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.