The cast of "Reunion" includes, from left, Chyler Leigh, Will Estes, Alexa Davalos, Sean Faris, Dave Annable and Amanda Righetti.

To say the pressure is on Fox to have a winning season after the success of "House," "24" "American Idol" and several other series is as big an understatement as saying Paula Abdul had some problems last year. Besides the usual tension associated with debuting seven new fall series, Fox executives have to hold their breath and hope three shows they passed on don’t end up being hits elsewhere.

Fox developed and passed on two of the season’s biggest comedies, UPN’s "Everybody Hates Chris" and NBC’s "My Name Is Earl."

After finishing No. 1 in viewers age 18 through 49 for the first time in its 19-year history, Fox is confident enough to start the year without one new reality show and to give the low-rated, critically acclaimed comedy "Arrested Development" a third chance to find an audience at 8 p.m. Monday. "House" moves there in January to serve as the lead-in for another season of "24."

Here’s a look at the new shows, which begin premiering Thursday.

"Kitchen Confidential," 8:30 p.m. Monday: Bradley Cooper ("Jack & Bobby") stars in a comedy about the comeback of a hot-shot New York City chef who is at odds with the owner’s hot daughter (Bonnie Somerville of "NYPD Blue").

You’ll Hate It If: You swore off cooking shows after watching NBC’s reality series, "The Restaurant."

Outlook: With an appetizing premise and a terrific mix of diverse characters, "Kitchen" could be hot, but airing after "Arrested" will slow its development. After a few weeks, I could see Fox changing the order and have "Kitchen" open first.

"Prison Break," 9 p.m. Monday: A tattooed, structural engineer (Wentworth Miller of "The Human Stain") commits a crime so he could land in prison and help his unjustly convicted brother escape. But his plan doesn’t take into account prison politics.

You’ll Like It If: You’re a fan of the pacing and plotting of "24," the heart-stopping, counter-terrorism series that gets back this time slot in January.

You’ll Hate If: You are unable to suspend disbelief and won’t give the writers any breaks when the plot twists become implausible.

Outlook: This tense series has gotten off to a strong ratings and word-of-mouth start, indicating it could plausibly have a long sentence.

"Bones," 8 p.m. Tuesday: Emily Deschanel ("Bogeyman") is an anthropologist-novelist named Temperance whose "most meaningful relationships are with dead people." She reads clues left by victim’s bones to solve murders with a skeptical special FBI agent with strong instincts (David Boreanaz of "Angel"). In January, it moves after "Idol" - if America likes it. Which may explain why there’s so much music in the pilot.

You’ll Hate It If: You don’t want another show picking through the bones of "CSI."

Outlook: Though their conflicts on the show are hardly novel, Deschanel and Boreanaz have the individual charisma to make it watch-able. But it needs more heart.

"Head Cases," 9 p.m. Wednesday: Feature film actor Chris O’Donnell is a superstar, classy attorney seeking a comeback after a nervous breakdown and a broken marriage. He teams with a low-rent lawyer with "explosive disorder" played by Adam Goldberg, who has been playing oddballs for years.

You’ll Like It If: You’re a fan of David E. Kelley’s absurdist writing because this series about two mismatched lawyers could have been written by him (but it isn’t).

You’ll Hate It If: Your idea of a good time isn’t watching a show in which a lawyer tries to get a fired client who is a nymphomaniac "disability insurance" as well as her job back.

Outlook: I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks O’Donnell ought to have his head examined for this career move. The pilot is mildly amusing, even if the premise is ludicrous. But after the set-up, it appears headed nowhere.

"Reunion," 9 p.m. Thursday: Will Estes ("American Dreams") and Sean Faris ("life as we know it") are among the telegenic stars in a series about six friends whose lives are explored one year at a time starting with an episode that begins in 1986.

You’ll Like It If: You enjoyed 1980s music, Molly Ringwald references, "The Big Chill" and looking at young, beautiful characters making big, big mistakes. And you love a mystery. One of the six friends is dead and the others are suspects.

You’ll Hate It If: Nostalgia and "Clue" aren’t your thing.

Outlook: The pilot is involving, though some of the sacrifices being made in the name of friendship are dumb even by teenage standards. Sign me up for the next "Reunion" episode.

"Killer Instinct," 9 p.m. Friday: Johnny Messner and Marguerite Moreau of "The OC" investigate bizarre, deviant crimes in San Francisco for boss Chi McBride ("Boston Public") in a drama loaded with fast-speed photography and directed by Buffalo’s Rob Lieberman.

You’ll Like It If: You’re a fan of Lieberman’s directing style and creepy crime shows that involve scorpions and prey on women in jeopardy.

You’ll Hate It If: You can’t stand mystery shows with obvious villains that are solved by a cliched, male-female team with trust issues.

Outlook: Routine series in a killer time slot, it may be quickly stung by cancellation.

"The War at Home," 8:30 p.m. Sunday: Michael Rapaport, the unorthodox teacher in "Boston Public," and his wife deal with the wars brought on by raising three kids who make Bart Simpson (whose show is the lead-in) look like an angel. The family talks directly to the audience in some scenes. In one, Rapaport wondered how his father would react to a difficult situation. He spots an alcoholic beverage and dryly says, "oh, yeah" before taking a sip.

You’ll Like It If: You miss "Married ... With Children" and aren’t easily offended by frequent sex jokes and the idea that parents literally count the days until their children leave the house and they get their lives back again.

You’ll Hate It If: You’re a member of the Parents Television Council and you quickly get sick of the show’s cartoonish, gimmicky structure.

Outlook: It’s a love-or-hate show. My parents would have hated it. I laughed out-loud and hated myself afterwards. This ugly, politically-incorrect "War" could last a long time.