The Broadcast Television Journalists Association – comprised of 62 TV, radio and Internet writers covering TV – have picked the eight new series to which they’re most looking forward.
Those favored upcoming series are:
* “Alcatraz,” Fox’s new Sam Neill time-travel show that reunites a lot of “Lost” personnel, including producer J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek,” “Super 8”), writer Elizabeth Sarnoff (“Deadwood”) and actor Jorge Garcia. The pilot on this one is very strong.
* “Apartment 23,” ABC’s sitcom from “American Dad!” writers David Hemingson and Nahnatchka Khan about a New York party girl (Krysten Ritter of “Breaking Bad”) and her small-town roomie (Dreama Walker from “The Good Wife”).
* “Awake,” NBC’s trippy tale from Kyle Killen (“Lone Star,” “The Beaver”) about a cop ("Brotherhood's" always great Jason Isaacs) simultaneously living in two realities. The pilot is excellent, evoking everything from “Inception” and “The Matrix” to “Life on Mars” and “Journeyman.”
* “Falling Skies,” TNT’s sci-fi adventure from Steven Spielberg (“Super 8,” “Terra Nova”), Robert Rodat (“Saving Private Ryan,” “The Patriot”) and Mark Verheiden (“Smallville,” “Galactica,”’ “Heroes”)vabout a handful of human survivors (Noah Wylie, Moon Bloodgood) struggling to defy Earth’s creepy new extraterrestrial overlords.
* “New Girl,” Fox’s Zooey Deschanel sitcom from Elizabeth Meriwether (“Childrens Hospital,” “No Strings Attached”) about an elementary school teacher rooming with three fellows. The pilot on this one was my favorite among the new comedies, funny and unusually charming in a big-screen kind of way.
* “Ringer,” the CW thriller about troubled twins (Sarah Michelle Gellar) from “Supernatural” writers Eric C. Charmelo and Nicole Snyder.
* “Smash,” NBC’s very “Glee”-ish drama from Spielberg and Theresa Rebeck (“Law & Order CI,” “Canterbury’s Law”) about New York producers, songwriters, actors and the like mounting a musical about Marilyn Monroe. “American Idol” loser Katherine McPhee (“Community”) is hot as hell as the singer who wants the lead, and the pilot ends with a show stopper from ace composer Marc Shaiman (“Bigger, Longer and Uncut”).
* “Terra Nova,” Fox’s time-travel dinosaur drama from Spielberg (again!), Rene Echevarria (“Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “Now and Again,” “Dark Angel,” “The 4400,” “Medium”) and Brannon Braga (“Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” “Star Trek: Enterprise,” “Threshold,” “24,” “FlashForward”).
Among the project NOT making the BTJA’s early cut?
X CBS’ “Person Of Interest,” the action drama from “Dark Knight” screenwriter Jonathan Nolan which reunites Abrams with “Lost” star Michael Emerson.
X ABC’s “Scandal,” from “Grey’s Anatomy” creator Shonda Rhimes.
X NBC’s “The Playboy Club” and ABC’s “Pan Am,” two dramas set in the early 1960s and likely inspired by the many Emmys won by AMC’s “Mad Men.”
X NBC’s “Grimm," from David Greenwalt (“Buffy,” “Angel,” “Miracles,” “Jake 2.0,” “”Surface,” “Moonlight”) & Jim Kouf (“Angel,” “National Treasure,” “Ghost Whisperer”), and ABC’s “Once Upon A Time” from Adam Horowitz & Edward Kitsis (“Popular,” “Felicity,” “Birds of Prey,” “Lost,” “TRON: Legacy”).
X ABC’s “The River,” the Blair Witch-y Amazon adventure from “Kings” creator Michael Green and “Freakylinks” vet Michael Perry.
X ABC’s new “Charlie’s Angels” from Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (“Shanghai Noon,” “Showtime,” “Smallville,” “Mummy III,” “I Am Number Four”).
X CBS’ ghost-wife drama "A Gifted Man," from screenwriter Susannah Grant (“Pocahontas,” “EverAfter,” “28 Days,” “Erin Brockovich,” “In Her Shoes,” “Catch and Release,” “Charlotte’s Web,” “The Soloist”).
X The CW’s “Secret Circle,” the new witch drama from Kevin Williamson (“Dawson’s Creek,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Scream 4”).
Find all of Deadline’s story on the matter here.
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