RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT: A PREVIEW OF NEW SHOWS & RENEWALS

We will find out which of our favorite shows have been picked up for another season, and also hear about new series’ that may or may not be given the green light.

Here is a tentative preview, followed by news about existing shows.  Keep in mind that at any moment, the cast and plot of any given show below might change before debuting in the fall.  

NEW SHOWS

Babylon Fields
CBS
Joan of Arcadia’s Amber Tamblyn plays a woman that went to heaven and came back from the dead. Pilot directed by Michael Cuesta (Dexter, Six Feet Under).  

Back to You
FOX
Kelsey Grammer (Frasier) and Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) play news anchors that have a love/hate relationship. Was called Action News until recently. Pilot written by Christopher Lloyd (not the actor, the Frasier scribe) and Steven Levitan (Just Shoot Me), and directed by James Burrows (Will & Grace).

Big Shots
If the women of Sex and the City were top male execs, this would be that show.  With Michael Vartan (Vaughn from Alias) and Dylan McDermott. Was called Perfect Gentleman until recently. Pilot written by Jon Harmon Feldman (Reunion) and directed by Charles McDougall (The Office).

Bionic Woman
NBC
British actress Michelle Ryan stars an athlete with super strength. With Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica). UPDATE: Click here to watch a preview on YouTube.

Cashmere Mafia
ABC
Does this sound familiar – four friends, set in NYC, created by Darren Star?  It is Sex and the City, but this time the four women are executives.  Lucy Liu, Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), Bonnie Somerville (Kitchen Confidential ) and Frances O’Connor (AI).  Pilot written by movie scribe Kevin Wade (Maid in Manhattan, Working Girl) and directed by movie director Peyton Reed (The Break-Up).

Chuck
NBC
Computer geek with spy secrets implanted in his brain becomes a government agent. From the writer and director of The O.C.  UPDATE: Click here to watch a preview on YouTube.

Dirty Sexy Money
ABC
This is the one, mark my words. From the mind of Craig Wright, the man who wrote for Six Feet Under AND Lost. Stars Six Feet Under’s Peter Krause stars as the lawyer to a rich, scandal-prone family. Pilot directed by Peter Horton (Brothers & Sisters ). With Samaire Armstrong (Entourage, The O.C.), Donald Sutherland, Jill Clayburgh, William Baldwin and Brooke Smith (a.k.a. the girl in the well in Silence of the Lambs).

Eli Stone  
ABC
From Everwood creator/Brothers & Sisters producer Greg Berlanti, who describes it as follows: “a Field of Dreams-type drama set in a law firm where a 30-something attorney begins having larger-than-life visions that compel him to do out-of-the-ordinary things.” With Jonny Lee Miller (a.k.a. the ex Mr. Angelina Jolie), Loretta Devine (the chief’s wife on Grey’s Anatomy) and Victor Garber (Alias).

Journeyman
NBC
A reporter time-travels to help people in trouble. UPDATE: Click here to watch a preview on YouTube.

Life
NBC
Detective serves prison term for crime he didn’t commit and is given a second chance on the force after being released. UPDATE: Click here to watch a preview on YouTube.

Lipstick Jungle
NBC
A show about 3 of New York’s 50 Most Powerful Women. From the writer and producer of Sex and the City. Brooke Shields, Kim Raver (24, The Nine) and Lindsay Price (Pepper Dennis).

Los Duques
CBS
Being billed as the Latin version of Brothers & Sisters. With Jimmy Smits, Nester Carbonell (a.k.a. Richard Alpert on Lost), Hector Elizondo, and Rita Moreno. UPDATE: This show has been officially named Cane.

The IT Crowd
NBC
Adaptation of a British comedy about geeks in the IT department of a large corporation. Stars Joel McHale (who hosts The Soup on E!) and Rocky Carroll (Chicago Hope). Pilot written by Just Shoot Me alum David Guarascio and Joe Port.  

Miss/Guided
ABC
Comedy about woman who returns to work at her high school as a guidance counselor. It’s about time that Judy Greer (Arrested Development) got her own show! An Ashton Kutcher production. Pilot directed by Todd Holland (Malcolm in the Middle, Wonderfalls).

Nurses
FOX
Grey’s Anatomy, but with a focus on nurses rather than interns. Starring Sara Rue (Less Than Perfect) and Eliza Dushku (Tru Calling), with Carlos Bernard (24) and Lynn Redgrave. Pilot written by Return to Me screenwriters Samantha Goodman and Andrew Stern.

Private Practice
ABC
This is the Grey’s Anatomy spin-off, following Addison (Kate Walsh) to LA. Written by series creator Shonda Rimes and Buffy scribe Marti Noxon.

Pushing Daisies
ABC
Everyday guy has the power to bring people back to life. From Heroes/Dead Like Me/Wonderfalls writer and producer Bryan Fuller.  Pilot directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black).

Sam I Am
ABC
A psychiatrist coming out of a coma doesn’t remember that she wasn’t a nice person. Starring Christina Applegate, with Jean Smart (24) and Jennifer Esposito (Related ).

The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Follows the life of Sarah and John Connor after Terminator 2.  Starring Lena Headey (300) and Thomas Dekker (a.k.a. Claire’s not-gay friend Zach on Heroes). Pilot written by film scribe Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds) and directed by David Nutter (The X-Files).

Swingtown
CBS
Swinging couples in the 70’s [and I don’t mean dancing]. With Molly Parker (Deadwood), Grant Show (Melrose Place) and Jack Davenport (a.k.a. Norrington from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies). Pilot written by Mike Kelley (The O.C.) and directed by Alan Poul (Six Feet Under).

Them
FOX
Aliens who fall in love with humans (only on FOX). But at least the pilot was directed by Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines) and co-written by David Eick (Battlestar Galactica).

Viva Laughlin
British import is about a family that runs a casino. Stars Hugh Jackman! With Melanie Griffith. Pilot directed by Gabriele Muccino (The Pursuit of Happyness).

CURRENT SHOWS

Friday Night Lights
NBC
Has been renewed (sweet!), and will air next season on…Friday nights. UPDATE: Unfortunately, the show will air at 10pm on Friday nights. WTF?? Why renew it if just to bury it in a dead zone of viewership?!

Heroes
NBC
In addition to the show being renewed, there will be a spin-off called Heroes: Origins. We will meet a new set of characters that discover their special abilities. The difference is that we will get to choose our favorite new hero (a la American Idol), and the winner will then join the cast of Heroes during the 2008-09 season.

The Office
NBC
Has been renewed, and there will 5 hour-long episodes next season. UPDATE: NBC is killing me. They’ve moved The Office to 9pm on Thursdays…opposite Grey’s Anatomy.

Scrubs
NBC
Has been renewed.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
NBC
Has not been renewed. Such a damn shame.