LIFE ON MARS
Thu., 10pm BEGINS Oct. 9

GENRE: Cop show/British reimagining
TALENT: Jason O’Mara, Michael Imperioli, Harvey Keitel
PREMISE: NYPD Blue meets Quantum Leap. A New York cop (O’Mara) is hurtled back to 1973, where he deals with cultural uprisings and a hothead boss (Imperioli), not to mention an absence of modern-day gadgets, while trying to find his way back home.
PREDICTION: David E. Kelley was replaced as producer after securing the rights to the British series and developing a pilot for ABC. Given his tendency to overdo gimmicks, that can only bode well for this show.

Pushing Daisies, Private Practice, Dirty Sexy Money, all Oct. 1

WORST WEEK
Mon., 9:30pm BEGINS Sept. 22

GENRE: Sitcom/British reimagining
TALENT: Kyle Bornheimer, Kurtwood Smith
PREMISE: A hapless young man (Bornheimer) struggles to impress his future father-in-law (Smith) in this variation of Meet The Parents.
PREDICTION: The pilot was hilarious and Smith (That ’70s Show) is a great curmudgeon. That plus a safe time slot (tucked between Two and a Half Men and CSI: Miami) should spell success. 

THE MENTALIST
Tue., 9pm BEGINS Sept. 23

GENRE: Crime drama
TALENT: Simon Baker, Robin Tunney
PREMISE: House meets Crossing Over. An acerbic psychic (Baker) uses his razor-sharp skills to solve crimes for the California Bureau of Investigation.
PREDICTION: CBS hopes lightning will strike twice with Baker in his old Guardian time slot. But against stiff competition on FOX and ABC, that’ll be tough to do.

GARY UNMARRIED
Wed., 8:30pm BEGINS Sept. 24

GENRE: Sitcom
TALENT: Jay Mohr, Paula Marshall
PREMISE: New Adventures of Old Christine, tailored for Jay Mohr. A recently divorced dad adjusts to sudden singlehood while raising his two kids and dealing with his ex-wife (Marshall).
PREDICTION: Wednesdays 8-9pm have never been good for CBS. We like Mohr, but he may wish he’d stayed with Ghost Whisperer.  

ELEVENTH HOUR
Thu., 10pm BEGINS Oct. 9

GENRE: Crime drama/British reimagining
TALENT: Rufus Sewell
PREMISE: House meets CSI (no surprise, it’s a Jerry Bruckheimer show). Sewell plays a brilliant biophysicist frequently recruited by the FBI as a last resort to solve baffling crimes.
PREDICTION: The pilot looks interesting, plus Bruckheimer knows how to work a formula.

THE EX LIST
Fri., 9pm BEGINS Oct. 3

GENRE: Dramedy
TALENT: Elizabeth Reaser, Rachel Boston
PREMISE: A thirtysomething woman (Reaser) scrambles to revisit various failed relationships after a psychic tells her she has already met her future husband and will be doomed to remain single forever unless she finds him in the next 12 months.
PREDICTION: If this show takes off, it’ll set the women’s movement back 30 years.

CSI, Oct. 9
(welcome back, Jorja Fox; Laurence Fishburne replaces William Peterson)

FRINGE
Tue., 8pm BEGINS Sept. 9

GENRE: Drama
TALENT: Joshua Jackson, Kirk Acevedo
PREMISE: Lost meets The X Files meets Altered States in this JJ Abrams-produced vehicle about the FBI investigation of mysterious deaths aboard an airplane that lands in Boston.
PREDICTION: Abrams is batting 1.000 on television (Felicity, Alias, Lost). If Fringe doesn’t implode from all the hype since FOX unveiled it in May, he’ll make it 4-for-4.

DO NOT DISTURB
Wed., 9:30pm BEGINS Sept. 10

GENRE: Sitcom
TALENT: Jerry O’Connell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson
PREMISE: A hilarious look at the inner workings of a once trendy New York hotel.
PREDICTION: O’Connell’s Tom Cruise impersonation proves he can get laughs. But we’ll be surprised if this show returns after FOX yanks it in October for baseball.

The Simpsons (20th season premiere, Sept. 28), Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles (Sept. 8), plus a two-hour 24 movie on Nov. 23 (setting up Jack Bauer’s return in January)

KATH & KIM
Thu., 8:30pm BEGINS Oct. 9

GENRE: Sitcom/Australian reimagining
TALENT: Molly Shannon, Selma Blair
PREMISE: A dysfunctional mother/daughter duo butt heads.
PREDICTION: On paper, this should be a hit: Shannon is funny, Blair is cute, plus the show is hammocked between My Name Is Earl and The Office. But NBC was still jiggering with the format as of press time, which usually doesn’t bode well.

MY OWN WORST ENEMY
Mon., 10pm BEGINS Oct. 13

GENRE: Drama
TALENT: Christian Slater, Alfre Woodard
PREMISE: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde meets True Lies. Slater plays a suburban dad who leads a double life as an international superspy. A brain implant helps keep his identities separate, but when the implant malfunctions, both personalities begin fighting for dominance.
PREDICTION: Slater remains ultracool, but this show might be too complex for its own good.

KNIGHT RIDER
Wed., 8pm BEGINS Sept. 24

GENRE: Action-adventure/TV remake
TALENT: Justin Bruening, Deanna Russo, Sydney Tamiia Poitier
PREMISE: A new stud (Bruening) takes the wheel of high-tech, crime-fighting, talking supercar KITT (voice of Val Kilmer) in this update of the show that made David Hasselhoff a star.
PREDICTION: NBC/Universal’s recent series revivals have been wretched (Kojak, Bionic Woman). But the Attack KITT was a hit at Comic-Con, so expect lots of sales from merchandise.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
WEEKEND UPDATE THURSDAYS
Thu., 9:30pm BEGINS Oct. 9

GENRE: Limited series spin-off
TALENT: Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers
PREMISE: “Live from New York, it’s Thursday night” as the Weekend Update team tees off on the presidential election.
PREDICTION: 30 Rock takes over the time slot on Oct. 30. But if Thursdays does well, expect it to resurface as a midseason replacement.

CRUSOE
Fri., 8pm BEGINS Oct. 17

GENRE: Literary drama
TALENT: Philip Winchester, Sam Neill
PREMISE: A sprawling miniseries based on the 18th-century novel that inspired Survivor, Lost and Gilligan’s Island. Produced in England, it promises “to combine for the first time the pace and energy of network TV” while remaining true to Defoe’s classic story.
PREDICTION: NBC says that overseas productions such as this are integral to its year-long season strategy. But how much faith does it have in Crusoe when it puts it on Friday night?

HEROES, (Sept. 22), The Office and My Name Is Earl (Sept. 25), LIFE (Sept. 29), 30 ROCK (Oct. 30)

90210
Tue., 8pm BEGINS Sept. 2

GENRE: Teen drama/TV remake
TALENT: Shannon Doherty, Jennie Garth, Rob Estes, Jessica Walter
PREMISE: Beverly Hills, 90210: The Next Generation. Sibling teens adjust to life at West Beverly Hills High, where their dad (Estes) is the new principal and two former students (Doherty, Garth) are among the faculty.
PREDICTION: Tori Spelling will end her holdout and join the cast midseason.

PRIVILEGED
Tue., 9pm BEGINS Sept. 9

GENRE: Drama
TALENT: JoAnna Garcia, Anne Archer
PREMISE: A recent Yale grad (Garcia) finds herself thrust into the world of the rich and famous when she becomes a live-in tutor to the rebellious daughters of a cosmetics mogul (Archer).
PREDICTION: Available on DVD Dec. 9 unless it makes an immediate impression.

SURVIVING SUBURBIA
Sun. 7:30pm BEGINS Nov. 2

GENRE: Sitcom
TALENT: Bob Saget
PREMISE: Roseanne, tailored for Bob Saget. He plays a family man whose life is turned upside-down when new neighbors move in next-door, along with their voluptuous teenage daughter.
PREDICTION: Details have been scant so far, but from the looks of things, this’ll be more American Beauty than Full House.

VALENTINE
Sun., 8pm BEGINS Sept. 21

GENRE: Comedy
TALENT: Jaime Murray, Kristopher Polaha
PREMISE: A family of Greek gods assumes various human guises while bringing soulmates together in Southern California.
PREDICTION: Maybe it’s time for another Love Boat-like show, but against football and The Simpsons it’ll be rough sailing.

EASY MONEY
Sun., 9pm BEGINS Sept. 21

GENRE: Dramedy
TALENT: Laurie Metcalf, Jeff Hephner
PREMISE: Arrested Development meets The Sopranos. A straight-laced man (Hephner) clashes with his domineering mother (Metcalf) and other eccentric relatives while trying to clean up his family’s shady loan-shark business.
PREDICTION: Metcalf is a hoot, while co-creator Andy Schneider is a Sopranos alum. But brutal competition may put this show out of commission.

Gossip Girl (Sept. 1), Smallville (Sept. 18), Everybody Hates Chris (Oct. 3)

No new series this fall, but Mad Men continues through October.

SONS OF ANARCHY
Wed., 10pm BEGINS Sept. 3

GENRE: Dramedy
TALENT: Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, Ron Perlman
PREMISE: A biker gang shelters its town from drug dealers, land developers and overzealous cops while also protecting its own thriving illegal arms business.
PREDICTION: FX is now the place to go for edgy cable drama. This show should fit in nicely following The Shield on Wednesday nights.

TESTEES
Thu., 10:30pm beginS Oct. 9

GENRE: Comedy
TALENT: Steve Markle, Jess Kassel
PREMISE: Human guinea pigs for an experimental pharmaceutical company struggle to keep the side effects of the medications tested on them from interfering with their normal lives.
PREDICTION: For years FX has searched for the perfect companion to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. This won’t be it.

The Shield (final season starts Sept. 2), It’s Always Sunny... (Sept. 18)

TRUE BLOOD
Sun., 9pm BEGINS Sept. 7

GENRE: Vampire drama
TALENT: Anna Paquin, Alan Ball (creator/executive producer)
PREMISE: The invention of synthetic blood allows vampires to coexist with humans, but residents of small-town Bon Temps, La. remain wary of the bloodsuckers. One exception is a local barmaid (Paquin), an outcast in her own right because she can hear people’s thoughts.
PREDICTION: Ball describes True Blood as “popcorn TV for smart people.” If it’s anything like Six Feet Under, it’ll be odd, clever, unpredictable but ultimately entertaining. [See our interview with Ball here.]

LITTLE BRITAIN USA
Sun., 10:30pm begins Sept. 28

GENRE: Sketch comedy/British reimagining
TALENT: Matt Lucas, David Williams
PREMISE: A biting look at American mores, based on the popular BBC radio and TV series created by and starring Lucas and Williams.
PREDICTION: If it’s anything like the original, expect lots of caricatures, many catch phrases and mucho belly laughs.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF TIM
Sun., 11pm BEGINS Sept. 28

GENRE: Animated adult comedy
TALENT: Voices of Steve Dildarian, Edie McClurg, others
PREMISE: Life as seen through an ordinary guy “who makes a habit out of misunderstanding.”
PREDICTION: Exec producer Tom Werner has a knack for nurturing comic talent (Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Tom Hanks). Dildarian, the man behind the hilarious Budweiser Lizards commercials, looks to be his latest find.

Real Time with Bill Maher (Aug. 29), Entourage (Sept. 7)

New seasons of Dexter and Californication begin Sept. 28.

CRASH
Fri., 10pm beginS Oct. 17

GENRE: Drama
TALENT: Dennis Hopper, D.B. Sweeney
PREMISE: Hopper leads an ensemble cast in this series based on the Oscar-winning Best Picture of 2006, about how different lives intersect and collide in the melting pot of LA.
PREDICTION: Crash: The Movie was an acquired taste, but Hopper is always interesting. With the cable advantage of repeat showings, Crash: The Series may just catch on.

RAISING THE BAR
Mon., 10pm beginS Sept. 1

GENRE: Legal drama
TALENT: Jane Kaczmarek, Mark-Paul Gosselaar
PREMISE: Weekly courtroom battles between the district attorney and public defender offices of New York, as presented by Steven Bochco and starring Zach from Saved By The Bell.
PREDICTION: Screech (Dustin Diamond) will show up somewhere in court before the season finale.

The Closer continues through October.

It takes more than villains and explosions to stop Ali Larter on Heroes.
By Fred Topel

Show: Heroes
Executive Producers: Dennis Hammer, Tim Kring
Starring: Ali Larter, Hayden Panetierre, Masi Oka, Adrian Pasdar
Network: NBC

Just interviewing Ali Larter for Heroes is a spoiler. Last season ended with her character, Niki Sanders, blowing up in a building. We still don’t know how she’s back, but she is. The new season begins with “Villains,” an epic two-hour volume with cryptic undertones for every character, airing Sept. 22 at 9pm on NBC. An hour-long recap of last season immediately precedes it from 8-9pm, for the benefit of new viewers.

The Wave: We’re very glad you’re back. Were you worried when you read the finale of Season Two?
Ali Larter: No, I’m not someone by nature who gets worried about those things. Tim Kring has always had a very strong vision for the show. As long as he wants me to be a part of it, I will show up and give the best performance that I can.

TW: If you can survive an explosion, is there any worry now that the danger elements aren’t real? You’ll just come back.
AL: Well, it is part of the show. You never know what you’re going to get. There’s fun in watching one episode or there’s fun in watching a season. I think that, even though we are serialized, each show can stand on its own.

TW: Will it be difficult for a new viewer to pick up the series this year?
AL: No. What’s great about this year is that we are going back to the root of the first season, to the core of it, which is the original characters that I think people really started to respond to and relate to. I think this year is just going to be fast. You better hold on tight, because it’s going to be a ride.

TW: How does the “Villains” theme relate to your character?
AL: We’re moving into that. I just snuck Episode 9 out of the makeup trailer and it’s really good, so I’m pretty excited about where things are going. We only know a couple episodes ahead, so it’s exciting when I find out little tidbits.

TW: Do you ask the writers about the long-term plans for your character, or do you just go from script to script?
AL: I love control and I love knowing things. Information to me is power, but in TV you really have to relinquish that. For me, that’s definitely one of the biggest struggles, that I never know where my character is going. So I take what they want me to know and I formulate it to the best of my ability to deliver a great performance.

TW: What other actors are you excited for on the show, knowing what they’ll be doing?
AL: Everyone this year is just a little bit darker. It’s a little bit faster. It’s a little bit more complicated, and somehow it all just gels.

TW: Could there be a romance for Niki? She’s been involved with a Petrelli brother in the future.
AL: Possibly, yes. I like a little love story here and there, but I don’t think it’s what our show is built on. We might dabble in it a little bit, but I don’t think we’ll fall too far from what made us fun the first year.

TW: The Niki/Jessica stuff was such fantastic material for you. Do you have an equivalent situation for you now?
AL: There is, but I still think that will be for me [my favorite]. That whole first season and that whole storyline, I didn’t know where it was going and it challenged me as an actor. It challenged me emotionally, it challenged me professionally and I feel lucky that I got to do that on TV. A lot of people don’t get those opportunities.  

The season premiere of Heroes airs Sept. 22,
8-11pm on NBC.

Staggered premiere dates are once again in vogue this season, with many new and returning shows set to launch in December and January. Here’s a brief look at what’s to come:

ABC: Lost returns in January, plus Scrubs switches networks from NBC

AMC: Breaking Bad returns in early 2009, along with a miniseries based on The Prisoner

NBC: Friday Night Lights, the British imports Merlin and Kings and the yet-to-be-titled Office spin-off are all scheduled for January

CBS: Murder mystery Harper’s Island premieres in January, plus Rules of Engagement returns

FOX: 24 returns in January, along with the premiere of the Josh Whedon buzz show Dollhouse
FX: Rescue Me, Nip/Tuck and Damages all return in early 2009

HBO: Big Love, Flight of the Conchords and Curb Your Enthusiasm are all due back in January; Australian import Summer Heights High starts in March

THE CW: Reaper returns in January

SHOWTIME: The Tudors and Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union return in early 2009

NDANCE: Spectacle, a music/talk show hosted by Elvis Costello, premieres Dec. 3

TNT: New drama series Leverage and Trust Me premiere in December and January, respectively

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