On that note let’s take a look at the stellar cast: Alias/Lost monster food Greg Grunberg takes the lead, along with Final Destination star Ali Larter, finally realizing that Final Destination is as good as its gonna get for her on the big screen, and Gilmore Girls’ Milo Ventimiglia (who also, for some reason, will be starring in the new Rocky film Rocky 26: Rocky Takes Manhattan). Rounding out the cast is Hayden Panettiere (Malcolm in the Middle), Adrian Pasdar (RIP – Profit) and Leonard Roberts (Buffy, the Vampire Slayer season 3 recurring guest star alert!). I won’t reveal the powers of each of the characters, but they range from flight to indestructibility to telepathy to inability to get a date for being such a massive dork. In a decision that bodes very well for Heroes, NBC recently blinked and moved Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip from Thursdays at 9 PM (where it would go up against Grey’s Anatomy, CSI and The O.C.) to Mondays at 10 PM. There, Studio 60’s only real competition will be CSI: Miami, and hopefully the night will be big enough for both Studio 60 and David Caruso’s hair. Studio 60’s only concern is too much buzz. The hour-long drama about the goings-on behind the scenes at an SNL-type series has been so hyped at this point there is nothing that could satisfy people. As a matter of fact, the very entertaining clip shown at the upfronts was strangely met with mixed reactions. See it for yourself here. I think that perhaps people thought the combination of Aaron Sorkin producing, Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet and Bradley Whitford starring, and a plum-NBC timeslot was going to instantly be the second coming of Jerry Seinfeld. Instead, what you have here is a very smart, very funny, very promising clip that shows how un-Chandler Matthew Perry will be and how un-annoying Amanda Peet will be. Monday night, for the first time in a long time, is now relevant to me beyond Jack Bauer.

Tuesday

The only other show to get nearly as much buzz as Studio 60 at the upfronts was Friday Night Lights, a small-screen adaptation of the 2004 Billy Bob Thornton film (which in turn was a big screen adaptation of the H.G. Bissinger book). Networks have had a great deal of trouble adapting films into television series (see Parenthood, My Big Fat Greek Crapfest, etc.), but seeing how this was a great film that wasn’t hugely successful, and its theme (High School + Small town X great expectations = good drama) is a pretty appealing one, NBC seems to be riding high while squashing the notion that this is strictly a show about football (it’s about LIFE). Kyle Chandler takes over the Billy Bob Thornton role as the coach with Connie Brittion co-starring. I say, yes please. Following Friday Night Lights will be a double dose of Law & Order. In a post-upfronts scheduling change that pissed off über-producer Dick Wolf, Law & Order: Criminal Intent will be moved to 9PM and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit will stay put at 10PM. Whether or not Criminal Intent will keep it’s half- Vincent D’Onfrio-scene-chewing and half Chris Noth-mugging structure remains to be seen, but it seems likely. While the beloved Mariska Hargitay is on maternity leave over on SVU, stalling a Stabler-Benson make-out session even further, Gladiator temptress Connie Nielson joins the cast as Elliot Stabler’s new partner for a handful of episodes.

Wednesday

DEAR GOD, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US HEALTH, LOVE AND DEBBIE DOWNER

At 8PM NBC will launch two comedies, both of which have great potential. First is 20 Good Years, starring John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor (welcome home, Papa Bluth!) as two sixtysomethings who decide to make the best of the life they have left. Sounds like a big, broad comedy that you can gauge your enjoyment level based on your feelings towards the two leads. I am predicting that it won’t be nearly as clever as Arrested Development, but not as slapstick happy as Third Rock from the Sun. Props to NBC for programming for my grandmother, however.

Posted by on May 31, 2006 12:48 PM