Every summer, all summer long, thousands of e-mails. What looks good this coming season? Where’s the the next “Gilmore Girls,” the next “Gideon’s Crossing,” the next “24,” the next “Alias,” the next “Firefly,” the next “Miracles”?
Alright already! It’s Sept. 2. The launch of “Whoopi” is seven days away. The season premieres of “Enterprise” and “Jake 2.0” are eight days from now. The season’s really here! And here are the 10 new series to which we're most looking forward:
1. Carnivale
- When’s it airing? 9:30 p.m. Sundays. HBO. Opposite “Alias,” “The Practice,” “Tarzan,” “Arrested Development” and “Law & Order: CI.” Premieres Sept. 14.
- Who’s in it? Nick Stahl (“In the Bedroom,” “Terminator 3”), Clea DuVall (“Girl, Interrupted,” “Identity”), Clancy Brown (“Highlander,” “Buckaroo Banzai,” “Shawshank Redemption,” “Earth 2,” “Starship Troopers”), Michael Anderson (“Twin Peaks,” “Mulholland Drive”), Patrick Bauchau (“The Pretender”), John Fleck (“Murder One”) and Adrienne Barbeau (“Swamp Thing”).
- What’s it about? The Depression-era Dust Bowl, good versus evil, and some people with superpowers: a fugitive who can heal with his hands and a preacher who can kill with his brain.
- Why so excited, Herc? It’s the first Sunday-night sci-fi series from HBO. It’s the first series overseen by Ronald D. Moore, who’s written or co-written of the finest post-1970 “Star Trek” scripts ever.
- What could go wrong? Though Moore makes his debut as showrunner with this enterprise, “Carnivale” was actually created by one Deane Talyor, who created (uh oh!) CBS’s “Wolf Lake.”
2. Wonderfalls
- When’s it airing? Midseason. Fox.
- Who’s in it? Caroline Dhavernes (“Lost and Delirious”), Katie Finneran (“You’ve Got Mail,” “Bram and Alice”), Tyron Leitso (“Dinotopia”), William Sadler (“Roswell”), Diana Scarwid (“A Guy Thing”) and Adam Scott (“Party of Five”).
- What’s it about? A young souvenir shop owner finds life changed forever when her inventory begins speaking to her.
- Why so excited, Herc? It’s very smart and very funny. If the first few scripts are any measure, this show is going to attact an instant following. Those who fondly remember “Moonlighting” or “Twin Peaks” or “Northern Exposure” or “Gilmore Girls” may find themselves highly smitten. It’s from writer-producer Bryan Fuller (“Deep Space Nine,” “Voyager”) and the second-best “Angel” writer ever, the amazing Tim Minear.
- What could go wrong? Because it’s a midseason offering, who can say what kind of impossible timeslot this thing’s going to wind up in? I have a bad feeling that when the very dull “Tru Calling” tanks, “Wonderfalls” is going to inherit its timeslot and try to compete against “Survivor” and the final few “Friends.”
3. Karen Sisco
- When’s it airing? 10 p.m. Wednesdays. ABC. Opposite “South Park,” “Law & Order” and “The Brotherhood of Poland, N.H.” Premieres Oct. 1.
- Who’s in it? Carla Gugino (“Chicago Hope,” the “Spy Kids” series), Robert Forster (“Jackie Brown,” “Human Nature”) and Bill Duke (“The Limey,” “Red Dragon”).
- What’s it about? The hot but tough Miami-based federal marshall played by Jennifer Lopez in the movie “Out of Sight.”
- Why so excited, Herc? I saw the pilot and I’ve read the first few scripts and I’m here to tell you “Karen Sisco” is going to rule. It’s from writer-producer Scott Frank, who turned two Elmore Leonard novels - “Get Shorty” and “Out of Sight” - into hugely entertaining screenplays. Gugino is a better Karen than Lopez, and Forster is a better Marshall Sisco than Dennis Farina.
- What could go wrong? It airs opposite “Law & Order,” a show of which America never seems to tire.
4. Jake 2.0
- When’s it airing? 9 p.m. Wednesdays. UPN. Opposite “Angel,” “The West Wing,” “The Bachelor,” “Bernie Mac” and “The King of Queens.” Premieres Sept. 10.
- Who’s in it? Christopher Gorham (“Popular,” “Odyssey 5”), Marina Black (“Six Feet Under”), Matt Czuchry (“Eight Legged Freaks”), Judith Scott (“CSI” ) and Keegan Connor Tracy (“40 Days and 40 Nights,” “Final Destination 2”).
- What’s it about? A computer geek who becomes a government agent after microscopic robots invade his body and give him superpowers.
- Why so excited, Herc? The early reviews we’ve seen mostly say the show is funny and character-oriented – and it’s got a great showrunner in David Greenwalt (“Angel,” “Miracles”).
- What could go wrong? It airs opposite “Angel,” “The West Wing,” “The Bachelor,” “Bernie Mac” and “The King of Queens.”
5. Line of Fire
- When’s it airing? Midseason. ABC.
- Who’s in it? Leslie Bibb (“Popular,” “ER”), Anson Mount (“City by the Sea,” “Poolhall Junkies”), David Paymer (“State and Main,” “Alex & Emma”), Leslie Hope (“24,” “Dragonfly”), Jeffrey Sams (“Cupid,” “Wasteland”), Brian Goodman (“Catch Me If You Can”), Michael Irby (“The Last Castle”) and Julie Ann Emery (“Taken”).
- What’s it about? Depicted are the efforts of both the FBI and an organized crime family in Richmond, Va.
- Why so excited, Herc? It’s from writer-director Rod Lurie, who did kind of an spectacular job with the DreamWorks White House feature “The Contender,” and Jeff Melvoin, one of the team behind “Northern Exposure.”
- What could go wrong? It’s on ABC. They’re big with the putting on of cool shows, then the quickness of the cancellation.
6. A Minute With Stan Hooper
- When’s it airing? 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Fox. After “That ‘70s Show” and opposite ““Smallville,” “Enterprise,” “Ed” and “60 Minutes II.” Premieres Oct. 29.
- Who’s in it? Norm Macdonald (“The Norm Show”), Penelope Ann Miller (“Along Came A Spider”), Fred Willard (“A Mighty Wind”), Eric Lively (“American Pie”), Reagan Dale Neis (“Malcolm in the Middle,” “Maybe It’s Me”), Brian Howe (“Catch Me If You Can”), Garret Dillahunt (“Leap Years”), and Daniel Roebuck (“Agent Cody Banks”).
- What’s it about? A world-famous TV newsmagazine commentator encounters many a quirky resident when he moves from Manhattan to Waterford Falls, Wis.
- Why so excited, Herc? Writer-producer Barry Kemp (“Taxi,” “Newhart,” “Coach”) has a solid track record and Norm Macdonald really is one of the funniest human beings on the planet.
- What could go wrong? It’s a fucking sitcom. Plus? It airs after the relentlessly unfunny “That ‘70s Show” and opposite at least three other shows I’m going to be watching. Hopefully Norm’s next stop will be some manner of talk show; we must allow Norm to be Norm.
7. Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital
- When’s it airing? Midseason. ABC.
- Who’s in it? Andrew McCarthy (“Weekend at Bernie’s,” “Joy Luck Club”), Bruce Davison (“X2”), Ed Begley Jr. (“St. Elsewhere,” “A Mighty Wind”), Ryan Robbins (“Taken”) and Diane Ladd (“28 Days”).
- What’s it about? It’s an American remake of Lars von Triers’ “Twin Peaks”-ish Danish miniseries about a haunted hospital teeming with odd characters.
- Why so excited, Herc? Did something deep inside you enjoy “The Stand”? “The Shining”? “Storm of the Century”? Stephen King wrote teleplays for those as well.
- What could go wrong? Begley does not play Victor Ehrlich.
8. Cracking Up
- When’s it airing? Midseason. Fox.
- Who’s in it? Jake Sandvig (“The Story of Us”), Caitlin Wachs (“Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood,” “Family Affair”), Molly Shannon (“Saturday Night Live”) and Chris McDonald (“The Man Who Wasn’t There,” “Spy Kids 2,” “Grind”).
- What’s it about? A psychology student moves in with a wealthy Beverly Hills clan.
- Why so excited, Herc? It’s from writer-producers Mike White (“Freaks & Geeks,” “Chuck & Buck,” “Pasadena,” “Orange County,” “The Good Girl,” “The School of Rock”) and Chris & Paul Weitz (“About A Boy”).
- What could go wrong? “Pasadena” was great, and Fox cancelled it after about 10 minutes. The Weitzes also created “Off Centre” and directed that useless movie about the boy who was caught sticking his weiner in a pie.
9. Fearless
- When’s it airing? Midseason. The WB.
- Who’s in it? Rachael Leigh Cook (“Josie and the Pussycats”) and the ubiquitous Eric Balfour (“Six Feet Under,” “24,” “Veritas: The Quest”).
- What’s it about? A 23-year-old woman finds her genetic anomaly – she cannot feel fear – comes in handy after she joins an elite undercover FBI unit.
- Why so excited, Herc? I saw the pilot this very weekend and thought it highly compelling, even the bits with Cook drenched in the white fluid. Cook’s character is great for the same reason T’Pol and Spock are great: she’s nearly impossible to rattle, and that’s pretty entertaining. This is the most watchable drama from Jerry Bruckheimer (“Without a Trace,” the “CSI” franchise) we’ve seen to date.
- What could go wrong? We hear that all the writers were fired, as well as Bianca Lawson, whom Herc thought was quite good in the pilot. Also, Warren Ellis didn’t like it.
10. Cold Case
- When’s it airing? 8 p.m. Sundays. CBS. Opposite “American Dreams,” “The Simpsons” and “Charmed.” Premieres Sept. 28.
- Who’s in it? Kathryn Morris (“The Contender,” “Minority Report”), John Finn (“Catch Me If You Can,” “The Hunted”), Mel Winkler (“A Life Less Ordinary”), Justin Chambers (“The Musketeer,” “The Wedding Planner”) and Jeremy Ratchford (“Angel Eyes”).
- What’s it about? The only female detective on Philadelphia’s homicide squad discovers she has a penchant for solving unsolved murders.
- Why so excited, Herc? It’s another of them Jerry Bruckheimer projects (the producer also has “CSI,” “CSI: Miami,” “Without A Trace,” “Skin” and “Fearless” on this season), but writer-producer Meredith Stiehm (“Northern Exposure,” “ER”) has an enormous amount of quality work under her belt. Also? Kathryn Morris has Herc under some sort of hypnosis.
- What could go wrong? Herc currently watches no CBS dramas, but this could change that. We predict a gigantor hit.
APPENDIX A: We should point out that “Cold Case” would not be on this list if we counted “The O.C.” We are leaving “The O.C.” off the list because we’ve all seen four episodes of it already, but – for the record – we’ve shamefully enjoyed all four episodes, and look forward with uncharacteristic glee to learning whether Julie Cooper dumps her embezzling hubby’s hinder today.
APPENDIX B: The shows that look really atrocious to us so far include ABC’s “10-8,” “Arrrested Development,” “The Ortegas,” “It’s All Relative” “Married to the Kellys,” “I’m With Her” and “Hope & Faith,” CBS’ “The Handler,” NBC’s “Happy Family” and “Whoopi,” Fox’s “Tru Calling,” the WB’s “Tarzan,” “Steve Harvey’s Big Time,” “Run of the House” and “All About The Andersons,” and UPN’s “The Mullets” and “The Opposite Sex.” Our impressions are gleaned mostly from promo materials, though we did get to endure the entire dull pilot episodes of both “Tru” and “Tarzan.”
