Fox’s Casino’ could be worth a look
The worst week of summer rerun hell is over. Fox, of course, is the leader in summer premieres, and the network rolls out two new hours tonight, one of which is promising.
At 8 it’s “North Shore,” which Fox’s promotion department has been trying to convince us is a kissin’ cousin of the hit “The O.C.” Unfortunately it looks like a standard cheesy prime-time soap, with none of “The O.C.’s” quirks or charm.
The setting is the Grand Waimea Hotel, an exclusive Hawaiian resort for the rich, pretty and scantily clad. The main players are hotel manager Jason Matthews (Kristoffer Polaha) and Nicole Booth (Brooke Burns), the hotel’s new director of guest relations – and Jason’s ex.
Their unresolved feelings for each other will be the focus, but there will be battles over everything from hotel ownership to who’s hitting on the lifeguards. The plot lines may not sound very different from “The O.C.,” but there’s no sign that the characters will be anywhere near as much fun.
The signs are better for the 9 p.m. premiere of “The Casino.” This reality series comes from producer Mark Burnett, who hit the jackpot with “Survivor” and “The Apprentice.” But this isn’t a game.
Burnett’s cameras follow Timothy Poster and Thomas Breitling – two real-life dot-com millionaires who are betting their fortunes on their lifelong dream of owning a casino, the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. They want to bring back “the glory of its Rat Pack heyday,” but it’s not clear if customers and staff will cooperate.
This show should have a huge ready-made audience – all the people who enjoy the fictional casino drama on “CSI” and “Las Vegas.” With Burnett at the helm, it should be good enough to keep them interested.
Highlights
Repeat sitcoms, ABC at 8: Of course that’s what’s on CBS, too, but somehow the lineup of “My Wife and Kids,” “George Lopez,” “According to Jim” and “Hope & Faith” isn’t nearly as appealing.
“Still Standing,” CBS at 8: Repeat with Sally Struthers as Bill’s mom. It turns out her new boyfriend can’t keep his hands to himself.
“Fear Factor,” NBC at 8: Twins. Enough said.
“Yes, Dear,” CBS at 8:30: Repeat. No one will go to the jazz fest with Greg, so they recruit a friend through a personal ad.
“Everybody Loves Raymond,” CBS at 9: Repeat. White lies gone horribly wrong!
“For Love or Money,” NBC at 9: Enough said.
“Two and a Half Men,” CBS at 9:30: Funny, twisted repeat with Chris O’Donnell as Charlie’s old girlfriend, who’s now a man. This is not a new plot, but their initial reunion at a bar, and later developments, when Charlie’s mom starts dating the new man, are worth the price of admission.
“Weddings Gone Wacky,” ABC at 10: There’s a much longer title, actually, for this five-part Diane Sawyer miniseries about weird nuptials.
“CSI: Miami,” CBS at 10: Repeat. Was the dead cop a dirty cop?
“Next Action Star,” NBC at 10: Premiere of the latest talent-show series, this one trying to find the next Jean-Claude Van Damme or Steven Seagal.
Family Fare
“7th Heaven,” WB at 8: Lots of wedding issues, as Annie’s half-sister, Lily (Michelle Phillips), wants their ailing father to walk her down the aisle. Followed at 9 by the finale of the heinous “Superstar USA.”
Cable Cast
“Croc Week,” Animal Planet at 8: The event kicks off with “Search for the Super Croc.”
Baseball, ESPN at 5.