Vanished Series Premiere

The new FOX series has started the early fall season off with a respectable kick. "Vanished" premiered Monday night at 9PM, and FOX ran an encore presentation of the debut Tuesday night. FOX's cable network FX will also be repeating the pilot so anyone who missed the introduction to their new dramatic thriller can catch up on what they've missed, because like with any other show following the current serial television trend, missing even a couple of minutes could leave any latecomers behind. Events are set to follow a specific story throughout the season, unfolding new twists and turns with each new episode. This is the formula for acclaimed hit shows like "Lost" and FOX's own "24" and its more recent breakout hit "Prison Break." "Vanished" already shows heavy influence from both "24" and FOX's more recent crime drama that does not follow a serial format but a loose mythology instead, "Bones."

"Vanished" opens with an explosive and tragic introduction to FBI Agent Graham Kelton (Gale Harold). Harold, best known for his role as a main character on the Showtime original series "Queer As Folk," has risen to the challenge of starring in this show about a hunt for a missing woman. The woman in question is Sara Collins (Joanne Kelly, "Mutant X"), wife of Senator Jeffrey Collins (John Allen Nelson, who played Walt Cummings in the beginning of last season's "24"). The Senator's ex-wife is involved somehow, and following clues being dropped about another mysterious disappearance approximately 12 years ago, it appears that Sara may not be who everyone believes her to be. Meanwhile, ambitious reporter Judy Nash (Rebecca Gayheart, the "Urban Legend" movies) conducts her own very public investigation into the apparent abduction of the charitable Mrs. Collins. Now, Agent Kelton must work to save this missing woman while standing in the shadow of a devastating defeat, having lost a kidnapped boy named Nathan Miller in a rescue attempt mere months ago.

There is reason to tune in for this drama as it heats up and starts to sizzle. Harold leads the cast with a great sympathetic depth to his humbled yet take-charge government agent. The premise is not an original one, but with the hidden nuances that have already begun to surface and come to light during the first episode, it's clear that "Vanished" aims to pull some surprises out of its sleeve. The show aspires to be a mix of previous successes FOX has had with similar types of shows, and it's possible that it will be able to gain some value on that ground, but it has not yet distinguished itself enough to warrant immediate accolades. To be fair, it has some big shoes to fill as there is a lot of heavy-hitting, well-established competition out there. The good news for "Vanished" is that its early premiere along with strong acting and winding plot will give it a better chance to hook viewers before most other shows debut or return.