TVSquad

Today, NBC released more casting news for its new fall drama / adventure series Crusoe, and it looks like some more big screen actors are finding a home on the small screen. Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), Sean Bean (The Lord of the Rings) and Joss Ackland (Lethal Weapon 2) will join the cast.

Crusoe, based on Daniel Defoe's novel, is due to film in the UK, South Africa, and the Seychelles. The show will follow the title character (played by Philip Winchester) on his island adventures while flashing back to his life before he was a castaway. Sean Bean will play Crusoe's widower father and appear in scenes that depict his tragic childhood. Sam Neill will play Jeremiah Blackthorn, a family friend who keeps a close watch on Robinson Crusoe's business ventures.

I will definitely be tuning in and checking this show out. I like that it's based on a classic novel. Sam Neill, no stranger to television work, was great in The Tudors, and I've had the biggest crush on Sean Bean since his Boromir days in LOTR.

Does Crusoe look interesting to you?

As you might expect, we here at the Squad are more than ready for the fall season to start. After hearing about the new shows at the upfronts, watching the preview copies of the pilots, reading about the changes to various shows, and listening to the producers and actors promote new and returning shows to the hilt at both the TCA and Comic-Con, we all want to see the networks finally unfurl their schedules.

But out of all the shows that are either debuting or returning, there are only a few that each of the Squadders are really looking forward to seeing. Which got us curious: what are you, our kind, generous, and creative readership, looking forward to seeing this fall? We'd like to know. If you feel like sharing, use the comments to leave your list of the new and returning shows that you're so eager to see return that it hurts. If you feel like leaving an explanation, all the better.

By the way, after the jump, you'll not only see the shows I'm looking forward to seeing, but a list of shows that we plan on covering this fall. If you list something in the comments that we don't have on our review list, we may just add it. Oh, and if you want to make a case for a show, you could always call in to our online radio show tomorrow at 10 and let us know why we should add it to our coverage.

Having read or seen next to nothing about this show -- only that it stars one of my favorite actors, James Woods (stepping away from the Hold'em table) and involves lawyering -- I found my excitement-level raise immediately in the opening scene when the action cuts away from Woods' closing arguments in a trial, to Jeri Ryan rolling her eyes at him in the courtroom audience. She plays District Attorney Jessica Devlin. Okay, I'm in for now.

Woods plays Sebastian Stark. That's Stark, not Shark. Don't call him "the Shark" he hates that, at least that's what he says, although there's evidence to the contrary too. Not unexpectedly, Stark is in love with himself, and has mad skills at getting the rich and famous off the hook. Shark the series has a "what-if" premise. What if a high-priced defense lawyer had a crisis of conscience and decided to become a prosecutor? (Slight spoilers after the jump.)

So the long, hot summer has begun (yeah, I know it's still spring "technically," but it's in the 80s here, humid, and I had to open my window today), and that means repeats, repeats, repeats. Sure, the networks show more new programming in the summer than they used to (even if it is mostly reality), but the real return of TV watching doesn't start til late August.

The Futon Critic has a really detailed list of all the returning shows, and what days they will be coming back. They have the premiere dates for fan favorites like Lost, House, and Family Guy, but also for cable shows like The 4400, 30 Days, and Monk.

This list also confirmed that there is a show on WE called Bridezillas, and that Breaking Bonaduce is coming back for another season. Amazing.