PILOT REVIEW: Marvel's Inhumans

MARVEL'S INHUMANS

Starring: Anson Mount, Serinda Swan, Ken Leung, Eme Ikwuakor, Isabelle Cornish, Ellen Woglom, and Iwan Rheon

Based on the Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Created for Television by Scott Buck
Written by Scott Buck, Directed by Roel Reine

THE PREMISE
Marvel's Inhumans is the newest Marvel show and based on the Inhuman Royal Family of Atillan. The Inhumans fear the real humans finding their hidden location and the first episode deals with a coup and the relocation of the Inhumans to Hawaii. Black Bolt (Anson Mount) is the King of Atillan and married to Medusa (Serinda Swan). Black Bolt's brother Maximus (Iwan Rheon) has lost his Inhuman gene and is the black sheep of the family. Rounding out the main cast are Black Bolt's cousin and adviser, Karnak (Ken Leung), another cousin and leader of the Royal Guard, Gorgon (Eme Ikwuakor), and Medusa's sister Crystal (Isabelle Cornish).

THE REVIEW
Although I'm aware of how new shows are being reviewed, I try to go in with an open mind. I find that more often than not, I agree with the consensus of reviewers but there have been notable exceptions on both ends of the spectrum.I have to admit I was pretty much dreading this pilot because I don't like even the best Marvel shows and this is, by most accounts, the worst Marvel show so far. And it was quite a slog to get through.

I only watched the first hour of the two hour premiere since it was technically two episodes. And I don't think I could have gotten through a second episode. It wasn't the worst thing I've ever seen but it was just dumb. There was bad acting, poor special effects, and an overly dramatic way of storytelling. Yet it also felt like nothing really happened. I felt like half the episode was Maximus trying to convince the Inhumans they needed to go to Earth.

On top of that, the music was melodramatic through the show and there was a humorous number of slow motion moments for extra dramatic effect. Subtlety and wittiness were nowhere to be found in this pilot. The performances by the actors were just nothing. I think they were dealt a weak hand and they couldn't find anyway to elevate the material. I'm not a Marvel fan but I know they're generally known for quality work. It's a little surprising that they would be behind such a weak effort all the way around.

WILL I WATCH IT AGAIN?
Nope. This would have had to be a great show to overcome by anti-superhero/sci-fi bias. And it's definitely not that.

PILOT REVIEW: SEAL Team

SEAL TEAM

Starring: David Boreanaz, Max Thieriot, Jessica Pare, Neil Brown Jr., AJ Buckley, Toni Trucks

Created by Benjamin Cavell
Written by Benjamin Cavell, Directed by Christopher Chulack

THE PREMISE
SEAL Team is the second of three military dramas premiering this fall and this one brings David Boreanaz back to TV after his long run on Bones ended last fall. Boreanaz plays Jason Hayes, a Navy SEAL who takes on very dangerous missions at a moment's notice. He works with his main team including Ray and Sonny (Neil Brown Jr. and AJ Buckley) in the field as well as newcomer Clay Spenser (Max Thieriot). Rounding out the main cast is CIA analyst Mandy Ells (Jessica Pare) and Logistics Officer Lisa Davis (Toni Trucks).

THE REVIEW
The first thing I thought upon finishing the pilot episode of SEAL Team was "two military shows down, one to go." That's not a ringing endorsement of this show. I already mentioned that I am generally not interested in military dramas, but I think a well done show can transcend almost any genre. This was not that show, but that's not too surprising because it's on a network that doesn't like to take chances and this really feels like a CBS drama through and through, albeit with a bit more action thanks to its military theme.

SEAL Team has accomplished a couple strong performers. Boreanaz has a natural ease about him and is a TV drama veteran. Max Thieriot and Jessica Pare are coming off of two of my favorite shows (Bates Motel and Mad Men) so there is definitely some solid experience here. But Thieriot, Pare, and even Boreanaz cannot overcome the mundane plot and dialogue. They do everything fine but there's nothing that pops about their performances. Do I believe them in these roles? Yes I do. Do I care about them in these roles? No I do not.

The more I watch critically acclaimed dramas, the more I get annoyed by shows like this that aren't laughably bad by any means but they are excruciating in their lack of ambition. That's not to say every show needs an elaborate mythology or a unique premise. There can be brilliant cop or medical or even military dramas. But they have to look at something from a new angle, one way or another. They have to have a new story to tell. Shows like SEAL Team with heroic rescue missions, battle with home lives, and grizzled veterans dealing with hotshot newcomers are all tropes that have been done to death. SEAL Team is what it is and for me, that's not enough.

WILL I WATCH IT AGAIN?
No. I have one more military drama to watch - Valor when it premieres on the CW in a couple weeks and that will probably conclude my foray into that genre this year.

PILOT REVIEW: Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders

LAW & ORDER TRUE CRIME: THE MENENDEZ MURDERS

Starring: Edie Falco, Miles Gaston Villanueva, Gus Halper

Created by Rene Balcer
Written by Rene Balcer, Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter

THE PREMISE
Continuing America's obsession with true crime stories, the ultimate TV crime franchise has now expanded into the true crime realm with Law & Order's take on the infamous 1989 Menendez Brothers murder. Erik and Lyle Menendez (Gus Halper and Miles Gaston Villanueva) were convicted of killing their parents in a wealthy Beverly Hills neighborhood in a crime that captured the nation's attention before OJ. They were represented by notorious defense attorney Leslie Abramson (Edie Falco). Many other TV veterans pop up in guest star or recurring roles including Anthony Edwards, Josh Charles, Sam Jaeger, and Heather Graham.

THE REVIEW
This is one of those shows that I have difficulty with because I like it but I really don't think it's that good. But because I am a true crime junkie who would watch a Dateline on something like this, of course I'm going to be interested in a scripted series about it. It was a little jarring to see this wrapped in the Law & Order approach to storytelling and I understand it's from the same company, but it was a little weird to see it framed the same way an SVU story would start or including the famous "dun dun" at times.

The Menendez story is really such a tragedy. The performances here are passable. While she's no Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark, Edie Falco is enjoyable as Leslie Abramson and the show is smart to put its focus in her capable hands but the tricky thing was it was hard to incorporate her naturally into the pilot when they haven't even arrested the brothers. So they weren't able to use their ace in the hole all that much and it felt a little forced when they did. I also thought both the Menendez brothers actors were solid but not instantly captivating. There are many great actors recurring or guesting in this so the performances are enjoyable for the most part.

It is relevant to make comparisons to The People v. OJ Simpson because that is obviously what inspired this show and unfortunately, this show paled in comparison. The performances here were fine but not nearly as crisp and instantly iconic. This show is also set in 1990s California but it was not capable of evoking the era in the incredible ways that OJ did with its ambiance. Finally, there is just simply less in this case that can be extrapolated on to make commentary on society then or now. There just isn't the inherent racism or sexism undertones that made OJ such a social commentary. This trial was captivating for sure but not because of larger themes. So, maybe this show is in an unwinnable position by being inevitably compared to one of the decade's best shows but having source material that just can't measure up.

WILL I WATCH IT AGAIN?
Sigh... of course I am going to. I'll probably watch all 8 episodes. I'm not proud of it.

PILOT REVIEW: The Brave

THE BRAVE













Starring: Anne Heche, Mike Vogel, Tate Ellington, Demetrius Grosse, Natacha Karam, Noah Mills, Sofia Pernas, Hadi Tabbal

Created by Dean Georgaris
Written by Dean Georgaris, Directed by Brad Anderson

THE PREMISE
The Brave is the first of three military dramas premiering this fall on the broadcast networks and it is centered on two groups charged with keeping the US safe: defense intelligence agencies in Washington DC and the special ops forces on the ground. From the Washington DC end of things, the person in charge is Deputy Director Patricia Campbell (Anne Heche), who just lost her son in the line of duty. On the special ops side, the leader is Ground Force Commander Adam Dalton (Mike Vogel). The teams of both Campbell and Dalton include cultural specialists, a combat medic, the sniper, and more as they race against the clock to find an American hostage during the pilot episode.

THE REVIEW
Unlike last year's trend in the fall (time travel shows) which had me excited, I was pretty unenthusiastic about the military drama trend this fall. I've never been a big fan of military shows and The Brave didn't do anything to either transcend its drama or change my mind. Just as Young Sheldon is an ABC show on CBS, this is definitely a CBS show on NBC. It had all the elements of a procedural and that included mundane banter during serious operations, a lot of team chatting about the next plan, and very mild action that thinks its being more intense than it is.

The cast is serviceable here. I like Anne Heche and Mike Vogel and while they bring some experience to their respective roles, they don't do anything to elevate it above a typical procedural though I do think they have the capability to. None of the others in the cast were remotely memorable or distinguishable. I'm also just so tired of the middle eastern terrorist storylines in shows like this. I mean, it was heart pounding on 24 over a decade ago but it's just the same old, same old nowadays. There's very few things a show like this can do to set itself apart.

I'll be curious to see how this does with The Voice audience. I think NBC thinks they can just put any old random thriller after The Voice and things will work out. This will be a good test because boy can this be described as "any old random thriller." Shows like this are a slog to get through because they're not compelling but they're also not laughably bad. They just are what they are. I'll hope SEAL Team or Valor will be better, but I have my doubts.

WILL I WATCH IT AGAIN?
Doubtful. I also still wish this had stuck with its original title, For God and Country. Although The Brave is a more fitting boring title for a boring show.

PILOT REVIEW: The Good Doctor

THE GOOD DOCTOR

Starring: Freddie Highmore, Nicholas Gonzalez, Antonia Thomas, Chuku Modu, Beau Garrett, Irene Keng, with Hill Harper, and Richard Schiff

Created by David Shore
Based on the Korean Broadcast Television Series
Teleplay by David Shore, Directed by Seth Gordon

THE PREMISE
From the creator of the long running House comes another medical drama. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) is a resident pediatric surgeon at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. He also happens to have autism and savant syndrome, which leads to resistance from other doctors. In the pilot, Dr. Murphy has to perform emergency medical services after an accident at the airport while the President of the hospital and mentor to Shaun, Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff) tries to convince the skeptical board about him including the skeptical Dr. Anders (Hill Harper). Other main cast members include a doctor who immediately bonds with Shaun, Dr. Claire Browne (Antonia Thomas) and attending surgeon Dr. Neil Melendez (Nicholas Gonzalez).

THE REVIEW
I am still chugging through Bates Motel on Netflix so the plus side is that I was a huge fan of Freddie Highmore before even watching this show but the downside is its very hard for me to watch him and not think of Norman Bates. But Highmore is the reason to watch this show. Without him, it's a generic medical drama. With him, it becomes something much more than that. While I don't think the show totally "got" the autism/savant syndrome thing down in the pilot, Highmore is just such a compelling actor who can do so much with his eyes or the way he delivers a line.

With the notable exception of the always solid Richard Schiff, I did feel like scenes without Highmore were a little bit of a waste of time even including the flashbacks to a young Dr. Murphy. The show tried to be Grey's Anatomy for a hot second with doctors screwing in the closet and they did a whole lot of medical jargon as is expected (but not always necessary) for pretty much all medical dramas. The scene where Claire figured out the problem was almost laughable with its earnest explanation full of big doctor words. I don't really know why medical dramas do that because I feel like those in the medical field probably roll their eyes and those not in the medical field (like me) are just confused.

As for the show going forward, I wonder how often Dr. Murphy is going to be wrong. Will it be never? I hope the show will really explore all the sides of autism and as a special education teacher, I can tell you that sometimes it can be pretty rough. If they just always redeem the autism with the savant syndrome, it's not going to be a very believable or compelling show. They also need to work on building up the supporting characters, who are pretty much stock medical drama characters at this point.

WILL I WATCH IT AGAIN?
Yes, I want to see more of this but I must admit, it's going to take me awhile to watch Highmore and not worry that he's going to murder someone in the hospital especially as I work on finishing Bates Motel.

PILOT REVIEW: Me, Myself, and I

ME, MYSELF, AND I

Starring: Bobby Moynihan, Jack Dylan Grazer, Brian Unger, Jaleel White, Kelen Coleman, Christopher Paul Richards, Mandell Maughan, Skylar Gray, Reylynn Caster, with Sharon Lawrence, and John Larroquette

Created by Dan Kopelman
Written by Dan Kopelman, Directed by Randall Einhorn

THE PREMISE
A comedy with a bit of a This is Us premise, Me, Myself, & I is centered on the life of Alex Riley at three different stages: as a 14 year old (Jack Dylan Grazer) in 1991, as a 40 year old (Bobby Moynihan) in the present day, and as a 65 year old (John Larroquette) in 2042. With a huge cast for a sitcom thanks to the multiple time periods, there are many in Alex's life including his daughter, Abby (Skylar Gray as a kid, Kelen Coleman as an adult), and a childhood crush, Nori (Reylynn Caster), who he meets again as a senior citizen (Sharon Lawrence). Other cast members include business partner Darryl (Jaleel White) and step-brother Justin (Christopher Paul Richards).

THE REVIEW
Well, I absolutely love this concept. I think it is ambitious and creative. The pilot had some good moments but it is clear that this show is not there yet in terms of being able to put it all together. That's not surprising given a concept that is difficult to execute, especially in a 21 minute sitcom episode. I just wish it had been a little more sure of itself and less frenetic but I'm still hopeful it can get there.

One reason I'm hopeful it can get there is there is a strong cast. So far of the three Alex Rileys, I like Bobby Moynihan's era best. Moynihan was great of SNL and he is relaxed and enjoyable here. He has a natural charm and can be quite funny even though the entire episode was not particularly funny. John Larroquette also is a proven sitcom veteran while the young Jack Dylan Grazer is promising. Other sitcom vets include Jaleel White and Sharon Lawrence so there is no shortage of experienced comedians. So why was this show so stingy with jokes and funny moments?

I think part of the reason was the immense exposition required for a show like this and I don't even really have a solution for that. Some comedies I think can get there naturally but a complicated premise like this really does need exposition. Still, there should have been more of a place for jokes. It wasn't even like they attempted funny moments that fell flat, they really just didn't even attempt many funny moments. I also didn't like the obvious segues into different eras. It's clear that the show is going to try to tie in the stories of the week together in the same way a show like The Goldbergs does. They don't need to set it up in such obvious ways with lines like "imagine yourself in 25 years" before immediately switching to a scene 25 years later. I hope this show will choose to be more subtle and not waste time in a show that seems as though it will have a lot of stories to service on a weekly basis.

WILL I WATCH IT AGAIN?
Yes. As I said before, I love this concept. I'm curious to see what it's like when it settles into regular week to week episodes and how they will balance the three eras.

PILOT REVIEW: Young Sheldon

YOUNG SHELDON

Starring: Iain Armitage, Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Montana Jordan, Raegan Revord, and Jim Parsons

Created by Chuck Lorre & Steven Molaro
Written by Chuck Lorre & Steven Molaro, Directed by Jon Favreau

THE PREMISE
A prequel to the hit CBS multi-camera sitcom The Big Bang Theory is a single camera family sitcom that feels much more like an ABC comedy. It is centered on a young Sheldon Cooper (Iain Armitage) growing up in Texas in the late 1980s. Genius Sheldon is a 9 year old attending high school and trying to cope with his family including his understanding mother, Mary (Zoe Perry), his distant father, George (Lance Barber), his street smart twin sister, Missy (Raegan Revord), and his jock brother, George Jr. (Montana Jordan). Grown up Sheldon (Jim Parsons) narrates the action.

THE REVIEW
I have never been a fan of The Big Bang Theory or Jim Parsons. I may still be harboring resentment towards Parsons for beating out the brilliant Steve Carell at the Emmys in Carell's last chance to win for his iconic Michael Scott. So I was pretty uninterested in a series about a young Sheldon Cooper. But first seeing the trailer and now watching the pilot, I am so happy that this show is something completely different than its parent show. It is a warm family comedy that would feel right at home on ABC Wednesday and that is a good thing. Even the narration by Parsons wasn't annoying or distracting.

The young Iain Armitage has done a fantastic job at being pretentious without being annoying. Maybe it'll change after several episodes but for now, I find it endearing. Even better, the entire family is believable and enjoyable. Zoe Perry gives a warm performance as Sheldon's mother while Lance Barber is enjoyable as the father even if the resolution to the episode was a bit predictable even without seeing the trailer (which by the way, gave away every funny line of the episode). Raegan Revord is pretty hilarious as Sheldon's twin sister and I hope she is given more to do in future episodes.

Speaking of future episodes, I wonder what this show is going to look like on a week to week basis. My suggestion and hope is that it evolves into a family comedy that isn't always about Sheldon. I hope they can do plot lines or even full episodes where another member of the family is carrying the main plot. I think if this is always about Sheldon and how brilliant he is and how he doesn't fit in with everyone else, it's going to get old quick. But for now, I'll take Young Sheldon over Old Sheldon any day. This show is not for fans of The Big Bang Theory (though I'd be curious to see what they think). It's for fans of slightly sappy but mostly sweet family comedies of the ABC variety.

WILL I WATCH IT AGAIN?
Yes, but I will have to wait until November 2. I don't know if I agree with the decision to premiere this show tonight and then hold it off for over a month.

THE WEEK AHEAD: September 25-October 1, 2017

Check below this post for my Sunday preview and my predictions for the fall season!

It's premiere week and the premiere of a new weekly column I will do on the blog. Since I will no longer be doing daily rundowns, this column will look at the week ahead for each network as well as other TV news. It will appear every Sunday. Enjoy!

ABC
ABC is premiering three of their new shows this week but holding off their Tuesday lineup including The Mayor and Kevin (Probably) Saves the World until next week. Scandal is also held until next week due to a two hour premiere for Grey's Anatomy.

MONDAY
8:00 Dancing with the Stars
10:00 The Good Doctor (SERIES PREMIERE)

TUESDAY
8:00 Celebrity Family Feud (Season Finale)
9:00 Dancing with the Stars

WEDNESDAY
8:00 The Goldbergs (Season Premiere)
8:30 Speechless (Season Premiere)
9:00 Modern Family (Season Premiere)
9:30 American Housewife (Season Premiere)
10:00 Designated Survivor (Season Premiere)

THURSDAY
8:00 Grey's Anatomy (Season Premiere)
10:00 How to Get Away with Murder (Season Premiere)

FRIDAY
8:00 Marvel's Inhumans (SERIES PREMIERE)
10:00 20/20

SATURDAY
8:00 College Football

SUNDAY
7:00 The Toy Box (Season Premiere)
8:00 Shark Tank (Season Premiere)
10:00 Ten Days in the Valley (SERIES PREMIERE)

CBS
CBS has the most premieres this week with four including a sneak preview of Young Sheldon on Monday night, which won't return until November on Thursdays. Their Thursday Night Football package also starts with a Packers/Bears game.

MONDAY
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (Season Premiere)
8:30 Young Sheldon (SERIES PREMIERE)
9:00 Kevin Can Wait (Season Premiere)
9:30 Me, Myself, and I (SERIES PREMIERE)
10:00 Scorpion (Season Premiere)

TUESDAY
8:00 NCIS (Season Premiere)
9:00 Bull (Season Premiere)
10:00 NCIS: New Orleans (Season Premiere)

WEDNESDAY
8:00 Survivor (35th Edition Premiere)
9:00 SEAL Team (SERIES PREMIERE)
10:00 Criminal Minds (Season Premiere)

THURSDAY
8:00 Thursday Night Football: Chicago at Green Bay

FRIDAY
8:00 MacGyver (Season Premiere)
9:00 Hawaii Five-0 (Season Premiere)
10:00 Blue Bloods (Season Premiere)

SATURDAY
8:00 NCIS (Repeat)
9:00 48 Hours (Repeat)
10:00 48 Hours (Season Premiere)

SUNDAY
7:00 NFL Overrun
7:30 60 Minutes
8:30 Wisdom of the Crowd (SERIES PREMIERE)
9:30 NCIS: Los Angeles (Season Premiere)
10:30 Code Black (Repeat)

NBC
NBC has three series premieres including the highly anticipated return of Will & Grace on Thursday. They will also surely have the top scripted performance of the week from the much anticipated return of This is Us.

MONDAY
8:00 The Voice (13th Edition Premiere)
10:00 The Brave (SERIES PREMIERE)

TUESDAY
8:00 The Voice
9:00 This is Us (Season Premiere)
10:00 Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders (SERIES PREMIERE)

WEDNESDAY
8:00 The Blacklist (Season Premiere)
9:00 Law & Order: SVU (Season Premiere)
10:00 Chicago PD (Season Premiere)

THURSDAY
8:00 Superstore (Season Premiere)
8:30 The Good Place
9:00 Will & Grace (SERIES PREMIERE)
9:30 Great News (Season Premiere)
10:00 Chicago Fire (Season Premiere)

FRIDAY
8:00 Will & Grace (Repeat)
8:30 Superstore (Repeat)
9:00 Dateline NBC

SATURDAY
8:00 Dateline NBC
10:00 Saturday Night Live (Repeat)

SUNDAY
7:00 Football Night in America
8:30 Sunday Night Football: Indianapolis at Seattle

FOX
FOX actually only has one series premiere this week with The Orville having already premiered and The Gifted not coming until next week.

MONDAY
8:00 So You Think You Can Dance (Season Finale)

TUESDAY
8:00 Lethal Weapon (Season Premiere)
9:00 The Mick (Season Premiere)
9:30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Season Premiere)

WEDNESDAY
8:00 Empire (Season Premiere)
9:00 Star (Season Premiere)

THURSDAY
8:00 Gotham
9:00 The Orville

FRIDAY
8:00 Hell's Kitchen (17th Edition Premiere)
9:00 The Exorcist (Season Premiere)

SATURDAY
8:00 College Football

SUNDAY
7:00 The Simpsons (Repeat)
7:30 Bob's Burgers (Season Premiere)
8:00 The Simpsons (Season Premiere)
8:30 Ghosted (SERIES PREMIERE)
9:00 Family Guy (Season Premiere)
9:30 The Last Man on Earth (Season Premiere)

CW
The CW is still in summer mode for a couple more weeks.

MONDAY
8:00 Supergirl (Repeat)
9:00 Penn & Teller: Fool Us

TUESDAY
8:00 The Flash (Repeat)
9:00 DC's Legends of Tomorrow (Repeat)

WEDNESDAY
8:00 Arrow (Repeat)
9:00 Supernatural (Repeat)

THURSDAY
8:00 Penn & Teller: Fool Us
9:00 Whose Line is it Anyway?
9:30 Whose Line is it Anyway? (Repeat)

FRIDAY
8:00 Masters of Illusion (Repeat)
8:30 Masters of Illusion (Repeat)
9:00 Masters of Illusion (Repeat)
9:30 Masters of Illusion (Repeat)

TV NEWS & THOUGHTS
- ABC's midseason drama For the People has temporarily halted production to work on scripts. While this is not uncommon, this seems to be another sign that this could be another Shondaland bust like The Catch and Still Star-Crossed.

- The Mayor is available to watch online on abc.com ahead of its October 3 premiere while tonight is the fourth and final night you can catch the series premiere of Ghosted on Twitter ahead of its October 1 FOX premiere. It streams live at 9pm.

- NBC and Hulu are now streaming the original run of Will & Grace. NBC is all in on this Will & Grace revival but I still don't think people are as excited as the network is about this.

- Chicago PD will start airing on USA and Oxygen in October. It is the first Chicago show to get this type of cable deal and the first broadcast drama in several years. Chicago Fire could not find a cable network or syndication deal last fall.

- Dick Wolf has secured a 13 episode series order from CBS (not NBC!) on a new drama called F.B.I. for the 2018-19 season. Centered on New York City's FBI bureau, it sounds like a Dick Wolf procedural on a network that loves its procedurals. It's just weird that it's not on NBC.

FALL PREVIEW 2017: In Summary

I hope you enjoyed this week's Fall Preview! Check back regularly this week for pilot reviews!

Here are my predictions for this season. Last year, I was correct that Speechless, Designated Survivor, Kevin Can Wait, Bull, This is Us, and Lethal Weapon would survive. I mistakenly thought Conviction, The Great Indoors, and No Tomorrow would join the list. I correctly predicted the cancellations of Notorious, Pure Genius, Pitch, Son of Zorn, and Frequency but I thought a lot more would get cancelled: American Housewife, Man with a Plan, MacGyver, Timeless, The Good Place, and The Exorcist.

So here are my predictions this year! I'm not too high on this year's group of newbies so I think I might even be a little generous with these predictions.

Shows I Think Will Make It to Season 2
The Good Doctor (ABC)
The Mayor (ABC)
SEAL Team (CBS)
Young Sheldon (CBS)
The Brave (NBC)
Law & Order: True Crime (NBC)
Will & Grace (NBC) - already renewed
The Gifted (FOX)
Dynasty (CW)

Shows I Think Will Be One and Done
Kevin (Probably) Saves the World (ABC)
Marvel's The Inhumans (ABC)
Ten Days in the Valley (ABC)
9JKL (CBS)
Me, Myself, and I (CBS)
S.W.A.T. (CBS)
Wisdom of the Crowd (CBS)
The Orville (FOX)
Ghosted (FOX)
Valor (CW)

Finally, the top 5 shows I'm most excited for. Last year among my Top 5, I stuck with Pitch, This is Us, and Designated Survivor but not with Speechless and Conviction.

I'm Mildly Curious About: SEAL Team (CBS), Young Sheldon (CBS), Ghosted (FOX)

5) Ten Days in the Valley (ABC)
I wasn't too excited about this at first but the reviews have me intrigued and a limited series with an actual endpoint is always a plus for a show like this.

4) Me, Myself, and I (CBS)
I like Bobby Moynihan and I like the concept of this, which feels like a comedic This is Us. I'm curious to see what this looks like on a weekly basis.

3) The Mayor (ABC)
This seems fresh and fun and enjoyable. I think it could easily be the year's best new comedy.

2) Law & Order True Crime (NBC)
While I think this could seem like a very inferior version of American Crime Story, it's still a true crime story with a 90s setting. What's not to like?

1) The Good Doctor (ABC)
I'm a little leery here because I don't always end up loving medical dramas but I like Freddie Highmore a lot and I'm curious about the autism angle.

In midseason, I'm excited about Rise (NBC), 9-1-1 (FOX), Alex, Inc. (ABC), Deception (ABC), and Life Sentence (CW)

FALL PREVIEW 2017: Sunday

Here's my Fall Preview for Sunday

ABC
7:00 The Toy Box (2nd season)
8:00 America's Funniest Home Videos (28th season)
9:00 Shark Tank (9th season)
10:00 TEN DAYS IN THE VALLEY

ABC has upended its Sunday lineup but it seems to be a placeholder lineup before the expected arrival of American Idol on this night in the spring (if they can nail down some judges!) So it is unscripted from 7-10pm with the low rated The Toy Box getting the 7pm slot, America's Funniest Home Videos leaving its long-time 7pm home and heading to 8pm, and Shark Tank moving after many years on Fridays. This lineup won't do well, but it will be less of an embarrassment than the way things have been going with lineups of dramas. At 10pm is the lone scripted entry, a limited series Ten Days in the Valley starring Kyra Sedgwick. Despite decent reviews, this is in a no-win slot and I expect the ratings to be quite low.

CBS
7:00 60 Minutes (50th season)
8:00 WISDOM OF THE CROWD
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (9th season)
10:00 Madam Secretary (4th season)

CBS knows they can get some numbers on NFL Sundays in the fall so they are using the 8pm slot to launch a new drama. First up is 60 Minutes in its incredible 50th season. The longest running primetime show of all time is one of TV's top performers still on NFL Sundays. At 8pm is the new Wisdom of the Crowd, which seems right in the CBS wheelhouse but may not be all that appealing to NFL fans. Then again Madam Secretary isn't either and that did pretty well on NFL Sundays when it aired at 8pm. At 9pm is NCIS: Los Angeles, which held down the 8pm slot well last year. At 10pm is Madam Secretary, also moving back an hour and now in the dreaded slot that sometimes gets really late start times. As usual, this whole lineup will be scheduled half an hour later on nights when CBS has the NFL double header.

NBC
7:00 Football Night in America (12th season)
8:30 Sunday Night Football

NBC will continue to dominate Sunday evenings in the fall with football, even if the NFL ratings drop again this season. As of now, the midseason plan is Dateline NBC, Little Big Shots, Ellen's Game of Games, and Shades of Blue so it looks like NBC will also be mostly unscripted like ABC.



FOX
7:00 NFL Overrun/The OT/Animated Encores
7:30 Bob's Burgers (8th season)
8:00 The Simpsons (29th season)
8:30 GHOSTED
9:00 Family Guy (16th season)
9:30 The Last Man on Earth (4th season)

FOX is keeping things mostly status quo on Sunday nights except they have a different 8:30pm comedy. Bob's Burgers, the 29th season of The Simpsons, Family Guy, and The Last Man on Earth are all staying put in their slots from at least part of last season. The new 8:30pm entry is Ghosted starring Adam Scott and Craig Robinson. This seems a lot like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which did OK in the same slot before Son of Zorn and Making History shared it last season. But there could be major problems on non-NFL Sundays as there always is. And this year, they're premiering the lineup on a night without an NFL double-header.

New Friday Show Survival Chances
Ten Days in the Valley (ABC) - Poor. I know this is conceived as a limited series and I'm pretty sure the ratings won't do anything to change that notion.

Wisdom of the Crowd (CBS) - Fair. I like the timeslot but I don't think it's a great fit. It still could survive solely based on where its placed.

Ghosted (FOX) - Fair. I think I like this one's chances a little more than Son of Zorn or Making History, but I'm so skeptical of non-NFL Sundays on FOX.

FALL PREVIEW 2017: Friday

Here is my Fall Preview for Fridays: a night with major changes on ABC but little or no changes on the rest of the networks.

ABC
8:00 Once Upon a Time (7th season)
9:00 MARVEL'S THE INHUMANS
10:00 20/20 (41st season)

ABC has abandoned its Friday night comedies and will go with a genre night instead, which I don't think is a good idea since the comedies and Shark Tank were reliable here. Now they are going with Once Upon a Time, which is undergoing a reboot and has languished on Sundays in recent years after once being a big hit. It is followed by the only new show on Friday night, Marvel's The Inhumans, which has gotten panned in reviews and clearly isn't a high priority for ABC given this timeslot. I think this lineup is destined to fail and ABC may regret cancelling the comedies. 10pm remains Friday night newsmagazine staple 20/20, heading into its 41st season.

CBS
8:00 MacGyver (2nd season)
9:00 Hawaii Five-0 (8th season)
10:00 Blue Bloods (8th season)

CBS is keeping its same lineup from last year after MacGyver fit in surprisingly well here last year. This is a stable but old skewing Friday night for CBS and I think they will take that. Hawaii Five-0 and Blue Bloods are both heading into their 8th season so they're getting up there in years and Hawaii went through major cast changes with the departures of Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park over the summer.

NBC
8:00 Blindspot (3rd season)
9:00 Dateline NBC (27th season)

NBC is at least making a little bit more effort on Fridays than they did last fall but still less than I think they should. At 8pm is Blindspot, moving over from Wednesday. It won't premiere until late October though. 9pm was supposed to be Taken, but it got held for midseason so they will instead go with two hours of Dateline on the night. I still don't quite understand why NBC doesn't at least go with two dramas on Friday nights with their limited space available when they have football and The Voice.

FOX
8:00 Hell's Kitchen (17th edition)
9:00 The Exorcist (2nd season)

Fridays on FOX are the exact same as they were in Fall 2016. At 8pm is Hell's Kitchen, which is always a solid Friday option for FOX and can still garner decent ratings even for its 17th edition. At 9pm is season two of The Exorcist, which was a surprise renewal after low ratings last year on Fridays in the fall. I think FOX didn't need to renew this show when they could have kept Rosewood on a syndication track and probably gotten about the same ratings in this slot. But perhaps there are other ways The Exorcist is making money for them.

CW
8:00 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (3rd season)
9:00 Jane the Virgin (4th season)

The CW is going with a night of their quirky dramedies on Friday night with a pair of acclaimed but low rated shows. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend aired on this night last year but Jane the Virgin is finally getting benched to this night after three years on Monday. These will be low rated of course, but it doesn't seem like the CW keeps renewing these shows for their ratings. It will be interesting to see what CW does at midseason with this night. Will they continue the dramedy trend with the new Life Sentence or try to give that show a better slot and go with retreads like The 100 and iZombie?

New Friday Show Survival Chances
Marvel's The Inhumans (ABC) - Very Poor. I don't like this show's chances at all. With the terrible reviews and the terrible timeslot, it seems to be a recipe for failure and I think it will be completely ignored.

FALL PREVIEW 2017: Thursday

Here is my Fall Preview for Thursday:

ABC
8:00 Grey's Anatomy (14th season)
9:00 Scandal (7th season)
10:00 How to Get Away with Murder (4th season)

For one last time, the original TGIT crew is together on ABC. With Scandal ending and Shonda Rhimes signing a development deal with Netflix, it's coming up on the end of an era for ABC. Grey's Anatomy continues to be one of TV's strongest dramas heading into its 14th season. Scandal will follow for its final season, which is already being promoted a lot. This show was huge for awhile but as bright as it burned, it also burned quickly and I think this is a good move because they still might be able to get some mileage by advertising the end game for this show. How to Get Away with Murder continues at 10pm in the only slot it has ever known.

CBS
(Sep)
8:00 Thursday Night Football

(Nov)
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (11th season)
8:30 YOUNG SHELDON
9:00 Mom (5th season)
9:30 Life in Pieces (3rd season)
10:00 S.W.A.T.

As usual, CBS will have football for the first several weeks of the season. In November, the comedy lineup comes back with The Big Bang Theory returning from Monday and being paired with its single camera prequel, Young Sheldon (which will have a one-off Monday premiere). It will be interesting to see if Sheldon has better retention out of Big Bang. On the plus side, it's obviously about a same character. However, it looks like it has the feel of an ABC family sitcom so that seems like an odd fit with Big Bang. The 9pm hour stays the same with the solid but not spectacular Mom and Life in Pieces. This year, they have comedy competition from NBC in the same hour. At 10pm is S.W.A.T., the reboot of the TV show and film starring Criminal Minds alum Shemar Moore. This is on brand for CBS, but it's in a slot for CBS that has been very problematic in recent years so I'm not too confident, especially with the November start.

NBC
8:00 Superstore (3rd season)
8:30 The Good Place (2nd season)
9:00 WILL & GRACE
9:30 Great News (2nd season)
10:00 Chicago Fire (6th season)

aNBC is going back to the four comedy formula on Thursdays that worked for them for decades but hasn't happened since the 2013-14 season. First up is the same 8pm hour that started last year with Superstore and The Good Place. These two shows kept the lights on and it could be worse as far as NBC comedies go. At 9pm is the return of Must See TV staple Will & Grace. It is one of the most hyped shows for the fall and has already been renewed for 2018-19. I'm not convinced it's going to be a huge hit because I just don't think the desire from fans is as strong as NBC and the media think it is. But it should certainly start strong. It leads into Great News, which is getting a huge show of faith from NBC despite abysmal season one ratings. I'm not all that high on this comedy block as a whole and I think it could be a big disappointment for NBC. At 10pm is Chicago Fire, which moves to the night after four years on Tuesdays. Even if the comedy block disappoints, I think this has a good chance of outperforming How to Get Away with Murder.

FOX
8:00 Gotham (4th season)
9:00 THE ORVILLE

FOX is revamping Thursday night and turning it into another genre night with former Monday staple Gotham moving over to lead off the night. Gotham has a steady but declining audience and I don't think that will change with its move to Thursdays. It leads into Seth MacFarlane's new sci-fi parody The Orville. While The Orville had a very strong debut after the first NFL Sunday at a 2.8 demo, I think it will drop like a rock once it hits Thursdays.

CW
8:00 Supernatural (13th season)
9:00 Arrow (6th season)

Another year, another timeslot change for Supernatural. Entering its 13th season, the CW's longest running drama of all time has aired all over the schedule and will now move up an hour to lead off Thursday nights. It will lead into Arrow, which aired Wednesdays at 8pm for its first five seasons but really struggled last year and is no longer seen as a show that should be used to launch other shows. Once the CW's highest rated show, it has definitely fallen back to the pack and dropped on the CW priority list.

New Thursday Show Survival Chances
Young Sheldon (CBS) - Good. The Great Indoors was one of those few shows that couldn't get renewed despite the Big Bang Theory lead-in, but I can't imagine Young Sheldon will do worse than that and it's a high priority for CBS so I think it gets renewed.

S.W.A.T. (CBS) - Poor. Until a show can break the Thursday 10pm curse for CBS, I'm not going to feel good about any new show's chances there. And with the November start, I just don't see this being the show to break the curse.

Will & Grace (NBC) - Excellent. Considering it already has been renewed for 2017-18, I would certainly like this show's chances to return.

The Orville (FOX) - Poor. I know it had a good start, but I just don't see it being able to sustain it once the Thursday move happens.

FALL PREVIEW 2017: Wednesday

Here is my Fall Preview for Wednesday, a night with just two new shows but still a decent number of storylines across the networks.

ABC
8:00 The Goldbergs (5th season)
8:30 Speechless (2nd season)
9:00 Modern Family (9th season)
9:30 American Housewife (2nd season)
10:00 Designated Survivor (2nd season)

Wednesday night for ABC has just one change but it is not an insignificant change. While The Goldbergs, Speechless, Modern Family, and Designated Survivor all stay in the same spots, the 9:30pm slot will now be American Housewife, which is moving on up from the Tuesday night lineup. It seems as though ABC is trying to groom new shows to become anchors the way they did with Black-ish for three years before sending it to Tuesdays. I'm not convinced Speechless is strong enough to become an anchor and while American Housewife could be, I already talked about the potential perils of this new slot in my returning sophomores post on Sunday. This will be a very interesting show to watch ratings for this fall.

CBS
8:00 Survivor (35th edition)
9:00 SEAL TEAM
10:00 Criminal Minds (13th season)

After 12 years airing on Wednesdays at 9pm, CBS is finally moving Criminal Minds, but just back an hour to 10pm. First on CBS though is Survivor, which is now a Wednesday night staple. At 9pm is the new military drama SEAL Team starring David Boreanez. This is a decent slot especially with Empire gone from the hour and this show seems to fit right in the CBS wheelhouse so I'm more optimistic about this military drama than the ones on NBC and the CW. Then Criminal Minds takes over 10pm. Once one of the top rated dramas, it can still pop from time to time but it wasn't all that impressive at 9pm anymore. If it doesn't drop much in its move to 10pm, it has the potential to be one of TV's top 10pm dramas.

NBC
8:00 The Blacklist (5th season)
9:00 Law & Order: SVU (19th season)
10:00 Chicago PD (5th season)

NBC is keeping the status quo from 9-11pm but the new 8pm show is The Blacklist, coming off of three years on Thursdays. This is no longer a high priority show for NBC but they didn't bench it to Fridays or midseason so they still must value it some. It is followed by Law & Order: SVU entering its incredible 19th season. With Empire out of the hour and the similar Criminal Minds also gone, there might be a chance for this show to be the go-to drama in the hour. At 10pm is Chicago PD, which lost series regular Sophia Bush but is one of TV's most consistent dramas.

FOX
8:00 Empire (4th season)
9:00 Star (2nd season)

FOX has the lineup on Wednesdays this season that everyone thought they would last year: Empire leading into Star. Now in season four, Empire will move to 8pm and it will be interesting to see what happens with the ratings since this was a show that was already showing steep declines from its incredible numbers at the end of season one and beginning of season two. It will lead into Star, which had an OK run as the Empire fill-in last winter. These shows are certainly compatible so they have that going for them but I just don't understand why FOX didn't make this move last fall.

CW
8:00 Riverdale (2nd season)
9:00 DYNASTY

The CW is revamping their Wednesday night and banishing superheroes to other nights of the week. Instead, they will go with a soapy feel in a night that feels like it belongs on the CW in 2009 or 2010. At 8pm is the second season of Riverdale, which hasn't done well but has a small cult following. It leads into the glitzy reboot of hit 1980s primetime soap opera Dynasty. This show seems to have a mixed reception so far but I just don't see it breaking through on the CW. It's still their highest profile newbie so they will do everything they can to help it succeed.

New Wednesday Show Chances
SEAL Team (CBS) - Good. I'm feeling pretty good about this being the military drama that works. Partly because it's on the network where a military drama should work, CBS, and partly because it has the best timeslot of any new CBS drama.

Dynasty (CW) - Fair. I'm mixed on this one. I think with it being a high priority, it could get a pity renewal especially because I think Valor will bomb. But I'm not optimistic on this show actually doing well for the CW.

FALL PREVIEW 2017: Tuesday

Here is my Fall Preview for Tuesday, a night with the buzziest show on broadcast, several re-locations from Wednesdays and Thursdays, and three new series.

ABC
8:00 The Middle (9th season)
8:30 Fresh Off the Boat (4th season)
9:00 Black-ish (4th season)
9:30 THE MAYOR
10:00 KEVIN (PROBABLY) SAVES THE WORLD

ABC is revamping its Tuesday comedy block but The Middle will start it off again for what has been announced as the final season for the long running family sitcom. This has had a loyal audience that will see it through but I don't think it will see a pop in the ratings for its farewell tour. It is followed by Fresh Off the Boat, sliding up half an hour after and up and down run at 9pm last season. At 9pm, ABC is moving Black-ish over from Wednesdays after it aired following Modern Family for the past three seasons. The Emmy nominated comedy will no longer have to air against Empire but now it has to air against This is Us and anchor an hour. At 9:30pm is The Mayor, which has gotten a lot of buzz as being the best new comedy of the fall. But again, it has This is Us against it so that doesn't help matters. At 10pm is new dramedy Kevin (Probably) Saves the World. This quirky newbie seems to have instant flop written all over it airing in a slot that has not been kind to ABC since NYPD Blue.

CBS
8:00 NCIS (15th season)
9:00 Bull (2nd season)
10:00 NCIS: New Orleans (4th season)

CBS is keeping the status quo on Tuesday nights with a solid and dependable lineup on a competitive night. At 8pm, NCIS enters its 15th season and is still one of TV's top shows in total viewers. Last year, it was paired with Bull and the two dramas fit together very well with Bull also being a top draw among total viewers. NCIS: New Orleans is quieter at 10pm but it is one of the better 10pm dramas on TV and can occasionally spike when the competition is light or it has an event like a crossover.

NBC
8:00 The Voice (13th edition)
9:00 This is Us (2nd season)
10:00 LAW & ORDER TRUE CRIME: THE MENENDEZ MURDERS

NBC originally had plans to send its megahit This is Us to Thursdays, but they reversed course in the summer and will keep it right where it is. I definitely agree with that decision but the problem is what's before and after it. I don't know what else they could have done with The Voice but it's too bad that two solid standalone veteran shows are airing back to back so the one hour edition of The Voice will continue to lead off Tuesdays. Then This is Us airs at 9pm and will try to keep the magic going from its huge season one. The oddest entry is the 10pm drama though. While Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders will probably do decently and is capitalizing on the real crime trend in recent years, it seems odd that NBC is using its biggest hit to launch a limited run show with a built-in name brand. Especially when they had a show like Rise on the bench, which seems like a perfect fit with This is Us. But even when True Crime ends, it sounds like the plan for now is to go with season three of Chicago Med.

FOX
8:00 Lethal Weapon (2nd season)
9:00 The Mick (2nd season)
9:30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (5th season)

FOX is bringing over its Wednesday lead-off to Tuesday nights as Lethal Weapon will relocate and join FOX's comedy night. This seems fitting because it was an OK self starter and also seems compatible with comedies. I think this is a good place for this show. FOX is giving The Mick a chance to be the comedy it wants it to be by giving it the anchor slot in the 9pm hour. It didn't seem to warrant that kind of faith in the spring but we'll see. It's paired with Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which has gone from being a darling of the FOX lineup to an after thought over the last year and a half.

CW
8:00 The Flash (4th season)
9:00 DC's Legends of Tomorrow (3rd season)

The CW does not have major changes to the night and it is not using its top drama as a lead-in to something new but rather to something it has proven to be compatible with. The Flash remains the top show on the CW and will continue to lead off the night. It is followed by DC's Legends of Tomorrow, which aired in this same slot last winter and proved to be an OK companion. Since Legends produces only 16 episodes a season, it seems like this is a very possible landing spot for midseason superhero drama Black Lightning.

New Tuesday Show Survival Chances
The Mayor (ABC) - Good. Even in a tough timeslot, I tend to be high on shows that get a lot of critical buzz these days because they seem to find an audience and I think The Mayor, with many glowing reviews so far, is no exception.

Kevin (Probably) Saves the World (ABC) - Very Poor. I don't see any scenario where this show works. It doesn't sound like it will be able to have mass appeal and the track record for newbies in this slot for ABC is just horrendous. I don't know why they keep putting shows like this in this slot.

Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders (NBC) - Good. I don't think this is going to be a buzzy show like the show its obviously trying to be (The People v. OJ Simpson). But it's a Dick Wolf show about true crime and following This is Us. There will surely be further editions.

FALL PREVIEW 2017: Monday

Here is my Fall Preview for Monday, a night with the most new shows of any night of the week!

ABC
8:00 Dancing with the Stars (25th edition)
10:00 THE GOOD DOCTOR

ABC finally broke up its Dancing with the Stars/Castle pairing last season by cancelling Castle, but they didn't find the right replacement as Conviction was an instant bomb and Quantico was past the point of no return in its second season. They will try again with The Good Doctor, starring Freddie Highmore fresh off of his run on Bates Motel. The show has gotten some decent buzz over the summer, which very few new shows this season can say. I have to think it will be an improvement on Conviction and Quantico. Earlier in the night, Dancing with the Stars begins its 25th edition with a solid cast. As usual, The Bachelor will take over in the winter.

CBS
8:00 (Sep) The Big Bang Theory (11th season)/(late Oct) Kevin Can Wait (2nd season)
8:30 9JKL
9:00 (Sep) Kevin Can Wait (2nd season)/(late Oct) ME, MYSELF, AND I
9:30 (Sep) ME, MYSELF, AND I/(late Oct) Superior Donuts (2nd season)
10:00 Scorpion (4th season)

As usual, CBS is somewhat of a mess due to The Big Bang Theory starting off here before heading back to Thursdays. In fact, its Thursday companion and spinoff, Young Sheldon, will even get a preview here on opening night before 9JKL premieres a week later. At 9pm, Kevin Can Wait will air for two months before heading to 8pm as the lead-off into 9JKL while newbie Me, Myself, and I will start at 9:30pm before sliding up to 9pm. At 9:30pm in late October is Superior Donuts while the only slot not impacted by all the craziness is Scorpion, which will start from the beginning at 10pm. It's crazy that the entire 8-10pm lineup on the first Monday is different shows and/or different slots than what's planned for just over a month later, on October 30. I get trying to use Big Bang as a lead-in as much as possible, but this is getting a little ridiculous. I know timeslots matter less, but this is still pretty confusing.

NBC
8:00 The Voice (13th edition)
10:00 THE BRAVE

Once again, NBC will pair up a high profile newbie with The Voice, now entering its 13th season and featuring returning coach Miley Cyrus and new coach Jennifer Hudson. Last year, the new drama was Timeless, one of many new time travel shows in Fall 2016. This year, the new drama is The Brave, one of many new military shows in Fall 2017. This could be a more accessible show for the Voice audience than Timeless was and the slot is there for the taking with a fellow newbie on ABC and a drama that has probably maxed out its potential audience on CBS. Still, these post-Voice shows haven't seen a true breakout since The Blacklist in Fall 2013 and this one doesn't seem to be next breakout in my opinion. It might do enough to get renewed, they usually do, but I don't see it being a huge hit.

FOX
8:00 Lucifer (3rd season)
9:00 THE GIFTED

FOX is changing things up a bit on Mondays by moving Lucifer to 8pm. This has consistently been a solid performer for FOX, but it hasn't been asked to lead off a night until now. We'll see if it can hold its own in a difficult slot. It is followed by The Gifted, one of two new Marvel shows airing this fall on the broadcast networks. By all accounts, this is the stronger creatively of the two (the other being ABC's The Inhumans). FOX has not aired a Marvel show but they are no stranger to superhero and/or genre shows. It will get a ton of promotion from the NFL so it has a chance.

CW
8:00 Supergirl (3rd season)
9:00 VALOR

Even the CW is getting in on the trend of military shows this fall. It will air the drama Valor, which is a military show but also with a CW-style soapy element to it. Despite the fact that it seems somewhat aimed towards the CW audience, this is not their typical type of show and it could be a tough sell as military dramas tend to skew older and that is not something the CW does well. It's also a weird match with its lead-in, Supergirl, which in its first season on the CW last year, became the second highest rated CW show after The Flash.

New Monday Show Survival Chances
The Good Doctor (ABC) - Good. I was high on Conviction last year and that backfired on me, but I'm gonna put faith in ABC again here. This seems to have the buzz to be a nice improvement.

9JKL (CBS) - Poor. Yes it has a great slot for awhile (after The Big Bang Theory for a month) but with its terrible reviews, I think it will fade quickly once Big Bang leaves the night.

Me, Myself, and I (CBS) - Fair. I could see this being an instant bomb too, but for some reason I'm a little more optimistic. I think relative to expectations, it will be stronger than 9JKL.

The Brave (NBC) - Fair. As far as post-Voice shows go, I'm pretty down on this. I guess it could still get a second season, even Timeless did, but I'm skeptical. I liked its previous title, For God and Country, much better.

The Gifted (FOX) - Good. I think this will have enough football promotion and Marvel luster to do enough on Monday nights and get a renewal.

Valor (CW) - Poor. CW and military dramas just don't mix and I don't think Valor will be able to find an audience.