Sci-Fi TV Series: Fall 2011

This hub is part of a sequence about upcoming series in the Fall of 2011. These series have been announced for pickup, after shooting pilot episodes, by the major networks in Spring or Summer 2011. This hub is about the supernatural and science fiction series that will premiere in the coming Fall. Here, you can read what the series are about, see a preview, and read my preliminary verdict.

‘A Gifted Man’ is a new medical drama with a supernatural twist on CBS. Michael Holt (Patrick Wilson) is a talented surgeon who lives a comfortable life due to his wealthy clients. However, he is not happy with his life and acts coldly to everyone around him. But when the ghost of his ex-wife Anna (Jennifer Ehle) enters his life, everything changes. Anna asks him to take care of her old free clinic where Michael have patients with a different background than he’s used to. A Gifted Man will premiere September 23rd at 8/7c.

Depending on which side this show focuses on it will attract different groups of viewers. In the right corner you have the medical side and in the left corner the supernatural. The first few episodes will determine who wins the fight. The medical side probably has more supporters, but this also is something that has been done many times. But given that Anna is a friendly ghost her story probably won’t have many layers. It is for certain though that Michael will get a lot on his plate. This show will be hard to pull off, but is certainly has potential.

‘American Horror Story’ is a new horror drama on FX from the creators of the hitseries ‘Glee’. The Harmon family moves to San Fransisco to try and rebuild their life after a miscarriage and adultery. But the house they move into is haunted.

This series is a horror, and when I say horror, I mean horror. This show isn’t for everyone, the first episode is already very violent with vivid images of a murder and creepy guys. If you’re into horror and spooky stories this will be a good show to watch. But everyone else should keep away from this show.

As of now, no trailer has been released as of yet and it's hard to find information about the synopsis of the show. This probably is part of the promotional campaign. The attention of people is attracted by raising questions about the show. The only clear thing about 'American Horror Story' is that it will premiere on October 5th at 10/9c on FX network.

‘Grimm’ is a new Sci-Fi series on NBC which premieres on Friday October 21th at 9/8c. Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli)was the average cop before he got promoted to homicide detective. But then he discovers he is different than all the rest. He is the sole remaining descendant of a family of hunters known as ‘Grimms’. In contrast to everyone else, he can see the real identity of the supernatural creatures that are roaming the world. He uses this gift, as one may call it, to his advantage when solving crimes. Nick’s destiny is to protect the ‘normal’ people against these terrifying creatures.

The series are inspired by the stories of the Brothers Grimm and co-written and co-produced by David Greenwalt (‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ and spin-off ‘Angel’). The series is set in present-day Portland, Oregon. If you can handle a little horror, this show won’t be a problem for you. But if you get freaked out by the sort of things that happen in the preview, you probably shouldn’t watch the show. Apart from that, the show looks good, it’s a crime show with a supernatural side. Both of these do good in ratings.

‘Terra Nova’ is a new Sci-fi drama series on FOX, scheduled to premiere on Monday September 26th with a two hour special beginning at 8/7c. In the year 2149 planet Earth is overpopulated; in order to save the human race, scientists develop a time machine. Colonies of people, including the Shannon family, are sent 85 million years back in time. The destination is supposed to be a paradise, but the harsh reality is that it’s a world ruled by dinosaurs.

‘Terra Nova’ resembles ‘Jurassic Park’, that’s why it’s not very surprising that Steven Spielberg (‘Jurassic Park’) is one of the many producers of ‘Terra Nova’. The series are a costly project, each episode costs around 4 million dollars. In the preview we see a lot of action, it looks good, but it also feels like the whole story has been told already. The show will need more layers to keep the story interesting. After finding out that there are dinosaurs that are attacking the colony there isn’t anything left to discover, or so it seems.

‘The Secret Circle’ is a supernatural drama on The CW based on the book series with the same name written by L.J. Smith. The show evolves around Cassie Blake (Britt Robertson) who moved in with her grandmother after her mother died in a fire. Soon she discovers that she, just like her mother, is a witch. At Cassies school there are five other witches, they ask her to be a part of their secret circle in order to preform spells that are more powerful. The Secret Circle premieres on September 15th on the CW at 9/8c.

This preview looks really exciting, immediately you wonder why Cassies mother was killed and how this will effect Cassie. This show could be a lot of fun to watch, but the fact that it is on The CW is a bit worrying. This network often has series aimed at teens and young adults. If this show falls into that category it might not be a nice show for anyone older than that. The story looks good but is has the potential to fail.

After this waterfall of information, synopsises, previews and verdicts you might need a quick recap. So here are the do's and don'ts for Fall 2011 sci-fi series:

Do's

• Grimm (October 21st, 9/8c, NBC)

Maybe's

• The Secret Circle (September 15th, 9/8c, The CW)
• A Gifted Man (September 23rd, 8/7c, CBS)
• Terra Nova (September 26th, 8/7c, FOX)
• American Horror Story (October 5th, 10/9c, FX)