There’s no hiding the fact that NBC is at the bottom of the ratings heap. Clearly an hour of prime-time with Jay Leno was not the answer to their problems. So, he was cancelled and now they’ve got an entirely new line-up for the fall.
UNDERCOVERS : From executive producer J.J. Abrams (Alias, LOST, Star Trek). This one hour drama features a seemingly typical married couple who own a small catering company in Los Angeles. However, secretly the duo are two retired CIA spies. When fellow spy and friend goes missing they are reinstated. “Undercovers” has been described as a mix between “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and “The Bourne Identity.”
THE EVENT: An emotional, high-octane conspiracy thriller that follows Sean Walker, an everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée Leila, and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history.
THE CAPE: An honest cop on a corrupt police force finds himself framed for a series of murders and presumed dead. He is forced into hiding, leaving behind his wife and son. Fueled by a desire to reunite with his family and to battle the criminal forces that have overtaken Palm City, he becomes “The Cape”, his son’s favorite comic book superhero and takes the law into his own hands.
CHASE: From executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer (”CSI” franchise, “The Amazing Race,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” films) U.S. Marshal Annie Frost, a cowboy boot-wearing deputy whose sharp mind and unique Texas upbringing help her track down violent criminals on the run.
OUTLAW: Cyrus Garza is a U.S. Supreme Court justice who abruptly quits. Garza had always adhered to a strict interpretation of the law until he realized the system he believed in was flawed. Now that he’s quit the bench and returned to private practice, he’s determined to represent “the little guy” and use his inside knowledge of the justice system and take on today’s biggest legal cases – and he’s making plenty of powerful people unhappy along the way.
LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES – Does this need any explanation? Although the original Law & Order filmed in NYC has been canceled after 451 shows, NBC picked up the show in a different location.
It appears that NBC is banking on criminals and those that bring them to justice. Admittedly there are a few I’m looking forward to. I’ll certainly tune into, J.J. Abrams’ “Undercovers”. I was a huge fan of “Alias” and I’m currently on pins and needles with LOST.
I’m also looking forward to seeing what Jimmy Smits does with his role in “Outlaw”. I loved him in the last season of “The West Wing” – and the story line has that David and Goliath feel that usually attracts me.
These new scripted dramas will replace the cancellation of Heroes, Mercy, Trauma and Flash Forward. Only time will tell if this new lineup will revert their recent down trend.
Do any of these shows appeal to you? Are there any they’ve canceled you’ll miss?
NBC seems to have a very narrow focus. First it was all about the ‘variety hour’ with Jay Leno – you like variety, you like Leno; well we’ll give you 5 nights a week of it. Come on, even I get sick of having chocolate chip ice cream for dinner every night.
Now it seems they are going to give us 5 nights a week of crime dramas. Ah well…
Actually, I’d watch a J.J. Abrams’ show even if he had his characters sitting in a laundromat watching their clothes dry – so I’m all in with Undercovers.
Yes Jimmy Smit was excellent in the final season of West Wing as well as Season 3 of Dexter – so Jimmy you’ll have a place on my schedule.
Law and Order should die a peaceful death, I’ll even send flowers, but please, please as Maria in West Side Story said “make it not be true”.
So, it looks like the era of the medical drama is coming closer to a, well…close?
We’re with Marisa: J.J. Abrams + pretty much anything = we would watch it.
“The Cape” sounds cheesy, but if they pull it off, it could be fun. Otherwise, we’re not really big crime drama fans.
Too bad there’s no new island-themed drama to plug the holes in our hearts that will be left by the-show-that-is-ending-whose-name-we-can’t-even-bear-to-speak.
I’m with both of you – J.J. Abrams is worth the watch.
And with “the-show-that-is-ending-whose-name-we-can’t-even-bear-to-speak” – well, Marisa and I are throwing a LOST finale party in NY on Sunday night as we bid farewell to the mystery that is THE ISLAND.
The Undercovers could be good. Definitely worth checking out.
I want The Cape to be good. I really really do. But will it be… (And did it have to called The Cape?)
I’m with Marisa, Jimmy Smit is always great. I too, loved/(hated) him in Dexter. The show also sounds really good. The title cracks me up though… Outlaw? I guess Maverick was already taken.