With the fall comes cooler weather, fewer hurricanes -- a worry for those of us along the Gulf Coast, especially -- and new TV shows. Television has become rich with quality programming over the last decade, for all intents and purposes surpassing films in practically every way. Now that cable-only networks, subscription outfits like HBO and streaming services like Netflix have entered the fray, new, outstanding shows are popping up all over the place.
The big networks may not always come strong with the kind of quirky, dramatic programming to be found on Showtime or Amazon, they still know how to deliver in a big way. It makes sense. Ultimately, almost every creative would love for his show to end up on a network. They pay the most and offer some of the largest budgets. Maybe you can't make True Blood on NBC, but Scandal seems tailor made for weeknight network programming.
With quite a few decent new shows premiering this fall, my DVR is already loaded and the big networks are well represented.
Gotham (FOX) Chance it stays on my DVR the whole season: 90 percent
The prequel to the very concept of Batman, this Fox drama will be as comic book nerdy as you might imagine. Part noir, part graphic novel and part crime joint, Gotham will tell the story of how it all began, how Bruce Wayne became the Dark Knight and what sent the infamous city down the rabbit hole to near destruction. The show features a strong cast of veteran actors and it wisely tapped Danny Cannon, who produced the CSI shows, to keep it from running off the geek rails, we hope.
How to Get Away with Murder (ABC) Chance it stays on my DVR the whole season: 85 percent
Few women have deserved a star turn as long as Viola Davis and she gets her shot with this year's Shonda Rhimes creation. And if How to Get Away with Murder is half as successful as Scandal, Rhimes could be a dynasty builder. This show's strong woman in a pants suit is a law professor teaching, well, you know. Naturally, there is more than just teaching going on. My sincere hope is that Rhimes doesn't turn every piece of dialog into a speech -- she's rapidly turning into a melodramatic version of Aaron Sorkin, if that were even possible -- and holds off on the bizarre love triangles, but I'm not holding my breath. Still, like Scandal, I'm betting this will be addicting, particularly with Davis on board.
