2016 Fall Preview

Every year I look at what new shows are hitting the airwaves and give my opinion as to what is worthy and what needs to be thrown in the waste pit of sucky shows.  This year I have ranked the shows in order of preference.  I have not seen any of these shows I have only seen their trailers and have read about them.  As I see them this list will change but here are my first impressions:

  1. The Good Place – NBC – Sept 19 – 9pm (central) – Stars Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars); I love Kristen Bell. Bad person goes to heaven. From the creators of Parks and Rec.
  2. Designated Survivor – ABC – Sept 21 – 9pm (central) – Stars Keifer Sutherland (24); Jack Bauer..oh wait that’s a different show. Keifer plays Tom Kirkman who is the chosen cabinet member to not attend the State of the Union and the worst possible happens. Keifer is now president. I’m a big fan of White House dramas and a bigger fan of the whispering Sutherland.
  3. Pure Genius – CBS – Oct 27 – 9pm (central) – Stars Dermot Mulroney and Augustus Prew. A Hospital dramas that centers on technology as a cure for what ails. I’m a technophile, so this show should be in my wheelhouse.
  4. Westworld – HBO – Oct 2 – 8pm (central) – A cool new version of the Star Trek holodeck. I always loved those episodes and now a show just about the holodeck..I hope Star Trek is getting some credit for this show.
  5. The Get Down – NETFLIX – Aug 12 – Brought to you by Baz Luhrmann(Moulin Rouge). This is a musical drama about the rise of Hip Hop. Reminds me a little of Vinyl on HBO but it’s got to better with Baz in charge.
  6. Marvel’s Luke Cage – NETFLIX – Sept 30 – Luke Cage from Jessica Jones gets his own show. I’ll binge this as soon as it comes out. Netflix is all about the quality content!
  7. Pitch – FOX – Sept 22 -8pm (central) – Stars Ginny Baker (Under the Dome) as the first female to break into the major leagues of baseball. This will inspire many people to pick up a ball and glove. I think Fox has a “hit” here.
  8. Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency – BBCA- Oct 22 – TIME TBA – Stars Elijah Wood (Frodo); A Douglas Adams book to the small screen that looks like it can be the next Dr. Who of the modern BBC. A show for those who can’t read or don’t want to.
  9. The Crown – NETFLIX – Nov 4 – Claire Foy, Matt Smith, John Lithgow, Victoria Hamilton, Jared Harris, Vanessa Kirby, and Eileen Atkins star is the story of the early life of Queen Elizabeth II. Wow what a cast.
  10. Crisis in Six Scenes – AMAZON – Sept 30 – From the mind of Woody Allen. His take on society is always very interesting.
  11. Incorporated – SYFY – Nov 30 – 9pm (central) – From producers Matt Damon and Ben Affleck along with Jennifer Todd; a drama about corporations having all the power and insiders using it to get ahead. Futuristic and cutting edge..looking forward to it.
  12. People of Earth – TBS – Oct 31 – 8pm (central) – Produced by Conan O’Brien and starring Wyatt Cenac (The Daily Show) is about a reporter who looks into the unorthodox lives of those who have had terrestrial encounters. Looks funny and doesn’t take self too seriously.
  13. One Mississippi – AMAZON – Sept 9 – Tig Notarro stars in a not so normal family drama produced by Loius CK. Notarro’s take on death and family is great in her comedy so this is going to be special.
  14. Son of Zorn – FOX – Sept 25 – 7:30pm (central) – Stars Jason Sudeikis (SNL); Everything about this show is stupid…everything about this show is brilliant. I want to hate this show so much but it is so absurd that I think it will work. Cartoon Hemanish character in a live action world. Complete with outdated stereotypes and violence as a catchall problem solution.
  15. Startup – CRACKLE – Sept 6 – Stars Martin Freeman (Sherlock, Fargo); What happens when brilliant technology comes from the wrong side of the tracks? Interesting that this is coming from the network that brings you Comedians in Cars getting Coffee.
  16. Graves – EPIX – Oct 16 – Stars Nick Nolte as a former two term president. In an election year, political shows are always fun and I do enjoy Nolte.
  17. Goliath – Amazon – Oct 14 – Stars Billy Bob Thorton; washed up lawyer takes on a big case. Love Billy Bob so it should be pretty good.
  18. Search Party – TBS -Nov 21 – 10pm (central) – Stars Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development); She has no skills but has a keen interest in finding an aquantance who has gone missing in this hipster series.
  19. Insecure – HBO – Oct 9 – 9:30pm (central) – Centers on the lives of two black women, one of which is a teacher. Looks like it may be pretty funny.
  20. The Great Indoors – CBS – Oct 27 – 7:30pm (central) – Stars Joel McHale (Community); An adventure reporter must adapt to the office environment filled with entitled millennials. Give a good reason for McHales branded sarcasm. Not sure though I can believe McHale is rugged.
  21. Speechless – ABC – Sept 21 – 8:30pm (central) – Stars Minnie Driver (The Riches); Single mom with a special needs kid among others does what it takes to keep her family together. Love Minnie…hopefully better than About a Boy.
  22. Divorce – HBO – Oct 9 – 9pm (central) – Stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Thomas Hayden Church. Two good actors with three names each equals a pretty good looking show about divorce. Not a great subject, but one half the country can relate to.
  23. This is Us – NBC – Sept 20 – 9pm (central) – Ensemble family dramas; Not sure how all characters are connected but the trailer has a feeling like Parenthood which is in my all time top 10. Sometimes you just need a tear jerking good cry show.
  24. Conviction – ABC – Oct 3 – 9pm (central) – Stars Hayley Atwell (Agent Carter); Former president’s daughter with authority issues is given a take it or jail offer to work with Conviction Integrity Group for the NY district attorney. Crime drama with a female house like character. I’ll be watching this one.
  25. Undercover – BBCA – Nov 17 – Sophie Okonedo and Adrian Lester are set to star in Peter Moffat’s original political thriller. Husband spies on wife for 20 years. Neat premise.
  26. Berlin Station – EPIX – Oct 16 – New CIA agent sent to the Berlin Station. That’s all I know, but I love CIA shows so just the premise rates high for me.
  27. Notorious – ABC – Sept 22 – 8pm (central) – What happens when a lawyer and a cable news producer are in cahoots…and secretly in love? Hopefully good television. From the creators of the Blacklist, so it will probably get convoluted and hard to follow if you miss an episode.
  28. American Housewife – ABC – Oct 11 – 7:30pm (central) Stars Katie Otto (Mike and Molly); Stereotype vs. Stereotype is this comedy about an overweight mom in town full of modern stepford wives.
  29. Better Things – FX -Sept 8 – 9pm (central) – Stars Pamela Adlon (Louis); Produced by Louis CK. Single Mom with a more real comedic take.
  30. Chance – HULU – Oct 19 – Starring Hugh Laurie (House); Based on the Ken Nunn novel about a San Francisco forensic neuropsychiatrist. Don’t know much about this one, but will watch simply because of Laurie.
  31. Timeless – NBC – Oct 3 – 9pm (central) – If you could go back on time and save someone you loved, would you even if it meant altering history as we know it? This would be a better movie than TV show I think, but we can give it a shot.
  32. Good Behavior – TNT – Nov 15 – 8pm (central) – Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) as a con artist. I love con artist dramas, hopefully this one is one that is better than what’s being said.
  33. Van Helsing – SYFY – Sept 23 – A woman is given the cursed gift of locating vampires. Interesting to see a modern take on this gothic story.
  34. Man with a Plan – CBS – Oct 24 – 7:30pm (central) – Stars Matt LeBlanc (Friends, Episodes); Wife goes to work and husband stays at home with the kids. Where have I heard she this one before? Might not watch because it hits to close to home or may watch for that same reason.
  35. Stan Against Evil – IFC – Nov 2 – 9pm (central) – Comedy about the horror genre. Reminds me a little of the Scream movies. Could get old pretty fast.
  36. Queen Sugar – OWN – Sept 6 – 9pm (central) – Oprah Winfrey produced drama about a Louisiana family. Looks very interesting. I know I will learn a lot from this show and I hope others do too.
  37. Bull – CBS – Sept 20 – 8pm (central) – A court procedural with a new take from the perspective of a jury analyst. Interesting take but how long can this stay interesting?
  38. The Exorcist – FOX – Sept 23 – 8pm (central) -Stars Henry Rance (Ferris Buellers Day Off) and Geena Davis (Commander and Chief); Not a big fan of the horror genre, but this show look pretty good. I will keep an eye on it….or maybe it will keep an eye on me.
  39. Frequency – CW – Oct 5 – 8pm (central) – A voice from the past calls out from a Ham radio. The movie worked because of the cast. Not sure if this cast can pull off this show week to week and keep it interesting.
  40. Lethal Weapon – FOX – Sept 21 – 7pm (central) – Stars Damon Wayans; 80’s Movie to the little screen. This may make a good cop procedural, but the movie is so iconic. Has enough time passed to make this work? Several movies to TV shows from last year are already cancelled, Limitless and Minority Report.
  41. Atlanta – FX – Sept 6 – 9pm (central) – Stars Donald Glover (Community); He’s getting to rap and act. Looks interesting.
  42. Fleabag – AMAZON – An adaptation of the Waller-Bridge play about a woman trying to adapt to modern life in London. Not that interested.
  43. Versailles – OVATION – Oct 1 – 9pm (central) – Historical drama; not sure if it is interesting enough to keep our attention for a series. Could make a good miniseries though. If you’re going to have a network called Ovation you should really have content that will actually cause that.
  44. No Tomorrow – CW – Oct 4 – 8pm (central) – Another apocalypse TV show. The last one didn’t last and neither will this one. How can a show about the end of the world last more than the 8 months it gives? I predict this world to end much sooner.
  45. Haters Back Off – NETFLIX – Oct 14 – Not the worst thing out there, but damn near to it. Who finds this funny?
  46. MacGyver – CBS – Sept 23 – 7pm (central) – Does anyone have a hammer? So I can throw it at my TV. This show looks like an awful reboot of the original. I will be surprised if it lasts long, however CBS does keep shows on longer than they should.
  47. Kevin Can Wait – CBS – Sept 19 – 7:30pm (central) – Stars Kevin James (King of Queens); Same show different younger wife. Kevin retires from the police force daughter comes home from college early. James’ character look too young to retire, especially from a government job.
  48. Legends of Chamberlain Heights – CC – Sept 14 – 9:30pm (central) – I Don’t get it.

2015 Fall – What Looks Good

This is the Monday when all the shows start to role out for the 2015 Fall Prime Time TV Season and there are a lot of new shows coming out on all the networks along with the ones that have found a way to get their second, third, or maybe even more seasons on the air.

Here is what looks good for each day of the week.  Set your DVRs now because you can't get them all in live..there are way to many!

  • MONDAY
    • Gotham - FOX - 7:00 c
      • Starts September 21st, 2015
      • They say that this is the Villains Rising seaon; I became bored with it and stopped watching it at the end of season 1.  Maybe I'll pick it back up.
    • Life in Pieces - CBS - 7:30 c
      • Starts September 21st, 2015
      • Not quite Modern Family; not quite Parenthood; but a little of both. Too many good actors for the show to stink.
    • Minority Report - FOX - 8:00 c
      • Starts September 21st, 2015
      • This takes place about 15 years after the movie with Tom Cruise and features one the kids who saw the future.  This is a futuristic look take on a buddy cop show.  Looks interesting if they can do more than a new villain every episode.
    • Scorpion - CBS - 8:00 c
      • Starts September 21st, 2015
      • This season Scorpion looks like they are going to get deeper into each character and add to the love interests; I don't think it needs it.  I like the procedural aspect of the show.  I like that they are nerd heroes saving the world.
    • Blindspot - NBC - 9:00 c
      • Starts September 21st, 2015
      • She doesn't know her past.  She is covered in tattoos that are clues and they are brand new.  Also she can kick ass. Looks promising.
  • TUESDAY
    • The Muppets - ABC - 7:00 c
      • Starts September 22nd, 2015
      • AWESOME!  I cannot wait for this.  It's the Muppets.  They are back.  Hurrah  This cannot be bad.
    • Scream Queens - FOX - 7:00 c
      • Starts September 22nd, 2015
      • Jamie Lee Curtis is back in the genre that made her famous.  However this show may be a feminist's nightmare.  I'll give it an episode before I give up on it.
    • Limitless
      • Starts September 22nd, 2015
      • Take a pill and you are a genius.  Better than a genius.  Based on the Bradley Cooper movie and produced by him.  He's gone a long way since The Actor's Studio.
  • WEDNESDAY
    • The Mysteries of Laura - NBC - 7:00 c
      • Starts September 23rd, 2015
      • It looks like more of the same of last season and I liked last season. Debra Messing does a nice job playing a single mom detective.
    • Rosewood - FOX - 7:00 c
      • Starts September 23rd, 2015
      • Doctor and cop team up to solve cases.  Morris Chestnut stars as a medical examiner that has a cap to life and is looking to make the most out of it.  The anti-Dexter.  Looks interesting.  Might give it two episodes to get into it.
    • The Goldbergs - ABC -7:30 c
      • Starts September 23rd, 2015
      • Their back.  Fun show especially for those of us who grew up in the 80s.
    • Modern Family - ABC - 8:00 c
      • Starts September 23rd, 2015
      • Consistently one of the best shows for 6 seasons.  Season 7 can only get better.
  • THURSDAY
    • Grey's Anatomy - ABC - 7:00 c
      • Starts September 24th, 2015
      • We lost a major character last season.  The promise is everything is different.  Is that what the show needs?  Shonda knows best.  Looking forward to this staple.
    • Heroes Reborn - NBC - 7:00 c
      • Starts September 24th, 2015
      • The man with glasses, Hiro, and others from the original series are back along with new heroes.  This was a favorite of mine when it first came out.  This one has Chuck (Zachary Levi) as a bad guy...fun.
    • The Player - NBC - 9:00 c
      • Starts September 24th, 2015
      • Wesley Snipes on TV....hmmm...this show about homicide mixed with gambling might be a bit to convoluted. I'll give it an episode or two to make my cut.
    • How to Get Away with Murder - ABC - 9:00 c
      • Starts September 24th, 2015
      • Season one was more than I thought it would be and Viola won the Emmy.  I'll give it another season.
  • SUNDAY
    • Brooklyn Nine-Nine - FOX - 7:30 c
      • Starts September 27th, 2015
      • Bill Hader as the new captain.  I don't think that will last, but the show is funny and will be something that I watch throughout the season.
    • Blood and Oil - ABC - 8:00 c
      • Starts September 27th, 2015
      • Don Johnson plays an oil baron whose son is a screw up that he disowns.  Son tries to outdo the old man.  I'll give it a few episodes.
    • Quantico - ABC - 9:00 c
      • Starts September 27th, 2015
      • Young FBI agent, one is a terrorist.  NICE.  Very interested.

MORE TO COME!!!

GOTHAM

LIFE IN PIECES

MINORITY REPORT

SCORPION

BLINDSPOT

MUPPETS

SCREAM QUEENS

LIMITLESS

THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA

ROSEWOOD

THE GOLDBERGS

MODERN FAMILY

GREY'S ANATOMY

HEROES REBORN

THE PLAYER

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

BLOOD AND OIL

QUANTICO

Gotham

What defines us?  What turns us into what we become?  Fox’s Gotham is a show to answer these question for the Detective Comic’s most famous dark knight’s town.  Gotham is the origin story of Batman seen through the eyes of new detective James Gordon(Ben McKenzie).  If you are in the know of Batman lore, Gordon becomes the commissioner of Gotham and Batman’s biggest allie.  I am a big Batman fan since the mid 80’s having read many of the comics growing up and keeping up from time to time as an adult.  I know the origins of most of the character’s from all of the Batman comics and variations from each as well.  I think it will be fun to see it from this vantage point so young in Batman’s life.

The show’s pilot starts with the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents after attending a movie.  The director of the pilot episode, Danny Cannon, captured many iconic images straight from the comics.  For example the pearls that fall to the ground during the death and robbery of the Waynes along with the image of Bruce kneeling in the middle of his fallen parents are classic to the comics and were almost identical in the pilot episode of Gotham.

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I am excited to see where all this leads and the routes that each character takes to become who they become.  I will not miss an episode of this fantastic show.

Grade: A+

Madam Secretary

Tea Leoni stars as the new Secretary of State for the USA after the old Secretary was killed in a plane crash.  She comes from a life as a history professor and before that a CIA agent where she was trained by the now president.  She is married and has 3 kids.  Can she balance her new life and family?

This episode deals with her first few months in office and the capture of two American students in Syria and how she plans on getting them back.  Will the President see it her way?  Will she be able to get passed the Chief of Staff?

I think Leoni can do well in this role especially with a strong supporting cast with actors such as Tim Daly and Bebe Neuwirth. The first episode was reminiscent of The West Wing which is among my all time favorites.  I look foward to seeing where this government drama goes.

Grade: A-

New Girl

In the season four opener four months have passed for the New Girl roomies.  Everyone is single and have attended troves of weddings this summer.  Jessica Biel guest stars in this season four first episode, as a wedding guest at yet another wedding and poses as competition for Jessica’s(Zooey Deschanel) prey, the best man.  This season has been lauded as the return to the energy and fun of season one with everyone single and Schmidt (Max Greenfield ) going after Cece (Hannah Simone).  If this season opener is any sign of what’s to come then I am disappointed.  This show can do so much but it jumped the shark last year with Jessica and Nick (Jake Johnson) becoming a couple.  This should have been a last season situation, but now we have to live through the awkwardness of this for this season, which they will keep referencing, which dulls the comedy.

Over all the show was good though and I will continue to watch, but I do think there is room to improve.

Grade: B+

Red Oaks

Some might compare this show to Caddyshack, I would say they are wrong.  This show is not as funny as Caddyshack, but I don’t think it is intended to be as funny as Caddyshack.  This is a jungensbild, a coming of age story.  The story of the right of passage when a boy realizes that he has worth and becomes a man.  The story centers around David, played by Craig Roberts, who has taken a job as the assistant tennis pro at the Red Oaks Country Club owned by Paul Reiser’s character, Getty.  David’s Parents parents played by Richard Kind and Jennifer Grey also add to the turmoil in his life by not having a loving relationship.

There are the pot smoking valets and the rivalry with the golf pro, but the most fun part of the show I think will be the retro feeling it has from the 80’s.  How fun to have an 80’s country club series with Jennifer Grey no less.  I do hope that Amazon does choose to continue production of this pilot, I for one want to see how David turns out.

Grade: A-

Utopia

“You wouldn’t abandon ship in a storm just because you couldn’t control the winds.”
― Thomas More, Utopia

The idea of Utopia originally came from Thomas More’s book, Utopia.  This is a place that is the promised land, but not just the promised land for the chosen but for all.  This is the enter-speriment that FOX is conducting with Utopia.  Taking 15 people from all walks of life and putting them together for a year with limited resources to create a society that they all can thrive in that would be their Utopia.

With everyone being so diverse from a Pastor to a polygamist to a lawyer to an ex-con, I don’t see how they can resolve and become one Utopia, but it may be entertaining to watch.  It may also be an eye-opener to the public that we need to respect differences more and be more than tolerant.  I really don’t like that word, tolerant.  It means to me that you are allowing something to happen even though you don’t agree.  In my Utopia, that word is null.  If someone is different then they are different, it is not up to me to decide to let them be.  Just be.  I think with the personalities that have been chosen by the producers that there will be a lot of conflict that will make the show watchable for the masses, but it will not be a great experiment.

I will continue to watch the show to see how much of an experiment it actually is and I will stop when I decide that it is more about entertainment.

Grade: B-

Selfie

660.16x9(SUNG TO THE TUNE OF MY FAIR LADY’S “WOULDN’T IT BE LOVERLY”)

All I want is a show that’s good

With characters that can be understood

With no pretentious plot

Oh wouldn’t that be watchable

Lots of jokes to make me laugh

Lots of action and those who can act

Act Stan, Act San, Act Uta—

Oh wouldn’t that be watchable

…..I would go on but I think I would put more into writing this parody than the writers of Selfie did on the entire pilot episode.

The concept is taken from Shaw’s Pygmalion or for you musical theatre buffs My Fair Lady.  It is an attempt to modernize the story.  Girl, Eliza, is stuck in a social media rut with tons of likes but no real friends in comes Boy, Henry…no they did not change the first names from the original…some might think that is clever…I think it is lazy….  Boy helps girl to be the life of the party.  That’s it.

The only saving grace of this show is Karen Gillan who plays Eliza.  You may recognize her from Doctor Who and most recently The Guardians of the Galaxy (where she is really unrecognizable).  I will watch this show one more time if it doesn’t improve I will stop. If it does I will let you know.  You can watch it on Hulu or watch the premiere on ABC TUE SEPT 30 8|7c.

Grade: C-

Forever

240.16x9What if you were immortal?  Would it matter to you if those around were not?  Dr. Henry Morgan
played by Ioan Gruffudd is indeed immortal and has been around for 300 or so years and has seen and has gone through death a lot.  Every time he dies he wakes up in a body of water…naked.

Judd Hirsh back from the days of Taxi plays his sidekick Abe and when I learned what their relationship in the show is(you’re going to have to watch it…I will not give it away here) that is when I said this is a show I am going to watch.  I love smart writing and interesting character relationships.  Gruffudd’s character is a coroner or some sort of post mortem body examiner.  He meets detective Jo Martinez
played by Alana De La Garza when he is involved in a case where a subway train conductor dies. He is treated as a suspect and proves much like Sherlock Holmes that he is not the murderer.

Throughout the pilot we learned a little about the character’s life and lost love.  It plays with the idea of immortality being so great but you still feel pain both physical and emotional.  I cannot wait for this show to officially premiere and other episodes to come out.  You can watch it on Hulu or you can wait and with it on ABC on TUE SEPT 23 10|9c.  I will be watching it again, and if you know me you know I never watch anything twice.

Grade: A+

A to Z

On October 2nd NBC will air A to Z.  This is the complete story of Andrew and Zelda’s dating history.  I caught the pilot episode online.  Overall the show was good.  Andrew (Ben Feldman) works for a online dating company who’s boss cares more about monthly subscriptions than people finding their true love.  Andrew believes in destiny and meets Zelda (Cristin Milioti) when she comes to his office which just happens to be across the office park from her office.  He friends her on Facebook and uses his social connection to ask her out.  He realizes during the date that Zelda was the destiny girl that got away at a concert.  She tells him it wasn’t her when it was….mayhem ensues.

Feldman (a young Scott Baio) and Milioti have great chemistry.  I’m not sure if I have enough patience though to stick with this show for their 8 month courtship though.  The script is good, though not great, needs to be beefed up a bit.  A cubicle worker and a lawyer show is not that creative.  I need to know what makes them both special.  I’ll give it a few episodes before I tune out.

Grade: B-