HARPER’S ISLAND “Whap”: C-I-L-L The Bridal Party

While contemplating the sad fact that the brilliant season finale of Life was probably the brilliant series finale of Life, I got to wondering again about whether short series–the kind of format the BBC uses for series like Life on Mars–are really the wave of the future. We’ve asked this question before, but CBS’ new mystery show Harper’s Island is the first series in a long while to embrace the shortened format on purpose rather than because the story is being cut short by cancellation. This “tune in for a few weeks only” format works like gangbusters in reality television, where attention spans are extra short (I freely admit I have completely lost the American Idol thread this season–are they still singing?), and it works overseas–why couldn’t it work for CBS or NBC?

Is Harper’s Island a good test case for whether this format will work well on American television? Well…maybe. It’s got a solid built-in countdown hook, with the Ten Little Indians conceit of a new murder each week. Viewers might tune in just to see who is left standing, like they do for Big Brother or Survivor on the same network. The first murder was just plain nasty–I mean that as a compliment–and there were some nicely creepy moments. I know I’m easy when it comes to scares, but they should have cut down that murder tree a long time ago. And it has Jim Beaver, who classes up any joint.

On the other hand, my very first reaction to the whole show was, “Ooh! I hope Harry Hamlin kills all the rich people!” He…won’t be. In the Interesting Character Derby, then, we are left with Plucky Tragic Heroine Whose Mother Was Killed In The First Murder Spree And Whose Name I Cannot Remember (played by Elaine Cassidy), Kinda Cute Working-Class Groom Whose Name I Cannot Remember (the always welcome Christopher Gorham), Cheeky Outsider Trying to Propose Whose Name I Cannot Remember (Adam Campbell), and Creepy Little Prescient Girl Who Tries to Fry Snails with A Magnifying Glass But Whose Name I Cannot Remember (Cassandra Sawtell, recently seen tormenting Shawn and Gus on Psych). Oh, and Jim Beaver. A cast full of interchangable pretty people is not a good sign, although I suppose it is a classic horror trope. If you’re a classic horror-suspense fan, Harper’s Island might be worth a visit. The rest of us will be hoping the drama gets pumped up beyond the body count (and that Harry Hamlin will rise out of the water weilding a chainsaw), or we’ll be sailing away. Thursday nights at 10pm Eastern and Pacific on CBS.

Wrapping Up the Upfronts

Well, upfront week has come and gone and what do we have to show for it? An unusually short, not terribly exciting list of new shows premiering in the upcoming season. And a bunch of network-penned blurbs meant to get us tingly with anticipation of said new shows. Are you feeling tingly? Yeah, me neither.

In fairness, it is kind of hard to get worked up about a description in a press release. Which is why, of course, the networks always come to the upfronts with a big, splashy presentation, a bunch of smiling celebrities, and–most importantly–video clips promoting their new shows. Fortunately for us, the good folks over at TV Week have collected all the various clips and trailers together so we can all get started deciding which new shows look good enough to be Season Pass worthy.

The ABC upfront videos offer up a sneak peek at The Goode Family, Life on Mars, Opportunity Knocks and the eighth season of Scrubs. CBS gives us a glimpse of Eleventh Hour, The Ex List, Harper’s Island, Project Gary, The Mentalist and Worst Week. The CW videos include four clips from Surviving the Filthy Rich and three clips of Stylista (but sadly none of 90210). And finally, Fox serves up the previously mentioned scene from Dollhouse, as well as a couple of clips from Fringe (although for the full, fully creepy trailer you should hop over here), a look at The Cleveland Show and three clips each of Do Not Disturb and Sit Down, Shut Up.

So, after watching all of these clips, which shows will I be saving TiVo space for? Fox is the big winner this year with three shows I’m actively looking forward to from three talented creators with an excellent track record in television: Fringe (pictured above), Dollhouse and Sit Down, Shut Up. ABC’s The Goode Family seems a safe bet since Mike Judge can pretty much always make me laugh. CBS’s Harper’s Island doesn’t so much look good as like it might be a scary good time, but everything else on CBS’s schedule looks, frankly, really really bad. And as for the CW… well, let’s just say if the network doesn’t survive until next year’s upfronts I won’t go into mourning.

Oh, and let’s not forget NBC, who brilliantly made their non-upfront upfront presentation a month ago. Oops, too late, I’ve already forgotten all of NBC’s new shows.

CBS Schedule Relies on Comedy, Foreign Imports

Finally, the upfronts have brought us some new programming to report on! CBS’ fall schedule, unveiled today, includes five new scripted series–two comedies and three dramas (and no new reality shows–go CBS!). In addition, murder mystery Harper’s Island has been ordered for midseason. Continuing a recent trend in network programming, three of the network’s new series–The Ex List, Worst Week and Eleventh Hour–are based on foreign formats.

As expected, CBS is building on its successful comedy lineup by adding another comedy block on Wednesday nights. “We really wanted to focus on comedy, and we had the goods to do it this year,” said CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler. “We’ve been looking to expand, to build out to another night. We have two of highest-testing new comedies we’ve had in years.”

Tassler also promised that the network’s new dramas will focus more on character as part of a move to appeal to female viewers. “Women drive network television,” she said. “Women watch our procedurals and comedies and we wanted to build on that.” In that vein, CBS is adding more female characters to their lineup, with the female-driven The Ex List replacing Moonlight on Fridays and The Unit adding a new female character.

You can watch previews of all of CBS’s new series here. Honestly, none of them have me very excited, except possibly for Harper’s Island, which looks kind of cool in that so-bad-it’s-good Jericho kind of way. Which probably means it’s destined for failure.

Fall 2008 Schedule

MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
9:00-9:30 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN
9:30-10:00 PM WORST WEEK
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: MIAMI

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM THE MENTALIST
10:00-11:00 PM WITHOUT A TRACE

WEDNESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE
8:30-9:00 PM PROJECT GARY
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: NY

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR
9:00-10:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
10:00-11:00 PM ELEVENTH HOUR

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM GHOST WHISPERER
9:00-10:00 PM THE EX LIST
10:00-11:00 PM NUMB3RS

SATURDAY
8:00-9:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS MYSTERY

SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE
9:00-10:00 PM COLD CASE
10:00-11:00 PM THE UNIT

New Series for Fall 2008 or Midseason 2009

ELEVENTH HOUR
Jerry Bruckheimer brings us this series based on the British miniseries by science-fiction writer Stephen Gallagher. Dr. Jacob Hood (Rufus Sewell, The Illusionist) is a brilliant biophysicist and special science adviser to the government who investigates scientific crises and oddities. Called in at the eleventh hour, he represents the last line of defense in his crusade to protect the substance of science from those who would abuse and misuse scientific discoveries and breakthroughs for their own gain.

THE EX LIST (A.K.A. MYTHOLOGICAL EX)
Diane Ruggiero (Veronica Mars) and Jonathan Levin (Charmed) are executive producing this comedic drama about Bella Bloom (Elizabeth Reaser, Grey’s Anatomy)–a successful, single, 30-something who is surprised to learn from a psychic that she’s already dated her future husband and if she doesn’t find him in the next year, she’ll remain alone forever. During a bachelorette party for her sister, Daphne (Rachel Boston, American Dreams), Bella learns from the psychic she must revisit her past relationships and sort through the mistakes to find her soul mate. Skeptical, Bella begins to analyze every past liaison and failed romance with her close circle of friends, Augie (Adam Rothenberg, Mad Money), an endearing guy who has listened to Bella’s love woes since college, Vivian (Alex Breckenridge, Dirt), Augie’s long-term girlfriend, and Cyrus (Amir Talai, Campus Ladies), who’s chronically unemployed and full of wry observations.

HARPER’S ISLAND
A murder mystery unfolds as friends and family attend week-long festivities at a destination wedding on a secluded and picturesque island off the coast of Seattle, infamous for a homicidal maniac’s rampage seven years ago. From creator Ari Schlossberg and exec producer Jon Turteltaub.

THE MENTALIST
Simon Baker (The Devil Wears Prada) stars as Patrick Jane, a detective and independent consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation, who has a remarkable track record for solving serious crimes by using his razor sharp skills of observation. Within the Bureau, Jane is notorious for his blatant lack of protocol and his semi-celebrity past as a psychic medium, whose paranormal abilities he now admits he feigned. Jane’s role in cracking a series of tough high-profile cases is greatly valued by his fellow agents, but no-nonsense Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney, Prison Break) openly resists having Jane in her unit and alternates between reluctantly acknowledging Jane’s usefulness and blasting him for his theatrics, narcissism and dangerous lack of boundaries. Lisbon’s team includes agents Kimball Cho (Tim Kang, Rambo), Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman, The Nine), and rookie member Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti, The O.C.). Bruno Heller (creator of Rome) is creator/executive producer, and David Nutter (Band of Brothers) is the executive producer.

PROJECT GARY
Jay Mohr (Ghost Whisperer) and Paula Marshall (Nip/Tuck) star in this comedy about Gary Barnes, a recently single painting contractor, and his controlling ex-wife, Allison, who face post-divorce mayhem after 15 years of marriage as they each juggle parenthood and embark on new relationships. From exec producers Ed Yeager (Still Standing) and Ric Swartzlander (8 Simple Rules)

WORST WEEK
Sam (Kyle Bornheimer, Jericho) and his girlfriend, Melanie (Erinn Hayes, Kitchen Confidential), have only one hurdle left to clear as they start their life together: breaking the news to Mel’s conservative parents Dick (Kurtwood Smith, That ’70s Show) and Angela (Nancy Lenehan, My Name is Earl). But despite his best efforts, every time Sam takes one positive step forward in winning over his future in-laws, he inevitably takes two crushing steps back. From exec producers Matt Tarses (Scrubs) and Jimmy Mulville (Whose Line Is It Anyway?).

Returning Fall 2008 or Midseason 2009

· 48 HOURS MYSTERY
· 60 MINUTES
· THE AMAZING RACE
· THE BIG BANG THEORY
· COLD CASE
· CRIMINAL MINDS
· CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
· CSI: MIAMI
· CSI: NEW YORK
· GHOST WHISPERER
· HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
· NCIS
· THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE
· NUMB3RS
· RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
· SURVIVOR
· TWO AND A HALF MEN
· THE UNIT
· WITHOUT A TRACE

Canceled Series

· CANE
· JERICHO
· KID NATION
· MOONLIGHT
· POWER OF 10
· SECRET TALENTS OF THE STARS
· SHARK
· VIVA LAUGHLIN
· WELCOME TO THE CAPTAIN