Benjamonster's TV

HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN Starring: David Hornsby, Kevin Dillon, Dave Foley, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Rhys Darby, Nancy Lenehan Created by David Hornsby Written by David Hornsby, Directed by Pamela Fryman How to Be a Gentleman is a new CBS sitcom that seems to be a throwback to past sitcoms... but not the good old sitcoms, no this is a throwback to the generic crap the networks churned out year after year in the late 1990s. Gentleman is about snooty etiquette columnist Andrew Carlson (David Hornsby) whose magazine is going for a hipper vibe. He enlists the help of a former high school classmate Bert (Kevin Dillon) who used to beat him up and is the opposite of him in every way. Yes, it's another Odd Couple spin on the sitcom. Rounding out the cast is Andrew's boss Jerry (Dave Foley), sister Janet (Mary Lynn Rajskub), brother-in-law Mike (Rhys Darby), and mother Diane (Nancy Lenehan). THE GOOD: Um, this might be the shortest "The Good" section I've written y...

ABC 8:00 Charlie's Angels Viewers: 7.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5 9:00 Grey's Anatomy Viewers: 10.2 million, 18-49 demo: 3.6 10:00 Private Practice Viewers: 7.8 million, 18-49 demo: 2.8 CBS   8:00 The Big Bang Theory Viewers: 14.7 million, 18-49 demo: 4.9 8:30 How to Be a Gentleman Viewers: 9.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7 9:00 Person of Interest Viewers: 12.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7 10:00 The Mentalist Viewers: 12.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6 NBC 8:00 Community Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8 8:30 Parks and Recreation Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1 9:00 The Office Viewers: 6.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.5 9:30 Whitney Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5 10:00 Prime Suspect Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5 FOX 8:00 The X-Factor Viewers: 12.2 million, 18-49 demo: 3.9 The former top night of TV is turning into concerning issues on all networks. CBS started very strong though where The Big Bang Theory was up four tenths in viewers and e...

ABC 8:00 The Middle Viewers: 8.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7 8:30 Suburgatory Viewers: 9.8 million, 18-49 demo: 3.3 9:00 Modern Family Viewers: 13.5 million, 18-49 demo: 5.7 9:30 Happy Endings Viewers: 7.3 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1 10:00 Revenge Viewers: 8.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7 CBS 8:00 Survivor Viewers: 10.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.2 9:00 Criminal Minds Viewers: 12.6 million, 18-49 demo: 3.6 10:00 CSI Viewers: 11.8 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1 NBC 8:00 Up All Night Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1 8:30 Free Agents Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0 9:00 Harry's Law Viewers: 7.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2 10:00 Law & Order: SVU Viewers: 7.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1 FOX 8:00 The X-Factor Viewers: 11.9 million, 18-49 demo: 4.1 ABC had a solid showing on Wednesday night with strong numbers for a series premiere. But first at 8pm, The Middle was down a million viewers and four tenths in the demo from last week's one hour premiere. This is not...

SUBURGATORY Starring: Jeremy Sisto, Jane Levy, Carly Chaikin, Allie Grant, with Alan Tudyk, and Cheryl Hines Created by Emily Kapnek Written by Emily Kapnek, Directed by Michael Fresco Suburgatory is a new sitcom on ABC that is the perfect bridge between two single camera comedy hits. Set in the suburbs outside New York City, the show has a Mean Girls feel as it is about teen Tessa Altman (Jane Levy) and her father George (Jeremy Sisto) who move to the suburbs when her Dad freaks out about finding condoms in her drawer. She sees that the suburbs are a superficial world that she doesn't think she'll ever fit into. Also in the cast is suburb teen queen Dalia (Carly Chaikin) and her equally superficial mother (Cheryl Hines). There's also a potential friend for Tessa in Lisa (Allie Grant) and her Dad's old friend Noah (Alan Tudyk). THE GOOD: There's a lot to like about this quirky comedy that already has a clear voice and style after one episode. The l...

ABC 8:00 Dancing with the Stars Recap Viewers: 9.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9 9:00 Dancing with the Stars Results Viewers: 14.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.9 10:00 Body of Proof Viewers: 9.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8 CBS 8:00 NCIS Viewers: 19.5 million, 18-49 demo: 4.2 9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles Viewers: 16.3 million, 18-49 demo: 3.6 10:00 Unforgettable Viewers: 12.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5 NBC 8:00 The Biggest Loser Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3 10:00 Parenthood Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2 FOX 8:00 Glee Viewers: 8.6 million, 18-49 demo: 3.7 9:00 New Girl Viewers: 9.3 million, 18-49 demo: 4.5 9:30 Raising Hope Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.9 On the second Tuesday of the season, CBS's crime dramas had another great night. NCIS was off just half a million viewers and a tenth in the demo from its big debut last week while spinoff NCIS: Los Angeles was down just four tenths in viewers and even in the demo. After two weeks, it looks like NCIS...

Well that didn't take long. Before the ax swings on any new show, FOX has already ordered a full season for its breakout comedy hit New Girl . The Zooey Deschanel comedy has been a big surprise in its two airings so far as it has built on its lead-in Glee by a large margin. It debuted with a powerful 4.8 demo last week and only slipped to a 4.5 demo this week, which is a great hold for the second episode. FOX is notorious for giving full season orders early but this is earlier than usual. Last year, they gave Raising Hope a very early full season only to see the ratings slip badly (though the show was renewed). New Girl has had mostly good reception from viewers and seems to be a self starter with Glee slipping this year. I watched the first episode, check out the review here . I haven't gotten to the second episode yet. New Girl is the biggest success story for FOX so far this fall which has included underwhelming debuts for The X-Factor and Terra Nova as well as a major ...

ABC 8:00 Dancing with the Stars Viewers: 16.2 million, 18-49 demo: 3.3 10:00 Castle Viewers: 11.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1 CBS 8:00 How I Met Your Mother Viewers: 10.5 million, 18-49 demo: 4.5 8:30 2 Broke Girls Viewers: 11.8 million, 18-49 demo: 4.6 9:00 Two and a Half Men Viewers: 20.5 million, 18-49 demo: 7.4 9:30 Mike & Molly Viewers: 13.9 million, 18-49 demo: 4.8 10:00 Hawaii Five-0 Viewers: 11.3 million, 18-49 demo: 3.3 NBC 8:00 The Sing Off Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7 10:00 The Playboy Club Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3 FOX 8:00 Terra Nova Viewers: 9.2 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1 FOX kicked off the second week of the season with the highly anticipated Terra Nova . The expensive, CGI-filled drama with executive producer Steven Spielberg arrived with solid but not spectacular numbers. It couldn't reach 10 million viewers and was on the low end of the demo on networks not named NBC. This has to be considered a disappointing debut f...

TERRA NOVA Starring: Jason O'Mara, Shelley Conn, Christine Adams, Allison Miller, Landon Liboiron, Naomi Scott, Mido Hamada, Alana Monsour, and Stephen Lang Created by Kelly Marcel and Craig Silverstein Written by Craig Silverstein, Kelly Marcel, Brannon Braga, and David Fury, Directed by Alex Graves Terra Nova is a big budget extravaganza from FOX that has been years in the making and delayed many times. The CGI is pretty cool and unlike any other drama on network TV but the story is also quite intriguing making for a promising show. It centers on the world in 2149 that is on the verge of destruction and the quest to go fix the mistakes made by traveling 85 million years to the past. Terra Nova is led by Nathaniel Taylor (Stephen Lang) and the main protagonists are the Shannon family - Dad Jim (Jason O'Mara) escaped from prison to join his family, Mom Elisabeth (Shelley Conn) is a brilliant surgeon recruited for Terra Nova. Their kids are rebellious son Josh (L...

ABC 7:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3 8:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Viewers: 8.8 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3 9:00 Desperate Housewives Viewers: 9.9 million, 18-49 demo: 3.2 10:00 Pan Am Viewers: 11.1 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1 CBS 7:00 60 Minutes Viewers: 12.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3 8:00 The Amazing Race Viewers: 10.2 million, 18-49 demo: 3.0 9:00 The Good Wife Viewers: 10.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2 10:00 CSI: Miami Viewers: 9.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3 NBC 7:00 Football Night in America Viewers: 5.8 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3 8:00 NFL Pregame Viewers: 12.0 million, 18-49 demo: 4.6 8:30 Sunday Night Football Viewers: 20.4 million, 18-49 demo: 8.3 FOX 7:00 NFL Overrun Viewers: 24.0 million, 18-49 demo: 9.4 7:30 The OT Viewers: 12.2 million, 18-49 demo: 5.3 8:00 The Simpsons Viewers: 8.1 million, 18-49 demo: 3.9 8:30 The Cleveland Show Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1 9:00 Family Guy Viewers: 7.7 million,...

PAN AM Starring: Christina Ricci, Margot Robbie, Michael Mosley, Karine Vanasse, with Mike Vogel, and Kelli Garner Created by Jack Orman Written by Jack Orman, Directed by Thomas Schlamme Pan Am is a glossy new period drama set during the Jet Age in the 1960s. Of the two new 1960s dramas on network TV this fall, it was the more anticipated show compared to The Playboy Club and with good reason but there are still some issues it needs to work through. The show centers on four stewardesses (Christina Ricci, Margot Robbie, Karine Vanasse, and Kelli Garner) who get to travel all around the world. Also in the cast are two pilots (Michael Mosley and Mike Vogel). THE GOOD: As expected, Pan Am is beautifully produced. It captures the glamor and class of what it was like to fly back in the 60s. The entire look of the show paints a beautiful picture of a bygone era. The orchestration and songs used further enhance the mood of the show. The best part of this show is going to be a...

A GIFTED MAN Starring: Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Ehle, Margo Martindale, Pablo Schreiber Created by Susannah Grant Written by Susannah Grant, Directed by Jonathan Demme A Gifted Man is a new drama on CBS that's a mix between the medical genre and the supernatural genre. It has a bit of a gimmick to it but its actually one of the more well-crafted new dramas. It centers on rich and talented neurosurgeon Michael Holt (Patrick Wilson) who is visited by his dead ex-wife (Jennifer Ehle). Rounding out the cast is Holt's secretary (Margo Martindale) and a shaman (Pablo Schreiber) who tries to help Holt understand his visions. THE GOOD: This is one of the stronger character dramas of the fall season so far. The acting is good and Patrick Wilson is a standout as Michael Holt. His balancing act between brilliant yet arrogant surgeon to the scared and confused man having visions is well acted. The stories in the pilot were good too - from the family in the clinic who Holt ...

PRIME SUSPECT Starring: Maria Bello, Brian F. O'Byrne, Kirk Acevedo, Peter Gerety, Tim Griffin, Damon Gupton, Kenny Johnson, Joe Nieves, and Aidan Quinn Based on the British series "Prime Suspect", Developed by Alexandra Cunningham Written by Alexandra Cunningham, Directed by Peter Berg Prime Suspect is a new remake on NBC of an iconic 1980s British series of the same name starring Helen Mirren. It has a similar plot: female homicide detective Jane Timoney (Maria Bello) finds herself an outcast in the boys club of the department. Many critics have said this is an outdated plot and to some degree, they're right but there's still things to like in this show. Rounding out the main cast includes her boss (Aidan Quinn), father (Peter Gerety), and boyfriend (Kenny Johnson) as well as many co-workers. THE GOOD: Maria Bello has a lot of strong points in the pilot. She is a take-charge woman and that shows from the very first scene in the taxi. I was s...

PERSON OF INTEREST Starring: Jim Caveizel, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Chapman, and Michael Emerson Created by Jonathan Nolan Written by Jonathan Nolan, Directed by David Semel Person of Interest is a new thriller on CBS that takes the place of the long-standing CSI as CBS's tentpole Thursday show. It has all the elements of being a great show but didn't have it all put together in the pilot. It takes place in a paranoid post-9/11 world in New York City where mysterious billionaire Mr. Finch (Michael Emerson) enlists the help of former CIA agent John Reese (Jim Caveizel) to stop crimes before they happen by finding out the name of someone who will be involved. Also in the cast is a cop (Taraji P. Henson) trying to find Reese and another cop (Kevin Chapman) who is blackmailed into helping Reese. THE GOOD: There are a lot of elements here that can make this show a terrific series. The setting is a grim and dark version of New York City and the pilot does a great job ...

ABC   8:00 College Football Viewers: 6.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3 CBS 8:00 Person of Interest (Repeat) Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9 9:00 Unforgettable (Repeat) Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0 10:00 48 Hours Mystery Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2 NBC 8:00 Harry's Law (Repeat) Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6 9:00 Prime Suspect (Repeat) Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7 10:00 Law & Order: SVU (Repeat) Viewers: 4.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8 FOX   8:00 Cops Viewers: 3.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0 8:30 Cops (Repeat) Viewers: 3.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1 9:00 American Dad! (Repeat) Viewers: 1.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8 9:30 The Cleveland Show (Repeat) Viewers: 1.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

This is a new feature on the blog that will appear every Saturday. Just a brief rundown of who should be smiling and who might be in trouble after the week of TV. It will be brief but gives you something to read on a quiet Saturday. Yes, I am ripping this idea off of TIME Magazine but oh well. Enjoy! GOOD WEEK: SITCOMS It was a great week for a genre that was struggling badly just a few years ago. It started off on a bang on Monday night when Two and a Half Men posted numbers unheard of in recent years for scripted TV (28.7 million viewers, 10.7 demo) and lead-out 2 Broke Girls had the best numbers for a sitcom premiere since 2001 (19.4 million viewers, 7.1 demo). But it didn't stop there. How I Met Your Mother, The Middle, Modern Family, and The Big Bang Theory were up from last year's premieres. Also, new show New Girl built from lead-in Glee to a 4.8 demo, Raising Hope posted its best numbers in awhile, Up All Night managed better than expected numbers in its second week...

WHITNEY Starring: Whitney Cummings, Chris D'Elia, Rhea Seehorn, Zoe Lister-Jones, Maulik Pancholy, Dan O'Brien Created by Whitney Cummings Written by Whitney Cummings, Directed by Andy Ackerman Whitney is a new comedy on NBC that feels like a 1990s sitcom with a live studio audience (as they proudly declare at the credits). It was promoted regularly throughout the summer which took a lot of the unknown out of the pilot episode. It is based on Whitney Cummings' life and comedy routine and features Cummings and Chris D'Elia as a committed couple that is not interested in marriage at this point. Rounding out the cast in true sitcom fashion is their wacky set of friends including Neal and Lily (Maulik Pancholy and Zoe Lister-Jones) who are still in the honeymoon phase, the cynical divorcee Roxanne (Rhea Seehorn), and the womanizing cop Mark (Dan O'Brien). THE GOOD: Well, it's not a terrible thing to have an old fashioned sitcom back on Thursday nigh...

ABC   8:00 Modern Family (Repeat) Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0 8:30 Modern Family (Repeat) Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1   9:00 Revenge (Repeat) Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1 10:00 20/20 Viewers: 3.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0 CBS 8:00 A Gifted Man Viewers: 9.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4 9:00 CSI: NY  Viewers: 10.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8 10:00 Blue Bloods Viewers: 12.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0 NBC 8:00 Up All Night (Repeat) Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8 8:30 Whitney (Repeat) Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9 9:00 Dateline NBC Viewers: 7.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0 FOX 8:00 Kitchen Nightmares Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6 9:00 Fringe Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5   CBS was the network to watch on Friday nights where the demos were skewing old as expected but total viewer count was ok. The series premiere of A Gifted Man got a pretty good sampling of viewers but skewed very old. The dem...

CHARLIE'S ANGELS Starring: Annie Ilonzeh, Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor, and Ramon Rodriguez Created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts Written by Alfred Gough and Miles Marner, Directed by Marcos Siega Charlie's Angels is the flashy new remake of the hit 1970s series and popular 2000s movies. Like so many remakes, it aims to be bigger and better. I never watched the original show and have never seen the movies so I don't have anything to compare it to, but my guess is that the flashiness is stronger but the heart and quality may be lacking. That seems to be the case with such remakes. It centers on two "angels" who are former bad girls (Annie Ilonzeh and Rachael Taylor) who work for the unseen Charlie Townsend to catch criminals. When their third angel is murdered, they team up with her childhood friend (Minka Kelly) who becomes a new angel. Also in the cast is tech guy Bosley (Ramon Rodriguez). THE GOOD: Well it's not the next Emmy Award winner for ...