Fall TV starts... now!
Welcome to Premiere Week 2010! You are about to be drowning in a ton of new shows, and navigating those tricky waters can be a daunting task. Thankfully, we've seen the pilots of the most of the networks' new offerings and can tell you which ones are worth watching. We'll even give you two different opinions of each show to help you figure out what suits you best. (The video previews may take a few moments to load.)
Better With You
ROMANTIC COMEDYWednesday, September 22 at 8:30pm on ABC
Relationships are put under the microscope in this sitcom, as Maddie (Jennifer Finnigan) is perfectly content in her nine-year unmarried coupledom. But when her younger sis Mia (Joanna Garcia) announces she's pregnant and getting hitched, Maddie wonders if her own relationship is up to par.
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Didn't Like It: Did you know that new relationships are different from long-lasting relationships? Because Better With You will drill that into your head until your nose bleeds. Just another network romantic comedy with a laugh track.—Tim Surette |
Didn't Like It: ABC struck gold last year with the trifecta of Modern Family, Cougar Town, and The Middle... but it seems they've extracted all they can out of their once-rich comedy vein. Better with You's bland writing does no justice to the talents of its stars, which in addition to Garcia include Debra Jo Rupp.—Stefanie Lee |
Blue Bloods
CLAN OF COPSFriday, September 24 at 10pm on CBS
Multiple generations of New York City cops fight with each other at work and at home in this CBS drama. Dad (Tom Selleck) is the police commissioner, son Danny (Donny Wahlberg) is a detective, daughter Erin (Bridget Moynahan) is an ADA, and other son Jamie (Will Estes) is a beat cop. That's a lotta donuts.
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Liked it: This series has the right ingredients to be a riveting NYC crime-fighting and law drama, especially with its solid casting of a particularly stoic Selleck and loose-cannon Wahlberg. Let's hope they continue to explore the family and potential conspiracy plotlines of the pilot rather than appeal to the masses with the tired procedural angle. —Ilana Diamond |
Liked lt: This one's got real potential; it kind of feels like a more serious version of Parenthood. The characters all seem interesting right off the bat, and the "twist" in the last few minutes of the pilot already has me looking forward to Episode 2. Ilana's right: As long as the case-of-the-week stuff doesn't get in the way, Blue Bloods could be hit.—Jen Trolio |
Boardwalk Empire
GANGSTERS OF YE OLDE VARIETYMonday, September 19 at 9pm on HBO
Martin Scorsese is behind this latest epic HBO production, and that's a good thing since its subject matter—gangsters—is right in his wheelhouse. Set in Atlantic City during the Prohibition Era, this heavy drama follows the development of Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) from politician to dirty crime boss.
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Liked It: The great Scorcese does television. Buscemi plays the lead role, and Omar from The Wire plays a character called Chalky White. 'Nuf said.—Ilana Diamond |
Liked It: As its creators' credits probably foretold, Boardwalk Empire feels like Goodfellas meets The Sopranos... in the Roaring 20s. Buscemi's character promises to be quite the badass, and the pilot is compelling. Plus, the production values of this period piece are sky-high: If you're fan of Mad Men's true-to-their-time sets and costumes, you'll love the show's depiction of Prohibition-era Atlantic City.—Jen Trolio |
Chase
PROCEDURAL PURSUITSMonday, September 20 at 10pm on NBC
A female U.S. Marshal (All My Children's Kelli Giddish) hunts down fugitives in South Texas with her crack team of baddie-catchers in this new procedural from producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
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It's Okay: I'm impressed with the stunts, and it's pretty awesome that Giddish gets to kick so much ass. But is that enough to compel me to watch every week? Not really.—Ilana Diamond |
It's Okay: The show is entertaining enough if you've got an hour to kill, and the pilot delivers plenty of the chase scenes alluded to in the title, but it seems a bit too heavy on the "get inside the mind of your target" shtick. Ultimately, it's forgettable. —Jen Trolio |
The Defenders
BUDDY LAWYERSWednesday, September 22 at 10pm on CBS
Heeeeeee's baaaaaack! Jim Belushi returns to television, somehow, to lead this light-hearted legal drama. He teams up with Jerry O'Connell as a pair of street-wise lawyers who go all out for the little guys in Las Vegas.
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Liked It: A surprisingly watchable show starring Jim Belushi? Yep, I was floored too. But this is Belushi as Belushi should be: a shifty, crafty defense attorney in Las Vegas. The attitude is right for the show—not too light, not too dark. And Natalie Zea is always welcome on my television.—Tim Surette |
Liked It: Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell were cast against their types in this new buddy-lawyer show, with Belushi as the curmudgeon and O'Connell as the goofball, and you know what? It totally works. Who knew these two would have such great chemistry?—Stefanie Lee |
Detroit 1-8-7
COP SHOW!Tuesday, September 21 at 10pm on ABC
This drama started out as a mockumentary that follows homicide investigators as they solve murders in crime-ridden Detroit (that format has since been dropped). The police force has a stunning spectrum of rookies and vets from various backgrounds, which conveniently gives us different perspectives. Expect crime-cracking and old detectives not liking their new partners until they prove themselves in the field.
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Liked It: If you've been a Michael Imperioli fan since his Sopranos days, you'll be pleasantly surprised to see him as Louis Fitch, a very introverted and difficult, but good-hearted, detective on this new cop drama. As long as ABC smoothes out the Detroit references and decides what to do about the documentary format, they'll have a hit.—Stefanie Lee |
It's Okay: Didn't ABC already try something like this with the flat-footed The Unusuals? Well, Detroit 1-8-7 might be slightly better than that ill-conceived series. Its attempts at grittiness with bleeped-out street talk is a plus, as are Imperioli and newcomer Jon Michael Hill. But when it comes down to it, it's pretty much just another decent cop show.—Tim Surette |
Love Defenders and Mike and Molly.
Tim & Ilana are both wrong about Outlaw. The subject matter takes on inconsistencies in our legal system. Smitts' character is believable when one considers the right wing nutcases on our Supreme Court. Its not the best show I've ever seen but it could be better if tatoo girl would somehow get lost.
SOMEONE OF THESE SHOWS ARE IN BRAZILIAN TV NETWORKS (NO ORDINARY FAMILY, BOARDWALK EMPIRE-NORMALLY PAY TV LIKE NET, SKY, ETC). I AM WAITING FOR HAWAII FIVE-O AT REDE TV! BUT IT IS NOT YET SHOWED.
Soooooo sorry to see Lone Star canceled. I thought it was more a cable show. If amc/fx/bravo were smart they'd pick the show up. It was very enjoyable and I miss it already!
Good: Hawaii 5 OH, Chuck, Nikita, The Defenders, Terriers, The Event, House, Castle, No Ordinary Family, NCIS, The Good Wife, Sons of Anarchy, Undercovers, The Big Bang Theory, Bones, Fringe, The Mentalist, Human Target, The Good Guys, CSI NY, Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, CSI Miami. The Bad: Everything Else. Wait, The Glades is good also.
Good:Raising HopeHawaii 5 OUndercoversBlue BloodHorrible:NikitaRunning WildeHell CatsHave not seen yet but am DVRing.Law and Order: L.A.My GenerationOrdinary Family
I agree on most of the like and okay's except for CHASE, I hated it. The characters aren't likeable and fall flat.. Hawaii Five-O, The Defenders and Blue Bloods did not disappoint they were really good. Raising Hope is the best new comedy by far, the others will be gone soon enough. Duds Lone Star, The Whole Truth and Outlaw.
IMPO, I think Hawaii Five-0 is the hit of the Fall season. It took my breath away with so much action, scenery and great acting. Reminded me of a full on motion picture. Alex O'Loughlin in an amazing actor and he plays Steve McGarrett to the nth degree. Great story, great acting team combination,Alex with Scott, Daniel and Grace, great location, I was at the premiere in Hawaii, it was amazing.
Lone Star is also a really good series, not sure how they will keep it going with different storylines. Blue Bloods still not sure of the story....
Yeah what about Terriers? Probably my favorite new show. Out of all the shows the 3 that really stand out for me are: Terriers, Blue Bloods and The Event. Blue Bloods really surprised me as I didn't think I'd like a cop show, but its way different, no week-to-week baddy I think its gonna be more about the family and the secret society...awesome. The Event has real potential, Jason Ritter is pretty good and like I said Terriers is just another great FX show. These 3 shows have great casts and great production values added with really interesting storylines. I hope they make it.
Did Tim like ANY new show?? XD
Terriers - loved it.
Outsourced is just WRONG on so many levels as a TV show it's not even funny.1. When I watched it I just kept going through my mind of how many times I had a problem with my cell phone, or computer and had to call a call center that was "outsourced" and the situation NEVER got resolved and I wound up becoming infuriated because the person could not speak English or didn't have a clear understanding of the problem. Ha Ha that's real funny NBC!2. It pissed me off, because every time a company "outsources" Americans lose jobs. So NBC wants me to sit here and watch a show AND THINK IT'S FUNNY about a bunch of people who lost their jobs, but also NBC wants me to think it's funny that the people who takes those jobs are basically slave labor who are being exploited?WOW...Hilarious!!!3. I have friends who are Indian. I have A LOT of respect for their culture and for them in general as people. I found the characters in this show to be overly stereotypical and very offensive.4. It wasn't funny! The writing was poor and the execution was worse.5. It was lazy, lazy, lazy! Probably one of the laziest shows I've ever seen.Don't get me wrong. I think it's great that Indian actors are being given the opportunity and work in Hollywood as this is the first almost all Indian cast, but this is the wrong venue for it. I do like the lead, Ben Rappaport, but he needs a different show. He's too good for this crap! In my honest opinion this show is not going to last. It's going to the TV show junkyard!moreless
i think i'll go for Undercovers although it is a rip off of Mr and Mrs Smith but wat the hey. Boris kodjoe is just hot!! lool.. !! Blue bloods could probably have a good storyline but they need to work on their "tough cop" act !!!
cross_mr: NBC and the shows Producers BOTH promised answers in "The Event's" second episode.That being said, The Event is the standout for sure. I'm surprised they didn't like Outsourced; it has potential too.Monday night is back. With Chuck (starring Linda Hamilton this season!!) leading in to The Event, it's perfect.
Hawaii 5-O was okay but without Jack Lord, I just don't know. I watched the Undercovers pilot and it was also just okay. Boris was nice to look at, I mean watch (lol), but you really must suspend reality to buy the plot. I did enjoy Gerald McRaney being back on TV!
I also enjoyed Blue Bloods & The Defenders. If they both build on the characters from the pilot I think both might stay on my "To Watch" list. So far, so good.
Hawaii 5-0 was okay for a police story. But it could be any ordinary police story. Filmed in any state (add state here). The only thing that it has in common with the original is the location and the names.
okay, i started watching one tree hill...so i kind of got bored because i didnt watch the previous season...and decided to go through my channel list and i came across THE EVENT..it sounded like discovery chanel or something so i decided to watch it and i was AMAZED>>>>>>>>>>>>>>oMg..it was so good...the plane disappear from thin air...i wish they would replay it again..i cant wait, i luv-it
Lost Girl is one of my favorite new shows, Hawaii Five-O was pretty good, undercovers was iffy, Nikita is okay and still trying to get around to watching the defenders.
I loved Hawaii Five-O, and I think that it pays due respect to the original, of which I am a huge fan. I also enjoyed The Defenders', O'Connell and Belushi have great timing together.
"Better With You" lacked a good writing, "The Defenders" - nothing new, a little bit boring, "Detroit 1-8-7" - snoozefest, "The Event" has a potential, "Hawaii Five-O" looks interesting, "Outsourced" has a lot of good material to work with, we'll see what the writers have done with it, "Raising Hope" and "Running Wilde" have some charm, I'm hoping to get better, "S#!t My Dad Says" - a few good jokes, a looot of laugh track,
Oh and I like Hawaii Five-O
RAISING HOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My Generation is ok. I think this would work if this was a real rwality show and not some scripted drama.
Very disappointed in fall season, house & Detroit 1-8-7 was just bad, and when they threw up on the baby in raising hope I turned it off. There are a few possiblies Castle, Hawaii five O, Chuck, the event, Hellcats. As for humour William Shatner new series was pretty good. But am waiting to catch on the rest of the week as I counted over 22 new series.
Who said questions would be answered in "The Event"? NBC? After the lies that surrounded Persons Unknown I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them. NBC repeated constantly that "all questions would be answered" and yet at the end we were left with very little answered and more questions than we started with. The Event will be more of the same as they try to drag it out season after season.
The Event is the Best on this list, though other season premiers are sure to be just as good or better, hopefully!
Hawaii Five-0 is indeed the best show of the fall season! Hope it lasts as long as the original!
Hawaii Five-0 is indeed the best show of the fall season! Hope it lasts as long as the original!
So far the best : The Event, Glee, Lone Star and Star Wars: The Clone WarsLooking forward to: My Generation, Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters, Stargate UniversToo bad they ended this season : Spartacus, Accidentally on Porpouse and True Blood (cant wait for next seasons, really good shows !!)
Loved Raising Hope and Mike & Molly. Both are great shows. Hawaii 5-0 was good too. The Event wasn't too bad, but time will tell. I'm interested enough to stick with it awhile yet and see where it's going.
I actually liked Raising Hope more than I expected. It makes me miss the glory days of My Name is Earl, especially with the shout-out in the pilot, but it's sweet, funny, and well-acted. Plus it had me smiling by the end of the episode.
I think I'll try Running Wilde purely because of genius Mitch Hurwitz, I'm still stung by Arrested Development being off the air so I'm hoping for potential in this show. I love Melissa McCarthy so I'll definitely attempt Mike & Molly, not sure if it's going to be a long term hit with me, but it's worth a try. And out of all those lawyer shows, which there are aplenty, I think The Whole Truth sounds promising once you guys put a lowdown on that one, I'll decide then. Tom Selleck's show is the other possible hit, comparing it to Parenthood was the anchor for me.
I love Mike & Molly! It's old fashion comedy, with a stand up Sienfeld twist (when they're at the OA meetings). I hope this one stays around. I also enjoyed Outlaw, I think it'll grow on us ...
Loved Hawaii Five-O-Big fan of Alex O. in his last 2 cancelled shows-still don't why they were cancelled. Lone Star was good and the Event was terrific and should last all season. Big fan of Michael Imperioli so will continue watching Detroit 1-8-7.
retreads and cliches, stereotypes and formulas. I am very disappointed in the same old palette.
Loved Detroit 1-8-7. Good cast, nitty-gritty script. There was practically no network support for this show, which is par for the course for ABC.
I refuse to watch Outsourced because I want to watch TV to be entertained, not reminded of how many Americans have lost their job to foreign companies who can't communicate well.
The Event to me was uneventful, to many flashbacks makes the storyline hard to follow, that was the problem with Heroes, to many characters, to much jumping around from present to past, if this show continues to flashback then I predict it will be canceled, remember that NBC is quick to pull the trigger even on successful shows, take LIfe for example
Hawaii 5-0 grabbed you by the shirt in the opening minutes and never let you go. I've not seen a show explain so much backstory so quickly. Great combination of action, plot, locale, and casting. I loved the original 5-0 as a kid; the new version is even better.
Too many rip off idea shows and feel like we've all been there and done that. Chase is a Plain Sight rip off with I guess more chasing. Outlaw sounded good on paper but it actuality it's lacking any real heart. Liked the actors in Lone Star but the show was boring. Outsourced sounds lame so no go. The Event has potential but I fear NBC will muck it up like they always seem to of late so I'm not holding my breath. Loved Hawaii Five-O but they need to keep it as much about the relationship between the team as the day to day grind of the task force. All the networks need to stop duplicating successful shows from other networks and try finding some creators/producers with bigger imaginations who can think outside the Hollywood/TV box.moreless
Outsourced hasn't even aired yet. It looks promising though. If you've never worked with Indians, you wouldn't be able to appreciate it. My whole office works with them on a daily basis and we can't wait to watch it! It's all true.
My thoughts based on the information I have at the moment . . . . NO for the following: Lone Star, Mike & Molly, Better With You, Detroit 1-8-7, Outlaw, Outsourced, Raising Hope, Running Wilde, S#!I My Dad Says, and Undercovers . . . . YES for the following: The Event, Hawaii Five-0, and Blue Bloods . . . . MAYBE: Chase, The Defenders, My Generation, and No Ordinary Family.
I liked Mike and Molly. Forget about the fat part (although there are some nice jokes regarding it), I like the way they explore the relationship part of it. You don't have to be fat to be unsure of yourself when it comes to beginning a relationship. I hope they'll highlight the good things about relationships instead of making it all a bunch of setups for old "ball and chain" jokes (like "Everyone Loves Raymond" used to do. Ick). That's one of the things I hated about "Gilmore Girls" - the main female character never seemed to learn anything or grow in a spiritual/relationship manner. Laughs are fun, but for God's sake, PLEASE put something on TV that warrants people watching it. Walter was right, Reno Wilson does steal all the scenes, but that's because he's in a good position to and he's got the chops to do it.Hawaii Five-0? I loved Alex in "Moonlight," but the last two things he did had horrible writers. I couldn't watch them after the first episode. O'Loughlin is AMAZING, however, in his interpretation of who Steve McGarrett is. I used to watch the original show, but for the life of me couldn't recall what McGarrett's character was all about. It was nice to have that blank slate so I could enjoy what O'Loughlin was putting on the table (he is intense on a much deeper level than most actors). He acted just like I would expect of someone in that vein of the military. I liked his mannerisms, his stunts kicked much rear, but the writers are going to have to catch up to the actors skill's if they really want this show to be great. The cast they've put together is amazing (Scott Caan as Danno, with Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park) . Don't squander the natural gifts of your cast writers!moreless
The only show i was going to watch this season was Event.The rest is same old same old.Hawai 5 O.come on ! How many cops shows do we need. The rest is plain boring.Glee...yah right. Seriously...the Event looks very disappointing and for those who think it is another Lost, which i think was a futile time waster in the end , the Event looks to be the same thing as well. They saved us...limited options here..Aliens, new weapon in Alaska or people messing with time. Don't have to be genuis to figure that out..and no mystery there. At least Lost got us to say WTF for one season but thsi one looks to be open after a few episodes. Think also about this...Lost promised that you did not have the answer and in the end the most obvious answer turned out to be the right one.Same thing with the EVent. i am sticking with Futurama. At least they are fun as this season is another waste even with new line ups.moreless
I was impressed with Hawaii Five-0, and surprised that I was. Thats always nice. I liked James Wolk on Lonestar...he seems a natural and with that winning smile he's sure to become a fan favourite, but I did not like the show or its premise and I have never liked Jon Voight, so that one is out.
It's so many shows on for monday, you don't know what to watch..I will watch hawaii five-o and lonestar. Instead I watched castle, i love that show