First Look

The 2011-2012 TV season will be kicking off in the next couple weeks, and in addition to looking forward to the return of some old favorites ("Modern Family", "The Middle", "Dancing with the Stars"), I'm equally as excited to check out the new crop of shows hitting the major networks. Here's an exclusive first look at my list of the lucky few new shows that have caught my eye and which I'll be tuning in to see (at least the first episode).

"New Girl" (Tuesdays, 9-9:30 pm, Fox): This new comedy features Zooey Deschanel as Jess, a young woman who after a tough breakup becomes the new roommate to three single guys. Looks sweet and quirky. (Premieres Tuesday, September 20)

"Up All Night" (Wednesday, 8-8:30 pm, NBC): This seemingly funny and charming new show (at least if the commercials are to be believed) features Christina Applegate and Will Arnett as new parents struggling with their new roles and responsibilities. (Premieres Wednesday, September 14)

"The X Factor" (Wednesday, 8-9 pm, Fox): Looking forward to Cowell's acerbic wit in his return to the small screen in this new singing competition. Also can't wait to see what new kinds of crazy Paula brings to the judging table. (Premieres Wednesday, September 21)

"Person of Interest" (Thursday, 9-10 pm, CBS): This drama is from "Lost" executive producer J.J. Abrams, and stars Michael Emerson (aka Ben from "Lost") as a mysterious millionaire who has developed a software program which identifies people that are about to be involved in a violent crime, either as the perpetrator, victim or witness, and who hires a presumed dead CIA agent (Jim Caviezel) to help him stop the crimes from taking place. (Premieres Thursday, September 22)

"Once Upon a Time" (Sunday, 8-9 pm, ABC): This fantasy stars Jennifer Morrison as a bail bonds collector who finds out she's the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, and that as a result she holds the key to saving both the Real World and the Enchanted Forest. The town of Storybrooke, Maine serves as the parallel world in which fairy tale characters look like normal people and don't remember their true identities or anything about their true lives. The parallel storylines might make things a little confusing, but it sounds interesting enough to give it a try. Who doesn't love a good fairy tale? (Premieres Sunday, October 23)

There are any number of additional shows hitting the airwaves, including "Terra Nova," "Charlie's Angels", and "2 Broke Girls" to name a few. One thing is sure, along with a few gems in this 2011-2012 class (some maybe listed above), there are bound to be a few duds, two which I'll call right now: "Pan Am" and "The Playboy Club." Here's to finding one or two new favorites in the bunch.