FOX
FOX is only bringing one new drama to the fall, The Mob Doctor starting Jordana Spiro (My Boys). The show does little to distinguish itself, and it is difficult to follow Spiro’s character’s logic in the first hour. The cast is enough to get me back for a couple of episodes, including Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights), Zeljko Ivanek (Damages, The Event) and William Forsythe (Boardwalk Empire, The Rock), but this one has a short leash.
The CW
Arrow is the other big surprise of the fall season. I expected another Smallville: a show that took a long time to get going, but Arrow is high intensity from the onset. Stephen Amell (Heartland, Private Practice) is great, and I can’t wait to see where Katie Cassidy’s (Melrose Place, Gossip Girl) character goes.
On the other hand, I’m not sure how Beauty and the Beast even got picked up. I’ve never been a fan of Kristin Kruek (Smallville, Chuck), and she does very little with very little to change that impression here. Jay Ryan (Go Girls, Terra Nova) adds little to the equation.
I’m still not sure about Emily Owens, MD. It took a while, but Mamie Gummer finally won me over towards the end of Off the Map’s short life. The show plays many of the same story beats as Grey’s Anatomy’s first episode, but in a completely different, Hart of Dixie-esque tone. Gummer’s Owens is no Meredith Grey but I’m sure there will be many that consider Justin Hartley (Smallville, Passions) a suitable McDreamy substitute. Plus, any reason for Jack Coleman (Heroes) to be on my screen is a good one.
Summary
It almost feels like the Upfronts — the annual announcement of the networks’ new shows — has been defined by disappointment for shows that weren’t picked up as much as celebrating what was for me lately. This year’s slate has a couple of standouts to be sure, specifically in Vegas, Nashville and Arrow, plus I still have high hopes for Last Resort. Altogether, though, I think the networks could have done a better job.
Clacked by Ivey West 
on Jun 15, 2012 @ 14:44 EST5EDT
. . . . .
Ivey: trooper, takes’em for the team
I’m sorry, but you can’t have a show called Vegas without a character named Dan Tanna! This is very confusing to me because I thought it was a remake of the “classic” Robert Urich show! And the S needs to be a $!
. . . . .
Chuck <——- blinded by the (Vegas) light(s)
*POST AUTHOR*
Sour grapes!
I didn’t really expect to like Vegas, but it is solidly made and has a great cast. I’m not so sure the setting can sustain my interest over time, however.
I thought Arrow was going to be a total mess but the trailer totally changed my mind (that and I also love Katie Cassidy). I can’t wait to see this one!
“Beauty and the Beast” looks quite horrid. Having seen the original series which actually has a beast and having loved it I keep wondering why all these “beasts” lately are actually really amazingly good looking guys.
Also can’t wait to see the new Sherlock, I like Lucy Liu a lot and she was outstanding in Southland earlier this year.
Arrow was by far my favorite of the pilots I’ve watched so far … LOVE that The CW has paired this with Supernatural — going to be a great Wednesday night!
I wish I had liked Elementary better than I did. It was not one of my favrorite JLM performances, unfortunately, and when all is said and done, it’s just going to be a weak procedural, nothing special. There is ZERO chemistry between JLM and Lucy Liu. I hope the show finds its groove and I eat my words, but the pilot was underwhelming.
*POST AUTHOR*
I’m not so sure I agree with you on Elementary. I don’t think it was weak at all and I enjoyed JLM’s performance :P
Elementary was weark. The chemistry between Holmes and Watson wasn’t there, and I felt like Sherlock was coming off a bit more goofy that he was neurotic and clever.
Vegas sounds like a good concept and looks like it has a good cast. I’ll give it a viewing, thanks.
What do u have against the awesome kreuk? she`s awesome!
*POST AUTHOR*
A great deal many things, sadly, primarily a lack of range as an actor.
- Arrow and Beauty and the Beast both really seem to have taken pages from Smallville. Arrow took everything that I loved (Rich family battling among each other, Green Arrow). Beauty took everything I couldn’t stand (Corny love story, teen melodrama, Kristen Kreuk). Also is it just me or does the mansion in the Arrow extended preview look exactly like Luther mansion?
– I haven’t watched a CBS drama in a long time because everything they do feels like a repeat. Elementary is going to have the same problem. Its just going to be like all of their other procedurals with the names Sherlock and Watson thrown in. Vegas however at least looks like it will be more than just the CBS success formula. The mix of elements at play have a lot of promise.
– Oh Revolution… You think you can fool me by saying you are made by JJ Abrams and Eric Kripke? You think you having Gus Fring on a horse will finish luring me in? You are a sci-fi show on NBC. I already fell for the trap set by The Event. All the promise of the concept will be squandered in favor of pure bullshit followed by a swift cancellation.
– And ABC… You are going to use Mrs. Coach to trick me into watching a show about country music? Well nicely played because it worked. As long as don’t instantly turn me off like the American Horror Story pilot did, you should at least get 3 episodes viewed by me.
*POST AUTHOR*
re: the Queen Mansion: YES!!! I thought I was the only one who was thinking that. VERY similar.
I wouldn’t knock CBS just because they do a bunch of procedurals, but I do understand being tired of the genre. For me to get into a new procedural, there has to be a hook, and in this case, it is that I’m a big fan of Miller.
As far as NBC goes, I’m not blaming The Event on them; in fact, it doesn’t really enter into the equation for me, because after the second episode of the The Event, I was pretty much out the door. The Revolution Pilot isn’t anywhere near as good as The Event’s first episode, but the seeds are there. I’m interested, but not getting my hopes up just yet.