Bob:
I don’t know about you, but I have been sorely disappointed with just about every new show on the networks this season. I’ve given up on many of them, and I have one or two that are hanging by a thread. The Event has been a big disappointment. I was talking with some friends recently who have also been greatly let down by the show and I described it as “not having characters. It just has people who things happen to.”
Kona has discussed all the problems with Undercovers pretty eloquently in some of her reviews. There’s just nothing special or unique there. It’s a shame because I really like the two leads, and how can you not love Gerald McRaney (though I get nostalgic for Deadwood every time I hear his voice)? I’m still giving No Ordinary Family some time, but I’ve been a little bored, and can’t quite understand how a show about super powers can be boring.
As for sitcoms, I haven’t caught them all, but the ones I have caught … oh boy, have they been bad. There’s a lot of talent behind Running Wilde, but I thought the pilot was nearly unwatchable (and this is coming from a huge Arrested Develoment fan). Raising Hope is okay, but Better With You is so unoriginal and stale. I find it hard to believe that there are still new sitcoms coming out with laugh tracks. They are so painful.
What about you? Are you feeling the same way?
Debbie:
Yes, I’m feeling exactly the same as you, but my ennui began even before yours did: I wasn’t even excited for the new shows this season. A lot of the ones you tried I didn’t even bother with (though I did check out the pilot of Undercovers because I too love Gerald McRaney, but from Simon and Simon). I’m still on board with Blue Bloods, and if you’re looking for some characters, that’s where you’ll find them all. It’s still hard to tell where the show is going, but because of the interesting family dynamics and the little mystery arc and the really interesting cases of the week, I’m still watching.
Oh, you might find the characters you’re craving over on Terriers too, but seeing as Sebastian’s the only one in the universe watching regularly, I stopped because it will inevitably be canceled. If by some miracle of television it’s not, I’ll catch up.
As much as I enjoyed the pilot of Hawaii 5-0, the rest of the episodes are still queued up on the DVR, as of yet unwatched. I may get to them at some point, but it obviously hasn’t been a priority. And Nikita? I didn’t make it past the pilot of crap … so disappointing.
Bob:
You know, I didn’t think Nikita was that bad. It got lost in the DVR shuffle for me, but I might circle back and check it out again at some point. I did try Terriers and I didn’t really like it. Not quite sure why, it just wasn’t my type of show, I guess.
Perhaps I’ll make a point to check out Blue Bloods, though. It has mostly been off my radar, what with the time slot of doom and it seeming like “just another cop show.” Is there more appeal than just Tom Selleck’s mustache? Because I know that would be enough to get you to watch.
Debbie:
Sigh, the mustache…. There’s actually much less of the mustache than you might think; it’s really an ensemble show. I can’t say yet if it is just another cop show or not, because they haven’t fully established themselves as anything yet. I do think you’d like the family dynamics, though. The characters are really complex and watching them interact with one another is pretty special. If Selleck gets his creative license (which he probably will, since the showrunner who disagreed with him left) it will be all about the characters.
Bob:
At least there is Boardwalk Empire, and The Walking Dead will be starting shortly. All is not lost.
How are all of you readers feeling about the new shows this season?
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Oct 21, 2010 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
I watched half an episode of “Boardwalk Empire” over my brother’s shoulder. Don’t like it. I don’t get the appeal other than “It’s on HBO” (naked people and violence). Ken Levine gave up on it yesterday I think and I’m with him :-)
“No ordinary family” is too slow but we already discussed that. “Nikita” I didn’t even bother to watch after the review here.
“Better with you” is unbearable. Dropped it after episode three.
What I do like is “Melissa and Joey”. The show is fun to watch and full of people we know from other shows. Including “Kwipkee” as the dad of the two kids on the last episode. Didn’t care for him on BBT, don’t care for him here. The stories are the same as they were on “Who’s the boss” but I like the delivery for whatever reason.
I haven’t watched “Undercovers” but if I were: I like Gerald McRaney for “Major Dad” AND “Simond & Simon” :-)
Oh and what really IS horrible is the show of Amy Pohler’s husband. “worse decisions (something something)”. Awful. God awful. I made it 15 minutes in. The other show that was that bad was “My Generation” and that one’s gone already.
I’ll check out “Running Wilde” now, have it here somewhere but after reading Brett’s ratings posts I fear it might go the way of shows like “Kath & Kim”. It seems some people like it but not enough.
“The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret”
David Cross and Will Arnett in an awful awful awful horrible bad bad bad show.
They canceled Arrested Development, know the DVD sales, and that’s why shit like this gets greenlit. Bad bad bad bad bad.
Then you did not see this last episode of Boardwalk Empire? It was WONDERFUL! Please consider giving it another chance.
It really is a disappointing season, isn’t it? Even my old favorites aren’t holding up. Thanks to Sebastian, I watched Terriers through episode 3, but then Dish removed FX from the lineup and I now have to go back online to catch up. But it’s worth the watch.
Hawaii Five-0 pilot was awesome, and then fell just too much off the awesome scale to really be interested in watching.
The only new show I’m actually watching on television is Hellcats. It’s fun fluff, and that’s what I expected. Expectations are killer. If I am promised, I want delivery. Unfortunately, most of the new season packages were lost in the mail.
Wait! I forgot The Defenders. I really enjoy it. That’s why it will be cancelled. Might as well give it a shout out while it’s still on the air.
Yeah a lot of the new shows have been disappointing. I too like Terriers, but am dreading the moment when it gets canceled. I’ve been enjoying The Defenders as well. I loved the first couple episodes of Boardwalk, but now it seems like they’ve gotten lost in the whole “lets see just how much graphic violence we can show on HBO” rather than advancing the story or characters. Hopefully it’ll improve.
- I thought Terriers was great, but it kept piling up in my DVR due to having no time to get to it. I think its just knowing that the show is screwed has made me uneasy to get into it. Though I’m still annoyed I forget to DVR it last night.
– Boardwalk Empire is the only show so far that I think is not completely disappointing. But I didn’t get to episodes 4&5 yet so maybe my attitude will change after those. I hope not.
– But like Bob mentioned, The Walking Dead is coming. And maybe that is what this TV season needs to bring it to life a little more, zombies. Shuffling corpses always liven things up.
Just finished watching the pilot for The Walking Dead and I’m glad that they aren’t trying to be too faithful to the comic.
The problem I had with the comic (I made it to Issue #50) was that the characters in the comic were one dimensional to the point of distraction (which makes sense considering the writer made the story up as he went along and the format of a comic has built in limitations.) I found it hard to root for the good guys when they were so incredibly naive and I found it harder to take the villains seriously because their level of evil was unrealistic.
This felt fleshed out and good. I loved the series “The Dead Set” and “Survivors” on the BBC, so I hope this matches that level of quality.
Everyone, they are going to show the ENTIRE season of Terriers. FX is not going to pull it part way – we might not get a second, but you should enjoy the episodes while you can! And maybe if everyone would start watching we could get some more friends to join in :) I know a dream right?
Terriers may be screwed for next season, but I also heard they are going to run the entire first season, if that helps anyone out. It’s pretty much the only new show this season I like (although Raising Hope has been getting better). I’m holding out strong hopes for the Walking Dead!
I am enjoying Hellcats, though I have no idea why. There is just something fun about it, though the last episode got a little “lesson of the week” for me (like 7th Heaven). But, it is just fun.
I watched Nikita the first week and then they piled up on my DVR. I did end up catching up last week and it is growing on me, mostly because Shane West’s character is becoming more intriguing. And, Nikita is getting less boring.
The Event is still interesting to me. I’m not sure where people are coming from when saying there are no characters. I like the characters and am interested in what we have learned about them and learning more, so they have to have character, right?
Hawaii-50 and Undercovers haven’t really held my interest but I have continued to watch them. Terriers, I’ve only seen the first 3 eps, but hope to catch up soon. No Ordinary Family-still watching, but it is a little slow. It looks like next week will up the ante, if the promos are wrong, I’m not sure I’ll still watch.
Am I the only person in the world who likes The Event? I thought it’s been above average until the most recently aired episode. I also think Nikita has been quite good as well. The pilot was by far the worst episode.
No Ordinary Family is ok (I’m waiting for more stuff about other folks with powers), but I’m waiting for The Cape to get my superhero fix, (mainly because I just want to see a guy do ridiculous stuff with a cape). I also actually like Running Wilde. It’s not the greatest, but I’m a sucker for shows narrated by children for some reason. Undercovers is a huge disappointment. There’s nothing particularly bad about it, but I just don’t care about anything that happens in it.
And for Sebastian: I also watch Melissa and Joey. Every scene is ridiculously clichéd and you can see the jokes coming a mile away, but the actors all fit into their roles quite well.
And everyone should watch Terriers. Easily the best new show of the year. (I haven’t seen Boardwalk Empire.)
Tracey and Casey are right, Shawn Ryan has said it multiple times on Twitter that Terriers will air in Full on FX.
I gave more new shows a try this year then I have in the past, this is probably because I recently acquired a DVR, and I am still watching most of them.
The Event is still holding my interest. They are slow with character development, but there are some many characters that it takes time, but I feel with each episode we see more of each character.
Hawaii 5-0 I love, great action sequences, beautiful scenery, fun character interaction, and a whole lot of shirtless Alex O’Loughlin. What more can a girl ask for.
Chase surprised me, I hadn’t really paid an attention to it when looking at all the new show online, but I can across it when flicking and it is now the one of the first things a watch on my DVR now.
Raising Hope is funny and cute and I like it, Running Wilde on the other hand I gave up after the pilot.
I am really enjoying Nikita. The contract between Nikita out there on her own and Alex at Division keeps things interesting. I admit I wasn’t floored by the pilot but I stuck with it and I am glad I did.
Undercover lost me after a few episodes, it just isn’t exciting enough for a spy show. I’m still hold episodes of Outlaws on my DVR but haven’t watch since the pilot.