Fall TV guide: The 10 new shows you should know about

last updated 8 January 2015

Every fall, TV networks unleash a slew of new dramas and sitcoms knowing that all but a lucky few will be canceled by the end of the year. But with so many splashy new premieres in the weeks to come, it can be difficult to know which shows are actually worth your attention (or the space on your overstuffed DVR). Here, the 10 most promising new shows of the fall season:

1. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)

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Why you should care: There are countless police dramas on the air, but no police comedies, which makes Brooklyn Nine-Nine feel like a much fresher spin on the shopworn genre. It was created by Michael Schur and Dan Goor, whose other show — NBC's Parks & Recreation — is easily the best sitcom on television. And with Samberg's film and music careers reaching new heights this year, it's hard to imagine that the Saturday Night Live alum would have signed on to star in a series unless it was something special.

Why you should care: It's looking like a rough year for new network dramas, but The Blacklist is probably one of the more promising of the pack. It's hard to imagine a more played-out premise for a TV show — did we seriously need another drama about a criminal who teams up with the cops to catch other criminals? But The Blacklist does have one major ace up its sleeve: James Spader, who has spun his distinctive brand of offbeat, vaguely unsettling drollness into memorable performances on series like Boston Legal and The Office. If Spader's Hannibal Lecter riff proves as compelling as his previous Emmy-winning performances, The Blacklist will have an edge over the average crime drama.

Why you should care: From Iron Man to Captain America to Thor, Marvel has taken great care with its superhero franchises, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a savvy (and cost-effective) way to translate those successes to the small screen. Executive producer Joss Whedon, who directed The Avengers, has a long history of critically and cultishly adored genre shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly. And though it's still not clear how Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) survived the events of The Avengers to reemerge in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., it's a relief to see a familiar face from the films in a starring role.

Why you should care: There are few actors more inherently likable than Fox, and though he's spent recent years turning in reliably strong guest performances on shows like Rescue Me and The Good Wife, it's exciting to see him returning to TV in a starring role. Also smart: The decision to incorporate his Parkinson's into the show's story, which will account for any genuine health problems that might arise and provide a rare opportunity to educate viewers about the disease.

Why you should care: It's all but certain that creator David E. Kelley pitched The Crazy Ones by saying something like "imagine Mad Men as a contemporary comedy." (The supporting cast even features James Wolk, who played Bob Benson in Mad Men's sixth season.) But as trite as it sounds, that's actually a pretty solid sitcom pitch, with a revolving door of clients that offers plenty of untapped opportunity for comedy. If The Crazy Ones manages to keep Williams' crazier, more irritating comedic impulses in check, there's a lot of promise here.

Why you should care: Much ink has been spilled about the amount of sex on premium cable — but with the exception of HBO's short-lived (and underrated) Tell Me You Love Me, no show has really dedicated itself to exploring the complexity of human sexuality. The story of Masters and Johnson's controversial sex research is a genuinely fascinating one, and the show has two stellar lead actors in Sheen and Caplan. If Masters of Sex lives up to the promise of its very strong premiere episode, Showtime finally has a series that can stand up alongside Homeland — or even surpass it.

Why you should care: Dancing on the Edge, which aired in the U.K. on BBC Two in February, received middling reviews upon its premiere. But even if it's not the next great drama to make it across the pond, there's a lot to like here: a fascinating setting, a terrific jazz soundtrack, gorgeous production design, and a top-notch cast that includes Ejiofor, Matthew Goode, Jacqueline Bisset, and John Goodman.

Why you should care: Yes, it's another cop show — but Almost Human's out-there, Blade Runner–esque premise adds an intriguing sci-fi spin to the tired genre. Urban, who also stars in co-creator J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies, is a magnetic and likable screen presence, and the moral and philosophical questions raised by the idea of an android police officer raise all kinds of intriguing story possibilities that the average crime drama would never have the opportunity to tell.

Why you should care: In a fall season that's packed with derivative spin on the same shopworn sitcom premises, Enlisted is clearly offering something that's markedly different than the usual family/workplace comedy norm. Stars Geoff Stults (The Finder), Chris Lowell (Veronica Mars), and Parker Young (Suburgatory) share a believably prickly chemistry, and the idea of a show centered on wildly divergent brothers is a surprisingly underutilized concept in TV comedy.

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.

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