No Ordinary Family

Upfronts news continues to roll in, and now we have some big updates about ABC's fall lineup. First, the bad news: ABC has canceled V, Brothers & Sisters, No Ordinary Family, Off the Map, Mr. Sunshine, and Detroit 187. With the exception of Brothers & Sisters and V, the casualties were all within their first seasons.

And now, the good news: Happy Endings has been renewed! The midseason show just got its start in April, but it's gained a decent amount of fans and ratings and will be back for a second season. In addition, Body of Proof has also just been renewed.

Photo copyright 2011 ABC, Inc.

As we get deeper into the Fall TV season, the networks have been cleaning house. ABC recently announced that it's pulling The Whole Truth from its schedule, but there's still good news: the network is also giving full season orders to No Ordinary Family and one of my series to watch, Better With You. Looks like I have some new additions to my Fall TV scorecard!

Photo copyright 2010 ABC, Inc.

My pilot scoops are here to give you a feel for the new TV shows you may be giving a chance to come Fall, and today I'm taking aim at ABC's family drama No Ordinary Family.

What it's about: The Powell family is a disconnected bunch, and in an attempt to bring everyone closer, father Jim (Michael Chiklis) proposes a vacation to the Amazon. When their plane crashes, a phosphorescence in the water imbues them each with a different super power (for instance, mom Stephanie (Julie Benz) gets speed, and daughter Daphne gets telepathy). In the pilot, we see the family's myriad problems with each other, the development of their abilities, and the struggle to understand what the new powers mean. Two vets from my favorite shows also star: Weeds's Romany Malco and The O.C.'s Autumn Reeser.

Where it works: If I can't have Julie Benz on Dexter, I'll gladly take her here, as a warm, sympathetic mother (who's less clueless than Rita). Plus, the construct of the superpowers as a means to bring this family closer is a definite heart warmer.

Where it doesn't: The pilot is trying to be too many things to too many people. It wants to be a family show and make each character relatable, but instead each one becomes a cliche. Namely, Stephanie is the classic conflicted working mother torn between job and family, and her teenager Daphne is a bundle of angst. We've seen all this before, so they're really going to have to break out of predictable character arcs to keep people interested.

Am I hooked? I have to say, I was only vaguely interested in the pilot, but when the news came out that Twilight star Jackson Rathbone is joining the cast, its stock shot way up. There may be a place for it on my DVR after all.

When is it on: No Ordinary Family premieres on Tuesday, September 28 at 8 p.m.

To see some photos and a preview clip, just read more

Jackson Rathbone, better known as Jasper from Twilight, is moving on from the Cullen clan. The actor has just nabbed a part in the upcoming Fall series No Ordinary Family, which stars Michael Chiklis and Julie Benz. Rathbone will play a high school student who befriends the telepathic daughter of Chilklis and Benz, and — teenage love interest alert — it could be a recurring role.

I've been giving you the 411 on the most talked-about TV shows coming at you this Fall, and today I have yet another series to plug: No Ordinary Family.

• Who's in it: Michael Chiklis of The Shield is Jim, the patriarch of the Powell family; Dexter's Julie Benz costars as his wife, and Kay Panabaker (Fame) and Jimmy Bennett (Star Trek) play their kids.
• What it's about: In an attempt to reconnect with their children (and with each other), the Powells decide to go on vacation. But when their plane crashes over the Amazon River, the chemicals in the water leave the family members with superpowers.
• Why it caught my attention: Several critics are touting this as a live-action version of The Incredibles, which seems to bode well — especially in the wake of the cancellation of Heroes when many viewers may be hankering for their superhero fix. Plus, it also stars Romany Malco, who cracked me up in The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
• Show most likely to: Make me nostalgic for The Secret World of Alex Mack.

To check out a preview of the show, just read more