Sept. 18Not long ago I overheard a respected television journalist complaining about an interview he had with a network executive, who had insisted he didn't understand the new template for producing shows.
Isn't it the same as it always was, wondered the journalist, to make money and good shows? While the former has always been true, quality has never had much to do with the goals of for-profit networks. Good shows are a byproduct of the creative forces in Hollywood and the appetites and demands of audiences.
Every year around this time, the networks try to wow us with new shows often old ones in a different guise. And sometimes they offer a few pleasant surprises. Because when it comes to stories, as Shakespeare proved, it's not that you recycle but how you recycle.
Take "Revenge" not the motive for murder but the ABC series with its "The Count of Monte Cristo"-like tale of a woman (Emily VanCamp) wronged who moves to the Hamptons to get even with the wealthy people responsible. Throw in some boiling soap-opera intrigue, a sexy cast, the glitter of the rich, mystery and wit, and you have an engaging show.
While "Revenge" is hardly the most original idea to come down the line, it does have an inventiveness that unexpectedly marks a number of new dramas this fall.
Thankfully, there are no real crime procedurals, and the two new detective shows CBS' "Unforgettable" and "Prime Suspect" feature strong female leads (Poppy Montgomery and Maria Bello, respectively) and rely on character development to move the plots rather than blinding us with science.
Science is out the window for two fairy-tale based shows "Grimm" and "Once Upon a Time." The former is darker, more monster-movie fare, the latter a wild, unexpected ride. Both are goofy fun.
Of course, science fiction never goes out of style. The big mystery is how Fox's "Terra Nova," Steven Spielberg's big-budget show about a group of people who go back
to the dinosaur age to escape a decaying Earth, will hold up, especially at 8 p.m. Monday against stiff opposition, including "Dancing With the Stars."
"Person of Interest" on CBS is from J.J. Abrams. It's about a washed-out spy and his mysterious benefactor, who has invented a way to detect future crimes.
It's back to the past the 1960s, to be exact for ABC's "Pan Am" and NBC's "The Playboy Club." The first one has a cool vibe to it, mixing a breezy "Come Fly With Me" attitude with some Cold War mystery, and the second, despite introducing Chicago mobsters and rockin' music from the era, seems to be running a little too hard from its own identity.
If the fall dramas are looking good, the comedies aren't. (A caveat here I'm a tough audience for sitcoms.)
Fox's "New Girl" with Zooey Deschanel has the most charm, partially because of its star and partially because it's less an extended sketch and more character driven than the others.
CBS' "2 Broke Girls" and NBC's "Whitney" are from comedian/actress Whitney Cummings, who stars in the latter. There is a likability factor on both shows, but sustainability will take more than a couple of smart jokes.
"Up All Night" on NBC would seem to have a lot working for it Christina Applegate and Will Arnett as a couple dealing with parenthood, and the wonderful Maya Rudolph. But this situation comedy, with its Hollywood agent and stay-at-home dad angles, comes across as just a strange situation.
"Free Agents," with Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn as co-workers trying to keep their affair secret, at least is more relatable.
Cable is offering some of the most fascinating programming. Besides the return of Showtime's "Dexter" and HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," some of the interesting new shows are the espionage tale "Homeland" starring Claire Danes on Showtime, the very smart dramedy "Enlightened" on HBO, the political drama "Boss" on Starz, the offbeat ghost/psychosexual thriller "American Horror" on FX and the gritty Western "Hell on Wheels" on AMC.
Then there is Simon Cowell's much-touted return to television with his talent contest "The X Factor." The difference between this show and "American Idol" is that it not only opens up the age range but the type of acts contestants can perform.
In the meantime, you can get ready to record your favorite returning shows, though some of them are getting long in the tooth. Still, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" has added the always terrific Ted Danson as a sort of anti-science, counterculture investigator, which may revitalize the series.
Rob Lowman 818-713-3687
robert.lowman@dailynews.com
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