Skip to main content

QUICK HITS: Thursday, February 7

Midseason means... some shows are phased out of my weekly lineup and other shows join. I am completely hooked on The Following and I am sticking with Smash for now as well as the surprising 1600 Penn (see below). Getting the boot so far is Vegas, which I have finally given up on. FOX was also able to make a bubble decision for me by cancelling Ben and Kate.

I'm surprised that I enjoy... 1600 Penn. I gave a lukewarm review to the pilot but I have stuck with this show and I enjoy it  much more now. I found Josh Gad extremely annoying in the pilot but he has become much more endearing. The characters are finding themselves and it's funnier than you might think. I'm not completely attached though and its ratings show that I shouldn't be.

But the best new show at midseason is... The Following. This show has not disappointed. It is a truly thrilling show on broadcast TV and it has an excellent story to tell. I hope the intensity and quality keeps up.

My Top 5 Comedies and Dramas so far for THIS season only (ignoring past seasons)...
Comedies:
1. New Girl
2. Parks and Recreation
3. The Middle
4. Modern Family
5. Go On

Dramas
1. Scandal
2. Person of Interest
3. The Following
4. Chicago Fire
5. Criminal Minds

Looking ahead to next year... Pilots are all over the news as most have been picked up at this point (see a complete list here) and the casting process is underway. It is incredibly early and so much still needs to be settled but here are the 10 most promising I see right now:

1) How the Hell Am I Normal? (ABC, single cam comedy) - A family comedy set in the 1980s is a unique idea and there are some good people involved. It might be a nice companion with The Middle.

2) About a Boy (NBC, single cam comedy) - After Friday Night Lights and Parenthood, I get excited every time I see Jason Katims' name attached to something. This is no different.

3) Gothica (ABC, drama) - Sounds like a darker version of Once Upon a Time, which might be a very interesting show.

4) Crazy Ones (CBS, single cam comedy) - Robin Williams coming back to a series for the first time since Mork & Mindy is certainly intriguing. If they can keep him under control and not completely insane on camera, it could be really fun.

5) Boomerang (FOX, drama) - It's a drama about a family of assassins which sounds like a very thrilling concept with a lot of action.

6) Brenda Forever (NBC, single cam comedy) - I like the premise of this show before any casting happened. Now with Elle Kemper attached, I'm even more hopeful.

7) The Surgeon General (CBS, drama) - There isn't much to this yet but I like the premise and a dynamic casting in the lead role could make this a winner.

8) Untitled Michael J. Fox Comedy (NBC, single cam comedy) - Already ordered to series and I can see why. Who doesn't love Michael J. Fox?

9) Untitled Dan Goor/Mike Schur Comedy (FOX, comedy) - I've never been a fan of police comedies but I really like Andy Samberg and I think this could be really good if the writing is good.

10) Murder in Manhattan (ABC, dramedy) - It seems like it's been a long time since there's been a lighthearted crime show on TV (like Monk) and this might be that show.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

SEASON IN REVIEW: 2017-18 Miscellaneous Awards

As usual, I am ending the season with a few miscellaneous awards. The blog will be quiet this summer but I will continue to do the week ahead posts with broadcast TV news as it happens this summer. Then I'll be back for previews, pilot reviews, and more in the fall! BEST RETURNING COMEDY Superstore (NBC) - Superstore was awarded my "Best Returning Comedy" last year, but it only got better in season three. The funniest ensemble on TV took another step forward with some truly hilarious moments (the season premiere, the Golden Globes party, and the Christmas episode to name a few) and some major plot points moving forward. It also has the potential to be surprisingly sentimental at times. I think back to the first year of the show and how I felt like it had so many funny elements but didn't always bring it completely together. Well now it does on a weekly basis and it is one of those shows that just seems to be in the sweet spot of what will hopefully be a long run. ...

EPISODE GUIDES: Happy Days Season Five (Part 1)

On Thursdays, I take a detailed and critical look at a TV show by season. Today I am looking at Season 5 (Part 1) of  Happy Days ! HAPPY DAYS: SEASON FIVE 1977-1978 27 episodes Season Five is the year where Fonzie infamously jumps the shark. It happens at the beginning of the season and while  Happy Days  does eventually decline in quality, it is not this season. In fact, this season graded out slightly higher than the previous season even though it doesn't feel as strong. I think that's because there's not a lot of outright stinkers in this season. It's a very solid season with the show continuing to hum along. There are some signs of the troubles to come but it doesn't happen on a regular basis in the fifth season. Starring Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham  (27 episodes) Henry Winkler as Arthur Fonzarelli  (27 episodes) Tom Bosley as Howard Cunningham  (27 episodes) Marion Ross as Marion Cunningham  (27 episodes) Anson Williams as Potsie Webber  ...

EPISODE GUIDES: That 70s Show Season Seven

On Thursdays, I go through classic series with a critical look at each season. Today I am looking at Season Seven of  That 70s Show ! THAT 70s SHOW: SEASON SEVEN 2004-2005 25 episodes The seventh season of  That 70s Show  is the final season with Topher Grace as a series regular and also the final full season for Ashton Kutcher. Despite still having both of those cast member, the show finds itself flailing especially with Topher Grace's Eric, who is stuck in a terrible arc for most of the season. The show also brings many characters back at one point or another but everything just feels tired. This season actually graded out the worst for me. Even worse than the often maligned final season (more on that next week). Every title this season is named for a Rolling Stones song. Starring Topher Grace as Eric Forman  (25 episodes) Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart  (25 episodes) Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso  (25 episodes) Danny Masterson as Steven Hyde  (25 e...