7 new must-see fall tv shows!

With so many of our favorite TV shows saying goodbye last season (Gilmore Girls, 7th Heaven, and The O.C.) and others taking a little break (One Tree Hill has a midseason slot, so it will be back in 2008), this fall is the time to search for a brand new must-see TV show.

There are shows about families that are rich and preppy and families who drop everything and move to South Africa, dramas about devils and comedies about aliens, and even a show about a gossip web site (huh?!). Needless to say, this promises to be one of the most eclectic television seasons in years... and a season welcoming in a whole new crop of fresh stars.

I was lucky enough to preview most of the new shows coming on this fall, and here are my top 7 picks...

1-Gossip Girl
The CW, Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Even if you haven't heard of the mega popular book series of the same name, anything mixing "gossip" and "girls" has got to be full of drama, right?! And this show doesn't disappoint. First of all, you've got a ritzy world of prep school girls in New York City's Upper East Side who live lives of fancy schmancy parties and designer clothes you've only dreamed of laying a finger on. But every move they make is being watched by a mysterious Gossip Girl and posted to her blog web site! Then throw in the lovable Blake Lively from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants as the beauty Serena, sassy newcomer Leighton Meester as Blair, the popular girl with hidden problems, and cute Taylor Momsen as Jenny, the girl everyone will wish was their little sis. And that's not all. Last but not least, there's a threesome of hotties, one for every taste bud. Penn Badgley plays the sweet and sensitive Dan, Ed Westwick is the bad boy Chuck, and Chace Crawford (my personal pick for cutie of the season!) as the drop-dead gorgeous hottie Nate. One episode, and I was so hooked that I ran out and got all the books (just finished book one... and it's just as juicy!).

2- Aliens in America
The CW, Mondays at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT
The title may sound cheesy, but please give this one a chance (I was just as skeptical and fell in love!). Dorky Justin, played by Dan Byrd (remember him in A Cinderella Story?), is your typical outcast in school. Even his mom realizes it, so she gets him a friend by importing a foreign exchange student, Raja, played by Adhir Kalyan. But Raja turns out to be even more of an outcast. Yikes! And it doesn’t help that Justin’s sister Claire, played by Lindsey Shaw (you’ll recognize her from Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide), is one of the most popular girls in school. But Justin and Raja find out they have more in common than they think… just wait until you see their crazy antics! This has my vote has most LOL show of the season!

3- Life is Wild
The CW, Sundays at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT
Take Everwood and replace the Colorado mountain ranges with South African plains. Replace the doctor father with a veterinarian dad, and you’ve got Life is Wild. And filling the role of the rebellious teenager (aka Eprham!) is Jesse, played by the too-cute Andrew St. John. Jesse pretty much goes bonkers when his stepdad moves the family to a foreign continent. But as he and his family (which also includes Leah Pipes from Disney Channel’s Pixel Perfect) befriend the locals, like Oliver, played by Calvin Goldspink (from S Club Juniors!) and Tumelo, played by Atandwa Kani, and a ton of African animals, they quickly find that life on the other side of the world might not be as different as they'd thought it would be. And the entire show is actually filmed in South Africa… and will make you want to book a ticket there, pronto!

4- Wizards of Waverly Place
Disney Channel, check listings, premieres October 12
Watch out Hannah Montana! Being a rock star may seem like a cool secret now, but wait until you find out what the Russo family is hiding. Dad Jerry is training siblings Alex (Selena Gomez), Max (Jake T. Austin) and Justin (David Henrie) to be wizards, a la Harry Potter…kinda! And I’m calling it now... look for Selena to be Disney Channel’s next Miley Cyrus!

5- Dirty Sexy Money
ABC, Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT
I've gotta tell you, this isn’t exactly my kind of show…but I was glued to the first episode, so give it chance! The Darlings are a ridiculously rich family and Nick George is stuck taking care of their finances after his dad’s suspicious death (Nick’s dad used to take care of the Darlings too). But there’s something about this show that’s just so intriguing. Especially when it comes to Juliet Darling, played by Samaire Armstrong (from The O.C.) and Jeremy Darling, played by the suave Seth Gabel. If you love bad boys, he’s the ultimate loud-mouthed spoiled (yet sexy!) guy who lives for fame and is fearless of all of life’s consequences. This might just be the sleeper hit of the season.

6- Reaper
The CW, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT
For 20 years, Sam’s parents have forgotten to tell him a wee little secrets. They kinda sold his soul to the devil before he was born. So when Satan shows up for his 21st birthday, Sam learns he has no choice but to be the devil’s bounty hunter…for the rest of his life! Good thing Sam is played by the hot Bret Harrison (from The Loop). And he’s got hilarious Sock (Tyler Labine) has his buddy who’s always cracking jokes. I’m not one for sci-fi dramas, but this is the perfect Splenda for those of you still mourning Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel!

7- Private Practice
ABC, Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Sure, spin-offs are always a risk. Then again, look at how successful Angel was coming off of Buffy! (But then again, how unsuccessful Joey was coming from Friends!) And just to be totally upfront, I haven’t seen this pilot, only the episode of Grey’s Anatomy last year that spawned the series... but there was something refreshing about it. Okay, maybe the only reason this is even making it on my list is that I have a huge crush on Chris Lowell (and no, I haven’t even ever seen an episode of Veronica Mars), but he was just so frickin’ adorable sitting behind the reception desk at the Oceanside Wellness Group. It took me a while to get into Grey’s, so I think this may be a slow-growing favorite… but definitely worth checking out!

So those are my picks for best new shows of the fall. Which ones do you think you’ll watch? (And which ones do you think you won’t watch?!).

Can’t wait to hear from you!
Rachel
Entertainment Editor