Winter is competing with fall with new TV show premieres. We no longer have to wait until September to watch the much-anticipated and overly-advertised new shows that start each year during pilot season. This winter it seems there are more than ever. Here are a few that seem worth checking out before they get too far into the season to catch up.
1. “Are you there, Chelsea?”
is NBC’s new sitcom placed to follow “Whitney” on Wednesdays for an exciting female-packed comedy night. It stars Laura Prepon, of “That 70s Show” fame, as a bartender who lost her driver’s license after a DUI. The show was created by Chelsea Handler, based on her book “Are you there, Vodka?” She also stars in it as Chelsea’s pregnant, conservative older sister. It makes for a fun follow-up to Whitney’s witty comedy and it’s hard not to laugh at Chelsea Handler no matter what character she plays.
2.“Alcatraz”
is a new Fox drama that takes place in the infamous prison of the same name. Apparently, when the prison closed down, the prisoners didn’t leave, they disappeared. Jorge Garcia (“Lost”) plays Dr. Diego Soto who teams up with detectives to find a former Alcatraz prisoner who was thought to be dead for the last 30 years. It’s worth checking out to see what happens next.
3.“The Firm”
is NBC’s new drama based on the movie starring Tom Cruise. The show takes place 10 years after the movie ended and attorney Mitch McDeere, now played by Josh Lucas, has been in witness protection with his wife. But, of course, his safety is compromised and he will find himself in some sort of danger again and again.
4. “Smash”
is NBC’s answer to “Glee.” Yes, another musical TV show. It stars Katherine McPhee, former American Idol runner-up to Taylor Hicks, as Karen, a Midwest girl in New York trying to make it on Broadway. And Debra Messing plays Julia, a famous writer on the Broadway show scene. It premieres right after the Superbowl, so it’ll probably be seen on a lot of TVs whose owners have yet to change the channel and are still reeling from the excitement of the game or are perhaps too intoxicated to find the remote. Either way, it’s bound to get a great start in the ratings and may just hang onto a good portion of it if it lives up to the hype.
There are other new shows as well like “Rob,” “Napoleon Dynamite,” and “Work It” but I don’t think they’ll make it past a few episodes, so I wouldn’t waste my time getting to know a show that may disappear any day. Whatever type of show you prefer, there is something new for you this month on TV. Check out a few and let us know your favorites.
