I rant about the "new" TV season.

The new TV season is almost upon us, and I noticed something about the shows--a pronounced lack of originality.

Now, the general motto in Hollywood is nothing sells like success. Lost begot Heroes. and Heroes is begetting a whole bunch of other imitators. And so on and so on. This is nothing new.

But it seems like there is more shows this year that are like shows that came before, that are adapted from other medium or are like each other that there was in past years. Here's a rundown of some of the shows and where they came from. All descriptions come from Aol.com.

American Band (FOX):

DESCRIPTION: The producers of 'American Idol' cue up a new reality competition that scours America for the next great band. Musicians of all ages and styles perform original tunes and covers, vying for a slot in the top 10, where they'll get to perform before live audiences and compete for your votes.

What it's like: It says right in the description: American Idol.

Back to You (FOX):

DESCRIPTION: Chuck Darling (Kelsey Grammer) and Kelly Carr (Patricia Heaton) are Pittsburgh TV news anchors with on-air chemistry and off-air conflict who find themselves sharing a news desk again after 10 years apart.

What it's like: Fraiser meets Murphy Brown/The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Big Shots (ABC):

DESCRIPTION: Four high-ranking executive pals get together to dish about staying on top of their games, the best ways to mix business with pleasure, and to see how they stack up in a manly pursuit of wealth.

What it's like: Think a male version of Sex in the City?

Bionic Woman (NBC):

DESCRIPTION: Jaime Sommers is an ordinary woman whose world turns upside down when she's involved in near-fatal car accident. Her uber-scientist boyfriend uses his medical skills to save her life by giving her a bionic eye, ear, arm and legs -- but in the process he transforms her life into one filled with danger, action and adventure

What it's like: Um...I seem to remember a show from the 70s by the same name.

Cavemen (ABC):

DESCRIPTION: An insurance company ad gimmick gets the full sitcom treatment as three Neanderthals try to find their place among modern suburbanites.

What it's like: A commercial. It's based on a frikkin' commercial.

Dirty Sexy Money (ABC):

DESCRIPTION: After the untimely and suspicious death of his lawyer father, principled attorney Nick George is approached by the extravagantly wealthy and exceedingly high-maintenance Darling family to take over where his dad left off. His daily duties include legal work and keeping the well-known family's skeletons secured tightly in the closet.

What it's like: An updated version of Dynasty or Dallas.

Gossip Girl (NBC):

DESCRIPTION: Serena Van Der Woodsen (Blake Lively), once the most popular girl in her private school, is back in town -- and her former best friend, current queen bee Blair (Leighton Meester), isn't happy about it. And who's there to blog about all the fireworks? The all-seeing Gossip Girl, natch, just like in the original books.

What it's like: The line of books it's adapted from, and a little bit like The O.C..

Journeyman (NBC):

DESCRIPTION: Commuting takes on a whole new meaning for San Francisco newspaper reporter Dan Vasser, who unexpectedly finds himself traveling through time to change people's lives. That's the good news. The bad news is, he has to explain these sudden and unpredictable disappearances to his family and colleagues -- and finding himself reunited with a long-lost fiancee can't be good for his marriage. Or can it?

What it's like: Two words: Quantum Leap. Four more words: With a romantic subplot.

Kid Nation (CBS):

DESCRIPTION: Reality TV goes all 'Lord of the Flies,' setting up 40 kids -- ages 8 to 15, with no adult supervision -- in a deserted Western town. Once there they must learn to work together in order to build their own community.

What it's like: Like they said above, Lord of the Flies, in a Survivor with kids way. BTW, this has to be the stupidest idea for a TV show ever. I mean, really. Leaving 40 kids in a town unsupervised? A parent leaves one unsupervised and the call child services on them.

Kitchen Nightmares (FOX):

DESCRIPTION:  'Hell's Kitchen' boss chef Gordon Ramsay returns with a reality series that puts him inside struggling restaurants, where he has one week to whip them into shape.

What it's like: Hell's Kitchen, of course.

Life (NBC):

DESCRIPTION: After serving time for a crime he didn't commit, Detective Charlie Crews gets a cool reception from his new police partner and their toughminded boss. Constance is the attorney who finally manages to get Charlie sprung from prison, while Ted is Charlie's former cellmate.

What it's like: Prison Break without the "break".

Life is Wild (CW):

DESCRIPTION: Teen queen Katie faces a major culture clash when her dad and his new wife decide to uproot their blended family from Manhattan to ... South Africa. While Katie must learn to adapt to the new surroundings -- a broken down lodge in the middle of an animal preserve -- the family must bond in order to deal with the change.

What it's like: Everwood.

Moonlight (CBS):

DESCRIPTION: A really sexy vampire P.I. saves innocent people from creepy bad guys and falls in love with a mortal.

What it's like: A show called Forever Knight. BTW, if the show is half as awful as the ads for it, the show will suck on ice.

Nashville (FOX):

DESCRIPTION: The producers of 'Laguna Beach' shift their cameras to a crop of young singers seeking stardom, love and friendship in the capital of country music. 

What it's like: Laguna Beach with a smidge of American Idol. Which means that it is suck on top of suck.

Private Practice (ABC):

DESCRIPTION: 'Grey's Anatomy' goes the way of 'CSI' and 'Law & Order,' with neonatal surgeon Addison Montgomery spinning off from Seattle Grace and heading for swankier, sunnier pastures at a Los Angeles medical practice filled with hot docs and messy romantic entanglements.

What it's like: Well, it is a Grey's Anatomy spin -off.

Women's Murder Club:

DESCRIPTION: A San Francisco detective (Angie Harmon) heads up a group of four smart female professionals, friends and experts in different fields, who work together to solve some of the toughest murders in the City by the Bay.

What it's like: Law & Order SVU meets Close to Home meets Crossing Jordan. And it comes from a line of novels, too.  

 
16 out of the 26 new shows are either retreads, remakes, adaptations or rip-offs. There are some original shows--Pushing Daisies, Chuck, Samantha Who?, Viva Laughlin--but they are outweighed by the not-so-original ones.

I know the networks want to go with safe bets. But this is ridiculous.