The Daily Star - Stay Tuned
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coverstory Big names, big drama Networks roll out promising new programs The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, August 23, 2013 By Shona Dustan TV Media F all is always an exciting time for television, and this year is no exception. As the major networks prepare to roll out their freshman dramas, viewers have some familiar stories and famous faces to look forward to. Possibly the most anticipated premiere of the season is ABC's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," premiering Tuesday, Sept. 24. Spinning off from Marvel's uber-successful super hero films, the Joss Whedon-helmed show stars Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson and will pick up where "The Avengers" film (2012) left off. The Marvel fans among you will remember that Agent Coulson was, in fact, killed in the film, so how can he be starring in a spinoff? Coulson's miraculous return is a mystery thus far, but showrunners promise that the reality of the show won't conflict with the reality of "The Avengers" movie or with any of the Marvel mediums. "Marvel is one universe," said executive producer Jeff Loeb in a statement. "We'll try to follow the continuity as best we can." Gregg isn't the only one reprising his film role on the small screen. Cobie Smulders ("How I Met Your Mother") will also return as Agent Maria Hill in the pilot episode. Don't worry, though, you won't need to be an expert in the Marvel universe to enjoy the show. Producer Jeffrey Bell pointed out that they "hope this is big and broad enough for everybody, but ... there are specific things that Marvel fans will recognize." Also on ABC this fall is "Betrayal," a romance-drama based on a Dutch series "Overspel" that chronicles a secret and elicit affair between a photographer and a lawyer from a well-connected family. It pre- James Spader as seen in "The Blacklist" mieres Sunday, Sept. 29. The stars of "Betrayal" have also frequented the silver screen: Henry Thomas ("Gangs of New York," 2002), Stuart Townsend ("Queen of the Damned," 2002) and James Cromwell ("L.A. Confidential," 1997) are among the top billed. Rounding out ABC's fall premieres are "Lucky 7," an ensemble drama about seven co-workers who win the lottery (Tuesday, Sept. 24), and "Once Upon a Time In Wonderland," the much-anticipated spinoff of ABC successful fairy-tale drama, "Once Upon a Time" (Thursday, Oct. 10). CBS — the No. 1 network for television drama — has only one drama premiering this season, but it's a promising one. "Hostages" will star small-screen veteran Dylan McDermott ("The Practice") as a rogue FBI agent who has taken the family of the president's doctor hostage. Toni Collette stars as said doctor, and she couldn't be more thrilled. Of seeing the script for the first time, she said: "I found it really exciting to read. It really was a page-turner. I couldn't put it down." Complex characters and ambiguous motives set "Hostages" up to be yet another success for CBS. It premieres Monday, Sept. 23. The peacock network is rolling out a few dramas of its own this season. NBC's heaviest hitter this year will be "The Blacklist," starring James Spader ("Lincoln," 2012) as Red, a criminal at the top of the FBI's "Most Wanted" list, which premieres Monday, Sept. 23. When Red inexplicably turns himself in, he agrees to help bring down other criminals and terrorists on one condition: that he deals only with rookie Agent Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone, "Step Up Revolution," 2012). The mystery of why the enigmatic Red will only work with Agent Keen will be slowly unraveled as the characters work to solve other crimes, and the first season will feature the likes of Parminder Nagra ("ER") and Isabella Rossellini ("Blue Velvet," 1986). Viewers will have to wait until October to catch NBC's other premieres: "Ironside," a reboot of the classic cop drama, premieres Wednesday, Oct. 2, while "Dracula," a new take on the old classic starring Hollywood heartthrob Jonathan Rhys Meyers ("Match Point," 2005) as the titular baddie, will begin Friday, Oct. 25. Fox has only one September debut up its sleeve — "Sleepy Hollow," a dark, sci-fi-ish update of the tale of the Headless Horseman premieres Monday, Sept. 16, and stars "Lost in Austen's" Tom Mison as Ichabod Crane. Fox, in a move that is either very smart or sort of cowardly, has avoided premiering it's new series alongside those of other networks. You'll have to wait a few months for its only other drama debut this year. "Almost Human" might be coming late to the party, but it boasts a killer cast and a premise that's so strange it just might work. From the brain of J.J. Abrams comes this "buddy cop" series starring Karl Urban ("Star Trek Into Darkness," 2013) as a cop who's part machine and Michael Ealy ("Seven Pounds," 2008) as his partner, a human-like android. The first episode of "Almost Human" will air Monday, Nov. 4, on Fox. The CW will wait until October to air its new dramas. Last spring, fans caught a glimpse of one of them — "The Originals," a spinoff of "The Vampire Diaries" set to focus on the lives of the first family of vampires — in what's known as a "backdoor pilot." In an episode of "The Vampire Diaries" appropriately titled "The Originals," vampire siblings Klaus and Elijah established themselves in New Orleans, where the new series will take place. The spinoff will officially debut Thursday, Oct. 3. The new mutant-drama "The Tomorrow People," premiering Wednesday, Oct. 9, will focus on a group of young people who have ascended to the next stage of human evolution and possess a variety of special powers. "Reign," kicking off Thursday, Oct. 17, is an imaginative retelling of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. It seems like there will be something for everyone on TV this fall. Don't forget to tune in — and keep tuning in — to the shows you hope will last. Chirstopher's Coins 2x2 hollywoodQ&A By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: I was watching a rerun of "The Office" and saw that a role was played by Nancy Walls. Isn't she Steve Carell's wife? A: She is. The two met when they were both part of the famed Second City comedy troupe in Chicago, and they've worked together a number of times since. However, it took a while. The two were married in 1995, but didn't work together (on screen, at least) until 2005, both in Carell's breakout film, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," and in his already-popular sitcom "The Office." Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. B/ Yoders 2x2 A/Krazy Tom's B/State FarmMelisa Manikas 2x3