virginia madsen

The new Ray Liotta, shoot 'em up series pilot is available for a preview on Google Video. Smith is about a guy who runs a gang of thieves, but is trying to get out of the business for the sake of his wife and kids. It's one of the few pilots that I haven't had a chance to see, but fellow TV Squadder Bob really enjoyed it (I did get a TiVo season pass though). Smith premieres on CBS on Tuesday, September 19th so you're getting it online almost one week before it airs.

Other CBS series currently available for viewing on Google Video are The Class, The New Adventures of Old Christine, NCIS and all sorts of CSI.

[Via TV Guide.com]

Regardless of how good Smith is - and I'll say right from the get go that it is good - the big question is, are viewers going to give yet another show about a bunch of clever crooks a chance, after shows like Heist, Thief and Hustle? I'm not convinced they will, but if they base it on quality and entertainment value, Smith should be given a chance.

CBS released its 2006-07 prime-time schedule this morning. They're returning a lot of shows this year, only introducing seven new shows, four of which will debut in the fall. The changes in brief:

Returning: Survivor, The King of Queens (13 episodes airing at mid-season), The New Adventures of Old Christine, How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, The Amazing Race, Without A Trace, Numb3rs, Ghost Whisperer, CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI:NY, The Unit, Criminal Minds, Close to Home, 60 Minutes, 48 Hours: Mysteries, Crimetime Saturday (reurns of CBS crime procedurals), NCIS.

Out: Threshold, Out of Practice, Courting Alex, CBS Sunday Movie, Love Monkey, Yes, Dear, Still Standing.

New: The Class, Smith, Jericho, Shark, 3 Lbs., Waterfront, Rules of Engagement.

Moving: How I Met Your Mother (to Mondays at 8), The Amazing Race (to Sundays at 8), Cold Case (to Sundays at 9), Without A Trace (to Sundays at 10).

Detailed descriptions of the new shows are after the jump.

Despite his career-long hesitation to work in series television, Ray Liotta has signed on to a new crime drama on CBS. Virginia Madsen, who had a stint on Frasier and co-starred in the wine-soaked flick Sideways, has also signed on to the project. The series, called Smith, is a crime drama told from the point of view of a crew of career criminals. Amy Smart and Franky G are also on-board this project.

Liotta may have decided to come to television because of the producer and director on Smith. The producer is John Wells and the director is Christopher Chulack, both of whom Liotta worked with when he had a guest appearance on ER. Wells is an ER producer and Chulack directed Liotta's episode, called Time of Death.

I like the idea of a crime show from the other perspective. Sure, there's The Sopranos on HBO but we haven't seen a new episode forever and they're about to end the series. I'm tired of all the cop and court shows on television. It's time to root for the bad guy!

[Via The Hollywood Reporter]