Fall TV Schedule 2007
Well, obviously things have been crazy for me these last couple days, but I figured I’d post my Fall TV schedule anyway. Anything to distract me for a bit.
As always, I watch A LOT of TV. I know this. I may be cutting back extensively soon. But in the meantime, please be kind. I really do leave the house on occasion; honest. Anyway, here are my plans for this TV season.
Favorite shows are bolded.
New shows are underlined.
New shows I’m not sure about are in italics.
Sundays
08:00-08:30 PM FOX The Simpsons
08:30-09:00 PM FOX King of the Hill
09:00-09:30 PM FOX Family Guy
09:00-10:00 PM SHOWTIME Dexter
10:00-10:30 PM HBO Curb Your Enthusiasm
11:30-12:00 PM ABC Ebert and Roeper at the Movies
Mondays
08:00-09:00 PM FOX Prison Break
08:00-09:00 PM NBC Chuck
08:00-08:30 PM CBS How I Met Your Mother
08:30-09:00 PM CW Aliens in America
09:00-10:00 PM NBC Heroes
10:00-11:00 PM NBC Journeyman
01:00-02:00 AM COMEDY CENTRAL The Daily Show and the Colbert Report
Tuesdays
08:00-08:30 PM ABC Cavemen
09:00-10:00 PM FOX House
09:00-10:00 PM CW Reaper
10:00-11:00 PM ABC Boston Legal
01:00-02:00 AM COMEDY CENTRAL The Daily Show and the Colbert Report
Wednesdays
08:00-09:00 PM CBS Kid Nation
08:00-09:00 PM ABC Pushing Daisies
09:00-10:00 PM NBC Bionic Woman
10:00-11:00 PM BRAVO Top Chef
10:00-11:00 PM FX 30 Days
10:00-10:30 PM COMEDY CENTRAL South Park
10:30-11:00 PM COMEDY CENTRAL The Sarah Silverman Program
01:00-02:00 AM COMEDY CENTRAL The Daily Show and the Colbert Report
Thursdays
08:00-08:30 PM NBC My Name is Earl
09:00-09:30 PM NBC The Office
09:00-10:00 PM CW Supernatural
09:30-10:00 PM NBC Scrubs
10:30-11:00 PM COMEDY CENTRAL Drawn Together
01:00-02:00 AM COMEDY CENTRAL The Daily Show and the Colbert Report
Fridays
09:00-10:00 PM NBC Friday Night Lights
Notes on new shows:
Cavemen
-A sitcom based on the Geico caveman ads in which cavemen are alive and well in modern society and are faced with the expected stereotypes. The show focuses on three friends; the dumb one, the snarky one, and the relatable one who in the pilot is preparing top marry a non-caveman.
-The pilot (which was apparently re-shot after a decision was made to relocate the series) was both nothing spectacular and not nearly as bad as you’d think. In fact, it looks as though the creators have come up with a premise that might actually work if they can improve the execution a bit. While some sections made me groan and the soundtrack was far too full of recognizable silly songs, there were a few moments that sadly made me laugh out loud, hence its inclusion here. Still, I think the show will be cancelled swiftly and I’ll probably stop watching before the axe inevitably falls.
Aliens in America
-A sitcom about a family that decides to take in a foreign exchange student in order to provide their nerdy, ostracized son a built-in cool friend, but the plan backfires when instead of the hot blonde boy in the brochure, a geeky boy from Pakistan arrives and is even more of an outcast. But of course, hearts are warmed as the two boys bond and the family learns all sorts of things about tolerance.
-The pilot for this show had me groaning and laughing out loud in pretty much equal amounts. As with many TV shows, the world of high school bears no resemblance to that of the real world. Many moments feel very cartoonish and they can’t seem to make those moments gel with the more realistic moments to create a cohesive and satisfying tone. However, some jokes are wonderful, the sentiment is genuine, the satire is occasionally clever, the reviews have been very positive, and Gilmore Girl’s Scott Patterson has been recast as the father. It’s already on notice, but I’m giving it a shot.
Journeyman
-A sci-fi laced drama about a man who starts to travel back in time without warning. His trips seem to track the lives of specific people and his actions in the past affect the present, hopefully for the better. While away, time goes by in the present and his coworkers and family are confused about his disappearances. A history of substance abuse makes them suspicious of a relapse. In addition, there is an extended mystery involving his ex fiancée who supposedly died in a plane crash.
-I liked the concept of this show, even though it sounded a bit like a Quantum Leap remake (not a bad thing, really), but was kinda hoping I’d dislike it so I wouldn’t be adding another show to the schedule. Unfortunately, the pilot is excellent. The actors are natural and react to the decidedly supernatural events realistically. The plot was tight and smart with some nice twists and a very satisfying ending. Seeds are planted that suggest some wonderful long term developments. And there more than a few good laughs. There’s still a good chance that the show will not be able to make good on the promise of the pilot, but if it does, this is a solid show and worth a spot on my schedule.
Kid Nation
-A reality show in which 40 children aged 8-15 are left in an old-timey ghost town to fend for themselves and create a functioning society. Four of the kids are positioned as the town council and make most of the important decisions affecting the group. They each lead teams who have different responsibilities around the town and are paid for their work. At the end of each episode, they hold a town meeting and decide to award one child with a gold star, which is valued at $20,000.
-I’m embarrassed to admit that I watched this last week. The press has been rabid in attacking the show for supposedly endangering the children involved. In general, most people seem to groan when the show is mentioned, assuming that it will be more of the same reality drivel that saturates the networks already. For a bit, I felt the same, but the more I thought of the show, the more I came to realize that the concept really engaged me. The idea of allowing children to work as a group without adult supervision to try and create some sort of community is a clever and unique one and the possibilities are endless. So I watched the pilot. And I loved it. In the past few years, I cut back my reality consumption dramatically. There’s no denying that a show like Survivor is still very interesting and is tough to stop watching should I choose to start, but at the end of every season I end up miserable because just like in real life, some asshole who cuts the most throats wins out. These shows no longer entertain me. Kid Nation is a nice exception, short on competition and high on teamwork. I’ll be the first to say that I don’t think very highly of our younger generations, but based on that first episode, it’s shocking how nice most of these kids are. They are quick to help each other out, seem to be there intending to work, and are quite funny. Color my heart warmed. It’s a lot easier to feel bad for a crying kid who misses his parents than a spoiled 20-something who misses her cat. There are all sorts of reasons to watch this show. Of course, I know I’m not going to be convincing anyone to do so. It’s too cool to hate Kid Nation and most people probably aren’t interested in the social experiment at play. But it’s a good show and I’m standing by my opinion.
Bionic Woman
-A sci-fi action drama about a young woman who is in a terrible car accident that by all intents should have been fatal. Her boyfriend, however, turns out to be a lead scientist for a government organization and she is transformed into the bionic woman with many a super power. Over the course of the series, she will most likely deal with a rebellious younger sister who is in her care, a previous bionic woman who has gone rogue, and the government itself which seems to treat her like property.
-This is a really solid show. If the creators hadn’t previously worked on the brilliant Battlestar Galactica, I would never have thought to watch a remake of a cheesy old sci fi show, but these folks know what they’re doing. The pilot is sleek and smart with great effects and action sequences and a strong human story in the center. The performances are very strong and ground the show in emotions we can relate to. For anyone who saw the early leaked pilot, the bionic woman had a sister who was deaf, a wonderful idea with some clever thematic opportunities, but it was pretty poor in execution. The sister has been recast and while the actress is certainly an upgrade, I’m sad to see that they dropped the idea of a deaf sister. This is a strong show and unless something goes horribly wrong, I fully expect to watch for the duration of its run.
Chuck
-A comedic action drama about an all around loser living a meaningless life in retail, who suddenly finds himself working for the government after the NSA and CIA databases are imprinted in his brain, making him invaluable to their work. His CIA handler is sexy but dangerous and the NSA agent is… just dangerous. Meanwhile, he has to hide his new life from his loser best friend and his sister and her perfect boyfriend.
-This is a strong pilot with a unique concept and near perfect execution. All of the show’s elements blend together seamlessly with humor, drama, and suspense usually inhabiting the same moments. The entire cast fits into this mix of genres well and there’s a great chemistry on screen between them all. There are a number of laugh out loud moments and I feel a natural affection for most of the characters. The pilot itself is somewhat standalone in its setup of the show’s concept. It introduces the world, tone, and characters deftly, but it doesn’t really show what a typical episode will be like. So there is a minor worry that the show itself might not match the promise of the pilot, but any series that starts that good would have to work pretty hard to get me not to watch.
Reaper
-A comedic action drama about a directionless young man working a crappy retail job who suddenly finds himself working as a bounty hunter for the devil (sound similar to something?). After 21 years of his parents letting him do anything he wants, he is shocked to discover that before his birth, his parents were tricked into selling his soul to the devil. While his parents struggle to cope with their mistake, he is aided by his fellow loser coworker and pines for the hot girl at the store who has long been just a friend.
-I really love the pilot. Honestly, it’s one of the best I’ve seen ever. Although I don’t expect the show to explore the dramatic depths of Buffy, there is an obvious parallel to my favorite show in its unique mix of horror, comedy, and drama. It all feels very cohesive and mad props go to Kevin Smith who actually directed the pilot episode. The characters are naturally funny and are helped by strong performances and the plot never wastes an opportunity for a good laugh. The action sequences are shiny and exciting and the touches of drama were quite effective. Without a doubt, this is reason enough to keep the CW going. After watching the pilot, I knew I would not see a better one all season. That is, until I saw the one for…
Pushing Daisies
-A drama-laced romantic comedy with fantasy elements about a man with the power to bring back the dead. As a child, he learns that by touching a dead thing (animal or vegetable), he can bring it back to life. There are two rules that make this challenging however. First, if he touches them ever again, they die. Second, if he doesn’t touch them again after 60 seconds, someone else nearby must die in their stead. As an adult, he lives a sheltered life as the owner of a pie shop and works a side job with a cop, bringing back murder victims temporarily to try and help solve cases and pick up the reward money. As luck would have it, in the pilot episode, he brings back his recently murdered childhood sweetheart and one true love. The good news: she’s alive again and they are reunited. The bad news: if they ever touch one another, she will die instantly, this time for good.
-What can you possibly say about a show this original and satisfying? The pilot, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, announces itself as the best new show of the season pretty much instantly, with its candy-colored fairy-tale esthetic and frequent moments that elicit audible responses (laughter, gasps, exclamations…). The cast is brilliant and this is no understatement. The episode establishes a running plot device in which our two leads try to simulate physical contact, unable to do it for real, and this is heartbreaking, romantic, and hilarious. The narration feels like a necessary element and is consistently entertaining. This show was created by Bryan Fuller and anyone who has seen one of his shows (especially Wonderfalls) knows what a fantastic time they’re in for when they watch Pushing Daisies. I am of course worried that such a critically adored, unique, perfect little flower will shrivel and die in today’s TV environment, but after watching the pilot, I am thankful for any amount of time I get to spend with these characters in this magical world. I can’t put into words how badly I want all of you to watch this show.