Let’s See Which New Fall TV Shows Don’t Look Shitty!
Wednesday, May 16th, 2012Maybe it’s because many of the internet’s favorite shows (Community, Parks & Rec, Fringe, etc.) were up for cancellation, but whatever the reason the pilot pickup process has seemed much more transparent this year than ever before, from the obvious picks (The Mindy Project, The Following), suprising snubs (The Corrections, Rebounding, Super Fun Night), and interesting gambles (The Neighbors, Hannibal, Last Resort).
As always, there’s a few shows that look alright and maybe even good, and then there’s a lot of stuff that looks like shit. Just big, steamy piles o’ turds. Welcome back to network TV folks! I’ve sifted through all this matter in order to bring you the trailers for shows I will be watching in the fall and, quality depending, maybe be re-upping on The Bloglin. And won’t that be so much fun. Let’s take a gander. I was going to break it down by network, but there weren’t even enough good pickups to justify that. Pessimism becomes me.
DRAMAS:
The Following (FOX) // Created by Kevin Williamson
Okay first two little disclaimers. I know a lot of this will seem skewed to my more genre taste, but honestly networks just went with a lot of weird genre pickups this season. After the success of American Horror Story (as well as network’s still on the hunt for the next 24, not to mention the next LOST) the execs finally realized maybe people don’t want as many hospital dramas and multi-camera sitcoms. Second, these trailers that get put together for the shows all suck, always. Because they can only pull from one episode, but they have to make it seem like it’s for the whole series, and they also try to pack this whole arc in and… it’s terrible. So you gotta try to look past the nature of the trailer and see the potential.
I think there’s potential in Kevin Williamson’s so stupid it just might work horror series about an incarcerated serial killer (James Purefoy) who leads a cult of murderous fans and copycats. There is a surprisingly large amount of people (especially women) who communicate (and even marry) serial killers, so I guess this vaguely makes sense, but hey, it’s Kevin Bacon fighting a cult. Of serial killers. On TV. It’s a cult of serial killers. Who cut out people’s eyes. Network television.
Last Resort (ABC) // Created by Shawn Ryan
Here’s another show with a concept so specific and ridiculous, I imagine it has to be really good, because based on production value this looks expensive as shit, so ABC must have really high expectations. Coming from Shield creator Shawn Ryan, it certainly has pedigree. A nuclear submarine captained by Andre Braugher and crewed by Scott Speedman refuses to blow up Pakistan so the US Government tries to sink them and so they seize an idyllic island, seceding from the country and becoming the world’s smallest nuclear nation. Mmmmkay.
Andre Braugher can never be a bad thing, especially when he’s looking all surly and firing nukes at the eastern seaboard (seriously, what the fuck is going on in this show?) but I can’t help but have no idea what this show will be like. Even if it does have a deep mythology, there has to be some level of serialization, and I’m very curious to see how the “plots of the week” take shape. Submarine misadventures? Hawaii Five-0 style tropical policing? Everyone getting radiation poisoning? Andre Braugher cashing his paychecks?
Revolution (NBC) // Created by J.J. Abrams & Eric Kripke
Hey look, it’s Jericho, except this time it’s produced by JJ and the guy who created Supernatural. It’s another high concept, big budget piece that NBC really must have faith in because they are (as always) floundering and need a big old hit. This looks like it has the set design to attract an audience, but does it have a real star to hold them?
Billy Burke looks pretty cool fucking people up with a sword, and Giancarlo Esposito is an immense talent, but the main girl isn’t really grabbing me yet. Still, the two creators are smart enough that I’m sure we’ll see some really interesting interpretations and ramifications of a world without electricity, some really deep (probably frustrating) mythology, a heady mix of old west and futurism (but not, unfortunately, in a Brisco County Jr. way) and I can’t stress this enough: badass sword fight.
COMEDIES:
Ben And Kate (FOX) // Created by Dana Fox
Slim, slim pickings here folks, but let’s start with the best. The trailer for single-camera sibling oriented comedy Ben & Kate (formerly Ben Fox is My Manny, and a vehicle for SNL’s Abby Elliot who was booted as production began) has a script that was repeatedly called the strongest of any comedy, and the addition of Oscar winner (still funny) Nat Faxon to the mix, as well as the always funny Lucy Punch makes me optimistic.
This actually plays much more like a movie trailer than one for a series, but considering the odd ways the medium of television has been evolving as of late, I’d say that’s probably a good thing. Plus, you can see how this gets serialized really easily. Things I’m not enjoying? The little girl from We Bought A Zoo. Sorry. That’s an annoying child.
The Mindy Project (FOX) // Created by Mindy Kaling
This one might collapse under the weight of its own expectations and messy, protracted path to reality, but if people can just chill out and try to appreciate this show for the quirky, light, star-centric half hour comedy it most assuredly is then I think it will be a pretty fun ride. Kaling can come off as slightly grating at times, but she actually looks very likable in this trailer. I’m back on her team.
It may not be exactly X-Rated either, but there is some talk of the Fass-penis (topical) as well as getting shitfaced and arrested after falling in a pool, so this isn’t just going to be some bland bullshit. I hope. I also really like the bit about the Springsteen concert- err… show.
The Neighbors (ABC) // Created by Dan Fogelman
Okay so this one doesn’t look good at all. I just had to include it because… just watch that trailer up there. How in the holy hell did this get ordered? How fast will this get cancelled. So fast. I really can’t wrap my head around how not good this looks. How are you supposed to look at those effects every week and also be able to engage in the world of the show?
Before seeing this I actually didn’t mind the idea for this series, but the execution looks absolutely piss poor. I thought the “aliens” thing was supposed to be more of a mystery, but no it’s way out in the open, looking like it was done in MS-Paint and everything. This looks worse than What Planet Are Your From. Please America: don’t watch the neighbors. Don’t do this to sci-fi.







































