New TV shows

Parent Cafe
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<p>I loved Connie Britton in “Friday Night Lights” so I tuned in to see her new show that premiered last night on F/X. Yikes, her roll is a far cry from Tammy Taylor! The show was just plain old weird but hey its from Ryan Murphy (Glee, Nip/Tuck). Did anyone see it? I found myself wanting to turn it off but I kept watching. Loved Jessica Lange though. </p>

<p>Caught the pilot of Pan Am and didn’t love it. It just made me miss Mad Men even more.</p>

<p>I did ike Revenge, although I have no idea how they will sustain that plot. Eventually she will exact her revenge on everyone and then what?</p>

<p>Thought X Factor was awful. Ditto for Terra Nova. </p>

<p>Another lousy season on tv.</p>

2

<p>I came across the FX “American Horror Story” premiere on one of the late (1:30 am) showings. I had not seen anything about it before this. Nor did I ever watch Friday Night Lights or Nip/Tuck. For some strange reason, I loved the “AHS” pilot. It seems like decades since I could watch anything R rated on TV. Even now, I assume I’ll have to watch episodes in the middle of the night, as D is probably a bit young for that. At least for this week - a new guilty pleasure.</p>

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<p>My husband and I both like Revenge. I caught up :wink: with all three episodes last night. </p>

<p>Find Unforgettable interesting.</p>

<p>Husband, daughter, and I all liked the premiere of Person of Interest and then forgot to watch it again last week. Plan to catch last week’s episode today with the help of HULU and then slide into tonight’s episode as it airs.</p>

<p>Thumbs down at this house on Ringer and Prime Suspect.</p>

4

<p>irishmary, the creator/executive producer of Revenge had this to say about the show:</p>

<p>The biggest question is what would season 2 entail? Another revenge saga? Basically, yes, according to Kelley, who cites Dexter as somewhat of a storytelling model. “In our show, there’s a whole conspiracy and seasons worth of people that will reap what they’ve sewn,” says the producer. “Revenge is a universal concept and it’s gonna permeate the show on every level. I plan to do installments of revenge. So I’ll set two installments a season which will be self-contained. They’ll focus on a group of people that need to come down and we’ll introduce new people. We’ll also give other characters on the show a reason to want their own revenge.”</p>

5

<p>I’ve been getting sucked in to a show called “Downsized.” Has anyone seen it?</p>

6

<p>Agree with OP re: Pan Am. Boring. I have liked The Playboy Club but I understand it’s already been cancelled. I’ve been watching the X Factor and enjoy some of the voices but I’m watching it on DVR and fast forwarding a LOT. I find the production of the show very choppy. Seems like a series of sound bites.</p>

7

<p>Like: Persons of Interest, A Gifted Man, New Girl (I hear Gifted Man is already a possible cancellation target)</p>

<p>Eh: TerraNova, Ringer, Revenge</p>

<p>No: Pan Am, Playboy Club</p>

<p>Haven’t watched but may start: Two Broke Girls (my kids are trying to convince me)</p>

8

<p>New shows I’m keeping on the schedule because I have the time:</p>

<p>Ringer - because it’s totally soapy even if stupid, and I really like SMG (Buffy fan). And Richard from Lost.
Person of Interest - might get old fast but the first two episodes had very different denouements. And Ben from Lost.
Pan Am - because I like looking at the clothes and sets. Not the plot. Oh, also like the music.
Terra Nova - plots will have to improve to keep me on this; liked week 2 better than week 1.</p>

<p>I watched the premiere of New Girl but wasn’t impressed. I didn’t like Emily or whatever her name is on B&S so haven’t watched Revenge.</p>

<p>Looks like the fairy tale shows might be interesting when they join the schedule (I think there are two but forgot their names).</p>

9

<p>Am enjoying A Gifted Man and Person of Interest, both shows filled with terrific theatre actors, which, in my opinion, makes a difference. </p>

<p>I liked Two Broke Girls and New Girl for one episode each, then by the second week, I stopped watching part way through each show.</p>

<p>I think Prime Suspect has promise, I love Maria Bello but the writing isn’t as good as it should be for the talented cast that they have.</p>

<p>Revenge is entertaining, if unrealistic and very predictable.</p>

<p>I’m happiest that The Amazing Race, Boardwalk Empire and Dexter are back.</p>

10

<p>Beware: I am a Television major. </p>

<p>In my Media Industries class we went over the Fall Schedule and realized that there is nothing good coming out in the fall. My professor has read or seen every Pilot episode for the new shows and he is embarrassed by most of them. There are some interesting shows coming in midseason and good stuff returning in the winter/spring (mainly 30 Rock).</p>

<p>My take on the new stuff:</p>

<p>Pan Am - Sad. Just sad. Coming from someone who is obsessed with Mad Men. It is just embarrassing. I also told Anderson Cooper it was bad too and he went to immediate frowny face. </p>

<p>Terra Nova - Eh. Good producers and whatnot. Not as bad as expected.</p>

<p>Up All Night - LOVE. Great way to show a happy married couple on television who has their own set of problems to deal with. Doesn’t help that Maya Rudolph and Will Arnett are in it also. </p>

<p>New Girl - Precious. My professor said this is the best of the best for this season. Zooey Deschanel is adorable. </p>

<p>Playboy Club and Free Agents both got cancelled by NBC which is know to not give a lot of chances for shows. </p>

<p>Angered to see Whitney got picked up for a season. Very angry over this. I. cannot. stand. that. women. </p>

<p>Haven’t checked out American Horror Story. I am a fan of Connie Britton buy Ryan Murphy is a complete a-hole. Sorry Glee lovers. </p>

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<p>Midseason stuff everyone should check out (and will hopefully be better than anything that is out now):</p>

<p>Smash: Oh my god. I am in love with this show and I’ve seen 5 minutes of it. Check out the link (<a href=“AllYourScreens.com - AllYourScreens.com”>AllYourScreens.com - AllYourScreens.com) for the promo. It has Debra Messing which is one of the main reasons I’ll be watching. It’s another musical kind of thing with a twist.</p>

<p>Alcatraz: JJ Abrams (creator of Lost, Alias, Fringe; Star Trek director) helmed show. Should do well in the ratings depending on the time slot. </p>

<p>Awake: Jason Issacs stars in and deals with a traumatic event in a very different way. ([‘Awake</a>’ - Promo (Video)](<a href=“AllYourScreens.com - AllYourScreens.com”>AllYourScreens.com - AllYourScreens.com)</p>

<p>More As The Story Develops: Aaron Sorkin is writing it. All I have to say really.</p>

11

<p>I was gonna start a thread like this myself:</p>

<p>Three episodes of Playboy and gone - ^^^ does the TV major know if this sets a record for shortest lived Fall series?</p>

<p>Pan Am probably won’t fly too much longer either. But I did watch the first episode. My sister was a Pan Am stew stationed in NYC and the production staff got in touch with her about her gig in the late '60’s.</p>

<p>Like Terra Nova - Spielberg is Exec. Producer like a lot of other stuff these days.
Like New Girl - Seems like the ditsy girl sit-com is a trend. Gotta see Whitney one of these nights.</p>

12

<p>I like Suburgatory…I think I will try to find American Horror Story—
I love Castle, but please lets just get them to the romance stage! This dance around the obvious has gone on long enough. Even if it kills the show (remember Moonlighting?) …that will take a year and then we can all move on!</p>

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<p>What is it that you dislike about Whitney?</p>

14

<p>@dudedad: Actually there are many shows cancelled after only one episoded aired. I’ll link you to a handy dandy slideshow ([10</a> TV Shows Canceled Faster Than ‘The Playboy Club’ Gallery - The Hollywood Reporter](<a href=“From ‘Do No Harm’ to ‘The Playboy Club’: TV’s Quickest Cancellations – The Hollywood Reporter”>From ‘Do No Harm’ to ‘The Playboy Club’: TV’s Quickest Cancellations – The Hollywood Reporter)) via The Hollywood Reporter. </p>

<p>@razorsharp: First I’ll send you this link ([How</a> NBC Sold Out Its Female Viewers with Whitney](<a href=“http://globalcomment.com/2011/how-nbc-sold-out-its-female-viewers-with-whitney/]How”>How NBC Sold Out Its Female Viewers with Whitney - Global Comment)). Whitney is the Outsourced of last year. Whitney is not funny. Whitney is bad for women in a culture where we are trying to make it empowering and to stand up against a culture that is trying to say no to us. </p>

<p>First Whitney Cummings said this on her motivation to write and produce and act, she said: “I didn’t see anything on TV for young, sexy, smart women to look at and say, ‘Yeah, I relate to that, I’m like her.’ It’s time. It’s time.”</p>

<p>Young, sexy, smart women - Leslie Knope on Parks and Rec, Liz Lemon on 30 Rock, Kate Beckett on Castle, Peggy Olson and Joan Harris on Mad Men, and the whole female cast of The Good Wife. I could go on and on. Television is now filled with smart, sexy, funny women. </p>

<p>Lastly I am going to link to this years Emmy’s ceremony and the lovely thing created by Amy Poehler who also wants to talk about women in comedy. ([Emmys</a> 2011: Amy Poehler, Actress Nominees Rush Stage (VIDEO)](<a href=“HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost”>Emmys 2011: Amy Poehler, Actress Nominees Rush Stage (VIDEO) | HuffPost Entertainment)) A lot of critics like to put all of the Emmy nominated funny women and fight them against each other. </p>

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From the New Yorker Festival this weekend: ([New</a> Yorker Festival: Amy Poehler: Why Television is Good for Women : The New Yorker](<a href=“http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/festival/2011/10/amy-poehler-why-television-is-better-for-women.html]New”>http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/festival/2011/10/amy-poehler-why-television-is-better-for-women.html))</p>

<p>Forgot to add this. I have seen the show. It is sad that Whitney is being picked up for a full season and comedies like Community and Parks and Rec are in the gates waiting for it. They are also 100x better than Whitney. Whitney reminds me of Two And Half Men too which is so bad.</p>

15

<p>We had a thumbs up for Prime Suspect and Revenge. I haven’t watched American Horror Story yet, but it is TiVo’s. We hated Ringer (sorry Sarah Michelle Gellar) and are still watching Terra Nova and Person of Interest to see if they improve or go downhill. Any scifi or horror shoe gets at least 5 episodes since I hated Fringe and had to be forced to watch what is now one of my favorite shows. </p>

<p>For comedies, we liked Suburgatory and LOVED the pilot for Two Broke Girls. The dark-haired characters opening was brilliant. Both are going to the “watch when I get around to it” pile. Like Up All Night, but won’t cry to see it gone. New Girl needs to get a groove going or I may not stick around (although I love Zooey Deschanel). Hated Whitney, which is funny because Whitney produced Two Broke Girls. If I was her, I would steal those writers. </p>

<p>For now, really missing 30 Rock! I also want my Mad Men, and love that Dexter is back. I really dislike Weeds this year, so I need that kick of Dexter to make cable tv worth it.</p>

16

<p>I asked my TV guru today who recommended Revenge. I will have to OnDemand it. </p>

<p>Hated Suburgatory. </p>

<p>I watched 5 minutes of Pan Am and switched channels.</p>

17

<p>My preferences tend to go contrary to most people:
Pan Am: like it - especially the CIA subplot, which apparently actually happened. Enjoy the nostalgia factor</p>

<p>American Horror Story - family laughed all the way through the pilot. Thought the writing was atrocious</p>

<p>Prime Suspect - thought the writing was great and love Maria Bello. Trying not to compare it to original.</p>

<p>Persons of Interest - boring and hackney-ed plot. Haven’t we seen this before? Remember that show where the guy got tomorrow’s newspaper today?</p>

<p>New Girl - love Zooey Deschanel, but writing is a little weak.</p>

<p>Up All Night - trying too hard, stretching one joke too far</p>

18

<p>I really liked the premiere episode of Homeland with Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin on Showtime. Also liked Person of Interest and Terra Nova (although I think I like the scenery and the dinosaurs better than the characters). I have American Horror Story recorded but haven’t seen it yet. I’m curious about Once Upon a Time and Grimm.</p>

19

<p>I’ve seen many of the new shows once, a couple twice. My conclusion at this point - Parenthood is the only really good show on tv right now.</p>

20

<p>Not a new show but I am happy that Harry’s Law is back.</p>