Tuesdays in Primetime Version 3

Tuesdays are a competitive night on television. Except for CBS and the CW, all networks have an hour of comedies at this time. It is also when some of television’s most popular shows are on. The only problem is that the shows are so good, you won’t be able to watch them all.

The Middle: Status- Currently on ABC at 8/7 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- Survivor was on hiatus (this show used to air on Wednesday) and I heard this was good. Noteworthiness- It is tied with Modern Family as longest running ABC comedy. Description- The comedy adventures of an ordinary family in Indiana. Notable People- Patricia Heaton, who was Debra from Everybody Loves Raymond, is the mother. Neil Flynn, from Scrubs, is the father of the show. Pros- Mothers would like this show. It is quite funny from time to time. The youngest kid’s quirkiness is humorous. Cons- Some inappropriate stuff comes up sometimes. However, the show is typically always PG so it’s not as bad as it could be. Note to Parents- This is probably more acceptable than other shows in terms of content, but I’d ultimately watch it for yourself to make a decision. Recommendation- I say that you should watch this show if you can. Prediction- It will last a long time as it has already. Reception: positive. Grade: B+.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Status- This show is on FOX at 8/7 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- The critics like it and I thought that it might be good. Description- It is a comedy-drama (mostly comedy) that has cops solving crimes in a humorous way. Notable people- This show has Andy Sandberg (formerly from Saturday Night Live), Terry Crews (known from Everybody Hates Chris), as well as other famous people I don’t know that well or what they are from. Pros- I’d have to say that it’s pretty good how it takes stuff that could be put in a drama and has a funny spin on it. Cons- The usual bad morals are present and a lot of the humor is hit and miss. Note to Parents- I’m not sure if this has ever aired with a viewer discretion is advised warning, but there’s enough in here that’s bad for younger than teenagers. Recommendation- This show is pretty good and I recommend it. It’s nice to see a cop comedy instead of the typical cop drama. Prediction- I don’t know if this show will last or not. I hope that it does, but it might not. I say that it might last for now. Reception: positive. Grade: A-.

The Flash: Status- On the CW at 8/7 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- General interest in shows like it. Noteworthiness- This is set in the same world as Arrow. This show is based off of a comic book series. Description- This show is about a person who is struck by lightning and gains the power of super speed. It is not ordinary lightning. Pros- I thought that this show was pretty good. It seems interesting. Cons- It can be hard to tell where they are going with this. It may seem similar to other superhero TV shows. Note to Parents- This show is targeted to teens and is safe for them to watch, although enough of it is bad for younger audiences. Recommendation- I think that this is probably worth watching all the time. Prediction- This will probably last a good while. I haven’t heard problems with ratings so I think it will do well. Reception: positive. Grade: B+.

NCIS: Status- Currently on CBS at 8/7 Central on Tuesdays and syndication on networks like USA. It is the most watched drama on television and has two spin-offs that are still on the air. Why I’ve seen it- My brother and the rest of my family liked the show and I thought it was good enough to watch all the time. Noteworthiness- It is a spin-off of the show JAG. At least at the beginning, the cases on the show were inspired by real cases. I don’t know if they still are. It has two spin-offs. Description- A team of federal agents solves murders of marines and navy members as well as other crimes relating to them and other people. Set in Washington DC. Notable People- Wilmer Valderama from That 70’s Show, Awake, and Minority Report, is a character on this show. Jennifer Esposito, who was in Blue Bloods, is another character on the show. Pros- It stays fresh despite its long time on the air. The humor is quite interesting. Cons- It is running out of steam. The creator of the show is no longer the head writer. Note to Parents- I’ve noticed enough bad stuff in here, but mostly related to violence more than anything else. I watched this as a teen and don’t see why others can’t too. Recommendation- It is one of my favorite shows. I say watch it if you have the chance too and aren’t already. Prediction- It will last a while more. Reception: very positive. Grade: A+.

New Girl: Status- Currently on FOX at 8:30/7:30 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I thought that it might be good and I like the actress who plays the main character. Noteworthiness- This show is the longest running FOX live action comedy. That probably says a lot about the success of lack thereof of FOX sitcoms. Description- After breaking up with her live-in cheating boyfriend, Jess, the new girl, moves into a new place with four guys. Also in the cast is Jess’s best friend. Notable People- Zooey Deschanel, known for being in various movies, is the main character. I’m not certain who else is noteworthy or not. Pros- The show is quite funny most of the time with the quirky characters that it has. Cons- As usual, bad morals are present like sex and stuff like that. Some of the acting is over the top, but that’s more due to the personality of the characters of the show instead of bad acting. Note to Parents- There have been occasions where this airs with an advisory warning, although most of it seems acceptable to me for high schoolers, but not much younger. Recommendation- I’d say that you should watch it if you have the time. Prediction- It has lasted long enough and will probably keep lasting unless something weird happens. Reception: generally positive. Grade: B.

Fresh off the Boat: Status- Currently on ABC at 9/8 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- It aired with a comedy that I normally watch. Noteworthiness- This is based off of a true story and book. Description- Set in the past, this is a sitcom about an Asian family that moved to America. Pros- This is actually quite good in terms of quality. Cons- The show can be weirder than it needs to be. Note to Parents- This is actually quite acceptable in terms of material as I can’t think of much bad in here for kids and other young ones. Recommendation- I would watch this show if you can. Prediction- It is doing well in the ratings right now so it should last. Reception: critically acclaimed. Grade: B-. New review

Bull: Status- Currently on CBS at 9/8 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I always watch a CBS show under most circumstances and I thought that this show would be interesting too. Noteworthiness- This is inspired by something Dr. Phil did before he went into television. He also helped create the show. Description- This is about a jury consultant who helps with court cases. Notable People- This stars Michael Weatherly, well known from NCIS, as the main character. Pros- It seems like a pretty interesting show as you normally don’t see courtroom dramas from this perspective. In fact, it makes you wonder why you don’t see shows like this more often. Cons- Michael Weatherly is doing a bad job of separating himself from NCIS as his character on this show is very similar to the one he played on NCIS. Also, it doesn’t seem realistic as no other courtroom drama has this angle on it. Note to Parents- This is probably the standard amount in terms of what is acceptable for kids or not. Recommendation- I would watch this show if you could. Prediction- 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. I guess we’ll have to see what happens with it. Reception: negative. Grade: A. New review

No Tomorrow: Status- Currently on the CW at 9/8 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- Starting from now, I’ll always watch whatever new shows air on the CW. Noteworthiness- Like possibly everything on the CW, this is based on something else, in this case, a Brazilian TV series. Description- It’s hard to tell for sure what it is about. It seems to be about a woman who is being taught how to live by a person who thinks that the world is ending. But there is more to it than that. Pros- It did have some interesting qualities. It benefits from being different. Cons- I didn’t like it enough. It seems that the characters are too flawed to like. Note to Parents- There’s enough in here that’s objectionable for younger ones, but not teens. Recommendation- I’d pass on this one. Prediction- While it will probably last a bit given the wimpyness of the network it’s on to offend what little fans they have, I doubt that it lasts too long as even on the CW, it isn’t good enough ratings. Reception: generally positive. Grade: D. New review

The Real O’Neals: Status- Currently on ABC at 9:30/8:30 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- It aired with a show that I do watch. Description- This is another in a line of dysfunctional family shows. Notable People- This has Martha Plimpton, who was in Raising Hope, stars in this show. Pros- It is gay friendly. Cons- The show mocks religion, is devoid of humor, and is downright terrible. Note to Parents- Don’t let them watch this. Recommendation- There is nothing good about this show so don’t waste your time with it. Prediction- The end is coming for this show as it isn’t getting that good ratings. Reception: generally favorable. Grade: F. New review

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Status- Currently on ABC at 10/9 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- Interest in the Marvel world after having seen various superhero movies based on their works. Description- This show is about an organization that deals primarily with superheroes and becomes heroes of their own. Notable People- This show is done by Joss Whedon, who is known for creating science fiction shows that enjoy cult status and are typically not always enjoyed by everyone. Examples include Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, and Buffy the Vampire. Pros- It is considered a good show to some people. You don’t have to be a fan of the Marvel world to understand this show. Cons- It felt like there could be more in it. It seems to be lacking the heroes and the action of the movies as well as the drama content. There is also a connection between this and the rest of the Marvel world that can confuse people who don’t see the movies. Note to Parents- This is a bit questionable in terms of content for kids, mostly due to the violence of the show. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. Watch it if you like it. Prediction- I don’t know if it will last or not, but it’s possible that it will even on a network that is known for screwing with its shows and cancelling more than any other network (I think). Reception: somewhat positive. Grade: B+.

NCIS: New Orleans: Status- On CBS at 10/9 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I watch the original so I figured that I should watch this as well. Description- This is a show about an NCIS team set in New Orleans.  Noteworthiness- It is a spin-off of NCIS. This show is actually filmed in New Orleans where it is set. Pros- There are plenty of good things about the show. It is as interesting and good as most dramas are. It keeps the charm of NCIS even with a different cast. The different filming location probably helped it. Cons- Some people have been annoyed by the fake accents of the characters. Plus, it may not be as interesting or good as the original NCIS is. Note to Parents- This has the standard amount of stuff that you would find it shows. There is more violence in it that is negative for kids than anything else. Recommendation- I saw that you should probably watch it. Prediction- I think that it will probably last a while. Reception: mostly positive. Grade: A.

Sports Delays and Why They Won’t Go Away

Have you ever wanted to watch a show, only to find out that it was being aired later than it normally would? I complain about this in other blogs of mine. Typically, when shows air on tape delay, the reason is because there was a sports game earlier in the day that they had to show to its completion. Why do they do that? Well, there’s a good reason, even if it means bad things for people who aren’t sports fans. It mostly sparked from a single controversy.

On November 17, 1968, there was a football game that aired on NBC. I don’t know if this was before the concept of tape delay had been introduced to the television world. But people would make sure not to have a repeat of the incident. The football game was between the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders. The teams were known for their heated rivalry. The game probably wouldn’t have been notable in any way were it not for how it ended and how many didn’t see the end.

Football games didn’t typically take that long of a time to play originally. A three hour time slot was given to the game and this is an hour more longer than what was typically given. It still didn’t turn out to be enough time. It was believed that the movie Heidi should start at 7 as most shows or moves would always start on time. Everyone said that Heidi must start on time. But they knew that the game was going to run long. What were they going to do?

What they wanted to do originally and wanted to do when the game was running long were two completely different things. At the point that Heidi was going to begin, many at the network thought that they should show the rest of the game until it was over. But, they had to inform the people in charge of this. Meanwhile, too many people were calling about the impending cut-off with some wondering if the game would be shown to the end and others wondering if Heidi would start on time. This caused numerous switch boards to jam and caused various communication problems for the people who were trying to work out the problem.

The Jets were winning the game when it came time for Heidi to start. Many executives were wanting to show the end of the game. But the communication problems caused this to not happen. With no way of making it clear that they wanted to show the rest of the game, the decision was made to cut off the end of the game and start Heidi on time. This caused outrage by many people. They wanted to know what happened with the rest of the game. And others thought that the game had ended with the Jets winning. But just what happened with the rest of the game?

There actually wasn’t much of the game left that was cut off. But, it was important enough to change the game. Described as one of the most exciting finishes in football history, the Raiders were able to pull a come from behind victory and win the game with the time they had left. And due to the cut-off, many people had no idea that this had happened. Those who weren’t on the Eastern and Central time zone got to see the rest of the game. But nearly half of the country didn’t see the final outcome.

Here’s more information about this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidi_Game

Many people have gone to great lengths to insure that such an event would never happen again. It is unlikely that they would ever cut off the end of any sporting events again. Well, there have been reported cases of certain moments like this game happening after it. But those events are pretty rare and don’t happen too much. Although, I can remember a time when something like it happened

In the summer of 2014, for instance, I’m pretty sure that the East Coast feed of a golf event on CBS was moved to a cable channel while they started delayed problems. So we wouldn’t get to see the end of the game without that channel. I can’t remember for sure when it happened, but I clearly remember them saying that it would continue on CBS on the west coast and finishing airing on some cable channel for the rest of the east coast people. So it caused both tape delay and a preemption.

One of the things I’d like to know about tape delay is how it is resolved in the end. I mean, they can’t just keep things on delay and they never are on delay by the next day. So it makes me wonder how they catch up the time. What do they cut? Maybe I’ll find out someday, but I doubt that I’ll ever say up that late to see what happens. I need sleep.

Well, now you know why there is tape delay, although you probably knew it was something along the lines of having to show the end of the game. There are some times when the game is shown out of region, meaning in a place where neither teams play, where the game is cut short in the broadcast, but that typically only happens with an extreme scoring differences and an absolute fact that the losing team cannot possibly turn things around. That’s what I’ve heard about that, at least. But, now you know why you’ll see tape delay with sports events, although it can also happen with live news events as well. It all depends on the situation.

New Fall Shows: 2016 Part 2

Well, here we are back with part 2 of the reviews of new fall shows. We’ll see if any of them are good or bad. I might have to always split reviews of new shows into different parts now, although I’m honestly not entirely sure what will happen with that in the future. We’ll see.

There was something that I can’t believe I forgot to mention in part 1 of these reviews: what CBS shows replaced what other CBS shows. I know that is a weird thing to keep track of, but I might as well mention what replaced what from part 1. I just hope that I can remember to mention these things for part 2. Anyways, Kevin Can Wait replaced half of Supergirl, which moved to the CW, and the last season of Mike and Molly (also true of the other show that replaced the other half of Supergirl). MacGyver replaced The Amazing Race, only that show will return some time during midseason. Bull replaced Limitless and Person of Interest. Now to part 2 of the reviews:

Conviction: Show Description- This show is about people who work for the Conviction Integrity Unit, a place that works to make sure that people were not wrongly convicted. Behind the Scenes- Hayley Atwell, who was the star of Agent Carter, is a character on this show. Eddie Cahill, who was on CSI: New York, is another character on the show. My Thoughts- There is a time limit to doing the case that seems arbitrary. There are some flaws with the characters that don’t help the show. It isn’t a courtroom drama like some might want it to be. Despite that, the show is pretty interesting and good. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- The future of this show does not actually look that good so don’t expect it to last too long. Where to Find- On ABC at 10/9 Central on Mondays

Frequency: Show Description- A woman is somehow able to use a ham radio to talk to her father twenty years in the past. It replaces America’s Next Top Model (which is now on cable, or will be, at least) and The 100 (although that show will return). Behind the Scenes- This is a remake of a movie of the same name. My Thoughts- This show is pretty good on the consequences of changing time and stuff like that. I’m not sure if there is much bad about it just yet. I give it five out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- I’d put it at a toss-up for now. Where to Find- On the CW at 9/8 Central on Wednesdays

No Tomorrow: Show Description- It’s hard to tell for sure what it is about. It seems to be about a woman who is being taught how to live by a person who thinks that the world is ending. But there is more to it than that. It replaces iZombie (for now, but that show will return) and Containment. Behind the Scenes- Like possibly everything on the CW, this is based on something else, in this case, a Brazilian TV series. My Thoughts- While it did have some interesting qualities, I didn’t like it enough. It seems that the characters are too flawed to like. I give it two out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- While it will probably last a bit given the wimpyness of the network it’s on to offend what little fans they have, I doubt that it lasts too long. Where to Find- On the CW at 9/8 Central on Tuesdays

Pure Genius: Show Description- Based off of a true story, this show is about a genius who wants to help people with his hospital that he created. It replaces both CSI: Cyber and Rush Hour. Behind the Scenes- Dermot Mulroney, who was in Crisis, is a character on this show. Brenda Song, who was in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody as well as Dads, is another character on the show. My Thoughts- I’ll admit, it probably falls to the same old format that most medical dramas fall into. But, I still feel that the show is good and interesting. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This will probably not last. Where to Find- On CBS at 10/9 Central on Thursdays

Timeless: Show Description- A team of three people chase after a team of bad guys, both with different time machines. Behind the Scenes- This is at least the fourth show I know of that has aired after The Voice, which is a lead-in most shows would want. My Thoughts- The show seems interesting, although it also seems confusing as well. I guess that I’ll have to see more of it to know for sure, but I like it enough for now to keep watching. I give it four out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This is likely to last for a while as long as it airs after The Voice. Where to Find- On NBC at 10/9 Central on Mondays

Man with a Plan: Show Description- A man’s wife goes back to work leaving him to take over more as a househusband. On CBS, this replaces half of Supergirl. Behind the Scenes- Matt LeBlanc, who was in Friends, is the main character on this show. My Thoughts- This show was overall dull and pointless. There wasn’t too it in terms of quality. At least it isn’t too bad, but I don’t think that I will watch it again since there wasn’t much to it. I give it two out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This show might last a while, for now at least. Where to Find- On CBS at 8:30/7:30 Central on Mondays

The Great Indoors: Show Description- An outdoorsy person has to get used to a new job inside. This show replaces half of The Good Wife (the other half of The Good Wife being replaced by the returning Life in Pieces). Behind the Scenes- Joel McHale, who was in Community, is the lead of this show. My Thoughts- While it wasn't too bad, I didn't like it. For one, this loses points for attacking my generation. The cast seems to be too young and doesn’t exactly work that well. The show is not that good. Maybe there are some good things about it, but they are hard to find that easily. I give it two out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- Since it airs after The Big Bang Theory, it will last for a while. Don’t expect it to end just yet. Where to Find- On CBS at 8:30/7:30 Central on Thursdays

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.