Now that the major networks have revealed their new TV series for the Fall line-up, what of the new series is worth adding to your must-watch list?  While we’re curious about the new offerings from the cable networks, we see many reasons to at least try out the pilot for several series, based on the genre, the subject, or the inclusion of some of our favorite actors.  We previewed Marvel’s Agents of Shield last week from ABC, and no other series looks to have as much appeal for genre fans as more Joss Whedon and Marvel characters.  But we’ve found 15 of the two dozen new series that have some reason to take notice, many with trailers that have been released with the announcements.  But be warned, despite some great actors, many of these previews look pretty bad and we’re only posting the trailers for you to judge for yourself.  if you want to save time, go directly to the previews for Almost Human, The Michael J. Fox Show, Dracula, and Sleepy Hollow, which look like the best of the new series the Fall has to offer–at least from the networks.

ABC

Moving past Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the reason you might give Back in the Game a try is because of the lead, Psych’s Maggie Lawson, as well as James Caan.  It looks like a comedy version of Clint Eastwood’s Trouble with the Curve.  As much as we like Lawson and Caan, we’ll probably skip this one.  Check it out for yourself:

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ABC also has a spinoff of its Once Upon a Time series, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.  We gave Once Upon a Time a try in its first season and it held our interest for several episodes because of series lead Jennifer Morrison, but an Alice in Wonderland spinoff?  The trailer makes this look better than Once upon a Time and it looks like more of a sequel than a real tie-in to Once Upon a Time.  And it does have John Lithgow playing the White Rabbit.  Check it out:

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NBC

The only reason we’ll mention Welcome to the Family is because of lead Mary McCormack, who we loved on In Plain Sight.  Other than that it looks like just another Parenthood series with an overdone culture-clash theme.  Here’s the trailer:

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Michael J. Fox is returning to TV with The Michael J. Fox Show.  On paper the description of this show looked almost cringe-worthy:  a series about a celebrity named Mike returning to TV who left to deal with his Parkinson’s.   But then you watch the trailer and only Michael J. Fox could make this look hilarious.  This series may be a very big win:

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The creators of Downton Abbey and The Tudors have made a new Dracula retelling, called simply Dracula, and as a fan of Dracula retellings of late I think this looks pretty good.  It also co-stars Jessica De Gouw, who was superb this past year as Helena Bertinelli/The Huntress on The CW’s Arrow.  Here’s the sleek preview:

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CBS

CBS has two comedies coming in the Fall with actors we love.  We Are Men stars Tony Shalhoub (Monk), Kal Penn (House, M.D.), Jerry O’Connell (Sliders).  OK, we’ll probably skip this one, too, because we wish they were all starring instead in one of the sci-fi or fantasy series instead.  And because this looks a bit like a less dramatic version of Men of a Certain Age, and we just wish they brought that series back instead.  Here’s the preview:

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We will have to watch the pilot for The Crazy Ones, because it stars Robin Williams (Mork!) as an ad industry exec and his smart daughter played by Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy!) in a role that seems like it might be like the character played by Kristen Bell in House of Lies.  Here is the trailer:

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FOX

The Fox network seems to have potentially the most interesting new line-up for the Fall.  First up is J.J. Abrams’ Almost Human which looks AWESOME starring Karl Urban (Star Trek’s Dr. McCoy, Judge Dredd, Chronicles of Riddick, Lord of the Rings, Hercules, Xena) with Lily Taylor (Say Anything, High Fidelity).   Urban plays a futuristic robocop borg with his “special” replicant partner in a series that has some of the look and feel of Continuum.  Urban looks as cool as ever in this preview:

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Fox’s Sleepy Hollow also looks really good, written by the writers from the new Star Trek movies, with Orlando Jones and the always awesome Clancy Brown and John Cho (Star Trek’s Sulu).  It looks like a mix of Highlander and National Treasure.  Check out the preview:

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We couldn’t find a good trailer for Dads, but it’s a comedy that stars Seth Green, Martin Mull, Peter Riegert (Animal House), and Giovanni Ribisi.  Another comedy from Fox is Brooklyn Nine-Nine, starring Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher in a cop show that feels like the movie remake of Dragnet (the one with Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd).  Here’s the trailer:

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The CW

Fans of The Vampire Diaries may be happy to see the new spinoff vampire series The Originals. Here is the preview:

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And no, that’s not Arrow’s Stephen Amell starring in The Tomorrow People, it’s his little brother Robbie.  They do look alike.  It’s hard to tell what this one will be about.  Here’s the very brief trailer:

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Reign is a historical drama about Mary, Queen of Scots. And that’s Megan Follows (Anne of Green Gables) as some unhappy noblewoman.  Check out the preview:

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Do you see anything you like?  We’re looking forward to seeing what’s new on channels like USA, AMC, and Syfy Network.

C.J. Bunce
Editor
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