Thursday, November 3, 2011

New shows

Sorry this took so long to get updated. As promised, my first impressions of new shows as well as my long delayed opinions of cancelled shows from last season.

Once Upon a Time First Impressions: Show Description- The world of fairy tales combine with our world (a world of “pure horror”). Behind the Scenes- The creators of Lost are behind this show if you even care about them. It premiered as one of the latest shows of the fall season, a bit later than it normally should have. If it fails, November Sweeps (whatever that is) will instantly remove it from the schedule. My Thoughts- It is a very good show. My only concern is how they will come up with enough material for multiple seasons or if it will last a short time which would be preferable to jumping the shark. I give it four out of five stars. Where to Find- Sundays at 7 Central on ABC

Terra Nova First Impressions: Show Description- A dying world in the future goes into an alternate past filled with dinosaurs to save the world. Not only do they have to deal with dinosaurs that could easily kill them, but also an evil group of people that came back with them. Behind the Scenes- FOX has a lot of faith in this show and I’ll tell you how. The budget for an entire episode is four million dollars. Most shows don’t get that much money during an entire season. If they aren’t careful, this show could have the potential to bankrupt the network. Here’s another interesting side note. They did not order a pilot but thirteen episodes, a very rare move. Let’s hope that it pays off. My Thoughts- The show looks good enough. It may come off as an adult version of a Saturday morning cartoon, but a lot of good shows are like that. In fact, some of the best shows are like that. So time will tell how good this show will be. I like it. Four stars out of five. Where to Find- Mondays at 7 Central on FOX

2 Broke Girls First Impressions: Show Description- The show is about, well, two broke girls. One was always broke and the other just recently became broke. Behind the Scenes- It replaces the show Mad Love. It was one of two shows to replace it, the other is already cancelled. My Thoughts- When I first heard of this show, I thought that it looked like complete crap. Now that I have seen it, I have changed my mind. I now know that it is complete crap. The acting is bad, writing is awkward, and has the worst music for transitions from one scene to another. I fail to understand what the point of it is, if there even is one. I give it the most useless show award, strangest idea award, and worst reason to cancel a good show award. One star. Where to Find- CBS

The New Girl First Impressions: Show Description- After breaking up with her live-in cheating boyfriend, Jess moves into a new place with three guys. Also in the cast is Jess’s best friend. Behind the Scenes- A cast member had to be replaced after the pilot because he has a contract with another show called Happy Endings (a good show). He thought that it would be cancelled, but it wasn’t. Another interesting note is that it has gotten a full season order thanks to great ratings (read Glee lead-in). Also, having Zooey Deschanel (who just might be the sister of Emily Deschanel from Bones which might also explain the show’s success) as the main star doesn’t hurt. It seems almost surprising that a live action sitcom could work on FOX and makes a great pair with Raising Hope. My Thoughts- The show is nice. I give it three stars out of five. Where to Find- Tuesdays at 8 Central on FOX

Ringer First Impressions: Show Description- Strange circumstances force a woman to assume the identity of her identical twin. This is a show where everyone has their secrets. Behind the Scenes- Sarah Michelle Geller, whoever that is, is in the show and you never hear the end of that. It’s a pretty big deal for some odd reason. It also was considered by CBS but the CW showed it instead when CBS passed on it for other shows. My Thoughts- Boy, it sure seemed to follow every stereotype in the book. It is somehow both over and under dramatic. I’m not very thrilled with the show. Two out of five stars.  Where to Find- Tuesdays at 9 Eastern on the CW

Unforgettable First Impressions: Show Description- A woman cop has a memory where she cannot forget anything. Although it sounds like it is based on the pure imagination of a writer, there are people with this ability. It is NOT about a California Girl (or Gurl for that matter). Behind the Scenes- It occupies the old Good Wife timeslot and the network is already calling it the most watched new show. I guess you could say that this show is unforgettable. (You’ll be hearing that joke a lot, so get used to it.) Since CBS likes to keep the same actors in their family, it isn’t a surprise that Poppy Montgomery, who used to star on Without a Trace, is the lead actress in this show. My Thoughts- I do think that the show is good even if it is a bit boring when compared to the other dramas. I give it three out of five stars. Where to Find- Tuesdays at 9 Central on CBS

How to be a Gentleman First Impressions: Show Description- Another lame sitcom overloaded with sex and bad morals. They cancelled Mad Love for this? Behind the Scenes- CBS picked up the pilot for this and Two Broke Girls making an odd number of comedies for the network which moved Rules of Engagement to Saturdays. I don’t know why they thought it was so great. My Thoughts- A combination of bad acting and bad storylines makes this show a big waste of time. I’ll never watch it again and I only saw it once. It gets a point for trying and not being sexist like all the other “manly” show. One out of five stars. It is a waste of time. Where to Find- An update to this story is it probably will be cancelled very soon because the viewership is horrible. All it really succeeded in doing was bringing Rules of Engagement back to the timeslot it used to occupy. This currently gets the “what were they thinking?” award, worst idea for a show award, worst cast award, and worst new show award. Trust me; you did not miss anything if you never saw it.

Person of Interest First Impressions: Show Description- Two men work outside the law to stop crimes before they happen. One is the smarts behind the operation who created the machine that makes this possible. The other is very skilled physically. Behind the Scenes- This is one of the most well-received show in test screenings. It replaces Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior. My Thoughts- Very good show, in my opinion. It lives up to the hype. Four out of five stars. Where to Find- Thursdays at 8 Central on CBS

The Secret Circle First Impressions: Show Description- A group of teenage witches develop their powers in a small town. It is based off of a book series by L. J. Smith, the same writer of the Vampire Diaries book series. I also admire the show for having a main group of six witches instead of five or three. Behind the Scenes- Having this show and The Vampire Diaries back to back is supposed to boost the ratings of the latter show since The Vampire Diaries is the CW’s most popular series and serves as the lead-in. Whether that will pay off or not is another thing. My Thoughts- The timeslot is very competitive as it is a Thursday show, a day of the week where every network wins but individual shows do fail sometimes. But as to whether this can succeed or not is another idea. I am a step away from giving up on it and watching something else at that time. The show looks like an attempt at the network to recreate something else. The plot moves too slowly and it can be uninteresting. It gets a point for trying to be different, but ultimately fails at even that. But, who knows what can change in the coming episodes. Two stars out of five. Where to Find- Thursdays at 9 Eastern on the CW

A Gifted Man First Impressions: Show Description- A great medical doctor sees his dead ex-wife and saves his life. Behind the Scenes- A CBS medical drama (1) with supernatural twists (2) that is on Friday nights (3) could spell triple death for this show. Wish it the best of luck. (If you are in a Nielson family, please consider watching it at least once.) It replaces the short lived CHAOS. My Thoughts- The dead ex-wife angle is a bit unnecessary and I hope that they get rid of it as soon as possible. As for the show, it is very interesting and could be the type of show that CBS could use. I give it four stars out of five. Where to Find- Fridays at 7 Central on CBS

Grimm First Impressions: Show Description- A police officer discovers that he is a “Grimm,” a person who can see fairy tale people in real life. More of a police drama with a twist than a fairy tale drama. Behind the Scenes- This comes out around the same time ABC’s Once Upon a Time. It is on Fridays and that is normally a death slot. Wish it luck. My Thoughts- It just might be the best new show on NBC (although I haven’t seen any other new shows on NBC). It is a good blend of reality and fantasy. Four out of five stars. Where to Find- Fridays at 8 Central on NBC

And now, the best of last season that's no longer around.

Alas, not every good show is popular with different people. On this list I have are cancelled shows from this season that I thought that I should mention. I have seen enough of them to make the list worthwhile. The first interesting thing to note is that all of these shows listed were only on their first season. That means that shows follow the opposite of the real world where the newer thing doesn’t do well and the old thing tends to stay where it is. The second interesting thing is that most of these shows had famous people on them meaning not only that famous people don’t make a show but that some bad shows could just have famous people to try to draw people in. So here’s a list:

The Whole Truth: Description- See both sides of a court case where you find out who really did what and why. Notable People- The main stars are famous. Pros- Finally, you get to see both the defense and prosecution represented. It makes you think. Cons- The verdict is very one-sided. Cancellation Reasons- No one seems to take this time slot seriously and it was up against legal dramas on the other main networks. ABC has cancelled two shows at this time in just the last previous season. It was affected by what I refer to as the actor change curse where a major actor is on the pilot and not on the main show. There is only one show I know of where that event happened and the show lasted for another season. It might have started out great, but failed in later episodes. Critics hated it. Some episodes remain unaired and it is unlikely to be released to DVD. It is dead and nothing can save it now. Similar Show: Blue Bloods. Grade: C+. If released, consider it.

The Good Guys: Description- Two cops with different ways of solving crimes work together. Set and filmed in Dallas. Notable People- Tom Hank’s son Colin was in the show. Pros- It is funny and interesting to see how their normally small cases turn into something very big. Cons- Although each episode is different, the basic plot is predictable. Cancellation Reasons- The airings were sporadic with most people not knowing when it was on even if it were on. It eventually found its way to 8 on Fridays and FOX hates that time slot. The fans were few. Also, it was on Friday nights which probably killed it. I don’t know if it will come out on DVD or not, but I hope that it does so I can get it. All the episodes aired. It is dead and ain’t coming back. It was my favorite cancelled show on FOX. Similar Shows: None. Grade: B. If released, get it.

Live to Dance: Description- A dance show where any group size, style, or age could compete to be known as the best dance act in America. It was a temporary replacement for Survivor this season and was based off a British show. Notable People- Paula Abdul was a judge and helped create this show. Pros- An interesting reality show where we can vote for the winner. Cons- We can disagree too much with the judges’ early decisions. Cancellation Reasons- It wasn’t on for very long so it barely gave people a chance to get used to it. It wasn’t exactly the style of CBS. The lack of limitations must have caused trouble. It may not be cancelled, but don’t count on it. If it is renewed, it would most likely be a different network like the CW. Similar Show: So You Think You Can Dance? Grade: D+. It won’t be released.

$#*! My Dad Says: Description- A son looks at his relationship with his father. It was inspired by a twitter feed. Notable People- William Shatner is the father and Nicole Sullivan is the mother. Pros- Some people might like it. Cons- It isn’t very good and might not have made it if famous people weren’t on it. The acting is poor. Cancellation Reasons- Not enough people liked it. Most people could just read the twitter feed instead. Critics hated it. It might get released to DVD and all the episodes have aired. Similar Shows: None. Grade: D-. If released, don’t get it.

The Cape: Description- A former cop fakes his death and becomes a vigilante. I don’t really know how else to describe the show. Notable People- Summer Glau, an actress who has played various weird characters on other shows like Firefly, was on the show. Pros- There is an interesting storyline and it is realistic enough. It is a good interpretation of the popular story idea and unique for television. Cons- Some of what should be serious moments are laughable due to their cheesiness or otherwise poor delivery. It is not popular enough. Cancellation Reasons- Not enough people liked it. It was unique and therefore doomed. Also, it wasn’t really that good in the first place. The last episode didn’t air on television, but was released online. It will be released to DVD. Similar Shows: Power Rangers, any Batman series, and Nikita. Grade: C.

The Defenders: Description- A pair of defense lawyers in Las Vegas work different cases with other people’s help. Notable People- Jim Belushi from Saturday Night Live and According to Jim was present. Jerry O’Conner from Sliders and other works was present. Pros- A very good legal show. You don’t normally see shows like this anymore. It makes you think. Cons- Not as good as when it started. It won’t air any new episodes, despite great ratings at the beginning. Cancellation Reasons- Apparently, it didn’t catch on with enough viewers or, quite possibly, CBS thinks that other shows would be better and it was doing fine otherwise. All episodes have aired and it might be released to DVD. It moved to Fridays late into the season. It was my favorite cancelled show on CBS. Similar Shows: The Good Wife and Blue Bloods. Grade: A. Get it on its release date if it comes out to DVD.

Off the Map: Description- A team of doctors work on an island with Spanish-speaking people. I’m not sure which island. Notable People- The creators of Grey’s Anatomy either created this show or are executive producers. Pros- A unique and good medical drama with a twist. It has good drama and humor. Cons- There can be too many people and storylines to keep track of. Cancellation Reasons- ABC tends to hate this time slot which is why they temporarily gave the 9-10 time slot on Wednesdays to comedies. Not enough people watched it. Similar Shows: Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice. Grade: B. It is now released to the public.

Mad Love: Description- It is the love story of two people and the love/hate story of their two best friends. Set in New York City. Notable People- Sarah Chalke, who once worked on Roseanne, is Kate. Pros- It is a smart new comedy that has an original idea for a show. Cons- All the unique shows, it seems, get cancelled before it really starts. Immoral themes are present. Cancellation Reasons: It never really found its footing. The fans failed to catch on although the critics loved it. Also, the most evident reason seems to be that there was no more room on the schedule for it. Similar Shows: None. Grade: B. Consider it if it is released.

Chaos: Description- A new member of the CIA has some misadventures with the people he works with, a slightly rouge group. Notable People- Kirkwood Smith from That 70’s Show is the boss. Pros- Interesting and funny. Cons- Not realistic and confusing. It can be hard to stay with. It is also hard to tell what it is about. Cancellation Reasons- It premiered too late into the season. Nobody watched it. The timeslot also had two other cancelled shows before and the fans of those shows weren’t going to watch another show. It aired on Friday nights. Similar Shows: Nothing currently on the air. Grade: C. It won’t be released to DVD, but if it is, you might like it.

Perfect Couples: Description- A comedy about three married couples and friends. Pros- A good comedy about relationships. Cons- Like most shows, bad themes tend to be present, but at least you know that the characters are married on the show and nothing happens with the actors. It can be weird sometimes. Cancelation Reasons- There were not enough fans to keep the show alive. Other than that, I don’t understand why it is gone. The fans were devoted, but there just weren’t enough of them. It was my favorite cancelled show on NBC. Similar Shows: None. Grade: B+. Get it if it comes out.

Better with You: Description- A look at different stages in a relationship: married for a long time, dating for a long time, and engaged for a short time. Notable People- Jo Ann Garcia, from Reba and Privileged, is on the show. Debra Jo Rupp, from That 70’s Show, is also present. Others might be famous. Pros- An interesting comedy that has interesting comparisons. Cons- All shows like this are normally unpopular or lowly rated. It’s not the best show. Cancellation Reasons: No viewers, all shows like this fail, and it is mostly unoriginal. Similar Shows: Rules of Engagement. Grade: C-. You don't have to get it if it comes out.

Well, that's all for this update. I'll come back later with more TV shows.