Fall TV in Review


Each fall Networks throw out tons of new shows hoping to find a hit. Sometimes they find diamonds, other times they just find rough. In September, I looked at five that seemed promising in three to avoid. Now that the broadcast season is over, it's time to recap.

Picks for the Best:
1. Blindspot, on NBC — I loved the pilot for "Blindspot," and have continued to watch the whole first season. But it's gotten a little dry and never fully delivered on its promise.

2. Man in the High Castle, Amazon Prime — This actually did turn out pretty well. It was a somewhat uneven first season, but I'm excited to see where it goes.

3. Quantico, ABC — This was a big miss. The pilot and premise seemed interesting, but after a couple episodes I gave up. The series was renewed for a second season, but its ratings have been middling at best.

4. Code Black,  CBS — This was another miss. The series got a short season, is long off the air, and is likely not to be renewed. There was potential here, but the series just didn't work.

5. Supergirl, CBS — This turned out to be a great series. It's been picked up for a second season — but will move to the CW. I thought the series continued to improve and got better as the season went along. The characters developed and the tone worked well.

Picks For Three to Avoid:
1. Life in Pieces, CBS — This was my biggest miss of the new fall season, and easily the best of the new fall shows. CBS knocked it out of the park with this comedy, which just got better as it went along. It's been picked up for a second season and is one of the better rated series for CBS.

2. Angel From Hell, CBS — This did, indeed, turn out to be one of the worst shows of the fall. It only lasted a few episodes and has been long cancelled.

3. Truth Be Told, NBC — This is another miss. It wasn't great, but it was oddly compelling. However, NBC cancelled it after an abbreviated first season. Still, it was somewhat enjoyable to watch.

Three Best New Series:
1. Life in Pieces, CBS — I thought it looked like it would be a train wreck, but instead it turned out to be my favorite new show.

2. Supergirl, CBS/The CW — The drama got better as the season progressed. I thought it really grew and became something entertaining. It's moving to the CW, which is a better fit, and should create strong lineups with the other DC Superhero series.

3. The Catch, ABC — The latest addition to the Shondaland Empire, this series debuted in March. I think it might be the best of the TGIT series, and it has fortunately been picked up for a second season.

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