The Daily Star - Stay Tuned
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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, September 2, 2011 2 coverstory Going for a touchdown NBC fall sure to carry it over the line By Rosalyn Stevens TV Media H ere we go again -- the leaves will soon be changing, the kids are heading back to school and one by one, major networks are announcing their slate of new and returning programs for the fall. In NBC's case, the lineup is sure to be a winner. With seven new programs ready to air and casts that are sure to turn heads, the fall television season can't start soon enough for NBC. Football fans are the first to get what they want, with a special kick-off celebration for the NFL season happening just before the first game, on Thursday, Sept. 8. The first ac- tion since a league lockout will see the New Orleans Saints pay a visit to the de- fending Super-Bowl champs Green Bay Packers. An off- season lockout had many fans -- and players -- worried about the season, but thank- fully the dispute was settled and a new collective bargain- ing agreement was accepted by players in early August. From there, NBC is off and running with a fall lineup that has the potential to keep you glued to the tube. There's no shortage of funny this fall, and that kicks off with the se- ries premiere of "Up All Night," starring Christine Ap- plegate and Will Arnett, on lives. Starring Kathryn Hahn and Hank Azaria, the series follows a pair of public-rela- tions professionals through the adventures and mishaps of romance on the second time around. "The Biggest Loser" re- The NFL season was not affected by the lockout, and the first kickoff of the season will happen on Thursday, Sept. 8 Wednesday, Sept. 14. New parents Reagan and Chris deal with sleep deprivation and a changed relationship while trying to find a balance between family and work. Successful career woman Reagan (Applegate) struggles to please her demanding boss (Maya Rudolph). That leaves husband Chris at home with the baby. Debuting that same eve- ning is "Free Agents," a ro- mantic comedy about two re- lationship "train wrecks," who try to sort out their love turns Tuesday, Sept. 20 with Season 12. Hosted by Alison Sweeney, the show welcomes tennis pro Anna Kournikova as the new trainer, joining Bob Harper and replacing Jil- lian Michaels. Contestants give their all to the battle of the bulge, hoping to be de- clared the season's biggest loser after 21 weeks of body- busting workouts and life- style changes some had never dreamed of. Last season's winner, 35-year-old Olivia, lost 129 lbs. on the show. The Biggest Loser Club will also continue this season, offering meal plans and workout sug- gestions to those following along at home. One of the most highly an- ticipated returns this year is "The Office," now without the beloved character Mi- chael Scott, played by Steve Carell. Rumors have been running rampant as to who just might be in line to step into the manager's office, but nothing has been confirmed. Will Ferrell joined the show for four episodes last season and was rumored to be Carell's replacement. But last month, James Spader, who plays Robert California in the series, came as close as any- one to letting the cat out of A/Auto Boutique B/The Green Giraffe 2 x 2 the bag. The answer? No one. "They didn't just want to bring in a new Michael Scott," he told Entertainment Weekly. "There's not an at- tempt to fill his shoes." Instead, he said, the show is expected to focus on the lives of the staff of Dunder Mifflin. And there's lots to cel- ebrate this year on set, as the show has been nominated for three more Emmys. Two new cop dramas join the lineup this year, with "Prime Suspect" debuting Thursday, Sept. 22. Maria Bel- lo plays Det. Jane Timoney, who transfers into an all-male precinct, but rumors taint her arrival after it's made public that she had an affair with her boss. While she works hard to earn the respect of her fellow officers, Timoney becomes known as a woman with a questionable past who can be bossy, rude and some- times reckless. Turning to the darker side, "Grimm" puts a unique twist on the modern cop show genre. David Giuntoli plays Det. Nick Burkhardt, who be- gins his new job working ho- micide in Portland, Ore. Things change when he starts to see things no one else can, and he learns he's not like everyone else -- he is a descendant of a unique group of hunters, known as The Grimms. His task? To keep get rid of super- natural creatures wandering among us. This eerie new se- ries premieres Wednesday, Sept. 22. Chirstopher's Coins 2 x 2 hollywoodQ&A By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Why did the Syfy channel cancel "Caprica"? My wife and I loved that show. A: Unfortunately it's nothing terribly complex -- certainly nothing nearly as complicated as the "Battlestar Galactica" prequel's backstory -- it was just the television age-old question of ratings. "We appreciate all the support that fans have shown for 'Caprica' and are very proud of the producers, cast, writers and the rest of the amazing team that has been committed to this fine series," Syfy executive Mark Stern announced in October 2010. "Unfortunately, despite its obvious quality, 'Caprica' has not been able to build the audience necessary to justify a second season." The news came with quite a few episodes of the first sea- son still left to air, and though Syfy did yank the show from its schedule immediately, it aired the remaining five instal- ments a few months later, in January (however, the series aired as scheduled on Space in Canada). The show premiered less than a year after the end of the "Battlestar Galactica" reboot that it spun off from, but failed to generate the huge (for cable, anyway) numbers of its parent series. A/Crazy Tom's B/Allstar Auto Wash 2 x 3 Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. P not be provided. ersonal replies will