Don't miss these 9 new TV shows

A guide to the premieres worth your -- and your DVR's -- attention

Published September 21, 2010 2:01PM (EDT)

RUNNING WILDE:  A lovable but immature playboy (Will Arnett, R) tries desperately to win (or buy) the heart of his childhood sweetheart (Keri Russell, L), the über-liberal humanitarian who got away in the series premiere of RUNNING WILDE, the new romantic comedy debuting Tuesday, Sept. 21 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2010 Fox Broadcasting Co.  Cr:  Myles Aronowitz/FOX
RUNNING WILDE: A lovable but immature playboy (Will Arnett, R) tries desperately to win (or buy) the heart of his childhood sweetheart (Keri Russell, L), the über-liberal humanitarian who got away in the series premiere of RUNNING WILDE, the new romantic comedy debuting Tuesday, Sept. 21 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2010 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Myles Aronowitz/FOX

Terrorists, assassins, superheroes, zombies, lizard-gnomes, filthy rich oil moguls and hapless marketing executives -- the fall TV lineup has them all! Don't let anyone give you the impression that you're in for the same old game of cops and lawyers this year. Sure, there are tons of shoot'em-ups and legal dramas on the horizon, too, but if you cast aside new spins on the same old formulas (Lawyers ... in Las Vegas! Detectives ... who used to be neurosurgeons!), you'll find a wealth of odd entertainments in store for you, from a mysterious prep school policed by hideous reptiles (Cartoon Network's "Tower Prep") to the real zombified housewives of Atlanta ("The Walking Dead").

Will any of these comedies and dramas be worth watching over the long haul? We'll put our money on the shows on this list with a grade A or better. The rest, we'll leave to the fickle whims of fate, merciless network executives, fatigued TV writers and huddled masses of viewers yearning to watch "Glee."


By Heather Havrilesky

Heather Havrilesky is a regular contributor to the New York Times Magazine, The Awl and Bookforum, and is the author of the memoir "Disaster Preparedness." You can also follow her on Twitter at @hhavrilesky.

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