New Fall TV Review: The Blacklist

After his disastrous run on The Office, I wasn't sure I was ready to see James Spader on TV again, but he is singlehandedly making this new spy drama must-see. He plays mastermind criminal Raymond Reddington who has willingly turned himself in to the F.B.I. with the promise of sharing information on all the criminals he has worked with over the years. He also requests that he work exclusively with a young female agent. The show has procedural elements as each week deals with Reddington and the female agent working on capturing a criminal on Reddington's "blacklist" each week. However, there are also some perplexing mythological questions that have been established already. One is why Reddington chose to specifically work with this young agent. The one that interests me more is what is going on with the agent's husband who may not be all that he seems. There are some Jason Bourne elements to his storyline that certainly has me intrigued. Right now it is balancing that line to appease fans of both types of shows. But as I mentioned at the top, Spader is the reason to watch. His smarmy, sneaky Reddington captures your interest every time he is on the screen. Even when the "case of the week" doesn't provide something of interest, he keeps you invested in watching. I look forward to seeing how each of these storylines play out as the season unfolds. Verdict: Earns a season pass on the DVR

New Fall TV Review: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

This was probably the show I most anticipated coming in to this fall season and thus far it has no disappointed. Thus far, they've done a nice job of scaling back the story and production to be able to bring the Marvel universe to the small screen. The Marvel name is also not just being slapped on here to draw in viewers. I am loving all of the references to previous Marvel films that have been used within just the first two episodes. This show, however, cannot succeed if it merely makes references to other popular work. It has to be able to stand on its own. While there are some solid components here, I am not fully sold on everyone in the cast. Clark Gregg is great in the role of Agent Coulson and provides some excellent stability. I also like Ming Na Wen as the reluctant enforcer. The two British tech agents known collectively as Fitzsimmons are also a lot of fun. The actors playing Skye and Agent Ward are the weak links thus far, but hopefully they will improve over time. I like that they are already establishing some mysteries that will likely unfold as the season progresses. Already here are the key questions that they are teasing us with:
1)How did Agent Coulson survive and why does he not know what actually happened to him? 2)What happened to Melinda May that made her reluctant to go back out into the field? 3)Can Skye be trusted or is she using SHIELD in order to help her Rising Tide cause? 4)Who is responsible for Project Centipede?

This seems like it should be a very fun show that I am highly looking forward to watching each week. Verdict: Earns a season pass on the DVR

Number cruncher

Today marked the season premiere for the The Price is Right's 42nd year on TV. To mark the big day, the show debuted its newest pricing game called Do the Math. Check out its first playing right here:

New Fall TV review: Sleepy Hollow

I did not get a chance to post my review for this one last week after its premiere, but now that I have had a chance to watch the second episode, I feel I can better articulate my thoughts. This is a high concept new drama on FOX that deals with characters from the Washington Irving story being brought into modern day. After decapitating the brute that would become the Headless Horseman, Ichabod Crane suddenly emerges from a cave in 2013 believing he is still in the era of the Revolutionary War. His arrival coincides with a string of murders by someone who seems to have no head. Crane teams up with a local police woman in order to figure out what is going on. The premise offers some intrigue and the pilot does a good job of establishing story elements that will enable the show to work as a continuing series. However as the show settled in for episode 2, it became apparent that this show will fall into a lot of the same traps that so many other shows suffer from. The second episode became a "freak of the week" episode where Crane and the police woman have to hunt down a witch that has been brought back to life while getting a few more clues regarding the overarching mythology of the show. A show like Fringe started out in a similarly, but found a way to rise above the procedural setup to deliver a more richer story with characters that we cared about. I do not see Sleepy Hollow having the same success. The relationship between Crane and the officer have not done much for me and they have not done a suitable job of establishing any other interesting supporting characters. Even if the show's mythology remains well written, I just don't know how invested I am in hearing why the four horseman of the apocalypse have suddenly chosen now to wreck havoc on society. Given that my TV time is not infinite, I can't see myself staying involved in this ghost story. Verdict: Worth watching for a few episodes, but ultimately removed from the DVR lineup

New Fall TV review: Brooklyn Nine Nine

As we begin the fall TV season, I'll do my best to review some of the new shows that are debuting in hopes of letting you know whether or not they will be worth your time. First up is a new sitcom on FOX set in the world of a Brooklyn police department. SNL vet Andy Samberg stars as the hotshot detective who loves his job and he's good at it. In fact his sergeant (played by the great Terry Crews) states that the only case he hasn't been able to solve is how to grow up. This rubs his new captain (played by Andre Braugher) the wrong way. Braugher has fun playing the serious boss while also having some fun with the same type of role he's played on police dramas. The show also has a good set of supporting actors including Joe Lo Truglio who knows a thing or two about cop comedies after his stint on Reno: 911. The true find, however, is Chelsea Peretti, whose sarcastic take on her job and her co-workers had me heartily laughing every time she was on screen. Developed by Michael Schur, who also created Parks and Recreation, this show managed to deliver a lot of laughs, which is not always easy in pilot episodes that are so dependent on introductions and exposition. Playing crimes for laughs can also be difficult, but if they continue to be dealing with crimes like the theft of a $6000 ham as they did in the pilot, this show has a definite chance of being very successful. It may only be one episode, but this show already has me arrested. Verdict:Given a season pass on the DVR

Reinforcement troupe

There have been a lot of news coming from 30 Rockafeller these days. Below are links to a couple of stories about what we can expect to see on Saturday Night Live this season. Both stories come from EW.com.

'Saturday Night Live' officially adds six new cast members: Meet them here (Fun fact: One of my best friends is named Kyle Mooney, but sadly it's not the same one who has been added to the cast)

'SNL': Seth Meyers' new 'Weekend Update' co-anchor is ... (I really like Cecily Strong and she may do fine in this role, but I personally think that new hire Beck Bennett (aka the AT&T It's Not Complicated guy) would be a perfect replacement for Seth Meyers).

Time to ketchup on some TV

From Variety:

Popular movie review website Rotten Tomatoes will now also start tracking television shows.

On Tuesday, the site will launch a separate “TV Zone” that includes a Tomatometer based on reviews of a TV show’s seasons, not individual episodes.

Reviews will cover all the new fall scripted series, as well as shows that have aired on primetime over the last four years that received coverage by critics from major media outlets Rotten Tomatoes follows. It will not track reality shows.

For the older shows like “Breaking Bad” and “Mad Men,” “we will go back to the beginning,” and include reviews of their earlier seasons, Matt Atchity, editor-in-chief of Rotten Tomatoes, told Variety.

Like with movies, the TV Tomatometer will represent good reviews as “Fresh” with a red tomato, while bad reviews will be designated “Rotten” with a splattered green tomato. Series must receive at least 60% positive ratings to be considered “Fresh.”

“We’re aggregating the reviews the same way we’ve always been,” Atchity said.

The ratings could prove a boost for series as they look to gain viewers across digital platforms — especially through past seasons, the way audiences watching past seasons on Netflix have helped increase ratings for series like “Breaking Bad.”

But Rotten Tomatoes will also have to keep a closer eye on the way TV seasons play out.

A show that started with positive reviews may hit a creative bump and lose audiences, for example, requiring a rating to change over time. Most TV ratings will be based on the first reviews for a series’ season, usually based on the first several episodes. Additional reviews often come out as a season progresses and Rotten Tomatoes will continue to monitor those recaps.

“If reviews go extremely negative then we may change it as the season goes on,” Atchity said. Rotten Tomatoes cited NBC’s “Smash” as an example of that. “People liked it in the beginning then critics seemed to turn on it,” Atchity noted.

“For movie reviews, we don’t often change them as much,” Atchity said. “But we want to accurately reflect what critics have said.”

The TV offering is the first major expansion beyond Rotten Tomatoes’ core movie reviews since the site was launched in 1998.

Timing of the launch, of course, comes as networks ready to launch the seasons of their new and returning fall shows within the coming days and weeks.

Rotten Tomatoes has long wanted to expand into TV, and has spent the past year aggregating TV reviews.

“We thought it was a good time to get into TV because we’re in the golden age of television right now,” Atchity said. “Creatively, television is where it’s at right now.”

But Rotten Tomatoes’ team had to wait until owner Flixster and parent Warner Bros., which bought the sites in 2011, could free up more resources for the TV service. Until now, WB and Flixster have focused on supporting UltraViolet.

“We really wanted to get in on that conversation and give our users who already are looking at movies a good place to discuss and ingest TV,” Atchity said. “It’s been something we’ve been thinking about for awhile. It’s always a battle to get development resources and make new things happen.”

Rotten Tomatoes would eventually like to see its TV meter also become as ubiquitous as its film ratings have become, showing up on Netflix, Hulu, Comcast, Dish and iTunes.

It also intends to monetize its TV review database and provide links to ways to purchase the shows on disc or digital formats.

It’s already getting the networks’ support, with ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” sponsoring the launch of Rotten Tomatoes’ new TV Tomatometer.

Family feud

With the new fall TV season quickly approaching comes the announcement of a new Survivor. The big twist for this next installment, dubbed 'Blood vs. Water', is that returning players will be squaring off against a tribe of their family members. For more on what you can expect this season and who will be a part of the cast, here's the story from EW.com:

Jeff Probst already announced on Entertainment Weekly Radio that the next season of Survivor — subtitled Blood vs. Water — would feature returning Survivor contestants playing with (or, rather, against) their loved ones. Then, yesterday we revealed that one of those pairs would be Survivor: One World’s Kat Edorsson and her boyfriend, Big Brother season 12 winner Hayden Moss. Now the rest of the cast can be officially unveiled. And that cast will be playing in the most twist-heavy Survivor season ever.

Among the cast of Survivor: Blood vs. Water —which filmed this past May and June in the Philippines — will be a contestant from the group that started it all, as season 1 player Gervase Peterson returns to compete along with his niece Marissa. He will be joined by three million dollar winners — Tina Wesson from The Australian Outback (who will be playing with daughter Katie), Aras Baskauskas from Panama (with brother Vytas), and Rupert Boneham, who has never won in his three previous outings but did collect a million dollars as the winner of a special fan voted prize given away during the All-Stars season. He will be joined by his wife Laura.

In a surprise, the new cast also features three players from One World — which is generally considered one of the weakest Survivor seasons ever. Joining Kat will be Monica Culpepper (and husband Brad) and the controversial Colton Cumbie (and fiancé Caleb). Rounding out the cast are threepeaters Tyson Apostol (with girlfriend Rachel) and the former Candice Woodcock (now Candice Cody, with husband John), as well as Laura Morett from Samoa (with daughter Ciera).

Survivor host Jeff Probst gives credit for the loved ones concept to Survivor casting director Lynne Spillman. “It’s something she brought up for years,” Probst told EW.com. “But this year she pitched it and she said, ‘I think I can pull it off. I think I’ve found the right amount of couples.’ And once we started talking about it and talking about who would play, it went from something we thought about doing next year to something we were going to do this season. It was one of those moments were I left and went ‘Oh, everything’s different.’” As if having returning players playing against their loved ones was not a big enough twist, there are several other smaller changes, some of which could dramatically alter the way the game is played. Here they are:

* For the first time ever, the game will not be 39 days long, but rather 39-and-a-half days, as the couples will begin the game the night prior to day one with a new twist titled “Day Zero.” The 10 pairs will be sent out at sunset to 10 different locations to live by themselves for the night. They will then all meet up to be officially welcomed by host Jeff Probst and start the game the next morning. “The whole idea was to try and get them thinking and maybe believing that they would play as a pair,” says Probst.

* Just minutes after congregating, the returning players and their loved ones will be split into two different tribes, with the returning players making up the yellow Galang tribe and the newbies comprising the red Tadhana tribe. “Suddenly your partner becomes your adversary, your competition,” says Probst. “And that was the whole premise of Blood Vs. Water. How is that going to play out in a game where only one person can win?”

* First impressions can be key in the game like Survivor, and that will prove true here as just moments after meeting each other, each team will vote one member off their tribe. They will later be informed that these people have not been voted out of the game, but rather will be sent to Redemption Island, which makes its return after having been absent for the past three seasons. There they will battle to stay alive and reenter the game at a later point.

* Confused yet? Well, it gets even more confusing! Jeff Probst will then immediately offer each of the loved ones of the two people voted off the opportunity to trade places with them, meaning that if, say, returning player Tina is voted out of her tribe at the start, her daughter Katie can opt to take her place at Redemption Island instead, and Tina would then join the tribe of newbies.

* As mentioned, Redemption Island is back. Anyone voted out will be sent there and will then compete in a three person duel. The last place finisher in each contest is out of the game for good, while the top two remain. However, if someone’s loved one is still in the game they can take their loved one’s place before a duel. (So if, say, Monica is at Redemption Island but her husband Brad thinks he would do better at a duel involving strength, he can swap places with her, electing to do the duel while she takes his place on his tribe. They could then swap again at the next duel if it is a contest better suited to her strengths.) “That puts blood and water to the test,” says Probst. “And we’re gonna do it at every duel. So the first time early in the game, somebody may say ‘It’s just too early.” But as those duels increase and they get closer to what they think might be a merge, their strategy is going to start to change.”

* That’s not all when it comes to Redemption Island. The person who finishes first in each duel will also get to give a clue to the location of a hidden immunity idol to any person from either tribe that they choose. “There’s all these things you can do,” says Probst. “Because for a moment, even though you’re on the outest, furthest part of the game, you have a little bit of power.”

Fall harvest

This past week I've been posting the announcements for the fall schedules of television's networks. From a scheduling perspective, there was not a lot of shakeup, particularly regarding shows that affect me so there's not much to discuss. Along with the schedule announcements, the networks have posted trailers promoting their brand new shows. I've watched them all and I can't say that I'm overly optimistic. Most of the shows fell into one of two common traps: 1)the show has an interesting premise that feels extremely limited; you wonder how the show can sustain 22 episodes, let alone multiple seasons or 2) the show feels like a complete retread of tired setups and tropes that just make you yearn for older shows that have done the same thing much better in the past. With that said, there are a few shows that do show some promise so I'll be posting the trailer for each of them below along with links to a few others that might be decent as well.

CBS
They probably had the weakest crop of previews, but they also have the strongest crop of existing shows, so they probably don't have to worry if none of these pan out. The one that interested me the most was Hostages about a female doctor who is set to operate of the President of the United States when her family is taken hostage. She's told that she must let the President die during the operation or else her family will die. Again, I don't see how they can stretch this out into a full series, but the cast is strong and the preview suggests that there's more to the story than they're letting on here, so perhaps this could work.



Honorable mention: A new comedy called The Crazy Ones starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar. The premise here seems solid enough. The big question is how well the show can keep Robin reined in. If it's just his grating schtick constantly, it won't keep me as a viewer. If the focus is on the storytelling with his humor peppered throughout, then you might have a winner. Here's the trailer.


ABC
There's a clear winner here and it's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Even better is that they've scheduled it for Tuesdays, where there is not a lot of quality TV competition, so hopefully it has a chance of succeeding. I posted a quick trailer earlier this week, but here's a nearly 3 minute trailer that will give you a much better idea of what to expect from the show.



Honorable mention: While not everything worked in the preview for The Goldbergs, there's enough to make me think it could have a chance if it finds the right tone and voice. There's no denying it has a strong comedic cast (the older brother sticks out as a weak link). If it can tap into that Freaks and Geeks or Wonder Years vein, then this might work. Here's the trailer.


FOX
Of the previews they released, FOX probably had the best average. More than a few of their shows seemed to have promise, but on the other hand none really stood out as a sure thing. It was tough for me to pick just one as their best bet. I went with Sleepy Hollow - a new twist on the story of Ichibod Crane. From a writer/producer perspective, the show has a good pedigree. I also liked how it blended a lot of genres. The show seems to be part cop drama, part horror, part historical mystery, and part science fiction. It's tough to say right now whether this will work or not, but I'm hopeful it will.



Honorable Mention: I probably would have given it to Us & Them, a remake of the critically acclaimed British show Gavin and Stacey, but since it's not scheduled to air until "midseason", which could whenever, I decided to give the nod to Brooklyn Nine-Nine. I can't say that I always liked Andy Samberg during his tenure on SNL, but the preview for this new cop comedy made me laugh more than any other trailer. That's due largely to a seemingly solid supporting cast. If it's not surrounded by other decent shows, this may struggle to find an audience, but I'm willing to give it a shot. Here's the trailer.


NBC
Of the new dramas, The Blacklist, had the premise that intrigued me the most. James Spader is a criminal mastermind on the FBI's Top Ten list who turns himself in with the promise of helping them capture other highly sought criminals that he's worked with. No matter the role, Spader is always compelling, so it's likely most will get sucked in to the first episode based on his presence alone. Whether the show can sustain an audience, as well as a compelling narrative remains to be seen.



Honorable mention: I gotta say, there was a huge drop-off in terms of interesting previews after The Blacklist. It's so bad, that I almost don't want to mention anything else. The comedies, especially, looked rather uninteresting, which is a shame that Parks and Recreation is left to pick up their slack. If I had to point one out that might have a chance, it's The Michael J. Fox Show. The setup doesn't really hook me, but Fox is such a likable presence, that it's hard not to root for him. Here's the trailer.

2013 Fall Television Schedule Announcement (CBS)

CBS announced its 2013 - 2014 primetime schedule today! You can check out the full announcement below:

CBS unveiled today its new 2013-2014 schedule, featuring eight new series - five comedies and three dramas - to build on the strength of America's top-rated network. Five of the new series will premiere in the fall and three at mid-season.

CBS will finish the current season as the top-rated network in viewers for the 10th time in 11 seasons, #1 in the adults 25-54 demographic and #1 in adults 18-49 for the first time since the 1991-1992 season.

For next fall, the Network is increasing its comedy lineup with four new comedies, expanding its comedy block on Thursdays from 8:00-10:00 PM and creating an encore hour for comedy broadcasts on Saturdays.

The new comedies are THE CRAZY ONES, a single-camera comedy from executive producer David E. Kelley starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar; THE MILLERS, a multi-generational family comedy from executive producer Greg Garcia starring Will Arnett, Margo Martindale, Beau Bridges and JB Smoove; MOM, an edgy family comedy from executive producer Chuck Lorre starring Anna Faris and Allison Janney; and WE ARE MEN, an ensemble single-camera comedy starring Tony Shalhoub, Kal Penn, Chris Smith and Jerry O'Connell.

Two new dramas have been scheduled for Mondays at 10:00 PM. HOSTAGES, the serialized suspense thriller from executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer starring Toni Collette and Dylan McDermott, premieres in the fall, building to a season finale in January. Soon after, INTELLIGENCE, a high-octane action drama starring Josh Holloway, Marg Helgenberger and Meghan Ory, moves into the time period for the remainder of the season.

The freshman series will be joined by 20 returning shows including NCIS, the season's most watched show; THE BIG BANG THEORY, the season's #1 comedy in viewers and demos; 60 MINUTES, the season's #1 news magazine; and ELEMENTARY, the season's #1 new drama.

The other returning series include: HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, 2 BROKE GIRLS, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, PERSON OF INTEREST, SURVIVOR, CRIMINAL MINDS, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, TWO AND A HALF MEN, UNDERCOVER BOSS, HAWAII FIVE-0, BLUE BLOODS, 48 HOURS, THE AMAZING RACE, THE GOOD WIFE and THE MENTALIST.

In addition, the proven hit returning comedy MIKE & MOLLY, starring Academy Award nominee Melissa McCarthy and Billy Gardell; the new steamy legal drama RECKLESS; and the new romantic comedy FRIENDS WITH BETTER LIVES are set for mid-season.

CBS TELEVISION NETWORK
2013-2014 PRIME TIME SCHEDULE
(N=New, NT=New Time, all times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
8:30-9:00 PM WE ARE MEN (N)
9:00-9:30 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS
9:30-10:00 PM MOM (N)
10:00-11:00 PM HOSTAGES (N) / INTELLIGENCE (Mid-Season) (N)

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES
10:00-11:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST (NT)

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

THURSDAY
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM THE MILLERS (N)
9:00-9:30 PM THE CRAZY ONES (N)
9:30-10:00 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM ELEMENTARY

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM UNDERCOVER BOSS
9:00-10:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0 (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS

SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COMEDYTIME SATURDAY (N)
8:30-9:00 PM COMEDYTIME SATURDAY (N)
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS

SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE
9:00-10:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST

2013 Fall Television Schedule Announcment (ABC)

ABC unveiled its 2013 - 2014 primetime schedule today! You can check out the full announcement below:


Continuing to deliver some of the most compelling and heartfelt series on television, ABC is adding fourteen new shows to its established slate of programming. Paul Lee, President, ABC Entertainment Group, will unveil the network's new lineup to the advertising and media communities this afternoon at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall.

"We are taking some big swings with groundbreaking shows this season, and staying close to our roots with smart and sophisticated storytelling. ABC is known for its combination of innovation and stability, and our new schedule reflects that. We're bringing back the shows that viewers have embraced and enhancing the lineup with a slate of exciting new series," said Lee.

New series for the 2013-14 season are "Back in the Game," "Betrayal," "The Goldbergs," "Killer Women," "Lucky 7," "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," "Mind Games," "Mixology," "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland," "Resurrection," "Super Fun Night," "Trophy Wife" and new alternative series "The Quest."

"America's Funniest Home Videos," "The Bachelor," "Castle," "Dancing with the Stars," "Grey's Anatomy," "Last Man Standing," "The Middle," "Modern Family," "Nashville," "The Neighbors," "Once Upon a Time," "Revenge," "Scandal," "Shark Tank," "Suburgatory," "The Taste" and "20/20" will return.

"Dancing with the Stars" will now air from 8:00-10:00 p.m., on Mondays, integrating the performance show and results show into one night and making each episode action-packed event television.

ABC has also picked up Pixar special "Toy Story of Terror," starring the original voice cast from the hit film.

A balanced slate of new series and returning hits delivered strong results for ABC in the 2012-13 season. ABC claims 6 of the Top 20 broadcast dramas for the season in Adults 18-49, with "Grey's Anatomy," "Once Upon a Time," "Revenge," "Scandal," "Castle" and "Nashville." ABC is the No. 1 network on Friday nights this season in Adults 18-49, growing 13% to deliver its top rating on the night in 4 years - since the 2008/09 season.

Fall premiere dates will be announced at a later time. Please note shows picked up but not listed on the schedule will debut later in the 2013-14 season.

ABC's fall primetime schedule is as follows (all times listed are Eastern);

MONDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars"
10:00 p.m. "Castle"


TUESDAY:

8:00 p.m. "MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D."
9:00 p.m. "THE GOLDBERGS"
9:30 p.m. "TROPHY WIFE"
10:00 p.m. "LUCKY 7"


WEDNESDAY:

8:00 p.m. "The Middle"
8:30 p.m. "BACK IN THE GAME"
9:00 p.m. "Modern Family"
9:30 p.m. "SUPER FUN NIGHT"
10:00 p.m. "Nashville"


THURSDAY:

8:00 p.m. "ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND"
9:00 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10:00 p.m. "Scandal"


FRIDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Last Man Standing"
8:30 p.m. "The Neighbors"
9:00 p.m. "Shark Tank"
10:00 p.m. "20/20"


SATURDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Saturday Night College Football"


SUNDAY:

7:00 p.m. "America's Funniest Home Videos"
8:00 p.m. "Once Upon a Time"
9:00 p.m. "Revenge"
10:00 p.m. "BETRAYAL"

2013 Fall Television Schedule Announcement (FOX)

Kevin Reilly, Chairman, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, today unveiled the FOX primetime slate for the 2013-2014 television season to the national advertising community during its annual Programming Presentation at the Beacon Theatre.

This season, we will strategically launch five inventive live-action comedies, four distinctive dramas, our first-ever event series, as well as some innovative new digital initiatives, across the week and throughout the year," said Reilly. "We're making the biggest investment in original programming in our history to ensure that FOX continues to engage viewers and move the culture more than any other entertainment brand."

FOX 2013-2014 SCHEDULE (All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY

8:00-9:00 PM Bones (fall) / ALMOST HUMAN (new; late fall)
9:00-10:00 PM SLEEPY HOLLOW (new; fall) / The Following (midseason)

TUESDAY

8:00-8:30 PM DADS
8:30-9:00 PM BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
9:00-9:30 PM  New Girl
9:30-10:00 PM The Mindy Project

WEDNESDAY

8:00-10:00 PM The X Factor (fall) / American Idol (midseason)

THURSDAY

8:00-9:00 PM The X Factor Results (fall) / American Idol Results (midseason)
9:00-10:00 PM Glee (fall) / RAKE (new; midseason)

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00 PM JUNIOR MASTERCHEF (wt) (new; fall)
9:00-10:00 PM SLEEPY HOLLOW encores (fall)

Late Fall:

8:00-9:00 PM Bones (late fall)
9:00-9:30 PM Raising Hope (late fall)
9:30-10:00 PM ENLISTED (new; late fall)

SATURDAY

7:00-10:30 PM FOX Sports Saturday
11:00 PM-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF

SUNDAY

7:00-7:30 PM NFL Game (fall)
7:30-8:00 PM THE OT (fall)
8:00-8:30 PM THE Simpsons
8:30-9:00 PM Bob's Burgers
9:00-9:30 PM Family Guy
9:30-10:00 PM American Dad

Scheduling to be announced for the following new series slated for midseason: "Gang Related" (New), "Surviving Jack" (new), "Us & Them" (new) and "Murder Police" (new).

2013 Fall Television Schedule Announcement (NBC)

NBC has announced a new lineup of primetime shows for the 2013-14 season that includes popular returning series, fresh new comedies, compelling new dramas and the latest season of "The Voice."

Highlights of the year-round schedule - which will be bolstered in February on the heels of the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia - include "Believe," a new drama from J.J. Abrams and Alfonso Cuaron; the return of three-time Emmy winner James Spader in action thriller "The Blacklist"; and a comedy lineup that includes new series from "Friday Night Lights" and "Parenthood" executive producer Jason Katims, Will Ferrell, Bill Lawrence, Sean P. Hayes, and a return to NBC of one of the biggest TV stars of any generation, Michael J. Fox.

The new comedy additions are "Welcome to the Family," "Sean Saves the World," and "The Michael J. Fox Show" as well as midseason comedies "The Family Guide," and "About A Boy."

The new dramas are "The Blacklist," "Ironside," and "Dracula," plus mid-season dramas "Believe," "Crisis" and "Crossbones."

NBC has also ordered dramas "Chicago PD" and "The Night Shift" and comedy "Undateable" as unscheduled midseason series.

New alternative series premiering during the 2013-14 season include "The Million Second Quiz" and "American Dream Builders." Returning to the schedule are "The Biggest Loser" and "The Sing-Off." "Food Fighters" has been ordered as an unscheduled midseason show.

Scripted series returning include "Grimm," "Parenthood," "Law & Order: SVU," "Revolution," "Chicago Fire," "Parks and Recreation" and "Community."

Pick-up decisions on "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Hannibal" are still to be made in the next few weeks.

"The Voice" will kick off its fifth season in September on Mondays (8-10 pm. ET). The current cycle of "The Voice" has been primetime's #1 show of the week on the Big Four networks, excluding sports, for four of six weeks thus far in adults 18-49.

The announcements were made by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.

"The overriding strategy this year was to develop enough strong comedies and dramas to take advantage of the promotional heft of the Winter Olympics and devise two schedules for the upcoming season: one for fall and a slightly different one for midseason. I'm pleased to say that our development groups - headed by Jennifer Salke (scripted) and Paul Telegdy (alternative/reality) - really delivered," Greenblatt said. "This is the most robust and highest-testing slate of new shows we have had in years."

Greenblatt continued, "And aside from our Olympics planning, we also wanted to create better flow and compatibility on each night, and deploy our strongest lead-in ('The Voice') to maximum effect.

"Sunday in the fall remains the night to beat with 'Sunday Night Football.' After football and the Olympics are over, we will launch two classy, attention-getting dramas in February: 'Believe' from J.J. Abrams, and 'Crisis' starring Dermot Mulroney and Gillian Anderson. We think it's time for big dramas again on Sunday nights. And leading into these dramas at 8 p.m. will be an exciting home renovation competition hosted by Nate Berkus called 'American Dream Builders.'

"Monday and Tuesday will again dominate with 'The Voice.' Our highly anticipated new James Spader drama 'The Blacklist' deserves to go into the 10 p.m. slot on Monday, and we're moving 'Chicago Fire,' a show we really believe in, to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays to benefit from 'The Voice' lead-in that will be at 9 p.m. in the fall. "

After the Olympics, however, 'The Voice' moves back to 8 p.m. on Tuesday so that we can launch two of our strongest new family comedies in the 9 p.m. hour: 'About a Boy' and 'The Family Guide.' Landing more comedy on the schedule is important and using 'The Voice' as a lead-in after the Olympics is the strongest way to do that.

"I believe we'll have a more compatible Wednesday line-up with three dramas: 'Revolution,' 'Law & Order: SVU' and 'Ironside,' starring Blair Underwood, which is another new show we've very high on.

"Thursday will have a family theme, starting with a two-hour comedy block from 8-10 p.m. anchored by strong stars: Amy Poehler in 'Parks and Recreation,' Mike O'Malley in 'Welcome to the Family,' Sean Hayes in 'Sean Saves the World' and the new 'Michael J. Fox Show.' Then at 10 p.m. 'Parenthood' moves in to top off the night with what I know is the best family drama on television.

"On Fridays, anchored by 'Grimm' at 9 p.m., we will have a more fun genre night with the limited-series 'Dracula,' starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers at 10 p.m. In the spring, 'Crossbones' - with John Malkovich as the infamous pirate Blackbeard - replaces 'Dracula,'" said Greenblatt.

Jordan Wertlieb, President of Hearst Television and Chair of the NBC Affiliate Board, commented, "This schedule is another example of NBC's continued commitment to restoring prime time to its traditional leadership position. I am sure the investment in partnering with some of the most recognizable names in television will be obvious and exciting to the affiliates."

NBC Fall 2013-14 schedule (New shows in ALL CAPS)

MONDAY
8-10 p.m. - "The Voice"
10-11 p.m. - "THE BLACKLIST"

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "The Biggest Loser" (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. - "The Voice" (New time)
10-11 p.m. - "Chicago Fire" (New Day and Time)

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Revolution" (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. - "Law & Order: SVU"
10-11 p.m. - "IRONSIDE"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. - "Parks and Recreation" (New time)
8:30-9 p.m. - "WELCOME TO THE FAMILY"
9-9:30 p.m. - "SEAN SAVES THE WORLD"
9:30-10 p.m. - "THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW"
10-11 p.m. - "Parenthood" (New Day and Time)

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. - "Grimm"
10-11 p.m. - "DRACULA"

SATURDAY
Encore programming

SUNDAY
7:00-8:15 p.m. - "Football Night in America"
8:15-11:30 p.m. - "NBC Sunday Night Football"

NBC MIDSEASON 2013-14 SCHEDULE (New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)

MONDAY
8-10 p.m. - "The Voice"
10-11 p.m. - "THE BLACKLIST"

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "The Voice"
9-9:30 p.m. - "THE FAMILY GUIDE"
9:30-10 p.m. - "ABOUT A BOY"
10-11 p.m. - "Chicago Fire"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Revolution"
9-10 p.m. - "Law & Order: SVU"
10-11 p.m. - "IRONSIDE"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. - "Parks and Recreation"
8:30-9 p.m. - "WELCOME TO THE FAMILY"
9-9:30 p.m. - "SEAN SAVES THE WORLD"
9:30-10 p.m. - "THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW"
10-11 p.m. - "Parenthood"

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. - "Grimm"
10-11 p.m. - "CROSSBONES"

SATURDAY
8-10 p.m. - Encore and specials programming
10-11 p.m. - "Saturday Night Live" (Encore)

SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. - "AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS"
9-10 p.m. - "BELIEVE"
10-11 p.m. - "CRISIS"

For information on NBC new shows, click here.

Agents of change?

You'll be getting a lot of TV news from me this week as the networks announce their upcoming fall lineups. One show that we already know will be on the fall lineup is the spinoff to the Avengers franchise, focusing more specifically on the group known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Set to air on ABC, you can already get your first, albeit extremely brief, look at what you can expect from Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Fall TV Report: Freshman shows

I am WAY behind on a lot of my blogging. There's several things I could post, but I'll begin with a discussion of the few new shows that have caught my eye.

Elementary - I'm a big mystery fan and there's no greater sleuth than Sherlock. He's very hot right now with the Robert Downey Jr. film franchise and a successful BBC series as well. This latest entry, starring Johnny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as a female Watson has not been the slam dunk that I had hoped for and I think part of the problem is the network its on. CBS has a slew of succesful shows, but they are all very familiar and routine. In the first few episodes, the stories told haven't been anything that couldn't have been used on CSI, or NCIS, or The Mentalist, or... shall I go on? I want more brain-testing mysteries and more idiosyncrasies on display by Holmes. I do have some hope that things can improve as this past week's episode was the first one that felt like Holmes and Watson were an actual team instead of making Liu completely superfluous to the story. True Holmes fans will likely be disappointed, but for everyone looking for another solid crime series, this will do just fine. It's been picked up for a full season so look for this to stick around for a while.

Go On - It's the lone new sitcom that has appealed to me in the least and had any success (moderate though it may be) in the ratings. The premise for the show (Matthew Perry attends weekly group therapy sessions to deal with the death of his wife) is relatively fresh and unique. It's also has an amazingly talented cast of comedic actors including Julie White, Brett Gelman, John Cho, Bill Cobbs, and a few others who you'd likely recognize if you saw them. But for all that this show has going for it, I feel like it really hasn't maximized its potential. Some shows struggle initially until it finally finds its voice. I'm hoping that's the case here. I enjoy seeing these characters, I just don't laugh as much as with some of my other favorite sitcoms. Given the lack of other options, I'll stick with this one for now.

Revolution - I had some serious reservations about this one. I've been burned by one too many Lost clones in recent years and feared I would do the same with this one. Shows like this have great setups and no follow through. Then the audience erodes and the series gets cancelled before the viewers who stuck around can get any answers. Well I'm happy to report that thus far this show has bucked that trend. From a viewer standpoint, it's been a huge hit for NBC and has already received a full season order. From my perspective, the show is far from perfect, but solid enough to have captured my interest. Instead of having everything hinge on one singular mystery, the writers have created a lot of different stories that are each intriguing. I'm also pleased that I don't really hate any of the characters to the degree that I want them killed off each episode. The show has so far also done a decent job of keeping the story moving so that you feel like you learn or accomplish something new each episode. I think the success this show has seen will allow the people behind this show to have the confidence to continue to move forward at an appropriate pace and deliver quality entertainment that can last beyond just one season.

Those are the only new shows that I'm regularly watching. Last Resort is one that I still hope to catch, but I'll have to do so through On Demand because I have too many other things airing at the same time that it does. I watched the premiere of Animal Practice and it is disappointingly awful. Everyone else seemed to agree because NBC has already cancelled it. I've seen parts of The Mindy Project and Ben and Kate, but neither of those seemed to be targeted for me. If you've seen any other new show, feel free to chime in and offer your thoughts.

Fall TV Report Card (Thursdays Part 1)

Some of my favorite shows on Thursday got a jump start and premiered last week, so I'll review those now and the ones that debut tonight will be recapped later on.

The Office - After struggling to deal with the loss of Steve Carrell last season, this show promises a renewed sense of focus as it heads into its final season. This first episode nicely sowed some seeds for the end game of several of the key characters like Jim and Dwight, which I appreciated. The humor in the episode though was a mixed bag with a handful of decent lines but still too much wacky, physical humor that has weakened some of the characters (Kevin should be dim, but not THAT dim). This show can never recapture the glory of its early days, but it appears that they are going to do their best to give this cast a proper sendoff that will allow us to still think fondly of the show even after it is gone. Grade: B

Parks and Recreation - Last season ended with Leslie's big victory, winning the race for councilman. So in typical mockumentary fashion, we can't let the characters' wins last for too long as we saw here in the opener. Leslie got a wake up call while visiting Ben in Washington about how much she's been a big fish in a small pond for a long time. The storyline was well done, but didn't produce enough big laughs for me. Meanwhile Ron's attempt at throwing a barbeque went in typical fashion. Oddly enough, Rob Lowe's Chris brought the biggest laughs for me from this subplot. It's so nice to see him really integrate into the world and return to his happy self after being depressed for most of last season. Though their time was brief, April and Andy always bring the laughs and I wish we could have seen more from their time together in the nation's capital. I'm not sure if this worked well as a season premiere, but given the Washington bigwigs that had cameos in the episode, I can see why they went with it. I'll definitely be anxious to see everyone back in Pawnee sooner rather than later. Grade: A-

Fall TV Report Card: Wednesdays

Hump day is a slow day for me TV-wise so there won't be much to this post, but things will surely pick up as I go over the rest of the days of the week.

Survivor: Phillipines - Despite the fact that the show once again brought back returning players, there's a freshness to that twist this time. Each of the returning players are individuals who previously left the game for medical reasons, not because they were voted out. This then truly becomes a case of 'what if?' It should be very interesting to see if they remain healthy how far they can go. Thus far, Russell Swan already looks to be in trouble given his bossy nature and weak tribemates. Jonathan Penner isn't too well liked on his tribe either, but he's smart enough to find a way to stay in the game for a while. Plus his tribe looks strong, so they may not be visiting tribal council for a while. Then again, if teammate and former Major League Baseball MVP Jeff Kent's knee is seriously injured, that could dramatically alter the game. Finally, there's Michael Skupin, the infamous Survivor player from Season 2, who severly burned his hands after passing out by the fire. That had been one of the most infamous moments in Survivor history and yet, looking at his performance thus far in this new season, you begin to look at that injury in a new light. In a matter of days, he has suffered a minimum of four minor injuries to himself. I don't want to call the guy accident-prone, but it's looking more and more like that with each passing day. He, however, has the strongest standing within his tribe as he's already been pulled into an alliance. You get the sense though that he would rather be aligned with a different member of his tribe, Lisa Welchel, better known to most as Blaire from The Facts of Life. Though she claims to be a huge fan, it appears that the elements of the game are already getting the best of her. She'll need a dramatic turnaround if she hopes to stay in the game for long.

Overall, while it's way too early to judge how this season will play out, I think they've got a good cast of people who look like they're actually capable of competing rather than just being there because they look pretty or will cause trouble. I also like the Phillipines location, which allows the show to have some more challenges in the water - something that's been lacking in the past few seasons. I also enjoy the three tribe split that they've gone with this year, even if I know it won't last too long if for no other reason then the numbers just won't allow it. Here's hoping to a good season full of outwitting, outplaying, and outlasting. Grade: A-

2012 Fall Television Schedule Announcement (CBS)

This will wrap up the fall TV posts. I won't bother with the CW's lineup since I don't watch anything on that network and hardly anyone else does either. But if you're dying to see what they have in store, you can check it out at this link.

2012 CBS Fall Lineup

CBS has sat atop the ratings throne for several years now and the moves they made for the fall suggest they don't plan on losing that crown anytime soon. They cancelled the few deadweight shows that they had (adios CSI: Miami) and kept most of their hits in their same timeslots. The biggest change was moving Two and Half Men to Thursday nights and pairing it with The Big Bang Theory. Given that Men is getting a bit long in the tooth, it's a shrew decision to not rely it as the Monday anchor and instead have it along side the very popular Bang. That will no doubt further solidify CBS's hold on Thursday night programming. While I gave up on 2 Broke Girls, it's clear the CBS has enough confidence in it to make it the new anchor on Monday nights. Given how successful CBS has been, they really don't have too many new shows coming out. Of the ones that did make the fall lineup, the most intriguing one for me is Elementary - a modern day take on Sherlock Holmes with a female (Lucy Liu) in the Watson role. It'll take some time for me to wrap my head around the gender switch, but otherwise it looks like it could be another solid procedural for CBS.

2012 Fall Television Schedule Announcement (ABC)

Moving on down the dial (or up depending on where you live I suppose), we come to ABC's fall schedule.

2012 ABC Fall Lineup

This past year, there wasn't one regular primetime show that I watched on this network. For whatever reason, the shows they create don't seem to cater to me. That may, and I stress may change next year as based on the trailers for their new shows, there are a few that seem like they may have potential. The best of the bunch is Last Resort, a submarine drama that involves a U.S. nuclear sub being attacked by its own country and the ensuing cover-up. I don't know if it has the legs to be a decent series, but I'm intriguing by the premise alone. This may be the show that finally helps fill the void left by Lost. Speaking of which, John Locke aka Terry O'Quinn will be back on ABC in a new show called 666 Park Avenue. From the look of its trailer, I can't tell if this will be a cool, supernatural thriller or a campy mess. As for ABC's returning lineup, almost everything that got renewed is staying in its current timeslot, which should make fans of those shows happy. The biggest move came from them shuttling Revenge over to Sunday nights to fill Desperate Housewives' old slot, which seems like a sensible move, even if it means Revenge will be facing some stiffer competition.

2012 Fall Television Schedule Announcement (FOX)

I know I'm a little behind on these, so shoot me.

2012 FOX Fall Lineup

Fox decided to play it safe and boring this year apparently. There most dramatic changes, like moving Glee to Thursday night don't particularly affect me. I'm thankful that they renewed Fringe so that it can get a proper sendoff. It's also nice to see that there's no shakeups to the Animation Domination lineup. Although given how most of those series are starting to get long in the tooth, perhaps some fresh blood would have been nice. Their bigger concern though will definitely be the block they have devoted to The X Factor/American Idol for fall/spring. X Factor did not become a breakout hit like most expected it would be and Idol's ratings dominance is beginning to fade. If either or both of those shows go down the tubes, FOX will be left with a lot of timeslots to fill up in a hurry. What will be most interesting to see is how their Tuesday comedy block will fare. I never got the appeal of New Girl, but it's clearly going to be responsible for serving as the anchor to that night of sitcoms. As for FOX's new shows, watching the trailers the only ones that had moderate appeal to me were both shows (The Following and The Goodwin Games) that won't be premiering until midseason. So unless the Indians make the playoffs, it looks like I won't be watching too much on FOX in the fall.