2012 Fall TV Lineup: Wednesday - Friday

WEDNESDAY: Hump day and it's looking like I'm taking a bit of a break from TV. I only have one returning show on Wednesday, Modern Family. Every year the show continues to keep the laughs going without sacrificing much in character development. They are entering their fourth year and things don't seem to be slowing down now that Gloria (Sofia Vergara) is pregnant, Cam (Eric Stonestreet) and Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) cope with losing their adoption of a Mexican baby in hilarious fashion. And of course Phil (Ty Burrell), anything Phil does puts a smile on my face, I can't wait for the season premiere. Modern Family returns Sept. 26th at 9:00 PM on ABC.  Other returning shows that I don't watch or could care less about: Sept. 12 - The X-Factor at 8:00 PM on Fox. Sept. 19th - Survivor: Philippines at 8:00 PM on CBS, always a favorite at the Beke household. Sept. 26 - The Middle at 8:00 PM on ABC; Criminal Minds at 9:00 PM on CBS; Law & Order: SVU at 9:00 PM on NBC; CSI at 10:00 PM on CBS. Oct. 3 - Supernatural at 9:00 PM on the CW. Oct. 17th - Suburgatory at 9:30 PM on ABC.

Nashville

I saw the early trailers and it looks like a TV version of that movie with Gwyneth Paltrow called Country Strong. I had no interest in the movie and I don't have a lot of interest in the show. For starters Country is not my thing but I do love Connie Britton, who is playing the Gwyneth role here to Hayden Panettiere's young country starlet. Britton was fantastic on Friday Night Lights but again this just feels like a soap opera at the Grand Old Opry. If you are fan of country and if you like excellent performers and if you like just looking at Hayden Panettiere then this may be the show for you.

Nashville aires Oct. 10th at 10:00 PM on ABC

Arrow

Now here is one show on the CW I think I could get into to. As a comic book geek I'm always interested in Comic related TV shows. I watched Human Target and Smallville. Hell I even tried to watched the Cape and back in the day I watched that goofball Flash show. So I'm definitely going to give this one a shot especially since he's one of my favorite Comic heroes, Oliver Queen the Green Arrow. This show seems to be taking Ollie (Stephen Amell) to some dark places as he returns to Starling City (Why not call it Star City like in the comic, but what the hell I won't nitpick this as long as it's a good show.) after a harrowing escape from a deserted island that has changed him forever. He has thrown away the spoiled rich man's son and returned a determined agent of Justice who stalks the city's streets righting injustice as Arrow. I really did enjoy the trailer and I hope that this one goes a step further from Smallville and leave silliness out of it. The show boasts some pretty impressive people comic book writer and screenwriter Marc Guggenheim who has credits in film, tv and comics. He has written for the Amazing Spidey, Wolverine, Punisher as well as Aquaman, Flash and Justice Society of America. He wrote the Green Lantern film as well and he's currently writing a screenplay for the Flash. He also has credits on a few TV shows No Ordinary Family, Flash Forward and Brothers and Sisters to name a few. Greg Berlanti also shares credit on all of the above Film and TV credits as Guggenheim as well as a writer on Dawson's Creek.

Arrow aires Oct. 10th at 8:00 PM on the CW

Animal Practice

So this is the NBC show that they were pawning off on unsuspecting viewers during the Olympics and the result was not positive. So this is a screwball comedy about a veterinarian Dr. George Coleman (Justin Kirk) who works for his ex girlfriend who has just inherited an animal hospital that is complete disarray. Kirk is joined by funnyman Tyler Labine who looks like he's going to be 3 for 3 for his number of consecutive tv show fails. The trailers for this show just look terrible and it certainly feels like they are trying way too hard. But we'll see what the reaction is once this thing gets going, but I have a feeling this will be one of those that will be on the chopping block early. Or it could end up baffling people just like that awful show According to Jim which survived for 8 whole seasons.

Animal Practice aires Sept. 26 at 8:00PM on NBC

Guys With Kids

Apparently Jimmy Fallon is now getting into the producing game as he is putting himself out there for a new TV show. This one seems in line with films like Daddy Day Care and Mr. Mom as three thirty-something guys have to tackle the difficulties of taking care of babies especially when they are still acting like children. The show stars Anthony Anderson, Zach Cregger and Jesse Bradford. Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tempestt Bledsoe and Erinn Hayes are their significant others or exes. I didn't see the pilot yet so not clear on that yet. The early buzz has been negative but I wouldn't count out Fallon so quickly. Plus this could also fall into the According to Jim category of baffling success despite critics and taste.

Guys With Kids aired Sept. 12th 10:00 PM - it's regular time is 8:30 PM on NBC

The Neighbors

This was the one a few months ago that critics were screaming for the heads of the executives at ABC. Apparently the early screenings had a decidedly negative effect on avid watchers. I noticed my regular geek sites also trounced this new wacky comedy as being an even lower rent version of Dinosaurs from the 90's, Ouch. The Neighbors is about an average family, Debbie (Jami Gertz) and Marty (Lenny Venito) that move into a new neighborhood only to discover their neighbors are actually aliens in disguise. I only saw a brief teaser but this one does look a bit obnoxious and I can see it testing audiences patience quickly. The show is produced and the pilot is directed by Chris Koch who has credits as director on Modern Family, Raising Hope, Cougar Town and Scrubs. Also features screenwriter Dan Fogelman (Crazy Stupid Love, Cars 2 and Tangled). Seems like they have some talented folk here but not sure if that is enough from what I'm hearing. But time will tell.

The Neighbors aires Sept. 26th at 9:30 PM - it's regular time will be 8:30 PM on ABC.

Chicago Fire

Dick Wolf is returning to TV without the allure of a Law and Order before the title. It seems simple enough firefighters in Chicago. Could have some appeal although I don't know how you can top Rescue Me when it comes to the ultimate fire fighting show. The creators of the show along with Wolf have a pretty impressive resume in TV. Writer/Producer Joe Chappelle has writing, directing and producing credits on shows like Fringe, The Wire and CSI Miami. Also writers Michael Brandt & Derek Haas who have screenwriting credits on hit movies like 3:10 to Yuma, Wanted and the Double.  It'll be interesting if NBC can turn this show into the Fire Fighting version of E.R. Unfortunately for them I'm just not interested in a show like this at the moment as I have probably exceeded my limit of possible shows to watch but if it makes it maybe it'll be one I'll try to Netflix in the future.

Chicago Fire aires Oct. 10th at 10:00 PM on NBC

THURSDAY: There are definitely a few new shows I'm interested in checking out on Thursday the prime one being Last Resort. I saw the trailer earlier this year and they hooked me. I'm also intrigued by new show Elementary about an American twist on Sherlock Holmes. There are of course a few returning shows that I'm looking forward to as well. Let's start with Up All Night, it was a really cute show when Tamar and I started watching and It kept getting better to become one of our favorites last year. It's especially nice to see a pretty honest comedy about the difficulties of dealing with babies and since we're going to be dealing with two ourselves I'm hoping the show will keep us laughing as we dive into diapers and bottles again after a three year hiatus. Up All Night returns for it's second season on Sept. 20th at 8:30 PM.  I'm also looking forward to finding out how the Office is going to end it's 9th season and series finale. The last few years have been a chaotic mess but I've stuck around through all of it even after Steve Carrel left and the constant Managerial changes. So lets see if they can go out on a high note. I think it helps bringing back former showrunner Greg Daniels is a good first step. The Office returns Sept. 20th at 9:00 PM on NBC. It also looks like 30 Rock is heading into their seventh and final season. I really loved this show but going into season 5 and 6 I lost interest and now I've had trouble trying to catch up. I may just try to watch this season regardless of missing most of last season and season 6. I know the characters well so it shouldn't be that hard to catch up. 30 Rock returns Oct. 4 at 8:00 PM on NBC. One of my other favorite shows from last year was Person of Interest it had a great cast in Michael Emerson and Jim Cavizel and I really dug the premise. Unfortunately I lost my cable and I ended up missing my window on the last episodes so I missed the last two or three. Mostly because it's another damn CBS show and I just didn't have the time to catch them on the CBS site. So I'm going to have to wait for the DVD's on Netflix and see how I can catch up to this season. Person of Interest returns on Sept. 27th at 9:00 PM on CBS. Here are the rest of the shows that are returning that I haven't had the chance to watch or don't have any interest to: Sept 13 - Glee returned for it's fourth season at 9:00 PM on Fox. Sept. 20 - Parks and Recreation returns at 9:30 PM on NBC, I still want to try and watch this show as it enters its 5th season. Cody has told me continuously that this is a great show but I just haven't had the chance to check it out, maybe this year. Sept 27 - The Big Bang Theory, another favorite of my sister-in-law, I saw the first couple episodes and it was cute but for some reason I just couldn't get into it which baffled me given they make references to all the things I like, comics, Star Trek, Star Wars etc. I may come back to it down the road but for now it's not on my que. The Big Bang Theory returns for it's sixth season at 8:00 PM on CBS, and it's on CBS again, ugh; Scandal returns for it's second season at 10:00 PM on ABC; Two and a Half Men returns for its tenth season at 8:30 PM on CBS; Grey's Anatomy returns for it's ninth season at 9:00 PM on ABC, I tried to watch this show but I struggled mightily through two seasons before I had to shut it off. Tamar and her sister got through at least 8 or 9 before they finally pulled the plug. Oct. 11 - The Vampire Diaries returns for it's fourth season at 8:00 PM on the CW.

Last Resort

Of all the new shows other than Revolution this is the one I have been most excited to check out. The trailer was quite frankly awesome and felt like a movie, which is also part of the problem. How do you sustain a show of that magnitude for one whole season much less many? I don't have an answer to that question but I'm very curious to find out. Nuclear Submarine Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) and his XO Sam (Scott Speedman) go rogue after an unverified government official orders Chaplin to launch Nukes on Pakistan he refuses and asks for authentication. Before he can get it his boat is attacked by what would appear to be American forces. He hides the sub and crew on a nearby island and begins the investigation into who ordered the attack and why he and his men have been framed as traitors. A very cool premise and it appears to be a great cast. Not to mention the showrunner is a favorite of mine, Shawn Ryan who created the Shield.

Last Resort aires on Sept. 27th at 8:00 PM on ABC


Elementary

This is yet another re-imagining of the Sherlock Holmes mythology. A few years ago the BBC put out a popular modernization of the character called Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch. Honestly I want to believe this could work in the U.S. and NYC but I am skeptical. It's kind of like taking Batman out of Gotham and transplanting him somewhere else. It's hard to separate Sherlock Holmes from England and I imagine that is going to be the constant problem. Also not sure how Lucy Liu will fare playing a female Watson. I guess they can take Holmes' and Watson's romantic relationship to the ultimate conclusion that has been suspect by many readers of the original text. Showrunner Rob Doherty is best known for his producing/writing on shows like Medium, Tru Calling, Ringer and Point Pleasant. Again I would like to give this one a chance but being on CBS might make that a bit difficult. So time will tell.

Elementary aires Sept. 27th at 10:00 PM on CBS

Beauty and the Beast

I'll make this one brief--I have no desire whatsoever to watch this show it looks and sounds God awful. It is yet another attempt to remake another classic book and tv series. It feels like a desperate attempt to cling on to recent fairy tale shows like Grimm and Once Upon a Time. Given that it's on the CW it may get a longer run then it deserves. It does sport a very soapy dramatic group of peeps especially with Weepy eyed Kristin Kruek of Smallville fame. Don't know much about the guy playing the Beast, Jay Ryan but it sounds like they are trying really hard to concoct a convoluted conspiracy story to attract viewers with some 9/11 ties and other mysteries. But it's not any concern of mine cause I'll be sitting this one out.

Beauty and the Beast aires Sept. 27th at 9:00 PM on the CW

FRIDAY: And we have arrived at the day where shows normally go to die. Ironically some of my favorite shows are on Friday and they have suffered greatly for being on this day. Fringe being the prime one. It's one of the best shows on TV bar-none and depending on how they end their series finale this year after 5 seasons will determine if it was one of the best Sci-Fi shows ever. Tamar and I have been anticipating what will happen next after we got a sense of the future in that one random episode last year where Peter (Joshua Jackson), Walter (John Noble) and Astrid (Jasika Cole) were frozen in amber and extracted 20 years later to find the strange beings known as the Observers have taken over the planet, and it's up to the crew to find out what the hell happened to Olivia (Anna Torv). Fringe returns Sept. 28th at 9:00 PM on Fox. One of my favorite comedies over the past few years has to be Community with this awesomely crazy cast of characters Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Donald Glover, Yvette Nicole Brown, Chevy Chase, Ken Jeong and Jim Rash, I'm looking forward to season four. I'm also curious to see if it can still bring the funny after the departure of their former showrunner and creator Dan Harmon. I have faith that the show will continue being funny but sometimes when you lose your creator a lot of times you lose your way. Community returns Oct.19 at 8:30 PM on NBC. Along with the Good Wife I was able to keep up with this CBS show all the way to the end last year. Now that they are starting their third season I'm curious to see if they ramp up the plotlines a bit. The strength of the show is the familial relationships but a lot of times Tom Selleck's patriarch police commissioner seems a little too perfect to be believed, not to mention that the show tends to be a bit holier than thou. It doesn't keep me from enjoying the show but they need to tone it down a bit.  Blue Bloods returns Sept. 28th at 10:00 PM on CBS.  Grimm is starting it's second season and it is turning out to be a favorite of mine. I really enjoy the fractured fairy tale element and I think it's a nice change of pace from the kitchy fun of Once Upon a Time, Grimm is a bit more Buffy with out the catchy dialogue. David Giuntoli's Nick took a little while to warm up to but by mid-season last year I was excited to follow him against another crazy shape-changing wolf like creature. Also really like Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) and the rest of the new Scooby gang, Hank (Russell Hornsby), Rosalee (Bree Turner) and Sgt. Wu (Reggie Lee). Grimm aired Aug. 13th on NBC at 9:00 PM. And here are the shows I haven't had a chance to watch or don't care to: Sept. 14th - Shark Tank returns for it's fourth season at 8:00 PM on ABC. Sept. 28th - CSI: NY returns for it's ninth season at 8:00 PM on CBS. Oct. 19 - Nikita  a very cool looking action spy flick now starting it's third season at 9:00  PM on the CW;  Whitney returns for it's second season at 8:00 PM on NBC. Oct. 26th - Touch returns for it's second season at 8:00 PM on Fox. Nov. 2nd -  Last Man Standing returns for it's second season at 8:00 PM on ABC.

Malibu Country

This one looks like a reboot of the old sitcom Reba, if you were a fan of that show then you will probably enjoy Malibu Country. Given that this it's debut and having seen the trailer I can see why they moved it to Friday. I wonder how long this show will be able to last but I didn't know much about that Reba show and it did go for a few seasons, so who knows. It's Reba McEntire, she's a country singer who is now acting, not sure if it works but obviously someone likes it.

Malibu Country aires November 2nd at 8:30 PM on ABC.

Made in Jersey

This is a new drama that according to the showrunner, Dana Calvo,  is a TV version of the film the Fighter from last year. Calvo is known for his producing/writing credits on such shows as Covert Affairs, Franklin and Bash and Greek. Made in Jersey is about a salty NJ family who really have a tough time trusting outsiders from the Family. Apparently it revolves around a young man and his tough ass sisters. Eh, could work but again it's starting out on a Friday and it just seems like it could be a dramatized version of the Jersey Shore. I hope not but time will tell. It's another CBS show so I doubt this one will ever make my radar.

Made in Jersey aires Sept. 28th at 9:00 PM on CBS.

2012 Fall TV Lineup: Sunday - Tuesday

Well it's that time of the year again the leaves are falling off the trees, kids are going back to school and there are new and interesting things to watch on TV-- at least I hope. I dumped Cable and I'm able to watch almost everything on the Roku. Sports, CBS & HBO are unfortunately not included in my package but that's what the internet is for. I'm preparing to introduce two new ones to the Marvin clan. I don't expect to get much sleep, nor am I expecting to speak normally or be able to function properly in general but I do expect to watch a butt load of TV. That's what you do when you find yourself rocking and nursing babies keeping your mind on the beautiful escapism of the boob tube and I intend on escaping as much as humanly possible. This year the networks have provided the usual smorgasbord of comedies, dramas, sci/fi and yet more comedies.  So lets not waste time and get down to some business.

SUNDAY: Sunday has lately been the prime viewing of the week. All the best shows for Cable and the Networks seem to crop up on this day. For returning shows one of my favorites is The Good Wife which returns  for it's 4th season on Sept. 30th on CBS at 9:00 PM.  I'm also a big fan of Revenge which returns for its second season on Sept. 30th on ABC at 9:00 PM. And yes I've been watching Once Upon a Time. I know it's a little kitschy but it's fun. It's starting it's second season on Sept. 30th on ABC at 8PM. On HBO Boardwalk Empire Returns this coming Sunday the 16th at 9:00 PM for it's third season. I'm a little behind on The Walking Dead I was only able to see the first season and then I lost my cable and I haven't been able to catch up ever since and now they are on their third season starting on AMC at 9:00 PM tomorrow Oct. 14th. I'm also behind on Dexter by about two seasons as it is about to start season six on Showtime at 9:00 PM on Sept. 30th. Another Showtime Show that I completely missed last year that blew up big is Homeland on Showtime which aires Sept. 30 at 10:00 PM. I'm going to have to wait for DVD on this one but I do intend to watch this one as soon as humanly possible. Other returning shows that I don't watch or don't care to watch are: Sept. 23 - Treme at 10:00 PM on HBO; Oct. 21 - The Cleveland Show at 7:30 PM on Fox; Oct. 30 - The Amazing Race at 8:00 PM on CBS, The Simpsons at 8:00 PM on Fox, Bob's Burgers at 8:30 PM on Fox, Family Guy at 9:00 PM on Fox, American Dad at 9:30 PM on Fox, The Mentalist at 10:00 PM on CBS. Apparently there is only one new show airing on Sunday:

666 Park Avenue

The trailers for this one were definitely intriguing. It seemed a lot like the movie Devil's Advocate with a much more subtle devil in Terry O'Quinn. Frankly if it were anybody else I may not be as interested but no one can question the awesomeness of O'Quinn especially in a setting like this. The premise of this show follows a couple who move into this palatial Park Avenue Apartment Building and are seemingly manipulated by resident owners played by Terry O'Quinn and Vanessa Williams. This seems like a particularly fun show, and as my friend Cody would say, deliciously evil. I'm also encouraged by creator David Wilcox's resume. He's been a writer and producer on one of my favorite shows on TV Fringe for the past 3 seasons. There is also Producer Matthew Miller who also has some pretty good shows, at least in my opinion, under his belt. Like Chuck when it was still pretty good he seemed to have left before it started to go south in 2010. He also has credits on Las Vegas and Human Target which were both enjoyable shows. Especially Human Target which was woefully promoted on Fox until it's untimely demise. In the end I just hope that O'Quinn isn't just some cardboard cut out devil incarnate and that there is much more to this picture. But for now they have me and I intend to give this one a shot.

Aires September 30th at 10:00 PM on ABC

MONDAY: This one is shaping into an interesting day. You have a few new ones including a J.J. Abrams produced show which should be an automatic watch at least for the first few episodes. I'll put my review below but I can thankfully say after watching the sneak peek it was a great improvement from the snoozer Alcatraz from last year. I really wanted to enjoy that show. Alcatraz had a great premise but the execution and the story telling just felt like a rehash of other more popular shows and characters. It was a justified cancellation for sure. A certain returning show on Monday is one of the wife's and my new favorites, Castle. We started watching Castle on a whim earlier this year mostly cause we both love star Nathan Fillion and we were rewarded with a clever show with Procedural elements but mostly interesting characters and some pretty twisty fun story arcs. I suggest if you haven't seen Castle you should check it out on Hulu or you can get the first 4 seasons on discs at Netflix. Castle returns on Sept. 24th at 10:00 PM on ABC. Also returning is another favorite of ours is Bones which left us with a doozy of a cliffhanger where a smart ass psychopathic hacker has killed and framed Brennan forcing her to take her newborn baby on the run. Bones returns on Sept. 17th at 8:00 PM on Fox. I used to watch Hawaii Five-O back when I had cable but CBS makes it so damn hard to watch any of their network shows I put it on hold for a while so I could watch The Good Wife and Blue Bloods. Honestly CBS needs to update their website watching episodes on there can be painful. I wish they would take the hint and allow their shows on Hulu. Anyway the team at Hawaii Five-O returns for it's third seson on Sept 24th at 10:00 PM on CBS. Other returning  shows are How I Met Your Mother, a favorite of my sister-in-law, comes back for it's 8th season on Sept. 24th at 8:00 PM on CBS. I tried to watch 2 Broke Girls last year as it starts it's second season. I really like Kat Denning but the writing on this show is too sarcastic for it's on good, it borders on obnoxious and it falls into some bad stereotypes with some of the supporting characters. But if you are hooked I ain't gonna stop you. 2 Broke Girls returns on Sept. 24th at 9:00 PM on CBS. Other returning shows that I don't watch or really care that much about are:Sept. 24th - Dancing With the Stars: All Stars at 8:00 PM on ABC; Mike and Molly at 9:30 on CBS. Oct. 8th - 90210 at 8:00 PM on the CW; Gossip Girl at 9:00 PM on the CW.

Revolution

I got a chance to see a sneak preview this past weekend on Hulu. We start out with the premise that we as a culture are way to attached to our digital devices. It explores the quandary proposed if we were to suddenly lose those devices would our society crumble to ashes. The answer is a grey one as we see that a post-apocalyptic world has been created out of the ashes but it feels more like they are shot back to more simpler times before the Industrial Revolution. It is not fully explained what happened to all of the tech and it seems to be squarely on one family starting with their patriarch Ben (Tim Guinee) his two kids Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos), Danny (Graham Rogers) and his estranged brother Miles (Billy Burke). A seemingly psychotic leader of a Militia group thinks that Ben has the secret to turn on the juice and he is willing to kill everyone around him to get what he wants. It's certainly an ambitious program with a lot of different avenues to explore. It looks like they are doing a combination of tricks from Lost with the flashbacks interspersed with the present. After watching big bombs over the last few years like Terra Nova, the Event and FlashForward this one feels the most fleshed out and evenly paced. I really enjoyed the pilot and almost all the characters. There is a really great hook here and I think that if they can sustain the momentum from this first episode then I think you can expect to see a nice long run. The creator Showrunner is Eric Kripke who was the showrunner/writer of the cult favorite Supernatural. As an added bonus Iron Man Director Jon Favreau is also a creative consultant and he directed the pilot. Also, as mentioned above J.J. Abrams is listed as a producer. Just looking at the names it looks like this show is in very good hands. And since this is Fringe's last season it'll be nice to transition into another smart sci/fi show. If you haven't seen the pilot yet you can catch the debut on:

Aires September 17th at 10:00 PM on NBC

Partners

I don't know much about this show other than seeing the trailer. It's a sit-com with laugh track about two childhood friends, Louis (Michael Urie) and Joe (David Krumholtz) who are roommates and partners in their Architecture firm and an added twist Louis is Gay and Joe is straight. Apparently this scenario is based on Showrunners David Kohan and Max Mutchnick's actual relationship. Kohan and Mutchnick are known for their biggest TV hit Will & Grace. The trailer was funny and looks like it could be cute but I really hope they lose the laugh track quick. I have had real trouble watching shows lately that institute the laugh track it's distracting and they laugh at everything even the shit that isn't funny and sometimes it makes watching the show unbearable. It's one of the things I didn't like about How I Met Your Mother and 2 Broke Girls and I just couldn't watch them anymore. If you are a fan of Will and Grace then I'm sure you will love this new show. It seems to have a pretty great cast and it does look genuinely funny. But it's on CBS and if you read my rant on Sunday I probably won't be catching this one live. If it makes a few seasons I may be able to catch it on Netflix streaming.

Aires September 24th at 8:30 PM on CBS
  
The Mob Doctor

I caught the trailer for this one the other day and was intrigued. It's a drama about a resident Dr. Grace Devlin (Jordana Brewster) in Chicago who finds herself in a pickle. Her brother has a astronomical debt to the Mob whom she has grown up with her whole life. She is forced to live a dual life as a physician for the public and providing her medical expertise for some nefarious folk behind the scenes. Looks like an interesting dilemma, I'm sort of on the fence about this one. I can only watch so much stuff. It looks like it should be playing on Hulu so we'll have to see. It does have some pretty familiar faces especially William Forsythe who is playing what he plays best, a bad ass mobster.

Aires September 17th at 9:00 PM on Fox

TUESDAY: Holy Crap the networks seem to have dumped a bunch of shows on Tuesday new and old. Tuesday is going to be a bloodbath I have this feeling. There are quite a few returning shows here so let's see if we can hit them all. One of my favorite comedies of last year New Girl is back for it's second season. This was a genuinely sweet and funny comedy that did have a few bumps especially in the last episode where it seemed like the writers just decided to get a little lazy for the climax as things went back to normal after Nick (Jake M. Johnson) moves in with his ex and then just as quickly moves right back in regardless of the sexual tension they created between him and Jess (Zooey Deschanel) all season. It was sort of weird as it seemed like it was going to leave the season on a cliffhanger and then they just don't. But it still doesn't diminish the hilarious power of Schmidt (Max Greenfield) I'll definitely be tuning in for the season premiere. New Girl returns on Sept. 25th at 8:00 PM on Fox.  Parenthood is returning for it's 4th season and even though almost all the characters tried my damn patience last year I'm still hooked on the show and I'm looking forward to Showrunner Jason Katims to right the ship from last years uneven tone and silliness to hopefully reach some Friday Night Lights level of drama. I may be asking for too much though. Anyway Parenthood came back on Sept. 11 at 10:00 PM on NBC. Here are some other shows that are returning that I don't watch or don't care to: Sept. 11 - Sons of Anarchy at 10:00 PM on Fox. Sept. 25 - NCIS at 8:00 PM on CBS; NCIS Los Angeles at 9:00 PM on CBS; Private Practice at 10:00 PM on ABC. Oct 2 - Raising Hope at 8:00 PM on Fox; Hart of Dixie at 8:00 PM on The CW. Oct. 23rd - Happy Endings at 9:00 PM on ABC; Don't Trust the B-- in Apt. 23 at 9:30 PM on ABC.

Go On

I got a chance to see the sneak preview on Hulu a couple of weeks ago. NBC is smelling of desperation as they have gone insane this summer especially during the Olympics to promote these new comedies. The critics seem to think that this show could survive but it did get a mixed bag. I liked it but I like Matthew Perry, if you find him annoying then I suggest you not watch this at all. He's in full Chandler mode from Friends on this show and he tried even my patience a few times but I liked the cast of characters and I think over time this has real potential to grow as a comedy. Its in the vein of Community where you have a collection of people with different backgrounds coming together for grief counseling. It does have a bit of a dark edge since the main character is trying to find his laughter again after his wife is killed in an accident. But again it does have potential and I have faith in Perry to deliver it. Plus no laugh track. Thank God!

Go On aired on Sept. 11 at 9:00 PM on NBC

The Mindy Project

Tamar and I decided to watch this sneak preview mostly cause I was curious to see how funny creator and star Mindy Kaling could be outside of the Office. It wasn't bad I know Tamar really enjoyed it, it was a bit Chic-lite for me but Mindy is funny and I liked the cast. Mindy plays an ob-gyn who as most people do on these shows struggles with her sex life, but I will say that is the only thing that makes this a generic rom-com show. For one the lead is a smart Indian female doctor you don't see too many shows like that around. I think this has potential to be a hit with women and couples especially if they keep bringing the funny, and again no laugh track.

The Mindy Project aires Sept. 25 at 9:30 PM on Fox

Ben And Kate

It did just occur to me I got to see a lot of early previews here, since I don't have cable I'm not sure how available they are on TV but it's kind of cool to be able to see the Pilot episodes before the release to get a sense of these shows. Especially the comedies. Tamar and I really liked this one about a Brother and Sister, Ben (Nat Faxon) and Kate (Dakota Johnson). Ben is a man-child but a funny one at that and his little sister is Kate a single mom who is the straight man or straight woman of the duo. It's silly and charming and I think it could work as a safe comedy that isn't begging for laughs for 30 minutes as a lot of situational comedy has. It's not quite Modern Family but it definitely has potential.

Ben and Kate aires Sept. 25 at 8:30 PM on Fox

The New Normal

This is the new controversial show that has angered Conservative Christians all over the country once they heard the premise of this one. A Gay couple Andrew (Andrew Rennels) and David (Justin Bartha) are attempting to start their own family via a surrogate named Goldie (Georgia King) and all the trials and tribulations that come with raising a child. I'm not a fan of Glee it's a little too over the top for me and I hate musicals so I was intrigued to see what Showrunner Ryan Murphy could do with a show without a lot of teens singing and dancing. I did a little digging and I discovered that Ryan Murphy also created one of Cody's favorite shows American Horror Story which from what he tells me is the complete opposite of Glee. This is probably one of the more controversial new shows this year. Although some of the early reviews have panned it as overly stereotypical and some felt the cast was uneven. But I haven't seen it so I can't comment.

The New Normal aired Sept. 10th at 10:00 PM on NBC

Emily Owens M.D. 

I didn't see this one but it looks like Mindy has some competition for funny lady doctors. I can't really judge this one from just the synopsis but--A heavily monologued dramedy about a Intern, Emily Owens (Maime Gummer) at a Denver Hospital where she has catty relationships with a Fre-enemy and romantic relationships with other doctors--wait a minute this sounds like Grey's Anatomy. I know it's Meryl Streep's kid but I don't think I'll be watching this one. I'm already bored and it's on the CW. Double whammy.

Emily Owens aires Oct. 16th at 9:00 PM on the CW

Vegas

I saw a quick teaser for this one a couple weeks ago and I was intrigued. For one it's about Mobsters in the 60's in Vegas. I always have a soft spot in my heart for Gangsters some of my favorite shows of all time Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire and favorite flicks are Goodfellas, Godfather I & II and Casino. So this is certainly right up my alley. Then I saw that it was written by Mob writer extraordinaire Nicholas Pileggi and the pilot is directed by James Mangold (Copland, 3:10 to Yuma & Walk the Line). How can I not watch this! Based on the true story of a rancher turned Sheriff, Ralph Lamb (Denis Quaid), who has to contend with the Hoods flying into Vegas as they begin their hostile takeover of the little desert community. He has to contend with slick mobsters like Vincent Savino (Michael Chiklis). It's great to see Chiklis playing a morally gray character again after a brief hiatus to play superhero in Fantastic Four and that Fantastic Four style ugh worthy show No Ordinary Family. It's nice to see a version of Vic Mackey back in bad ass mode again. I'm definitely going to try to--shit it's on CBS--ugh, I guess I'll have to figure out a way to watch this on-line.

Vegas aires Sept. 25th at 10:00 PM on CBS    

The Newsroom

Got a chance to see writer Aaron Sorkin's new show on HBO last Sunday night. If you've read any of my previous posts about Sorkin you would know that I have a soft spot for the guy and his work. One of my favorite shows still is the West Wing and some of my favorite flicks that he wrote; A Few Good Men, Moneyball, The American President, Charlie Wilson's War & Social Network are all pretty fantastic. Now I realize that not everyone loves the guy. Many Conservatives think he's an arrogant Liberal shill who thinks he's smarter than he is. Many critics get annoyed that he writes similar characters and for the most part all his characters speak with the same voice, the sharp, intelligent rat-a-tat dialogue. All of which are in evidence with this new show. In fact his opening sequence pretty much copies from his previous failed show Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. In that show actor Judd Hirsch's character, who is running an SNL like show, disrupts the program he is producing, comes on air and voices his Howard Beale complaint about the deterioration of Art and our lobotomized culture. In the Newsroom main character Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) is considered to be the Jay Leno of news anchors he supposedly never takes a political position and it's apparent why people watch him. While on a panel with other talking heads he's asked a question as to why the U.S. is the greatest country in the world and he has his moment of clarity. It sounds like a rant but he is obviously pointing out the harsh truth about the path our country has been taking over the last 40 years or so. So after watching both you can see the similarities but the after part is very different, Hirsch's character is fired and Daniel's character merely loses most of his staff and has to re-invent himself. The similarities with Studio 60 didn't bother me so much but for the first time I was a little annoyed with the pacing and some of the dialogue. I really liked the cast but the first half hour was a lot of speechifying and a lot of these characters felt re-used, I thought I saw a bit of Sam Seaborn a possible Donna Moss and this is probably the first time where I really noticed they were all speaking with Sorkin's voice.

Where the show really started to cook was after the new producer arrived, Mackenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer) and we got to the crux of the show which will be to report on real news not made up news. They started with the oil spill in the Gulf from 2010 as they try to build the narrative with as much facts as possible. I really thought it was great to see part of the process and to see the info trickle out as the disaster unfolds and the team gets to work. This is where Sorkin excels at his craft it's one of the things that made West Wing so damn interesting was that behind the curtain look. Yes there are speeches and a rosy colored view about politics but you also got to see the process of a democracy in action. Where the West Wing tried to pay homage to our fore fathers Washington, Franklin and Adams. The Newsroom intends to do with Cronkite and Murrow.

I'm going to keep watching this show and see where they are going to go with it. I really do like the overall arc of the pilot and I hope that the real news portion continues. They do have an outstanding cast and I hope that they give these characters a little more time to build. At the moment the character I like the least is McAvoy and that is a problem, hopefully he'll grow on me I have faith in Sorkin on that.  I also hope that he tones down the speeches a bit I felt they went a little overboard in the pilot and it takes you out of the narrative if everyone is just doing that. In the West Wing most of the time the big speeches came at the end of the episode mostly from the President which always, to me, made a lot of sense. If everyone is doing it no one is actually having a conversation and it's going to get dull fast.

So if you get HBO and you want something smart, entertaining and the potential to be a strong narrative about news culture then check out the Newsroom on HBO on Sunday nights at 10 pm.

Fall TV: New Shows I Have Watched and May Watch: Thursday & Friday

I was planning on doing Thursday and Friday earlier in the week but things built up at work and well you know how that goes. But I did get a chance to watch a few of the new shows that aire on Thursday and Friday and may be able to give you an idea of what works and what doesn't. Let's begin:


THURSDAY: So this is probably the only day where my old shows dominate. I only had one new show that I actually got a chance to see. My favorite returning shows on Thursday are 30 Rock, Fringe and The Office. I really want to watch Community, but I've just never been able to find a way to consistently watch it. Last year the wife had to have Gray's Anatomy and so I wasn't able to see it or the Office in primetime. I ended up watching the Office on Hulu thankfully but just couldn't squeeze in time for Community. Cody Dee swears by it and he usually has a good sense for these shows. So fast forward to 2010 and I've convinced my mother in law to DVR Gray's Anatomy at her place now freeing me up for Community. I'm a little behind but from what I understand it's worth it. Community aires on NBC with the block of 30 Rock and the Office starting at 8:00 PM.

SHIT MY DAD SAYS: It's always a bad sign when you make a show for the networks where you can't even use the proper title. Apparently the show has already caused problems with people's DVR cause they don't know how to look up the show cause it starts with $#"!. But what do you expect from a show based on a twitter feed of the same name. The only reason I was giving this show a chance was because I love William Shatner, dude is funny even when he doesn't intend to be. This should be a no brainer, but as I was watching the show I noticed something horrifying. It looks like the showrunners have decided to put a collar on Shatner and his antics. He seems caged in the pilot--they should let the freak Shatner fly, but instead he's just limited to groan inducing one liners. Shatner still emerges at times to give me a chuckle but he seems to be buried under a schmaltzy and mostly unfunny script. The guy playing his kid is almost unwatchable. He's trying way too hard, the show could have promise if the writers were truly interested in channeling Archie Bunker. But it just seems like they are trying to continue to cash in on the shit Dad says on twitter which is pretty hit or miss most of the time. I'm on the fence whether or not I'll check out the second episode but if you are tired of painfully formulaic sitcoms then this show is not for you. ($#"! My Dad Says aires on CBS at 8:30 PM)

There are two other shows that I had some thought about taping but decided against it at the last minute. The one that I'm sort of regretting is Nikita, which aires on the CW at 9:00 PM. The trailer didn't do much for me but then I will admit to you I saw star Maggie Q wearing that red bikini and then I started to think--damn maybe I should give it a shot. In all honesty the reviews have been mixed but most have said it was fun and I do love me some spy shows. I'm a complete sucker for them so why shouldn't I watch this one---maybe I'll watch on Hulu. The other show I considered was Outsourced but now I'm kind of glad I dumped it. The trailer was pretty bad and most of the reviews I read were pretty negative. This show was based on the John Jeffcoat movie of the same name. It's about an American who is sent to Mumbai to manage an American novelties company (fake vomit) Call Center and through his new job he gets to learn about Indian culture. The premise sounds like it could be funny but it seems like they dumbed it down to the lowest common denominator. Did I mention the almost all Indian cast is going to be fielding calls about fake vomit. Yeah, remember what I said about NBC and subtlety. This would probably apply here. But if you want to take a shot let me know what you think cause I don't think I'm going to be adding this to my Must See TV list. (Outsourced aires on NBC at 9:30 PM)

FRIDAY: So Friday, usually is dead air, but that's usually. Last year I enjoyed two truly great shows that aired on what is considered the death knell for tv shows. Friday Night Lights and Joss Whedon's Dollhouse. This year I'm still awaiting Friday Night Lights cause I don't have Direct-TV, it'll aire sometime in January I believe. They also moved a couple shows I watched on Wed that are now on Friday Human Target and the Good Guys. (I did a review for the Good Guys a few months ago, click here.) You can check out both of these shows on Fox starting at 8:00 PM with Human Target and the Good Guys at 9:00 PM.

BLUE BLOODS: I just saw this one last night and I really enjoyed it. They've got a great cast with Tom Selleck, Frank Reagan, as the patriarch of a family of NY city Cops: Donnie Wahlberg as the tough as nails Detective Danny Reagan and eldest son of the brood. Danny's tough Assistant DA sister Erin (Bridget Moynahan) and their little brother, former Harvard student, turned rookie cop Jamie (Will Estes). You even have Frank's retired cop father Henry (Len Cariou) to make this a total family affair of three generations of Cops. I really thought it was well written and brought some new flavor to the typical Cop Show. This is a bit of both cop drama and family drama which is important for this show to really work. In the pilot they go right at opposing viewpoints on tough subjects like water boarding. I think you've got some great potential for compelling stories as well as a fun thriller that will keep the viewer on their toes. It's great to see Selleck back on something as smart as this and it's always great to see him sporting the signature stash. I know Friday is the night to party but if you find yourself at home you should really check this one out I highly recommend it.  (Blue Bloods aires on CBS at 10:30 PM) 

OUTLAW: I actually got to watch the pilot a week or so ago and I wasn't that impressed. I was intrigued with the premise of the show about a Supreme Court Judge, Cyrus Garza (Jimmy Smits), who decides to leave the bench and go back into private practice. The intriguing part was that he is a very conservative style judge who has a very liberal personal life with the gambling and womanizing. Could be interesting right. We learn right off the bat that his very liberal minded father was killed recently in a car accident with Cyrus at the wheel. So in the pilot Cyrus pisses off the right wing because he doesn't tow the line and they try to blackmail him. He seems to be having a crisis of conscience. He gets the jump on their threats and leaves the bench of his own free will. I find it amusing that a guy as Conservative as this would all of a sudden become so liberal minded so quickly, but oh well. Where the show works is it's lead star Jimmy Smits. The guy is a pro and he makes Cyrus very compelling. The problem is the pacing and the overblown ridiculous plot. We are to believe that this guy leaves the bench and helps a convict avoid lethal injection just because he stood up to a judge for five minutes. The guy had been on death row for like 15 years or something and he digs just a little bit and gets him off. The whole thing just felt so contrived. I want to give the show more time but I was so annoyed by the ease in which he solved the case that I couldn't fathom how they could make this show last a whole season without the audience laughing off every triumphant victory. It sort of reminded me of Matlock which is never a good thing. (Outlaw aires on NBC at 10:00 PM)

Fall TV: New Shows I Have Watched and May Watch: Tuesday & Wednesday

TUESDAY:

There are quite a few newbies on Tuesday but so far I haven't really felt much excitement about most of them. Detroit 1-8-7 on ABC at 10PM looks like a paint by the numbers procedural that probably won't make it to mid-season regardless of Michael Imperioli, he's been on a losing streak since Christopher got smothered by Tony on the Sopranos and I'm afraid it's gonna continue. There is also Raising Hope and Running Wilde both half hour sitcoms on Fox at the 9 - 10 PM slot don't look much better. I really like Will Arnett and Kerri Russell for Running Wilde but the promos so far haven't really got me jumping through hoops yet. I kind of dig the premise of an Oil Baron (Republican) tries to woo a girl he knew when they were kids who is an Environmental Activist (Democrat) and then you have a show that basically describes the relationship between Republican pundit Mary Matlin and her Raging Cajun Democrat Husband, pundit, James Carville. Raising Hope looks like an even redneckier version of My Name Is Earl if that's even possible. Showrunner Greg Garcia returns to tell the story of a young man who knocks up what one would call the Female equivalent to a Caged Heat convict who is then forced to raise the youngster himself while the mother is in stir. He turns to his bizarre family for help and therein lies the comedy. I gave up on My Name is Earl around season 3 and apparently so did everyone else. I got tired of the stupid idiotic rednecks that populated the show day in and day out and unfortunately Garcia seems to be trying to tap that well again. So good luck to you Greg, but I won't be watching.

Some of the returning shows for Tuesday that I fell in love with last year was Parenthood on NBC at 10 and the Good Wife on CBS also at 10. Both of these shows are well written and will keep your interest I suggest checking these out when they open this week. So for Tuesday I guess I had only one show that piqued my curiosity, and of course it deals with superheroes.

NO ORDINARY FAMILY: Yeah I know, it's ABC Family and it's basically a live version of the animated hit the Incredibles, but I'm still curious to see how this one turns out. I really like leading man Michael Chiklis who plays the patriarch and invincible Dad on the show. I also have really grown to love Julie Benz after great turns as Darla in Buffy and Angel and more recently as Rita on Dexter. It feels a little Fantastic Four as a family of Four gain super powers after an accident in the water. This thing could go either way honestly, it seems to have a pretty good Showrunner in Greg Berlanti who has done some writing on popular shows like Brothers and Sisters and short lived ones like Jack and Bobby and Dirty, Sexy Money. (No Ordinary Family aires on ABC at 8 PM)

WEDNESDAY:

Wednesday is going to be a light day for Prime-time viewing this year. Of the returning shows the only one I'm interested in is Modern Family which comes back on ABC at 9. It's such a funny show and totally deserved all the Emmy love it received this year. If you missed this one last year, don't be a dope and miss it again, it's just too good. So of all the few newbies this year on Wednesday I've only got my eyes on one show. And it's got JJ Abrams name all over it.

UNDERCOVERS: Yeah I'm always a sucker for the spy genre I can't ever get enough. I actually got into that Piper Parabo show Covert Affairs over the summer. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure but it's a fun cast and I really got a kick out of it. Undercovers probably falls in the same category except there is probably a better twist, given that it's JJ Abrams. At least I hope so. They are kind of taking a page out of the Mr. & Mrs. Smith playbook with two former C.I.A agents who marry each other and start a catering business. It's short lived of course and they are thrust back into the agency. It seems like it's a Action/Comedy/Romance, could work. Just looking at the trailers the two spies played by Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw seem to be having fun together, I've got a good feeling about this one. (Undercovers aires on NBC at 8 PM)

Stay tuned for Thursday & Friday.

Fall TV: New Shows I Have Watched and May Watch: Sunday & Monday

It's that time of the year again where new shows dominate the airwaves. It's especially interesting this year due to NBC's big time debacle last year when they so stupidly tried to run the guy with the chin weeknights at 10PM. They have now agreed with everyone else that it was dumb and have now ordered something like fifty new shows for the fall. Subtlety is not in NBC's wheel house. So I decided to study the new fall schedule check out some of the new shows I wanted to see and listed them here for you. All you have to do now is just set your DVR and enjoy the show.

SUNDAY:

So there is only one show to watch this Sunday, that is if you aren't watching Football, and it's Boardwalk Empire on HBO. If you've read any reviews on the subject everything is glowing and damn right it should be. This is director Martin Scorsese's first attempt at a TV show and it should be considered a major coup for everyone involved. Although I did hear that of the first 5 episodes Marty's was the weakest. Nevertheless it's Scorsese doing what he does best telling a story about the Mob. This time it's in Atlantic City during Prohibition and it's about how one guy, Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi), took the reigns of everything illegal in that town and completely ran with it.  There's a young Capone, "Lucky" Luciano, Arnold Rothstein and many others. It's got a great cast, a great group of creatives and it's probably going to win a shitload of Emmy's next year. I shouldn't have to say much more about it cause this one has been the talk of TV for about two straight months now, if you haven't heard about this show then you have no business watching TV to begin with. (Boardwalk Empire aires on HBO Sunday Sept. 19th at 9PM)

MONDAY:

It's funny but Monday seems to be a busy night for TV in my house all of a sudden. I never would have thought that a few years ago. So I have the old standard Chuck which is always a must see. Even my brother caught the Chuck bug. He watched all three seasons over the summer and is chomping at the bit for season 4 to begin, as am I. We've got a few newbies to add to Monday's list. One I'm on the fence about but I have been hearing great things is a half-hour sitcom called Mike & Molly. It's a little different from your average sitcom in that the main actors are fairly normal looking, ie they aren't thin as a rail 30 somethings who look like they should be on the cover of GQ. I saw the pseudo trailer and I just didn't find it very funny, but I was going to wait to get the consensus at the end of the week. I can always check out Hulu over the weekend. The big problem is I want to watch Lonestar and the Event and unfortunately I can't DVR all three.(Mike & Molly aires on CBS Monday at 9:30 PM)

LONE STAR:  This is an hourlong drama about a con-man, Bob Allen (James Wolk), who leads a double life in Texas, naturally. He's got a wife (Andriana Palicki) in Houston and a girlfriend (Eloise Mumford) in Midland. He seems to want to go straight and leave the con business and his con-father behind, but he can't seem to shake the double life he's carved out for himself. The trailers have been pretty interesting and I really dig the cast. Especially David Keith as the Con-Man Father trying to keep his kid in the game. I'm getting a real-life kind of vibe that really worked for Friday Night Lights and it's in Texas, again, so what could go wrong? This one has been getting some good buzz but it's always hard to tell with some of the newbies especially when it's a first time Producer/Showrunner Kyle Killen, he's also writing the film the Beaver with Mel Gibson which comes out later this year.  (Lone Star aires on Fox Monday at 9:00 PM)

THE EVENT:  This is also one of those shows that has been talked about to the hilt. The first couple trailers didn't do much for me especially with the entire cast talking up the secret surprise that is the title---the Event--ooh spooky. What is it? Everyone seems to want to know and even --- dum dum dum--the President doesn't seem to know what the fuck it is. I also really hated the editing with the weird cut to actress Laura Innes (ER) goofy face in order to ramp up the intrigue and suspense. Just a little tip, showing this does not enhance my desire to see the show. But as the slew of advertising progressed an interesting premise appeared and they had me curious to what the damn event really is. It seems that a President, Elias Martinez (Blair Underwood), a scruffy looking guy, Sean (Jason Ritter), and Sean's kidnapped Girlfriend Leila (Sarah Roemer) are going to find out what it is the hard way. They knew they would get me now that Lost is off the air and I suppose they decided to go the extra mile and make it look a bit like 24 now that that show is over too. I say smart move--this should do pretty well, as long as you know, no more weird cuts to Laura Innes' weird face. (The Event aires on NBC Monday at 9:00 PM) 

HAWAII FIVE-O: I have a good vibe about this one, I really do. I shouldn't because on the surface this seems like another crap re-make of a classic popular show. And I should know I have watched my share of bad remakes: Knight Rider, Bionic Woman etc. But this show has what those couldn't dream of having, a damn good cast. Alex O'Loughlin as super cop Steve McGarrett, Scott Caan as Danny "Danno" Williams, Grace Park as Kono and my personal favorite Daniel Dae Kim as Chin Ho. I loved him on Lost and I'm sure I'll love him here. I used to watch the original when I was a kid in syndication you don't get much better than Jack Lord and of course there is that theme song. This new one has the great cast but it also has the luckiest two writers in Hollywood attached to it, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, the guys who wrote the Transformers movies, the new Star Trek and the awesome show Fringe. These guys have been on a roll the last few years it's doubtful that Hawaii Five-O will stop their reign.(Hawaii Five-O aires on CBS Monday at 10:00 PM)

I'll hopefully be posting Tuesday and Wednesday's lineup tomorrow night. Stay tuned.

The Good Guys

It's been a while since I've given a shout out to a show which should tell you something right off the bat. I kind of stumbled on this show by accident when I was flipping around on Hulu. I vaguely remember seeing the teaser trailer earlier this season during Human Target, which is also a pretty fun show by the way, and I remember doing a double take when I saw Bradley "Josh Lymon" Whitford doing somersaults over a Mustang sporting aviator glasses and a Magnum P.I. stash. I was intrigued but it didn't specify when it was airing, just sometime in the summer. So of course it was forgotten until a few weeks ago I was browsing around Hulu and I found it again. I watched the first couple episodes and I found myself laughing pretty hard. In a way it fits in with shows like My Name is Earl and Starsky & Hutch but just when you think the redneck silly shtick goes too far they ramp up the action to reveal a different kind of show. The dialogue is pretty darn great and the pacing is fun--keeps things rolling on.

The Good Guys series follows two very different cops. Dan Stark (Bradley Whitford), a drunken mess of a cop who still thinks he's living in 1985. He's inept and afraid of computers (which makes for some funny scenes) and he's always trying to get poon no matter if he's on or off the clock. He's old school but he retains his cop instincts which makes for an entertaining and funny setup. His partner, Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks), is the opposite. He's smart and precise but a little green. Actually it' kind of eerie how much Hanks is like his pop. He sounds exactly the same and makes the same kind of faces--it'll freak you out at first. You think you might be watching Dragnet, "Hey where is Dan Aykroyd..." Then he moves his face again and it's gone. Weird. But he plays a pretty good straight man to Whitford's looney Dan Stark. The reason he's partnered with the train wreck in the first place... guy's got no head for politics. No one at the top wants to promote Bailey cause he makes them look like idiots, sort of reminded me of Hot Fuzz. In fact that is a perfect example. If they made Hot Fuzz an American TV show then it would totally be this fucking show.

So check this one out if you find yourself hot and bored this summer, save it from cancellation. Apparently it's not doing so hot in the ratings. It aires on Fox Friday at 9PM.