PILOT REVIEW: God Friended Me

GOD FRIENDED ME

Starring: Brandon Michael Hall, Violett Beane, Suraj Sharma, Javica Leslie, and Joe Morton

Created by Steven Lilien and Bryan Winbrandt
Written by Steven Lilien & Bryan Winbrandt, Directed by Marcos Siega

IN SHORT: Not as bad or lame as the title sounds

THE PREMISE:
Miles Finer (Brandon Michael Hall) is an atheist and podcaster who is on a mission to prove that God doesn't exist until one day he receives a "friend request" from God. Once he accepts, he starts getting suggestions to friend people he doesn't know but finds out they are oddly connected and he needs to get to know them for a reason. This includes Cara Bloom (Violett Beane), a writer at a magazine. Meanwhile, Miles is also estranged from his Reverend father, Arthur (Joe Morton). Rounding out the main cast is Miles' friend and computer guy, Rakesh (Suraj Sharma) and his sister, Ali (Javica Leslie).

THE REVIEW:
This is an interesting show and I'm not quite sure what to make of it, but I'm definitely intrigued. It feels a little bit like an updated version of the feel-good CBS dramas of the 90s like Touched by an Angel and Early Edition. It's a little hard to get past the silliness of the premise and to actually take it seriously as a drama but if you forget the title and the advertising that was mostly showing the God friend request, then it actually can be seen as a compelling character drama.

Brandon Michael Hall is strong here in the lead role. I like him in this a lot more than I did in the short-lived The Mayor from last season. He is funny and believable. Violett Beane is interesting too and I'm interested to know more of what her role is going to look like in future episodes. While Joe Morton was fine, it was very difficult for this Scandal viewer to see Morton in a role other than the long-winded Papa Pope and I found myself conflating the characters a little bit, even though he's seemingly a much more moral person in this show.

I'm very curious to see what this show looks like going forward and if it's going to be more about a "case of the week" or if it's going to be a relationship/character drama or a significant commentary on faith and belief. If I had my wish, it would be more about the characters and less about how God, the social media friend, is going to send a new task for Miles to do every week. Or if they do that, hopefully the stories are much more rooted in realism than the slightly silly gimmick they used to title the show and get the stories going.

BOTTOM LINE:
Of the new shows I have watched so far this season, this is probably the one I'm most intrigued by besides Manifest. It's charming and uplifting and I think it has the capability to tell some powerful stories. I hope it does.

PILOT REVIEW: The Cool Kids

THE COOL KIDS

Starring: David Alan Grier, Martin Mull, Leslie Jordan, and Vicki Lawrence

Created by Charlie Day and Paul Fruchbom
Written by Charlie Day & Paul Fruchbom, Directed by Don Scardino

IN SHORT: The Golden Guys and Girl

THE PREMISE:
Hank, Charlie, and Sid (David Alan Grier, Martin Mull, & Leslie Jordan) are all buddies in a retirement home. When their buddy Jerry dies, they have a seat open at their table. Margaret (Vicki Lawrence) comes in and sits with them at what she proclaims the "cool kids" table and upends their way of life.

THE REVIEW:
There's so much of The Cool Kids that feels tired and not because it's set in a retirement community. This is just a throwback show through and through. It's not as cringe-inducing as some multi-camera sitcoms can be and have been in recent years, but it continues to bother me that we just don't have very smartly-written sitcoms in that format and haven't had them for quite some time. The Cool Kids is obviously trying to channel The Golden Girls, bit it doesn't have the wit of that retirement show.

The cast is a group of established veterans and the most enjoyable of them was Vicki Lawrence, who did a good job as the woman upending the boys' club. The other three were okay but nothing special. David Alan Grier usually annoys me and still did a little bit, but I found him tolerable. I'm not too familiar with Leslie Jordan's brand of comedy, but he seemed a little put-on despite getting some decent lines off. Martin Mull didn't have a ton to do, but he was significantly improved from his last outing on FOX (the terrible Dads).

Coming from the creator of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I think this had a chance to be a more sharply written sitcom but it too often resorted to typical cliches (dropping the ashes of a dead character, getting pulled over with a stolen car). Nothing here felt new and it could have with a decent cast and a plot that has been done before, but is not done very often. Maybe things will settle in and this show will finds its groove, but I don't think I want to stick around to see if that happens.

BOTTOM LINE:
This show felt as old as the characters in it. It felt like a show that I could find on youtube that had a short lived run from 1993-1994. That's not a complete slam, I think it's okay to have shows like that, but it's just not for me.

PILOT REVIEW: A Million Little Things

A MILLION LITTLE THINGS

Starring: David Guintoli, Romany Malco, Allison Miller, Christina Moses, Christina Ochoa, Grace Park, James Roday, Stephanie Szostak, Tristan Byon, Lizzy Greene

Created by DJ Nash
Written by DJ Nash, Directed by James Griffiths

IN SHORT: I'm stealing this from somewhere else I read it because it's just so perfect... "Thirtysomething Reasons Why"

THE PREMISE:
As we are told at the beginning and during the episode, friendship is about "a million little things." This drama, clearly inspired by the success of This is Us, is centered on a group of Boston friends who met when they were stuck in an elevator together. They are rocked by the suicide of one of their own (Jon) while also dealing with their own problems. Eddie (David Guintoli) is unhappy in his marriage to Katherine (Grace Park). Gary (James Roday) has beat cancer and is seeing a therapist and fellow cancer survivor, Maggie (Allison Miller). Rome (Romany Malco) was on the verge of committing suicide himself. Rounding out the main cast is Jon's widow, Deilah (Stephanie Szostak) and daughter Sophie (Lizzy Greene) as well as his assistant, Ashley (Christina Ochoa) and Rome's wife, Regina (Christina Moses).

THE REVIEW:
Well, this is not This is Us. I'm generally a fan of character dramas and heartwarming dramas. And there were things I liked here. But there were also times that I was on the verge of laughing out loud at how emotionally manipulative this show was and how hard it was trying. Shows like This is Us and Friday Night Lights and Parenthood can also be emotionally manipulative, but they're so rooted in truth and strong character development and right now, A Million Little Things doesn't have either of those things.

But it has every other trope in the book. Cancer? Check. Suicide? Check. Depression? Check. Marital Troubles? Check. Feels like pregnancy should be on this list, I'm sure it will be at some point soon. Now, most other relationship dramas do hit those tropes at some point, but they earn them. A Million Little Things wants it all now. I'm fine with the suicide story that drives the initial plot forward, but I think they could have saved at least some of these other issues until we got to know the characters more. I want to care about a cancer storyline or marital trouble but it's awfully hard to when I don't know these characters yet. It's almost like becoming friends with someone who has a ton of baggage. It seems a little daunting to even think about being friends with the group at A Million Little Things.

The performances were decent when they weren't tearfully hugging each other. I wish there had been more humor in the pilot. I thought all the main guys in the show were solid and had good camaraderie with each other. That gives me the most hope going forward. The women in the show weren't as strongly developed, especially Grace Park, who I think was a very interesting character who had very little to do in the pilot. The multitude of twists at the end were all pretty predictable, but did give the show a starting point to move forward.

BOTTOM LINE:
Despite this generally negative review, I have hope for A Million Little Things. I didn't love Parenthood the first time I saw it either. I'm inclined to like shows like this so I'm hoping I can one day look back and laugh at this review because it turned into a really great show. For that to happen, the show needs to worry more about their characters and less about the problems the characters have.

PILOT REVIEW: Single Parents

SINGLE PARENTS

Starring: Taran Killam, Leighton Meester, Kimrie Lewis, Jake Choi, Marlow Barkley, Tyler Wladis, Mia Allan, Ella Allan, Devin Trey Campbell, and Brad Garrett

Created by Elizabeth Meriwether and JJ Philbin
Teleplay by JJ Philbin, Story by Elizabeth Meriwether & JJ Philbin, Directed by Jason Winer

IN SHORT: How has ABC's family comedy brand not done one about single parents yet?

THE PREMISE:
Single Dad Will Cooper (Taran Killam) and daughter Sophie (Marlow Barkley) are new to a school and Will is the new and overeager room parent. He runs into a roadblock with a bunch of other single parents who do not share his enthusiasm. Angie (Leighton Meester) is a cynical career woman. Douglas (Brad Garrett) is a wealthy doctor who was left with twin daughters (Mia & Ella Allen) following the death of his 26 year old exotic dancer wife. Other single parents Poppy and Miggy (Kimrie Lewis & Jake Choi) as well as more kids (Tyler Wladis & Devin Trey Campbell) round out the main cast.

THE REVIEW:
ABC has been better than any other at a certain brand over the last nine years with their family comedies. Starting with The Middle and Modern Family and continuing with other gems like The Goldbergs and Fresh Off the Boat and very few misfires. Single Parents fits in with these shows like a glove and provides a new spin on the family comedy (a trait of many of the ABC sitcoms). This show did not come altogether in the pilot, but the pieces are certainly there for this to be another very funny entry in the canon.

It starts with SNL alum Taran Killam, who had an exuberant and funny energy as the dad who is deep down the parenting vortex. He was a great contrast to the many other more cynical characters on the show. He also showed great comedic timing at times including his very funny opening scene with his on screen daughter (played very well by Marlow Barkley) and his declaring "I love you" on his first date in years. The rest of the cast was strong too including Leighton Meester and some good performances from the kids. Even the often annoying Brad Garrett was mostly funny in a role he seems well-suited for. Jake Choi was the weak link among the parents with some not so believable acting.

I like that this show doesn't seem afraid to explore some of the hardships that come with being a single parent. There was a level of sadness to this show that made it interesting, but it's also a fine line to walk as the show continues. I think the cast has good chemistry with each other and are already gelling as a group but the final "Moana"-inspired scene didn't really work for me. It seemed a little too forced and was a weak attempt at trying to tie the episode up with a nice bow. I was disappointed with that ending after the show seemed to set up everything else well.

BOTTOM LINE:
This show is from New Girl veterans so I expect some level of inconsistency but also some really great moments. I haven't seen all the new sitcoms for this season but this was the one I had the most hope for going in and I still feel like it has the potential to be the best.

PILOT REVIEW: New Amsterdam

NEW AMSTERDAM

Starring: Ryan Eggold, Janet Montgomery, Freema Agyeman, Jocko Sims, with Tyler Labine, and Anupam Kher

Created for Television by David Schulner
Based on the Book "Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital" by Dr. Eric Manheimer
Written for Television by David Schulner, Directed by Kate Dennis

IN SHORT: The Great Doctor

THE PREMISE:
New Amsterdam is a fictional version of Bellevue, the oldest public hospital in the country. Dr. Max Goodwin (Ryan Eggold) is brought in as the new medical director and determined to change the old ways of the hospital. No surprise, he gets some push-back and spars with a publicity-loving head of oncology, Dr. Hana Sharpe (Freema Agyeman). But he also finds a few allies including head of emergency, Dr. Laura Bloom (Janet Montgomery) and child psychiatrist Dr. Iggy Frome (Tyler Labine). Goodwin fires all the cardiovascular doctors, but retains one, Dr. Floyd Reynolds (Jocko Sims). Veteran neurologist Dr. Anil Kapoor (Anupam Kher) rounds out the main cast.

THE REVIEW:
Watching this right after the pilot of FBI, New Amsterdam is every bit as generic just in medical drama format. But it has one major thing going for it that FBI didn't and that is a compelling cast and especially Ryan Eggold in the lead role. Sure, the show is emotionally manipulative at times and outrageously unbelievable at other times but Eggold sells everything like a champ and that goes a long way towards making this show work. He is charming, funny and compassionate as Dr. Goodwin and has a great rapport with the rest of the cast in different ways.

The rest of the cast is solid too. I think I was one of the only people who liked CBS's short-lived Made in Jersey, but its good to see the star of that show, Janet Montgomery, back on TV. I've mostly seen Tyler Labine in comedies so he was interesting here and I think he could have some good storylines going forward and perhaps filling the role Oliver Platt fills on Chicago Med. I was also intrigued by Freema Agyeman's character and her chemistry with Eggold.

While I liked the cast and it elicited the same response I have to most medical dramas (which is "I liked it but I probably won't stick with it"), I did leave wishing this show had been a little more ambitious in its writing and storytelling. I think the oldest public hospital in the country has a lot of stories to tell, but they didn't really explore that angle much in the pilot. Instead, it was a lot of the same case of the week and hot-shot doctor upending the system stories we see so often. New Amsterdam has a very compelling lead and a solid supporting cast. I think it could aim a little bit higher.

BOTTOM LINE:
It will be interesting to see how this does following This is Us. It certainly has the capability to tug on the same heartstrings that NBC's hit drama does. But it's also a standard medical drama following a very unique version of a family drama. We'll see! And I'll probably keep watching for a few episodes. I always do with medical dramas.

PILOT REVIEW: FBI

FBI

Starring: Missy Peregrym, Zeeko Zaki, Ebonee Noel, with Jeremy Sisto

Created by Dick Wolf and Craig Turk
Teleplay by Craig Turk, Story by Dick Wolf & Craig Turk, Directed by Niels Arden Oplev

IN SHORT: Dick Wolf Meets His Soulmate (CBS)

THE PREMISE:
Dick Wolf has been making procedurals on NBC for decades and now he comes to the network that has been successfully churning out procedurals for close to 20 years. This one is centered on an FBI team in New York City. Special agents Maggie Bell and Omar Zidam (Missy Peregrym and Zeeko Zaki) lead the team in the field while receiving assistance at the command center from Jubal Valentine (Jeremy Sisto) and Kristen Chazal (Ebonee Noel). The boss in the pilot was played by Connie Nielsen, but she will be replaced by Sela Ward in a similar role starting in episode two.

THE REVIEW:
I remember when I first started this blog in 2010, I felt like like I was much more generous that the TV critics reviewing for publications online or in print. My opinion was that they were just jaded wit a bias against broadcast and many of these shows weren't as bad as they claimed. To some level, I still agree with that sentiment, but I have watched too many pilots like FBI over the last eight years to not feel like they were right on some level.

From the push-back from superiors to the Asian tech guy to personal anguish for the agents, I feel like I've seen everything in FBI's pilot a million times. The only time it started to have an interesting story was when it started to head down the Nazi/white supremacist path, but it didn't ultimately explore that story enough. Beyond that, everything was so predictable that I felt like I could be qualified to work for the FBI if it's that easy to figure things out.

The performances were serviceable. Missy Peregrym was probably the best while Zeeko Zaki had a few too many serious stares and Jeremy Sisto was trying a little too hard to be the affable authority guy. Connie Nielsen wasn't anything special and I'm actually slightly intrigued by Sela Ward in a similar role because she brings some gravitas to any show. In some ways, FBI is a more frustrating show than a laughably bad one because it's just so banal. I could see this being an show I might check in on once in awhile if the plot looks good and I'll inevitably be bored by the execution.

BOTTOM LINE:
Procedurals serve a purpose in a crowded TV environment but there are better ones out there. There are better Dick Wolf ones out there. The Chicago trio and SVU serve a similar purpose in a much better way.

PILOT REVIEW: Manifest

MANIFEST

Starring: Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas, Athena Karkanis, J.R. Ramirez, Luna Blaise, Jack Messina, Parveen Kaur

Created by Jeff Rake
Written by Jeff Rake, Directed by David Frankel

IN SHORT: No, I swear this one is different from Lost!

THE PREMISE:
In 2013, flight 828 from Jamaica to New York City disappeared and was never heard of again until 2018 when the plane finally landed. Although it had been over five years on the ground, it was only a couple minutes for those on board. Although there were nearly 200 passengers, the show focuses on a couple of them. Siblings Michaela and Ben (Melissa Roxburgh and Josh Dallas) were on board and now reunite with their families and their new lives. Ben's son Cal (Jack Messina) was on board and suffering from terminal cancer but now can do a new state of the art treatment discovered by fellow passenger, Saanvi (Parveen Kaur). Ben's wife and daughter (Athena Karkanis and Luna Blaise) were not on board and now try to re-connect. Michaela must deal with the fact that her fiance, Jared (J.R. Ramirez) has since re-married.

THE REVIEW:
I have been so burned by shows like this since I started this blog eight years ago. Shows that didn't last that I really enjoyed like The Event and shows that had a great concept initially but couldn't see it through like Blindspot or Revolution (in my opinion). So it is with immense caution that I approach this show, but I can't help but be intrigued because I just love the concept so much. I think the idea of a plane landing after 5 years on the ground and no time passed in the air is fascinating and thought provoking. What did my life look like five years ago? How will it look in five years?

While the show devolved into melodrama and some predictable storylines at time, I thought the action kept moving well through the first hour. I liked that they quickly passed over the "what's going on?" phase of the plane landing and immediately jumped to a couple days later. They have plenty of time to keep exploring the mystery of the plane and it was smart to start jumping into some other stories they want to tell. At first, I was skeptical of the "voices in the head" stories, but that started to win me over by the end of the episode.

The performances were solid, particularly Josh Dallas who drives the action and was very believable. I liked Melissa Roxburgh too in most of the scenes, but there were a couple times that her acting didn't ring true to me. Parveen Kaur was the other main cast member from the flight that we got to know and she seems to have an interesting storyline. There's a lot of other stories to tell and I hope we get to see more from the pilot in future episodes even though he is not a series regular.

BOTTOM LINE:
As is always the case, the Manifest team claims they have an endgame in mind. To be honest, I can't quite come up with a story and resolution that would be satisfying in the end but I'm inclined to give it a try. It could become convoluted and lose its way but I'm going to give it a try.

PILOT REVIEW: Magnum P.I.

MAGNUM P.I.

Starring: Jay Hernandez, Perdita Weeks, Zachary Knighton, Stephen Hill

Developed by Peter M. Kenkov & Eric Guggenheim
Based on the Series "Magnum P.I." Created by Donald P. Bellisario & Glen A. Larson
Written by Peter M. Kenkov & Eric Guggenheim, Based on a Teleplay by Donald P. Bellisario & Glen A. Larson, Directed by Justin Lin

IN SHORT: Smaller Mustache, Same Action

THE PREMISE:
In a reboot of the classic 1980s Tom Selleck-led drama, Magnum P.I. centers on a private detective living in luxury in Hawaii as a security guard at the guest house of a famous author. Magnum's team includes friends Rick and TC (Zachary Knighton & Stephen Hill). The third friend in the original was Jonathan Higgins, but that has now changed to a woman, Juliet (Perdita Weeks) who is still British like the original.

THE REVIEW:
I've never seen a full episode of the original Magnum P.I., but I have a good idea of the kind of show it was. This seems to be a good successor to the original in the same way its cousin, Hawaii Five-0 is, but that doesn't stop it from being a pretty traditional CBS drama with perhaps a bit more action. If you've read my blog before, you won't be surprised that I am quite please there's a traditional theme song but why must that only be the case for reboots? Why can't all shows have a solid 30 second theme song these days? Such a disappearing and important art form on TV.

After the theme song, the show settled into a pretty routine story about Magnum investigating the death of a friend that involved a lot of car chases in ferraris and things getting blown up. It felt so much like the premiere of Hawaii Five-0, a CBS drama that originally aired on Monday and was one of the first shows I reviewed for this blog. The glamorous setting of Hawaii and the beautiful estate where Magnum lives helped the fun of the show, but it just couldn't totally escape being another routine procedural drama. It didn't bring anything new to the genre and that's okay, but I am getting a little tired of scenes like a tough macho man being inspiring to a little kid.

Overall, the performances were solid. Jay Hernandez is definitely likable. Whether he can compare to Tom Selleck in this role is a question for fans of the original but I thought he was charismatic. Perdita Weeks was given a lot to do in the pilot and she was strong throughout with a good dynamic with Magnum (maybe resist the urge to hook them up, producers?) The other two friends were less memorable in the pilot, particularly Stephen Hill who seemed to get lost in the episode.

THE BOTTOM LINE:
This is a classic CBS drama in the sense that it's such a standard procedural. That used to be a nearly sure-fire recipe for success but that has changed in recent years. I don't think this will break through but it might be enough comfort food to the older CBS viewer to become the next syndication machine show.

THE WEEK AHEAD: September 24-30, 2018

Premiere Week is here! Here's a look at this busy week on TV!

ABC
ABC really only has three days of premiere lineups as their Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday lineups are not premiering this week. ABC has seven new shows this fall, but only two premiere this week.. Comedy Single Parents and heavily promoted drama A Million Little Things will both premiere on Wednesday night. Elsewhere, Dancing with the Stars gets a two night premiere while Grey's Anatomy has a two hour premiere. Perhaps the most interesting show to watch besides the newbies will be The Good Doctor, which was hot out of the gate last season and will be looking to avoid a sophomore slump.

MONDAY
8:00 Dancing with the Stars (Edition Premiere)
10:00 The Good Doctor (Season Premiere)

TUESDAY
8:00 Dancing with the Stars
10:00 20/20: The Real Rookies (Special)

WEDNESDAY
8:00 The Goldbergs (Season Premiere)
8:30 American Housewife (Season Premiere)
9:00 Modern Family (Season Premiere)
9:30 Single Parents (SERIES PREMIERE)
10:00 A Million Little Things (SERIES PREMIERE)

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

FRIDAY
8:00 Truth & Lies: Johnstown - Paradise Lost (Special)
10:00 20/20

SATURDAY
8:00 College Football

SUNDAY
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos (Repeat)
8:00 Movie: Frozen
10:00 Shark Tank (Repeat)

CBS
CBS has four of its six new series premiering this week. On Monday, Magnum P.I. will get a premiere following a special Monday night hour of The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon. Tuesday has FBI which will have to go against This is Us. Thursday has the revival of Murphy Brown, which has gotten perhaps the most promotion of any new show on the broadcast networks this fall. Sunday has God Friended Me on an NFL-infused night. Elsewhere, Bull airs after Magnum on its new night and time and Wednesday has the usual premiere week combo of Survivor's premiere and Big Brother's finale.

MONDAY
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (Season Premiere)
8:30 Young Sheldon (Season Premiere)
9:00 Magnum P.I. (SERIES PREMIERE)
10:00 Bull (Season Premiere)

TUESDAY
8:00 NCIS (Season Premiere)
9:00 FBI (SERIES PREMIERE)
10:00 NCIS: New Orleans (Season Premiere)

WEDNESDAY
8:00 Survivor (Edition Premiere)
9:30 Big Brother (Season Finale)

THURSDAY
8:00 The Big Bang Theory
8:30 Young Sheldon
9:00 Mom (Season Premiere)
9:30 Murphy Brown (SERIES PREMIERE)
10:00 S.W.A.T. (Season Premiere)

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

SATURDAY
8:00 Magnum P.I. (Repeat)
9:00 48 Hours (Season Premiere)

SUNDAY
7:00 NFL Overrun
7:30 60 Minutes
8:30 God Friended Me (SERIES PREMIERE)
9:30 NCIS: Los Angeles (Repeat)
10:00 FBI (Repeat)

NBC
NBC is fully premiering their first three nights of the week, but only partway premiering Thursday while holding off Friday for a couple weeks. Both their drama newbies premiere at the beginning of the week and both have gotten a lot of promotion. Manifest follows the premiere of The Voice on Mondays while New Amsterdam follows the heavily hyped return of This is Us on Tuesday. Speaking of heavy hype, their all-Chicago night premieres on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see how they impact each other by airing together. Thursday has a one hour The Good Place and two hour Law & Order: SVU while the other comedies will wait until next week.

MONDAY
8:00 The Voice (Edition Premiere)
10:00 Manifest (SERIES PREMIERE)

TUESDAY
8:00 The Voice
9:00 This is Us (Season Premiere)
10:00 New Amsterdam (SERIES PREMIERE)

WEDNESDAY
8:00 Chicago Med (Season Premiere)
9:00 Chicago Fire (Season Premiere)
10:00 Chicago PD (Season Premiere)

THURSDAY
8:00 The Good Place (Season Premiere)
9:00 Law & Order: SVU (Season Premiere)

FRIDAY
8:00 Manifest (Repeat)
9:00 New Amsterdam (Repeat)
10:00 Dateline NBC

SATURDAY
8:00 College Football

SUNDAY
7:00 Football Night in America
8:30 Sunday Night Football: Baltimore at Pittsburgh

FOX
FOX's entire lineup is showing up during premiere week, the only network that isn't holding any shows. There are drama season premieres the first three nights (9-1-1 had its season premiere last night and will continue tonight). Friday has the heavily promoted return of Last Man Standing and series premiere of The Cool Kids while Sunday has the return of the animated lineup and timeslot premiere of Rel. It could be a rough week for FOX, but a good performance by Last Man will help matters.

MONDAY
8:00 The Resident (Season Premiere)
9:00 9-1-1

TUESDAY
8:00 The Gifted (Season Premiere)
9:00 Lethal Weapon (Season Premiere)

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

THURSDAY
8:00 Thursday Night Football: Minnesota at LA Rams

FRIDAY
8:00 Last Man Standing (Season Premiere)
8:30 The Cool Kids (SERIES PREMIERE)
9:00 Hell's Kitchen (Season Premiere)

SATURDAY
8:00 College Football

SUNDAY
7:00 The Simpsons (Repeat)
7:30 Bob's Burgers (Repeat)
8:00 The Simpsons (Season Premiere)
8:30 Bob's Burgers (Season Premiere)
9:00 Family Guy (Season Premiere)
9:30 Rel

CW
As usual, the CW remains in summer mode for a couple more weeks with their lineup not coming until October.

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

TUESDAY
8:00 The Flash (Repeat)
9:00 The Outpost

WEDNESDAY
8:00 Burden of Truth
9:00 Supergirl (Repeat)

THURSDAY
8:00 Supernatural (Repeat)
9:00 The Originals (Repeat)

FRIDAY
8:00 Masters of Illusion
8:30 Masters of Illusion (Repeat)
9:00 Penn & Teller: Fool Us (Repeat)

FALL PREVIEW 2018: In Summary

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

Here are my predictions for the season. Last year, I had an OK year of predicting. I correctly predicted The Good Doctor, SEAL Team, Young Sheldon, The Gifted, and Dynasty would survive. I mistakenly thought The Mayor, The Brave, and Law & Order: True Crime would join that list. I correctly predicted cancellations of Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, Marvel's The Inhumans, Ten Days in the Valley, 9JKL, Me Myself & I, Wisdom of the Crowd, Ghosted, and Valor. I mistakenly thought The Orville and S.W.A.T. would also be cancelled.

Here are my predictions for this year!

Shows I Think Will Make It to Season 2
The Conners (ABC)
Kids are Alright (ABC)
The Rookie (ABC)
Single Parents (ABC)
A Million Little Things (ABC)
The Neighborhood (CBS)
Magnum P.I. (CBS)
F.B.I. (CBS)
Murphy Brown (CBS)
Manifest (NBC)
All American (CW)
Charmed (CW)

Shows I Think Will Be One and Done
Dancing with the Stars Junior (ABC)
The Alec Baldwin Show (ABC)
Happy Together (CBS)
God Friended Me (CBS)
New Amsterdam (NBC)
I Feel Bad (NBC)
The Cool Kids (FOX)
Rel (FOX)
Legacies (CW)

Finally, here are the Top 5 Broadcast Fall Shows I'm excited about:

Close Calls: The Kids are Alright (ABC), The Rookie (ABC), God Friended Me (CBS), and the sheer curiosity of The Conners (ABC)

5) Manifest (NBC) - I am very nervous about this one because shows like this have burned me time and time again. But hope springs eternal. Maybe this one actually has a plan and won't get too convoluted.

4) Murphy Brown (CBS) - I like but don't love the original. I do think it has a story to tell in the Trump era and I'm hopeful it can remember the best things about the original without being too self indulgent like it sometimes could be.

3) All American (CW) - I'm hopeful this might fill the Friday Night Lights sized hole in my heart. Maybe that's putting too much pressure on it, but it seems interesting.

2) Single Parents (ABC) - This was my favorite comedy trailer in the spring and I like the cast. It also has a slightly different take on the ABC family comedy genre so I'm hoping it will be the next great addition.

1) A Million Little Things (ABC) - Yes, I know it probably only got greenlighted because of This is Us, but shows like this are always types of shows I like with the rich character drama. I'm hopeful it doesn't seem like a cheap knockoff but instead has an equally compelling story to tell.

At midseason, I am excited for The Fix (ABC), Whiskey Cavalier (ABC), The Red Line (CBS), Abby's (NBC), and The Village (NBC)

On streaming, I am excited for: The Romanoffs (Amazon), Homecoming (Amazon), The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix), and The Kominsky Method (Netflix)

FALL PREVIEW 2018: Sunday

Here is my Fall Preview for Sunday! Check back later today for my Fall Preview wrap-up and all week for reviews of new shows as they air!

ABC
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos (29th season)
8:00 DANCING WITH THE STARS JUNIOR
9:00 Shark Tank (10th season)
10:00 THE ALEC BALDWIN SHOW

ABC is going all unscripted on Sunday nights in the fall. They are starting with the venerable America's Funniest Home Videos, entering its 29th season. It is followed by a junior edition of Dancing with the Stars. This is the first time that Dancing will do a junior edition and they'll be hoping it goes better than the ill-fated American Juniors edition of American Idol many years ago. It is followed by veteran Shark Tank in its 10th season. At 10pm is the new talk show The Alec Baldwin Show, which had a preview after the Oscars. Baldwin last attempted a talk show in 2013 on MSNBC and it was cancelled after five weeks when he reportedly used an anti-gay slur. We'll see if it goes better this time around. The plan is for American Idol to take over Sunday nights in the spring as it did this past season.

CBS
7:00 60 Minutes (51st season)
8:00 GOD FRIENDED ME
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (10th season)
10:00 Madam Secretary (5th season)

CBS is trying again with the 8pm slot in the fall after last season's Wisdom of the Crowd drew lackluster ratings and sexual harassment accusations against star Jeremy Piven. This time, it is God Friended Me following 60 Minutes and (sometimes) football. The uplifting drama takes over the slot held by Touched by an Angel for many years. It may have to overcome its very mockable title, however. NCIS: Los Angeles and Madam Secretary continue to round out the night and will have to deal with airing much later on some NFL Sundays, especially poor Madam Secretary. But given its ratings last season, Madam should be happy it continues to have a slot on the fall schedule, even if its the worst one.

NBC
7:00 Football Night in America (13th season)
8:30 Sunday Night Football
As usual, NBC has football on Sunday nights in the fall. The plan for now is a combination of World of Dance and season two of Good Girls in the spring.

FOX
7:00 NFL Overrun/The OT/Animated Encores
8:00 The Simpsons (30th season)
8:30 Bob's Burgers (9th season)
9:00 Family Guy (17th season)
9:30 REL

FOX is streamlining its Sundays a little bit. As usual, The Simpsons and Family Guy are the anchors. The difference is Bob's Burgers is no longer regulated to the 7pm hour and an off/on airing schedule when FOX doesn't have an NFL doubleheader. Burgers has continued to do very well in a difficult airing situation and it's finally getting rewarded by getting to air between The Simpsons and Family Guy regularly for the first time in quite awhile. At 9:30pm is Rel, which had a modestly rated preview after the NFL's opening Sunday a couple weeks ago. This seems like a tall order for a live action sitcom following three straight animated comedies.

CW
8:00 Supergirl (4th season)
9:00 CHARMED

The CW is back on Sundays for the first time in over a decade. It seems a little bit like a curious choice with their weekday ratings continuing to go down, but they are being aggressive and trying to get a cut on the Sunday action. They are coming in with a strong effort. Supergirl moves over from Mondays. Supergirl continues to be a decently rated show for them and could benefit from being decent counter-programming on Sunday night. It is followed by the reboot of Charmed, which was a big hit for the WB in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It's still a tall order for the CW on Sundays but at least they're trying!

New Sunday Show Survival Chances
Dancing with the Stars Junior (ABC) - Poor. I don't think this is going to do enough on Sunday nights to warrant another Junior edition in the future.

The Alec Baldwin Show (ABC) - Poor. I just don't see the ratings being high enough to justify something outlandish Baldwin will do at some point.

God Friended Me (CBS) - Fair. This has a great timeslot and that could help it, but I continue to worry that its title will doom it.

Rel (FOX) - Very Poor. I don't see this one lasting at all. Especially when FOX can easily air animated repeats (or Cosmos in the spring).

Charmed (CW) - Fair. I think the CW so badly wants this to work and it might do enough to warrant that. I mean, look at what happened to Dynasty last season.

FALL PREVIEW 2018: Friday

Here is my Fall Preview for Friday!

ABC
8:00 Fresh Off the Boat (5th season)
8:30 Speechless (3rd season)
9:00 Child Support (2nd season)
10:00 20/20 (42nd season)

After an ill-advised year with Marvel shows and Once Upon a Time, ABC is going back to comedy on Friday night. They are even trying to re-start the TGIF moniker but they've moved some modest performers at best to kick-start the night. Leading off the night is Fresh Off the Boat. It has never been a big hit for ABC but has always done OK. ABC might be hoping that the smash success of summer movie Crazy Rich Asians might help since its star, Constance Wu, is the lead on Boat. Speechless follows at 8:30pm after two seasons on Wednesday. I think if ABC really wanted to carve out a comedy presence on Friday, they needed to bring over a stronger performer. At 9pm is game show Child Support, which had a quiet run last winter. 20/20 ends the night with its 42nd season.

CBS
8:00 MacGyver (3rd season)
9:00 Hawaii Five-0 (9th season)
10:00 Blue Bloods (9th season)

CBS is keeping things the same on Fridays for a third straight season. This is a lineup that is slowly slipping each season, but it's continuing to be a solid, old-skewing lineup. MacGyver seemed the most in danger of falling off the map last season and with several shows in the CBS lineup that could seemingly join the Friday lineup, it might need to stabilize a little more. Hawaii Five-0 and Blue Bloods continue to chug along with both entering their ninth seasons.

NBC
8:00 Blindspot (4th season)
9:00 Midnight, Texas (2nd season)
10:00 Dateline NBC (28th season)

NBC is gambling somewhat on Friday nights with some genre dramas. Blindspot surprisingly retains the 8pm timeslot despite a very modestly rated performance last season. It is entering its fourth season so at least its a known quantity for NBC. A bigger gamble is at 9pm where they will air season two of Midnight, Texas. Season one aired back in Summer 2017 and it hasn't been seen since then, when it delivered low ratings (but passable for summer). I can't imagine it will do much of anything here. It will have a short season and be replaced by The Blacklist in the winter. Dateline NBC continues its showdown with 20/20 at 10pm.

FOX
8:00 Last Man Standing (7th season)
8:30 THE COOL KIDS
9:00 Hell's Kitchen (18th edition)

FOX is overhauling its Friday night and trying to tap into broad comedy by picking up cancelled ABC sitcom Last Man Standing. This isn't really a reboot or revival as much as a continuation, but it did have a year off since it was cancelled on ABC following the 2016-17 season. This move seems partly made based on the success of Roseanne last spring and its appeal to conservative, heartland viewers. It will be paired with another broader sitcom, The Cool Kids, starring an old cast. This is definitely a different audience than FOX is usually looking for. It will be interesting to see if they can carve out an identity on Friday nights. Hell's Kitchen returns for its 18th edition at 9pm.

CW
8:00 Dynasty (2nd season)
9:00 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (4th season)

The CW is basically throwing in the towel on Friday nights especially since they have to worry about Sundays now. Dynasty somehow managed to get renewed despite a string of 0.1 demos last season. It doesn't even seem to be a show that is finding an audience on other platforms. But it will be tasked with leading off Friday nights for the CW. Maybe it will reach the elusive 0.0 demo this season. At 9pm is the fourth and final season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. The final season of Jane the Virgin will also air on this night at some point in the season.

New Friday Show Survival Chances
The Cool Kids - Poor. I'm mixed on how Last Man Standing will do, but I don't think that success will extend to The Cool Kids. I think a full season is about the best it can ask for.

FALL PREVIEW 2018: Thursday

Check below this post for my review of I Feel Bad!

Here is my Fall Preview for Thursday!

ABC
8:00 Grey's Anatomy (15th season)
9:00 Station 19 (2nd season)
10:00 How to Get Away with Murder (5th season)

Despite Shonda Rhimes' defection to Netflix, ABC is going with TGIT and all Shonda shows again on Thursday nights perhaps for the final time. Grey's Anatomy leads off the night as usual, entering its 15th season. It is followed by spinoff Station 19 which had a so-so run in the spring but will be given another chance to try to become the heir apparent to Grey's. It no longer has to deal with that other fire show on Thursday nights, but it's going to need to start to find its own audience. At 10pm is How to Get Away with Murder in the only slot it has ever known. The plan for now is for it to give way to For the People in the spring.

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (12th season)
8:30 Young Sheldon (2nd season)
9:00 Mom (6th season)
9:30 MURPHY BROWN
10:00 S.W.A.T. (2nd season)

CBS is keeping four of their five shows from last season in place on Thursday nights. The fifth show is one of the more anticipated shows: the revival of Murphy Brown. At 8pm is the final season of The Big Bang Theory. TV's top sitcom for years, it will leave a giant hole in the CBS lineup next year but they can enjoy it for one final ride and probably some very strong ratings as the finale nears. It is followed by spinoff Young Sheldon, which was the top rated new show of last season. It could be the successor to Big Bang as the Thursday lead-off if it has a good season. At 9pm is Mom, which was one of the few broadcast shows to go up in the ratings last season. The revival of Murphy Brown follows in the 9:30pm slot. This does not seem like it will set the world on fire like the Roseanne revival did in the spring and I don't think it will even reach the heights of the Will & Grace revival's early episodes last fall. But I am a little less down on it than I was a few months ago because the promotion has been relentless and there could be more curiosity than I originally believed. At 10pm is the second season of S.W.A.T. and it could benefit if Murphy surprises.

NBC
8:00 Superstore (4th season)
8:30 The Good Place (3rd season)
9:00 Will & Grace (2nd season)
9:30 I FEEL BAD
10:00 Law & Order: SVU (20th season)

NBC is sticking with comedies on Thursday night with 3/4 of the comedy block returning. Superstore and The Good Place return to the 8pm hour. Superstore always seems to do better in the fall but it's usually competing with football instead of The Big Bang Theory for several weeks. The Good Place has had a solid two seasons and is widely regarded as one of the best shows on broadcast TV. At 9pm is the Will & Grace revival, which is already renewed for next season. It was a big ratings success last fall but fell quite a bit as the season wore on. I don't know that it can recapture the magic. It leads into new comedy I Feel Bad, which got a preview after America's Got Talent last night. Already one of the more panned new shows, this sitcom will be a tough sell with what could be a weak lead-in. At 10pm is the record-tying 20th season of Law & Order: SVU, moving after many years on Wednesday nights. The veteran drama should be a self-starter in the 10pm hour and it might need to be. Unless it crashes and burns this season, it will break the record for longest running drama series in TV history.

FOX
8:00 Thursday Night Football
FOX won the bidding rights to Thursday Night Football with a five year deal. This is part of the network's general move towards sporting events, live events, and animation, which is being billed as "new FOX." Of course it will be the top performer on Thursday nights, but in general Thursday Night Football does not pull in the ratings that football can on Sundays. The plan for now is for season two of The Orville to take one of the hours in January.

CW
8:00 Supernatural (14th season)
9:00 LEGACIES

The CW is going with a supernatural theme on Thursday nights. Supernatural returns for its 14th season and it is still a centerpiece to the CW schedule. It has really had an impressive run that it doesn't always get credit for, probably because of its network. It has not succeeded in launching a spinoff despite two attempts however, including this past pilot season. So instead of a Supernatural spinoff, we get one from the universe of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. Those two shows have ended in recent years, but now we get a sequel. I just don't think this is necessary and I think people are kind of over the vampire era. It's not 2009 anymore.

New Thursday Show Survival Chances
Murphy Brown (CBS) - Good. I was more down on this show this spring. Maybe the hype is getting to me but I'm starting to believe people are more excited for Murphy Brown than I originally thought. I still think it will only be a modest performer but I think it will do enough to get a second season.

I Feel Bad (NBC) - Poor. I am very down on this show. I don't see it being any sort of upgrade on last year's 9:30pm entries: Great News and Champions. It might even be worse.

Legacies (CW) - Poor. I just don't see any desire for a new teen vampire show. I think Legacies will suffer from what it is about more than the quality of the show. I just don't think the CW will be able to find an audience for it.

PILOT REVIEW: I Feel Bad

 I FEEL BAD

Starring: Sarayu Blue, Paul Adelstein, Madhur Jaffrey, Brian George, James Buckley, Zach Cherry, Johnny Pemberton

Created by Aseem Batra
Written by Aseem Batra, Directed by Julie Anne Robinson

IN SHORT: This Show Makes Me Feel Bad

THE PREMISE:
Emet (Sarayu Blue) is a frazzled mother and career woman who spends each day guaranteed to feel bad about something. Whether it's something with husband David (Paul Adelstein) & kids or her overbearing parents Maya and Sonny (Madhur Jaffrey & Brian George) or her team of young, male co-workers Chewy, Norman and Griff (James Buckley, Zach Cherry, & Johnny Pemberton).

THE REVIEW:
Here's the problem with I Feel Bad: it is a very negative show and not in a smart way. I don't want to watch a show every week about a woman who feels terrible about herself for any given reason each episode. In general, I'm more a fan of optimistic sitcoms (hence why I like the ABC family sitcoms) and even the more cynical shows like The Office compensate that approach with brilliant cleverness. I Feel Bad is neither clever nor optimistic.

Then there is the whole Big Bang Theory vibe that adds to the unusual tone of the show. Half the time, it's a family sitcom and then the other half it's like Penny from Big Bang is an older, married woman. The "nerds" at work were not funny and their personalities were all pretty much the same, at least in the pilot (I would much rather see Johnny Pemberton in his hilarious recurring role on Superstore than in this). I'm all for uncomfortable humor but the whole sexy dancing storyline not to mention the conversation Emet led about whether she was "do-able" missed the humor part and was just uncomfortable.

I do think I Feel Bad could get better. I didn't watch the second episode that aired tonight yet, but I plan to at some point because I never think it's that fair to judge a comedy by its pilot. A brilliant comedy pilot is almost always the exception and even comedies that have become great had uneven pilots (look at a show like Parks and Recreation). Comedies take time to gel and the performances aren't terrible. I didn't like the work guys, but I did think Sarayu Blue had a couple funny line deliveries and some decent chemistry with Paul Adelstein. But usually, I can see glimmers of brilliance in the shows I end up loving and I didn't see that here. I don't think I Feel Bad is going to be the next great comedy.

THE BOTTOM LINE:
There has been next to no buzz for this show and it's easy to see why. It doesn't have enough heart to appeal to family comedy fans or enough cynicism to appeal to the type of people who hate the ABC family comedy style. It's oddly in the middle. It seems likely to be gone and replaced by Brooklyn Nine-Nine or Abby's by the time 2019 rolls around.

FALL PREVIEW 2018: Wednesday

Here is my Fall Preview for Wednesday: a night with some new entries on ABC and the CW, no changes for CBS & FOX, and the first all "Chicago" night on NBC.

ABC
8:00 The Goldbergs (6th season)
8:30 American Housewife (3rd season)
9:00 Modern Family (10th season)
9:30 SINGLE PARENTS
10:00 A MILLION LITTLE THINGS

ABC is giving its Wednesday night lineup a jolt with two new entries. The Goldbergs and Modern Family return as the comedy anchors. It is quite possible this could be Modern's final season, but nothing official has been announced. American Housewife slides up an hour to 8:30pm. I think this is actually a timeslot upgrade for the show, which only did OK in the post-Modern Family slot. If it had been in this slot last year, they might have been able to move it to Tuesdays in The Middle's absence. At 9:30pm is new comedy Single Parents, which has gotten buzz as the best new sitcom of the fall. On paper, it seems like a good match for Modern Family. At 10pm is the new A Million Little Things. This has gotten more attention than many fall shows but for mixed reasons as many see it as a This is Us knockoff. It also has to follow an untested new show so it will need to garner some attention on its own.

CBS
8:00 Survivor (37th edition)
9:00 SEAL Team (2nd season)
10:00 Criminal Minds (14th season)

CBS is going with the status quo on Wednesday nights. That seems fine for Survivor, which will be starting its incredible 37th edition. It has now aired on Wednesdays for almost as long as it aired on Thursdays. The problem is at 9pm where SEAL Team returns for a second season. As I mentioned in my sophomore class post, this was a show that severely underperformed in a good slot. I think CBS should have tried something else here because it doesn't seem like it's going to get better for SEAL Team. Criminal Minds returns at 10pm for its 14th season. The veteran drama handled the move to 10pm decently last season. It only has a 15 episode order so it could give way to another drama, but if newbies fail elsewhere, it could see it back up to a normal full length season.

NBC
8:00 Chicago Med (4th season)
9:00 Chicago Fire (7th season)
10:00 Chicago PD (6th season)

For the first time, NBC is going with an all-Chicago night. Chicago Fire was a little show that could back in Fall 2012 on Wednesday nights and now it returns to the night six years later having created an enduring world and three spinoffs, two of them successful. Fire takes over as the 9pm anchor and is led into by Chicago Med with Chicago PD retaining its Wednesday 10pm slot as the lead-out. Chicago crossovers have always juiced the ratings so this seems like a good idea. They are even doing a crossover the second week of the season just to get people in the habit of watching this shows as a trio. I think it's worth the shot and could prove successful for NBC but I'm a little leery of the weakest show, Chicago Med, being the lead-off.

FOX
8:00 Empire (5th season)
9:00 Star (3rd season)

FOX is sticking with its Lee Daniels night with Empire leading off the night and Star following at 9pm. Empire slowed the bleeding last year and had a very solid spring. Star was a more consistent performer behind Empire than it was as an Empire winter replacement in season one. Although I do think these shows will decline some, it should still be a decent lineup for FOX. No plan has been announced for the winter hiatus but it seems quite possible at least one of the new dramas, The Passage or Presumed Innocent will be here.

CW
8:00 Riverdale (3rd season)
9:00 ALL AMERICAN

The CW got quite a surprise last fall when Riverdale came out of nowhere to be a surprise hit in its second season. Had they known it was going to break out, they might have tried to pair it with someone other than an incompatible Dynasty. Although Riverdale did not keep the heat going through the season, they have tried to find it a better pairing with teen drama All American. However, All American looks a little closer to a Friday Night Lights showed compared to the campy Riverdale so I'm not sure these shows are that compatible other than being about teenagers.

New Wednesday Show Survival Chances
Single Parents (ABC) - Good. I think the good reviews and compatibility with Modern Family will help this be a more successful Wednesday 9:30pm entry than some other Modern Family lead-outs have been.

A Million Little Things (ABC) - Fair. I think this show has some buzz but I'm not sure it's for the right reasons and I could see it having an OK premiere but dropping off pretty quickly.

All American (CW) - Fair. I think this could be a critical darling, but it just seems so far out of the CW wheelhouse other than being teen-driven that I'm not convinced the audience is there.

FALL PREVIEW 2018: Tuesday

Here is my Fall Preview for Tuesday: a night with the most new shows of any night. ABC has some big changes while CBS and NBC are attempting to bolster their nights with new dramas.

ABC
8:00 THE CONNERS
8:30 THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
9:00 Black-ish (5th season)
9:30 Splitting Up Together (2nd season)
10:00 THE ROOKIE

ABC's Tuesday nights were supposed to start with Roseanne. After its smash hit ratings in its return last season, things looked great for ABC Tuesday nights. Then just a week later, Roseanne was abruptly cancelled following star Roseanne Barr's bizarre and racist tweet. So now it is a much bigger question mark on Tuesday night. ABC is trying to move forward with the rest of the cast in spinoff The Conners. I'm sure the premiere will get a lot of curiosity tuning in, but it will be interesting to see where it settles, probably not where Roseanne would have. At 8:30pm is 70s-set family comedy The Kids are Alright. Its fate seems pretty tied to how The Conners performs. The 9pm hour remains the same. Black-ish was looking pretty weak until it got the Roseanne halo late in the season. Splitting Up Together started strong but was showing a lot of weakness towards the end. It leads into the new drama The Rookie, which brings Nathan Fillion back to ABC. Tuesdays at 10pm have been disastrous to ABC for a long time, but I do think this is one of their better options in recent years. It's worth noting this lineup does not premiere until October 16.

CBS
8:00 NCIS (16th season)
9:00 F.B.I.
10:00 NCIS: New Orleans (5th season)

In what seems like a match made in heaven, CBS is getting into the Dick Wolf game after his many years at NBC. While he is still running many shows for the peacock, he is coming over to CBS with F.B.I., which takes over the 9pm slot. This seems like a perfect show for CBS audiences albeit slightly darker than its NCIS lead-in and lead-out. However, it also has to face This is Us and that was tough for Bull in the demo. Season 16 of NCIS (without co-star Pauley Perrette anymore) and Season 5 of NCIS: New Orleans bookend the night. NCIS can't have too many years left but is still one of TV's top draws in total viewers. NCIS: New Orleans holds its own at 10pm and is competing with two newbies on ABC and NBC.

NBC
8:00 The Voice (15th edition)
9:00 This is Us (3rd season)
10:00 NEW AMSTERDAM

NBC is keeping the status quo from 8-10pm with The Voice and This is Us. There was no talk about moving This is Us to another night this time around and it returns as the anchor of the night. I do think it will take a small step back this year, but will still be one of TV's top shows. NBC made a bonehead decision to have This is Us lead into Law & Order: True Crime last season and it was not very compatible. Medical drama New Amsterdam might be a better option because Chicago Med was a decent performer here once True Crime ended. But does NBC (and TV in general?) need another medical show?

FOX
8:00 The Gifted (2nd season)
9:00 Lethal Weapon (3rd season)

FOX Tuesdays are going to be a mess. At 8pm is The Gifted, which hasn't been seen since last winter and is now tasked with leading off the night. This show started well but faded badly towards the end of its first season and I think it will struggle to top The Flash, much less the big three networks. At 9pm is Lethal Weapon, which very publicly replaced co-star Clayne Crawford with Seann William Scott. I understand why FOX wanted to keep this show going even with the dysfunction, but why not just leave it at 8pm? I think it stands less of a chance at 9pm with what will certainly be a terrible lead-in.

CW
8:00 The Flash (5th season)
9:00 Black Lightning (2nd season)

The CW is the most stable network of the evening with the same lineup it had last year starting at midseason. The Flash has come down quite a bit, but it's still the CW's top show entering season five. Black Lightning was a solid midseason entry and proved to be pretty compatible with The Flash. I think the CW was wise to consolidate its superhero shows mostly to Monday and Tuesday (with Supergirl on Sundays). They can't rely on the DC shows as much as they have with those shows fading.

New Tuesday Show Survival Chances
The Conners (ABC) - Good. This is a huge gamble in so many ways, but I think it's going to have enough of a big start and a short enough season to convince ABC to ask for more. I think it will settle far below where it premieres though.

The Kids are Alright (ABC) - Good. If Roseanne could halo all the way to 9:30pm, I think this show should be able to benefit from airing right after The Conners and what will certainly be a big audience early on.

The Rookie (ABC) - Fair. I like this option at 10pm but I'm so skeptical of ABC and new shows in this time period that I just can't give it anything above a "Fair" prediction.

F.B.I. (CBS) - Good. Even with the This is Us competition, this has a good slot on CBS and is right in their wheelhouse. I think it will definitely do enough to continue.

New Amsterdam (NBC) - Fair. I'm kind of down on this show because it seems like a weaker version of some other medical shows on TV and we already have decent to good performers in The Resident, Chicago Med, and The Good Doctor. But it does have the This is Us lead-in so we'll see.