"STUDIO 60," "STANDOFF" AMONG
FALL'S BEST BETS

September 1, 2006

Finally! The fall TV season is here, so we can all feel better about vegging out on the couch with clicker in hand. Everyone's Tivos should be already set for those returning favorites, but some sampling is usually required to suss out the quality amongst all the new shows that the networks are already promoting the bejeezus out of. Don't have the time to find the good stuff, you say? Well, let me make some educated guesses that could point you in the right direction.

If you're a fan of "The West Wing," smart-alecky dialogue, and/or Matthew Perry, then I recommend NBC's new series, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," a behind-the-scenes peek at a "Saturday Night Live"-esque variety show from the critically-lauded brain of "Wing" creator Aaron Sorkin. The cast is exceptional and includes Perry, Amanda Peet, Steven Weber and two "West Wing" alums -- Bradley Whitford (who always rules) and Timothy Busfield. Some may wonder if the show can survive on charm and wit without all the righteous indignation that made early seasons of Sorkin's White House drama such a blast. And to that I say let's not forget "Sports Night," the brilliant two-seasons-and-out Sorkin series that offered a behind-the-scenes peek at a "SportsCenter"-esque highlight show. "Sports Night" was funny and exciting and touching and all those things that make for great TV, and it didn't need POTUS to become so. So I expect "Studio 60" will do just fine. It's certainly the new show I'm most looking forward to this fall. Watch for it Monday nights at 10 p.m.

If you're a fan of "My Name is Earl"'s kookiness and the breezy charm of "Ed," then I recommend ABC's "The Knights of Prosperity," the season's most promising new comedy. Brought to us by "Ed" creators Jon Beckerman and Rob Burnett, "Knights" stars Donal Logue ("Grounded for Life," a bunch of those never-ending "I Love the…" series on VH1) as the leader of a group of grumpy, 40-ish guys who decide the only thing standing in the way of true happiness is Mick Jagger … so they decide to rob him. Sounds bizarre, huh? But, ultimately, I'll take bizarre over all the cookie-cutter sitcoms still finding their way onto the networks' fall schedules. Logue can be amusing and Mick Jagger is expected to guest star, so the end result could be a laugh riot. "Knights" premieres Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 9 p.m.

If you're a fan of "Bones" or procedural dramas, then I recommend FOX's "Standoff," mostly just because it stars Ron Livingston, who rules even harder than Bradley Whitford. "Standoff" takes that whole partners-who-dig-each-other setup from "Bones" and transplants it into a hostage-negotiation setting. (Actually, it's a bit different. In "Standoff," Livingston and co-star Rosemarie DeWitt are sleeping together right from the beginning.) By the way, Gina Torres -- who has an awesome TV resume that looks like this: "Firefly," "Angel," "24," "Alias" and "The Shield" -- is also in the cast. And Gina rarely shows up in crap. "Standoff" begins this Tuesday at 9 p.m.

Beyond those three series, there are also a slew of high-concept shows hoping to capture that creepy "Lost" what-the-heck-is-going-on-here vibe. No one knows which one will rise above the rest, but I can offer compelling reasons why TV lovers would want to watch at least the first few episodes of all of them. ABC's "Six Degrees" is from "Alias" and "Lost" guru J.J. Abrams, who knows this genre better than anyone. ABC's "The Nine" features a killer cast, which includes Chi McBride, Tim Daly and "24"'s Kim Raver. NBC's "Heroes" is about everyday people who discover they have super powers, which is a pretty sweet concept to base a weekly drama around. And CBS's "Jericho focuses on the citizens of a small Kansas town who fear they are the only Americans left alive after a mushroom cloud appears on the horizon and the country seemingly shuts down - another setup bursting with exciting possibilities. Will all four of these shows be good? Of course not. But I'd bet that two of them might be. Give me a month or so, and I'll let you know.