Excelsior: Three Fall Shows to Watch...and One to Skip

Original Article

Fall season is upon us, and the words "series premiere" have been all over television for the last few weeks. But which ones are worth getting obsessed with, and which ones are likely to get the boot mid-season and enter obscurity? The Excelsior has picked the three shows most worthy of procrastinating for - and one whose timeslot you can actually use to study.

Three shows to watch...

"FlashForward"

(ABC, Thursdays at 8 pm):

On a day in September 2009, every single person on the planet blacks out for two minutes. But they don't just lose consciousness - they get a glimpse of their lives six months in the future. A race begins: Some want to prevent what they saw. Others find new hope in their visions. And then there are the ones who have to find the meaning of theirs while D-Day, April 29, 2010, is fast approaching.

The strongest elements of the show are its intriguing premise and its stars. Joseph Fiennes is Mark Benford, an FBI agent who saw himself investigating the blackout in his vision and now has to follow the clues from his future. At the same time he struggles with his wife's (Sonya Walger of "LOST") flash-forward that showed her being with another man. Meanwhile, Benford's partner Demetri (John Cho in a very strong performance) has to come to terms with the fact that he didn't see anything during the blackout.

The entire show is based on the slow revelation of the big secret behind the flash-forward. This is bound to frustrate impatient viewers who are used to one self-contained story per episode. But the show definitely attracts the loyal LOST viewership that is used to waiting for answers. It remains to be seen if "FlashForward" turns out to be cast in the same cult series mold. (Get caught up with "FlashForward" at http://abc.go.com/shows/flash-forward)


"White Collar"

(USA, Fridays at 10 pm):

Taking over for hiatus-ed "Psych," "White Collar" has a tough spot to fill. Matt Bomer stars as Neal Caffrey, a brilliant con man who receives a get-out-of-jail-free card. Of course, there's a catch: He has to switch sides and work with the FBI to catch other white-collar criminals. Coincidentally, he has to partner up with Peter Burke (Tim DeKay), the exact same agent that caught him after years of a "Catch me if you can"-style hunt. Caffrey's almost magical charms and seemingly inexhaustible knowledge of fellow criminals, of course, is what gets the case solved at the end of the day.

"White Collar" is not so much a crime-solving drama as a personality-driven comedy. While the storylines are elaborate (albeit dramatically enhanced) and engaging, it is the chemistry between the two lead characters that makes the show. The insanely charming con man and the grudging detective make the ultimate team as seen in countless "buddy movies." Their exchanges are witty and sometimes even laugh-out-loud funny. "White Collar" is a breath of fresh air in a world where TV is populated by countless "CSI" and "Law and Order" clones. (Lust after Matt Bomer at http://www.usanetwork.com/series/whitecollar)


"The Middle"

(ABC, Wednesdays at 8:30 pm):

ABC's Comedy Wednesday has brought us four new sitcoms this fall, some better, some worse. While the critics (rightfully) drool over the clever mockumentary "Modern Family," Patricia Heaton's ("Everybody Loves Raymond") new vehicle "The Middle" goes slightly underappreciated. Heaton plays Frankie, mother of three, working as an unsuccessful car saleswoman in Bumblefuck, USA. Her children - rebellious, mindless typical teenager Axl; enthusiastic but talented-at-at-nothing-at-all Sue; and little Brick, who is socially challenged; her husband, who has a tendency to be brutally honest even to his own children; and her less-than-glamorous job constantly keep her on the go.

It's a lot like "Malcolm in the Middle" - but a less over-the-top, and a much more docile, good-natured version. The show displays real sympathy for its characters, and at the end of the day, there's a redeeming quality about everyone. (Relax and laugh at http://abc.go.com/shows/the-middle)


…and one to skip:


"Cougar Town"

(ABC, Wednesdays at 9:30 pm):

Here's the thing about expectations: When they are too high, you're bound to be disappointed. Here's the thing about "Cougar Town": Even if it wasn't Courtney Cox's long-awaited return to the small screen; even if it wasn't a concept that was extremely promising (newly single middle-aged woman starts dating hot young guys) - the show would still be a disappointment. The short explanation: It just isn't funny. The long one: The makers should have watched a little more "Sex and the City" and a little less "Ally McBeal" and "Dawson's Creek". (See for yourself at http://abc.go.com/shows/cougar-town)