GILMORE GIRLS (8PM CW, Returns Sept. 26) The opinionated and articulate Amy Sherman-Palladino isn’t know for restraint. So when she decided to leave the GILMORE GIRLS, following a difficult contract negotiation with Warner Bros, odds were that she wasn’t going to go quietly.
That ‘gasp’ you heard during last May’s fifth season finale was the frustration of millions of angry GILMORE fans who were shocked and disappointed to watch their beloved Lorelai self-destruct; sleeping with Christopher and essentially destroyed her relationship with Luke. It’s now up to new show-runner David Rosenthal to right the ship, get Luke and Lorelai’s relationship back on track, and put the comedy back into what was once television’s most entertaining and enjoyable hour of tv.
VERONICA MARS (9PM CW, Returns Oct. 3) With a new network, a dream lead-in (GILMORE GIRLS) and a massive promotional push, it’s game time – and Mars’ Mastermind Rob Thomas is pulling out all the stops. In an interview with theTVaddict.com [coming soon] he couldn’t contain his excitement about the new network (the CW), new format (three self contained mysteries) and new cast members (fan favourite ‘Mac’ joins the cast as a permanent member). Of course all this excitement will mean nothing if VERONICA MARS doesn’t attract new viewers. Star Kristen Bell (Veronica) said it best in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, “Its do-or-die, If we hold GILMORE’S audience, we get a full season. If we don’t, we can be gone earlier.” Picked up for 13 episodes, VERONICA MARS will have half a season to prove that it deserves a permanent spot on the CW’s schedule.
SMITH (10PM CBS, Debuts Sept. 19) Audiences were quick to reject NBC’s HEIST and ABC’s THIEVES, so why does creator John Wells (ER) think that his hour long drama featuring charismatic bank robbers will be a success? How about an all star cast featuring Ray Liotta (Goodfellas), Simon Baker (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA), Shohreh Aghdashloo (24), and Virginia Madsen (SIDEWAYS). With a great timeslot (following THE UNIT), a like-able cast, and really cool bank robberies, SMITH may turn into Well’s biggest hit since ER — assuming audiences don’t [yet again] reject the bank robbing premise.
