ABC lineup: "Detroit 187," Tuesdays, 10
Here it is: The full ABC fall lineup, without much heralded and admired shows like "V" (mid-season) and "FlashForward."
All of this will prompt the question: Is scifi dead on the network that still has, for another few days, one of the great scifi series in TV history? Not necessarily: Check out "No Ordinary Family," with Michael Chiklis, about a family that crashes in the jungle, and each discover they have superpowers. (Ah, all is right with the world of TV after all...)
Quickly, what's so unique about this line-up? It's stabiilty. There are no massive changes, nothing that makes you go, "oh my God, Mabel, come and see what UNBELIEVABLE things ABC has done to its line-up."
No Mabel, this is a schedule that won't feel odd or alien to you at all.
So far, we've got two obvious trends at the networks this fall:
1.) Back to the future, with traditional shows filling more or less traditional lineups, especially at NBC, which has gone back to "traditional" with open arms. "Traditional," I should point out, is not to be confused with "bland" or "bad." It's not a pejorative - just a feeling that the networks want to get back into the comfort food business.
2.) Little new reality. There are, so far, very few new reality shows. The classics, the stalwarts, the established are all here. But there seems to be little interest in foisting a bunch of brand new product on viewers.
MONDAY: 8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
10:00 p.m. “Castle”
TUESDAY: 8:00 p.m. “No Ordinary
Family”
9:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars the
Results Show”
10:00 p.m. “Detroit 1-8-7”
WEDNESDAY: 8:00 p.m. “The Middle”
8:30 p.m. “Better Together”
9:00 p.m. “Modern Family”
9:30 p.m. “Cougar Town”
10:00 p.m. “The Whole Truth”
THURSDAY: 8:00 p.m. “My Generation”
9:00 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy”
10:00 p.m. “Private Practice”
FRIDAY: 8:00 p.m. “Secret Millionaire”
9:00 p.m. “Body of Proof”
10:00 p.m. “20/20”
SATURDAY: 8:00 p.m. “Saturday Night
College Football”
SUNDAY: 7:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home
Videos”
8:00 p.m. “Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition”
9:00 p.m. “Desperate Housewives”
10:00 p.m. “Brothers & Sisters”
NEW FALL AND MIDSEASON SERIES
DRAMA
“BODY OF PROOF”
Dr. Megan Hunt (Dana Delany) was in a class of her
own, a brilliant neurosurgeon at the top of her
game. But her world is turned upside down when a
devastating car accident puts an end to her time in
the operating room. Megan resumes her career as a
medical examiner, determined to solve the puzzle of
who or what killed the victims. Her instincts are
sharp, but she’s developed a reputation for graying
the lines of where her job ends and where the
police department’s begins. It turns out her career
isn’t the only thing that will need to be rebuilt;
Megan’s family has taken a backseat to her
ambition, and now she’s discovering there’s a lot
of work to do when it comes to dissecting her
relationships with the living.
Dana Delany stars as Dr. Megan Hunt, Jeri Ryan as
Dr. Kate Murphy, Geoffrey Arend as Dr. Elliot
Gross, John Carroll Lynch as Detective Bud Morris,
Windell Middlebrooks as Dr. Curtis Brumfield, Nic
Bishop as Peter Dunlap and Sonja Sohn as Detective
Samantha Baker.
“Body of Proof” is from ABC Studios. Christopher
Murphey wrote the pilot, which was directed by
Nelson McCormick. Murphey and Matt Gross serve as
executive producers.
“DETROIT 1-8-7”
What does it take to be a detective on America’s
most dangerous streets? Get ready to be part of the
action when a documentary crew rolls with some of
Detroit’s finest, offering an insider’s glimpse
behind the curtain of a Homicide Unit. The cameras
unearth the crisis and revelation, heartbreak and
heroism of these inner city cops -- moments of raw
exposure when they address us directly, as well as
private moments when they forget they’re being
filmed.
There’s the damaged but driven Detective Louis
Fitch, a wily homicide vet who is the most
respected
-- and most misunderstood -- man in the division;
Detective Damon Washington, Fitch’s new partner,
who finds the first day on the job is a trial by
fire, complicated by the imminent birth of his
first child; Detective Ariana Sanchez, sexy, edgy
and beautiful, who has emerged from a rough
background to become a rising star in the
department; Narcotics undercover cop John Stone, a
streetwise smooth talker, clever and quick with a
smile mde for the movies, who is teamed with
Sanchez -- a combustible pairing rife with conflict
and sexual tension; Sergeant Jesse Longford, a 30-
year veteran struggling with his impending
retirement from the force and the city he loves,
who, together with his partner, Detective Aman
Mahajan -- a fully Americanized son of Indian
immigrants -- form an amusing mismatch of
experience and enthusiasm, intellect and instinct,
old school and new world, but whose combined skills
have never encountered a case that couldn’t be
cleared; and all are headed by Lieutenant Maureen
Mason, a strong-willed single mom struggling to
balance home and work.
The men and women of Detroit Homicide are as smart
and tough as they come. They have to be, working
the neighborhoods of the once and future Motor
City, a rebounding bastion of middle America still
saddled with the highest murder rate in the
country.
“Detroit 1-8-7” stars Michael Imperioli (“The
Sopranos”) as Detective Louis Fitch, Jon Michael
Hill as Detective Damon Washington, James McDaniel
(“NYPD Blue”) as Sergeant Jesse Longford, Aisha
Hinds (“True Blood”) as Lieutenant Maureen Mason,
Natalie Martinez as Detective Ariana Sanchez, D.J.
Cotrona as Detective John Stone and Shaun Majumder
as Detective Aman Mahajan.
The series is produced by ABC Studios. The pilot
was written by Jason Richman. Executive producers
are Richman, David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and
David Zabel. Jeff Nachmanoff directed the pilot.
“MY GENERATION”
What a difference ten years can make. In 2000, a
documentary crew follows a disparate group of high
schoolers from Greenbelt High School in Austin, TX
as they prepare for graduation, then revisits these
former classmates ten years later as they return
home to rediscover that just because they’re not
where they planned doesn’t mean they’re not right
where they need to be.
These students couldn't wait to graduate and head
out into the real world. But the world they were
entering got very real very fast. As these
classmates return home to revisit their old hopes
for their future, they'll discover that, even if
you don't get exactly what you thought you wanted
out of life, it’s not too late to get what you
need.
“My Generation” stars Michael Stahl David as
Steven, Kelli Garner as Dawn, Jaime King as
Jacqueline, Keir O’Donnell as Kenneth, Sebastian
Sozzi as Falcon, Mechad Brooks as Rolly, Anne Son
as Caroline, Daniella Alonso as Brenda and Julian
Morris as Anders.
“My Generation” was created and written by Noah
Hawley (“The Unusuals,” “Bones”), who is also an
executive producer, along with Warren Littlefield,
Henrik Bastin, Patrick Magnasson and Martin
Piersson. Craig Gillespie directed the pilot. The
project is from ABC Studios.
“NO ORDINARY FAMILY”
The Powells are about to go from ordinary to
extraordinary. After 16 years of marriage, Jim and
Stephanie’s relationship lacks the spark it once
had, and their family life now consists of
balancing work and their two children, leaving
little time for family bonding. During a family
vacation set up by Jim in an attempt to reconnect,
their plane crashes into the Amazon River. But this
is where the fun starts for the Powells, as they
soon discover that something’s not quite right.
Each of them now possesses unique and distinct
superpowers. But saving and savoring their family
life will be equally important, as they try to find
purpose for their new powers and embark on a
journey to find out what defines and unifies them.
The Powells are a totally relatable family who
happen to be a little bit amazing.
Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”) stars as Jim Powell,
Julie Benz (“Dexter”) as Stephanie Powell, Romany
Malco (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin”) as George St.
Cloud, Tate Donovan (“Damages”) as Mitch
McCutcheon, Autumn Reeser as Katie Andrews,
Christina Chang as Yvonne Cho, Kay Panabaker as
Daphne Powell and Jimmy Bennett as JJ Powell.
The pilot was written and executive-produced by Jon
Feldman. The series is executive-produced by
Feldman, Greg Berlanti, Morgan Wandell and David
Semel, who also directed the pilot. Joe Hartwick,
Jr. serves as producer. “No Ordinary Family” is
from ABC Studios.
“OFF THE MAP”
Executive producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers
(“Grey's Anatomy,” “Private Practice”) and creator
Jenna Bans (“Grey's Anatomy”) bring you an
uplifting medical drama that explores how far you
have to go to truly heal.
Welcome to “la ciudad de las estrellas” (the city
of stars), a tiny town in the South American jungle
which has one understaffed, under-stocked medical
clinic. That’s where idealistic young Dr. Lily
Brenner just landed, along with fellow doctors Mina
Minard and Manny Diaz. All of these young doctors
are running away from personal demons, but they
aren’t the only ones with emotional baggage. Take
the legendary and enigmatic Ben Keeton, who was the
youngest Chief of Surgery at UCLA. He walked away
from it all to found the clinic. Together with his
right-hand doctor, Otis Cole, he’ll teach these
newcomers how to save lives in the most challenging
environment they’ve ever worked in.
In this ensemble drama, five doctors who have lost
their way will go to the ends of the earth to try
to remember the reasons why they wanted to become
doctors in the first place.
“Off the Map” stars Martin Henderson as Ben Keeton,
Caroline Dhavernas as Lily Brenner, Enrique
Murciano as Manny Diaz, Mamie Gummer as Mina
Minard, Jason George as Otis Cole, Valerie Cruz as
Zita (Zee) and Jose Julian as Charlie.
“Off the Map” is executive-produced by Shonda
Rhimes and Betsy Beers, and created/executive-
produced by Jenna Bans. The series is from ABC
Studios.
“THE WHOLE TRUTH”
This unique legal drama chronicles the way a case
is built from the perspective of both the defense
and prosecution. Showing each side equally keeps
the audience guessing, shifting allegiances and
opinions on guilt or innocence until the very final
scene.
Kathryn Peale, the product of a New England
background and a sheriff father, is the Deputy
Bureau Chief in the New York State District
Attorney's office. Jimmy Brogan, born and raised in
Hell's Kitchen and a friend of Kathryn's since
their days at Yale Law School, is one of New York's
rising criminal attorney stars. Buoyed by their
respective teams, these evenly matched lawyers —
each with a strong streak of competitiveness, a
fervent belief in their clients and an equally
intense passion for the law —
go about creating two different stories from the
same set of facts. As this up-close, behind-the-
scenes look at the legal process mirrors the
excitement of a championship match, it becomes
evident that truth has nothing to do with innocence
or guilt — at the end of every trial, the only
thing that matters is what the jury believes.
“The Whole Truth” stars Rob Morrow (“Numb3rs”) as
Jimmy Brogan, Joely Richardson (“Nip/Tuck”) as
Kathryn Peale, Eamonn Walker (“Oz”) as Sr. ADA
Terrence “Edge” Edgecomb, Sean Wing as Chad
Griffin, Anthony Ruivivar as Alejo Salazar and
Christine Adams as Lena Boudreaux.
The series is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc.
in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television
and Warner Bros. Television. The pilot was written
and co-executive produced by Tom Donaghy, and the
executive producers are Jerry Bruckheimer and
Jonathan Littman. Alex Graves was executive
producer and director for the pilot, and
KristieAnne Reed serves as a co-executive producer.
COMEDY
“BETTER TOGETHER”
Maddie and Ben have been dating for nine years.
They know each other inside and out, a relationship
marked by contentment and affection, seeing their
commitment to one another as a “valid life choice,”
something they proclaim often — and often loudly.
Maddie’s younger sister, Mia, has been dating Casey
for seven weeks. With a shared c’est la vie
attitude, Mia and Casey are smitten with each
other, and thrilled to explore the oh-so-many
things they don’t know about each other yet. But
when they announce they’re getting married and
having a baby, it’s news that throws Maddie for a
loop. Surprisingly, the girls’ parents, Vicky and
Joel, couldn’t be more pleased. Married 35 years,
they have recently adopted a carpe diem sort of
philosophy, rather like Mia’s, maybe because they’
re getting older and lost a good portion of their
savings when the economy tanked. With three very
different relationships tightly intertwined in one
family, will it be free thinkers vs. over-thinkers,
or will each couple begin to see things a little
bit differently?
“Better Together” stars JoAnna Garcia as Mia,
Jennifer Finnigan as Maddie, Josh Cooke as Ben,
Jake Lacy as Casey, with Kurt Fuller as Joel and
Debra Jo Rupp as Vicky.
The series is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in
association with Silver and Gold Productions and
Warner Bros. Television. Shana Goldberg-Meehan is
executive producer and writer. The pilot was
directed by James Burrows.
“HAPPY ENDINGS”
Forget who gets to keep the ring – when a couple
splits, the real question is, who gets to keep the
friends? In this modern comedy, a couple’s break-up
will complicate all of their friends’ lives and
make everyone question their choices. When life
throws you for a curve, hold on tight to the people
you love. Every circle of friends has someone who’s
the gravitational center. For years, perfect couple
Dave and Alex drew their friends in and held them
together. Now that they’ve split, does this group
have the stuff to stay together? Or do Max, Brad,
Jane and Penny have to choose sides? Suddenly every
event is a negotiation… like, who gets to go on the
annual ski trip? There are a lot of big questions
to be answered, but this group has been together so
long, somehow, little by little, they’ll figure out
how to hold on, even though their center is split
up. It helps that Dave and Alex have agreed to stay
friends. But there will definitely be other
complications down the road – like Penny’s long-
suppressed feelings for Dave. What is the waiting
period for dating a friend’s ex? This show isn’t
afraid to ask the embarrassing personal questions
that inevitably arise in every long-term, close-
knit group of friends.
“Happy Endings” stars Elisha Cuthbert (“24”) as
Alex, Eliza Coupe as Jane, Zachary Knighton as
Dave, Adam Pally as Max, Damon Wayans, Jr. as Brad
and Casey Wilson as Penny.
From executive producers Jamie Tarses, Jonathan
Groff, Anthony & Joe Russo, and co-executive
producer David Caspe, “Happy Endings” examines the
complex network of long-term friendships. The pilot
was written by David Caspe and directed by Anthony
& Joe Russo. The series is from Sony Pictures
Television and ABC Studios.
“MR. SUNSHINE”
Matthew Perry stars as Ben Donovan, the self-
involved manager of a second-rate San Diego sports
arena who begins to re-evaluate his life on his
40th birthday. Working alongside him is his boss
and arena owner, Crystal -- attractive, powerful
and highly erratic; Alice -- the cute, tomboyish
marketing director and Ben’s friend with benefits;
Alonzo – a former basketball player, handsome and
unbelievably happy; Ben’s assistant, Heather –
pretty, sweet, but terrifying because she once lit
a boyfriend on fire; Crystal’s son, Roman – sweet-
faced, clueless and Ben’s newest employee; and a
hapless operations crew whom Ben refers to
collectively as the “Steves.”
“Mr. Sunshine” stars Matthew Perry (“Friends”) as
Ben, Allison Janney (“The
Andrea Anders as Alice, James Lesure as Alonzo,
Nate Torrence as Roman and Portia Doubleday as
Heather.
Matthew Perry, Alex Barnow, Marc Firek, Jamie
Tarses and Thomas Schlamme are executive producers.
The Pilot was written by Matthew Perry and Alex
Barnow & Marc Firek and directed by Thomas
Schlamme. “Mr. Sunshine” is a Matthew Perry
Production, Shoe Money Production, Barnow and Firek
Production and FanFare Production, in association
with Sony Pictures Television.
