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I recently received the tapes of the new fall television season from most of the networks and found a few to have real potential to be hits. I’m no TV critic but I know what I enjoy and will pass my opinion on to you and then it’s up to you to judge for yourself. Last season I picked ABC’s “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives” to be winners and the viewers agreed with me. Of course I also picked a few that didn’t make it past a few episodes.

The first network to send me their new shows was ABC and again I was impressed with two out of three of their new dramas and think they could find themselves with two new hits.

“Commander-in-Chief” (Tuesday, 8:00-9:00 p.m., C.S.T.), a drama starring Geena Davis (Thelma and Louise), as Mackenzie Allen, who becomes the first female President of the United States, but before that happens, serving as Vice President she must decide whether or not to go against the dying wishes of the current President who has asked her to step down and let someone more appropriate serve out his term in the Oval Office. Not only does the President want her to resign, so does the entire party that elected her in the first place.  

After discussions with her twin teenagers, her six-year-old and an ambitious husband in her office, and fighting with her own conscience, she decides to trust her instincts and accept the most powerful job in the world.

Maybe it’s because I’m a woman, but I was truly impressed with “Commander in Chief.” Genna Davis does a magnificent job portraying our first lady President and her supporting cast, especially Donald Sutherland (“M.A.S.H”), also does a great job. It’s a story that gives you hope for the future and just maybe with a women in office our country wouldn’t be in such a mess.

The other one-hour drama I liked on ABC is called, “Invasion” (Wednesday, 9:00-10:00 p.m., CST). I’m not much of a sci-fi fan but this show fascinated me and reminds me a little of “Lost.” Not the plot line but more the atmosphere of the show, the suspense.

“Invasion” implies that all our recent natural disasters may have something to do with aliens that already have invaded our earth and are smoke screens designed to mask something far more ominous.

The pilot episode begins with a hurricane threatening Florida, temporarily cutting off a small town at the edge of the Everglades. Eddie Cibrian (“Third Watch) plays U.S. Park Ranger Russell Varon who works heroically to keep both the town people and his family safe. The storm is not his only problem he also has to deal with his ex-wife, Muriel (Kari Matchett), who is overly concerned for their kids especially when they’re in his care.

In the middle of the storm Russell’s youngest daughter Rose (Ariel Gade), while looking for her cat, sees small lights floating towards the water that seem to be unaffected by the vicious winds. Her father after rescuing her doesn’t think anything of her story, but begins to suspect that something may indeed be suspicious when his missing ex-wife is found naked, with no memory of what happened during the storm.

The Sheriff (William Fichtner) quarantines the entire town as it struggles to recover. In the meantime Russell starts to investigate the strange things going on and has the sheriff as one of his obstacles. If you’re a soap fan you may recognize Fichtner from “As the World Turns” and in my opinion he might just be one of the aliens.

“Invasion” held my interest from scene one to the very thrilling last scene. Shawn Cassidy (“American Gothic) is the executive producer and writer of the show which explains why the story keeps you involved and on the edge of your seat the entire hour.

If you’re a sci-fi fan you don’t want to miss this one.

The third ABC drama “Night Stalker” (Thursday, 8:00-9:00 p.m., CST) wasn’t bad and I have to admit I was intrigued but it just wasn’t my type of story. It might catch on with the viewers that like stories of the supernatural. This could also be another alien type of show since executive producer/writer Frank Spotnitz and executive producer/director, Daniel Sackheim has previously done “The X-Files.”

When a pregnant woman is snatched from her home, the shocked citizens of L.A. believe it’s an act of domestic violence. But crime reporter Carl Kolchak (Stuart Townsend) suspects that the truth is far more complicated. That’s because 18 months ago Kolchak’s wife was killed in a bizarre fashion and he has been the FBI’s no.1 suspect ever since.   

Kolchak’s determination to find the truth behind his wife’s mysterious murder has led him to investigate other crimes that seem to have some kind of supernatural component. But he’s trying to piece together a puzzle that keeps changing shape. The weird thing is that children are all a part these strange crimes, either the babies are torn out of the pregnant women or the children of the women murdered are missing. Scary is the word for this show and could give you nightmares, maybe this is why I’m hesitant to get involved with watching it.

Cotter Smith from Wisconsin plays the editor of the L.A. Newspaper that Kolchak is the crime reporter for.

ABC has two new comedies they are also adding to their new season lineup, “Freddie” (Wednesday, 7:30-8:00 p.m., CST) and “Hot Properties” (Friday, 8:30-9:00 p.m., CST). I’m not a big fan if sitcoms but I can’t see either one of these two shows making it a whole season.

“Freddie” stars Freddie Prinze, Jr. (“Scooby Doo”) and Brian Green from “Beverly Hills, 90210, and I enjoy watching both of these fellows perform but I really was not impressed by the content of this show.

“Hot Properties” I thought was a real bomb, but then I suggest you judge for yourself. Just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean it couldn’t be a success and possibly there’s something I’m missing.

ABC also has an additional three new comedies, three new dramas and one alternative series scheduled for midseason. The network this last season has produced the largest season-to-season audience growth for any major network in the coveted Adult 18-49 demographic in at least 25 years.

In my next column I want to make you aware of a new show on ABC Family; “Beautiful People” that has already aired on Monday nights at 8:00-9:00 p.m., CST. Until then let your voice be heard.