The new season is almost upon us, and the networks are going nuts, announcing a ton of new sci-fi and fantasy projects they really want us to watch next fall. So what are the options?

From pirates to aliens to superheroes to time travel and everywhere in between — there’s a lot to sort out. Fans might also notice a few familiar names (hint: Abrams and Whedon) as they work through the list of recent series pickups.

So here’s what we’ll be watching this fall (and a little later):

Tomorrow People, The CW

Based on the cult hit U.K. series from years ago, this one should be a nice fit in a post-Heroes world. The show will focus on several young (probably good-looking) people with special powers, who represent the next step in human evolution. Arrow producer Greg Berlanti is also involved behind the scenes.

To no one’s surprise, ABC is on the verge of picking up this Avengers spinoff and making it a part of the fall lineup. With rumors of potential big-screen crossovers, and uber-geek Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly) at the helm, this could easily be one of the best shows of the year. (And yes, we know -- unlike the other shows on this list, though the pickup is being reported, the network has yet to confirm it. But come on -- there's no way it won't be, right?)

Legends, TNT

This one is on the border of sci-fi, but it includes so many sci-fi alums and a Human Target-esque premise that we had to mention it. Starring Sean Bean (Game of Thrones), this spy thriller will follow a man with the uncanny ability to transform himself into a completely new person as part of the FBI’s deep-cover operation. It also stars Ali Larter (Heroes). It could feature some spy-fi, and could also be a whole lot of fun.

Star-Crossed, The CW

Formerly known as Oxygen, this series looks to have the right mix of high-school drama and Roswell-esque alien fun. The series follows star-crossed lovers (get it?) after a group of aliens are assimilated into a regular high school.

Almost Human, Fox

A look at J.J. Abrams' new show Almost Human, which has been picked up by Fox.

J.J. Abrams and former Fringe producer J.H. Wyman are teaming up once again, this time for a robot-buddy-cop story starring Karl Urban (Star Trek). The series is set in the future, at a point where police officers are teamed up with human-like androids to solve cases. Could, potentially, fill that Fringe-sized hole in our viewing habits.

The 100, The CW

The network has been wanting to get into the Hunger Games-esque genre for a while, and this is about the closest they’ll get this fall. This series follows 100 juvenile delinquents sent to Earth 97 years after a nuclear war to investigate re-colonization. Young people? Fighting for survival? Could be fun.

Black Sails, Starz

This one could be really, really good. Pirates are a bit of an untapped market these days, so Michael Bay is prepping this series, which looks like a mix of Game of Thrones and Sons of Anarchy. Dark, bloody and mean — this could kickstart a whole new pirate craze. But these pirates aren't expected to board our TVs until 2014.

Sleepy Hollow, Fox

Fox loves its “procedurals with a twist,” and they’ve added one with a solid sci-fi bent with Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci’s Sleepy Hollow. The series will follow Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) as he’s transported to the present day and is eventually teamed up with a modern-day cop.

Believe, NBC

Yep, another J.J. Abrams series. This one is built around a young girl with “great power” and the ex-con tasked with protecting her. It sounds a little strange, but it’ll be interesting to see what kind of mythology Abrams and company have in mind to sustain this one.

The Last Ship, TNT

Not content to blow things up on the big screen, Michael Bay is prepping a new sci-fi series about the crew of a U.S. naval ship who are among the last survivors on Earth following a global catastrophe. It looks like a tense, action-packed series (with explosions, of course) and could bring a pretty cinematic scale with Bay at the helm. Sadly, this one won't hit until 2014.

The Originals, The CW

Considering the fact that The Vampire Diaries is one of the most popular shows on the network, The CW has decided to spin off this more mature show from the mothership. The show will focus on Klaus and his misadventures in New Orleans. Angel left high school behind on Buffy, and this seems to be a similar setup.

So which of these shows do you plan on checking out next season?