Which New Fall TV Shows Are the Best? 8 News Shows to Be Honored Before They Air

Each year the fall TV season rolls around and we're treated to a slew of new shows...some good, some bad. But with so many new series on the plate this year, how can we tell which ones will be good and which ones will be not so good?

The first annual Critics' Choice Television Awards is set to take place on June 20th, marking the first year that the group of broadcast journalists will award television shows (the regular Critics' Choice Awards is for movies only). The show, which will act as a new competitor to the Emmys, is mostly about awarding the best shows and TV actors of the past year. However, there will be an extra category in the mix, one that the Emmys don't have: Most Exciting New Series.

The critics have compiled a list of eight shows that they have been able to see at least the pilot episode of, and have placed them in the Most Exciting New Series category. Here is the full list of nominees:

"Alcatraz" - Fox

"Apartment 23" - ABC

"Awake" - NBC

"Falling Skies" - TNT

"New Girl" - Fox

"Ringer" - CW

"Smash" - NBC

"Terra Nova" - Fox

It's a great list of shows. "New Girl" (with Zooey Deschanel, which you can watch a preview of here) looks to be a very promising comedy, "Smash" is being called "'Glee' for grown-ups," and "Terra Nova" looks spectacular as a sort of "Jurassic Park"/"Avatar"/"Stargate" hybrid.

However, there are a few shows that are noticeably missing from the list: namely, ABC's "Pan Am" with Christina Ricci and NBC's "The Playboy Club" are missing, both of which seem to be attempting to ride the "Mad Men" wave (serves 'em right, I say!). Sadly, the J.J. Abrams production "Person of Interest" is also missing from the list...a shame considering that Abrams hasn't gotten a series to stick since "Lost."

By the way, there won't be a winner out of the list. Instead, the Critics' Choice Television Awards will simply honor each show throughout the ceremony. If you're interested in watching, the ceremony will be live-streamed on VH1.com on June 20th.