The flood of new fall shows from the last two weeks has slowed to a trickle, and already one has gotten the axe (Fox's Head Cases, after only two episodes). Of the nearly 30 new prime-time series premiering on the six broadcast networks this fall, only a handful will survive until next season. For some shows, there will be a window of only a few weeks to convince viewers to watch before networks pull the plug in favor of something new and flashy (or more likely, reruns of something old and reliable).
With that in mind, at least there is a small enough number of premieres this week to give them all of the attention they merit. Unfortunately, most don't merit much.
Former X-Files producer Frank Spotnitz benefits from this season's focus on the supernatural with his remake of the cult classic The Night Stalker (ABC, Thursdays, 9 p.m.). Since the original Kolchak: The Night Stalker, about a reporter who investigates the unexplained, was a huge influence on X-Files creator Chris Carter, it's no surprise that Spotnitz's show bears a strong resemblance to his old stomping grounds. His new Kolchak (Stuart Townsend) is younger than the first version and paired with a skeptical female partner, making them near copies of The X-Files' Mulder and Scully.
Although the structure is almost exactly the same as The X-Files, with self-contained stories feeding into an overall arc, there are some decent scares, especially in the show's creepy third episode. At the same time, Spotnitz isn't exploring any new territory, telling stories that fit the mold of the old Night Stalker show as well as The X-Files, and his overarching conspiracy story feels tacked on in order to give the show the kind of serial appeal that's in vogue right now. It's a better show than the WB's similar Supernatural, but only by a small margin.
Jerry Bruckheimer gets one more show on the air with the legal procedural Close to Home (CBS, Tuesdays, 10 p.m.), which fits nicely with CBS's other stock procedurals such as Without a Trace and Cold Case. It stars Jennifer Finnigan of the short-lived sitcom Committed (who's a much better dramatic actress than a comedic one) as a hard-charging prosecutor who's also a new mother. The family dynamic is the show's sole twist, but the producers go so heavy on the hormones and motherly instinct that the show comes off as condescending and strangely sexist, as if saying that only by having children can women truly connect with who they are.
Despair for the depiction of women on TV continues with Related (The WB, Wednesdays, 9 p.m.), from Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman. Her dramedy about four sisters at different stages in their lives is full of strained jokes and boring stereotypes, and utterly annoying and predictable. It's like Friends—if Friends were an hour long and not funny.
The only new fall show not available for preview was The Apprentice: Martha Stewart (NBC, Wednesdays, 8 p.m.), Stewart's expansion of the reality franchise started by Donald Trump. The show premiered last week to lackluster ratings and lackluster reviews, but it's really not much worse than Trump's version, and after three seasons of the Donald, a change of pace is welcome. The show's format remains the same, with 16 hopeful businesspeople competing for a chance to join Stewart's company. But Stewart has a more creative, pleasant style than Trump, despite her reputation as an ice queen. Her catchphrase—"You just don't fit in"—is overthought and weak, but her show should fit in just fine if it can find its audience.