Oh, CW. Cute, adorable, not-quite-a-network, CW. For all the CW's foibles, and let's face it, there are a lot, the mere fact that I only have two new pilots to review for it makes up for a lot.
With only two offerings, you'd assume they'd both be good, but, well, then I screened the trailer for Hellcats... Wow... Fortunately, their other new venture looks pretty promising, so technically they're batting 50-50, which is actually a better ratio than most... Way to swing for the fences, CW. (Geez,what's with the baseball idioms? That is baseball, right...?)
Anyway, here's how the CW's fall line-up is stacking up so far. At this point, the Vampire Diaries is the only show on the network that I watch, so here's hoping Nikita lives up to expectations. What happened to my Gossip Girl adoration, you ask? Season three. I honestly still have 8 1/2 episodes saved on my DVR, but I just can't bring myself to finish them, so I'm calling this break-up official. Such a shame. The first two seasons were completely awesome, but the third... well... yeah... The Vampire Diaries, by contrast is shaping up to be stronger than ever. Seriously, have you seen the [SPOILER ALERT for those who haven't watched season 1--seriously DO NOT WATCH if you haven't seen the entire season yet, Annie] new promo?! Oh my god, I'm excited! Next week! It really turned out to be oh-so-much-more than a stupid tween vampire love story. Highly recommended.
Anyway, back on track, here's the schedule:
MONDAY
7 pm 90210
8 pm Gossip Girl
TUESDAY
7 pm One Tree Hill
8 pm Life Unexpected
WEDNESDAY
7 pm America's Next Top Model
8 pm Hellcats (new)
THURSDAY
7 pm The Vampire Diaries
8 pm Nikita (new)
FRIDAY
7 pm Smallville
8 pm Supernatural
We'll start with the bad news first... Ugh, I watched this trailer months ago and I can't believe I'm about to watch it again. It's all out of love for you, gentle readers, not the show...
HELLCATS
Description: Stars Alyson Michalka, Ashley Tisdale (of High School Musical infamy), Heather Hemmens, Robbie Jones, and a bunch of other people I've never heard of. From executive producers Kevin Murphy (“Desperate Housewives”), Tom Welling (“Smallville”) and Allan Arkush (“Heroes,” “Crossing Jordan”). The pilot was directed by Allan Arkush.
That was just a commercial for it and yet, I'm guessing most people have already seen enough. For an excruciating, two-minute clip from the pilot, go here. Embedding has been disabled, because, you know, this is the kind of quality content that the CW is going to want to protect...
My Take: Well, I already used the adjective "excruciating," so where does one go from there? Oh my god, this looks awful. The collection of people comprising the creative team is absolutely dumfoudning. Never would I have put this collection of people together and never would I have thought that such a collection would come up with something like this. The basic premise is tired and overdone (I think we settled on 11 sequels to Bring It On before they finally called it quits) and only worked with the first Bring It On because it was largely mocking. "Cheerleaders are dancers... who've gone retarded..." Classic. This mess? Not so much. Oh good god, seriously, I barely made it through that two minute clip linked prior. "Cringe-worthy" doesn't do it justice. I felt completely embarrassed for everyone on the screen and just kept glancing at the time bar to see how much longer I had to suffer. In case this was just too subtle, this looks to be one of the worst pilots of the season, if not all eternity. I don't know that I'll even be able to bring myself to screen the pilot. It's not even painful in a hilarious, this-is-so-bad-it's-a-blast-to-make-fun-of kind of way. It's just bad. And is yet another in the long line of shows over the past decade that seem hell-bent on making frivolous bitches the societal ideal. Don't get me wrong, when done right, that can be a lot of guilty fun, but here? I have the unrelenting sensation to set things on fire. PASS.
NIKITA
Description: Stars Maggie Q (Mission Impossible III), Lyndsy Fonseca (she plays the daughter of Narrator Ted on How I Met Your Mother), Shane West (ER), Aaron Stanford, Ashton Holmes, and Tiffany Hines. From executive producers Craig Silverstein (“Bones,” “K-Ville”), Danny Cannon (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Chuck”), McG (“Supernatural,” “Chuck,” “The O.C.,” “Charlie’s Angels”), and Peter Johnson (“Supernatural,” “Chuck”). The pilot was directed by Danny Cannon.
My Take: Color me intrigued. Granted, it has more than a few Alias-style overtones (good hell, the murdered lover's name is Daniel... again), but I loved Alias, so I say bring it. I'm not too familiar with previous iterations of La Femme Nikita, however, so odds are, Alias stole most of its trump cards in the first place. Provenance aside, this looks pretty slick and sexy and I'm totally on board. I love a good game of cat and mouse and when it's on the scale of a spy-thriller, I'm even more intrigued. I'm not all that familiar with Maggie Q, but from the trailer alone, I'm already buying her as the deadly Nikita. She has tremendous presence onscreen and looks more than capable of anchoring such a demanding show. The supporting cast looks equally strong, and was that Melinda Clarke I spied? Excellent. It was easy to track down the executive producers on the show, but singling out a showrunner has proved more difficult. All signs point to a solid creative team, however, so I'm confident they can pull off the difficult move from a film to a series. All the same, it'll be interesting to see what they do with this story season to season because the basic conceit seems untenable over the long-run. The fact that I'm already thinking about future seasons, however, is a very good sign. If I had to choose a genre that I'd be happy to have more entrants, the spy thriller would definitely win out over lawyer shows, cop shows, and medical dramas, so I say, bring it on. Although, I am a little afraid that they're all starting to bleed together a bit in my mind. While watching the pilot, I could hear Michael Westen in my head saying, "In a fight, you have to be careful not to break the little bones in your hand on someone's face. That's why I like bathrooms... lots of hard surfaces." Way to watch TV and use it to your advantage, Nikita. Long story short, this one looks like it could have some serious potential. Count me in.
Monday, August 30, 2010
I'm actually quite fond of Alex O'Loughlin...
Wowzers, I don't often get a lot of comments on this blog, but the Alex O'Loughlin fans really turned out for my last post! I think my comments may have been a bit misconstrued or maybe my definitions are a bit off...
I actually quite adore Alex O'Loughlin and can't believe I spelled his name wrong. (In my defense, I pulled the cast list off a show description on the web, and that's how they had spelled it. I should have questioned their spelling, but took it at face value rather than putting in the effort to look it up for sure.) I was a late-comer to Moonlight, but really enjoyed it once I got started. I was completely bummed that it got canceled and kept hoping Alex would find a steady gig that was truly deserving of his talents. His many talents.. which were not showcased on the awful beyond awful Three Rivers. I couldn't agree more that it wasn't his fault that the show was terrible or that it got canceled. Indeed, he was the only redeeming quality. When that show premiered, I lamented the fact that Alex had found himself in such a poor role and was glad it got canceled because that would mean he could move onto better projects.
In terms of him being a "showkiller," based on reader response, I think my definition of the term must be a bit off (or simply not as hyperbolic as it really is). As I understand it, the status of "showkiller" has very little, if anything, to do with the talents or appeal of the person in question. Nathan Fillion, one of my absolute favorite people in world, is totally a showkiller. In my mind, it's simply someone who finds him/herself in projects that get canceled quickly (whether justifiably or not). One definition I found online reads, "A show killer is basically someone who bounces from television show to television show because each one gets canceled." And indeed, this website lists the actors it considers the top 8 showkillers, Alex O'Loughlin among them. Many of the actors on the list are superb and are people who bring a tremendous amount to the table. In my mind, I've never chalked showkiller status up to the relative abilities of the actors with said dubious distinction, but rather to unfortunate writing, poor circumstances, or, as is so often the case, some completely undefinable element that gets a show canceled too soon. In looking around further on the web though, there's certainly room for interpretation of the definition (everyone seems to have his/her own take), so I can see where my post provoked some ire.
Indeed, in seeing that my feelings about Mr. O'Loughlin were delivered with verbal butterfingers in my last post, I was pretty dismayed as well. He has a dedicated legion of fans, myself among them. I'm really hopeful that Hawaii Five-0 is as solid as it seems and that our fine friend Alex has finally found himself in a show that won't get killed. Honestly, if CBS just wants to put an Alex O'Loughlin screensaver with rotating pictures on the screen, I'd be fine with that. :)
I think I sense a spin-off in the works... The awesomest spin-off of all time...
I actually quite adore Alex O'Loughlin and can't believe I spelled his name wrong. (In my defense, I pulled the cast list off a show description on the web, and that's how they had spelled it. I should have questioned their spelling, but took it at face value rather than putting in the effort to look it up for sure.) I was a late-comer to Moonlight, but really enjoyed it once I got started. I was completely bummed that it got canceled and kept hoping Alex would find a steady gig that was truly deserving of his talents. His many talents.. which were not showcased on the awful beyond awful Three Rivers. I couldn't agree more that it wasn't his fault that the show was terrible or that it got canceled. Indeed, he was the only redeeming quality. When that show premiered, I lamented the fact that Alex had found himself in such a poor role and was glad it got canceled because that would mean he could move onto better projects.
In terms of him being a "showkiller," based on reader response, I think my definition of the term must be a bit off (or simply not as hyperbolic as it really is). As I understand it, the status of "showkiller" has very little, if anything, to do with the talents or appeal of the person in question. Nathan Fillion, one of my absolute favorite people in world, is totally a showkiller. In my mind, it's simply someone who finds him/herself in projects that get canceled quickly (whether justifiably or not). One definition I found online reads, "A show killer is basically someone who bounces from television show to television show because each one gets canceled." And indeed, this website lists the actors it considers the top 8 showkillers, Alex O'Loughlin among them. Many of the actors on the list are superb and are people who bring a tremendous amount to the table. In my mind, I've never chalked showkiller status up to the relative abilities of the actors with said dubious distinction, but rather to unfortunate writing, poor circumstances, or, as is so often the case, some completely undefinable element that gets a show canceled too soon. In looking around further on the web though, there's certainly room for interpretation of the definition (everyone seems to have his/her own take), so I can see where my post provoked some ire.
Indeed, in seeing that my feelings about Mr. O'Loughlin were delivered with verbal butterfingers in my last post, I was pretty dismayed as well. He has a dedicated legion of fans, myself among them. I'm really hopeful that Hawaii Five-0 is as solid as it seems and that our fine friend Alex has finally found himself in a show that won't get killed. Honestly, if CBS just wants to put an Alex O'Loughlin screensaver with rotating pictures on the screen, I'd be fine with that. :)
I think I sense a spin-off in the works... The awesomest spin-off of all time...
Friday, August 27, 2010
CBS Pilots: Changing things up a bit...
Not only is CBS changing things up a bit, but so am I. Rather than break up the CBS slate of pilots into two digestible blogposts, I'm just going put the whole magilla into one. What can I say, we're in the home stretch and I'm getting lazy.
CBS, however, is actually putting forth more effort than usual. Rather than simply spinning off their library of crime procedurals into even more crime procedurals, they've actually added some variety to their fall line-up. Oh, don't you worry, the bulk of it still fits into the standard TV genres, but at least it's not all from the same genre for once. Hopefully the success of The Good Wife is what bolstered their confidence, but really, I'm guessing it's the sagging ratings of their aging line-up that led to some toe-dips out of the box. Whatever the reason, it's a nice change.
Here is how the new fall schedule is stacking up:
MONDAY
7:00 pm How I Met Your Mother
7:30 pm Rules Of Engagement
8:00 pm Two And A Half Men
8:30 pm Mike & Molly (new)
9:00 pm Hawaii Five-0 (new)
TUESDAY
7:00 pm NCIS
8:00 pm NCIS: Los Angeles
9:00 pm The Good Wife
WEDNESDAY
7:00 pm Survivor
8:00 pm Criminal Minds
9:00 pm The Defenders (new)
THURSDAY
7:00 pm The Big Bang Theory
7:30 pm $#*! My Dad Says (new)
8:00 pm CSI
9:00 pm The Mentalist
FRIDAY
7:00 pm Medium
8:00 pm CSI: NY
9:00 pm Blue Bloods (new)
SUNDAY
7:00 pm The Amazing Race
8:00 pm Undercover Boss
9:00 pm CSI: Miami
Why CBS does some of the things it does in terms of scheduling, I'll never understand, but whatever. I realize that both NCIS and The Good Wife skew older, but I can't imagine it's really the same demographic of older. Their placement of Hawaii Five-0 also has me scratching my head. It's one thing for people to stick around after the god-awful, but shockingly successful Two and a Half Men for Mike & Molly, but it's quite another to think they'll stick around after that. If Mike & Molly is a dud, then a lot of the lead-out from Two and a Half Men could be seriously diminished. It seems like a risky move to me. I would have paired Hawaii Five-0 with a returning show directly. Whatever. I'm sure it'll do fine regardless (barring Alex O'Laughlin's showkilling abilities, that is).
Anyway, on with the show! ...er, shows!
HAWAII FIVE-0
Description: Stars perennial showkiller Alex O'Laughlin, Lost alum Daniel Dae Kim, Scott Caan (Ocean's Eleven), and Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica). The behind-the-scenes talent has changed hands a few times, but I believe they settled on Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to script a pilot episode, and Peter Lenkov (CSI: NY) to serve as series showrunner.
My Take: Well, first off, no one can seem to decide if that's a zero or an "o" in the title... I saw a tweet that CBS issued an official memo, but I can't remember what is said and neither can anyone else. I believe it's supposed to be a zero, but that looks awfully funny depending on what font you're in. Anyway... This is a remake/reimagining of the original series from the 70's. I have to admit, I have never seen even a single episode of the original, so I came into this latest incarnation without any substantial pre-conceived notions. Coming in blind generally helps more than it hurts because shows don't have anything to live up to or exceed in my mind. As such, the trailer was pretty solid and managed to pique my interest (for more reasons than the simple fact that Spike appears to be the baddie-of-the-week in the pilot--yay!). Unlike the majority of cop shows coming down the pike, Hawaii Five-0 seems to be taking the splashy, fun-loving, thrill ride approach, rather than the gritty, nastily realistic approach of its genre compatriots. It's a bit of a throwback to older buddy cop shows, which I guess makes sense, what with it being a remake and all. I wouldn't say I'm on the edge of my seat for this one, but it looks like some low-commitment, carefree fun. I've always liked Alex O'Laughlin, even if his latest career moves have been... uh... how to put this gently...? Okay, he's a showkiller, plain and simple, but I think the shows he's been on had already signed DNRs, so he's a mercy showkiller. I don't think anyone is going to miss Three Rivers... Hopefully, third time really is the charm for O'Laughlin's relationship with CBS. If ever a show he was associated with looked like it could break his bad streak, I'd say it's this. It looks a little shallow, but that's what most people seem to like. I'd like to believe that it's a serial, but I'm willing to wager it'll have a bad-guy-of-the-week and get wrapped up in a nice, neat little bow at the end of every hour. Sigh. If they do it right, that's fine with me. I've learned to accept the fact that most Americans can't bring themselves to follow a storyline for more than one episode at a time, so I've learned to enjoy encapsulated episodes in their own right. Long story short, this looks like a slick, expensive production with a solid cast. I've never watched CSI: NY, so in terms of showrunners, I can't really offer much of an opinion, but I think we can all thank our lucky stars that at least he's not coming from CSI: Miami. I think this show will do very well and just might have enough panache and budget to pull this off. I'll definitely be giving it a shot.
MIKE & MOLLY
Description: From Chuck Lorre (“Two and a Half Men,” and “The Big Bang Theory”), stars Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy (Sookie from Gilmore Girls, not True Blood (yeah, cause that wouldn't be weird at all)), and the resplendent Swoozie Kurtz.
My Take: Okay, wow. I shouldn't be surprised considering Lorre's other shows, but Mike & Molly looks absolutely terrible (The Big Bang Theory is okay, I guess, in small doses, but Two and Half Men is positively pestilent). I didn't even crack a smile during this trailer. I'm a little conflicted though because I keep reading things on the web that says the full pilot is actually pretty charming and funny. Based solely on what I've seen so far, I find this hard to believe. Near as I can tell, it's just going to be 23 minutes of fat jokes and lame relationship anecdotes. I love Melissa McCarthy and her comedic timing is unimpeachable, but I'm afraid the jokes she was given fell pretty flat. She tried, she really did, but it all just struck me as predictable, forced, and stupid. The only reason I will even be screening the pilot is because I have heard some good reviews, but I'll be absolutely shocked if it's anything but painful to watch. Honestly, getting through the three minute trailer was fairly difficult... Also, on a purely shallow note, I have a hard time watching unattractive people engaged in romantic relationships, and the guy playing Mike is thoroughly unappealing... Sookie can do better, methinks. Much better. In all honesty though, I doubt I'll be around long enough for it be an issue.
BLUE BLOODS
Description: Stars Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, Will Estes, and Bridget Moynahan. From executive producers Robin Green and Mitch Burgess (The Sopranos).
My Take: Man alive, exactly how many new cop shows and I going to have to watch this fall? At last count, I think we hit 17. The glut makes it difficult to really get excited about any of them at all. Anyway, I find that I'm even less excited about this one than most, but I can't quite pinpoint why exactly. There's something off-putting about police officers in general (police work and military experience are pre-existing conditions as far as I'm concerned and are not covered under my dating policy) and unlawfully brutal police officers are even worse. Seriously, just hearing Tom Selleck say the words "enhanced interrogation techniques" made me a little ill. Which, to the show's credit, is probably the point. They are trying to stir a debate into the nature of justice, which is commendable, but not exactly appointment TV for me. I'm not really on the fence in this particular debate, so hearing it discussed at length doesn't really appeal to me. Anyway, I don't suppose that's going to be the central aspect of every single episode or anything and it really does point to a deeper, more conscientious narrative construct than most shows. Maybe it boils down to Donnie Wahlberg and his total lack of any and all appeal... Sigh. I'm mildly intrigued by the multi-generational family and the dynamics of a "family business" of sorts, but I'm not sure this is a capacity in which I'd want to explore it. In spite of Wahlberg, the on-air talent is seasoned and solid. The creative team has similarly impressive pedigrees. I never watched much of The Sopranos, but I'm well aware of its sustained quality over the years. I think the problem here is that this creative team is moving from the freedom of HBO to the confines of primetime network TV. Gritty crime dramas have a hard time being reined in by standards and practices in general, but for a team like this, I think they're going to have a hell of a time translating their style to a more family-friendly format. My other concern is that this show is premiering on Fridays at 9 pm, so I think finding an audience is going to be difficult. CBS has a better track record with this timeslot than other networks, however, so if anyone could pull this off, it's them. I'm not all that excited for this one, but I can definitely see where it could be better than it looks.
THE DEFENDERS
Description: Stars Jim Belushi, Jerry O'Connell, Jurnee Smollett, Tanya Fischer, and Gillian Vigman. Created by a couple of people I've never heard of...
My Take: Okay, so when I say CBS is changing things up a bit, I mean in terms of the CBS network brand only. In terms of TV, yeah, no, they're just as pathetically "business as usual" as the rest of the airwaves. Sigh. Here we have yet another lawyer show. Dear TV Writers, there are scads of workplaces that would make for interesting show settings, but you only seem to think there are three: lawyers, cops, and doctors. If you could casually dip your toe into something, anything else, it would be greatly appreciated. Honestly, this is getting ridiculous. Anyway... this show is a legal show, but it's totally different, see, because it's told from the point of view of the defense! Sooo... not different at all, then? I don't know. It's hard to be objective at this point. This looks like your standard client-of-the-week lawyer show, but I suppose with a more low-brow edge to it than usual. It looks like it could be a fun, low-commitment show, but at this point, I'm so weary of this genre that I just can't bring myself to be excited about it. Really, The Good Wife is the only recent legal drama that has brought something new and interesting to the table, and that's why I love it. This doesn't look like a bad show or anything, and the two leads have an obvious buddy chemistry going that's appealing, but I just don't know that I really care. What aspect of the trailer piqued my interest the most? The fact that Natalie Zea was in it. She isn't listed as a series regular or anything, so I assume she's only in the pilot, which is a good thing for Justified's sake, but not such a good thing for The Defenders. I'm sure I'll end up giving this show a shot, but as with the deluge of cop shows, I find myself looking for something newer and fresher to explore. With legal, doctor, and cop shows? I'm pretty sure I've seen it all.
$#*! MY DAD SAYS
Description: Stars William Shatner, Will Sasso, Nicole Sullivan, and Stephanie Lemelin. From the creators of Will & Grace.
My Take: Yeah, you lost me at "Based on the Twitter sensation"... Ugh. While this isn't the worst comedy trailer I've seen this year, it's pretty damn close. This looks pretty awful. I actually quite liked Will & Grace back in the day, and the creative team has other impressive credits as well, so I'm not sure what happened here. Maybe it's the multi-camera format, maybe it's the oppressive laugh track, maybe it's the weak-ass concept, maybe it's the Shatner, but whatever it is, it isn't working. Geez, even Nicole Sullivan is awful in this, and I quite like her in general. As with most CBS comedies, I don't think this one is going to win me over. And, from what I've been hearing on the web, it won't be winning over anyone else either. It's a lame concept, with forced, predictable jokes, and an unsuccessful attempt at giving it some heart as well. Thanks, but no thanks. I'll pass.
CBS, however, is actually putting forth more effort than usual. Rather than simply spinning off their library of crime procedurals into even more crime procedurals, they've actually added some variety to their fall line-up. Oh, don't you worry, the bulk of it still fits into the standard TV genres, but at least it's not all from the same genre for once. Hopefully the success of The Good Wife is what bolstered their confidence, but really, I'm guessing it's the sagging ratings of their aging line-up that led to some toe-dips out of the box. Whatever the reason, it's a nice change.
Here is how the new fall schedule is stacking up:
MONDAY
7:00 pm How I Met Your Mother
7:30 pm Rules Of Engagement
8:00 pm Two And A Half Men
8:30 pm Mike & Molly (new)
9:00 pm Hawaii Five-0 (new)
TUESDAY
7:00 pm NCIS
8:00 pm NCIS: Los Angeles
9:00 pm The Good Wife
WEDNESDAY
7:00 pm Survivor
8:00 pm Criminal Minds
9:00 pm The Defenders (new)
THURSDAY
7:00 pm The Big Bang Theory
7:30 pm $#*! My Dad Says (new)
8:00 pm CSI
9:00 pm The Mentalist
FRIDAY
7:00 pm Medium
8:00 pm CSI: NY
9:00 pm Blue Bloods (new)
SUNDAY
7:00 pm The Amazing Race
8:00 pm Undercover Boss
9:00 pm CSI: Miami
Why CBS does some of the things it does in terms of scheduling, I'll never understand, but whatever. I realize that both NCIS and The Good Wife skew older, but I can't imagine it's really the same demographic of older. Their placement of Hawaii Five-0 also has me scratching my head. It's one thing for people to stick around after the god-awful, but shockingly successful Two and a Half Men for Mike & Molly, but it's quite another to think they'll stick around after that. If Mike & Molly is a dud, then a lot of the lead-out from Two and a Half Men could be seriously diminished. It seems like a risky move to me. I would have paired Hawaii Five-0 with a returning show directly. Whatever. I'm sure it'll do fine regardless (barring Alex O'Laughlin's showkilling abilities, that is).
Anyway, on with the show! ...er, shows!
HAWAII FIVE-0
Description: Stars perennial showkiller Alex O'Laughlin, Lost alum Daniel Dae Kim, Scott Caan (Ocean's Eleven), and Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica). The behind-the-scenes talent has changed hands a few times, but I believe they settled on Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to script a pilot episode, and Peter Lenkov (CSI: NY) to serve as series showrunner.
My Take: Well, first off, no one can seem to decide if that's a zero or an "o" in the title... I saw a tweet that CBS issued an official memo, but I can't remember what is said and neither can anyone else. I believe it's supposed to be a zero, but that looks awfully funny depending on what font you're in. Anyway... This is a remake/reimagining of the original series from the 70's. I have to admit, I have never seen even a single episode of the original, so I came into this latest incarnation without any substantial pre-conceived notions. Coming in blind generally helps more than it hurts because shows don't have anything to live up to or exceed in my mind. As such, the trailer was pretty solid and managed to pique my interest (for more reasons than the simple fact that Spike appears to be the baddie-of-the-week in the pilot--yay!). Unlike the majority of cop shows coming down the pike, Hawaii Five-0 seems to be taking the splashy, fun-loving, thrill ride approach, rather than the gritty, nastily realistic approach of its genre compatriots. It's a bit of a throwback to older buddy cop shows, which I guess makes sense, what with it being a remake and all. I wouldn't say I'm on the edge of my seat for this one, but it looks like some low-commitment, carefree fun. I've always liked Alex O'Laughlin, even if his latest career moves have been... uh... how to put this gently...? Okay, he's a showkiller, plain and simple, but I think the shows he's been on had already signed DNRs, so he's a mercy showkiller. I don't think anyone is going to miss Three Rivers... Hopefully, third time really is the charm for O'Laughlin's relationship with CBS. If ever a show he was associated with looked like it could break his bad streak, I'd say it's this. It looks a little shallow, but that's what most people seem to like. I'd like to believe that it's a serial, but I'm willing to wager it'll have a bad-guy-of-the-week and get wrapped up in a nice, neat little bow at the end of every hour. Sigh. If they do it right, that's fine with me. I've learned to accept the fact that most Americans can't bring themselves to follow a storyline for more than one episode at a time, so I've learned to enjoy encapsulated episodes in their own right. Long story short, this looks like a slick, expensive production with a solid cast. I've never watched CSI: NY, so in terms of showrunners, I can't really offer much of an opinion, but I think we can all thank our lucky stars that at least he's not coming from CSI: Miami. I think this show will do very well and just might have enough panache and budget to pull this off. I'll definitely be giving it a shot.
MIKE & MOLLY
Description: From Chuck Lorre (“Two and a Half Men,” and “The Big Bang Theory”), stars Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy (Sookie from Gilmore Girls, not True Blood (yeah, cause that wouldn't be weird at all)), and the resplendent Swoozie Kurtz.
My Take: Okay, wow. I shouldn't be surprised considering Lorre's other shows, but Mike & Molly looks absolutely terrible (The Big Bang Theory is okay, I guess, in small doses, but Two and Half Men is positively pestilent). I didn't even crack a smile during this trailer. I'm a little conflicted though because I keep reading things on the web that says the full pilot is actually pretty charming and funny. Based solely on what I've seen so far, I find this hard to believe. Near as I can tell, it's just going to be 23 minutes of fat jokes and lame relationship anecdotes. I love Melissa McCarthy and her comedic timing is unimpeachable, but I'm afraid the jokes she was given fell pretty flat. She tried, she really did, but it all just struck me as predictable, forced, and stupid. The only reason I will even be screening the pilot is because I have heard some good reviews, but I'll be absolutely shocked if it's anything but painful to watch. Honestly, getting through the three minute trailer was fairly difficult... Also, on a purely shallow note, I have a hard time watching unattractive people engaged in romantic relationships, and the guy playing Mike is thoroughly unappealing... Sookie can do better, methinks. Much better. In all honesty though, I doubt I'll be around long enough for it be an issue.
BLUE BLOODS
Description: Stars Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, Will Estes, and Bridget Moynahan. From executive producers Robin Green and Mitch Burgess (The Sopranos).
My Take: Man alive, exactly how many new cop shows and I going to have to watch this fall? At last count, I think we hit 17. The glut makes it difficult to really get excited about any of them at all. Anyway, I find that I'm even less excited about this one than most, but I can't quite pinpoint why exactly. There's something off-putting about police officers in general (police work and military experience are pre-existing conditions as far as I'm concerned and are not covered under my dating policy) and unlawfully brutal police officers are even worse. Seriously, just hearing Tom Selleck say the words "enhanced interrogation techniques" made me a little ill. Which, to the show's credit, is probably the point. They are trying to stir a debate into the nature of justice, which is commendable, but not exactly appointment TV for me. I'm not really on the fence in this particular debate, so hearing it discussed at length doesn't really appeal to me. Anyway, I don't suppose that's going to be the central aspect of every single episode or anything and it really does point to a deeper, more conscientious narrative construct than most shows. Maybe it boils down to Donnie Wahlberg and his total lack of any and all appeal... Sigh. I'm mildly intrigued by the multi-generational family and the dynamics of a "family business" of sorts, but I'm not sure this is a capacity in which I'd want to explore it. In spite of Wahlberg, the on-air talent is seasoned and solid. The creative team has similarly impressive pedigrees. I never watched much of The Sopranos, but I'm well aware of its sustained quality over the years. I think the problem here is that this creative team is moving from the freedom of HBO to the confines of primetime network TV. Gritty crime dramas have a hard time being reined in by standards and practices in general, but for a team like this, I think they're going to have a hell of a time translating their style to a more family-friendly format. My other concern is that this show is premiering on Fridays at 9 pm, so I think finding an audience is going to be difficult. CBS has a better track record with this timeslot than other networks, however, so if anyone could pull this off, it's them. I'm not all that excited for this one, but I can definitely see where it could be better than it looks.
THE DEFENDERS
Description: Stars Jim Belushi, Jerry O'Connell, Jurnee Smollett, Tanya Fischer, and Gillian Vigman. Created by a couple of people I've never heard of...
My Take: Okay, so when I say CBS is changing things up a bit, I mean in terms of the CBS network brand only. In terms of TV, yeah, no, they're just as pathetically "business as usual" as the rest of the airwaves. Sigh. Here we have yet another lawyer show. Dear TV Writers, there are scads of workplaces that would make for interesting show settings, but you only seem to think there are three: lawyers, cops, and doctors. If you could casually dip your toe into something, anything else, it would be greatly appreciated. Honestly, this is getting ridiculous. Anyway... this show is a legal show, but it's totally different, see, because it's told from the point of view of the defense! Sooo... not different at all, then? I don't know. It's hard to be objective at this point. This looks like your standard client-of-the-week lawyer show, but I suppose with a more low-brow edge to it than usual. It looks like it could be a fun, low-commitment show, but at this point, I'm so weary of this genre that I just can't bring myself to be excited about it. Really, The Good Wife is the only recent legal drama that has brought something new and interesting to the table, and that's why I love it. This doesn't look like a bad show or anything, and the two leads have an obvious buddy chemistry going that's appealing, but I just don't know that I really care. What aspect of the trailer piqued my interest the most? The fact that Natalie Zea was in it. She isn't listed as a series regular or anything, so I assume she's only in the pilot, which is a good thing for Justified's sake, but not such a good thing for The Defenders. I'm sure I'll end up giving this show a shot, but as with the deluge of cop shows, I find myself looking for something newer and fresher to explore. With legal, doctor, and cop shows? I'm pretty sure I've seen it all.
$#*! MY DAD SAYS
Description: Stars William Shatner, Will Sasso, Nicole Sullivan, and Stephanie Lemelin. From the creators of Will & Grace.
My Take: Yeah, you lost me at "Based on the Twitter sensation"... Ugh. While this isn't the worst comedy trailer I've seen this year, it's pretty damn close. This looks pretty awful. I actually quite liked Will & Grace back in the day, and the creative team has other impressive credits as well, so I'm not sure what happened here. Maybe it's the multi-camera format, maybe it's the oppressive laugh track, maybe it's the weak-ass concept, maybe it's the Shatner, but whatever it is, it isn't working. Geez, even Nicole Sullivan is awful in this, and I quite like her in general. As with most CBS comedies, I don't think this one is going to win me over. And, from what I've been hearing on the web, it won't be winning over anyone else either. It's a lame concept, with forced, predictable jokes, and an unsuccessful attempt at giving it some heart as well. Thanks, but no thanks. I'll pass.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Fox Pilots: Volume 2
Yeah, so this second volume of Fox's new pilots is going to be a little sketchy... Just thought I'd put that out there before you started suspecting I was smoking crack. In actuality, that would be the Fox network...
Case in point, Terra Nova, one of the most highly anticipated new shows in production for the network seems to be floating in some sort of irksome miasma. Which, on the plus side, allows me to use the word "miasma," which doesn't happen all that often. On the negative side, however, means that there's no trailer for the show and the projected premiere date keeps changing (for the worse, i.e. later and later). As such, I'll report what I can, but I haven't the foggiest idea of when any of that information might be relevant.
TERRA NOVA
Description: From Steven Speilberg, this new "epic family adventure" also has Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga, and Buffy and Lost alum David Fury on the creative team. Life on Mars alum Jason O'Mara stars in the lead role.Word is, Terra Nova will show a dystopian world that has been brought to its knees by overpopulation, industry, pollution, etc. In a last-ditch effort to save the planet, scientists find a way to restore a prehistoric environment. As such, be prepared for dinosaurs and dinosaur-related mayhem.
My Take: Well, at this point, there's really not much to take... But, on paper, this certainly sounds like it could have some potential. The creative team is solid and from what I'm hearing and seeing (and knowing Speilberg), the production values are sky high, so at the very least, it should be an impressive, slick production. Hearing it called an "epic family adventure" doesn't exactly have me chomping at the bit, but I'll look past that till I actually get to see some footage. Nothing was shown at the upfronts (or anywhere else that I could find), so either they don't have anything yet to show, or they're hoping to build the hype. It's probably a little of both. I hear it will be filmed in Australia, so the visuals should be pretty stunning. In general, dinosaurs and family-friendly adventures aren't at the top of my list, but I'd be remiss to count this one out. My only real concern with this one is the cost. Unless this show knocks it out of the park in the ratings department, I don't see how Fox could possibly keep it for long. But, as with just about everything from the 90's lately, it might be time for a reboot. I'll keep you posted, but seriously, I believe this one was initially slated for fall, then for midseason, and now it's looking more and more like fall 2011...
RIDE-ALONG
Description: Slated for midseason, will likely air on Mondays, and might take over for Lone Star if it gets canceled. From Shawn Ryan (The Sheild, Lie to Me), stars Jason Clarke (Brotherhood), Jennifer Beals (she's a maniac), and Delroy Lindo.
My Take: First off, take everything I've ever said about cop shows, lather, rinse, and repeat. I only ever saw an errant episode of The Shield, but by all accounts, it was a cop show tour de force, so in terms of genre, it seems few are better suited to it than Shawn Ryan. He managed to make Lie to Me a watchable second-tier show, so it seems he might have actual magical powers. So, at the very least, the creative team is strong, even if the genre itself has been done and done and done. This show seems to be attempting to take a different bent on your standard drama with the Jennifer Beals angle, and Jason Clarke is excellent (even if his accent decidedly isn't), so this show really does have the makings of something special. Seriously though, is his character supposed to be Australian? I doubt it, but honestly, his accent was all over the place and I really had to try to decide if he's supposed to even be an American, let alone a Chicago native. It was kind of hard hearing him talk about his town and what Chicago means with every other word sounding abundantly Aussie... That melted away some of my suspension of disbelief, I must admit. Even if he simply had a solid American accent, that would be fine, but his is far from American and a world away from Chicago. On The Glades, our leading man Matt Passmore is also an Aussie, and while he doesn't have a Chicago accent, his American accent is pretty good and gets better episode-to-episode. Here's hoping Clarke follows the same trajectory. Anyway, aside from that the trailer doesn't exactly have me salivating, but it did manage to pique my interest. Once again, I'm always a little concerned about gritty crime dramas finding their ways onto network TV, but Fox tends to take more chances than your NBCs or ABCs, so hopefully they can translate the mean streets of Chicago into something that bears a resemblance onscreen. With a woman as the head of all police, the inherent sexual politics could very well form one of the foundations of the show. While that's an issue that's a genuine concern, it's generally one that annoys rather than captivates in my book. The boys' club that is law enforcement has always been a turn off and with this set up, I don't know that there's any way it can be avoided. My hope is that Beals' character really is the best of the best and everyone already knows that. Doubtful, but here's hoping. Long story short, this show certainly has potential, but it'll take a hell of a lot to get me invested in yet another cop drama.
MIXED SIGNALS
Description: This is a new relationship comedy created by Bob Fisher (“Wedding Crashers”). Stars Nelson Franklin (“I Love You, Man”), David Denman (“The Office”), Kris Marshall ("Human Target"), Liza Lapira (“Dexter”) and Alexandra Breckenridge ("Family Guy").
My Take: This actually has a similar framework to the horrendously horrendous Better Together (title has changed to Better With You, but I'm still much better without, thanks), but doesn't look quite as disastrous. More than anything, this just doesn't look like my kind of show. I wasn't all that impressed by Wedding Crashers and don't generally subscribe to this kind of humor, but the trailer for this one looked decent enough. The would-be hilarious perils of coupledom (especially with the "women are ridiculous and men have to put up with them" bent) don't often appeal to me, but I'm willing to give it a shot. I doubt this will make it onto my regular rotation, but there were certain moments of the trailer that point to a certain potential. This appears to be yet another case of "schlubby guy/hot girl" times three, however, and I've never really been a fan of that phenomenon. It's another reason why No Ordinary Family is slightly off-putting. If you ever, ever, ever saw the reverse, it wouldn't be so irksome, but I can't think of a time when there was a "dumpy woman/hot guy" couple (unless specifically played for laughs at the woman's expense). Sigh. Anyway, if this show can find a balance between frat house pot shots at women and actual comedy, it could work, but based on the trailer, I'm not holding my breath. I'm on the fence with this one and hope the actual pilot holds a lot more laughs than the preview did.
Case in point, Terra Nova, one of the most highly anticipated new shows in production for the network seems to be floating in some sort of irksome miasma. Which, on the plus side, allows me to use the word "miasma," which doesn't happen all that often. On the negative side, however, means that there's no trailer for the show and the projected premiere date keeps changing (for the worse, i.e. later and later). As such, I'll report what I can, but I haven't the foggiest idea of when any of that information might be relevant.
TERRA NOVA
Description: From Steven Speilberg, this new "epic family adventure" also has Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga, and Buffy and Lost alum David Fury on the creative team. Life on Mars alum Jason O'Mara stars in the lead role.Word is, Terra Nova will show a dystopian world that has been brought to its knees by overpopulation, industry, pollution, etc. In a last-ditch effort to save the planet, scientists find a way to restore a prehistoric environment. As such, be prepared for dinosaurs and dinosaur-related mayhem.
My Take: Well, at this point, there's really not much to take... But, on paper, this certainly sounds like it could have some potential. The creative team is solid and from what I'm hearing and seeing (and knowing Speilberg), the production values are sky high, so at the very least, it should be an impressive, slick production. Hearing it called an "epic family adventure" doesn't exactly have me chomping at the bit, but I'll look past that till I actually get to see some footage. Nothing was shown at the upfronts (or anywhere else that I could find), so either they don't have anything yet to show, or they're hoping to build the hype. It's probably a little of both. I hear it will be filmed in Australia, so the visuals should be pretty stunning. In general, dinosaurs and family-friendly adventures aren't at the top of my list, but I'd be remiss to count this one out. My only real concern with this one is the cost. Unless this show knocks it out of the park in the ratings department, I don't see how Fox could possibly keep it for long. But, as with just about everything from the 90's lately, it might be time for a reboot. I'll keep you posted, but seriously, I believe this one was initially slated for fall, then for midseason, and now it's looking more and more like fall 2011...RIDE-ALONG
Description: Slated for midseason, will likely air on Mondays, and might take over for Lone Star if it gets canceled. From Shawn Ryan (The Sheild, Lie to Me), stars Jason Clarke (Brotherhood), Jennifer Beals (she's a maniac), and Delroy Lindo.
My Take: First off, take everything I've ever said about cop shows, lather, rinse, and repeat. I only ever saw an errant episode of The Shield, but by all accounts, it was a cop show tour de force, so in terms of genre, it seems few are better suited to it than Shawn Ryan. He managed to make Lie to Me a watchable second-tier show, so it seems he might have actual magical powers. So, at the very least, the creative team is strong, even if the genre itself has been done and done and done. This show seems to be attempting to take a different bent on your standard drama with the Jennifer Beals angle, and Jason Clarke is excellent (even if his accent decidedly isn't), so this show really does have the makings of something special. Seriously though, is his character supposed to be Australian? I doubt it, but honestly, his accent was all over the place and I really had to try to decide if he's supposed to even be an American, let alone a Chicago native. It was kind of hard hearing him talk about his town and what Chicago means with every other word sounding abundantly Aussie... That melted away some of my suspension of disbelief, I must admit. Even if he simply had a solid American accent, that would be fine, but his is far from American and a world away from Chicago. On The Glades, our leading man Matt Passmore is also an Aussie, and while he doesn't have a Chicago accent, his American accent is pretty good and gets better episode-to-episode. Here's hoping Clarke follows the same trajectory. Anyway, aside from that the trailer doesn't exactly have me salivating, but it did manage to pique my interest. Once again, I'm always a little concerned about gritty crime dramas finding their ways onto network TV, but Fox tends to take more chances than your NBCs or ABCs, so hopefully they can translate the mean streets of Chicago into something that bears a resemblance onscreen. With a woman as the head of all police, the inherent sexual politics could very well form one of the foundations of the show. While that's an issue that's a genuine concern, it's generally one that annoys rather than captivates in my book. The boys' club that is law enforcement has always been a turn off and with this set up, I don't know that there's any way it can be avoided. My hope is that Beals' character really is the best of the best and everyone already knows that. Doubtful, but here's hoping. Long story short, this show certainly has potential, but it'll take a hell of a lot to get me invested in yet another cop drama.
MIXED SIGNALS
Description: This is a new relationship comedy created by Bob Fisher (“Wedding Crashers”). Stars Nelson Franklin (“I Love You, Man”), David Denman (“The Office”), Kris Marshall ("Human Target"), Liza Lapira (“Dexter”) and Alexandra Breckenridge ("Family Guy").
My Take: This actually has a similar framework to the horrendously horrendous Better Together (title has changed to Better With You, but I'm still much better without, thanks), but doesn't look quite as disastrous. More than anything, this just doesn't look like my kind of show. I wasn't all that impressed by Wedding Crashers and don't generally subscribe to this kind of humor, but the trailer for this one looked decent enough. The would-be hilarious perils of coupledom (especially with the "women are ridiculous and men have to put up with them" bent) don't often appeal to me, but I'm willing to give it a shot. I doubt this will make it onto my regular rotation, but there were certain moments of the trailer that point to a certain potential. This appears to be yet another case of "schlubby guy/hot girl" times three, however, and I've never really been a fan of that phenomenon. It's another reason why No Ordinary Family is slightly off-putting. If you ever, ever, ever saw the reverse, it wouldn't be so irksome, but I can't think of a time when there was a "dumpy woman/hot guy" couple (unless specifically played for laughs at the woman's expense). Sigh. Anyway, if this show can find a balance between frat house pot shots at women and actual comedy, it could work, but based on the trailer, I'm not holding my breath. I'm on the fence with this one and hope the actual pilot holds a lot more laughs than the preview did.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Fox Pilots: Volume 1
After slogging through the mostly dismal slate of shows that ABC had to offer, I was ready and willing to move onto another network, although if precedent serves, Fox won't fare much better than anyone else.
The best part about Fox is that they don't have a third hour of primetime, so they have considerably less room for new shows. That makes for a lot less work for me. :)
Below is how their schedule is looking for fall (which, holy hell, is in like three and half weeks). Bear in mind, with Fox, they have about 17 premiere periods during the year, so there are several new shows that aren't listed in the schedule, but which may very well show up at some point. Midseason is the obvious timeframe, but Fox has a tendency to axe shows more readily and quickly than other nets, so there's always room for a shake-up.
MONDAY
7 pm House
8 pm Lonestar (new)
TUESDAY
7 pm Glee
8 pm Raising Hope (new)
8: 30 pm Running Wilde (new)
WEDNESDAY
7 pm Lie to Me
8 pm Hell’s Kitchen
THURSDAY
7 pm Bones
8 pm Fringe
FRIDAY
7 pm Human Target
8 pm The Good Guys
SUNDAY
7 pm The Simpsons
7:30 pm The Cleveland Show
8 pm Family Guy
8:30 pm American Dad
Barring any better organizational schema, I'll start off with the shows that are actually slated to begin in September. I'll hold off till Volume 2 for the shows that are just kind of floating in space at this point... Oh, Fox. Precious.
On with the shows...
LONESTAR
Description: Formerly called Midland. From Chris Keyser and Amy Lippman (“Party of Five”), writer Kyle Killen and directed by Marc Webb (“(500) Days of Summer”). Stars Jon Voight, James Wolk, and Adrianne Palicki.
My Take: I wasn't all that impressed by (500) Days of Summer, but I'm actually pretty excited for this new pilot. It's a concept that I haven't seen before, so even if it isn't perfect, I'm definitely intrigued. I've been hearing good things about this show on the web and I can see why. The trailer has certainly piqued my interest, and even though it looks like it might be a little soapy, it also looks like it just might suck me right in. My main concern with a concept like this is longevity. I mean, really, how long can they keep a conceit like this going? It's the kind of show that would have to seriously grow and evolve season to season and probably won't look like the same show year to year. From what I hear, the creative team behind it is also a little on the fence about how it's all going to work out, saying that it will either be an incredible success or an incredible failure. I'd have to agree. If they pull this off, it could be a really great show. If not, I think it'll crumble pretty quickly. Ounce for ounce though, I'm excited for this. The cast isn't very well known to me, but from the trailer, they seem solid. I actually rather enjoy unfamiliar faces in shows (it makes it easier to mold characters when I don't have any preconceived notions), so assuming these unknown-to-mes can really act, this one has some serious potential. It might be that I just reviewed the drivel ABC is bringing to the table, but this is one looks kinda sorta really good. I'll be giving it a shot with bells on.
RAISING HOPE
Description: Sitcom from producer Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl)--in case you couldn't tell. Stars Lucas Neff, Cloris Leachman, the awesomely awesome Martha Plimpton (most recently on The Good Wife), and the usually evil Garrett Dillahunt (Roman on Life, Simon on Burn Notice).
My Take: On paper, this is the kind of concept that would have me rolling my eyes and changing the channel, but no one can pull off white-trash-with-a-heart-of-gold comedy better than Greg Garcia. I was only an occasional watcher of My Name Is Earl, but always enjoyed it. At the very least, the creative team behind Raising Hope is solid, so that bodes well for the series as a whole. It also means that the show will have some heart, but won't be schmaltzy, which is a fine line to walk, but appears totally doable here. As if the creative team weren't enough, you couldn't ask for a better cast. Plimpton is a rockstar and I'm so glad to see her get to show her talents in a specifically comedic role. She cracked me up and stole every scene on The Good Wife and that's a serious drama, so here she should shine even more. It'll be interesting to see Dillahunt in a non-evil capacity, but based on the trailer, he's seems surprisingly adept at comedy. His delivery of the Charles Manson line was hilarious and I'm really excited to see him this capacity. I can't say I'm sold yet, what with an infant being at the center of this concept, but this was far and away one of the best comedy trailers I've seen this year (although I'll admit the bar is pretty low). I don't imagine this will be appointment TV or anything, but as with Garcia's previous work, this strikes me as the kind of show that you don't intentionally schedule, but that you're always pleasantly surprised to see. I'll definitely be giving Raising Hope a chance, and casually hope to hell the baby isn't as annoying as most babies are...
RUNNING WILDE
Description: From Mitch Hurwitz, the creator of Arrested Development, stars Will Arnett and Keri Russell. I'm also hearing that David Cross (Tobias Funke) may have signed on. Hurwitz and Arnett co-wrote the pilot.
My Take: Yeah... Um... How to put this gently...? Okay, here's the deal. That trailer looks pretty bad, right? Well, apparently we aren't the only ones who noticed because I hear the pilot is being completely retooled. I first watched that trailer a few months ago and was rather underwhelmed. I didn't know if I went in expecting too much (knowing that it was from Hurwitz raised the bar pretty damn high), but no, it seems everyone was pretty disappointed with the pilot. From what I heard from critics, the trailer is indicative of the show as a whole. Well, usually, a pilot being rewritten this late in the game would be cause for concern, but with this, it can only mean good things. Unfortunately, this makes it nigh-impossible to know what this show is actually going to look like when it premieres. I'm not even sure the basics will be the same. Which, looking at the basics, it probably a good thing. The trailer had its moments of mild charm, but overall, this concept just seems completely unsustainable and ridiculous even by Fox comedy standards. If anyone can figure out a way to make this work, it's Hurwitz and Arnett, so I'm hopeful the finished product will have me laughing rather than wincing. The trailer had its amusing moments, but overall, I felt a little embarrassed for the actors and writers... Not a good sign. Hearing that David Cross may have signed on (I want to say that's a done deal, but I honestly can't remember) only helps to bolster my confidence. At the very least, its comforting to know that the team behind this show recognizes that it has some serious flaws and that they aren't blissfully oblivious to this fact. I don't know what this is going to be in the end, but, given the people involved, I'll be giving it a shot no matter what it looks like.
The best part about Fox is that they don't have a third hour of primetime, so they have considerably less room for new shows. That makes for a lot less work for me. :)
Below is how their schedule is looking for fall (which, holy hell, is in like three and half weeks). Bear in mind, with Fox, they have about 17 premiere periods during the year, so there are several new shows that aren't listed in the schedule, but which may very well show up at some point. Midseason is the obvious timeframe, but Fox has a tendency to axe shows more readily and quickly than other nets, so there's always room for a shake-up.
MONDAY
7 pm House
8 pm Lonestar (new)
TUESDAY
7 pm Glee
8 pm Raising Hope (new)
8: 30 pm Running Wilde (new)
WEDNESDAY
7 pm Lie to Me
8 pm Hell’s Kitchen
THURSDAY
7 pm Bones
8 pm Fringe
FRIDAY
7 pm Human Target
8 pm The Good Guys
SUNDAY
7 pm The Simpsons
7:30 pm The Cleveland Show
8 pm Family Guy
8:30 pm American Dad
Barring any better organizational schema, I'll start off with the shows that are actually slated to begin in September. I'll hold off till Volume 2 for the shows that are just kind of floating in space at this point... Oh, Fox. Precious.
On with the shows...
LONESTAR
Description: Formerly called Midland. From Chris Keyser and Amy Lippman (“Party of Five”), writer Kyle Killen and directed by Marc Webb (“(500) Days of Summer”). Stars Jon Voight, James Wolk, and Adrianne Palicki.
My Take: I wasn't all that impressed by (500) Days of Summer, but I'm actually pretty excited for this new pilot. It's a concept that I haven't seen before, so even if it isn't perfect, I'm definitely intrigued. I've been hearing good things about this show on the web and I can see why. The trailer has certainly piqued my interest, and even though it looks like it might be a little soapy, it also looks like it just might suck me right in. My main concern with a concept like this is longevity. I mean, really, how long can they keep a conceit like this going? It's the kind of show that would have to seriously grow and evolve season to season and probably won't look like the same show year to year. From what I hear, the creative team behind it is also a little on the fence about how it's all going to work out, saying that it will either be an incredible success or an incredible failure. I'd have to agree. If they pull this off, it could be a really great show. If not, I think it'll crumble pretty quickly. Ounce for ounce though, I'm excited for this. The cast isn't very well known to me, but from the trailer, they seem solid. I actually rather enjoy unfamiliar faces in shows (it makes it easier to mold characters when I don't have any preconceived notions), so assuming these unknown-to-mes can really act, this one has some serious potential. It might be that I just reviewed the drivel ABC is bringing to the table, but this is one looks kinda sorta really good. I'll be giving it a shot with bells on.
RAISING HOPE
Description: Sitcom from producer Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl)--in case you couldn't tell. Stars Lucas Neff, Cloris Leachman, the awesomely awesome Martha Plimpton (most recently on The Good Wife), and the usually evil Garrett Dillahunt (Roman on Life, Simon on Burn Notice).
My Take: On paper, this is the kind of concept that would have me rolling my eyes and changing the channel, but no one can pull off white-trash-with-a-heart-of-gold comedy better than Greg Garcia. I was only an occasional watcher of My Name Is Earl, but always enjoyed it. At the very least, the creative team behind Raising Hope is solid, so that bodes well for the series as a whole. It also means that the show will have some heart, but won't be schmaltzy, which is a fine line to walk, but appears totally doable here. As if the creative team weren't enough, you couldn't ask for a better cast. Plimpton is a rockstar and I'm so glad to see her get to show her talents in a specifically comedic role. She cracked me up and stole every scene on The Good Wife and that's a serious drama, so here she should shine even more. It'll be interesting to see Dillahunt in a non-evil capacity, but based on the trailer, he's seems surprisingly adept at comedy. His delivery of the Charles Manson line was hilarious and I'm really excited to see him this capacity. I can't say I'm sold yet, what with an infant being at the center of this concept, but this was far and away one of the best comedy trailers I've seen this year (although I'll admit the bar is pretty low). I don't imagine this will be appointment TV or anything, but as with Garcia's previous work, this strikes me as the kind of show that you don't intentionally schedule, but that you're always pleasantly surprised to see. I'll definitely be giving Raising Hope a chance, and casually hope to hell the baby isn't as annoying as most babies are...
RUNNING WILDE
Description: From Mitch Hurwitz, the creator of Arrested Development, stars Will Arnett and Keri Russell. I'm also hearing that David Cross (Tobias Funke) may have signed on. Hurwitz and Arnett co-wrote the pilot.
My Take: Yeah... Um... How to put this gently...? Okay, here's the deal. That trailer looks pretty bad, right? Well, apparently we aren't the only ones who noticed because I hear the pilot is being completely retooled. I first watched that trailer a few months ago and was rather underwhelmed. I didn't know if I went in expecting too much (knowing that it was from Hurwitz raised the bar pretty damn high), but no, it seems everyone was pretty disappointed with the pilot. From what I heard from critics, the trailer is indicative of the show as a whole. Well, usually, a pilot being rewritten this late in the game would be cause for concern, but with this, it can only mean good things. Unfortunately, this makes it nigh-impossible to know what this show is actually going to look like when it premieres. I'm not even sure the basics will be the same. Which, looking at the basics, it probably a good thing. The trailer had its moments of mild charm, but overall, this concept just seems completely unsustainable and ridiculous even by Fox comedy standards. If anyone can figure out a way to make this work, it's Hurwitz and Arnett, so I'm hopeful the finished product will have me laughing rather than wincing. The trailer had its amusing moments, but overall, I felt a little embarrassed for the actors and writers... Not a good sign. Hearing that David Cross may have signed on (I want to say that's a done deal, but I honestly can't remember) only helps to bolster my confidence. At the very least, its comforting to know that the team behind this show recognizes that it has some serious flaws and that they aren't blissfully oblivious to this fact. I don't know what this is going to be in the end, but, given the people involved, I'll be giving it a shot no matter what it looks like.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
ABC Pilots: Volume 2
In this here volume, I'll be polishing off the dramas and hopefully tackling the comedies as well. I don't review reality shows in this capacity (since they aren't really pilots, per se), but don't you worry, they have a new Undercover Bossish show where the filthy rich get a taste of what poverty is all about. I'm sure they're aiming for heart-warming and revelatory, but I'm guessing we'll end up with infuriating and schmaltzy.
And, after taking full account of ABC's new slate, it appears they feel rather stung by the past few seasons seeing as all efforts to do anything original have officially flown out the window. Literally, the basis for their new fall agenda includes a cop show, a legal show, a crime procedural, and a medical show. Way to... not step out of the box. At all. I think failed "out of the box" shows like Pushing Daisies, FlashForward, and to large extent, V, have left ABC a little gun-shy, spurring them to run for the safety of convention and cliche. It's a real shame that more unique, more serialized shows have had such a hard time, but to be honest, their past attempts at legal shows and crime procedurals were even less successful, so who knows what ABC is thinking. What I'm thinking so far is that they've done a pretty piss-poor job of selecting new pilots and that I have very little to be excited about... Sigh.
Anyway, preamble over. On with the show... er, shows...
OFF THE MAP
Description: Stars Martin Henderson as Ben Keeton, Caroline Dhavernas as Lily Brenner, Enrique Murciano as Manny Diaz, Mamie Gummer as Mina Minard, Jason George as Otis Cole, Valerie Cruz as Zita (Zee) and Jose Julian as Charlie. “Off the Map” is executive-produced by Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers, and created/executive-produced by Jenna Bans.
My Take: Well, what ABC fall schedule would be complete without a Shonda Rhimes enterprise on the list? A good one! Ba dum bum! Oy. You know, most showrunners at least pretend to try new things. Shonda? Not so much. Here we have Grey's Anatomy: Survivor. Ooh! Or Grey's Safari? Eh? Eh?! Okay, lame, but only 80% as lame as this show appears to be. If I had never seen a show like this, I'd probably think it looked like a fun little medical romantic dramedy, but having seen 622 shows just like this, 613 of which were from Shonda herself, it's hard to watch that preview with anything but a groan. Mamie Gummer is wonderful, but I don't think she can carry a show. I didn't recognize anyone else, but I'm better neither can they. Who knows. I really did enjoy the first few seasons of Grey's, so maybe Shonda will hit another one out of the park. It's slated for midseason though, so it sounds like ABC might not be all that confident in it... or, they're just hoping to hell the same thing that happened to midseason sensation Grey's will happen to this one. I'm not holding my breath. It genuinely doesn't look awful, it just looks awfully familiar. And when you watch as much TV as I do, a little originality goes a long, long way. Every character type, every medical situation, every tense moment, every untoward relationship, every hunky doctor... I've seen it all before. Here's hoping lightning strikes twice for Rhimes. God knows it has to be better than Private Practice. Brushing away all pre-conceived notions of Shonda's shows, it looks like it might be all right. At it's core, it'll be a character-driven show, so assuming some of these new faces really make a splash, it might be worth keeping around. I doubt it'll ever be a top tier contender, but I could see it falling into second tier guilty pleasure territory. If you are or were a fan of any of Shonda's other projects, you should definitely check this one out. If not, skip it. She appears to have done absolutely nothing to reinvent her wheel other than move it to a purdy location. For me? I don't think that's going to be enough.
THE WHOLE TRUTH
Description: Stars Rob Morrow (“Numb3rs”) as Jimmy Brogan, Someone Someoneson as Kathryn Peale, Eamonn Walker (“Oz”) as Sr. ADA Terrence “Edge” Edgecomb, Sean Wing as Chad Griffin, Anthony Ruivivar as Alejo Salazar and Christine Adams as Lena Boudreaux. The pilot was written and co-executive produced by Tom Donaghy, and the executive producers are Jerry Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman.
My Take: Why yes, yes that was Jerry Bruckheimer's ominous moniker you noticed! And we know that always means quality! If only... This one actually looks like it might be kind of interesting, even if still stuck in this omnipresent genre. I generally enjoy a good legal drama and they've at least tried to take a new spin on it. The problem? Well, Joley Richardson has already dropped out of the show, so it's impossible to know exactly what it will look like in the end. It's also unclear why she dropped out. The official reason is that she wanted to spend more time with her family... My guess would be that if it were a really good show, "family time" wouldn't be that high on her list. I assume her real reason is something along the lines of, "jumped ship before it sank," which I can respect. Her departure is the primary reason I'm apprehensive about this one (aside from Bruckheimer). I'm hearing that Maura Tierney might take over as the female lead... Yeah... no good. I like Maura well enough, but this is not a good role for her. She's just so dour and vulnerable. Anyway, in terms of construct, I actually quite like the idea of getting to see both sides of the case in a more straight-forward fashion (most shows kind of show each side, but the audience knows who the writers want you to pull for). But, knowing TV, it will probably turn out to be your standard legal show in the end and they've had a spotty success record lately at best. With Richardson dropping out, I suspect script changes will follow. All the behind-the-scenes changes leave me a bit wary of this one and the more changes and cast shake-ups there are, the worse a show generally is. Based on this already defunct trailer alone, it looked like it could be an interesting take on the genre (albeit not the most imaginative take), but it's looking like it'll be a very different show come this fall. As such, I'll be tuning into whatever incarnation appears, but I'm not carrying a torch for this one. Here's hoping they go with someone other than Tierney and that she can really hold her own. Here's also hoping she has chemistry with Rob Morrow because I give it exactly 3 episodes before the writers simply can't help but to hook the two leads up (or at least head in the will-they-or-won't-they direction). Actually, yeah, they probably plan on hinting at a hook-up for the next 5 years... ugh... Mercifully, I doubt they'll be around that long anyways.
Boy, with heaping dollops of awesomeness in the drama department (note sarcasm), I can't wait to see what comedies we have in store! Honestly though, comedy is the only arena in which ABC has had any real success in the past few years, so maybe this is their niche. Here goes!
BETTER TOGETHER
Description: Stars JoAnna Garcia as Mia, Jennifer Finnigan as Maddie, Josh Cooke as Ben, Jake Lacy as Casey, with Kurt Fuller as Joel and Debra Jo Rupp as Vicky. Shana Goldberg-Meehan is executive producer and writer. The pilot was directed by James Burrows.
My Take: Oh. Dear. God. This looks awful. I mean awful. To say it looks criminally unfunny would be generous. I never so much as a cracked a smile during this preview, and that comes from someone who’s a bit of a grammar snob herself! Good lord, this one looks positively painful. Oh, look how hilarious couples are! It’s funny because it’s true! Everyone can relate to this crap, right? Oh, he's funny because he's stupid! Get it?! Dear ABC, just stop. You knocked it out of the park with Modern Family. Let’s leave it at that, shall we? Please? Is there someway I can convince you that passing on crap this is somehow... uh, greener(?) than other options? Maybe? Wait, I know, speaking of “better,” how about you stop picking up shit like Better Together and instead, market pure genius like Better Off Ted in a way that will actually garner viewers. It makes it all the sadder than Better Off Ted was canceled when you see the drivel they’ve pinned their hopes on for this fall. This is the first comedy I’ve screened, so hopefully the others are (adjusting expectations according to ABC’s current worth)… watchable? Is that asking too much? Better Together is a generic mess that is pretending to have a new spin, but totally doesn’t. The stock characters are even more stock than usual and none of them appears to be even slightly likable. Worst of all, several respectable names are attached to this steaming pile. Even with as little faith as I have in the American viewing public, I don’t think this show will catch on. I suspect it will go the way of other multi-camera comedies of late and die a quick, yet eye-gougingly painful death, a la 100 Questions and Romantically Challenged. How bad was the trailer? I don’t think I’ll even be giving the pilot a shot. And I give just about everything a shot! The morbid curiosity has me tempted, but seriously, the three minutes the trailer offered led to some serious brow furrowing and eye rolling. The couples on this show may be better together, but I’m quite confident this show and I are better apart. Way apart.
HAPPY ENDINGS
Description: Stars Elisha Cuthbert (“24”) as Alex, Eliza Coupe as Jane, Zachary Knighton as Dave, Adam Pally as Max, Damon Wayans, Jr. as Brad and Casey Wilson as Penny. From executive producers Jamie Tarses, Jonathan Groff (and no, this is not the same guy who played Jesse on Glee--at least not that I know of), Anthony & Joe Russo, and co-executive producer David Caspe, “Happy Endings” examines the complex network of long-term friendships. The pilot was written by David Caspe and directed by Anthony & Joe Russo. The series is from Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios.
My Take: Okay, I don’t know if it’s the Better Together aftertaste talking or what, but this actually looks like it might have some potential. It’s pretty obviously the spawn of Friends, but now with 16.67% more diversity! Geez, it was ridiculous in 1994 that the entire regular cast of Friends was white, but now it’s 16 years later and we still have 5 out of 6? Seriously? Oy. I’m trying to give this show the benefit of the doubt and assume that it’s set in a largely Caucasian city (you know, unlike Friends, wherein New York City is akin to Mayberry), but even then, it’s still fairly irksome. Anyway, aside from that, this show looks like it might be kinda fun. Whereas My Generation (formerly called Generation Y) doesn’t seem to speak to me at all (in spite of the fact that I fall smack dab into the middle of that particular demographic), Happy Endings holds much more appeal and seems more relatable. I myself haven’t made any new friends in like a decade, so I guess it’s nice to see that I’m not the only one. The cast seems likable enough (I never watched 24, for Cuthbert doesn’t present as many obstacles for me) and there were moments of the trailer that genuinely made me smile, even if it didn't rise to the level of actual laughing. I think if I grew to know and adore these characters, I’d find it considerably funnier, but even as is, it seemed pleasantly amusing, if not uproarious. The fact that that guy really does look like “if Paul Rudd gave up” definitely won them some points. Long story short, it’s basically Friends, but you know, I quite liked Friends, so here’s hoping this show takes a modern angle on it… and by “modern” I mean “Ross-free” of course. I'll definitely be giving this one a shot. I was leary of Covert Affairs as an Alias reboot, but that is totally working for me, so maybe it's just time the mid-90s were rebooted. Good god, I feel old.
MR. SUNSHINE
Description: Stars Matthew Perry (“Friends”) as Ben, Allison Janney (“The West Wing”) as Crystal, Andrea Anders (“Better Off Ted”) as Alice, James Lesure as Alonzo, Nate Torrence as Roman and Portia Doubleday as Heather. The Pilot was written by Matthew Perry and Alex Barnow & Marc Firek and directed by Thomas Schlamme.
My Take: As one of the 9 people who enjoyed Studio 60, I couldn’t help but to smile at Matthew Perry anchoring another series along with Tommy Schlamme. Add to that Allison Janney and Andrea Anders, and I must admit, I went into watching the trailer with fairly high hopes. After watching it, I’m a little torn. It looks like the kind of set up that could really have some potential, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a stronger cast, but there was just something a little off about it. I think they’re relying a bit too much on wackiness for my tastes. As seen in Friends, Perry can definitely work with wacky if he has to, but it’s not the style of comedy he’s best at. He does appear to be playing the straight man in all this though, so hopefully he’ll be right at home. Even just from the preview, it looks like Janney is poised to be the scene stealer of the series. Fortunately, I love her, so that totally works for me. Andrea Anders wasn’t my favorite character on Better Off Ted, but she can certainly hold her own. I wasn’t wowed by the trailer, but I’m optimistic for the series. It has a hell of a lot going for it, so with any luck, that will translate to the screen. At the very least, it’s refreshing to have a new setting for a comedy to inhabit and new situations for them to face. Based on the trailer alone, it felt a bit like the writers were trying a bit too hard, but comedies usually settle in after a few episodes, so that doesn’t worry me too much. I’ll certainly be giving this one a chance, but it sounds like I’ll have to wait till midseason… which often speaks to a network’s overall confidence in a show… Here’s hoping Mr. Sunshine bucks the trend. It has to be better than Better Together, right? Good god, in the span of only one blog post, that show has become my new benchmark for awful. Ouch...
And, after taking full account of ABC's new slate, it appears they feel rather stung by the past few seasons seeing as all efforts to do anything original have officially flown out the window. Literally, the basis for their new fall agenda includes a cop show, a legal show, a crime procedural, and a medical show. Way to... not step out of the box. At all. I think failed "out of the box" shows like Pushing Daisies, FlashForward, and to large extent, V, have left ABC a little gun-shy, spurring them to run for the safety of convention and cliche. It's a real shame that more unique, more serialized shows have had such a hard time, but to be honest, their past attempts at legal shows and crime procedurals were even less successful, so who knows what ABC is thinking. What I'm thinking so far is that they've done a pretty piss-poor job of selecting new pilots and that I have very little to be excited about... Sigh.
Anyway, preamble over. On with the show... er, shows...
OFF THE MAP
Description: Stars Martin Henderson as Ben Keeton, Caroline Dhavernas as Lily Brenner, Enrique Murciano as Manny Diaz, Mamie Gummer as Mina Minard, Jason George as Otis Cole, Valerie Cruz as Zita (Zee) and Jose Julian as Charlie. “Off the Map” is executive-produced by Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers, and created/executive-produced by Jenna Bans.
My Take: Well, what ABC fall schedule would be complete without a Shonda Rhimes enterprise on the list? A good one! Ba dum bum! Oy. You know, most showrunners at least pretend to try new things. Shonda? Not so much. Here we have Grey's Anatomy: Survivor. Ooh! Or Grey's Safari? Eh? Eh?! Okay, lame, but only 80% as lame as this show appears to be. If I had never seen a show like this, I'd probably think it looked like a fun little medical romantic dramedy, but having seen 622 shows just like this, 613 of which were from Shonda herself, it's hard to watch that preview with anything but a groan. Mamie Gummer is wonderful, but I don't think she can carry a show. I didn't recognize anyone else, but I'm better neither can they. Who knows. I really did enjoy the first few seasons of Grey's, so maybe Shonda will hit another one out of the park. It's slated for midseason though, so it sounds like ABC might not be all that confident in it... or, they're just hoping to hell the same thing that happened to midseason sensation Grey's will happen to this one. I'm not holding my breath. It genuinely doesn't look awful, it just looks awfully familiar. And when you watch as much TV as I do, a little originality goes a long, long way. Every character type, every medical situation, every tense moment, every untoward relationship, every hunky doctor... I've seen it all before. Here's hoping lightning strikes twice for Rhimes. God knows it has to be better than Private Practice. Brushing away all pre-conceived notions of Shonda's shows, it looks like it might be all right. At it's core, it'll be a character-driven show, so assuming some of these new faces really make a splash, it might be worth keeping around. I doubt it'll ever be a top tier contender, but I could see it falling into second tier guilty pleasure territory. If you are or were a fan of any of Shonda's other projects, you should definitely check this one out. If not, skip it. She appears to have done absolutely nothing to reinvent her wheel other than move it to a purdy location. For me? I don't think that's going to be enough.
THE WHOLE TRUTH
Description: Stars Rob Morrow (“Numb3rs”) as Jimmy Brogan, Someone Someoneson as Kathryn Peale, Eamonn Walker (“Oz”) as Sr. ADA Terrence “Edge” Edgecomb, Sean Wing as Chad Griffin, Anthony Ruivivar as Alejo Salazar and Christine Adams as Lena Boudreaux. The pilot was written and co-executive produced by Tom Donaghy, and the executive producers are Jerry Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman.
My Take: Why yes, yes that was Jerry Bruckheimer's ominous moniker you noticed! And we know that always means quality! If only... This one actually looks like it might be kind of interesting, even if still stuck in this omnipresent genre. I generally enjoy a good legal drama and they've at least tried to take a new spin on it. The problem? Well, Joley Richardson has already dropped out of the show, so it's impossible to know exactly what it will look like in the end. It's also unclear why she dropped out. The official reason is that she wanted to spend more time with her family... My guess would be that if it were a really good show, "family time" wouldn't be that high on her list. I assume her real reason is something along the lines of, "jumped ship before it sank," which I can respect. Her departure is the primary reason I'm apprehensive about this one (aside from Bruckheimer). I'm hearing that Maura Tierney might take over as the female lead... Yeah... no good. I like Maura well enough, but this is not a good role for her. She's just so dour and vulnerable. Anyway, in terms of construct, I actually quite like the idea of getting to see both sides of the case in a more straight-forward fashion (most shows kind of show each side, but the audience knows who the writers want you to pull for). But, knowing TV, it will probably turn out to be your standard legal show in the end and they've had a spotty success record lately at best. With Richardson dropping out, I suspect script changes will follow. All the behind-the-scenes changes leave me a bit wary of this one and the more changes and cast shake-ups there are, the worse a show generally is. Based on this already defunct trailer alone, it looked like it could be an interesting take on the genre (albeit not the most imaginative take), but it's looking like it'll be a very different show come this fall. As such, I'll be tuning into whatever incarnation appears, but I'm not carrying a torch for this one. Here's hoping they go with someone other than Tierney and that she can really hold her own. Here's also hoping she has chemistry with Rob Morrow because I give it exactly 3 episodes before the writers simply can't help but to hook the two leads up (or at least head in the will-they-or-won't-they direction). Actually, yeah, they probably plan on hinting at a hook-up for the next 5 years... ugh... Mercifully, I doubt they'll be around that long anyways.
Boy, with heaping dollops of awesomeness in the drama department (note sarcasm), I can't wait to see what comedies we have in store! Honestly though, comedy is the only arena in which ABC has had any real success in the past few years, so maybe this is their niche. Here goes!
BETTER TOGETHER
Description: Stars JoAnna Garcia as Mia, Jennifer Finnigan as Maddie, Josh Cooke as Ben, Jake Lacy as Casey, with Kurt Fuller as Joel and Debra Jo Rupp as Vicky. Shana Goldberg-Meehan is executive producer and writer. The pilot was directed by James Burrows.
My Take: Oh. Dear. God. This looks awful. I mean awful. To say it looks criminally unfunny would be generous. I never so much as a cracked a smile during this preview, and that comes from someone who’s a bit of a grammar snob herself! Good lord, this one looks positively painful. Oh, look how hilarious couples are! It’s funny because it’s true! Everyone can relate to this crap, right? Oh, he's funny because he's stupid! Get it?! Dear ABC, just stop. You knocked it out of the park with Modern Family. Let’s leave it at that, shall we? Please? Is there someway I can convince you that passing on crap this is somehow... uh, greener(?) than other options? Maybe? Wait, I know, speaking of “better,” how about you stop picking up shit like Better Together and instead, market pure genius like Better Off Ted in a way that will actually garner viewers. It makes it all the sadder than Better Off Ted was canceled when you see the drivel they’ve pinned their hopes on for this fall. This is the first comedy I’ve screened, so hopefully the others are (adjusting expectations according to ABC’s current worth)… watchable? Is that asking too much? Better Together is a generic mess that is pretending to have a new spin, but totally doesn’t. The stock characters are even more stock than usual and none of them appears to be even slightly likable. Worst of all, several respectable names are attached to this steaming pile. Even with as little faith as I have in the American viewing public, I don’t think this show will catch on. I suspect it will go the way of other multi-camera comedies of late and die a quick, yet eye-gougingly painful death, a la 100 Questions and Romantically Challenged. How bad was the trailer? I don’t think I’ll even be giving the pilot a shot. And I give just about everything a shot! The morbid curiosity has me tempted, but seriously, the three minutes the trailer offered led to some serious brow furrowing and eye rolling. The couples on this show may be better together, but I’m quite confident this show and I are better apart. Way apart.
HAPPY ENDINGS
Description: Stars Elisha Cuthbert (“24”) as Alex, Eliza Coupe as Jane, Zachary Knighton as Dave, Adam Pally as Max, Damon Wayans, Jr. as Brad and Casey Wilson as Penny. From executive producers Jamie Tarses, Jonathan Groff (and no, this is not the same guy who played Jesse on Glee--at least not that I know of), Anthony & Joe Russo, and co-executive producer David Caspe, “Happy Endings” examines the complex network of long-term friendships. The pilot was written by David Caspe and directed by Anthony & Joe Russo. The series is from Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios.
My Take: Okay, I don’t know if it’s the Better Together aftertaste talking or what, but this actually looks like it might have some potential. It’s pretty obviously the spawn of Friends, but now with 16.67% more diversity! Geez, it was ridiculous in 1994 that the entire regular cast of Friends was white, but now it’s 16 years later and we still have 5 out of 6? Seriously? Oy. I’m trying to give this show the benefit of the doubt and assume that it’s set in a largely Caucasian city (you know, unlike Friends, wherein New York City is akin to Mayberry), but even then, it’s still fairly irksome. Anyway, aside from that, this show looks like it might be kinda fun. Whereas My Generation (formerly called Generation Y) doesn’t seem to speak to me at all (in spite of the fact that I fall smack dab into the middle of that particular demographic), Happy Endings holds much more appeal and seems more relatable. I myself haven’t made any new friends in like a decade, so I guess it’s nice to see that I’m not the only one. The cast seems likable enough (I never watched 24, for Cuthbert doesn’t present as many obstacles for me) and there were moments of the trailer that genuinely made me smile, even if it didn't rise to the level of actual laughing. I think if I grew to know and adore these characters, I’d find it considerably funnier, but even as is, it seemed pleasantly amusing, if not uproarious. The fact that that guy really does look like “if Paul Rudd gave up” definitely won them some points. Long story short, it’s basically Friends, but you know, I quite liked Friends, so here’s hoping this show takes a modern angle on it… and by “modern” I mean “Ross-free” of course. I'll definitely be giving this one a shot. I was leary of Covert Affairs as an Alias reboot, but that is totally working for me, so maybe it's just time the mid-90s were rebooted. Good god, I feel old.
MR. SUNSHINE
Description: Stars Matthew Perry (“Friends”) as Ben, Allison Janney (“The West Wing”) as Crystal, Andrea Anders (“Better Off Ted”) as Alice, James Lesure as Alonzo, Nate Torrence as Roman and Portia Doubleday as Heather. The Pilot was written by Matthew Perry and Alex Barnow & Marc Firek and directed by Thomas Schlamme.
My Take: As one of the 9 people who enjoyed Studio 60, I couldn’t help but to smile at Matthew Perry anchoring another series along with Tommy Schlamme. Add to that Allison Janney and Andrea Anders, and I must admit, I went into watching the trailer with fairly high hopes. After watching it, I’m a little torn. It looks like the kind of set up that could really have some potential, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a stronger cast, but there was just something a little off about it. I think they’re relying a bit too much on wackiness for my tastes. As seen in Friends, Perry can definitely work with wacky if he has to, but it’s not the style of comedy he’s best at. He does appear to be playing the straight man in all this though, so hopefully he’ll be right at home. Even just from the preview, it looks like Janney is poised to be the scene stealer of the series. Fortunately, I love her, so that totally works for me. Andrea Anders wasn’t my favorite character on Better Off Ted, but she can certainly hold her own. I wasn’t wowed by the trailer, but I’m optimistic for the series. It has a hell of a lot going for it, so with any luck, that will translate to the screen. At the very least, it’s refreshing to have a new setting for a comedy to inhabit and new situations for them to face. Based on the trailer alone, it felt a bit like the writers were trying a bit too hard, but comedies usually settle in after a few episodes, so that doesn’t worry me too much. I’ll certainly be giving this one a chance, but it sounds like I’ll have to wait till midseason… which often speaks to a network’s overall confidence in a show… Here’s hoping Mr. Sunshine bucks the trend. It has to be better than Better Together, right? Good god, in the span of only one blog post, that show has become my new benchmark for awful. Ouch...
Monday, August 16, 2010
ABC Pilots: Volume 1
I was all gung-ho to get all the new network pilots reviewed for this here blog, but then NBC decided they'd wage a war of attrition by picking up... well, basically they're an entirely new network. Never, in all my days, have I seen so many new pilots for one network. Don't get me wrong, the reign of terror implemented by Jeff Zucker (what I affectionately refer to as a "clusterzuck") essentially decimated the network, prompting the complete overhaul, but this all begs the question, where did they get this kind of money?! Seriously, the network was ailing before they decided to shell out millions of dollars in development. Well, however it happened, it wore me out. As such, it's only now, with barely a month to go before premiere week, that I finally move on to ABC.
Oh, ABC... They're a bit more subversive about their implosion, but show for show, they're in almost as much trouble as NBC. Once again, they've picked up a hell of a lot of pilots and forked over obscene amounts of cash. Suffice it to say, both these networks need some major hits to come out of this fall's slate of pilots. The fate of each network (or at least the suits in charge of this mess) may very well depend on it. Seriously, last season was a disaster. With the exception of Modern Family, nearly their entire slate got canceled, or should have. If ABC had more going for it, V wouldn't be come back and neither would The Middle. They can't afford to have another season turn out like that, so they've picked up a lot of shows (rather expensive shows) and are promoting the hell out of them. Some appear to have some promise. Others? Not so much... At present, their established shows are a little too established (i.e. they're getting a little long in the tooth... that is, to say, they're OLD), so they're banking on some new blood. They pretty much have to at this point.
Here is the tentative ABC schedule for this fall (please bear in mind that this list is subject to change--and quite frankly, it's been months since this list was first compiled, so it might have errors already):
MONDAY
7 p.m. Dancing with the Stars
9 p.m. Castle
TUESDAY
7 p.m. No Ordinary Family (new)
8 p.m. Dancing with the Stars Results Show
9 p.m. Detroit 1-8-7 (new)
WEDNESDAY
7 p.m. The Middle
7:30 p.m. Better Together (new)
8 p.m. Modern Family
8:30 p.m. Cougar Town
9 p.m. The Whole Truth (new)
THURSDAY
7 p.m. My Generation (new)
8 p.m. Grey's Anatomy
9 p.m. Private Practice
FRIDAY
7 p.m. Secret Millionaire (new)
8 p.m. Body of Proof (new)
9 p.m. 20/20
SUNDAY
6 p.m. America's Funniest Home Videos
7 p.m. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
8 p.m. Desperate Housewives
9 p.m. Brothers & Sisters
There are other new shows which will be reviewed here, but I assume they'll be premiering at midseason. Or, depending on how well these ones do, they could premiere earlier than that... The suits at ABC are already shaking in their boots and hoping to hell that isn't the case. Heh.
Anyway, as per my arbitrary usual, we'll start off with the dramas.
BODY OF PROOF
Description: Stars Dana Delany as Dr. Megan Hunt, Jeri Ryan as Dr. Kate Murphy, Geoffrey Arend as Dr. Elliot Gross, John Carroll Lynch as Detective Bud Morris, Windell Middlebrooks as Dr. Curtis Brumfield, Nic Bishop as Peter Dunlap and Sonja Sohn as Detective Samantha Baker. Christopher Murphey wrote the pilot, which was directed by Nelson McCormick.
My Take: First thought? Ugh. As much as I’d like to believe that this is a searing character piece about a woman trying to start over, I think we can safely assume it’s actually a crime procedural dressed up as an actual drama. Dana Delany is a power-player who can absolutely anchor a show, but I find myself wishing she were at the helm of something else. Based solely on the trailer, it’s hard to tell just what proportions of the show will be drama and procedural. If this were CBS, I’d err on the side of lots of procedural, very little everything else, but this is ABC, so it’s a tough call. They’ve been trying to tap into this woefully overdone genre for ages, but with very little success. Off the bat, I’d say the procedural elements seem pretty generic, and for as much as I enjoy Delaney, the drama elements seem pretty bland to boot. ABC hasn’t really been delivering quality drama on its dramas lately, so the odds of them delivering in an overdone story like this are slim. Overzealous neurosurgeon ruins relationship with child then has life-changing event (a car accident) that causes said doctor to reevaluate life. Been there, done that. Only in more compelling ways (you know, with the adorably moody Ephram Brown on hand). This show is already making me miss Everwood. Long story short, this looks pretty hackneyed and uninspired. If anyone could make this more than your typical crime procedural, it’s Delaney, but I’m less than confident that she can make that happen. Truth be told, even if this is considerably more drama laden than it looks, it’s not the kind of concept that has me chomping at the bit. Delaney deserves better, and the viewer audience at large deserves fewer procedurals on the docket. People seem to love this procedural crap, however, so this one might just have a chance. The sexy medical examiner (a la Rizzoli & Isles, and to a certain extent, Castle) seems to be the latest trend these days… for completely unknown reasons. Ugh.
DETROIT 1-8-7
Description: Stars Michael Imperioli (“The Sopranos”) as Detective Louis Fitch, Jon Michael Hill as Detective Damon Washington, James McDaniel (“NYPD Blue”) as Sergeant Jesse Longford, Aisha Hinds (“True Blood”) as Lieutenant Maureen Mason, Natalie Martinez as Detective Ariana Sanchez, D.J. Cotrona as Detective John Stone and Shaun Majumder as Detective Aman Mahajan.
My Take: In case Body of Proof just didn’t manage to plumb the depths of overdone genres enough, ABC has also decided to take on a cop show. Sigh. This seems pretty standard as well, but there were little elements of the trailer that pointed to something more unique. They’re taking the angle that there’s simply so much crime and murder in Detroit that the good guys are simply trying to stem the tide because there’s no conceivable way to actually stop the violence. The fact that they take a very matter-of-fact approach to such a horrific problem has a certain quirky appeal, but I think it was primarily a reaction to being on network TV. When they were looking for a shell casing on the street was probably the best aspect of the trailer for me. “I think I’ve got it! Oh, nope, it’s a .45.” Heh. I couldn’t help but to smile. I’m hoping they find a way to make this genre new and fresh, but I’m pretty sure at this point, even all the trappings in the world couldn’t make it truly special. After watching The Wire, I’m supremely confident that for a cop drama to really be as gritty as writers want it to be, it needs to be on HBO or Showtime. Even basic cable would have a hard time doing it justice, but network TV? I’m not holding my breath. I have a sinking feeling that they wanted this to be a realistic, hard-hitting, brutal look at one of the roughest cities in the country, but that it had to be sanitized and watered-down for the general public. The “cop show” has never been very high on my list, but it has been infiltrating my schedule more and more lately. Will Detroit 1-8-7 continue the trend? I seriously doubt it. I’ll give it a shot, but suspect the pilot will be the only episode I’ll ever see.
MY GENERATION
Description: Stars Michael Stahl David as Steven, Kelli Garner as Dawn, Jaime King as Jacqueline, Keir O’Donnell as Kenneth, Sebastian Sozzi as Falcon, Mechad Brooks as Rolly, Anne Son as Caroline, Daniella Alonso as Brenda and Julian Morris as Anders. Created and written by Noah Hawley (“The Unusuals,” “Bones”), who is also an executive producer, along with Warren Littlefield, Henrik Bastin, Patrick Magnasson and Martin Piersson.
My Take: In theory, this show should speak to me and my peers more than just about any other demographic. I graduated in 2001, so this pseudo-docu-soap should tap into my sensibilities on a fundamental level… and yet? Not so much. I don’t know, this trailer was really more of a behind-the-scenes look than anything else, so it’s hard to tell exactly what the show itself will look like, but from what clips they did show us, it looks pretty damn sappy. Have you chased your dreams? Faced your fears? Gag me. If they present it as a straight up narrative about people who just so happen to be this age, that could fine, but I have a sneaking suspicion this is a platform for the writers to send a heavy-handed message. Call me crazy, but I’m not so much a fan of the ham-fisted soap-boxing, thanks… I want to give them a little credit for at least trying to come up with a basic conceit that’s a little different, but at the end of the day, they’ve simply picked a few handfuls of clichés out of a bag and put them all in the same show. The jock, the rich kid, the overachiever, the good girl, we get it. We get it a lot, in fact. I realize that they’ve constructed the show around high school clichés (and what clichés those clichés turn into), but that doesn’t make them any less generic. There were a couple of elements of the trailer that had me mildly interested, but by and large, this doesn’t strike me as a keeper. The only way this is really going to work is if they’ve hired some actors who can turn those standard one-dimensional characters and make turn them into something really special. I have serious doubts, but with a considerable amount of luck, this might be something worth watching. Chronologically speaking, I kind of feel like it’s my duty to watch it, so here’s hoping it’s better than it looks. To its credit, it was created by the same guy behind The Unusuals, which happens to be a show that turned out to be just that. Better than it looked.
NO ORDINARY FAMILY
Description: Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”) stars as Jim Powell, Julie Benz (“Dexter”) as Stephanie Powell, Romany Malco (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin”) as George St. Cloud, Tate Donovan (“Damages”) as Mitch McCutcheon, Autumn Reeser as Katie Andrews, Christina Chang as Yvonne Cho, Kay Panabaker as Daphne Powell and Jimmy Bennett as JJ Powell. The pilot was written and executive-produced by Jon Feldman. The series is executive-produced by Feldman, Greg Berlanti, Morgan Wandell and David Semel, who also directed the pilot.
My Take: I’ve heard pretty good things about this one on the web, and I want to be excited for it, but I’m apprehensive. It’s the kind of concept that has to be handled in just the right way or it could be disastrous. On its face, a show about a family of superheroes sounds like carefree fun. Those associated with it keep saying that it is NOT The Incredibles, but first off, yeah, actually, it kind of is, but secondly, only not as good. I think I’d be a lot more excited about it if it were animated… you know, because then it wouldn’t have Michael Chiklis or Julie Benz at the helm. I honestly never watched much of The Shield and that has a lot to do with how unappealing Chiklis is. Aside from being difficult to look at, his overall manner and acting style are off-putting. He isn’t someone who would have me excited for a show simply because he’s in it (I’m not going to lie, the primary reason I’ve been watching Criminal Minds is that Matthew Gray Gubler is simply beautiful). Then there’s Julie Benz. I’ve hated most of her past characters (even the ones the audience wasn’t supposed to hate), so I have to assume it has something to do with her. She’s a fine actress, and I suppose she’s just doing what is asked of her, but for whatever reason, I generally hate her. I really hope her newest incarnation is nothing like her previous roles, because frankly, Darla redux? Rita 2.0? No thanks. Aside from disconcerting casting decisions, this one looks like it could be a lot of fun. If handled in just the right way, I think this show could do for the superhero genre what Chuck did for the spy-thriller. A more light-hearted, carefree approach could work incredibly well... I’m not totally sure how they’d make this work in the long term, but presumably, they should be able to bank a least a season or two of quality. Here's hoping. I mean really, how bad could it be? It can’t possibly follow the same trajectory as Heroes, right...? Right?!
Oh, ABC... They're a bit more subversive about their implosion, but show for show, they're in almost as much trouble as NBC. Once again, they've picked up a hell of a lot of pilots and forked over obscene amounts of cash. Suffice it to say, both these networks need some major hits to come out of this fall's slate of pilots. The fate of each network (or at least the suits in charge of this mess) may very well depend on it. Seriously, last season was a disaster. With the exception of Modern Family, nearly their entire slate got canceled, or should have. If ABC had more going for it, V wouldn't be come back and neither would The Middle. They can't afford to have another season turn out like that, so they've picked up a lot of shows (rather expensive shows) and are promoting the hell out of them. Some appear to have some promise. Others? Not so much... At present, their established shows are a little too established (i.e. they're getting a little long in the tooth... that is, to say, they're OLD), so they're banking on some new blood. They pretty much have to at this point.
Here is the tentative ABC schedule for this fall (please bear in mind that this list is subject to change--and quite frankly, it's been months since this list was first compiled, so it might have errors already):
MONDAY
7 p.m. Dancing with the Stars
9 p.m. Castle
TUESDAY
7 p.m. No Ordinary Family (new)
8 p.m. Dancing with the Stars Results Show
9 p.m. Detroit 1-8-7 (new)
WEDNESDAY
7 p.m. The Middle
7:30 p.m. Better Together (new)
8 p.m. Modern Family
8:30 p.m. Cougar Town
9 p.m. The Whole Truth (new)
THURSDAY
7 p.m. My Generation (new)
8 p.m. Grey's Anatomy
9 p.m. Private Practice
FRIDAY
7 p.m. Secret Millionaire (new)
8 p.m. Body of Proof (new)
9 p.m. 20/20
SUNDAY
6 p.m. America's Funniest Home Videos
7 p.m. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
8 p.m. Desperate Housewives
9 p.m. Brothers & Sisters
There are other new shows which will be reviewed here, but I assume they'll be premiering at midseason. Or, depending on how well these ones do, they could premiere earlier than that... The suits at ABC are already shaking in their boots and hoping to hell that isn't the case. Heh.
Anyway, as per my arbitrary usual, we'll start off with the dramas.
BODY OF PROOF
Description: Stars Dana Delany as Dr. Megan Hunt, Jeri Ryan as Dr. Kate Murphy, Geoffrey Arend as Dr. Elliot Gross, John Carroll Lynch as Detective Bud Morris, Windell Middlebrooks as Dr. Curtis Brumfield, Nic Bishop as Peter Dunlap and Sonja Sohn as Detective Samantha Baker. Christopher Murphey wrote the pilot, which was directed by Nelson McCormick.
My Take: First thought? Ugh. As much as I’d like to believe that this is a searing character piece about a woman trying to start over, I think we can safely assume it’s actually a crime procedural dressed up as an actual drama. Dana Delany is a power-player who can absolutely anchor a show, but I find myself wishing she were at the helm of something else. Based solely on the trailer, it’s hard to tell just what proportions of the show will be drama and procedural. If this were CBS, I’d err on the side of lots of procedural, very little everything else, but this is ABC, so it’s a tough call. They’ve been trying to tap into this woefully overdone genre for ages, but with very little success. Off the bat, I’d say the procedural elements seem pretty generic, and for as much as I enjoy Delaney, the drama elements seem pretty bland to boot. ABC hasn’t really been delivering quality drama on its dramas lately, so the odds of them delivering in an overdone story like this are slim. Overzealous neurosurgeon ruins relationship with child then has life-changing event (a car accident) that causes said doctor to reevaluate life. Been there, done that. Only in more compelling ways (you know, with the adorably moody Ephram Brown on hand). This show is already making me miss Everwood. Long story short, this looks pretty hackneyed and uninspired. If anyone could make this more than your typical crime procedural, it’s Delaney, but I’m less than confident that she can make that happen. Truth be told, even if this is considerably more drama laden than it looks, it’s not the kind of concept that has me chomping at the bit. Delaney deserves better, and the viewer audience at large deserves fewer procedurals on the docket. People seem to love this procedural crap, however, so this one might just have a chance. The sexy medical examiner (a la Rizzoli & Isles, and to a certain extent, Castle) seems to be the latest trend these days… for completely unknown reasons. Ugh.
DETROIT 1-8-7
Description: Stars Michael Imperioli (“The Sopranos”) as Detective Louis Fitch, Jon Michael Hill as Detective Damon Washington, James McDaniel (“NYPD Blue”) as Sergeant Jesse Longford, Aisha Hinds (“True Blood”) as Lieutenant Maureen Mason, Natalie Martinez as Detective Ariana Sanchez, D.J. Cotrona as Detective John Stone and Shaun Majumder as Detective Aman Mahajan.
My Take: In case Body of Proof just didn’t manage to plumb the depths of overdone genres enough, ABC has also decided to take on a cop show. Sigh. This seems pretty standard as well, but there were little elements of the trailer that pointed to something more unique. They’re taking the angle that there’s simply so much crime and murder in Detroit that the good guys are simply trying to stem the tide because there’s no conceivable way to actually stop the violence. The fact that they take a very matter-of-fact approach to such a horrific problem has a certain quirky appeal, but I think it was primarily a reaction to being on network TV. When they were looking for a shell casing on the street was probably the best aspect of the trailer for me. “I think I’ve got it! Oh, nope, it’s a .45.” Heh. I couldn’t help but to smile. I’m hoping they find a way to make this genre new and fresh, but I’m pretty sure at this point, even all the trappings in the world couldn’t make it truly special. After watching The Wire, I’m supremely confident that for a cop drama to really be as gritty as writers want it to be, it needs to be on HBO or Showtime. Even basic cable would have a hard time doing it justice, but network TV? I’m not holding my breath. I have a sinking feeling that they wanted this to be a realistic, hard-hitting, brutal look at one of the roughest cities in the country, but that it had to be sanitized and watered-down for the general public. The “cop show” has never been very high on my list, but it has been infiltrating my schedule more and more lately. Will Detroit 1-8-7 continue the trend? I seriously doubt it. I’ll give it a shot, but suspect the pilot will be the only episode I’ll ever see.
MY GENERATION
Description: Stars Michael Stahl David as Steven, Kelli Garner as Dawn, Jaime King as Jacqueline, Keir O’Donnell as Kenneth, Sebastian Sozzi as Falcon, Mechad Brooks as Rolly, Anne Son as Caroline, Daniella Alonso as Brenda and Julian Morris as Anders. Created and written by Noah Hawley (“The Unusuals,” “Bones”), who is also an executive producer, along with Warren Littlefield, Henrik Bastin, Patrick Magnasson and Martin Piersson.
My Take: In theory, this show should speak to me and my peers more than just about any other demographic. I graduated in 2001, so this pseudo-docu-soap should tap into my sensibilities on a fundamental level… and yet? Not so much. I don’t know, this trailer was really more of a behind-the-scenes look than anything else, so it’s hard to tell exactly what the show itself will look like, but from what clips they did show us, it looks pretty damn sappy. Have you chased your dreams? Faced your fears? Gag me. If they present it as a straight up narrative about people who just so happen to be this age, that could fine, but I have a sneaking suspicion this is a platform for the writers to send a heavy-handed message. Call me crazy, but I’m not so much a fan of the ham-fisted soap-boxing, thanks… I want to give them a little credit for at least trying to come up with a basic conceit that’s a little different, but at the end of the day, they’ve simply picked a few handfuls of clichés out of a bag and put them all in the same show. The jock, the rich kid, the overachiever, the good girl, we get it. We get it a lot, in fact. I realize that they’ve constructed the show around high school clichés (and what clichés those clichés turn into), but that doesn’t make them any less generic. There were a couple of elements of the trailer that had me mildly interested, but by and large, this doesn’t strike me as a keeper. The only way this is really going to work is if they’ve hired some actors who can turn those standard one-dimensional characters and make turn them into something really special. I have serious doubts, but with a considerable amount of luck, this might be something worth watching. Chronologically speaking, I kind of feel like it’s my duty to watch it, so here’s hoping it’s better than it looks. To its credit, it was created by the same guy behind The Unusuals, which happens to be a show that turned out to be just that. Better than it looked.
NO ORDINARY FAMILY
Description: Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”) stars as Jim Powell, Julie Benz (“Dexter”) as Stephanie Powell, Romany Malco (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin”) as George St. Cloud, Tate Donovan (“Damages”) as Mitch McCutcheon, Autumn Reeser as Katie Andrews, Christina Chang as Yvonne Cho, Kay Panabaker as Daphne Powell and Jimmy Bennett as JJ Powell. The pilot was written and executive-produced by Jon Feldman. The series is executive-produced by Feldman, Greg Berlanti, Morgan Wandell and David Semel, who also directed the pilot.
My Take: I’ve heard pretty good things about this one on the web, and I want to be excited for it, but I’m apprehensive. It’s the kind of concept that has to be handled in just the right way or it could be disastrous. On its face, a show about a family of superheroes sounds like carefree fun. Those associated with it keep saying that it is NOT The Incredibles, but first off, yeah, actually, it kind of is, but secondly, only not as good. I think I’d be a lot more excited about it if it were animated… you know, because then it wouldn’t have Michael Chiklis or Julie Benz at the helm. I honestly never watched much of The Shield and that has a lot to do with how unappealing Chiklis is. Aside from being difficult to look at, his overall manner and acting style are off-putting. He isn’t someone who would have me excited for a show simply because he’s in it (I’m not going to lie, the primary reason I’ve been watching Criminal Minds is that Matthew Gray Gubler is simply beautiful). Then there’s Julie Benz. I’ve hated most of her past characters (even the ones the audience wasn’t supposed to hate), so I have to assume it has something to do with her. She’s a fine actress, and I suppose she’s just doing what is asked of her, but for whatever reason, I generally hate her. I really hope her newest incarnation is nothing like her previous roles, because frankly, Darla redux? Rita 2.0? No thanks. Aside from disconcerting casting decisions, this one looks like it could be a lot of fun. If handled in just the right way, I think this show could do for the superhero genre what Chuck did for the spy-thriller. A more light-hearted, carefree approach could work incredibly well... I’m not totally sure how they’d make this work in the long term, but presumably, they should be able to bank a least a season or two of quality. Here's hoping. I mean really, how bad could it be? It can’t possibly follow the same trajectory as Heroes, right...? Right?!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Thinning the Herd
I don't know if you've met most shows, but the vast majority of them suck. As such, while I watch nearly every pilot that comes out (whether I mention it on this blog or not), only a few make it into my regular rotation. It's not often that I'll either pick up or completely discredit a show based entirely on the pilot, so I usually give those with even a modicum of potential a couple of episodes to really grab me. Don't get me wrong, when it comes to bags of crap like The Beautiful Life, The Deep End, or The Forgotten, I only need about ten minutes of the pilot to decide it falls into "Show Fail" territory and never look back, but most shows have a least a glimmer of hope.
In looking at the new shows for this summer, a few shows managed to make it onto my schedule, but the majority fell by the wayside pretty quickly. ABC, NBC, and Fox tried their hands at summer programming, but by and large, they failed pretty spectacularly. It's cute that the big four thought they could really challenge the cable networks... Sad, but cute.
With a schedule as jam-packed as mine is, I can't really afford to keep shows that don't have me truly interested on some level. Don't get me wrong, the three tiered system is still in place, but it's become so overflowing that I've found I have to cut my losses quicker and quicker. Back in the day, I was able to give shows more time to impress me, but with my DVR prioritizer bursting at the seams (literally, it can only hold 50 shows, and I've had to break up with old ones in order to make way for new ones), I just can't do it anymore. Sometimes you just have to thin the herd...
Here are the sickly little gazelles that didn't survive:
In looking at the new shows for this summer, a few shows managed to make it onto my schedule, but the majority fell by the wayside pretty quickly. ABC, NBC, and Fox tried their hands at summer programming, but by and large, they failed pretty spectacularly. It's cute that the big four thought they could really challenge the cable networks... Sad, but cute.
With a schedule as jam-packed as mine is, I can't really afford to keep shows that don't have me truly interested on some level. Don't get me wrong, the three tiered system is still in place, but it's become so overflowing that I've found I have to cut my losses quicker and quicker. Back in the day, I was able to give shows more time to impress me, but with my DVR prioritizer bursting at the seams (literally, it can only hold 50 shows, and I've had to break up with old ones in order to make way for new ones), I just can't do it anymore. Sometimes you just have to thin the herd...
Here are the sickly little gazelles that didn't survive:
- The Gates
I actually enjoyed the first couple of episodes of The Gates well enough (it seemed like a nice, thoughtless summer guilty pleasure), but it just didn't keep my attention. That, coupled with the dismal ratings and I knew it wasn't worth dedicating myself to a lost cause. Also, confoundingly, for a show about vampires, witches, werewolves, and whatever else, it was surprisingly slow. - Scoundrels
This crap-fest didn't stand a chance. I barely made it through the pilot alive. I realize summer isn't really your key season here, but if you're going to make a foray into this kind of scheduling, at least make it bearable... - The Good Guys
This one's a heart-breaker. I wanted to like it, I really really did, but alas, I just plain didn't. I thought my allegiance to Matt Nix knew no bounds, but apparently I was wrong. It knows some bounds all right... bounds called The Good Guys. - Memphis Beat
This show actually had a fairly solid pilot, and while I can appreciate that it's well-made and certainly has its charm, at the end of the day, it's your standard cop procedural and I lost interest after only a few episodes. The dynamics of the show just didn't really gel for me and after only the second episode, I felt like it was a chore to watch and gave up. - Rizzoli & Isles
Again, it's not a bad show really (which isn't to say it's a good show either), but if you've seen one cop procedural, you've seen 'em all, and this show did very little to reinvent the wheel. I found the relationship between R and I boring, uninspired, and generic. Add to that Donnie Wahlberg as a love interest and I officially reached my limit (and tested my gag reflex to the breaking point. Think unsexy thoughts... Think unsexy thoughts... Oooh, that's unsexy...). - Pretty Little Liars
On a purely trivial level, I wish I had stuck with this one. From what I hear, it's the perfect summertime soap opera. I caught the first few episodes, and while I could appreciate the shallowness and intrigue, I ultimately found that I needed more substance. I just plain didn't care what crazy things were happening because I didn't care about any of the characters. I'm not saying it needed to be a deep, cerebral tour de force or anything, but a dollop of substance would have gone a hell of a long way. - Huge
Ugh. I only made it through the pilot. I found it completely charmless and dour from beginning to end. They had a real opportunity here to present an uncommon television demographic here, but all the characters were fairly unlikeable. I toyed with the idea of giving it a few more episodes to draw me in, but ultimately decided it wasn't worth it.
- Covert Affairs
As per usual with USA network, it only took a few episodes for this show to find its feet and really suck me in. Truth be told, every episode since the pilot has been better than the pilot. Much better. From the pilot alone, I had feared the show would be too light and fluffy to really have any gravity or suspense, but it's actually pretty well grounded. Like other shows on this network, it has a pretty nice balance and light and heavy. The show is still a bit rough around the edges, and at times doesn't quite seem to know what to do with some of its characters, but it has found a good groove and has plenty of room to grow and improve. Piper Perabo has been much more engaging and likable than I ever would have expected. There are still certain aspects of her character (and acting) that I would change, but by and large, she's grown on me rather quickly. Her partner in crime (and I suspect, soon to be partner in the sheets) Auggie is an absolute delight. From the pilot, I was apprehensive that the show wouldn't have the dramatic chops to really explore his character, but fortunately, they've settled into a narrative tone that allows for just about anything. The most recent episode helped illuminate some of Auggie's psychological turmoil and I loved it. The more Auggie, the better. I've always loved Christopher Gorham and I'm thrilled he's found such a plum role. His chemistry with Perabo is a big part of why this show is working for me. You can tell that they really seem to enjoy one another and I suspect they get along famously in real life. It shows onscreen. They clearly form the foundation of the show, and more and more it's seeming like they're the only characters. While I appreciate a show that doesn't feel the need to use actors in every episode (if there's no reason for them to be there, leave them out), I get the impression the writers just don't really know what to do with Anne Dudek and Mohinder. Hopefully they'll either cut the dead weight or better yet, find something important and interesting for them to do. As is, Mohinder is largely absent (and nigh-unrecognizable), and Dudek is wasted on a thankless role. All in all, however, I find that I'm really enjoying this one and am actively excited for it week-to-week. - Boston Med
The best little show that no one is watching... but me. I realize this is more up my alley than most, so it comes as little surprise that it hasn't exactly been a ratings juggernaut (although I hear it's been improving). I'm a sucker for documentaries and medical shows, so this one really appeals to me. It would never be appointment TV or anything, but it makes for a nice alternate. - Rookie Blue
On the more embarrassing end of the spectrum, we have Rookie Blue. It's unabashedly Grey's Anatomy with cops, but you know what? I quite enjoyed Grey's Anatomy at first, so it stands to reason that Rookie Blue would hold some appeal. It's predictable and generic and fairly cheesy, but ultimately pretty harmless. It's not the kind of show I would miss if it disappeared, but for what it is, it's enjoyable enough. It makes for a nice summer distraction, if nothing else. Although, while I salute Ephram for trying to break out of the Everwood mold, I can't say I like his new character much at all and I spend the better part of each episode wishing he'd start playing the piano or pining for Amy. On an unrelated note, I knew this was a Canadian production, but didn't truly grasp the depth of its Canadianness until I hear a "Soory" slip by. Excellent. :) - Rubicon
In all honesty, I've only seen the pilot, but it was intriguing enough that I'm ready for more. This is a cerebral conspiracy thriller (well, maybe not "thriller" per se... the pacing of the show leaves a bit to be desired) that is extremely well-made and doesn't assume the viewing audience is as dumb as a post. It's a nice change of pace when a show presupposes that viewers will understand what they're trying to do and that they don't need to be spoon fed. That said, it still needs to find its feet. The pilot was a bit uneven for me, but I think they've set up a situation that could be exhilarating. As mentioned, the pacing is really the only aspect of the show that might become an issue. I'm not saying it needs to have one mindless car chase after another or anything, but a little suspense would have done wonders for it. As is, I just didn't get that nail-biting sense of simmering dread that you'd expect from this kind of a conceit. Again, we've only just begun, so here's hoping it figures out exactly what it wants to be and knocks it out of the park. - The Glades
Okay, I'm as shocked as you are on this one. It's basically your standard crime procedural, but for some reason, I keep coming back week-to-week. The lead actor carries the show and he's just charming enough that I want to see more. When I first heard about the show, I had no intention of keeping it. Maybe it's that it airs in an uncrowded timeslot... Whatever the reason, I'm actually quite enjoying this one. It kind of has a House vibe to it, but with a more playful, boyish, carefree bent. If you're in the market for a new crime procedural to add to your slate, I'd recommend you check this one out. Otherwise, I could take it or leave it. I wouldn't be too upset to see it canceled, but I enjoy having it around.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Best TV Title Sequenes
Over the past few years I've noticed more and more shows casually opting out of having an opening sequence (and usually settling on little more than a title card). While I realize this is generally done due to time constraints (and don't get me wrong, when it comes to more story or more theme song, I'll take story every time), but I can't help but lament the decline. It seems that only HBO and Showtime babies have the luxury of using a minute and a half of airtime to properly introduce their shows (and as a result, they dominate my top ten).
I love a good title sequence. For the best of the best, I watch it, in its entirety, almost every time I watch an episode. A proper opener should set the tone for the show. For me, it acts as a sort of palate cleanser that washes away the residue left by the previous show, and gets me ready for the next course. Even though a good number of them actually appear after the cold open (or teaser scene of the episode), they still have the same effect. A title sequence should suck you in and put you in the proper state of mind for the show. The very best among them are works of art unto themselves (which is why I haven't really included intros that have rotating clips from the show).
Below are my top ten favorite title sequences. I've only included sequences for shows that I actually watch, so you'll notice some glaring omissions that I might not even be aware of. (I've tried to at least give a shout out to the awesome sequences from shows I don't watch, but I'm sure I've missed some... especially older shows.) After coming up with my basic list, I went online to see how my choices stacked up against others. There are quite a few that seem to grace just about every list out there, mine included. Now, I watch an obscene amount of TV, so narrowing this list down to ten was not easy. I was going to put these in order of awesomeness, but I had a hard enough time winnowing them down at all, let alone ranking them.
So, without further ado, here are my top ten favorites (for various, often totally unjustifiable reasons) in no particular order:
DEXTER
This title sequence made just about every list I came across, and with good reason. It's a work of art unto itself. It's more like a short film than a title sequence. It sets the tone for the show perfectly and points to the not-everything-is-as-it-seems nature of the show perfectly. Dexter appears to be your average, everyday nobody, but there's a lot more to him than that. Even the little things of a morning routine can point to something much more sinister. I watch the into, in its entirety, almost every single time.
SIX FEET UNDER
Another popular choice, this title sequence was created by Digital Kitchen, the masterminds behind several other intros on this list, including the aforementioned Dexter, and the soon to be mentioned True Blood. I only made it through about a season of Six Feet Under (it's still on my list, but other shows kind of took over), but this title sequence has always stayed with me. It's dark and sobering and beautiful. It terms of setting tone, this sequence captures the gravity of the show with miraculous aplomb.
TRUE BLOOD
After six seasons of the heaviness of Six Feet Under, Alan Ball decided to go in a VERY different direction with the tawdry, bawdy, overripe, over-indulgent supernatural-fest True Blood. The true unifying element? The awesomeness of the title sequence and the fact that Digital Kitchen was at the helm. The title sequence and song capture the south awesomely and set the stage for all the craziness the show has to offer. I love that right after the teaser scene of the episode, we cut to the ever-familiar catfish (or whatever it is) plumbing the murky depths of a swamp at the beginning of the sequence. The intro is subtle, but over the top at the same time, showcasing some fundamentally southern elements, and interlacing them with salacious innuendo. And, if you can find me someone who hasn't been stuck on that song at some point, I owe you a cookie.
SOUTHLAND
This show didn't really grab me in its first season, but it really seemed to find its footing in the second. Even in the early days though, when I wasn't all that enamored of it, I always loved the title sequence. It's still my favorite part of the show. It's slick and eerie and menacing and I end up watching it every time. It genuinely gets me excited for the show, just like a good intro should. The music is really powerful (and quite beautiful, really) and when tied to the sepia-toned archive photos of past crimes and policemen, it really sets a stage. In all honesty, it's the kind of intro that I would expect for a slightly different kind of cop show, but it works for Southland as well. It's gritty and dark and classic.
DEAD LIKE ME
This is one of those shows that you hate having to describe to people because it just sounds completely ridiculous on paper. It's got a lot of stuff going on a million different levels and in juxtaposing narrative tones that makes it nigh-impossible to do it justice. Such a show deserves an equally inexplicable opening, and this intro delivers. It's bizarre and absurd, dark and light, funny and off-putting, chock full of the ridiculous and the mundane, all at the same time. Just like the show. Perfect. (In related news... God, I miss this show...) :(
MAD MEN
I've honestly only ever seen a few episodes of Mad Men (it's all in my Netflix queue, I swear it), but I've loved the intro since my very first exposure to it. It's classic and classy and I love it. It has a Hitchcockian Vertigo vibe to it that I really dig and there something about the black animated figures on the colored background that smacks of Sin City's aesthetic (which I also totally dig). It's subtle and smooth, but still packs a punch. It's also short. While I love a good intro, I don't need it to be 3 minutes long, thanks. Update: Yeah, apparently all the youtube clips have been disabled for embedding on this one, but you can see it here.
RESCUE ME
I didn't get into Rescue Me on the ground floor and ended up just watching a random episode one day. I didn't know if it would be a keeper or not, but seeing the intro made me really hope it was a keeper. The song is frenetic and raw and taps into the firefighter experience perfectly. The shots of New York City, smoke imagery, scenes of the firehouse, and the overall pacing from the slow build up to the race to the fire really puts the viewer in the right frame of mind for the show. I don't know why, but the scene of the fireman walking at normal speed for a microsecond then switching to slow motion is one of the most memorable for me. This is yet another song that will get stuck in you head. Especially when you've casually added it to your iPod...
FIREFLY
My dear, darling, departed Firefly... I couldn't not include it in the list. How do you craft an opening credit sequence for a show that is quite literally a Western in space? This is how. I hear that Joss got a lot of flack for this one, mainly due to the song, but I happen to think its absolutely perfect. There's a solemnity and earthiness to the song that pairs surprisingly well with the otherworldly nature of the show and the basic story arc. The bulk of the visuals are indeed clips from the show (which I've largely shied away from), but when it all comes together, the song, the text style, and the images really paint a picture of what this show has to offer. Sorry, had to offer... Yup, still bitter...
CHUCK
It's a nerdy, cheeky blend of Catch Me If You Can, James Bond, and the sounds of my wayward teenage years, and I love it. What better way to set up a show that's equal parts comic-con and spy thriller? For a goofy show, it's a very well-produced, slick intro that totally works for the show. It's got elements of everything and finds a nice balance of sneaky and geeky. It also happens to be a show that I adore, so that helps it endear it to me in the long run. Plus, when was the last time you heard anything from Cake? No, no, besides here?
WEEDS
I only just finished the first season of Weeds, so I'm late to the game, but I'm quick to appreciate this title sequence. This song is simply beyond awesome and it captures the suburbs in a deceptively cutting way. It's the kind of song I'm happy to get stuck on all day because it skewers the yuppification of America in the jauntiest of possible ways. The images of carbon copies jogging around their affluent boxes dotting the hillside... perfect. This is a fantastically quirky show and the intro manages to do it fully justice. After watching it, I, too, want to sell pot. Or smoke it. In a good way. Update: And yet again, embedding has been disabled for this one, so go here.
-----Honorable Mentions-----
There are a lot of intros that I love, but that for whatever reason, couldn't rationalize putting on the full list. I didn't include animated favorites because they really seem to fall into a different category in my head. For whatever reason, they're the kind of intros that you always watch every time because they just seem to be part of the show... or something. I don't know why, but my head is drawing a distinction, and that's why they weren't included above. Others that are listed as "Honorable Mentions" didn't make the list because they are for shows that I don't adore or that have a great song, but weak visuals, or vice versa. I really had a hell of a time paring down my list and even now, as I'm putting together my runners-up, I'm thinking maybe I should have swapped some of them out... Anyway, here are the peeps that just didn't quite make the list (the titles are hyperlinked to a youtube video of the intro, in case you're unfamiliar with it).
The Simpsons: I think I've just seem this one too many times for it to even seem like it's in the same league as anything else. It just didn't feel right to put it on this kind of a list, but rest assured, it's a classic of the highest order. Truth be told, I had never actually seen the new version of it until just now... wow, that's how long ago I gave up on the show (somewhere soon after season 10).
Buffy: I love this intro, but rotating clips from the show just don't equal "classic title sequence" in my book. It is one that I watch basically every time though, so maybe it deserves a higher spot.
Angel: A very different approach than the title credits for Buffy, but it totally works with Angel's brooding and whatnot. More serious, more subdued. Upon first seeing them, I was a little underwhelmed, but as the show continued, they seemed to work better and better.
Alias: Strange as it sounds, I almost put this one on my top ten. It's short, and has little more than text in terms of visuals, but it has always stuck with me. My friends and I used to watch the DVDs and we could put the fast-forward on half-speed so you could still hear the sound, just supped up. This intro sounds awesomely awesome that way, believe me.
Skins: Another close call, I truly adore this intro (or should I say "these intros"). It's more like a collage of images than anything else, but it totally works. It's different depending on who is at the center of the episode, however, so I couldn't really narrow it down to a single intro...
Covert Affairs: Well, this is far and away the newest show to grace this list, but it's definitely worthy. I'll be posting a little something more substantial about this show in a few days, but as a quick note, this show has gotten considerably better since the pilot. I wasn't bowled over by the premiere, but subsequent episodes have actually been really good. It's not perfect or anything, but I find myself looking forward to it week-to-week, which was an unexpected, yet delightful turn. USA shows often follow this trajectory though, so it came mostly as a shock because of Piper Perabo. She's doing a much better job than I would have expected and I'm really starting to dig the show. Also to its credit, the intro is pretty slick. It's kind of Man Men/Sin City-ish and sets a nice tone for the show. I had initially feared that it would be too light and frivolous, but it's actually quite grounded and the smooth intro helps keep it that way.
Doctor Who: I'm a neophyte to the world of Dr. Who (having only begun really watching the show with the newest doctor (and a smattering of the David Tennant years)), but I really love this intro. I've been meaning to get the theme as my ring tone, but that would involve, you know, effort...
Lost: For being only a few seconds long, it does a surprisingly good job telling you exactly what the show is all about. The word "Lost" flying through darkness. Yep, that's about it.
Teen Titans: Man alive, I used to love this show. And I especially love the intro. While both the English and Japanese versions have their charms (I have a slightly easier time singing along to the English version), but the Japanese version wins out overall.
Batman: The Animated Series: Yet another throwback for me, this little kiddie show has a surprisingly good intro. As a child, I really appreciated that the images were timed to the music so well. It's also quite a bit darker than you'd expect for a children's program and had kind of a vintage noir feel to it that I always enjoyed.
Lie to Me: I honestly don't know why I enjoy this intro as much as I do, but for whatever reason, I end up watching it just about every time. It's a mid-level show, so I'm a little surprised at how much I like the title sequence. Especially back when the show first started, it was the best part.
Psych: Gotta love this one. It's a fun song for a fun show. It sets the mood perfectly, and is tweaked on regular occasion to suit the storyline of the week with different fonts, images, and even different versions of the theme song itself. This intro always gets me in the mood for the show and always has me singing along... sometimes for several days afterward... to an annoying extent...
Cowboy Bebop: I have honestly never seen this show and would never have even thought to have put it on my list, but I came across it on another top ten and have to admit, it's pretty badass. It makes me want to give the show a chance.
I love a good title sequence. For the best of the best, I watch it, in its entirety, almost every time I watch an episode. A proper opener should set the tone for the show. For me, it acts as a sort of palate cleanser that washes away the residue left by the previous show, and gets me ready for the next course. Even though a good number of them actually appear after the cold open (or teaser scene of the episode), they still have the same effect. A title sequence should suck you in and put you in the proper state of mind for the show. The very best among them are works of art unto themselves (which is why I haven't really included intros that have rotating clips from the show).
Below are my top ten favorite title sequences. I've only included sequences for shows that I actually watch, so you'll notice some glaring omissions that I might not even be aware of. (I've tried to at least give a shout out to the awesome sequences from shows I don't watch, but I'm sure I've missed some... especially older shows.) After coming up with my basic list, I went online to see how my choices stacked up against others. There are quite a few that seem to grace just about every list out there, mine included. Now, I watch an obscene amount of TV, so narrowing this list down to ten was not easy. I was going to put these in order of awesomeness, but I had a hard enough time winnowing them down at all, let alone ranking them.
So, without further ado, here are my top ten favorites (for various, often totally unjustifiable reasons) in no particular order:
DEXTER
This title sequence made just about every list I came across, and with good reason. It's a work of art unto itself. It's more like a short film than a title sequence. It sets the tone for the show perfectly and points to the not-everything-is-as-it-seems nature of the show perfectly. Dexter appears to be your average, everyday nobody, but there's a lot more to him than that. Even the little things of a morning routine can point to something much more sinister. I watch the into, in its entirety, almost every single time.
SIX FEET UNDER
Another popular choice, this title sequence was created by Digital Kitchen, the masterminds behind several other intros on this list, including the aforementioned Dexter, and the soon to be mentioned True Blood. I only made it through about a season of Six Feet Under (it's still on my list, but other shows kind of took over), but this title sequence has always stayed with me. It's dark and sobering and beautiful. It terms of setting tone, this sequence captures the gravity of the show with miraculous aplomb.
TRUE BLOOD
After six seasons of the heaviness of Six Feet Under, Alan Ball decided to go in a VERY different direction with the tawdry, bawdy, overripe, over-indulgent supernatural-fest True Blood. The true unifying element? The awesomeness of the title sequence and the fact that Digital Kitchen was at the helm. The title sequence and song capture the south awesomely and set the stage for all the craziness the show has to offer. I love that right after the teaser scene of the episode, we cut to the ever-familiar catfish (or whatever it is) plumbing the murky depths of a swamp at the beginning of the sequence. The intro is subtle, but over the top at the same time, showcasing some fundamentally southern elements, and interlacing them with salacious innuendo. And, if you can find me someone who hasn't been stuck on that song at some point, I owe you a cookie.
SOUTHLAND
This show didn't really grab me in its first season, but it really seemed to find its footing in the second. Even in the early days though, when I wasn't all that enamored of it, I always loved the title sequence. It's still my favorite part of the show. It's slick and eerie and menacing and I end up watching it every time. It genuinely gets me excited for the show, just like a good intro should. The music is really powerful (and quite beautiful, really) and when tied to the sepia-toned archive photos of past crimes and policemen, it really sets a stage. In all honesty, it's the kind of intro that I would expect for a slightly different kind of cop show, but it works for Southland as well. It's gritty and dark and classic.
DEAD LIKE ME
This is one of those shows that you hate having to describe to people because it just sounds completely ridiculous on paper. It's got a lot of stuff going on a million different levels and in juxtaposing narrative tones that makes it nigh-impossible to do it justice. Such a show deserves an equally inexplicable opening, and this intro delivers. It's bizarre and absurd, dark and light, funny and off-putting, chock full of the ridiculous and the mundane, all at the same time. Just like the show. Perfect. (In related news... God, I miss this show...) :(
MAD MEN
I've honestly only ever seen a few episodes of Mad Men (it's all in my Netflix queue, I swear it), but I've loved the intro since my very first exposure to it. It's classic and classy and I love it. It has a Hitchcockian Vertigo vibe to it that I really dig and there something about the black animated figures on the colored background that smacks of Sin City's aesthetic (which I also totally dig). It's subtle and smooth, but still packs a punch. It's also short. While I love a good intro, I don't need it to be 3 minutes long, thanks. Update: Yeah, apparently all the youtube clips have been disabled for embedding on this one, but you can see it here.
RESCUE ME
I didn't get into Rescue Me on the ground floor and ended up just watching a random episode one day. I didn't know if it would be a keeper or not, but seeing the intro made me really hope it was a keeper. The song is frenetic and raw and taps into the firefighter experience perfectly. The shots of New York City, smoke imagery, scenes of the firehouse, and the overall pacing from the slow build up to the race to the fire really puts the viewer in the right frame of mind for the show. I don't know why, but the scene of the fireman walking at normal speed for a microsecond then switching to slow motion is one of the most memorable for me. This is yet another song that will get stuck in you head. Especially when you've casually added it to your iPod...
FIREFLY
My dear, darling, departed Firefly... I couldn't not include it in the list. How do you craft an opening credit sequence for a show that is quite literally a Western in space? This is how. I hear that Joss got a lot of flack for this one, mainly due to the song, but I happen to think its absolutely perfect. There's a solemnity and earthiness to the song that pairs surprisingly well with the otherworldly nature of the show and the basic story arc. The bulk of the visuals are indeed clips from the show (which I've largely shied away from), but when it all comes together, the song, the text style, and the images really paint a picture of what this show has to offer. Sorry, had to offer... Yup, still bitter...
CHUCK
It's a nerdy, cheeky blend of Catch Me If You Can, James Bond, and the sounds of my wayward teenage years, and I love it. What better way to set up a show that's equal parts comic-con and spy thriller? For a goofy show, it's a very well-produced, slick intro that totally works for the show. It's got elements of everything and finds a nice balance of sneaky and geeky. It also happens to be a show that I adore, so that helps it endear it to me in the long run. Plus, when was the last time you heard anything from Cake? No, no, besides here?
WEEDS
I only just finished the first season of Weeds, so I'm late to the game, but I'm quick to appreciate this title sequence. This song is simply beyond awesome and it captures the suburbs in a deceptively cutting way. It's the kind of song I'm happy to get stuck on all day because it skewers the yuppification of America in the jauntiest of possible ways. The images of carbon copies jogging around their affluent boxes dotting the hillside... perfect. This is a fantastically quirky show and the intro manages to do it fully justice. After watching it, I, too, want to sell pot. Or smoke it. In a good way. Update: And yet again, embedding has been disabled for this one, so go here.
-----Honorable Mentions-----
There are a lot of intros that I love, but that for whatever reason, couldn't rationalize putting on the full list. I didn't include animated favorites because they really seem to fall into a different category in my head. For whatever reason, they're the kind of intros that you always watch every time because they just seem to be part of the show... or something. I don't know why, but my head is drawing a distinction, and that's why they weren't included above. Others that are listed as "Honorable Mentions" didn't make the list because they are for shows that I don't adore or that have a great song, but weak visuals, or vice versa. I really had a hell of a time paring down my list and even now, as I'm putting together my runners-up, I'm thinking maybe I should have swapped some of them out... Anyway, here are the peeps that just didn't quite make the list (the titles are hyperlinked to a youtube video of the intro, in case you're unfamiliar with it).
The Simpsons: I think I've just seem this one too many times for it to even seem like it's in the same league as anything else. It just didn't feel right to put it on this kind of a list, but rest assured, it's a classic of the highest order. Truth be told, I had never actually seen the new version of it until just now... wow, that's how long ago I gave up on the show (somewhere soon after season 10).
Buffy: I love this intro, but rotating clips from the show just don't equal "classic title sequence" in my book. It is one that I watch basically every time though, so maybe it deserves a higher spot.
Angel: A very different approach than the title credits for Buffy, but it totally works with Angel's brooding and whatnot. More serious, more subdued. Upon first seeing them, I was a little underwhelmed, but as the show continued, they seemed to work better and better.
Alias: Strange as it sounds, I almost put this one on my top ten. It's short, and has little more than text in terms of visuals, but it has always stuck with me. My friends and I used to watch the DVDs and we could put the fast-forward on half-speed so you could still hear the sound, just supped up. This intro sounds awesomely awesome that way, believe me.
Skins: Another close call, I truly adore this intro (or should I say "these intros"). It's more like a collage of images than anything else, but it totally works. It's different depending on who is at the center of the episode, however, so I couldn't really narrow it down to a single intro...
Covert Affairs: Well, this is far and away the newest show to grace this list, but it's definitely worthy. I'll be posting a little something more substantial about this show in a few days, but as a quick note, this show has gotten considerably better since the pilot. I wasn't bowled over by the premiere, but subsequent episodes have actually been really good. It's not perfect or anything, but I find myself looking forward to it week-to-week, which was an unexpected, yet delightful turn. USA shows often follow this trajectory though, so it came mostly as a shock because of Piper Perabo. She's doing a much better job than I would have expected and I'm really starting to dig the show. Also to its credit, the intro is pretty slick. It's kind of Man Men/Sin City-ish and sets a nice tone for the show. I had initially feared that it would be too light and frivolous, but it's actually quite grounded and the smooth intro helps keep it that way.
Doctor Who: I'm a neophyte to the world of Dr. Who (having only begun really watching the show with the newest doctor (and a smattering of the David Tennant years)), but I really love this intro. I've been meaning to get the theme as my ring tone, but that would involve, you know, effort...
Lost: For being only a few seconds long, it does a surprisingly good job telling you exactly what the show is all about. The word "Lost" flying through darkness. Yep, that's about it.
Teen Titans: Man alive, I used to love this show. And I especially love the intro. While both the English and Japanese versions have their charms (I have a slightly easier time singing along to the English version), but the Japanese version wins out overall.
Batman: The Animated Series: Yet another throwback for me, this little kiddie show has a surprisingly good intro. As a child, I really appreciated that the images were timed to the music so well. It's also quite a bit darker than you'd expect for a children's program and had kind of a vintage noir feel to it that I always enjoyed.
Lie to Me: I honestly don't know why I enjoy this intro as much as I do, but for whatever reason, I end up watching it just about every time. It's a mid-level show, so I'm a little surprised at how much I like the title sequence. Especially back when the show first started, it was the best part.
Psych: Gotta love this one. It's a fun song for a fun show. It sets the mood perfectly, and is tweaked on regular occasion to suit the storyline of the week with different fonts, images, and even different versions of the theme song itself. This intro always gets me in the mood for the show and always has me singing along... sometimes for several days afterward... to an annoying extent...
Cowboy Bebop: I have honestly never seen this show and would never have even thought to have put it on my list, but I came across it on another top ten and have to admit, it's pretty badass. It makes me want to give the show a chance.
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