Mad scientist, time-traveling cop, lots of Brits and a talking car. Put them together and call it a TV season.
The usual September flood of new network programming will amount to a trickle this year: A mere 14 scripted series will debut, fewer than half the usual. The writers strike caused serious production delays, so the flow of new series won’t pick up until after the first of the year.
For now, many of the newcomers are revamped imports from abroad, a strategy that’s had as many hits as misses (it worked for “The Office,” failed for “Coupling”).
The biggest buzz of the season surrounds two series already on the air.
The first, “Fringe,” from J.J. Abrams the producer of “Lost,” is a promising, not-too-convoluted sci-fi and conspiracy series with a cool cast, including newcomer Anna Torv (see video here: hulu -flight-627).
The second is the CW’s update of “90210,” a predictable rehash for those too young to have seen the original. (video here: -video/90210).
Coming up:
“Worst Week” Sept. 22 — A bumbling potential son-in-law can’t do anything right when it comes to impressing his conservative would-be in-laws. Based on the Britcom “Worst Week of My Life,” with Kyle Bornheimer cast as the sweet but disaster-prone fiance. Broad humor and slapstick that works, if you like bumbling-dude comedy. CBS Mondays at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 4. “The Mentalist” Sept. 23 — A former phony TV psychic has gone legit and is now working with the police. He’s got great powers of observation and deduction, plus a tragic past he hopes to avenge. A step up from “Psych,” it looks solid. Simon Baker, handsome in “The Guardian,” continues that appeal here. Not earth-shaking but a satisfying procedural. CBS Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Channel 4. “Gary Unmarried” Sept. 24 — Jay Mohr plays a recently divorced dad; Paula Marshall is his uptight ex-wife. Plus, she’s now dating their former couples counselor. Remember how sharp and hip Mohr’s “Action” was? Savor the memory. There’s nothing new in this divorce sitcom (the inverse of “Old Christine,” which mines the female side of the equation), but the kids are above-average actors, and Marshall is wonderfully tart. CBS Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. on Channel 4.
“The Ex List” Oct. 3 — Elizabeth Reaser (“Grey’s Anatomy”) plays a single woman who learns from a psychic that she has already dated the love of her life. If she doesn’t find her soul mate in the next year, she’ll be alone for life. But which ex was it? She revisits her past in an ongoing search that could bring lively guest appearances (Eric Balfour is the first). The juvenile housemates get in the way of what could be a more adult hour-long comedy. Adapted from an Israeli series. CBS Fridays at 8 p.m. on Channel 4.
“Eleventh Hour” Oct. 9 — Rufus Sewell could be great in this Jerry Bruckheimer procedural inspired by a British miniseries. He has to solve science-related mysteries about tricky issues like cloning. Based on clips, it looks more grounded than “Fringe.” Unfortunately, less creative too. CBS Thursdays at 9 p.m. on Channel 4.
“My Own Worst Enemy” Oct. 13 — Feel like you’ve already seen it? That’s because the promos played nonstop during the Olympics. Christian Slater comes to TV in a dual role as a mild-mannered suburban dad and a secret agent with a brain implant on the fritz. Looks like a lot of action built around the Jekyll-Hyde back- and-forth. Here’s hoping the script isn’t the enemy. NBC Mondays at 9 p.m. on Channel 9.
“Crusoe” Oct. 17 — Literary adaptation or “Lost” wannabe? The Daniel Dafoe novel is adapted as an adventure series with Philip Winchester as Robinson Crusoe, Tonagayi Chirisa as Friday. With nothing to judge but the on-air promos, it’s anyone’s guess. NBC Fridays at 7 p.m. on Channel 7.
“The Last Enemy” Oct. 5 — Surveillance cameras, wiretapping, metal detectors and other aspects of modern British life are part of the tangled web portrayed in this five-part thriller from PBS’s “Masterpiece Contemporary.” PBS Sundays Oct. 5-Nov. 2 on Channel 6.
contemporary/index.html
“Dollhouse” midseason — Joss Whedon’s (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) first show for Fox since “Firefly” is a sci-fi piece about an underground group whose personalities are wiped clean and replaced in order to serve wealthy clients. After each scenario, they return to the Dollhouse to be re-imprinted with no memory of what went before. Eliza Dushku stars as Echo, who is piecing together her past as her memory returns.
new/dollhouse.htm
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
