Back in August, I detailed in a two part K-Files special event my picks for the must-see shows in this current fall TV lineup. Now that I've had a chance to catch all of these season premier and pilot episodes, I thought it a good idea to go back and see if anything I wrote came to pass.

Although I wasn't able to catch every new show that I covered in my Preview articles, what I've seen so far has been a mixed bag. Up for review in this first part follow-up is NBC's Heroes, Journeyman and Bionic Woman. It's an interesting collection of both new and returning IP's spanning everything from a realistic comic book homage to over the top action/adventure.

Feeling like you'd like to get into a new show this season but aren't sure what's worth your time? Read on and find out.

I'll start things off with NBC's Monday night lineup. Arguably, this is the best night for sci-fi drama on broadcast television. First up is season two of Tim Kring's smash hit Heroes. Here's what I wrote for my preview:

Combining the atmosphere of a good superhero comic book with deep character drama in the spirit of ABC's Lost, Heroes' debut season was like nothing else on TV. For season 2, the creators are sure to up the ante with more heroes, more villains, and even bigger plot twists. After the cliffhanger finale from last season, I can't wait to see which potentially dead characters will be making a comeback. This one is a sure bet.

I was pretty much expecting greatness from the second season of Heroes, and after seeing the premier episode, that greatness was definitely realized. Although the characters have grown and evolved since the explosive finale last spring, the show retains its high quality and unique tone that sets it apart from other shows on TV--and elevates it to that more-than-just-TV level shared by the likes of Lost and Battlestar Galactica.

If you weren't a fan of the interwoven characters plot style of the first season, you're probably not going to enjoy season two. Already in the first episode we're being presented 6+ distinct stories spanning all of the globe and even into different time periods. Although focus is sporadic at best, the first episode has already given us an interesting start to the Bennet family's new life in hiding as well as Hiro's trip to feudal Japan. This later plotline looks to be the standout story of the season at this point--filled with comedy, romance, and a twist I don't think anyone saw coming. In fact, I'd say they have enough potential in this one story alone to make a spin-off show.

The new members to the Heroes cast, a brother/sister pair attempting to escape central America and make contact with Dr. Suresh, have seen little screen time, but appear promising. I'm a little turned off by the blatantly obvious attempt to make a statement about illegal immigration here, but I'm going to give the writers--who have yet to disappoint in any big way--the benefit of the doubt.

In short, now is as good a time as any to get into Heroes. From the looks of it, season two will be able to match if not exceed its stellar first. Believe the hype.

Following Heroes is the new show Journeyman. Due to technical difficulties, my DVR didn't record the pilot episode. But I made it my mission to check it out, finally resorting to watching it online at NBC.com. Here's what I wrote back in August:

Executive produced by Alex Graves (of The West Wing fame), Journeyman follows Kevin McKidd (Dog Soldiers, Rome) as character Dan Vasser, a family man who finds himself traveling through time. I'm anticipating a non-linear method of story telling on this one, which means it will be either very gripping or very lame. But the theme of how changing things in the past may change the kind of person you are in the future is an interesting one. I'm officially on the fence about it, but the time slot couldn't be better. I'll give it a chance.

It's difficult to judge the show appropriately at this point, but I must say that the pilot episode was much better than I anticipated. Time travel is certainly not a new concept, so I was interested to see how the creators would spice things up to make the premise an entertaining one. What I like most about the show is how it portrays the past. Going back to the 1980's, Dan Vasser's strange journey plays out like a nostalgic trip--complete with hit songs, styles, and technology from the era. For example, Dan gets an odd look from a mid 80's cellphone user for wearing his bluetooth headset years before it being invented.

I'm not ready to call this one a must-see show yet, but I will continue to watch it for the next few weeks at least. Its got a good start so far, but it'll be interesting to see where they go from here. I just don't know if the story has enough room to grow on past a single season.

The final show from NBC this season is Bionic Woman. Here's what I wrote in my preview:

Created by David Eick, one of the geniuses in charge of the new Battlestar Galactica, Bionic Woman stars relative newcomer Michelle Ryan as the titular cyborg who must fight off evil-doers such as Katee Sackhoff, best known for her role as the new Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica. It's certainly not the most elaborate of plots, but just as Eick was able to turn the cheesy Battlestar Galactica into arguably the most mature science fiction show ever, I have faith he can pull a similar move with Bionic Woman. And there's always hope that Ronald D. Moore, Eick's visionary buddy on BSG, will come in to guest direct an episode or two at some point in the series. This one is Khyron's pick for new IP for the fall season.

I'm afraid I may have been a bit too optimistic on Bionic Woman. For this I blame my blind fanboyism for anything even remotely Battlestar Galactica related, but man...this show was just nowhere near as good as I was hoping it would be.

Everything about the pilot was just hit and miss. On the one hand, some of the scenes near the end of the episode took on a dark, almost noir-ish look you just don't see on a primetime TV show. On the other hand, some of the dialog was just straight up bad. Laughably bad. The kind of dialog that makes you embarrassed for watching it.

As far as the story, it has a rushed immaturity that couldn't be any further from Eick's Battlestar Galactica. The transition from normal woman to bionic woman was so fast and undetailed, I was left confused as to why it wasn't drawn out or elaborated on any further. I also couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. At this point, Bionic Woman is going to have to pick it up in a big way in the next couple episodes or I'm going to be dropping it from my series recordings.

So there we have it, my post premier reviews for NBC's sci-fi drama lineup this fall. If you must be selective when it comes to your television watching in the coming months, it's my opinion that you clear your schedule for Monday nights. With Heroes continuing its trend as an instant classic and Journeyman showing great promise, you'd be hard pressed to find a more entertaining duo.