Two new series debut back to back today on ABC. Blood & Oil arrives at 8 p.m., followed by Quantico at 9.
Of the two, Quantico looks like the more promising, so let's begin with it.
Quantico (TV-14). The fast-paced thriller revolves around a terrorist sleeper agent hidden among a gaggle of very photogenic new recruits at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va.
The first thing viewers need to know is that the series seems to be designed as a showcase for Indian actress/singer Priyanka Chopra. Americans may not know her name, but the 33-year-old beauty is huge -- huge-- in Bollywood. The former Miss World (2000) has been the "face" of ABC's massive Quantico ad campaign and it's easy to see why.
In her American TV debut, Chopra plays Alex Parrish, a biracial Indian-American FBI recruit who is tough, sexy and harboring a secret. Everyone has secrets on this series.
The series begins with a horrific scene of mass destruction at New York's Grand Central Station, then the screen says, "Nine months earlier ..."
Viewers are then shown the gathering of the diverse recruits from their assorted hometowns. It's a plot device to give you just a tease of their backgrounds and whet your appetite to find out more. Flashbacks will fill in the blanks and reveal their reasons for joining the bureau.
Diverse? We have a Muslim woman, a wealthy young heiress from Georgia, a gay guy from New York, a cocky hotshot and a Mormon just back from his mission in Malawi.
When the worst terrorist attack since Sept. 11, 2001, goes down, all the young recruits become suspects. Some critics have labeled Quantico equal parts Homeland and Grey's Anatomy. All those hit elements are there and the new drama ought to be on your list to check out.
Blood & Oil (TV-PG). The background is the current oil boom in North Dakota. The prime-time soap opera revolves around a young couple who arrive in town and run up against a local tycoon and his wife.
"They came looking for the American dream," ABC teases. "What they found was rock bottom."
Our plucky young couple are Billy and Cody LeFever, played by Chace Crawford and Rebecca Rittenhouse. They arrive in the oil fields to make their fortune, but things go awry. But that opens another window of opportunity.
The ruthless tycoon (isn't that redundant?), Hap Briggs, is played by Miami Vice and Nash Bridges star Don Johnson (kids, he's Dakota Johnson's daddy).
Amber Valletta portrays Hap's socialite wife, Carla.
Others in the ensemble include Scott Michael Foster as Hap's hapless son, Wick; and Miranda Rae Mayo as Hap's illegitimate biracial daughter, Lacey.
Added bonus: The marvelous Delroy Lindo plays Sheriff Tip Harrison.
Asked by Parade magazine if the series was really about blood and oil, Johnson said, "It's really a show about power, passion, love, humanity, sex, greed and the American dream -- all of the things that make for rich storytelling."
Sound familiar? How about Falcon Crest, Dynasty, Dallas, Knots Landing, even today's Empire?
RETURNING SHOWS
Today
ABC: The two new dramas on ABC will be preceded at 7 p.m. by the Season 5 premiere of Once Upon a Time.
This is another series that I used to watch religiously, but lost interest in early in Season 3, when the gang went off to Neverland to rescue Henry after he was captured by Peter Pan.
Season 4, the one that incorporated elements of Frozen, proved too much for me to bother with.
In tonight's episode, "The Dark Swan," Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) seeks Merlin's help as she tries to fight her recently acquired dark urges. I've liked Morrison ever since she starred on House, so I'll give the series one last shot to win me back.
Fox: It's a brand-new Fox Sunday beginning at 6:30 p.m. Here's the lineup: Bob's Burgers, The Simpsons, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Family Guy and Last Man on Earth.
CBS: A new 60 Minutes debuts at 6:30 p.m., followed at 8 by the CSI series finale in the form of a two-hour movie at 8 p.m. Check out my preview in today's TV Week insert.
Monday
• Noah takes over. The only new program arriving Monday is The Daily Show With Trevor Noah at 10 p.m. on Comedy Central.
It'll be interesting to compare how many curious viewers tune in to the first episode with how many return Tuesday.
Noah has the exceedingly large shoes of Jon Stewart to fill, and I'm betting The Daily Show takes a painful hit in the ratings with the South African comic behind the desk.
The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:
mstorey@arkansasonline.com
Style on 09/27/2015