Fall TV Preview: Thursdays

We’re previewing the new fall TV season each day in this space. It doesn’t look much better on Thursdays.

NEW SHOWS

“My Generation” (ABC, 8 p.m., starts Sept. 23). It’s been the subject of more than a couple TV movies or short lived series – a 10 year reunion recounting what’s happened to them since, flashing back and forth from school to present. It includes a surprise baby (to one of them). The cast includes Jaime King, Mechad Brooks and Hartt School grad Keir O’Donnell. But the situations, shot in a faux documentary style, are so clichéd, or better done on similar reality shows, there’s no reason to expect this to be around for the 11^th anniversary.

“$#*! My Dad Say” (CBS, 8:30 p.m., Sept. 23), for all its hype, doesn’t rise above its source material – the Twitter-feed and or book on which. It more resembles any number of CBS comedies, with the rimshots provided by musical stings at the end of each scene. As the dad, William Shatner is much sharper than the misanthropic character he’s supposed to play; his non sequiturs on “Boston Legal” may have been funnier. And with Will Sasso and Nicole Sullivan are so good in supporting roles, you sort of wish they were starring in their own sitcom instead.

“Nikita” (The CW, 9 p.m., started Sept. 9) about a former prisoner who is plucked by a shadowy U.S. agency to be a covert assassin, escapes and is bent on preventing others from a similar fate. Yes, it’s exactly like “Dollhouse” because of the all of the lethal and beautiful brainwashed women involved. But its chief antecedent is the stylish original 1990 movie “La Femme Nikita” and the previous USA Network series that built a rabid following. It works in part because of Hawaiian-born Hong Kong action star Maggie Q, as sleek and credible a female action star since Jennifer Garner in “Alias” but even stronger because she continues to insist on doing most of her own stunts. Flashy, fast-moving and fun.

“Outsourced” (NBC, 9:30 p.m., Sept. 23), about an American running a telemarketing office in India, succeeds at being both unfunny and offensive, besmirching what NBC has otherwise built as a quality night of comedy.

RETURNING:

“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS, 8 p.m., starts Sept. 23), “Bones” (Fox, 8 p.m., Sept. 23),  “Community” (NBC, 8 p.m., Sept. 23), “The Vampire Diaries” (The CW, 8 p.m., started Sept. 9), “30 Rock” (NBC, 8:30 p.m., Sept. 23), “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC, 9 p.m., Sept. 23),  “CSI” (CBS, 9 p.m., Sept. 23), “Fringe” (Fox, 9 p.m., Sept. 23) , “The Office” (NBC, 9 p.m., Sept. 23) ,“Private Practice” (ABC, 10 p.m., Sept. 23), “The Mentalist” (CBS, 10 p.m., Sept. 23) and “The Apprentice” (NBC, 10 p.m., Sept. 23).

Here’s what’s going on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.