Old Favorites and a New Network

In the first few minutes of NBC's new drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, the producer of a fictional sketch-comedy show launches into a tirade against corporate influence on television content, telling his audience, "We're all being lobotomized by this country's most influential industry ... There's always been a struggle between art and commerce, but let me tell you, art is getting its ass kicked."

At the end of last season, that whole art-getting-its-ass-kicked thing seemed to be true. Several of the most critically lauded series were canceled, at least partially due to low ratings: The West Wing, Alias, Everwood, Arrested Development, and the list goes on. However, several of this season's new shows are surprisingly worth watching, which somewhat redeems the networks for their canceling spree last season.

Those of us still mourning the demise of The West Wing have reason to celebrate: Aaron Sorkin, The West Wing's creator, has returned to TV. His newest offering is the most buzzed-about series of the season, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (Monday, 10 p.m., NBC), and for once, the show lives up to the hype. The series, starring Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford as a writer-producer team, portrays the inner workings of a Saturday Night Live-style sketch-comedy show and includes Sorkin's signature fast-paced dialogue and dry humor.

Former Alias addicts have several options to fill the void. The Nine (Wednesday, Oct. 4, 10 p.m., ABC) promises to be as suspenseful as Alias as it follows nine people who are held hostage in a bank robbery. It will rely heavily on flashbacks to reveal connections between the victims. Another option for those who crave suspense is Kidnapped (Wednesday, Sept. 20, 10 p.m., NBC), a drama about the frantic search to find a missing 15-year-old boy. Though some critics have suggested that both of these shows would be better off as movies, the intricate plots twists that will be needed to maintain suspense are exactly what Alias fans enjoyed most, keeping us in our seats well through sweeps.

While few shows manage to create an emotionally gripping family drama without segueing into melodrama territory, a few series give it a try this season, including Brothers and Sisters (Monday, Sept. 24, 10 p.m., ABC). The series depicts the relationships among five grown-up siblings and their parents, with shady dealings at the family business, faltering marriages, drug abuse, heated political disagreements, and post-traumatic stress disorder thrown in for good measure. While the reviews have thus far been mixed, the series has a talented cast-including Calista Flockhart in her first post-Ally McBeal role-and the coveted post-Desperate Housewives time slot working in its favor.

If you're seeking out a new comedy to replace Arrested Development, a few comedic offerings have earned some positive buzz. Ugly Betty (Thursday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m., ABC) is one of the more talked-about series, coming hot off the heels of this summer's blockbuster movie The Devil Wears Prada, as it too is set in the seemingly glamorous world of fashion magazines.

Another comedic offering, 30 Rock (Wednesday, Oct. 11, 8 p.m., NBC), has also been highly anticipated, partly because it and Studio 60 seem to cover the same territory. (Basically, NBC has a lot riding on whether or not you've always been dying to know what goes on behind the scenes at SNL.) This one, though, is written by former SNL head writer and "Weekend News" co-anchor Tina Fey, and she brings along several of the talented cast members from the most recent SNL seasons. NBC executives argue that there's enough room for two sketch-comedy based shows in one season-especially since this one is actually a comedy, whereas Sorkin's is a traditional hour-long drama.

Even if these shows don't seem destined to replace your favorite canceled comedy or drama, you'll still have your favorites that did make it through last season without being cut-if you can find them on the schedule. To watch Gilmore Girls, don't flip through the stations searching for the WB's logo because it won't be there. The WB and UPN have merged to create a new network with a funny name, the CW. The new network got off to a bad start with the general television-watching public when it resurrected the already canceled 7th Heaven for a record 11th season. They did get one thing right though: Gilmore Girls (Tuesday, Sept. 26, 8 p.m., CW) and Veronica Mars (Tuesday, Oct. 3, 9 p.m., CW) will air on the same night, making Tuesdays a showcase for some of the smartest, funniest female characters on TV.

And of course, the two shows we've all been waiting for-Grey's Anatomy (Thursday, Sept. 21, 9 p.m., ABC) and Lost (Wednesday, Oct. 4, 9 p.m., ABC)-will be back with at least some answers to the questions they left for us at the end of last season. For Grey's Anatomy, will Meredith choose McDreamy or McVet? For Lost, what exactly happened in the finale (or the rest of the season, for that matter)? If we can even begin to understand the answer to that, we'll know we haven't been lobotomized by our TV sets.