Predicting what will or won’t succeed as a television series is a crapshoot.  Entire careers are made (and more often, broken) on such insights.  Some of my favorite shows have been cancelled in short-order; while others I find to be absolute snooze-fests go on for years. 

So, this year, I’ve decided to go on nothing but my gut feelings.  No formula; just superficial things, like the charisma of the cast or the wig worn by the lead actress, as well as the track-record of the writers.  Regardless, all five of these shows deserve watching (or, rather – I hope that will be the case). 

FOREVER (ABC) #Forever
PREMIERE:  Tuesday, September 23rd – 10|9c
CAST: Ioan Gruffudd, Judd Nelson, Alana de la Garza, Lorraine Toussaint, Donnie Keshawarz, and Joel David Moore
FROM: Matt Miller (Chuck), Dan Lin (Terminator Salvation), and Jennifer Gwartz (Veronica Mars)
NOTES: Immortal coroner solves crime in NYC
IMPRESSION: Crossing Jordan meets New Amsterdam

GOTHAM (FOX) #Gotham
PREMIERE:  Monday, September 22nd – 8|7c
CAST: Benjamin McKenzie, Jada Pinkett Smith, Donal Logue, Sean Pertwee, Robin Lord Taylor, Cory Michael Smith, and Camren Bicondova
FROM: Bruno Heller (The Mentalist) with Danny Cannon (Nikita)
NOTES: Origin story of DC Comics’ Bruce Wayne and Commissioner Gordon, plus lots of colorful villains
IMPRESSION: Uh…  Batman

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER (FOX) #HowToGetAwayWithMurder
PREMIERE:  Thursday, September 25th – 10|9c
CAST: Viola Davis, Liza Weil, Jack Falahee, Charlie Weber, Aja Naomi King, and Matt McGorry
FROM: Peter Nowalk (Grey’s Anatomy) with Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal)
NOTES: Criminal defense attorney/professor teaches eager-beaver students about murder
IMPRESSION: The Paper Chase meets Shark

MADAM SECRETARY (CBS) #MadameSecretary
PREMIERE:  Sunday, September 21st – 8:30e|8p
CAST: Téa Leoni, Tim Daly, Bebe Neuwith, Geoffrey Arend, Zeljko Ivanek, and Erich Bergen
FROM: Barbara Hall (Joan of Arcadia) and Morgan Freeman
NOTES: Ex-CIA operative/professor/mother is appointed Secretary of State after her mentor’s murder
IMPRESSION: The West Wing meets Homeland

SCORPION (CBS) #TeamScorpion
PREMIERE:  Monday, September 22nd – 9|8c
CAST: Elyes Gabel, Robert Patrick, Katherine McPhee, and Eddie Kaye Thomas
FROM: Nick Santora (Prison Break) with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (Fringe, Sleepy Hollow)
NOTES: World's 4th-smartest man compiles group of brainiacs who are recruited by the government
IMPRESSION: Breakout Kings meets Criminal Minds

Fall 2014 TV - Dramas

Get into it!