The most promising of fall’s new crop of shows

In case you have been too busy moving in, working out class schedules and waiting in line for course readers to pay close attention to the 40-plus new shows hitting TV this season, here’s the lowdown on the top shows the fall TV schedule has to offer.

“Reaper”

Sam is a slacker whose life seems to have finally dead-ended at the local big box store. That is, until he discovers on his 21st birthday that his parents sold his soul to the devil before he was born. Now, he’s got to pull his best “Dog the Bounty Hunter” impression ““ with the help of his friends ““ and catch escaped demons. The pilot for new show “Reaper” is heavy on the comedy, featuring some somewhat blatant nods to “Shaun of the Dead” and other cult classics. Bret Harrison as Sam is likeable enough, even though the story of a slacker with an obnoxious best friend and a heretofore-unrequited love is getting long in the tooth.

The supporting cast is mostly so-so and, for now, it seems that Sam and his uncouth best friend are carrying the show. The lone exception is Ray Wise who seems to absolutely relish his role as Satan. It will be interesting to see if they develop the real question the premise raises: Is Sam’s deadbeat life due to the fact that his parents didn’t expect him to have a future past 21? Only time will tell.

““ Dean Leng

“Bionic Woman”

It may come as a surprise, but the original 1970s “Bionic Woman” coined the term “fembot.” Hopefully, the NBC remake premiering this fall will accomplish somewhat more than that. A bartender and reluctant guardian to her wayward sister, Jaime Sommers has nearly found a happily ever after ““ until a horrific car accident throws her life into disarray. Through the machinations of her boyfriend, a college professor who also happens to be on the government payroll, she is transformed into a nanotechnology-enhanced uber-frau.

The new show is darker, with the pilot hinting at some highly unsavory government elements and ambiguous morality. Not unlike producer David Eick’s other successful remake ““ Battlestar Galactica ““ the show holds promise for exploring interesting questions about human nature within the framework of science fiction tropes. However, the pilot episode has trouble with pacing and hitting the right notes. While off to a shaky start, there’s certainly promise behind the premise and a positive pedigree backing it up.

““ Dean Leng

“Pushing Daisies”

From the unofficial King of Quirk, TV’s most creative mastermind Bryan Fuller (responsible for beloved but cancelled shows such as “Wonderfalls” and “Dead Like Me”) comes an oddly amusing and charming look at … death.

The hour-long dramedy may prove difficult to find a dedicated audience, but not without a fight from ABC who has been covering every square inch of major cities like New York and Los Angeles (buses, billboards, the works) with posters for the show’s October 3 premiere.

While teetering the line between cheesy and endearing, the show about a young man with the ability to bring people back from the dead is one of the freshest network shows in a season of spin-offs (“Private Practice’s” talking elevator? Been there.) and lame copycats (“Samantha Who?” I think you mean “My Name is Earl”).

The show also puts an interesting spin on the long TV tradition of will-they-or-won’t-they couples that “The Office” perfected with Jim and Pam. The downside of being able to bring people back to life with one touch for main character Ned proves to be the second touch, which returns the individual back to their lifeless status immediately. Meaning once he brings back childhood love Charlotte, a kiss is forever out of the question.

Need another reason to watch? The television debut of charismatic Broadway sensation Kristin Chenoweth of “Wicked” fame.

““ Kate Stanhope

“Chuck”

If there is anything on the new fall schedule that screams “must see,” it has to be the hour-long action adventure comedy coming Mondays this fall entitled “Chuck.” The show may be the brainchild of a few Trojan adversaries, such as former “The O.C.” helmer Josh Schwartz, but this show really is good.

Mixing romance and action with a whole lot of laughs, “Chuck” follows a Best Buy Geek Squad-like employee who couldn’t lead a more average life. However, when an old college buddy currently working for the CIA sends Chuck every U.S. government secret right before his murder, Chuck’s ho-hum life is quickly changed forever.

Half the magic is the great writing, which gives equal attention and care to one-liners as well as extensive action sequences and the other half is within the cast. Zachary Levi makes Adam Brody yesterday’s news with his affable charm and comfortable presence on camera and Joshua Gomez, playing his best friend and coworker Morgan, steals every scene he’s in with his comedic timing.

The biggest challenge for “Chuck” will be which direction the show takes after the pilot. There is a good possibility for the freak-of-the-week format found on the early days of “Smallville” or (hopefully) more complex, drawn-out story arcs a la the glory days of “Veronica Mars.”

““ Kate Stanhope

E-mail Leng at dleng@media.ucla.edu and Stanhope at kstanhope@media.ucla.edu.

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