Mitchell's Fall 2010 TV Preview

It’s that time again, Labor Day weekend and the imminent start of the Fall TV season. Once again I’ve documented my Fall TV schedule including new shows I’ll be trying and old shows I’ll be returning to. This is my fourth year doing this so many of you know the drill. For those new to my write-up, know that while I’m a fan of TV my taste will not be your taste. So take the recommendations for what they are, one man’s opinions and use the comments section to chime in with your own thoughts.

Below is my viewing schedule for the fall. The premiere dates are in parenthesis next to the title and new shows that I'll be sampling are in bold. You can click on the link for a spreadsheet version that can be edited, printed and downloaded (gotta love Google docs) or click on the image for a larger version of the picture.

Mitchell's Fall 2010 Schedule (Google docs link)

On my schedule are 22 returning and 11 new shows. Luckily I have 2 DVRs to help me get through everything! Note that I don’t subscribe to any premium cable channels (HBO, etc.) so you won’t see True Blood on my list. And yes, it’s true that I don’t watch Mad Men but don’t worry, I have it on my bucket list to watch later in life (along with Buffy, The Wire and others, but that’s another blog post). And finally, before I get to the detail, I should tell you I’m getting a little tired of detectives and doctors. So while I think Tom Selleck is great, his new show and others didn’t make the list.


So what did make the list? The show I’m most excited about is Nikita – a bit surprising since there have been two movies and a TV show already based on the material. However, the buzz is this is a fun new take and the previews look great. I’m also really excited about Hawaii 5-0. I grew up watching the original so I was already inclined to like it, then when they added Daniel Dae Kim (of LOST fame) that sealed the deal.

There are several new sitcoms on my list this year. Not sure I’ll like them all, I’m particularly on the fence about Raising Hope and Running Wilde, but we’ll see how it goes. Mike & Molly, a more traditional sitcom, is actually the one I’m most excited about. It just looks sweet and funny – and who can’t use a little more sweet and funny in their lives.


The Event is probably one of the biggest question marks of the year. After last year’s disappointing Flash Forward, people are understandably gun-shy about trying another deep mythology show in the LOST tradition. That said, the people behind the show promise answers and a fast pace, including that we will know what the “Event” is by the end of the first show. So, it’s on the list but consider yourselves warned.


The lack of buzz for Undercovers, the new JJ Abram’s show, is a bit worrisome; his shows are usually fast out of the gate. But given his track record (Alias, LOST, etc) I can’t help but give it a try. To finish out the list of new shows, there’s another sitcom – Better With You. There is also a live action version of The Incredibles: No Ordinary Family. That's not really how the people behind the show want you to think of it, but how else should we describe a family of four each with different superpowers. Also on my list are Lone Star (a con man with two families) and Body of Proof (Dana Delaney as a medical examiner).


While there are many other shows you might want to try, there are also a few you need to stay far away from. Top of that list is $#*! My Dad Says, a sitcom based on a Twitter feed staring William Shatner – enough said. Also to be avoided is Outsourced – although I thoroughly enjoyed the movie the show looks completely offensive. And finally, while it’s true, I watch Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries and Life Unexpected – I’m drawing the line at Hellcats and hope that you do as well.


For the most part I’ll let the returning show list speak for itself. However, if you've not yet tried Castle or The Mentalist I encourage you to do so. No worries about catching up with either of them, most episodes are free standing stories – they are both just plain fun.


In case you're curious, I did find things to watch during the summer. You’ll note most of these are cable shows. The cable networks continue to put on great new programming during the summer when they don't have to compete with the broadcast networks. Most of these will be back and I encourage you to check them out:

• Covert Affairs
• Eureka
• Human Being
• Leverage
• My Boys
• My Life on the D List
• Justified
• Rescue Me
• Rizzoli and Isles
• Royal Pains
• Warehouse 13
• White Collar

And finally, for more information about the shows I've discussed or the ones I've ignored take a look at these two sites:

• TV Guide Fall Preview
• Zap2it Fall Preview

Happy Viewing!