2012 Pilot Scoop

Watch out, Zoe Hart, there's a new doctor coming to The CW. Mamie Gummer (daughter of Meryl Streep!) headlines Emily Owens, M.D. as a former high school nerd who's ready to make a fresh start in her first year as a doctor. Unfortunately, her teenage nemesis is working at the same hospital, standing in the way of Emily's dreams of leaving her dorky past behind her. Get the scoop on the show before tonight's premiere!

• What it's about: Emily Owens couldn't be more excited for her first day as a doctor, especially when she spies her med school crush, Will (Justin Hartley), in the locker room. As we learn from her inner monologue, Emily is ready to embrace adulthood and get her personal life together. Will's not the only familiar face at her new hospital, though; she soon learns that a high school mean girl named Cassandra (Aja Naomi King) will be working right by her side.
• Where it works: Gummer is delightfully awkward to watch and feels like a breath of fresh air on a network that includes effortlessly put-together characters on shows like Gossip Girl and 90210. There are also plenty of supporting players, ensuring that the series isn't completely dependent on Emily's crush on Will or her rivalry with Cassandra; Michael Rady (whom you may recognize from Melrose Place) is perfect as an endearing, sweet resident; Kelly McCreary plays Tyra, who just may be one of Emily's only allies at the hospital.
• Where it doesn't: There's a good balance of comedy and drama here, but some of the medical aspects feel contrived. Emily bonds with a young patient in the pilot (she's the only one who can get through to her thanks to her bedside manner), and it feels like something we've seen a million times before. In general, the mix of personalities and entanglements are very familiar, so this might not be your new show if you're looking for something fresh.
• When it's on: Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on The CW.
• You might like this show if: You wish Grey's Anatomy would be rebooted with a new cast.

To see more pictures and watch a clip of Emily Owens, M.D., just read more

The CW is known for giving love to its veteran talent, which is why it comes as no surprise that Smallville star Kristin Kreuk is making her return to the network this Fall. Once again she'll be tackling a familiar story, but she's transitioning from comic books to fairy tales with Beauty and the Beast. Get the lowdown before the show premieres tonight!

• What it's about: Kreuk stars as Catherine, a bartender who bears witness to her mother's brutal murder, but is saved from harm by a mysterious animal. Fast forward a few years, and Catherine is a homicide detective. Her past comes back to haunt her when a new case leads her right to the "animal" that saved her life years ago. (Spoiler alert: it's actually a hot guy named Vincent (Jay Ryan) who turns into a monster when he loses his temper.)
• Where it works: Kreuk is adorable and Ryan is sexy enough, but other than that, there's not much to get excited about here.
• Where it doesn't: Not only is the pilot slow-moving, but it's filled with dialogue that's so cheesy it feels like a parody of a crime show. (I give you: "You look pretty good for a dead guy.") It also seems like a procedural, which is confusing since the real story here is clearly the relationship between Catherine and Vincent. As for those two: there's not enough sizzle between them to get me hooked on the show, and Vincent's transformation into the beast is a little too reminiscent of The Incredible Hulk — and not in a good way.
• When it's on: Thursdays at 9 p.m. on The CW
• You might like this show if: You wish Grimm was more cheesy and romantic.

Watch a preview of Beauty and the Beast when you read more

The CW is adding an action-packed superhero drama to its Fall slate with Arrow, based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow. Stephen Amell plays the hooded archer, who is a vigilante by night and a rich playboy by day. Keep reading to find out if the series sounds like something you may want to watch when it premieres tonight.

• What it's about: Oliver Queen (Amell) resurfaces a few years after being presumed dead in a shipwreck. When he's returned to his home, he has a big secret: he learned quite a few deadly skills on the island he was marooned on (including the titular bow and arrow), which he can now use to fight crime. What happened to him on the island isn't the only skeleton in his closet, though; before he disappeared, he was an irresponsible party boy cheating on his girlfriend (Katie Cassidy).
• Where it works: The action of the pilot is exciting, especially Amell's physical feats when he's acting as his alter ego. Plus, his scandalous backstory is as soapy as the other guilty-pleasure shows The CW is known for.
• Where it doesn't: Cassidy and Amell don't have much chemistry, and it's clear that he's supposed to want her back, even though she's understandably angry at him. Also, Oliver's disguise mostly consists of a hoodie, which doesn't exactly create a shroud of mystery.
• When it's on: Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on The CW.
• You might like this show if: You hate waiting for a new superhero movie to come out.

See some pictures and a preview of Arrow after the jump.

Musical TV series are all the rage right now, so it's no surprise that ABC is getting in on the action with new series Nashville. The drama stars TV veterans Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere as a pair of singers that butt heads when their record label tries to bring them together, while also giving us a peek at what happens behind the scenes of the country music industry. Read up before the show premieres on Thursday.

• What it's about: Set in the country music capital, Nashville follows a handful of musicians (and their connections) as they struggle to make it (or just stay afloat) in the industry. Britton leads the pack as Rayna James, an aging superstar who's losing fans to younger, sexier singers like bratty Juliette Barnes (Panettiere). As Rayna struggles to keep her family and career intact, Juliette's wrestling with her own demons and family issues, and we learn that she's really just a kid beneath her sassy exterior.
• Where it works: If you're a fan of American Horror Story or Friday Night Lights, you know what a joy it is to see Britton in action. She's a perfect fit for Rayna, whom you root for but never pity, even when her manager tries to force her to tour with Juliette to sell records. To that point, Panettiere is well cast as Rayna's biggest threat, and the tension between the two is fun to watch. The music is also woven in pretty seamlessly, which is a refreshing change from shows like Glee and Smash.
• Where it doesn't: We're introduced to a lot of characters in the pilot (which isn't a bad thing), but a lot of the guys look the same, and as silly as it sounds, it made it difficult to keep all the story lines straight. There's also a political story line involving Rayna's father and husband, which felt like an unnecessary (and frankly, boring) subplot.
• When it's on: Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC
• You might like this show if: You thought Country Strong would work better as a TV show than a movie.

To watch a preview and see pictures of Nashville, just read more

666 Park Avenue is one of ABC's most riveting freshman series, and we got a sneak peek of the pilot, which debuts tonight. The Manhattan-based mystery stars Lost's Terry O'Quinn and Vanessa Williams as devious apartment building owners, and Brothers & Sisters' Dave Annable and Rachael Taylor play the unwitting couple who become the building's newest targets.

• What it's about: Jane (Taylor) and Henry (Annable) are the new caretakers of the Drake, a historic apartment building on New York's Upper East Side. The seemingly perfect gig comes with an amazing apartment of their own, but the setup may not be as wonderful as it appears. The Drake isn't merely old, creaky, and creepy — the building's residents are struggling with issues of the evil, supernatural variety.
• Where it works: There's no shortage of dramatic and creepy sequences (secret rooms! Murderous elevators! Petty thieves!) in the pilot, and with all the number of plot points introduced, they have plenty of material to work with throughout the series. O'Quinn and Williams have proven themselves to be prime-time superstars, but they play particularly well off each other as the building's devious owners.
• Where it doesn't: Aside from Jane, Henry, and the owners, the pilot introduces a lot of characters, and it can be a little confusing about who is who, which people live in the building, and what their issues are. I'm hoping that as the series goes on, it will get a little less scattered.
• When it's on: Sundays at 10 p.m.
• You might like this show if: American Horror Story is too graphic for you.

To see a preview and some photos from 666 Park Avenue, just keep reading.

Sherlock Holmes is a timeless character who gets frequent updates, and CBS is bringing its own version of the literary detective to life this Fall with Elementary. There are a few twists: the sleuth, played by Brit Jonny Lee Miller, is a recovering addict who lives in present-day Brooklyn, and his Watson is a lady, played by Lucy Liu. To find out whether this reimagining is going to be your cup of tea, just check out my assessment.

• What it's about: Holmes is an addict who has just left rehab, and he's been assigned a sponsor who will live with him as he transitions from his rehab facility: Joan Watson, a former surgeon. Holmes spends his time as a consultant for the NYPD, using his considerable intelligence and intuition to help them solve crimes. Though the Holmes/Watson relationship is initially to serve his recovery, Watson finds that she likes tagging along at crime scenes and helping. Thus, the team is born.
• Where it works: Miller is fantastic as a twitchy but brilliant Holmes, and while he makes the character his own, he shares the rakish charm of another famous Sherlock: Robert Downey Jr. It's so mesmerizing watching the detective put the puzzle pieces together that you may enjoy this show even if you're not a fan of traditional procedurals. Miller also has some nice romantic chemistry with Liu, which past Sherlock/Watson pairs can't really boast about.
• Where it doesn't: The pop culture landscape might be a little too saturated with Sherlock Holmes stories right now, especially considering that the BBC's Sherlock is also set in modern day.
• When it's on: Thursdays at 10 p.m. on NBC.
• You might like this show if: You like crime-fighting duos with sexual tension à la Bones and Castle.

Watch a preview for Elementary after the jump.

ABC is putting an extraterrestrial spin on the fish-out-of-water story with its new Fall sitcom The Neighbors. The comedy stars Jami Gertz and Lenny Venito as the parents of a typical American family who move to a new area only to find that there's something a little off about their new neighbors. And by that I mean they're all aliens. Here's what you need to know before tonight's premiere.

• What it's about: Marty (Venito) and Debbie Weaver (Gertz) relocate their three children from the city to the New Jersey suburbs. Things start off well when they're welcomed by the somewhat odd neighbors, until they find out that the whole community is actually a colony of aliens who have been stuck on Earth for over a decade. Following an initial freakout, the Weavers discover that not only are their alien neighbors friendly, but they also suffer from the same types of family and marital issues as humans.
• Where it works: A few of the alien rituals and quirks are amusing, such as the fact that the extraterrestrials have named themselves after famous athletes, like Larry Bird and Reggie Jackson.
• Where it doesn't: The concept is so ridiculous that it feels like even the actors know it. Also, much of the pilot revolves around the head alien family and how the husband and wife have adopted gender dynamics from the 1960s. It doesn't really make sense, and it's also unfunny.
• When it's on: Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. on ABC
• You might like this show if: You'd like to see a mashup of The X-Files and Suburgatory.

To watch a preview and see pictures of The Neighbors, just read more

This Fall, Fox is adding a couple of new comedies to its slate. In addition to The Mindy Project, there's Ben and Kate, which is about a pair of siblings (Nat Faxon and Dakota Johnson) who rely on each other as adults as much as they did when they were kids dealing with their parents' messy divorce. Find out whether the sitcom is one you'll want to be watching when it premieres tonight.

• What it's about: Ben (Faxon) is the lovable screwup older brother of Kate (Johnson), a single mom to a young daughter, Maddie. He makes a habit of showing up to crash on their couch and then disappearing, but this time, Ben decides he wants to stick around and help Kate raise Maddie.
• Where it works: The humor is silly but fun, and Faxon and Johnson are very cute and funny as brother and sister, whether they're clashing or bonding. And they're not the only good parts of the cast; little Maggie Elizabeth Jones (you may remember her from We Bought a Zoo), who plays Kate's daughter, is adorable, while British comedienne Lucy Punch adds a bit of edgy humor as Kate's sassy friend.
• Where it doesn't: There's not much of a story to get invested in; the pilot introduces romantic plot lines for both Ben and Kate and then quickly disposes of them, so I'm not sure what an entire season would be about.
• When it's on: Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. on Fox
• You might like this show if: You like the goofiness of Happy Endings and the warmth of Modern Family.

See some photos and watch a preview of Ben and Kate after the jump.

Mindy Kaling is saying goodbye to NBC's The Office and settling into a new place of employment over on Fox — and this time she's the boss. The funny lady is executive producing and starring in The Mindy Project, in which she plays an OB/GYN in her early 30s named (you guessed it) Mindy, who's as obsessed with romantic comedies as she is romance. Get the details on the show before tonight's premiere.

• What it's about: Mindy is a successful, hard-working doctor, but she's less accomplished in her love life. Her rom-com dreams are dashed when her boyfriend (Bill Hader) dumps her and marries someone else. She pursues dating, but it's predictably messy. She hooks up with the hospital lothario (Ed Weeks) and flirts spars with another fellow doctor (Chris Messina), all while venting to her best friend, Gwen (Anna Camp).
• Where it works: Kaling's comedy style breathes new life into the hapless-single-girl shtick; I laughed out loud throughout the pilot. Plus, the show is light and fun, with fashion eye candy to spare (and male eye candy — Weeks and Messina are both adorable).
• Where it doesn't: I'm not sure I love the hospital setting. The dating antics Mindy gets into are funny enough, but the workplace drama with her patients doesn't add anything but distraction.
• When it's on: Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. on Fox
• You might like this show if: You love Sex and the City. Mindy's got the funny lines, pink drinks, and a little Carrie Bradshaw in her.

To see a preview and view pictures of The Mindy Project, just keep reading.

Jordana Spiro returns to TV this Fall, but now the My Boys star is making the move from cable to network television. She's also a long way away from comedy, as Fox's new drama The Mob Doctor blends the genres of mafia and medical shows. Read on to find out if you should get your DVR programmed or not for tonight's premiere.

• What it's about: Grace (Spiro) is a gifted surgeon who loves her family almost as much as her job. Her loyalty comes with a price, though: to help pay off her brother's debts, Grace must act as the unofficial doctor for the gangsters that are prepared to hang him out to dry otherwise. She's able to stay strong and keep her commitments separate, but when the two worlds collide, she's faced with some serious moral dilemmas.
• Where it works: I was skeptical of how the mob world and medical world would be knitted together, but the pilot actually strikes a nice balance between the two. The drama is definitely heavier on the family/mafia side, though — it's hard to care too much about Grace's patients. That said, her relationship with a fellow doc (Zach Gilford) is a nice touch, if not a little too predictable.
• Where it doesn't: Seeing Grace treat criminals in secret random warehouses is a bit hokey, especially as she's quickly paged back to the hospital to return to her regular career; it almost feels like she's a morally ambiguous superhero. It also makes it hard to wrap your head around how long she can really go on living a double life before she loses her medical license.
• When it's on: Mondays at 9 p.m. on Fox
• You might like this show if: You're interested in a medical show with a fresh angle.

To watch a preview of The Mob Doctor plus a preview, just read more