The Anti-Hero This Fall on TV

When we think of the traditional leading man, we think of some dashing, square-jawed type. A moral representation of modern America. Think of the rugged pseudo-cowboy from the old Malboro poster campaign, and you get the idea. But cast an eye over this season's fall TV schedule and guess what? This macho good guy just isn't there.

What sells today is the anti-hero. There's Kiefer Sutherland from Fox's 24, a man trying to save the world - by torturing others. Or take a look at the characters played by Matthew Fox and Josh Holloway in ABC's Lost. The actors may look the part of hunky heroes but Jack and Sawyer are in fact two deeply flawed sides of the same coin, ying and yang of the dark side. Then there's David Duchovny's character in Showtime's Californication. Hank Moody is a serial seducer who uses sex to avoid writing. While Hugh Laurie's House is an irascible, misanthropic doctor who delights in rubbing people up the wrong way.

Instead, the mantle of the traditional hero is being taken up by "geeks". Take Masi Oka's character in NBC's Heroes, who has become the most talked about character from the show. Or the lead character in Chuck, the new series on NBC about a computer nerd who ends up with all the government's secrets in his brain.

Yes, geek chic appears to be the new trend. But it's interesting to note that in more female-skewed fare, the more traditional hero is very much alive. Just take a look at Grey's Anatomy where Patrick Dempsey and now Eric Dane play Dr McDreamy and Dr McSteamy respectively. And now the show's spin-off series Private Practice promises just as much beefcake as its predecessor with the likes of Taye Diggs joining the cast. Could the "beefcake factor" be the real reason for the show's success?

Perhaps not. Just take ABC's Ugly Betty. Who does ingénue Betty Suarez have her heart set on? Not her handsome playboy boss Daniel Meade played by Eric Mabius but Chris Gorham's decidedly nebbish Henry, an accountant of all things.

Nice guys may finish last in the awards but when it comes to winning the hearts and minds of viewers, it seems that's another matter entirely.