Fox offers ‘Hope’ while other networks play it safe

They're not the sort of adjectives networks want to emblazon on ads for their new fall shows.

Competent. Adequate. In focus.

But that's honestly about the best that can be said for the majority of the season's 23 new series.

One after another they came in. CBS' Las Vegas-based legal dramedy "The Defenders" and its "Hawaii Five-0" remake. ABC's cop drama "Detroit 1-8-7." NBC's married-spies drama "Undercovers," its fugitive-tracking actioner "Chase," its maverick-lawyer drama "Outlaw" and its conspiracy-laced "The Event." All of them are technically fine. Enjoyable even. Just not what you would consider daring.

Even Fox's oil-swindlers-in-Texas series "Lone Star," the best new network drama of the fall, just barely had me itching to see episode two.

But then, as I was about to write off the entire fall season, I found hope.

More accurately, I found "Hope," as in Fox's "Raising Hope," the fall's most deliriously funny new comedy.

The story of a directionless young pool cleaner who inherits a baby -- the circumstances are too good to spoil, but if "The Event's" big secret is half this creative, that show should be a certified hit -- is creator Greg Garcia's follow-up to "My Name Is Earl," and it feels as though it's taking place in an only slightly more upwardly mobile section of "Earl's" Camden County.

A few weeks later came the reconceived first episode of Fox's delightfully offbeat "Running Wilde," which reunites "Arrested Development" creator Mitch Hurwitz and actor Will Arnett.

The comedies certainly aren't for everyone. But airing back-to-back on Tuesdays, the duo of "Raising Hope" and "Running Wilde" is rivaled only by NBC's "Community"/"30 Rock" block for sheer anything-can-happen outrageousness.

If only the rest of their new counterparts were that inspired.

Here's a look at the fall's new series, all of which start this week unless otherwise noted. And, as always, times and dates are subject to change.

MONDAYS

"LONE STAR"

9 p.m., KVVU-TV, Channel 5

What it is: A Texas con artist (James Wolk) leads two very different lives. As Robert, he has bilked the residents of Midland, where he lives with his girlfriend (Eloise Mumford). As Bob, he's married to Cat (Adrianne Palicki), part of a wealthy Houston oil family he had hoped to scam. But now he's determined to go straight -- and get out from under the thumb of the domineering father (David Keith) who taught him how to swindle.

What it's like: The sort of thing you'd see on Fox's sister cable channel FX. You need a real charmer to convincingly play Robert/Bob, who's every bit as slick as the oil he pretends to sell. As such, the Clooney-esque Wolk is poised to become the breakout star of the fall.

"The Event"

9 p.m., KSNV-TV, Channel 3

What it is: When his girlfriend (Sarah Roemer) disappears during a cruise, everyday guy Sean Walker (Josh Ritter) stumbles into a deadly government conspiracy in this serialized drama.

What it's like: NBC has been bombarding viewers for months with promos asking "What is the event?" I've seen "The Event," three times, and I still couldn't tell you what the event is. NBC clearly wants the series to be "Lost"-meets-"24," but given the palpable viewer fatigue with this sort of confusing, never-ending mystery, this may be the wrong year to launch it.

"Mike & Molly"

9:30 p.m., KLAS-TV, Channel 8

What it is: Chicago cop Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell) and teacher Molly Flynn (Melissa McCarthy) fall for each other at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting in this comedy from Chuck Lorre ("Two and a Half Men," "The Big Bang Theory").

What it's like: Get it? He's fat, and his last name's Biggs! While it's refreshing to see a series starring actors who aren't wafer-thin, does every other joke really need to be about their weight? As Molly's pot-head sister, though, Katy Mixon seems to have wandered over from some other, funnier comedy.

"Chase"

10 p.m., Channel 3

What it is: U.S. Marshal Annie Frost (Kelli Giddish) and her team track down some of the country's most-wanted fugitives in the latest action drama from executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

What it's like: "The Fugitive" from Lieutenant Gerard's perspective. "The Chase" is solid if unspectacular. But with her model looks, tight jeans and cowboy boots, Giddish makes for an intriguing action star. I'll come back just to hear more of her twang.

"Hawaii Five-0"

10 p.m., Channel 8

What it is: After his father's murder, Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) returns to the Aloha State to head a special crime-fighting task force made up of ex-cop Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim), new recruit Kono Kalakaua (Grace Park) and fresh-from-Jersey Danny "Danno" Williams (Scott Caan), who, yes, is eventually told to book 'em.

What it's like: Way more entertaining than it has a right to be. O'Loughlin and Caan have an interesting chemistry, and Caan is outstanding. But it's anybody's guess what future episodes will look like: Some serious money was spent on the explosively violent pilot, which will be tough to duplicate, and it was developed by screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci ("Fringe," the recent "Star Trek" reboot), who won't be there every week.

TUESDAYS

"NO ORDINARY FAMILY"

8 p.m., KTNV-TV, Channel 13 (starts Sept. 28)

What it is: When their plane crashes into the Amazon, Jim and Stephanie Powell (Michael Chiklis, Julie Benz) and their teenage son and daughter emerge with superpowers.

What it's like: Not so super. The powers are fairly obvious -- Mom never has enough time, so she gets superspeed, etc. -- and the whole thing feels a little too "Wonderful World of Disney." But Chiklis' involvement makes it worth a second look.

"Raising Hope"

9 p.m., Channel 5

What it is: Jimmy Chance (Lucas Neff), a going-nowhere pool cleaner, suddenly has to take care of the baby he never knew he had, with little help from his even-less-motivated parents (Martha Plimpton, Garret Dillahunt) and his addled, and frequently unclothed, Maw Maw (Cloris Leachman), in this comedy from "My Name Is Earl" creator Greg Garcia.

What it's like: Wrong on many, many levels -- but in a good way. It's going to be tough to maintain the raucous nature of the pilot, but the Chance family's utter inability to nurture a child should prove fertile ground. And it's nearly impossible not to laugh when Jimmy's mom tries to convince him, after a tumultuous first night, to give baby Princess Beyonce -- yes, really -- up for adoption. Her reasoning: "You almost killed it, and we both threw up on it."

"Running Wilde"

9:30 p.m., Channel 5

What it is: Buffoonish oil heir Steven Wilde (Will Arnett) tries to win back the love of his life, Emmy (Keri Russell), the environmentalist daughter of his childhood maid, who has spent the past six years living among a remote indigenous tribe in the Amazon, much to the chagrin of her 12-year-old daughter, Puddle (Stefania Owen).

What it's like: Will Arnett at his Will Arnett-iest. No one does clueless and shallow quite like Arnett, especially when he's working with "Arrested Development" creator Mitch Hurwitz. "You inspire me," his Steven tells Emmy. "I mean, raising a daughter in the rain forest? I mean, yes, that's where they make all the nannies. But I couldn't do it."

"Detroit 1-8-7"

10 p.m., Channel 13

What it is: Detective Louis Fitch (Michael Imperioli) is the star of Detroit's homicide division. Solving cases, arresting bad guys. Fitch calls it "the last assembly line in Detroit."

What it's like: "Law & Disorder." It begins like a standard-issue cop drama, especially with the presence of "NYPD Blue's" James McDaniel. Then things get weird. Fitch turns out to be a tangle of eccentricities -- he'll call his new partner on the phone, even when he's 2 feet away, rather than interact with him directly -- which should prove interesting to watch. At least for a few episodes.

WEDNESDAYS

"UNDERCOVERS"

8 p.m., Channel 3

What it is: Married caterers Steven and Samantha (Boris Kodjoe, Gugu Mbatha) reluctantly return to the spy game after five years away from the CIA in the latest drama from J.J. Abrams ("Lost," "Alias").

What it's like: "Alias" plus "Chuck" divided by "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." The premiere is breezy and fun, but while Steven and Samantha are adorably cute, they're just not that interesting. Instead, I found myself wishing the series had focused on the wise-cracking, charismatic agent they're sent to track down.

"Better With You"

8:30 p.m., Channel 13

What it is: The comedy focuses on three couples: Joel and Vicky, who've been married for 35 years; their uptight daughter Maddie, who has been with her boyfriend for nine years; and their free-spirit daughter Mia, who gets engaged after knowing her oddball boyfriend for less than two months.

What it's like: "How I Met Your Modern Family." Like "How I Met Your Mother," "Better With You" would be, well, better if it got rid of its core concept: showing how relationships change over time. It's wildly uneven, but the first episode slowly builds momentum to deliver at least a half-dozen solid laughs.

"Hellcats"

9 p.m., KVCW-TV, Channel 33 (already airing)

What it is: A townie (Aly Michalka) loses her scholarship and has to win a spot on her exclusive Memphis university's ultra-competitive cheerleading squad to keep receiving a free ride.

What it's like: Nothing to cheer about. It's a fairly typical teen drama -- good girl, mean girl, and plenty of boys to fight over. But as Marti, whose moves are better suited to workin' the pole than working the crowds, Michalka is all blond curls and lips and abs and ... where was I?

"The Defenders"

10 p.m., Channel 8

What it is: Brash Nick Morelli (Jim Belushi) and playboy Pete Kaczmarek (Jerry O'Connell) head up a Las Vegas legal firm based on the one run by local attorneys Michael Cristalli and Marc Saggese.

What it's like: A buddy-cop show, minus the cops. "The Defenders" showcases the flashy side of Vegas rarely captured by "CSI." Belushi's courtroom antics and O'Connell's swagger should set it apart in a time slot full of legal shows.

"Law & Order: Los Angeles"

10 p.m., Channel 3 (starts Sept. 29)

What it is: "Law & Order." In Los Angeles.

What it's like: "Law & Order." In Los Angeles. The cast -- which includes Skeet Ulrich, Alfred Molina and Terrence Howard -- is impressive, but a screener wasn't available for review. Still, it's not like the show's trying to reinvent the wheel.

"The Whole Truth"

10 p.m., Channel 13

What it is: Prosecutor Kathryn Peale (Maura Tierney) and defense attorney Jimmy Brogan (Rob Morrow) square off in court each week in yet another drama from Bruckheimer.

What it's like: A screener wasn't available for review.

THURSDAYS

"MY GENERATION"

8 p.m., Channel 13

What it is: Ten years after chronicling the lives of nine high school seniors in Austin, Texas, a documentary crew returns to see how they've changed.

What it's like: Nobody will be talkin' 'bout "My Generation." In the tedious first episode alone, the characters stare directly into the camera, even when they aren't being interviewed, more times than Jim Halpert has in six seasons of "The Office." And in a series filled with flashbacks, some of the cast members seem incapable of playing both 18 and 28.

"$#*! My Dad Says"

8:30 p.m., Channel 8

What it is: Ed Goodson (William Shatner) spouts his weird, politically incorrect opinions at his sons, and anybody else within earshot, in this comedy -- pronounced "Bleep My Dad Says" -- based on a Twitter feed.

What it's like: A screener wasn't available for review. But, really, what do you expect from a show based on a Twitter feed.

"Nikita"

9 p.m., Channel 33 (already airing)

What it is: A spy and assassin (Maggie Q) rebels against the secret agency that trained her -- an agency that's preparing dozens of fresh-faced recruits -- in this update of "La Femme Nikita."

What it's like: German bondage gear -- sleek, sexy and confusing as hell. "Nikita" has a cinematic feel, and there's no denying Maggie Q's star quality. But somehow the action drama comes off as less than the sum of its ultra-stylish parts.

"Outsourced"

9:30 p.m., Channel 3

What it is: When Mid America Novelties, makers of everything from fake dog poo to farting gnomes, moves its call center to India, management trainee Todd Dempsy (Ben Rappaport) is sent overseas to oversee it.

What it's like: Part indictment of American consumerism, part Fox News rallying cry. "Maybe no one needs this," Todd proudly tells his new employees while displaying a pair of dancing breasts. "But in America, no one can stop you from making it." Too much of "Outsourced," though, is spent ridiculing India, from the stomach-churning food to the employee unfortunate enough to be named Manmeet.

FRIDAYS

"SCHOOL PRIDE"

8 p.m., Channel 3 (Oct. 15)

What it is: With some expert help, students, teachers and parents transform their aging schools in this reality series.

What it's like: "Extreme Makeover: School Edition." I'm guessing. A screener wasn't available for review.

"Body of Proof"

9 p.m., Channel 13 (to be announced)

What it is: After a car accident leaves neurosurgeon Dr. Megan Hunt (Dana Delany) unable to operate, she refocuses her skills to suit her new career as a crime-solving Philadelphia medical examiner.

What it's like: "House" with dead people. Dr. Hunt is brusque, arrogant and doesn't play well with others. She's divorced, estranged from her daughter and alone in the world except for her cadavers. This could quickly prove tiresome. Or she could fit right in with everyone watching this at home on a Friday night.

"Blue Bloods"

10 p.m., Channel 8

What it is: New York City's Reagan family has produced the city's police commissioner (Tom Selleck), a hard-charging police detective (Donnie Wahlberg), a Harvard-educated rookie cop (Will Estes) and an assistant district attorney (Bridget Moynahan), but a secret threatens to undermine them all.

What it's like: Part family drama, part police procedural, the series isn't sure what it wants to be. "Blue Bloods" boasts a cast that most other new series must secretly envy, but the writing's on the clunky side. And that secret seems like something out of a Dan Brown novel.

"Outlaw"

10 p.m., Channel 3 (already airing)

What it is: Conservative Supreme Court Justice Cyrus Garza (Jimmy Smits) has a change of heart, resigns his lifetime position and enters private practice, forming a legal team that travels the country taking on controversial cases.

What it's like: Out of order. "Outlaw" is wildly implausible, but fun. Garza's chronic womanizing and gambling should provide plenty of entertaining fodder for Smits, one of the last true TV stars left.

SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS

No new shows are scheduled.