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A Bent Toward Darker Material and Sci-Fi Shows

Posted on: Thursday, 8 September 2005, 15:00 CDT

Let the invasions begin.

The WB's "Supernatural" and CBS's "Threshold" herald the arrival this week of the new season's most obvious trend _ a bent toward darker material and sci-fi shows.

"Supernatural" gets here first (debuting 9 p.m. EDT Tuesday). The hour long drama follows the adventures of brothers Sam and Dean (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) who are traveling the country to prove or disprove not-of-this-world occurrences.

The two were introduced to the supernatural when they were small, and their mom died in a suspicious fire. Their dad says it was the work of the supernatural. He teaches the boys to seek out such evil and destroy it.

Years later, when Dad is missing, Sam puts his ambitions of going to college on hold to hit the road with Dean and find Dad. Sam and Dean's first encounter involves a ghostly hitchhiker who kills the men who had picked her up.

While the "Supernatural" boys hit the road, the investigators of "Threshold" (9 p.m. Friday) stumble upon an alien manipulation of our DNA.

The series involves the work of a government analyst (Carla Gugino) who is probing an invasion after a spaceship causes the death of a Navy crew in the Atlantic.

To make sense of why this happened, the analyst is part of a team that includes a mathematics whiz, a NASA microbiologist, a physicist and a covert operative. The conclusion: Somebody up there is studying us a little too closely.

"Supernatural" and "Threshold" arrive just days before the official start of the 2005-2006 TV season, which launches on Monday, Sept. 19.

Other highlights for the week of to Sept. 12-18 (all times EDT; listings are subject to change; check local listings):

MONDAY, Sept. 12

_ "Wife Swap" (8 p.m., ABC). A proper Southern woman and a messy Yankee lady trade lives. Isn't this how the Civil War started?

TUESDAY, Sept. 13

_ "Bones" (8 p.m., Fox). Former "Angel" David Boreanaz turns in his halo for a bag of bones in this "CSI"-like crime drama.

_ "Gilmore Girls" (8 p.m., WB). Mom may be hitched while daughter has a really bad day in court. Sounds like a job for Jerry Springer.

_ "The Biggest Loser" (8 p.m., NBC). Folks who need to drop a ton of weight turn to the last resort for those of us serious about changing our lives: reality TV.

_ "House" (9 p.m., WB). A sickly death-row inmate gets bad news: His doctor isn't on his HMO and has no bedside manner.

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14

_ "Head Cases" (9 p.m., Fox). Two unbalanced lawyers (Chris O'Donnell and Adam Goldberg) put their heads together and open a partnership. Sounds like a crazy plan, but it might just work.

THURSDAY, Sept. 15

_ "Survivor" (8 p.m., CBS). The tribe is speaking from Guatemala, so listen up, because that's not just around the corner.

FRIDAY, Sept. 16

_ "What I Like About You" (8 p.m., WB). Val and Vic wake up with a hangover and wedding rings. Bad combo.

_ "Twins" (8:30 p.m., WB). Twin sisters _ one is pretty, the other is ugly but smart _ are forced to work together.

_ "Reba" (9 p.m., WB). Reba takes a pill, which is long overdue if you've ever seen her in action.

SUNDAY, Sept. 18

_ "The Primetime Emmy Awards" (8 p.m., CBS). TV stars will sing classic themes in an "American Idol"-like competition in which viewers can vote for their favorite tune. Yes, I know it sounds like a joke, but it isn't.

_ "King of the Hill" (7:30 p.m., Fox). Hank tries to stop acting uptight like Reba McEntire.

© 2005 Scripps Howard News Service.

All Rights Reserved.

Source: Scripps Howard

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