Fewer shows this fall, more crime
By Bruce R. Miller, Journal staff writer | Posted: Sunday, September 07, 2008
The fewest new shows in years.
Could that spell doom for the 2008-2009 television season? Or does it mean networks have gotten a little wiser about dumping three dozen new series on an unsuspecting public?
Clearly, the writers strike changed the way network execs think (some say they're not even going to fund pilots in the future). It also gave reality shows a big foothold on the primetime schedule. With cheaper costs (and huge ratings) why wouldn't network heads prefer shows like "American Idol" and "Dancing With the Stars"?
This year, there are more crime shows than crimes, more foreign-born stars than American ones and views of the rich and famous that are obviously colored by Paris Hilton and her friends.
Two old shows -- "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Knight Rider" -- get new life. Several 2007-2008 newcomers get a second shot at success. "Rebooting," they call it.
But if any of the newcomers don't hit with audiences, expect an old-fashioned response.
"Booting," they call it.
By day, here's what's new on the networks.
Monday
Worst Week
Premieres: 8:30 p.m. Monday Sept. 22 CBS
Stars: Kyle Bornheimer (plus Yankton College grad Nancy Lenehan plays his girl's mom)
Plot: You think you've got it bad? How would you like EVERYTHING to go wrong? A poor schlub has to deal with future in-laws. Cute...but can it sustain itself?
Quote: Is it only about one week? Nope, says producer Matt Tarses. "The following weeks will be about dealing with the pregnancy and the wedding, both of which I hope to happen in this -- I don't want to give too much away."
It's like: Work. But after a tough day, you may want to feel superior to someone.
Grade: B plus.
My Own Worst Enemy
Premieres: 9 p.m. Monday Sept. 29 NBC
Stars: Christian Slater
Plot: A seemingly normal suburban guy also has a suave, killer side. Slater plays an efficiency expert who tries to understand his other life as an operative.
Quote: "I play Henry on certain days, Edward on other days. It made it very challenging, very fun, very exciting and kept my energy up. It was just a continual perpetual motion," Christian Slater says.
It's like: "Chuck" without the comedy.
Grade: D
Tuesday
90210
Premieres: 7 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 2 The CW
Stars: A bunch of unknowns, Jessica Walter, Lori Loughlin, Rob Estes
Plot: You can go back. Another Midwestern family moves to Beverly Hills where dad is an administrator at West Beverly Hills High.
Quote: On the first series: "My mom thought it was, I guess, educational in a way and so did I," says Shenae Grimes. "It was our little bonding."
It's like: "The O.C." meets "The Hills." Think: Sex.
Grade: B minus. But where's Andrea?
Opportunity Knocks
Premieres: 7 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 23 ABC
Stars: You! Yeah, you (if they come to your house).
Plot: Can't go to a game show? The game show comes to you. Host J.D. Roth quizzes families about dirt he and his team have been able to unearth prior to the big show.
Quote: "You can make entertainment without being destructive and that's what this show is about," Ashton Kutcher, Iowa native and executive producer of the series.
It's like: Having Bob Barker come and visit.
Grade: C
Privileged
Premieres: 8 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 9 The CW
Stars: JoAnna Garcia, Anne Archer
Plot: A struggling journalist agrees to tutor two rich girls in exchange for a room, tuition reimbursement and a taste of the good life. Unfortunately, the good life isn't so good.
Quote: "I chose to dye my hair red...so that was our way of kind of like easing into it," says former "Reba" blonde JoAnna Garcia. "Once we did it, I don't miss the blonde."
It's like: "The Sound of Music" as seen through the eyes of Paris Hilton.
Grade: C plus
Fringe
Premieres: 8 p.m. Tuesday Fox
Stars: Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv, John Noble
Plot: A plane lands in Boston with no signs of life. Could a terrorist be responsible? Or is it something more secretive? The series from J.J. Abrams plays "X-Files" games with an elaborate plot, a father and son who don't communicate and a few conspiracy theories guaranteed to keep the show going for five years.
Quote: "'Fringe' could have been a movie but we would not have had the room to explore these characters at the depth we wanted to go into in three acts," says executive producer Alex Kurtzman.
It's Like: "Lost" but easier to follow
Grade: A
The Mentalist
Premieres: 8 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 23 CBS
Stars: Simon Baker
Plot: A former celebrity psychic (who admits to less-than-ethical tactics) turns his talents to crime solving. He works for the California Bureau of Investigation and often rubs his fellow workers the wrong way.
Quote: "I don't actively look for parts where I have to play an American because it's more work," says Simon Baker. "I moved back to Australia for a year and I missed a lot of my friends that I had here. So, now I'm back."
It's like: "Medium" with the heat turned up
Grade: B plus
Wednesday
Knight Rider
Premieres: 7 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 24 NBC
Stars: Nebraska's Justin Bruening
Plot: The killer car (voiced by Val Kilmer) returns with new tricks and a hot young driver. (The Hoff is out.)
Quote: "The car is the star of the show....it's what we use to accomplish our missions," Justin Bruening on his metal friend.
It's like: "Transformers" with even more product placement
Grade: C
Gary Unmarried
Premieres: 7 p.m. Thursday Sept. 24 CBS
Stars: Jay Mohr, Paula Marshall
Plot: Divorced parents play good cop/bad cop with their kids. Then, he gets a hot girlfriend.
It's like: "The New Adventures of Old Christine," only not as funny.
Grade: C minus
Stylista
Premieres: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22, The CW
Stars: Some editors of "Elle" (Anne Slowey, anyone?)
Plot: In exchange for being treated like dirt, contestants get the thrill of working for a demanding editor.
Quote: "I'm not a caricature, you know. I'm not a character," says Anne Slowey. "We live in a very rarefied world, so I think it's really easy to think we are sort of shallow aesthetes, but we're not. We're very smart. We work very hard."
It's like: "The Devil Wears Prada" without fringe benefits.
Grade: C minus
Do Not Disturb
Premieres: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 10 Fox
Stars: Jerry O'Connell, Niecy Nash
Plot: Two high-strung hotel employees compete for control of the hip destination.
Quote: "Receiving the script I'm like, 'Oh, Lord, I'm not used to that. I got to memorize all of this?'" says "Reno: 911" star Niecy Nash. "I'm used to making it up on the fly, but I'm having a good time nonetheless."
It's like: "Golden Palace" (remember that?) meets "The Office" (but that's giving it too much credit)
Grade: D
Thursday
Hole in the Wall
Premieres: 7 p.m. Sunday Sept. 7 Fox; will settle into 7 p.m. Thursdays
Stars: Brooke Burns, Mark Thompson host
Plot: Japanese game show comes to the United States. Contestants have to contort their bodies to win prizes.
It's Like: The game "Ellen" plays, quite frequently.
Grade: C minus
Kath and Kim
Premieres: 7:30 p.m. Thursday Oct. 9 NBC
Stars: Molly Shannon, Selma Blair
Plot: Based on an Australian original, it shows what happens when a mom and daughter live together long after the daughter should have moved out. Plus, Blair's character aspires to be a trophy wife. Oh, dear.
Quote: "Part of the humor is that our ages are confusing," Selma Blair says. "My character could be 40 or she could be 12. You just have no idea. She's demented."
It's like: A female "My Name Is Earl."
Grade: Unpreviewed
Life on Mars
Premieres: 9 p.m. Thursday Oct. 9 ABC
Stars: Jason O'Mara, Michael Imperioli
Plot: A New York detective is plucked from 2008 and tossed back into 1973, where Serpico is the template for a world of cops. Were the '70s really this good?
Quote: "I have no idea what it was like back then," Michael Imperioli says of the '70s. "I was 7....but it was crazy. Sex was easy."
It's like: "Starsky and Hutch" in a time machine
Grade: Unpreviewed
Eleventh Hour
Premieres 9 p.m. Thursday Oct. 9 CBS
Stars: Rufus Sewell
Plot: Dr. Jacob Hood is the last line of defense when crimes take a scientific turn. Because he's much like "House," he needs help from FBI agents. Hothead meets cold cases.
Quote: "The idea of playing one character a long time doesn't scare me the way playing a certain type of role does," says Rufus Sewell. "If you play similar parts, you're only ever allowed to play them in a decreasing level of quality of product."
It's like: "CSI" with human interest
Grade: B plus
Friday
Crusoe
Premieres: 7 p.m. Friday Oct. 17 NBC
Stars: Philip Winchester
Plot: The old Daniel Defoe story unfolds over 13 weeks. You also get backstory on Crusoe's relationships back home. And, yup, there's Friday on Friday.
It's like: The original "Survivor."
Grade: Unpreviewed
The Ex List
Premieres: 8 p.m. Friday Oct. 3 CBS
Stars: Elizabeth Reaser
Plot: When a psychic tells her she has already dated the man of her dreams, a woman decides to retrace her steps and re-meet the men in her life. How checkered IS her past?
Quote: "When I first got out here, I was like 'Whoo-hoo. Look at this. Keys to the kingdom.' I was like, 'Oh, wait. I have to actually do something. Crap,'" says creator Diane Ruggiero.
It's Like: "How I Met Your Mother" but without the joy of Neil Patrick Harris.
Grade: C plus
Sunday
In Harm's Way
Premieres: 6 p.m. Sept. 21 The CW
Stars: Real folks.
Plot: Reality show about people with dangerous jobs. It's like a documentary.
It's like: Ken Burns doing "America's Toughest Jobs."
Grade: Unpreviewed
Surviving Suburbia
Premieres: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 2 The CW
Stars: Bob Saget
Plot: Suburban couple gets new neighbors; they prove distracting.
It's like: "Married...with Children" meets "Til Death"
Grade: Unpreviewed
Valentine
Premieres: 7 p.m. Sept. 21 The CW
Stars: Jaime Murray, Kristopher Polaha, Nikki Snelson
Plot: The Valentines bring couples together. Each represents a different god or goddess.
It's like: "Love American Style" crossed with "Cupid"
Grade: Unpreviewed
Easy Money
Premieres: 8 p.m. Sept. 21 The CW
Stars: Laurie Metcalf, Jeff Hephner, Judge Reinhold
Plot: A 28-year-old tries to run a family loan business despite intrusions from his his relatives.
It's like: Call it. This is one of those odd shows that likely won't find an audience.
Grade: Unpreviewed
Could that spell doom for the 2008-2009 television season? Or does it mean networks have gotten a little wiser about dumping three dozen new series on an unsuspecting public?
Clearly, the writers strike changed the way network execs think (some say they're not even going to fund pilots in the future). It also gave reality shows a big foothold on the primetime schedule. With cheaper costs (and huge ratings) why wouldn't network heads prefer shows like "American Idol" and "Dancing With the Stars"?
This year, there are more crime shows than crimes, more foreign-born stars than American ones and views of the rich and famous that are obviously colored by Paris Hilton and her friends.
Two old shows -- "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Knight Rider" -- get new life. Several 2007-2008 newcomers get a second shot at success. "Rebooting," they call it.
But if any of the newcomers don't hit with audiences, expect an old-fashioned response.
"Booting," they call it.
By day, here's what's new on the networks.
Monday
Worst Week
Premieres: 8:30 p.m. Monday Sept. 22 CBS
Stars: Kyle Bornheimer (plus Yankton College grad Nancy Lenehan plays his girl's mom)
Plot: You think you've got it bad? How would you like EVERYTHING to go wrong? A poor schlub has to deal with future in-laws. Cute...but can it sustain itself?
Quote: Is it only about one week? Nope, says producer Matt Tarses. "The following weeks will be about dealing with the pregnancy and the wedding, both of which I hope to happen in this -- I don't want to give too much away."
It's like: Work. But after a tough day, you may want to feel superior to someone.
Grade: B plus.
My Own Worst Enemy
Premieres: 9 p.m. Monday Sept. 29 NBC
Stars: Christian Slater
Plot: A seemingly normal suburban guy also has a suave, killer side. Slater plays an efficiency expert who tries to understand his other life as an operative.
Quote: "I play Henry on certain days, Edward on other days. It made it very challenging, very fun, very exciting and kept my energy up. It was just a continual perpetual motion," Christian Slater says.
It's like: "Chuck" without the comedy.
Grade: D
Tuesday
90210
Premieres: 7 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 2 The CW
Stars: A bunch of unknowns, Jessica Walter, Lori Loughlin, Rob Estes
Plot: You can go back. Another Midwestern family moves to Beverly Hills where dad is an administrator at West Beverly Hills High.
Quote: On the first series: "My mom thought it was, I guess, educational in a way and so did I," says Shenae Grimes. "It was our little bonding."
It's like: "The O.C." meets "The Hills." Think: Sex.
Grade: B minus. But where's Andrea?
Opportunity Knocks
Premieres: 7 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 23 ABC
Stars: You! Yeah, you (if they come to your house).
Plot: Can't go to a game show? The game show comes to you. Host J.D. Roth quizzes families about dirt he and his team have been able to unearth prior to the big show.
Quote: "You can make entertainment without being destructive and that's what this show is about," Ashton Kutcher, Iowa native and executive producer of the series.
It's like: Having Bob Barker come and visit.
Grade: C
Privileged
Premieres: 8 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 9 The CW
Stars: JoAnna Garcia, Anne Archer
Plot: A struggling journalist agrees to tutor two rich girls in exchange for a room, tuition reimbursement and a taste of the good life. Unfortunately, the good life isn't so good.
Quote: "I chose to dye my hair red...so that was our way of kind of like easing into it," says former "Reba" blonde JoAnna Garcia. "Once we did it, I don't miss the blonde."
It's like: "The Sound of Music" as seen through the eyes of Paris Hilton.
Grade: C plus
Fringe
Premieres: 8 p.m. Tuesday Fox
Stars: Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv, John Noble
Plot: A plane lands in Boston with no signs of life. Could a terrorist be responsible? Or is it something more secretive? The series from J.J. Abrams plays "X-Files" games with an elaborate plot, a father and son who don't communicate and a few conspiracy theories guaranteed to keep the show going for five years.
Quote: "'Fringe' could have been a movie but we would not have had the room to explore these characters at the depth we wanted to go into in three acts," says executive producer Alex Kurtzman.
It's Like: "Lost" but easier to follow
Grade: A
The Mentalist
Premieres: 8 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 23 CBS
Stars: Simon Baker
Plot: A former celebrity psychic (who admits to less-than-ethical tactics) turns his talents to crime solving. He works for the California Bureau of Investigation and often rubs his fellow workers the wrong way.
Quote: "I don't actively look for parts where I have to play an American because it's more work," says Simon Baker. "I moved back to Australia for a year and I missed a lot of my friends that I had here. So, now I'm back."
It's like: "Medium" with the heat turned up
Grade: B plus
Wednesday
Knight Rider
Premieres: 7 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 24 NBC
Stars: Nebraska's Justin Bruening
Plot: The killer car (voiced by Val Kilmer) returns with new tricks and a hot young driver. (The Hoff is out.)
Quote: "The car is the star of the show....it's what we use to accomplish our missions," Justin Bruening on his metal friend.
It's like: "Transformers" with even more product placement
Grade: C
Gary Unmarried
Premieres: 7 p.m. Thursday Sept. 24 CBS
Stars: Jay Mohr, Paula Marshall
Plot: Divorced parents play good cop/bad cop with their kids. Then, he gets a hot girlfriend.
It's like: "The New Adventures of Old Christine," only not as funny.
Grade: C minus
Stylista
Premieres: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22, The CW
Stars: Some editors of "Elle" (Anne Slowey, anyone?)
Plot: In exchange for being treated like dirt, contestants get the thrill of working for a demanding editor.
Quote: "I'm not a caricature, you know. I'm not a character," says Anne Slowey. "We live in a very rarefied world, so I think it's really easy to think we are sort of shallow aesthetes, but we're not. We're very smart. We work very hard."
It's like: "The Devil Wears Prada" without fringe benefits.
Grade: C minus
Do Not Disturb
Premieres: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 10 Fox
Stars: Jerry O'Connell, Niecy Nash
Plot: Two high-strung hotel employees compete for control of the hip destination.
Quote: "Receiving the script I'm like, 'Oh, Lord, I'm not used to that. I got to memorize all of this?'" says "Reno: 911" star Niecy Nash. "I'm used to making it up on the fly, but I'm having a good time nonetheless."
It's like: "Golden Palace" (remember that?) meets "The Office" (but that's giving it too much credit)
Grade: D
Thursday
Hole in the Wall
Premieres: 7 p.m. Sunday Sept. 7 Fox; will settle into 7 p.m. Thursdays
Stars: Brooke Burns, Mark Thompson host
Plot: Japanese game show comes to the United States. Contestants have to contort their bodies to win prizes.
It's Like: The game "Ellen" plays, quite frequently.
Grade: C minus
Kath and Kim
Premieres: 7:30 p.m. Thursday Oct. 9 NBC
Stars: Molly Shannon, Selma Blair
Plot: Based on an Australian original, it shows what happens when a mom and daughter live together long after the daughter should have moved out. Plus, Blair's character aspires to be a trophy wife. Oh, dear.
Quote: "Part of the humor is that our ages are confusing," Selma Blair says. "My character could be 40 or she could be 12. You just have no idea. She's demented."
It's like: A female "My Name Is Earl."
Grade: Unpreviewed
Life on Mars
Premieres: 9 p.m. Thursday Oct. 9 ABC
Stars: Jason O'Mara, Michael Imperioli
Plot: A New York detective is plucked from 2008 and tossed back into 1973, where Serpico is the template for a world of cops. Were the '70s really this good?
Quote: "I have no idea what it was like back then," Michael Imperioli says of the '70s. "I was 7....but it was crazy. Sex was easy."
It's like: "Starsky and Hutch" in a time machine
Grade: Unpreviewed
Eleventh Hour
Premieres 9 p.m. Thursday Oct. 9 CBS
Stars: Rufus Sewell
Plot: Dr. Jacob Hood is the last line of defense when crimes take a scientific turn. Because he's much like "House," he needs help from FBI agents. Hothead meets cold cases.
Quote: "The idea of playing one character a long time doesn't scare me the way playing a certain type of role does," says Rufus Sewell. "If you play similar parts, you're only ever allowed to play them in a decreasing level of quality of product."
It's like: "CSI" with human interest
Grade: B plus
Friday
Crusoe
Premieres: 7 p.m. Friday Oct. 17 NBC
Stars: Philip Winchester
Plot: The old Daniel Defoe story unfolds over 13 weeks. You also get backstory on Crusoe's relationships back home. And, yup, there's Friday on Friday.
It's like: The original "Survivor."
Grade: Unpreviewed
The Ex List
Premieres: 8 p.m. Friday Oct. 3 CBS
Stars: Elizabeth Reaser
Plot: When a psychic tells her she has already dated the man of her dreams, a woman decides to retrace her steps and re-meet the men in her life. How checkered IS her past?
Quote: "When I first got out here, I was like 'Whoo-hoo. Look at this. Keys to the kingdom.' I was like, 'Oh, wait. I have to actually do something. Crap,'" says creator Diane Ruggiero.
It's Like: "How I Met Your Mother" but without the joy of Neil Patrick Harris.
Grade: C plus
Sunday
In Harm's Way
Premieres: 6 p.m. Sept. 21 The CW
Stars: Real folks.
Plot: Reality show about people with dangerous jobs. It's like a documentary.
It's like: Ken Burns doing "America's Toughest Jobs."
Grade: Unpreviewed
Surviving Suburbia
Premieres: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 2 The CW
Stars: Bob Saget
Plot: Suburban couple gets new neighbors; they prove distracting.
It's like: "Married...with Children" meets "Til Death"
Grade: Unpreviewed
Valentine
Premieres: 7 p.m. Sept. 21 The CW
Stars: Jaime Murray, Kristopher Polaha, Nikki Snelson
Plot: The Valentines bring couples together. Each represents a different god or goddess.
It's like: "Love American Style" crossed with "Cupid"
Grade: Unpreviewed
Easy Money
Premieres: 8 p.m. Sept. 21 The CW
Stars: Laurie Metcalf, Jeff Hephner, Judge Reinhold
Plot: A 28-year-old tries to run a family loan business despite intrusions from his his relatives.
It's like: Call it. This is one of those odd shows that likely won't find an audience.
Grade: Unpreviewed
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 0 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
