Alright, it's that time of year. We are almost to the end of September and a good portion of the new Fall Pilots have premiered. So, in effort to let you know what I think is worth watching, here are my general reactions.
Pan Am:
Really enjoyed this. First of all, if you turned the sound off it would still be worth tuning in for because the show is gorgeous. Talk about making use of the HD. And I have a pretty good sense of the characters so far, thanks to a fairly effortless use of flashbacks. The stories seem interesting - spies! romance! girdles! - but I'm interested in how they keep it up without going to far off the grid of Pan Am flights. And will all episodes take place within the plane? My take away: watch it. Or at least DVR (does anyone watch anything live anymore?!). Also, I want a Pan Am bag. And I want to only travel in the 60s as it was obviously so much nicer than travelling now. I didn't hear anyone being charged for anything!!
Terra Nova:
First of all, a confession, I'm only 3/4 of the way through the episode. However, that's enough I think. I like it. Is it my favorite new show? No. Do I fear that it won't be able to keep up with it's self? HELL YES. I also have a million questions, one major one was how isn't this a Butterfly Effect thing, but they explained that this is a different "time stream" that they are entering, so okay. I guess they are just Butterfly Effecting the heck out of another timeline of people, so who cares! Also: why in this main family do all the girls look like the mom (Indian, maybe) and the son only looks like the dad (that dark Irish coloring). Are genetics gender specific in the future? Anyway.... despite my many many questions, and the fact that it looks like "Jurassic Park in the Jurassic Period" I am enjoying it. (Except the son. Do we need another obnoxious, sullen teenage boy on TV.) The action is good. The family dynamics are interesting. And Stephen Lang is the ultimate BAMF. Oh - and there was a shirtless Jason O'Mara doing grunt work in the sun all sweaty. SOLD!
Hart of Dixie:
You can check out my full review of it here. To sum up: I loved it. I needed a good show that wasn't about supernatural things or cops or lawyers or involve an inappropriate amount of violence and sex. It was classic WB-esque (Everwood, Gilmore Girls, Felicity, etc). It's not the best show or the smartest show, but it is just a nice hour of television with actors I love. That's enough for me.
Playboy Club:
First of all, this show is cheesy as hell. There is no denying that. However, I enjoyed it so much more than I expected. My favorite storyline involves Sean Maher (who finally came out yesterday) as a gay man in a sham marriage to a Bunny that is a lesbian. Drama! I love it. Eddie Cibrian is doing his best Jon Hamm voice which is great. He and Amber Heard have crazy chemistry, which makes their scenes enjoyable. (I'm sure Leann Rimes is livid) Overall, it's better than I thought, but if you are already overloaded, not sure if this is the one to pick up.
2 Broke Girls:
The first episode was charming. I have a huge girl crush on Kat Dennings and I enjoyed her on this. Unfortunately, it has a laugh track which may be the worst thing ever. Yes, it's filmed in front of an audience and all that, so there will be the laughter, but it's annoying. I also think it can take nearly a season for actors filming in front of an audience to stop acting like they are in an improv sketch and start acting like they are, well, acting. The second episode took a significant downward turn for me as well since they are already resorting to horse poop jokes. No. This should not be happening. We will see, 2 Broke Girls. We will see.
Ringer:
Sigh, Ringer. I don't know what to do with you. I think the show has so much potential. I love the cast, obviously. And I think SMG is great. But the style, the pacing, the self-aware noir-ness of it all is overwhelming what could be a great dark and twisty drama. I'm hoping it rights itself and gets on track because I want to LOVE it and instead I just find it okay. Of course, I'll be sticking with it though!
New Girl:
I find this show adorable. If you like Zooey Deschanel, than you will probably like this show. If you don't, well, it could go either way. I know people who just don't get her and don't get the show. And I know people who can't stand her and yet find themselves loving the show in spite of that. I think the guys are great and I'm so very very sad that Damon Wayans Jr can't do two shows and stay on as Coach. Also, I came into the series ready to be in love with Max Greenfield's character (Deputy Leo from Veronica Mars!!) but I actually fell in love with Nick, played by Jake Johnson. While I don't think Jess should hook up with any of the roommates, if there is an end game, it should be Jess and Nick. Just saying...
Revenge:
LOVE LOVE LOVE. This is what Ringer should have been. I adore it. Yes, it is a cheesy nighttime soap opera set in the Hamptons, but I don't care. Emily Van Camp is fantastic. Madeline Stowe (who does not age, apparently) is the perfect ice queen. And, sweet lord, Jack is friggin hot. I just think this show has the potential to be so much fun and I enjoyed all 3 viewings of the pilot. If you enjoy a good soap, this is it. My one and only complaint: there is no way on God's green earth that the dog is still alive. It is an adorable idea on the part of the writers, but I've done the math a million ways - that dog should be dead. And if it IS somehow still alive there is no way it is playing fetch in the park and and jumping on people playfully. But, dog issues aside, this may be my favorite pilot so far.
Up All Night/Free Agents
I'm doing these together because they are connected for me. I've only basically talked about them as a pair. Night one: Thought Up All Night was adorable and Free Agents was okay, and would have played better as a dramedy. Night Two: total turn around. I thought the A storyline on Up All Night was horrendous and could barely watch it, thought the B storyline with Maya Rudolph was cute. Free Agents was much more amusing the second night and seemed to have more potential. I'm very curious as to what happens this week. I want to love Up All Night but if it keeps going in the direction of episode two, I don't think I can keep watching.
The Secret Circle
This is the perfect pairing with The Vampire Diaries. It makes the night on The CW complete. Gale Harold is perfect as the evil (but possibly with good intentions...) dad. Britt Robertson is adorable as always, and I enjoy Cassie so much more than the character of Lux. There are some kinks - some of the characters seem more like caricatures, especially Faye who seems like she is just trying to be every cast member of The Craft. Also, question for those who watch: does Diana seem like more of a real villain than Faye to you too? I didn't read the books, so I don't know. If you like CW-fare like TVD, you'll like this. It's a simple jump from one to the other. I just hope TSC finds a way to be as solid as TVD has become.
Charlie's Angels
Oh, how I want to like this show. I looove Minka Kelly. And now Victor Garber is playing Charlie. But I just don't. The acting is horrific. When the first Angel dies.... wow. The fighting is okay. The action sequences are okay. But I just can't get past the script and acting. Yes, it's supposed to be cheesy. But it shouldn't be bad. There is a difference, and it seems they fell on the wrong side of the line. Too bad.
Prime Suspect
Maria Bello is fantastic in this, as if there was ever any doubt. And I adore Kenny Johnson, who plays her boyfriend. He is one of my favorites in everything (The Shield, Saving Grace, Sons of Anarchy). My biggest issue with this show: that for some reason none of the men in her precinct have ever worked with a woman before. Seriously??? In 2011 they have never had to deal with a female detective? I get that in the NYPD women still have to deal with sexism. I'm not that naive. But the level of it was like I was watching a show from 1971 not 2011. Hell, a woman was RUNNING the precinct on Law & Order for nearly twenty years. And this show has a woman being treated like an idiot whore. I want to like the characters (especially Charlie from Fringe) so I'm hoping it evens out in tone a bit. Overall though, it was a really well done show. I'll keep watching.
A Gifted Man
I don't know how I feel about this, to be honest. I love love love the cast. Patrick Wilson. Julie Benz. Margo Martindale. Jennifer Ehle. You can't go wrong with these people. But the pilot seemed a bit uneven and unsure of where they wanted to go. I think mostly because it was a lot of setup. From the first hour I have NO IDEA what kind of show this is going to be. I think I need at least one more episode to make a decision.
Okay, so that's it so far. I still have some I need to catch up on: Unforgettable and Person of Interest come to mind. I will try to write more as other shows premiere.
Still to come: Grimm, Suburgatory (watch that one), Once Upon a Time.
Also, there are some I'm just not watching: Whitney and Last Man Standing for example.
I'll try to do this again for those and, of course, with mid-season replacements.
What did you guys think of everything?
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Remember when TV was fun?
In the past year or so I've become a lot more active on Twitter. In that time I've met some fantastic TV friends - people that write about Twitter on pop culture websites, have blogs, just love TV, etc. They are all lovely people and they are passionate about their TV. But here's the more important thing, every last one of these new friends are almost always responsible with their TV passion. They are smart, understand how the industry works, and they don't hate on people for not having the same opinions as them. It's lovely. BUT, while this group has been the upside to Twitter, I've also encountered a downside. The haters. The people who endlessly complain about the show they hate and yet continue to watch for some unexplained reason. The people who take precious moments out their day to write vile comments on articles, especially involving "shippers" of certain shows. It is awful to see, and makes me long for the days when we were all allowed to just enjoy our TV without worrying we may bring on the wrath of the haters. So I've decided to come up with five simple rules for watching TV and then choosing to interact with others on the interwebs. Take it or leave it. But I prefer you take it.
Rule 1: Don't Judge a Show by It's Pilot
Listen, all shows are winners right out of the gate. If you think a show may have potential, don't just dump it after one viewing. If you go back and check out your favorite shows, I'll bet you'll find those pilot episodes aren't as good as you remember. They can't all be the first two hours of LOST. Feel free to hate the show after 3 unfortunate eps. Unless the first one is really bad... then chances are it's a goner. Or it's Outsourced and will inexplicably last all season.
Rule 2: One bad storyline does not ruin the whole series
Writers are not magicians - they can't just endlessly roll out perfect storylines. Just because a show falters, does not mean the show is ruined. They can't all be winners. Because you don't like where one storyline is going - or even worse, where you assume it is going - that doesn't mean you have to stop watching the show or spend endless hours complaining about it. Just keep watching and see if it evens out. Or if you don't think it will, please check out my next rule....
Rule 3: If you don't like it, for goodness sake, don't watch it!
This is the worst. I can't tell you how many posts I've read in the last month alone about how people are watching some show they hate and spending their time complaining about how the show is awful and a waste of their time. The show isn't wasting your time, you are by watching it!!! If a show has gone so far off the rails you don't want to deal with it anymore, don't watch! If you think a show is dumb, don't watch! If you hate the person on the show, don't watch! Really, it is not a difficult concept. And if you are suffering from a severe case of FOMO, don't worry, because every single show out there is inevitable being live-tweeted by someone. Plus every show has a recap almost immediately available on at least 5 different websites. I promise, you'll still be in the know if you want to be. And this particular rule does not just apply to scripted series. Please use it for reality shows, singing competitions, talk shows, whatever.... TV is supposed to be fun!!! Don't hurt yourself. Or us by complaining about it.
Rule 4: The TV blogger is not your enemy
Why do people think that every blogger/writer needs to have the exact same opinion as them? And why do people always read non-biased articles as if they are biased? (For example, with Vampire Diaries articles: All Stelena fans think every article is biased in favor of Delena, and all Delena fans think every article is biased in favor of Stelena. Why??) And frankly, even if an article is completely biased, it shouldn't really matter, should it? So what if the writer is hard-core shipping the couple you hate. He/She does not write the show. And, now stick with me here because I know what I'm about to say is pretty insane, but the writer is entitled to their own opinion!! I KNOW! Crazy, right? Take a breath, think about what you want to say and try to phrase it in a way that doesn't sound vaguely like a death threat, mmmkay? Remember Thumper's mom....
Rule 5: Enjoy it
This may seem simple, but it's sort of where all of my annoyance is coming from. If you don't like watching TV anymore, maybe it is time to stop. You are ruining it for the rest of us.
All this being said, this doesn't mean I don't enjoy the snark and sarcasm. It is my first language, after all. But I also don't believe that snark and sarcasm equals hate and vitriol. And if you MUST be nasty in your TV viewing and commenting, be warned. We will mock you openly. Not just for your attitude and incomprehensible comments. We will also mock you for what is inevitably horrendous grammar.
Rule 1: Don't Judge a Show by It's Pilot
Listen, all shows are winners right out of the gate. If you think a show may have potential, don't just dump it after one viewing. If you go back and check out your favorite shows, I'll bet you'll find those pilot episodes aren't as good as you remember. They can't all be the first two hours of LOST. Feel free to hate the show after 3 unfortunate eps. Unless the first one is really bad... then chances are it's a goner. Or it's Outsourced and will inexplicably last all season.
Rule 2: One bad storyline does not ruin the whole series
Writers are not magicians - they can't just endlessly roll out perfect storylines. Just because a show falters, does not mean the show is ruined. They can't all be winners. Because you don't like where one storyline is going - or even worse, where you assume it is going - that doesn't mean you have to stop watching the show or spend endless hours complaining about it. Just keep watching and see if it evens out. Or if you don't think it will, please check out my next rule....
Rule 3: If you don't like it, for goodness sake, don't watch it!
This is the worst. I can't tell you how many posts I've read in the last month alone about how people are watching some show they hate and spending their time complaining about how the show is awful and a waste of their time. The show isn't wasting your time, you are by watching it!!! If a show has gone so far off the rails you don't want to deal with it anymore, don't watch! If you think a show is dumb, don't watch! If you hate the person on the show, don't watch! Really, it is not a difficult concept. And if you are suffering from a severe case of FOMO, don't worry, because every single show out there is inevitable being live-tweeted by someone. Plus every show has a recap almost immediately available on at least 5 different websites. I promise, you'll still be in the know if you want to be. And this particular rule does not just apply to scripted series. Please use it for reality shows, singing competitions, talk shows, whatever.... TV is supposed to be fun!!! Don't hurt yourself. Or us by complaining about it.
Rule 4: The TV blogger is not your enemy
Why do people think that every blogger/writer needs to have the exact same opinion as them? And why do people always read non-biased articles as if they are biased? (For example, with Vampire Diaries articles: All Stelena fans think every article is biased in favor of Delena, and all Delena fans think every article is biased in favor of Stelena. Why??) And frankly, even if an article is completely biased, it shouldn't really matter, should it? So what if the writer is hard-core shipping the couple you hate. He/She does not write the show. And, now stick with me here because I know what I'm about to say is pretty insane, but the writer is entitled to their own opinion!! I KNOW! Crazy, right? Take a breath, think about what you want to say and try to phrase it in a way that doesn't sound vaguely like a death threat, mmmkay? Remember Thumper's mom....
Rule 5: Enjoy it
This may seem simple, but it's sort of where all of my annoyance is coming from. If you don't like watching TV anymore, maybe it is time to stop. You are ruining it for the rest of us.
All this being said, this doesn't mean I don't enjoy the snark and sarcasm. It is my first language, after all. But I also don't believe that snark and sarcasm equals hate and vitriol. And if you MUST be nasty in your TV viewing and commenting, be warned. We will mock you openly. Not just for your attitude and incomprehensible comments. We will also mock you for what is inevitably horrendous grammar.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
CBS Upfronts: Fall Pilot Previews
So today CBS announced their new line-up. Hey guess what? There are some new cop procedurals to take the place of any they got rid of. I may die of shock. After The Good Wife, I take more of a look at the new stuff CBS has to offer because sometimes it isn't for 60+ people anymore. There isn't a lot on here - they already had a pretty full schedule and didn't make a lot of room for new stuff. There is also only one midseason premiere listed - The 2-2 (a cop procedural!!) which didn't have a clip package. BTW - say the name out loud. Pretty funny name for a serious cop show.
Alright, let's take a look.
A Gifted Man
Patrick Wilson!! But he doesn't have his shirt off once in this clip package... Boo! I'm sure he will at some point though, so best to tune in. This one seems to be filling the void that Medium and Ghost Whisperer have left - a person who sees someone who is dead. Based on the clips, it is just the one dead person, but who knows where it is going. I may have to give it a shot on Patrick Wilson alone. He is fantastical in every way. Also: Julie Benz.
How to be a Gentleman
Not sure about this one. It looks like if they don't fall into a repetitive joke and allow the characters some growth this could be fun. The cast is full of wonderfully funny people, especially Dave Foley and Rhys Darby. But sometimes I find CBS allows some of their comedies to remain very broad jokes with little movement, and this has the ability to fall into that trap easily. I want the people on it to succeed, so even if I don't watch, I hope it does well.
Person of Interest
Let's see... this show is produced by JJ Abrams (win!), it is written by Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan's brother and writing partner (win!), and it stars James Caviezel and Michael Emerson (double win!). The concept seems interesting - plenty of room for an underlying mythology but allowing the viewer to focus on a "case of the week." Plus Benjamin Linus talking about special numbers warms my heart that is still very much grieving for LOST. I will be checking this one out for sure.
Two Broke Girls
For those of you who pay attention to my Facebook, you know I have a massive girl crush on Kat Dennings. So obviously, this show has a big plus right off the bat. I think the preview looks okay. Again, like I've mentioned for MANY of the comedies over the past few days, if it can get past the broad strokes in the premiere, it has potential. And for the record - broad strokes in a premiere is not a bad thing. Go rewatch the series premiere of Friends. Ain't exactly the best thing ever. BROAD comedy. So I'll try this one. Again... Kat Dennings.
Unforgettable
I really like Poppy Montgomery. I didn't watch her on Without A Trace because, well, like I've mentioned, I don't really get into the CBS crime procedurals. At all. NCSI Cold Case NY Miami Vegas. Whatever. Not for me. Sorry. But she was in a Lifetime movie I loved. HA! And she has her red hair back. Now, am I going to watch this one? Meh... I don't know. It seems interesting, but I don't know how many more crime dramas I can take on. I will probably give it a try for an episode or two, but if I don't LOVE it.....
And that's it. Thanks CBS for having so few! Tomorrow..... expect me to squeal because CW is up. That's right - Rachel Bilson, Gale Harold and SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR each have a pilot. Get. Ready.
Let me know what you think......
Alright, let's take a look.
A Gifted Man
Patrick Wilson!! But he doesn't have his shirt off once in this clip package... Boo! I'm sure he will at some point though, so best to tune in. This one seems to be filling the void that Medium and Ghost Whisperer have left - a person who sees someone who is dead. Based on the clips, it is just the one dead person, but who knows where it is going. I may have to give it a shot on Patrick Wilson alone. He is fantastical in every way. Also: Julie Benz.
How to be a Gentleman
Not sure about this one. It looks like if they don't fall into a repetitive joke and allow the characters some growth this could be fun. The cast is full of wonderfully funny people, especially Dave Foley and Rhys Darby. But sometimes I find CBS allows some of their comedies to remain very broad jokes with little movement, and this has the ability to fall into that trap easily. I want the people on it to succeed, so even if I don't watch, I hope it does well.
Person of Interest
Let's see... this show is produced by JJ Abrams (win!), it is written by Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan's brother and writing partner (win!), and it stars James Caviezel and Michael Emerson (double win!). The concept seems interesting - plenty of room for an underlying mythology but allowing the viewer to focus on a "case of the week." Plus Benjamin Linus talking about special numbers warms my heart that is still very much grieving for LOST. I will be checking this one out for sure.
Two Broke Girls
For those of you who pay attention to my Facebook, you know I have a massive girl crush on Kat Dennings. So obviously, this show has a big plus right off the bat. I think the preview looks okay. Again, like I've mentioned for MANY of the comedies over the past few days, if it can get past the broad strokes in the premiere, it has potential. And for the record - broad strokes in a premiere is not a bad thing. Go rewatch the series premiere of Friends. Ain't exactly the best thing ever. BROAD comedy. So I'll try this one. Again... Kat Dennings.
Unforgettable
I really like Poppy Montgomery. I didn't watch her on Without A Trace because, well, like I've mentioned, I don't really get into the CBS crime procedurals. At all. NCSI Cold Case NY Miami Vegas. Whatever. Not for me. Sorry. But she was in a Lifetime movie I loved. HA! And she has her red hair back. Now, am I going to watch this one? Meh... I don't know. It seems interesting, but I don't know how many more crime dramas I can take on. I will probably give it a try for an episode or two, but if I don't LOVE it.....
And that's it. Thanks CBS for having so few! Tomorrow..... expect me to squeal because CW is up. That's right - Rachel Bilson, Gale Harold and SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR each have a pilot. Get. Ready.
Let me know what you think......
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
ABC Upfront: Fall Pilot Preview
There a few new series on ABC I have been very excited to see previews for, so I was very happy this morning to finally see these videos. Sad news to come out of this mornings upfronts: Cougar Town on hold til midseason. Boooo. I'll be consoling myself in a Big Carl. While I do that, let's take a look at the new shows ABC has to offer this year.
FALL PILOTS:
Charlie's Angels
Well, this clip shows exactly what you'd expect - girls in tight clothes/skimpy attitude kicking butt and spouting slightly cheesy dialogue. I'm cautiously optimistic for this one. I adore Minka Kelly and the other two girls I've liked in some things too. But it is on opposite The Vampire Diaries, so it will be a DVR show, for sure.
Last Man Standing
I think Tim Allen can be funny. Especially in kids movies - this clip package even manages to work in a Toy Story reference to remind us of that. But this show just comes off as fairly chauvinistic. And more importantly, unfunny. So it's a no for me.
Man Up
I am not sure what in this clip was supposed to make me laugh. But none of it did, soooooo.... again, no. I don't even really know what it is about. Sigh.... (at least ABC still has comedies on the air I enjoy, right?)
Once Upon a Time
This is one I've been very excited for. I love the mix of mythology, fairy tales, fantasy. All of it. Plus it has some great writers on board. The cast is fun (Jennifer Morrison on a show where she will be used appropriately?). And it just seems new and exciting. I hope it doesn't disappoint me.
Pam Am
This series is another Mad Men-esque series, in that it takes place in that same time period. It looks visually stunning, and I'm not just talking about the very pretty faces in the cast. I think it looks like it could be really great. There is intrigue, romance, humor. It is one I wasn't sure about from the description but I'm more sold on now that I've seen the preview.
Revenge
I adore Emily Van Camp and her ridiculously long eyelashes. Not really a fan of Madeline Stowe though, but since she is the villain, I guess that is okay. This show looks like it could be one of those one-season mysteries that never goes beyond the season (Point Pleasant, Harper's Island) but that isn't necessarily a bad thing for me. If it is good and lasts, great. If it only goes a season, it looks like it will be a good ride.
Suburgatory
Two things immediately wrong with this show. 1- In order to keep your kid from having sex you move to the suburbs? Really?? Have you been to the suburbs? 2- The father of the teenager girl is played by Jeremy Sisto. JEREMY SISTO??? Ummmmm...... How old am I??? Sigh. Anyway, it looks okay. But there is no laugh track, so bonus points!
MIDSEASON PILOTS
Apartment 23
Yes. Yes! James Van Der Beek (as himself) and Krysten Ritter. Snarky snarky fun! I like it. I have nothing more to say.
Good Christian Belles
Oh I get it, ABC is deciding to hold off all the funny until midseason! Okay. This one has Chenoweth (!!) and a bunch of other awesome people. But really, after Cheno, what do you need to hear? Oh and the last exchange between Leslie Bibb and Annie Potts - so very very very true. I know from experience.
The River
Someone hold me. Just the trailer alone creeped me out! But man, does it look good. I don't know if I'll be able to watch it alone in the dark, (Just kidding, I KNOW I won't) but I definitely want to watch it. Plus it is another Spielberg outing. That guy must really hate being at home! He has 89479 movies/tv shows coming out this year.
Scandal
Can't tell too much from the clip. But the cast is quality. And it's Shonda Rhimes - but not doctors! I always give anything Shonda a try though. So why not this one. Plus I can hope Henry Ian Cusick calls someone "Brotha." It will make the whole show worth it.
Work It
I'm thinking they must be kidding with this. I'm waiting for Ashton to announce this is the start of Punk'd coming back.
Missing
Soooo.... this one has barely shot anything yet, so the clip package is minimal. So minimal that Ashley Judd is only in it as a narrator. The footage appears to only be of the stunt doubles. While it sounds like it could be good, I think I'll wait to see something real before I actually make any judgments.
Alright, tell me what you think!!
FALL PILOTS:
Charlie's Angels
Well, this clip shows exactly what you'd expect - girls in tight clothes/skimpy attitude kicking butt and spouting slightly cheesy dialogue. I'm cautiously optimistic for this one. I adore Minka Kelly and the other two girls I've liked in some things too. But it is on opposite The Vampire Diaries, so it will be a DVR show, for sure.
Last Man Standing
I think Tim Allen can be funny. Especially in kids movies - this clip package even manages to work in a Toy Story reference to remind us of that. But this show just comes off as fairly chauvinistic. And more importantly, unfunny. So it's a no for me.
Man Up
I am not sure what in this clip was supposed to make me laugh. But none of it did, soooooo.... again, no. I don't even really know what it is about. Sigh.... (at least ABC still has comedies on the air I enjoy, right?)
Once Upon a Time
This is one I've been very excited for. I love the mix of mythology, fairy tales, fantasy. All of it. Plus it has some great writers on board. The cast is fun (Jennifer Morrison on a show where she will be used appropriately?). And it just seems new and exciting. I hope it doesn't disappoint me.
Pam Am
This series is another Mad Men-esque series, in that it takes place in that same time period. It looks visually stunning, and I'm not just talking about the very pretty faces in the cast. I think it looks like it could be really great. There is intrigue, romance, humor. It is one I wasn't sure about from the description but I'm more sold on now that I've seen the preview.
Revenge
I adore Emily Van Camp and her ridiculously long eyelashes. Not really a fan of Madeline Stowe though, but since she is the villain, I guess that is okay. This show looks like it could be one of those one-season mysteries that never goes beyond the season (Point Pleasant, Harper's Island) but that isn't necessarily a bad thing for me. If it is good and lasts, great. If it only goes a season, it looks like it will be a good ride.
Suburgatory
Two things immediately wrong with this show. 1- In order to keep your kid from having sex you move to the suburbs? Really?? Have you been to the suburbs? 2- The father of the teenager girl is played by Jeremy Sisto. JEREMY SISTO??? Ummmmm...... How old am I??? Sigh. Anyway, it looks okay. But there is no laugh track, so bonus points!
MIDSEASON PILOTS
Apartment 23
Yes. Yes! James Van Der Beek (as himself) and Krysten Ritter. Snarky snarky fun! I like it. I have nothing more to say.
Good Christian Belles
Oh I get it, ABC is deciding to hold off all the funny until midseason! Okay. This one has Chenoweth (!!) and a bunch of other awesome people. But really, after Cheno, what do you need to hear? Oh and the last exchange between Leslie Bibb and Annie Potts - so very very very true. I know from experience.
The River
Someone hold me. Just the trailer alone creeped me out! But man, does it look good. I don't know if I'll be able to watch it alone in the dark, (Just kidding, I KNOW I won't) but I definitely want to watch it. Plus it is another Spielberg outing. That guy must really hate being at home! He has 89479 movies/tv shows coming out this year.
Scandal
Can't tell too much from the clip. But the cast is quality. And it's Shonda Rhimes - but not doctors! I always give anything Shonda a try though. So why not this one. Plus I can hope Henry Ian Cusick calls someone "Brotha." It will make the whole show worth it.
Work It
I'm thinking they must be kidding with this. I'm waiting for Ashton to announce this is the start of Punk'd coming back.
Missing
Soooo.... this one has barely shot anything yet, so the clip package is minimal. So minimal that Ashley Judd is only in it as a narrator. The footage appears to only be of the stunt doubles. While it sounds like it could be good, I think I'll wait to see something real before I actually make any judgments.
Alright, tell me what you think!!
Monday, May 16, 2011
FOX Upfront: Fall Pilot Previews
Fox was up next at the upfronts today, debuting their new shows for the fall and mid-season. Some look like a lot of fun. Plus they are sticking with what they know - Another Deschanel sister, another Hart Hanson (Bones spin-off), another JJ Abrams vehichle. If it ain't broke, right? I left out the X-Factor, because, really... do you not understand what that is? Besides a season long Simon and Paula reunion special, of course.
FALL PILOTS:
Terra Nova:
For the second year in a row, Terra Nova is on the Fox pilot list. But for real this time, it is going to be on TV! It has Jason O'Mara, the bad guy from Avatar and Dinosaurs! Can it really go wrong? Well, sure. But DINOSAURS! Sigh... I'm so a sucker for genre.
The New Girl
Look how cute Zooey Deschanel is! That is basically what I have taken away from this preview. Other things: DEPUTY LEO!! (I love Max Greenfield). And they are going to have to reshoot basically this entire pilot because Damon Wayans Jr is still on Happy Endings (yay!) so look for a new roommate. But I think it looks cute and sweet and I'm interested to see where it goes beyond the pilot.
I Hate My Teenage Daughter
Yeah.... I'm not too impressed by this. I just found most of it annoying. I like Jamie Pressley, and that guy from Desperate Housewives. But nothing in this really stood out.
Allen Gregory
Do you like the Fox animated comedy block? Well then check out this new addition. I think it looks amusing, but I don't normally watch those shows. I think they are funny and often check them out in syndication, so I guess we will see if this one gets that far.
MID-SEASON PILOTS
Alcatraz
Well, if there is a Bad Robot logo, I'm in. That's all it takes, to be honest. I will follow those Bad Robot people anywhere. Literally. I stalk them. So let's see.... JJ Abrams + Jorge Garcia saying the name Jack + references to "the island" + heavy mythology? Ummmm.... Yeah I'm so there. Let's hope Vincent the dog shows up at some point. And in non-LOST news, Parminder Nagra and Sam Neill are great!!
The Finder
I enjoyed the backdoor pilot that aired during Bones a few weeks back, so I will be watching this one while Emily is on her maternity leave. Just in case you didn't see the episode, here is the clip package Fox put together for today's panel made up of scenes from the Bones episode. (PS Saffron Burrows character was not well recieved and she was conspicuously missing today. Not sure if she'll be making it on to the actual show).
Napoleon Dynamite
It's the movie in cartoon form with the voices of the original cast. So there you go.... Not sure if you need anymore information than that! And if that isn't enough for you..... well, you guys are idiots. :)
So there you have it! Let me know what looks good to you and which you are already sick of hearing about.
More tomorrow!
FALL PILOTS:
Terra Nova:
For the second year in a row, Terra Nova is on the Fox pilot list. But for real this time, it is going to be on TV! It has Jason O'Mara, the bad guy from Avatar and Dinosaurs! Can it really go wrong? Well, sure. But DINOSAURS! Sigh... I'm so a sucker for genre.
The New Girl
Look how cute Zooey Deschanel is! That is basically what I have taken away from this preview. Other things: DEPUTY LEO!! (I love Max Greenfield). And they are going to have to reshoot basically this entire pilot because Damon Wayans Jr is still on Happy Endings (yay!) so look for a new roommate. But I think it looks cute and sweet and I'm interested to see where it goes beyond the pilot.
I Hate My Teenage Daughter
Yeah.... I'm not too impressed by this. I just found most of it annoying. I like Jamie Pressley, and that guy from Desperate Housewives. But nothing in this really stood out.
Allen Gregory
Do you like the Fox animated comedy block? Well then check out this new addition. I think it looks amusing, but I don't normally watch those shows. I think they are funny and often check them out in syndication, so I guess we will see if this one gets that far.
MID-SEASON PILOTS
Alcatraz
Well, if there is a Bad Robot logo, I'm in. That's all it takes, to be honest. I will follow those Bad Robot people anywhere. Literally. I stalk them. So let's see.... JJ Abrams + Jorge Garcia saying the name Jack + references to "the island" + heavy mythology? Ummmm.... Yeah I'm so there. Let's hope Vincent the dog shows up at some point. And in non-LOST news, Parminder Nagra and Sam Neill are great!!
The Finder
I enjoyed the backdoor pilot that aired during Bones a few weeks back, so I will be watching this one while Emily is on her maternity leave. Just in case you didn't see the episode, here is the clip package Fox put together for today's panel made up of scenes from the Bones episode. (PS Saffron Burrows character was not well recieved and she was conspicuously missing today. Not sure if she'll be making it on to the actual show).
Napoleon Dynamite
It's the movie in cartoon form with the voices of the original cast. So there you go.... Not sure if you need anymore information than that! And if that isn't enough for you..... well, you guys are idiots. :)
So there you have it! Let me know what looks good to you and which you are already sick of hearing about.
More tomorrow!
NBC Upfronts: New Pilot Previews
It's that time of year again. When new TV series roll out their previews in the hopes of being the Next Big Hit come fall. Today, NBC started off the network upfronts with a long list of new shows for the fall and mid-season.
Here are a look at all of them and my first reactions:
FALL PILOTS:
The Playboy Club:
This show has been getting a lot of "Mad Men-esque" comments, which is easy to see. It's in the 60s and there is a lot of smoking and drinking. But while Mad Men is often quiet and understated, this has about 20 girls in the Playboy Bunny outfits and a guy getting killed with a stilleto. So, not so understated. More "Mad Men meets Las Vegas." I'm interested to see it, but wary of the cheese-factor.
Up All Night
This one has me ready to tune in. It's a concept I understand - parenting. And cursing in front of your baby. To be honest, any comedy that beeps out cursing works for me on some level. I'm easy like that. (I miss you, Middleman.) Christina Applegate is effortlessly charming in this - and it is probably easy for her to play a first time mom heading back to work since she is a first time mom heading back to work. Maya Rudolph is always brilliant. Brilliant, I say! And Will Arnett is playing, get this, a guy who is not a total douche! I'm excited, because I love him and it will be nice to actually love his character too. Comedies are hard to judge, but so far, I'm interested.
Free Agents
Ok, before I get to how I feel about this show - it stars, Anthony Stewart Head who played Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So, I'm feeling almost obligated to give it a shot. One of my life goals is to have Anthony say something wise and fatherly to me while cleaning his glasses. That being said, I think it looks.....okay. I giggled a few times, but I'm not sure if it is going to bring the funny enough to compete with some of the other amazing comedies out there right now. I think Hank Azaria is very funny, and I'm happy to see Kathryn Hahn in something other than the "best friend" role for once. The concept isn't exactly new (comedies hardly ever are, though) but if it is done right, it could be great. Is this one done right? We'll see, I guess!
Whitney
No. Just, no. First of all, I do not enjoy laugh tracks. Please, show, I'm smart. Don't tell me when I should be laughing. Or worse, "woo-ing" at something that is meant to be sexy. Plus, I just didn't find 95% of this funny at all. I'm not watching.
Prime Suspect
This one I am excited to see. The original series, starring Helen Mirren, was wonderful. Helen, being Helen, leaves incredibly large shoes to fill, and I think Maria Bello is a great choice. She is a subtle actress who can pull off just about anything and hold her own against some actors who often chew the scenery. I also think the large male supporting cast is full of actors that are talented, and I'm excited to see on TV. Here's my worry: playing the "woman being harassed in the boys club" angle too hard. It's 2011, we get it. Being a female detective in the NYPD, especially running Homocide, is a tough gig. I don't expect warm and cuddly, but I don't want it hitting that cliche so hard it gets annoying. I'm also a little sick of cop shows.... But despite that, I will be giving this a shot.
Grimm
This genre show follows the decendent of the Grimm Brothers. He's basically a Winchester now - hunting the demons and such. The cast is good and I love a supernatural/mythology show. Plus, it is produced by a Buffy alum, so of course I will give it a try. But I'm nervous for it - for some reason the fine people at NBC thought it would be a good idea to schedule it in the same time slot as Fringe and Supernatual. Ummmm.... the target audience is already committed to TWO other shows, people! Sigh...
MID-SEASON PILOTS:
Are You There, Vodka? It's Me Chelsea
My, that title is cumbersome, isn't it? I'm thinking they are going to need to shorten that sucker. AYTVIMC doesn't really roll off the tongue either.... This one has laugh tracks too (boo) and the comedy is broad to say the least. I'm not very interested, despite enjoying several members of the cast. I don't know.... Chelsea Handler is funny, but I don't see myself enjoying this one a lot.
Awake
So this one.... looks like a trip. To sum up, a guy, his wife and his son get in an accident. When he wakes up he is in one reality where his wife survived and his son died. Then he closes his eyes, and opens them to enter a reality where his son lived and his wife died. Cheerful, no? It looks very well done, the cast is full of amazing actors. BD Wong and Cherry Jones, two fantastic actors who have done a lot of theater work, play his two therapists, which is should be wonderful to watch - they will be great at the subtleties of a scenes where there is only dialogue. I'm not sure how this is going to do - shows like this tend to lose viewers quick - but I am definitely curious to see it.
Bent
Meh. I adore Amanda Peet. I think David Walton is cute and funny, but this 4 minute teaser could barely hold my attention. I felt like it was the same, incredibly broad, 2 jokes over and over.
Best Friends Forever
First of all, big blow to this show: Adam Pally's charater will have to be recast because Happy Endings was picked up (YAY!). He is delightful. I think this clip looks pretty lame. I barely laughed. But, it doesn't really show much, so I'm still reserving judgment.
Smash
First of all, no, this is not just another Glee. Yes, there are people singing. But it a completely different show. This is about a Broadway production which is a bit more cuthroat than the world of a high school show choir. I'm excited for this because I am a sucker for anything musical, especially musical theater. And one of the stars, Christian Brole, was in the original cast of Legally Blonde (he was Emmett). I can't wait to hear him sing. Plus Jack Davenport is just dreamy. The funniest thing to me is the last moment says "And Introducing Katherine McPhee." Ummm.... I think we've already been introduced to her on a little show, you may have heard of it, American Idol. Silly NBC people. (Of course, if this show was about a guy and it starred Taylor Hicks, I think the introducing would have been completely acceptable.)
So.... what do you all think? What will you be watching? What are you absolutely staying away from?
Fox shows up next!
Here are a look at all of them and my first reactions:
FALL PILOTS:
The Playboy Club:
This show has been getting a lot of "Mad Men-esque" comments, which is easy to see. It's in the 60s and there is a lot of smoking and drinking. But while Mad Men is often quiet and understated, this has about 20 girls in the Playboy Bunny outfits and a guy getting killed with a stilleto. So, not so understated. More "Mad Men meets Las Vegas." I'm interested to see it, but wary of the cheese-factor.
Up All Night
This one has me ready to tune in. It's a concept I understand - parenting. And cursing in front of your baby. To be honest, any comedy that beeps out cursing works for me on some level. I'm easy like that. (I miss you, Middleman.) Christina Applegate is effortlessly charming in this - and it is probably easy for her to play a first time mom heading back to work since she is a first time mom heading back to work. Maya Rudolph is always brilliant. Brilliant, I say! And Will Arnett is playing, get this, a guy who is not a total douche! I'm excited, because I love him and it will be nice to actually love his character too. Comedies are hard to judge, but so far, I'm interested.
Free Agents
Ok, before I get to how I feel about this show - it stars, Anthony Stewart Head who played Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So, I'm feeling almost obligated to give it a shot. One of my life goals is to have Anthony say something wise and fatherly to me while cleaning his glasses. That being said, I think it looks.....okay. I giggled a few times, but I'm not sure if it is going to bring the funny enough to compete with some of the other amazing comedies out there right now. I think Hank Azaria is very funny, and I'm happy to see Kathryn Hahn in something other than the "best friend" role for once. The concept isn't exactly new (comedies hardly ever are, though) but if it is done right, it could be great. Is this one done right? We'll see, I guess!
Whitney
No. Just, no. First of all, I do not enjoy laugh tracks. Please, show, I'm smart. Don't tell me when I should be laughing. Or worse, "woo-ing" at something that is meant to be sexy. Plus, I just didn't find 95% of this funny at all. I'm not watching.
Prime Suspect
This one I am excited to see. The original series, starring Helen Mirren, was wonderful. Helen, being Helen, leaves incredibly large shoes to fill, and I think Maria Bello is a great choice. She is a subtle actress who can pull off just about anything and hold her own against some actors who often chew the scenery. I also think the large male supporting cast is full of actors that are talented, and I'm excited to see on TV. Here's my worry: playing the "woman being harassed in the boys club" angle too hard. It's 2011, we get it. Being a female detective in the NYPD, especially running Homocide, is a tough gig. I don't expect warm and cuddly, but I don't want it hitting that cliche so hard it gets annoying. I'm also a little sick of cop shows.... But despite that, I will be giving this a shot.
Grimm
This genre show follows the decendent of the Grimm Brothers. He's basically a Winchester now - hunting the demons and such. The cast is good and I love a supernatural/mythology show. Plus, it is produced by a Buffy alum, so of course I will give it a try. But I'm nervous for it - for some reason the fine people at NBC thought it would be a good idea to schedule it in the same time slot as Fringe and Supernatual. Ummmm.... the target audience is already committed to TWO other shows, people! Sigh...
MID-SEASON PILOTS:
Are You There, Vodka? It's Me Chelsea
My, that title is cumbersome, isn't it? I'm thinking they are going to need to shorten that sucker. AYTVIMC doesn't really roll off the tongue either.... This one has laugh tracks too (boo) and the comedy is broad to say the least. I'm not very interested, despite enjoying several members of the cast. I don't know.... Chelsea Handler is funny, but I don't see myself enjoying this one a lot.
Awake
So this one.... looks like a trip. To sum up, a guy, his wife and his son get in an accident. When he wakes up he is in one reality where his wife survived and his son died. Then he closes his eyes, and opens them to enter a reality where his son lived and his wife died. Cheerful, no? It looks very well done, the cast is full of amazing actors. BD Wong and Cherry Jones, two fantastic actors who have done a lot of theater work, play his two therapists, which is should be wonderful to watch - they will be great at the subtleties of a scenes where there is only dialogue. I'm not sure how this is going to do - shows like this tend to lose viewers quick - but I am definitely curious to see it.
Bent
Meh. I adore Amanda Peet. I think David Walton is cute and funny, but this 4 minute teaser could barely hold my attention. I felt like it was the same, incredibly broad, 2 jokes over and over.
Best Friends Forever
First of all, big blow to this show: Adam Pally's charater will have to be recast because Happy Endings was picked up (YAY!). He is delightful. I think this clip looks pretty lame. I barely laughed. But, it doesn't really show much, so I'm still reserving judgment.
Smash
First of all, no, this is not just another Glee. Yes, there are people singing. But it a completely different show. This is about a Broadway production which is a bit more cuthroat than the world of a high school show choir. I'm excited for this because I am a sucker for anything musical, especially musical theater. And one of the stars, Christian Brole, was in the original cast of Legally Blonde (he was Emmett). I can't wait to hear him sing. Plus Jack Davenport is just dreamy. The funniest thing to me is the last moment says "And Introducing Katherine McPhee." Ummm.... I think we've already been introduced to her on a little show, you may have heard of it, American Idol. Silly NBC people. (Of course, if this show was about a guy and it starred Taylor Hicks, I think the introducing would have been completely acceptable.)
So.... what do you all think? What will you be watching? What are you absolutely staying away from?
Fox shows up next!
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