Fall 2013 was an eclectic season for television, with some solid hits ("The Blacklist"), some major duds ("Dads"), some disappointments ("Dracula") and some surprises ("Sleepy Hollow"). And just when you're starting to get used to all those freshmen series filling up your hulu queue...we've got a whole new crop of shows ready to premiere! Here are the most exciting shows we're looking forward to this season.
ABCIn a bizarre twist of cross-media coincidence, this re-titled drama series is based on a novel called "The Returned" by Jason Mott, which shares its name with France's acclaimed drama series "The Returned", which aired in the U.S. on the Sundance Channel this year, and which is itself based on a French film (also called "The Returned"). Both "Resurrection" and "The Returned" are about dead people who come back to life years later, who haven't aged, and have no memory of being dead. And yet the American novel and the French film that inspired the shows were conceived entirely separately. Eerie, no? In any case, "Resurrection" is about how a small Missouri town is forever changed when lost loved ones start returning home. It's both a mournful meditation on love and loss as well as a timely allegory about xenophobia. Starring Omar Epps ("House") as the immigration agent charged with escorting the first of the returned home, "Resurrection" is sure to both move you and spook you.
(Watch the trailer.)
Also on ABC: "The Assets", an eight-part miniseries about a young CIA agent hunting for a mole during the Cold War (1/2); "Killer Women", starring Tricia Helfer ("Battlestar Galactica") as the only woman on the elite Texas Rangers squad (1/7); "Mind Games", about brothers (Christian Slater and Steve Zahn) who are professional manipulators (3/11)
CBSJosh Holloway, who portrayed the swaggeringly charming con man Sawyer on "Lost", returns to television in this crime drama with a sci-fi edge. Here he portrays Gabriel, an intelligence operative who's also the first human to have a computer chip implanted in his brain. This chip gives him complete access to the information grid, including the internet, satellites, and more. His boss is played by Marg Helgenberger ("CSI"), who tasks a young agent (Meghan Ory, "Once Upon A Time") with protecting Gabriel, their most powerful secret weapon -- but also their greatest liability. Because that chip in the wrong hands could be disastrous.
(Watch the trailer.)
The CWAfter Earth's population is wiped out by nuclear holocaust, the only survivors are the residents of 12 orbiting space stations. Nearly a century later, resources are dwindling and the inhabitants want to return to their home planet. To make sure it's safe, the draconian government sends down 100 young criminals. (This being The CW, all of these criminals are, of course, gorgeous.) These young people have to learn to survive a hostile planet, nefarious politicians, mysterious natives and each other. Oft-compared as a hybrid between "Battlestar Galactica" and "Lord Of The Flies", "The 100" stars lots of fresh-faced newcomers as well as Henry Ian Cusick ("Lost") and Isaiah Washington ("Grey's Anatomy"). (Insider secret: the show is pronounced "The Hundred". Never call it "The One Hundred".)
(Watch the trailer.)
Also on The CW: "Star-Crossed", a Romeo & Juliet story of a human girl and an alien boy who fall in love (2/17)
FoxAdapted from a popular Australian show of the same name, "Rake" stars Greg Kinnear as Keegan, a criminal defense lawyer who's life is an utter disaster. He's a self-destructive, divorced addict with no filter who's deep in gambling debt, being pursued by the IRS and in love with a prostitute. But he's also a secret genius who has a deep abiding belief in the justice system and takes on cases that nobody else wants. Miranda Otto ("Lord Of The Rings") costars as his ex-wife, and John Ortiz ("Silver Linings Playbook") is his best friend, whose wife is the DA that Keegan often faces off against in court.
(Watch the trailer.)
HBOFeaturing two actors both in the midst of a career renaissance, "True Detective" seems to be the next surefire hit for HBO. The subscriber channel is also taking a hint from the enviable success of FX's "American Horror Story" -- "Detective" is an anthology series: each season will be a relatively scant eight episodes that tell one self-contained story, every year with a new cast and a new crime. This short format is sure to attract film stars would who otherwise be hesitant to enter the commitment of a 22-episode, multi-season contract. Case in point: the first season is being headlined by Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. It takes place in southern Louisiana through multiple timelines over the course of seventeen years as two partners hunt for an elusive and brutal serial killer.
(Watch the trailer.)
NBCNot to be confused with the Justin Bieber album. Apart from its disappointingly generic title, "Believe" has all the ingredients of success. 1) An intriguingly high-concept plot: a death row inmate is charged by a secret group to protect a young girl with supernatural abilities who is being hunted by an even secret-er group. 2) A highly successful producer: this is coming from Bad Robot Productions, the production company started and owned by J.J. Abrams, which has produced such acclaimed TV and film hits as "Lost", "Fringe", "Person Of Interest", "Cloverfield", "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" and "Star Trek Into Darkness". 3) A brilliant mind at its center: "Believe" was created by Alfonso Cuarón, whose name you may remember as the writer/director of this year's smash hit "Gravity". You can feel his creativity at work even in the 2.5 minute trailer, especially in the trademark uninterrupted long take inside a car that's very reminiscent of his film "Children Of Men". While "Believe" is almost sure to be an excellent show, it remains to be seen whether it will survive the harsh jungles of midseason television. This time last year, NBC had trouble getting audiences to connect with the equally high-concept "Awake", and it was sadly cancelled after one season.
(Watch the trailer.)
Also on NBC: "Chicago P.D.", a spin-off of the successful "Chicago Fire" series (1/8); "Crisis", about the attempt to rescue a bus full of the children of D.C.'s elite who were ambushed and kidnapped (2/3)
StarzDon't let the fact that Michael Bay is producing scare you away from this pirate-themed action adventure show. From the mind of Jonathan E. Steinberg (the creator of the cult-favorite "Jericho") comes this violent "Treasure Island" prequel full of sword fights, fist fights, cannon fights and all sorts of swashbuckling high seas intrigue. The first episode was directed by acclaimed horror director Neil Marshall ("The Descent"), which should give you an idea of this show's tone. The show premiered to such fervent fan excitement at San Diego Comic Con that Starz went ahead and renewed the show for a second season, a full six months ahead of its first season premiere. Now that's a leap of faith.
(Watch the trailer.)
SyfyFrom the network that brought you "Sharknado"...comes this decidedly more serious fare. With a team of produces who, between them, have worked on such beloved sci-fi properties as "Star Trek: The Next Generation", "The X Files", "Contact", "Battlestar Galactica" and "Lost", "Helix" promises to be a thrilling and terrifying look at an outbreak of man-made disease. The story is centered around a team of CDC scientists who are summoned to an arctic research facility after an accident, led by Billy Campbell ("The Killing"). They must find a way to contain the outbreak or risk the annihilation of all humankind. It's unknown at this point whether "Helix" will be a limited-series event or will run for several seasons -- audience reaction will dictate the future of the show.
(Watch the trailer.)
Also on Syfy: "Bitten", based on the "Women Of The Otherworld" book series, focusing on the only female werewolf in existence (1/13)
Tweet us @Stagebuddy and let us know what new dramas you're looking forward to!
