"There are eight million stories in the city that never sleeps," Gary Sinise's unmistakable tenor voices-over the opening skyline shots for "CSI: New York." Apparently, New York's dedicated crime scene investigators also suffer sleep-deprivation, working tirelessly"”some would say obsessively"”to demystify eight million different ways to die in the Big Apple. Sinise plays Detective Mac Taylor, suitably intense CSI:NY unit leader, complemented well by workaholic assistant Stella Bonasera, expertly portrayed by Melina Kankaredes. Together, the lead detectives manage an appropriately colorful team of streetwise geeks and nerds determined always to make their cases well beyond reasonable doubts. Like the others in Jerry Bruckheimer's crime-drama franchise, "CSI: New York" devotes more attention to sophisticated computer work and uber-cool lab procedures than to the old-fashioned business of talking to people. Mac Taylor quickly reminds, though, "We follow the evidence, because the evidence never lies."

For several years, "Law and Order: SVU TV show" has reigned as the most popular title in the "Law and Order" franchise. As the opening intones, In New York's war on crime, sexually-based offenses are considered especially heinous.," and the Special Victims Unit works round the clock on the city's most gut-wrenching cases. "SVU" has held onto its legions of loyal viewers by delivering hard-hitting, compelling and complicated plots week after week. Over the years, the characters have evolved, but the core cast has remained constant. The consistency and continuity undoubtedly contribute to viewers' dedication to Detectives Elliott Stabler (Christopher Meloni) and Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay). "Law and Order: SVU TV show" also attracts high-powered stars for special appearances in every episode, and it challenges the guests to step well outside their comfort zones, demanding they play parts radically different from roles that made them famous. In recent years, Julie Bowen and Luke Perry co-starred in an episode that told the story of a woman who unwittingly married the man who raped her. Cynthia Nixon of "Sex and the City" fame played a woman with multiple personality disorder; and superstar Sharon Stone has done a stint as Deputy District Attorney. "SVU's" combination of an exceptionally strong core cast plus great guest stars plus intriguing, engaging, labyrinthine plots often "ripped from the headlines" takes viewers on a weekly thrill ride, keeping it riding high in the ratings.

Using state-of-the-art technology and amazing skill with make-up and costuming, Chance, the main character, becomes literally a human target. In each episode of "Human Target," Chance assumes the identity and everyday life of a prominent person in danger. Describing himself as an "extreme bodyguard," Chance uses his wits, skills, and wise-cracking bravado to turn serious danger into a trap for the villains. The sinister evil-doers plot kidnapping, blackmail, extortion, and especially death; the "human target" plots capture. Not the kind of thing for which an ordinary guy usually would volunteer. "Human Target" TV show was praised by the critics and audiences for the quality of the acting"”especially the performances by Earl Haley, Jr., which make a somewhat implausible premise absolutely believable and compelling. Because "Human Target," a decidedly out-of-the-box crime drama, is loosely based on the DC comic series of the same name, the creators have no shortage of bad guys, nor do they struggle to find quirky characters for Chance to impersonate. Critics and audiences agree that the actors playing the three main characters go a long way toward redeeming the show's average, sometimes genuinely awkward writing. They wonder, though, will the actors be able to hold the viewers' attention and loyalty long enough for the writing to fulfill the promise in the premise?

As with the movie that aired on the Lifetime network in 2010, The Client List is about a single mom who struggles between her parenthood role and the career she has chosen in the massage therapy business. The industry has long existed under a dark cloud and many thought there was prostitution involved. Professional Massage Therapists keep trying to convince the public that theirs is a strictly legal line of work and that they operate with high moral standards and are regulated by state medical rules in most states. Jennifer Love Hewitt does reprise her role from the 2010 made for TV film, The Client List, as Riley Parks the single parent who tries to provide for her children while managing to be a strong business woman. As she balances her two lives Parks struggles to keep food on her family's table and help her business gain legitimacy. Jennifer Love Hewitt (Hot In Cleveland, Party of Five) is joined by Cybill Shepherd (Moonlighting, The Last Picture Show) who plays her mother, Lynette. Rebecca Field (October Road, Monk) is Lacey, longtime girlfriend of Riley. The TV series fits in well with Lifetime Television's style of portraying roles based on strong independent women.

The first season of this HBO-produced TV show is set in small town Treme three months after Hurricane Katrina has hit the New Orleans area. The leading characters in the TV series are musicians, bar-owners, chefs and Mardi Gras Indians and other odious characters, many of them playing themselves as a jazz trumpeter, singer and composer Kermit Ruffins who take part in the pilot episode and appears through all of the first season (he guests in second and third episode as well). As for Treme creators "“ you definitely know the names David Simon and James Yoshimura, who wrote a screenplay for another HBO TV show: Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets; Nina Kostroff Noble, who brought to you The Corner; Eric Overmyer, a talented writer and producer, who stands behind Law & Order, The Wire and New Amsterdam; Carolyn Strauss, an ex-President of HBO, who was responsible for success of The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Sex and the City. This professional team has delivered a buoyant and life-asserting television show about life and struggle of New Orleans residents trying to rebuild their homes, businesses, lives and relationships. These quite a serious, as per common sense things, are presented in very humorous light, making us to believe the everything will be OK with these nice Louisianan folks. The slogan of TV series is: " Hurricanes, Floods, Exile, Crime. Corruption. Betrayal. Greed. Neglect. Is That All You Got?" is colorfully reflects their life-affirming relation to reality, which is worthy of all respect taking to consideration all the circumstances they have been so unlucky to gone thru.

Off the Map is a character based medical show set in South America. The newest medical drama show from producers of Grey's Anatomy is proving to be a hit series. The latest offering from ABC television, "Off the Map" TV show premiered January 12 of 2011 with some endearing characters going on the "adventure of a lifetime". The show is set in the tropics of South America where three intrepid doctors do their best to save people who are in serious need of medical help. While life is not exactly primitive down in this tropical area of the world, it most definitely is not up to date as far as medical supplies go. Dr. Ben Keeton (Martin Henderson) lost his child and his wife due to an accident and he's having problems coping with the single doctor lifestyle even though he has friends who encourage him. Dr. Otis Cole (Jason Winston George) is one of those docs that most say has a bite every bit as bad as his bite. While super strict at work he also has a somewhat zany side. A former addict he lives for candy as his fix of choice now days. Dr. Lily Brenner (Caroline Dhavernas) has been heartbroken when her fiancee was killed in an accident. Off the Map TV show is a soap opera-ish show and a fun divergence from the normal seriousness involved with medicine. Fans of Grey's Anatomy might like this one.