Anything New This Season That Warrants Viewing?

[mrbasehart]

That show is pretty much doomed.  Which is fine, because it's really not that good.

Wrong on both counts! It's been given a full season because of its early success and it's actually pretty decent, though almost entirely down to Zooey Deschanel's charisma at the moment.

[Thrifty]

That show is pretty much doomed.  Which is fine, because it's really not that good.

Wrong on both counts! It's been given a full season because of its early success and it's actually pretty decent, though almost entirely down to Zooey Deschanel's charisma at the moment.

Really?   Color me shocked.  Of course, I also said that Glee would be a dismal failure after all the hype leading up to its release, and I guess I was pretty far off base on that one.

But Zooey's really carrying that entire show.  None of the other characters are likable, unique, or interesting, and the stories sound like every other relationshippy sitcom out there.

Of course I will still watch every episode until my crush on her subsides.

[k1]

They should get Katy Perry as a guest star just to see how many male viewers pants explode.

[D.B. Barnes]

I'm digging Person of Interest, although still definitely bothered by the obligatory unnecessary, idiot-proof network TV drama dialogue . I though the third episode was the best episode as far as story. Caviezel has some real acting chops, and Emerson is awesome.


Another new show I've been watching is Homeland on Showtime. It's pretty damn good so far. It's kind of like The Manchurian Candidate meets 24. There is some very strong performances, mainly from Mandy Patankin and Damien Lewis. Morena Baccarin (Anna on V) is pretty strong as well. She also gets naked!  

I have mixed feelings about the Claire Danes character. For one thing, she's pretty unlikeable. The character is a little crazy and the performance attempts to convey it, sometimes successfully and other times a bit awkwardly. Claire Danes makes way too many weird facial expressions. It's a little distracting. I have the same problem (although to a much greater degree) with Jennifer Carpenter on Dexter.


I gave Terra Nova a shot and...NOPE!

Way too melodramatic and cheesy for me to be able to hang with it, so I'm nipping it in the bud. This show has a myriad of annoying elements, but first and foremost is the emo teen boy character. I can't stand 'em and this show features one right out of brooding central casting.


Up All Night is growing on me and I continue to stick with it. Arnett, Applegate, and Rudolph are all strong comedic talents.

I think I'm done with Free Agents. It's just too generic.

[mrbasehart]

I think I'm done with Free Agents. It's just too generic.

Free Agents is done with TV, too. 

I've watched a couple of episode of Suburgatory - it's pretty decent. 

[D.B. Barnes]

I think I'm done with Free Agents. It's just too generic.

Free Agents is done with TV, too. 

I've watched a couple of episode of Suburgatory - it's pretty decent. 

Oh, it's canceled already? Well, good riddance to bad rubbish, then. I noticed NBC canned Mad Men with Rabbit Ears after only two episodes.  Nice try! 

I haven't watched Suburgatory . The previews looked kind of dumb, but maybe I'll give it a shot. Does it compare at all to something like Modern Family?

[mrbasehart]

Not really.  It's early, and I think it still needs to find its feet but all of the pieces are there.

[LucasM]

Another new show I've been watching is Homeland on Showtime. It's pretty damn good so far. It's kind of like The Manchurian Candidate meets 24. There is some very strong performances, mainly from Mandy Patankin and Damien Lewis. Morena Baccarin (Anna on V) is pretty strong as well. She also gets naked!

OK... with this alone I'll try it.  Actually, I'd planned on watching it when I first heard she had another series lined up so quickly after 'V' died, but I forgot about it.  I wasn't surprised she got hired so quick, because I think she's demonstrated amazing talent as an actor; some of the subtleties in her 'Inara' portrayal were simply amazing.  But I also think she is one of the most beautiful women currently in existence (tho didn't like her ultra-short hair on 'V'... much preferred her on 'Firefly'/'Serenity' [I was pleased that the hospital/heart-transplant series 'Heartland' that she was on died, because her character was such a peripheral part of it]).  [I bought the horrific film 'Death in Love' simply because of her roughly 2 1/2 minutes at the beginning walking around totally nude (as in 'no strategically placed anything').  I do not recommend watching past that point, though.]  Actually, because of her acting abilities I'd intended to try Homeland not knowing she'd be nude, despite it being a type of series [cop/procedural/'threat' show] that I don't care for... the nudity'll just be a bonus.  I hope it remains an integral part of the plots   as pay channels have a habit of doing a 'premiere episode nude section' that disappears in subsequent episodes.  [Hey: I'm head injured; not DEAD!   ]

[Edited (a lot) for clarity, as today [four hour doctor appointment followed by two hours of important errands... oh, and that was on 2 1/2 hours of sleep because I had to get up early for the doctor's appointment] fried my brain and my 'first draft' of this post didn't remotely say what I really meant.]

[D.B. Barnes]

Another new show I've been watching is Homeland on Showtime. It's pretty damn good so far. It's kind of like The Manchurian Candidate meets 24. There is some very strong performances, mainly from Mandy Patankin and Damien Lewis. Morena Baccarin (Anna on V) is pretty strong as well. She also gets naked!

OK... with this alone I'll try it.  I think she's one of the most beautiful women currently in existence (tho didn't like her ultra-short hair on 'V'... much preferred her on 'Firefly'/'Serenity').  I bought the horrific film 'Death in Love' simple because of her roughly 2 1/2 minutes at the beginning walking around totally nude (as in 'no strategically placed anything').  Actually, I'd intended to try it regardless of if she were nude, as I think she's demonstrated amazing talent as an actor; some of the subtleties in her 'Inara' portrayal are simply amazing.

She looks waaay better with longer hair. I always thought she looked somewhat odd in V, and I haven't really watched Firefly. I keep meaning to watch Firefly, though.

Anyway, she's quite stunning with longer hair and she has such better material to work with on this show. Anna seemed pretty one-note whereas this character experiences a number of different and conflicting emotions. She really proves herself to be quite a good actress.

[LucasM]

WTF?!?!

I just started watching the premiere episode of Homeland.  The very first briefing, where Clare Danes is late, has her sit down by an Asian woman (who moves over so Ms. Danes' character can sit without disturbing the briefing any more than she already has.

And I recognized the Asian woman:

It is 'W' the Equipment Expert - and, from what he said in the episode 'Behind the Eats', real life chiropractor - of Alton Brown on his series Good Eats!

UFB!

[ScottotD]

That show is pretty much doomed.  Which is fine, because it's really not that good.

Wrong on both counts! It's been given a full season because of its early success and it's actually pretty decent, though almost entirely down to Zooey Deschanel's charisma at the moment.

I think the heartbroken guy is pretty good, the other two grew on me a lot in ep 3.

[D.B. Barnes]

Not really.  It's early, and I think it still needs to find its feet but all of the pieces are there.

Watched the first two episodes and I have to say, it isn't that bad. The previews really didn't do it justice. I will continue to watch.

[LucasM]

I don't want to know details, but is there a 'bigger story' to the plot of 'Person of Interest', or is it going to be a 'save-the-person-of-the-week-like-Bill-Bixby-in-The-Hulk-TV-show-from-the-70s' every week?  By 'bigger story' I mean: is there a larger plot thread that will drive the series in the future, such as how Fringe changed from a 'monster of the week' to a show where it all fit a much larger picture, or how 'Lost' was a 'big picture' show from the start, just doing mega-flashbacks to fill in how they got where they were as people, or how shows like Buffy and Angel had season-long storylines every year.

If 'Person of Interest' is - and will remain - a 'situation of the week', I'm already bored out of my mind with it.  If it has a bigger story to tell then I'll keep watching.  [And, again, I don't want to know what the 'bigger story' might be, just if there is/is going to be one.]

Thanks.

[k1]

I keep feeling like there will be, but right when I think they're going to get into it they don't.

[Sideswipe]

that's a big advantage of t.v. shows over movies.  They can tell a deeper more developed story, it's annoying when they dont take that opportunity.