you have to pass your async function the handler to call later on:

func application(application: UIApplication!, performFetchWithCompletionHandler completionHandler: ((UIBackgroundFetchResult) -> Void)!) {
    loadShows(completionHandler)
}

func loadShows(completionHandler: ((UIBackgroundFetchResult) -> Void)!) {
    //....
    //DO IT
    //....

    completionHandler(UIBackgroundFetchResult.NewData)
    println("Background Fetch Complete")
}

OR (cleaner way IMHO)

add an intermediate completionHandler

func application(application: UIApplication!, performFetchWithCompletionHandler completionHandler: ((UIBackgroundFetchResult) -> Void)!) {
    loadShows() {
        completionHandler(UIBackgroundFetchResult.NewData)
        println("Background Fetch Complete")
    }
}

func loadShows(completionHandler: (() -> Void)!) {
    //....
    //DO IT
    //....
    completionHandler()
}