Winter Premiers

So, the holidays are officially behind us, and networks have begun to trot out the first new shows of 2012. Based on the two that premiered last night, I'd say it's time to start throwing them back... Yes, the date on the calendar may have changed but the commitment to quality on TV apparently remained the same.

Showtime, in the midst of a free weekend designed to attract new viewers, offered up it's winter premiers — the second season of "Shameless," a new season of "Californication," and the new show, "House of Lies." On paper, "House of Lies" looks like it could be entertaining. It's a half-hour comedy featuring Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell. Both are talented performers and both deserve better than this show.

First off, it celebrates greed, the demise of the middle class, and the falsity of our financial system. And who thought this would be a good idea at this point in our history? Last year was rough, and this year also figures to be rough. So you want us to spend our nights getting a kick out of watching slick, greedy bankers and consultants turn a quick buck by marginalizing the needs of the American people. That seems misguided, and it certainly appeared that way by content of the first episode of the show, which was repugnant.

The second criticism I have is the way the show is put together, which is equally unappealing. There isn't a lot of great comedy, mostly the show is a hedonistic exploration of American greed. In fact, that is an apt criticism of the whole lineup.

Showtime can deliver some wonderful shows. "Homeland" was my favorite new show of the year, and I still like "Dexter" despite some of its faults. However, the network still seems bent on distinguishing itself from HBO by aiming for the bottom in terms of restraint. That is evident in this new Sunday night lineup. All three shows are crass and littered with scenes seemingly designed to take advantage of being on pay cable. In its opening episode, "House of Lies" spent as much time being lewd as it did trying to tell jokes, and neither effort was endearing or effective.

Cheadle and Bell are good actors, but there is little that can be done with wholly unlikeable characters, story, and scenarios. It's possible the makers of the show will tone down their in-your-face style, but I doubt it. And, more to the point, would we even care?

The other new entry to the TV landscape came from woeful NBC, which has been trying for years to recapture some of its former glory. After striking out with its slate of new shows in the fall, NBC tried to lure viewers with a little John Grisham. The network adapted one of his most famous novels, "The Firm," into a half-baked courtroom drama/legal thriller weekly series. Of course, it doesn't help that the show uses only characters from the book.

Basically, the new show takes place 10 years after the events of "The Firm." Mitch McDeere (Josh Lucas) is still a bright attorney, returning to a "normal" life after 10 years in witness protection. Except those who were hunting him might still be after him, and he's uncovered another conspiracy at a new firm that threatens him and his family.

Suspension of disbelief is a must with most entertainment, but this was a bit too much for me. It didn't help that, even after two hours spent building the characters and story, I still didn't care. The courtroom drama case of the week was too earnest for me, and the season-long story arc didn't get me invested. You can see where this is going, and it's not that compelling.

NBC hoped to tap into an established genre and build something compelling. Some of the pieces are there, but it just doesn't coalesce into anything substantial. And judging by the initial ratings, people weren't that interested to see how McDeere fares this time. I guess it's better luck next season for the Peacock.