"Alcatraz" (series premiere Sunday, Jan. 1, on FOX)

Watcher: Kurt Geltz

Ok, we haven't seen much of "Alcatraz" aside from the preview that popped up last summer, which you can watch right here. What we do know is that the pedigree for this show is quite impressive. Geek overlord J.J. Abrams is an executive producer on the show, which was co-created by Elizabeth Sarnoff, a former writer on "Lost" and "Deadwood." And to make it a real "Lost" reunion, they hired immediately hired Jorge Garcia to play a lead in the series. Now, that said, we're a little uncertain about the long-term possibilities of this series that involves a bunch of inmates from the famous prison who seemed to disappear years ago are finding their way into the present. There are, obviously, some sci-fi overtones and we're getting a "Fringe" vibe from what we've seen and heard, which might be great, or it could be real bad. Especially after recent news that Sarnoff quit the show she helped create. Overall, we're going to give it shot, but it's very tentative at this point.

Verdict: Pass

(FOX)