Alphas viewers definitely have something to get excited about this week: the action drama’s new August 22 episode, “Catch and Release,” features longtime fan favorite Summer Glau. Doesn’t get much better than that on the small screen.

The former star of genre series such as Firefly, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Dollhouse plays Skylar during her appearance on the show. Yes, the character is another intriguing person with extra-special abilities, and yes, Team Alpha must protect her from the big, bad meanies.

Skylar’s phenomenal technological skills bring her to the attention of Agent Kathy Sullivan, who assigns Dr. Lee Rosen and his Alpha charges the difficult task of locating her before the wrong people people do. If they fail, Skylar could suffer great harm from those who want to access and control her unique inventions.

The episode gets down to business from the first scene as an ominous group of men in ninja-style black arrive at Skylar’s hideout to subdue her. Thankfully, she’s prepared, but that doesn’t mean she won’t need every bit of Team Alpha’s help to continue eluding the would-be capturers.

Although the episode focuses on Skylar’s urgent dilemma primarily, various subplots also deliver plenty of meaningful personal moments with the team members. My favorite scenes involve ace frequency reader Gary and his understandably protective mother Sandra. It’s always endearing — and entertaining — to watch the youngest and most vulnerable member of the group evolve into a tougher, more independent individual.

Sneak a tense peek at Glau and “Catch and Release” in the following video. The episode premieres at 10pm ET.

Syfy has built up a well-known reputation as the go-to outlet for lighter-weight original science fiction fare that often leans toward the cheesy and low-tech side, and sometimes the just plain bad side (more than a few of the network’s unintentionally amusing original movies spring immediately to mind, for example). Thankfully for viewers, however, Alphas, the latest series to join Syfy’s original lineup, is more promising than trivial, based on the 90-minute July 11 premiere. It also meshes well with good-time dramedies Eureka and Warehouse 13, which precede the newcomer on Monday nights this summer.

An action drama with crime and conspiracy elements, Alphas revolves around a group of Alphas — people with uncommon abilities — who complete urgent missions for the U.S. Department of Defense, or so we’re told. Psychiatrist and neurologist Dr. Lee Rosen (David Strathairn, The Bourne Ultimatum) leads the unit, which includes Ryan Cartwright (Bones) as frequency-reading human antenna Gary Bell; Azita Ghanizada (General Hospital: Night Shift) as Rachel Pizad, who can enhance her senses at will; Laura Mennell (Smallville) as hyper-influential Nina Theroux, who can force certain people to do whatever she tells them to; and Malik Yoba (New York Undercover) as exceptionally strong ex-FBI agent Bill Harken. Sure, none of the abilities seem mindblowing or all that hip, but they are special compared to the average human’s skill set.

The extended premiere introduces the members of Team Alpha right around the time they encounter their newest future colleague, former military sniper Cameron Hicks (Warren Christie, Happy Town). Troubled, estranged from his young son, and living the working-class life while employed at a grocery store, Hicks has extraordinary control of his muscular system, which enables him to do impressive stuff like shoot firearms and pitch baseballs with perfect aim from a great distance … when his mind doesn’t get in the way, that is.

This talent brings Hicks to the attention of another, shadier Alpha, who turns him into an unwitting puppet by hypnotizing him to commit murder in a seemingly impossible manner. And, of course, Hicks has no memory of the deed after it’s done, although the several witnesses certainly do. Enter Dr. Rosen and his not-so-merry band of Alphas, who initially set out to track down and capture Hicks, but end up making room for him on their team after he proves his worth when they need his expertise most.

The Alphas pilot almost lost me and my interest in the beginning as the episode presented the main characters in a series of uninspired, 30-second-ish vignettes designed to quickly acquaint viewers with them and their unique traits. The introductions are too rushed and simplistic, and the unique traits are nothing groundbreaking or captivating, as I already mentioned.

Yet, the outlook for Alphas improves considerably whenever Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica) appears too briefly as Rosen’s contact Wilson — regrettably, he’s not a regular also — and whenever the show’s plot reveals its darker underside for a fleeting moment. The second selling point promises viewers more than just a repeated stream of catch-the-bad-dudes antics interspersed with periodic slices of mildly humorous chitchat as the season progresses.

Some might tune into Alphas for that very reason, though — the chance to be entertained with minimal effort or lasting effect. Mindless television works for me, as well, but I’m also going to watch to learn what the premiere’s villain meant when he informed Hicks, “You’re on the wrong side of this.” Could the members of Team Alpha be in for a rude awakening any day now? I can only hope, and the more malevolent the real deal is, the better.

Get ready. Rizzoli & Isles — the highest-rated new 2011 series on basic-cable network TNT — kicks off its 13-episode second season on July 11 in its original blessed 10pm ET, post-The Closer time slot.

“We Don’t Need Another Hero,” the first episode of the summer run, gives viewers their first update on Boston-based detective Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) and her patrol cop brother Frankie Jr. (Jordan Bridges), both of whom suffered gunshot wounds during a police station shootout at the end of the first season. While attempting to recover from that gunfight with her typical attitude, sarcasm, and nonstop interference from immediate family and close friends — such as her brash mother Angela (Lorraine Bracco) and her super-smart partner-in-crime, medical examiner Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander) — Jane is tapped to receive recognition for her heroism at a public ceremony.

Sounds swell, until the event literally turns explosive, forcing Jane and Maura to team back up in order to weed out the person responsible for the senseless destruction. An already difficult case then becomes even more urgent as the duo and their colleagues realize the guilty party is more volatile than imaginable.

Thankfully, the show provides Jane and Maura with a few new playthings this season to help reduce the pressure of all that crime fighting. Jane’s first new stressbuster comes in the form of military man Casey Jones (Chris Vance, Dexter), a sergeant major whom Jane knew — and hooked up with — back in high school.

There’s no need to worry about Jane and Maura’s rapport getting sidetracked by men and personal issues, however. Although the two leading ladies continue their quest for romance and happiness while investigating disturbing crimes, the strong friendship and frequent interaction between Jane and Maura remains the strength of Rizzoli & Isles. Their banter is as constant and fun as ever.

A few new faces will also add some spice and complexity to Season Two. They include Jacqueline Bisset (Nip/Tuck) as Maura’s adoptive mother Constance Isles; Colin Egglesfield (All My Children) as the oldest Rizzoli sibling, ex-con Tommy; and Ernie Hudson (The Secret Life of the American Teenager) as the father of Jane’s partner Barry Frost (Lee Thompson Young). Nice casting means nice episodes in store this season.

The beginning of the end starts for another popular TV staple tonight, July 11. The show in question is signature TNT crime drama The Closer, which kicks off its seventh and final season at 9pm ET.

As fans already know, The Closer is ending not due to a lack of inspiration or interesting cases to investigate, but because star Kyra Sedgwick is understandably prepared to move on. The Season Seven opener “Unknown Trouble” gets the ball rolling in the same direction for her character Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson when the ace interrogator learns she is the subject of a lawsuit brought against the Los Angeles Police Department.

If that’s not enough annoying heat on her plate, Brenda also has to deal with the arrival of the new police chief, Tommy Delk (Courtney B. Vance, Law & Order: Criminal Intent), following his promotion to the position over Brenda and other contenders at the end of Season Six. Chief Delk has his own way of doing things, of course, and some of his early changes will have an immediate — and, needless to say, mostly unwanted — impact on Team Brenda, his still-smarting predecessor Will Pope (J.K. Simmons), and prickly internal investigator Captain Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell of Battlestar Galactica, who’s now a series regular). Oh, well — at least Commander Russell Taylor (Robert Gossett) has a reason to be happy, though.

Despite all of the intriguing and occasionally funny office drama, let’s not forget the first case of the new season for the Major Crimes unit. The investigation involves the bloody killing of a hip-hop artist and numerous acquaintances in an affluent California neighborhood. After a surprising discovery in the opulent residence where the multiple murders occur, Brenda’s squad follows a trail that leads to a person who played a major role in the rapper’s career.

The seventh season of The Closer includes a first-ever 21 episodes. Ten will air this summer, and the remaining installments are set to premiere next winter, concluding with the series finale in 2012. The Major Crimes saga will not end with the show that started it all, however. As TNT announced in May, McDonnell and Captain Raydor already have top billing in the Closer spinoff appropriately titled Major Crimes, which debuts with a 10-episode first season after The Closer retires.

If viewers are lucky, the new show might even treat us to a visit or two from the woman capable of closing almost any case (remember, she has only failed to outsmart and nab one culprit thus far — Billy Burke‘s shady defense lawyer character Phillip Stroh from the Season 4 episode “Power of Attorney”). Fingers crossed.

The summer is finally here, and so is the exciting fourth-season of hit TNT crime dramedy Leverage on June 26 at 9pm ET.

Titled “The Long Way Down Job,” the summer premiere features guest star Eric Stoltz (of the recently departed Battlestar Galactica prequel Caprica) as a missing millionaire. Our favorite team of clever cons head to the frigid and treacherous mountains of Alaska to track him down when they learn of his predicament.

Of course, once on-site of his last known whereabouts, they quickly realize there’s much more to his disappearance than they initially thought. The episode features the familiar banter and teamwork between the group of regulars, as well as an unexpected turn of events that mark a first for the series. Fans will not want to miss the latest adventure in the Leverage files, and newcomers will have no problems enjoying the action and fast-paced plot.

Take a behind-the scenes peek at the summer opener below before tuning in to the real thing.

Eager fans will finally get to enjoy the two-hour premiere of new TNT science-fiction drama Falling Skies at 9pm ET tonight, June 19.

The series stars ER veteran Noah Wyle as savvy and determined history professor Tom Mason. The father of three sons becomes an unwitting top dog in a small group of resistance fighters attempting to thwart the unknown plans of a mysterious and scary-looking bunch of invading aliens. His fellow fighters include Moon Bloodgood (Day Break) as compassionate pediatrician Anne Glass and Will Patton (The Agency) as intense resistance leader Weaver.

The first episode takes place some six months after the alien forces — thus far consisting of freaky spider-like creatures dubbed “skitters” and huge robot-like creatures known as “mechs” — have already destroyed much of Earth’s population. Their ruthless, out-of-nowhere takeover forces the few surviving people into a depressing existence dominated by a desolate physical environment, the stress of always impending doom, and perpetual fear of the invaders’ superior battle power, which includes the ability to control the unfortunate humans they capture. Yet, all is not completely lost, thanks to the spirit of the survivors and the bravery and resolve of the resistance fighters devoted to turning the situation around.

Viewers get to tag along as the resistance members do whatever they can and must to figure out exactly why the aliens have arrived and what they intend to do with the planet now that they are seemingly in command. We’ll gradually discover the ultimate goal of the intruders over the course of the ten episodes in the first season, learning new pieces of vital information as the resistance forces do.

Although the two-episode series premiere “Live and Learn” and “The Armory” may move a bit slowly as it relates essential details about the characters and their predicament, the plot picks up quite a bit during the June 26 third episode “Prisoner of War,” at which point the pieces of the story are clearer. Each episode of Falling Skies delivers numerous gripping alien-encounter scenes, however, in addition to lots of drama to help viewers understand the characters and care about their plight. As a result, it should appeal to both science-fiction fans and individuals who simply like TV shows with an intriguing narrative.

Falling Skies airs Sundays on TNT from June 19 to August 7. The series opens and closes its first season with two-hour episodes starting at 9pm, and the remaining six installments premiere at 10pm. Sneak a peek at what’s coming up in the preview below.

TNT dramas HawthoRNe and Memphis Beat don’t seem to generate as much “buzz” as the network’s higher profile series — such as its bread and butter The Closer and the upcoming sci-fi saga Falling Skies, for example — but I, for one, am very happy that both shows begin new seasons tonight, June 14.

Paired once again, just like during their last respective runs, HawthoRNe and Memphis Beat open their third and second season, respectively. The medical drama starring Jada Pinkett Smith as brash nurse Christina Hawthorne ends the night at 10pm ET with the extremely dramatic premiere “For Better or Worse.”

Writers are not supposed to reveal spoilery details, which leaves me reluctant to disclose anything at all given the far-reaching nature of the episode’s main plot. However, viewers who are familiar with the series will instantly recognize — and once again appreciate — HawthoRNe‘s tendency to stir drama by following lighthearted, emotionally uplifting segments with events designed to evoke the opposite reaction.

Viewers will also notice the absence or reduced screen time of key characters from previous seasons and the arrival of new faces to make up for the loss. The latter includes Marc Anthony (Man on Fire) returning as Detective Nick Renata, a romantic interest of Christina introduced near the end of Season Two, and Derek Luke (Trauma) and Lauren Vélez (Dexter) as doctors. Anthony appears throughout the season, providing the third point in a simmering love triangle involving Christina and surgeon Tom Wakefield (Michael Vartan, Alias), and, of course, the tension is on full display already during the third-season premiere.

Things are slightly less tense at 9pm during “At the River,” the Season Two premiere of charismatic crime series Memphis Beat, although the central investigation revolves around a murdered, well-liked cop. The death hits close to home for Jason Lee‘s character Dwight Hendricks, whose own police office father was murdered years ago.

The episode features Beau Garrett, a star of CBS’ quickly canceled Criminal Minds spinoff Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, making her first appearance as Internal Affairs staffer Claire Ryan. She teams up with Dwight while his regular partner Whitehead (Sam Hennings, CSI) is otherwise disposed and demonstrates some nice chemistry with the star of the show. Alfre Woodard fans will also enjoy spending more time with the boss Lieutenant Tanya Rice as she takes an active role in the case at hand.

Review what happened during the last season of both shows in the following video recaps, before they start new runs this summer. When TNT first presented the series together, I initially thought they weren’t well-matched thematically. Yet, watching them back-to-back gives me an entertaining “down home” night of TV with realistic and engaging characters, so I’m definitely looking forward to what unfolds next.

Former NBC crime procedural Southland starts its second season — and third all together — on basic cable network TNT tonight at 10pm ET with the unlikely sounding premiere “Let it Snow.”

When we last left our favorite Los Angeles-area crime-fighters, patrol officer John Cooper was struggling with his nearly debilitating back pain, his almost-rookie partner Ben Sherman was coming into his own as a cop, detective partners Nate Moretta and Sammy Bryant were wrapping up taking down a major crook from the ‘hood, Detective Lydia Adams was moving on following her partner Russell Clarke’s gunshot injury, and Officer Chickie Brown was beating the crap out of a cop-impersonating serial rapist.

Not much has changed as the third season gets underway with a trio of interesting and ultimately exciting cases, and that’s a good thing. While Lydia teams up with a new female partner to track down the person who murdered a cleaning woman, Nate and Sammy investigate a brutal gang killing, and John, Ben and Chickie stumble onto some heavy action while cruising the streets of California.

The third-season premiere is all fans have come to expect from Southland. As the realistic dialogue and interactions unfold, we get to see a more believable fictional version of what it must be like to make a living as a member of law enforcement in a dangerous environment.

Some fans may miss the prominence of central characters featured heavily in earlier seasons, such as Tom Everett Scott‘s Russell Clarke and Michael McGrady‘s Detective Sal Salinger. Their reduced roles don’t detract from the overall quality of the drama, however. Southland is an ensemble series, and the remaining integral players are talented enough to still do an excellent job telling the tale of L.A.’s finest.

A preview for “Let it Snow” follows. If you weren’t looking forward to Southland‘s Season Three premiere before, you should be now.

Executives at basic cable’s TBS are surely excited about the premiere of the network’s first original 60-minute comedy tonight, November 16, at 10pm ET. Called Glory Daze, the series features a mix of feel-good male camaraderie and familiar youthful — and often testosterone-fueled — hijinks.

Brought to us by creators and executive producers Walt Becker (Wild Hogs) and Michael LeSieur (You, Me and Dupree), Glory Daze revolves around four college-aged teenagers entering a new stage in their lives as they begin freshman year at an Indiana university in 1986. Playing the four college students are relatively unknown actors Kelly Blatz (Aaron Stone) as middle-of-the-road Joel, Drew Seeley (Freshman Father) as staunch conservative Jason, Harley Sawyer (Killian) as baseball ace Brian and clear comedy standout Matt Bush (High School) as aspiring non-virgin and ladies’ man Eli.

How the four distinct guys end up hanging out together and reluctantly checking out potential fraternities to pledge is just part of the story during the premiere episode. Most of the action depicts how zany situations can get when hormonal college students gather in one place for any length of time, as a continual stream of nostalgia-inducing 1980s music plays in the background. However, the extra length beyond a typical half-hour sitcom also allows viewers to get a taste of — among other things — Joel’s family, including his parents played by former Saturday Night Live cast member Cheri Oteri and Everybody Loves Raymond vet Brad Garrett, and a few quirky faculty members, or at least the bitter divorced professor that Saturday Night Live alum Tim Meadows portrays.

Is Glory Daze comedy gold? Not even close. But if you lower your expectations and accept the inevitable — namely that there’s going to be a lot that seems similar to past college-themed shows and movies, such as the ABC Family dramedy Greek and the oft-mentioned classic 1978 flick Animal House — you might be able to find enough in the newcomer to keep you watching.

Sneak a peek at Glory Daze below before its 10pm premiere.

Who knew today would turn out so good for Reaper alum? Not only did ABC just announce that the devil dramedy’s former star Bret Harrison has snagged a recurring gig on sophomore sci-fi series V 2.0, but his old costar Rick Gonzalez also has a substantial guest-star role on tonight’s (August 11) new “Shelter of the Beast” episode of TNT crime drama Dark Blue.

“Shelter of the Beast” is the conclusion of the two-parter that began with “Liar’s Poker,” the final episode of last week’s two-hour Season Two premiere. Jordana Brewster is back as art gallery owner Maria, whom Dean continues to hang out with while trying to discover information that can lead to her drug-dealer father’s associate.

Easier said than done, of course, especially when the associate is the leader of an infamous drug cartel based in Mexico. Gonzalez’s character enters the picture when Carter needs an in with Maria’s father Edwin (Peter Lewis, Boston Legal) from another angle, and luckily for us viewers, Gonzalez actually has significant — and predictably funny — screen time.

While Carter pretends to be a career pornographer (and dresses the part) in order to convince Edwin that he wants to branch out into the drug trade, Dean grows increasingly troubled about the entire situation. Decisions must be made and true to Dean’s signature maverick attitude, he eventually ends up doing what he thinks is best. The episode doesn’t end the way I originally thought it would, but it’s a fitting wrap-up.

Preview select scenes from “Shelter of the Beast” in the following sneak peek before the episode’s 9pm ET premiere.