Some of what's premiering soon on broadcast, cable channels

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After a fall TV season that was both a ratings and creative disappointment, broadcast networks are banking on midseason replacements that roll out between now and April to win back viewers.
January alone is loaded with season and series premieres on broadcast and cable channels. Here's some of what you can tune in to watch in the next four weeks:

ABC

The former NBC comedy "Scrubs" (9 and 9:30 p.m. EST Tuesday) migrates to ABC for what is expected to be its final season. In the first two episodes, Courteney Cox joins the cast for a stint as Dr. Kelso's replacement, a chirpy leader whose primary concern is the bottom line.
"Scrubs" seems more rooted in reality, with more heart this season and fewer flights of fantasy, although there is one amusing inside joke about the show, now in its eighth season: "We never do great come medical-awards season, except Dr. Shalhoub," J.D. (Zach Braff) notes, a reference to multiple Emmy winner Tony Shalhoub from "Monk." "He wins everything."
"Bachelorette" reject Jason Mesnick, a 32-year-old divorced dad, is "The Bachelor" (8 p.m. Monday) for the show's 13th season. Twenty-five women will vie for the affections of Mesnick, who is living in Seattle with his 3-year-old son, Ty.
"True Beauty" (10 p.m. Monday) purports to judge six women and four men on their inner beauty, however they define that, rather than their looks or any talent.
Docudrama "Homeland Security USA" (8 p.m. Tuesday) follows the daily exploits of Department of Homeland Security agents, including the border patrol.
"Private Practice" moves to 10 p.m. Thursday this week and "Life on Mars" will slide to 10 p.m. Wednesday on Jan. 28. "Lost" returns for its new season on Jan. 21.
"Primetime: What Would You Do?" (10 p.m. Tuesday) may come out of ABC's news division but it sounds like a reality show. The series sets up scenarios -- a stranger slips an unknown powder into his date's drink, a cashier exhibits racial discrimination -- and records people's reactions.

CBS

The network is premiering the hidden-camera series "Game Show In My Head" at 8 p.m. Saturday, and its reality stalwarts return next month -- "Survivor" is back Feb. 12; "Amazing Race" runs again starting Feb. 15.
Summer law-enforcement drama "Flashpoint" is back Friday at 9 p.m.

Fox

Ratings juggernaut "American Idol" kicks off with audition episodes at 8 p.m. Jan. 13 and 14. "24" begins another day at 8 p.m. Jan. 11 and 12.
"House" moves to Monday at 8 p.m. starting Jan. 19 and "Bones" gets slotted at 8 p.m. Thursday on Jan. 15. "Hell's Kitchen" returns at 9 p.m. Thursday on Jan. 29.
New drama "Lie to Me" premieres at 9 p.m. Jan. 21. Tim Roth ("Reservoir Dogs") stars as a human lie detector who can deduce through facial expressions and body language whether or not someone is lying.
"Hole in the Wall" airs back-to-back episodes at 7 p.m. Sunday beginning Jan. 18 and "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" returns Feb. 13, moving to 8 p.m. Friday, followed by the new Joss Whedon series "Dollhouse," about secret agents who have their personalities and memories wiped after each mission.
"Prison Break" and "'Til Death" will return at some point but have not been scheduled.

NBC

There's not much reason for pride at the peacock network, with so much of its prime-time schedule given over to reality shows, including "Biggest Loser: Couples," returning at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
NBC premieres "Superstars of Dance" (9 p.m. Sunday, 8 p.m. Monday), a competition series that purports to showcase the "world's best and most varied dancers," per NBC. Michael "Lord of the Dance" Flatley hosts.
Another reality show, "Howie Do It," debuts Friday (8 p.m.). The hidden-camera prank show is hosted by Howie Mandel ("Deal or No Deal"). The lone bright spot of quality drama, "Friday Night Lights," returns to NBC at 9 p.m. Jan. 16.
Several mainstays return next month, including "Chuck" (Feb. 2), "Heroes" (Feb. 2), "Medium" (Feb. 2), "Life" (Feb. 4) and "Celebrity Apprentice" (March 1).

PBS

"Masterpiece Classic" (9 p.m. Sunday) debuts a two-part adaptation of Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the D'Urbervilles," which concludes Jan. 11. Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights" is slated for Jan. 18 and 25.
"Great Performances" captured a performance by Kevin Kline as "Cyrano de Bergerac" (8 p.m. Wednesday). "Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America" (8 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 14-28) documents the history of American humor in the 20th century, and "American Experience" recounts "The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer" (9 p.m. Jan. 26), the American scientist who led the development of the atomic bomb.

The CW

"Reaper" fans, rejoice! Your show is back March 17.
In the meantime, The CW rolls out a new reality competition, "13 -- Fear Is Real" (8 p.m. Wednesday), in which 13 people face their fears and attempt to "stay alive" while being scared and, one supposes, screaming a lot.

MNT

My Network TV has improved its ratings this season thanks in part to the addition of WWE wrestling on Friday nights. New series include "Masters of Illusion" (9 p.m. Monday), a show full of magic tricks, and "Vice Squad" (9 p.m. Tuesday), which is essentially "COPS" with prostitutes.

Cable

On FX, Glenn Close returns for a second season of "Damages" (10 p.m. Wednesday) and "Nip/Tuck" (10 p.m. Tuesday) is back with new episodes.
Teen dramas "Secret Life of the American Teenager" (8 p.m. Monday) and "Kyle XY" (9 p.m. Jan. 12) also return with fresh hours on AMC Family.
HBO's "Big Love" embraces its third season at 9 p.m. Jan. 18, chronicling the story of an entrepreneur and his three wives in suburban Salt Lake City. Season two of HBO's "Flight of the Conchords" returns the same night at 10 p.m.
Showtime premieres "The United States of Tara" (10 p.m. Jan. 18), a dark comedy about a woman (Toni Collette) with multiple personality disorder. It's written by Diablo Cody ("Juno"). "Tara" is followed by a new season of "Secret Diary of a Call Girl" at 10:30 p.m. That same night at 9, "The L Word" begins its final season.
Patrick Swayze gives TV a shot with A&E's "The Beast" (10 p.m. Jan. 15), which stars Swayze and Travis Fimmel (The WB's "Tarzan") as an FBI veteran and his rookie partner.
The final 10 episodes of Sci Fi Channel's "Battlestar Galactica" begin airing at 9 p.m. Jan. 16.
VH1 rolls out a raft of new reality shows, including "Confessions of a Teen Idol" (8 p.m. Sunday), featuring '80s and '90s teen heartthrobs trying to revive their careers; "Rock of Love Bus With Bret Michaels" (9 p.m. Sunday), which finds the rocker bringing potential girlfriends on tour with him; and "Tool Academy" (10 p.m. Jan. 11), in which cocky guys described by their girlfriends as "tools" get sent to relationship boot camp.
TNT brings back "The Closer" for five more episodes at 9 p.m. Jan. 26, and it's followed at 10 p.m. by "Trust Me," a new drama set at an ad agency, starring Tom Cavanagh ("Ed") and Eric McCormack ("Will & Grace").
TBS's "10 Items or Less" (11 p.m. Tuesday) returns for a third season, and the network premieres "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns" (10 p.m. Wednesday), spin-off of sitcom "House of Payne" featuring "Downtown" Leroy Brown (David Mann), who fulfills his father's dying wish that his son open a retirement home.
Three USA Network series return with new episodes: "Monk" (9 p.m. Friday), "Psych" (10 p.m. Friday) and "Burn Notice" (10 p.m. Jan. 22).
Discovery Channel explores mysteries on the ocean floor in "Treasure Quest" (10 p.m. Jan. 15).
MTV's "The Real World" (10 p.m. Wednesday) returns to New York, this time settling in Brooklyn for its 21st season of twentysomethings getting real. This edition's cast includes an Iraq War veteran, a punk-rock Mormon and a dolphin trainer.
Spike TV searches for the next rodeo star in "Toughest Cowboy" (11 p.m. Jan. 29) from reality guru Mark Burnett.

(Contact TV editor Rob Owen at rowen(at)post-gazette.com.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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