Best Of 2008: Top 5 New Series

By Emily Hochberg
Fancast.com

2008 was a mixed bag year for television. The writer’s strike, for one, made last winter and spring a virtual black hole in terms of what to watch. But all bets were off when the strike ended and the networks made way to deliver some long awaited new content for the fall season. Just when you thought cop shows were tired, we met The Mentalist; on the eve of Twilight-mania, vampires became heartthrobs; prostitution became intriguing, and Pacey Whitter made a comeback–as did your favorite past and present residents of West Beverly High (but we’re still waiting for Dylan!).

I can only imagine what a strike-less 2009 will hold, but until then, here are the top five shows that made the 2008 fall season worth waiting for:

1. The Mentalist

Entertainment Weekly deemed The Mentalist the only hit TV show of the 2008 fall slate. It’s witty, it’s smart, and it stars a hot Aussie. Well, he’s American on the show, but Simon Baker nails it as Patrick Jane, a former TV psychic who’s admitted to faking his visions of the future but is the real deal when it comes to solving crimes. His unconventional approach clashes with no-nonsense Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon, played by Robin Tunney and their fellow team of agents who dislike his narcissistic ways but can’t belittle his knack for cracking cases. Created by Bruno Heller, The Mentalist is a bonafide hit for CBS with stellar ratings, and is one TV show we look forward to following for seasons to come.

2. True Blood

Blame it on the Twilight phenomenon, but Vampires are now the new sexy. HBO banked on this when they created True Blood, under the guidance of “Six Feet Under” creator Alan Ball. In small town Bon Temps, Louisiana vampires are just regular citizens, thanks to the invention of synthetic blood. Some locals are still apprehensive about their bloodthirsty neighbors but waitress Sookie Stackhouse, played by Academy Award winning Actress Anna Paquin isn’t afraid. She has the ability to hear other’s thoughts and is drawn to a handsome 173-year-old vampire named Bill Compton, played by Stephen Moyer. Not since “Interview with the Vampire” did drinking blood look so sexy.

3. Fringe

When Lost creator J.J. Abrams announced he was creating Fringe, his collective fanbase most likely shouted with glee. Fangirls were especially excited because it stars Joshua Jackson, better known to red-blooded, twenty-something females as Pacey Whitter on Dawson’s Creek. He does great on this show, which is a little bit X-Files, a little bit Lost, and a bit CSI. Jackson stars as Peter Bishop alongside Aussie import Anna Torv who plays FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham. In order to solve a series of inexplicable and dangerous cases Olivia needs the help of Peter’s estranged and institutionalized father Dr. Walter Bishop. Ultimately the trio becomes a team working together to solve cases and perform experiments on the fringe of real science that are seemingly part of a larger pattern.

4. 90210

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the original Beverly Hills 90210 or a newbie follower of the remake, it won’t matter. 90210 is back with or without the help of Dylan McKay or Brandon Walsh. The new cast is bringing life back to West Beverly High, along with alums Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty ; there’s something none of us ever thought we would see again! The new 90210 is seen through the eyes of complete newcomers. They’re a group of young, good looking waifs who have relocated to Beverly Hills. Shenae Grimes and Tristan Wilds play Annie and Dixon Wilson who befriend rich girl Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord), popular jock Ethan (Dustin Milligan), and Silver (Jessica Stroup), who is Kelly Taylor’s younger sister. Kelly, herself is back as the school guidance counselor. They’re not exactly the Walshes of yesteryear but they have recreated a cultural phenomenon and in doing so introduced a whole new generation to the angst of high school with the same style, sex, and drama we loved from the original series.

5. Secret Diary of a Call Girl

Who knew prostitution could be so much fun? Blame Eliot Spitzer and his infamous call girl Alexandra Dupre, but not since Pretty Woman has the world’s oldest profession seemed so entertaining. Secret Diary of a Call Girl is a British import TV show that has now found a home on Showtime. It follows Belle, an independent, fun-loving 27-year-old, played by Billie Piper, who works as high-end call girl Belle by night and lives the life of normal British girl Hannah Baxter by day. Think Sex and the City but with much more sex and illegal activity. The show is loosely based on the popular anonymous blog of a British sex worker and allows a peek into the lurid world of hookers and the world that surrounds them. Sex sells, and in this show that’s literal; and viewers are hook-ed. Pun intended.