(ALL TIMES ET)

8PM | FOX – SERIES PREMIERE
The X Factor – Here it is: Our chance to see if the much-hyped American version of Simon Cowell‘s British singing competition series can 1) draw as many viewers as American Idol; 2) become the kind of pop culture phenomenon Idol, and more recently, The Voice, are; and 3) actually find the singing talent that will be worthy of $5 million, the whopping grand prize The X Factor winner will receive.

8PM | ABC – 3RD SEASON PREMIERE
The Middle – Series star Patricia Heaton reunites with her old Everybody Loves Raymond hubby Ray Romano, who guest stars as Mike’s (Neil Flynn) sad sack pal, a guy we learn, via flashback, almost ruined Frankie and Mike’s honeymoon.

8PM | NBC
Up All Night – Reagan (Christina Applegate) and Chris (Will Arnett) try to make friends with the cool kids, their new hipster neighbors.

9PM | ABC – 3RD SEASON PREMIERE
Modern Family – The hour-long season opener finds the very Emmy-ed show at a dude ranch, where Jay (Ed O’Neill) dukes it out with a cowboy. And, of course, we meet the new, older Lily, who may not be so happy to hear about her daddies’ plans to add another bundle of joy to their family unit.

9PM | HISTORY CHANNEL
The Stoned Ages – As if the title of this history of drugs and their impact on society wasn’t clever enough, History Channel’s host: The best damn DEA agent in TV land, Hank Schrader, a.k.a. Emmy-worthy Breaking Bad star Dean Norris.

10PM | CBS – 12TH SEASON PREMIERE
CSI – How weird is it to see CSI pop up on the Wednesday night schedule? Almost as weird as the thought of Sam Malone leading the CSI-ers, but there he is, Ted Danson, replacing Laurence Fishburne, as the lab’s new supervisor, DB Russell.

10PM | NBC – 13TH SEASON PREMIERE
Law & Order: SVU – Ripped from the summer’s headlines: a hotel maid accuses an Italian diplomat of rape, but her story comes under intense scrutiny. And, with Chris Meloni‘s Stabler gone, Benson (Mariska Hargitay) gets a new partner, an Atlanta transfer played by former All My Children star Kelli Giddish.

10PM | FOOD NETWORK
Restaurant: Impossible – Chef Robert Irvine heads to San Diego, where he tries to revive The Trails, a cute little café whose owners are on the verge of bankruptcy.

10PM | ABC – SERIES PREMIERE
Revenge – Everwood and Brothers & Sisters alum Emily VanCamp stars in this soapy drama as Emily, a young woman who goes back to the Hamptons to get revenge on the people she deems responsible for ruining her family. The Hamptons … hey, maybe she’ll run into Hank and Evan from Royal Pains. Anyhoo, as for whether or not the new series is worth checking out: definitely. You may find yourself with a new guilty pleasure drama on your list of must-see Wednesday night TV.

Worth flipping to during commercials:
– On H8R (8PM, The CW), Eva Longoria and the Kardashian tool (I know, like that narrows it down), Scott Disick, meet and try to change the minds of people who hate them;
– Another Gilligan is voted off on Survivor (8PM, CBS);
– Alex has to wine and dine a key client to keep him from fleeing to another agency on Free Agents (8:30PM, NBC);
– Ashlee Simpson is the guest judge on America’s Next Top Model (9PM, The CW);
– The seventh season opens with the team facing a Senate committee after the loss of Prentiss on Criminal Minds (9PM, CBS);
– The second season opener of Harry’s Law (9PM, NBC) finds the lawyers moving from the shoe store to a loft;
– Bethenny Frankel, my all-time favorite Real Housewife, is the focus of a new E! True Hollywood Story (10PM);
– Fun: the Top Chef Just Desserts (10PM, Bravo) contestants create, name and package their own candy bar.

And the late-night line-up:
– Conan (11PM, TBS): Chris Pratt and Jim Parsons;
– The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (11PM, Comedy Central): Gov. Mitch Daniels;
– The Colbert Report (11:30PM, Comedy Central): Daniel Yergin;
– The Late Show with David Letterman (11:35PM, CBS): Taylor Lautner, Minka Kelly and Wilco;
– The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (11:35PM, NBC): Amy Poehler and Joseph Gordon-Levitt;
– Jimmy Kimmel Live (12:05AM, ABC): Julie Bowen;
– Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (12:35AM, NBC): Jonah Hill and Whitney Cummings;
– The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (12:37AM, CBS): James Spader;
– Last Call with Carson Daly (1:35AM, NBC): Death Cab for Cutie.