New Fall Shows 2009-2010 Season

Some new shows have started, and some are having us wait with anticipation. Below are the brand new shows the networks have planned - this is not a complete list, this is based on what shows I plan to watch or give a chance to this fall. Once these premiere and start to air regularly, I'll be doing recaps and reviews on them, so stay tuned!

Here are the shows that sound interesting for this new Fall Season:

Accidentally on Purpose (CBS) In spite of the critics negative reactions to this being a 'small screen version' of Knocked Up, I love Jenna Elfman (Dharma & Greg) and am excited to check out her new comedy.  She plays Billie, a film critic with blockbuster news — she's pregnant from a one-night stand with a younger dude Zack (Jon Foster, Life As We Know It). Adding intrigue to the cast is Grant Show (Melrose Place) who plays the boss James - who happens to be Billie's ex-boyfriend - and who's trying to resume their relationship. Zack is the "boy toy" she has a fling with during her break up with James, only to find herself pregnant after their one-night-stand.  Rounding out the cast are Billie's party girl best friend Olivia, her conventional, younger married sister Abby, and Zack's freeloading friends.  Based on the bestselling memoir by Mary F. Pols. Premieres: Monday, Sept. 21 at 8:30/7:30c on CBS

The Beautiful Life: TBL (The CW) Another brain-child from Ashton Kutcher, who is the executive producer.  The premise pulls from the idea that the life of a high-fashion model appears glamorous and sexy, but every new model quickly learns that behind the beautiful façade is a world of insecurity and cut-throat competition.  The main characters are two teenage models Raina Mayer (Sara Paxton, "Last House on the Left"), a stunning beauty with a secret past, and Chris Andrews (Benjamin Hollingsworth, "The Line"), a strikingly handsome Iowa farm boy.  The cast includes Mischa Barton, "The O.C.", Ashley Madekwe, "Secret Diary of a Call Girl", Corbin Bleu, "High School Musical 2", and the current alpha-male-model known as Nico Tortorella, "Twelve".  Elle Macpherson is also a leading character, and Fashion Designer Zac Posen makes a cameo appearance.   Not sure how enthusiastic I'll be about this one - I figure I'll give it a one or two episode shot and see how it is.  It won't be on my top priority list, though. Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 9/8c on The CW The Beautiful Life Pictured: Ashley Madekwe as Marissa, Nico Tortorella as Kai, Sara Paxton as Raina, Ben Hollingsworth as Chris, Corbin Bleu as Isaac Photo Credit: Art Streiber / The CW ©Ã‚ 2009 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Community (NBC) From TVGuide: "The Soup's Joel McHale stars as an ethically challenged attorney who is forced to go back to college — community college. There, he meets a ragtag bunch of misfit toys, including an understated Chevy Chase, Gillian Jacobs and Mad Men's Alison Brie ("Hell's bells, Trudy!") who all yearn for some higher learning, despite their obvious deficiencies out in the real world." Some of you know that I have very little faith in NBC because of their penchant to cancel new shows in their infancy.  I will, however, give this show a chance because 1) I love a good sitcom, and 2) can you go wrong with Chevy Chase? Premieres: Thursday, Sept. 17 at 9:30/8:30c on NBC

Cougar Town (ABC) I've always been a fan of Courteney Cox (Friends, Dirt), so when I saw promo's for the upcoming Cougar Town, I was more than just a little intrigued.   Courteney plays Jules Cobb who is finally putting herself back on the market after having been out of the dating game for so long.  With a little help from her friends she’s discovering it’s never too late to live like a twenty-something, even if you’re forty-something.  Welcome to the world of crazy parties, hot boyfriends, and free limo rides.  But be careful, side effects include: embarrassing photos, late night food comas, and all day hangovers.  Considering this new series is from genius Bill Lawrence (Scrubs), you know it's going to be funny. Brian Van Holt (John from Cincinnati) plays Bobby, her disarmingly charming ex-husband who is a former semi-pro golfer, and current high school landscape 'artist'.  He's the first to the party and the last to leave.  Jules' friend and next-door neighbor, Ellie (Christa Miller, Kate & Allie, Northern Exposure, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Party of Five, Seinfeld, Scrubs and The Drew Carey Show) would do anything for Jules - as long as it doesn't actually involve doing anything.  Ellie's doting husband, Andy, is played by Ian Gomez (Rita Rocks, Jake in Progress) who loves his wife almost as much as he loves his coffee - and loves hanging with Bobby. Jules’ brassy assistant, Laurie (Busy Philipps, Freaks and Geeks) is Jules' passport to the adventures of single-life is.   Jules’ handsome neighbor, Grayson (Josh Hopkins, Private Practice, CSI: Miami, Pretty Ugly People, Swingtown, Ally McBeal, Ghost Whisperer, Brothers & Sisters) is also recently divorced.  He, however, has no problem embracing his new single life and tends to date a lot of fun, perky and half-his-age girls.  And finally, Jules and Bobby's sharp-tongued teenage son, Travis, is played by Dan Byrd (Heroes, Aliens in America, Clubhouse, Salem’s Lot).  At home Travis is confident, quick-witted and keeps his mom on her toes.  But in social settings, he is more than a little awkward, and he is constantly embarrassed by both is parents, though it's obvious he loves them both. This show is definitely on my 'must see' list. Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 9:30/8:30c on ABC

Eastwick (ABC) From TVGuide: "The producers of this fantasy series about suburban witches, which stars Rebecca Romijn and Lindsay Price, hope the third attempt to bring John Updike's novel to the small screen will be the charm. The big-screen version, The Witches of Eastwick, was a major success in 1987." With Lindsay Price (Beverly Hills, 90210, All My Children, The Bold and the Beautiful, Lipstick Jungle), Rebecca Romijn (Ugly Betty, X-Men, X2, X3: The Last Stand, Femme Fatale, Pepper Dennis), and Jaime Ray Newman (General Hospital, Veronica Mars, Lincoln Heights, Eureka, Nip/Tuck) as the Eastwick Trio, it should prove to be interesting.  We'll see. Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 10/9c

FlashForward (ABC) From TVGuide: "The world's population sees into the future when everyone blacks out for two minutes and 17 seconds at the same time. The clairvoyant episode staggers the minds of all, as in many instances their futures are not what they expected---and some, it seems, have no future at all. While many recount their experiences on a worldwide Web site, others seek to circumvent their fates; and some, like FBI agent Mark Benford, seek to learn what caused the mass blackout." From ABC: When the world’s population is given a glimpse of their future due to a mysterious global event, it forces everyone to come to grips with whether their destinies can be fulfilled or avoided. The previews look intriguing - so we'll see if the series lives up to the hype.  Premieres: Thursday, Sept. 24 at 8/7c on ABC

The Forgotten (ABC) I love Christian Slater, and was bummed when NBC didn't give his show My Own Worst Enemy a chance last year.  I was quite happy to see that he's returning to the 'small screen' in this new series by Jerry Bruckheimer.   We all know that Jerry Bruckheimer is the executive producer behind some of the best procedurals out there - in The Forgotten, he gives a face to missing persons cases by focusing the drama on the victim.  It's that winning touch from Bruckheimer that will make this series be "the remembered" for us every Tuesday. The Forgotten is a team of dedicated amateurs -- The Forgotten Network -- who work on murder cases involving unidentified victims. After the police have given up, this group, led by Alex Donovan (Christian Slater), must first solve the puzzle of the victim's identity in order to then help catch the killer. These are citizen volunteers solving extraordinary crimes. Their persistence and compassion for the cases put them on a personal and emotional journey to focus on giving names back to the deceased. The Forgotten Network gathers in coffee shops and living rooms to discuss leads, clues and tips, each bringing their own motivations and skills to the table, each driven by a deep sense of purpose. Donovan is a former detective who left the force after the disappearance of his own young daughter. Through the use of his investigative skills, he can help piece together each victim's story: retracing their footsteps and unearthing why they died by learning how they lived. Working against the clock to give each victim a name before being buried a John or Jane Doe, these amateur detectives are in it to bring closure... and win justice. This will be on my 'Must See' list this year. Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 10/9c on ABC

The Good Wife (CBS) I wasn't an ER fan, but I've always liked Julianna Margulies especially when I saw her in the short-lived 'Canterbury's Law'.  I was happy to see that she'll be in a new series this fall, The Good Wife.  In this new series, she plays a wife and mother who boldly assumes full responsibility for her family and re-enters the workforce after her husband (Chris Noth, Law & Order: CI, Sex and The City) has a very public sex and political corruption that lands him in jail.  She starts over by pursuing her original career as a defense attorney.  Of course she's been out of the courtroom for 13 years, so she's grateful the firm's top litigator - played by Diane Lockhart - offers to be her mentor.  Unfortunately there are conditions, and Alicia realizes she's going to need to succeed on her own merit.  Her main competition amongst the firm's 20-something new recruits is Cary, a recent Harvard grad who is affable on the surface, but competitive to the core.  Kalinda, the firm's tough in-house investigator quickly becomes her ally, which enables Alicia to gain confidence every day and transform herself from embarrassed politician's scorned wife to a resilient career woman. All this for the sake of providing a stable home for her children, 14-year old Zach and 13-year old Grace.  She trades in her identity as "good wife" and takes charge of her own destiny.  Christina Baranski is also a leading character, so that makes this one I'm really looking forward to. Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 10/9c on CBS

Hank (ABC) Kelsey Grammer returns - again - to yet another sitcom.  Hopefully this one will prove to be his golden moment, where it lasts longer than a season.   I really enjoy Kelsey Grammer, and enjoy the comedic timing he brings, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this time will be the charm.  Hank is about a self-made man (Kelsey Grammer) who is used to being the boss. But now that he's lost almost everything, he faces an even bigger challenge of reconnecting with his small-town family and being a husband and father. Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 8/7c on ABC

Melrose Place (The CW) While I was a fan of the original Melrose Place, the jury's still out on this new series.  I do love the fact that it's set in the original place, but like any other 'remake' it will certainly have its growing pains.  It features many of the same familiar archetypes as before:  the brooding bad boy, the nice couple, and the powerful bitch, to name three.  The new show departs from its source material with a mystery storyline concerning a dead body that appears, Sunset Boulevard-style, in the apartment complex's pool.  While it won't be my first choice of something to watch, it will certainly be a interesting 'filler' for those time when nothing else is on.  I was pleasantly surprised by Ashlee Simpson-Wentz - she did a great job in her role, and I'm kind of wondering if she's going to turn out to be the daughter of Sydney.  Who knows, maybe it'll grow on me.  We'll see.  I do like that they have Laura Leighton and Thomas Calabro as 'special guest' stars - it's nice to see some familiar faces from the original. Premiered: Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 9/8c on The CW Melrose Place Pictured: (l-r) Ashlee Simpson-Wentz as Violet, Colin Egglesfield as Auggie, Katie Cassidy as Ella, Laura Leighton as Sydney, Thomas Calabro as Dr. Michael Mancini, Stephanie Jacobsen as Lauren, Shaun Sipos as David, Jessica Lucas as Riley, Michael Rady as Jonah. Photo Credit: Frank Ockenfels/The CW ©2009 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.

Mercy (NBC) TNT's summertime drama HawthoRNe and ShowTime's Nurse Jackie brought a nice change to the typical medical genre by focusing on the nurses instead of the doctors.  NBC is joining the nursing highlights with Mercy. From NBC: "You haven't seen inside a hospital until you've seen it through the eyes of those who know it best: its nurses. Veronica Callahan is one of those nurses. She just returned to Mercy Hospital from a tour in Iraq and knows more about medicine than all of the residents combined. Together with fellow nurses Sonia and Chloe, she navigates the daily traumas and social landmines of life and love both inside the hospital and out in the real world. From executive producers/writers Liz Heldens (Friday Night Lights), Gretchen Berg & Aaron Harberts (Pushing Daisies), executive producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun, and Emmy Award-winning director Adam Bernstein (30 Rock, Rescue Me) comes a medical drama with a totally unique point of view. One-hour drama." I'll give it a shot - I did enjoy HawthoRNe and Jackie, so maybe NBC will have an enjoyable hit on their hands.  And hopefully not cancel it a few episodes in.  Besides, one of the doctors is James Tupper (Men in Trees) - be still my heart...so I'll be watching because of him, for sure.  Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 8/7c on NBC

The Middle (ABC) ABC is really adding to their lineup with sitcoms this year.  It's about time.  TVGuide says that "ABC (is) fast on its way to becoming The Quirky Network", and I agree - in a positive way.   Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond, Back to You) is back in a comedy about a mom trying to, in the words of the show's promo, "raise her family while lowering her expectations".  The promotional videos are hysterical - so I have high hopes that this new sitcom will be a keeper. From ABC: "Parents are the real heroes—but we think Frankie Heck (Patricia Heaton), must be some kind of superhero. A loving wife and mother of three, she's middle class in the middle of the country and is rapidly approaching middle age. Frankie Heck works hard. This supermom has to wrangle three of the quirkiest, but most lovable kids you've ever seen and a blue collar husband who's known for his tell-it-like-it-is personality more than anything else. When she's not running the household, she works at the local car dealership where she's their third best salesperson (out of three). She may not have everything figured out all the time, but her family loves her and she loves them, and together they get by." Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 8:30/7:30c on ABC

Modern Family (ABC) Yet another hilarious-looking comedy, Ed O'Neill (Married... with Children), Julie Bowen (Ed, Boston Legal) and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (The Class) headline a top-notch cast delivering a fresh take on the multigenerational family comedy.  The promo videos look hilarious - here's hoping the show truly is as laugh-out-loud-funny as it looks. Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 9/8c on ABC

Three Rivers (CBS) Be still my heart...Alex O'Loughlin (Moonlight) is back!  Three Rivers, a new medical drama series on CBS, goes inside the emotionally complex lives of organ donors, the recipients and the surgeons at the preeminent transplant hospital in the country, where every moment counts.  The previews look intriguing, and along with Alex are Katherine Moennig (The L Word) and Daniel Henney (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) who populate a team of transplant doctors, with each transplant story being told from three perspectives — those of donor, recipient, and doctors. This one I'm definitely checking out!  And for you other Alex fans, he's also going to be starring in an upcoming CBS Film, "The Back-Up Plan".  It will be nice to have Alex back!  Premieres: Sunday, Oct. 4 at 9/8c on CBS

Trauma (NBC) Like ABC beefing up in sitcom mode, NBC is beefing up the medical dramas this fall.  The previews to Trauma do look as 'action packed' as they claim it to be, based solely from the perspective of the dangerous profession, first responder paramedics. From NBC: "Like an adrenaline shot to the heart, "Trauma" is an intense, action-packed look at one of the most dangerous medical professions in the world: first responder paramedics.  When emergencies occur, the trauma team from San Francisco General is first on the scene, traveling by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time.  From the heights of the Transamerica Pyramid to the depths of the S.F. Bay, our heroes must face the most extreme conditions to save lives, and give meaning to their own existence in the process. From executive producer Peter Berg ("Friday Night Lights"), "Trauma" is the first high-octane franchise to live exclusively in the field, where the real action is." It will be worth checking out for sure. Premieres: Monday, Sept. 28 at 9/8c on NBC

The Vampire Diaries (The CW) I was never a Vampire show fan, until I got sucked into Moonlight on CBS and Blood Ties on Lifetime (pun intended).  So when I saw that The CW was planning on doing their own Vampire genre series, I was intrigued, but had reservations, especially since no one can compare to Alex O'Loughlin as a sexy vampire.  Sorry, I haven't gotten into Twilight yet - give me time.  The Vampire Diaries premiered last week on September 10th - since there's really nothing else on (that I like) this time of year, I decided it was the perfect time to check it out.  The premise is about a 17-year-old Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev, "DeGrassi: The Next Generation") and her 15-year-old brother, Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen, "Everwood") adjusting to their new reality after their parents were killed in a tragic car accident four months prior. At first I was rolling my eyes because it's yet another show filled with teenage angst that The CW seems to have prominently on their network.  In spite of her struggle to adjust to her grief, Elena manages to find some comfort with her familiar social circle.  Her best friend Bonnie (Katerina Graham, "17 Again"), frenemy Caroline (Candice Accola, "Juno"), and former boyfriend Matt (Zach Roerig, "Friday Night Lights") keep things interesting, as does her brother, Jeremy, who is coping with his grief in a more destructive mode by hanging out with stoners and using drugs to hide his pain. The mysterious 'new student' to their high school is of course Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley, "Fallen") the Vampire du jour, whose brooding dark good looks grow on you, and his connection to Elena is obvious...the intrigue of which is heightened when he's shown in his room looking at a photograph of a woman the spitting image of Elena named 'Katherine'.  Apparently 'Katherine' is a long ago love of Stefan's. There have been several 'animal attacks' which Stefan knows are really vampire attacks - and since he's trying to live a more 'normal' life (as in, not biting people or drinking their blood, only animals), he knows who might be behind the attacks, and knows it isn't him.  The 'twist' comes near the end when one of the main characters is attacked during a bonfire party.  Stefan races home to discover his brother Damon waiting for him.  They fight, and Damon (Ian Somerhalder, "Lost") accuses Stefan of going soft.  Stefan warns Damon away from Elena, because there was an issue way back when with Damon trying to make his former love, Katherine, 'his own'. While this show will not be on my 'top 10' list, it's definitely gotten me intrigued to watch more.  So I will.  It definitely got more interesting towards the end of the pilot, so we'll see if they keep up that momentum.   What really intrigued me was to find out the people behind this series:  Executive Producers Kevin Williamson ("Scream," "Dawson's Creek"), Julie Plec ("Kyle XY," "Wasteland"), Leslie Morgenstein ("Gossip Girl," "Private") and Bob Levy ("Gossip Girl," "Privileged"). Marcos Siega ("Dexter") directed the pilot.  With that talented mix of people, it should only get better.  Stay tuned! Premiered: Thursday, Sept. 10 at 8/7c on The CW The Vampire Diaries Pictured: Ian Somerhalder as Daman, Nina Dobrev as Elena, Paul Wesley as Stefan in THE VAMPIRE DIARIES on The CW. Photo Credit: Kharen Hill / The CW © 2009 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

White Collar (USA) USA has brought some great series to network TV - Burn Notice, In Plain Sight, Royal Pains, and of course Psych and Monk.  When I saw the previews for a new series coming this fall, I knew I'd have to check it out. From USA: "White Collar is about the unlikely partnership of a con artist and an FBI agent who have been playing cat and mouse for years. Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer), a charming criminal mastermind, is finally caught by his nemesis, FBI Agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay.) When Neal escapes from a maximum-security prison to find his long-lost love, Peter nabs him once again. Rather than returning to jail, Neal suggests an alternate plan: He'll provide his criminal expertise to assist the Feds in catching other elusive criminals in exchange for his eventual freedom. Initially wary, Peter quickly finds that Neal provides insight and intuition that can't be found on the right side of the law." I will be posting weekly recaps once this show premieres.  Stay tuned! Premieres: Friday, October 23 at 10/9c on USA FYI: Burn Notice Returns January 2010 In Plain Sight Returns Spring 2010 Royal Pains will (hopefully) Return in 2010

Wednesday I'll have a list of favorite returning shows and their scheduled Premiere Dates.  See you then!