In just a few short weeks, the fall television season will be underway. Last year produced a wealth of new critical and commercial successes with Glee, Modern Family, Parenthood, and The Good Wife standing out from the pack. This season, the networks are unleashing a plethora of new shows and I am here to tell you which ones are worth your valuable time this semester.
Leading the pack is HBO’s titanic blockbuster Boardwalk Empire, created by former Sopranos executive producer Terrence and Academy Award winning director Martin Scorsese. If there is one show that has a chance at taking down three-time defending champion Mad Men in the Best Drama Emmy category next year, this is it. Starring incredible character-actor Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson, the corrupt treasurer of
By far the best new network television show of the fall is FOX’s Lone Star. Starring newcomer James Wolk as complex conman Bob Allen, a guy with a wife and a girlfriend who steals money from people by bilking investors of their savings, the show focuses on how long he can lead a double-life and keep the walls from closing in around him. His wife Cat (the gorgeous Adrianne Palicki) is the daughter of Clint Thatcher (Jon Voight), the head of a hugely successful oil company. Clint offers Bob a job at the company not realizing that Bob intends to embezzle money from the family. Bob is conflicted and contemplates starting a new venture where he can keep the two women in his life while doing legitimate work for the oil company. His mentor and father John, a longtime conman, continuously prods Bob to keep his eyes focused on the price, taking the oil firm down for all it is worth. Having seen the pilot, there are several more surprises that have not been revealed here. Suffice to say, Wolk is brilliant in the role, making you root for him even when he is a criminal and cheater who has never made an honest dollar in his life. The supporting cast is stellar and the show looks beautiful. Give this show a shot when it premieres September 20th on FOX and you will not be disappointed if you love great drama.
Another new network show with great potential is ABC’s No Ordinary Family, a show that looks like a live action version of Disney’s “The Incredibles.” Created by Greg Berlanti, who worked on Eli Stone and Dirty Sexy Money previously, the show focuses on a family that acquires superpowers following an accident. The show stars action star Michael Chiklis (The Shield) and Julie Benz (Dexter) as Jim and Stephanie Powell. The Powells have a son and daughter that also gain a specific power as the result of the accident. Romany Malco plays George, the best friend and confidante of Jim who finally finds a passion in helping the Powells use their powers to stop evil around the world. Autumn Reeser (who has been doing great work this season as Ari’s friend turned rival on Entourage) is also in the cast as Katie Andrews, a co-worker and friend of Stephanie, who is highly regarded scientist and the Executive Vice President of Research at Global Tech. Berlanti’s vision is for the show to blend action, drama, and comedy into a compelling hour each week. Several guest stars will be coming in to play villains, with the potential of more prominent bad guy to enter the cast in the future. From the previews, the show looks well-shot and the premise should intrigue anybody who likes comic books or fantasy novels and movies. By those who have seen it, Malco’s character is the standout in the cast, which should be no surprise for anyone who saw his comedic work on Weeds. While in a tough timeslot opposite of FOX’s Glee starting September 28th, this should turn out to be one of the better and most original shows of the fall so long as enough people watch it and give it a chance to grow.
