UPFRONTS 2006, PART II

May 26, 2006

Last week, we looked at ABC's and NBC's proposed 2006 fall schedules, announced at the annual "upfront" presentations held for TV advertisers. This week, we turn our attention to what CBS, FOX, and the CW have up their sleeves for later this year.

CBS -- CBS remains the most watched network on TV, so it makes perfect sense that a whopping 18 shows will return from this past season with only four new shows debuting in the fall. Of the three, "Smith" sounds the most promising. It stars Ray Liotta ("Goodfellas") as a master thief and leader of a team of criminals who travel across the country engaging in elaborate heists. Liotta wants to give up thieving to live a normal life with his lovely wife (Virginia Madsen), but his team - and the FBI, which is hot on his heels - won't make things easy.

The new drama "Jericho" also intrigues but may be too high-concept for its own good. It concerns the residents of a small Kansas town who fear they may be the only Americans left alive when the power goes out, the phones die, and a bright mushroom cloud appears on the horizon. CBS would love for this to be the new "Lost." But, hey, weren't "Invasion," "Surface" and "Threshold" all supposed to be the new "Lost" too? You see how well that worked out. "Shark" is a starring vehicle for James Woods, as a successful defense attorney who switches sides and joins the prosecutor's office after an epiphany. Woods is talented enough to have a show built around him, but as with many star-driven TV projects, the concept may not carry its share of weight.

One new comedy is coming to CBS - "The Class," about a group of third-grade classmates who find themselves keeping company with one another again 20 years later. Jason Ritter ("Joan of Arcadia") is among the stars.

By the way, shows that debuted last year and have earned a second season on CBS are "How I Met Your Mother," "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "The Unit," "Criminal Minds, "Ghost Whisperer" and "Close to Home." If you're a fan of any of the above, get ready for seconds. (Personally, "Mother" still makes me laugh more often than not. Glad to see it renewed.)

FOX -- In addition to riding the "American Idol"-"House"-"24" gravy train, FOX caught themselves by surprise when "Prison Break" proved to be a sizable hit. So it's no surprise to anyone that the network's got another serial drama ready to go this fall. Going back to the political conspiracy well probably one time too often, "Vanished" (airing on Mondays at 9 until "24" returns in January) concerns itself with the missing wife of a powerful Georgia senator. Turns out, the wife has a secret past, and her disappearance may be just one part of a much bigger plot. (Isn't it always?) Nobody of note stars. But, then again, nobody of note starred in "Prison Break" either, yet Wentworth Miller seems to be on the cover of every fourth magazine that comes to my house.

Another new drama is "Standoff," which seemingly takes the Brennan-Booth dynamic from FOX's "Bones" (returning for year two, by the way), strips it away from the forensics department and slams it into a hostage negotiation setting. Starring are the always watchable Ron Livingston ("Sex and the City," the cult classic "Office Space") and Rosemarie DeWitt ("Cinderella Man"). If Ron can pull off the action-guy thing, it could be worth watching just for him. There's also "Justice," from super producer Jerry Bruckheimer, another lawyer show that sounds like every other lawyer show you've seen for the past two decades.

On the comedy front, "Everybody Loves Raymond" fans will be glad to see Brad Garrett back on TV in "'Til Death," which contrasts a couple that have been married for 20-plus years with the newlyweds who just moved next door. Guess which couple has Garrett as the man of the house. FOX has also scheduled "Happy Hour," a comedy about a small-town guy who finds himself losing his girlfriend, his job, and his apartment after moving to Chicago. I'd elaborate, but, honestly, I almost fell asleep reading FOX's description of the show.

CW -- Rather than start fresh, the CW - risen from the ashes of the WB and UPN - has decided to focus on returning shows pulled from the two fallen networks. Only two new series were announced for fall - "The Game," a comedy about the wives and girlfriends of professional football players, and "Runaway," a drama about an entire family that goes into hiding under assumed names in suburbia when dad (played by Donnie Wahlberg) is wrongly arrested for a violent crime. Neither seems all that interesting at first glance.

So the real news is which WB and UPN shows made the cut. "Veronica Mars" fans rejoice! "One Tree Hill" supporters take a bow! "Everwood" people … umm, my thoughts are with you as you deal with this painful loss. Yes, out of those three series, each with a small but loyal group of viewers, CW execs decided "Everwood" was the one they couldn't afford to keep. I'm trying not to complain too much about it since my beloved "Veronica" was saved from cancellation, but I find it disturbing that "Hill" was kept while "'Wood" was ditched. The latter is … er, was a far superior show. But, again, I can't work up too much outrage 'cause "Veronica" is back, baby! Excuse me, while I pause to giggle madly.

Also returning this fall are "Gilmore Girls," "Everybody Hates Chris," "America's Next Top Model," "Smallville" and "Supernatural." Oh, and thanks to a last minute deal, "7^th Heaven" is coming back too, although its "series finale" just aired earlier this month.