Sci-Fi, rich girls and cavemen fill primetime slots this season
Posted on September 20, 2007
Many entertainment critics claim television is in the midst of a second “Golden Age.” Hit shows like “Lost” and “24” have turned otherwise lame weekday nights into viewing events, demanding to be worked into schedules and celebrated with equally enamored groups of friends. But can that claim be validated if promiscuous girls strutting their not-so-classy stuff on “Flavor of Love” also makes it on the air? That’s the ying and the yang of modern television. For every well-written drama or comedy that finds an audience, it seems there are dozens of exploitative reality shows that find an audience in anyone willing to stifle their shame long enough to sit through them.
This year’s fall lineup is filled with new shows, creating a smorgasbord of chick dramas, supernatural — and super powerful — beings and bad ideas. True, it’s inevitable that some shows will be canceled, but it’s less painful when you know they deserve it.
For instance, how long will ABC’s “Cavemen” actually stay on the air? Can a successful series actually be born from a successful comercial? Also making their debuts this season are “Bionic Woman,” NBC’s remake of the ’70s series, “Chuck,” a show about some guy and the female CIA agent who uses him, “Private Practice,” which is Kate Walsh’s attempt at flying solo from under the auspices of mega-hit “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Dirty Sexy Money,” a show about spoiled rich people and the lawyer who has to clean up after them.
Speaking of sex and money, there are a plethora of shows desperately trying to fill the lucrative void left by Sarah Jessica Parker and her cohorts on “Sex and the City.” “Cashmere Mafia” (ABC) and “Lipstick Jungle” (NBC) will be introduced later on in the season to vie for the attentions of audiences who want something to watch while they wait for the “SATC” movie.
Keeping with the theme of something old and something, well, almost new, networks have tweaked the plots of several of their already successful shows and brought audiences programs like “K-Ville” (a.k.a. “CSI: New Orleans”), “Viva Laughlin” (a.k.a. “Las Vegas: The Musical”) and “Samantha Who?” (a.k.a. “My Name is Earl,” but with Christina Applegate).
FX staple “Nip/Tuck” begins its fifth season as doctors Sean McNamara and Christian Troy relocate to L.A. Afraid the twisted plotlines might be aging poorly, the producers have given the show its very own Hollywood facelift. On the agenda for this season: a lesbian love affair between Julia McNamara and guest star Portia de Rossi.
On The CW, expect to find the latest chronicle of the trials and tribulations of financially privileged, emotionally stunted teenagers in “Gossip Girl.” Adapted from the popular teen beach reads of the same name and brought to the small screen by the creators of “The O.C.,” “Gossip Girl” is everything you’d expect it be, which is to say it’s nothing you haven’t seen before. But at least this time it’s in New York.
Returning favorites include ABC’s hit “dramedies,” including “Ugly Betty” and “Desperate Housewives,” as well as the network’s breadwinner, “Grey’s Anatomy.” NBC kicks off the second season of their hit superhero drama “Heroes,” which introduces Kristen Bell (“Veronica Mars”) as the latest hero to join the cast. NBC can also bank on newly minted Emmy winner “30 Rock,” not to mention comedic staples “The Office,” “My Name is Earl” and “Scrubs.”
Of course, there’s also cycle nine of “America’s Next Top Model,” Tyra Banks’ hit modeling competition and the highly anticipated fourth season premiere of Bravo’s “Project Runway,” tentatively scheduled to premier in December.
All in all, expect a solid TV lineup this fall, give or take a few expected missteps. Even better, major networks have made their programming available online so you can watch what you want, when you want, without fifteen minutes of commercials.
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