"Cane" shows potential to become a sweet success

Oh, how we mourned "The Sopranos."

Never again, we whined, would we have a family so odd yet so relatable. Never again would we see conspiracy with the morning cappuccino and crime with the family business.

Time to wake up and smell the cafe Cubano.

CBS takes a giant leap this fall from its usual crime procedural, solved-in-an-hour lawyer routine with "Cane."

The family drama, featuring an experienced cast led by Jimmy Smits, follows a colorful Cuban-American family in charge of a vast rum and sugar empire.

Tony who?

Select Tuesday shows

"Cavemen"

ABC: 8 p.m. Oct. 2

What: Cavemen — the sensitive, underappreciated Neanderthals from the Geico commercials — get their own show.

Who: Bill English, Nick Kroll, Sam Huntington, Kaitlin Doubleday, Stephanie Lemelin, Julie White.

Why: I just can't explain this one.

How: Cavemen, yes, the guys from the commercials, try to exist in the modern world as a population oppressed for 750,000 years. They wear cardigans and own iPods and go to country clubs. But they're still fuzzy and fighting the negative stereotype that comes with being a caveman. Western-themed barbecues and golfing? Not so great for them, when everyone around them is looking for a scapegoat or a reason to blame them for their troubles.

It's a weird commentary on racism, stereotypes and cultural differences. Even more weird than a show based on characters from a commercial. (In the pilot, there was no obvious hawking of insurance.) And unfortunately, it just doesn't seem that funny.

"Carpoolers"

ABC: 8:30 p.m. Oct. 2

What: Four guys survive on the strength of their carpool.

Who: Faith Ford, Fred Goss, T.J. Miller, Jerry O'Connell, Allison Munn, Jerry Minor, Tim Peper.

Why: "Desperate Housewives" gets a lot of viewers. Let's make it for men!

How: A new guy (Peper) enters the carpool, and his fellow road warriors aren't so sure he fits in. He's always talking about a partnership with his wife and seems reluctant to throw himself in front of another carpool when it's about to steal their pool's rightful parking space. Jeez. And the rest of the pool members have their own problems, including wives who make more money than they do, wives who are bleeding their bank accounts after divorce and wives and children who won't give them any peace. (Noticing a theme?)

Funny moments abound, but the show needs more personality to keep propelling it forward.

"Cane"

CBS: 10 p.m. Sept. 25

What: A Cuban-American family of rum makers and sugar producers tries to survive with business and politics intact.

Who: Jimmy Smits, Hector Elizondo, Nestor Carbonell, Rita Moreno, Paola Turbay, Eddie Matos, Michael Trevino, Lina Esco, Sam Carman, Alona Tal, Polly Walker.

Why: "The Sopranos" is gone. Smits was looking for work. Why not create a new family drama and attach a big star to it?

How: Alex Vega (Smits) inherits the Duque family sugar and rum empire, and all the historic scandals, shady deals and family feuding that come with it. In this colorful drama, there are generations trying to balance their history and heritage with their tremendous fortune and modern business.

This is one of the better dramas of the season, putting together a stunning cast in a storyline thick with possibility. It's also one of the more diverse casts on television, sometimes relying on subtitles for scenes spoken in Spanish.

"Reaper"

CW: 9 p.m. Sept. 25

What: A 21-year-old guy discovers he's the reaper, as in the devil's indentured servant. Rough life.

Who: Bret Harrison, Tyler Labine, Ray Wise, Missy Peregrym, Rick Gonzalez, Valarie Rae Mills.

Why: It's a delicate balance between "Supernatural" and "Veronica Mars."

How: A long time ago, Sam's dad was sick. So before Sam (Harrison) was born, his parents sold the soul of their firstborn to the devil, thinking they'd never have kids. Oops. Twenty-one years later, the devil (Wise) comes to collect on Sam's parents' debt. Sam becomes the devil's bounty hunter, recapturing, with the help of a hyper-powered Dirt Devil hand vacuum, evil souls that escaped from hell.

This is surprisingly funny, if a little twisted. Because really, if a guy is the devil's bounty hunter, how is he ever supposed to get the girl?