Checking in with New Shows

When the TV season kicked off in September I reviewed all the new shows I saw. This TV season hasn't produced a lot of hits; in fact some are calling it the worst crop of new shows in a decade. We've now seen between five and six episodes of these shows — enough of a sample to get a feel for their identity — and as we are heading into sweeps, it's time to take a look and try to find some diamonds in the rough.

New shows I like:

There are really only two new shows I think have potential for the long term. A possible third is "Boardwalk Empire," but I am still not sure what they are trying to accomplish with the show... Anyway, the two I like are "Hawaii 5-0" and "Detroit 1-8-7"

"Hawaii 5-0" — I wasn't going to try this show when it was announced, but after reading about it and seeing commercials, I decided to give it a shot. This isn't the greatest show, but it is entertaining, has a cool location, and a strong cast — with the exception of Alex O'Loughlin. Scott Caan, Daniel Dae Kim, and Grace Park do well anchoring the show, and it's got plenty of action.

"Detroit 1-8-7" — I wasn't going to watch this show. In fact, I didn't watch the pilot when it aired. My parents saw it and said they liked it and convinced me to watch the pilot. At the time, I gave the first episode a C+ but decided to give it another shot. The show continues to improve and develop the characters. It has managed to find an urban authenticity that is much less forced than the pilot presentation. Surprisingly, it has become my favorite of the new shows.

Shows that aren't making the grade:

So many poor shows, so little time... here are three that have been underwhelming.

"Lone Star" — This is a little like kicking a man when he's down seeing as how the show was cancelled after two airings, but this show was touted pre-season as the best of the new shows. I watched it and never saw the appeal...nor did anyone else. After two ridiculously low-rated airings, this one ended up on the scrap heap. And for good reason. The morally ambiguous premise never worked.

"Running Wilde" — This show is on the verge of cancellation. Coming from the creators of "Arrested Development," I thought this would be funny. I'm still waiting for the jokes to kick in. There is a reason that the show is low-rated, it is squandering a talented cast and production team. The premise just isn't working.

"The Event" — I know this show is getting decent ratings and has received a full-season order, but what I can't tell you is why. The premise is weak, the execution is weak, and the story lines are hard to follow. Even the worst season of "Heroes" made more sense than this. If this is supposed to be the kind of show that will rescue NBC, more tough times are ahead for the Peacock. After more than a month, I still don't know what "The Event" is about and I don't care.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more