CBS has consistantly managed to stay on top, or at least near the top, of the ratings battles between the networks. It has managed to put out a solid plate of new shows, a good mix between comedies and dramas. They’ve obviously put a lot of money and hopes behind Shark and Smith, which bring big name movie stars to the small screen.
The Class
Networks: CBS and 
Time slot: Monday, 8 p.m.
Premiere: September 18
Cast:
Jason Ritter”¦.Ethan Haas
Heather Goldenhersh”¦.Lina Warbler
Lizzy Caplan”¦.Kat Warbler
Jon Bernthal”¦.Duncan Carmello
Andrea Anders”¦.Nicole Allen
Jesse Tyler Ferguson”¦.Richie Velch
Show Premise : Ethan Haas has the perfect life. He has a great career and a woman whom he is madly in love with. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the day they met, which took place in grade 3, he rounds up a group of people from his third grade class. Think is his girlfriend breaks up with him at the party. The rest of his third grade classmates aren’t doing so hot either. Very much the Friends motiff where a group of 20-somethings live their lives and such.
What We Liked About The Show :
Romo: A solid ensemble cast. Jason Ritter has a certain charm to him, must be in the DNA or something.
Murtz: I absolutely loved this show. I related with it and thought that the concept of a class of third graders getting together for a reunion was great. I know it has been done before, and it kind of reminded me of the short-lived High School Reunion show that aired on The WB but this was much for fun. I thought the actors had chemistry and that the script was engaging. Really fun.
What We Didn’t Like About The Show :
Romo: Many others have tried to use the Friends formula and failed horribly. The series will need to make sure it finds some creative plot lines not rehash the tried and true.
Murtz: I am not sure where the show will go. I mean really, almost the entire thing was about relationships and who hooked up with who. Clearly elementary-school romances and how they translate to present day can only take a show so far.
Final Verdict :
Romo: A decently funny show, and one of the few comedies I would give a chance to. 7.5/10
Murtz: This show deserves a chance. I am not sure if it will actually go anywhere because I have seen virtually no promotion for it at all, but I thought it was decent. 8/10
Likelihood Of The Show Succeeding :
Romo: It matches very well with How I Met Your Mother and should form a solid “youth” comedy hour. It might be rocky at first but I think it will stick around for a second season.
Murtz: Little concerned about the timeslot and I can’t see it developing more than a passing interest from casual viewers. It will be tough for it to make it through the season, but I really hope that it does.
Smith
Networks: CBS and
Time slot: Tuesday, 10 p.m. on CBS, Monday, 9 p.m. on CTV
Premiere: September 19 on CBS, September 18 on CTV
Cast:
Ray Liotta”¦Bobby Stevens
Virginia Madsen”¦Hope Stevens
Franky G”¦Joe
Amy Smart”¦Annie
Chris Bauer”¦Agent Dodd
Jonny Lee Miller”¦Tom
Show Premise: Bobby Stevens is a master criminal. Him and his team of crooks pull off big and sophisticated robberies. Bobby’s wife Hope thinks her husband leads a very normal 9-5 life. Very similar to last season’s flop Heist except instead of one big crime for a season, its one big crime an episode.
What We Liked About The Show :
Romo: The action was pretty solid and the production values were high. I like Liotta and Madsen as the leads.
Murtz: Loved this show! Ray Liotta is great and I think CBS and CTV might have another hit on their hands. I think the supporting cast and the storyline really do wonders for this show. Jonny Lee Miller, Amy Smart and Virginia Madsen are all great. Madsen and Smart are stunningly hot.
What We Didn’t Like About The Show :
Romo: Not a huge Amy Smart fan, sure she is hot but she doesn’t seem to offer much else in terms of talent. The way the pilot showed the heist in snipets did not work for me. It felt like they were trying to build tension when they should have just left well enough alone.
Murtz: Once again, not too much. The thing with many of this year’s premieres are the fact that they illicit an either ‘love it, or hate it’ reaction. If you love them, there’s isn’t a lot to say about how they can improve. Similarly, you can go on and on if you hated the show. I think Smith is phenomenal.
Final Verdict:
Romo: I put Smith in the category of “depends what its up against,” in that its watchable but I’m not gonna dump a show I already like to watch it. 7/10
Murtz: I definitely plan on tuning in again. 10/10
Likelihood Of The Show Succeeding :
Romo: It’s up against Boston Legal and L&O: SVU, two very solid established shows. But, since there are some people, such as me, who watch neither, Smith could find a decent audience.
Murtz: What’s interesting is that while I want to see the show again, I wouldn’t have watched it at first unless it was in my premiere package. That could be a problem, but it’s impossible to not sell a show that has Ray Liotta in it.
Shark
Networks: CBS and
Time slot: Thursday 10 p.m.
Premiere: September 21
Cast:
James Woods”¦Sebastian Shark
Jeri Ryan”¦Jessica Devlin
Danielle Panabaker”¦Julie Shark
Sarah Carter”¦Madeline Poe
Sam Page”¦Casey Woodward
Show Premise: Sebastian Shark is a top-flight defence attorney who has a moral quandry after getting off one too many bad guys so he switches sides. Shark will do anything to win a case. Oh, and now he’s a single father as his 16-year-old has decided to live with him instead of her mother.
What We Liked About The Show:
Romo: Woods is always fun to watch, Ryan is easy on the eyes and Sarah Carter impressed me in the pilot.
Murtz: I think everybody is calling this one House with lawyers. I think James Woods is strong as the lead and focus. The thing is that this show has weakened slightly for me, after seeing the slickness of Justice. That being said, I think it is still decent.
What We Didn’t Like About The Show:
Romo: The whole attempt to make Shark into such a nasty Gregory House-esque personaliy falls short. In the pilot alone they show his soft side. It’s the third season of House and he is still a sketchy doctor, who makes you question your morals.
Murtz: I thought the supporting cast was weak. I think that the comparisons to House, will turn from ‘House with lawyers to not as good as House and finding its own identity against Boston Legal will also be arduous.
Final Verdict:
Romo: Not bad, not great. If Woods was not involved this show would never have gotten off the starting block. 6.5/10
Murtz: I liked it, but not sure if I made a note of when it is on. 8/10
Likelihood Of The Show Succeeding :
Romo: I would say its 50/50 if the show survives. Sure it gets the CSI lead-in but that just puts more pressure on it and its up against stalwart ER.
Murtz: I think it will come back, but I don’t expect an extended run simply because of all of the competition.
Waterfront
Networks: NBC and
Time slot: undetermined
Premiere: Midseason 2007
Cast:
Joe Pantoliano”¦James Centralla
Larenz Tate”¦Marcus
Mary Stuart Masterson”¦Heather Centralla
Lyndsey Fonseca”¦Annabelle
Show Premise: James Centralla is the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. He uses dirty tricks and backdoor deals to keep control of the city. After his deputy mayor is indicted he pegs the up-and-coming civil servant Marcus for greatness.
What We Liked About The Show:
Romo: Unlike Murtz I love Joey Pants. Larenz Tate is very likeable in this role as well.
Murtz: Not much. I am not a big Joe Pantoliano fan.
What We Didn’t Like About The Show:
Romo: It’s a weak concept and compared to Showtime’s Brotherhood, which is also set in Providence and deals with its sketchy politics, it pales in comparison. Honestly you would be better catching the A&E City Confidential episode where they look at Providence.
Murtz: Where to begin. I didn’t like the tired concept of the show. I thought the acting was pretty weak. I didn’t care much for any of the plot development and I thought it was one of the longest hours of television that I had seen.
Final Verdict:
Romo: The writing in the pilot was weak, everything felt rushed and not developed. 4/10
Murtz: This one’s a total dud. Don’t waste your time. 1/10
Likelihood Of The Show Succeeding :
Romo: If it even gets on the sked I can’t see it lasting unless its going under some major retooling right now.
Murtz: Waterfront will drown pretty quickly. It’s definitely gone and probably the worst pilot that I saw.
