Best & Worst New Shows

With over 20 new TV shows set to roll out this fall, there's something for everybody, whether you're a fan of serial dramas, crime procedurals, single-camera comedies, or old-fashioned sitcoms. To help you figure out how to manage your precious viewing time, here's our guide to which new programs are worth checking out — and which ones you shouldn't even bother with. — Television Without Pity [Share this on Twitter]Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

WORST — "Hellcats" (Premieres September 8 on The CW): Alyson Michalka (of Aly & AJ) stars as a gymnast who hates cheerleaders, but has to join their squad in order to keep her scholarship. We honestly feel bad that Ashley Tisdale is in this watered-down "Bring It On" clone. Source: TWoPThe CW/Jack Rowand - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "Terriers" (Premieres September 8 on FX): Donal Logue stars as a down-on-his-luck ex-cop who teams up with his best friend to solve crimes. On paper, it sounds like another USA Network show. But this FX drama is gritty, atmospheric, and genuinely more compelling than almost anything else on TV this fall. Source: TWoPFX/Mike Muller - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "Nikita" (Premieres September 9 on The CW): Did we need yet another version of "La Femme Nikita," which was already two movies and one TV show? Probably not. But Maggie Q is a pure pleasure to watch as a former assassin out for revenge against the secret government agency that ruined her life. Source: TWoPThe CW/Jan Thijs - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

WORST — "Outlaw" (Premieres September 17 on NBC): Yet another legal drama, this one stars Jimmy Smits as, believe it or not, a roguish Supreme Court justice who resigns his position on the nation's highest court in order to return to lawyering. Smits has plenty of charm, but not enough to make us watch the same kind of courtroom theatrics we've seen a million times before. Source: TWoPNBC/Mitchell Haaseth - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "Boardwalk Empire" (Premieres September 19 on HBO): We're waiting with bated breath for this already acclaimed HBO series from "Sopranos" scribe Terence Winter and Oscar-winning director-producer Martin Scorsese. This period crime drama features Steve Buscemi at the center of the action in Prohibition-era Atlantic City. Source: TWoPHBO/Craig Blankenhorn - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "The Event" (Premieres September 20 on NBC): Although we're wary about becoming invested in another intricately plotted high-concept show after getting burned by "FlashForward" last year, this series about a mysterious government operation and how it impacts the lives of everyone from the president (Blair Underwood) to a hapless guy (Jason Ritter) on vacation with his girlfriend has us intrigued. Source: TWoPNBC/Justin Lubin - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

WORST — "Chase" (Premieres September 20 on NBC): Kelli Giddish stars as a U.S. marshal who hunts down bad guys each week. Thanks to uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer, the show looks slick. But it lacks the substance or characterization we need to keep us tuning in. Source: TWoPNBC/Vivian Zink - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "Mike & Molly" (Premieres September 20 on CBS): We were worried that this sitcom about a plus-sized couple would be just one fat joke after another, but it turned out to be a charming show about making relationships work, no matter if the lovebirds (Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy) met at Overeaters Anonymous. CBS gave this the plum "Big Bang Theory" time slot, so it definitely has potential to make it big this fall. Source: TWoPCBS/Art Streiber - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "Lone Star" (Premieres September 20 on Fox): James Wolk plays a con artist who lives a double life, wheeling and dealing and dating one woman while married to another. He swaps identities with ease, and he's been doing it for years at the behest of his con man pappy, David Keith. The pace is slow, but the plot twists and moral dilemmas will suck you in. Source: TWoPFOX/Joe Viles - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "Hawaii Five-0" (Premieres September 20 on CBS): This reboot of the '70s cop show does the original justice while thoroughly modernizing the plot and characters. While star Alex O'Loughlin is merely serviceable, the supporting cast shines, particularly Scott Caan as Danno. We think this one deserves to be a hit, and not just because they brought back the classic theme song. Source: TWoPCBS/Mario Perez - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "Detroit 1-8-7" (Premieres September 21 on ABC): The premise is simple: detectives solving murders in a rough city. But the cast, led by Michael Imperioli in his best role to date, and the writing make it a cut above the usual cop drama. It's no "Southland," but it's close. Source: TWoPABC/Craig Sjodin - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

WORST — "Raising Hope" (Premieres September 21 on Fox): Despite some amusing performances from Martha Plimpton and Garret Dillahunt (playing a white-trash couple), this comedy about a young man who's left raising his motherless child with no help from his unsupportive family is more disturbing than funny. Source: TWoPFOX/Joe Viles - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

WORST — "Running Wilde" (Premieres September 21 on Fox): You'd think that a comedy from the creator of "Arrested Development" that starred Keri Russell, Will Arnett, and David Cross would be a home run, right? Not in this case. Almost nothing in this show about a rich playboy trying to woo the girl of his dreams makes us laugh. Source: TWoPFOX/Brian Bowen Smith - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

WORST — "Better With You" (Premieres September 22 on ABC): This comedy about two sisters — one impulsive and engaged to be married; the other less adventurous and in a long-term relationship — is a cloying step back for the sitcom genre. We'd be surprised if this one lasts a full season. Source: TWoPABC/Bob D'Amico - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

WORST — "The Defenders" (Premieres September 22 on CBS): Jerry O'Connell and Jim Belushi star as two hotshot lawyers in Las Vegas fighting for the proverbial "little guy." Both stars give it their all, but the novel setting (for a legal drama, anyway) can't make up for the courtroom clichés. We're not willing to take a gamble on this one. Source: TWoPCBS/Robert Voets - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "The Whole Truth" (Premieres September 22 on ABC): Putting a fresh spin on the tired legal genre, this courtroom drama focuses equally on the defense and the prosecution in each episode, culminating in a verdict for the case of the week. That unique premise, and stars Rob Morrow and Maura Tierney, make this a must-see for fans of shows like "The Good Wife." Source: TWoPABC/Michael Ansell - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "Undercovers" (Premieres September 22 on NBC): This fast-paced, well-produced series overseen by J.J. Abrams features the high-tech action and sex appeal of "Alias" but without the confusing mythology, and the married-spies conceit of movies like "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" without the bitter edge. We predict big things for attractive stars Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Source: TWoPNBC/Chris Haston - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

WORST — "Outsourced" (Premieres September 23 on NBC): Unfunny and offensive are not a great combination for a sitcom. This series about a white American guy who's sent to India to run a call center features every obvious joke about Indian culture that you'd expect — and not much more. Its heart is in the right place, but its brain sure isn't. Source: TWoPNBC/Joseph Viles - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "My Generation" (Premieres September 23 on ABC): Ten years ago, a diverse group of high school students was filmed for a documentary. Now, a film crew is catching up with them to see if their lives turned out like they planned. The premise sounds gimmicky, but the clever juxtaposition of the past and present — with a few soap-opera-worthy plot twists — totally hooked us. Source: TWoPABC/Craig Sjodin - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

WORST — "$#*! My Dad Says" (Premieres September 23 on CBS): What happens when you make 140-character-long off-the-wall Twitter posts the basis of a 30-minute sitcom? You get this watered-down mess filled with predictable jokes, and a starring role for William Shatner that he'll want to bleep out from his resumé in the future. Source: TWoPCBS/Ron P. Jaffe - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "Blue Bloods" (Premieres September 24 on CBS): This cop drama is about a family headed up by New York's police commissioner (Tom Selleck). His children — Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, and Will Estes — all work in law enforcement also, which leads to plenty of sibling rivalry … but life-and-death stakes. Source: TWoPCBS/Heather Wines - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

BEST — "No Ordinary Family" (Premieres September 28 on ABC): In a refreshing break from the spate of dark, brooding superheroes on both the big and small screen, this drama's about a superpowered fantastic foursome of a family that actually enjoys using their special abilities, and that joy is infectious. Michael Chiklis and Julie Benz play the parents of this "Incredibles"-like brood. Source: TWoPABC/Bob D'Amico - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM

UNDECIDED — "Law & Order: Los Angeles" (Premieres September 29 on NBC): It is hard to judge this one, since we haven't even seen a pilot, but we're guessing that if you like the rest of the "Law & Order" franchise, then this will be your cup of tea. Alfred Molina is the deputy DA, Regina Hall is the ADA, and Skeet Ulrich and Corey Stoll are the cops. New cast, new city, but can anything make "L&O" fresh again? Source: TWoPNBC/Dean Hendler - Friday, August, 20, 2010, 7:20 PM