Welcome to my annual Fall TV preview.  

To those of you who are returning readers, you know the drill.  For those of you new to my write-up, take a look below at previous year’s introductions for the background.  Short version: I watch a lot of TV (sue me), I don’t pay for premium channels (so none of those are covered) and this is a very subjective summary (feel free to disagree but don’t judge.)

Consider this your generic spoiler alert – my discussion of returning shows may reference info from last season, if you haven’t kept up and don’t want to know, don’t read.  Also, my discussions of new shows reflect information readily available that may have minor plot details.  But don’t worry, I won’t tell you that Bruce Willis is really dead (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167404/).

Note that this preview focuses on the fall, there is a lot of new buzzy shows that won’t premier until mid-season, those are not covered.  Below are the following sections:

·         A spreadsheet showing my schedule for the Fall

·         Notes on some of my returning shows

·         New shows

·         Resources so you can draw your own conclusions

Happy viewing!

My Fall 2012 schedule:

If you can't make out the image, here is a PDF (thanks to the magic of Google Docs): https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3uDlkTuDK4UTnREcnJLc25lRkU 

Notes on Some of My Returning Shows:

30 Rock – Who doesn’t think Tina Fey is a genius?  Apparently a lot of people since the ratings for this show have never been good.  That said, while it can be inconsistent there’s usually at least one good laugh in every show.  And in case you haven’t heard, this will be the last season, enjoy.

Big Bang Theory – Howard’s in space, and married!  When we first met these guys, who ever thought that would happen J  An always funny and sweet half hour hanging with the guys I would have been friends with if I had stayed a physics major (yes, that was one of my 10 majors my freshman year, don’t ask).

Castle – Castle and Becket are finally together!  Browncoats rejoice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browncoats)! I was never one who believed in the Moonlighting curse (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088571/), it is possible to have a couple get together and still maintain an entertaining show.  I have faith Castle will do this right.

Fringe – going out with a bang – as in time jump to 2036, Olivia and Peter teaming up with their daughter and once again the end of the world as we know it.  If none of that makes sense the final few episodes is probably not the time to join but you missed quite a ride.

Glee – Sigh, this show started off so much fun, singing, dancing, slushies…  Now it is probably the most inconsistent show on TV.  Not sure what to expect as the split the story between Lima, staying with the Glee Club and New York, following Rachel and Kurt as they “pursue their dreams”.  Yes I’m still watching, no I’m not sure why some weeks…

Good Wife – How are you not watching what is probably the best drama on TV?  If you’re not on-board it’s not too late to start.  We’ll meet Kalinda’s husband and Nathan Lane will try and fix the business side of Lockhart Gardner.  (And note the warning on my schedule about football overruns – be sure to set your DVR to tape an extra hour.)

Gossip Girl – Much like sticking around for the end of Desperate Housewives last year, I feel obliged to stick it out with Serena, Blair and Lonely Boy.  Feel free to give this a pass, I’ll take the hit for all of us ;)

Hawaii 5-O –Dah dah dah dah dah dah…. Dah dah dah dah dah.  Book’em Danno.  And yes, I’ve fallen in love with how beautiful the islands are.  Oh and there is a show that most weeks has a plot about bad guys being bad and good guys catching them.  Not Shakespeare, just fun!

HIMYM – Season 8…  I think it’s time they told us.  Actually crossing my fingers they don’t sign for season nine so we’ll meet her already.  Other than finding out who the mother is and seeing the final slaps, I think the show is done.  Of course finding another Robin Sparkles video could make me change my mind.  And of course learning how Lilly and Marshal figure out how to continue to hang in the bar with a newborn at home should prove interesting…  OK, I admit it, I’m still hooked.

The Mentalist – Note the move to Sunday night and the football overrun quagmire…

Once Upon a Time – The magic returns to Storybooke Maine (we know it didn’t return to Augusta Maine), the curse was broken but the cast wasn’t sent back to fairy tale land (probably wouldn’t be much of a show if they were).  After a successful first year the show takes a risk and reinvents itself – stay tuned to see what happens.

Person of Interest – Another fun procedural on CBS, but on this one the plots actually hold together (as long as you can accept the existence of the Machine).  Most successful new drama of last season, give it a try and see why.

Scandal – FUN! 

Vampire Diaries – Call me crazy (you’re crazy!) but week in, week out this is one of the most entertaining shows on TV.  More happens in one episode than in a whole season on most other shows.  And (double spoiler alert if you’re not caught up) ELENA IS NOW A VAMPIRE, so how could this season not be great?

The Walking Dead – Are you ready to move into the prison and meet the Governor?  I am.  (If you don’t know what I’m talking about you’ll need to go on-line and watch from the beginning – it’s worth it!)

New Shows (the ones I’m sampling are marked with an *):

666 Park Ave* - Terry O’Quinn (Lost), Vanessa Williams (Desperate Housewives) – People in a ritzy Manhattan apartment who got there by making a deal with the devil, with a big building there will be a lot of guest stars and occupant of the week.  Think the Love Boat meets Dante’s Inferno.  This will either be fun or get really stupid really fast, I’m guessing the latter but will give it a try.

Animal Practice – or the show that will forever be known as the one with the monkey.  A Dr House like figure except this time he is a veterinarian, with a monkey side kick, working for his former girl friend.  Can you imagine the pitch meeting for this one?  They put the pilot episode on during the Olympics to get people to try it – all that is going to do is lead to this show tanking that much quicker.  Feel free to give this one a pass.   If you want to see for yourself you can watch the pilot now:  http://www.nbc.com/animal-practice/video/pilot/1412938

Arrow* – the only new CW show I’ll be trying – The Arrow in the title is the Green Arrow of comic book fame but in a less “fantastical” world.  One critic I read went so far as to call it the best new drama of the season.  That might be a stretch but it is getting good buzz so if you’re at all intrigued go ahead and try it out.  And if you need another reason and you remember Capt. Jack from Torchwood and Dr. Who, John Barrowman is in the cast.

Beauty and the Beast – Stay away, the Beast isn’t scary but the show is!  Linda Hamilton and Ron Pealman would be spinning in their graves (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092319/) if they were dead.  But since they’re not they are just very very sad that this show was ever made.

Ben and Kate* – Finally a show where you don’t have to worry about will they or won’t they since they are brother and sister (at least you don’t have to worry on a network show).  Good for nothing brother moves in with single mom to help raise adorable daughter.  One critic says while not always laugh out loud funny, it gets by on charm.  It looks cute and the critics who have seen the pilot are positive – so on my give it a try list. You can watch the pilot now:  http://www.hulu.com/ben-and-kate

Chicago Fire – the nicest thing I’ve heard said about this show is that it’s an animated Firemen (and Firewomen) calendar.  No need to watch the show, just Google “sexy male (female) firefighters”.  That way there won’t be any bad dialogue interfering with your viewing pleasure.  Or to put it another way, consider this the anti-matter version of Rescue Me.

Elementary* – Another take on Sherlock Holmes, this time with Lucy Lu as Watson and in modern day NY City – If you can get past the fact that this is not the Masterpiece Theater version (Sherlock) it could be fun.  Since Masterpiece theater only gives us three episodes  a year, on my give it a try list.

Emily Owens MD – If you like Grey’s Anatomy… watch Grey’s Anatomy, don’t watch this.

Go On* – If anyone can make getting over the death of his wife funny, Chandler Bing can (oh wait, is Monica dead?  No she just moved to TBS along with Cougar Town, back in January).  Did I say Chandler, I meant Mathew J.  This show was previewed during the Olympics so it’s one of the few new ones I’ve actually seen.  It had some very funny moments (running after the Google Street View Car) and introduced some very fun characters.  So while it’s still a work in progress, I think the upside is worth sticking with it for now.  Watch the pilot now:  http://www.nbc.com/go-on/video/pilot/1412723

Guys with Kids – It has been asked who are the kids in this scenario?  The answer came back who cares!

Last Resort* – One of the shows I’m most looking forward to but I admit it won’t be for everyone.  Andre Braugher plays a submarine captain who violates an order to launch a nuclear missile at Pakistan.  As a result the submarine can’t return home so they set up shop on an island.  It looks good but will anyone but me want to watch?

Made in Jersey – A street smart Jersey Girl become a lawyer at a white shoe NY law firm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_shoe_firm) and uses her street smarts to szzzzzz  oops, sorry, fell asleep just writing about it – been there, done that, I’ll pass.  This just in, voted most likely to be the first show cancelled J

The Mindy Project* – Everyone else is excited about this show, some are calling it the best new comedy of the season so I’ll give it a try.  But I have to say the previews have been a little underwhelming. Time will tell.  Watch the pilot now:  http://www.hulu.com/the-mindy-project

The Mob Doctor* – I still miss My Boys (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0496356/) so with PJ (Jordana Spiro) back in Chicago, this time as a Dr who is indebted to the mob (bet you couldn’t guess that from the title), I’m inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt.  She will be challenged not only to help the mob’s friends but to not help their enemies… so much for do no harm. (Insert your own health policy joke here, I’m trying to behave.)

Nashville* – the show about country music for those who aren’t country music fans.  Called by many the best new show of the season it’s the Coach’s wife (Friday Night Lights) vs. the Cheerleader (Heroes).  I was going to skip but too many reviews are telling me to give it a chance – so we’ll give it a try.

The Neighbors* – Please don’t judge me…  I know this has been called the worst new show of the year, but then again the critics didn’t like Alf (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090390/) either J.  A family moves into a new neighborhood only to find everyone else on their street is an alien.  Did I mention this is a sitcom?  I have to at least watch one episode.  I’ll understand if you leave this distasteful task to me.

The New Normal* – I wanted to be more excited about this show, it’s about a gay couple and the woman who is going to be their surrogate. But Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story) has disappointed me too many times with the inconsistency of his shows.  While this is another show breaking boundaries (and in fact the Utah NBC station is refusing to carry it) we need to remember that just because the show is trying to tell a story that deserves to be told doesn’t mean it’s an entertaining show.  I’ll give it a try but not optimistic.  Watch the pilot now: http://www.nbc.com/the-new-normal/video/pilot/1415027/

Partners* – Two architects not named Ted Mosby on CBS Monday.  A show that I’ll try just because it’s on between How I Met Your Mother and Two Broke Girls, but I’m not optimistic it will be on my list for long.

Revolution* – People with supernatural abilities (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0813715/), no wait I mean aliens living among us (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1582459/), no wait it’s the near future and all electricity in the world has stopped flowing.  NBC once again tries for a “genre” show by going long.  Buzz is they come up short but while Katnis is not there giving archery lesions (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392170/), I usually enjoy a good post-apocalyptic adventure.  So against my better judgment I’ll be watching.  And with this show more than any others on my recommended list I’ll completely understand if you give this a pass.

Vegas –Dennis Quaid (good guy) and Michael Chiklis (bad guy) in early 60s Vegas.  Has all the ingredients of another successful CBS police show.  Not on my list but I’m sure others will enjoy it.  The deal is you don’t judge me and I won’t judge you.

Resources

TV Guide’s Fall Preview: http://www.tvguide.com/special/fall-preview/

Entertainment Weekly’s Fall TV: http://www.ew.com/ew/package/0,,20302134,00.html#block-latest-headlines.  And their predictions: http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/08/27/fall-tv-predictions/

TV Line’s Fall Preview: http://tvline.com/fall-preview-schedule-tv-shows-guide/, their September calendar:  http://tvline.com/2012/08/20/fall-tv-premiere-calendar-september-2012/, and their night-by-night grid: http://tvline.com/2012/05/14/fall-tv-grid-day-by-day-schedule-abc-cbs-fox-nbc-cw/

Zap2It’s Fall Preview: http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/fall-tv-preview/

And finally, this year even the Huffington Post has a fall TV section: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/fall-tv

ENJOY J