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It's hard to get excited about a show you haven't seen.  I get it.  The failure rate of new series (both ratings and quality-wise) is so high, that you never want to get your hopes up too high before a new show premieres.  This season's new batch of shows aren't very inspiring (at least to me), and I'm kind of happy about it.  If I enter into the season with low expectations, I can only be pleasantly surprised.  There will be at least one show that you expect little of that comes out of nowhere to impress.  Last season, for me, it was Dirty Sexy Money.  You don't want to write any show off, but until the new season begins, I'm going to keep an even keel.  While reading my top five selections, remember this: I don't expect too much from any of them, but see serious potential in all.

5. Life on Mars

I like the cast, and the premise is very cool.  Though it's being run by the team that brought America the indefensible October Road, I have hopes that Life on Mars could be a cool little show.  Jason O'Mara stars as a modern-day detective who gets in a car wreck and wakes up in 1973.  The catch: he continues to work as a detective, but in the seventies.  It's a premise with potential. 


4. 90210

The reboot of Beverly Hills 90210 has incredible bust potential.  Either it will be a guilty pleasure like the original, or it will be an offense to mankind.  The smart money's on the latter, but I'm hoping for a cross between the old 90210 and The O.C.  Let's hope the writers are on that same wavelength. 


3. Hole in the Wall

Human Tetris.  Hole in the Wall is the simplest game show ever concocted.  Based on a show from Japan, Hole in the Wall goes like this: players stand on the edge of pool of water.  A wall with some sort of shape cut out rapidly approaches them.  They have to twist and contort their body to try and get through the hole, or else they will be knocked into the pool of water.  It should be mindless fun. 


2. Fringe

You can't argue with J.J. Abrams.  The pilot left some to be desired, but it did set up well for the rest of the season.  Almost a cross between Alias and The X-Files, Fringe deals with experimental science, things like re-animation and teleportation.  The cast is good, and J.J. hasn't done us wrong yet.  Lost is a hard act to follow, but Fringe could be a winner. 


1. Crusoe

I haven't seen any footage and I have no idea how the series will play out.  This is probably why I'm so excited about it.  It's a period piece, and will flash between London and the island where Robinson Crusoe is stranded for 28 years.  The cast, featuring Sean Bean and Sam Neill, is experienced and intriguing.  Don't ask me why, but I think Crusoe could be great.


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-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image Courtesy of NBC)