Saturday, October 29, 2016

NCIS Franchise Speculation

I didn’t know when to do this blog post at first. I basically only thought of it to go with the post that I did on the CSI franchise. Now that Gary Glasberg has died, this might be something worth writing about to people who read this blog. I doubt that this franchise is doomed as of this writing, but you’ll never know what might happen. Here's my random thoughts about this.

Now you might be wondering: who is Gary Glasberg? What importance does he have to the NCIS universe? Well, he actually created the show- NCIS: New Orleans and was the third head writer of NCIS. When actors die during the shows they work on, there are always changes. The loss of the head writer for two of the shows could be interesting in terms of how it would affect the shows. You’d think that since he was writing for two different shows that he might have two different replacements on each show. For instance, you’d have to wonder why the same person would start writing for both shows especially considering how they are filmed in two different locations anyways.

There are numerous different things to speculate regarding the shows part of the NCIS universe. I don’t know if Gary’s death will ultimately affect either NCIS or NCIS: New Orleans in such a negative way that either would be in danger of cancellation in the future. Now the syndication gods will give NCIS: New Orleans a fourth season for sure and NCIS was already renewed for another season beyond what is currently airing. This means that only NCIS: Los Angeles might be in danger this season and we honestly don’t know if it will just yet. But that has a different showrunner named Shane Brennan, up until the most recently airing season, that is.

Shane Brennan might come back, for a moment at least, to be the showrunner of NCIS again. He might be the best choice as a transition person, if nothing else. I did notice that Brad Kern was the writer of a recent episode of NCIS: New Orleans. I know him from the show Charmed as he wrote a lot of its episodes and was its showrunner from seasons 3-8. He would make a good replacement for Gary Glasberg on NCIS: New Orleans. Who knows, if he stays long enough and is good enough, he could wind up creating a new series in the franchise. I just hope that this franchise doesn’t get done to death like the Chicago franchise on NBC. That has to be overcompensating for something.

Now I might as well get into less grim parts of this blog. What’s interesting about a connection between the shows is that the main director (or boss) of NCIS works on the main show. But what if the main show ended? Then where would the director be? What if the director needs replaced for one reason? Well, on NCIS: Los Angeles, there is an assistant director who works at the agency. Both are main characters on each of their shows. Does this mean that if the director dies in universe or is replaced for whatever reason that the assistant director from LA would then transfer to Washington where NCIS is set as the new main director? If NCIS: Los Angeles ended, would this mean that the assistant would help the team in New Orleans? Would the director move to New Orleans if the main show is to end? There could be a lot of different potential transfers in the unlikely event that any of these shows end. Well, any of them could end, but it just doesn’t seem likely for any right now or ever before now.

Some may wonder if franchises can actually end. Well, they probably can. Look at the CSI franchise. None of their shows are left and I’m not sure if any new one will ever be made. The franchise is going well for now, but it only takes one scheduling change to mess with the format and cause the ratings to fail for any of the shows. That’s what happened to the CSI franchise and why it is no longer on the air. But I doubt that anything could ruin the whole franchise for quite some time. It is a strong part of CBS and I just don’t think that they’d want to ruin it unless something else comes along. Most shows end, although a lot of shows last a long time, seemingly forever. Will this still be as strong as it was three years from now? Will all of these shows still be on?

Honestly, there is a lot more to wonder about Gary’s death affecting the franchise. At least NCIS: Los Angeles is certain to be unaffected by it. Mark Harmon is an executive producer for NCIS: New Orleans so you’ll have to wonder if that could affect him on the main NCIS for a while. At the very least, it might set up for an episode where Gibbs is in New Orleans. You might also wonder if they would do a new character on any show in memory of Gary. I’m also wondering what will happen to When Pigs Fly, the production company that Gary created. Surely someone else would continue using it, right? Or will it end and there be some other production company for future episodes? Would the production company just end?

Doing more research into the franchise, I learned that the original showrunner of NCIS: Los Angeles, Shane Brennan, has left the show (as showrunner at least) and has been replaced by R Scott Gemmill. I don’t know if that person has any link to the rest of the franchise or not. Will he help with either of the other shows? Meanwhile, Gary would have had it good if he had lived as he would have remained the showrunner of both NCIS and NCIS: New Orleans until around 2019. Granted, it’s possible that neither show would have lasted that long, but we do have to wonder who the new showrunner of each show will be. I may not post this until I find out for sure. Suggestions I have for new showrunners are James Whitmore Jr., Avery Drewe, Patricia H O’Hara, Jesse Stern, Mark Horowitz, Tony Wharmby, Chas. Floyd Johnson, John C Kelley, Terrence O’Hara, Arvin Brown, and Brad Kern, although I might like any of them. I honestly don’t know who of them all are still with at least the main show or if all of these people are in fact writers. I’d have to do more research. What will be weird is that by May, all of the shows in the franchise will have a new showrunner. His wife, Mimi Schmir, is also a screenwriter, but I’m not sure if she ever worked for the show or could have.

I’ve seem to have lost focus on this blog post. Honestly, though, I’m not sure what the original point or purpose of this post was. One can wonder if this franchise will continue lasting strong or not. I mean, some people didn’t actually like the direction of NCIS under Gary Glasberg. Some may wonder if the show will improve now. I personally wonder if any of the new showrunners will end up creating a new show in the franchise. I doubt that there will be a new installment as long as one of the current shows remains on the air. I mean, CBS doesn’t overcompensate with this franchise the way NBC does with the Chicago franchise. Well, they don’t know. In 2019, will all three shows still be on the air? It wouldn’t surprise me if only one of them were still on.


To wrap up this practically pointless blog post, I will say that the franchise will be changing for the rest of this season and we’ll see how this affects future seasons. I doubt that the franchise is doomed yet, but we’ll never know what the future might bring. Who knows? If there’s enough of a ratings drop this season, next season could be the last one for NCIS. But I still see the franchise going strong for a while more and I think that it’s likely we could still see new shows in it.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Fridays in Primetime Version 3

Fridays are the least competitive nights on television although there are some good shows out there. Viewers aren’t regular, but those that are and even those that aren’t, give the show these ratings. It only seems like CBS and the CW care about good programming on this night although it doesn’t always catch on. ABC handles the night best with stand alone episodes of reality shows and might actually care harder than the two networks I just mentioned. The CW shows The Vampire Diaries and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. CBS is showing Blue Bloods, MacGyver, and Hawaii Five-O. ABC shows 20/20, Last Man Standing, Dr. Ken, and Shark Tank. NBC shows Dateline. FOX shows mostly reality shows, shows that are ending, or shows that they don’t strongly care about. They show more than what I mentioned, but I’m mostly going with what I have seen. Beware that most of the shows come here to die and they are only here right now to enjoy them before they are gone, although some shows have thrived here since they have never really seen another night throughout most of their run.

Last Man Standing: Status- Currently on ABC at 8/7 Central on Fridays. Why I’ve seen it- My brother liked it at the time and the show I typically watched at the time was repeats. Description- This is a man-centric show about being a man with numerous women in your family. I’m not sure if there’s a better way of describing this show or not. Notable People- Tim Allen, known for his comedic work, various movies, and his time on Home Improvement is the main character on this show. Pros- It has been funny in the past. Cons- It can be sexist and otherwise demeaning. It is far too political. An actress was recast which typically isn’t a good sign for a show. As usual, the morals aren’t good. Note to Parents- I’m not sure if this is acceptable for kids or not. I’d lean towards not. Recommendation- I have no idea if you’d like it or not. If you do, then watch, if not, then don’t bother with it. Prediction- Toss-up: I’d say it might last longer but it’s just as likely that it will get cancelled. Reception: widely panned, yet somewhat more positive as it went along. Grade: D.

MacGyver: Status- Currently on CBS at 8/7 Central on Fridays. Why I’ve seen it- I typically always watch a CBS show once and I honestly wasn’t interested in anything else at this timeslot. Noteworthiness- This is a remake of a show by the same name. Description- This show is about a man who uses whatever he can to do cool spy things. There are also other people in the cast as needed. Notable People- George Eads, who was in CSI, plays a character on this show. Justin Hires, who was recently on the Rush Hour TV show, is another character. Pros- It has the same type of interesting quality that you’d see in spy dramas like it. Cons- It may seem a lot like the Limitless show, which is weird. I’ll admit that some of it seems predictable and cliché. Note to Parents- This has the standard amount of what would be considered objectionable to kids concerning sex and violence. Recommendation- I think that you should watch it as I think it is good. Prediction- It is doing good, for now, so we’ll see if it stays that way or not. Reception: generally negative. Grade: A. New review

The Vampire Diaries: Status- Currently on the CW at 8/7 Central on Fridays. Why I’ve seen it- Void in life after the cancellation of Moonlight and I didn’t watch anything else at the time it was first on my schedule. Noteworthiness- It was inspired by a book series that existed before Twilight. The show is comparable to Twilight, in a way. Description- A teenage girl learns of the existence of vampires and other supernatural creatures. The story has since progressed into something much more complicated that would take too long to get into. Plus, I don’t watch it anymore, so I don’t know what it might be like anymore. If you really care, look it up somewhere or watch an episode. Pros- Although it is a teen drama like everything else on the CW, this has a twist that draws in other fans. The storyline is gripping to the audience. Cons- Inappropriate stuff is present as usual. There may be no human characters in the end of the series. The same stuff tends to happen in different ways. It follows a soap opera format and thus never really seems to end. You’ve seen one episode, you’ve seen them all. The show drags itself on and on with new storylines all the time. Note to Parents- Teens may like this but much younger shouldn’t watch. Recommendation- While I used to enjoy this show, I don’t want to see it anymore. Whether you feel the same way or not is your decision. Prediction- It is officially on its final season right now and won’t last longer than that. Reception: mixed then positive. Grade: D+.

Dr. Ken: Status- Currently on ABC at 8:30/7:30 Central on Fridays. Why I’ve seen it- What I watched wasn’t on, so I watched this instead. Description- An actor who was once a doctor plays a doctor. There are other characters as needed. Notable People- Behind the Scenes- Ken Joeng, who was once on Community, is the star of this show. Pros- It gets good ratings. Cons- This show is terrible with bad acting, bad writing, and overall poor quality. I’m not sure if it has any redeeming values in the end. Note to Parents- I honestly don’t know what to put here. It could be good for kids, but I don’t know having only seen one episode. Recommendation- This is not worth anyone’s time so don’t watch it. Prediction- It is actually doing well in the ratings so it might last a while, or at the very least, into next season. Reception: very negative. Grade: F. New review

Shark Tank: Status- Currently on ABC at 9/8 Central on Fridays. Why I’ve seen it- I was flipping channels and stayed here because it seemed interesting. Description- A reality show where a group of rich sharks, as they’re called, decide whether or not to buy into a business of an entrepreneur. Pros- The segments are usually short and the decisions are interesting. It can be very intense. These are actually proceedings among people which makes it more real. Cons- You may not like their decisions. You might not watch unless you’re a regular viewer. Note to Parents- Mostly everything in this is acceptable for kids. Maybe some products pitched aren’t for kids, but most of the episodes are okay for younger audiences. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. I like it and you might but whether you should watch or not is up to you. Prediction- It will stay on as it gets good ratings on Fridays. I’m not sure what could end it, although it getting different people doing the deals might cause some problems. Reception: positive. Grade: B+.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Status- This show is on the CW at 9/8 Central on Fridays. Why I’ve seen it- I watched due to my promise to watch a new fall show on each network a season and the fact that this was the only new show on the CW during the fall last season. Description- A woman randomly moves to where her ex-boyfriend lives in hopes of winning him back. There’s more to the show as needed. Pros- There are some good parts about it. It can be funny at times. Cons- While this wasn’t bad, I didn’t like it. It was strange and didn’t seem to have much of a point to it. Note to Parents- Having only seen the pilot, there is not much advice to offer here. I’d say this is probably good for teen and preteens but not younger than that. It may be safe for some ages, but I wouldn’t think that. Recommendation- I’d pass on this. Mostly it’s a toss-up between good and bad, so I’ll pass. Prediction- I don’t think that it will last, but it just as easily could. I’ve been wrong about things before. Reception: positive. Grade: D.

Hawaii Five-0: Status- Currently on CBS at 9/8 Central on Fridays. Why I’ve seen it- Devotion to the CBS network and curious about what the show is about. Noteworthiness- It is a remake of an old, popular show. It has already been sold into syndication. Description- An elite crime fighting team works in Hawaii to solve cases. Notable People- Alex O’Loughlin, known for his work on Moonlight, Three Rivers, and some movies, is McGarrett. Daniel Dae Kim, known for his work on Lost and other shows, is a cast member as well. Pros- This show is actually filmed where it set. It is an interesting drama. The bickering between the two leads is entertaining. Cons- Some of the methods the characters use to catch the perps are unethical. It is a remake, and thus could just be considered trying to reclaim what it once was. Note to Parents- I’d say maybe on this, although it is probably better to not let your kids watch this unless they are teenagers. Recommendation- Watch this if you have the time to. Prediction- It will last awhile. Reception: positive. Grade: B.

Dateline: Status- This is currently on NBC at 9/8 Central on Fridays. Why I’ve seen it- Nothing else on and it seemed interesting. Noteworthiness- It is the longest running primetime news show on NBC and sometimes airs multiple times in one week. Description- Pretty much an NBC version of 20/20. I don’t know which came out first. Pros- It can be interesting. Cons- It can only be interesting if you like it. I haven’t seen enough of it to find out how different it is from other networks versions of this show. They mostly only do murder mysteries from real life. Note to Parents- This show is gruesome a lot with what they show on it. They even promote it in a way that implies that the squeamish shouldn’t watch it. So you probably shouldn’t let your kids watch this. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. Prediction- It will last forever. Reception: mostly positive. Grade: A.

Blue Bloods: Status- This is currently on CBS at 10/9 Central on Fridays. Why I’ve seen it- It is on CBS. Nothing else good was on. Description- This is a cop show where the cops are related. It is set in New York City. Notable People- Pretty much everyone who works on the show is famous in some way. Tom Selleck from Magnum PI and movies, is present, but is not the main character. Donnie Walburg, who is in the band New Kids on the Block (I think) is a character as well. Pros- Something good exists on Friday nights for you to watch. A partial family aspect is added to the show which makes it more relatable. They rarely deal with murder and seem to deal with every sort of crime and problem that you might hear about in real life. Cons- The ways the officers catch and interrogate some of the suspects/criminals is unethical sometimes. It can be like a lot of other dramas. They have made some questionable off-camera choices regarding at least one actress who works on the show. Some episodes are better than others. There have been some episodes which use unfair stereotypes for villains. Note to Parents- This is better in terms of what is acceptable to show your kids. But, I’d still only let mostly teens and older watch. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. I like it. You might too. Prediction- It will stay around for a while. Reception: mostly positive. Grade: B-.


20/20: Status- This is currently on ABC at 10/9 Central on Fridays. Why I’ve seen it- It looks interesting, depending on the news story. Noteworthiness- It is the longest running primetime news show on ABC and the longest running ABC show in primetime at least. It premiered when Jimmy Carter was president. Description- This is an in-depth news show regarding issues relating to current events or just anything like a murder mystery. Pros- Can be quite interesting if you don’t watch anything else at that time. Cons- There’s a show like this on every network. Re-runs rarely exist. Some episodes are better than others. It can be hard to watch all the time. Note to Parents- If you typically let your kids watch the news, then this is something you can let them watch. Although, I’d honestly stay clear of letting most kids watch this as it is far too grim for him. Recommendation- I like it, but don’t watch it unless I know that I want to. Maybe you’ll like it or consider it a complete waste of time. Prediction- It will last forever unless something weird happens. Reception: currently positive, although the first episode was panned which lead to a retooling of the good show we know today. Grade: A.

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Thursdays in Primetime Version 3

Thursdays are the most competitive nights on television. All the networks put all their best shows on the same night. It is impossible to watch everything good at this time, unless, of course, you record some things to watch later or watch what you can’t see online. NBC airs some popular dramas and an hour of comedies. CBS airs Thursday Night Football right now, something that they will now share with NBC for seemingly no good reason.ABC shows their popular TGIT night which are all dramas by Shonda Rhimes. FOX has a constantly changing lineup that I won’t bother to keep track of. The CW shows Supernatural and Legends of Tomorrow. There are no losers and every network seems to win in their own right. The reason this night is the most competitive is the high demand of advertisers for the movies that will come out the next day. I have seen a lot of these shows so here’s my views on them:

Superstore: Status- Currently on NBC at 8/7 Central on Thursdays. Why I’ve seen it- My mother was originally interested in it, so I recorded it for her and watched it myself. Description- This is a comedy about people who work in a store and the adventures that ensue. Notable People- America Ferria from Ugly Betty is in the cast. She might have also created the show too. Pros- This show is interesting and different. Cons- There really isn’t much that this show offers. It can be weird. Note to Parents- This is probably the standard amount of what you’d expect in terms of what is acceptable or not for your kids to watch. Recommendation- It isn’t terrible, but I wouldn’t watch it again. Prediction- I say that it might last, but only given NBC’s general lack of comedies that they have to rely on. They need something, right? Reception: mixed/average. Grade: D. New review

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: Status- Currently on Thursdays at 8/7 Central on the CW. Why I’ve seen it- I had an obligation to watch one midseason replacement on the CW plus a general interest in the show. Noteworthiness- This is adapted from The Flash and Arrow TV shows using characters from them and from DC comics. It is set in the general Arrowverse. Description- A time master gets a team of people from our time to save the world from a threat in the future. Pros- I love this show and think that it is awesome. The plot is good and gripping. It is very interesting and keeps you coming back for more. Cons- It’s only potential problems are with its connections with other shows and it potentially dragging on too long. Note to Parents- This is probably the standard amount of objectionable material, although it doesn’t seem as focused on sex as some shows. Recommendation- You should watch this if you don’t already have more important commitments. Prediction- This will probably last for a while, if all goes well. The only thing against it is whether there are simply too many shows for it. Reception: mixed to positive. Grade: A. New review

Grey’s Anatomy: Status- Currently on Thursdays at 8/7 Central on ABC. Why I’ve seen it-Desire to find a medical drama to watch all the time on a regular basis. When I realized that I liked medical dramas, I also realized that they always cancel the ones that I like, so I figured that I should watch this since it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Noteworthiness- It is the longest running drama on ABC to still be in production. Description- A medical drama featuring a large cast of doctors of both genders solves medical problems that sometimes relates to their own team. I’m not really sure how to describe it that well so you might understand it better if you watch an episode yourself. Notable People- The only notable person I can think of is Patrick Dempsey, who does various movies. There are a lot of people who are and were with the cast that are famous, so I can’t keep track of them all. Some of them are famous from being on the show. Pros- This show is pretty interesting and humorous. Most of the large cast is focused upon most of the time. The medical aspect is well-done. It isn’t always about the same characters all the time. Cons- The show can be quite complicated and hard to understand and follow, especially if you don’t watch every week. If you don’t like soap operas, then this show probably isn’t for you because of the format it uses. There’s too much sex in the show as well and most people wouldn’t like the morals present. There are too many characters to keep track of on a regular basis and sometimes a lot of the cast isn’t in a certain episode. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. If you don’t like it now, you never will. Prediction- This could last a long amount of time, but I think that it could potentially end in the near future as well. Reception: somewhat positive. Grade: C+.

The Good Place: Status- Currently on NBC at 8:30/7:30 Central on Thursdays. Why I’ve seen it- In order to review this for another blog of mine, I watched it. Description- A comedy, a woman finds out that she is dead, but in the good place. The main problem: she’s not supposed to be there. Notable People- Ted Danson, who was in many shows in the past, among them Cheers, CSI, and CSI: Cyber, is a character on the show. Kristen Bell, who did many movies and Veronica Mars, is the main character. Pros- The show is different and interesting. It tries to keep religion out of it so as to not offend anyone. Cons- The idea of things going wrong with the good place in death is a bit hard to believe. It lacks a certain amount of charm that you would want it to have. It doesn’t seem as funny as it could be. Note to Parents- This is borderline is terms of what is acceptable to let your kids watch or not. Recommendation- I’d honestly just leave this is a toss-up for now at least. Prediction- It might last a while, but I’m not sure yet if it will last long. Reception: positive. Grade: C+. New review

Notorious: Status- Currently on ABC at 9/8 Central on Thursdays. Why I’ve seen it- Basically, there was nothing else to watch at the timeslot when it first aired. Description- It’s hard to say for sure what it is about, but it appears to have many plots and has an overall focus on newsmakers. Notable People- Shonda Rhimes, who is known for many dramas, the most notable being Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder, helps make this show, although I’m not sure if she created it. Pros- The show is interesting and I hope that it can be good as it continues along. Cons- It seems to rely too much on sex as usual. It can also be hard to tell if these are people to root for or not. Note to Parents- I wouldn’t let your young ones watch this. Teens might be okay, but I’m not so sure about that compared to what you’d see on this show. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. I’ll watch it for now, but I wouldn’t be torn up over a cancellation. Prediction- I’m not sure that it will last that long right now. It only seems to be filing the gap until Scandal’s return anyways. Reception: negative. Grade: B-. New review


The Blacklist: Status- Currently on NBC at 10/9 Central on Thursdays. Why I’ve seen it- I don’t know why I started watching it, but it was probably because the promos made it look good or something like that. Description- Okay, I don’t really understand what this show is about yet. It’s intriguing enough that if you can’t tell what it is, you still might want to watch it to figure it out. Apparently it is about some law enforcement agency going after very dangerous criminals that are on something called the blacklist. Notable People- James Spader, from movies and other things I’m not familiar with, is a main character on the show. Pros- This show is very interesting and keeps you coming back time and time again. Cons- It can be hard to understand. The show is very violent and bloody. Recommendation- I’d say that you should probably watch it. Prediction- I think that it will stay a long time since it’s doing better than most NBC veteran shows. Reception: critically acclaimed. Grade: B.

Saturday, October 8, 2016

A Hypothetical Speculation of this Blog’s Future

I know for an absolute fact that I will not be able to outlive television. Now I’m not trying to sound morbid or anything, but I do have to wonder what other TV junkies like me would if they wanted a replacement. I have no idea who could work as a replacement to this blog of mine and I honestly haven’t bothered to look. But many different things could change this blog.

I would like having a career in television, movies, or both. I’m not sure if that would even happen, though. I’d honestly rather be a TV critic, like a lot of this blog, but only getting paid for it. But if I ever do get a TV career, I could update this blog about me doing that.

While I would like someone else to blog about TV in the place of this blog, I honestly don’t know who would work. Maybe the blog would just end abruptly and no one else would be inspired to continue it. Maybe there would be someone who would like to continue this blog in their own way somehow. I just don’t know of many, if any, other TV junkies like me. Hopefully I can find someone at some point in time. Do you know of any other blogs about television besides this one? I should be more actively looking for other blogs.

A potential drawback of the future for me in terms of me watching television could be parenthood. While parenthood would be quite a good thing, there is no way that I’d still be able to watch the amount of television that I do and may have to phase out what I do watch. Of course, it’s unlikely that I have to worry about becoming a parent anytime soon. Since I don’t engage in hookup culture, it’s highly unlikely that I’ll randomly wind up with a child even nine months from now.


I’m honestly not sure of the point of this blog post anymore. I guess that it is this: if you like TV and want to write a blog about TV, let me know so I can start reading it. I don’t plan on going anywhere any time soon. But that doesn’t mean that something bad and unexpected could happen to me. Regardless of what happens, when I die, or what future this blog may have, I really hope that someone has the time and dedication that I do to blog about TV.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

New Fall Shows: 2016 Part 1

Well, here we are at last with a new blog post with the new fall shows. Since I am now updating this blog on a more regular basis instead of sort of whenever (although, the whenever posts will still happen), I will need to write the corresponding posts. Here are the reviews of some of the fall shows that I have seen. I hope that you enjoy.

The Good Place: Show Description- A comedy, a woman finds out that she is dead, but in the good place. The main problem: she’s not supposed to be there. Behind the Scenes- Ted Danson, who was in many shows in the past, among them Cheers, Becker, CSI, and CSI: Cyber, is a character on the show. Kristen Bell, who did many movies and Veronica Mars, is the main character. My Thoughts- It can be hard to tell much about the show just starting out, although I do plan on keeping watching it for now. I didn’t expect much realism from it, but that’s to be expected from a work of fiction like this. I’m not sure that I care that much about that aspect. But I do think that it is interesting for now. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- It might last a while, but I’m not sure yet if it will last long. Where to Find- On NBC at 8:30/7:30 Central on Thursdays

Notorious: Show Description- It’s hard to say for sure what it is about, but it appears to have many plots and has an overall focus on newsmakers. Behind the Scenes- Shonda Rhimes, who is known for many dramas, the most notable being Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder, helps make this show, although I’m not sure if she created it. My Thoughts- Well, it seems to rely too much on sex as usual. It can also be hard to tell if these are people to root for or not. But, the show is interesting and I hope that it can be good as it continues along. I give it three stars out of five. Long Term Prospects- I’m not sure that it will last that long right now. Where to Find- On ABC at 9/8 Central on Thursdays

Designated Survivor: Show Description- Inspired by a real life situation, a cabinet member in the line of succession is taken to a secure place during the state of the union address to ensure that there would be a president if something bad were to happen. Well, in this show, something bad does happen and the designated survivor does become president. But there’s a lot more to the show than just that. Behind the Scenes- Keifer Sutherland, who was on 24 and Touch, is the main character, the new president. Kal Penn, who was on House, had roles on other TV shows, and even worked for the administration of a real president, is another character. Maggie Q, who was on Nikita, among other things, is another character. My Thoughts- This show may be too complicated for its own good. But, it is an interesting and gripping story. I give it four out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- For now, it looks like this will stay around. Where to Find- On ABC at 10/9 Central on Wednesdays

Kevin Can Wait: Show Description- It seems to be about a man who just retired, or wanted to, at least, but it could be about any number of things that could evolve over time. Behind the Scenes- Kevin James, who was on King of Queens before starring in many movies, is the main character of this show. My Thoughts- I honestly don’t know yet if I’ll stick with this in the long term or not. While it isn’t that bad, it also isn’t that good either. It can be hard to tell the long term quality as of yet. I may watch it for now, but it could lose my interest as it could be too bloated with its cast. For now, I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- For now, it will get good ratings. Once it loses the lead-in of The Big Bang Theory, it may not be so lucky anymore. Where to Find- On CBS at 8:30/7:30 Central on Mondays

Bull: Show Description- This is about a jury consultant who helps with court cases. Behind the Scenes- Supposedly, this is inspired by something Dr. Phil did before he went into television. This stars Michael Weatherly, well known from NCIS, as the main character. My Thoughts- If this was Michael Weatherly’s way of separating himself NCIS, he could have done better as his character on this show is very similar to the one he played on NCIS. Outside of that, it seems like a pretty interesting show as you normally don’t see courtroom dramas from this perspective. I give it four out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- With an NCIS lead-in, it’s unlikely that this fails any time soon. If it ever losses that in the future, then there could be problems. Where to Find- On CBS at 9/8 Central on Tuesdays

MacGyver: Show Description- This show is about a man who uses whatever he can to do cool spy things. There are also other people in the cast as needed. Behind the Scenes- This is a remake of a show by the same name. This also stars George Eads, who was in CSI. My Thoughts- I think that it is good. It may seem a lot like the Limitless show, which is weird. I have not seen the original version of this show, so I don’t know if it is better, worse, or the same quality compared to that. I’ll admit that some of it seems predictable and cliché, but it also has the same type of interesting quality that you’d see in spy dramas like it. Long Term Prospects- It is doing good, for now, so we’ll see if it stays that way or not. Where to Find- On CBS at 7/8 Central on Fridays

Son of Zorn: Show Description- It’s hard to tell some of what the show is about right off the bat. It seems to be about an animated man named Zorn and his family. The title would have you believe that it is about his son, but I think that it is more about Zorn. Behind the Scenes- Zorn is an animated character and there is some animation in this, but most of this is live action. Jason Sudeiks, from Saturday Night Live, is the voice of Zorn. My Thoughts- As expected from the promos, this show is weird. I’ll always find it strange when humans interact with animated characters as if there is nothing unusual about this. But, the show can actually be funny. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- I honestly don’t know if this will last or not. I think that it is too soon to know for sure. But, it might have a good chance at that for now. Where to Find- On FOX at 8:30/7:30 Central on Sundays

New fall shows: American Housewife, Conviction, Designated Survivor, Notorious, Speechless, Bull, The Great Indoors, Kevin Can Wait, MacGyver, Man with a Plan, Pure Genius, Frequency, No Tomorrow, The Exorcist, Lethal Weapon, Pitch, Son of Zorn, The Good Place, Timeless, and This is Us.

Those shows I’m reviewing: Conviction, The Good Place, Notorious, Designated Survivor, Frequency, No Tomorrow, Kevin Can Wait, Man with a Plan, The Great Indoors, Bull, MacGyver, Pure Genius, Timeless, and Son of Zorn.


That’s it for part 1 of this review. We’ll see more in the future of the fall reviews. Stay tuned for part 2 where you will see the reviews for Conviction, Frequency, No Tomorrow, Pure Genius, Timeless, Man with a Plan, and The Great Indoors. I’ll be back in the future with more new fall shows. I don’t know when that will be just yet, but it will be soon. To be continued…