Tag: ABC

Fall Premieres – Something for Everyone on Humpday

We’re halfway through a heady premiere week and Wednesday brings almost as many series premieres as season premieres. ABC, the network that continued to give us According to Jim even after we kept repeatedly screaming “Uncle!” tries to get back into the comedy game with two new laffers (one I’ve got more faith in than the other, even with the clout of a former Friend) and what might be a laughable attempt at offering a “new” adaptation of a story we’ve already seen twenty years ago in book and movie form. CBS has an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude with its unchanged midweek line-up. NBC gives us something old and something new.

Arresting Possibilities

It’s been some time since ABC has made me laugh (in a non-scoffing way) and it seems to have redeemed itself with half-hour comedy Modern Family, which I am giving the highest TVOYOT honor – an immediate Season Pass. The variety of clips seen in their ads have all provided decent chuckles and a few hearty laughs, which I always take as a good sign that it won’t be one-note. On the surface Family seemed a bit mediocre, average at best (although seeing Ed O’Neill again on a weekly basis in a role that seems like an aging Al Bundy was an intriguing concept). While not being outwardly obvious in its dysfunctional humor, upon further inspection the tone bears a striking resemblance to that of the amazing Arrested Development and the characters as well-developed as the Bluth clan.

And Rebecca Romijn as Cher?

I will admit to being morbidly curious as to how a new vision of The Witches of Eastwick(always an enjoyable repeat viewing, who can resist Nicholson mugging as the devil opposite top-of-their-game Cher and Susan Sarandon)will play as a series. The fact that the first attempt just a few years after the movie was a hit (circa 1987) never took off, classified on IMDb as an “unsold pilot,” is a prime indication that Eastwick might not be long for the television world. Seems like the alphabet network slapped this one together quickly to cash in on the supernatural craze with this yawn-worthy Lipstick Witchcraft Mafia.

Worth a Season Commitment

9/8c – Modern Family, ABC (series premiere)

Checking Out Once (Expect to Be Checking Out Quickly)

9:30/8:30c – Cougar Town, ABC (series premiere)
10/9c – Eastwick, ABC (series premiere)

Not For Me Before, Not For Me Now

8/7c – New Adventures of Old Christine, CBS
8:30/7:30c – Gary Unmarried, CBS
8/7c – Mercy, NBC (series premiere)
9/8c – Criminal Minds, CBS
9/8c – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, NBC
10/9c – CSI: NY, CBS

Fall Premieres – Dramas, Dramas Everywhere

A tidalwave of dramas washes in with tonight’s schedule, led by consummate channel for those settling into their golden years, CBS. Not being anywhere near such a demographic, I initially felt my viewership will be tuned to other networks on Tuesdays, but my interest is piqued with The Good Wife featuring the return of Julianna Margulies to primetime in what is being hailed across the critics’ board as the best new drama of the season. So I find myself in an unprecedented situation (wait for it) – a CBS show could get added to my series watch list! At the very least the premiere will get a chance at proving its worth, and judging by the stellar supporting cast (Chris Noth! Christine Baranski!!) it might actually deliver on its pre-air reputation.

While the premise turned me off (probably the opposite effect the creators were aiming for) being too “ripped from the headlines” with the political scandal involving the titular character’s husband, it’s what follows and is the center of the show – how a wife, mother and woman chooses to stand beside a man of questionable merit who she changed her life for, but most importantly how she proceeds with a new direction after being thrust into this kind of harsh spotlight – that made me reconsider. Granted this series will live heavily in the world of the courtroom considering the wife used to be a crackerjack attorney who returns to her old lawfirm, in addition to dealing with her jailed husband’s wrong-doings. Very rarely do I find myself commiting to the crime & punishment shows, but my Tuesdays at 10 are open to the possibilities.

Meanwhile two other new cops & crime shows premiering couldn’t even hook me with weekly offerings of two of my generation’s heartthrobs – Chris O’Donnell in the NCIS spin-off (following in the steps of its not-in-any-way-related-but-really-isn’t-it sister show CSI) NCIS: LA and Christian Slater in ABC’s The Forgotten.

Giving it a Go

10/9c – The Good Wife, CBS (series premiere)

Eh, Not Even Slick Casting Gets Me

9/8c – NCIS: LA, CBS (series premiere)
10/9c – The Forgotten, ABC (series premiere)

Haven’t Watched Any Episode Yet, Why Start Now?

8/7c – NCIS, CBS

Fall Premieres – The Main Course Day 1

Hopefully we’ve all gotten enough rest this weekend, TV lovers, and cleared schedules and a large amount of digital space because tonight begins a veritable onslaught of premieres. So pace yourselves, kiddies, this is a marathon not a sprint.

COMEDY? ON CBS?

Not to be a snob…oh who am I kidding, let the judgment commence! CBS’s Monday line-up cannot tickle my funny bone even with the natural powerhouse of hilarity NPH. I’ve given both How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory a look on multiple occasions and while they obviously do it for some sect of TV viewers (the former in its fifth season, the latter its third) neither have won me over in the consistent laugh department. And I can’t even stomach flipping past Two and a Half Men in syndication. Perhaps it’s the live studio audience, multi-camera aspect that throws me (not since Will & Grace have I been an avid fan of such a series) or maybe it’s the seemingly average (aka safe) situation comedy that turns me off. Either way CBS’s two-hour block on Mondays has never made it onto the must watch list so I expect the newest series joining the party, Accidentally on Purpose, will follow suit.

Over to the short list of shows that continue to receive my attention, as long as they don’t disappoint (I’m talking most specifically to you Heroes). Dancing with the Stars has an intense three day premiere starting tonight so those sequins and sparkles have a lot of work to do. Heroes will premiere in just one night but with two hours introducing us to volume 5 “Redemption.” Coming off a lackluster finish last year, the only thing that kept me on board was the fantastic possibilities seen in the trailer, including a circus storyline and bringing on board Robert Knepper (aka the man who breathed life into Prison Break‘s memorable T-Bag) as the key villain.

SERIES THAT HAVE A PLACE ON THE DVR

8/7c – Dancing with the Stars, ABC
8/7c – Heroes, NBC

SERIES I’M RECONSIDERING

10/9c – Castle, ABC

SERIES THAT HAVE YET TO IMPRESS

8/7c – House, FOX
8/7c – How I Met Your Mother, CBS
9/8c – Big Bang Theory, CBS
9:30/8:30c – Two and a Half Men, CBS

SERIES I DON’T EXPECT TO IMPRESS

8:30/7:30c – Accidentally on Purpose, CBS (series premiere)

SERIES TO INDUGLE IN WHEN BORED (OR FEELING THE NEED TO MAKE FUN OF DAVID CARUSO)

10/9c – CSI: Miami, CBS

2009 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Winners

Oh, awards shows. You and I need to have a serious discussion because I can’t stand being the submissive in this kinky little relationship of ours anymore. Finding myself continually coming back to you each time with a deluded excitement that maybe this will be the year you surprise and thrill me, and after half an hour I cannot stay glued to my seat. Yet I stick with you to the bitter end, bad taste in my mouth with a sense of “meh” and “well, I could’ve just checked the IMDb live winner update feed.”

While this seems a backlash of a post, please read as a request for awards telecasts to step up the entertainment and for the various academies to change up the voting habits – not that I don’t love my 30 Rock or Mad Men (congrats to wins not only for best show in their respective categories, but writing too!) – because sitting through 3 hours of “announce list of nominees, open envelope, read winner, not-amusing-nor-poignant acceptance speech, rinse, repeat” gets a little taxing and I think more of us would welcome some upsets, blunders and outbursts once in awhile.

Tonight’s major category winners:

Drama Series: “Mad Men,” AMC

Comedy Series: “30 Rock,” NBC

Actor, Drama Series: Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad,” AMC

Actress, Drama Series: Glenn Close, “Damages,” FX Networks

Actor, Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock,” NBC

Actress, Comedy Series: Toni Collette, “United States of Tara,” Showtime

Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Michael Emerson, “Lost,” ABC.

Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Cherry Jones, “24,” Fox.

Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Jon Cryer, “Two and a Half Men,” CBS.

Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Kristin Chenoweth, “Pushing Daisies,” ABC.

Miniseries: “Little Dorrit” PBS.

Made-for-TV Movie: “Grey Gardens,” HBO.

Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Brendan Gleeson, “Into the Storm,” HBO.

Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, “Grey Gardens,” HBO.

Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Ken Howard, “Grey Gardens,” HBO.

Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Shohreh Aghdashloo, “House of Saddam,” HBO.

Directing for a Comedy Series: “The Office: Stress Relief,” Jeff Blitz, NBC.

Directing for a Drama Series: “ER: And in the End,” Rod Holcomb, NBC.

Directing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Series: “American Idol: Show 833 (The Final Three),” Bruce Gowers, Fox.

Directing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special: “Little Dorrit: Part 1,” Dearbhla Walsh, PBS.

Variety, Music, or Comedy Series: “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” Comedy Central.

Reality-Competition Program: “The Amazing Race,” CBS.

Writing for a Comedy Series: “30 Rock: Reunion,” Matt Hubbard, NBC.

Writing for a Drama Series: “Mad Men: Meditations in an Emergency,” Kater Gordon and Matthew Weiner, AMC.

Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Series: “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” Comedy Central.

Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special: “Little Dorrit,” Andrew Davies, PBS.

Host, Reality or Reality-Competition Program: Jeff Probst, “Survivor,” CBS.

Original Music and Lyrics: “81st Annual Academy Awards: Song Title: Hugh Jackman Opening Number,” ABC.

Bryan Fuller: Back from the Dead

Bryan Fuller, creator/producer of top-notch now-defunct series Pushing Daisies, Dead Like Me and Wonderfalls, will be teaming with Bryan Singer (director of X-Men and Usual Suspects, and exec producer of FOX series House) to adapt the Augusten Burroughs novel “Sellevision,” whose previous memoir “Running With Scissors” was turned into a feature helmed by Glee and Nip/Tuck creator Ryan Murphy and starred Alec Baldwin.

The hourlong comedy-drama for NBC will revolve around the inner workings at a fictional home shopping channel. Being a world rich with great metaphors of consumerism, buying happiness and chasing material things, Fuller stresses the show won’t satirize the home-shopping genre itself but instead will be a more grounded take on that sphere through the eyes of one player in it.

Fuller also has a second script — his first stab at a half-hour comedy — in the works at the Peacock. No Kill is a workplace laffer set inside a no-kill animal shelter. Fuller, a self-described “animal lover,” believes that there is humor in people who identify more with animals than other humans, and that his show will be a comedy about “becoming human.”

In between these two scripts, Fuller is still working on a comicbook adaptation of his late ABC series Pushing Daisies, and remains hopeful that the 12 issues of the comicbook will eventually serve as a blueprint for a Pushing Daisies movie.

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