This blog post comes in a bit late due to the fact that I had a hard time picking which premieres were worth my time. Even with the help of my trusty TiVo and a relatively mild weekend, I had to be pretty choosy. In the end, I came up with some old faves and some solid newbies.
Cold Case
On Sunday, September 23, Cold Case premiered on CBS. I thought it was a bit unusual, considering most shows premiere on the Sunday that follows premiere week. (Though The Simpsons premiered that evening as well.) I'm not sure why that is, but Monday usually leads the week off.
At any rate, Lily looks as though she's going to take a bit of a dark turn this season after narrowly dodging death in last season's finale. We knew there was little risk of her being offed considering she's the lead character, but it still created some pretty good tension. It'll be interesting to see where they take the character from here.
Heroes
Heroes premiered Monday on NBC. I honestly meant to catch up on this series during the summer, but I didn't, so I was completely lost. According to a couple of the people I asked around campus, Heroes was a big deal. I'm considering getting Season One on DVD, but I'll have to think about it. All in all, I'm just impressed that a sci-fi show was able to thrive in mainstream television. Perhaps there's hope for the genre yet.
Journeyman
Speaking of hope for the sci-fi genre, NBC took another crack at an intense time-traveling thriller with Journeyman last week. It was a no-brainer to pair this freshman series with Heroes. Still, just as many critics warned, the series was a bit hard to follow at first. It could be a bit stronger, but I really like the style of cinematography and pacing. It's possible that the series merely needs to find its footing, and it still seems to be performing. We'll see how it works out.
Law and Order: SVU
Ah, procedural dramas. NBC's most popular L&O series premiered on Tuesday. I really, really think they've jumped the shark with Elliott and his ex-wife preparing to raise another kid. I'm sure it had something to do with causing some tension between Elliott and Olivia, or maybe it was attempt to further distance the characters from any potential romance.
Either way, though I liked that they focused on his family in the beginning of the series' existence, his wife and kids have become a nuisance over the years. The premiere was decent, with Cynthia Nixon from Sex and the City fame playing a mother with a multiple personality disorder. It didn't quite compare to the premieres of seasons' past, but it was entertaining.
Bionic Woman
The highly touted, uber-advertised, Bionic Woman premiered Wednesday on NBC to much fanfare. The lead actress who plays the title role, Michelle Ryan, is a relative unknown, and there were some scenes that had a bit of a shaky delivery. Still, there's an intensity and an honesty that comes across in character Jamie Sommers.
The show definitely has potential. I'm a sucker for great special effects and action, but it also had an interesting storyline as well. It helps that they're also tackling a philosophical issue that's very timely in this technological age. How far is too far when it comes to bioengineering? It's a good question that's bound to come up more and more as the season continues.
With less cheesy one-liners in the heat of action, and more development of Jamie, her sister and her boyfriend, I think the series has a shot at becoming another Heroes.
Private Practice
Premiering opposite Bionic Woman, Private Practice debuted on ABC Wednesday, with both series starting off pretty well. What Practice lacked in action against Bionic, it made up for in strong characters.
It's hard to say if lightning will strike twice for Shonda Rhimes, creator of both Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. I do have to say, however, that the new sister series definitely leads in the Talented and Accomplished Actors department (though the young actors on the former series are very talented as well). With the likes of Amy Brenneman and Taye Diggs, I see a lot of potential for Kate Walsh's (Addison on Grey's) new series. I'm glad she was able to spread her wings on a show that will showcase her talents. There's something about her quirky character that's way more endearing than Meredith, in my opinion.
Critics like TV Guide's Michael Ausiello also warned of a weak start for the series, which I can agree with to some extent. There were moments that seemed a bit absurd -- but, hey, Grey's has gotten away with a lot more with less logic, so I'm willing to give this show a shot.
ER
The show that just keeps getting rescusitated premiered with its 14th season (that's right!) Thursday on NBC. It was weaker than most, and seemed a bit dead in some areas, but the main characters of this season are still compelling.
There are probably a lot of people who can't believe this show is still on the air, and I have to admit I'm pretty surprised myself. It's a show that won't die, but as long as the chemistry between the cast remains (John Stamos, notwithstanding), I'll try to catch it every now and again. It probably won't be as religious as before, but I won't write it off until it's cancelled.
Stargate Atlantis
Finally, I'm allowed to let the geek in me roam free for a bit as I talk about Stargate Atlantis, which premiered Friday on the SCIFI Channel. It was a fairly decent season opener, with the introduction of two new cast members, Amanda Tapping (Colonel Samantha Carter) from the recently cancelled Stargate SG-1, and Jewel Staite (Dr. Jennifer Keller) from Firefly, which was cancelled a few years ago and concluded with the movie, Serenity.
It probably could've been a bit stronger, considering its future is not quite secure. For the most part, though, the scope of the premiere was pretty good, and will hopefully lead into other new storylines for the fourth season. The cast changes caused heated debates among fans, and there are some who are skeptical as to whether or not Stargate Atlantis will see a fifth season pick-up from Stargate. Still, with ailing original series in its lineup, SCIFI may be more amenable than expected.
It's a wait-and-see game for producers and viewers alike, as only time will tell if the series can perform on its own without the ten-year-old Stargate SG-1 as a lead-in. Here's hoping, because I'm a huge, geeky fan of that show, and I'd like it to succeed.
That's about it. I'll be following Bionic Woman, Private Practice and Atlantis closely, while catching Cold Case, Journeyman, SVU and ER when I can. There are loads of other series out there to try, like the CW's Aliens in America and Reaper, as well as ABC's Samantha Who? and Pushing Daisies. Those seem to be critically acclaimed winners... and those types of shows tend to lack the kind of viewership that will keep them around for the long haul. I should probably check them out soon before they get the ax.
So, did I miss anything? Are there shows I've overlooked?
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