Tele-Tuesday: New October Drama

It’s that time of year again!  The fall television schedule is here!  And as always, the networks have a lineup of many new programs to accompany our returning favorites.

Some of the series have promise, while others may flop—but, regardless, we’ll tune in to check them out!

Today, we’re focusing on the new television dramas premiering during the month of October…

*****

We all know how much of a success Smallville was; heck, it lasted ten seasons on the CW.  Fighting crime alongside Clark (aka The Blur; aka Superman, played by Tom Welling) in the later seasons of Smallville was Oliver Queen (aka the Green Arrow, played by Justin Hartley).  Personally, I loved Oliver and was thrilled to hear the CW was launching a Green Arrow show; but I’d be remiss to not mention that I was just a tad bit disappointed when I learned Mr. Hartley would not be reprising his role.

Instead, in the new series Arrow, the role of the “billionaire playboy” Oliver Queen is played by the very attractive Stephen Amell.  I’ll try to let the re-casting slide for this very reason… he really is cute.

Following an accident at sea, Oliver Queen was presumed dead.  After being discovered alive, Oliver finally returns home… but the last five years have changed him.  While his closest friends and family welcome him back with open arms, Oliver wants more—he needs more—so he decides to reconcile his past, starting with his ex-girlfriend.  But he doesn’t stop there; Oliver also wants to restore his city from the “ills of society.”  And with that, his new vigilante persona is born—Arrow.

The series also stars many familiar faces: Catie Cassidy (Harper’s Island and the “new” Melrose Place) as Laurel Lance, Oliver’s ex; Paul Blackthorne (The Dresden Files and The River) as Detective Quentin Lance, Laurel’s father;  David Ramsey (Dexter) as John Diggle, Oliver’s driver and bodyguard; Willa Holland (the O.C.) as Thea, Oliver’s sister; Colin Donnell (Pan Am) as Tommy, Oliver’s best friend; Susanna Thompson (Once and Again) as Moira, Oliver’s mother; and Jamey Sheridan (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) as Robert, Oliver’s father.

Arrow premieres Wednesday, October 10^th on the CW.

*****

There’s just something about fire fighters… they’re sexy, courageous, generous, and did I mention sexy?  But seriously, can you imagine the pressure our firefighters are under on a daily basis?  Saving lives; risking their lives; protecting everyone, including one another at all costs; living with some of the highest levels of stress imaginable—they really are heroes.

Chicago Fire follows a group of firefighters and paramedics as they serve Chicago and work to maintain and balance their personal lives.  And as if the job isn’t tough enough, the new drama starts off with these brave men and women losing one of their own.  Who will they blame?  How will they move forward?  And will there be time to truly mourn the loss before another emergency calls them away?

We all know that every fire starts with an ignition source; and with Chicago Fire, that source would be the sexiness.  Just look at this cast: Jesse Spencer (House) as Lt. Matthew Casey; Taylor Kinney (The Vampire Diaries) as Lt. Kelly Severide;  Eamonn Walker (Oz) as Chief Wallace Boden; Charlie Barnett (Men and Black 3) as Firefighter Peter Mills; and Lauren German (Happy Town and Hawaii Five-0) as Paramedic Leslie Shay.  The series also stars David Eigenberg (Sex and the City) as Firefighter Christopher Herrmann and a few ladies I’m not familiar with (Monica Raymund and Teri Reeves).

Maybe it’s the expected heat; maybe it’s the promising flames; either way, I am ready for Chicago Fire!

Chicago Fire premieres Wednesday, October 10^th on NBC.

*****

Is this the one starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Leighton Meester about the aging country beauty and her young and talented competition on tour together?  No… that’s Country Strong.

This is Nashville—a story about an aging country beauty (Rayna James, played by Connie Britton from Friday Night Lights and American Horror Story) and her young and talented competition (Juliette Barnes, played by Hayden Panettiere from Heroes) on tour together.

See, two totally different shows…  No really; they probably are different, I just can’t seem to see past the similarities at this point.  To me, it looks like television is hoping to cash in on motion picture success.

The series also stars: Powers Boothe (Deadwood) as Rayna’s daddy, a rich and powerful politician; Eric Close (Without a Trace) as Rayna’s scumbag husband—he’s one of my TV crushes, but why has he been playing a scumbag lately? I’m talking about his Suits recurring character for those not familiar; Jonathan Jackson (General Hospital) as a fellow musician; and Charles Esten (Who’s Line is it Anyway?) as Rayna’s former love.

Nashville premieres Wednesday, October 10^th on ABC.

*****

It’s been twenty-two years since we all fell in love with Catherine (Linda Hamilton, the Terminator movies) and Vincent (Ron Perlman, Sons of Anarchy) in CBS’s Beauty and the Beast.  Twenty-two years… can you believe it?  Viewers watched as the “world above” and the “world below” joined together to fight evil, but unfortunately the series was short-lived (only three seasons) and television has been without it ever since.

But now Catherine and Vincent are back, only this time they are younger and the story is a little different…

Catherine Chandler (Kristin Kreuk from Smallville) is a homicide detective with a haunted past (her mother was murdered in front of her).  She probably would have been killed too, but she was saved by an animal… no, a human.  Catherine takes her past experiences and uses them to become the woman that she is today—strong, independent, and very capable.

While working a case, Catherine and her partner stumble across fingerprints of Vincent Keller (Jay Ryan from Terra Nova), a man who supposedly died years earlier.  But because of his past with Catherine (I’m sure most everyone can guess this one…), he confides in her and tells her his secret—when enraged, he transforms into a beast with super strength and powers.  Catherine agrees to keep his secret; after all, she owes him her life… and she can’t seem to keep from obsessing about him at the same time.

The series also stars: Max Brown (The Tudors) as Evan Marks, the medical examiner and Catherine’s “human” love interest; Brian White (The Shield) as Joe Bishop, Catherine’s boss; Nicole Anderson (Make It or Break It) as Heather, Catherine’s sister; as well as relative new-comers Nina Lisandrello (Tess, Catherine’s partner) and Austin Basis (JT, Vincent’s confidant).

Beauty and the Beast premieres Thursday, October 11^th on the CW.

*****

If I had to rank these in order of which one I’m most looking forward to, I’d put Chicago Fire at number one.  This was a tough decision because I’m a really big CW fan… that said, Arrow probably comes in a very close second with Beauty and the Beast following closely behind at number three.  No offense to Nashville, but it comes in last.  Someone always has to come in last, but that doesn’t mean we won’t give it a chance here on Tele-Tuesday.

What do you think?  Will you tune in to watch any of these new shows?  Which one most interests you?  I’d love to hear from you!

P.S.  Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!!