The Best Of Fall TV - Part 6 (Wrapping Up Wednesday Nights)

Not much left for Wednesdays, and one of these almost doesn’t count – you’ll see what I mean…

1. Pushing Daisies (ABC) – (Starts tonight) I’ve gushed enough about this show at the end of the last season (Don’t believe me? Check here.), so I’ll spare the synopsis. So where did we leave off last year? Let’s see – Chuck’s forgiven the Piemaker for accidentally killing her father when he brought his own mother back from the dead. Oh yeah, and a drugged up Lily reveals that she is actually Chuck’s mother. Huh – didn’t see that one coming. Tonight, the unlucky murder victim of the week is Kentucky Fitz, who died in a tragic bee-related incident. It’s a good thing Chuck has that bee-keeping suit then, isn’t it? Don’t miss out on your second chance to jump onboard this show – beyond the fact that it’s one of the most visually stunning shows you’ll ever see, the adult fairytale that’s unfolding is one of the most sweetly funny things on TV. (Oh, and you could just get the Season 1 DVD set here to catch up.)

2. Friday Night Lights (DirecTV) – (Starts tonight – for some of us) What pisses me off more: the fact that this fantastic show is on a channel I can’t receive without switching providers, the idea that the show won’t replay on its original home on NBC ‘til Spring, or the knowledge that even when it finally does play on NBC, the episodes will be trimmed down (there are “DirecTV exclusives” in the first airings, essentially extra scenes that won’t show up in the replay)? I’m going to go with “D”, all of the above. Grrrrr – we’ll talk more in the Spring, kids…

3. South Park (Comedy Central) – (Starts October 8th) What hijinks will the kids get into this year? Only time will tell, but let’s hope that the show is ready to take on some of the lousy political and economic situations going on around us. At its best, the show has given us a good look at current topics, simplifying it to a ridiculous degree, and often showing us how stupid it all is. The episode where the kids went to Afghanistan and did the old Bugs Bunny/Elmer Fudd routine substituting Cartman and Bin Laden was a bit of genius. Now if we can just get Parker and Stone to keep away from the dookie jokes and get back to that brand of storytelling, I bet there’s a Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote gag with Obama and McCain somewhere in there…

The premiere grid, should you still need it, is here.

The Best Of Fall TV - Part 5 (Tuesday Nights)

Okay, so I’ve been slacking on the Tuesday TV schedule – so let’s jump in and get through this quick and easy, like pulling off a Band-aid…

1. Fringe (Fox) – (Started September 9th) J.J. Abrams seems to have a pattern for picking his leads: one cute female (relatively unknown) and one attractive male, preferably from some kind of show that had a teenybopper audience – possibly add in a dash of comic relief to spice things up. In this show, the hot mama in question is Anna Torv (playing FBI Agent Olivia Dunham), the hunkey man-type is Joshua Jackson (formerly of Dawson’s Creek fame – playing super-smart Peter Bishop) and John Noble (playing Dr. Walter Bishop – Peter’s father, also ridiculously intelligent, and nutty as a squirrel turd – thus the comic relief). (If you’re wondering what the parallels are, in LOST their counterparts would be Evangeline Lilly, Matthew Fox (previously of Party of Five) and Jorge Garcia (Hurley – not wicked smaht, but equally funny.)) What you’ve missed so far: melting people on a plane, rapidly aging serial killers and psychic lab experiments – oh, and they pulled the eye out of a corpse to do… oh, I forget, but it was pretty gross. What could sink this show? Right now, Fox is actually doing a pretty decent job promoting Fringe, so they’re not a problem – yet. But if they don’t let Olivia get over her dead ex soon and start to crack a smile? Even the crazytown antics of Dr. Bishop won’t be enough to lighten the mood after a while. We need levity injected into a show with such a serious backstory. Final words: the shadowy conspiracy in this mythology series has a name: The Pattern. Oooooh, the evil pattern. Is it the government? The scary corporate scientists? Needlework designs fom Hell? I’ll never tell - XOXO.

2. The Mentalist (CBS) – (Started September 23rd) Patrick Jane works as an independent detective who uses his honed observation skills to assist law enforcement in solving crimes. Add a spunky sidekick in the pharmaceutical biz, a spunky female cop as a love interest and a head detective nicknamed Lassie? Yeah, isn’t this already a show on USA called Psych? Oh, but this one isn’t supposed to be funny? Okay. Worth checking out, but if you have to choose between this and House – not sure how many will tune in…

3. House (Fox) – (Started September 16th) So, Dr. Wilson may or may not blame House for the death of his girlfriend – but he definitely doesn’t want to be friends anymore, so he’s moved away. A character replacement that seems to be working oddly well? The private detective House hired to get background dirt on his patients – oh, and he hired him to spy on Wilson, but that’s really no surprise. And yes, the new team is still intact (Foreman, Thirteen, that guy from Harold & Kumar and the cranky ex-plastic surgeon). Also still going strong – the weekly lumbar puncture, House’s crankiness/general insanity and a steady increase in the amount of gross and gooey procedures. Bottom line: if you don’t know how good House is by now, we may need a psych consult – or another L.P. just to be safe…

4. The Shield (FX) – (Started September 2nd) Whether or not you agree with Vic Mackey’s strongarm politics, he’s always gotten the job done. Granted, he might’ve burnt some people’s faces off along the way, and maybe he stole a truckload of money from the Russian mob – nobody’s perfect. The thing to remember about this show, though? This is one of the cable network successes that proved that original scripted programs could exist beyond the major networks. AND they could be just as edgy as anything on HBO or Showtime. So give this show some love – it’s the final season, and I’m betting they don’t bow out quietly.

5. Eli Stone (ABC) – (Starts October 14th) A mid-season replacement from last year that came out with a success story – a pickup for season 2! And there are few shows as deserving – the quirky dramedy about a lawyer whose George Michael-centric hallucinations turn him into a modern-day prophet is funny, well written and populated with a fantastic cast. Jump on board when it starts up again – I’m sure the “Previously On” voiceover guy will tell you anything you missed – just a hunch.

See you soon for more – but not much more, we’re almost caught up. Again, for the full premiere grid go here.

The Best Of Fall TV - Part 4 (Wrapping Up Monday Night's Schedule)

For a full synopsis of the shows I'm recommending here, use the handy time-travel feature to the right (the archives, silly). I did promos for most of these programs in May and June. For now, let’s focus on what’s coming up for the new season.

1. Chuck (NBC) – (Starts tonight) Here’s the one I’ve been waiting for – just an amazing blend of over-the-top action with zany comedy thrown in. So where did we leave off? Oh yeah, Casey was ordered to kill Chuck once the new Intersect was complete. Jeez, I hope they don’t kill off the main character, huh? On the bright side, it looks like Chuck may get to go on a real date with Sarah tonight – and she doesn’t even have to wear the Wienerlicious outfit. Dang. (For a better description, check out my previous post here.)

2. Life (NBC) – (Starts tonight) Okay NBC, let’s hope you know what you’re doing. They’re taking this sophomore drama, a complex conspiracy theory show interlaced with a weekly procedural, and pumping out two episodes a week for its first two weeks. One episode on Monday and one on Friday, until it switches to Fridays full time on October 17th - where it will hopefully not die a slow death in that dead zone of a night. For now though, a strong premiere episode featuring a new serial killer. This one lets his victims suffocate in trunks, strategically places them around town, and sends a riddle as to their location. Sounds like we might need Batman for this one – or Charlie Crews, since this is his show. (Check this out for a better show description.)

3. Prison Break (Fox) – Okay, this one has been on for nearly a month now, but I’m just getting around to checking things out on Tivo. While it is most certainly a guilty pleasure of a show, Prison Break has done a pretty good job of reinventing itself this season. We’re finally starting to get a glimpse of The Company, the uber-mysterious organization that has been trying to kill Michael and friends from day one. But now, with Michael “officially” leading his team to take down The Company? It’s been a fun ride so far, let’s hope they can keep it up…

4. My Own Worst Enemy (NBC) – (Starts October 13th) Guess what’s taking Life’s spot in the Monday rotation? Yep, this Christian Slater vehicle. I’m sure you’ve seen the ads – Slater plays a character who is unaware that he is leading a double life as both a suburban nobody and a secret agent. Is it schizophrenia? Hypnosis? Will one of the personalities sound oddly similar to Jack Nicholson? I guess we’ll find that out together…

5. Samantha Who? (ABC) – (Starts October 13th) Chronicling the life of an amnesiac (Christina Applegate) who used to be a bitch, but is now (at least temporarily) a sweetheart. This sitcom was a wonderful departure from the usual crappy formula, largely due to the phenomenal cast. Hopefully the second year can live up to the promise of the first. (And obviously, we’re very happy about Applegate’s full recovery this summer.)

Maybe tomorrow I can actually get to the Tuesday schedule. Or maybe I’ll sleep in again. Time will tell…

The Best Of Fall TV - Part 3 (Thursday Nights)

So, how fun was that presidential address last night, huh? I got home expecting to see Criminal Minds, only to see W’s big dopey face talking about the wonderful shape our economy is in. Grrrr. Not much new to report for Thursdays until October 9th, but we do have a few favorites that are returning tonight. (And a couple that started last week on the CW…)

1. Supernatural (CW) – There just aren’t enough monster-driven shows anymore. I mean, sure, Lost has its fair share of scares, but even those are some kind of high-tech island security so it just doesn’t inspire the same kind of fear. But Supernatural? Besides the demons they fight on a weekly basis, who are always good for some good old-fashioned civilian disemboweling, we also get a rogues gallery of monsters from a variety of mythologies – from your usual baddies like vamps and ghosts to more odd fair, like the “Anti-Santa” that dragged its victims up through a chimney. Great creature-feature flair with a generous dose of humor makes this another show that I can’t wait to watch. And last week’s season opener certainly didn’t disappoint. (*Spoilers ahead) They didn’t drag out the whole “Oh, Dean’s been ripped apart by a Hellhound and dragged into the fiery pits” storyline – I mean, boo-hoo, right? No, they brought him right back – and in the opening sequence, we see Dean dragging his sorry butt out of his own grave. Quite the comeback. Of course, things can never be simple for the Winchester boys, so why would his resurrection come without strings attached? Let’s just say that Angels might not be the folklore the boys thought they were, and that this season might start a whole new path…

2. The Return of Funny On NBC: My Name Is Earl and The Office – Ah, Earl – I love you so. But last season, you left me to go to jail – and you dragged out that bit for waaaaay too long. Then you got out and married Alyssa Milano, who seemed like she was perfect for you! Hooray! But then she turned into a psycho and made things unpleasant once again. Boo! But by the end of the season, things got back on the rails, Earl was set to start working the karma list again, and goodness prevailed. So hopefully this season will make me renew my love – and what better way to start than with tonight’s double-shot. Two new episodes! Then The Office takes over, and I confess I have no idea what’s going on – I’m one of the few people who didn’t catch on from the start, so I’ve got years of back story to fill in, which seems daunting. But this thing has one of the funniest men alive, Steve Carell, along with a fantastic cast – so what are you waiting for, go watch it…

3. Ugly Betty (ABC) – Christie (13) from Ohmagosh, Michigan writes: “OMG – So, like, Betty totally had to choose between Gio and Henry at the end of last season. I mean, Gio is, like, completely dreamy, so it seems like a no-brainer – but she totally had that fairytale romance thing going with that nerd Henry, even though he knocked up that skanky ex-girlfriend of his! And Henry was all like “I’m down on one knee with a ring” and stuff, so, it has to be him, right blogman?”
Or not. Since Christopher Gorham (the actor who plays Henry) has signed on to Harper’s Ferry, a midseason show on CBS, I wouldn’t expect much in the long-term for a Betty-Henry pairing. And what about all those other loose ends from the finale? Was it going to be Wilhemina or Daniel running Mode? Was Tony Diaz going to stay with his wife or move on to Hilda? And wasn’t Christina still Wilhemina’s baby mama? Presumably, we’ll find out at least ONE of those answers tonight…

4. Smallville (CW) – (This show started last week as well) Yes, I’m still going to watch. Lex was supposed to be Clark’s bald-headed arch-nemesis for all time, and Michael Rosenbaum did a superb job playing the role (to the point where he just looked abnormal WITH hair, as seen in Sorority Boys). And Lana – okay, she was getting a bit melodramatic towards the end, right? I mean, even IN the coma? Still, the fact that both of these characters will only be in a handful of episodes from this season isn’t going to help the show – but adding Green Arrow as more of a regular should boost things a bit. Oh, and we’ll see more of the Young Justice League. And hopefully a lot more for Chloe and Jimmy, who have become the most fun part of the show. Now if they could only get the rights to introduce that young Bruce Wayne character – then, we’d be talkin’!

5. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX) – (Another show that started last week – but the plots are insane, you can pretty much just jump on whenever you want…)
Here’s a quick synopsis of the FX sitcom: Take the premise of Friends, and substitute the main characters with self-centered misanthropes. Now switch out the coffee house for a dive bar. Then get Monica and Ross hooked on crack, turn Chandler into Phoebe’s creepy stalker and have Joey bang Rachel’s Mom. What’s that retching noise – oh, you get the basic idea? I find that once you stop questioning whether or not you’re going to Hell every time you laugh out loud, it’s a lot easier to digest. The fact that the double-dose of goodness in last week’s premiere saw this band of freaks switching gears between possibly being cannibals and selling gas door-to-door as part of a get-rich-quick scheme just makes sense – if you’re insane enough to follow their logic. And once you can do that, you’ll laugh so hard that milk will come out your nose – even when you’re not drinking any. It’s THAT funny. But make no mistake – you are going to Hell for laughing. And I’ll be right there next to you, since this is one of my favorite shows…

That’s it for now – I’ll preview the other new Thursday shows soon. And again, for a premiere grid go here.

Do I Smell A Stinker?: Life On Mars Redux

This is the big week for TV networks - upfronts, when the fall schedules are announced. With ABC making nearly no changes to their schedule in a bid for stability, any new shows added to that list should be an undoubted masterpiece, right? Well, the only new scripted show to be picked up by the alphabet net is Life On Mars, a remake of the hit BBC time travel drama. The basic plot point of both versions is that the lead character (a police detective) is in an accident in the present, and wakes up to find himself trapped in the 70’s. Sounds okay so far? Wait for it…

The history behind the project: David E. Kelley has been working to get this project to TV for the better part of the last two years – the original pilot episode was shot last summer. For those of you who don’t know Kelley’s body of work, he came to fame at the helm of Ally McBeal and has worked on a variety of TV shows including The Practice and its current spin-off Boston Legal. In all of his shows so far, there have been some charming characters and witty dialogue – but no ringing endorsements to his ability to helm a sci-fi cop show. Well, now that the show has been picked up – Kelley is severing ties with the program. So what brilliant team is taking the reigns? Since the abysmal October Road has been canceled, the out-of-work producers from that show have been handed this gift. And here I thought Road was helmed by a room full of retarded chimps. Who knew?

“Can they really be that bad?”, you ask: Did you ever SEE October Road? I watched the first episode because I always had a thing for Laura Prepon, the feisty redhead from That 70’s Show. But around halfway through the pilot, after dry-heaving a bit from the throwaway dialogue and terrible acting, I had seen enough to know that my Tivo must have had a bellyache just trying to record the show. I deleted it and tried to forget. But now these guys are trying to wreck something I might actually watch. Dang!

Can LOM be salvaged?: I started digging into the pasts of the new showrunners, hoping that the October debacle could be forgiven. It looks like Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec have been working together for a while, and they've actually worked on some sci-fi tinged dramas such as Alias and Early Edition. Not bad. Ohhhh, but they also worked on the MTV-music-video-meets-cop-show Fastlane, which featured the acting “talents” of Tiffani Thiessen and Bill Bellamy. Granted, this FOX program was one of my guilty pleasures, but the cheese factor of that coupled with October Road? Yikes.

The final part of this unholy trinity is Scott Rosenberg, who seems to have been involved with a lot more movie projects than TV. I again saw a glimmer of hope when I read the title High Fidelity on his writing credits list – classic. So what could ruin that? Oh, there it is – Kangaroo Jack. Yeeeech.

The other bad omen for Mars is the apparent disinterest of the American audience for time-travel dramas. Within the last two seasons, ABC had its own failure with Day Break, while NBC suffered a similar fate with Journeyman (and we won't question the fact that the lovely but possibly-cursed Moon Bloodgood was on both shows). But still, I keep a glimmer of hope alive – I am a sci-fi dork, after all. And what I’ve seen of the original UK version was great, so if this new take on the mythology can at least partially live up to that, it may make it. Add the casting of a sci-fi vet like Colm Meaney and the possibility of some decent scripts and it could actually be good. Make me proud, chimp-men, make me proud…