THE CLASS (8PM CBS, Debuts Sept. 18) The co-creator of FRIENDS (David Crane) returns to TV with THE CLASS, a comedy that follows a third-grade class reuniting after 20 years. Blessed with a talented cast, including Jason Ritter (JOAN OF ARCADIA), Lizzy Caplan (MEAN GIRLS), and Andrea Anders (JOEY), THE CLASS looks like it may actually be the show to end the FRIENDS curse. At least Crane thinks so, [when speaking to Entertainment Weekly], “Sometimes you do a show and think, ‘Oh my God, we don’t have this one.’ In this case, we feel like we have a show.”
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (8:30PM CBS, Returns Sept. 18) And speaking of FRIENDS… not since the ‘Central Perk Six’ have viewers enjoyed watching the adventures of smart, funny and good-looking twenty-somethings in New York City. Last season’s cliffhanger saw Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and Marshall (Jason Segel) break off their engagement and Ted (Josh Radnor) and Robin (Cobie Smulders) finally kissing. But enough about romance, all viewers really want to see is more Barney. Neil Patrick Harris finally casts off the shadow of ‘Doogie’ to portay the funniest sidekick on TV. As executive producer Greg Malins put it [to EW], “Barney is Barney, He’s the character you don’t want to change.”
THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE (9:30PM CBS, Returns Sept. 18) The FRIENDS curse may still be going strong (sorry Matt LeBlanc, I really did enjoy JOEY), but with a recent EMMY win, star Julia Louis-Dreyfus may have finally ended that other Must-See-TV curse, the SEINFELD one (Jason Alexander, Bob Patterson didn’t do it for me either). In its sophomore season, Elaine… sorry Christine, will continue to deal with being a single-parent who tries to successfully juggle her family, ex-husband and live-in brother, all the while attempting to jump-start her dating life. No doubt hilarity will ensue.
HEROES (9PM, Debuts Sept. 25) Creator Tim Kring (CROSSING JORDAN) ask the eternal question, “What would happen if you suddenly discovered you could fly?” This fall, viewers will find out, as HEROES chronicles the lives of ordinary people who find out they have may have some extraordinary powers. The pilot features an all-star cast including Greg Grunberg (ALIAS), Milo Ventimiglia (GILMORE GIRLS), Ali larter, Adrian Pasdar and Hayden Panettiere. The question remains, are viewers ready for yet another hour long mythology riddled drama? This TV addict certainly is. And rest assured, there is no ‘hatch’ in the pilot episode. Check out theTVaddict.com’s report on HEREOS live from the San Diego Comic Con.
STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP (10PM, Debuts Sept. 25) He’s taken us behind the scenes of SportsCentre and the White House. Now with STUDIO 60, viewers will get a chance to see creator Aaron Sorkin’s much buzzed about take on the behind-the-scenes antics of a late-night TV show (not to be confused with Saturday Night Live). Says Sorkin [to EW], “It follows the SNL model, but SNL exists in the world of the show. The characters, like us, have a great deal of respect for SNL.” Not willing to risk failure, Sorkin has brought along an old ‘friend’ to star in the vehicle, hiring Matthew Perry (FRIENDS) as head writer of the fictional Studio 60. Joining Perry is an all-star ensemble including Bradley Whitford, Amanda Peet, D.L. Hughley, Steven Weber, Nate Corddry, Sarah Paulson, Evan Handler and Timothy Busfield. With a dream cast and Sorkin at the helm, STUDIO 60 seems destined for success. Having seen the first episode, this TV addict is ready to declare STUDIO 60 his favourite show of the fall, let’s hope America agrees. [Click here to read theTVaddict.com’s Fall PReview of STUDIO 60]