Ever since the conclusion of "Lost," the major networks have struggled to find a worthy successor to such a complex fan favorite. "The Event," "V" and "Terra Nova" represent only a few of the many recent failed attempts to recapture that magic. "Lost" was a rare commodity. Intricate, serialized dramas typically struggle on network television while the same shows, such as "The Walking Dead," "Boardwalk Empire" and "Homeland," find loyal audiences on cable.
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This upcoming television season may finally provide network television with a worthy competitor to cable. The majority of new midseason replacement shows are dramas with sophisticated plot lines and big names attached, including Fox's two new high-end dramas, "Alcatraz" and "Touch." While most of these new programs will only have around 13 episodes, the decision to hold them until midseason hopefully allowed the networks to spend more time and money on development.
"Alcatraz," aims to evoke nostalgia for "Lost" and even features actor Jorge Garcia and executive producer J.J. Abrams who both worked on "Lost." The series, which featurs an FBI agent investigating the disappearance of prisoners from the famed prison, is an obvious ploy to replicate the success of "Lost." And with a premiere that garnered nearly 10 million viewers, the plan is clearly working.
"Touch," created and executively produced by "Heroes" creator Tim Kring, seems primed for success. Starring Kiefer Sutherland, "Touch" centers on a troubled man who discovers that his autistic son communicates by using numbers and can therefore see things that nobody else can. Kring is no stranger to characters with special abilities, but whether "Touch" can maintain its interesting premise beyond the planned first season is a mystery.
Unlike Fox, ABC has grabbed inspiration from film rather than television. "The River," an upcoming mystery-horror drama, comes from the masterminds behind "Paranormal Activity." "The River" is filmed in a documentary format, a style normally saved for television comedies. The series follows a group of people traveling through the uncharted Amazon forest, who are seeking the mysteriously vanished explorer Dr. Emmet Cole in a tale that hopes to channel the "Paranormal" films' scares and thrills.
NBC, the network most in need of a hit, luckily has the most buzz attached to its new series "Smash" and "Awake." "Smash," created by playwright Theresa Rebeck, chronicles the production of a Broadway musical based on Marilyn Monroe. Replete with big name stars, such as Anjelica Huston, Debra Messing, Megan Hilty and Katharine McPhee, "Smash" will hope to prosper from the praise its pilot has already received.
"Awake," which has yet to receive a premiere date, is possibly the largest example of television's growing respect for its viewers' intelligence as it contains two completely different universes. Best known for his role as Lucius Malfoy in the "Harry Potter" films, Jason Isaacs stars as a police detective involved in a car crash. Upon waking, he finds himself with the ability to travel between two worlds: one where his wife survived a car crash and one in which his son survived instead.
"Awake," like most of television's new series this season, is brave, risky and might not be successful. Ultimately, they are proof that network television — not just cable — is a home for progressive ideas and storytelling.
