My Early Take on Fall TV 2006

Shows

I was expecting very little from 2006’s crop of new shows. And it’s beginning to look like my low expectations will be met.

More than any other network, let me be the first to credit Fox – for another season of new garbage. Last year, it was The War at Home, Reunion and Head Cases. This year, we have ‘Til Death, Standoff and Vanished.

ABC isn’t much better. Notes from the Underbelly and Big Day? They’re so excited about these comedies revolving around an expecting couple and a couple to be that they’re already on hiatus. How about the return of Ted Danson in Help Me Help You? Psyched for that one? Me too. And Brothers & Sisters‘s promises to be a completely overdone emotional mess. On the slightly positive side, they might have something in Ugly Betty. Hope so, considering all the hype…

Even CBS, the king of primetime, doesn’t have much to talk about. You might even see them lose some momentum this season, for the first time in years. With a second straight group of so-so Fall newcomers, it’s inevitable. Of the two they were probably highest on: Smith doesn’t look all that great, and The Class is just awful. They can’t count on CSI’s and Survivor forever…

The network with the best group of new shows seems to be NBC, almost by default. Studio 60’s debut, while not blowing me away, certainly showed potential. Also potentially promising: 30 Rock and Friday Night Lights.

The CW didn’t even try, offering only Runaway and The Game – not even worth getting into. And with the possibility of this being the final season for vets like Gilmore Girls and 7th Heaven, they better have better new product come next fall…

And finally, my First Five to be Cancelled:

Vanished, Fox
Jericho, CBS
Kidnapped, NBC
Help Me Help You, ABC
Standoff, Fox

Well, there you have it. Not a pretty picture. So what are your thoughts on what you’ve seen so far? Anything I’m missing? Let me know what you think…

Sir Linksalot: Television News