Sept. 8, 1999
The Fall TV Preview - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
A few years ago, it was family dramas, a while back it was cop shows, then medical dramas, then teen shows, now legal dramas, but some of the shows debuting this fall on television will have an underlying theme of sex. Here’s a look at some of the noteworthy shows bowing this fall, in this the first of two editions.... TIME OF YOUR LIFE is a spin-off from the hugely popular Party of Five. It finds Jennifer Love Hewitt’s character moving to New York and leading in for Ally McBeal in Fox’s 8:00 PM timeslot, Mondays. The show has already been rewritten and reshot, because the pilot was scrapped, and in television that isn’t a good sign that the show will last. It debuts October 25.
Alfred Molina stars in a sitcom called LADIES MAN on Monday’s at 8:30 on CBS. Molina was recently nominated for a Tony for his performance in Art, as well as appeared in such films as Boogie Nights. He plays a man who’s house is filled with women: his wife, mother, mother in-law, ex-wife, etc. It’s got a good cast, but the critics are already panning it. Ladies also stars, multiple Emmy-winner Betty White, Sharon Lawrence, and Park Overall, all veterans playing opposite Molina, a first-timer on the small screen. It could do well, since it’s scheduled in-between King of Queens and Everybody Loves Raymond. Debut: September 20.
At 9 PM on The WB on Monday’s is ROSWELL. It revolves around kids living in Roswell, TV GUIDE calls it a cross between Dawson’s Creek and The X-FIles. Ros’ debuts October 6th on The WB, but we Canadian’s see it on the 4th on CTV
LAW & ORDER: SVU is spin-off from the brilliant Law & Order. Like its original series, SVU will go after cases the other departments don’t want. This show will do well, because it’s rooted from Law & Order. Catch SVU, which stands for Special Victims Unit, Monday’s at 10 on NBC, when it debuts September 20th.
Academy-award nominee Kathleen Quinlan headlines Dixie Carter and others in a CBS drama opposite SVU. FAMILY LAW revolves around Quinlan’s law practice. It looks like The Practice has an imitator in Family Law. Family is at 10 PM, Monday’s, it debuts September 20.
On Tuesday’s catch another half an hour of Ally McBeal, in an abbreviated version called ALLY. That’s at 8:00, on Fox when it debuts September 28th.
Emmy-winner Sela Ward, returns to TV with ONCE AND AGAIN. It’s about a couple of thirty/forty something’s that fall in love once and again, get the title yet? Ward is one of the best actresses on TV, she is a vet from NBC’s Sisters. Once debuts Tuesday’s at 10 on September 21st, ABC.
Two other actress return to TV, Amy Brenneman was on NYPD Blue and Tyne Daly was on Cagney and Lacey, in JUDGING AMY. It’s about a divorcing judge who moves her brood in with her mom. Amy debuts September 19th. It’s regular slot is Tuesday at 10, September 21st on CBS.
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