TwoCents 2008 Fall Preview - Tuesdays (CBS)

There are a whole lot of crimes being solved on Tuesdays on CBS...

Show: NCIS
Premiere Date: Sept 23
Time: 8:00PM EST
TwoCents Staff Writer: Angelique
Starring: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Coté de Pablo, Pauley Perrette, Sean Murray, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll.
Where We Left Off: At the devastating end of the two hour episode 'Judgment day'. NCIS Director Jenny Shepard is no longer amongst us, Deputy Director Leon Vance takes her place and once the team returns from her funeral he calls them into his office. He tells Ziva that her contract as Mossad liaison is terminated and that she is going home. McGee has to join the computer crimes unit and Tony on his turn gets told that he will be joining the crew of the USS Ronald Reagan.
Premiere Description: The murder of a Naval Petty Officer leads Gibbs to uncover a shocking connection between the case and Director Vance's decision to disband his team, on the sixth season premiere.

Show: The Mentalist (NEW)
Premiere Date: Sept 23
Time: 9:00PM EST
TwoCents Staff Writer: OPEN
Starring: Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon, Tim Kang as Kimball Cho, Owain Yeoman as Wayne Rigsby, Amanda Righetti as Grace Van Pelt
Premiere Description: CBI consultant Thomas Jane, Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon and her team investigate the double murder in Palm Springs of a pro golfer's wife and her doctor, which has the hallmarks of a serial killer with a personal connection to Jane, on the premiere episode.

Show: Without A Trace
Premiere Date: Sept 23
Time: 10:00PM EST
TwoCents Staff Writer: OPEN
Starring: Anthony LaPaglia as Jack Malone, Poppy Montgomery as Samantha Spade, Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Vivian Johnson, Enrique Murciano as Danny Taylor, Eric Close as Martin Fitzgerald, Roselyn Sanchez as Elena Delgado.
Premiere Description: The team searches for a man whose daughter went missing years ago and wonders if his desire to help another couple find their missing son is somehow connected. Meanwhile, Jack begrudgingly adjusts to life with a new boss, on the seventh season premiere.

CBS Upfront Announcements - 08-09 Fall Schedule

CBS announced today its 2008-2009 Fall Primetime Lineup, featuring five new series — two comedies and three dramas — and the launch of a new comedy block on Wednesdays.

The new series include ELEVENTH HOUR, a dramatic thriller from producer Jerry Bruckheimer about a special advisor to the government who investigates scientific crises and oddities; THE MENTALIST, starring Simon Baker as a former celebrity psychic-turned- detective who uses his gifted skills of observation and expertise at "reading" people to solve crimes; THE EX LIST, a sexy comedic drama about a 30-something woman who searches her past relationships to find her future husband; and the comedies PROJECT GARY, starring Jay Mohr and Paula Marshall as dueling ex-spouses and parents trying to move forward with new relationships; and WORST WEEK about a good guy who is always trying to do the right thing, yet something always goes wrong — especially when he's around his girlfriend's parents.

The freshman series will join 18 returning programs on the current CBS lineup.

CBS will return network television's Number One drama franchise — CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION; CSI: MIAMI, CSI: NY — the Number One comedy, TWO AND A HALF MEN; the Number One news magazine, 60 MINUTES; and two franchise reality series —SURVIVOR and the five-time Emmy Award-winning THE AMAZING RACE.

Also returning are: THE BIG BANG THEORY, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, NCIS, WITHOUT A TRACE, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE, CRIMINAL MINDS, GHOST WHISPERER, NUMB3RS, COLD CASE, THE UNIT, 48 HOURS MYSTERY and CRIMETIME SATURDAY.

Continue Reading for Show Descriptions and Fall 08-09 Schedule...

TwoCents Fall Preview - Thursdays (CBS)

Thursday nights are jam packed on...

CBS

Show: Survivor
Premiere Date: September 20th
Time: 8:00PM EST
TwoCents Staff Rank: N/A
TwoCents Staff Writer: Josh
Hosted By: Jeff Probst (Read his TwoCents Interview here.)
Premiere Description: The 15th edition of the reality series strands 16 castaways in China's Jiangxi Province. Initially, everyone comes together in Shanghai before attending a Buddhist ceremony in HuangPu Mountain's Mi Tuo Temple. Next, the contestants are split into two tribes (Fei Long, Zhan Hu) and marooned on two islands on Zhelin Lake.
Josh's TwoCents: The 15th installment of Survivor returns this time to China and promises some new surprising twists, and beautiful locations. With a cast including a beauty queen, a WWE female wrestler, a lunch lady and a grave digger you just know we're guaranteed that high tension drama that keeps us coming back for more.

Show: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Premiere Date: September 27th
Time: 9:00PM EST
TwoCents Staff Returning Drama Rank: 6 of 25
TwoCents Staff Writer: Jillyree
Starring: William Petersen, Marg Helgenberger, Gary Dourdan, George Eads, Jorja Fox, Paul Guilfoyle, Eric Szmanda, Robert David Hall, Wallace Langham
Premiere Description: "Dead Doll" - Sara's fate remains in question as the CSI team rushes to find out if she survived an attack by the miniature killer, on the eighth season premiere of CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
Jillyree's TwoCents: We Last Saw : The Miniature Killer was finally captured, but not before she could take Sara hostage, leading Grissom to profess their secret love to the rest of the team. Sara is still alive, as her hand was seen moving beneath the wrecked vehicle, but with the torrential downpour falling upon her, will she survive? What We Hope To See : Will the team find Sara in time? If Sara lives, will she and Grissom actually get a kissing scene on-screen? How much Cath-drama will we be forced to put up with this year? Will we ACTUALLY see Warrick Brown ON the show this year, and if so, will he still be married?

Show: Without A Trace
Premiere Date: September 27th
Time: 10:00PM EST
TwoCents Staff Returning Drama Rank: 13 of 25
TwoCents Staff Writer: TBD
Starring: Anthony LaPaglia, Poppy Montgomery, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Enrique Murciano, Eric Close, Roselyn Sanchez
Premiere Description: "Lost Boy" - When a 2-year-old boy who was adopted from Sudan disappears from his home, the team questions whether the abduction is connected to his parents' celebrity or the boy's native country, on the sixth season premiere of WITHOUT A TRACE.
New Face: JAMES MARSTERS ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel") will guest star in a five episode arc beginning with the season premiere on Thursday, Sept. 27. He will play Grant Mars, a detective who helps Vivian (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) with an unsolved case.

Show: Viva Laughlin
Premiere Date: October 18th (Then moving to Sundays at 8:00PM)
Time: 10:00PM EST
TwoCents Staff New Show Rank: 11 of 26
TwoCents Staff Writer: TBD
Starring: Lloyd Owen, Mädchen Amick, Eric Winter, DB Woodside, P.J. Byrne, Ellen Woglom, Carter Jenkins, Hugh Jackman
Description: VIVA LAUGHLIN is a mystery drama with music about eternal optimist and freewheeling businessman Ripley Holden, whose sole ambition is to run a casino in Laughlin, Nev. Occasionally using upbeat contemporary songs to accentuate the drama and humor and advance the story, the series is based on the hit BBC show "Viva Blackpool." Ripley is the ultimate gambler with an infectious personality who is on the brink of making a killing... just as soon as he opens his casino that's nowhere near completion. When his financing suddenly falls through, the fearless and tenacious Ripley approaches his enemy - dashing, sarcastic, wealthy casino owner Nicky Fontana, and his lieutenant Marcus, for help.
TV by KP: Having watched an early version of Viva I was interested how the musical numbers would work into this drama. It didn't happen seemlessly, yet I was entertained everytime one of these drama characters jumped on a table to belt out a popular song. Hugh Jackman is a great talent to use for this kind of show, even if it will only be in a guest starring capacity. I fear for this show lasting on Sunday nights at 8PM though. Not a great time slot for a new show.