Fall TV Previews: Smith, Shark and Jericho: Which CBS Drama is Which?

The new fall TV season is a challenging time for networks to get their new shows onto the personal schedules of viewers. All of the new titles can be confusing, especially when CBS trots out three new one-named dramas: Smith, Shark and Jericho. Let's sort them out.

SMITH (Tuesdays at 10 p.m. Eastern)
Summary: Film veteran Ray Liotta stars as Bobby Stevens, a master criminal who is trying to pull off a few more heists before settling into a lawful retirement. Another movie star, Virginia Madsen, plays Bobby's long-suffering wife. Bobby has a close-knit crew of fellow crooks, played by Simon Baker, Franky G, Jonny Lee Miller and Amy Smart. An FBI agent tries to track down the criminal crew and their mysterious leader, Smith.

Outlook: Obviously, we are supposed to be cheering for the bad guy, Bobby, to stay a step ahead of the law. This show sounds a bit like The Sopranos without the Mafia element. The writers will have to keep the fans' interest by concocting daring crimes, because the FBI is not likely to catch Bobby's gang anytime soon. If they did, the show would be over.

Competition: NBC is strong in this time slot with Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. ABC is bringing back Boston Legal, a very funny show starring James Spader and William Shatner as egomaniacal lawyers. Since Fox and The CW only have shows from 8-10 each night, there should be enough viewers for SVU, Boston Legal and Smith.

SHARK (Thursdays at 10 p.m. Eastern)
Summary: Another veteran movie star, James Woods, stars as hotshot lawyer Sebastian Stark. After years as a ruthless defense attorney, he switches sides to the prosecutor's office. He works for longtime rival Jessica Devlin (Jeri Ryan). Stark teaches his rule-bending tactics to a group of young lawyers, who try to bring bad guys to justice.

Outlook: This is a solid premise for a show, as Woods seems perfectly suited to the role of Stark. The young lawyers are obviously there to draw young viewers. Let's see if the actors have the talent to keep up with Woods and Ryan.

Competition: Shark has the advantage of a powerful lead-in from CSI. NBC's ER is not the ratings powerhouse it once was. ABC has a new show in this time slot called 6 Degrees, about six strangers whose lives are about to intersect. Shark has a very good chance to be a hit show this fall.

JERICHO (Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern)
Summary: The small town of Jericho, Kansas, is plunged into chaos after a distant nuclear explosion isolates the city. Everyone panics as they wonder if their town is the only one left in America. Politicians scramble for power, while outcasts become heroes. The show stars Skeet Ulrich as the son of the mayor, played by Gerald McRaney.

Outlook: Huh? I don't understand how this town is supposed to be isolated from the rest of the United States. Is the entire telephone grid and Internet wiped out? It won't be easy for this show to keep up the desperation and panic for an entire season. And who nuked us anyway?

Competition: Dancing With The Stars is in this time slot on ABC, but it's just the results show. So Dancing fans can watch Jericho before flipping at the end to see who gets eliminated. NBC will counter with a pair of comedies. Twenty Good Years stars John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor as middle-aged guys trying to enjoy life. That could be funny. 30 Rock is a comedy about the backstage antics of a female-oriented comedy TV show. Jericho has a chance against this competition, but it will be a challenge for fans to buy into the show's bizarre premise.