Techtite Feature Article!

"Imagine finding an alien rendition of NYC, where Broadway, Manhattan, and Radio City Music Hall were just waiting to be visited for the first time. Cooooool."

---from the article

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The Close Calls: ...Last year's list was a Top Ten List, but out of dozens of new shows, only these seven made the cut this year. Not that the choice to cut the list to "seven" was easy. Here are three that came close:

Dr. Vegas (CBS, Fridays at 10, premieres 9/24) Critics hate it...except for me, that is. Joe Pantoliano and Rob Lowe (show above) star as a casino owner and a doctor in Las Vegas. The twist: said doctor's practice is right in the hotel. What's so cool? I really want these guys to get a great series. They deserve one. Really. Why's it not listed? Many critics hate this show, for its unrealism and silliness. Personally; I like "unbelievable" and "silly," so I like it. It's just one of those things. Added Plus: The real problem with these stars' ill-fated series last season was how much their characters were against the type of characters they're best known for. . A hunky doctor is right up Rob Lowe's alley, as is the role of a casino boss, for Sopranos' Pantoliano. Add good writing, and this could be a hit, no matter what critics want to say.

LAX (NBC, Mondays 10, premieres on 9/13) I have been at LAX since 9/11; I can only imagine how hard an airport of that size must be to run. This is a new nighttime drama about just that. What's so cool: Wisely not going the route of Melrose Place and Spin City by hiring her later-on; this series stars Heather Locklear, right out the gate (no pun intended).  Why's it not listed? The premiere, quite frankly, sucked...but we've seen bad premieres for promising shows before. Later episodes are pretty good though, so I still say this show might be pretty good in the long run.

The Amazing Race 6 (Saturdays at 8, premieres Thursday, 10/7) What's it about? Yes; it's not a new show. However; we nearly couldn't help but praise the true return of The Amazing Race, after two years of being thrown to the dogs during summer. It won't last without fan support, so why not spread the word of Race's return to fall prime time, and offer our desire that it stays that way?  What's so cool? Finally, something worth watching on Saturdays at 8.  Why it Isn't Listed: Because it's not a new show, and...nope, that's about it.

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Feel free to contribute. As always, review submissions are accepted!

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Whether a show succeeds or not is a roll of the dice. However, there's no denying what new shows are the most eye-grabbing. That said: Here are the "lucky seven" this season: the series which caught our eye the strongest. Mind you; "intriguing" merely means they are the ones that look promising. Whether they will still be on the air in 2005, well...keep that pair of dice handy.

Note: for the next 7 weeks, at random, each of these series will receive a full review. If available, these reviews are linked to each show title.

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Desperate Housewives (ABC, Sundays at 9, Premieres 9/26). What's it about? Topping the list this season is the first drama ABC has offered in years that, say some critics, may actually be a hit for the long struggling network. The first good news is a quintet of veteran nighttime soap actresses: Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross, Brenda Strong, Andrea Bowen, and Felicity Huffman. The second good news is a premise with a lot to work with, of a suburbia that looks like the perfect, rubber-stamp family community, until you see what happens behind locked doors...and the secrets within. What's so cool? I'm a big fan of The O.C., and yet I can't help but jump with glee that someone has finally created a new nighttime drama whose cast isn't still in high school. What's not-so-cool? The series is on ABC: the place where crappy sitcoms live for years, while most dramas get cancelled in months. Added Plus:  One of the most darkly humorous lines I've heard in many new premieres has to be Marcia Cross' character at her husband's bedside, where he says, "You tried to kill me!" with the ex-Melrose Place villainess lamenting casually, "Yeah, well...I feel badly about that..."

Lost (Full Review) (ABC, Wed 8, series premiere airs 9/22) What's it about? A small plane is hit by some sort of strange force, yet oddly enough, a small band of survivors make it to a strange island's beach, alive. The big question; where are they now? The other question: why hasn't someone rescued them yet...if they ever will at all? What's so cool? This isn't your typical "Cast Away" rip-off; there's a lot happening on this island that is quite bizarre. These would-be castaways have a lot of problems on their hands...including, the premiere implies, a monster in the jungle which can cloak itself into the nearby jungle. What's not-so-cool? Although made by the same guy who created Alias, it is a very decidedly different style and format of action-drama. Will fans warm up to it?  Added Plus: The overall look and feel of this series plays a lot like a mature, bumped-up version of the classic children's series Land of the Lost, especially when hearing the two-part premiere's last pivotal line: "Where are we...?"

Joey (NBC, Thursday at 8, premiere was on 9/9) What's it about? Much the same way that Cheers spawned Frasier, the recently ended sitcom Friends brings us Joey. Joey Tribiani (Matt LeBlanc) moves to L.A. to pursue a Hollywood level acting career. What's so cool? Drea De Matteo plays Joey's big sister. While she was sooo fine as a mobster's ever-faithful girlfriend in The Sopranos, she proves to be a very effective comedienne here. What's not-so-cool? Cute-as-can-be Ashley Scott was replaced at the eleventh hour with Andrea Anders, supposedly because they wanted the character to be different. Talk about brash ways to "change" a character! Added Plus: Although not with the same "zing" that the premiere of Frasier had, this series is just one little dog named "Eddie" shy of being a sure hit.

Stargate: Atlantis (Full Review) (Sci-Fi, Fridays at 10). What's it about? This is the long-planned, long-in-coming spin-off of Stargate SG-1, and it shows. Every nuance of the series has been perfectly planned, right down to how the series has thrust their characters into a completely new galaxy to explore. What's so cool? This series has a perfectly chosen lead cast for one; an even better chosen arch-villain, as well. "The Wraith" are a bunch of aliens that feed on the very energy of your body, leaving you a wrinkled shell. If you wanted a good follow-up to the body-snatcher style "G'ould," this would be it. What's not-so-cool? Scared off by all the new shows, the series is presently airing repeats for the next several weeks. It gives late arrivals time to catch up, though. Added Plus: The ancient "Atlantis" city doubles as an additional alien "world" to explore. Imagine finding an alien rendition of NYC, where Broadway, Manhattan, and Radio City Music Hall were just waiting to be visited for the first time. Cooooool.

Medical Investigation (NBC, Friday 10, series premiere on 9/3) What's it about? This show pits its lead cast against the many potential epidemics that confront various big cities. Be it mass poisoning or a new strand of virus; it's up to these guys to help.  What's so cool? In a brilliant casting coup, this series' lead cast has been assembled from some of the most intriguing cast members of last season's most disappointing cancellations: Boomtown, The Handler, and Jake 2.0, among others. It's nice to see all their talented faces again, in a show which, hopefully, has a much brighter future for all of them.  What's not-so-cool? Fridays at 10 is a time slot "plagued" with failures, pun notwithstanding. Added Plus: Flashy, ghostly computer FX showcase what the detectives are thinking when re-enacting what caused each case. Not unlike the autopsy FX in CSI; this is very neat stuff.

Veronica Mars (UPN, Tuesdays at 9, premieres 9/22) What's it about? Imagine a new " Nancy Drew" series, with a feminist tingle to the storyline, a sassy new hairdo, and with all the story arcs that teen dramas provide. See: Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) is a mere teenager; it's her dad who's the real detective. Yet sometimes he needs help, so that's where Veronica comes in. What's so cool? Veronica is helped by two men, both behind and in front of the camera. In front of the camera is the excellent casting choice of Enrico Colantoni (Just Shoot Me!) as her dad. Behind the camera is producer Joel Silver; the same man who gave us Die Hard and The Matrix. What's not-so-cool? It's on UPN; the network that is just one WWF fanboy away from being "cancelled" as a whole. Added Plus: Felicity, Ally McBeal, and even Sex and the City are long gone. Can Veroinca fill their shoes, given how few shows like this are left standing these days?

CSI: NY (CBS, Wednesdays at 10, series premiere 9/22) What's it about? A second spin-off from the hit CBS drama. It has both Gary Sinise and Melina Kanakaredes as the lead stars, as the lead investigators of a CSI team set in New York. What's so cool? Neither Las Vegas nor Miami can offer the kind of four-season atmosphere that NYC can offer. It seems as though all the script ideas that the other shows couldn't handle will be offered here. What's not-so-cool? By common logic, with three CSI shows needing new scripts each season, the longevity of the original series has been cut into thirds. It'll be fun while it lasts, though. Added Plus: Vanessa Ferlito was one of the finer moments of last season's 24, yet her guest character was killed off just in time for sweeps. Here, she has a more solid role of investigator Aiden Burn; a lead character of the series.

---Techtite

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Think the above shows were easy to make look good? Check out the seven shows that didn't make the cut:  Fall Season's "Unlucky Seven," 2004