amNY Picks: New shows worth watching

Be they network midseason replacements or smart new cable series, there's a packed-DVR's-worth of series premering next year to keep you glued to your couch.

'Alcatraz'
Jan. 16, 8 p.m., FOX
Starring: Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia, Sam Neill
What it's about: This high-concept series from super-producer J.J. Abrams ("Lost") follows a San Francisco police officer investigating a murder who discovers that the prime suspect is a man who disappeared from Alcatraz years and years ago - and hasn't aged a bit. There's a lot more to it than this, so just watch it and thank us later.