WARNING: The following contains spoilers regarding "Last Forever", the double-length series finale to the CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother. If you have yet to see the episode, please turn back now.
Showing posts with label Television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Television. Show all posts
Monday, March 31, 2014
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Last Call for Cancellations
Next week will bring the Upfront Presentations for the major broadcasters, huge dog-and-pony shows each network to mark the end of the main season. Plans for the following season are revealed, including new shows to be picked up and initial schedules for the fall.
Even in this atmosphere where options go beyond 1000 channels, this whole exercise still proves rather fascinating.
Most of the networks have already made up their minds on what shows will be coming back. CBS made early renewal choices in late March, FOX picked up some of their comedies right before that, and NBC renewed a few of their dramas only a couple of weeks ago. One can pick up on news of this fairly easily in the modern, digital era, especially when cable channels can pick up and cancel shows at any time. Still, there are some shows that haven't heard the final word yet. For example, ABC has yet to renew a single show.
And this will be the week when the final decisions must be made.
-----
Like I said before, a good chunk of the main renewals at CBS and FOX have already been made, and the same is true for the CW. If any show is a good performer for the network, it's already guaranteed to come back. In fact, CBS has mega-successful shows like The Big Bang Theory, which tend to receive renewals for multiple years at a time.
In the case of those three, it would be easier to list off the shows that haven't been renewed yet. Firstly, in the case of FOX the only shows awaiting a decision are the ones that perform the weakest.
Touch This drama starring Keifer Sutherland has aired on Friday nights throughout its second season, and there hasn't been an episode where it did better than Fringe's final outings. Really, it was lucky to get a second season in the first place.
The Cleveland Show It has been pretty much confirmed that Family Guy's spinoff will not get any more episodes ordered, so the remaining episodes will be the last ones.
On CBS, there is only one well-performing show they've held off on renewing.
Criminal Minds CBS has waited to renew this series compared to the rest of their lineup, mostly because they were waiting on contract negotiations. (The same thing happened to Two and a Half Men, which was renewed once Jon Cryer and Ashton Kutcher signed on and Angus T Jones agreed to only return in a limited capacity.) The showrunner has since signed a new contract with CBS, as have leads Joe Mantegna and Thomas Gibson. I think I can expect to see it return.
Vegas I honestly think my father was one of the only people to follow this show to Friday nights, after an underwhelming Tuesday run. It's not coming back.
Golden Boy It was originally going to move to Fridays, but remained in Vegas' old slot in the hopes that it would gain better traction on a night with higher traffic. That never happened.
Rules of Engagement For seven seasons, this show primarily stuck around as a pinch hitter amongst the network's comedies, usually returning at midseason or earlier after a new comedy flops and filling the gaps for the remainder of the season. This time however, it seems that this show's time has run out, with weak ratings likely ending the show for good.
The first CW shows to get renewed are, interestingly the action-orientated series, Supernatural, Arrow (as in Green Arrow, the DC Comics character), as well their highest-rated show The Vampire Diaries. The next ones spared were Beauty and the Beast and Heart of Dixie, whilst the decision to bring 90210 to a close was called fairly early. That leaves two shows left waiting.
The Carrie Diaries This prequel to Sex and the City has done tepidly on Monday nights, and as such the CW won't feel inclined to keep it around.
Nikita This series has aired quietly on Friday nights, surviving into its third season. It can easily gain a fourth, primarily playing to the CW's syndication prospects by fulfilling the minimum number of episodes to sell a show. The real question is if they will jump for it on this show.
NBC waited until a few weeks back to renew their stronger dramas, from veteran Law and Order: SVU to freshman Chicago Fire and Revolution. But perhaps the biggest conundrum they have is with sitcoms. It would appear that only two sitcoms on NBC have been performing well, Parks and Recreation and The Office, and the latter is coming to an end anyway. All the rest have pretty much been bombing!
1600 Penn One prime example of a comedy flop, having eventually come down to anemic numbers running from January through March. Doing so drastically worse than the others, it isn't coming back.
Deception Primetime soap which aired during the first part of the year, and did only well enough to air its entire run. Otherwise, it may not merit a renewal between all the other dramas picked up.
Guys with Kids One of two multi-camera sitcoms which aired this season, the other being Whitney. While NBC is considering other multi-camera pilots for their fall schedule, this show has the lesser advantage on the pair of being spared. Even with newly-crowned Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon vouching for it.
Whitney The other multi-camera comedy NBC aired this year, gaining a second season as miraculously as Touch did. Assuming the network wants to pick up a new multi-camera show and needs another to pair with it, this has the ratings advantage compared with Guys With Kids and may survive to see a third season.
Hannibal Ambitious horror procedural drama, based on the Red Dragon novel of the Hannibal Lecter legacy. It did well initially, but coming down to the wire it's starting to plummet, and may escape a renewal. (I would compare this to The Firm, but that show bombed right out of the gate.)
The New Normal Ryan Murphy's sitcom about a gay couple and their surrogate was amongst several sitcoms on NBC which started to tank as we really started to delve deep into the season. The best case for this show may be the rebound it made on the last two weeks of the first season's run, airing out of The Voice. But even then, it ranks low compared to the other comedies on the chopping block.
Go On Matthew Perry's comeback vehicle was one of the shows that saw its ratings suffer the most. And even then, it holds the best case for a renewal, mostly because of it retained its audience comparatively well and because of Perry's reputation.
Community Arguments can be made for this show's quality suffering after creator Dan Harmon left, although its ratings haven't been any phenomenally worse than the rest. Still, it has enough episodes for syndication, and that could be argument enough to let it go.
Parks and Recreation This was the most solidly performing comedy all season. It's gonna come back!
Up All Night Wait, this wasn't cancelled yet? Last I've heard they were going to try and turn this into a multi-camera comedy. But then showrunners bailed, as did lead actress Christina Applegate. This was not officially cancelled, but on the other hand neither was Smash after it was moved to Saturdays.
And ABC has so many shows awaiting renewal that the only factor that would impact the lions share is some kind of unexpected twist, like say a new direction or something. Otherwise, there is a good number of no-brainer renewals (or cancellations) on this list, and you can expect to hear the final word this week.
Happy Endings The ratings for this show really suffered this season, despite ABC's best intentions and support for the show. (No really, network promos have asked viewers to "Save Our Show".) After performing so poorly on Fridays (especially in light of how other sitcoms did on the same night), it will not see another season on ABC. (However, it might find salvation from cable. USA is reportedly interested in the show.)
Red Widow Serialized drama which went overlooked on Sunday nights. Given how far it dropped after three weeks off, I can imagine this won't be continuing.
Family Tools Oh, this is one of those shows like FOX's The Goodwin Games or NBC's Save Me. It was part of a massive sitcom boom, from networks hoping to find the next breakout hit that didn't happen. Now, it's only launching at the end of the season, showing how little faith the network had in it. As such, this got the lowest sitcom premiere ratings in ABC's history, so it's gonna get the boot.
Body of Proof This procedural drama (the only one on ABC besides Castle) only barely managed to get a third season after doing horribly last year, mostly because of the California state filming credits. Otherwise, it started doing better leading out of Dancing with the Stars. Chances are ABC could use a pinch hitter for midseason, and this show has the distinction of being able to make money for the network (and for Disney) without necessarily being a huge, dynamo hit. That is what would up its chances.
Last Man Standing This sitcom starring Tim Allen has aired on Friday nights, and did far better than anybody could have guessed, performing consistently throughout its run. It will likely get a third season, but whether it remains on Fridays remains to be seen.
Malibu Country Reba's Friday night sitcom performed solidly, occasionally rebounding from softer ratings and doing well for a Friday. Prospects for renewal, however aren't as good as Last Man Standing's, and bearing a miraculous TGIF revival (what with other multi-camera pilots ABC has in the can) probably won't come to pass.
How to Live With Your Parents... A late launch for an ABC comedy, getting a decent bump from following Modern Family and gaining good traction from that. On its own, it did okay, and has a 50/50 chance of returning.
The Neighbors High-concept sitcom, developing sort of a backlash after a negative reception to its earlier episodes. However, the ratings were consistent and viewers agreed it eventually found its groove. Its chances of renewal are only slightly behind those of How to Live With Your Parents. If nothing else, it could always move to Fridays, following Last Man Standing.
Nashville ABC executives seemed really proud of this latest in their run of primetime soaps, about rival country singers. The numbers have been fairly solid, only somewhat diminishing towards the homestretch of the season. Compared with the similar, and similarly performing Revenge this bears a decent chance of renewal.
Suburgatory This sitcom in its second season only wrapped up early to accommodate Family Tools, and performed well all season. There is no reason to cancel it, other than a stretch of an argument involving the episodes that aired following The Middle, as opposed to the ones following Modern Family. Arguments for the show airing after Last Man Standing could also be made.
Revenge The second season of this show, a breakout hit in its first has gotten an increase in critical flack. However, it sustained the similar ratings, so it can very easily return next season.
Castle And from here on out, we have nothing but obvious renewal choices for ABC. This is their key procedural drama hit, and has always paired well with Dancing with the Stars on Monday nights. It's comfort food, likely to keep going.
Once Upon a Time A solid Sunday night success, developing even more complex mythos in season two. On top of that, a spinoff is in development.
The Middle Comfort food in a similar manner to Castle, in this case representing the classic family sitcom mold that has helped define ABC for decades
Scandal Primetime soap from the creator of Grey's Anatomy, which ABC has successfully built into a smash hit over the last year. A renewal is quite the obvious call.
Modern Family One of ABC's signature programs, and a very close runner-up to The Big Bang Theory, in regards to the most-watched comedy on TV.
Grey's Anatomy ABC's key veteran drama, still going strong after nine seasons.
-----
Of the many, many websites you can seek out for further information, I recommend you go to TV Series Finale. As a matter of fact, you can even say the name itself is a glowing recommendation for such a form of inquiry.
In addition to reporting on shows once they are renewed or cancelled, you can look up a list of series that have already been cancelled. You can look up your favorites anytime, and get the final word.
Check it out at http://www.tvseriesfinale.com.
Even in this atmosphere where options go beyond 1000 channels, this whole exercise still proves rather fascinating.
Most of the networks have already made up their minds on what shows will be coming back. CBS made early renewal choices in late March, FOX picked up some of their comedies right before that, and NBC renewed a few of their dramas only a couple of weeks ago. One can pick up on news of this fairly easily in the modern, digital era, especially when cable channels can pick up and cancel shows at any time. Still, there are some shows that haven't heard the final word yet. For example, ABC has yet to renew a single show.
And this will be the week when the final decisions must be made.
-----
Like I said before, a good chunk of the main renewals at CBS and FOX have already been made, and the same is true for the CW. If any show is a good performer for the network, it's already guaranteed to come back. In fact, CBS has mega-successful shows like The Big Bang Theory, which tend to receive renewals for multiple years at a time.
In the case of those three, it would be easier to list off the shows that haven't been renewed yet. Firstly, in the case of FOX the only shows awaiting a decision are the ones that perform the weakest.
Touch This drama starring Keifer Sutherland has aired on Friday nights throughout its second season, and there hasn't been an episode where it did better than Fringe's final outings. Really, it was lucky to get a second season in the first place.
The Cleveland Show It has been pretty much confirmed that Family Guy's spinoff will not get any more episodes ordered, so the remaining episodes will be the last ones.
On CBS, there is only one well-performing show they've held off on renewing.
Criminal Minds CBS has waited to renew this series compared to the rest of their lineup, mostly because they were waiting on contract negotiations. (The same thing happened to Two and a Half Men, which was renewed once Jon Cryer and Ashton Kutcher signed on and Angus T Jones agreed to only return in a limited capacity.) The showrunner has since signed a new contract with CBS, as have leads Joe Mantegna and Thomas Gibson. I think I can expect to see it return.
Vegas I honestly think my father was one of the only people to follow this show to Friday nights, after an underwhelming Tuesday run. It's not coming back.
Golden Boy It was originally going to move to Fridays, but remained in Vegas' old slot in the hopes that it would gain better traction on a night with higher traffic. That never happened.
Rules of Engagement For seven seasons, this show primarily stuck around as a pinch hitter amongst the network's comedies, usually returning at midseason or earlier after a new comedy flops and filling the gaps for the remainder of the season. This time however, it seems that this show's time has run out, with weak ratings likely ending the show for good.
The first CW shows to get renewed are, interestingly the action-orientated series, Supernatural, Arrow (as in Green Arrow, the DC Comics character), as well their highest-rated show The Vampire Diaries. The next ones spared were Beauty and the Beast and Heart of Dixie, whilst the decision to bring 90210 to a close was called fairly early. That leaves two shows left waiting.
The Carrie Diaries This prequel to Sex and the City has done tepidly on Monday nights, and as such the CW won't feel inclined to keep it around.
Nikita This series has aired quietly on Friday nights, surviving into its third season. It can easily gain a fourth, primarily playing to the CW's syndication prospects by fulfilling the minimum number of episodes to sell a show. The real question is if they will jump for it on this show.
NBC waited until a few weeks back to renew their stronger dramas, from veteran Law and Order: SVU to freshman Chicago Fire and Revolution. But perhaps the biggest conundrum they have is with sitcoms. It would appear that only two sitcoms on NBC have been performing well, Parks and Recreation and The Office, and the latter is coming to an end anyway. All the rest have pretty much been bombing!
1600 Penn One prime example of a comedy flop, having eventually come down to anemic numbers running from January through March. Doing so drastically worse than the others, it isn't coming back.
Deception Primetime soap which aired during the first part of the year, and did only well enough to air its entire run. Otherwise, it may not merit a renewal between all the other dramas picked up.
Guys with Kids One of two multi-camera sitcoms which aired this season, the other being Whitney. While NBC is considering other multi-camera pilots for their fall schedule, this show has the lesser advantage on the pair of being spared. Even with newly-crowned Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon vouching for it.
Whitney The other multi-camera comedy NBC aired this year, gaining a second season as miraculously as Touch did. Assuming the network wants to pick up a new multi-camera show and needs another to pair with it, this has the ratings advantage compared with Guys With Kids and may survive to see a third season.
Hannibal Ambitious horror procedural drama, based on the Red Dragon novel of the Hannibal Lecter legacy. It did well initially, but coming down to the wire it's starting to plummet, and may escape a renewal. (I would compare this to The Firm, but that show bombed right out of the gate.)
The New Normal Ryan Murphy's sitcom about a gay couple and their surrogate was amongst several sitcoms on NBC which started to tank as we really started to delve deep into the season. The best case for this show may be the rebound it made on the last two weeks of the first season's run, airing out of The Voice. But even then, it ranks low compared to the other comedies on the chopping block.
Go On Matthew Perry's comeback vehicle was one of the shows that saw its ratings suffer the most. And even then, it holds the best case for a renewal, mostly because of it retained its audience comparatively well and because of Perry's reputation.
Community Arguments can be made for this show's quality suffering after creator Dan Harmon left, although its ratings haven't been any phenomenally worse than the rest. Still, it has enough episodes for syndication, and that could be argument enough to let it go.
Parks and Recreation This was the most solidly performing comedy all season. It's gonna come back!
Up All Night Wait, this wasn't cancelled yet? Last I've heard they were going to try and turn this into a multi-camera comedy. But then showrunners bailed, as did lead actress Christina Applegate. This was not officially cancelled, but on the other hand neither was Smash after it was moved to Saturdays.
And ABC has so many shows awaiting renewal that the only factor that would impact the lions share is some kind of unexpected twist, like say a new direction or something. Otherwise, there is a good number of no-brainer renewals (or cancellations) on this list, and you can expect to hear the final word this week.
Happy Endings The ratings for this show really suffered this season, despite ABC's best intentions and support for the show. (No really, network promos have asked viewers to "Save Our Show".) After performing so poorly on Fridays (especially in light of how other sitcoms did on the same night), it will not see another season on ABC. (However, it might find salvation from cable. USA is reportedly interested in the show.)
Red Widow Serialized drama which went overlooked on Sunday nights. Given how far it dropped after three weeks off, I can imagine this won't be continuing.
Family Tools Oh, this is one of those shows like FOX's The Goodwin Games or NBC's Save Me. It was part of a massive sitcom boom, from networks hoping to find the next breakout hit that didn't happen. Now, it's only launching at the end of the season, showing how little faith the network had in it. As such, this got the lowest sitcom premiere ratings in ABC's history, so it's gonna get the boot.
Body of Proof This procedural drama (the only one on ABC besides Castle) only barely managed to get a third season after doing horribly last year, mostly because of the California state filming credits. Otherwise, it started doing better leading out of Dancing with the Stars. Chances are ABC could use a pinch hitter for midseason, and this show has the distinction of being able to make money for the network (and for Disney) without necessarily being a huge, dynamo hit. That is what would up its chances.
Last Man Standing This sitcom starring Tim Allen has aired on Friday nights, and did far better than anybody could have guessed, performing consistently throughout its run. It will likely get a third season, but whether it remains on Fridays remains to be seen.
Malibu Country Reba's Friday night sitcom performed solidly, occasionally rebounding from softer ratings and doing well for a Friday. Prospects for renewal, however aren't as good as Last Man Standing's, and bearing a miraculous TGIF revival (what with other multi-camera pilots ABC has in the can) probably won't come to pass.
How to Live With Your Parents... A late launch for an ABC comedy, getting a decent bump from following Modern Family and gaining good traction from that. On its own, it did okay, and has a 50/50 chance of returning.
The Neighbors High-concept sitcom, developing sort of a backlash after a negative reception to its earlier episodes. However, the ratings were consistent and viewers agreed it eventually found its groove. Its chances of renewal are only slightly behind those of How to Live With Your Parents. If nothing else, it could always move to Fridays, following Last Man Standing.
Nashville ABC executives seemed really proud of this latest in their run of primetime soaps, about rival country singers. The numbers have been fairly solid, only somewhat diminishing towards the homestretch of the season. Compared with the similar, and similarly performing Revenge this bears a decent chance of renewal.
Suburgatory This sitcom in its second season only wrapped up early to accommodate Family Tools, and performed well all season. There is no reason to cancel it, other than a stretch of an argument involving the episodes that aired following The Middle, as opposed to the ones following Modern Family. Arguments for the show airing after Last Man Standing could also be made.
Revenge The second season of this show, a breakout hit in its first has gotten an increase in critical flack. However, it sustained the similar ratings, so it can very easily return next season.
Castle And from here on out, we have nothing but obvious renewal choices for ABC. This is their key procedural drama hit, and has always paired well with Dancing with the Stars on Monday nights. It's comfort food, likely to keep going.
Once Upon a Time A solid Sunday night success, developing even more complex mythos in season two. On top of that, a spinoff is in development.
The Middle Comfort food in a similar manner to Castle, in this case representing the classic family sitcom mold that has helped define ABC for decades
Scandal Primetime soap from the creator of Grey's Anatomy, which ABC has successfully built into a smash hit over the last year. A renewal is quite the obvious call.
Modern Family One of ABC's signature programs, and a very close runner-up to The Big Bang Theory, in regards to the most-watched comedy on TV.
Grey's Anatomy ABC's key veteran drama, still going strong after nine seasons.
-----
Of the many, many websites you can seek out for further information, I recommend you go to TV Series Finale. As a matter of fact, you can even say the name itself is a glowing recommendation for such a form of inquiry.
In addition to reporting on shows once they are renewed or cancelled, you can look up a list of series that have already been cancelled. You can look up your favorites anytime, and get the final word.
Check it out at http://www.tvseriesfinale.com.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Revolution -- A Review of the New NBC Drama
Revolution premieres tonight, September 17, 2012 at 10/9c on NBC
_______________________________________________________
In recent years, the television drama has seen a real rise in quality and substance, the standards for series all around reaching new heights. This success started off with premium cable networks offering more substantial, more elaborate shows as a perk to subscribers. They would only grow in popularity and run a long time, and even eventually influence the more freely-available networks like basic cable and even the once-mighty broadcasters. One subgenre that benefited in particular from this boom was the post-apocalyptic setting, often containing survivalist themes. As far as recent examples go, the trend can be traced back to Jericho, which aired on CBS in 2006 and followed a small farming community in Kansas, cut off from society by a crippling terrorist attack and trying desperately to hang on by itself. Since then, more successful examples of this genre have popped up on cable. Chief among them is The Walking Dead, AMC's intense zombie apocalypse smash hit, and the Steven Spielberg-produced Falling Skies, a show on TNT just past its second season about a band of rebels fighting invading aliens. And now, NBC throws its hat into the ring with Revolution, from producer J.J. Abrams.
Revolution is set fifteen years after the world is thrown into turmoil by a mass blackout. In this inexplicable event, all forms of energy cease to function, and it's more than just all the power going out at once. Nothing works, not batteries, cars stall dead on the road, airplanes fall from the sky. In the setting proper, we're left with sprawling ruins all over the globe covered in dominating plant life, as depicted in Life After People. We follow Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos), who was a little girl when the lights went out and now dreams of exploring the world outside her neighborhood, which looks like a small agrarian development over an old suburb. But one day, the local warlords come in, kill her father and take her brother, Danny (Graham Rogers) prisoner. This propels her to start on a journey to find him, first going to the ruins of Chicago to meet her tough, hermit-like uncle Miles (Billy Burke, the dad from Twilight).
All the promos you've seen NBC throw around for Revolution (considering the network's woes, it shouldn't be so surprising that a lot of energy goes there to generate a lot of substantial material) look to make a great first impression. If you look into the archives of this blog, you will find that the initial trailer for this show as soon as it was picked up this past May made me very excited. I could easily relate to a show that suggested that we are a little too closely connected to our electronics, because I thought it was a good point and still do. In fact, producer Abrams suggested that one of the major conflicts on this show is said to be the debate of whether or not the power should ever come back on. We even have a promo of Charlie, out protagonist saying that she doesn't think it should, stating that "When the world lost power, I found mine." I'm not sure if I can go that far, but I won't deny Abrams words either, saying that we may need to get away from it all.
But aside from that, we also get the images of a great-looking show. Another executive producer is our pilot's director Jon Faverau, the Iron Man director who I think might be the best actor-turned-director working. We get an intense opening sequence of all the power going off in the opening scene of the pilot, showing real reactions of people observing the world essentially coming to a halt. It all goes from two kids desensitized by bright flashing images off a TV and a smartphone to the chilling image of airplanes stalling midair and falling into fiery explosions. Equally as frightful is the last image on the TV, showing Bugs Bunny looking like he's trapped in a close-up shot as the image sputters around and flickers off. And the world of ruin is also great-looking. I already mentioned the History Channel's Life After People, but the same inspiration could also be found in Alan Weisman's The World Without Us. The first montage of this world promises great atmosphere as a benefit of the time-jump from the initial cataclysm, in the suitable nomadic setting and premise the show will offer. The only problem I have is in the wardrobe. Everyone's clothes look like their in good shape, and are surprisingly well-tailored. This is a world where all governments and economies failed, right? There is no Kohl's or Target to get these clothes from, much less factories to make them. It really is a nitpick and the show shouldn't be judged completely on it, but I felt like bringing it up.
But this world, covered in vegetation that is eating through all remains of the city, isn't the only one we'll see. I will admit, I initially thought that we were skipping a lot of potentially interesting stuff by jumping ahead fifteen years to the main setting. To my pleasant surprise, the pilot offered a few flashbacks to immediately after the initial blackout. An article in Entertainment Weekly also shows a picture promising to see how the family of our main heroes copes in the brave new world without power. I'm not saying either time period is better than the other. But, the initial narration talking about the inferred holocaust almost felt like a cheat, like they were leaving out some real juicy stories. Now though, I can say that the potential of this show is double the size you would expect, offering the potential for great survivalist themes on two accounts. The first being about people hoping to get by on limited resources, having just been sapped completely in a single fell swoop. And the other being a war zone where the survivors of the last fifteen years constantly pick up their arms and ward off any direct threat, like from that militia.
And finally, let's compare and contrast for a minute. Both Jericho and Falling Skies started off showcasing characters trying to survive in what seemed like a dead world, Falling Skies with some sense of a direct threat. Both shows however, would find direct conflict in their second seasons. The Walking Dead only sounds like it could be about direct conflict, given the presence of zombies. But you can argue that zombies aren't that exciting to watch as villains, and the greatest strengths of that show come to light in other ways as a real display of survivalist action and suspense. So far, all of these shows have really raised the bar for this genre, and Revolution has a long climb to make. But, while we do have one big, direct source of conflict hanging over the show, the potential for some serious survivalist overtones still hangs high. With any luck, it'll hit a strong chord both in storytelling and with audiences.
_______________________________________________________
In recent years, the television drama has seen a real rise in quality and substance, the standards for series all around reaching new heights. This success started off with premium cable networks offering more substantial, more elaborate shows as a perk to subscribers. They would only grow in popularity and run a long time, and even eventually influence the more freely-available networks like basic cable and even the once-mighty broadcasters. One subgenre that benefited in particular from this boom was the post-apocalyptic setting, often containing survivalist themes. As far as recent examples go, the trend can be traced back to Jericho, which aired on CBS in 2006 and followed a small farming community in Kansas, cut off from society by a crippling terrorist attack and trying desperately to hang on by itself. Since then, more successful examples of this genre have popped up on cable. Chief among them is The Walking Dead, AMC's intense zombie apocalypse smash hit, and the Steven Spielberg-produced Falling Skies, a show on TNT just past its second season about a band of rebels fighting invading aliens. And now, NBC throws its hat into the ring with Revolution, from producer J.J. Abrams.
Revolution is set fifteen years after the world is thrown into turmoil by a mass blackout. In this inexplicable event, all forms of energy cease to function, and it's more than just all the power going out at once. Nothing works, not batteries, cars stall dead on the road, airplanes fall from the sky. In the setting proper, we're left with sprawling ruins all over the globe covered in dominating plant life, as depicted in Life After People. We follow Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos), who was a little girl when the lights went out and now dreams of exploring the world outside her neighborhood, which looks like a small agrarian development over an old suburb. But one day, the local warlords come in, kill her father and take her brother, Danny (Graham Rogers) prisoner. This propels her to start on a journey to find him, first going to the ruins of Chicago to meet her tough, hermit-like uncle Miles (Billy Burke, the dad from Twilight).
All the promos you've seen NBC throw around for Revolution (considering the network's woes, it shouldn't be so surprising that a lot of energy goes there to generate a lot of substantial material) look to make a great first impression. If you look into the archives of this blog, you will find that the initial trailer for this show as soon as it was picked up this past May made me very excited. I could easily relate to a show that suggested that we are a little too closely connected to our electronics, because I thought it was a good point and still do. In fact, producer Abrams suggested that one of the major conflicts on this show is said to be the debate of whether or not the power should ever come back on. We even have a promo of Charlie, out protagonist saying that she doesn't think it should, stating that "When the world lost power, I found mine." I'm not sure if I can go that far, but I won't deny Abrams words either, saying that we may need to get away from it all.
But aside from that, we also get the images of a great-looking show. Another executive producer is our pilot's director Jon Faverau, the Iron Man director who I think might be the best actor-turned-director working. We get an intense opening sequence of all the power going off in the opening scene of the pilot, showing real reactions of people observing the world essentially coming to a halt. It all goes from two kids desensitized by bright flashing images off a TV and a smartphone to the chilling image of airplanes stalling midair and falling into fiery explosions. Equally as frightful is the last image on the TV, showing Bugs Bunny looking like he's trapped in a close-up shot as the image sputters around and flickers off. And the world of ruin is also great-looking. I already mentioned the History Channel's Life After People, but the same inspiration could also be found in Alan Weisman's The World Without Us. The first montage of this world promises great atmosphere as a benefit of the time-jump from the initial cataclysm, in the suitable nomadic setting and premise the show will offer. The only problem I have is in the wardrobe. Everyone's clothes look like their in good shape, and are surprisingly well-tailored. This is a world where all governments and economies failed, right? There is no Kohl's or Target to get these clothes from, much less factories to make them. It really is a nitpick and the show shouldn't be judged completely on it, but I felt like bringing it up.
But this world, covered in vegetation that is eating through all remains of the city, isn't the only one we'll see. I will admit, I initially thought that we were skipping a lot of potentially interesting stuff by jumping ahead fifteen years to the main setting. To my pleasant surprise, the pilot offered a few flashbacks to immediately after the initial blackout. An article in Entertainment Weekly also shows a picture promising to see how the family of our main heroes copes in the brave new world without power. I'm not saying either time period is better than the other. But, the initial narration talking about the inferred holocaust almost felt like a cheat, like they were leaving out some real juicy stories. Now though, I can say that the potential of this show is double the size you would expect, offering the potential for great survivalist themes on two accounts. The first being about people hoping to get by on limited resources, having just been sapped completely in a single fell swoop. And the other being a war zone where the survivors of the last fifteen years constantly pick up their arms and ward off any direct threat, like from that militia.
And finally, let's compare and contrast for a minute. Both Jericho and Falling Skies started off showcasing characters trying to survive in what seemed like a dead world, Falling Skies with some sense of a direct threat. Both shows however, would find direct conflict in their second seasons. The Walking Dead only sounds like it could be about direct conflict, given the presence of zombies. But you can argue that zombies aren't that exciting to watch as villains, and the greatest strengths of that show come to light in other ways as a real display of survivalist action and suspense. So far, all of these shows have really raised the bar for this genre, and Revolution has a long climb to make. But, while we do have one big, direct source of conflict hanging over the show, the potential for some serious survivalist overtones still hangs high. With any luck, it'll hit a strong chord both in storytelling and with audiences.
Monday, May 7, 2012
That Time of Year, Again -- Pre-Upfronts
It's time to dip back into that blog I never write on. (Seriously, the last thing I wrote on this was that creative piece objecting to the infamous anti-piracy bills, all the way back in January.)
But yeah, on the upside this is a special occasion, one that has enraptured my interest since I was in high school. Perhaps the one event that represents May best for me. It's the end of the main television season, more specifically the last week before the Broadcast Network Upfronts. Sure, they don't hold as much water in this age of online streaming like Netflix and fantastic dramas made for cable. In fact, broadcast viewership overall seriously plummeted this season, adding more stress to a business that was already declining for a while now. Still, this upfront business is all pretty exciting and makes for a big annual event that can't help but stand out.
And of course, this means a turning point for many a viewer's choice of programs. Some will continue, and others will cut off (and some already have).
Let's look back at each network, consider the season that has passed, and where everything stands. Which shows have already been renewed, which won't be coming back, and how each is doing overall.
NBC -- To start off, we have one of the weaker performing networks, one that has been floundering for years now. And with the afore-mentioned declines, things have only gotten worse this season. Some shows couldn't even average a 1.0 rating in the key demographic of Adults 18-49, with only the smaller CW network doing worse. The only real bright spot they have is The Voice, the American Idol-esque that premiered big last season and has done about as well this year.
Overall the Peacock network, once at the top of the world is in a crisis mode. And in such a state, they have had to get creative, and have done so in past seasons in response to continuous declines. In fact, at the time of this writing NBC has already picked up several new shows for the fall. Literally as soon as I started writing, the comedic pilot The New Normal and the J.J. Abrams-produced drama Revolution both got full-series pickups, and other pickups were announced since then. It gives me the impression that I should have done this last week. Anyway, NBC at least has the Summer Olympics to help them this year. Reports point to a late August launch for some shows, both new and returning in the immediate ratings heat following the Olympics. Examples that have been thrown out for this practice include Go On, a new comedy with Matthew Perry.
With the network already picking up new shows well before the competition, it's already the moment of truth for a lot of existing NBC shows. Of them, so far only two dramas have been renewed. One is Smash, the DreamWorks-produced musical drama that has been a modest success and stood out against the rest of the lineup. The other is Grimm, which has also been rumored for a premiere in the post-Olympics heat. Furthermore, the way it's been holding on Friday nights (especially considering the big premiere out of the minuscule Chuck premiere back in October), and especially with the even worse numbers on higher-traffic nights makes it a regular ratings dynamo.
Of the rest of the lineup, we have a mixed bag. Long-standing reality shows are likely to return, like The Biggest Loser and Celebrity Apprentice, as will Betty White: Off Their Rockers, a stand-out performer. Sole franchise survivor Law & Order: SVU is also inclined to stick amongst dramas. Parenthood has not been seen since February, but it has performed consistently and stands out well compared to the network's declines since the finale. It is likely to return, but one may still be surprised here. Otherwise, The Firm and Awake are both considered failures, whilst Harry's Law is likewise too weak a performer in the sweet spot demo to get renewed.
And now we get to comedies, and only now do I realize the risks of writing at this point in time when the important stories develop on the spot. (Really, the entire rest of the post has already been finished and I'm rewriting this one section to update it!)
Anyway, I was about to point out here about how the sitcoms seemed to have performed equally as well but the older shows all stood a better chance at renewal. In particular, Community wouldn't get the axe with as much well-deserved support has it has received. Well since I started writing, NBC has announced the increasing likelihood that all their biggest comedies would be renewed. Specifically, 30 Rock will get a renewal for a final season. On top of that, it will be an abbreviated one, running only 13-14 episodes. With this decision very well in the bag, NBC may do the same for Parks and Recreation and Community. And I thought the whole "Post-Olympics Premiere Week" was a creative alternative here. This also gives Up All Night a better chance for survival than I previously anticipated. But Whitney has a much bleaker outlook, as do Are You There, Chelsea and Best Friends Forever. And Bent only ran quickly for three weeks, and I consider this giving it the shaft.
And it will be interesting to see how The Office pans out, especially with the mixed critical reception this whole past season and plans for a spinoff about Dwight. I can say anything goes at this point, especially considering rumors of a reboot.
CBS -- On the plus side, I can say there's less to say about this network. Not only have they been hanging tough overall with some popular new shows, CBS has already renewed the majority of their lineup. The most obvious cases for renewal are already on tap for next season, from my father's choices of NCIS, Hawaii Five-0, Criminal Minds, and Friday favorite Blue Bloods, to my mother's choices of new drama Person of Interest and critical darling The Good Wife. The same could be said for Mike and Molly and new hit comedy 2 Broke Girls, while The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother are in the midst of multi-season renewals. Same goes for NCIS: LA and The Mentalist.
That leaves Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement and Rob among comedies. The latter two have some question to them, but Men is a shoe-in as long as Ashton Kutcher (who replaced Charlie Sheen) is game. As far as dramas go, the flagship CSI series is the only one in the franchise renewed for next year. Only one other of the two, Miami and NY, will continue, with the more expensive Miami lacking much of an edge despite higher ratings. No other drama is likely to proceed. On the reality front, all three of the big ones have been renewed, Survivor, The Amazing Race, and Undercover Boss.
The CW -- It's funny, because I've been looking up UPN and The WB on Wikipedia, TV Tropes and YouTube this past week. I've been on a nostalgic trip for these long-lost networks of the late 90's and can easily write about how radically different they were, but I still don't really care about their successor. And I don't think it cares about me.
I'm not even sure if it matters anyway, since there's a long way to go between their ratings and even the horrible ratings of NBC. But relative to their low standards, they really only have hits in the already-renewed Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries, the former a beloved cult drama and the latter the best performer on the CW. Modernized continuation 90210 was also renewed last week. Heart of Dixie (in the first season) and Nikita (second season) were the weaker performers earlier, but only now is freshman drama The Secret Circle starting to bomb. And since Circle comes on after Vampire Diaries, that seems to doom the show outright. Gossip Girl, which has been on for five years is curiously missing from the recent renewals, which sort of helps to level the playing field. And how ironic is it that I only bothered to write about the Sarah Michelle Gellar vehicle Ringer back in September as far as CW shows were concerned (what with its anticipation at the time), and that's the show least likely to get renewed.
Oh, and I am aware of The LA Complex, a Canadian import that did worse in the rut of the main season than the similarly imported comedy 18 to Life did in the Summer.
FOX -- The home of American Idol and Animation Domination appears to be all set for the Upfronts, with the obvious choices for renewal already determined. Glee will return next season, as will the solid veteran Bones. Raising Hope is also a go for next season, as is smash hit freshman, New Girl with Zooey Deschanel. FOX has already made up its mind on Terra Nova, dropping the ambitious prehistoric action drama after one 13-episode season. They've also decided to close House after eight years. Touch is the remaining freshman drama still on the schedule and left undetermined, although the way the ratings have changed over the season don't inspire confidence. Things are considerably bleaker for Alcatraz and The Finder, the latter in particular a massive flop left to finish on Friday nights.
And on the same night is Fringe, which got a vote of confidence last season with a full 22-episode renewal. Now, FOX is willing to let the show down easy, allotting a 13-episode season to wrap things up. I can say the show has been lucky this whole time to keep going and last long enough to sustain potential in syndication and tell a full-circle story. Not many sci-fi shows on FOX are lucky, and this J.J. Abrams production earned its support from such a successful, and otherwise highly competitive network.
Much of Animation Domination is a go for next season, and this includes the two fellow Seth MacFarlane comedies to Family Guy, American Dad and The Cleveland Show. No decision seems to have been made on Bob's Burgers, even though it has a 22-episode season season that could lead it into next year. Still, it is only one of two shows going beyond the standard repertoire of The Simpsons and MacFarlane shows on this popular lineup with an equal chance to proceed. The other is Napoleon Dynamite, a loose adaptation of the 2004 cult favorite with the same creative team and cast, plus Simpsons veteran Mike Scully backing it up. This lineup also saw Allen Gregory from comedy star Jonah Hill, which seemed like a failure right out of the gate. Of course, that one has already been cancelled.
ABC -- And now let's finish this off. ABC isn't necessarily doing any better as a whole now than previously. Previous reality titan Dancing With the Stars has softened considerably in recent years, and now comedy Modern Family really stands out as the network's biggest hit. But at the same time, they have shown plenty of improvement and increased degrees of success. Leading into the final season of Desperate Housewives, we have another big fairy tale hit like Grimm in a different form, Once Upon a Time. And that's not the only solid smash hit ABC's seen this season, as audiences can't stop talking about Revenge.
As of this writing, ABC has not renewed any of it's shows yet. No, none at all. Still, it seems pretty obvious which ones will be, and I just mentioned the two new standout shows. **Wink-Wink** Also looking good for a renewal is Castle, holding up well as the dramatic tension on the series progresses. Grey's Anatomy is also cruising for a renewal, standing out well against the rest of the network's shows, and spinoff Private Practice is no slouch either. That will likely see at least one more season, and it's been solid in a move to Tuesday nights in what's otherwise something of a death slot. By the way, Body of Proof says hello, and likely is going to say goodbye. Among other dramas, the ambitious horror series The River hasn't really held any water, and Missing is similarly bound for cancellation. On the upside though, the other midseason debuts have been quite solid. GCB has held up well during its run, only slipping the weekend of the Titanic miniseries (and that's a debacle in and of itself). It could get vote of confidence. And Scandal has been an even stronger performer, standing an even better chance for renewal.
And on the comedy side, we have nothing but strong, well-supported hits. The Middle and Suburgatory are certainly a go for next season, while Happy Endings also looks great and Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 is also standing firm on its own two feet. The only real failures here, Work It and Man Up got the axe long ago. There is a lot of positive speculation regarding Tim Allen's show Last Man Standing, which opened very well especially considering the fact that it's a multi-camera sitcom in a single-camera world. But I'm not too sure about that one, since it has declined considerably and certainly in the most recent airing. Most people expect it to return and I can understand if the network has faith in it overall. But I'm not gonna lie, to see it renewed would honestly surprise me. And that leaves Cougar Town, which has been performing weakly despite some much-deserved critical success. Over the weekend, TBS has offered to pick up the show in ABC's stead for not one, but two seasons. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but that's something important to consider.
So there you have it. And really, all I can say at this point is thank you. Thank you for reading through that entire, long-winded post of my rambles.
But yeah, on the upside this is a special occasion, one that has enraptured my interest since I was in high school. Perhaps the one event that represents May best for me. It's the end of the main television season, more specifically the last week before the Broadcast Network Upfronts. Sure, they don't hold as much water in this age of online streaming like Netflix and fantastic dramas made for cable. In fact, broadcast viewership overall seriously plummeted this season, adding more stress to a business that was already declining for a while now. Still, this upfront business is all pretty exciting and makes for a big annual event that can't help but stand out.
And of course, this means a turning point for many a viewer's choice of programs. Some will continue, and others will cut off (and some already have).
Let's look back at each network, consider the season that has passed, and where everything stands. Which shows have already been renewed, which won't be coming back, and how each is doing overall.
NBC -- To start off, we have one of the weaker performing networks, one that has been floundering for years now. And with the afore-mentioned declines, things have only gotten worse this season. Some shows couldn't even average a 1.0 rating in the key demographic of Adults 18-49, with only the smaller CW network doing worse. The only real bright spot they have is The Voice, the American Idol-esque that premiered big last season and has done about as well this year.
Overall the Peacock network, once at the top of the world is in a crisis mode. And in such a state, they have had to get creative, and have done so in past seasons in response to continuous declines. In fact, at the time of this writing NBC has already picked up several new shows for the fall. Literally as soon as I started writing, the comedic pilot The New Normal and the J.J. Abrams-produced drama Revolution both got full-series pickups, and other pickups were announced since then. It gives me the impression that I should have done this last week. Anyway, NBC at least has the Summer Olympics to help them this year. Reports point to a late August launch for some shows, both new and returning in the immediate ratings heat following the Olympics. Examples that have been thrown out for this practice include Go On, a new comedy with Matthew Perry.
With the network already picking up new shows well before the competition, it's already the moment of truth for a lot of existing NBC shows. Of them, so far only two dramas have been renewed. One is Smash, the DreamWorks-produced musical drama that has been a modest success and stood out against the rest of the lineup. The other is Grimm, which has also been rumored for a premiere in the post-Olympics heat. Furthermore, the way it's been holding on Friday nights (especially considering the big premiere out of the minuscule Chuck premiere back in October), and especially with the even worse numbers on higher-traffic nights makes it a regular ratings dynamo.
Of the rest of the lineup, we have a mixed bag. Long-standing reality shows are likely to return, like The Biggest Loser and Celebrity Apprentice, as will Betty White: Off Their Rockers, a stand-out performer. Sole franchise survivor Law & Order: SVU is also inclined to stick amongst dramas. Parenthood has not been seen since February, but it has performed consistently and stands out well compared to the network's declines since the finale. It is likely to return, but one may still be surprised here. Otherwise, The Firm and Awake are both considered failures, whilst Harry's Law is likewise too weak a performer in the sweet spot demo to get renewed.
And now we get to comedies, and only now do I realize the risks of writing at this point in time when the important stories develop on the spot. (Really, the entire rest of the post has already been finished and I'm rewriting this one section to update it!)
Anyway, I was about to point out here about how the sitcoms seemed to have performed equally as well but the older shows all stood a better chance at renewal. In particular, Community wouldn't get the axe with as much well-deserved support has it has received. Well since I started writing, NBC has announced the increasing likelihood that all their biggest comedies would be renewed. Specifically, 30 Rock will get a renewal for a final season. On top of that, it will be an abbreviated one, running only 13-14 episodes. With this decision very well in the bag, NBC may do the same for Parks and Recreation and Community. And I thought the whole "Post-Olympics Premiere Week" was a creative alternative here. This also gives Up All Night a better chance for survival than I previously anticipated. But Whitney has a much bleaker outlook, as do Are You There, Chelsea and Best Friends Forever. And Bent only ran quickly for three weeks, and I consider this giving it the shaft.
And it will be interesting to see how The Office pans out, especially with the mixed critical reception this whole past season and plans for a spinoff about Dwight. I can say anything goes at this point, especially considering rumors of a reboot.
CBS -- On the plus side, I can say there's less to say about this network. Not only have they been hanging tough overall with some popular new shows, CBS has already renewed the majority of their lineup. The most obvious cases for renewal are already on tap for next season, from my father's choices of NCIS, Hawaii Five-0, Criminal Minds, and Friday favorite Blue Bloods, to my mother's choices of new drama Person of Interest and critical darling The Good Wife. The same could be said for Mike and Molly and new hit comedy 2 Broke Girls, while The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother are in the midst of multi-season renewals. Same goes for NCIS: LA and The Mentalist.
That leaves Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement and Rob among comedies. The latter two have some question to them, but Men is a shoe-in as long as Ashton Kutcher (who replaced Charlie Sheen) is game. As far as dramas go, the flagship CSI series is the only one in the franchise renewed for next year. Only one other of the two, Miami and NY, will continue, with the more expensive Miami lacking much of an edge despite higher ratings. No other drama is likely to proceed. On the reality front, all three of the big ones have been renewed, Survivor, The Amazing Race, and Undercover Boss.
The CW -- It's funny, because I've been looking up UPN and The WB on Wikipedia, TV Tropes and YouTube this past week. I've been on a nostalgic trip for these long-lost networks of the late 90's and can easily write about how radically different they were, but I still don't really care about their successor. And I don't think it cares about me.
I'm not even sure if it matters anyway, since there's a long way to go between their ratings and even the horrible ratings of NBC. But relative to their low standards, they really only have hits in the already-renewed Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries, the former a beloved cult drama and the latter the best performer on the CW. Modernized continuation 90210 was also renewed last week. Heart of Dixie (in the first season) and Nikita (second season) were the weaker performers earlier, but only now is freshman drama The Secret Circle starting to bomb. And since Circle comes on after Vampire Diaries, that seems to doom the show outright. Gossip Girl, which has been on for five years is curiously missing from the recent renewals, which sort of helps to level the playing field. And how ironic is it that I only bothered to write about the Sarah Michelle Gellar vehicle Ringer back in September as far as CW shows were concerned (what with its anticipation at the time), and that's the show least likely to get renewed.
Oh, and I am aware of The LA Complex, a Canadian import that did worse in the rut of the main season than the similarly imported comedy 18 to Life did in the Summer.
FOX -- The home of American Idol and Animation Domination appears to be all set for the Upfronts, with the obvious choices for renewal already determined. Glee will return next season, as will the solid veteran Bones. Raising Hope is also a go for next season, as is smash hit freshman, New Girl with Zooey Deschanel. FOX has already made up its mind on Terra Nova, dropping the ambitious prehistoric action drama after one 13-episode season. They've also decided to close House after eight years. Touch is the remaining freshman drama still on the schedule and left undetermined, although the way the ratings have changed over the season don't inspire confidence. Things are considerably bleaker for Alcatraz and The Finder, the latter in particular a massive flop left to finish on Friday nights.
And on the same night is Fringe, which got a vote of confidence last season with a full 22-episode renewal. Now, FOX is willing to let the show down easy, allotting a 13-episode season to wrap things up. I can say the show has been lucky this whole time to keep going and last long enough to sustain potential in syndication and tell a full-circle story. Not many sci-fi shows on FOX are lucky, and this J.J. Abrams production earned its support from such a successful, and otherwise highly competitive network.
Much of Animation Domination is a go for next season, and this includes the two fellow Seth MacFarlane comedies to Family Guy, American Dad and The Cleveland Show. No decision seems to have been made on Bob's Burgers, even though it has a 22-episode season season that could lead it into next year. Still, it is only one of two shows going beyond the standard repertoire of The Simpsons and MacFarlane shows on this popular lineup with an equal chance to proceed. The other is Napoleon Dynamite, a loose adaptation of the 2004 cult favorite with the same creative team and cast, plus Simpsons veteran Mike Scully backing it up. This lineup also saw Allen Gregory from comedy star Jonah Hill, which seemed like a failure right out of the gate. Of course, that one has already been cancelled.
ABC -- And now let's finish this off. ABC isn't necessarily doing any better as a whole now than previously. Previous reality titan Dancing With the Stars has softened considerably in recent years, and now comedy Modern Family really stands out as the network's biggest hit. But at the same time, they have shown plenty of improvement and increased degrees of success. Leading into the final season of Desperate Housewives, we have another big fairy tale hit like Grimm in a different form, Once Upon a Time. And that's not the only solid smash hit ABC's seen this season, as audiences can't stop talking about Revenge.
As of this writing, ABC has not renewed any of it's shows yet. No, none at all. Still, it seems pretty obvious which ones will be, and I just mentioned the two new standout shows. **Wink-Wink** Also looking good for a renewal is Castle, holding up well as the dramatic tension on the series progresses. Grey's Anatomy is also cruising for a renewal, standing out well against the rest of the network's shows, and spinoff Private Practice is no slouch either. That will likely see at least one more season, and it's been solid in a move to Tuesday nights in what's otherwise something of a death slot. By the way, Body of Proof says hello, and likely is going to say goodbye. Among other dramas, the ambitious horror series The River hasn't really held any water, and Missing is similarly bound for cancellation. On the upside though, the other midseason debuts have been quite solid. GCB has held up well during its run, only slipping the weekend of the Titanic miniseries (and that's a debacle in and of itself). It could get vote of confidence. And Scandal has been an even stronger performer, standing an even better chance for renewal.
And on the comedy side, we have nothing but strong, well-supported hits. The Middle and Suburgatory are certainly a go for next season, while Happy Endings also looks great and Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 is also standing firm on its own two feet. The only real failures here, Work It and Man Up got the axe long ago. There is a lot of positive speculation regarding Tim Allen's show Last Man Standing, which opened very well especially considering the fact that it's a multi-camera sitcom in a single-camera world. But I'm not too sure about that one, since it has declined considerably and certainly in the most recent airing. Most people expect it to return and I can understand if the network has faith in it overall. But I'm not gonna lie, to see it renewed would honestly surprise me. And that leaves Cougar Town, which has been performing weakly despite some much-deserved critical success. Over the weekend, TBS has offered to pick up the show in ABC's stead for not one, but two seasons. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but that's something important to consider.
So there you have it. And really, all I can say at this point is thank you. Thank you for reading through that entire, long-winded post of my rambles.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
The "Reason SOPA Sucks" Speech
Before I write a single word on the matter at hand, I should fully acknowledge the risk factors at hand. In a very Republican family, I tend to avoid most political matters and leave that all to them. I tend to be passive, non-partisan and diplomatic. Still, this is a surprisingly political piece, and it will no doubt infuriate a lot of people of power. Said people may very well not have read it at all or just look at the broad strokes, only focusing on the notion that this is against their interests and bad for their business. I would just be vilified for merely speaking my mind and emerge with a painful, crippling loss on my part.
Such is the reason I avoid politics or speaking my mind. But, this is a matter I cannot ignore in the slightest, one that involves liberty being put at risk and wherein human beings would become exploited for the benefit of a strong, powerful minority.
There is a variable alphabet soup of bills going on in Washington, with the intent of fighting piracy. I understand that piracy is a serious issue, and that it causes a lot of financial loss for the entertainment industry. That I cannot deny, and you can’t claim any benefit on my part because of it. I avoid websites that stream entire movies for free as well as street-side vendors selling illegitimate DVDs and make absolutely no attempt to undermine the severity of piracy.
However, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is one of the sloppiest, most blatantly destructive attempts to curb piracy. The main gist of the bill is that it would shut down any website that uses any piece of any copyrighted material. There are no exceptions, and no questioning. There’s also no fairness to the bill, the content so vague that it amounts to little more than studios childishly hoarding every frame of their content, refusing to share unless one is willing to pay for even a few seconds of it. What about average Americans who want to make fan works and can’t pay your royalties? Shouldn’t at least those who work hard creating quality works be allowed to share them with the public? Don’t fair use laws do enough to compromise? I guess that was just shameless, foolish optimism.
There was even a meeting this week to make the bill more palatable, creating reasonable exceptions for criticism. But that was shot down, and I heard that would just benefit the entertainment industry. Look, I understand if professional reviewers like Richard Roeper or the New York Times movie critics can keep pressing forward with their reviews, raising enough capital to license clips and stills to complement their reviews and commentary. But, what about the average people without such benefit? Should they just be limited to making text-only reviews and get thoroughly ignored because they can’t afford visual aids?
On one last point to make, I point to a major issue that has affected the country as we reflect on the end of the year. I will do my best to avoid sounding like a conspiracy nut, and won’t make any government-business connection beyond this one point. Throughout the final months of 2011, a lot of middle-class people have been protesting major corporations, big business, and just anyone who benefits from capitalism. They are holding such parties accountable for the poor state of the economy and in turn, for the general woes of society.
In this case, amongst the talk of “Occupy Wall Street” and splitting the population into “The 99%” and “The 1%” (the 99% are unfair to the 83%, Let’s Occupy Red Robin, and then I’ll Occupy the Restroom!) I must point out the irony of SOPA. I’m not sure how many people realize that the principle people supporting this bill are the 1%. What’s more, it’s a more direct attack on society in general than just business as usual. Hollywood is already plenty wealthy, and they have the business prowess to gain investment for productions, regardless of quality. And they’re trying to put a tight, cruel leash on the internet, the very digital frontier by which society has begun to rely so crucially on, and potentially destroy it, and to what end? Just to save a few bucks? So the CEO running the studios’ corporate parent can afford that ivory backscratcher?
What kind of hypocritical society would embrace such criticism of harmless business and yet let a law like this pass and cause much, much worse ramifications?
And I submit one last plea to the entertainment industry. If you really want to take the high road, I implore you to go back to your homes, and think more about combatting piracy. I sincerely believe that creativity should not suffer just because of a few rotten apples over the web. There are more reasonable ways to deal with piracy and protect your property without causing so much damage. With any luck, SOPA would just crash and burn and the only consequence for the industry would be the message, “Game Over, Please Insert Coin to Play Again”.
Such is the reason I avoid politics or speaking my mind. But, this is a matter I cannot ignore in the slightest, one that involves liberty being put at risk and wherein human beings would become exploited for the benefit of a strong, powerful minority.
There is a variable alphabet soup of bills going on in Washington, with the intent of fighting piracy. I understand that piracy is a serious issue, and that it causes a lot of financial loss for the entertainment industry. That I cannot deny, and you can’t claim any benefit on my part because of it. I avoid websites that stream entire movies for free as well as street-side vendors selling illegitimate DVDs and make absolutely no attempt to undermine the severity of piracy.
However, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is one of the sloppiest, most blatantly destructive attempts to curb piracy. The main gist of the bill is that it would shut down any website that uses any piece of any copyrighted material. There are no exceptions, and no questioning. There’s also no fairness to the bill, the content so vague that it amounts to little more than studios childishly hoarding every frame of their content, refusing to share unless one is willing to pay for even a few seconds of it. What about average Americans who want to make fan works and can’t pay your royalties? Shouldn’t at least those who work hard creating quality works be allowed to share them with the public? Don’t fair use laws do enough to compromise? I guess that was just shameless, foolish optimism.
There was even a meeting this week to make the bill more palatable, creating reasonable exceptions for criticism. But that was shot down, and I heard that would just benefit the entertainment industry. Look, I understand if professional reviewers like Richard Roeper or the New York Times movie critics can keep pressing forward with their reviews, raising enough capital to license clips and stills to complement their reviews and commentary. But, what about the average people without such benefit? Should they just be limited to making text-only reviews and get thoroughly ignored because they can’t afford visual aids?
On one last point to make, I point to a major issue that has affected the country as we reflect on the end of the year. I will do my best to avoid sounding like a conspiracy nut, and won’t make any government-business connection beyond this one point. Throughout the final months of 2011, a lot of middle-class people have been protesting major corporations, big business, and just anyone who benefits from capitalism. They are holding such parties accountable for the poor state of the economy and in turn, for the general woes of society.
In this case, amongst the talk of “Occupy Wall Street” and splitting the population into “The 99%” and “The 1%” (the 99% are unfair to the 83%, Let’s Occupy Red Robin, and then I’ll Occupy the Restroom!) I must point out the irony of SOPA. I’m not sure how many people realize that the principle people supporting this bill are the 1%. What’s more, it’s a more direct attack on society in general than just business as usual. Hollywood is already plenty wealthy, and they have the business prowess to gain investment for productions, regardless of quality. And they’re trying to put a tight, cruel leash on the internet, the very digital frontier by which society has begun to rely so crucially on, and potentially destroy it, and to what end? Just to save a few bucks? So the CEO running the studios’ corporate parent can afford that ivory backscratcher?
What kind of hypocritical society would embrace such criticism of harmless business and yet let a law like this pass and cause much, much worse ramifications?
And I submit one last plea to the entertainment industry. If you really want to take the high road, I implore you to go back to your homes, and think more about combatting piracy. I sincerely believe that creativity should not suffer just because of a few rotten apples over the web. There are more reasonable ways to deal with piracy and protect your property without causing so much damage. With any luck, SOPA would just crash and burn and the only consequence for the industry would be the message, “Game Over, Please Insert Coin to Play Again”.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Five Days, Ten New Shows -- Grimm
GRIMM
When and Where:
NBC; Fridays 9/8c; Debuts Oct. 21
Who:
Sean Hayes and Jim Kouf are among Executive Producers
What:
A procedural drama twist on the stories of the Brothers Grimm, following a Portland, Oregon detective who learns that he is of a long line of people known as "Grimms", devoted to protect mankind from supernatural beings.
Why:
Hello, what's this? Two new fairy tale-inspired shows in the same year? Who would've thunk such a thing?
Of course, I initally saw this as "The new show following Chuck
", the long-running spy comedy that has already confirmed this next round of 13 episodes to definately be it's swan song. As such, both these shows will air on Friday nights. Granted, Fringe 
may be in enough good graces with FOX to maintain a healthy run on that night (as it did last season, and will continue to do so for at least another season), and CBS is traditionalist enough to keep plugging away here (with at least solid shows like Blue Bloods
to play to the right audiences). But for the most part and especially in recent years, Friday nights are almost always a fool's game for most shows. (On the other hand, we see that Saturdays are even worse, a practical black hole for most shows.)
As such, it's less surprising that this has been confirmed as Chuck's final bow, and Grimm seems to only exist to give it some company. They chose wisely among genre shows, not so much for combatibility but just because this new show looks pretty cool. Again, I bring up Pushing Daisies
with the concept of a procedural with fantasy elements interwoven into the premise serving as a major parallel. The look and feel of the show is suitably dark and gritty, working to give the title a very apt meaning.
As one brilliant internet-based cartoonist once put it, "You will only see 13 episodes of this." That may seem like a misnomer, and we may actually get less (hell, that was the case with Friday's own Outlaw last season). If anything, one should at least enjoy it while it lasts given that, you know, it doesn't seem likely to.
Lynx:
Official NBC Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
When and Where:
NBC; Fridays 9/8c; Debuts Oct. 21
Who:
Sean Hayes and Jim Kouf are among Executive Producers
What:
A procedural drama twist on the stories of the Brothers Grimm, following a Portland, Oregon detective who learns that he is of a long line of people known as "Grimms", devoted to protect mankind from supernatural beings.
Why:
Hello, what's this? Two new fairy tale-inspired shows in the same year? Who would've thunk such a thing?
Of course, I initally saw this as "The new show following Chuck
", the long-running spy comedy that has already confirmed this next round of 13 episodes to definately be it's swan song. As such, both these shows will air on Friday nights. Granted, Fringe may be in enough good graces with FOX to maintain a healthy run on that night (as it did last season, and will continue to do so for at least another season), and CBS is traditionalist enough to keep plugging away here (with at least solid shows like Blue Bloods to play to the right audiences). But for the most part and especially in recent years, Friday nights are almost always a fool's game for most shows. (On the other hand, we see that Saturdays are even worse, a practical black hole for most shows.)As such, it's less surprising that this has been confirmed as Chuck's final bow, and Grimm seems to only exist to give it some company. They chose wisely among genre shows, not so much for combatibility but just because this new show looks pretty cool. Again, I bring up Pushing Daisies
with the concept of a procedural with fantasy elements interwoven into the premise serving as a major parallel. The look and feel of the show is suitably dark and gritty, working to give the title a very apt meaning.As one brilliant internet-based cartoonist once put it, "You will only see 13 episodes of this." That may seem like a misnomer, and we may actually get less (hell, that was the case with Friday's own Outlaw last season). If anything, one should at least enjoy it while it lasts given that, you know, it doesn't seem likely to.
Lynx:
Official NBC Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
Five Days, Ten New Shows -- Once Upon a Time
ONCE UPON A TIME
When and Where:
ABC; Sundays 8/7c; Debuts Oct. 23
Who:
Cast includes Jennifer Morrison and Ginnifer Goodwin
What:
A woman and her estranged son come across the town of Storybrook, Maine, and see a plethora of fairy tale stories come to life in it's citizens. In reality, these people are under a spell and completely lack any memory of their previous lives.
Why:
How fitting, the one I didn't get done on time is starting on a delay anyway. (As are the other two shows I had slated for Friday.)
I don't know what it is about ABC. That my earliest childhood memories involve TGIF and light-hearted sitcoms, or as I said last year, that their promos just come off as infectious and heavily engaging in how they play. Regardless, this one network draws my attention in ways vastly different from any other, and I can hardly tell if its for the best or the worst.
As far as this season is concerned, ABC has equal parts ambitiously-designed new dramas (with this show, and their own 60s period piece Pan Am, drawing plenty of parallels with The Playboy Club) and equal parts safe-in-design new dramas (I think that applies to the reasonably-hyped Revenge with Emily VanCamp, as it does the new Charlie's Angels). Compare with the similar setup last season with No Ordinary Family with My Generation and The Whole Truth and Detroit 1-8-7, all of which didn't live past the end of the season. The same goes for 2007, when Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money 
(further complemented by the ambitious spinoff, Private Practice
) really left an impression and managed to live one season past the Writers' Strike.
Personally, I believe the more riskier new shows this season have the potential to leave as much as a mark as the 2007 shows. Just hope they can take off well enough, though.
But for now, let's just talk about Once Upon a Time. This is actually one of two new fairy-tale based shows launching this season, the other one I will discuss later on today. Here, we've got a unique mystery premise that starts off with a major reveal and leaves us wondering how this came to be. From the previews, the look of the show really helps me recall Pushing Daisies, and that show's lush, stylistic CG and set design. The result is a full design and a really engrossing atmosphere that suits the fairy tale concept all too well.
Yes, I would say that this show has potential. It looks like it could really, really work.
Lynx:
Official ABC Page
No Facebook Page Yet
Trailer:
When and Where:
ABC; Sundays 8/7c; Debuts Oct. 23
Who:
Cast includes Jennifer Morrison and Ginnifer Goodwin
What:
A woman and her estranged son come across the town of Storybrook, Maine, and see a plethora of fairy tale stories come to life in it's citizens. In reality, these people are under a spell and completely lack any memory of their previous lives.
Why:
How fitting, the one I didn't get done on time is starting on a delay anyway. (As are the other two shows I had slated for Friday.)
I don't know what it is about ABC. That my earliest childhood memories involve TGIF and light-hearted sitcoms, or as I said last year, that their promos just come off as infectious and heavily engaging in how they play. Regardless, this one network draws my attention in ways vastly different from any other, and I can hardly tell if its for the best or the worst.
As far as this season is concerned, ABC has equal parts ambitiously-designed new dramas (with this show, and their own 60s period piece Pan Am, drawing plenty of parallels with The Playboy Club) and equal parts safe-in-design new dramas (I think that applies to the reasonably-hyped Revenge with Emily VanCamp, as it does the new Charlie's Angels). Compare with the similar setup last season with No Ordinary Family with My Generation and The Whole Truth and Detroit 1-8-7, all of which didn't live past the end of the season. The same goes for 2007, when Pushing Daisies
and Dirty Sexy Money (further complemented by the ambitious spinoff, Private Practice) really left an impression and managed to live one season past the Writers' Strike.Personally, I believe the more riskier new shows this season have the potential to leave as much as a mark as the 2007 shows. Just hope they can take off well enough, though.
But for now, let's just talk about Once Upon a Time. This is actually one of two new fairy-tale based shows launching this season, the other one I will discuss later on today. Here, we've got a unique mystery premise that starts off with a major reveal and leaves us wondering how this came to be. From the previews, the look of the show really helps me recall Pushing Daisies, and that show's lush, stylistic CG and set design. The result is a full design and a really engrossing atmosphere that suits the fairy tale concept all too well.
Yes, I would say that this show has potential. It looks like it could really, really work.
Lynx:
Official ABC Page
No Facebook Page Yet
Trailer:
Five Days, Ten New Shows -- Allen Gregory
ALLEN GREGORY
When and Where:
FOX; Sundays 8:30/7:30c; Starts Oct. 30
Who:
Created by Jonah Hill
What:
Allen Gregory is perhaps the world's most pretentious 7-year-old boy. A child prodigy used to home-schooling, he must prepare for a clash with reality upon attending public school for the first time.
Why:
This is only one of two new animated sitcoms FOX is trying out this season, hoping to capitalize further on their immensely successful Animation Domination lineup. I grew up in the 1990's, surrounded by innovative (for the time anyway), creative and thoroughly entertaining cartoon shows for both adults and kids alike. It's unsurprising, then that I take quite a liking to the Sunday night FOX lineup, as much as the fact that The Simpsons, one of the shows I distinctively recall watching growing up is still on the air today.
One man who was clearly influenced and motivated by The Simpsons, actually admitting that he always wanted to write for it as a kid, is comedy superstar Jonah Hill. As an actor, Hill has worked with major bigwigs like Tom Shadyac
, Adam Sandler
, and most notably Judd Apatow
. With the film background he has, the star was able to parlay his success and develop a major animated TV series, a dream come true for him.
From what I've seen, Allen Gregory seems funny enough, reliant on a sense of wit that almost reminds me of Frasier from time to time. It seems awfully high-class for a FOX sitcom (and especially for a block dominated by Seth MacFarlane), but that's mostly derived from the protagonist. One bit that had he smiling was asking for his teachers first name and feeling exhausted when she questioned his approach. In addition, the flash animation maintains a solid pace and gives off a unique style that suits the choice of lead character well.
In addition to the debut of this show following the World Series, FOX also has Napoleon Dynamite, based on the independent film
of the same name slated for midseason. Also returning midseason is Bob's Burgers, a show from the Dr. Katz 
team that did solidly debuting in the middle of last season. And on top of that, the creators of Family Guy
are trying to revive The Flintstones for next season. In the midst of all of this animated work, all of it coming together to make FOX even more distinctive than it already is from the other broadcasters, Allen Gregory seems to work rather solidly as the new showcase for the Fall.
If anything, I think I may like it more than New Girl. (Although you are free to chalk that up to bias.)
Lynx:
Official FOX Network Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
When and Where:
FOX; Sundays 8:30/7:30c; Starts Oct. 30
Who:
Created by Jonah Hill
What:
Allen Gregory is perhaps the world's most pretentious 7-year-old boy. A child prodigy used to home-schooling, he must prepare for a clash with reality upon attending public school for the first time.
Why:
This is only one of two new animated sitcoms FOX is trying out this season, hoping to capitalize further on their immensely successful Animation Domination lineup. I grew up in the 1990's, surrounded by innovative (for the time anyway), creative and thoroughly entertaining cartoon shows for both adults and kids alike. It's unsurprising, then that I take quite a liking to the Sunday night FOX lineup, as much as the fact that The Simpsons, one of the shows I distinctively recall watching growing up is still on the air today.
One man who was clearly influenced and motivated by The Simpsons, actually admitting that he always wanted to write for it as a kid, is comedy superstar Jonah Hill. As an actor, Hill has worked with major bigwigs like Tom Shadyac
, Adam Sandler, and most notably Judd Apatow. With the film background he has, the star was able to parlay his success and develop a major animated TV series, a dream come true for him.From what I've seen, Allen Gregory seems funny enough, reliant on a sense of wit that almost reminds me of Frasier from time to time. It seems awfully high-class for a FOX sitcom (and especially for a block dominated by Seth MacFarlane), but that's mostly derived from the protagonist. One bit that had he smiling was asking for his teachers first name and feeling exhausted when she questioned his approach. In addition, the flash animation maintains a solid pace and gives off a unique style that suits the choice of lead character well.
In addition to the debut of this show following the World Series, FOX also has Napoleon Dynamite, based on the independent film
of the same name slated for midseason. Also returning midseason is Bob's Burgers, a show from the Dr. Katz team that did solidly debuting in the middle of last season. And on top of that, the creators of Family Guy are trying to revive The Flintstones for next season. In the midst of all of this animated work, all of it coming together to make FOX even more distinctive than it already is from the other broadcasters, Allen Gregory seems to work rather solidly as the new showcase for the Fall.If anything, I think I may like it more than New Girl. (Although you are free to chalk that up to bias.)
Lynx:
Official FOX Network Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Five Days, Ten New Shows -- Ringer
RINGER
When and Where:
The CW; Tuesdays 9/8c; Debuts Sep. 13
Who:
Sarah Michelle Gellar; Nestor Carbonell; Ioan Gruffudd
What:
Bridget (Gellar) witnesses a mob hit and flees to New York City. Whilst on the run, she encounters her long-lost twin, the affulent Siobhan. Not too long afterwards, Siobhan goes missing and Bridget decides to go about under her identity. Doing so, she discovers so many shocking details about her twin's life.
Why:
Well...
There once was a land known simply as "The WB". A wide variety of inhabitants, many of them adolescents gave the kingdom a strong, unique feel that helped it to stand out whilst it was dwarved by the neighboring kingdoms. There were plenty of Princesses who graced The WB with their presence, but nobody would forget Princess Sarah. She was also recognized as Buffy who fought valiantly against vampires and demons. And whilst pulling off these heorics, she remained clever and witty and looked stunning the whole time.
But alas, by 2002 there was a falling out. As a consequence the princess was taken away, permenantly separated from the people of The WB. Buffy would end up in another kingdom, a much smaller and more unstable land known as "UPN". She would carry on for two more years before leaving again. Still, Sarah left an indeliable impression on both kingdoms that would linger for long after she was gone.
Not too long afterwards, both UPN and The WB would fall. The people of both kingdoms would come together, mend old wounds and form a new kingdom that they would call "The CW". But some things would remain constant, that the people of both lands would retain from before. Among them, the hope that the lost Princess would one day return. That she would come to the land of CW and grace it the same way she did before.
Okay, I will admit that I'm also happy to see Gellar return to TV. And although I still don't care about the CW, this new show actually looks pretty good. It really stands out against the typical fare the network has to offer, with such a dark tone and intense revelations.
Unsurprisingly, it was originally pitched as CBS drama.
Lynx:
Official CW Network Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
When and Where:
The CW; Tuesdays 9/8c; Debuts Sep. 13
Who:
Sarah Michelle Gellar; Nestor Carbonell; Ioan Gruffudd
What:
Bridget (Gellar) witnesses a mob hit and flees to New York City. Whilst on the run, she encounters her long-lost twin, the affulent Siobhan. Not too long afterwards, Siobhan goes missing and Bridget decides to go about under her identity. Doing so, she discovers so many shocking details about her twin's life.
Why:
Well...
There once was a land known simply as "The WB". A wide variety of inhabitants, many of them adolescents gave the kingdom a strong, unique feel that helped it to stand out whilst it was dwarved by the neighboring kingdoms. There were plenty of Princesses who graced The WB with their presence, but nobody would forget Princess Sarah. She was also recognized as Buffy who fought valiantly against vampires and demons. And whilst pulling off these heorics, she remained clever and witty and looked stunning the whole time.
But alas, by 2002 there was a falling out. As a consequence the princess was taken away, permenantly separated from the people of The WB. Buffy would end up in another kingdom, a much smaller and more unstable land known as "UPN". She would carry on for two more years before leaving again. Still, Sarah left an indeliable impression on both kingdoms that would linger for long after she was gone.
Not too long afterwards, both UPN and The WB would fall. The people of both kingdoms would come together, mend old wounds and form a new kingdom that they would call "The CW". But some things would remain constant, that the people of both lands would retain from before. Among them, the hope that the lost Princess would one day return. That she would come to the land of CW and grace it the same way she did before.
Okay, I will admit that I'm also happy to see Gellar return to TV. And although I still don't care about the CW, this new show actually looks pretty good. It really stands out against the typical fare the network has to offer, with such a dark tone and intense revelations.
Unsurprisingly, it was originally pitched as CBS drama.
Lynx:
Official CW Network Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
Five Days, Ten New Shows -- 2 Broke Girls
EDITOR'S NOTE -- I sincerely apologize for not putting up the first impression entry on ABC's Once Upon a Time as scheduled. I had a more busy day yesterday than usual, and I will be frank and admit that the surprisingly short trailers for ABC's show back in May didn't help matter much, either. Another time, I may cover that show, hopefully some time this week to keep the title of this whole week truthful. Again, I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
-----
2 BROKE GIRLS
When and Where:
CBS; Mondays 8:30/7:30c; Debuts Sep. 19 (Special time--9:30/8:30c)
Who:
Created by Michael Patrick King (Sex and the City) and commedienne Whitney Cummings; Stars Kat Dennings (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist)
What:
Two waitresses, one a pauper of a city girl and the other a rich girl run afoul of the law, find themselves in the compromising situation of working with each other. They work together in the hopes of improving their respective lives.
Why:
Amongst TV critics such as Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker, this is one of the fall's most anticipated new comedies. As far as I'm concerned though, its not that great.
Don't get me wrong, the trailer is pretty funny. But it just seems a little too broad in humor approach and direction. If anything, I can honestly say that 2 Broke Girls fits in well with CBS' style of sitcom, the same network that tried the single-camera comedy on occassion, but didn't make it last. (The shows in question were called Welcome to the Captain and Worst Week
, the latter getting better reception.)
Still, I think I may regret writing it off completely, so I won't. The same could be said of trying to compare it to shorter-lived comedies I've really enjoyed like last season's Better With You, I'm With Her which ran when I was in high school, or CBS' own The Class
back in 2006. If you don't think too hard about it, the trailer itself is pretty funny. Further, there seems to be a real sense of chemistry between the two leads. On top of that, there are genuinely funny moments in that trailer below, particularly the fierce and well-deserved comeback to the finger-snapping jerk that it opens with.
One of those leads Kat Dennings, has a single distinction in common with Ellen Page
, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
, Portia Doubleday
, Alia Shawkat
and Mae Whitman. All of them have held the same dominant level of chemistry as the female half of a couple. (Although I have yet to watch Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist
in it's entirety.) Unsurprisingly, she comes off as strong here, dealing with a different kind of other half.
And I earlier talked about Whitney Cummings, the newfound NBC leading lady who also shares the credit of concieving this show. That certainly comes in handy, given that the jokes on her own show come off as honestly and truly clunky and obvious. Worse yet, Whitney appears to be all other the place, and comes off as trite and tired. In the other hand, there's a much better sense of humor emanating from Cummings as a stand-up comic on this show. (Although I really haven't seen her stand-up, so I cannot judge directly.) It's truly ironic when she's funnier on the sitcom where she's behind the scenes than on her own starring vehicle.
2 Broke Girls doesn't look stupendous, but I can honestly say that I have faith in it, especially as a chaser to How I Met Your Mother. (Compare with Whitney following the revamped Office, and the potential for a double-shot of awkward.) If anything, it will hopefully prove to be a good time.
Lynx:
Official CBS Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
-----
2 BROKE GIRLS
When and Where:
CBS; Mondays 8:30/7:30c; Debuts Sep. 19 (Special time--9:30/8:30c)
Who:
Created by Michael Patrick King (Sex and the City) and commedienne Whitney Cummings; Stars Kat Dennings (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist)
What:
Two waitresses, one a pauper of a city girl and the other a rich girl run afoul of the law, find themselves in the compromising situation of working with each other. They work together in the hopes of improving their respective lives.
Why:
Amongst TV critics such as Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker, this is one of the fall's most anticipated new comedies. As far as I'm concerned though, its not that great.
Don't get me wrong, the trailer is pretty funny. But it just seems a little too broad in humor approach and direction. If anything, I can honestly say that 2 Broke Girls fits in well with CBS' style of sitcom, the same network that tried the single-camera comedy on occassion, but didn't make it last. (The shows in question were called Welcome to the Captain and Worst Week
, the latter getting better reception.)Still, I think I may regret writing it off completely, so I won't. The same could be said of trying to compare it to shorter-lived comedies I've really enjoyed like last season's Better With You, I'm With Her which ran when I was in high school, or CBS' own The Class
back in 2006. If you don't think too hard about it, the trailer itself is pretty funny. Further, there seems to be a real sense of chemistry between the two leads. On top of that, there are genuinely funny moments in that trailer below, particularly the fierce and well-deserved comeback to the finger-snapping jerk that it opens with.One of those leads Kat Dennings, has a single distinction in common with Ellen Page
, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Portia Doubleday, Alia Shawkat and Mae Whitman. All of them have held the same dominant level of chemistry as the female half of a couple. (Although I have yet to watch Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist in it's entirety.) Unsurprisingly, she comes off as strong here, dealing with a different kind of other half.And I earlier talked about Whitney Cummings, the newfound NBC leading lady who also shares the credit of concieving this show. That certainly comes in handy, given that the jokes on her own show come off as honestly and truly clunky and obvious. Worse yet, Whitney appears to be all other the place, and comes off as trite and tired. In the other hand, there's a much better sense of humor emanating from Cummings as a stand-up comic on this show. (Although I really haven't seen her stand-up, so I cannot judge directly.) It's truly ironic when she's funnier on the sitcom where she's behind the scenes than on her own starring vehicle.
2 Broke Girls doesn't look stupendous, but I can honestly say that I have faith in it, especially as a chaser to How I Met Your Mother. (Compare with Whitney following the revamped Office, and the potential for a double-shot of awkward.) If anything, it will hopefully prove to be a good time.
Lynx:
Official CBS Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Five Days, Ten New Shows -- Suburgatory
SUBURGATORY
When and Where:
ABC; Wednesdays 8:30/7:30c; Debuts Sep. 28
Who:
Created by Emily Kapnek (As Told By Ginger, Parks & Recreation); Cast includes Jeremy Sisto (Six Feet Under), Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
What:
A teenage girl is transplanted along with her single father from New York City to the middle of the 'burbs. Once there, she starts to question how perfect life there seems, acknowledging how creepily Stepford-esque all her new neighbors and classmates are.
Why:
Wow. I must say this one looks like it could be really good.
Suburgatory joins the Wednesday night LaughOn lineup airing on ABC. (This block will also be joined in the fall by another comedy block on Tuesdays, but we're not talking about that.) Not only does it fit in so keenly with two of the three returning series making up the lineup in the fall, but also with the long history of family comedies airing on the network. It looks to offer a both quirky and sarcastic portrayal of teenage life, with the addition of apt portrayals of the parents roaming about the landscape with their own social goals in mind. And this can easily yield a very funny new show that young people can identify with.
In it's quirky dialogue and the tone that goes with it, Suburgatory almost reminds me of the 2007 movie Juno. If the trailer is any indication, this will be as funny and provide as equally strong a satirical look at adolescence and the complex relationships with the adults around them. And with an even more biting tone in regards to it's satire, this show can only evoke the most flattering comparison to the 2004 hit Mean Girls
.
Slated to air right between pre-established family-com hits The Middle
and Modern Family
, both of which paint truly relateable and funny images of ordinary family life, Suburgatory promises to fit right in and keep the good times rolling.
Lynx:
Official ABC Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
When and Where:
ABC; Wednesdays 8:30/7:30c; Debuts Sep. 28
Who:
Created by Emily Kapnek (As Told By Ginger, Parks & Recreation); Cast includes Jeremy Sisto (Six Feet Under), Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
What:
A teenage girl is transplanted along with her single father from New York City to the middle of the 'burbs. Once there, she starts to question how perfect life there seems, acknowledging how creepily Stepford-esque all her new neighbors and classmates are.
Why:
Wow. I must say this one looks like it could be really good.
Suburgatory joins the Wednesday night LaughOn lineup airing on ABC. (This block will also be joined in the fall by another comedy block on Tuesdays, but we're not talking about that.) Not only does it fit in so keenly with two of the three returning series making up the lineup in the fall, but also with the long history of family comedies airing on the network. It looks to offer a both quirky and sarcastic portrayal of teenage life, with the addition of apt portrayals of the parents roaming about the landscape with their own social goals in mind. And this can easily yield a very funny new show that young people can identify with.
In it's quirky dialogue and the tone that goes with it, Suburgatory almost reminds me of the 2007 movie Juno. If the trailer is any indication, this will be as funny and provide as equally strong a satirical look at adolescence and the complex relationships with the adults around them. And with an even more biting tone in regards to it's satire, this show can only evoke the most flattering comparison to the 2004 hit Mean Girls
.Slated to air right between pre-established family-com hits The Middle
and Modern Family, both of which paint truly relateable and funny images of ordinary family life, Suburgatory promises to fit right in and keep the good times rolling.Lynx:
Official ABC Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Five Days, Ten New Shows -- The Playboy Club
THE PLAYBOY CLUB
When and Where:
NBC; Mondays 10/9c; Debuts Sep. 19
Who:
Imagine Television; Amber Heard and Eddie Cibrian star; Features David Krumholtz
What:
Set in the 1960's, revolving around the employees, known as "Bunnies" of the first Playboy Club in Chicago.
Why:
Darling, NBC is fourth place in the ratings among networks. They need a show like this to generate controversy.
I am not even kidding. This show has already evoked the rage of the Parents Television Council before airing a single episode. In Salt Lake City, the local NBC affiliate KSL-TV declined to air the show, citing it was "completely inconsistent" with the more morally-driven image of the station. They even have a program talking about the issues related to sexually explicit material, to boot. Instead, the station that carries "MyNetworkTV", KMYU will air the show.
Any rational adult and even a few younger people should identify the name "Playboy" and the notorious connotation behind it. The promos I've seen show the "Bunnies" who work at the titular club hopping around like they literally were. That honestly makes me wonder just how much this show will dance with the standards and practices line when it does air. I've also encountered more than one situation where I garnered unwanted attention and some kidding around in response to promos I've looked up for this show.
As far as the content of the show itself, it looks to be trying for the same degree of scandal as AMC's Mad Men
, right down to the 60's period piece setting. Of course, I've never watched that show so I am not one to judge in that department. But this looks more risque, if I can say anything at all.
You know what's even crazier? I can actually say "I knew this actor since I was a kid" in regards to one of the performers. Of course that actor is David Krumholtz, the archelf in of all things, Disney's The Santa Clause
. Now, I've seen him in plenty of movies aimed at grown-ups before this, but that doesn't make this any less awkward.
And it's not even that big a role he's playing.
Lynx:
Official NBC Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
When and Where:
NBC; Mondays 10/9c; Debuts Sep. 19
Who:
Imagine Television; Amber Heard and Eddie Cibrian star; Features David Krumholtz
What:
Set in the 1960's, revolving around the employees, known as "Bunnies" of the first Playboy Club in Chicago.
Why:
Darling, NBC is fourth place in the ratings among networks. They need a show like this to generate controversy.
I am not even kidding. This show has already evoked the rage of the Parents Television Council before airing a single episode. In Salt Lake City, the local NBC affiliate KSL-TV declined to air the show, citing it was "completely inconsistent" with the more morally-driven image of the station. They even have a program talking about the issues related to sexually explicit material, to boot. Instead, the station that carries "MyNetworkTV", KMYU will air the show.
Any rational adult and even a few younger people should identify the name "Playboy" and the notorious connotation behind it. The promos I've seen show the "Bunnies" who work at the titular club hopping around like they literally were. That honestly makes me wonder just how much this show will dance with the standards and practices line when it does air. I've also encountered more than one situation where I garnered unwanted attention and some kidding around in response to promos I've looked up for this show.
As far as the content of the show itself, it looks to be trying for the same degree of scandal as AMC's Mad Men
, right down to the 60's period piece setting. Of course, I've never watched that show so I am not one to judge in that department. But this looks more risque, if I can say anything at all.You know what's even crazier? I can actually say "I knew this actor since I was a kid" in regards to one of the performers. Of course that actor is David Krumholtz, the archelf in of all things, Disney's The Santa Clause
. Now, I've seen him in plenty of movies aimed at grown-ups before this, but that doesn't make this any less awkward.And it's not even that big a role he's playing.
Lynx:
Official NBC Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
I Try To See Things "Whitney's Way", But Can't
For some reason, NBC seems to be putting the most of it's faith in this new sitcom, Whitney. I've seen promos for it back and forth on reruns of the Thursday night comedies, the same esteemed lineup it will be joining on September 22. There have been copious print ads and billboards sporting attempts at clever relationship banter. All of it written in simple, bold purple and grey lettering over white and the same stock images of star and comedienne Whitney Cummings and co-star Chris D'Elia.
Of course, there's already backlash against this show. There are plentiful mock-up ads parodying the afore-mentioned print campaign. Today's edition of The Morning After went over these spoofs, a lot of them in response to the watered-down version of the stand-up Cummings is known for. And below is a particularly biting fan-made video outright dissing the show. (And just a warning, this video does have some mature content.)
Now, this all comes off a case of complaining about shows you don't watch. It really doesn't seem fair. But, I also must admit that the above video was pretty funny.
Furthermore, a lot of this response isn't completely unwarranted.
This is a world where NBC, a free-to-air network can offer a truly unique sitcom like Community. That's a show that crams a zombie infestation Halloween episode and a stop-motion Christmas episode into the same season. It topped the first season's epic paintball episode with an even more epic paintball match that only ups the ante as a two-part finale. And they still have time to fit in truly relateable character bits, parody sitcom convention left and right (with faux clip show, no less), and make a bottle episode where the cast plays Dungeons and Dragons seem epic.
On the other hand, Whitney just seems quaint. And when I say "quaint", that's only the best scenario. I hesitate to even call it "conventional", since all the major network comedies save for CBS don't follow the four-cameras, a soundstage and a live audience model anymore. This just serves as a standard relationship comedy, coming on top of at least three more at midseason and one in the fall remaking a British series.
The standard-issue sitcom centered as a vehicle for a stand-up comic is more like something out of the 90's. Jerry Seinfeld hit it big with his own aggressively unconventional sitcom
, following up on Roseanne Barr
and leading into Tim Allen
, Drew Carey
and Ray Romano
having their own respective shows. But mind you, all of those comics had something to offer in their shows.
From the looks of things, Whitney just seems without any really strong material to spare. More than anything else, it will enter the new season with the same critical-panning weight as Hank did in 2009 or $h*! My Dad Says did last year. The latter lasted up until February and ended there, but the former was in worse state, premiering alongside superior shows like Modern Family, The Middle, and Cougar Town, ergo bombing hard.
I will also add this -- Later on this week, I will look at another comedy called 2 Broke Girls, premiering on CBS. Our emcee for this show, Whitney Cummings is actually one of the creators of that. I will go into more detail then, but I'll just say that while it's surprisingly broad in regards to tone and delivery, it looks 100 times funnier than Whitney.
I know it seems unusual considering what I said, but...Lynx:
Official NBC Page
Facebook Page
Of course, there's already backlash against this show. There are plentiful mock-up ads parodying the afore-mentioned print campaign. Today's edition of The Morning After went over these spoofs, a lot of them in response to the watered-down version of the stand-up Cummings is known for. And below is a particularly biting fan-made video outright dissing the show. (And just a warning, this video does have some mature content.)
Now, this all comes off a case of complaining about shows you don't watch. It really doesn't seem fair. But, I also must admit that the above video was pretty funny.
Furthermore, a lot of this response isn't completely unwarranted.
This is a world where NBC, a free-to-air network can offer a truly unique sitcom like Community. That's a show that crams a zombie infestation Halloween episode and a stop-motion Christmas episode into the same season. It topped the first season's epic paintball episode with an even more epic paintball match that only ups the ante as a two-part finale. And they still have time to fit in truly relateable character bits, parody sitcom convention left and right (with faux clip show, no less), and make a bottle episode where the cast plays Dungeons and Dragons seem epic.
On the other hand, Whitney just seems quaint. And when I say "quaint", that's only the best scenario. I hesitate to even call it "conventional", since all the major network comedies save for CBS don't follow the four-cameras, a soundstage and a live audience model anymore. This just serves as a standard relationship comedy, coming on top of at least three more at midseason and one in the fall remaking a British series.
The standard-issue sitcom centered as a vehicle for a stand-up comic is more like something out of the 90's. Jerry Seinfeld hit it big with his own aggressively unconventional sitcom
, following up on Roseanne Barr and leading into Tim Allen, Drew Carey and Ray Romano having their own respective shows. But mind you, all of those comics had something to offer in their shows.From the looks of things, Whitney just seems without any really strong material to spare. More than anything else, it will enter the new season with the same critical-panning weight as Hank did in 2009 or $h*! My Dad Says did last year. The latter lasted up until February and ended there, but the former was in worse state, premiering alongside superior shows like Modern Family, The Middle, and Cougar Town, ergo bombing hard.
I will also add this -- Later on this week, I will look at another comedy called 2 Broke Girls, premiering on CBS. Our emcee for this show, Whitney Cummings is actually one of the creators of that. I will go into more detail then, but I'll just say that while it's surprisingly broad in regards to tone and delivery, it looks 100 times funnier than Whitney.
I know it seems unusual considering what I said, but...Lynx:
Official NBC Page
Facebook Page
Five Days, Ten New Shows -- Up All Night
UP ALL NIGHT
When and Where:
NBC; Wednesdays 8/7c; Sneak Preview Sep. 14 10/9c; Proper debut Sep. 21
Who:
Executive Producer is Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live); Stars Christina Applegate, Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph
What:
Applegate and Arnett play new parents attempting to balance their professional and personal lifestyles against the challenges of raising a child.
Why:
Truth be told, this is actually one show I really think I'm looking forward to.
While other networks have comedies equally as solid, I must say that NBC truthfully leads the pack amongst this genre. As I've said before, Thursday nights contain true-blood, top dog comedies such as Parks & Recreation
and The Office
, along with TV's single most creative, innovative and bold show, Community
. Other comedies on the network may have bombed over the past season (Oh hai, The Paul Reiser Show), but it doesn't tarnish the true alphas a single notch.
This fall, NBC will launch a second night of comedy on Wednesdays up against ABC's family comedies. This show, starring Will "Gob Bluth" Arnett and Christina "Kelly Bundy
" Applegate, will lead first and it easily looks like the strongest of the three sitcoms they're launching in the Fall. From just a bit of the trailer below, it promises to be incredibly relatable for newfound parents and their naturally occuring challenges whilst still maintaining a quick wit and a stream of funny material. So far, it easily passes the 30 Rock
test of comedy standards for NBC.
Add in supporting cast members such as Nick Cannon and Maya Rudolph, the latter who seems to be at her funniest since her SNL peak. The whole cast actually knows how to keep the humor up and generates a very funny state for the show to be in. From the looks of it, this could yet just be the funniest new show of the season.
It's also frankly the only appealing new comedy NBC seems to offer this season. That's not here, but it might be there.
Lynx:
Official NBC Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
When and Where:
NBC; Wednesdays 8/7c; Sneak Preview Sep. 14 10/9c; Proper debut Sep. 21
Who:
Executive Producer is Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live); Stars Christina Applegate, Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph
What:
Applegate and Arnett play new parents attempting to balance their professional and personal lifestyles against the challenges of raising a child.
Why:
Truth be told, this is actually one show I really think I'm looking forward to.
While other networks have comedies equally as solid, I must say that NBC truthfully leads the pack amongst this genre. As I've said before, Thursday nights contain true-blood, top dog comedies such as Parks & Recreation
and The Office, along with TV's single most creative, innovative and bold show, Community. Other comedies on the network may have bombed over the past season (Oh hai, The Paul Reiser Show), but it doesn't tarnish the true alphas a single notch.This fall, NBC will launch a second night of comedy on Wednesdays up against ABC's family comedies. This show, starring Will "Gob Bluth
" Arnett and Christina "Kelly Bundy" Applegate, will lead first and it easily looks like the strongest of the three sitcoms they're launching in the Fall. From just a bit of the trailer below, it promises to be incredibly relatable for newfound parents and their naturally occuring challenges whilst still maintaining a quick wit and a stream of funny material. So far, it easily passes the 30 Rock test of comedy standards for NBC.Add in supporting cast members such as Nick Cannon and Maya Rudolph, the latter who seems to be at her funniest since her SNL peak. The whole cast actually knows how to keep the humor up and generates a very funny state for the show to be in. From the looks of it, this could yet just be the funniest new show of the season.
It's also frankly the only appealing new comedy NBC seems to offer this season. That's not here, but it might be there.
Lynx:
Official NBC Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
Monday, September 5, 2011
Five Days, Ten New Shows -- Terra Nova
TERRA NOVA
When and Where:
FOX; Mondays 8/7c; Debuts Sep. 26 (Two-Hour Premiere)
Who:
DreamWorks Television, with Steven Spielberg as Executive Producer
What:
In the distant future of 2149, a select few are sent back to prehistoric times to start their lives anew living in a wilderness colony. They all attempt to survive against wild beasts, including dinosaurs.
Why:
So according to this show, we still have about 150 years left before our planet becomes uninhabitable, and that's with the influx of people trying to help it.
So, its basically not my problem.
On a more serious note, this is one of the Fall's most hotly anticipated new shows. The FOX network is successful enough to make a huge gamble with a series this high-profile, sporting special effects and a visual flavor more akin to a major blockbuster feature film. In fact, they had intended to launch it back in May with a sneak preview airing of the pilot, akin to how Glee premiered in 2009. That plan was scrapped, however because the special effects on the premiere couldn't be finished on time. In fact, the whole order of 13 episodes for the first season was made long before the upfronts.
Terra Nova is only the second science fiction series launched by DreamWorks TV this year. The first was TNT's Falling Skies. about a band of human rebels up against invading aliens, set in a post-apocalyptic setting akin to the cult CBS drama Jericho
. Now, this premise comes out at a time when it comes off fresh and new. The current TV audience knows nothing about the similar Mid-90's drama Earth 2, which only lasted for one season. I've also been informed on other attempts to try this premise out in the past, none of which saw much in the way of success.
But, will it work this time? Will it blend? With Spielberg backing it, the odds lean in it's favor.
Lynx:
Official Fox Network Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
When and Where:
FOX; Mondays 8/7c; Debuts Sep. 26 (Two-Hour Premiere)
Who:
DreamWorks Television, with Steven Spielberg as Executive Producer
What:
In the distant future of 2149, a select few are sent back to prehistoric times to start their lives anew living in a wilderness colony. They all attempt to survive against wild beasts, including dinosaurs.
Why:
So according to this show, we still have about 150 years left before our planet becomes uninhabitable, and that's with the influx of people trying to help it.
So, its basically not my problem.
On a more serious note, this is one of the Fall's most hotly anticipated new shows. The FOX network is successful enough to make a huge gamble with a series this high-profile, sporting special effects and a visual flavor more akin to a major blockbuster feature film. In fact, they had intended to launch it back in May with a sneak preview airing of the pilot, akin to how Glee premiered in 2009. That plan was scrapped, however because the special effects on the premiere couldn't be finished on time. In fact, the whole order of 13 episodes for the first season was made long before the upfronts.
Terra Nova is only the second science fiction series launched by DreamWorks TV this year. The first was TNT's Falling Skies. about a band of human rebels up against invading aliens, set in a post-apocalyptic setting akin to the cult CBS drama Jericho
. Now, this premise comes out at a time when it comes off fresh and new. The current TV audience knows nothing about the similar Mid-90's drama Earth 2, which only lasted for one season. I've also been informed on other attempts to try this premise out in the past, none of which saw much in the way of success.But, will it work this time? Will it blend? With Spielberg backing it, the odds lean in it's favor.
Lynx:
Official Fox Network Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
Five Days, Ten New Shows -- New Girl
NEW GIRL
When and Where:
FOX; Tuesdays 9/8c; Debuts Sep. 20
Who:
Stars Zooey Deschanel; Co-stars Jake Johnson of No Strings Attached; Created by the writer of said film, Liz Meriwether
What:
Deschanel stars as Jess, who moves into an apartment with three guys following a messy breakup. In the time that follows, she proceeds to get her life on track and contemplate her next personal move.
Why:
Since both That 70's Show
and Malcolm in the Middle
ended in 2006, FOX has been relatively lax with new live-action comedies and seemed to have allowed their animated sitcoms to make up for it. In the mean time, the Sunday night block was able to represent the network's comedic offerings perfectly whilst the best they could offer in the live-action arena was the Brad Garrett dud, 'Til Death
which ran for four seasons, two of which went straight under the radar.
This past season, on the other hand at least yielded one very good comedy -- Raising Hope
. This new show will lead into Hope, representing a reasonable gamble considering how middling the numbers for the latter wound up in it's first season. (And yet, one must consider the lead-in of Glee
, which will at least help for the debut.) Unsurprisingly, New Girl comes off as FOX's most ambitious new live-action comedy.
Deschanel propels herself into TV (following into the same network employing her sister, Emily over on Bones
) as the quirky Jess. So far, she really seems to steal the show. One of this character's many attributes and ticks has her sing a theme song to herself, offering the lyrics "Who's that girl? It's Jess!" She even sings this when walking in on her boyfriend and discovering that's he's been cheating.
We don't see much of her male co-stars in the promos. Of course, this could be because one of them won't be on the show for long. Damon Wayans, Jr. had New Girl as a backup in case ABC didn't renew Happy Endings
, and that renewal happened after FOX picked up this show. Regardless, the trailer posted below has the inciting role for the males to play to propel Jess into seeking her rebound.
Overall, the buildup is sort of underwhelming but I think this has some potential. I still haven't seen No Strings Attached
, although as I write this it's lying around my house waiting to be viewed before it goes away, so I can't make comparisons there. Deschanel is a fine actress, and I enjoyed her presence in Elf 
and (500) Days of Summer
. It might be interesting to see how this develops over time, and I do feel inclined to tune in leading into Raising Hope.
Lynx:
Official Fox Network Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
When and Where:
FOX; Tuesdays 9/8c; Debuts Sep. 20
Who:
Stars Zooey Deschanel; Co-stars Jake Johnson of No Strings Attached; Created by the writer of said film, Liz Meriwether
What:
Deschanel stars as Jess, who moves into an apartment with three guys following a messy breakup. In the time that follows, she proceeds to get her life on track and contemplate her next personal move.
Why:
Since both That 70's Show
and Malcolm in the Middle ended in 2006, FOX has been relatively lax with new live-action comedies and seemed to have allowed their animated sitcoms to make up for it. In the mean time, the Sunday night block was able to represent the network's comedic offerings perfectly whilst the best they could offer in the live-action arena was the Brad Garrett dud, 'Til Death which ran for four seasons, two of which went straight under the radar.This past season, on the other hand at least yielded one very good comedy -- Raising Hope
. This new show will lead into Hope, representing a reasonable gamble considering how middling the numbers for the latter wound up in it's first season. (And yet, one must consider the lead-in of Glee, which will at least help for the debut.) Unsurprisingly, New Girl comes off as FOX's most ambitious new live-action comedy.Deschanel propels herself into TV (following into the same network employing her sister, Emily over on Bones
) as the quirky Jess. So far, she really seems to steal the show. One of this character's many attributes and ticks has her sing a theme song to herself, offering the lyrics "Who's that girl? It's Jess!" She even sings this when walking in on her boyfriend and discovering that's he's been cheating.We don't see much of her male co-stars in the promos. Of course, this could be because one of them won't be on the show for long. Damon Wayans, Jr. had New Girl as a backup in case ABC didn't renew Happy Endings
, and that renewal happened after FOX picked up this show. Regardless, the trailer posted below has the inciting role for the males to play to propel Jess into seeking her rebound.Overall, the buildup is sort of underwhelming but I think this has some potential. I still haven't seen No Strings Attached
, although as I write this it's lying around my house waiting to be viewed before it goes away, so I can't make comparisons there. Deschanel is a fine actress, and I enjoyed her presence in Elf and (500) Days of Summer. It might be interesting to see how this develops over time, and I do feel inclined to tune in leading into Raising Hope.Lynx:
Official Fox Network Page
Facebook Page
Trailer:
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