The Season's Best, Ripe for Picking
Their Foothold Eroding, the Networks Dig Down and Come Up With Some Keepers

By Tom Shales
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 17, 2006

Although there'll be no mistaking the 2006-07 television season for a golden cultural renaissance, prime-time TV -- despite claims and fears to the contrary -- has one sizable silver lining: It's actually, genuinely getting, well . . . better.

Just see it to believe it: You will find fewer outrageously stupid shows among the new crop, and a greater number of them intelligently engage, earnestly challenge or cleverly confuse. You're likely to discover a new treasure or two this season (which, by the Nielsen count, officially starts tomorrow) -- something to absorb, provoke or even strike you as boldly delightful. We're talkin' NBC's reverberant "Friday Night Lights," CBS's star-driven mega-drama "Shark," Fox's glitzy but gripping "Justice" and, perhaps best of all, ABC's lovely "Ugly Betty."

The season also seems to be one of sobriety, with the networks walking the steps of recovery and assuming their cultural role with a newfound earnestness. This, dear viewer, is the season the networks get serious.

Maybe too serious? Perhaps. Several new shows convey the grim malaise of a post-9/11 world, with the terrorist tragedy of 2001 prominent again in our collective consciousness.

Even some new comedies have their bleak side. In NBC's sitcom "Twenty Good Years," Jeffrey Tambor and John Lithgow play men crossing the scarifying watershed of 60. "How many good years do you think we have left on this planet?" Lithgow's character asks Tambor's before answering his own question: "Twenty at best."

If TV's content is more grown-up and responsive, style and presentation are changing, too: More new series than ever look like carefully crafted theatrical features.

No matter how much programming improves, however, media savants tend to see the medium living out numbered days. It's feared that the Internet will do to TV what TV did to the movies in the 1950s. But instead of panicking, the networks are finding ways to co-opt the Web. NBC's "Friday Night Lights" is being featured on the teenage Web site Bebo, and YouTube is streaming advance peeks at such new series as "30 Rock." Viewers thrilled beyond containment at the prospect of "Studio 60" can catch new episodes a week early on AOL Television, if AOL happens to be working that night.

We must be realistic about the degree to which prime time is getting better. Promising pilots can devolve later into weak weekly series. A season ago, ABC's "Commander in Chief" looked like the best new drama, but it stumbled on a slippery slope and hurtled downhill before getting impeached from the schedule.

Now, though -- despite no new fake presidents to root for, hate or ignore -- a shiny prime-time season is at hand. And whether they're bad or beautiful, snazzy or sleazy, the shows must go on . . .

ABC: CHARMING 'BETTY,' BRIGHT 'KNIGHTS'

'The Knights of Prosperity'

"The Knights of Prosperity" boasts -- although boasting might be overdoing it -- one of the craziest concepts of the season: A small team of downbeat deadbeats, feeling they have missed out on the major platinum-card pleasures of life, hatches a daffy scheme to burglarize the Manhattan apartment of rock god Mick Jagger (whom they see showing off his bodacious abode on a peekaboo TV show). Once titled "Let's Rob Mick Jagger," the series had to be renamed when Jagger announced he never imagined he'd appear in more than one episode. Regardless, the show is funkily funny and endearingly offbeat, with hilarious Donal Logue as the leader of the gang -- a ragtag Logue's gallery of lovable losers. (Tuesdays, 9 p.m.; premieres Oct. 17.)

'Help Me Help You'

"Help Me Help You" needs help itself, as the plaintive title implies. Ted Danson follows -- very belatedly, of course -- in the noble footsteps of Bob Newhart, playing a psychiatrist with an assortment of flaky patients. The difference is that they meet in group therapy, each whining in turn; then we follow them home to see how badly their lives are going. Danson -- his appearance seemingly altered by extensive laboratory work -- makes a likably rumpled straight-arrow, although his counsel to patients seems about as profound and practical as the hooey dispensed by that dopey Dr. Phil. (Tuesdays, 9:30 p.m.; premieres Sept. 26.)

'The Nine'

"The Nine" has nothing to do with half a game of golf -- or with anything playful, as a matter of fact. It's one of several new series that would seem to work much better as a one-time theatrical or TV movie. The "nine" of the title are hostages held for 50 hours or so by a mixed-up bank robber who puts them through an awful array of ordeals (few of which we see in the pilot). Instead, the narrative hops around in time and place, fleshing out portraits of the hostages and their captors -- the prey and the predators. With Scott Wolf ("Party of Five"), still smiling boyishly, playing doctor, and Tim Daly as a cop with a gambling addiction, just about everybody is thoroughly screwed up and frankly, it gets a little wearisome. (Wednesdays, 10 p.m.; premieres Oct. 4.)

'Ugly Betty'

A scream, a howl, a hoot and a joy, this buoyant, poignant series about a less than gorgeous young woman working for a fashion mag is the season's best and most beguiling new comedy. "Ugly Betty," in fact, is one of the first shows in years to which one might apply the accolade "wonderful." Its wonderfulness runs merrily amok. America Ferrera -- that's what it says in the news releases -- plays Betty beautifully, treading lightly on both the pathos and the slapstick, which coexist seamlessly from scene to scene, smiling back at the world through thick glasses and sporting braces on her teeth -- and you can't help but love her. "Betty" was adapted from a South American hit that started in Colombia and was exported to many other countries. It hits the States not a moment too soon. (Thursdays, 8 p.m.; premieres Sept. 28.)

'Six Degrees'

Like more than one of the new fall shows, "Six Degrees" owes some of its inspiration to ABC's hit drama "Lost" (for the few who don't know, it involves a group of strangers trapped on an island by a plane crash). The concept of throwing strangers together and watching them interact obviously grew out of the "reality" show, especially "Survivor." In "Six Degrees," the island is Manhattan, and the strandees are lost in a kind of spiritual, philosophical sense for the most part. One of them, narrating the drama, utters this bit of news: "Anyone on the planet can be connected to any other person through a chain of six people," hence the title. But what an old idea that six degrees of separation is, and "Six Degrees" does very little to spruce it up and pass it off as fresh. (Thursdays, 10 p.m.; premieres Thursday.)

'Men in Trees'

Without much conviction, ABC is trying to pass off "Men in Trees" -- about a jilted "relationship coach" -- as a comedy. But there's little to laugh about in the misadventures of Ms. Coach, played by Anne Heche, as she stumbles around a small town in Alaska where she'd gone to plug her latest book, "I'm Getting Married and So Can You." In the premiere, she flirted with the town hunk, drank herself into a stupor and chased a raccoon that had run off with her wedding dress. That is all ye need know, unless you're the proverbial glutton for punishment and actually intend to tune in. (Fridays, 9 p.m.; already premiered.)

'Brothers & Sisters'

"Brothers & Sisters," no relation to last year's "Sons and Daughters" -- a much better series that unfortunately didn't make it to a second season -- brings Calista Flockhart back to network TV as a conservative political pundit named Kitty who's about to move up from satellite radio to television (assuming that is "up"). But the big star on the premises is not Flockhart and not Tom Skerritt as her father, but rather Sally Field (still looking great) as Mom. Unfortunately, the family's struggles and crises seem lame and stale, so having Field around comes off more as a waste than a wonder. (Sundays, 10 p.m.; premieres Sept. 24.)

CBS: A FEISTY, FORMIDABLE 'SHARK'

'The Class'

People who avoid high school and college reunions with a near-religious devotion will be especially baffled by "The Class," a cockamamie drama in which presumably sane individuals just can't get on with their lives until they return to third grade at Woodman Elementary School and see dear old Mrs. Klinger again -- or is she dead? It's hard to recall, so many ancient and arcane crises, neuroses and anxieties are dredged up again. Characters include two token gay men, a sexy blonde married to a brain-damaged football star, and a fellow who's spending adulthood with his shrewish mother. "It's all good," one of them says. She must be talking about some other show. (Mondays, 8 p.m.; premieres tomorrow night.)

'Smith'

"Smith" is nearly as plain and undistinguished as its anonymous-sounding title, but it does have Ray Liotta (most notably of "GoodFellas" fame) making the transition to TV with a strong performance as an antihero for our time: a thief who sets his sights on an art museum as the premiere opens. See, he's a classy kind of thief. No convenience stores or pawnshops for him. Although created by John Wells of "ER" fame, "Smith" limps when it should sprint -- and dressing it up with kinetic explosions doesn't help. (Tuesdays, 10 p.m.; premieres Tuesday.)

'Jericho'

"Jericho" doesn't bother with mere malaise, a condition that infests several new dramas, but instead goes all the way to the biggest bang in prime time: nuclear bombs sending mushroom clouds into the sky and apparently -- although the premiere isn't 100 percent clear on this -- obliterating Denver and Atlanta. Jericho is a small Midwestern town, and when residents see those clouds in the distance, they have to interrupt their hug marathon (it's the huggingest show on TV until then) and prepare themselves for the worst -- although no one is sure exactly what that will be. Serialized and serious, the drama seems to lack credibility and conviction, but maybe it will acquire some along the way. (Wednesdays, 8 p.m.; premieres Wednesday.)

'Shark'

"Shark" is the very appropriate nickname given a tough, tenacious, icy-hearted trial lawyer who's talked into crossing over to the other side to become a tough, tenacious, icy-hearted prosecutor. Good idea for a courtroom series? Yes, but it becomes a great one simply because James Woods is cast in the title role. Brash, blunt and more intimidating than a letter from the IRS, Woods blasts his way through the show with such self-assurance and bravado that it's very hard to take your eyes off him. This is like the lawyerly version of Fox's medical drama "House," and Woods makes his character as compellingly abrasive as Hugh Laurie's House is. (Thursdays, 10 p.m.; premieres Thursday.)

FOX: 'VANISHED' HAS TRACES OF PROMISE

'Vanished'

An unusually strong cast tries to make sense of this confused drama about the FBI, missing persons and a political campaign. Gale Harold, formerly of Showtime's "Queer as Folk," stars here, with such big-time guest stars as the beautiful Penelope Ann Miller and heartthrob Esai Morales. (Mondays, 10 p.m.; already premiered.)

'Standoff'

This mediocre drama about the exploits of a crisis-management team is made downright irritating by the sappy badinage between spatting lovers who bicker about their relationship even while victims of mayhem are waiting to be rescued. As for the performances of the principals, they aren't phoned in -- they're cellphoned in. Or maybe BlackBerried. The show is plagued by a facetious flippancy that undercuts whatever drama is brought to a boil. (Tuesdays, 9 p.m.; already premiered.)

'Justice'

"Justice" purports to take viewers backstage at dramatized high-stakes trials. Unfortunately, courtroom dramas are not exactly rarities on the tube. This one is spiced up with the kind of fancy, high-tech gimmickry for which the executive producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, is famous. The production values are strikingly high, but that might not be enough to justify yet another "Law & Order" imitation, especially when the producers of "Law & Order" are so busy imitating themselves over on NBC. (Wednesdays, 9 p.m.; already premiered.)

' 'Til Death'

" 'Til Death" transfers Brad Garrett from second banana on the now-extinct "Everybody Loves Raymond" to top banana on a so-so comedy. The show contrasts two couples who live side-by-side: veterans of a lengthy if bumpy marriage and a naive pair of cutesy, cooing newlyweds. Garrett is about the only thing the show has going for it, but he's no slouch at getting laughs. (Thursdays, 8 p.m.; already premiered.)

'Happy Hour'

The worst new sitcom of the season, this is also the most old-fashioned. Its stale adventures of two mismatched roommates and their daily 4 o'clock martinis are all vermouth and no gin, one might say. We wouldn't, but one might. The cast is as unattractive as the scripts are crude. (Thursdays, 8:30 p.m.; already premiered.)

NBC: 'FRIDAY NIGHT' SCORES; 'GOOD YEARS' IS GOLDEN

'Heroes'

"Heroes" is a spectacular adventure series hobbled by its own pietistic pretentiousness. The heroes are a far-flung group of young people who come to realize they have superhuman powers, although what they intend to do with them -- and how they'll all get together to battle the evil in the world -- isn't revealed in "Volume One," as the series premiere is called. One woman can fall out a window, break every bone in her body, then mend miraculously in a twinkle. A peculiar young man paints accurately prophetic pictures of future catastrophes and complains, "Something's wrong with me." The transformations into superheroes "will not occur overnight," the prologue warns. By the end of the first hour, though, viewers might already be running out of patience -- and wandering amongst the other channels. (Mondays, 9 p.m.; premieres Sept. 25.)

'Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip'

One of the most eagerly awaited of the new dramas, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" is Aaron "West Wing" Sorkin's attempt to dramatize what might go on backstage at a sketch comedy show like NBC's own "Saturday Night Live" (also the setting, of course, for another new NBC series, "30 Rock"). Sorkin's drama takes place in Los Angeles -- one of the superficial ways to tell it from the other show -- and gets off to a fairly compelling start: Judd Hirsch, as the aging grump of a producer, tells viewers, "It's not going to be a very good show tonight; change the channel." He's obviously been inspired by Peter Finch's immortal Howard Beale in Paddy Chayefsky's "Network," and as part of his rant, he tells viewers they've all been "lobotomized" by television. Speak for yourself, pal. A very iffy beginning, but hopes for "Studio 60" remain high. (Mondays, 10 p.m.; premieres tomorrow night.)

'Friday Night Lights'

Based on a movie about a Texas town's obsession with its high school football team, "Friday Night Lights" is one of the season's best and most evocatively atmospheric new dramas. The premiere follows a week in the town's life as it prepares for the big game Friday, with Kyle Chandler giving a strong, convincing performance as the coach (a man apparently under about as much pressure as the president of the United States). One player drinks heavily, another is a snarling racist, and the star quarterback (pure as Ivory Snow) unfortunately suffers a major injury in the season's first game. You don't have to give a hoot about football to find the details fascinating, and "Friday Night Lights" is habit-forming from the very first scene. (Tuesdays, 8 p.m.; premieres Oct. 3.)

'30 Rock'

"30 Rock" is former "Saturday Night Live" head writer Tina Fey's sitcom about being head writer of "The Girlie Show," a network comedy. The pilot shown to critics is undergoing major renovations -- partly because things weren't working very well, but also because Alec Baldwin, several times an "SNL" host, has joined the cast as a network executive. Fey is a clever writer with a wicked wit, but as an actress, she tends to vanish into her own scenes. Even so, there are plenty of laughs on the premiere, and it's the kind of quality show worth rooting for. (Wednesdays, 8 p.m.; premieres Oct. 11.)

'Twenty Good Years'

"Twenty Good Years" dares to star two actors who are not in their twenties or thirties or even teens. In fact, Jeffrey Tambor and John Lithgow play baby boomers who are facing a fearsome crossroads in their lives: turning 60. What they go through is not only funny but also often touching, resonant and, if you happen to be part of the same generation, a trifle terrifying. Both actors are at the top of their game; they're like a Hope and Crosby for our time -- richly and royally hilarious. (Wednesdays, 8:30 p.m.; premieres Oct. 11.)

'Kidnapped'

"Kidnapped" is another TV series that seems like it should be a movie. In fact, it was a movie, more than once: Parents wait anxiously for news of a child abducted by criminals. The versatile Jeremy Sisto is the standout in this version, playing a kind of freelance private cop who's an expert at retrieving kidnapped children alive. The suspense is intense, and the second episode takes surprising twists and turns, which suggest that the producers and writers (and an outstanding cast) will be able to keep the story going week upon week. (Wednesdays, 10 p.m.; premieres Wednesday.)

The CW: Stepping Out With a Bit Of Drama

The CW is a semi-new network formed by the merger of the now-defunct UPN and the WB -- "weblets" in industry parlance. The bill of fare mostly includes such returning shows as "7th Heaven," saved from cancellation by the merger, but there are two new dramas:

'Runaway'

"Runaway" stars Donnie Wahlberg as Paul Rader, a husband and father of three who sinks his Volvo in an early scene before gathering up the family and running away (hence the title) to Bridgewater, Iowa, population 23,827, plus five. Rader was wrongfully convicted of committing what CW publicity calls "a terrible and violent crime." So his wife, two teenagers and cute little boy must assume new identities and be suspicious of every knock at the door. A suspenseful drama, "Runaway" bears a superficial resemblance to "Running on Empty," an underrated Sidney Lumet movie about a family of hippies in the same predicament as the Raders. (Mondays, 9 p.m.; premieres Sept. 25.)

'The Game'

"The Game" is football, but the series is not so much about the players of the game as their wives, girlfriends and groupies. Not likely to be as racy as "Footballers' Wives," the British import playing on BBC America, this grown-up soap -- co-produced by Kelsey Grammer -- stars Tia Mowry as Melanie (girlfriend of the team's new wide receiver), who's headed for a crash course in the politics of pro sports. (Sundays, 8:30 p.m.; premieres Oct. 1.)

PBS: New Season? What New Season?

Little seems new on the PBS bill of fare as the season wobbles off to a start. PBS officials are excited, however, about a two-part, three-hour special called "The Mormons" that will mark the first time that old PBS reliables "Frontline" and "American Experience" have pooled their resources on a program. But it won't air until April.

Among the "Masterpiece Theatre" offerings this season: a two-part, four-hour adaptation of the very venerable "Jane Eyre," with no big names in the cast -- not that there's anything wrong with that. Otherwise, it's more of "Antiques Roadshow" on a network that is beginning to look like something of an antique roadshow itself.