ABC Fall Preview

We are in what may be best described as the doldrums of August. All of the major network shows have been showing repeats for the past few months, almost all of the summer reality series have come to a close, and the new fall season has yet to begin. Excluding shows from HBO and Showtime which continue to show new episodes throughout the summer, tv has been a complete bore lately.

What is a TV writer to do with so little material for inspiration?

Well my friends the answer is simple, I'll write about all of the fantastic things you just can't see yet. I'll be doing a small series about upcoming shows on some of the major networks.

In this Edition I will be discussing some of the new shows on the ABC network. There are 11 new shows scheduled for the fall line up, some are based on ideas we have seen before but a few are rather origional.

"Shark Tank" appears to be based on the British series Dragons Den. Ordinary people have the chance to pitch their inventions and ideas to millionaires who have the power and money to to turn dreams into an industry. Of course the millionaires could also brutally shoot down the ideas on national television.

"The Middle" is a sitcom about an average yet dysfunctional family. The idea is hardly a new one, yet the cast seems very capable and the show seems just quirky enough to win over an audience.

"Hank" is a sitcom staring Kelsey Grammer as a former CEO trying to reconnect with his family. What can I say I'm not exactly wowed by the premise. Call me crazy I don't think America is really in the mood to see a lovable former CEO on TV just yet.

"Cougar Town" is yet another sitcom , it stars Courtney Cox. As the title suggests the show is all about cougars in a small town, and honey we ain't talking about Animal Planet type of cougars. It's a fun and interesting twist on the traditional sitcom, with more then ample opportunity for humor and drama.

"The Deep End" is a legal comedy about four young interns coming to work for a prestigious. I have a feeling that "The Deep End" is trying to be to legal dramas, what "Scrubs" was to medical dramas. It's a show with definite potential.

"The Forgotten" is a drama which centers around a group of amateur crime solvers who take up cases that the police have given up on. This group called "The Forgotten Network" is lead by Christian Slater. With a show like this everything depends on the writing, it could be fantastic or it could be too heavy handed and sappy. I guess we will just have to wait and see how it all unfolds.

"V" is a sci-fi series about aliens who come to earth with false promises of peace, and a plan to take control of the planet. This could be interesting, yet traditional sci-fi shows have a way of getting canceled quickly. I can't say I know how long this show will last.

"The Modern Family" is a fake reality show, but unlike "The Hills" everyone is suppose to know it's a fake reality show. I have to admit I am a huge fan of the mockumentary genre, and I have never seen a mockumentary TV series before. I can't wait to see how this show works out.

I have to admit I have saved the best, or at least the most intriguing till last.

First there is the heavily anticipated "Flash Forward." The story centers around an unexplained global event where everyone simultaneously blacks out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, and sees a glimpse into the future. I bet Philadelphia's own M Night Shyamalan is kicking himself for not thinking up this idea instead of making his movie "The Happening". I think ABC is gearing up to make this show the next "Lost" but we will have to see if it lives up to the hype.

"Happy Town" looks like a horror tv series, and I am looking forward to it. So far it looks a bit like they are trying to do an update on "Twin Peaks" with a dash of "Harpers Island" thrown in. A seemingly perfect Midwestern town, a serial killer who has powers bordering on the supernatural, and lots of very strange people. It sounds like my kind of show, the question is will the general public be up for such a weird show.

Finally we have "Eastwick" Based on the movie (and a novel which predates the movie) "The Witches of Eastwick." I am expecting this to be supernatural campy fun, and nothing more but that doesn't mean it won't be enjoyable to watch. From the previews it looks a bit like "Charmed" meets "Desperate Housewives" I think it will be a really fun show to watch.

You can go here to find out more

http://abc.go.com/fallpreview/index