The mercury may be rising, but fall is in the air.
Fall TV, that is.
I know . . . summer isn’t even here yet. You’re probably thinking it’s way too early to be writing about new and returning fall shows. Well, it’s not. The networks recently rolled out their new lineups to deep-pocketed advertisers in the traditional dog-and-pony show simply known as “The Upfronts.”
Now it’s time for me to upfront with some things I’m looking forward to this fall.
1. “Grey’s Anatomy” moves to Thursdays: The soapy medical drama is one of ABC’s most popular and buzzed-about shows. So, what does the network do? Throw Dr. McDreamy up against those crime-solving fools on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” the universe’s top-rated drama. Go figure. It’s all about the money, people
2. James Woods’ scary intensity: I’m sorry, but Woods looks nuts. But that’s a good thing. If anyone was born to play a sleazy attorney who decides to become a sleazy prosecutor in CBS’ drama “Shark,” it’s the nutty-looking Woods. Should be fun.
3. Brad Garrett stars in his own sitcom: We all know the hulking funnyman can play second banana to perfection as evidenced by Garrett’s brilliant stint as Ray Barone’s dopey cop brother on “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Now we’ll find out if the Emmy-winning actor can carry his own show in “‘Til Death,” a Fox comedy in which Garrett co-stars with Joely Fisher as part of an old married couple living next door to some hot newlyweds.
4. Is Calista Flockhart eating? We’ll find out soon enough. Here’s hoping Calista has downed a few cheeseburgers for her new role as a radio talk show host with some family problems in the ABC drama “Brothers & Sisters.”
5. Will the “Friends” curse continue? “The Comeback,” Lisa Kudrow’s awful HBO show, bombed and was quickly canceled after one season. Now it’s Matthew Perry’s turn to confront The Curse in “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” an NBC drama about the behind-the-scenes doings on a “Saturday Night Live”-like sketch show.
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6. Spy Daddy is back!: OK, so Victor Garber isn’t playing silky smooth, nattily dressed killer agent Jack Bristow anymore. So what? I’m just tickled Garber’s in another series so soon after “Alias” signed off. In Fox’s “Justice” — the 475th Jerry Bruckheimer TV production — Garber is one of four dream-team attorneys who take on high-profile and controversial cases.
7. Tina Fey does more than read the fake news: “30 Rock,” Fey’s new NBC comedy in which she plays the head writer of a late-night variety show (wonder where they got that idea from?), is getting all sorts of good buzz. That’s no surprise.
8. “Kidnapped” may steal viewers: NBC’s new drama could have “24” potential. I said could. A rich kid is snatched and everyone becomes a suspect. I like that premise already. The show promises to focus on the cat-and-mouse game among the kidnappers, law enforcement, the FBI and the “seemingly” perfect family we all know won’t turn out to be so perfect. Timothy Hutton and Dana Delaney play the parents who may or may not know more than they’re letting on.
9. Meredith Viera joins “Today”: Unlike it’s-all-about-me Katie, Viera will actually listen to the people she interviews. And the move should give nice guy Matt Lauer a chance to shine and step out of Katie’s sizable shadow.
10. No more Applewhites on “Desperate Housewives”: The plot that had the loopy Betty Applewhite (Alfre Woodard) locking her mentally disturbed son in the basement was dumb. And uninteresting. Too bad the writers wasted such a talent in Woodard. Sad to say, she won’t be missed next season.