Highs and Lows of Fall TV Season (Sep 12, 2002)

By Chuck Barney
Knight Ridder Newspapers

Brace yourself for the onslaught. Over the next few weeks, a tidal wave of 34
new network shows will hit the television scene.

Overwhelming and horrifying? Absolutely. But have no fear. Your stouthearted
(and bleary-eyed) TV critic has braved the waters in order to provide a
channel-surfing report.

In other words, he endured the punishment so you don't have to. Here's the
rundown:

SUNDAYS
``American Dreams''
--WHERE/WHEN: NBC, 8 p.m.
--STARS: Gail O'Grady; Tom Verica; Brittany Snow; Will Estes; Sarah Ramos;
Ethan Dampf; Vanessa Lengies; Jonathan Adams; Arlen Escarpetta; Virginia
Madsen.
--CONCEPT: An evocative drama, set in the early 1960s, that depicts a ``more
innocent'' America through the eyes of a Philadelphia family as it braces for
the country's impending cultural turbulence. Add to this an engaging subplot
about two female friends vying to get on ``American Bandstand.'' (Dick Clark is
an executive producer.)
--PREMIERES: Sept. 29.
--BOTTOM LINE: Um, it has a really good beat and you can dance to it. Then
again, younger viewers may tune out.

``Bram and Alice''
--WHERE/WHEN: CBS, 8 p.m.
--STARS: Alfred Molina; Traylor Howard; Roger Bart; Katie Finneran; Michael
Rispoli.
--CONCEPT: A comedy about a shaky relationship between a ne'er-do-well novelist
and his devoted fan, who suddenly learn they are father and daughter.
--PREMIERES: Oct. 6.
--BOTTOM LINE: Molina (''Ladies Man'') and Howard (''Two Guys and a Girl'')
once starred separately in lousy sitcoms. Now they're teamed up in an even
lousier one.

``The Grubbs''
--WHERE/WHEN: Fox, 9:30 p.m.
--STARS: Randy Quaid; Carol Kane; Michael Cera; Brian Sites.
--CONCEPT: A crude and mindless comedy about an underachieving family presided
over by a slovenly dad.
--PREMIERES: Nov. 3.
--BOTTOM LINE: No one does dysfunctional families like Fox (''The Simpsons,''
``Malcolm in the Middle,'' etc.), but this one is just lame, stupid and
insulting.

``Boomtown''
--WHERE/WHEN: NBC, 10 p.m.
--STARS: Donnie Wahlberg; Neal McDonough; Mykelti Williamson; Gary Basaraba;
Nina Garbiras; Lana Parrilla; Jason Gedrick.
--CONCEPT: Stylish ensemble drama conveys Los Angeles-based crime stories
through the diverse perspectives of those involved with the cases--including
cops, paramedics, beat reporters, city officials and even victims and perps.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 29.
--BOTTOM LINE: Blessed with an intriguing storytelling device, sharp writing
and a very impressive cast, ``Boomtown'' looks to be the early standout in this
fall's crop of cop shows.

MONDAYS
``girls club''
--WHERE/WHEN: Fox, 9 p.m.
--STARS: Chyler Leigh; Gretchen Mol; Kathleen Robertson; Giancarlo Esposito.
--CONCEPT: Prolific writer-producer David E. Kelley whips up another legal
drama in ``Ally McBeal's'' former time slot about beautiful, young female
attorneys. So what's different? This show is set in San Francisco and contains
no Dancing Babies.
--PREMIERES: Oct. 21.
--BOTTOM LINE: Unavailable for preview.

``Everwood''
--WHERE/WHEN: the WB, 9 p.m.
--STARS: Treat Williams; Gregory Smith; Emily VanCamp; Debra Mooney; John
Beasley; Vivien Cardone.
--CONCEPT: A drama that follows a world-class neurosurgeon who, after losing
his wife in a car crash, attempts to reconnect with his family by moving his
teen-age son and young daughter to a sleepy Colorado town.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 16.
--BOTTOM LINE: Suffers from doses of schmaltz, but some interesting plot twists
and solid acting make it worth a look. A good programming companion to the
still-popular ``7th Heaven.''

``Half and Half''
--WHERE/WHEN: UPN, 9:30 p.m.
--STARS: Rachel True; Essence Atkins; Telma Hopkins; Valerie Pettiford; Chico
Benymon.
--CONCEPT: A comedy about two half-sisters who have nothing in common, but are
forced into an uneasy relationship when they become neighbors in the same San
Francisco apartment building.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 23,
--BOTTOM LINE: Yet another fairly predictable twist on the ``Odd Couple''
dynamic.

``Still Standing''
--WHERE/WHEN: CBS, 9:30 p.m.
--STARS: Mark Addy; Jami Gertz; Jennifer Irwin; Taylor Ball; Renee Olstead.
--CONCEPT: A domestic comedy about a blue-collar Chicago couple striving to
responsibly raise their three children while straining to hold onto their
youth.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 30.
--BOTTOM LINE: This generic offering probably would never stand a chance if it
didn't occupy a cushy time slot among CBS' formidable Monday-night lineup.

``CSI: Miami''
--WHERE/WHEN: CBS, 10 p.m.
--STARS: David Caruso; Kim Delaney; Emily Proctor; Rory Cochrane; Adam
Rodriguez; Khandi Alexander.
--CONCEPT: Send in the clones. Take TV's top-rated drama (''CSI'') and change
the setting from Las Vegas to Miami, mix in some new faces -- including two
``NYPD Blue'' alums -- and you've got the makings of a potentially dominant
franchise.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 23.
--BOTTOM LINE: With the proper DNA, this show appears to be the only can't-miss
``sure thing'' this fall. Of course, sure things sometimes aren't.

TUESDAYS
``In-Laws''
--WHERE/WHEN: NBC, 8 p.m.
--STARS: Dennis Farina; Jean Smart; Elon Gold; Bonnie Somerville.
--CONCEPT: Shades of ``Meet the Parents'' with Farina in the De Niro role of
headstrong father-in-law who wages an incessant battle with his daughter's
bewildered husband.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 24.
--BOTTOM LINE: The movie was better. Much better.

``8 Simple Rules''
--WHERE/WHEN: ABC, 8 p.m.
--STARS: John Ritter; Katey Sagal; Kaley Cuoco; Amy Davidson; Martin Spanjers.
--CONCEPT: A mildly amusing comedy based on W. Bruce Campbell's humorous
fatherhood handbook that stars Ritter as a dad who spends a lot of time trying
to prevent his daughters from dating guys like the one he played on ``Three's
Company.''
--PREMIERES: Sept. 17
--BOTTOM LINE: Parents beware -- ABC is heavily promoting its ``Happy Hour''
and return to family programming. But the sexual content in this show may make
it unsuitable for some family members.

``Haunted''
--WHERE/WHEN: 9 p.m., UPN
--STARS: Matthew Fox; Russell Hornsby; Lynn Collins; John Mann; Michael Irby.
--CONCEPT: Cross ``The Sixth Sense'' with ``Magnum, P.I.'' and you've got a
drama about a detective (Fox) who, after a near-death experience, discovers
that he's haunted by lost souls who can help him solve crimes.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 24.
--BOTTOM LINE: Rates high on the creepy-meter. Might make a good companion to
``Buffy the Vampire Slayer.''

``Life With Bonnie''
--WHERE/WHEN: ABC, 9 p.m.
--STARS: Bonnie Hunt; Mark Derwin; Marianne Muellerleile; Holly Wortell; Chris
Barnes.
--CONCEPT: A comedy about a frazzled woman who juggles the roles of wife,
mother and host of a local morning talk show in Chicago.
--PREMIERES: Special preview Sept. 17; begins regular run Oct. 1.
--BOTTOM LINE: The hilarious Hunt is due for a hit after a couple of TV misses.

``Hidden Hills''
--WHERE/WHEN: NBC, 9:30 p.m.
--STARS: Justin Louis; Paula Marshall; Dondre T. Whitfield; Tamara Taylor;
Kristin Bauer; Stacy Galina.
--CONCEPT: A wan domestic comedy that follows the absurd adventures of two
suburban couples in the land of SUVs, Little League and barbecues.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 24.
--BOTTOM LINE: Give us a break. Since when do TV bigwigs know anything about
life in the `burbs?

``Less Than Perfect''
--WHERE/WHEN: ABC, 9:30 p.m.
--STARS: Sara Rue; Zachary Levi; Sherri Shepherd; Andrea Parker; Andy Dick;
Eric Roberts.
--CONCEPT: A comedy about a previously overlooked temp worker (Rue) at a
television network who unexpectedly lands a plum job as an assistant to the
big-shot news anchor (Roberts). Now she has to deal with her snide co-workers.
--PREMIERES: Oct. 1
--BOTTOM LINE: There is some promise here as Rue is just about perfect in the
main role.

WEDNESDAYS
``Cedric the Entertainer Presents''
--WHERE/WHEN: Fox, 8:30 p.m.
--STARS: Cedric the Entertainer; Wendy Raquel Robinson; Shaun Majumder; Amy
Brassette.
--CONCEPT: A half-hour variety series that comes across as an ``In Living
Color'' wannabe.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 18
--BOTTOM LINE: The pilot was maddeningly uneven, but there's hope. Cedric as a
gruff school cafeteria lady who dishes out acerbic one-liners to students and
teachers is a highlight.

``Fastlane''
--WHERE/WHEN: 9 p.m., Fox
--STARS: Peter Facinelli; Bill Bellamy; Tiffani Thiessen.
--CONCEPT: A ``Miami Vice'' for the new millennium. Video director McG delivers
a high-octane action thriller that focuses on two rogue cops who go undercover
and use a lot of snazzy gadgets to fight high-stakes crime in Los Angeles.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 18.
--BOTTOM LINE: Send this show to the pits. Thiessen as a big-time police boss
could be the lamest casting move of the season. Then again, some may find the
show to be a guilty pleasure.

``Birds of Prey''
--WHERE/WHEN: The WB, 9 p.m.
--STARS: Dina Meyer; Ashley Scott; Rachel Skasten; Shemar Moore.
--CONCEPT: A twist on the Batman legend, a la Superman's ``Smallville,'' that
focuses on a trio of beautiful heroines determined to carry on Batman's fight
for justice against the ruthless criminals of New Gotham City.
--PREMIERES: Oct. 9.
--BOTTOM LINE: The Powerpuff Girls would kick their butts.

``The Twilight Zone''
--WHERE/WHEN: UPN, 9 p.m.
--HOST: Forest Whitaker
--CONCEPT: A fantasy/science fiction/suspense anthology series that pays homage
to Rod Serling's original classic, which debuted in 1959.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 18.
--BOTTOM LINE: Unavailable for preview.

``MDs''
--WHERE/WHEN: ABC, 10 p.m.
--STARS: William Fichtner; John Hannah; Leslie Stefanson; Aunjanue Ellis; Jane
Lynch; Robert Joy; Michaela Conlin.
--CONCEPT: A ``M.A.S.H.'' wannabe, sort of. Two renegade doctors battle the HMO
bigwigs and their bosses at Mission General, a fictional San Francisco
hospital.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 25.
--BOTTOM LINE: Hawkeye and Trapper John probably wouldn't approve.

``Presidio Med''
--WHERE/WHEN: CBS, 10 p.m.
--STARS: Blythe Danner; Dana Delany; Anna Deavere Smith; Sasha Alexander;
Julianne Nicholson; Oded Fehr.
--CONCEPT: Lookie here -- another medical drama set in San Francisco! This one
follows a team of ``hard-working,'' bureaucracy-hating, mostly female
physicians.
--PREMIERES: Special preview Sept. 24; Debuts in regular time slot Sept. 25.
--BOTTOM LINE: May the best men/women win this battle of TV docs, which harks
back to the ``ER''-vs.-''Chicago Hope'' showdown. Odds are, however, that most
of America will avoid both shows and stick with ``Law & Order.''

THURSDAYS
``Dinotopia''
--WHERE/WHEN: ABC, 8 p.m.
--STARS: Erik von Detten; Shiloh Strong; and a bunch of computer-generated
creatures.
--CONCEPT: Think ``Jurassic Park'' on sedatives. A live-action drama that
presents life on a mystical lost continent where dinosaurs and humans live
together. Based on a miniseries that aired last season.
--PREMIERES: Oct. 10.
--BOTTOM LINE: Unavailable for preview, but judging from the miniseries, these
dinosaurs should be extinct fairly soon.

``Family Affair''
--WHEN/WHERE: The WB, 8 p.m.
--STARS: Tim Curry; Caitlin Wachs; Sasha Pieterse; Jimmy Pinchak; Gary Cole.
--CONCEPT: A modern update of the sweet and sappy 1960s comedy, complete with a
new-look Mrs. Beasley doll and ``Rocky Horror Picture Show'' star Curry as --
gasp! -- Mr. French.
--PREMIERES: Already airing.
--BOTTOM LINE: This is an ``Affair'' to forget.

``Do Over''
--WHERE/WHEN: The WB, 8:30 p.m.
--STARS: Penn Badgley; Angela Goethals; Josh Wise; Natasha Melnick; Michael
Milhoan; Gigi Rice.
--CONCEPT: A wish-fulfillment comedy that follows an unhappy, unfulfilled man
who has a chance to remake his life when he magically travels back in time to
his high-school years in the 1980s.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 19.
--BOTTOM LINE: Surprisingly, rather sweet and funny. The better of fall's two
time-travel shows.

``Push, Nevada''
--WHERE/WHEN: ABC, 9 p.m.
--STARS: Derek Cecil; Scarlett Chorvat.
--CONCEPT: A quirky ``Twin Peaks''-like drama that follows an IRS agent who
travels to a strange desert town in search of a jumbo wad of cash missing from
a casino. The show contains an interactive game allowing viewers to play along
and track down clues. A lone winner will collect big bucks.
--PREMIERES: Special preview Sept. 17. Premieres in regular time slot Sept. 19.
--BOTTOM LINE: Co-produced by Ben Affleck, this show is stuck in a deadly time
slot. But if ABC shows some patience, the network could have a cult hit on its
hands.

``Good Morning Miami''
--WHERE/WHEN: NBC, 9:30 p.m.
--STARS: Mark Feuerstein; Ashley Williams; Suzanne Pleshette; Tessie Santiago;
Jere Burns; Brooke Dillman.
--CONCEPT: A work-place comedy from the creators of ``Will & Grace'' that
focuses on a talented young TV producer who arrives in Miami with hopes of
reviving the nation's lowest-rated morning TV show. The only reason he stays is
because he has a crush on the show's hairdresser.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 26.
--BOTTOM LINE: ``Good Grief, Miami'' is more like it. Feuerstein and Williams
have a nice chemistry going, but everything else about this series is subpar.

``Without a Trace''
--WHERE/WHEN: CBS, 10 p.m.
--STARS: Anthony LaPaglia; Poppy Montgomery; Marianne Jean-Baptiste; Enrique
Murciano; Eric Close.
--CONCEPT: Take the procedural rhythms of ``CSI'' and transfer them to the
Missing Persons Squad of the FBI and you get the general idea. LaPaglia's
Anthony Malone heads the force that applies advanced psychological profiling
techniques to detect victims' whereabouts.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 26.
--BOTTOM LINE: This sleekly-made show has an eerie timeliness, coming as it
does after a summer of highly publicized abductions. NBC's ``ER'' seems more
vulnerable than ever, and CBS hopes ``Trace'' can deliver a punishing blow.

FRIDAYS
``Firefly''
--WHERE/WHEN: Fox, 8 p.m.
--STARS: Nathan Fillion; Gina Torres; Alan Tudyk; Morena Baccarin; Jewel
Staite; Adam Baldwin; Sean Maher; Ron Glass.
-- CONCEPT: ``Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' creator Joss Whedon provides his take
on life 500 years into the future. It's a sci-fi Western that unfolds in the
aftermath of a universal civil war.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 20.
--BOTTOM LINE: Unavailable for preview.

``What I Like About You''
--WHERE/WHEN: The WB, 8 p.m.
--STARS: Amanda Bynes; Jennie Garth; Simon Rex; Wesley Jonathan.
--CONCEPT: Nickelodeon kid comedian Bynes makes the jump to broadcast TV,
playing a klutzy, free-spirited teen who moves to New York and wreaks havoc on
the neatly regimented life of her older sister.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 20.
--BOTTOM LINE: Aside from a few amusing moments, there's not a whole lot to
like.

``Hack''
--WHERE/WHEN: CBS, 9 p.m.
--STARS: David Morse; Andre Braugher; George Dzunzda; Matthew Borish.
--CONCEPT: A gruff cop (Morse) has been fired for stealing money at a crime
scene. Now that he's a taxi driver, he uses his police know-how to solve crimes
all over Philadelphia. This is not a sitcom.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 27.
--BOTTOM LINE: Morse and Braugher are two fine actors who deserve so much more
than this.

``John Doe''
--WHERE/WHEN: Fox, 9 p.m.
--STARS: Dominic Purcell; Jayne Brook; William Forsythe; Sprague Grayden; John
Marshall Jones.
--CONCEPT: The story of a mysterious man who would be the perfect
Phone-a-Friend lifeline on ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.'' He possesses
unfathomable knowledge, yet has no memory of who -- or even what -- he is.
While he searches for his identity, he helps the cops solve crimes.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 20.
--BOTTOM LINE: Amnesia-related stories are rarely all that memorable.

``That Was Then''
--WHERE/WHEN: ABC, 9 p.m.
--STARS: James Bulliard; Tyler Labine; Brad Raider; Kiele Sanchez; Tricia
O'Kelley; Andrea Bowen; Bess Armstrong; Jeffrey Tambor.
--CONCEPT: See ``Do Over,'' above.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 27.
--BOTTOM LINE: A few episodes of this tedious dramedy and it will become
apparent to all that the `80s aren't worth revisiting.

``Greetings From Tucson''
--WHERE/WHEN: The WB, 9:30 p.m.
--STARS: Julio Oscar Mechoso; Rebecca Creskoff; Jacob Vargas; Pablo Santos;
Aimee Garcia; Jamie Strange; Bobby Chavez; Lupe Ontiveros.
--CONCEPT: An autobiographical comedy that focuses on 15-year-old David Tiant
(Santos) as he faces the challenges of growing up in an ethnically mixed,
upwardly mobile family.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 20.
--BOTTOM LINE: The show brings more much-needed diversity to TV. What it
doesn't bring is funny writing.

``Robbery Homicide Division''
--WHERE/WHEN: CBS, 10 p.m.
--STARS: Tom Sizemore; Barry Henley; Klea Scott; David Cubitt; Michael Paul
Chan.
--CONCEPT: Yet another crime drama, this one focusing on the people who make up
the elite robbery-homicide unit of the Los Angeles Police Department.
--PREMIERES: Sept. 27.
--BOTTOM LINE: Unavailable for preview.
* * *
News and notes on the fall TV season
By Chuck Barney
Knight Ridder Newspapers

Boy oh boy, it's time for a new TV season. Talk about thrills and excitement.

On second thought, let's talk about the new TV season. We can talk about
thrills and excitement some other day.

Truth is, this year's fall harvest of 34 new shows ranks very high on the
``blah''-meter as it is chock full of shopworn concepts, safe choices and
general stinkiness. I know what you're thinking: They say the same thing every
year. But, hey, this time we really mean it.

Still, we can always hope things will get better -- that we'll be able to find
a gem or two among the gunk. But before you grab the remote and launch that
desperate search, here's a primer to help you sift through the key trends and
topics of the new season:

Not so long ago the prime-time turf belonged to young, sexy urban singles.
Families? They pretty much faded away with Tim Allen and ``Home Improvement.''

Suddenly, though, singles are out and Dad, Mom and Junior are in. At least for
now. Of the 14 new comedies on the schedule, all but one (ABC's ``Less Than
Perfect'') focus in some way on a family. Also, there are four new family
dramas.

Some industry insiders point to Sept. 11 as the impetus for the resurgence of
family-friendly programming. Others insist the trend was gaining steam long
before the terrorist attacks. Family shows such as ``Everybody Loves Raymond''
and ``Malcolm in the Middle'' were thriving and TV programmers, as they are
prone to do, simply played follow the leader.

``In this business, the pendulum always swings,'' says Jordan Levin,
entertainment chief for the WB. ``In recent years, it swung so far toward
anti-family. Now, I think, it may have swung back too far the other way. We'll
see.''

TV's newest comedic clans arrive in varying forms, including dysfunctional
(Fox's ``The Grubbs''), rather conventional (ABC's ``8 Simple Rules ...''),
ethnically diverse (the WB's ``Greetings From Tucson'') and even modern-retro
(the WB's update of ``Family Affair'').

Disney-owned ABC is pushing family-oriented fare the hardest. The network has
labeled its 8-9 p.m. time slot the ``Happy Hour'' and crammed it with shows
designed for and often featuring families.

``We want to return to the footprint that had made ABC a successful network for
years: smart family comedies that reflect our viewers' lives,'' Lyne says.
``It's a strategy we have a lot of confidence in.''

Another mini trend this season is nostalgia. Sprinkled throughout the network
lineups are shows tinged with an apparent yearning for the past.

Besides the aforementioned ``Family Affair,'' prime time will offer another
remake of an old TV series: ``The Twilight Zone'' (UPN) with Forest Whitaker
assuming Rod Serling's hosting duties. Also in the works for midseason is a
remake of ``Dragnet'' (ABC).

In addition, there are two shows set in the 1960s: NBC's patriotically titled
drama, ``American Dreams,'' and Fox's family comedy, ``Oliver Beene.'' (The
latter has been pushed back to midseason).

Finally, there are two shows -- ABC's ``That Was Then'' and the WB's ``Do
Over'' -- that inexplicably share similar ``Back to the Future''-like premises.
In each, a grown man disenchanted with his dead-end life magically travels back
to his high school days in the 1980s.

Let's hope they manage to steer clear of Boy George.

``Nash Bridges'' may be history, but San Francisco continues to get plenty of
exposure on the small screen.

The city by the bay is the setting for two new medical dramas that will compete
in the same 10 p.m. Wednesday time slot: ABC's ``MDs'' and CBS's ``Presidio
Med.'' Also, David E. Kelley's newest legal drama, ``girls club'' (Fox), as
well as a freshman domestic sitcom, ``Half and Half'' (UPN), will base their
characters in San Francisco.

While all three of the dramas actually will be headquartered in Southern
California, they already have been to San Francisco for some location shooting
and plans call for occasional future visits.

No doubt, Willie Brown already is pushing for a few cameo spots.

Reality TV isn't about to die (as this critic once predicted), but it certainly
isn't as abundant as it once was. Last fall, the networks' collective fall
schedule featured 11 reality shows. This season? Four.

Essentially the genre cannibalized itself, leaving only a strong and healthy
few to carry on. ``Survivor Thailand'' (CBS), ``The Amazing Race 3'' (CBS),
``Fear Factor'' (NBC) and ``The Bachelor 2'' (ABC) are the holdovers.

It's not that the networks are giving up on reality TV. They're just trying to
use the genre more sparingly -- as occasional replacement programming and/or in
the dog days of summer (where Fox's ``American Idol'' thrived).

Other victims in this reality weaning process included game shows. ``Who Wants
To Be a Millionaire'' and ``Weakest Link,'' once prime-time stalwarts, can now
only be found in syndication.

No matter how dismal the TV scene can get, a few new faces always manage to
emerge from the haze. Last season, Jennifer Garner and Bernie Mac were among
the breakouts. Who will it be this fall? Here are five personalities to keep an
eye on:

--Peter Facinelli, ``Fastlane'' (Fox): Facinelli has that grubby-handsome thing
going on in his role as cocky and hard-edged undercover cop Van Ray. The
husband of Jennie Garth, he now has a chance to make a name for himself.

--Sara Rue, ``Less Than Perfect'' (ABC): Previously known as a character
actress, Rue takes center stage as an endearing underdog in this workplace
comedy. Her spunky attitude and solid comedic timing, are a joy to behold.

--Donnie Wahlberg, ``Boomtown'' (NBC): The former boy-band star struck all the
right notes as a TV actor in the HBO miniseries ``Band of Brothers.'' He's just
as good in his role as an L.A. cop struggling with a turbulent personal life.

--Ashley Williams, ``Good Morning, Miami'' (NBC): Coming off an Off Broadway
understudy stint, she makes her prime-time debut and seizes the screen as an
adorable local-TV hairdresser who turns the head of her new boss.

--Gregory Smith, ``Everwood'' (WB): Once again, the WB proves it knows how to
mine young talent. This native Canadian shines as a sensitive, yet
strong-willed teen struggling through a rocky relationship with his father.

Don't have time to wade through all the fall offerings? Take a spin through our
express lane with this cursory rundown of TV's best and worst. (Keep in mind, a
few shows were unavailable for preview at press time):

FIVE TO SEE
1. ``Boomtown'' (NBC): A fresh approach to the crime genre.

2. ``Push, Nevada'' (ABC): Quirky and fun and interactive.

3. ``Without A Trace'' (CBS): A stylish missing-persons procedural.

4. ``Everwood'' (WB): Family drama set among the mountains.

5. ``Less Than Perfect'' (ABC): A good sitcom among a weak crop.

FIVE TO FLEE
1. ``The Grubbs'' (Fox): They take the fun out of dysfunction.

2. ``Hidden Hills'' (NBC): They should have hidden the pilot.

3. ``Bram and Alice'' (CBS): Strong candidate for early dismissal.

4. ``Family Affair'' (WB): Mrs. Beasley wouldn't approve.

5. ``Presidio Med'' (CBS): Could use some major script surgery.



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