letterten 2003-04 fall preview

debuts Wednesday, Oct 1, 10:30pm

premise from	Based on the Elmore Leonard character played by Jennifer Lopez in the movie "Out of Sight," Carla Gugino stars as the U.S. marshal working the Miami Gold Coast who only really trusts her father. [ABC link]
stars	Carla Gugino ("Spin City," "Spy Kids"), Robert Forster ("Jackie Brown"), Bill Duke ("Fastlane"), Peter Horton ("Thirtysomething"), Jake Busey
producers	Jason Smilovic, Scott Frank, John Landgraff, Danny DeVito, Stacy Sher, Michael Shamberg
studio	Jersey Television and Universal Network Television

opinions
	ABC's press notes start off by describing Karen Sisco as "Smart. Sexy. Tough." The same is easily said about Carla Gugino, last seen in "Spy Kids," but can she carry the hour? The premise is a rare & welcome change with a bonafide female lead who is kicking butt and not fighting vampires. An obvious plus is that "Out of Sight" screenwriter, Scott Frank, is one of the exec producers.
	Gugino might not be the first person you think of to embody the character Jennifer Lopez played in "Out of Sight," but she seems at home in the part of a tough-but-sexy federal marshal. This could be the best of ABC's fall dramas, provided it keeps the darkly comic tone of the Elmore Leonard novel on which it's based. The fact that "Out of Sight" screenwriter Scott Frank is one of the executive producers bodes well.

my thoughts on "Karen Sisco"
	Possible full season. It's in a tough spot and will be competing for second place behind the seemingly unstoppable "Law & Order." It's got the best shot of the three new ABC dramas, but, honestly that's not saying very much. It should get a good lead-in from "The Bachelor," but I see a possible move to Saturday if "L.A. Dragnet" falters.