Thoughts on some new shows ....
So I sampled a batch of new shows and here's what I'm sticking with, dropping and still iffy about.
Keepers, baby!
- Community: Very, very funny, very, very likable characters. I loved this, plain and simple.
- Cougar Town: This is one I wasn't going to watch even though I love Bill Lawrence's Scrubs. The premise just did not appeal at all, but harper47 raved, so I watched the Pilot on Hulu and I should have trusted my Bill Lawrence-love. This was hysterical, with lots of heart, great characters, great acting: Busy Phillips and Christa Miller? GOLDEN!
- Eastwick: I'm really surprised about this one. I'm not particularly fond of any of the actresses involved, but I LOVED the intro and found the rest of the Pilot enjoyable. I'm not sure how it will evolve, but I'm definitely willing to give it a chance. I quite, quite liked this. And, woohoo! Sara Rue (playing a character named Penny!)
- FlashForward: I don't know which was better, this or The Good Wife. They were both so good, but FF stands out because of the supernatural-ooh! of it all, while TGW is just good drama. Either way, I love both. This one was so well-paced; I liked all of the characters, and I'm quite curious to see where it all leads. I just really, really, REALLY hope it can keep up the quality. If so, this one could go down in the books.
- The Good Wife: This was so, so good. I'm not the world's biggest Julianna Marguiles fan, but I was surprised to enjoy her in Canterbury's Law a few seasons back and was disappointed when it was canceled. Well, I like her even more in this show, as well as all of the other characters and actors. The writing and directing is top-notch, the characters are real and by the end of the Pilot, I was already rooting for them, feeling for them. Excellent, excellent show. I hope it can keep up the quality.
I'm thinking, I'm thinking ...
- NCIS: Los Angeles: I liked the backdoor pilot well enough, but watching the official first episode, I had a lot of questions like --
It's a goner!
- The Forgotten: I wanted to like this because I like Christian Slater and the premise, but the execution didn't fit the premise. Basically, it was a cop show without (mostly) the cops. None of the characters were that interesting; some of the dialogue was atrocious. The idea of having the victim narrate was nifty, but they went overkill by having her randomly appear to members throughout the episode. So yeah, just no.
- Modern Family: I heard nothing but FANTASTIC things about this. Did nothing for me. It was just trying too hard to be arch, edgy, put a spin on comedy, etc. Not for me. I stopped watching after fifteen minutes. (Although, I was linked to the closing Lion King gag and it was hysterical, but one moment is not enough to make up for the complete lack of anything enjoyable for me in what I did watch.)
- The Vampire Diaries: I had no intention of even trying this one, but a few critics highlighted it as one of the shows to check out, so I did. I kept waiting for the originality, the wit, the sex appeal, etc. that said critics talked about. So wasn't there. I didn't even finish the episode; I turned it off with ten minutes left; it was that much of a waste of time.
Keepers, baby!
- Community: Very, very funny, very, very likable characters. I loved this, plain and simple.
- Cougar Town: This is one I wasn't going to watch even though I love Bill Lawrence's Scrubs. The premise just did not appeal at all, but harper47 raved, so I watched the Pilot on Hulu and I should have trusted my Bill Lawrence-love. This was hysterical, with lots of heart, great characters, great acting: Busy Phillips and Christa Miller? GOLDEN!
- Eastwick: I'm really surprised about this one. I'm not particularly fond of any of the actresses involved, but I LOVED the intro and found the rest of the Pilot enjoyable. I'm not sure how it will evolve, but I'm definitely willing to give it a chance. I quite, quite liked this. And, woohoo! Sara Rue (playing a character named Penny!)
- FlashForward: I don't know which was better, this or The Good Wife. They were both so good, but FF stands out because of the supernatural-ooh! of it all, while TGW is just good drama. Either way, I love both. This one was so well-paced; I liked all of the characters, and I'm quite curious to see where it all leads. I just really, really, REALLY hope it can keep up the quality. If so, this one could go down in the books.
- The Good Wife: This was so, so good. I'm not the world's biggest Julianna Marguiles fan, but I was surprised to enjoy her in Canterbury's Law a few seasons back and was disappointed when it was canceled. Well, I like her even more in this show, as well as all of the other characters and actors. The writing and directing is top-notch, the characters are real and by the end of the Pilot, I was already rooting for them, feeling for them. Excellent, excellent show. I hope it can keep up the quality.
I'm thinking, I'm thinking ...
- NCIS: Los Angeles: I liked the backdoor pilot well enough, but watching the official first episode, I had a lot of questions like --
- 1. Why are they in such a darkly-lit environment?
2. Who is the "Gibbs," the boss? It was the blonde woman in the backdoor pilot, but she's gone and it seems like Callan is in charge, but he's been out for the last four months due to the shooting, so who was in charge then?
3. The LA unit of NCIS provides clothing for their agents?
It's a goner!
- The Forgotten: I wanted to like this because I like Christian Slater and the premise, but the execution didn't fit the premise. Basically, it was a cop show without (mostly) the cops. None of the characters were that interesting; some of the dialogue was atrocious. The idea of having the victim narrate was nifty, but they went overkill by having her randomly appear to members throughout the episode. So yeah, just no.
- Modern Family: I heard nothing but FANTASTIC things about this. Did nothing for me. It was just trying too hard to be arch, edgy, put a spin on comedy, etc. Not for me. I stopped watching after fifteen minutes. (Although, I was linked to the closing Lion King gag and it was hysterical, but one moment is not enough to make up for the complete lack of anything enjoyable for me in what I did watch.)
- The Vampire Diaries: I had no intention of even trying this one, but a few critics highlighted it as one of the shows to check out, so I did. I kept waiting for the originality, the wit, the sex appeal, etc. that said critics talked about. So wasn't there. I didn't even finish the episode; I turned it off with ten minutes left; it was that much of a waste of time.