In the past few years countless shows that seemed appealing in previews barely made it through one season before getting canceled. Today, series appear and disappear faster than ever before. This all benefits viewers, however, as we now have many more options for what we elect to watch. To help sort through the seemingly endless new shows and returning oldies, tableau has sorted fall TV offerings into three categories: "New Favorites," or series premieres that call for at least one view, "Old Favorites to Keep Watching," for the old reliables that remain entertaining, and lastly, the "Question Marks." Question Marks include both new shows that seem preemptively doomed, and formerly strong shows that may be headed downhill.
New Favorites:
Gossip Girl -- Wednesday Sept. 29, 9 p.m. The CW
Though the primetime lineups of the past few years have been dominated by stories of rich teenagers hailing from the West Coast, this new series follows the drama of prep-school elite in New York City. Based on the popular chick-lit series of the same name, Gossip Girl features Blake Lively as Serena Van Der Woodson, a beautiful underage socialite who competes for the attention of Nate Archiblaid (Chace Crawford) with her former BFF Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester). Set amid the glamour and scandal of Manhattan's wealthy Upper East Side, Gossip Girl may just become everyone's favorite new guilty pleasure.
Pushing Daisies --Wednesday Oct. 3, 8 p.m. ABC
On the surface, Pushing Daisies may seem like a by-the-numbers crime investigation show like CSI or Law and Order. This new ABC drama, however, comes with one intriguing twist after another. The lead character, Ned, possesses the uncanny ability to bring back the deceased with nothing more than a touch of the hand. Ned uses this gift to assist a private investigator in his cases. Though the plot seems ambitious, early reviews of the pilot have praised the script's lightning-fast wit, so the show might just live up to its own hype.
Cane -- Tuesday Sept. 25, 10 p.m. CBS
The storyline for this new CBS offering is nothing if not original and may provide a breath of fresh air to Tuesday nights. Cane tells the intriguing tale of a Cuban-American family (the Duques) living in South Florida while running a prosperous rum and sugar business. The show delves into the lives of Pancho, the family's patriarch, his two sons Frank and Alex, and Alex's wife Isabel. Pancho must maintain the success of his business while simultaneously dealing with family conflicts that get in the way.
Old Favorites to Keep Watching:
The Office -- Thursday Sept. 27, 9 p.m. NBC
While most college-age girls think Grey's Anatomy represents the pinnacle of Thursday night television, the real reason to sit in front of the TV Thursday nights seems to be The Office. The American version of the hit British series left off last season with a slew of changes -- the incompetent-yet-hilarious regional manager, Michael (Steve Carell), fails to get the corporate job formerly occupied by his on-again girlfriend/ex-boss Jan, former temp Ryan wins the aforementioned corporate job and becomes Michael's boss, and America's new favorite non-couple, Pam and Jim, finally decide to go on their very first date.
Ugly Betty -- Thursday Sept. 27, 8 p.m. ABC
Based off of a Spanish-language telenovela, in just one season Ugly Betty managed to turn America Ferrera into America's sweetheart. This dramedy began with a slightly unusual premise: send an ugly duckling girl to work in the superficial world of magazine publishing as an assistant to a spoiled, sex-addicted playboy editor named Daniel. The result was an endearing, original show that quickly garnered praise. The second season will address some of the many twists left open-ended from last year's season finale, including Betty's father's extradition to Mexico and the possibly fatal car wreck of Daniel and his sister Alexis.
Question Marks:
Caveman -- Tuesday Oct. 2, 8:00 p.m. ABC
Every season, it seems as though some network feels the need to broadcast one show that immediately raises the question, "What were they thinking??"Caveman is that show this fall. Featuring none other than the Cavemen characters of Geico commercial fame, the story chronicles the difficulties of three cavemen attempting to lead normal lives in modern-day San Diego. While the show's bizarre premise might garner some initial buzz, in all actuality, how funny can a story based on an insurance company commercial really get?
Grey's Anatomy -- Thursday Sept. 27, 9 p.m. ABC
The über-popular medical drama has some serious hurdles to overcome this year. Storylines aside, the writers of Grey's have to deal with the loss of two popular major characters. After the media controversy surrounding some allegedly homophobic comments made on set, Isaiah Washington left the show and will have to be written out. Additionally, the plot must compensate for the loss of Dr. Addison Montgomery, as Kate Walsh was granted her own spin-off, Private Practice.
Kid Nation -- Wednesday Sept. 19, 8 p.m. CBS
Possibly the most newsworthy show of the fall season, Kid Nation managed to stir up controversy before airing a single episode. The reality show's premise definitely toes the line of good taste: desert 40 kids in the middle of an abandoned town in New Mexico and leave them to forge their own society, complete with a class structure and some political organization. Critics claim the show exploits young children for the sake of entertainment (more than one of the youngsters was injured while filming) and conflicts with New Mexico's newly tightened child-labor laws. Moral obligations aside, the show has the potential to be an interesting new reality show -- or it will come off as a bad Lord of the Flies remake.
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