Sunday, October 19, 2014
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Television Premieres and Notables: October 20-26, 2014
Sooooo, a month has gone by since the new TV season kicked off, so why not a little recap?
Overall, I feel it's been pretty lame-- but it's no a complete waste (not complete, but close to complete.)
First off: after a absolutely brutal season, The New Girl found its groove again. If you gave up last season, I'd recommend trying it out again.
Arrow took an even darker turn at the end of the premiere-- and it looks like they may stick with the consequences. A nice change from the "Big Death that's forgotten about a week later" norm.
Sleepy Hollow is seemingly getting bogged-down by its own mythology/cleverness. It started down that path last season, but the actors have been keeping me coming back. As great as they are, though, I'm not sure I'll stick around much longer.
As for new shows, a usually give dramas 2-3 eps before I make a drop/keep decision, and comedies get 4-5 episodes. I didn't make it through the pilots of these: The Mysteries of Laura, Cristela, Manhattan Love Story, and a pilot that actually inflicted pain in me: Mullaney (I actually contemplated suicide before hitting "stop" and "delete series" from my DVR).
Gotham has been pretty good, but there's something I can't quite put my finger on from making me love it. But I'm sticking with it; it's certainly one of the more ambitious attempts this season.
The Flash has been really cool and fun. It is a modern super-hero representation, but instead of dark and brooding, this show takes a more "doing the right thing" tact. Barry helps people because he has the power to. Sure, bad things have happened (mother murdered when he was young; father in jail for it) it's not what drives him. He does what needs to be done because he can do it.
That's been bothering me quite a bit about comic books the past few years, and I like to see a superhero don a suit because he feels a responsibility to; because helping people is its own reward.
Other than black-ish, not a single new comedy has impressed me. I'll stick with a couple to see where they go, but I won't be sad if they all disappeared.
Dramas haven't fared much better. I like the concept of Scorpion, but I'm not sure if it'll be interesting or varied enough to devote much effort in. NCIS: New Orleans is competent enough, but I find procedurals awful boring. I have played each episode so far simply because of Scott Bakula and Lucas Black. I'm happy they have a steady gig (and a popular one), but I wish they'd be on something more interesting.
And it all brings me to the biggest surprise of the season: Jane the Virgin. Only one episode has aired so far, but I'm hooked. What's interesting about it is: it's got a telenovela vibe and has lots of soap opera tropes-- but it was so elegantly put together in a light package that I just had to love it. It you are craving something new in this lousy TV season, give it a try.
Anyway, let's see what's going on this week:
Monday, 10/20
The Millers; CBS. 7:31 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
American Dad; TBS. 8 pm CST. 11th Season (and new network) Premiere.
Wednesday, 10/22
Melissa & Joey; ABC Family. 7 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
Baby Daddy; ABC Family. 7:30 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
The 100; The CW. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Web Therapy; Showtime. 10 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Thursday, 10/23
Project Runway (Lifetime; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.
Newsreaders; adult swim. 11 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Friday, 10/24
Alpha House; Amazon. Streaming. Season Premiere.
Grimm; NBC. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Deal With It; TBS. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Constantine; NBC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
I have to give NBC credit for attempting this, but I also have to keep expectations low because there is no way a network is going to get close to the true John Constantine from the Hellblazercomic.
So, will a neutered Constantine be an interesting one? I don't know. I hope so because this series could give us an entirely new outlook on comic book inspired TV/movies.
Sunday, 10/26
Boardwalk Empire (HBO; 8 pm CST). Series Finale.
Overall, I feel it's been pretty lame-- but it's no a complete waste (not complete, but close to complete.)
First off: after a absolutely brutal season, The New Girl found its groove again. If you gave up last season, I'd recommend trying it out again.
Arrow took an even darker turn at the end of the premiere-- and it looks like they may stick with the consequences. A nice change from the "Big Death that's forgotten about a week later" norm.
Sleepy Hollow is seemingly getting bogged-down by its own mythology/cleverness. It started down that path last season, but the actors have been keeping me coming back. As great as they are, though, I'm not sure I'll stick around much longer.
As for new shows, a usually give dramas 2-3 eps before I make a drop/keep decision, and comedies get 4-5 episodes. I didn't make it through the pilots of these: The Mysteries of Laura, Cristela, Manhattan Love Story, and a pilot that actually inflicted pain in me: Mullaney (I actually contemplated suicide before hitting "stop" and "delete series" from my DVR).
Gotham has been pretty good, but there's something I can't quite put my finger on from making me love it. But I'm sticking with it; it's certainly one of the more ambitious attempts this season.
The Flash has been really cool and fun. It is a modern super-hero representation, but instead of dark and brooding, this show takes a more "doing the right thing" tact. Barry helps people because he has the power to. Sure, bad things have happened (mother murdered when he was young; father in jail for it) it's not what drives him. He does what needs to be done because he can do it.
That's been bothering me quite a bit about comic books the past few years, and I like to see a superhero don a suit because he feels a responsibility to; because helping people is its own reward.
Other than black-ish, not a single new comedy has impressed me. I'll stick with a couple to see where they go, but I won't be sad if they all disappeared.
Dramas haven't fared much better. I like the concept of Scorpion, but I'm not sure if it'll be interesting or varied enough to devote much effort in. NCIS: New Orleans is competent enough, but I find procedurals awful boring. I have played each episode so far simply because of Scott Bakula and Lucas Black. I'm happy they have a steady gig (and a popular one), but I wish they'd be on something more interesting.
And it all brings me to the biggest surprise of the season: Jane the Virgin. Only one episode has aired so far, but I'm hooked. What's interesting about it is: it's got a telenovela vibe and has lots of soap opera tropes-- but it was so elegantly put together in a light package that I just had to love it. It you are craving something new in this lousy TV season, give it a try.
Anyway, let's see what's going on this week:
Monday, 10/20
The Millers; CBS. 7:31 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
American Dad; TBS. 8 pm CST. 11th Season (and new network) Premiere.
Wednesday, 10/22
Melissa & Joey; ABC Family. 7 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
Baby Daddy; ABC Family. 7:30 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
The 100; The CW. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Web Therapy; Showtime. 10 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Thursday, 10/23
Project Runway (Lifetime; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.
Newsreaders; adult swim. 11 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Friday, 10/24
Alpha House; Amazon. Streaming. Season Premiere.
Grimm; NBC. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Deal With It; TBS. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Constantine; NBC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
I have to give NBC credit for attempting this, but I also have to keep expectations low because there is no way a network is going to get close to the true John Constantine from the Hellblazercomic.
So, will a neutered Constantine be an interesting one? I don't know. I hope so because this series could give us an entirely new outlook on comic book inspired TV/movies.
Sunday, 10/26
Boardwalk Empire (HBO; 8 pm CST). Series Finale.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Monday, October 13, 2014
Television Premieres and Notables: October 13-19, 2014
Monday, 10/13
Jane the Virgin; CW. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A 23-year-old virgin gets pregnant when a medical procedure goes awry.
Sounds crazy? Well, this series is based on a telenovela, and they can get pretty crazy.
But it sounds as if this show is going to go for a little bit of an Ugly Betty vibe, so lots of "overdrama" with some whimsy.
And I have to say this pilot had critics buzzing more than other this season. It had lots of fans.
Probably worth checking out.
Star Wars Rebels; Disney XD. 8 pm CST. Regular Series Premiere.
Sure, there was a little pilot a few weeks ago, but this is the night it kicks in regularly.
Set between Eps III and IV-- and with teases of certain people/places we could see in Eps VII and beyond...
Tuesday, 10/14
Marry Me; NBC. 8:01 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Casey Wilson and Ken Marino star as a couple who keep trying to get engaged-- but something always seems to get in the way of the proposal.
About a Boy; NBC. 8:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
This show was a little up and down last season, but David Walton held it together nicely.
Nice to see a show of his get to a second season, and nice that it was this one. There's potential here.
Wednesday, 10/15
Top Chef; Bravo. 9 pm CST. 16th Cycle Premiere.
Friday, 10/17
The Knick (Cinemax; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Foo Fighters: Sonic Highway; HBO. 10 pm CST. Mini-series Premiere.
For their new album, the Foo Fighters recorded eight songs in eight different cities, and this series spends one episode in each of the eight cities showing us their process.
Comedy Bang!Bang!; IFC. 10 pm CST. Season Premiere.
The Birthday Boys; IFC. 10:30 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Saturday, 10/18
Black Dynamite; adult swim. 9:30 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Sunday, 10/19
Manhattan (WGN; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Jane the Virgin; CW. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A 23-year-old virgin gets pregnant when a medical procedure goes awry.
Sounds crazy? Well, this series is based on a telenovela, and they can get pretty crazy.
But it sounds as if this show is going to go for a little bit of an Ugly Betty vibe, so lots of "overdrama" with some whimsy.
And I have to say this pilot had critics buzzing more than other this season. It had lots of fans.
Probably worth checking out.
Star Wars Rebels; Disney XD. 8 pm CST. Regular Series Premiere.
Sure, there was a little pilot a few weeks ago, but this is the night it kicks in regularly.
Set between Eps III and IV-- and with teases of certain people/places we could see in Eps VII and beyond...
Tuesday, 10/14
Marry Me; NBC. 8:01 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Casey Wilson and Ken Marino star as a couple who keep trying to get engaged-- but something always seems to get in the way of the proposal.
About a Boy; NBC. 8:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
This show was a little up and down last season, but David Walton held it together nicely.
Nice to see a show of his get to a second season, and nice that it was this one. There's potential here.
Wednesday, 10/15
Top Chef; Bravo. 9 pm CST. 16th Cycle Premiere.
Friday, 10/17
The Knick (Cinemax; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Foo Fighters: Sonic Highway; HBO. 10 pm CST. Mini-series Premiere.
For their new album, the Foo Fighters recorded eight songs in eight different cities, and this series spends one episode in each of the eight cities showing us their process.
Comedy Bang!Bang!; IFC. 10 pm CST. Season Premiere.
The Birthday Boys; IFC. 10:30 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Saturday, 10/18
Black Dynamite; adult swim. 9:30 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Sunday, 10/19
Manhattan (WGN; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Friday, October 10, 2014
Thursday, October 09, 2014
Wednesday, October 08, 2014
Tuesday, October 07, 2014
Monday, October 06, 2014
Sunday, October 05, 2014
Television Premieres and Notables: October 6-12, 2014
Monday, 10/6
The Originals; CW. 7 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Tuesday, 10/7
The Flash; CW. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
The DC hero gets his second series. This one is set in the Arrow universe, but it sounds as if it'll be a bit lighter. They've been getting some decent actors to play guest/villain roles, so I hope it works out.
Kingdom; DirecTV. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Joe Jonas plays an MMA fighter.
That's all you need to know.
(Well, I guess it should also be said that Entertainment Weekly's Kyle Anderson gave it an A-...)
Supernatural; CW. 8:02 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Town of the Living Dead; Syfy. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A small town in Alabama hosts a low-budget horror movie that-- as expected-- doesn't go off without a hitch.
Arrow; CW. 7 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
This series really opened up (and was able to shed some of the CW-standard soap opera-y stuff) last season, and I'm pretty excited to see where it goes now.
American Horror Story: Freak Show; FX. 9 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
Friday, 10/10
Cristela; ABC. 7:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Saturday, 10/11
My Cat From Hell; Animal Planet. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Intruders (BBC America; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Sunday, 10/12
Marvel's Hulk and the Agents of SMASH; Disney XD. 7 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
America's Funniest Home Videos; ABC. 6 pm CST. 25th Season Premiere.
The Walking Dead; AMC. 8 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.
Spoilers...
[So, after a brutal attack that separated our main characters for the back-half of last season, we got a chunk of character-driven episodes while they found their way back to each other.
Too bad that path was a trap.
But now (most of) our "heroes" are back together, and Farmer Rick is a thing of the past after biting the throat of his attacker in the season finale-- and saying he felt sorry for his captors...
I expect an even crazier and more intense season coming up.
And if you still haven't caught up/started watching, AMC is airing a complete series marathon starting Monday (10/6) at 7 pm CST.
Talking Dead; AMC. 9:01 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
Yeah, it's pretty pro-Walking Dead, but so what? Celebrity fans/WD writers/producers/stars talking about the episode we just watched. I don't have anyone to talk to about the show at work (either they don't watch-- or I get a "no spoilers" request from others within earshot), so this show is a pretty good way of processing The Walking Dead for me.
[Side note: I also get a lot of WD info/processing via the Walking Dead 'Cast podcast. Check it out. It's a lot of fun. They're fans, too, who don't feel the need to shit on the show. It's okay to like an unpredictable show that is fun enough. I do, the Talking Dead folks do, and the Walking Dead 'Cast does as well.]
The Affair; Showtime. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
The title pretty much says it all.
Comic Book Men; AMC. 10:59 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
Saturday, October 04, 2014
Friday, October 03, 2014
Thursday, October 02, 2014
Wednesday, October 01, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Monday, September 29, 2014
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Television Premieres and Notables: September 29-October 5, 2014
Monday, 9/29
Mom; CBS. 7:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Castle; ABC. 9 pm CST. 7th Season Premiere.
NCIS: Los Angeles; CBS. 9 pm CST. 6th Season Premiere.
Tuesday, 9/30
Selfie; ABC. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
This modern day take on Pygmalion brings us Karen Gillan as a self-absorbed young woman who enlists John Cho to remake her as someone worth knowing.
I watched the pilot, and have to say I wasn't terribly impressed. But I'll also say I think the show can find its feet within a few weeks, so I'll be sticking around a while.
Manhattan Love Story; ABC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Wednesday, 10/1
Criminal Minds; CBS. 8 pm CST. 10th Season Premiere.
Stalker; CBS. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Dylan McDermott and Maggie Q star as cops who specialize in stalking cases.
Thursday, 10/2
The Vampire Diaries; CW. 7 pm CST. 6thSeason Premiere.
Reign; CW. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Gracepoint; Fox. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
I didn't get a chance to check out the original series this was based on (Broadchurch), but actor David Tennant is reprising his role (although as an American instead of a Scotsman) in this series about two detectives who try to solve a murder in their small community where everyone seems to have a secret.
Bonus: this series is slated for a 10-episode run, so not a huge time commitment-- and good odds the crime will be solved by the end.
Bad Judge; NBC. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Kate Walsh stars as a rebel judge.
A to Z; NBC. 8:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Friday, 10/3
Last Man Standing; ABC. 4th Season Premiere.
Saturday, 10/4
Survivor's Remorse; Starz. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A rookie basketball player signs a bid deal-- and wants to give it back to the community.
Sunday, 10/5
Bob's Burgers; Fox. 6:30 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.
Homeland; Showtime. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Mulaney; FX. 8:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
The Strain (FX: 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Mom; CBS. 7:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Castle; ABC. 9 pm CST. 7th Season Premiere.
NCIS: Los Angeles; CBS. 9 pm CST. 6th Season Premiere.
Tuesday, 9/30
Selfie; ABC. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
This modern day take on Pygmalion brings us Karen Gillan as a self-absorbed young woman who enlists John Cho to remake her as someone worth knowing.
I watched the pilot, and have to say I wasn't terribly impressed. But I'll also say I think the show can find its feet within a few weeks, so I'll be sticking around a while.
Manhattan Love Story; ABC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Wednesday, 10/1
Criminal Minds; CBS. 8 pm CST. 10th Season Premiere.
Stalker; CBS. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Dylan McDermott and Maggie Q star as cops who specialize in stalking cases.
Thursday, 10/2
The Vampire Diaries; CW. 7 pm CST. 6thSeason Premiere.
Reign; CW. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Gracepoint; Fox. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
I didn't get a chance to check out the original series this was based on (Broadchurch), but actor David Tennant is reprising his role (although as an American instead of a Scotsman) in this series about two detectives who try to solve a murder in their small community where everyone seems to have a secret.
Bonus: this series is slated for a 10-episode run, so not a huge time commitment-- and good odds the crime will be solved by the end.
Bad Judge; NBC. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Kate Walsh stars as a rebel judge.
A to Z; NBC. 8:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Friday, 10/3
Last Man Standing; ABC. 4th Season Premiere.
Saturday, 10/4
Survivor's Remorse; Starz. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A rookie basketball player signs a bid deal-- and wants to give it back to the community.
Sunday, 10/5
Bob's Burgers; Fox. 6:30 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.
Homeland; Showtime. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Mulaney; FX. 8:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
The Strain (FX: 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
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