Premiering Tonight 09.26.07

Welcome to Premiering Tonight, highlighing all the new and returning shows premiering on the Fall 2007 schedule.

Premiering tonight on TV are Deal or No Deal, Bionic Woman, Criminal Minds, Private Practice, Gossip Girl, CSI: NY, Dirty Sexy Money, Life.

Bionic Woman – 9 pm/ET NBC
The TV Remote’s Pick To Click

This re-creation of the 1970s series focuses on Jaime Sommers (Michelle Ryan) adjusting to her bionic implants, which are installed without her consent after a car accident nearly kills her. First up: Jaime learns she isn’t the only bionic woman when the original test subject, who is unstable, turns up to attack her.

From David Eick who brought us Battlestar Galactica, comes the remake of The Bionic Woman. I heard they had some recasting and reshoots but the commercials for the show look good. NBC brought on Friday Night Lights executive producer Jason Katims to help run the show. And Eick brings along Starbuck herself, Katee Sackoff as the evil, original Bionic Woman, Sarah Corvus.

Thus far critics haven’t been that impressed with the Bionic Woman, but I think it will get better has the season goes on now that the show seems to have all its pieces in place. Eick knows good tv, so the Bionic Woman is my Pick To Click.

Deal or No Deal – 8 pm/ET NBC

Extra million-dollar cases are added to the game for contestants from Florida and Massachusetts. Also: The first million-dollar winner of the Play at Home Lucky Case Game is announced.

Criminal Minds – 9 pm/ET CBS

In the third-season opener, a serial killer is targeting young women at a small college. The initial profile produces a suspect, but the murders continue after that person is in custody, leading the agents to doubt their skills.

Mandy Patinkin leaves the series after the premiere episode. Will Criminal Minds be able to produce a strong third season without Patinkin’s presence?

Private Practice – 9 pm/ET ABC

In this “Grey’s Anatomy” spin-off, neonatal surgeon Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) has left Seattle Grace for L.A.’s upscale Oceanside Wellness Clinic. In the opener, Addison begins work. Trouble is, her old friend Naomi Bennett (Audra McDonald), a fertility specialist, hired her without telling the other Oceanside doctors. And they don’t like it. Meanwhile, a teen develops complications during labor; and a wife and a girlfriend both want a donor’s sperm after his sudden death.

The first episode of Private Practice that was paired with an hour of Grey’s Anatomy was panned by critics and fans of Grey’s. The writers made some changes and recast a role, but will it be enough to make the show a hit? I don’t think Private Practice will ever capture the magic that Grey’s Anatomy has found.

Gossip Girl – 9 pm/ET The CW

Blair tells Serena she knows about her past betrayal, then turns a cold shoulder to her; Chuck hosts a fund-raiser brunch, and Serena brings Dan to the event; and Jenny and Blair become friends.

The CW is pushing Gossip Girl hard, but will it live up to the hype?

CSI: NY – 10 pm/ET CBS

The fourth season begins with Mac searching for a vigilante who threatens to kill a famous musician. The case is set in motion when blood is found on the crown of the Statue of Liberty.

Gary Sinse is the best part of this show, but he isn’t enough for me to watch. There is too much CSI on television right now, which one will fade away first?

Dirty Sexy Money – 10 pm/ET ABC

An unscrupulous wealthy family becomes the headache of a lawyer who takes over as counsel when his father dies. In the opener, Nick George (Peter Krause) agrees to represent the Darlings, and is soon embroiled in the clan’s bizarre problems.

I wonder how much face time Donald Sutherland will get on the show. Peter Kruase is a great, underrated actor, but can he and Sutherland carry the show? This show looks like more recycled garbage from the network.

Life – 10 pm/ET NBC

Wrongly imprisoned for 12 years, Det. Charlie Crews (Damian Lewis) returns to the force with a Zen-like perspective that he uses to analyze cases and personal issues. In the opener, Crews investigates the murder of a boy alongside his new partner (Sarah Shahi), who finds Crews’ quirky methods off-putting.

This show interests me quite a bit. Hopefully it will be more compelling than Journeyman was. I kind of got a Mememto-feel, minus the memory loss. Hopefully the mystery of who framed Crews can maintain this show through the season. But I really don’t see much beyond one season, but then again, I said the same thing about Prison Break.