NGTV Guide: Tuesday, November 24

Well that was fast – we’ve already reached the end of the first set of V episodes! Tonight’s episode ends on a cliffhanger with new episodes not set to return until March 2010.

V – ABC 8/7c
“It’s Only the Beginning” – Erica works with newly-formed allies to uncover a biological threat they suspect the Visitors have been plotting.  Aboard the Mothership, Anna meets with a special guest while managing the investigation into the murder of a V. And Chad does a segment on the V Healing Centers, demonstrating their amazing medical abilities, but then finds himself conflicted by some of his findings.

The Good Wife – CBS 10/9c
Alicia deals with tricky office politics when she’s asked to represent the firm’s senior partner after he’s arrested.  Meanwhile, Peter’s evidentiary hearing hits the skids, leading Alicia to suspect that he may, in fact, actually be guilty of corruption. Chelsea Handler (“Chelsea Lately”) guest stars as herself when she interviews Peter Florrick’s mistress on her show.

Spotlight on: Elizabeth Mitchell

First gracing the television screen in 1993 on the television series Dangerous Curves, Elizabeth Mitchell quickly began an ascent that has taken her to starring in two of the most buzzed about series currently on television: V and Lost.

While few watched her debut into the television arena, she has proven over the years to be an actress who naturally stands-out and makes her presence felt. Not content with a mere wallflower role, she began getting noticed for her steely resistance and stunning good looks. Then, in 1998, she was cast in a ground-breaking role as the lover of Angelina Jolie in  Gia. That was quickly followed by a role in the short-lived TV series Significant Others, in which she co-starred with Jennifer Garner (Alias) and Michael Weatherly (NCIS).

Fortunately, her next project was a feature film Frequency, a sci-fi film starring Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel. Alas, being cast as Dennis Quaid’s wife was not enough to keep her on the big screen and Elizabeth was soon back on television appearing in another short-lived series Time of Your Life, which coincidentally co-starred Jennifer Garner, Pauley Perrette (NCIS), and Jennifer Love Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer).

Still not finding a secure niche, Elizabeth tackled the role of Dr. Kim Legaspi, the lover of Dr. Kerry Weaver in the hit drama ER. It was during this time period that she fine-tuned her comedic skills by co-starring in the films The Santa Clause, The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3 with comedian Tim Allen. She also balanced her comedic forays by working in the short-lived legal drama The Lyon’s Den which starred Rob Lowe. Bouncing between serious, comedic and earnest 20-something roles, Elizabeth built a fine resume of solid work experience showing off not only her versatility, but her strong work ethic and willingness to step-outside the box to portray strong yet vulnerable women.

It was that more than anything that perhaps brought her to the attention of Lost, where she scored the role of a lifetime, playing the ambiguous, resilient and astoundingly lethal Juliet Burke – and, for the first time, stole the limelight from a popular co-star and claimed the heart of the bad-boy with a heart of gold, James “Sawyer” Ford. Over the course of four seasons, Elizabeth not only stole scenes and attention, she carved out a fanatic fan-base and managed to become the heart and hero of the show. So much so that in May 2009, she literally ended the season with a bang and created one of the biggest cliff-hangers of the series.

Simultaneously, not being one to sit still, Elizabeth managed to sneak off and score one of the most coveted roles of sci-fi television, the part of Erica Evans, the FBI agent in the new hit sci-fi series V. Unlike the morally ambiguous Juliet she plays on Lost, on V Elizabeth is clearly the moral center and is fighting to save the human race. This is ironic, given that she did virtually the same thing on Lost – she may have saved the world by setting off a nuclear bomb and resetting the fractured timeline.

So with the final season of Lost looming on the horizon and a bright and shiny future beckoning with the series V, Elizabeth seems destined for greatness. With her luminous, poignant and steely portrayals, she has embraced difficult roles and made them her own and won the admiration of the television audience forever.

Elizabeth Mitchell stars in V which airs Tuesday nights at 8:00 p.m. on ABC. However, V will be on hiatus until March 2010 due the holidays and the winter Olympics. Be sure to tune back in March! Lost returns February 2 at 9/8c on ABC; when V returns in March it will be the lead-in for Lost.

NGTV Guide: Tuesday, November 17

Things are getting complicated both in the aliens vs. humans drama and the wife vs. husband drama airing tonight.

V – ABC 8/7c
“A Bright New Day” – Chad reports from the Peace Ambassador Center as 100 diplomatic visas are being issued to the first wave of American Visitors, with Anna getting the 1st, but not everyone agrees with the decision. Meanwhile Erica has started tracking a death threat while paired with a V officer, as she actually has to protect the V’s, and Ryan starts reaching out to his old friends to build up opposition forces and help fight-off the V’s.

The Good Wife – CBS 10/9c
“Unprepared” – As Alicia prepares to defend a scientist accused of arson, she is caught off guard when Peter’s attorney asks her to testify on Peter’s behalf sooner than she expected. Peter Riegert (“Damages”) guest stars as the judge in Peter’s appeal; and Russ Mitchell from CBS’s The Early Show guest stars as himself, interviewing Peter Florrick.

NGTV Guide: Tuesday, November 10

Did you watch the debut of V last week? What did you think? As long as we’re asking questions, who do you think Alicia is attracted to in tonight’s episode of The Good Wife? My money’s on Will.

V – ABC 8/7c
“There Is No Normal Anymore” — Erica and Father Jack, having quickly determined they’re both against the arrival of the Visitors, suddenly find themselves being tracked by a “Seeker” from the V’s. Meanwhile Chad, thinking he blew it for 80 million viewers with his exclusive first interview with Anna, looks to pick himself up and so becomes more investigative in his next newscast; and Dale Maddox’s (Alan Tudyk) wife and law enforcement begin questioning Erica about his whereabouts.

The Good Wife - CBS 10/9c
“Unorthodox” – While representing the daughter of one of the partner’s at the law firm, Alicia finds herself attracted to her co-counsel and his unorthodox approach to defending their client.

NGTV Guide: Tuesday, November 3

It feels like we’ve been hearing about V forever; at last the revamped series returns tonight! It’s the first of four episodes before a hiatus until spring.

V – ABC 8/7c – SERIES PREMIERE
“Pilot” – In the premiere episode an image of Anna (Morena Baccarin), the leader of the V’s, is projected worldwide as she speaks about everyone joining together and no longer being divided by country or separated by fear. She wants us all to unite, and is counting on a very important component of human nature — devotion. At first considered a threat, the V’s quickly become a fascination and a link to things that lay just beyond our reach. For Tyler (Logan Huffman), a teenaged boy, the V’s are his ticket to being a part of something big and something that offers hope. To Chad (Scott Wolf), an egotistical news anchor who wants to further his career, his exclusive interview with Anna begins his desire to dominate the airwaves. Father Jack (Joel Gretsch), a priest with questioning faith, is hesitant to believe in the Visitors’ righteousness and goes outside of the church in search of the truth. There are other dissidents who believe the Visitors aren’t who they say they are, including Ryan (Morris Chestnut), who is faced with a life-altering decision when the V’s show up. And to FBI Counter Terrorist Agent Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell), who discovers, while investigating a terrorist cell, what lurks beneath the alarmingly human exterior of the Visitors, resisting this new world has never been more important — and never has there been more at stake. This truly is the dawning of a new day.

The Good Wife – CBS 10/9c
“Conjugal” –   As Alicia works with Will on the appeal of a death row inmate, she agrees to a conjugal visit with Peter in order to get information from him since her client was convicted under Peter’s regime as state’s attorney.

A Report Card for the 2009-2010 TV Season

With the majority of the new shows having debuted (and most of the returning series making their season premieres), I thought it was appropriate to make a report card (of sorts) on the new shows that have caught my attention, those that I have decided to pass on, and the few that will, unfortunately, (more likely than not) end up hanging by a thread in the very near future.

It is too soon to determine just how long any of the new shows will remain on the air or which ones will become the hits of the new season, so this will stand as my early predictions for what to expect – or to be more precise – what I hope will happen. Please keep in mind I am not covering ALL the new shows (and will not comment on the comedies since I don’t watch those). This coverage will only be on the shows that I have actually seen and for which I have formed an opinion.

The grade I have given to each is not only based solely on the ratings each series has received thus far, nor just on the critics reviews but also on my overall impression of each episode I have seen, each show’s basic premise, the characters and the casting for each series.

ABC:

The Forgotten (Tuesdays at 10 PM) – This series that stars Christian Slater as the leader of a volunteer group of amateur sleuths who investigate cold cases involving unidentified victims of crimes that even the police aren’t able to solve came out of the box during its premiere with an astounding 9.5 million viewers. The pilot was not as weak as I had anticipated, but I fear the show is attempting to be too ambitious and falling short of its intentions. And, while I would like nothing better than to see a Christian Slater-led series work (unlike his maligned former NBC series My Own Worst Enemy), I don’t really see audiences flocking back to this show week after week. I predict the show will reach about 5 episodes and then the network will have a decision to make about pulling the plug. Grade: B-

Eastwick (Wednesdays at 10 PM) – While critics and bloggers alike have been divided on this whimsical series based on the John Updike novel and inspired by the box office smash Witches of Eastwick, this magical show, which stars Rebecca Romijn, Lindsay Price and Jaime Ray Newman as a trio of awakening witches with unique powers, garnered an impressive 8.5 million in its debut. And when you compare that to its CSI: NY competition on CBS, that number isn’t too bad. I want to believe that women will grab onto this show and not want to let go especially once they get a good look at all the eye candy – Matt Dallas (Kyle XY), Jason George (Eli Stone) – who will be joining the show for a few episodes – Johann Urb (Dirt), Jon Bernthal (Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian), Jack Huston (Outlander) and, of course, Paul Gross (who plays “devilish” Darryl Van Horn). I predict the show will still have a battle on its hands with ABC probably wavering on what to do, but will hopefully stick with it for at least the full order of the series. Grade: B-

FlashForward (Thursdays at 8 PM) – The most-talked about, highly-anticipated series of the fall season is hands-down FlashForward; the one series that has been likened to Lost – in terms of its cast heavy highly-serialized format. In its series debut the show racked up 12.4 million viewers, had the internet buzzing the next morning and the viewing public wanting more. I don’t think the network will have to worry about making a decision on this show, as the audience has already made it very clear they want FlashForward to stick around for quite some time. The premise of the series is a worldwide catastrophe occurs with everyone on the planet blacking out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, seeing glimpses of their lives six months in the future. The ramifications of this universal black out will be profound. Grade: A

CBS:

NCIS: Los Angeles (Tuesdays at 9 PM) – This spin-off of NCIS (which itself was a spin-off of the highly successful CBS series JAG) came out of the gate and wiped the floor with its competition, hitting the ratings mark of 18.3 million viewers in its debut. Set against the backdrop of California and covering the lives of agents working undercover surveillance for the Office of Special Projects, a division of NCIS, who are charged with apprehending dangerous criminals that pose a threat to the nation’s security, really seemed to capture viewers and take them on a roller coaster ride of action and intrigue. Whether you are a fan of the series or averse to procedurals, the truth of the matter is the ratings were phenomenal for this series and CBS would be foolish to do anything with this series except keep the episodes coming. Grade: A+

The Good Wife (Tuesdays at 10 PM) – Making a triumphant return to television, playing yet another lawyer (previously appearing in the short-lived FOX series Canterbury’s Law) is Julianna Margulies. The Good Wife is about a wife and mother who must assume full responsibility for her family and re-enter the workforce as a defense attorney after her husband’s (Chris Noth) very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail. The series was watched by 13.7 million viewers on its debut night. Compared to previous series that aired in that time period, this is a fantastic number, which will move the network to keep the series around for the long haul. Grade: B-

Three Rivers (Sundays at 9 PM) – This new medical drama should be a hit with the viewers, as it has the prerequisite good looking doctors and what appears to be intense and gripping stories: organ transplants at one of the preeminent hospitals in the country. What could be a good show may hold up (at least for the short term) or it could possibly turn out to be a dud despite the creative team and cast involved. The pilot was not as weak as I had anticipated, but I will hold my full judgment on the show until I see a couple more episodes. Grade: C

FOX:

Glee – (Wednesday at 9 PM) – This musicomedy created a storm of interest among viewers and critics alike starting earlier this year and hasn’t really disappointed. This unique series about an optimistic high school teacher who volunteers to run the school’s Glee Club with the hope of returning it to its former glory may not be everyone’s idea of a family-friendly drama, as it can be brazen and harsh in its stereotyping, but it can also be enlightening and rip-roaringly hysterical. The dialogue is whip-smart (and smart aleck), the musical numbers are extremely entertaining and the skills of the talented cast are second to none. While the premiere and subsequent episodes have garnered 7 million viewers or less, I doubt the network that has been home to The Simpsons for 20 years, will let this one go without a fight. And, Glee is the first new show to be picked up for a full season. Grade: B+

NBC:

Trauma (Mondays at 9 PM) – This adrenaline-filled, high-octane medical drama is set in the field, focusing on first responder paramedics who work for San Francisco General and reach victims of emergencies by land, sea or air. The pilot episode was watched by 6.9 million viewers and is a different look at what a medical show can be, but I think the show is too big for its own good. I honestly believe it will be hard for the show to live up to its own intentions, as how many disasters will the viewing public want to see on a weekly basis. Therefore, I think the series will perhaps last until mid-season and then the network will have to make the decision to let the show go. Grade: C-

Mercy (Wednesdays at 8 PM) – Watching the pilot of this very uneven, helter-skelter medical drama that focuses on the lives of the people who work at Mercy Hospital as seen through the eyes of those who know it best – its nurses – should have been like watching a grittier version of ER; but it has, thus far, not turned out that way. The characters, unfortunately, are not that likeable and the pilot seemed to have been pieced together by an inexperienced cast and crew. The debut episode garnered 8.2 million viewers, but whether the series can maintain that level is questionable at best. The only good things about the show are James Tupper (Men In Trees), who is simply wasted in a McDreamy-like role that could be SO much better and a crew which includes Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts (from Pushing Daisies) and Elizabeth “Liz” Heldens (from Friday Night Lights) who have stellar resumes and know how to make a much better show that this. The network will, more than likely, pull the plug on this disaster very quickly. Grade: D+ (and that’s only because I respect the creative team behind the show).

The CW:

The Vampire Diaries (Thursdays at 8 PM) – Based on the books by L. J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries focuses on Elena Gilbert and brother Jeremy, who tragically lost their parents in a car accident. Enter the mysterious new student at school, Stefan Salvatore, who isn’t all he seems – he’s a vampire – as is his brother, Damon – and you’ve got a love story in the making. The series, thus far, has performed well in the ratings – at least according to the CW’s standards – ranging between 3.8 and 4.8 million (which given the competition on Thursday nights at 9 PM is actually pretty good for this 5th-ranked network) and appears to have built up a loyal following already. Since the network needs a hit, and the show’s debut episode was the most watched premiere ever for the relatively newly monikered network, I don’t see it going anywhere. Grade: B+

Other:

Stargate Universe (Fridays at 9 PM) – As the next installment in the long-running Stargate franchise, this new version will feature a team of scientists, soldiers and civilians who flee for their lives through a Stargate portal, ending up stranded on an Ancient ship that is unable to change its programmed mission, causing the new inhabitants to encounter new races, new technologies and new enemies across the vastness of the universe. The reviews by critics and bloggers alike have been solid and if past history is any indication, this new version of the Stargate world will be off to a great start with longevity in its future. I predict Syfy will hold onto this series tightly. And, my impression based solely on the two-hour premiere is that I want to see and learn more about this darker and grittier world. Grade: B+

Coming Up:

V (Tuesdays at 8 PM) – This new ABC series will not debut until November 3 and has been hampered by not only a “temporary” shut-down in production (that lasted six weeks rather than the intended two weeks) but also the recently announced interruption of airings after only 4 episodes are shown because of the upcoming Olympics. However, this remake of the 1980’s mini-series turned short-run TV series is very much like the original only better. Giant spaceships appear over major cities all over the world, but this time an attractive woman appears via video on the outer panels of the ships, sending a message of peace to all below. These Visitors bring hope, cure disease and seem to be exactly what they claim to be: friendly. But also as in the original, these Visitors are more than they appear and that could be Earth’s undoing. The buzz has been strong despite the setbacks and I believe this show will garner interested viewers for at least the first few episodes. It will then be up to the writers to keep the stories solid and the actors to make the characters appealing, scary and interesting enough for the viewers wanting more. Grade: B+

White Collar (Fridays at 10 PM) – The USA Network will be debuting another new series to their already impressive line-up of shows. White Collar will premiere on October 23 and stars Matt Bomer (Chuck) as Neal Caffrey, a master con artist/thief who FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) springs from jail on the condition he help him catch bad guys. The rest of the cast includes Willie Garson (Sex and the City) and Tiffani Thiessen (90210) as Peter Burke’s wife Elizabeth. The trailers for this series make it appear comedic, action-packed and very entertaining (much like what the USA Network has become known for). I want to see the show perform well. Grade: B+

Cancellation:

The first cancellation of the 2009-2010 TV season came in the form of the CW series The Beautiful Life, which aired only two episodes and garnered roughly one million viewers each airing.

Is ABC The New Lifetime?

While putting together the TV Guide over the past couple of weeks, I’ve noticed that ABC is suddenly on our radar again with several new shows that appeal to the Nice Girls. Of the 19 scripted shows on the network, seven have females as the lead character (Cougar Town, Eastwick, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, The Middle, Private Practice, Ugly Betty) while three are ensembles/co-leads with prominent female characters  (Brothers & Sisters, Castle, Modern Family). Even sci-fi offerings FlashForward, V, and Lost feature strong women in prominent roles. When did ABC become the modern woman’s network?

It would be easy to point at Anne Sweeney, Co-Chair/Disney Media Networks President of Disney/ABC Television Group, as the source of these programming decisions. Sweeney was appointed to her post in 2004, and since then ABC has become a force to be reckoned with in the ratings and in terms of buzzworthy shows. She helped launch Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives and Dancing With The Stars. Her vision for quality programming has seen Sweeney repeatedly been named the “Most Powerful Woman in Entertainment” by The Hollywood Reporter, one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” by Fortune and one of “The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” by Forbes.

On the other hand, Stephen McPherson, President of ABC Entertainment Group, deserves a lot of credit for ABC’s current lineup. McPherson answers to Sweeney and is responsible for all development and current programming at ABC. He brought Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy and Lost from his previous job in development for Touchstone, giving ABC show that brought ratings, critical acclaim and pop culture cachet. McPherson also developed series like Alias for ABC at his previous job, showing a knack for finding strong, female-centric shows.

ABC has evolved from a discordant lineup of movies, game shows, sitcoms fronted by men, and a few cop & lawyer shows at the beginning of the decade to the current fairly consistent lineup of strong, female-centric shows. Even their reality offerings – Dancing With The Stars, Supernanny, Wife Swap – seem designed to appeal to women. As a branding idea, it’s not a bad move. Studies show that women, particularly Moms, are the ones in charge of the budget now, so advertisers want to buy ad time on shows aimed at that demographic.

As it turns out, the answer to my titular question is “No”. ABC is earning a reputation for quality series featuring modern women in all our incarnations, not the movie-of-the-week victims and vixens on Lifetime. Maybe the cable network needs to start paying attention to ABC’s model.

Fresh Faces for Fall

With the bulk of the fall shows on the major networks ready to either debut or make their season premieres this week, we here at NiceGirls thought it would be a good idea to focus on some of the fresh new faces that will be gracing our TV screens. Some of these newcomers have been ‘around for awhile’ (but still are only somewhat recognized by audiences) while some are getting their first big break with new or returning series.

Rueben’s Fresh Faces for Fall

Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) – This new series will debut on CBS on Tuesday, September 22 at 10 PM. Archie Panjabi, best known for her role as Pinky in the big screen movie Bend It Like Beckham, plays Kalinda, the in-house investigator for the law firm featured prominently in the series. (CBS)

Zachary Knighton (FlashForward) – Making its series premiere on ABC on Thursday, September 24 at 8 PM, this much-anticipated series chronicles the events that take place after every person on the planet blacks out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, seeing glimpses of their lives 6 months in the future. Zachary will play Dr. Bryce Varley.  He was last seen in the horror movie The Hitcher with Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill). (ABC)

Christine Woods (FlashForward) – Newcomer Christine Woods will also star in FlashForward when it debuts on ABC on September 24 at 8 PM, playing FBI agent Janis Hawk. She had a recurring role in the short-lived series Welcome to the Captain. (ABC)

Tabrett Bethell (Legend of the Seeker) – Tabrett will be joining the syndicated series Legend of the Seeker when it returns for its second season on November 7 (check your local listings for time and channel), portraying the Mord Sith, Cara, who will be a new traveling companion to Richard, Kahlan and Zed. Tabrett has two Australian films and theatre work under her belt; but this is her first big TV role. (Syndicated)

Agam Darshi (Sanctuary) – Agam will portray Kate Freelander, a swindler, con artist and theif who finds an unlikely alliance with Dr. Magnus (Amanda Tapping) on Sanctuary, which returns for its second season on Syfy on October 9 at 10 PM.  She has previously been see in the box office movie Snakes on a Plane. (SyFy)

Christopher J. Hanke (Three Rivers) – As an accomplished theater actor, Christopher has performed on Broadway in numerous plays, including Rent and Cry Baby.  But , this is his first foray into television.  He will play Ryan Abbot, an inexperienced new transplant coordinator for the preeminent transplant hospital in the country, located in Pittsburgh for which provides the show its name.  Three Rivers will have its series premiere on October 4 at 9 PM. (CBS)

David Blue (Stargate Universe) – Being best known for his recurring roles on Ugly Betty and Moonlight, David will be seen in the much-hyped Syfy series Stargate Universe, starring as Eli Wallace a technology wunderkid brought into the Stargate world to held solve a power dilemma within the Chevrons; the codes which allow the Stargates to operate.  Stargate Universe will debut on October 2 at 9 PM. (SyFy)

Katie Cassidy (Melrose Place) – Being an actor is part of Katie’s heritage, being the daughter of 70’s hunk David Cassidy, niece to Shaun and Patrick Cassidy and granddaughter of legendary screen actress Shirley Jones. Most recently seen in the short-lived CBS series Harper’s Island, Katie can now be seen as Ella Simms, a publicist who wants to the reach the top at any cost.  Melrose Place can currently be seen on the CW on Tuesday nights at 9 PM. (the CW)

Travis Van Winkle (90210) – Travis will portray Jamie, a football player and frat boy who crosses paths with Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord) on 90210, which airs on Tuesday nights on the CW at 8 PM.  Travis was previously seen in the spoof movie Meet the Spartans. (the CW)

Kevin McHale (Glee) – Playing Artie Abrams, the bespecled, guiltar-wielding, wheelchair bound glee club member, Kevin McHale has the unenviable task of playing against type (so to speak); but he does it will aplomb and, well, glee.  Check out this new series on Wednesday nights on FOX at 9 PM. (FOX)

Smith Cho (Ugly Betty) – Korean actress Smith Cho is expected to portray Betty’s new officemate when Ugly Betty returns to ABC on October 9 at 8 PM.  She will also be seen in the mid-season comedy 100 Questions.  Her previous work was on the short-lived NBC series Knight Rider. (ABC)

Chris Colfer (Glee) – This fresh faced 19-year-old from Fresno has been thrust into the limelight by his portrayal of loveable, talented effeminate Kurt Hummel on the ridiculously silly and addictive FOX series Glee, which airs on Wednesday nights at 9 PM.  This is Chris’ first big break into the business. (FOX)

Daniela Ruah (NCIS: Los Angeles) – A well-known actress in Portugal, Daniela stars as Special Agent Kensi Blye on NCIS: Los Angeles, which debuts on Tuesday, September 22 at 9 PM on CBS.  The series delves into the world of undercover surveillance through a division of NCIS known as the Office of Special Projects.  This is Daniela’s first big American role. (CBS)

Maiara Walsh (Desperate Housewives) – Playing Ana Solis, the sexy, conniving niece of Carlos Solis (Ricardo Chavira) on Desperate Housewives, Maiara has been made a series regular this season (after appearing in 3 episodes last season).  The series will return for its 6th season on Sunday, September 27 at 9 PM.  Her previous work was on the Disney Channel’s series Cory in the House. (ABC)

Dawn Olivieri (Heroes) – Dawn will portray carnival worker Lydia, who is an empath with mysterious body tattoos that move and change, on Heroes when it returns to NBC on Monday, September 21 at 8 PM. S he made guest appearances on shows like Stargate Atlantis, Knight Rider and My Boys, but this is her first major TV role. (NBC)

Jurnee Smollett (Friday Night Lights) – When the critically-acclaimed series Friday Night Lights returns to DirecTV for its fourth season on Wednesday, October 28, Jurnee Smollet will join as a recurring cast member, playing Jess, the daughter of a onetime NFL hopeful who knows the game and helps raise her siblings with the help of her father.  She was last seen as Samantha in the box office movie The Great Debaters. (DirecTV/NBC)

Aimee Garcia (Trauma) – Aimee will star as helicopter pilot and former Iraqi vet Marisa Benez in Trauma, which debuts on NBC on Monday, September 28 at 9 PM.  The series focuses on medical first responders in San Francisco who reach emergency victims by land, sea and air.  Aimee is probably best known for her role of Veronica in The George Lopez Show. (NBC)

Logan Huffman (V) – Starring in the remake of the 80’s classic series V about out-of-this-world visitors whose ships descend on major cities around the globe, declaring they come in peace – which will debut on ABC on Tuesday, November 3 at 8 PM -newcomer Logan Huffman will portray Tyler Evans, son of Elizabeth Mitchell’s (Lost) character, FBI agent Erica Evans.  Logan was last seen in the independent movie Lymelife. (ABC)

Bethanne’s Fresh Fall Faces

Mark Pelligrino (Supernatural) – Mark is on board for Supernatural’s fifth season playing Lucifer. Mark appeared in the show’s season premiere on Sept. 10th on the CW. We do not yet know if this will be Supernatural’s final season, but we do know that this season is the most highly anticipated of all for the show. Lucifer is loose in the world and it will be up to the boys to gather the forces together that will defeat him.

Willie Garson (White Collar) – Although he’s recognizable as one of Carrie’s BFF’s on Sex and the City, White Collar marks Willie Garson’s first regular role on a series. Willie plays Mozzie, Neal Caffrey’s best friend on the show. He has deep connections in the criminal underworld and can get just about anything for Neal, from classified secrets to cutting edge technology. (USA)

Steven R. McQueen (The Vampire Diaries) – Steven plays Jeremy Gilbert, Elena’s brother on the show. Jeremy is a troubled teen on a dangerous and self-destructive path since the death of his parents. (CW)

Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries) – Nina is Elena Gilbert on the CW’s new hit series. Still reeling from a tragic incident, Elena heads into the new school year hoping to just look normal, even if she doesn’t feel normal. Instead, she becomes the focus of the two vampire brothers, Damon (Paul Wesley) and Stefan (Iam Somerhalder). (CW)

Jamie Ray Newman (Eastwick) - Jamie will play Kat Gardener on the ABC series Eastwick, premiering Sept. 23rd. Kat wants a change in her life. A nurse, she possesses natural healing abilities and has an uncanny green thumb. But her powers can be destructive too, as she discovers when Raymond, her unemployed husband who spends his days observing life from a hammock with a can of beer, becomes their unintentional target. (ABC)

What I’m Excited About for Fall TV

Tonight is the start of the new fall season with the debut of Melrose Place on the CW and the returns of 90210 on the CW and Sons of Anarchy on FX. While none of these shows are of interest to me, there are a number of new and returning shows that I am eager to see over the next few months.

Starting with the new shows, I look forward to the debut of Glee on FOX tomorrow night (Sept. 9 at 9 PM). Even though I’ve seen the debut episode twice and got to see the 2nd episode at Comic Con, I cannot wait for this unique musicomedy (musical/comedy) to air. And, I really hope that the viewing audience will tune in and enjoy the silliness (and the terrific musical numbers).

The series premiere of The Vampire Diaries on the CW will air at 9 PM on Thursday (Sept. 10) – based on the books by L.J. Smith – is another new series I have been anticipating. I had the chance to see the debut episode at Comic Con and really enjoyed what I saw. Yes, it is reminiscent of Twilight (which was published AFTER The Vampire Diaries books); features vampires which, for now, seems to be the hot “theme” of the past year or so, and had many images that reminded me of scenes from Roswell and Smallville; but I still enjoyed it. I would like to see this show succeed and garner an audience at least close to that of True Blood (if not better).

Not quite two weeks later on Tuesday, Sept. 22, the spin-off series NCIS: Los Angeles will air (CBS at 9 PM) following its namesake series. While I started out as a JAG fan and followed by being a loyal fan of its spin-off series NCIS (because I really enjoyed the stories and the cast), I want to believe this new show will also perform well, but I am slightly uncertain if the viewing audience and the loyal followers of NCIS will become attached to the cast.

The following night, Wednesday, Sept. 23, the debut of Eastwick on ABC at 10 PM will air. This was another new show that I was able to see at Comic Con and while I had my doubts about the cast (I couldn’t buy Paul Gross as the “heavy” or really see the pairing of the three ‘witches’ – Rebecca Romijn, Jaime Ray Newman and Lindsey Price) and the storyline, I was pleasantly surprised at how convincing Paul Gross was as Darryl Van Horn and how likeable the leading ladies are in their roles. This show may not win over the audience right away, but I believe that it will work on the hearts of viewers and slowly but surely become the guilty pleasure of the fall.

One of the most anticipated new shows of the fall will air on ABC on Thursday, Sept. 24: FlashForward (at 8 PM). A worldwide event takes place with everyone in the world blacking out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds with nearly everyone having visions of their life 6 months in the future. Being touted as the new Lost, FlashForward could, indeed, be just that. Only the first two acts of the series were debuted at Comic Con, but if the audience reaction from that panel is any indication of how the show will be received, then this is the show to watch.

Jumping over to cable, Stargate Universe will debt on Syfy on October 2 at 9 PM; and while this new series is not like its predecessors SG1 or Atlantis, it will reveal a new, darker side to the well-known storyline and world of the Stargates. I, for one, am really looking forward to it. I was unable to attend the presentation for the series at Comic Con so my anticipation level is at an all-time high, especially the more I read about the show and the more clips I see.

Sticking with cable for one other new show on cable, White Collar will debut on the USA Network on Oct. 23 at 10 PM. It stars Matthew Bomer (Chuck) and Tim DeKay in roles that are tailor-made for both of them. This ‘to catch a thief’-inspired series is sure to please audiences who have come to expect nothing but thrilling series from this network. It will also be entertaining to see Tiffany Thiessen in a respectable role where she can show that she is more than just a pretty face.

Lastly, the remake of the 80’s mini-series (and short-lived TV show) V will debut on ABC at 8 PM on November 3. While I was a fan of the mini-series, looking back on it now it seems pretty cheesy; but from what I know of the debut this newly-minted version is going to be cutting edge, thrilling and engaging. The terrific cast doesn’t hurt either.

SIDEBAR: While I want to be excited about the debut of the medical drama Three Rivers (CBS at 9 PM on October 4) – mainly because it stars a personal favorite of mine, Alex O’Loughlin – I am doubtful about the longevity of this series for a number of reasons: the timeslot competition, the fact the pilot was recast and completely reshot (which is an exact repeat of Alex’s former show Moonlight) and all the negative reviews that I have read. I will tune in for a few episodes, but if it doesn’t catch my attention and hold it, I will have to bid the show adieu.

As for the returning shows this fall, I am anxiously awaiting Supernatural (The CW, Sept. 10 at 9 PM), Bones (FOX, Sept. 17 at 8 PM), Heroes (NBC Sept. 21 at 8 PM), Castle (ABC, Sept. 21 at 10 PM), NCIS (CBS, Sept. 22 at 8 PM), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, Sept. 24 at 9 PM), Dollhouse (FOX, Sept. 25 at 8 PM), Smallville (The CW, Sept. 25 at 8 PM), Brothers & Sisters (ABC, Sept. 27 at 10 PM), Sanctuary (Syfy, Oct. 9 at 10 PM) and Legend of the Seeker (Syndication, Nov. 7).

SIDEBAR: Of course, I am anxious for the returns of Chuck and 24 and the final season of Lost; but we all have to wait for those in 2010.

What new shows are you looking forward to and which returning shows are your favorites? Please share them with us.

The End of Summer Means the Beginning of Fall TV!

It’s Labor Day here in the United States, the unofficial end of summer and the beginning of the fall TV season. It used to be that summer was all about reruns and nothing new debuted until mid-September. Not anymore. Thanks to cable and reality TV, the year ’round TV schedule is here. I’ve enjoyed some really terrific shows this summer – True Blood, Royal Pains, Leverage, The Closer, Warehouse 13, Psych – and am thankful that they were around to fill the creative void. But with most of those shows having already aired their season finales or about to, it’s time to take a look at what I’m planning to watch this fall.

Must-See-Live TV
These are the shows I can’t wait to watch, so will be plopping down to watch them live.

Eastwick
Bones
Glee
The Office
Castle
The Good Wife
The New Adventures of Old Christine
Dollhouse
Three Rivers
White Collar
Robin Hood

Will-DVR TV
These are the shows that I’m OK with watching the next day, or even catching up on the weekend, instead of watching them live.

Ugly Betty
30 Rock
The Mentalist
Fringe
Lie To Me

Will-Try TV
These are shows that look promising, but I’m not quite ready to commit to a season pass on the DVR just yet.

The Vampire Diaries
Community
FlashForward
Cougar Town
The Middle
V

Probably-Not-But-Could-Be-Convinced TV
It feels like I should want to watch these shows, but…I don’t. Convince me otherwise.

Accidentally On Purpose
The Forgotten

Looks like I’ll be spending a lot of time in front of the telly again! Time to haul out ye olde NordicTrack so this couch potato doesn’t get much fluffier. We’ll be covering a lot of these shows here on NiceGirlsTV, so stay tuned!

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