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TV Tonight: "Prison Break" and "K-Ville"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 15:03:01 PDT

Fox is using Sunday's Emmy awards to dive headfirst into the Fall TV season. Technically, I suppose things kicked off with Friday's premiere of "Nashville," but tonight the heat is really on with the start of the season's first new scripted drama and the return of a fan favorite.

"Prison Break" kicks things off at 8 p.m., and I know a lot of Buzz readers are ready for it. I always thought of "Prison Break" as a show with a premise that could last only one season - two at most - so I'm amazed to see it headed into its third installment, seemingly stronger than ever. This season finds the guys needing to break out again, this time because they're trapped in a notorious Panamanian prison, and I'm curious to find out how they squirm out of their predicament this time.

Tonight also brings the premiere of "K-Ville," a show I'm finding myself rooting for despite being somewhat disappointed by the pilot. The show is filmed in New Orleans, and its cast and crew have been exploring the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina both on screen and in their daily lives. The physical and psychological effects of disaster lie at the heart of "K-Ville," and no doubt there's a lot of emotional territory to be mined there. But the pilot wrapped up stories too quickly for my taste and fell victim to a hearty dose of cop-show cliches. A bright spot, though, was Anthony Anderson's performance as disillusioned cop Martin Boulet, which earned the show at least a few more weeks on my viewing schedule.

To watch a clip from tonight's episode of "Prison Break" and a trailer for "K-Ville," just

Photos courtesy of Fox

Watch "K-Ville" - Right Here, Right Now

BuzzSugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 05:30:00 PDT

I'm very curious about the new Fox show "K-Ville," which focuses on police officers in post-Katrina New Orleans. I didn't completely adore the pilot, but there was enough good about it - especially lead actor Anthony Anderson - that I'm eager to check out other episodes once the show premieres next month.

The first episode will air Sept. 17, but thanks to a cool promotion, you can watch it now, commercial-free. And you even have options: For one, you can head over to the network's new Fox on Demand site. For another, you can watch the full episode right here on Buzz, as long as you do it before Aug. 31.

I highly recommend the second option, so if you want to check out "K-Ville" right now, just

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Photo and video courtesy of Fox

Pilot Watch: "K-Ville"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 08:30:00 PDT

The networks have announced their fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? Throughout the summer, as I watch the pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. Note that a lot can change before a show actually makes it to air, so these aren't comprehensive reviews, just quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: Fox's "K-Ville."

What's it about? This story about police officers in post-Katrina New Orleans centers on Marlin Boulet, a cop whose partner deserted him during the storm, and his new partner, Trevor Cobb, who has come to New Orleans from the Army to get a fresh start.

Who's in it? Anthony Anderson of "The Shield," Cole Hauser, Maximiliano Hernndez, Blake Shields, Tawny Cypress, John Carroll Lynch

The good: Anthony Anderson makes Marlin an appealing main character, a cop with questionable morals and traumatic memories of the hurricane who always seems just on the edge of a nervous breakdown. The New Orleans details are tastefully done and revealing, and it's impressive to see a show tackle a contemporary problem whose ultimate outcome is still unknown.

The bad: So many mysteries were solved and secrets revealed in the pilot that it felt like a movie, not a show; I couldn't imagine what other stories the series could explore. The officers who weren't Marlin or Trevor seemed like afterthoughts.

Will I watch? I'll give it an episode or two, at least.

To watch a video preview and see a gallery of photos,

Get a Sneak Peek of the New Fox Shows!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 23:30:28 PDT

Thanks to Fox, we now have sneak previews of that network's new fall shows, to add to the clips we've already seen from ABC, NBC, CBS and the CW. I'm eager to hear what you think of these clips, so get watching!

"New Amsterdam" (pictured above)
I still think this story of an immortal detective is the strangest of Fox's shows.

"The Return of Jezebel James"
Somehow, I think this would be much better without the laugh track.

I've got clips from the other Fox shows plus lots of photos, so

read more "Back to You I must admit, I do kind of like Kelsey Grammer. "Canterbury's Law" "Sarah Connor Chronicles" I wonder if you have to be really into the Terminator movies to like this? "K-Ville" "The Rules for Starting Over" I wonder when I'll stop seeing Rashida as Karen from "The Office"? "K-Ville"

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"New Amsterdam"

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"Back to You"

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"Canterbury's Law"

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"The Return of Jezebel James"

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"Sarah Connor Chronicles"

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"The Rules for Starting Over"

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Photos and video courtesy of Fox

The Fox Fall Schedule: My Take

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 13:35:07 PDT

Now that I've had a while to think through the new Fox fall schedule, I have some thoughts on which news is good, which is bad and which is still a little baffling. Take a spin through my list, then let me know what you think. (Don't forget to look at my thoughts on the ABC, NBC and CBS schedules, too!)

"The Rules for Starting Over," starring Rashida Jones, got picked up for midseason - so do you think Karen's going to corporate tonight?
At first glance, Fox's schedule looked like such a confusing jumble that I wasn't sure I understood what they were doing - but on second thought, I think parts of it could be brilliant. One of the big problems with TV this year was shows being split up by lots and lots of midseason repeats, losing their momentum (and viewers) along the way. Fox seems to want to run more shows straight through ("24" style) and replace them with a new show when the episodes run out, and I think that's a good move. On the other hand, moving so many shows around to new time slots midseason just seems like a way to frustrate viewers.

For the moment. there's no mention of "American Idol" being on Thursdays at all next year; the current schedule would keep it at a maximum of two nights per week. Fingers crossed.

A few more thoughts, so

I'm not usually a cop show kind of gal, but "K-Ville" actually intrigues me. It's the first fictional show to be set in post-Katrina New Orleans, and I hope the series comes up with an appropriate and interesting way to show the hurricane's aftermath.
Julianna Margulies was one of my favorites on "ER" back in the day, so I'm glad she's back with her own show. "Canterbury's Law," though, doesn't sound like appointment TV for me.
Fox had more shows marked "working title" than any other network this week. "The Return of Jezebel James," "The Search for the Next Great American Band," "The Rules for Starting Over" and "Nashville" all could be getting new names before they premiere. (Thank goodness.)
Speaking of "Jezebel James," I'm so glad I'll get to see this show - and with Lauren Ambrose in the cast, most of the core "Six Feet Under" cast (Peter Krause, Rachel Griffiths, Michael C. Hall) will be back on TV somewhere.
I cannot believe "New Amsterdam" got picked up, I really can't. I like Lasse Hallstrom's films, but this show just sounds baffling.

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Fox Adds Something New for Every Night of the Week

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 12:40:09 PDT

Fox closed out Upfronts today by announcing 10 new shows, including the New Orleans cop tale "K-Ville" (pictured above), the band-focused "American Idol" spinoff, and the immortal detective story "New Amsterdam." Six of the new series will premiere in the fall, before the network shuffles its schedule in the spring to make room for four more new shows plus "American Idol" and "24."

Among returning shows, here's a sampling of the big news:

"House" is one of the few shows staying put in its time slot all season. "Prison Break" will take a midseason hiatus, and "Bones" will start on Wednesdays, then later move to Fridays.
"'Til Death" will return on Wednesdays and will get to reclaim its post-"Idol" slot in the spring.
"Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?" got a full-season order and will kick off the Thursday night lineup. Ugh!

Here's the network's official press release, and to see the schedule and read descriptions of the new shows,

read more All caps = new show MONDAY (Fall) 8-9 p.m. "Prison Break" 9-10 p.m. "K-VILLE" MONDAY (January) 8-9 p.m. "K-VILLE" 9-10 p.m. "24" MONDAY (Spring) 8-9 p.m. "Prison Break" 9-10 p.m. "24" TUESDAY (fall) 8-9 p.m. "NEW AMSTERDAM" 9-10 p.m. "House" TUESDAY (January and Spring) 8-9 p.m. "American Idol" 9-10 p.m. "House" WEDNESDAY (Fall) 8-8:30 p.m. "BACK TO YOU" 8:30-9 p.m. "'Til Death" 9-10 p.m. "Bones" WEDNESDAY (January) 8-8:30 p.m. "BACK TO YOU" 8:30-9 p.m. "'Til Death" 9-10 p.m. "American Idol" WEDNESDAY (Spring) 8-8:30 p.m. "BACK TO YOU" 8:30-9 p.m. "THE RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES" 9-9:30 p.m. "American Idol" results show 9:30-10 p.m. "'Til Death" THURSDAY (Fall) 8-9 p.m. "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?" 9-10 p.m. "KITCHEN NIGHTMARES" THURSDAY (January and Spring) 8-9 p.m. "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?" 9-10 p.m. "CANTERBURY'S LAW" FRIDAY (Fall) 8-9 p.m. "THE SEARCH FOR THE NEXT GREAT AMERICAN BAND" 9-10 p.m. "NASHVILLE" FRIDAY (Spring) 8-9 p.m. "Bones" 9-10 p.m. "NEW AMSTERDAM" SATURDAY (all year) 8-9 p.m. "Cops" 9-10 p.m. "America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back" 11 p.m.-midnight "MadTV" midnight-12:30 a.m. "Talk Show with Spike Feresten" SUNDAY (Fall) 7-8 p.m. "The OT" (NFL post-game) 8-8:30 p.m. "The Simpsons" 8:30-9 p.m. "King of the Hill" 9-9:30 p.m. "Family Guy" 9:30-10 p.m. "American Dad" SUNDAY (Spring) 7-7:30 p.m. "King of the Hill" 7:30-8 p.m. "American Dad" 8-8:30 p.m. "The Simpsons" 8:30-9 p.m. "Family Guy" 9-10 p.m. "THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES" Fox also picked up "The Rules for Starting Over" as a midseason replacement show. Whew! Now, here's how Fox describes the new shows: "K-Ville" From writer and executive producer Jonathan Lisco ("NYPD Blue," "The District") comes a heroic police drama set in New Orleans. Two years after Katrina, the city is still in chaos. Many cops have quit, and the jails, police stations and crime labs still haven't been properly rebuilt. But the cops who remain have courage to burn and a passion to reclaim and rebuild their city. MARLIN BOULET (Anthony Anderson, "The Departed," "The Shield") is a brash, funny, in-your-face veteran of the NOPD's Felony Action Squad, the specialized unit that targets the most-wanted criminals. Even when his partner deserted him during the storm, Boulet held his post, spending days in the water saving lives and keeping order. Now he's unapologetic about bending the rules when it comes to collaring bad guys. Boulet's new partner, TREVOR COBB (Cole Hauser, "The Break-Up," "ER"), was a soldier in Afghanistan before joining the NOPD. He's tough and committed, but if he's less than comfortable with Boulet's methods, it's because he's harboring a dark secret. Cobb has come to New Orleans seeking redemption, but redemption can be dangerous. Will Boulet be able to trust him? Will Cobb's past endanger them both? Rounding out the crew of cops are hotheaded BILLY "K-9" FAUST (Maximiliano Hernndez, "Law & Order," "Shark"), who often speaks before thinking; wisecracking JEFF "GLUE BOY" GOODEN (Blake Shields, "Sleeper Cell," "Veronica Mars"), the team's comic relief; tough-as-nails GINGER "LOVE TAP" LeBEAU (Tawny Cypress, "Heroes"), the only female on the squad, who gives as good as she gets; and CAPTAIN JAMES EMBRY (John Carroll Lynch, "Zodiac," "The Drew Carey Show"), who wrangles the eclectic personalities of his squad with equal parts humor and tenacity. "New Amsterdam" Directed and executive-produced by visionary Lasse Hallstrom ("My Life As a Dog," "The Cider House Rules," "Chocolat," "The Hoax") and written by Allan Loeb ("Things We Lost in the Fire," "21") and Christian Taylor ("Showboy," "Six Feet Under"), "New Amsterdam" is the story of a New York homicide detective unlike any other. He is brilliant, mysterious, reckless, magnetic, unknowable. And he has a profound secret: he is immortal. In 1642, JOHN AMSTERDAM (Nikolaj Coster Waldau, "Kingdom of Heaven"), then a Dutch solider in the colony of New Amsterdam later to become New York City stepped in front of a sword to save the life of a Native Indian girl during a massacre of her indigenous tribe. The girl in turn rescued Amsterdam, weaving an ancient spell that conferred immortality upon him. Amsterdam will not age, she told him, until he finds his one true love. Only then will he become whole and ready for mortality. But Amsterdam has found this to be a mixed blessing. Over the course of three centuries, he's experienced endless adventure and honed his many talents. But everyone Amsterdam meets must leave him in time; lovers and children die while he remains young. His sole confidant and current lifelong friend is the sage jazz club owner OMAR (Stephen Henderson, "Law & Order: SVU"), the keeper of Amsterdam's secret, as well as a few of his own. As the exhilaration of eternal life has given way to emotional isolation and bitter loneliness, Amsterdam discovers the blessing has become a curse. Bringing to bear the unorthodox techniques and unique knowledge gained from his vast life experience, Amsterdam today is one of the NYPD's best homicide detectives, sparring with his vibrant, strong-willed partner EVA MARQUEZ (Zuleikha Robinson, "Rome," "The Lone Gunmen") as they solve difficult murder cases. But when Amsterdam suffers and then recovers from what appears to be a massive heart attack while chasing a suspect, and DR. SARA DILLANE (Alexie Gilmore, "Find Love") pronounces him dead in the ER, he realizes that the Indian girl's prophesy may have come true he felt the pain in his heart that she had foretold so long ago. His soul mate must have been nearby. As he works to find a killer on the streets of New York, Amsterdam understands that his own life and possibly his death have changed forever. "Back to You" In the 90s, the local TV news scene in Pittsburgh was dominated by one team: CHUCK DARLING (Kelsey Grammer, "Frasier," "Cheers") and KELLY CARR (Patricia Heaton, "Everybody Loves Raymond"). They had that elusive quality all news teams need: chemistry ... at least on-screen. Off-screen, Chuck was a bit of a self-centered womanizer, Kelly a bit of an uptight know-it-all. So when Chuck got the call to move up to a larger market, no tears were shed. But after an embarrassing on-air tirade ended up on the Internet, Chuck found himself on the downswing career-wise. He even questioned whether his lifestyle of chasing women and living in hotels was as exciting as it used to be. So when he got the call to return to Pittsburgh, to reunite with Kelly and try to take the newscast back to No. 1, it was an offer he couldn't refuse. Back in Pittsburgh, Chuck has a new coworker in RYAN CHURCH (Josh Gad, "Mary and Joe"), the overstressed news director. There are also familiar faces like MARSH McGINLEY (Fred Willard, "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," "Best in Show"), the affable, endlessly inappropriate sports anchor, and GARY CREZYZEWSKI, pronounced Kre-shoov-ski (Ty Burrell, "In Good Company," "Out of Practice"), the perennially put-upon field reporter who always seems to get left out in the snow. But, mostly, there's Kelly, now a single mom to 10-year-old GRACIE (Laura Marano, "Without a Trace"). There was magic between them once. Can they find it again? "Kitchen Nightmares" Hell hath no fury like an angry chef, and no chef has a sharper temper than Gordon Ramsay when things go wrong in the kitchen. The star of the highly rated culinary boot camp "Hell's Kitchen" returns to FOX with another sizzling unscripted series. This time, Chef Ramsay hits the road in each episode, tackling a restaurant in crisis and exposing the stressful realities of trying to run a successful food business. Inspired by one of the UK's biggest hits, "Kitchen Nightmares" is seen in more than 50 territories around the globe, and the series reveals a whole new side to Ramsay. He's still prone to the explosive outbursts and spectacular confrontations familiar to fans of "Hell's Kitchen," but he also shows his sensitive and nurturing side a unique blend of fury, passion, inspirational leadership and tough love that can coax a small spark of talent into a roaring flame. There's no time for polite small talk as Ramsay embarks on his mission to turn things around. If the wine waiter's service isn't up to par, he'll be out the door before he can say "merlot." If the head chef doesn't match up to Ramsay's expectations, Ramsay will hammer him into shape, and if he can't stand the heat, he may quit the kitchen. Ramsay's reputation is on the line, so there's bound to be high blood pressure, raised voices and serious clashes as he attempts to do the impossible: turn a deserted dining room into the most sought-after venue in town in just a week. "The Search for the Next Great American Band" What "American Idol" did for individuals, "The Search for the Next Great American Band" is going to do for musical groups. The producers of "American Idol" will conduct the ultimate search for an undiscovered band. "The Search for the Next Great American Band" is scouring the country, seeking groups from all musical genres who think they have what it takes to make it big. Judges will narrow down bands from all walks of life musicians of different ages, family acts, garage bands, etc. to 10 semi-finalists, who will perform in front of a live studio audience. Viewers then will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite bands. The final three acts will compete for a major recording contract and the chance to become music superstars. "Nashville" From the creative minds behind the hit series "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County" comes "Nashville," a high-stakes, high-drama docu-soap set in "the biggest small town in America." The show focuses on the dreamers and dream-makers in the music industry, as well as those trying to make their mark on Nashville's big business and high society. The series features a diverse, vibrant young cast perched on the cusp of achieving their greatest successes in a town that can make you or break you. Talent, power, drive, love and hope are the fuel that makes Nashville burn bright and makes this unique place the true embodiment of the American Dream. Behind every song there's a story waiting to be told, and there are many such stories in "Nashville." "Canterbury's Law" From executive producers Denis Leary and Jim Serpico ("Rescue Me," "The Job") and writer Dave Erickson ("Murder in Greenwich") comes "Canterbury's Law," a courtroom drama about a rebellious female defense attorney who's willing to bend the law in order to protect the wrongfully accused. ELIZABETH CANTERBURY (Julianna Margulies, "ER") is a force of nature. An attorney on the rise, she puts her career on the line to take on risky and unpopular cases, even when they take a toll on her personal life. Elizabeth and her law professor husband MATTHEW CANTERBURY (Linus Roache, "Batman Begins," "The Chronicles of Riddick"), haunted by the disappearance of their young son, have settled in Providence, Rhode Island, in an attempt to distance themselves from the tragedy and put their relationship back together. But those goals become elusive whenever Elizabeth's work provides a stark reminder of the justice absent in their own lives. At the office, Canterbury has surrounded herself with a brilliant but motley crew of attorneys. RUSSELL CROSS (Ben Shenkman, "Pi," "Angels in America") was forced out of the Providence District Attorney's Office when he went toe-to-toe with his morally bankrupt boss, D.A. Zach Williams. His reputation tarnished, Russell turned to Canterbury, the only attorney willing to take him in. Now Russell provides a much-needed voice of reason for Canterbury even when she doesn't want to hear it, his position of influence well-earned by their years of friendship. CHESTER FIELDS (Jocko Sims, "Dreamgirls," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation") and MOLLY McCONNELL (Trieste Dunn, "United 93") are the associates rounding out Canterbury's legal crew. Chester is a blue-blooded congressman's son who is embarrassed by his privileged upbringing and has turned his back on politics. Molly, in contrast, is headstrong, passionate and quick to take sides even if she finds herself in the opposite corner from Canterbury. "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" Executive producers Josh Friedman ("War of the Worlds"), David Nutter ("Supernatural," "Smallville") and C-2 Pictures ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines") bring to television an intense new drama based on the celebrated heroine of the "Terminator" movies: Sarah Connor. At the end of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," Sarah vanquished the liquid metal Terminator sent from the future to kill her teenage son, John. Sarah and John now find themselves alone in a very dangerous, complicated world. Fugitives from the law, they are confronted with the reality that still more enemies from the future, and the present, could attack at any moment. "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" reveals what happens when SARAH (Lena Headey, "The Brothers Grimm," "300") stops running and goes on the offensive against an ever-evolving technological enemy bent on destroying her life, and perhaps the world. Her son, 15-year-old JOHN CONNOR (Thomas Dekker, "Heroes"), knows that he may be the future savior of mankind, but is not yet ready to take on the mantle of leadership that he's told is his destiny. John finds himself inextricably drawn to CAMERON (Summer Glau, "Serenity," "The Unit"), an enigmatic and otherworldly student at his high school, who soon proves to be much more than his confidante she assumes the role of Sarah and John's fearless protector. On their trail are not only threats from the future, but an intelligent and tough FBI agent, JAMES ELLISON (Richard T. Jones, "Judging Amy"), who soon becomes a powerful ally. Directed by David Nutter and produced by Warner Bros. Television and C-2 Pictures, "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" represents an exciting reinvention of the "Terminator" franchise, in which the strong and intrepid Sarah discovers that protecting her son and stopping the rise of the machines is more difficult than she had ever imagined. "The Return of Jezebel James" Can two estranged sisters, polar opposites, live together when one agrees to carry the other's baby? SARAH THOMKINS (Parker Posey, "For Your Consideration," "Best in Show") is a bright, optimistic, determined woman who seems to have it all a great job as a children's book editor, an eager-to-please assistant, BUDDY (Michael Arden), who helps keep her life together, and a no-strings-attached personal relationship with successful businessman MARCUS SONTI (Scott Cohen, "Kissing Jessica Stein"). Nevertheless, as her father, RONALD (Ron McLarty, "Law & Order"), is constantly pointing out, something is missing from Sarah's life. Her hard work may garner accolades, but when she goes home at night, she is very much alone. All too aware that she isn't getting any younger, Sarah decides to have a baby on her own and gets the shock of her life when the doctor tells her she can't get pregnant. Having no concept of the term "can't," Sarah wills herself to execute a plan. With nowhere else to turn, Sarah sets up a meeting with her quirky younger sister, COCO (Lauren Ambrose, "Six Feet Under"), and proposes a plan for Coco to carry her baby. They haven't seen each other in a while, and Coco refuses to go along with such a huge favor. But something happens when Sarah mentions that she's turned Coco's imaginary childhood friend, Jezebel James, into a children's book. Even though she doesn't say so out loud, Coco is clearly touched, and, realizing that her current living situation sharing a couch with her friend's sick dog isn't working out, Coco decides that this just might be worth a try. "The Rules for Starting Over" From the creatively fruitful minds of the Farrelly Brothers comes a single camera comedy, set in Boston, about a group of newly single friends learning the painful lessons of starting over in their 30s. They'd all love to get remarried, if they could just find their true loves. JACK "GATOR" GATELY (Craig Bierko, "Cinderella Man," "Boston Legal") is a charismatic, optimistic leader who never expected to be single again. But now that he is, he's determined to make the best of it. He's going to sift through all the bruised, damaged, occasionally psychotic fruit until he finds "the one." Joining Gator in bachelorhood redux is his thrice-divorced best friend TOMMY (Johnny Sneed, "The Guardian," "Fever Pitch"). The founder and brewmaster of an upstart microbrewery, Tommy has a voracious appetite for food, beer and women. He falls in love easily and always disastrously, yet truly hopes his fourth starter marriage will be "the one." DR. FREDDY SAHGAL (Shaun Majumder, "24," "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle") has seen some pretty strange stuff during his years as a successful surgeon, but he's never seen any of it through the eyes of a single man. Probably the least equipped of the group to handle this unexpected life change is Dr. Freddy, who can execute a triple bypass in his sleep, but is all thumbs when it comes to the opposite sex. Rounding out the group is KATE (Rashida Jones, "The Office"), a smart, successful attorney who handled all three of the boys' divorces. Having just turned 30, Kate finds herself dumped after a seven-year engagement. She reluctantly joins the guys in negotiating the treacherous waters of dating. Kate owns the brownstone next to Gator's. Over time, this pair may find that "the one" is just a brick wall away. Photo courtesy of Fox

Fall TV Pilot Trends: Cop Shows

BuzzSugar — Thu, 03 May 2007 04:59:07 PDT

It's TV pilot season, when hopeful writers, directors, and actors give the networks glimpses of what could be their next big hits. Few pilots will ever make it to air, and the odds might be especially long over on ABC, which has already renewed many of its current shows. Over the past few weeks, I've been looking at the pilots and trying to spot the trends that could be coming soon to a TV near you. I've already told you about shows focusing on tough working women, the supernatural, and British imports, and today I'm looking at cop shows.

Cop shows have been a TV staple forever, from "Dragnet" to "NYPD Blue" to "CSI." But with the "CSI" and "Law & Order" franchises aging fast, networks have a slate of new cop dramas in development for the fall. While the genre isn't typically a favorite of mine, I'd be tempted to tune in to some of these. Here's a handful:

"Marlowe": This ABC drama updates the classic Raymond Chandler detective stories, transferring them to modern-day Los Angeles. But it doesn't sound like Detective Philip Marlowe himself has gone through many changes; ABC describes him as "a low-tech guy unfazed by our high-tech world," who prefers a revolver to a fancy crime lab. The structure sounds like a throwback to cop shows of the past, with first-person narration and a noir-style atmosphere. Conveniently, though, this version of Marlowe - who will be played by Jason O'Mara (at right) - has hired himself a hot female assistant to spice things up.

"K-Ville": I've heard a lot of buzz about this Fox drama pilot, the first network series to be set in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina. The stories of real-life cops deserting the city were widely reported in Katrina's aftermath, but "K-Ville" focuses on a group of officers who chose to ride out the storm and help the city rebuild. The show centers on a longtime New Orleans police agent who stayed put even when his partner deserted him, a new agent and former soldier who comes to New Orleans seeking redemption, and a team of officers with too-clever nicknames ("Glue Boy," "Love Tap"). It's ambitious to take on the New Orleans story while it's still playing out, and I'd be curious to see if this show can present it in a respectful and compelling way.

Three more, so

"The Apostles": This Fox pilot sounds a little like "Desperate Housewives," The Crime Years. The "apostles" of the title are a group of cops living side-by-side on a cul-de-sac in the Los Angeles suburbs. While the series is set in a police department, its true focus is the officers' private lives, where - unsurprisingly - deep secrets are brewing under the surface. The show's executive producer has worked on both "Desperate Housewives" and "Melrose Place," so over-the-top soapiness is practically a given.

"Suspect": After many serial dramas ("Kidnapped," "Standoff," "Day Break") got canceled this TV season, networks largely stayed away from them when developing shows for next year. ABC's "Suspect" is an exception. The story starts with a brutal murder, and the group of detectives at the center of the series quickly assembles a list of suspects. One by one, their stories will be dissected until finally the murder is solved. Guy Ritchie is executive-producing and directing the pilot, which stars Carrie-Ann Moss (at left), among others.

"Fort Pit": Bafflingly, NBC describes this show as a "dark comedy that's so satirical, it has to be called a drama." Huh? Anyway, the idea behind "Fort Pit" is that one precinct of Brooklyn has become a dumping ground for all the NYPD cops who screwed up - until a new captain comes in, hiring a bunch of ragtag rookies to breathe new life into the joint. I'd be wary of this pilot if it didn't have such a good pedigree: The team behind FX drama "Rescue Me," including Denis Leary, is executive-producing the show.

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