For the TV industry, this was one of the most important weeks of the year thanks to the upfronts, aka the network announcements of the shows to come for the new fall season. While many favorites are on their way back -- who doesn't want another year of Scandal? -- there are also brand new shows to entertain come September. We've picked out the 10 series to keep your eyes on, and whether they're must-see TV, worth an initial look, or potential car crashes we may not be able to look away from.
Almost Human
Admittedly, J.J. Abrams' small screen magic may have lost some of its luster in recent years with the early cancellations of such shows as Alcatraz and Undercovers, but this new science fiction series about a cop working with a robotic partner who might be more alive than he is brings in some of his Star Trek partners: Karl Urban (Dr. McCoy) plays the lead character, while Star Trek writers (and Fringe co-creators) Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman serve as fellow executive producers alongside Abrams. Could this be the weekly summer blockbuster that we've been waiting for? Rating: Must-See TV (Fox, Mondays at 8.)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Before this show had an official title, the pilot was summed up as "the Andy Samberg cop comedy." If the idea of Samberg as a laid back detective who has to deal with a hard-ass new boss doesn't immediately appeal, perhaps the name of the actor playing the boss will: Homicide: Life on the Street's Andre Braugher. Sure, it's possible that this won't live up to expectations, but given the strength of the cast (the show also includes The Expendables' Terry Crews and Chelsea Peretti) and Fox's recent success with sitcoms like New Girl and The Mindy Project, it seems likely to bring the funny. Rating: Must-See TV (Fox, Tuesdays at 8:30.)
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
The idea of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D almost feels like the fantasy of a network looking for a sure-fire hit. The director of the most successful superhero movie ever (The Avengers) -- one of the most successful movies in any genre, for that matter -- writing and directing the pilot for an all-new original spin-off from that movie? It's hard to imagine that anyone truly believed that ABC wouldn't pick up Joss Whedon's Avengers offshoot from the moment it was announced. Add in the return of Clark Gregg as the apparently-not-deceased Agent Phil Coulson, and the question isn't whether the show will be a hit, but just how big a hit the show will be. Has ABC got another Lost-style crossover show on its hands? *Rating: Must-See TV *(ABC, Tuesdays at 8.)
Dracula
"The producers of Downton Abbey take on the Dracula story" may not seem like the most intuitive pitch, and the addition of The Tudors' Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Vlad himself (alongside Merlin's Katie McGrath as his true love, Mina) also may not ameliorate those concerns. And yet, Dan Knauf -- of HBO's Carnivale, amongst other projects -- has signed on as executive producer and showrunner, and there really is something oddly beautiful about parts of that trailer. Consider this a potential sleeper. *Rating: Worth A Look *(NBC, Fridays at 9.)
The Goldbergs
I'll admit that a new Wonder Years-esque show set in the 1980s is the kind of thing that makes me feel more self-conscious about my age than interested in the show, but Goldbergs has three things going for it. Firstly, the show has amazing buzz from those who've actually seen the pilot. Secondly, it's a quasi-autobiographical show created by Adam Goldberg, the man behind Fanboys, Breaking In and How to Train A Dragon, which means it's unlikely to be dull. And thirdly and most importantly, the mother of the family in the series is played by Reno 911's Wendi McClendon-Covey, which means it deserves at least a cursory glance. *Rating: Worth A Look *(ABC, Tuesdays at 9.)
Super Fun Night
This self-described "Anti-Sex and the City" has one big selling point, despite the numerous retoolings it has reportedly gone through before being picked up as a series: Rebel Wilson, who was one of the most memorable actors in both Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect. Sure, her attempt at an American accent just sounds a little off -- apparently, America wasn't ready for a sitcom with an Australian lead? -- but Wilson has continually been charming and watchable in everything she's appeared in up to now. Here's hoping she can make this chance at the spotlight sing (No pun intended). *Rating: Worth A Look *(ABC, Wednesdays at 9:30.)
The Tomorrow People
A remake of a relatively-obscure British children's show from the 1970s, The Tomorrow People gives the CW a science-fiction teen drama to accompany its many supernatural shows, as the next generation of humanity -- spoilers, they have telepathic powers! -- finds itself under investigation and persecution from The Man, which they deal with in the traditional CW manner: With impossibly handsome pouting and introspective pop music. The original version was winningly odd at times; here's hoping that the same will be true of this new incarnation. *Rating: Worth A Look *(CW, Wednesdays at 9.)
The Michael J. Fox Show
Color me torn by this new sitcom that brings Michael J. Fox back to the screen as a TV news anchor returning to television despite his struggle with Parkinson's Disease. Fox is undoubtedly a great comedic actor, and it'll be good to see him back on television on a regular basis, but the trailer suggests that the show's jokes at the expense of the nervousness others have about Parkinson's could, without appropriate care, quickly devolve into jokes about Parkinson's Disease. This may be a series to periodically check in with when it's underway; either it'll be another sitcom that Fox makes enjoyable by his performance alone (See Family Ties, Spin City), or it'll turn into something very awkward indeed very quickly. *Rating: Wait, What? *(NBC, Thursdays at 9:30)
Once Upon A Time in Wonderland
Apparently, ABC's Once Upon A Time has proved successful enough to launch a spin-off with an almost identical title, but rooted in one very specific fictional mythology. Whether Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland tales will be enough to replace the crossover charms of the original Once Upon A Time's mash-up of all manner of kids' tales remains to be seen, but as long as the new show continues to blur reality and fiction while adding a dollop of thwarted romance, I suspect many viewers will be willing to go through the looking glass nonetheless. *Rating: Wait, What? *(ABC, Thursdays at 8.)
Sleepy Hollow
I would have loved to have been at the pitch meeting for this new Fox series. "Okay, so you know the story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman? I've worked out what it's missing. A time-travel conspiracy element that brings Crane and the Horseman to the modern day and then sends them on a National Treasure-esque trip across the country to uncover hidden clues left in patriotic locationss in order to defeat each other." [pause] "You're hired!" The surreal high concept of the show is the appeal of the show, however; if the series can get the tone right, then perhaps Sleepy Hollow could end up becoming a favorite destination after all. Rating: Wait, What? (Fox, Mondays at 9.)
