Past Miscellaneous Awards: 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC) - Brooklyn Nine-Nine seemed to re-find its voice at the end of its final season on FOX but then was unceremoniously cancelled. Getting rescued by NBC a few days later didn't really change Brooklyn's ratings fortune but it did allow the show to creatively keep up the momentum this season starting with a hilarious episode centered on Jake and Amy's honeymoon. The ramping up of Scully and Hitchcock as main characters (with a back story included!) has also been very fun. Brooklyn is firing on all cylinders again!
RUNNER-UP: Superstore (NBC)
Chicago PD (NBC) - I thought about putting the whole #OneChicago trio as the "Best Returning Drama" honoree, but I chose the one that has traditionally been my least favorite of the family. Chicago PD has been far more compelling this year than in past years. It has had some great individual stories and guest stars that have kept the suspense going. And the cast seems to be gelling more than it ever has before (sorry, but I don't miss Sophia Bush on this show who often pulled too much focus). It's getting to the levels of the Fire and Med that come before it. I don't claim these Chicago shows are the best written of all time, but they are consistently enjoyable with good characters.
RUNNER-UP: This is Us (NBC)
Murphy Brown (CBS) - I have typically awarded this to a sophomore that comes back and is terrible (like Revenge) but there wasn't one of those on my list of shows so I'm going with one that was returning from longer ago and that was the ill-conceived and ill-fated return of Murphy Brown. Whereas other revivals in recent years have worked to one degree or another even if the ratings falter (Will & Grace) or the star sends out a racist tweet (Roseanne), but Murphy didn't work at all. Trying so hard to be relevant in the Trump era, a show that struggled to stay relevant past the Bush Sr. era felt old and tired. It was a little pathetic and a little sad to watch.
Manifest (NBC) - Manifest had a really compelling hook and pilot. And even then I was skeptical. Rightfully so because Manifest traveled down the path of so many other shows like it. By a few episodes in, I was already losing interest and I think I gave it up entirely around episode five or six. Why? The usual reasons. It became convoluted and I became convinced that the show didn't have a plan to reach a satisfying conclusion whenever that conclusion came. Add in wooden acting performances and it wasn't worth my time.
A Million Little Things (ABC) - We've had several shows try to jump on the This is Us train already and there's more coming (Hello, Council of Dads). I don't mind there being earnest family dramas, but it has to be one that's done organically and not be emotionally manipulative for no reason. Which brings us to A Million Little Things. The drama checked off every issue in the book. Suicide, pregnancy, infidelity, car accidents, cancer, depression, divorce, even 9/11. Everything they could put in to try to make you cry and feel as much as the characters on screen was there. And we ended up with quite a few mopey and unlikable characters. But it seemed to find an audience when it moved to Thursdays so maybe it can be a little less manipulative in season two.
NEW 2018-19 SHOWS I STILL NEED TO WATCH
Fosse/Verdon (FX)
The Romanoffs (Amazon)
Jack Ryan (Amazon)
MOST PROMISING TRAILER FOR 2019-20 BY NETWORK
ABC: Mixed-ish - but I want to see The Baker and the Beauty trailer!
CBS: Evil
NBC: Perfect Harmony - but I want to see Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist trailer!
FOX: Prodigal Son
CW: Batwoman
Happy Summer!
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