Add Season’s New Ingredients

Comedies, dramas, thrillers, action-adventures and a news-magazine show are among television’s midseason offerings. Several familiar faces will pop up in new series, including Arsenio Hall, Larry Hagman, Julia Duffy, Pam Dawber, Sharon Lawrence and Pauly Shore. O.J. Simpson’s Dream Team attorney Johnnie Cochran has a new legal series and TNT unveils its first original series. Here’s a look at what’s new on the tube for 1997.

ABC

“Arsenio Hall Project” (Untitled): The former late night talk-show host plays a recently married sportscaster in this sitcom. Vivica Fox plays his wife. TBA.

“Gun”: Anthology series follows the life of a semiautomatic, pearl-handled gun as it’s passed from one situation to another. Robert Altman is one of its executive producers. TBA.

“Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher”: Comedy Central’s nightly talk show moves to ABC after “Nightline.” Early weekday mornings at 12:05 a.m. Already premiered.

“The Practice”: Executive producer David E. Kelley (“Picket Fences,” “Chicago Hope”) is the creator of this ensemble drama set in a small Boston law group that takes cases big firms would never touch. Dylan McDermott stars. TBA.

“Spy Game”: Allison Smith and Linden Ashby star in this action-adventure drama series about two deep undercover government operatives. TBA.

CBS

“Coast to Coast”: CBS News magazine series featuring “unconventional, insightful reports of people, places or policies that are improving our society.” Wednesdays at 9 p.m. Premieres Wednesday.

“Feds”: Adrian Pasdar and Blair Brown star in Dick Wolf’s new crime drama series set in “the fast-paced world” of the Manhattan federal prosector’s office. TBA.

“JAG”: David James Elliott stars in this action-drama that aired last season on NBC. Fridays at 9 p.m. Already premiered.

“Life ... and Stuff”: Rick Reynolds and Pam Dawber play a married couple in this sitcom loosely based on Reynold’s acclaimed one-man show. TBA.

“Orleans”: Larry Hagman stars in an ensemble drama as an ethical judge and patriarch of a leading New Orleans’ family. Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Already premiered.

“Temporarily Yours” Debi Mazur stars in a situation comedy as a woman searching for the perfect job. Joanna Gleason is the neurotic owner of the temp agency. TBA.

FOX

“King of the Hill”: Animated comedy from Mike Judge, the creator of “Beavis and Butt-head,” and Greg Daniels, co-executive producer of “The Simpsons,” which follows the life of Hank Hill (voiced by Mike Judge), his family and their neighbors in a fictional Texas suburb. Sundays at 8:30 p.m. Premieres Sunday.

“Lawless”: Former football player Brian Bosworth stars in this action-thriller as an ex-special forces operative who moves to Miami’s South Beach and opens his own business. TBA.

“Pauly”: Comedian Pauly Shore is a wealthy businessman’s (David Dukes) son whose safe world changes when his father becomes engaged to a young woman (Charlotte Ross). TBA.

“Secret Service Guy: Judge Reinhold stars in a comedy about a clumsy Secret Service agent. TBA.

NBC

“Chicago Sons”: Jason Bateman, D.W. Moffett and David Krumholtz play three blue-collar brothers who live together. Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. Already premiered.

“Crisis Center”: Kellie Martin headlines an ensemble drama set at a hectic San Francisco assistance center. TBA.

“Fired Up”: “NYPD Blue’s” Sharon Lawrence stars in this sitcom as a New York executive fired the same day as her long-suffering assistant (Leah Remini). The two women become reluctant partners and roommates. TBA.

“The Naked Truth”: Canceled last year by ABC, this bawdy sitcom stars Tea Leoni as a divorced photojournalist working at a tabloid. George Wendt plays the new boss who gives her an advice column; Holland Taylor is demoted to a reporter. Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

“So Shoot Me”: Laura San Giacamo plays a news writer in this sitcom who goes to work at the “Cosmopolitan”-esque magazine of her womanizing father (George Segal). TBA.

“Sunset Beach”: Aaron Spelling’s glossy daytime drama set in a Southern California coastal community. Ashley Hamilton, Randy Spelling and Lesley-Anne Down stars. Weekdays at 2 p.m. Already premiered.

UPN

“Social Studies”: Julia Duffy stars in a sitcom set at a racially and financially diverse coed boarding school on the Upper West Side of New York. TBA.

WB

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”: Based on the film, this comedy-thriller follows the adventures of a high school student (Sarah Michelle Gellar) who is a vampire slayer by night. TBA

“In the Dark”: Julian Clary hosts this adult game show that “captures the hilarious consequences of people performing off-the-wall tasks in total darkness.” TBA.

“Smart Guy”: Tahj Mowry, the brother of Tia and Tamera of “Sister, Sister,” stars in this comedy about a gifted 10-year-old who is a high school freshman. TBA.

Animal Planet

“Lassie: Best Friends Are Forever”: The 11th most-popular TV star returns in a new family series. Corey Sevier plays Timmy. March 2.

Comedy Central

“Comics On Delivery” (C.O.D): A 1-800-Comedian help line for viewers who need a hand in dealing with life’s problems. Mondays at 10 p.m. Premieres Jan. 20.

“Viva Variety”: Structured after a typical European variety program, this series will feature celebrity guests, novelty acts, live music, short films and other performances. TBA.

Court TV

“Cochran & Grace”: Former O.J. Simpson attorney Johnnie Cochran and former Atlanta prosecutor Nancy Grace host a “Crossfire”-style debate on legal issues. Weeknights at 7 and 10 p.m. Premieres Monday.

Lifetime

“The Dish”: Diana Ross’ daughter Tracee hosts this pop culture series in which she dishes about TV, books, magazines and home videos. Fridays at 7 p.m. Jan. 24.

“Pandora”: A “lighthearted” series examines alternative ways of looking at the world. Fridays at 8 p.m. Jan. 24.

“Three Blind Dates”: Series follows three couples as they set out on blind dates. Fridays at 8:30 p.m. Premieres Jan. 24.

“The Wire”: Series provides entertainment and information that’s useful at home, work or in personal situations. Fridays at 7:30 p.m. Premieres Jan. 24.

Showtime

‘The Hunger”: Directors Tony and Ridley Scott are the executive producers of this anthology series based on classic short stories of the erotic and bizarre. Spring.

TNT

“The New Adventures of Robin Hood”: Matthew Poretta is the famed British hero who robs from the rich to give to the poor in this action-adventure series shot in Europe. Mondays at 7 p.m. Premieres Monday.

USA

“Claude’s Crib”: Comedian Claude Brooks stars in this multiracial, “Generation X” comedy. Sundays at 7 p.m. Already premiered.

“La Femme Nikita”: In this series inspired by the French film, Peta Wilson plays a woman wrongly accused of murdering a cop who is forced to become an elite operative for a ruthless government organization. Mondays at 10 p.m. Premieres Monday.

“Lost on Earth”: Tim Conlon plays a newscaster banished to hosting a kids’ puppet show. The puppets happen to be aliens. Saturdays at 7 p.m. Already premiered.