31 New Must Watch TV Shows in Fall 2011

New Fall TV Shows listed by date, then alphabetically
Dates and times subject to change

My Predictions:

1 Thumb Up: A Possible Hit
2 Thumbs Up: A Probable Hit
3 Thumbs Up: An Almost Positive Hit

1Thumb Down: Potential Crash
2 Thumbs Down: Probable Crash
3 Thumbs Down: Crash & Burn

NEW MUST WATCH TV SHOWS IN SEPTEMBER

Ringer (CW)
Tuesdays @ 9:00pm, Series Premiere September 13

In this mystery thriller, Sarah Michelle Gellar plays twins Bridget and Siobhan. Bridget, a recovering alcoholic, is on the run from some baddies and decides to hide out by taking the identity of her wealthy twin sis, who is thought to be dead. Turns out taking on Siobhan’s persona puts Bridget in a very different kind of danger. This one gets 2 thumbs up.

Free Agents
(NBC) Wednesdays @ 10:30pm, Series Premiere September 14

This sitcom, a remake of a British comedy, stars Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn as Alex and Helen, newly single coworkers who start to develop feelings for each other after having a drunken one-night stand. Also starring Anthony Head as Stephen, their boss. Two thumbs down.

H8R (CW)
Wednesdays @ 8:00pm, Series Premiere September 14

In case you don’t get it, “H8R” stands for Hater. If you despise Kim Kardashian, Snooki or any other overexposed celeb, then this is the show for you. Host Mario Lopez will bring together stars and their civilian haters so they can convince these detractors to see the error of their ways. Truce or not, look for some very bruised egos. 3 thumbs down.

Up All Night (NBC)
Wednesdays @ 10:00pm, Series Premiere September 14

This comedy stars Christina Applegate and Will Arnett as Reagan and Chris, new parents juggling work, romance and, oh yeah, that baby, who has put a little damper on their social life. That doesn’t stop Reagan and Chris from partying it, uh, up all night, only to be hung over when their daughter needs a new diaper the next morning. See, the title works on so many levels! Maya Rudolph is Applegate’s boss Ava, and BFF. This one is too close to call.

The Secret Circle (CW)
Thursdays @ 9:00pm, Series Premiere September 15

Kevin Williamson, the man who gave us “Vampire Diaries,” has now adapted L.J. Smith’s other supernatural book series. Britt Robertson is Cassie Blake, a California teen who moves to Chance Harbor, Washington, where she discovers she’s a witch and joins a secret coven that includes Adam Conant (Thomas Dekker), Faye Chamberlain (Phoebe Tonkin) and Diana Meade (Shelley Hennig). But don’t think you will know what’s coming if you’ve read the novels. Why? (Spoiler alert!) The show kills off someone who survived the whole book series in the opening minutes of the pilot. This one is too close to call.

2 Broke Girls (CBS)
Mondays @ 9:30pm, Series Premiere September 19

Max (Kat Dennings) is a smart-mouthed Brooklyn waitress who also works as a nanny, and her new coworker Caroline (Beth Behrs) is an heiress who must now make her own living after her rich pops is locked up in jail. They don’t start off on the best of terms, but end up moving in together and plan to start their own business. One thumb down.

New Girl (Fox)
Tuesdays @ 9:00pm, Series Premiere September 20

In this reversed “Three’s Company” scenario Jess (Zooey Deschanel), a socially awkward gal, moves in with three bachelors Schmidt, Nick & Coach (Max Greenfield, Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr., whose part has been recast since Happy Endings was renewed) after getting dumped by her boyfriend. The guys only take in her blubbering because her BFF, Cece (Hannah Simone) is a model. But they soon come to appreciate Jess’ quirkiness and try to snap her out of her funk to help her re-enter the dating scene. One thumb up.

Unforgettable (CBS)
Tuesdays @ 10:00pm, Series Premiere September 20

Would you believe CBS has developed yet another crime solver show? Carrie Wells (Poppy Montgomery) is a New York City detective who has the rare ability to remember everything – except for one event. She’s desperately trying to solve the murder of her sister, whose body Carrie found as a child, but cannot recall what happened that day. One thumb up.

Revenge (ABC)
Wednesdays @ 10:00pm, Series Premiere September 21

In a contemporary re-telling of “The Count of Monte Cristo,” this drama stars Emily VanCamp as Emily Thorne, a mysterious woman who heads to the Hamptons under the guise of wooing Daniel (Joshua Bowman), the son of Victoria Grayson (Madeleine Stowe). But she’s actually there to exact revenge on the people (ahem, Victoria) who destroyed her family. One thumb down.

The X Factor (Fox)
Wednesdays @ 8:00pm, Series Premiere September 21

Is America ready for more bad singing and the criticizing Simon Cowell? Adapted from his U.K. version and unlike “American Idol,” ” X Factor” is open to groups, people as young as 12 can audition, there is no upper age limit, and judges will also mentor contestants, not unlike “The Voice.” Oh, and there’s also the prize money: $5 million – the largest purse in television history. One thumb down.

Charlie’s Angels (ABC)
Thursdays @ 8:00pm, Series Premiere September 22

This steamy Miami-set reboot stars Minka Kelly (Eve), Rachael Taylor (Abby) and Annie Ilonzeh (Kate) as the latest incarnation of the crime-fighting trio – but it doesn’t start out that way. Eve, a rogue street racer, joins the group after her childhood friend and original Angel, Gloria, is murdered. Fun fact: The series will premiere on the same day the original show debuted 35 years ago. One thumb down.

Person of Interest (CBS)
Thursdays @ 9:00pm, Series Premiere September 22

Finch (Michael Emerson) is a mysterious billionaire who has created a computerized surveillance program for the government that identifies people who will be involved in a future crime – either as a perp or a victim. Finch reaches out to Reese (Jim Caviezel), a presumed-dead CIA agent-turned-drunk, to stop the crimes before they occur. Two thumbs up.

Prime Suspect (NBC)
Thursdays @ 10:00pm, Series Premiere September 22

In an adaptation of the British series, New York Detective Jane Timoney (Maria Bello) is a badass New York City cop who tries to prove herself in a male-dominated precinct. Take that, Man Up! Too close to call.

Whitney (NBC)
Thursdays @ 9:30pm, Series Premiere September 22

The darling of this year’s slate, Whitney Cummings will headline her sitcom as the titular character who tries to rekindle the flame with her beau of five years, Alex (Chris D’Elia), after they attend a pal’s wedding. One thumb down.

A Gifted Man (CBS)
Fridays @ 8:00pm, Series Premiere September 23

Michael Holt (Patrick Wilson) is a hot-shot, arrogant surgeon whose life gets thrown for a loop when his recently deceased ex-wife, Anna (Jennifer Ehle), starts appearing to him to teach him about life from the hereafter. One thumb up.

Pan Am (ABC)
Sundays @ 10:00pm, Series Premiere September 25

This drama set in the 1960s centers on the loves and lives of Pan Am stewardesses Maggie (Christina Ricci), Colette (Karine Vanasse), Kate (Kelli Garner) and Laura (Margot Robbie). Although lauded as symbols of sleek, Jet Age glamour, their personal lives are full of turbulence. One thumb down.

The Playboy Club (NBC)
Sundays @ 10:00pm, Series Premiere September 25

Set in the 1960s, the series follows a group of Playboy Bunnies in Chicago including new Bunny Maureen (Amber Heard) and the guys in their lives, particularly Nick Dalton (Eddie Cibrian), a shady attorney and club key-holder who comes to Maureen’s aid after she accidently kills a grabby mafia boss in self-defense. This show was getting negative tweets before it was even being promoted good, so two thumbs down.

Hart of Dixie (CW)
Mondays @ 9:00pm, Series Premiere September 26

In this medical drama, Rachel Bilson plays big-city doc Zoe Hart, who heads to tiny Bluebell, Alabama, when she unexpectedly inherits a practice. Expect culture clashes galore and Zoe to stay put after coming through in a medical emergency and discovering an old secret. Too close to call.

Terra Nova (Fox)
Mondays @ 8:00pm, Series Premiere September 26

Thanks to a facture found in time, the Shannon family (led by Jason O’Mara) travels back to prehistoric Earth to save the human race where they come face-to-face with dinosaurs of every friendly and not-so-friendly variety. “You’re going to see some pretty cool dino-on-man action,” co-executive producer Jose Molina says. “Terra Nova” is executive produced by none other than the dino man himself, Steven Spielberg. 3 thumbs up.

Suburgatory (ABC)
Wednesdays @ 8:30pm, Series Premiere September 28

Tessa (Jane Levy), a native teenage New Yorker, is abruptly uprooted to the ‘burbs after her single dad, George (Jeremy Sisto), finds a box of condoms in her drawer and decides she needs to be in a more wholesome environment. Their new cookie-cutter neighborhood is anything but appealing to Tessa, who loathes her school’s mean girls and their obsession with all things superficial. Also starring Alan Tudyk and Cheryl Hines. Two thumbs down.

How to Be a Gentleman (CBS)
Thursdays @ 8:30pm, Series Premiere September 29

In this 21st Century version of the classic TV sitcom “The Odd Couple,” “Andrew and Bert” just doesn’t have the same ring as “Oscar and Felix.” Based on the book of the same name, the sitcom stars David Hornsby as the Felix-like Andrew, an uptight, sophisticated writer who pens a column for a men’s magazine. When the magazine wants to make its tone younger and edgier, Andrew strikes up an unlikely friendship with his old classmate, Bert (Kevin Dillon), an exuberant personal trainer who will show Andrew how to be a manly man. One thumb down.

NEW MUST WATCH TV SHOWS IN OCTOBER

Homeland (Showtime)
Sundays @ 10:00pm, Series Premiere October 2

Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin, headline this suspense thriller that’s based on an Israeli series. Danes plays CIA officer Carrie Anderson, who is suspicious about the intel that led to the rescue of U.S. soldier Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) 10 years after he went missing during the invasion of Baghdad. Patinkin plays her boss and mentor, Saul. One thumb up.

American Horror Story (FX)
Wednesdays @ 10:00pm, Series Premiere October 5

Ryan Murphy returns to FX with Glee co-creator Brad Falchuk for this psychosexual horror mystery series. Ben (Dylan McDermott) and Vivien Harmon(Connie Britton) along with their teenage daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga) move to Los Angeles to make a fresh start only to find that their new home is not exactly warm and cozy. Instead, there’s a creepy creature in the basement (could it be a Gremlin?) and at least one character who may or may not be dead. Jessica Lange and Denis O’Hare co-star. One thumb up.

Enlightened (HBO)
Mondays @ 9:30pm, Series Premiere October 10

Meet Amy (Laura Dern), a self-destructive woman who decides to turn her life around after experiencing a spiritual awakening in rehab. Diane Ladd (Dern’s real-life mom), Luke Wilson and Tim Sharp co-star as Amy’s mom, ex-husband and boss, respectively, who are less than thrilled with her new sunny, can-do disposition. Advice on how to live life from a former addict? The irony’s not lost on them. Two thumbs down.

Last Man Standing (ABC)
Tuesdays @ 8:00pm, Series Premiere October 11

It’s the girls against dad. Tim Allen returns to TV as Mike Baxter, a father of three girls who feels he’s under siege being a man in a woman’s world after his wife, Vanessa (Nancy Travis), successfully rejoins the workforce while he remains at home. One thumb up (just because it’s Tim Allen.)

Man Up! (ABC)
Tuesdays @ 8:30pm, Series Premiere October 18

In the emasculation of the modern man in an increasingly estrogen-dominated universe through, three best friends Will (Mather Zickel), Kenny (Dan Fogler), and Craig (Chris Moynihan,) are 40 going on 14 until they realize it’s time to, well, man up and get in touch with their macho side – if they even know how to do that. Three thumbs down.

Grimm (NBC)
Fridays @ 9:00pm, Series Premiere October 21

Detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) discovers his destiny is to protect humans from the storybook baddies – trolls, hags, big bad wolves – that have invaded our real world. Three thumbs up.

Once Upon a Time (ABC)
Sundays @ 8:00pm, Series Premiere October 23

Fairy tales are real in Storybrooke, Maine, a town frozen in time with fairy-tale figures who have no recollection of their real identities. 10-year-old Henry (Jared Gilmore) tries to set things right when he tracks down his birth mom, Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), a bail bonds collector who is the daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Joshua Dallas). The fantastical drama will tell dual stories set in present-day Storybrooke and in fairy-tale land. Three thumbs up.

Allen Gregory (Fox)
Sundays @ 8:30pm, Series Premiere October 30

Fox continues their animation domination theme with precocious 7-year-old Allen Gregory De Lonpre (Jonah Hill), who after being homeschooled all his life by his father, Richard (French Stewart), embarks on his biggest challenge yet: attending public school. Naturally, he doesn’t have the easiest time fitting in. Two thumbs down.

NEW MUST WATCH TV SHOWS IN NOVEMBER

Hell on Wheels (AMC)
Sundays @ 10:00pm, Series Premiere November 6

Set against the building of the Transcontinental Railroad producers are calling this post-Civil War drama an “Eastern,” not a “Western,” as it follows Cullen Bohannan (Anson Mount), a Confederate soldier on the hunt for the Union soldiers who killed his wife. The show takes its name from the traveling camps, brothels and saloons that followed the railroad workers during construction. One thumb up.

I Hate My Teenage Daughter (Fox)
Wednesdays @ 9:30pm, Series Premiere November 23

Annie (Jaime Pressly) and Nikki (Katie Finneran) are two single moms who fret their daughters are turning into the same type of mean girls who tormented them in high school – all because they spoiled them growing up. So now they fear them… and also want to be their BFFs. Three thumbs down.

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DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION I have not received any compensation for writing this content and I have no material connection to the brands, topics and/or products that are mentioned herein.

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