First thoughts on ABC’s Fall Line-Up

ABC’s line-up for the fall has been released and has left me feeling a little less excited than I was following NBC’s announcement. The full listing can be found at comingsoon.net and includes the return of fan favorites such as Grey’s Anatomy, Castle, Modern Family, and Body of Proof, among others. My initial reaction was of stunning indifference; few of the new shows leapt off the page. However, if you look at ABC’s best shows, none of them have a great premise. Castle and Body of Proof sound like cheesy riffs on the familiar police procedural and the rest of the ABC current line-up is variations on sit-coms and workplace dramas. ABC has always led the way with solid writing and acting talent. So without further speculation, here are my top picks among the new ABC drama.

• Charlie’s Angels: If you are unfamiliar with the concept behind Charlie’s Angels you may need to retake History of Television 101. This reboot of the 70’s classic will follow three sexy female detectives as they solve crimes and fight bad guys. There is also a strong possibility that at some point one or more of the main characters will appear in a bikini, but that’s just my speculation. Creators have promised that this reboot will be more serious and less campy then the 2000 movie. The reboot of Hawaii Five-0, has done well and I think Angels could be a fun ride so long as the writers find a way to keep the simple premise interesting from week to week.

• Once Upon A Time: It seems like this year every network is taking a chance on one weird fantasy genre show in an attempt to find the next Lost, and Once Upon A Time is ABC’s. Once Upon A Time follows Emma Swan, as she is reunited with the young son she gave up. Things take a turn for the strange when Emma’s son insists that she is the daughter of Snow White and must travel to the town of Storybrooke, home of the most famous characters of fairy tale lore, who have now been transformed into humans and forgotten their mythical origins by means of The Evil Queen’s curse. The show sounds a little strange on paper, but this mix of fairy tale stories with the “real world” could lead to some interesting story-telling. Emma Swan is played by Jennifer Morrison, well known from House, and I think is a good choice. She has proven her acting chops with supporting roles and should be ready to carry a show as a lead.

• Pan Am: Just as every network is trying to find the next Lost; it seems every network is also trying to create their own version of Mad Men. Pan Am, set in the 60’s, follows the men and women of Pan Am, the largest name in air travel. During this zany time period, pilots are kings, stewardesses are queens and the sky’s the limit. At this point you can see where this is going, and I see little reason to get excited for another period show. Perhaps Pan Am will bring something new to the table that Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, or NBC’s new The Playboy Club do not, but I rather doubt it. If you really like the period show concept, this might be for you, but I’m putting this one down in the “wait and see” category.

• The River: The River follows the family of Emmet Cole, a TV personality and host of a Survivorman style nature show. However, when Emmet goes missing in the middle of the Amazon, his wife and son must team up with a production company willing to fund the rescue attempt in exchange for the right to film the entire thing. One aspect that might make this show interesting is the fact that the main characters have a camera crew following them around. If this is done in the style of the office it will be irrelevant, but actually showing the crew and the challenge of shooting in the rain forest might be interesting.

ABC has several new comedies premiering in the fall but two stuck out and they both ask the question of what it means to be a man and father.

• Last Man Standing: Tim Allen returns to television as Max Baxter, marketing director for a sporting goods store and ultimate manly man. However, when Max’s wife returns to work he is forced to take a more active role in the lives of the couple’s three daughters. It’s hard to tell a good comedy from the elevator pitch but I think the combination of Tim Allen in this odd man out set-up could lead to some good moments of comedy.

• Suburgatory: Aside from the horrible title, this show sounds pretty interesting; following a single father that moves himself and his teenage daughter out of their New York apartment after finding condoms on her nightstand. Hoping to protect her from the evils of the big city, the two relocate to the suburbs which, as everyone in the real world knows, is just like it is on Desperate Housewives. This show has one thing really going for it and that is the single parent thing. A large number of recent dramas have gotten mileage showing the special connection that is shared between a daughter and single dad and if they take a few notes from shows like Castle and Californication, ABC could have a hit on their hands. Also, Alan Tudyk is slotted for a supporting role, and that can’t hurt.

Well those are my picks for most interesting looking new ABC shows, but that is far from the complete list. Make sure to follow the link to comingsoon.net and check out the full listing of new shows and tell us in the comments which you want to see. Also follow the link here to take a look at our coverage of NBC’s fall line-up