Fall TV Preview: Moonlight Coming to CBS

Unless you're living in solitary confinement, you've probably noticed that there are a heap of new shows premiering this summer. TNT, USA, ABC Family, FX, SpikeTV, Showtime, AMC, TBS, Sci-Fi, HBO, and Comedy Central are collectively debuting a slew of new shows over the course of the next couple of months, hoping to create some new hits during the off-season and before the "real" TV season starts in September. While there are a number of potentially good, new cable programs that are worth checking out this summer, this article is dedicated solely to the continuing preview of the new shows coming this fall courtesy of the five major networks, as part of the official 2007-2008 TV Season, and not the short-lived summer viewing schedule.

Because starting this fall season, there's a lot more to be tuning in to than just Heroes. Get your TV schedules ready for a major makeover.

Last season, the majority of the new shows that were introduced by the networks ended up failing. Why? Probably because they lacked a good premise and had little if any potential for success. This year, there's nothing but potential in the slew of new shows coming your way starting this fall season.

If you think the "safe bet" shows such as CSI, Grey's Anatomy, House, The Office, Prison Break, and Lost, among others, are still going to be the "what to watch" programs this upcoming season, think again. You're all about to witness a serious changing of the guard.

I present my fall preview of the Top 11 new shows from all five major networks that I will most definitely be tuning in for. The TV season may have just ended, but it's never too early to start planning for the next one. Especially with the upcoming 2007-2008 year.

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My 2007-2008 TV Season Pick #7: "Moonlight" (CBS)
Well, if you miss the critically acclaimed WB hit "Angel" starring David Boreanaz ... or the short-lived SpikeTV original series from last summer, "Blade: the Series," then this one's right up your alley.

"Moonlight," the most supernatural-themed drama to air on the CBS network in a long, long time, is the new, dark series set to premiere Friday nights this fall in the 9:00 timeslot. Created by Ron Koslow and Trevor Munson and produced by Joel Silver, Gerard Bocaccio, Rod Holcomb, and David Greenwalt (who was a co-creator for, not surprisingly, "Angel"), this new drama bordering gothic fantasy stars Alex O'Loughlin as Mick St. John, a modern-day vampire who was turned 60 years ago, on the wedding night of his marriage to a vampire bride. Already this should read more like "Angel" than "Blade."

St. John works as a private investigator in the city, juggling his life above ground amongst "daywalkers" against the supernatural side of his life, using his enhanced abilities and skills as a vamp to deal with the undead forces of the Underworld. And through all this he's fueled by an endless supply of blood-red plasma chilling in his fridge. Yeah, now it should really sound like the vamp with a soul, Angel. Cause half-breed vamp Blade always injected that false, synthetic stuff into his veins to control the hunger. But then again, he had a human side.

Regardless, St. John begins to realize, after nearly a century of "living," that only a precious few things in life are worth living for, as he falls for a mortal woman named Beth Turner (role to be re-cast) and struggles to find acceptance for the monster that he is inside. As epic and as dramatic as this all may sound, we're hoping there's at least half as much vampire butt-kicking in this show as there was in the aforementioned ones.

Airing at 9/8c on Fridays, "Moonlight" serves as the lead-out for, appropriately enough, CBS's returning hit "Ghost Whisperer," and deals with major competition from The CW's forerunner "Friday Night Smackdown!," as well as NBC's returning series, "Las Vegas," and ABC's upcoming legal drama, "Women's Murder Club."

My Predicted Survival Rating for "Moonlight" on CBS:
65% chance of being renewed (as long as it doesn't "bite" or "suck")