This seems to be the year of the woman, at least in entertainment. Women are the frontrunners in many movies that will soon be coming out (Haywire, The Hunger Games, Underworld Awakening, Brave, etc.), and it seems like television is doing the same as well. Finally!In many new midseason shows women will be taking over and you won't want to get in their way.
Alcatraz
(FOX) Sarah Jones plays Detective Rebecca Madsen, who initially goes on a search for a man who recently commited murder but died decades ago as an Alcatraz inmate. For help, she turns to Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia, Lost), who is an Alcatraz expert. They eventually come to find that the murderer is still alive, still young, and that the other inmates from 1963 are also still alive.
Don't you just love a good government conspiracy? And this looks really interesting. Why are the inmates back? And where did they go in the first place? (Premiere January 16)
Are You There, Chelsea?
(NBC) Laura Prepon, That 70s Show, plays Chelsea Handler in this comedy. The character Chelsea will undoutedly be as outspoken and loud as the woman she's named after, but it looks pretty funny. It will follow Chelsea's life as a young woman in New Jersey. (Premiere January 11)
Don't Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23
(ABC) Much like 2 Broke Girls but a lot snarkier, it's about two very different women who move in together in New York City. Dreama Walker plays June, who lost an upscale job and now works as a barista, and Krysten Ritter plays Chloe, a con artist. I'm guessing they don't get along at first and that will certainly be a part of the fun. When can I move my stuff in? (Premiere April 11)
Good Christian Belles
(ABC) Leslie Bibb plays Amanda Vaughn, a divored single mother who moves back to her hometown of Dallas and has to interact with the women she used to make fun of in high school. It also stars Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies, Glee).
I loved the original title Good Christian Bitches, but I'm guessing some people weren't too fond of it. (Premiere March 4)
Lost Girl
(Syfy) This Canadian import is about Bo, played by Anna Silk, who knows she's different (and later discovers that she's a succubus) and has been running all her life from her past. She grew up in a human household and is unaware of the Fae world until they discover her and want her to choose a side, either light or dark. Instead, she chooses to side with humans, and with the help of her new friend, Kenzi (Ksenia Solo), they create a detective agency.
Having watched several episdoes already, I can tell you that this show is really great. The characters are fleshed out and realistic, there's a good mixture of investigations, a love triangle, character's pasts, politics of the Fae world, and interesting storylines. You'll really come to love these characters. (Premiere January 16)
Smash
(NBC) A musical, like Glee, but I would say that's where the similarites end. This show gives a backstage look at the making of a Broadway show about Marilyn Monroe. Katherine McPhee plays Karen Cartwright, who is the favorite to play the title role. Looks like she has some competition with Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty, Wicked) who also wants the role. Debra Messing and Angelica Houston also star.
This looks like it's going to be wonderful mix of drama and musical with hopefully plenty of game-changers, backstabbing, romance, and showtunes. (Premiere February 6)
Scandal and Missing are also shows with women at the helm, but are premiering later in the season on ABC.
Are you going to be watching any of these new shows?
