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New television lineup features freaks, presidents and aliens

Associated Press Arizona Daily Wildcat Martin Sheen is President Josiah Bartlet in NBC's new dramatic series, "The West Wing," which will air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Sheen holds a document on the series' Oval Office set in Burbank, Calif., in this 1999 promotional photo.

The Emmy Awards were given out Sunday night and big surprise, the Academy congratulated the same people as last year and the year before.

The networks have thought and thought, finally deciding on 38 new shows that they think will be the next "Fraiser" or "Ally McBeal."

Here's a short list of the most promising shows - or at least the most interesting of those to debut within the next couple of weeks.

NBC

THE WEST WING

Starring: Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Moira Kelly, Allison Janney

When Is It On? Wednesday, 8-9 p.m.

Synopsis: Lowe plays a speechwriter for incumbent president Sheen in this political drama about the goings-on of the Oval Office.

Why This One? Its creator, Aaron Sorkin, wrote the witty "The American President" so he knows his way around the nation's highest office space. Not only that, but Sorkin's other TV project is the critical darling "Sports Night."

FREAKS AND GEEKS

Starring: No one you've ever heard of (and that's the point)

When Is It On? Saturday, 7-8 p.m.

Synopsis: This show is about what high school was like for the rest of us, it's being promoted as the anti-"Dawson's Creek." "Freaks and Geeks" revolves around the unpopular lives of science fair nerds and leather-wearing losers.

Why This One? Taking place in Michigan, 1980, this is like "The Wonder Years" from the point of view of Paul.

FOX

ACTION

Starring: Jay Mohr, Illeana Douglas, Buddy Hackett

When Is It On? Thursday, 8:30-9 p.m.

Synopsis: A hilarious and raunchy (complete with bleeped-out expletives, drug references and a well-endowed studio executive) send-up of the Hollywood lifestyle.

Why This One? So much controversy. Check out this snippet from the pilot: "The only reason he got his ass in the door is because his agent, Debbie Morkovitz, gave me a hum job at the People's Choice Awards." Such foul-mouthed content like this makes the real must-see show of Thursday night.

GET REAL

Starring: John Tenney

When Is It On? Wednesday, 8-9 p.m.

Synopsis: Starring Tenney as the head of a household with mom, kids and grandma, this show takes a no-holds-barred approach to their examination of contemporary middle America.

Why This One? Hard-hitting honesty and fourth-wall-breaking talks with the camera put this show at the forefront of television's hippest trends.

ABC

WASTELAND

Starring: Marisa Coughlan, Rebecca Gayheart, Jeffrey D. Sams

When Is It On? Thursday, 8-9 p.m.

Synopsis: Another Kevin Williamson vehicle in which young people (although they are in their 20s unlike the "Dawson's" crowd) over-analyze their New York lives.

Why This One? It's Kevin Williamson, duh. With him writing, this show is guaranteed to have a signature style. Look for this show combined with FOX's "Action," to break the stranglehold that NBC has on Thursday nights.

CBS

LADIES MAN

Starring: Alfred Molina, Sharon Lawrence, Park Overall, Betty White

When Is It On? Monday, 7:30-8 p.m.

Synopsis: Molina plays a regular guy trapped in a house with his wife, ex-wife, mother and two daughters, the sole man in a world of women. And from this, hilarity ensues.

Why This One? Strong cast with plenty of comedic experience ( Overall's "Empty Nest," White's "Golden Girls"). Plus a cushy time slot between "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "The King of Queens." Now all this show needs is an apostrophe in its title.

WB

ROSWELL

Starring: Shiri Appleby, Jason Behr

When Is It On? Wednesday, 8-9 p.m.

Synopsis: Aliens land on that infamous spot in New Mexico and take the form of high school students, forcing them to deal with the problems of adolescence while maintaining their out-of-this-world perspective.

Why This One? Young, beautiful people deal with angst and they're aliens! It's "Dawson's Creek" meets "3rd Rock from the Sun" meets "X-Files" and frankly, we're curious what such a conglomeration will be like.