So many new shows, so little space on the DVR. How do you know which ones are worth your time? That's what we're here for. We've seen every newcomer, and we've got the lowdown on the series you need to watch -- and the ones you need to avoid.

-- By Kelly Woo

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Fall TV's Best and Worst New Shows

5. 'Dirty Sexy Money'

Please, you had us at Peter Krause. And Donald Sutherland. Of course, a great cast doesn't always equal a great show (cough, 'Studio 60'). But this time it does. The sprawling, dysfunctional, filthy rich Darling family at the heart of this drama will reel you in. Look for scheming, secrets, a possible murder and shady cover-up, the residue of old love affairs and a crazy, corrupt minister. Should be fun watching Krause's Nick George try to clean up the messes.

4. 'Chuck'

Geeks are hot this fall, and Chuck's the hottest of the bunch. Not only does he possess all of the government's secrets in his head, he can rid your computer of even the nastiest virus. Swoon. Forget golf ranges and scotch tastings, gals -- try cruising the nearest Best Buy for that new beau. Expect a pleasantly surprising blend of action, comedy and sweetness (just watch Chuck try to flirt ... awww).

3. 'Gossip Girl'

'The O.C.' is a distant speck in the rearview mirror for creator Josh Schwartz, who now sets his sights on the fabulously melodramatic world of a New York private school. Based on the books, the show is like 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Soon-to-be-Famous,' with kids who could give Paris and Lindsay (if she'd actually gone to high school) a run for their considerable money. And there to chronicle these sexy socialites' lives is all-knowing blogger/narrator Gossip Girl -- a sort of TMZ for the Upper East Side.

2. 'Bionic Woman'

The '70s cult sensation returns to primetime, and thankfully it's more reimagining than remake (think 'Battlestar Galactica'). This time out, the tone is darker and the storytelling is deeper. Take, for example, the moment when Jamie uses her new bionic hearing for the first time in a bar, and becomes so overwhelmed by the tumult she rushes off to vomit. Don't recall Lindsay Wagner breaking down in a toilet stall. Plus, the show has a worthy villain in an embittered "first" bionic woman, played by scene-stealing 'Battlestar' vet Katee Sackhoff.

1. 'Pushing Daisies'

This cuckoo, slightly macabre fairy tale is like nothing else on television. The whimsical concept is as fresh as, well, a daisy. And it's just gorgeous to look at it. The whole package feels more big screen than small, like something you might expect from Tim Burton (although 'Men in Black' director Barry Sonnenfeld helmed the pilot). The chemistry between the leads is sweet, the supporting characters are adorably quirky and the storytelling is offbeat enough to put a completely new twist on a procedural. Here's hoping this show lives happily ever.

3. 'Big Shots'

It really pains us to put this on the worst list, because the dreamy Michael Vartan seriously ought to be on television. But even he can't save this clunker. What was intended as a kind of 'Desperate CEOs,' instead comes off as dumb (a mistress and wife becoming friends), silly (an unseen wife, a la Maris on 'Frasier') and just plain awful (a transvestite hooker plot).

2. 'Cavemen'

In the pantheon of television history, no show based on a commercial has succeeded. Remember 'Baby Bob'? Whoever greenlit this show doesn't. Not only is the show based on a series of insurance commercials, it's trying to be an irony-laden commentary on race relations. Next time go with the gecko; at least he's cute.

1. 'Viva Laughlin'

Curious how none of the promos show the characters singing -- because they do. And they don't bust out original tunes like a musical; instead, they sing along with original versions of musty pop gems. If we wanted to hear cheesy renditions of classic rock and new wave hits, we'd watch Sanjaya on YouTube. One other thing: we've seen more compelling murder mysteries on the Lifetime Movie Network.