It's premiere week. I'm hoping some big thing will appear. I checked out Ringer, Up All Night, Free Agents, and The Secret Circle, and I wasn't terribly impressed.
Ringer wasn't bad. I'll be sticking around. It could go many directions (not all good), but I'll see where it leads us.
Up All Night will be pretty funny when they decide to write jokes. Funny thing: many critics said Maya Rudolph "made" the pilot. Those critics would be wrong.
Free Agents: I'll admit I fell asleep (not a knock on the show; I'm perpetually exhausted). I'll also admit I still deleted the show when I woke up during the credits. I didn't feel the need to rewatch the parts I didn't see.
The Secret Circle: I like Britt Robertson, but this show really isn't geared to a 39-year-old man. I'm okay with that. I think it could have something for someone younger than myself.
So Secret Circle is out for me (I only tried it because there was nothing else in the DVR for both my wife and I to watch). Ringer is the keeper, and the two comedies will get an extended trial because it's really tough to gauge what a comedy will ultimately be like based on its pilot (yes, that doesn't make sense as the pilot sells the program, but comedies seem to experience the most changes).
And here I was hoping to not write too long. Mission failed.
Premiere Week is unleashed. I posted trailers last year, but I don't think I'm going to go that route this year. If something sounds cool, check it out on YouTube. I'll try to steer you a little if I've been reading things about these shows, but it's hard to push through what is honest criticism and what is hype.
Monday, 9/19
Dancing With the Stars; ABC. 7 pm CST. 13th Cycle Premiere.
How I Met Your Mother; CBS. 7 pm CST. 7th Season Premiere.
The little show that could makes it to a safe place. Marshall and Lily work on parenthood, Robin goes outside the group to find love, Marshall gets his dream job, Barney has to adjust after finding his father... And Ted keeps looking for "the one".
Hell's Kitchen (Fox; 7 pm CST). Season Finale.
The Sing-Off; NBC. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.
2 Broke Girls; CBS. 7:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Kat Dennings (love her) and Beth Behrs star as two (young) women who are broke.
I have hopes for it, but CBS hasn't had a great track record for Monday comedies to help out the veteran shows.
Two and a Half Men; CBS. 8 pm CST. 9th Season Premiere.
You may think "Hey, Charlie's out, Ashton's in; I'll give it a try." I thought the same thing. And then I remembered that I didn't stop watching years ago because I hated Sheen. I stopped watching because the writing was lazy and the jokes (that's being generous) were lousy. The behind-the-scenes people are still there, so I expect this to remain bogged-down in what I call "lowest common denominator" humor.
Castle; ABC. 9 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
Hawaii Five-O; CBS. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
The Playboy Club; NBC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A show set in the '60s in the famous Chicago club.
--But the show insists it's not sexist.--
I'm not so sure.
Who am I kidding? I'm in.
Intervention (A&E; 9 pm CST). S eason Finale.
Tuesday, 9/20
The Biggest Loser; NBC. 7 pm CST. 12th Cycle Premiere.
NCIS; CBS. 7 pm CST. 9th Season Premiere.
Glee; Fox. 7 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Last year had lots to like (Darren Criss, Gwyneth Paltrow's appearances), and lots to hate (waaaaay too much preaching, Sue Sylvester going way over the top, too many shoved-in song numbers, bully who has gay tendencies, girl who became lesbian without much warning).
[Let me just say I'm not against the gay thing at all; I'm actually very supportive of it all in real life and on TV. But when it becomes a preachy subject that's beaten over my head every week, I'm not as supportive. Just like I'm not supportive of any over-used plot point on any show. I get it: being a kid is tough. Being a gay kid is tougher. Move on.]
NCIS: Los Angeles; CBS. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
New Girl; Fox. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Zooey Deschanel stars as a newly-single woman who moves in with three men and they all learn what it means to be young and single in the 2010's. Lots of good word about this one. Check it out.
Raising Hope; Fox. 8:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
One of my favorite shows from last year. Check it out.
Body of Proof; ABC. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Unforgettable; CBS. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Poppy Montgomery is a detective with hyperthymesia, which means she can recall any moment in her life. It's a good-- and bad-- thing...
Wednesday, 9/21
The Middle; ABC. 7 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Not as polished as Modern Family and not as much drinking as Cougartown, but this show is hugely underrated. Check it out. And Ray Romano guests tonight, so you've got a minor Everyone Loves Raymond reunion here.
The X-Factor; Fox. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
You all know about it by now. Simon Cowell brings his show across the pond and gives it a shot on American TV.
I expect to have X-Factor burn-out by about Halloween. Because even though I won't even watch the show, I will see an article in every magazine I read, half of any mag cover on the stands will mention it, The Soup will play clips, etc etc.
Up All Night and Free Agents land in their normal weekly spots at 7 pm and 7:30 pm respectively (NBC).
Modern Family; ABC. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Tonight, Mitchel and Cameron visit a dude ranch. I expect it not to go as well as they had hoped.
Criminal Minds; CBS. 8 pm CST. 7th Season Premiere.
Harry's Law; NBC. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Revenge; ABC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Emily VanCamp stars as a woman who plots to destroy the family who ruined her father.
Good news: creator Mike Kelley promises that all the questions posed in the pilot will be answered by the thirteenth episode. So if gets cancelled, we'll know who did it. And we'll also know they won't drag out the initial mysteries.
CSI; CBS. 9 pm CST.
Now with 100% more Ted Danson as he takes over the CSI team.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; NBC. 9 pm CST. 13th Season Premiere.
Now with 100% less Christopher Meloni.
The Hour (BBC America; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Thursday, 9/22
Charlie's Angels; ABC. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Three "bad" girls get a second lease on "goodness" by becoming private investigators for an unseen man.
Community; NBC. 7:30 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Last season, this show became much more than a mere comedy. Very subtly, it became a human-relation show. Very small bits that add to our understandings of the characters that just added layer after layer. Check it out.
And there are two new faculty members that are worth giving this show a look: John Goodman appears as the vice dean (and he's a little more "rough" than Dean Felton) and Michael K. Williams (The Wire's Omar) has a recurring role as a biology professor who's a bit "intense" and has it out for Jeff.
The Big Bang Theory; CBS. 7 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.
One of my biggest disappointments of last season. Having to carry the Thursday line-up took a toll on the show in my opinion. The over-reliance on sex jokes was tiring, and I hope the show can find its way back to the fish-out-of-water humor that made it so great the first four years.
Parks and Recreation; NBC. 7:30 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
This show gets better and better-- but it's still overrated by many critics. I'd like to see some more growth, and it looks like the dynamic is changing just a bit for many characters.
Grey's Anatomy; ABC. 8 pm CST. 8th Season Premiere.
Person of Interest; CBS. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan bring us this series about an extremely rich man who partners with a former CIA operative to prevent crimes. There's a mystery or two (or ten) in the backstory to add to the mix. Worth watching.
The Office; 8 pm CST. 8th Season Premiere.
James Spader got the gig as the new manager-- and took a little more by ending up as the CEO of the company. So that means the search for a new manager will go on this season as well.
Whitney; NBC, 8:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
I've liked Whitney Cummings on Chelsea Lately, but the commercials have not looked promising.
The Mentalist; CBS. 9 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
Prime Suspect; NBC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Maria Bello stars in this British import that starred Helen Mirren. I have high hopes for it, but the original is a classic (legendary from what I've heard), and NBC doesn't give me much confidence...
Friday, 9/23
A Gifted Man; CBS. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
An arrogant neurosurgeon begins to get visions of his dead wife, who implores him to work at her failing clinic. And he learns to be less arrogant.
I'd skip it, but Julie Benz is a series regular, so I have to at least try it out.
Kitchen Nightmares; Fox. 7 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
Nikita; The CW. 7 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
I give a lot of credit to this show for shaking things up (and progressing the characters) so much the first season. No chance to get stale so far.
CSI: NY; CBS. 8 pm CST. 8th Season Premiere.
Fringe; Fox. 8 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
Supernatural; The CW. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Blue Bloods; CBS. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Saturday, 9/24
I don't get a chance to listen to podcasts. I don't have an MP3 player (or any portable computer for that matter)-- and my company frowns on us having "distractions" (as if we're so unprofessional that we won't pick up the phone because a really good song is on), so work's out.
But I do try to catch the Nerdist podcast when I know I'll be at my home desktop for an extended period (like the three hours it took me to type this up).
So I'm gonna plug the BBC America "pilot" of the Nerdist talk show, hosted by Chris Hardwick at 9 pm CST. He's got Matt Smith on it, so even if you're not sold on Hardwick, check it out for The Doctor...
And if that's not enough, talk show genius Craig Ferguson will be a guest too.
Saturday Night Live; NBC. 10:35 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Alec Baldwin hosts for a sixteenth time.
Sunday, 9/25
Amazing Race; CBS. 7 pm CST. 19th Cycle Premiere.
The Simpsons; Fox. 7 pm CST. 23rd Season Premiere.
Twenty-three years. Amazing.
The Cleveland Show; Fox. 7:30 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
7:30 for a few weeks, then it moves to 6:30, and if Fox has two football games (noon and 3 pm), expect to find this show all over the schedule due to preemptions.
Desperate Housewives; ABC. 8 pm CST. 8th Season Premiere.
The final season begins.
The Good Wife; CBS. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Family Guy; Fox. 8 pm CST. 10th Season Premiere.
Boardwalk Empire; HBO. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
The Great Food Truck (Food Network; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.
Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.
American Dad; Fox. 8:30 pm CST. 7th Season Premiere.
Pan Am; ABC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A series that follows the stewardesses of the famous airline in the 1960s. It's a retro look at the excitement that used to come with flying.
CSI: Miami; CBS. 9 pm CST. 10th Season Premiere.
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