Fall 2008 Science Fiction and Fantasy Television Preview: ABC

The alphabet network has announced its shows for the Fall 2008 season which include one new Science Fiction and Fantasy offering plus two returning genre shows.

New Shows:

The one new show is an Americanized version of the British series Life on Mars. It follows a present day police officer who, after a car accident, is transported back to 1973 where he finds himself working in that era on the force. It is executive produced by TV mogul
David E. Kelley who also wrote the pilot for the remake. I never caught the British version of the series (though I believe it aired on BBC America), but I have to admit that this one does not excite me too much. It really sounds like just another cop show with a twist and we have already seen our fair share of those on the television landscape. David E. Kelley’s involvement intrigues me, though, as he has a good track record which includes one of my all time favorite series, Picket Fences (although there are rumors that he will be bowing out from the series after the pilot). Word is that in an early episode, Dan Vasser from Journeyman will travel forward in time to stop the lead character from this series traveling back in time in hopes that it will change the time continuum and Journeyman will not get the axe from NBC . . .

Returning Shows:

I definitely am looking forward to ABC’s two returning Science Fiction and Fantasy series: Lost and Pushing Daisies. Lost is in the process of wrapping up its outstanding fourth season and looks to continue its strong performance into its fifth season which will set the stage for the series’ sixth and final season. The original plan was to have sixteen episodes next season, but seeing as the episode count was cut short this year because of the writer’s strike, the last two seasons will expand their episode count to seventeen each.

Pushing Daisies looks to build on its strong first (albeit truncated) season as one of the most inspired shows to hit network television in some time. The fantasy/comedy managed to take an intriguing premise and avoid descending into formulaic redundancy. This of course was helped by the fact that the series only made it through nine episodes before the writer’s strike cut it short. I’m hoping that the series will delve further into its premise in its second season and continue to breathe some fresh air into the stale landscape of Prime Time television.

Cancelled Shows:

It’s no surprise that the misguided attempt to turn a commercial into a TV series, Cavemen, was yanked from the schedule early last fall. True it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been, but it wasn’t all that memorable either. Seven episodes went unaired, and I do not believe that too many people are raising a fuss about seeing the remaining chapters of this saga. Though I have heard that a “Save Cavemen” campaign has asked people to send loincloths to ABC to show their support for the series. Both fans participated and their efforts went mostly unnoticed . . .

-JJJ

Full List of Science Fiction and Fantasy Shows on the Schedule for the Upcoming Season


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