Nets focus their wares at winter TCA

Kiefer Sutherland returns to Fox using the new series 'Touch.'NBC's musical drama 'Smash' debuts the next day of the Super Bowl.HBO's new equine-racing series, 'Luck,' stars Dustin Hoffman.ABC's midseason records range from the new drama 'The River.'NBC has got the most on the line using its midseason efforts, but all the broadcast nets is going to be struggling to get that promotion because the semiannual dog-and-pony show referred to as Television Experts Assn. tour starts its winter gathering in Pasadena on Wednesday. Running through Jan. 15, TCA begins having a two-day presentation by PBS prior to the tv stations begin their parade, using the nets keen to convince journos their approaching series would be the next large factor.NBC, together with ABC, has got the most midseason shows to tout. However with the Peacock inside a much harder predicament compared to resurgent Alphabet, network topper Bob Greenblatt come in salesperson mode, marketing NBC's new shows that has a lot at risk. The internet arrived to fall rich in wants "Prime Suspect" and "The Playboy Club," each of which were canceled, and comedies "Whitney" and "Up Through The Night," that have carried out adequately but been not even close to outbreaks.Now, nothing might be more essential this midseason to NBC than coming back reality skein "The Voice" and rookie drama "Smash" -- premiering the evening of and next day of the Super Bowl, correspondingly -- using the idol judges and casts from both series on stage to create awareness. "The Firm," in line with the John Grisham novel, also is a major element of NBC's midseason sked, and also the internet thinks Jason Isaacs starrer "Awake" may bring in sci-fi auds that won't have started to NBC previously.To tubthump its choices, the Peacock will throw a night time soiree around the CalTech campus Friday prior to the NBCUniversal cablers dominate the TCA tour on Saturday.Next is Fox, that will turn to gain some traction for newbie series and Kiefer Sutherland starrer "Touch," "Bones" spinoff "The Finder" and "Alcatraz," from professional producer J.J. Abrams.While network leader Kevin Reilly required a far more reasoned approach in the summer time TCA in Beverly Hillsides concerning the new fall shows, Simon Cowell told participants then he expected "The American Idol ShowInch-like amounts for "The X Factor." That clearly put "X Factor" within the crosshairs of TV journos. Knowing that, Reilly will probably be confident selling his new wares but will not oversell.With Monday devoted to ABC's kids, news and daytime divisions, Paul Lee will require happens Tuesday loaded with full confidence following a very healthy fall. Alphabet has been doing well with drama hits "Revenge" and "Not so long ago" in addition to comedy newcomer "Suburgatory."Midseason records for ABC include three dramas -- "The Stream,Inch "GCB" and "Scandal" -- and comedy "Don't Trust the B in Apartment 23." Internet will even provide a comedy showrunner panel, with "Modern Family," "The Center,Inch "Suburgatory" and "Happy Being," in addition to a panel devoted to "Desperate Average women," that will sign off in May.CBS makes TCA because the most powerful broadcast internet and does not cash to provide in midseason. Although prexy Nina Tassler may get onstage and just crow concerning the Eye's perf -- "2 . 5 Males" relaunched itself because the top comedy as a whole audiences and "2 Broke Women" looks to become a long term player -- Tassler, with little a new comer to promote, has made the decision to not engage participants within an professional session.Corporate brothers and sisters CW and Showtime will share Jan. 12 before cable shuts the festivities Jan. 13-15. Cinemax, inside a rare morning session as well as forgoing an professional panel, will tubthump a number of new series. Pay cabler has lots of heavyweight talent of display, including Dustin Hoffman ("Luck"), Nicole Kidman (telepic "Hemingway & Gellhorn") and Erectile dysfunction Harris and Julianne Moore, who play John McCain and Sarah Palin within the TV movie "Game Change."Other cable sections that may generate interest and may prove lively discussions include "Dallas" on TNT, Kevin Smith's "Comic Males" for AMC and Louis C.K.'s sitdown for his self-entitled Forex skein. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com