadership role. Meanwhile, with Monty and Harper still missing, a desperate Jasper confronts President Wallace and demands answers.

GRIMM
NBC, 8/7c
“Maréchaussée.” Nick and Hank investigate a series of murders that lead back to the Wesen Council and a mysterious bounty hunter. Elsewhere, Juliette’s meeting with Henrietta brings about more disturbing news than she was expecting. Meanwhile, Adalind and Viktor make their way back to Portland.

12 MONKEYS
Syfy, 9/8c
“Atari.” A fight for the future ensues when a dangerous band of marauders hunting for Cole and Ramse threaten the mission to save the past.

HELIX
Syfy, 10/9c
“Densho.” Michael struggles to keep the abbey under control as the CDC team move closer toward tracking the source of the pathogen; at the same time, Alan fights the urge to rejoin his former colleagues and comes to terms with the reality about Peter’s allegiances. In the future, Walker takes a risk attempting to escape her delusional father.

THE WALKING DEAD
AMC, 9/8c – MID-SEASON PREMIERE!
“What Happened and What’s Going On.” After the recent trials the group has faced, a slight detour could be the solution they’ve been searching for.

What are YOUR top picks for this week?