Making the cut

September signals the beginning of fall, and with that, the annual onslaught of mediocre TV pilots. This season seems even more dire than most, but Weekend sifted through the garbage to pick which shows have the best chance at surviving the fall.

Best of the Worst

Guys with Kids (NBC)
A trio of new dads tries to stay young while juggling the responsibilities of parenthood. It hopes to be half as funny as Zach Galifianakis with a baby in “The Hangover.”

Nashville (ABC)
A new musical drama, “Nashville” follows the country-star dreams of newcomer Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere) and the fall of legendary Rayna James (Connie Britton).

Arrow (The CW)
Billionaire Oliver Queen is discovered alive on a remote Pacific island after being presumed dead during his five-year hiatus. Under the alias Arrow, he fights the wrongs of society and tries to rectify his now-fallen family name.

Vegas (CBS)
Movie star Dennis Quaid jumps to the small screen to star in this Western drama. Quaid plays the sheriff of 1960s Vegas who is forced to deal with a Chicago mobster when his illegal operations are moved to Sin City.

Beauty and the Beast (The CW)
The CW’s spin on fairy tales, “Beauty and the Beast” follows a police detective who teams up to solve crime with a doctor who has the tendency to turn into a beast when he’s angered. If you’ve been hoping for a “Law & Order” and fairy-tale mash-up, this might be your gig.

The Rest

The Mob Doctor (FOX)
A surgeon indebted to the South Chicago mafia is forced to work for the mobsters. The lines between right and wrong are blurred in this medial drama with a twist.

The New Normal (NBC)
“The New Normal” follows Bryan and David, a gay couple in search of a surrogate mother for their prospective child. Add a single mom and biggoted Nana. Hilarity ensues.

Ben and Kate (FOX)
What happens when your older brother helps you raise your daughter? Probably something heartwarming and hilarious in the watered-down vain of Judd Apatow’s parental comedies.

Malibu Country (ABC)
Reba McEntire stars as a country star who moves to Malibu after her husband cheats on her. The conventional sitcom is big on heart, song and stereotypes.

Elementary (CBS)
“New Holmes. New Watson. New York.” Taking advantage of the BBC’s masterful “Sherlock” and the Robert Downey, Jr. franchise, American television is desperately trying to put its own spin on the famous detective and Watson, played by Lucy Liu.

Last Resort (ABC)
From the network that brought us “Lost” comes another ensemble shipwreck drama. This time, the stranded characters are U.S. military personnel under attack by their own nation for disobeying orders.