US television networks announce next season’s lineups

(© ABC Studios)

The official new lineups for the 2010-2011 season on America's four major television networks have been unveiled to the press and advertisers. The schedules reveal possible breakout hits and future Emmy winners with interesting new shows and award-winning actors.

There are surprising series cancellations and an effort to counter-program with ABC pitting a new show about a family of superheroes called No Ordinary Family against the current Fox hit musical show Glee. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer's latest drama Chase will debut on NBC at the same time as his hit CSI: Miami crime procedural series airs on CBS.

Highlights on each network include:

On FOX, the No. 1 network in the US, Bradley Whitford ( The West Wing) stars in cop comedy The Good Guys; Jon Voight appears in Midland; and a sci-fi drama produced by Steven Spielberg, Terra Nova, about time travel to a prehistoric era will premieres midseason.

ABC adds ten new shows including Detroit 1-8-7, a dark comedy about a homicide detective played by Michael Imperioli ( The Sopranos), and Mr. Sunshine starring Friends' Matthew Perry as a cynical sports agent which bows in 2011.

At NBC the fall season premieres Outlaw starring Jimmy Smits as a rogue judge; a spy drama The Undercovers from J.J. Abrams ( Star Trek), a thriller, The Event, starring Blair Underwood portraying the US President; and Kathy Bates in Harry's Law from David E. Kelley ( Boston Legal).

Also on NBC, Paul Reiser ( Mad About You) returns with a new comedy and Law & Order: Los Angeles replaces the 20-year-old original version of the franchise which has been ended.

CBS replaces seven cancelled show with new dramas, including a spin-off of Criminal Minds starring Forest Whitaker; a family cop show Blue Bloods with Tom Selleck and Donnie Wahlberg; a remake of 1970s Hawaii Five-O with Scott Caan; and The Defenders - a Las Vegas law show starring Jim Belushi.

Also CBS will launch the comedy Bleep My Dad Says starring William Shatner, adapted from the Twitter phenomenon "Shit My Dad Says."

RC