TV Patrol: Hits & Misses?

The new shows have all premiered & there are some good & some bad. The Middle airing Wednesday nights on ABC is my favorite. Patricia Heaton has mixed a little Roseanne with a little Raymond & I think she’s got a hit. What do I think of all the others……….

It’s a definite fact that The Jay Leno Show is not doing well at all at it’s 10pm time slot. This was NBC’s idea of saving money by putting Jay on in place of the expensive dramas that have usually aired at this time. He only needs to bring in 1.5 milion viewers to make a profit. That’s not happening. I tuned in the first week just to see what he had to offer us. It was basically The Tonight Show at an earlier time. The only difference was no desk. Jay should have stepped outside his box & took a chance at being funny. Now that would have been different!

It’s apparent that no one liked The Beautiful Life from Tyra Banks & Ashton Kutcher. It’s this season’s first to get tossed into the “cancellation” barrel after airing only 2 episodes.

All the networks are trying to bring back sitcoms. Here’s my take on the new ones:

I truly dislike Brothers on FOX. It’s a horrble attempt at …well… I just don’t know what it’s attempting to be other than not funny. It’s just weird.

Glee, FOX’s other new show, is much more entertaining. I’m really surprised that I like it. Sometimes it’s just makes me shake my head, but I guess that’s why I watch it. It gives me something to talk to the tweens about.

Cougar Town on ABC, was surprizingly good. I was especially doubtful about the premise, but it made me LOL more than a few times. I’m a fan of Courtney Cox. I loved her in Dirt & was really upset when it got dumped. (I still worry about Don). She proves everyday that she’s way better than that overpayed, one-dimensional, barren Jennifer Anniston.

Modern Family, also on ABC, is the critic’s favorite. I like it too. It’s humor sneaks up on you. I love the faces they make at each other. They’re better than punch-lines. The “testimonials” are just like on reality shows. I can see anyone of these families having their own show.

Hank (ABC) has Kelsey Grammer trying not to be “Frasier”. He fails miserably. It makes you wonder when David Hyde Pierce is going to come a knockin’.

The Middle (ABC) with Patricia Heaton at least made me laugh. She certainly wasn’t bitchy ‘Debra’ from “Raymond”. The janitor dude from “Scrubs” was a good match for her. She’s sloppy & messy & just trying to get it right just once & I like that. It’s at least an attempt at real. I will watch it again.

NBC’s Community with my favorite guy, Joel McHale, didn’t do anything for me it’s first week. I was sad too. But I’ve stuck it out & I’m getting into it now with a little time. My favorite parts are usually at the spanish study sessions. The best moments in the show are at that table.I don’t much care for the “over the top” humor they resort to at times. They should use Chevy Chase more.

I haven’t watched Accidentally on Purpose (CBS) on purpose. The premise turned me off right from the get-go, so I never bothered to even DVR it. I’m hearing that alot of others feel the same way & it’s hovering over the “cancellation” barrel. (*post-note: I did watch & couldn’t get to the 10 minute mark. I watched the cat take a shit instead*).

Sherri, on Lifetime, with Sherri Shephard as herself, is way better than watching her on The View. She’s pissed that her old man cheated on her with a skinny white chick who’s pregnant. What could be funnier than that? The jokes come fast & her timing is perfect. She wears some great clothes, too.

As for dramas, I’m really liking Mercy on NBC. It mixes all the different medical dramas together in one way or another & gives me my ER fix at the same time. The humor is also a plus which gives me a little Scrubs fix too.

I watched the first episode of Trauma (NBC) & was turned off by the explosions & chaos. I just don’t see these things happening in everyday life. Aren’t most EMT calls about heart attacks, traffic accidents, pregnant women having babies, gunshot wounds etc. I will say this, I liked the pilot who returns to work after a devastating crash. He’s that ‘ticking timebomb’ guy & he’s a hottie too. The rest were just fake, pretty people.

Flash Forward (ABC) lost my attention before the first episode was over & I didn’t go back for another look. I don’t know, maybe I’m not looking for a replacement to LOST just yet. Am I making a mistake?

the forgotten (ABC) was interesting in the “can we solve the whodunnit” genre. Christian Slater does a good job at keeping things focused on the case & I wanted to see how it all tied together at the end. I’ll watch this one again or at least DVR it for a weekend viewing, but I’m hearing that it’s on it’s way to the “cancellation barrel”.

I haven’t watched The Good Wife on CBS yet. I do have it DVR’d. It’s getting good ratings. Of course, it following an NCIS & NCIS: LA lead-in. I just don’t like Julianna Maguiles botoxed face. It’s just creepy.

Three Rivers, on CBS, is alot of high-tech glitz & tons of glass walled offices. It’s kinda like CSI: Miami, look-wise. You never see the housekeeping staff that keeps all that shit clean, on these shows. It has too much going on & it’s way too busy for my attention span.

The witch show Eastwick (ABC) lost me after the first week. I just didn’t care about anyone on the show except maybe poor child star Veronica Cartwright as the old witch, who everyone thinks is just crazy. I never went back for a second look.

Finally, for those of you who know me, I’ve been ragging on all the hoopla over America’s love affair with NCIS. I just can’t understand the love they have for this show. It’s once again the #1 show on TV. Here’s the thing, I really like it’s spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles. I know, I don’t understand it either. Maybe because it’s new & I don’t have to invest years of watching to get updated on what’s what. Or maybe it’s just because I like looking at LL Cool J & Chris O’Donnell.

I am jealous of everyone who gets the CW. They get to watch The Vampire Diaries & I’ve been hearing lots of good things about the show. I’m a vampire lover from way back when “Dark Shadows” was on TV. I really want a chance to see for myself if it’s any good.

These are the new shows most likely to make it to the “cancellation barrel”on or before May of 2010. Their ratings are so low that the networks are already looking for replacements.

ABC:
Hank
the forgotten
Eastwick

CBS:
Three Rivers

NBC:
Trauma
Mercy

FOX:
Brothers

So what do you think of the new shows this season? Which ones are your favorites & what do you think needs to go?

love
chooch

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