Friday, August 19, 2011

What to watch Fall 2011

Apparently I haven't blogged since tv time last year, so obviously I am a complete slacker. There's no excuse, except that I guess I didn't have anything good to say.  But it's that time of year again, I've thoroughly researched the upcoming fall tv season and am going to give you a rundown of what looks great, and what doesn't. It's formatted a bit differently this year, first shows that I have listed are returning shows that are already well established. Then I will list the shows that I am planning on watching at least one episode of, maybe more if it tickles my fancy. 




Love it, watch it:
Monday 
7pm cbs-9/19 how I met your mother  I am always one season behind on this show because they don’t release the previous season on dvd until right before the new season begins airing on tv. Since I started one season late, we are resigned to always being one season behind. Oh well, such is life. It gives me something to look forward to watching on dvd in the fall with chad. Suit up!

9 sho-already airing weeds  In the 7th season it’s still as crazy and I can’t resist Nancy and the trouble that she gets herself into. If you haven’t seen Weeds, you should start from the beginning, here's a brief description. Widowed mother of 2 starts selling weed to supplement her income after her husband unexpectedly dies...

9:30 sho- already airing the big c  In it’s second season Cathy is still dealing with stage 4 melanoma in her own way as well as dealing with her crazy family. More drama, and lots of laughter.

Tuesday 
7 fox-9/20 glee I think you all know my feelings on gLee so I won’t go into it here. I think it is a great show and that’s all.

9 nbc-9/13 parenthood  Parenthood is the kind of show that makes me want to have a big family and to have come from a big family. The fact that they all have their own problems but are ultimately there for each other, and help one another out whenever possible makes me smile. Plus, there is a phenomenal cast : Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Monica Potter, Dax Sheppard, Craig T Nelson… love it!

10 sho-already airing  web therapy  Formerly an internet show only, picked up by showtime. Lisa Kudro is a middle age woman who finds herself without a job and decides to be a therapist via the internet-3 minute sessions instead of the standard 50 minute ones. It’s weird but I like it.

Wednesday: 
7 abc-9/21  the middle This show is underrated. It is full of funny (and often true) stereotypes of the lower middle class all rolled into one family. I like it.

8 abc-9/21 modern family  Who doesn’t like modern family? I don’t know, this show makes me laugh out loud multiple times per episode. I love the diversity within the blended family and the characters that have been created. I think every family has a few personalities that will remind them of these characters. Everyone cast has great chemistry and it is one of the shows I look most forward to every week.

8:30 abc-9/28 happy endings   I didn’t start out watching this show last season when it premiered, but I caught up on it and it is pretty funny. I wasn’t sure whether I would like Elisha Cuthbert or not but I do. I’m looking forward to the premiere of the second season.

Thursday
  1. 7 cw-9/15 vampire diaries!!!!-uuuum, DUH! Forget about twilight, I'm over it Kristin Stewart is a hack. Vampire diaries was cast with actors who know how to act like people other than themselves, also the show is very well written. Elena Gilbert loves a vampire and two vampires love her. The good brother Stefan and the evil brother Damon. I can't help myself, I am rooting for Damon in the end... first he was Boone from Lost AND he's a Louisiana boy. Gotta get my weekly vampire diaries fix for sure.

7 nbc-9/22 community  Love Joel McHale on the soup and I love him in community. Set at Greendale Community College are a group of diverse people who come together in a study group, first for spanish 1, have taken a group class to continue having study sessions together. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, Chevy Chase hasn’t been funnier in years. Great cast and writing.

7:30 nbc-9/22 parks and recreation I didn’t start out watching parks and rec but I watched it all one weekend on hulu and was hooked. Who couldn’t like Leslie Knope and Tom Haverford? Exactly.

8 nbc-9/22 the office  I am interested to see just how the office goes on without Michael Scott in the mix to make things funny and ridiculous. I hope that the writers are able to do it and make it all work because it is a truly funny show that makes me laugh every time. However I can’t even find a promo picture for this season, everything has Michael in it from seasons past.

8 abc-9/22 grey’s anatomy Does anybody remember what happened on the season finale of grey’s?  me neither. Hmm oh well. I’ll watch regardless… especially since Izzy is FINALLY gone!

8 fox-11/3 bones  I didn’t start out watching bones, I first watched it last year and had quite a few seasons to catch up on.  It’s about a forensic anthropologist who works with the FBI to solve murders. It’s a standard crime procedural with the usual quirky characters, nothing really special about it but I still enjoy watching.

9 abc-9/29 private practice  I really don’t care what happens on this show but for some reason I like to watch it. I’m not all that invested in the characters and what’s-her-face’s mouth gets on my nerves but whatever.

9 fx-9/15 it's always sunny in Philadelphia  This show is hilarious. chad watches it more than I do and I don't think we're even caught up on all of the seasons, but I have never watched an episode and not laughed. tho I have watched a few episodes and been appalled, but in a good way. I can't even describe it, it's one of those shows that you'll either love or hate, i don't think there is a middle ground.

Friday
 8 fox-9/23 fringe  I am completely surprised that fringe got picked up for another season, it is one of my favorites. Definitely the x-files for the new millennium. If you haven’t seen it, you should, from the beginning. It's about a division of the FBI that investigates "fringe science" -things like teleportation, time travel and mental telepathy . 

Sunday
7 own-8/21(10pm premiere) from OWN press release: The new home makeover series "Home Takeover with Simon & Tomas" debuts on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, Sunday, August 21 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT, moving the following week, Sunday, August 28, to 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Comprising six one-hour episodes, the high-energy design show tackles décor-challenged homes across the country and features Scandinavia's most celebrated pair of interior designers, Simon Davies and Tomas Cederlund. After locating a design offender, the "Lords of Fabulousness" stage a complete home takeover, kicking out the homeowners and moving in. Simon and Tomas make the house their home --- sleeping in the owners' bed, eating their food, and playing their board games --- as they get to work completely transforming the home's offending rooms with the help of a team of contractors and a fresh new design plan.—be sure to watch this show… there will be a special appearance by yours truly on episode 4!

8 amc-10/16 the walking dead who loves zombies!?! Mostly chad, but it’s a good show and I do love end of the world type stuff so, yay.

8 sho-10/2 dexter!!!  Finally, it’s dexter time again! Everybody’s favorite serial killer is back in business. I can’t wait to see what happens!

8 tlc-9/25 sister wives  This show is addictive. It's a reality about the Brown family, with a dad and four wives.... and kids. They are one of the most moral families I've ever seen on tv despite the fact that they are not a traditional family. At the end of last season they were forced to move from Utah because the D.A. was investigating them so they are now in Las Vegas and there's a new baby on the way!

9 amc-already airing- breaking bad great show about a brilliant chemist who has taken up cooking meth to provide his family with some money before he dies of cancer.

I'll give it a try: Let’s face it, MOST new shows every fall don’t stand a chance at actually making it to a 2nd season. These days some don’t even make it past the 3rd episode.  These are the shows that I have decided I will watch once. That is all I can promise. There have been previous years when I have been unable to even muddle through one whole episode of a new show. Sometimes that show turns out to be a complete success: raising hope, sometimes they have their ups and downs : chuck and sometimes they get axed before they ever really have a chance… can’t think of one right now and there’s probably a reason for that. THEN there are the wonderfully well written and perfectly acted shows that get canceled almost immediately and it aggravates me to no end.  I will not go into the rant that I certainly could… But just know that I will try not to get too invested in new shows because I never know what networks are going to do to my new favorite show.

 Monday  
7 fox-9/26  terra nova over 100 years in the future in order to survive people go back in time to start over. Sounds sortof corny but I watched the trailer and it looks awesome. Fox has stepped up their special effects in the last few years and this show looks like it could be a really good one,  OR it could be awful from the start.  I will watch an episode or three and make my decision, it can't hurt that it is produced by Steven Speilberg right?

Tuesday:  
7:30 abc-10/18 man up  3 best friends who have yet to really grow up. This show has probably been done before in some form or fashion but the preview looks good and it was funny. I am almost always willing to give a funny show a chance. Tag line: "Three modern men try to get in touch with their inner tough guys and redefine what it means to be a "real man""

8 fox-9/20 new girl  Starring Zooey Deschanel, I couldn’t find a trailer for it but I’ll watch and see if it looks good.

8 cw-9/13  ringer  I’ll probably give this one episode to catch me. It has Sarah Michelle Gellar in it, I never watched buffy… or… well buffy, has she been in anything else? Synopsis from cw: Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as a woman who, after witnessing a murder, goes on the run, hiding out by assuming the life of her wealthy identical twin sister.


Wednesday
7 nbc-9/21 up all night Starring Will Arnette and Christina Applegate. A couple has a baby and their world is completely changed. Again, love a good comedy and this is probably going to be so funny that people won’t watch it and it will be canceled, I hope not but it’s what I have come to expect.

7:30 nbc-9/21 free agents I don’t know, looks interesting, maybe not. I don’t even know how to describe it, mabe: newly divorced dad dealing with being single again? Sounds depressing but it looks like it could be funny, however it also looks like it could be canceled.

7:30 abc-9/28 suburgatory This show will probably completely suck. Single dad and daughter move to the suburbs so the daughter won’t be “wild” then the suburban single moms fall all over themselves to date the dad… meh

9 abc-9/21 revenge I loved Emily VanCamp in Everwood and Brothers & Sisters, glad to see she is getting her own show. I’ve never seen her play anything other than sweet so I am interested to see how she does in a vengeance roll, here’s hoping.

Thursday
7 abc-9/22 charlie’s angels While this most likely should be in the “probably not good” category, I will watch it once and see but I can’t imagine actually watching it.

8 cbs-9-22 person of interest  From what I can tell the main character is Michael Emerson (Ben from LOST), seems sortof minority report-ish, trying to stop crimes and or bad things before they happen? Maybe it’ll be good, maybe not.

8:30 nbc-9/22 whitney Looks like it will be right up my alley, which means it will probably get canceled after 7 episodes. Whatever. Whitney and her boyfriend have been together forever but she doesn’t want to get married because her parents each got divorced 3 times. Romantic comedy heavy on the comedy!

9 nbc-9/22 prime suspect  I’m a sucker for a tough leading lady so we’ll see if this cop show lives up to it’s trailer.

Friday 
8 nbc-10/21 grimm  This show looks awesome. A descendant of the “grimm” brothers gains the gift of being able to see the boogymen for who they really are, as could the original grimms. He is a police officer and when his mother tells him about his inherited gift he decides he’ll use it to his advantage.  I’m sure it will be canceled too, that’s how shows that I like roll.

Sunday 
9 sho-10/2 homeland   (from showtime) HOMELAND is a psychological thriller that tells the story of Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes), a CIA officer battling her own demons, who becomes convinced that the intelligence that led to the rescue of Sgt. Nick Brody (Damian Lewis) a U.S. soldier who had been missing and presumed dead for nine years, was a set-up and may be connected to an al-Qaeda plot to be carried out on American soil.  I can’t imagine not liking this new show. The commercials grab my attention every time. Plus, I love Claire danes and she is one of the main characters. Can’t wait!



Coming sometime, not sure when.

Showtime- shameless Based on a british comedy (aren’t they all?)  Frank Gallager (William H. Macy) is a drunk deadbeat dad who lives off of stolen social security checks and fraudulent disability while his SIX children ages 20-2 have to fend for themselves.  Thankfully this outrageous family drama has been renewed for a second season but a premiere date has not yet been set.

FOX- the finder This is a spinoff show starring a character shown on the last season of bones. He is a former military member who has brain trauma that changed the way his mind works. As a result of that he is able to find anything. He makes a living off of his unique ability. When I saw his character on bones I hoped they would make a spinoff show for the character and they are! I am excited and hope that this show makes it to air. Starring Geoff Stults and Michael Clark Duncan.

ABC-mid-season cougar town  Apparently a lot of people are/were hesitant to watch this show (myself included) because of the title. Who wants to watch a show about cougars? Well… me. I can’t remember what the lead in show was but I would catch a little clip of the beginning of cougar town episodes and they were always funny. SO I bit the bullet and gave it a watch and I really enjoyed it! The cast meshes very well and the writing is funny, silly at times but still very funny.  Definitely wants to make me invest in a Bobby Robertson PENNY CAN!! There has been talk about possibly renaming the show, I don't know if that would ultimately hurt or help the show.

ABC- once upon a time  This will be released just before Halloween and the trailer looks good. In a world where fairy tales are real and the people in them don’t even realize it. Apparently modern-ish fairy tales are the new black so I hope we get some good ones.

MTV- beavis and butthead Ok I know what you’re thinking, or at least I know what I was thinking when I heard that b&b was coming back. Whaaaat? How can new episodes still be relevant today? Well apparently beavis and butthead will watch and make fun of current shows from MTV like jersey shore, teen mom, the real world and … whatever other shows they show these days.  So I’m really excited, maybe I’ll feel like I’m in high school again… probably not.

Showtime- episodes  I wasn’t sure how I felt about this show when it premiered and it took a few episodes to grow on me. Starring Matt Leblanc as… Matt Leblanc trying to re-launch his career. Often these shows about celebrities playing themselves do not work out in said star’s favor. The writing and acting were really good, in my opinion it rarely hurts to have actors with a British accent.  I hope that the show gains a solid following in it’s second season, lest there not be a third.













Probably not good: 
last man standing tim allen in a house full of women-meeeh.,   
2 broke girls self explanatory
two and a half men didn’t watch it before, won’t watch it now. 
how to be a gentleman self explanatory?
the x factor some reality talent show
the secret circle a coven of witches and one reluctant witch... over it.
a gifted man  this show’s commercials make no sense to me and don’t make me want to watch it.
pan am  I dislike mad men and this show seems like it is attempting to recreate the retro feel but via the airline industry. Not interested.
the playboy club­ Again, this seems to be another show trying to capitalize on the popularity of mad men, won’t even watch an episode.

Stopped watching because I just didn’t care anymore:  desperate housewives, house, gossip girl, csi, ncis, the mentalist

Canceled:
ABC- better with you
brothers and sisters
no ordinary family
the whole truth
V
my generation

CBS- The defenders- funny lawyer show that should have been renewed
Medium
Mad love
S#!T my dad says


NBC- chase
the event
outsourced
perfect couples- SO funny it couldn't possibly have been renewed for a 2nd season.
The paul riser show-which replaced perfect couples, and was canceled after 2 episodes.

FOX- the good guys- loved it, sad to see it's been canceled.
lone star
running wilde

Showtime- the united states of tara-  super sad to hear that tara has been canceled.
HBO- big love

After reading this list you are now well aware that I watch entirely too much tv. I attribute that to a childhood spent with a tv in my room and watching it almost constantly. We didn’t even HAVE cable after I turned 7 but I am still an addict. Better tv than herioin I always say.

Until next year,

Couch Potato OUT!