Fall TV: 'Person of Interest' makes a strong debut

CBS' new drama "Person of Interest" was the show I was most excited about seeing. Thankfully, it completely lived up to expectations.

Michael Emerson plays a mysterious billionaire who hires Jim Caviezel's ex-special forces operative to help him fight crime. A lot of the investigative work is based on the premise that since 9/11 the government has been watching our every move. It even uses surveillance footage as transitions between scenes.

What made this series work was the superb performances of Emerson and Caviezel. Their chemistry and the slow reveal of their characters' past really lifted the show above that of a normal procedural.

The pilot revolved around a conspiracy of corrupt cops and while the story was pretty standard, there were a few twists that helped establish how dangerous Caviezel's character really is.

Overall, "Person of Interest" featured compelling acting and a fascinating, timely story that set it apart from the rest of the fall schedule.

Fall TV: What we'll be watching

It's time once again for Tim and I to split up the new fall TV schedule. It's our version of a fantasy football league.

So here's how things shaped up.

Tim:
Unforgettable," "A Gifted Man," "Prime Suspect," "Grimm," "Pan Am," "Once Upon A Time," "Man Up," "New Girl," "Terra Nova," "American Horror Story" and "Hell On Wheels."

Stephanie:
"Person of Interest," "How to be a Gentleman," "Up All Night," "Free Agents," "The Playboy Club," "Hart of Dixie," "Ringer," "Revenge," "Suburgatory," "The X Factor," "Homeland" and "Enlighened."

Vetoes are shows neither one of us could even fathom watching, however, they are still up for grabs if one of us changes our minds.

Vetoes:
"2 Broke Girls," "Whitney," "The Secret Circle," "Charlie's Angels," "Last Man Standing," "Allen Gregory" and "I Hate My Teenage Daughter."

Look for us to begin blogging and tweeting about these shows, as well as our returning favorites like "Castle," "Glee," "NCIS," "Supernatural," "The Good Wife," "Community," "Parks and Recreation" and "Fringe."

'Ringer:' Five minute first impressions

Sarah Michelle Gellar made her much hyped and long awaited return to TV last night in the series premiere of "Ringer."

The twist filled drama stars Gellar as estranged twin sisters Bridget and Siobhan. When they reunite after years of not speaking, Siobhan disappears, is presumed dead and Bridget assumes her identity.

Though the premise seems thin, there are enough secrets and mysteries floating around to make the show interesting. The problem with the pilot is that there were too many secrets established. There's also the fact that besides Bridget none of the characters are likable.

Ioan Gruffudd is underused as Siobhan's rich yet mysterious husband Andrew, while Kristoffer Polaha overwhelms with smarminess as her lover Henry.

It came as no surprise when Siobhan showed up in Paris alive and well with her own mysterious plans.

Apparently viewers will need a "Lost" style flow chart to keep track of all the secrets and lies in the "Ringer" universe.

Other observations:

• Nestor Carbonell is wasted in the pilot, but hopefully he'll be given more to do in upcoming episodes.
• Bridget's only friend is a Narcotics Anonymous sponsor she confides in on the phone. She needs someone in her current world to trust.
• Her twin sister dies and Bridget's first reaction is to take over her life. That's far fetched even for The CW.

Overall, the pilot was intriguing enough to justify watching more episodes, but this show is going to have to get real good, real fast to sustain interest.

Fall TV: Monday night specials

With the fall TV season just about to begin, we'll take a night by night look at the the shows we're most excited about. So, let's start with Monday.


Returning:

"Castle" - Last season's jaw-dropping cliffhanger, featuring Beckett getting shot and Castle declaring his love makes this the show Tim and I are most excited to see. Penny Johnson Jerald joins the cast as Captain Victoria "Iron" Gates and she is not as big a fan of Castle as Montgomery. Last season, the show finally gained enough traction in the ratings to be considered a bonafide hit and consistently won its timeslot. Season four premieres Sept. 19 on ABC at 10 p.m.

"Hawaii Five-O" - At the end of the first season, the team had been disbanded and McGarrett was framed for assassinating the governor. It's no secret that things will work out, but how all that happens is up in the air. The team chemistry and procedural aspects make this a fun show, but it got a little caught up in mythology last season. Season two should get back to the series' fun, action-packed roots. Season two premieres Sept. 19 on CBS at 10 p.m.

"How I Met Your Mother" - The long running comedy still hasn't told us who the mother is, but somehow it's ok since we get to pass the time with slap bets and Robin Sparkles. The seventh season will focus on Lily's pregnancy and the Robin/Barney relationship. With one of the best casts on TV, this consistently hilarious comedy is one of the best reason to watch television on Mondays. Season seven premieres Sept. 19 on CBS at 8 p.m. with back to back episodes.

New:

"Terra Nova" - FOX has put all its eggs into the basket of this sci-fi series about a group of people who travel back 65 million years when Earth is no longer habitable. The show was originally set to premiere last season but was delayed. The Steven Spielberg produced effects heavy drama is one of the most expensive on TV, however, the buzz hasn't been as high as FOX hoped, so they're really out on a limb with this one. Series premiere Sept. 26 at 8 p.m.

Upfront highlights

It's that time of year again, when the networks gather together their last remaining advertisers and hock their new schedules. Since every show isn't winner, I'll be discussing the shows I'm most interested in seeing and the ones that fit our Inscaped criteria. And just for fun I'll pick on a couple of awesomely bad looking shows.s

NBC

"Awake" is a high concept drama about a detective living in two worlds. Jason Issacs is Michael Britten, who wakes up after a car accident and is told that his son is alive but his wife is dead, He then proceeds to wake up n anothr world where his wife survived but his son died. He lives each life not knowing which one is real, in order to keep his family alive. Co-stars: B.D. Wong, Cherry Jones, Laura Allen
What I'm liking: Issacs is always interesting and Jones can make the phone book compelling. A unique concept is a rarity.
Why I'm nervous: It's a midseason show, so I'll have to wait awhile. NBC maynot give it time to catch on.




"Grimm" is a fantasy drama about a cop who find out fairy tales are real and he is a hunter known as a Grimm, and is supposed to help keep humans safe from otherworldly creatures.
What I'm liking: The nerd in me can't resist the supernatural, fairy tale angle.
Why I'm nervous: I felt the same way about "The Cape."




"Smash" is a musical about the mounting of a Broadway musical. It stars Debra Messing, Katherine McPhee and Megan Hilty.
What I'm liking: I love Broadway the way I love superheroes, so I'm really excited about this one.
Why I'm nervous: I'm not sure the schedule can handle two quirky musicals.




FOX

"The X Factor" is the best of all the singing competition shows. The British original is one of the highlights of my winter schedule. I've literally been waiting years for it to come stateside.
What I'm liking: Simon returns, thank god and America gets to meet the charming Cheryl Cole.
Why I'm nervous: Paula also returns, meaning Joel Mchale will have plenty of new material.
"Alcatraz" is J.J. Abrams' latest mind-bending time altering drama. It stars Jorge Garcia, Sam Neill and Parminder Nagra as a team investigating mysterious time analomies surrounding the famed prison.
What I'm liking: As a nerd I am internally programmed to love everything Abrams does. The good news is, he backs it up.
Why I'm nervous: FOX doesn't have the best track record with high concept sci-fi.

ABC

"Suburgatory" is comedy about a single dad who packs up his 16 year old daughter and moves to the suburbs after he finds a box of condoms on her dresser. Jeremy Sisto plays George and it co-stars Cheryl Hines.
What I'm liking: I'm excited to see Sisto doing comedy and this will fit in nicely with "Modern Family."
Why I'm nervous: Without the right writing, this show can become a cliche.

"Scandals" is a Shonda Rhimes drama about a media relations expert who left the president's staff to run her own firm helping high powered and high profile types with sticky situations. It stars Kerry Washington, Henry Ian Cusick and Tony Goldwyn.
What I'm liking: A stellar cast with a good premise, it could tell some interesting stories and the format could make for cool guest stars.
Why I'm nervous: It's Shonda Rhimes so they could all end up making out in a broom closet.

I'm aware that I left off some high profile, buzzed about shows, but these are the shows that I'll be watching. "Charlie's Angels" and "Terra Nova" don't seem that exciting to me.

I'm also aware that any show can look good in a two minute clip, so come back and read up as we continue the new fall schedule.

FX cancels 'Lights Out,' fans of good TV suffer

In mind-bottling crazy news, FX has canceled the critically acclaimed drama "Lights Out." The show follows the attempted comeback of "Lights" Leary, a former heavyweight boxing champion, as he deals with complicated family drama and tries to figure out who he is away from the ring.

The show is bolstered by a star-making performance by Holt McCallany as Lights and was really just starting to hit its stride.

This news is surprising since FX is the kind of network that usually takes a chance on shows like this.

The show's producers should be on the phone right now with Starz, HBO and Showtime, because it would be a perfect fit for any of their networks.

As for McCallany, his charm, build, good looks and acting chops make him perfect for any number of superhero movies currently in production. He is someone who should be wearing a cool costume and flying through the air.

AMC's "The Walking Dead"

With an astounding series premiere, "The Walking Dead" received the highest ratings for any series in AMC history. Competing with 3 time Emmy Award winning series for Best Drama, "Mad Men", that is quite an accomplishment, especially for Halloween night.

I have never been much for zombies. It's not that they scare me, it's that they don't. More often than naught, I find zombie films to be dull and boring. Very rarely do I find them to have a story and characters that are compelling and fun to watch. Sadly, it's one of those genre's that are so overdone, creators feel that they only need to make it look cool, throw in a lot of blood and they have a hit on their hands. Some people fall for that, and some don't. As the intelligence of a movie audience continues to get smarter, less and less viewing members will fall for that, and I am definitely one of them.

Satisfyingly, "The Walking Dead", based on the graphic novel of the same name, does not fall into that category. After hearing about this series at Comic Con this summer, I wasn't too excited. However, in the last few months as AMC has really been pushing it's promotion with all the press, promos, and buzz on Twitter, the series premiere finally won me over. And I was beyond happy that I decided to watch it.

AMC's motto "Story Matters Here" definitely proves to be right in this case. Right from the beginning, it's not the zombies that pushed to hook the audience, it's the story of the main character, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), a Sheriff's Deputy in a small town in the Midwest. It's his story of survival, and his search for his wife and son, that keep our attention. Without this story, it would just be another dull and boring zombie story.

Although the story of the supporting characters is just as compelling, especially that of Rick's partner Shane (Jon Bernthal), it's Rick's story that will keep me coming back every week. After getting shot on the job, he is taken to the hospital for what seems to be a long stay. After an unknown period of time measured only by the death of the flowers beside his bed, he wakes up to a nearly deserted city, to humans at least. The Undead aimlessly walk the streets day and night. After finding that his wife and son are gone, Rick is apprehended by what seems to be the only humans left in the area, a father and son who are still struggling over losing their wife and mother to the infection.

They fill Rick in on the time he lost while in hospital, and he decides to head to Atlanta, which has apparently been turned in to a refugee sanctuary. Rick heads out in a squad car, broadcasting on his radio for any other survivors. The transmission is picked up briefly by a small group of survivors camped in the woods outside Atlanta and try to warn him not to enter the city. Within this group of survivors we find not only Rick's partner Shane, but also his wife, Lori, and son, Carl. Immediately, the audience is made aware of a secret relationship between Shane and Lori, which makes me wonder if they left Rick in the hospital on purpose. Or perhaps Shane told Lori that Rick was already dead?

After running out of gas, Rick is forced to continue his journey to Atlanta on horseback. At first, the city seems to be deserted, except for a zombie here and there. However, once he tries to pursue a helicopter, Rick is surrounded by mobs of the undead from every side. As they close in, he is forced beneath a tank, and nearly shoots himself, before finding refuge inside the tank just in time. Once locked in, the radio activates and hears the voice of another survivor who just watched his escape into his hiding place.

I have never heard of Britain native actor Andrew Lincoln, but after only episode of this series, I am beyond willing to search out other films and TV series he has starred in just because of him. I also love Rick. From what I have seen so far, he is one of the best characters that I have seen on a cable series since the ending of "Battlestar Galactica". Within the first few minutes, we are willing to follow his journey. We understand him, and sympathize with his position. He is a man that is dedicated to his work, loves his son, and struggling with his wife. An everyday man, not a superhero with any extraordinary gifts, that must learn to survive in this new strange world. It is this story that the audience grabs hold of, and wants to follow. That is exactly what will make me willing to tune in every week.

This is definitely the zombie story that every zombie-hater will love.

'Law & Order' roundup

Though the original "Law & Order" was canceled after 20 great seasons, the franchise lives on in the remaining four shows. While "Criminal Intent" will return for a tenth and final season on USA Network, "Law & Order: LA," "Law & Order: SVU" and "Law & Order: UK" are all currently airing.

"Law & Order:SVU"

The program has just started its twelfth season and according to the ratings has become the most popular show in the franchise. This show is really all about the chemistry between Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni.

It was the first show in the franchise to break away from the standard formula and tell stories about the characters' personal lives. Because the Special Victims Unit deals with sex crimes, the episodes can be hard to watch sometimes, however, the nature of the cases often provides fantastic drama.

In recent years "SVU" has become the place for actors to go if they want to win an Emmy. The last three winners in the Guest Actress in Drama Series category have been "SVU" guest stars.

The first three episodes have been really good with outstanding guest performances by Henry Ian Cusick ("Lost") and Jennifer Love Hewitt. Cusick in particular played against type as a very good bad guy, while Hewitt was a surprise in an extremely emotional episode.

"Law & Order: LA"

Tim will blog more about this show in the coming days, however, as an avid "Law & Order" fan I wanted to add my first impressions.

Skeet Ulrich and Corey Stoll have a good repartee as two knowledgeable LAPD detectives and Rachel Ticotin has the right amount of S. Epatha Merkerson ballsiness as their tough Lieutenant.

Where the show goes wrong is when it switches between Alfred Molina and Terrence Howard. Like every other show in the franchise, continuity is the name of the game and changes prosecutors every other week makes the audience feel slightly disconnected,

Also, no disrespect to Howard, but Molina clearly out acted him. I doubt he wants that to happen every week. Plus, Howard's character openly defied the District Attorney, a decision that would normally lead to his termination, resulted in no discipline.

The first episode was a "ripped from the headlines" story about a celebrity theft ring that dissolved into a Lindsay Lohan send up. It was only saved by the strong acting of Molina, Ulrich and Stoll.

While the show doesn't deviate from the formula, I'm waiting for it to have a more California feel. It still feels like a New York show.

"Law & Order: UK"

Though this British version of the original is in its third season, it has just started airing in the States on BBC America.

The interesting thing about this version is that it takes classic episodes of the original and adapts them to the British legal system.

So far, its been really good with great performances by a strong cast that includes Jamie Bamber, Freema Aygeman, Ben Daniels and Bradley Walsh. Aygeman really shines in the episode "Alesha" and Bamber proves that he can do more than fly spaceships and save humanity.

Though I may mourn the demise of "Law & Order" the franchise still lives on with these strong spin-offs and of course its constant airing on TNT.

Fall TV: 'No Ordinary Family'

Editor's note: I had waited to watch the second episode of "No Ordinary Family" so I could get a better sense of the show and how it will move forward.

This was the one show I was excited to pick during our drawing.

I love superheroes and the lead actors are all people I enjoy watching; Michael Chiklis and Julie Benz

Needless to say that after watching the first two episodes, I feel just as strongly as I did then.

The premise of the show follows a seemingly normal, slightly dysfunctional family that survives a plane crash only to find themselves with super powers.

Each of them deals with gaining new abilities in different ways.

The mother, who was always busy and never had enough time, got super speed and was happy with living a normal life that running really fast would help with.

The daughter, who gained telepathy, didn't want her powers and automatically felt like an outcast.

The son got super smart, but is trying to keep it a secret.

And the father, who is like Superman, wants to fight crime because he feels like there is something missing in his life.

What makes this show great is that it's all about the family dynamic. No matter what happens the father wants the family to stay together and help each other out in a frightening time.

The first two episodes also showed that the family is not alone as the father ran into a robber who could teleport and a telekinetic assassin is on the loose.

Which leads directly into a classic comic book scenario. You see, the father told a police detective coworker about his powers and the teleporting robber which led directly to her death.

Obviously this tragedy is going to push the father forward and make him a better hero. Some heroes need a major loss like that in order to make them into the hero they were meant to be.

Just like Batman.

Two more members of the cast are great additions.

Comedic actor Romany Malco plays the DA friend of the father who is a sidekick of sorts and provides some comedic relief.

And in one of the most surprising moves, "7th Heaven" father Stephen Collins plays the scientist mother's boss... and villain of the show.

Yeah, the nice pastor is now an evil villain.

Great casting choice there.

Big warning though, it really isn't a family show. Yes, it airs at 8 p.m. but there is talk about sex and some violence which younger kids shouldn't see.

My 9-year-old niece had to leave the room several times after I thought it would be OK to watch with her.

Fall TV: 'Raising Hope'

Say hello to the worst new show on television.

"Raising Hope" is the new brainchild of "My Name Is Earl" creator Greg Garcia.

You'd think he would move away from poor white people acting stupid, but apparently not.

The plot follows a 20-year-old loser who works with his dad and hates his job. He quits to dream of a better life. He meets a girl, sleeps with her and then finds out she's actually a serial killer.

Seriously.

Cut to eight months later she is about to be executed and we find out she's pregnant!

She gives birth, they kill her anyways and loser Jimmy ends up with a brand new baby named Princess Beyonce.

His 35-year-old mother and father don't want to deal with a baby, but Jimmy decides to keep her anyway (in hopes of improving his life.)

The comedy, well what they try to do as comedy, comes from the poor dysfunctional family and all of their crazy issues.

Bottom line it's just bad.

You know it's bad when they go to execute the serial killer, Jimmy is there with the baby watching and he covers the baby's eyes! Haha.

Another part found Jimmy changing the baby's diapers, but throwing up on her. His mom walks in and throws up on the baby too.

And it stars Martha Plimpton and Garret Dillahunt! They can do so much better than this.

Needless to say it's not very funny at all.

Painful is more like it.

Fall TV: 'Teach: Tony Danza'

I have seen the face of bad television and lived to tell about it.

Kind of.

My soul has been shaken and I've lost a good number of brain cells.

"Teach: Tony Danza" premiered Friday on A&E and, my God, it was painful.

The basis of the reality show is simple: Actor Tony Danza gives up his current, cheery lifestyle to teach English to sophomores in Philadelphia.

Right there it sounds very interesting. You've got a charismatic entertainer who's doing something great for the community and children.

But, much like the big screen version of "Watchmen," something bad happened.

Now, I'm not saying that this "reality" show is fake, but to me it looks like it is trying really hard to be.

Of course Danza is a horrible teacher to start and no one wants to give him a real chance. Some children think he's a joke and no one really thinks he can accomplish this.

Which nicely sets up an underdog scenario which I'm guessing at the end of the year he'll have turned all these people around and they'll all cry when he leaves.

There are also painful stereotypes from every high school; the horrible assistant principal with no sense of humor, football jocks, goof off kids and the one student who is highly annoying about Danza not giving him a proper education.

He also helps coach the football team, which gets slaughtered in its first game.

Hmm, maybe through Danza's good attitude and words of advice the team will start winning and capture the championship!

To be honest I made it about halfway through before I turned the television off.

It was that bad.

But, my journalistic integrity won and I finished it hours later.

Maybe that's the only way people can get through it.

Looks like no one will for much longer.

Fall TV: 'The Defenders' CBS scores again

I must say, I didn't expect myself to enjoy the Pilot of "The Defenders" as much as I did.

Jerry O'Connell and Jim Belushi do make a great team both as their on screen characters, and have fantastic chemistry as actors.

A courtroom drama of two defending lawyers in Las Vegas, it's more of a lighthearted version of just the law side of "Law & Order." I have always been a fan of Jim Belushi, but it was hard for me to take him seriously as a lawyer. In fact, that's the genius thing about this show. You can't take his character seriously because he is Jim Belushi, which makes his victories that much sweeter.

For a supporting cast, there is Jurnee Smollett of "Friday Night Lights."

Fresh from law school, Lisa a former stripper turned law student. Seriously, where else could that happen but Las Vegas?

Yet another reason not to take these characters seriously, make them more of the underdogs, and even more likable to an audience that just loves rooting for the underdogs.

This series may be more lighthearted than a serious drama, however, it can be intense when they get to the courtroom. These are the stories of men and women that are charged for serious crimes and up against life in prison or worse. There is nothing more realistic than that. There are a nice handful of great laughs, but the show does have a good heart.

So, if you are like me and are finally getting tired of "Law & Order," I recommend trying out "The Defenders."

A great drama with a nice twist of lemon and couple olives. You just can't go wrong with a great story that takes place in Las Vegas.

'Top Chef: Just Desserts:' If it ain't broken don't fix it

"Top Chef" is one of the most popular reality shows on TV, so it's only natural that Bravo would want to capitalize on that success and create the spin-off "Top Chef: Just Desserts."

This show is "Top Chef" with the contestants cooking desserts. No, it is literally an exact copy of "Top Chef."

Regular "Chef" judge Gail Simmons serves as host and does her best Padma Lakshmi impression. The shows are so identical that I think the producers may be using "Top Chef" scripts where they've just crossed out Padma's name and written in Gail's.

Acclaimed pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini serves as the Tom Colicchio of "Desserts," acting as head judge and a mentor to the contestants. Other regular judges include chef Hubert Keller and journalist Dannielle Kyrillos.

While "Top Chef: Just Desserts" is fun to watch and the desserts are intriguing, the show isn't breaking any new ground so the format feels a little stale. It's always quickfire-elimination-judge's table. A new show could have been a chance for producers to break out of the "Top Chef" mold.

And then there's the contestants, who meet all the prerequisites for reality TV. They seem talented and somewhat creative, but again there's nothing new here. Unfortunately, there is also that one contestant who hogs the spotlight with unnecessary drama.

On "Desserts" it's Seth Caro, a pastry chef from New York, who's a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. Seth is one of those people who never seems to have enough time in the kitchen. He could have two days to prepare a dish and would still be running around the kitchen distracting the other chefs like an extra annoying Tasmanian Devil.

He also seems to think that his problems are more important than anybody else's and can't seem to understand why his overproduced, self indulgent creations always land him in the bottom three.

Unfortunately, he's the only thing that makes the show remotely interesting. When he is inevitably voted off, this show will get real boring real fast.

Fall TV: 'Mike & Molly' and 'Running Wilde'

Basically, a waste of comedic space. I'm not sure how else to put it.

I can see some hope for "Mike & Molly," if they drop all the not-so-funny jabs making fun of each other's weight. But then, there would be about five minutes of air time left. The only good thing this sitcom even has is Billy Gardell, who has great comedic sarcasm. I just wish it was written better.

Honestly, the jokes were almost offensive. All they did was make fun of overweight people, junkies, and cops. It has nothing a great sitcom needs. It was neither witty or smart, and had no shining moments of laughter to speak of. Not like "The Big Bang Theory" which at times leaves me gasping on the floor. All in all, CBS has fallen short with "Mike & Molly."

I couldn't imagine anything worse, than "Mike & Molly." I was very quickly proven wrong with FOX's new comedy series "Running Wilde."

I can't even bring myself to tell the plot, because it is so ridiculous. This show actually made me feel like I lost a few points of my IQ. It offends me that Hollywood thinks they are dealing with such an unintelligent audience. Will Arnett and Keri Russell have absolutely no chemistry on screen, and I almost gagged in disgust when I found out the girl's name narrating the story is Puddle.

I mean, really? How in the world is that funny? Once again, there is nothing smart and witty about this show, which is something that audiences look for and love today. Frankly, the acting is horrible, and the writing is nothing to marvel over.

I'm thinking I should write a letter to every major studio in Hollywood, begging them to realize that their audience isn't a bunch of mindless zombies that think a depressed overweight man eating a bare hot dog on a diet he found in a bride magazine is funny. Well, most of us anyway.

I beg of you, do not waste your time with "Mike & Molly" or "Running Wilde." My guess is they will both be canceled before Thanksgiving. Halloween if we are lucky.

Frankly, I would rather watch reruns of "House" and "The Big Bang Theory" in their time slots. The ratings would definitely be better.

Fall TV: ABC becomes predictable

In our ongoing fall TV project, I picked two new ABC shows, "Detroit 1-8-7" and "Better With You."

"Better With You" is a comedy airing Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. It stars Jennifer Finnigan and Joanna Garcia as sisters in two different stages of their relationships. Finnigan's Maddie is happily unmarried to her boyfriend of nine years Ben, while Garcia's Mia is rushing into marriage after just seven weeks with the out there Casey.

Maddie and Ben over think and thoroughly plan everything which makes them predictable and a little too crazy. Mia and Casey are the generic young, spontaneous couple, which also makes them really predictable.

What saves this show from becoming a mediocre mess is Kurt Fuller and Debra Jo Rupp as the girl's parents. Their comedic timing and experience makes every scene they're in better and lifts the quality of the whole show.

For the show to get better it needs to make the couples and jokes less predictable.

On Tuesdays at 10 p.m. the cop drama "Detroit 1-8-7" tries to blend the grittiness of "NYPD Blue" with the feel of "Southland." It has a stellar cast that includes Michael Imperioli, James McDaniel and Aisha Hinds.

Unfortunately, the best thing about this show is the soundtrack. It tries a little too hard to be edgy and ends up coming off as a by the book procedural.

Compared to "Sons of Anarchy" which airs at the same time on FX, this show is about as edgy as an episode of "Glee."

The ratings weren't great, but I don't think ABC has anything to replace it with. However, I wouldn't get too attached.

Fall TV: Thursdays

As part of our big Fall TV project, I was tasked with watching two new comedies. CBS's "$#*! My Dad Says" and NBC's "Outsourced."

"$#*! My Dad Says" is based on the popular Twitter account of the same name. William Shatner plays a plain-talking father whose younger son moves in with him after he loses his job.

While Shatner had some funny moments in the pilot, I was distracted by the terrible acting of Jonathan Sadowski. He plays the son who moves back home and frankly he was unlikable and annoying. His older brother and sister-in-law is played by "Mad TV" vets Will Sasso and Nicole Sullivan.

For actors who are usually funny, they were surprisingly uninteresting in the pilot. Plus, Sullivan's low cut outfit was extremely distracting to every scene she was in.

Bottom line, the show was mediocre, however, it will probably be helped by the strong lead in of "The Big Bang Theory."

"Outsourced" was one of the worst things I've ever seen on TV. The silence was deafening as I was forced to sit through this ridiculous dreck. Hopefully, NBC will realize the mistake it made and cancel this monstrosity and bring back "Parks and Recreation" soon.

Fall TV: 'Hawaii Five-0' make a splash with vampires, cylons, and Losties!

I figure it's one of two things. Either, I am just loving all the nerd alum on the screen, or this series is just that good.

Personally, I'm thinking it's just that good.

Bursting onto screen with a high powered and intense hostage action sequence, this series wastes no time diving in. Navy Seal, Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) has captured one of the notorious Hess brothers in Korea, wanted for terrorism. His older brother, Victor Hess (James Marsters), kills Steve's father for the death of his brother.

In light of his father's murder, Steve returns home to Hawaii with a vendetta against Hess. At his father's house, Steve meets Detective Danny "Danno" Williams (Scott Caan), a new resident from New Jersey who moved to the islands to be closer to his daughter. I think it's safe to say it's hate at first sight. To legally investigate his father's death, Steve takes the Governor's offer and is sworn in as a Detective and head of a new investigative unit in a quite amusing scene while on the phone with her in his father's garage in front of a very annoyed Danny. To annoy him even further, Steve makes him his partner.

Can I just say that I think Danny's ring tone is bloody brilliant. It doesn't matter what kind of heavy situation they were in, I laughed every time.

Danny and Steve may hate each other, but they are a great team. Immediately they know how to push each other's buttons. Danny is great with children, where Steve not so much. On the other hand, Steve constantly teases Danny about what his daughter calls him: "Danno". Danny tends to be a little more sensitive and Steve is annoyed at the fact that Danny seems to be as good a detective as he is. In other words, they are a perfect partnership. Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan have fantastic chemistry, playing off each other remarkably well. In fact, throughout the episode, I couldn't help but compare them to David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel of "Bones", who are one of the best duos on television.

To get closer to the underground, Steve seeks out old friend Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim), and former Detective trained by Steve's father. Chin left the Force after being accused of being paid off. Steve, taking his word that he didn't take any money, reinstated his badge and gun. They also brought to the team, soon to graduate from the Police Academy, Kona "Kono" Kalakaua (Grace Park).

I'm sure the decision to recast Kono from the original series as a woman, is much like the one to make Starbuck a woman in the new "Battlestar Galactica". Will it be as great of a decision on this series as it was that? Considering I completely fell in love with a female Starbuck, and completely adore Grace Park, I'm going to venture a "Yes!".

After an pulling down a trafficking ring with a successful undercover sting, Steve and Danny release a group of slaves and find out that there is a mole in the Hawaiian Police Department. Finally discovering Hess's whereabouts, Steve and Danny get there quickly, while Danny has a friendly argument with his wife and confesses to Steve why his daughter calls him "Danno".

Now, it could just be the nerdy part of me, but was I the only one squealing with absolute delight as James Marsters and Alex O'Loughlin smashed each other to bits on top of a train container? I know every "Buffy", "Angel", and "Moonlight" fan was thinking the same thing I was: "Vampire on vampire action...LEGENDARY!!"

Of course, Steve wins the day, shooting Victor and he falls into the ocean. But I have a feeling that's not the last we'll be seeing of him. After all, why cast a fabulous actor like James Marsters to play a villain that is on everyone's Most Wanted list? Please. He wouldn't go down that easy.

I'm sure Alex O'Loughlin couldn't WAIT to say "Book 'em Danno!" the first time. Even I had a little squee moment and clapped after he said it.

Overall, a great pilot episode for what I honestly think is going to be a great series. With two vampires, a cylon, a legendary thief, and a Lostie on the cast, this show is bound to be a hit. Even if the writing wasn't witty, smart and fresh, the audiences that love and miss Alex O'Loughlin in "Moonlight", James Marsters in "Buffy" and "Angel", Daniel Dae Kim in "LOST" and Grace Park in "Battlestar Galactica" will watch the show regardless. But just because the creators know how to win their way into a nerd's heart, doesn't mean that all they have going for them.

The dialogue was witty, funny and sharp. The action was intense and believable. At times, I felt like I was watching a movie rather than a one hour primetime series. But with creators like Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the writers of "Star Trek" and co-creators of "Fringe", I expect nothing less.

People think "The Event" is going to replace "LOST"? Unlikely. All the Losties, Whedonists, and BSG fans are going to be watching "Hawaii Five-0". Who in their right mind would make time for "The Event"?

Fall TV: This blog is not 'The Event'

After months of rampant speculation and, seemingly, millions of dollars worth of advertising "The Event" finally aired on NBC Monday.

Was the hype worth it?

Meh.

If you saw the commericals or the trailers before movies you basically saw the pilot episode.

There are a group of people being held at a facility in Alaska. They are led by Laura Innes from "ER." Some parts of the government want to keep them locked up... for some reason.

But, the President of the United States played by Blair Underwood wants them freed.

All the while there is a conspiracy building that has to do with an airline pilot, his family and his daughter's boyfriend.

Very run-of-the-mill conspiracy stuff.

It's not until the very end where the show takes off in another direction. With a passenger jet headed toward a collision course with the president's compound, suddenly a wormhole (I think) opened up and swallowed the plane.

Innes's character states "They saved us."

Candace and I are both in agreement at this point it's probably aliens.

So, let's break it down:

The Good - The acting is top notch. Innes and Underwood are both excellent along with Zeljko Ivanek, Jason Ritter and Ian Anthony Dale. The directing and visuals are also very well done. It is a pretty show to look at.

The Bad - No answers. I know, a show like this is going to take more than one episode to answer all of our questions. Maybe I have "Lost"-itis and can't stand to devote hundreds of more hours to something like that. Also a bit obvious that the couple that the boyfriend saves and be-friends are bad guys.

The Ugly - Time jumping. Not like "Lost" where it's back and forth. I'm talking all over the freaking place. They go from hours to days to weeks and months, all intermixed throughout the entire episode. Toward the end I had no clue what time it was supposed to be.

If that exact same time jumping is going to happen in each episode; count me out. I also think that audiences won't be able to hang onto something like that.

Overall, better than "Hellcats" at least.

Fall TV: The CW kills with 'Nikita'

The CW has another big hit series on their hands.

Once again they have found, or rather, renewed a story that both young and older women love. Even the men are in the very capable hands of the sexy lead, Maggie Q.

I have been dying to see Shane West in another series, since he left "ER." I think he has found a very nice and comfortable home as the lead male character Michael, in "Nikita."

Where as the original series "La Femme Nikita" was at times a little campy, the CW re-imagining looms in the shadow of the great spy and assassin films like "The Bourne Trilogy," the new James Bond and "Ninja Assassin."

After three years in hiding, Division has to deal with a rogue former recruit, Nikita, the best they ever trained. As Nikita makes her plans to bring down Division, Michael begins the training of brand new recruit, Alex, who they picked up out of prison accused of murder. Always a step ahead of Division, Nikita is able to thwart their planned assassination of a foreign ambassador. Ready to make her war against them, she faces Michael and Percy (played by Xander Berkeley) at a party.

Once she makes her threats, she leaves the party with a bang, only to be pursued by Michael. Face to face in the alley, Nikita refuses to believe that Michael is still working at Division because he believes in the mission. A company once contracted out by only the CIA, now they have become mercenaries, selling themselves to the highest bidder. Michael only remains to protect the recruits, as he tried to do for Nikita.

After letting her escape, I think there is more going on between Nikita and Michael than we actually know. How exactly did he protect her? Or try to? I'm hoping we are going to see some flashbacks of her time in Division.

In the final moments, we find out who exactly Nikita is getting her inside information from. It seems, she has set up Division better than they, or even we thought. She hasn't been spending the last three years in hiding, she was in fact training a recruit of her own. Nikita implanted Alex inside Division.

I think this is going to be a great series, as long as the writers can keep up the same intensity. The characters are intriguing and likable. Well, Nikita and Michael are likable anyway, as they should be. Maggie Q and West do have a particular chemistry on screen that I am excited to see more of.

The action is also clever and not choreographed as much as it tends to be in many action series today. I felt like I was watching a film. And for this to be a CW series, that is very impressive. This is going to be a series that young women want to watch. There are not enough female action heroes, or even strong female leads in Hollywood today. Simply because of that, this series is going to be a hit.

The only questions is, will "Nikita" take the No. 1 spot from the CW's newest hit "The Vampire Diaries?" That remains to be seen, but I certainly will be there to see the blood on Thursday nights.

Fall TV: Stephanie's top 10 returning shows

We've spent a lot of time on the show talking about new fall TV, but I thought I'd take a few minutes and discuss the shows I can't wait to see again.

1. "Glee"-From the infectious musical numbers to the quirky comedy to the heart breaking emotional moments, "Glee" is the show that I get most excited for each week.


This season, our favorite glee club is gearing up for nationals in New York City, so everything is more important. Plus, Rachel and Finn are a couple now and Will and Sue must team up against the new football coach. Throw in Cheyenne Jackson as rival Vocal Adrenaline's new coach and a "Rocky Horror" themed Halloween episode and I might burst into song while I wait.

2. "NCIS"-When we left off Gibbs and his crew, they had just defeated a Mexican drug cartel and Ziva was finally becoming a U.S. citizen. Unfortunately, the head of the cartel survived to make a visit to Gibbs' father, and then the dreaded "to be continued."

"NCIS" is one of the most consistently good shows on TV. It never disappoints and is still interesting eight seasons in.

3. "Castle"-Since Tim and I interviewed the cast at Comic-Con, we have become even bigger fans of the show, if that's possible. In season three Castle returns from the Hamptons, but the team is not happy with him because he hasn't kept in touch.

Other developments this season include, a possible romance between Lanie and Esposito, Alexis' first love interest and Castle and Beckett go to Los Angeles for a case and get involved in the Nikki Heat movie.

4. "Bones"-This show is all about the chemistry between David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel. As Booth and Brennan, they are the anchors that keep the show grounded.

After seven months apart, the team gets back together to work on a case and there are a few changes, most notably Booth's new girlfriend. Though no one wants to see this show fall victim to a "Moonlighting" curse, the constant will they or won't they romance is starting to feel redundant. Hopefully, this season the producers make a definitive choice.

5. "Community"-While this show started slow, it really hit its stride towards the end of the first season with episodes like "Contemporary American Poultry" and the instant classic "Modern Warfare."

Joel McHale has really come into his own as the lead and Danny Pudi and Donald Glover steal every scene they're in as wacky best friends Abed and Troy. Current Hollywood It Girl Betty White guest stars in the season premiere and the Jeff/Britta/Annie triangle will be resolved. "Community" is one of the most unique shows on TV and I can't wait to see what new ridiculousness will occur in the second season.

The rest of the best:

6. "Supernatural"-My new summer favorite returns to the original formula with Sam and Dean Winchester battling demons and angels.

7. "Chuck"-Dolph Lundgren, Linda Hamilton and the Old Spice guy are among the guest stars. Need I say more.

8. "Dexter"-The new season picks up immediately after Rita's death, as Dexter tries to deal with being a single parent and a serial killer.

9. "How I Met Your Mother"-There are rumors that the newly casted Jennifer Morrison may be the elusive mother. Also more Neil Patrick Harris hilarity.

10. "One Tree Hill"-After eight seasons, I'm too invested to stop watching. The characters are still likable and have held up surprisingly well from what began as a teen show.

Honorable Mentions: "Fringe," "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "Smallville"