New TV Shows 2004/2005

Best New Shows

Veronica Mars (UPN): This is a fun show about a high school girl/private detective. The show is not cheesy and is aided by an excellent supporting cast. The individual episodes are tied together with the thread of mystery surrounding the murder of Veronica’s best friend. Please don’t let this show become another Buffy, struggling to find an audience despite stellar reviews. Tune in now!

Lost (ABC): High-concept shows are often stymied quickly by obvious limitations, so only time will tell if the creative minds behind Lost will be able to keep up the pace they have set for themselves. Intelligently, they have left their options wide open by maintaining the mystery of the Lost island and by developing characters with complexities and pasts yet to be fully explored. The strong, diverse casting should help maintain the high quality of the show.

Desperate Housewives (ABC): I was wary of this show before it premiered because I have never been a fan of the nighttime soaps (a la Melrose Place). However, Desperate Housewives has proved to be a delightful mix of comedy, drama and mystery. The characters are fun and intriguing. I am sure that most women will pick one “housewife” with whose personality they most relate, an effective strategy to draw a broad audience. The thing about the show that I like the most? Many of the episodes have been named for Stephen Sondheim songs, a sure sign of the creators’ brilliance.

Honorable Mentions: Nanny 911 (FOX), CSI: NY (CBS), Murder in Suburbia (BBC America)

I would like to see (but can’t because of scheduling): House (FOX), Committed (NBC), Boston Legal (ABC), life as we know it (ABC)

Looking Forward To: Numb3rs (CBS), Jonny Zero (FOX), Point Pleasant (FOX)