The New Fall Shows

With the fall season approaching soon, I have made my picks for the new shows that I’ll give a chance to this year. It’s a carefully devised technique that has served me well over the past few years. First, I look at the premise. Lost’s description of a group of castaways on a mysterious island with revealing back stories had me hooked from day one. Second, I look at the pedigree of actors and creators. If Joss Whedon or JJ Abrams are in charge, I’m there. Third, I look at what the critics are saying. And I have to thank the critics for getting me to watch the Veronica Mars premiere, I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. From there I make my picks and usually allow them to wow me in three episodes. However, if I’m not impressed with the pilot (first episode), I’ll probably drop the show right there and then. They have loads of money and time to make a pilot, so there’s really no excuse. The second episode is usually a throw away because the show runners realize how much work they have to put into an average week. So the third episode is what usually defines the show. If you’ll remember Lost’s third episode was all about Locke. See what I mean? So here are the new shows I’ll be watching.


Well, first and foremost, it's the new show from Aaron Sorkin. For all those West Wing lovers, this should be a no-brainer. They even kept Bradley Whitford. Of course, being a Friends fan, I look forward to seeing Matthew Perry do some serious work. It also has Amanda Peet (The Whole Nine Yards), Steven Weber (Wings) and Nathan Corddry (The Daily Show). It’s a stellar cast. The only problem I see with this show is that viewers will expect a comedy (being centered around a SNL-type show and all), when this show is shooting for a drama. But I guess, we’ll have to see.

This one is from Hank Steinberg, the creator of Without a Trace, so the pedigree is there. The premise of this show intrigues me, nine people are held hostage in a bank for 52 hours and something happened to them but we don’t know what. The nine strangers, including Tim Daly (Wings), Chi McBride (Boston Public) and Scott Wolf (Everwood), now have a special bond as they try to move past this life-changing experience. Premiering after Lost shouldn’t hurt either but it’s not a sure thing as Invasion or Tim Daly's Eyes can attest to.

I love myself a heist show. I was choked when NBC cancelled Heist last season without allowing it to finish its storyline. I highly doubt that CBS would do such a thing with Ray Liotta (Goodfellas) as its star. Smith is one of the many new shows that decided to go with a bland one word title. I think it’s a big mistake, but whatever. A show about high-level crime should be fun and Amy Smart is pretty easy on the eyes as well.

This one has the cool premise of average people who realize that they have super powers. These individuals can fly, manipulate time, control reflections, read minds and control reflections. The cast also looks well put together. It has Greg Grunberg (Alias), Milo Ventimiglia (Gilmore Girls), Leonard Roberts (Buffy) and Ali Larter (Final Destination). I don’t recognize the guy who created this show, but I’ll still give it a try.

Tina Fey rocks. I’m going to miss her at the SNL Weekend Update desk but I at least I can listen to her crackling wit in this send-up of a SNL-type show. This is the comedy version of Aaron Sorkin’s show. Alec Baldwin looks great in his pompous role and Fey was able to snag both Tracey Morgan and Rachel Dratch from SNL. I looks like all the elements are there. Should be funny.

The rest are shows that I’m a little more hesitant on, mostly due to the fact that I have a sinking suspicion that they’ll be cancelled once I start getting into it. I was interested in the premise behind Reunion last year and luckily bowed out before Fox pulled the plug and left the season-long mystery dangling in mid-air. Fox also yanked Kitchen Confidential before it could even get established. Stupid Fox. Actually, I did pretty well last year with six shows making it to the second season: Prison Break, The Unit, How I Met Your Mother, My Name is Earl, Everybody Hates Chris, and Supernatural. Anyway, here are the other new shows I’ll take a chance on this fall.


I like Victor Garber (Alias) and Kerr Smith (Dawson’ Creek). I like lawyer shows. I like that they will reveal what really happened after the verdict is read and it’s too late. I like the concept. I hate that it’s on Fox and against Lost. I won’t hold my breath.

This series is made by the guys behind Ed, an great underrated show. It was first called Let’s Rob Mick Jagger (The Rolling Stones singer is in the show). Then they changed it to Let’s Rob . . . , in case they got a second season and had to rob someone else. Then they changed it to The Knights of Prosperity. That many changes can’t be good. But again, I love myself a heist show, even if it involves no-name slackers.

With JJ Abrams (Lost, Alias) producing, I’m there. Apparently these six people are complete strangers but will somehow interconnect and change each other’s lives. Sure, ... sounds good. Besides, there’s nothing else to watch on Thursdays at 10pm now that Without a Trace has moved to Sunday.

I like Jeremy Sisto (Six Feet Under, Clueless) and Delroy Lindo (Gone in 60 Seconds), so I’ll give it a chance. It looks like a knock-off of 24 with a kidnapping instead of a terrorist plot but hopefully I’ll be on the edge of my seat.

This one looks like a knock-off of Kidnapped, except this one involves a senator’s wife. There’s apparently some mystery surrounding the identity of the wife, hopefully Fox won’t cancel it before we find out. Luckily, it’ll get a heard start on Monday with Prison Break.

This show didn’t interest me at first because it looked like a chick show. But then I looked at the impressive castof Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal), Rachel Griffiths (Six Feet Under), Sally Field (Forrest Gump), Ron Rifkin (Alias), Balthazar Getty (Alias) and Patricia Wettig (Alias, Prison Break), with writing from Marti Noxon (Buffy). I guess I’ll give it a try.

And there you go. The new shows. My fingers are tired. I’ll talk more about Prison Break and Vanished before they air this Monday. What new shows are you looking forward to this fall?