tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22133649244549271052024-02-19T00:21:47.898-05:00Fake TV CriticTV reviews and schedules! Listen to the podcast: anchor.fm/faketvcriticFake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.comBlogger450125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-5388999711447108522023-05-18T13:39:00.002-04:002023-05-18T13:39:59.632-04:00Fall 2023 Schedule: The CW<p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - All American<br />9:00 - 61st Street<br /></p><p>One, lonely returning series stands up next to the first season of AMC's <i>61st Street</i>, which will be followed by its second, previously unaired season in 2024.</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Son of a Critch<br />8:30 - Run the Burbs<br />9:00 - Children Ruin Everything<br />9:30 - Everyone Else Burns</p><p><i>Son of a Critch, Run the Burbs, </i>and <i>Children Ruin Everything </i>are Canadian imports (and <i>Children...</i>has already aired two seasons on The Roku Channel), while <i>Everyone Else Burns</i> hails from England.</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Sullivan's Crossing<br />9:00 - The Spencer Sisters</p><p>Two more Canadian dramas, but at least these have some recognizable names: Chad Michael Murray (<i>One Tree Hill</i>) and Scott Patterson (<i>Gilmore Girls</i>) in <i>Sullivan's Crossing</i>; and Lea Thompson (<i>Caroline in the City, Back to the Future</i>) in <i>The Spencer Sisters</i>.</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Encores<br />9:00 - FBoy Island</p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 - Penn & Teller: Fool Us<br />9:00 - Whose Line Is It Anyway?</p><p><b>Saturday</b></p><p>8:00 - Masters of Illusion<br />9:00 - World's Funniest Animals</p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>8:00 - I Am Films</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p><i>Walker</i> will be back, and it may or may not be joined by <i>Gotham Knights, Superman & Lois</i>, and/or <i>All American: Homecoming</i>, none of which were renewed or canceled but left undecided.</p><p>BITCH... I knew this schedule would be crazy pants, but DAMN. This is so stupid! There are two full hours of scheduled encores; a canceled show was uncanceled with no announcement (<i>Whose Line...?</i>); half of these shows are imported from cheaper, lesser quality Canadian companies; and all the scripted shows in development for midseason and beyond are absolutely inane (including a spin-off of <i>The Librarians</i>, which ended 5 years ago, and new unscripted shows from The Millionaire Matchmaker, Patti Stanger, and a cops-esque show from the creator of <i>Jersey Shore</i>).</p><p>I know the new company wants to make the network profitable, but my God. This is hilariously stupid.</p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-23095345620147762152023-05-16T15:43:00.004-04:002023-05-18T13:40:24.436-04:00Fall 2023 Schedule: ABC<p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - Dancing with the Stars<br />10:00 - The Golden Bachelor (NEW)</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Celebrity Jeopardy! (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - Bachelor in Paradise (New Timeslot)</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Judge Steve Harvey<br />9:00 - Abbott Elementary (Encores)<br />10:00 - What Would You Do? (New Timeslot)</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - Press Your Luck (New Timeslot)<br />10:00 - The $100,000 Pyramid (New Timeslot)</p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 -<b> </b>Shark Tank<br />9:00 - 20/20</p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>7:00 - America's Funniest Home Videos<br />8:00 - The Wonderful World of Disney</p><p>JFC, this is bleak. I get that ABC went realistic with their schedule, assuming nothing will be accomplished in time to air any scripted programming in the fall, but like... repeats of <i>Abbott Elementary</i> instead of a new unscripted series? (And they have season two of <i>The Wonder Years</i> airing this summer! Just save it for fall!) A senior version of <i>The Bachelor</i> at 10:00pm on a Monday? Disney movies on Sunday nights? Woof. The best decision they made here was to move <i>Dancing with the Stars</i> back (though it will still air simultaneously on Disney+), which will need to be yet another reboot of the series since Tyra Banks left as host and longtime judge Len Goodman passed away recently.</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p>ABC is banking hard on midseason. It'll have the seventh season of <i>9-1-1</i>, which is on the move from Fox, in addition to all of its renewed comedies and dramas. (The only shows that haven't had their fate decided are third season comedy <i>Home Economics</i> and freshman drama <i>The Rookie: Feds</i>.) They also ordered a new procedural from Drew Goddard (an Academy Award nominee for writing <i>The Martian</i> who also created the Netflix <i>Daredevil</i> series) called <i>High Potential. </i>It's going to be busy over there.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><span><!--more--></span><p><u>Unscripted</u></p><p class="paragraph larva // lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1rem;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>The Golden Bachelor</b> - After more than 20 years of fostering young love on <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Bachelor, The Bachelorette </em>and<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"> Bachelor in Paradise, The Golden Bachelor </em>showcases a whole new kind of love story – one for the golden years. On this all-new unscripted series, one hopeless romantic is given a second chance at love in the search for a partner with whom to share the sunset years of life. The women arriving at the mansion have a lifetime of experience, living through love, loss and laughter, hoping for a spark that ignites a future full of endless possibilities. In the end, will our Golden man turn the page to start a new chapter with the woman of his dreams? <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Golden Bachelor</em> is produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon.</span></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-54947675374682040522023-05-12T15:50:00.002-04:002023-05-12T15:50:19.310-04:00Fall 2023 Schedule: NBC<p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Voice<br />10:00 - The Irrational (NEW)</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Night Court (New Timeslot)<br />8:30 - Extended Family (NEW)<br />9:00 - The Voice (New Timeslot)<br />10:00 - Quantum Leap (New Timeslot)</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Chicago Med<br />9:00 - Chicago Fire<br />10:00 - Chicago PD</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Law & Order<br />9:00 - Law & Order: SVU<br />10:00 - Found (NEW)</p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Wall (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - Dateline NBC</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p>Decisions are still being made on three scripted shows: <i>American Auto, Grand Crew</i>, and <i>Young Rock</i>. Any or none could be back next season. On tap though are the third and final (shortened) season of <i>La Brea; </i>the third season (of only 13 episodes) of <i>Law & Order: Organized Crime</i>, which is once again changing showrunners; new episodes of <i>Magnum P.I.</i>, which was saved from CBS's cancellation pile this past season; season two of <i>Lopez vs. Lopez</i>; a new season of <i>Password</i>, hosted by Jimmy Fallon; and season three and four of Canadian import <i>Transplant</i>, which aired on NBC during the pandemic.</p><p>New shows at midseason include the wildlife docuseries <i>The Americas</i>, narrated by Tom Hanks, and a new spin-off of <i>America's Got Talent</i>, the details of which are being worked out. Also being rebooted is the Howie Mandel vehicle <i>Deal or No Deal</i>, now with a <i>Survivor</i>-esque twist and called <i>Deal or No Deal Island</i>.</p><p>NBC was clear in stating that they will absolutely have new scripted content on the air this fall, regardless of how long the strike continues. That's partially because they have been filming episodes of some shows after their initial season-orders wrapped (<i>La Brea</i>, for example, shot its six-episode season in March, right after wrapping season two and the fifth season order for <i>Magnum P.I. </i>was split into two halves) and because they held <i>Found </i>from a spring 2023 debut. Other shows, like <i>The Irrational</i>, were ordered months ago and started production immediately, similarly to how streaming and cable networks run their "pilot" seasons: on a rolling basis.</p><p>And if they need it? <i>Transplant </i>can start as soon as possible, considering both seasons NBC bought are in the can.</p><p>Regardless, it took a writers' strike for NBC to break up one of two Dick Wolf nights, even if just for half a year, and to finally make even the slightest move with <i>The Voice</i>, which is pushed back an hour on Tuesdays. That second night of <i>The Voice </i>has never really helped its lead-out much, so putting the stronger <i>Night Court</i> to lead-off could work.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><u>Comedy</u></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Extended Family</b> - Jim and Julia, after an amicable divorce, decide to continue to raise their kids at the family home while taking turns on who gets to stay with them. Navigating the waters of divorce and child-sharing gets more complicated for Jim when Trey, the owner of his favorite sports team, enters the picture and wins Julia’s heart. The cast includes Jon Cryer, Donald Faison, Abigail Spencer, Sofia Capanna and Finn Sweeney. Mike O’Malley will write and executive produce. Tom Werner, Wyc Grousbeck, Emilia Fazzalari and George Geyer also executive produce. Lionsgate will produce in association with Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.</span></span></p><p><u>Drama</u></p><p class="paragraph larva // lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m " style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1rem;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Found</b> - In any given year, more than 600,000 people are reported missing in the U.S. More than half that number are people of color that the country seems to forget about. A public relations specialist, who was once herself one of those forgotten ones, and her crisis management team now make sure there is always someone looking out for the forgotten missing people. But unbeknownst to anyone, this everyday hero is hiding a chilling secret of her own. The cast includes Shanola Hampton, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Kelli Williams, Brett Dalton, Gabrielle Walsh, Arlen Escarpeta and Karan Oberoi. Nkechi Okoro Carroll will write and executive produce. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Sonay Hoffman, Lindsay Dunn and Leigh Redman also executive produce. Berlanti Productions and Rock My Soul Productions produces in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.</span></p><p class="paragraph larva // lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m " style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1rem;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>The Irrational </b>- Based on the bestselling author Dan Ariely’s <i>Predictably Irrational</i>, Alec Mercer is a world-renowned leader in behavioral science who lends his expertise to an array of high-stakes cases involving governments, law enforcement and corporations with his unique and unexpected approach to understanding human behavior. The cast includes Jesse L. Martin, Maahra Hill, Travina Springer, Molly Kunz and Arash DeMaxi. Arika Lisanne Mittman will write and executive produce. Mark Goffman, Samuel Baum and David Frankel also executive produce. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, will produce.</span></p><p><u>Unscripted</u></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>The Americas</b> - From BBC Studios Natural History Unit, the creators of the critically acclaimed and multi-Emmy Award-winning <i>Planet Earth</i> and <i>Blue Planet</i>, in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio, comes the epic 10-part tentpole event series <i>The Americas</i>. Marking the first time acclaimed actor, producer and writer Tom Hanks will narrate an unscripted entertainment series, <i>The Americas</i> will also feature music by two-time Oscar winner Hans Zimmer. This incomparable project will employ revolutionary filmmaking technology that will showcase the wonders, secrets and fragilities of the Americas – Earth’s largest landmass and the only one to stretch between both poles – and reveal extraordinary, untold wildlife stories that deeply connect with millions around the world. <i>The Americas</i> is executive produced by renowned Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning wildlife producer Mike Gunton (<i>Life, Planet Earth II, Dynasties</i>) for BBC Studios Natural History Unit, the world’s largest production unit dedicated to wildlife filmmaking, in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Deal or No Deal Island</b> - The iconic game of <i>Deal or No Deal</i> is back and unlike anything you have ever seen before! This new format transports audiences to the Banker’s private island where he makes the rules and there are twists behind every palm tree. Hidden on the island are over 100 cases with millions of dollars split between them, which teams must retrieve so that they can play a game of Deal or No Deal against the Banker. Only one team will survive until the very last episode, where they’ll compete to beat the Banker for the biggest prize in <i>Deal or No Deal</i> history. <i>Deal or No Deal</i> first launched in the Netherlands in 2002 and has been commissioned in more than 80 territories worldwide with more than 350 productions. <i>Deal or No Deal Island</i> is produced by Endemol Shine North America and is based on the Banijay format, <i>Deal or No Deal</i>. Sharon Levy, DJ Nurre and Howie Mandel will serve as executive producers.</span></span></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-70898971455810424872023-05-10T12:39:00.002-04:002023-05-12T15:30:31.481-04:002023 Fall Schedule: CBS<p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Neighborhood<br />8:30 - Bob ♥ Abishola<br />9:00 - NCIS<br />10:00 - NCIS: Hawai'i</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - FBI<br />9:00 - FBI: International<br />10:00 - FBI: Most Wanted</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Survivor<br />9:30 - The Amazing Race<br /></p><p>Each will be 90 minutes, in a VERY exciting move!</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Young Sheldon<br />8:30 - Ghosts<br />9:00 - So Help Me Todd<br />10:00 - Elsbeth (NEW)</p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 - SWAT<br />9:00 - Fire County<br />10:00 - Blue Bloods</p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>8:00 - Matlock (NEW)<br />9:00 - The Equalizer (New Timeslot)<br />10:00 - CSI: Vegas (New Timeslot)</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p>A new Wayans brothers-led comedy, <i>Poppa's House</i>, and the Justin Hartley starrer <i>Tracker</i> are up at midseason, with the latter premiering after the Super Bowl in 2024.</p><p>I don't expect this schedule to stick. With the ongoing strike, it seems likely that the networks will need to have backup plans (and CBS apparently does, though it was not announced) when scripted shows cannot enter production.</p><p>But what's here is... here, I guess. The continued decline of linear broadcast television really can't be overstated. With only two new shows scheduled for the fall, CBS is relying upon name recognition to garner whatever viewers it can: the <i>Matlock</i> reboot not only has a recognizable title, it stars Oscar and Emmy winner Kathy Bates; and <i>Elsbeth</i> is a spin-off of both <i>The Good Wife </i>and <i>The Good Fight</i>, starring Carrie Preston in her Emmy-winning title role. But neither seem particularly primed for success, with <i>Matlock</i> premiering in the difficult Sunday evening slot (which regularly suffers NFL overruns/cancellations) and <i>Elsbeth</i> in the just-as-difficult Thursday at 10:00 slot following the low-rated (but tonally compatible) sophomore <i>So Help Me Todd</i>.</p><p>Expanding <i>Survivor </i>and <i>The Amazing Race</i> is a great move, though. Not only are both still doing well in the ratings, they're strike-proof. And as an avid <i>Survivor </i>fan who often is upset that we don't get to see more of the goings-on, that extra 30 minutes should only help the show.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><u>Drama</u></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Elsbeth</b> stars Carrie Preston (<i>The Good Wife</i>) as Elsbeth Tascioni, an astute but unconventional attorney who, after her successful career in Chicago, utilizes her singular point of view to make unique observations and corner brilliant criminals alongside the NYPD. Based on the character featured in <i>The Good Wife</i> and <i>The Good Fight</i>. <i>Elsbeth</i> stars Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni, Wendell Pierce as Captain C.W. Wagner and Carra Patterson as Officer Kaya Blanke. Robert King, Michelle King, Liz Glotzer and Jonathan Tolins are executive producers. Tolins will serve as showrunner. Robert King directed the pilot from a script he wrote with Michelle King. The series is produced by CBS Studios.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Matlock </b>stars Kathy Bates as the brilliant septuagenarian Madeline “Matty” Matlock, who achieved success in her younger years, and decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within. Inspired by the classic television series of the same name. <i>Matlock</i></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">stars Kathy Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, Skye P. Marshall as Olympia, Jason Ritter as Julian, David Del Rio as Billy and Leah Lewis as Sarah. Bates, Jennie Snyder Urman, Joanna Klein, Eric Christian Olsen and John Will are executive producers. Kat Coiro directed the pilot from a script written by Urman. The series is produced by CBS Studios.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Tracker</b> stars Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, a lone-wolf survivalist who roams the country as a “reward seeker,” using his expert tracking skills to help private citizens and law enforcement solve all manner of mysteries while contending with his own fractured family. The series is based on the bestselling novel </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">The Never Game</em><span style="background-color: white;"> by Jeffery Deaver.</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><i>Tracker</i></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">stars Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, Fiona Rene as Reenie, Robin Weigert as Teddi, Abby McEnany as Velma and Eric Graise as Bobby. Hartley, Ken Olin, Ben Winters, Hilary Weisman Graham and Jeffrey Deaver are executive producers. Olin directed the pilot from a script written by Winters. The series is produced by Twentieth Television.</span></span></p><p><u>Comedy</u></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Poppa's House</b>,</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., features Wayans as</span><a style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(215, 121, 121); box-sizing: border-box;"> </a><span style="background-color: white;">legendary talk radio host and happily divorced “Poppa” who has his point of view challenged at work when a new female co-host (Essence Atkins) is hired, and at home where he finds himself still parenting his adult son (Damon Wayans Jr.), a brilliant dreamer who is trying to pursue his passion while being a responsible father and husband. <i>Poppa's House</i> stars Damon Wayans as Poppa, Damon Wayans Jr. as Damon, Essence Atkins as Ivy and Tetona Jackson as Nina. Wayans and Kevin Hench are executive producers. Andy Ackerman directed the pilot from a script written by Hench and Wayans. The series is produced by CBS Studios.</span></span></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-24892404426078558042023-05-05T20:41:00.019-04:002023-11-21T18:39:07.438-05:002023-24 Broadcast Series Renewed & Canceled<p><b>ABC</b></p><p><u>Renewed</u>: Abbott Elementary, American Idol, America's Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Celebrity Jeopardy!, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, The Conners, Dancing with the Stars*, The Good Doctor, The Great Christmas Light Fight, Grey's Anatomy, Not Dead Yet, The Rookie, Shark Tank, Station 19, Will Trent<br /></p><p><u>Canceled</u>: Alaska Daily, Big Sky, The Company You Keep, The Goldbergs, Home Economics, A Million Little Things, The Rooke: Feds<br /></p><p><u>Awaiting Decision:</u><span> The Parent Test</span><br /></p><p><span>* <i>Dancing with the Stars</i> will move back to ABC after airing on Disney+ last fall.</span></p><p><b>CBS</b></p><p><u>Renewed:</u> Blue Bloods, Bob <3 Abishola, CSI: Vegas, The Equalizer, Ghosts, FBI, FBI: International, FBI: Most Wanted, Fire Country, Lingo, NCIS, NCIS: Hawa'ii, The Neighborhood, So Help Me Todd, Survivor, SWAT, Tough as Nails, Young Sheldon</p><p><b></b><u>Canceled</u>: East New York, NCIS: Los Angeles, True Lies</p><p><b>The CW</b></p><p><u>Renewed:</u> All American, All American: Homecoming, Family Law*, Masters of Illusion, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Superman & Lois, Walker, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, World's Funniest Animals<br /></p><p><u>Canceled</u>: The Flash, Gotham Knights, Kung Fu, Nancy Drew, Riverdale, Stargirl, Walker Independence, The Winchesters<br /></p><p><u>Awaiting Decision</u>: Coroner, Criss Angel's Magic with the Stars, The Great American Joke Off, Totally Weird & Funny<br /></p><p>* <i>Family Law</i> moves to summer for season two. The CW also has two series on tap it saved from cancellation on other networks: season two of <i>61st Street</i> (from AMC) and season three of <i>FBoy Island</i> (from HBO Max)</p><p><b>Fox</b></p><p><u>Renewed:</u> 9-1-1: Lone Star, Accused, Alert: Missing Persons Unit, Animal Control, Bob's Burgers, The Cleaning Lady, Family Guy, Farmer Wants a Wife, The Great North, Hell's Kitchen, LEGO Masters, The Masked Singer, Next Level Chef, The Simpsons, Special Forces: World's Toughest Test<br /></p><p><u>Canceled</u>: 9-1-1*, Call Me Kat, Fantasy Island, Monarch, The Resident, Welcome to Flatch<br /></p><p><u>Awaiting Decision</u>: Housebroken<br /></p><p>* <i>9-1-1</i> is moving to ABC for its seventh season.</p><p><b>NBC</b></p><p><u>Renewed:</u> Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, La Brea*, Law & Order, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Law & Order: SVU, Lopez vs. Lopez, Magnum PI, Night Court, Quantum Leap, Saturday Night Live, That's My Jam!, The Voice, The Wall</p><p><u>Canceled:</u> American Auto, The Blacklist, Grand Crew, New Amsterdam, The Wheel, Young Rock</p><p>* <i>La Brea </i>was renewed for a shortened, final third season.</p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-54581301273096815422022-06-06T15:51:00.005-04:002022-06-06T15:51:25.564-04:00Fall 2022 Schedule: Fox<p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - 911<br />9:00 - The Cleaning Lady</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Resident<br />9:00 - Monarch (NEW)</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Masked Singer<br />9:00 - Lego Masters (New Timeslot)</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Hell's Kitchen (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - Welcome to Flatch (New Timeslot)<br />9:30 - Call Me Kat (New Timeslot)</p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>WWE</p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Simpsons<br />8:30 - The Great North<br />9:00 - Bob's Burgers<br />9:30 - Family Guy</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p>New series coming up at midseason: <i>Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars, Alert, Accused</i>, <i>Grimsburg, </i>and <i>Krapopolis</i>. Returning at midseason: <i>911: Lone Star, Next Level Chef, Masterchef, Housebroken, Crime Scene Kitchen</i>, and <i>Beat Shazam</i>.</p><p>Why Fox waited so long to announce essentially the same schedule as last year with absolutely <i>zero</i> new series orders (<i>Monarch </i>was ordered in 2021 and supposed to debut earlier this year, before being pulled and saved for a fall launch) is beyond me. There's literally nothing surprising here. I assumed their lack of information last month meant they were going to shift <i>The Masked Singer</i> to midseason or move the Animation Domination lineup or SOMETHING, but no.</p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-52583127179170879482022-05-19T09:33:00.008-04:002022-05-19T09:33:58.826-04:00Fall 2022 Schedule: The CW<p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - All American<br />9:00 - All American: Homecoming</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Winchester (NEW)<br />9:00 - Professionals (NEW - Acquisition)</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Stargirl (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - Kung Fu</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Walker<br />9:00 - Walker Independence (NEW)</p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 - Penn & Teller: Fool Us<br />9:00 - Whose Line Is It Anyway? (New Timeslot)</p><p><b>Saturday</b></p><p>8:00 - Magic with the Stars (NEW)<br />9:00 - World's Funniest Animals</p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>8:00 - Family Law (NEW - Acquisition)<br />9:00 - Coroner (New Timeslot)</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p><i>The Flash, Nancy Drew</i>, and <i>Riverdale</i>, which is entering its seventh and final season, return, along with the new DC drama <i>Gotham Knights</i> and a new unscripted cooking show, <i>Recipe for Disaster</i>.</p><p>This schedule can fuck right off. For the first time in the network's existence, I will not be watching a single show on their schedule. (Granted, the only one I'd be watching if it were on in the fall is <i>Nancy Drew</i>, but still. I would've also given <i>Gotham Knights</i> a shot.)</p><p>President Mark Pedowitz described this as a "time of transition" during his upfronts call today, and I say it looks more like throwing in the towel. This lineup is absolute garbage, from having two international acquisitions, the South African/Irish co-production <i>Professionals</i> and Canadian <i>Family Law</i>, to a slew of ridiculous unscripted shows. What is there to be excited for here? A prequel to <i>Supernatural</i>? A 19th-century Western prequel to <i>Walker</i> that's a clear rip-off of <i>1883</i> and the <i>Yellowstone</i> model? A new Criss Angel magic show? Get out of here with this. Pedowitz and the other network and studio heads are completely checked out, and it shows.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><b>The Winchesters</b> - Before Sam and Dean, there were their parents, John and Mary. Told from
the perspective of narrator Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles, <i>Supernatural</i>), <i>The Winchesters</i> is the epic, untold love story of how
John Winchester (Drake Rodger, <i>The In Between</i>) met Mary Campbell (Meg
Donnelly, <i>American Housewife</i>) and put it all on the line to not only
save their love, but the entire world. When John returns home from
fighting in Vietnam, a mysterious encounter sparks a new mission to
trace his father’s past. In his journey, he crosses paths with
19-year-old demon hunter Mary, who is also searching for answers after
the disappearance of her own father. Together, the two join forces with
young hunter-in-training Latika (Nida Khurshid, <i>Station 19</i>) and
easygoing hunter Carlos (Jonathan “Jojo” Fleites) to uncover the hidden
truths about both their families. Their investigation leads them to a
rare book emporium, whose owner Ada (Demetria McKinney, <i>Tyler Perry’s
House of Payne</i>) takes an interest to the occult and could provide the
missing pieces to their puzzle. But secrets run deep for both the
Winchesters and Campbells, and despite the best efforts of John’s mother
Millie (Bianca Kajlich, <i>Legacies</i>) to protect her son from pursuing a
dangerous life of demon hunting, John and Mary are both determined to
work together to uphold their families’ legacies while beginning to form
a family of their own. A prequel to The CW’s long-running hit series <i>Supernatural, The Winchesters</i> is written and executive produced by
Robbie Thompson. Jensen Ackles and Danneel Ackles executive produce via
their Chaos Machine Productions. Glen Winter directed and executive
produced the pilot. David H. Goodman joined the creative team as an
executive producer for the series. McG serves as an executive producer.
The series is from Chaos Machine Productions in association with Warner
Bros. Television and CBS Studios.</p><p><b>Professionals</b> - <i>Professionals</i> follows Vincent Corbo (Tom Welling, <i>Smallville, Parkland</i>), a top-tier security operative who is paid to protect the
interests of rich and powerful clients by any means necessary – legal or
not. After a next-gen medical-data satellite explodes on launch, Corbo
is hired by the rocket’s designer, billionaire futurist Peter Swann
(Brendan Fraser, <i>The Mummy</i>), who suspects sabotage.
Complicating Corbo’s new gig is his former paramour and now Swann’s
fiancée, medical visionary Dr. Grace Davila (Elena Anaya, <i>Wonder Woman</i>), who is racing to help stave off a global
catastrophe. As Corbo and his team of veteran security professionals
investigate the rocket disaster, they expose a lethal conspiracy of
Swann’s corporate rivals, corrupt government officials, and a shadowy
crime syndicate – all working to destroy Swann and take control of his
tech empire. Worse, Corbo must also contend with Swann’s spoiled,
troublemaking teen daughter (Jazzara Jaslyn, <i>Lioness</i>) and a rogue
Europol agent (Ken Duken, <i>Inglourious Basterds</i>) who is
hellbent on busting him for past sins. A production of Most Media,
Subotica, Spier Films and Roadside Attractions in association with Jeff
Most Productions, LEONINE Studios, NENT Group and The Industrial
Development Corporation of South Africa, <i>Professionoals</i> was created by
Jeff Most (<i>The Crow, The Specialist</i>) and Michael Colleary (<i>Lara
Croft: Tomb Raider, Face/Off</i>) who both serve as co-showrunners and
executive producers. They are joined by fellow executive producers
Tristan Orpen Lynch, Michael Auret, Howard Cohen, Eric d’Arbeloff,
Jennifer Berman, Maijang Mpherwane, Dipak Chiba, William Smith, Herbert
Kloiber, Thomas Augsberger, Cosima von Spreti, Fredrik Ljungberg, Maxim
Korostyshevsky, Daniel Wagner, Bharat Nalluri, Brendan Fraser, Tom
Welling, and Elena Anaya. The producers are Katy Most, Lwazi Manzi and
Aoife O’Sullivan. Executive producer Bharat Nalluri (<i>The 100</i>)
directed three episodes of the series, including the pilot.</p><p><b>Walker Independence</b> - <em></em>Set in the late 1800s, an origin story of The CW’s current hit
series <i>Walker, Walker Independence </i>follows Abby Walker (Katherine
McNamara, <i>Arrow</i>), an affluent and tough-minded Bostonian whose husband
is murdered before her eyes while on their journey out West. After
crossing paths with Calian (Justin Johnson Cortez, <i>911: Lone Star</i>), a
curious Apache tracker, Abby arrives in the town of Independence, Texas,
where she encounters diverse and eclectic residents running from their
pasts, chasing their dreams, and keeping their own secrets, including
Kate Carver (Katie Findlay, <i>The Carrie Diaries</i>), an idiosyncratic
burlesque dancer with perhaps too keen an interest in Abby’s origins,
and Kai (Lawrence Kao, <i>Wu Assassins</i>), a soulful Chinese immigrant who
runs a local restaurant/laundry and offers Abby friendship without
agenda. Abby also literally runs into Hoyt Rawlins (Matt Barr, <i>Walker</i>), a slippery rogue, thief, and con artist with a dented heart
of gold who quickly eyes Abby as a mark, until she turns the tables on
him. In seeking justice for her husband, Abby encounters Independence’s
noble deputy sheriff, Augustus (Philemon Chambers, <i>Single All the
Way</i>), and his new boss, Sheriff Tom Davidson (Greg Hovanessian, <i>Another Life</i>), who she has reason to believe is a very bad man indeed.
Abby and Hoyt soon find themselves precariously aligned, both seeking
to uncover the truth about the identity of Abby’s husband’s killer, and
vow to save Independence – a frontier boomtown where nothing is what it
seems. <i>Walker Independence</i> is from CBS Studios with a teleplay written
by Seamus Kevin Fahey from a story co-written by him and Anna Fricke of
Pursued By a Bear. Both serve as executive producers along with Jared
Padalecki, Dan Lin and Lindsey Liberatore of Rideback and Laura Terry of
Pursued by a Bear. Larry Teng serves as executive producer and director
on the pilot.</p><p><b>Magic with the Stars</b> - In each episode of <i>Magic with the Stars</i>, two celebrities train with
professional magicians and compete to create a show-stopping series of
magic performances. The celebrity competitors are tasked with mastering
three major categories of magic, which they perform in front of a team
of judges led by magician Criss Angel. Only the highest-scoring
celebrities will be invited back to the finale where they will compete
for the golden wand. Produced by Angel Production Worldwide, Inc., <i>Magic with the Stars </i>is executive produced by Criss Angel, Dave Baram and
Erich Recker.</p><p><b>Family Law</b> - <em>Family Law</em> centers around Abigail Bianchi (Jewel Staite, <i>Firefly</i>), a high-paid personal-injury lawyer who’s good at blaming
others – particularly when it comes to her own problems. After Abby’s
husband kicks her out of the family home because of her drinking, she
goes on a bender, shows up drunk in court and pukes on a client. The law
society’s punishment is swift. She’s suspended, fined, and can only
practice law again if she finds a senior lawyer who is willing to take
her on and mentor her for a one year probationary period. Only one man
is willing to take that risk: Harry Svensson (Victor Garber, <i>DC’s
Legends of Tomorrow</i>), who runs the top family law practice in the city.
He also happens to be Abby’s estranged father, who left Abby and her
complicated mother for his secretary when Abby was seven. Now, not only
does Abby have to work for her father, she also has to work with her
half siblings: Daniel (Zach Smadu, <i>Cardinal</i>), from Harry’s subsequent
marriage and Lucy (Genelle Williams, <i>The Expanse</i>), from Harry’s third
marriage. Thus begins the odd dynamic at Abigail’s new workplace. Abby
has to try to put her shambles of a life back on track, all while
dealing with family on three different levels: Other people’s families
in her cases, the family she was born into, and her family: her husband
and two children, all of whom she desperately wants back. Abigail not
only has to prove herself in a new realm of law; she also has to work
with and build relationships with a family she barely knows. Most
challenging of all, she must work under the thumb of the man she’s spent
a lifetime resenting. Produced by SEVEN24 Films and Lark Productions
for Corus Entertainment’s Global (Canada), <i>Family Law</i> is created,
written and executive produced by award-winning author Susin Nielsen
(<i>Degrassi</i>). The series is executive produced by SEVEN24’s Jordy
Randall (<i>Heartland</i>) and Tom Cox (<i>Fortunate Son</i>), and Lark’s Erin
Haskett (<i>Motive</i>) and Andy Mikita (<i>Stargate SG-1</i>) serve as executive
producers.</p><p><b>Gotham Knights</b> - Batman is dead, and a powder keg has ignited Gotham City without the
Dark Knight to protect it. In the wake of Bruce Wayne’s murder, his
adopted son Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan) is framed for
killing the Caped Crusader, along with the children of some of Batman’s
enemies: Duela (Olivia Rose Keegan, <i>Days of Our Lives</i>), an
unpredictable fighter and skilled thief who was born in Arkham Asylum
and abandoned by her father, Harper Row (Fallon Smythe, <i>grown-ish</i>), a
streetwise and acerbic engineer who can fix anything, and her brother
Cullen Row (Tyler DiChiara), a clever
transgender teen who is tired of being polite and agreeable. With the
charismatic and hard-charging District Attorney Harvey Dent (Misha
Collins, <i>Supernatural</i>) and the GCPD hot on their trail, Turner will
rely on allies including his best friend and formidable coder Stephanie
Brown (Anna Lore, <i>All American</i>), and unlikely Batman sidekick Carrie
Kelley (Navia Robinson, <i>Raven's Home</i>). But our Knights will soon learn
there is a larger, more nefarious force at work within Gotham City.
This team of mismatched fugitives must band together to become its next
generation of saviors known as the Gotham Knights. From Berlanti
Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, <i>Gothan Knights </i>is written by Chad Fiveash, James Stoteraux and Natalie Abrams. Fiveash
and Stoteraux will serve as showrunners and executive produce the series
alongside Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter. Abrams also serves as
co-executive producer. Danny Cannon directed and served as an executive
producer on the pilot, along with David Madden. <i>Gotham Knights</i> is based
on characters created for DC by Bob Kane with Bill Finger. </p><p><b>Recipe for Disaster</b> - In each episode of <i>Recipe for Disaster</i>, three professional chefs and
their cooking partners compete to prepare spectacular dishes under
absurdly adverse conditions. Our studio transforms into a bizarre new
world each week, replete with themed disasters that challenge our chefs
in ways they never imagined. They will attempt the perfect sear while
stranded on an in-studio “desert island” during monsoon season, prep
ramen while pulling off an art heist, or create a show-stopping soufflé
while dodging aliens on Mars. To make matters worse, their cooking
partners are people from their lives who are total kitchen novices. Who
will impress the judges, and whose dishes will succumb to the ridiculous
disasters du jour? Ultimately, only one team will be crowned Masters of
Disaster! </p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-57451010808627495212022-05-18T09:10:00.004-04:002022-05-18T09:10:46.501-04:00Fall 2022 Schedule: CBS<p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Neighborhood<br />8:30 - Bob ♥ Abishola<br />9:00 - NCIS<br />10:00 - NCIS: Hawai'i</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - FBI<br />9:00 - FBI: International<br />10:00 - FBI: Most Wanted</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Survivor<br />9:00 - The Amazing Race<br />10:00 - The Real Love Boat (NEW)</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Young Sheldon<br />8:30 - Ghosts (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - So Help Me Todd (NEW)<br />10:00 - CSI: Vegas (New Timeslot)</p><p>What is with the <i>wretched</i> titles of these new shows? <i>So Help Me Todd</i>?! *vomits* <br /></p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 - SWAT (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - Fire Country (NEW)<br />10:00 - Blue Bloods</p><p><i>Blue Bloods</i> is old; it's going into its thirteenth season, and at some point (probably very soon), it's going to end. This schedule looks like CBS trying to find a viable replacement, with a thematically similar show on Sunday nights and here with <i>Fire Country</i>. Why else launch a brand new series on a Friday night when there were plenty of other slots to try things out? <br /></p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Equalizer<br />9:00 - East New York (NEW)<br />10:00 - NCIS: Los Angeles (New Timeslot)</p><p>When will CBS understand that launching new shows on Sundays in the fall just doesn't work? With regular NFL overruns, any show in the lineup gets bumped back, and it becomes impossible for anyone attempting to watch live (which is still a large portion of CBS's older demographic) to find the show and actually tune in. So best of luck to <i>East New York, </i>which honestly sounds pretty decent and could have feasibly inherited the <i>Blue Bloods</i> throne.</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p>A reboot of the 1994 James Cameron film <i>True Lies</i> joins the lineup midseason, plus two new unscripted series in <i>Superfan</i> and <i>Lingo</i> and the returns of <i>Tough As Nails</i> (likely as a replacement for <i>The Amazing Race</i>) and <i>Secret Celebrity Renovation</i>.</p><p>This schedule is the opposite of everything else we've seen so far. Other networks are cutting way back on scripted fare and trying to launch, in particular, new dramas. But CBS has doubled down and is trying three new hourlong shows, with another on deck at midseason, and only one new unscripted series. Shockingly, there are also no new comedies on the schedule <i>or</i> ordered for midseason, a marked shift from the CBS of the last ten-or-so years. What they have seems to be working, with <i>Ghosts</i> being the network's biggest hit of this past season, but it's odd to see so many dramas here and with, seemingly, not much to back it up should they fail. But it's also, in a strange way, gratifying to see a "typical" CBS schedule at a time when the other networks are just trying to scrape by; but here's CBS, doing what they always do. It's comforting!</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><u>Drama</u></p><p><b>East New York</b> - From executive producers of <i>NYPD Blue, East New York</i> stars Amanda
Warren as Deputy Inspector Regina Haywood, the newly promoted boss of
the 74th Precinct, in East New York – a working-class neighborhood on
the edge of Brooklyn in the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds
of gentrification. With family ties to the area, Haywood is determined
to deploy creative methods to protect her beloved community with the
help of her officers and detectives. But first, she has the daunting
task of getting them on board, as some are skeptical of her promotion,
and others resist the changes she is desperate to make. Her team
includes her mentor, shrewd veteran two-star Chief John Suarez (Emmy
Award winner Jimmy Smits); Marvin Sandeford (Tony Award winner and
current nominee Ruben Santiago-Hudson), a highly respected training
officer and expert on the neighborhood; Tommy Killian (Kevin Rankin), a
detective with some old-school approaches to policing; Capt. Stan Yenko
(Richard Kind), Haywood’s gregarious and efficient right hand; Crystal
Morales (Elizabeth Rodriguez), an intuitive detective who can’t be
intimidated; Andre Bentley (Lavel Schley), a trainee from an upper
middle-class background; and ambitious patrol officer Brandy Quinlan
(Olivia Luccardi), the sole volunteer to live in a local housing project
as part of Haywood’s plan to bridge the gap between police and
community. Regina Haywood has a vision: she and the squad of the 74th
Precinct will not only serve their community – they’ll also become part
of it. <i>East New York</i> stars Amanda Warren as Deputy Inspector Regina
Haywood, Jimmy Smits as Chief John Suarez, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as
Officer Marvin Sandeford, Kevin Rankin as Detective Tommy Killian,
Richard Kind as Captain Stan Yenko, Elizabeth Rodriguez as Detective
Crystal Morales, Olivia Luccardi as Officer Brandy Quinlan, and Lavel
Schley as Officer Andre Bentley. Emmy Award winner William Finkelstein,
Mike Flynn, Emmy Award winner Michael M. Robin, Christine Holder and
Mark Holder are executive producers. Andrew Maher is a co-executive
producer. Robin directed the pilot from a script by Finkelstein and
Flynn. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television.</p><p><b>Fire Country</b> - <i>Fire Country</i> stars Max Thieriot (<i>SEAL Team</i>) as Bode Donovan, a young
convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining an
unconventional prison release firefighting program in Northern
California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite
firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the
region. It’s a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned
up when Bode is assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he
was once a golden all-American son until his troubles began. Five years
ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big
secret. Now he’s back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity
to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire. Inspired by series
star Max Thieriot’s experiences growing up in Northern California fire
country. <i>Fire Country</i> stars Max Thieriot as Bode, Billy Burke as Vince,
Kevin Alejandro as Manny, Diane Farr as Sharon, Stephanie Arcila as
Gabriela, Jordan Calloway as Jake, and Jules Latimer as Eve. Tony
Phelan, Joan Rater, Tia Napolitano, Max Thieriot, David Grae (pilot
only), Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman and KristieAnne Reed are
executive producers. Executive Producer James Strong (pilot only)
directed from a story co-written by Phelan, Rater and Thieriot, and a
teleplay by Phelan and Rater. The series is produced by CBS Studios.</p><p><b>So Help Me Todd - </b><i>So Help Me Todd</i> stars Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin as razor-sharp,
meticulous attorney Margaret Wright (Harden) and Todd (Astin), her
talented but scruffy, aimless son whom she hires as her law firm’s
in-house investigator. As the black sheep of the well-heeled Wright
family, Todd is a laid-back, quick-thinking, excellent former private
detective who fell on hard times after his flexible interpretation of
the law got his license revoked. Margaret’s penchant for excellence and
strict adherence to the law is at complete odds with Todd’s scrappy
methods of finding his way through sticky situations: by the seat of his
wrinkled pants. When Todd inadvertently teams with his mother on a
case, she’s surprised to find herself duly impressed by – and proud of –
his crafty ability to sleuth out information with his charm and his
wide-ranging tech savvy. At last, Margaret sees a way to put her son on a
“suitable” path to living an adult, financially solvent life she
approves of, and she asks him to join her firm. Todd agrees, since it
means getting his license back and once again doing the job he excels at
and loves. Mother and son working together is a big first step toward
mending their fragile, dysfunctional relationship, and they may even
come away with a better understanding of each other at this pivotal
point in their lives. But whether Todd and Margaret will be able to
accept each other for who they are is another case entirely. <i>So Help Me Todd</i> stars Marcia Gay Harden as Margaret, Skylar Astin as Todd, Madeline
Wise as Allison, Tristen J. Winger as Lyle, Inga Schlingmann as Susan,
and Rosa Arredondo as Francey. Scott Prendergast, Liz Kruger & Craig
Shapiro (pilot only), Elizabeth Klaviter, Dr. Phil McGraw, Jay McGraw
and Julia Eisenman are executive producers. Executive producer Amy York
Rubin (pilot only) directed the pilot from a script by Prendergast. The
series is produced by CBS Studios.</p><p><b>True Lies</b> - <i>True Lies</i>, inspired by James Cameron’s hit action/comedy film of the same name,
follows Harry (Steve Howey), a first-class international spy for U.S.
intelligence agency Omega Sector, and his wife, Helen (Ginger Gonzaga), a
language professor bored with her daily routine, who makes the shocking
discovery that her seemingly ordinary husband is leading an
extraordinary double life. With the secret out, Omega recruits Helen,
who impresses everyone with her formidable skills (thanks to Tae Bo and
yoga), and she joins Harry and his team of top-notch operatives,
embarking on covert missions around the globe and an exhilarating life
of danger and adventure. The renewed bond between them adds much-needed
sizzle to the Taskers’ emotionally distant marriage and upends the
top-secret world of Omega Sector. But, as Harry says, if you’re going to
save the world, you might as well do it for the ones you love. <i>True Lies</i> stars Steve Howey as Harry, Ginger Gonzaga as Helen, Erica
Hernandez as Maria, Omar Miller as Gib, Mike O’Gorman as Luther,
Annabella Didion as Dana, and Lucas Jaye as Jake. Matt Nix, James
Cameron, Rae Sanchini, McG, Mary Viola, Corey Marsh and Josh Levy are
executive producers. Anthony Hemingway is an executive producer and
directed the pilot from a script by Nix. Sean Hoagland and Whitney Davis
are co-executive producers. The series is produced by 20th Television.</p><p><u>Unscripted</u></p><p><b>The Real Love Boat</b> - The new reality romance adventure <i>The Real Love Boat</i>, inspired by the
classic hit scripted series <i>The Love Boat</i>, sets sail on Princess
Cruises in 2022. <i>The Real Love Boat</i> brings singles together to travel
the Mediterranean on a luxury cruise ship while looking for love.
Destination dates, challenges and surprise singles will test the
couples’ compatibility and chemistry. Like the beloved original scripted
series, the indispensable crew members, including “captain” and “cruise
director,” who will be selected from actual Princess crew members, will
play pivotal roles in the matchmaking and navigation of the romantic
(and sometimes turbulent) waters ahead. After almost a month at sea,
only one winning couple will make it to the final port and take home a
cash prize plus a once-in-a-lifetime trip courtesy of Princess Cruises,
the series’ exclusive cruise line partner. <i>The Real Love Boat</i> is
produced by Eureka Productions in association with Buster Productions.
Executive producers are Chris Culvenor, Paul Franklin and Wes Dening for
Eureka, and Jay Bienstock.</p><p><b>Lingo</b> - CBS has ordered a brand-new, supercharged adaptation of the
word-twisting, fast-thinking game show <i>Lingo</i>.
Emmy Award winner RuPaul Charles serves as host and executive
producer of the primetime game show, where the simplest of words could
be worth big money. RuPaul Charles brings his one-of-a-kind personality to this
primetime order of the clever, competitive and unpredictable game, which
features teams of two as they face off in fast-paced puzzle rounds to
guess letters that reveal seemingly simple words. At the end of each
one-hour episode packed with witty commentary and gameplay, the winning
two teams will make it through to a nerve-wracking final showdown where
one team will walk away with an additional big cash prize. (From a previous press release)</p><p><b>Superfan</b> - <i>Superfan</i> is a six-episode musical spectacle disguised as a game show
that will feature contestants vying in multiple rounds of play to prove
they are the ultimate fan. In each one-hour episode, a different musical
artist (Kelsea Ballerini, Gloria Estefan, Little Big Town, LL Cool J, Pitbull, and Shania Twain) will select one deserving superfan to win a once-in-a-lifetime
prize. (From a previous press release)<br /></p><p> </p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-36355192247356189342022-05-17T13:38:00.002-04:002022-06-16T13:18:47.022-04:00Fall 2022 Schedule: ABC<p>UPDATED JUNE 16: <i>Alaska </i>has been retitled to the moderately-better <i>Alaska Daily.</i></p><p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - Bachelor in Paradise<br />10:00 - The Good Doctor</p><p>With <i>Dancing with the Stars</i> moving to Disney+, this is an opportunity for ABC to actually improve on the timeslot since <i>Bachelor in Paradise</i>, despite not being in-season, did better in live numbers last year. Could fatigue set in by Tuesday night? Of course. <br /></p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Bachelor in Paradise<br />10:00 - The Rookie: Feds (NEW)</p><p>Tuesday at 10:00 continues to be troublesome for ABC, and I don't see that changing this year. Putting a familiar IP there might help things (though its clunky title won't), but I doubt we'll see the death of the death slot this year. <br /></p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Conners (New Timeslot)<br />8:30 - The Goldbergs (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - Abbott Elementary (New Timeslot)<br />9:30 - Home Economics<br />10:00 - Big Sky (New Timeslot)</p><p>The only series staying in its previous slot is <i>Home Economics</i>, with the highly-praised and buzzy <i>Abbott Elementary</i> taking over in ABC's flagship timeslot. With that, <i>The Conners</i> and <i>The Goldbergs</i> are both shifting a bit, and <i>Big Sky</i> moves away from Thursdays to allow for a new drama to hopefully capitalize on the <i>Grey's</i> lead-in. With Reba McEntire joining <i>Big Sky</i> as a series regular, it should do fine. <br /></p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Station 19<br />9:00 - Grey's Anatomy<br />10:00 - Alaska Daily (NEW)</p><p>One of the few series airing this fall (so far) that features a bankable, A-list actor in two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank, the dully-titled <i>Alaska</i> (NOTE: now <i>Alaska Daily</i>) gets the best slot possible (if such a thing even exists anymore). <br /></p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 -<b> </b>Shark Tank<br />9:00 - 20/20</p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>7:00 - America's Funniest Home Videos<br />8:00 - Celebrity Jeopardy! (NEW)<br />9:00 - Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (New Timeslot)<br />10:00 - The Rookie</p><p>Not sure how they managed to make two 20-ish minute shows like <i>Jeopardy! </i>and <i>Wheel of Fortune</i> into hourlong game shows, but clearly something is working. <br /></p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p>Returning shows at midseason include season two of <i>The Wonder Years</i> and season five of <i>A Million Little Things</i>, along with new seasons of <i>American Idol, Judge Steve Harvey</i>, and <i>The Bachelor</i>. New midseason content currently only includes <i>Not Dead Yet</i>, a comedy starring Gina Rodriguez; and <i>Avalon</i>, a drama from David E. Kelley based on a short story by Michael Connelly. Additional series pickups and plans are TBA.</p><p>Again, "stable" is the name of the game here. Aside from some minor shuffling, the Wednesday comedy block largely remains in tact, as do the most consistent performers: <i>The Good Doctor, The Rookie, Station 19, Grey's Anatomy, </i>and <i>Shark Tank</i>. I'm happy for <i>Abbott Elementary</i>, which is the most talked-about (deservedly so) new broadcast series in many seasons, to be considered ABC's next-big-thing, and I can't wait to see what <i>Alaska</i> ends up looking like; with that pedigree, it could be something great.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><span><!--more--></span><p><u>Comedy</u></p><p><b>Not Dead Yet</b> - From creators David Windsor and Casey Johnson (<i>This Is Us, The Real O'Neals</i>) and starring Gina Rodriguez, <i>Not Dead Yet</i> follows Nell
Stevens (Rodriguez), a broke and newly single self-described disaster,
working to restart the life and career she left behind 10 years ago.
When she lands the only job she can find – writing obituaries, Nell
starts getting life advice from an unlikely source. The series is
adapted from the book <i>Confessions of a 40-something F**k Up</i> by
Alexandra Potter. <i>Not Dead Yet</i> stars Gina Rodriguez as Nell, Joshua
Banday as Dennis and Angela Gibbs as Cricket. Casey Johnson and David
Windsor are creators and executive producers. Also executive producing
is Gina Rodriguez and Wonderland Sound and Vision’s McG, Mary Viola and
Corey Marsh. The series is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney
Television Studios. </p><p><u>Drama</u></p><p><b>Alaska Daily</b> - From the mind of Tom McCarthy (<i>Spotlight</i>), <i>Alaska Daily </i>stars Hilary Swank
as Eileen Fitzgerald, a recently disgraced reporter who leaves her
high-profile New York life behind to join a daily metro newspaper in
Anchorage on a journey to find both personal and professional
redemption. Alongside Swank, <i>Alaska Daily</i> stars Jeff Perry as Stanley
Cornik, Matt Malloy as Bob Young, Meredith Holzman as Claire Muncy,
Grace Dove as Rosalind “Roz” Friendly, Pablo Castelblanco as Gabriel
Martin, Ami Park as Jieun Park and Craig Frank as Austin Greene. Tom
McCarthy is creator and executive producer. Hilary Swank, Melissa Wells,
Bert Salke, Kyle Hopkins (Anchorage Daily News) and Ryan Binkley
(Anchorage Daily News) are executive producers on the series. <i>Alaska Daily</i>
is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios. The
pilot episode is written and directed by Tom McCarthy. </p><p><b>The Rookie: Feds</b> - From the executive producers of flagship series <i>The Rookie</i> comes <i>The
Rookie: Feds</i> starring Niecy Nash-Betts as Simone Clark, the oldest
rookie in the FBI Academy. The spinoff was introduced as a two-part
event during the current fourth season of <i>The Rookie</i>, where Officer
John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and the LA division of the FBI enlist the
help of Simone Clark when one of her former students is a suspect in a
terror attack. <i>The Rookie: Feds</i> stars Niecy Nash-Betts as Simone
Clark, Frankie Faison as Christopher “Cutty” Clark and Felix Solis as
Special Agent Matthew Garza. Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter are
co-creators and executive producers. Mark Gordon, Niecy Nash-Betts,
Nathan Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Bill Norcross and Corey Miller are
executive producers. Entertainment One (eOne) is the lead studio and
international distributor of <i>The Rookie: Feds</i>, a co-production with
ABC Signature.</p><p><u>Unscripted</u></p><p><b>Celebrity Jeopardy!</b> - <i>Celebrity Jeopardy!</i> produced by Sony Pictures Television, is an
all-new game show airing this fall on ABC. This new series welcomes
celebrity contestants to compete for a chance to win money for a charity
of their choice. A host will be announced at a later date. <i>Celebrity
Jeopardy!</i> is executive produced by Michael Davies. </p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-47521892830131578982022-05-17T09:33:00.003-04:002022-05-17T09:33:54.400-04:00Fall 2022 Schedule: NBC<p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Voice<br />10:00 - Quantum Leap (NEW)</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Voice<br />9:00 - La Brea<br />10:00 - New Amsterdam</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Chicago Med<br />9:00 - Chicago Fire<br />10:00 - Chicago PD</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Law & Order<br />9:00 - Law & Order: SVU<br />10:00 - Law & Order: Organized Crime</p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 - Lopez vs. Lopez (NEW)<br />8:30 - Young Rock (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - Dateline NBC</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p><i>The Blacklist</i>'s tenth season launches at midseason, alongside sophomore runs of <i>American Auto</i> and <i>Grand Crew</i>. The much-delayed <i>Night Court </i>sequel/revival starring John Larroquette and Melissa Rauch is also on deck, as are several unscripted series: the returns of <i>That's My Jam</i> and <i>The Wall</i>, plus new series <i>LA Fire and Rescue,</i> <i>The Wheel</i> (both of which were announced last May) and <i>Million Dollar Island</i>.</p><p>Several series are still awaiting renewal or cancellation decisions, and NBC also has several drama pilots in contention for midseason as well.</p><p>Consistency is the name of the game in broadcast scheduling. Almost everything here is the same as last fall, with the only new drama replacing last season's canceled fall drama. (Seriously, when is NBC going to get that, regardless of <i>The Voice </i>being one of its higher-rated series, the slot is too difficult to launch a successful new series?) Trying a Friday night comedy block at 8:00 again is the only real "move" made here, but there's really nothing a broadcast network could do that would seem stupid or nonsensical at this point. The model is dead.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><u>Comedy</u></p><p><b>Lopez vs. Lopez</b> - A working-class family comedy about dysfunction, reconnection and all
the pain and joy in between. The cast includes George Lopez, Mayan
Lopez, Selenis Leyva, Brice Gonzalez and Matt Shively. Debby Wolfe and
Bruce Helford will write and executive produce. Katie Newman, Michael
Rotenberg, George Lopez and Mayan Lopez executive produce. Universal
Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, will produce in
association with Mohawk Productions, Travieso Productions, Mi Vida Loba
and 3 Arts.</p><p><b>Night Court</b> - Unapologetic optimist judge Abby Stone, the daughter of the late Harry
Stone, follows in her father’s footsteps as she presides over the night
shift of a Manhattan arraignment court and tries to bring order to its
crew of oddballs and cynics, most notably former night court prosecutor
Dan Fielding. The cast includes Melissa Rauch, John Larroquette, India
de Beaufort, Kapil Talwalkar and Lacretta. Dan Rubin will write and
executive produce. Melissa Rauch and Winston Rauch also executive
produce. John Larroquette will produce. Warner Bros. Television will
produce in association with After January Productions and Universal
Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.</p><p><u>Drama</u></p><p><b>Quantum Leap</b> - It’s been 30 years since Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap
accelerator and vanished. Now a new team has been assembled to restart
the project in the hopes of understanding the mysteries behind the
machine and the man who created it. The cast includes Raymond Lee,
Caitlin Bassett, Ernie Hudson, Mason Alexander Park, and Nanrisa Lee.
Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt will write and executive produce. Don
Bellisario, Deborah Pratt and Martin Gero executive produce. Universal
Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, will produce in
association with I Have an Idea! Entertainment, Belisarius Productions
and Quinn’s House Productions.</p><p><u>Unscripted</u></p><p><b>Million Dollar Island</b> - A high-stakes social experiment in which 100 contestants must forge
friendships and build alliances as they plot to stay on a remote desert
island for up to 50 days and compete to win their share of the ultimate
$1 million prize. Upon arrival each contestant is given a bracelet worth
$10,000. During their time on the island, contestants gain and lose
bracelets through various challenges, but when a player leaves the
island, they must choose who will receive their portion of the money. In
this intense competition, the strength of your personal bonds are just
as important as being the ultimate player. Stephen Lambert, Tim Harcourt
and Jack Burgess and Talpa’s John de Mol will executive produce. Studio
Lambert will produce.</p><p><b>The Wheel</b> - Get ready for a wild ride as six celebrities, each with an expertise in a
specific subject, help three contestants answer questions for
life-changing money. It all takes place on a giant spinning wheel and is
hosted by the UK’s record-breaking comedian, Michael McIntyre. The
Wheel is from Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with
Warner Horizon and Hungry McBear with Jeff Apploff. <br /></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-82574046558706056442022-05-09T14:21:00.023-04:002023-05-10T08:44:12.890-04:002022-23: Broadcast Series Renewed & Canceled<p><b>ABC</b></p><p><u>Renewed</u>: Abbott Elementary, American Idol, America's Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Big Sky, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, The Conners, The Goldbergs, The Good Doctor, The Great Christmas Light Fight, Grey's Anatomy, Home Economics, Judge Steve Harvey, A Million Little Things, The Rookie, Shark Tank, Station 19, To Tell the Truth, The Wonder Years<br /></p><p><u>Canceled</u>: black-ish, Promised Land, Queens, Supermarket Sweep</p><p><b>CBS</b></p><p><u>Renewed:</u>
The Amazing Race, Blue Bloods, Bob <3 Abishola, CSI: Vegas, The Equalizer, Ghosts, FBI, FBI: International, FBI: Most Wanted, NCIS, NCIS: Hawa'ii NCIS: Los
Angeles, The Neighborhood, Survivor, SWAT, Tough as Nails, Young Sheldon</p><p><b> </b><u>Canceled</u>: B Positive, Beyond the Edge, Bull, Come Dance with Me, Good Sam, How We Roll, Magnum PI*, The United States of Al<br /></p><p><u>Awaiting Decision</u>: Celebrity Big Brother, Undercover Boss<br /></p><p>* The Equalizer, FBI, FBI: International, and FBI: Most Wanted all received two-season orders and will remain on the air through at least 2024, Magum PI is moving to NBC for its next season.</p><p><b>The CW</b></p><p><u>Renewed:</u>
All American, All American: Homecoming, The
Flash*, Kung Fu, Masters of Illusion, Nancy Drew, Penn & Teller:
Fool Us, Riverdale, Superman & Lois, Walker, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, World's Funniest Animals<br /></p><p><u>Canceled</u>: 4400, Batwoman, Charmed, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Dynasty, In the Dark, Killer Camp, Legacies, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Naomi, Roswell, New Mexico, Tom Swift, Two Sentence Horror Stories</p><p>* Final season</p><p><b>Fox</b></p><p><u>Renewed:</u> 9-1-1, 9-1-1: Lone Star, Bob's Burgers, Call Me Kat, The Cleaning Lady, Family Guy, The Great North, Hell's Kitchen, I Can See Your Voice, The Masked Singer, Masterchef, Next Level Chef, The Resident, The Simpsons, Welcome to Flatch<br /></p><p><u>Canceled</u>: Alter Ego, The Big Leap, Our Kind of People, Pivoting</p><p><b>NBC</b></p><p><u>Renewed:</u> American Auto, The Blacklist, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Grand Crew, La Brea, Law & Order, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Law & Order: SVU, New Amsterdam*, Saturday Night Live, That's My Jam, Transplant, The Voice, The Wall, The Weakest Link, Young Rock<br /></p><p><u>Canceled:</u> American Song Contest, The Endgame, Kenan, Mr. Mayor, Ordinary Joe, This Is Us</p><p>* Final season<br /></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-71962288570873240882022-01-12T11:50:00.001-05:002022-01-12T11:50:04.000-05:00Pilot Review: Naomi<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhO6rABzjbKVu5BRzAmxSo8oYQnMhIULrtttFyaocWZgr5z1JU_P4cYIgjvK0HoWrCLRWBXHTZ1QK3e_mOWc-pl3anU6DdcflPVhOjZqhe5dDJcFuYtFp4x4fTJRIG8tuYqG5FMV03acw8NZ7fYp-A-aeIQt1dq5BFUQvGOkGLeNGXPrWMEtPepbbrSTA=s925" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="740" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhO6rABzjbKVu5BRzAmxSo8oYQnMhIULrtttFyaocWZgr5z1JU_P4cYIgjvK0HoWrCLRWBXHTZ1QK3e_mOWc-pl3anU6DdcflPVhOjZqhe5dDJcFuYtFp4x4fTJRIG8tuYqG5FMV03acw8NZ7fYp-A-aeIQt1dq5BFUQvGOkGLeNGXPrWMEtPepbbrSTA=s320" width="256" /></a></b></div><b><br /> Naomi</b> (Tuesdays at 9:00 on The CW)<p></p><p>I'm not sure if I'm no longer the intended audience for The CW's DC adaptations, or if I've simply outgrown them. But whereas 3-4 years ago I was gleefully tuning in to <i>Arrow, The Flash,</i> and <i>Supergirl</i> every week, eagerly anticipating crossover events, the only Arrowverse series I regularly watch is <i>Batwoman</i>. I didn't finish <i>Supergirl</i>'s final run of episodes after growing bored with the first half of season six; I gave up on <i>The Flash</i> when Iris got trapped in a mirror, right around the start of the pandemic; and I didn't even make it a full season into the newest addition, <i>Superman & Lois</i>, before realizing I didn't understand or care what was going on in Smallville.</p><p>So maybe <i>Naomi</i> isn't for me. Still, it has a lot of elements I love and, in many ways, seems tailor-made for a nostalgic, Millennial viewer like myself. I just wish those elements were in service to a more exciting series.</p><p>Beginning with the most obvious voiceover in television history, our leading player Naomi (a very charming Kaci Walfall) tells us, "Every hero has their origin story. This is mine." UGH, WHY, STOP IT. After more than a decade of being hammered over the head with superhero origins across film and TV, I do not need another one, especially one that <i>announces itself</i> as an origin. Anyway, Naomi is a kinda nerdy teen girl from Port Oswego, Oregon where there's a split between the "townies" and the "military brats,"of which Naomi is the latter. Despite her nerdy obsession with the Superman comic books, she's very popular and well-liked, not to mention a nearly-perfect daughter to her adoptive parents (CW vets Barry Watson and Mouzam Makkar). But then weird things start happening, like a seemingly-real stunt in the town square involving a real-life Superman, and Naomi starts to question the world she's inhabiting as she searches for answers.</p><p>It's everything you'd expect, except for the most obvious: by pilot's end, we don't know jackshit about Naomi still. What is she? Who is she? That's quite literally the question we are left with in the first episode's final moments (which you've probably seen in the previews, so it's not even a spoiler) as Dee (Alexander Wraith) unfurls a pair of wings. It's a choice to finish your first episode, typically the most-viewed and most-discussed of a new show, without revealing <i>anything</i> about... well, anything. After a full episode, we have no idea who or what our protagonist is or what is happening in her town. We know an event occurred that has everyone talking, but what was it? Why? How? What is its meaning?</p><p>Why start a series saying "this is my origin story," and then not tell that story? I understand that it will unravel across the course of this first season, but to go your entire first hour without really<i> doing</i> anything could either be a smart move to get viewers to return next week, or a baffling one that will frustrate enough people to turn them off completely. I'm currently sitting in the latter camp.</p><p>There's just not enough going on here to make me want to come back to episode two. Sure, it's nice that <i>Naomi</i> has a more upbeat tone than other shows in the DC universe. It's nice that Naomi is popular and bubbly and sweet. It's great to see another Black lead in a comic book series. The potential teen drama trappings of love triangles (though this one may be pansexual!), exes, learning to drive, etc that made some of my favorite teen soaps so enjoyable are fun.</p><p>But imagine having a show like <i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i> and not having Buffy know she's the Slayer before the first episode ends. Imagine that whole "Welcome to the Hellmouth" pilot just being Buffy meeting Willow and Xander and Cordelia, going to the Bronze, doing homework, and then a vampire shows up at the very end of the pilot. We <i>know</i> Buffy is the Slayer; it's in the title. In this case, we <i>know</i> Naomi has something to do with superheroes; she <i>told us</i> in the first scene voiceover. So to take so much time to arrive at such an obvious point is frustrating. This new slow-motion format of storytelling has gained popularity of late, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/more-super-sized-movies-are-testing-patience-audiences-1238113/" target="_blank">particularly in film,</a> so it's not surprising that <i>Naomi</i>, which is written by Oscar nominee Ava DuVernay (<i>Selma, 13th</i>) with some help from <i>Arrow</i> writer Jill Blankenship, follows this trend and slows everything down to a frustrating crawl.</p><p>After all, this is a comic book adaptation. Comics are known for being short-form storytelling. Individual issues are about 32 pages, and story arcs tend to cover about 6 issues. Action moves from location to location, panel to panel, with breakneck speed to keep fans turning pages. They, by nature, move quickly. <i>Naomi</i> does not, and its prospects suffer for it. Because for those of us looking for fast, fun escapism, much like we used to find in the pages of comic books, there's little to grasp onto in <i>Naomi</i>.<br /></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-38050285823969712372021-09-25T14:30:00.002-04:002021-09-25T14:30:17.188-04:00Pilot Reviews: NCIS: Hawai'i & FBI: International<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKgnggQjJKLjin749biVbShbm7y56bBjWgPO07WBHun0BvoG_xHvv5d8SdZKGHY09sRfzOQ3cgB_8hXy31Dj_mvguoy86ACgQgd6xVq6nk2jGNWXrbvXyEVEuivVUWlKVTIzjgUMngbU0/s2046/ncis-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="2046" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKgnggQjJKLjin749biVbShbm7y56bBjWgPO07WBHun0BvoG_xHvv5d8SdZKGHY09sRfzOQ3cgB_8hXy31Dj_mvguoy86ACgQgd6xVq6nk2jGNWXrbvXyEVEuivVUWlKVTIzjgUMngbU0/s320/ncis-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>NCIS: Hawai'i</b> (Mondays at 10:00pm)<b><br />FBI: International</b> (Tuesdays at 9:00pm) <br /></p><p>The biggest issue with both of CBS's new fall dramas is that they aren't entirely new; they're connected, too deeply in the case of <i>FBI: International</i>, to existing series and make no effort to really include new viewers. They are cogs in the syndication machine, meant for the casual procedural viewer and the already-invested fans of their respective franchises. So for me, someone who dropped in to watch the first episodes, there's no reason to return (or to even think the show <i>wants</i> me to return).</p><p><i>NCIS: Hawai'i</i> does a better job of establishing itself as its own entity than <i>FBI: International</i>, but that really isn't saying much. For a person who has only watched one single episode of the hundreds that exist across three previous <i>NCIS</i> series, <i>Hawai'i</i> was simultaneously overly expository and completely under-explained. For example, never did we learn what the hell NCIS actually stands for (I looked it up myself, and it's Naval something or other... so marine crimes, I guess?) or what their jurisdiction and/or hierarchy is. Are they part of the federal government, like the FBI? Or are they just highly trained naval officers? Navy cops? Ocean cops? Are they local? WHY AND HOW DO THEY EVEN EXIST?! I don't know.</p><p>But I do know that <i>NCIS: Hawai'i</i> spends its entire hour introducing us to an entirely new cast (a first for an <i>NCIS</i> series, which always began as spin-offs) with the most awkward dialogue possible. Jesse (Noah Mills, who recently recurred in <i>The Falcon and the Winter Soldier</i>) is the new guy, and to let us know that, he has a conversation with teammate Kai (Alex Tarrant) where he literally says, "The new guy has a name." Then Kai reads back his employee file, essentially, including where he went to school and what sports he liked to play. That's purely lazy writing from creators Christopher Silber, Jan Nash & Matt Bosack. Rather than naturally allowing pertinent information to emerge within the story, we're solving a boilerplate mystery about a crashed military plane and need to just spit information out and get on with the next interrogation.</p><p>The one thing <i>Hawai'i</i> has going for it is that it is the first of the franchise to be lead by a woman, and a woman of color at that: Vanessa Lachey, in her first regular drama gig. She's fine as team leader Jane, if a bit underwhelming thanks to a dead-end script that gives her next to nothing to work with. Lachey isn't a magnetic presence or a commanding actress, but that also doesn't matter. <i>NCIS: Hawai'i</i> doesn't exist for anyone who actually cares about things like acting talent or strong writing; it exists for the old folks who leave CBS on all day and night because it's pleasant background noise.</p><p>That sentiment is even more palpable in <i>FBI: International</i>, which is impossible to divorce from its two predecessors because the pilot episode is the conclusion of a three-part crossover that began in <i>FBI</i> and continued in <i>Most Wanted</i>. I didn't know that when I sat down to watch <i>International</i>, so I was very lost the whole time. There were approximately 800 characters to keep track of, some old ones dropping in for one line here and there on different sets for different shows, and the new ones completely devoid of defining characteristics. There's something happening regarding a pedophilia ring, which makes its way to Budapest, where <i>International</i> is set.</p><p>That is literally all we find out in the pilot. There is less than zero effort made to introduce the new cast in any meaningful way other than "this is Agent Forrester" and the like. This show is very clearly not trying to attract new viewers with its premiere (they didn't even create and release key art, for crying out loud). If you weren't already on board with the previous shows, don't even bother trying with this one.</p><p>It's a big disappointment, but not a totally surprising choice, that CBS has gone with established names and recognizable shows for its 2021 schedule. I don't begrudge them that: broadcast TV is dying, and its primary audience is older people who are outside the desired 18-49 demographic. To appease them, you go simple and you go for loyalty. They've stuck with <i>NCIS</i> for nearly two decades, so why not try to have them migrate over to a new location like <i>Hawai'i</i>? Dick Wolf has proven popular with older viewers across networks, so why not try to hook those viewers into another hour smack dab in the middle of two other shows they were already watching?</p><p>But for new viewers, there's nothing here. For discerning viewers, there's <i>less</i> than nothing.<br /></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-39351353599687441442021-09-21T09:27:00.001-04:002021-09-21T09:27:10.237-04:00Pilot Review: The Lost Symbol<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILklN8kp-Za_-sVisTuIp_4NAeODatzwaVkbkNu0rG5V0P9tLc7mc7SkmO223YvodRi6Bro0vRlH4zChbjBB6oWYHvpn8otGGZ6F2Dyi7PLmcVUi3x592LWG8y3M-xO7h3mjTgcj5XMEe/s890/peacock.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="890" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILklN8kp-Za_-sVisTuIp_4NAeODatzwaVkbkNu0rG5V0P9tLc7mc7SkmO223YvodRi6Bro0vRlH4zChbjBB6oWYHvpn8otGGZ6F2Dyi7PLmcVUi3x592LWG8y3M-xO7h3mjTgcj5XMEe/s320/peacock.JPEG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /> The Lost Symbol</b> (Thursdays on Peacock)<p></p><p>The first small-screen adaptation of a Dan Brown novel already has quite a bit working against it: the specter of Tom Hanks, who starred as the famed Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon in the Ron Howard helmed film versions of <i>The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons</i>, and <i>Inferno</i>; being on the fledgling Peacock streaming service, which many viewers (including some who have access to the app!) don't even know has original content; and that it is based on the least-liked story in the five-book series. There's also its long development history (originally conceived as the third film in the Hanks series in 2012, then canceled a year later, then in 2019 shifted to a series at NBC, then moved to Peacock this year) and an oversaturation of the streaming market with buzzy thriller mysteries to consume. Without something to truly set it apart, despite some nice elements that make the series very watchable, <i>The Lost Symbol</i> will likely become another quickly-forgotten bit of ephemera.</p><p>The first five-ish minutes of the premiere episode of <i>The Lost Symbol</i> are some of its most intriguing. Langdon (<i>Succession</i>'s Ashley Zukerman) is teaching a class on symbols, and he mentions how so often they convey unintended meaning when put into the wrong hands as images of swastikas and the Gadsden flag fill the screen. As we tend to think of symbology in, thanks to Brown's own doing in his books, historical terms related to religion or secret societies, putting the context of what Langdon does into such stark, modern terms makes the series feel immediate.</p><p>Of course, everything after that puts us back into the familiar world of ancient cults, international intrigue, religious fanaticism, and catacombs beneath the Capitol building, but it's still a fascinating way to begin the series.</p><p>Anyway, if you've read any Dan Brown book or seen any of the movies based on them, you know what you're getting from <i>The Lost Symbol</i>. That's both its greatest strength and biggest drawback. There's a recognition and comfort with following Langdon into the creepy, dark world of global conspiracies, but there's also nothing too surprising or ambitious about the show. For me, that works well. I like Brown's books; I like the film series; I know what I'm getting into with his work, and that's what I want.</p><p>It helps that the premiere of <i>The Lost Symbol</i> looks great. Director Dan Trachtenberg (<i>10 Cloverfield Lane</i>) makes the budget appear much larger than it must have actually been, and he takes a moderately creative approach to filming the action scenes. There's a warmth, much like in Howard's direction of the films, to the tones and colors. It's well-paced, polished, and attractive. And those who, like me and I would assume the majority of others tuning in, know what they're getting into with the series will likely find it all engaging and fun right from the jump. Whether being another relatively slow-burn mystery with a vaguely-drawn villain (Brown has never been good at creating those) and a lead character whose talent is being the smartest person in the room will engage new viewers or the uninitiated remains to be seen.</p><p>But it still stands that <i>The Lost Symbol</i> is a competently made show. Just pulling that out of the ashes of the terrible novel it's based on is a feat to me. Zukerman is a capable lead, even better than Hanks at times, whose star power occasionally overwhelmed Langdon's simplicity. Rick Gonzalez (<i>Arrow, Reaper</i>) provides some comic relief and everyman-status as a Capitol security guard along for the ride. And, if nothing else grabs you about the show, watch it for Eddie friggin' Izzard as Langdon's kidnapped friend/mentor, Peter Solomon.</p><p>At a time when TV feels either too cumbersome to commit to or too mindless for those who need a modicum of interest to cling to, <i>The Lost Symbol</i> often hits that sweet spot of just enough intrigue to keep you paying attention but not so much that you feel like you'll have to tap out if you miss two minutes of an episode.<br /></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-23526426406477484002021-05-25T15:15:00.005-04:002021-05-25T15:15:32.865-04:00Fall 2021 Schedule: The CW<p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - All American<br />9:00 - 4400 (NEW)</p><p><i>All American</i> had a surprising bump this season, much like <i>Riverdale</i> did between seasons one and two, thanks to viewers discovering it on Netflix during the pandemic. It is one of the few shows on the schedule that gets to keep its timeslot, not to mention that its launching a new spin-off at midseason called <i>Homecoming</i>. It'll be followed by the reboot of <i>The 4400</i>, titled simply <i>4400</i>, which seems an odd pairing but okay.</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Flash<br />9:00 - Riverdale (New Timeslot)</p><p><i>Riverdale </i>is, in my opinion, nearly unwatchable at this point, and it's currently on a six-month hiatus. The fifth season returns in mid-August and then leads right into the sixth, which moves to Tuesday nights.</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - DC's Legends of Tomorrow (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - Batwoman (New Timeslot)</p><p>The Sunday night lineup transfers in-tact to Wednesdays as the CW plans to go all-unscripted on weekends (including on Saturdays).</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Walker<br />9:00 - Legacies</p><p>The only night to remain as is.</p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 - Penn & Teller: Fool Us<br />9:00 - Nancy Drew (New Timeslot)</p><p><i>Nancy Drew</i> gets the death knell by moving to Fridays, which is the dumping ground for under-performing CW shows. I guess it's a good thing that it took three seasons to get there, better than both <i>Dynasty</i> and <i>Charmed</i>. But yeah, this is the place where CBS shows that exist simply to have CBS Studios shows on the air go on the network schedule.</p><p><b>Saturday</b></p><p>8:00 - Whose Line Is It Anyway? (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - World's Funniest Animals (New Timeslot)</p><p><i>Whose Line</i> moves to Saturdays along with the second season of <i>World's Funniest Animals</i>, both of which will air back-to-back episodes as the CW reclaims the seventh night of its schedule. I don't really understand the purpose of placing original programming here, but what do I know?</p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>8:00 - Legends of the Hidden Temple (NEW)<br />9:00 - Killer Camp (NEW)</p><p>The show I'm most excited for on this schedule is the reboot of the classic Nickelodeon game show <i>Legends of the Hidden Temple</i>. When I tell you I watched that show every single second I possibly could, I mean it. I was obsessed. All I wanted as a kid was to run that Temple Maze and put together that damn silver monkey faster than the other kids did. Can't wait! It's paired with the US version of a terrible British show the CW aired last summer, <i>Killer Camp</i>.</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p>Lots held for midseason: <i>Charmed, Dynasty, Into the Dark, Superman & Lois, Kung Fu, </i>and <i>Roswell, New Mexico</i> (as well as the third season of <i>Stargirl</i>, which seems likely for summer 2022). New at midseason are the dramas <i>All American: Homecoming</i> and a new DC series from Ava DuVernay, <i>Naomi.</i></p><p>I'm not gonna lie, at this point I watch about half the CW's lineup. They make such great escapist television, and it's exactly what I've craved this past year. While I think the DC adaptations are getting a bit out of hand, and the more they add, the more confused I get, it can't be denied that they are performing where the network needs them to. <i>Naomi</i> sounds like, potentially, one of the most confusing of them all, so I'm curious how it'll be handled and if it will even be wrapped up into the DC "Arrowverse" universe. I also really appreciate that they're on another level when it comes to diversity and representation, including in their newly-ordered series.<br /></p><p>Continuing trends from the other networks, The CW has stuck with familiarity in its new series by ordering a spin-off of an existing show; a comic-book adaptation; and a reboot of a formerly-popular sci-fi series (with another spin-off from <i>Nancy Drew</i> and a live-action version of <i>The Powerpuff Girls</i> remaining in contention). I can't say whether that's a good or bad thing, but they know their audience and have been more successful in tapping into non-linear viewership (through their app, which is the only broadcast network app to not require a cable login, and through Netflix and/or HBO Max syndication).</p><p>Click after the jump for new show descriptions.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a> <b>4400 </b>- Over the last century at least, four thousand four hundred people who
were overlooked, undervalued, or otherwise marginalized vanished without
a trace off the face of the planet. Last night, inexplicably, they were
all returned in an instant to Detroit, MI, having not aged a day and
with no memory of what happened to them. As the government races to
understand the phenomenon, analyze the potential threat, and contain the
story, an empathetic social worker (Joseph David-Jones, <i>Arrow</i>) and
hardened community corrections officer (Ireon Roach, <i>Candyman</i>) are
among the civil servants called upon to deal with the uncanny refugees.
The new partners clash in ideology and approach, but gradually find they
have more in common than they thought as they become familiar with
those under their care, including: a lawyer and resilient young mother
from the early aughts (Brittany Adebumola, <i>Grand Army</i>), whose
unexpected reunion with her estranged husband (Cory Jeacoma, <i>Jersey Boys</i>) and suddenly teenaged daughter is immediately rocky; a WWI Army
surgeon fresh from the Harlem Renaissance (TL Thompson); an influential hidden figure from the Mississippi
civil rights movement (Jaye Ladymore, <i>Empire</i>); a black sheep
reverend-scion born to a notable televangelist family in 1990s Chicago
(Derrick A. King, <i>Call Your Mother</i>); a seemingly shallow but
misunderstood D-list reality TV star (newcomer Khailah Johnson) from
Miami, circa 2015; and two wildly different unaccompanied teens, a
vibrant girl (newcomer Autumn Best) whose bell bottoms give away her
1970s upbringing, and an introspective, prescient boy (Amarr Wooten, <i>Liv and Maddie</i>) whose origin remains a mystery. These unwilling time
travelers, collectively the 4400, must grapple with their impossible new
reality, the fact that they’ve been returned with a few…upgrades, and
the increasing likelihood that they were brought back now for a reason
they’re only beginning to understand. Based on the original TV series
created by Scott Peters and Renee Echevarria, 4400 is from CBS Studios
and is executive produced by Ariana Jackson, who wrote the pilot, Sunil
Nayar, and Anna Fricke and Laura Terry of Pursued By a Bear.<p></p><p><b>All American: Homecoming</b> - From the executive producers of <i>All American, All American: Homecoming</i>
is a young adult sports drama set against the backdrop of the HBCU
(Historically Black Colleges and Universities) experience at Bringston
University, where Black excellence is a way of life. The series follows
Simone (Geffri Maya, <i>All American</i>), a young tennis hopeful from
Beverly Hills who is trying to fight her way back to great after some
time away from the court, and Damon (Peyton Alex Smith, <i>Legacies</i>), an
elite baseball player from Chicago who is carrying the weight of the
world on his shoulders. After Simone’s aunt Amara Patterson (Kelly
Jenrette, <i>Manhunt</i>), a journalism teacher and activist, exposes a
scandal that threatens to derail the school’s beloved baseball program,
new coach Marcus Turner (Cory Hardrict, <i>The Outpost</i>) is determined to
bring a championship back to Bringston the honest way — with Damon’s
help. Damon will adjust to his new normal with fellow baseball player
and childhood friend JR (Sylvester Powell, <i>Five Points</i>) by his side.
Meanwhile, as Simone struggles to find her footing, she will get a
little guidance from Thea (Camille Hyde, <i>Katy Keene</i>), the
super-competitive queen bee of the Bringston tennis team, and Keisha
(Netta Walker, <i>Come as You Are</i>), the school’s unofficial mayor, who
will help Simone learn how to live her best life. As they contend with
the high stakes of college sports, Simone and Damon will also navigate
the highs, lows, and sexiness of unsupervised early adulthood at a
prestigious HBCU. <i>All American: Homecoming</i> is written and executive
produced by Nkechi Okoro Carroll, and executive produced by Greg
Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, David Madden, and Robbie Rogers. Michael
Schultz (<i>All American, Black Lightning</i>) directed the pilot episode.
The series is from Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros.
Television.</p><p><b>Killer Camp</b> - The new U.S. version of <i>Killer Camp</i> will return to “Camp Pleasant” as a
mix of 13 unlucky American and British campers navigate through new
deadly twists and surprises while competing to expose the “killer” among
them for a share of the $50,000 cash prize. Each night, one of them
will be viciously dispatched by camp handyman Bruce, who’s back with
counselor Bobby (comedian Bobby Mair), and a whole host of surprises and
hilariously elaborate new murders. Executive produced by Karen Smith
and Steph Harris with Ben Wilson as Showrunner, <i>Killer Camp</i> is produced
by Tuesday’s Child Television and distributed by Keshet International.</p><p><b>Legends of the Hidden Temple</b> - This supersized, adult version of <i>Legends of the Hidden Temple</i> is taken
out of the studio into a “jungle” and scaled up with tougher challenges
and much bigger prizes on the line. It preserves the original
Nickelodeon series’ favorite elements including: “Olmec” (the giant
talking Mayan head), the“Moat Crossings,” “The Steps of Knowledge,” the
“Temple Run,” and of course, the iconic team names: “Purple Parrots,”
“Blue Barracudas,” “Orange Iguanas,” “Red Jaguars,” “Silver Snakes” and
“Green Monkeys.” Every episode is a hero’s journey through a mysterious
jungle. Five teams begin the journey, but only one is “strong enough and
smart enough” to enter the ominous Olmec’s Temple, avoid the “dreaded”
Temple Guards, retrieve a lost treasure, and return it to its rightful
owner. Based on the original game show created by David G. Stanley,
Scott A. Stone and Stephen R. Brown, <i>Legends of the Hidden Temple</i> is
produced by Stone & Company Entertainment and Nickelodeon. The
series is executive produced by Scott A. Stone and Marcus Fox (<i>Paradise
Run</i>).</p><p><b>Naomi</b> - From Oscar® nominee/Emmy® winner Ava DuVernay and Jill Blankenship
(<i>Arrow</i>), and starring Kaci Walfall (<i>Army Wives, Power, The Lion
King</i> on Broadway) in the title role, the DC drama <i>Naomi</i> follows the
journey of a cool, confident, comic book–loving teenager as she pursues
her hidden destiny. When a supernatural event shakes her small hometown
of Port Oswego, Naomi sets out to uncover its origins, with a little
help from her fiercely loyal best friend Annabelle (Mary-Charles Jones, <i>Kevin Can Wait</i>). She also has the support of her adoptive, doting
parents, veteran military officer Greg (Barry Watson, <i>7th Heaven</i>) and linguist Jennifer (Mouzam Makkar, <i>The Fix</i>). After
an encounter with Zumbado (Cranston Johnson, <i>Filthy Rich</i>), the
mysterious owner of a used car lot, leaves her shaken, Naomi turns to
tattoo shop owner Dee (Alexander Wraith, <i>Orange Is the New Black</i>), who
becomes her reluctant mentor. While unraveling the mystery of herself,
Naomi also navigates her high school friendships with both military kids
and local townies, including ex-boyfriend and high school jock Nathan
(Daniel Puig, <i>The System</i>); Annabelle’s longtime, loyal boyfriend Jacob
(Aidan Gemme, <i>Deliver Us From Evil</i>); proud “townie” Anthony (Will
Meyers, <i>Bad Education</i>); and fellow comic book enthusiast Lourdes
(newcomer Camila Moreno). As Naomi journeys to the heights of the
Multiverse in search of answers, what she discovers will challenge
everything we believe about our heroes. Based on the characters from DC, <i>Naomi</i> is written and executive produced by Ava DuVernay and Jill
Blankenship, and executive produced by Sarah Bremner and Paul Garnes. Amanda Marsalis (<i>Queen Sugar</i>) directed
and co-executive produced the pilot episode. The series is from ARRAY
Filmworks in association with Warner Bros. Television. </p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-49613560770037935722021-05-19T11:12:00.002-04:002021-05-19T11:12:11.022-04:00Fall 2021 Schedule: CBS<p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Neighborhood<br />8:30 - Bob ♥ Abishola<br />9:00 - NCIS (New Timeslot)<br />10:00 - NCIS: Hawaii (NEW)</p><p>For the first time in its 18 year run, <i>NCIS</i> will not be airing at 8:00 on Tuesdays. It'll help launch a new spin-off set in Hawaii on Monday nights so that Tuesday can become an all-<i>FBI</i> night.</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - FBI (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - FBI: International (NEW)<br />10:00 - FBI: Most Wanted</p><p>With a third franchise in the <i>FBI</i> universe, Dick Wolf will have three consecutive nights (on two different networks) that are entirely comprised of shows he produces: <i>FBI</i> Tuesdays,<i> Chicago</i> Wednesdays, and <i>Law & Order</i> Thursdays. That's insane. I'm also a little surprised <i>International</i> is on the fall schedule, since it hasn't even announced a cast yet (and unlike <i>Most Wanted</i>, it will not air as a backdoor pilot during <i>FBI</i>).</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Survivor<br />9:00 - Tough as Nails (New Timeslot)<br />10:00 - CSI: Vegas (NEW)</p><p>I'm elated that <i>Survivor</i> will finally be back on the air after nearly a year and a half hiatus due to the pandemic, but I can't say the same for CBS's strategy of digging up the past with a new iteration of <i>CSI</i>. This will be a sequel to the original series, featuring the original stars. I guess when the only folks watching live TV are over 60, you have to cater to them? I don't know.</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Young Sheldon<br />8:30 - The United States of Al<br />9:00 - Ghosts (NEW)<br />9:30 - B Positive<br />10:00 - Bull (New Timeslot)</p><p><i>The United States of Al</i> has been a surprisingly steady performer following its late debut this season, so it gets to stay put. <i>Ghosts</i> is the only new comedy on the fall schedule, taking over for the departed <i>Mom</i>. And <i>Bull</i>, displaced from Mondays, will now occupy the problematic Thursday night at 10:00 timeslot where new shows (<i>Evil, Clarice</i>) have failed to garner significant audiences. Considering its age, the expectation for <i>Bull</i> will likely be low.</p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 - SWAT (New Timeslot)<br />9:00 - Magnum PI<br />10:00 - Blue Bloods</p><p><i>SWAT</i> is on the move twice this season; in the fall, it'll take over for <i>MacGyver</i> on Fridays. This slot makes sense to me, but at midseason, <i>SWAT</i> goes to Sundays and unscripted (unannounced currently) goes here.</p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Equalizer<br />9:00 - NCIS: Los Angeles<br />10:00 - SEAL Team (New Timeslot)<br />10:00 - SWAT (Midseason; New Timeslot)</p><p>It was announced yesterday that <i>SEAL Team</i> is migrating to Paramount+, the paid streaming service owned by CBS; honestly, I think that's utterly absurd, since I don't see this show driving subscriptions to the streamer. But regardless, before it moves, <i>SEAL Team</i> gets a five-episode send-off on CBS in the fall in a very difficult timeslot (NFL over-runs frequently push the 10:00 show into the 11:00 hour, sometimes significantly). <i>SWAT</i> then moves there at midseason.</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p>No returning shows were held for midseason, but CBS does have a new drama in <i>Good Sam</i> and a new comedy with <i>Smallwood</i>, plus a new dance competition series featuring Jenna Dewan called <i>Come Dance with Me</i> (which seems likely destined for Fridays at 8:00, unless new episodes of <i>Undercover Boss</i> are ready to go).<br /></p><p><i>The Amazing Race </i>was also renewed for a new season, which is somewhat surprising since it hasn't been in production since early 2020 and since host Phil Keoghan has <i>Tough as Nails</i> now. With the state of the globe being what it is, who knows when it'll actually happen? The network has also ordered two original Christmas films to air over the holiday season featuring CBS stars (<i>CSI: Miami</i>'s Adam Rodriguez and <i>All Rise</i>'s Jessica Camacho) and new "event series," <i>The Activist.</i></p><p>I'm so excited to see a network actually making moves to its schedule rather than stagnating.<i> </i>Even still, this is not a schedule that's likely to excite any kind of broad audience. Younger people are not going to flock to a third <i>FBI</i> series or to a reboot of <i>CSI</i>. The audience that already watches CBS every night will probably tune in, but it's not going to help with growth (or even retention of the few younger viewers the network already has).</p><p>I like that they're taking a risk with <i>Ghosts</i>, even though I don't particularly like the concept on paper. I wish CBS would do more along those lines, shows that aren't in their wheelhouse. But with scripted fare becoming so expensive and not drawing in new audiences, it seems unlikely to happen. Look at how all the networks are banking on familiarity and franchises.</p><p>Click after the jump for new series descriptions.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><u>Dramas</u><p></p><p><b>CSI: Vegas</b> - The sequel to the Network’s global hit <i>CSI: Crime Scene
Investigation</i> opens a brand-new chapter in Las Vegas—the city where it
all began. Facing an existential threat that could bring down the
entire Crime Lab and release thousands of convicted killers back onto
the neon-lit streets of Vegas, a brilliant new team of investigators led
by Maxine Roby (Paula Newsome) must enlist the help of old friends, Gil
Grissom (William Petersen), Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) and David Hodges
(Wallace Langham). This combined force will deploy the latest forensic
techniques to do what they do best—follow the evidence—in order to
preserve and serve justice in Sin City. Jason Tracey serves as executive
producer and showrunner; Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman,
KristieAnne Reed, Anthony Zuiker, Carol Mendelsohn, Ann Donahue, Craig
O’Neill, William Petersen and Cindy Chvatal are also executive
producers. Uta Briesewitz is an executive producer and directed (initial
episode only) from a script by Tracey. The series is produced by CBS
Studios in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television.<i> CSI: Vegas</i>
stars original cast members William
Petersen, Jorja Fox and Wallace Langham, who will reprise their roles as
Gil Grissom, Sara Sidle and David Hodges, respectively; Paula Newsome
as Maxine Roby; Matt Lauria as Joshua Folsom; Mandeep Dhillon as Allie
Rajan; and Mel Rodriguez as Hugo Ramirez.<b> </b></p><p><b>FBI: International</b> - From Emmy Award-winning executive producer Dick Wolf, fast-paced drama <i>FBI: International</i> is the third iteration of the successful <i>FBI</i> brand
that follows the elite operatives of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation’s International Fly Team. Headquartered in Prague, they
travel the world with the mission of tracking and neutralizing threats
against American citizens wherever they may be. Not allowed to carry
guns, the Fly Team relies on intelligence, quick thinking and pure brawn
as they put their lives on the line to protect the U.S. and its people.
Dick Wolf, Derek Haas, Matt Olmstead, Arthur Forney and Peter Jankowski
are the executive producers. The series is produced by Universal
Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with
CBS Studios.</p><p><b>Good Sam</b> stars Sophia Bush (<i>Chicago</i> franchise, <i>One Tree Hill</i>) and
Jason Isaacs (<i>Star Trek: Discovery</i>) in a drama
about Dr. Sam Griffith (Bush), a gifted heart surgeon who excels in her
new leadership role as Chief of Surgery after her renowned boss falls
into a coma. When her former boss wakes up months later demanding to
resume his duties, Sam is tasked with supervising this egotistical
expert with a scalpel who never acknowledged her stellar talent.
Complicating matters is that the caustic and arrogant Dr. Rob “Griff”
Griffith (Isaacs) also happens to be her father. As Griff defies Sam’s
authority and challenges her medical expertise, the big question becomes
whether this father and daughter will ever be able to mend their own
relationship as expertly as they heal the hearts of their patients.
Katie Wech, Jennie Snyder Urman and Joanna Klein serve as executive
producers for CBS Studios. Tamra Davis is an executive producer (pilot
only) and directed the pilot from a script by Wech. <i>Good Sam</i> stars
Sophia Bush as Dr. Sam Griffith, Jason Isaacs as Dr. Rob “Griff”
Griffith, Skye P. Marshall as Dr. Lex Trulie, Michael Stahl-David as Dr.
Caleb Tucker, Davi Santos as Dr. Joey Costa, Omar Maskati as Dr. Isan
M. Shah, Wendy Crewson as Vivian Katz, and Edwin Hodge as Malcolm A.
Kingsley.</p><p><b>NCIS: Hawaii</b> - The world’s most successful television series continues on the seductive
shores of the Aloha State with <i>NCIS: Hawaii</i> where the first female
Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Pearl Harbor, Jane Tennant (Vanessa
Lachey), has thrived and risen through the ranks by equal parts
confidence and strategy in a system that has pushed back on her every
step of the way. Together with her unwavering team of specialists, they
balance duty to family and country while investigating high-stakes
crimes involving military personnel, national security and the mysteries
of the sun-drenched island paradise itself. Matt Bosack, Jan Nash and
Christopher Silber serve as executive producers for CBS Studios. Larry
Teng is an executive producer and directed (initial episode only) from a
script by Bosack, Nash and Silber. <i>NCIS: Hawaii</i> stars Vanessa Lachey
as Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant, Yasmine Al-Bustami as Lucy,
Jason Antoon as Ernie, and Noah Mills as Jesse.</p><p><u>Comedies</u></p><p><b>Ghosts</b> - A single-camera comedy about Samantha (Rose McIver) and Jay (Utkarsh
Ambudkar), a cheerful freelance journalist and up-and-coming chef from
the city, respectively, who throw both caution and money to the wind
when they decide to convert a huge rundown country estate they inherited
into a bed & breakfast—only to find it’s inhabited by the many
spirits of deceased residents who now call it home. The departed souls
are a close-knit, eclectic group that includes a saucy Prohibition-era
lounge singer, a pompous 1700’s Militiaman, a ‘60s hippie fond of
hallucinogens, an overly upbeat ‘80s scout troop leader, a cod-obsessed
Viking explorer from 1009, a slick ‘90s finance bro, a sarcastic and
witty Native from the 1500s, and a society woman and wife of an 1800’s
robber baron who is Samantha’s ancestor, to name a few. If the spirits
were anxious about the commotion a renovation and B&B will create in
their home, it’s nothing compared to when they realize Samantha is the
first live person who can see and hear them. Based on the BBC Studios
distributed format. <i>Ghosts</i> stars Rose McIver as Samantha, Utkarsh
Ambudkar as Jay, Danielle Pinnock as Alberta, Brandon Scott Jones as
Isaac, Richie Moriarty as Pete, Asher Grodman as Trevor, Sheila Carrasco
as Flower, Román Zaragoza as Sasappis, Devan Chandler Long as Thorfinn,
and Rebecca Wisocky as Hetty.</p><p><b>Smallwood</b> based on professional bowler Tom Smallwood’s life, stars Pete Holmes as
Tom, a stoic Midwest husband and dad who gets laid off from a car
assembly line and makes the extraordinary decision to provide for his
family by following his dream of becoming a professional bowler. As a
skilled player, Tom knows that in bowling you get two chances; no matter
what you do with the first ball, you get another one to make it
right—the ultimate second chance. Keeping that in mind, Tom begins his
new career with the loving okay from his wife, Jen (Katie Lowes), and
the unfaltering support of Archie (Chi McBride), his mentor and the
proud owner of Archie’s Lanes: Home of the Curly Fry. It remains to be
seen if Tom will strike it big on the Pro Bowler circuit, but right now,
the pins are set, he’s taking his second shot and it’s 300 or bust!
Mark Gross, David Hollander and Brian D’Arcy James serve as executive
producers for CBS Studios. Mark Cendrowski directed the pilot from a
script by Gross. <i>Smallwood</i> stars Pete Holmes as Tom, Chi McBride as
Archie, and Katie Lowes as Jen.</p><p><u>Unscripted</u></p><p><b>The Activist</b> is a competition series featuring six inspiring activists teamed with
three high-profile public figures working together to bring meaningful
change to one of three vitally important world causes: health, education
and environment. Activists go head-to-head in challenges to promote
their causes, with their success measured via online engagement, social
metrics and hosts' input. The three teams have one ultimate goal: to
create impactful movements that amplify their message, drive action, and
advance them to the G20 Summit in Rome, Italy. There, they will meet
with world leaders in the hope of securing funding and awareness for
their causes. The team that receives the largest commitment is
celebrated as the overall winner at the finale, which will also feature
musical performances by some of the world's most passionate artists. <b> </b></p><p><b>Come Dance with Me</b> - In <i>Come Dance with me</i>, exceptionally talented young dancers from across
the country invite one inspirational, untrained family member or other
adult who has supported their dance dreams, to become their dance
partner for a chance to strut their stuff for a grand prize. The series
is hosted by Philip Lawrence with judges Jenna Dewan, Tricia Miranda and
Dexter Mayfield. Each week, these aspiring kids will share their love
of dance with their mother, father, grandparent or other hero on an
uplifting and emotional journey to learn and perform challenging
routines, with the assistance of professional choreographers, in a
competition with other duos. <i>Come Dance with Me</i> is produced by CBS
Studios and 3 Ball Productions. LL COOL J, Chris O’Donnell, Reinout
Oerlemans, Ross Weintraub and Jeff Altrock, Jeff Thacker, Nick Florez
and RJ Durell are executive producers. </p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-16829940103955658732021-05-18T12:24:00.003-04:002021-05-18T12:24:21.553-04:00Fall 2021 Schedule: ABC<p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - Dancing with the Stars<br />10:00 - The Good Doctor</p><p>No changes.</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Bachelorette<br />10:00 - Queens (NEW)</p><p>After airing last fall due to pandemic complications, <i>The Bachelorette</i> gets a more permanent upgrade to the regular-season schedule. It's followed by the high-profile new musical drama <i>Queens</i>, which has a stacked cast that includes rapper Eve and singer/actress Brandy.</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Goldbergs<br />8:30 - The Wonder Years (NEW)<b><br /></b>9:00 - The Conners<br />9:30 - Home Economics (New Timeslot)<b><br /></b>10:00 - A Million Little Things</p><p>Newbie <i>Home Economics</i> gets a nice bump to follow <i>The Conners</i>, and the Black-led reboot of <i>The Wonder Years</i> pairs with <i>The Goldbergs</i> for a nostalgic comedy hour.</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Station 19<br />9:00 - Grey's Anatomy<br />10:00 - Big Sky (New Timeslot)</p><p>This is the third schedule we've seen but the first to have any shows moving timeslots. <i>Big Sky</i>, which all but self-started on Tuesdays at 10:00 in a typically difficult slot for ABC, gets to move behind perennial hit <i>Grey's Anatomy</i> for season two.</p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 - Shark Tank<br />9:00 - 20/20</p><p>No changes. Remember when the networks tried on Fridays?!</p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>7:00 - America's Funniest Home Videos<br />8:00 - Celebrity Wheel of Fortune<br />9:00 - Supermarket Sweep (New Timeslot)<br />10:00 - The Rookie</p><p><i>Celebrity Wheel of Fortune</i> also gets an upgrade on the schedule, going from limited series to fixture and replacing <i>Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?</i> To accommodate, <i>Supermarket Sweep</i> moves back an hour.</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p>The eighth and final season of <i>black-ish</i> is on tap, along with new drama <i>Women of the Movement</i> and new comedies <i>Abbott Elementary</i> and <i>Maggie</i>. (It's also likely that <i>The Bachelor</i> will be back, though nothing official has been announced.)</p><p>Finally, some moving parts! Nothing too interesting or surprising, but moves nonetheless! I'm looking forward to the new <i>The Wonder Years</i> and <i>Queens</i>, but ABC is going to have to do something more exciting and drastic soon. <i>The Goldbergs</i> is entering its ninth season, and it can't go on forever; what comedy anchor replaces it? What about when <i>The Conners</i> runs its course (or becomes too expensive)? <i>Dancing with the Stars</i> had a rough season between its winner and its new host, so what happens when that show is no longer viable? Do you just replace everything with rebooted game shows from yesteryear?</p><p>Click after the jump for new show descriptions.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><u>Dramas</u><p></p><p><b>Queens</b> - Estranged and out-of-touch, four women in their 40s reunite for a chance
to recapture their fame and regain the swagger they had as the Nasty
Bitches – their ’90s group that made them legends in the hip-hop world. <i>Queens</i> stars Eve as Brianna aka Professor Sex, Naturi Naughton as Jill
aka Da Thrill, Nadine Velazquez as Valeria aka Butter Pecan, Taylor
Selé as Eric Jones, Pepi Sonuga as Lil Muffin and Brandy as Naomi aka
Xplicit Lyrics. Zahir McGhee, Sabrina Wind and Tim Story are executive
producers. The series is produced by ABC Signature, a part of Disney
Television Studios. The pilot episode is written by Zahir McGhee and
directed by Tim Story</p><p><b>Women of the Movement</b> tells the story of Mamie Till-Mobley, who in
1955 risks her life to find justice after her son Emmett is brutally
murdered in the Jim Crow South. Unwilling to let Emmett’s murder
disappear from the headlines, Mamie chooses to bear her pain on the
world stage, emerging as an activist for justice and igniting the Civil
Rights movement as we know it today. The limited series stars Adrienne
Warren as Mamie Till-Mobley, Tonya Pinkins as Alma, Cedric Joe as Emmett
Till, Ray Fisher as Gene Mobley, Glynn Turman as Mose Wright, Chris Coy
as J.W. Milam, Carter Jenkins as Roy Bryant and Julia McDermott as
Carolyn Bryant. <i>Women of the Movement</i> is produced by Kapital
Entertainment. Marissa Jo Cerar serves as executive producer and
showrunner. Executive producers are Aaron Kaplan, Dana Honor and Michael
Lohmann (Kapital Entertainment), Jay-Z, Jay Brown and Tyran “Ty Ty”
Smith (Roc Nation), Will Smith and James Lassiter (Overbrook), Rosanna
Grace (Serendipity Group Inc.), Alex Foster and John Powers Middleton
(Middleton Media Group), David Clark (Mazo Partners) and Gina
Prince-Bythewood. The first episode is written by Marissa Jo Cerar and
directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood.</p><p><u>Comedies</u></p><p><b>Abbott Elementary</b> - In this workplace comedy, a group of dedicated, passionate teachers —
and a slightly tone-deaf principal — are brought together in a
Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them,
they are determined to help their students succeed in life. Though
these incredible educators may be outnumbered and underfunded, they love
what they do — even if they don’t love the school district’s
less-than-stellar attitude toward educating children.<br /><i>Abbott Elementary</i> stars Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues, Tyler James
Williams as Gregory Eddie, Janelle James as Ava Coleman, Chris Perfetti
as Jacob Hill, Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa Schemmenti and Sheryl Lee
Ralph as Barbara Howard. Quinta Brunson serves as writer and executive
producer alongside Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker of Delicious
Non-Sequitur Productions. The series is produced by Warner Bros.
Television and 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios. The
pilot episode is written by Quinta Brunson and directed by Randall
Einhorn. </p><p><b>Maggie</b> - Based on the short film by Tim Curcio, <i>Maggie</i> follows a young woman
trying to cope with life as a psychic. Maggie regularly sees the future
of her friends, parents, clients and random strangers on the street, but
when she suddenly sees a glimpse of her own future, Maggie is forced to
start living in her own present. The series stars Rebecca Rittenhouse
as Maggie, David Del Rio as Ben, Nichole Sakura as Louise, Angelique
Cabral as Amy, Leonardo Nam as Dave, Ray Ford as Angel, Chloe Bridges as
Jessie, Kerri Kenney as Maria and Chris Elliott as Jack. <i>Maggie</i> is
written and executive produced by Justin Adler and Maggie Mull. Evan
Hayes and Jeff Morton also serve as executive producers. The series is
produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios. The
pilot episode is written by Justin Adler and Maggie Mull, and directed
by Natalia Anderson</p><p><b>The Wonder Years</b> - Inspired by the beloved award-winning series of the same name, <i>The
Wonder Years</i> is a coming-of-age story set in the late 1960s that takes a
nostalgic look at a Black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama,
through the point of view of imaginative 12-year-old Dean. With the
wisdom of his adult years, Dean’s hopeful and humorous recollections
show how his family found their “wonder years” in a turbulent time. <i>The
Wonder Years</i> stars Don Cheadle, narrating the series as adult Dean
Williams, Elisha “EJ” Williams as Dean Williams, Dulé Hill as Bill
Williams, Saycon Sengbloh as Lillian Williams, Laura Kariuki as Kim
Williams, Julian Lerner as Brad Hitman, Amari O’Neil as Cory Long and
Milan Ray as Keisa Clemmons. Saladin Patterson serves as writer and
executive producer. Lee Daniels and Marc Velez of Lee Daniels
Entertainment also executive produce along with original series star
Fred Savage. The series is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney
Television Studios. The pilot episode is written by Saladin Patterson
and directed by Fred Savage.</p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-32018636134956465192021-05-17T19:15:00.001-04:002021-05-17T19:15:44.227-04:00Fall 2021 Schedule: Fox<p><b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - 9-1-1<br />9:00 - The Big Leap (NEW)</p><p>These shows have nothing in common, but <i>9-1-1</i>, which spent a few weeks this season as the highest-rated scripted series on broadcast, leads into the new ballet-themed soap <i>The Big Leap</i>. <i>9-1-1: Lone Star</i> is held for midseason, when it will again replace the mothership during an extended hiatus, just as it did in the 2019-2020 season.</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Resident<br />9:00 - Our Kind of People (NEW)</p><p>The other new drama on the fall schedule, <i>Our Kind of People</i> from <i>Empire </i>mastermind Lee Daniels, fills in the slot left by <i>Prodigal Son</i>. Morris Chestnut, interestingly enough, will recur on <i>The Resident</i> while also starring on <i>Our Kind</i>, for an all-Chestnut night on Fox.</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Masked Singer<br />9:00 - Alter Ego (NEW)</p><p>Continuing with this season's them of rotating unscripted shows after <i>The Masked Singer</i>, a new singing competition premieres in which people sing as "alter egos" of themselves, avatars of who they always wanted to be seen as. It sounds weird, but then again... <i>Masked Singer</i>.</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>Thursday Night Football</p><p>This is the last season of Thursday Night Football on Fox; in 2022, it moves to Amazon. <br /></p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 - WWE Smackdown</p><p>How boring is Fox's schedule when two whole nights are football and wrestling?</p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Simpsons<br />8:30 - The Great North<br />9:00 - Bob's Burgers<br />9:30 - Family Guy</p><p>The half-hour push-back has really helped <i>Family Guy</i>, in comparison with the rest of the animated lineup: it's now the highest-rated animated series on Fox for the last few weeks, even bigger than <i>The Simpsons</i>.</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p>New country-music drama <i>Monarch</i> will premiere after the NFC Championship game on Sunday, January 30 before assuming its regular timeslot on Tuesday, February 1. Fox also has the new drama <i>The Cleaning Lady</i> on tap for midseason, along with two new comedies in <i>Pivoting</i> and <i>Welcome to Flatch</i> and a limited series based on a BBC series, <i>Accused</i>.<br /></p><p>Returning shows at midseason include <i>9-1-1: Lone Star, Call Me Kat, I Can See Your Voice,</i> and <i>Masterchef Junior</i>. There's also a slew of new unscripted shows coming.</p><p>I don't think I'll even offer commentary on much this season. There's nothing to care much about here. None of the new dramas sound very interesting or unique, and the two comedies sound downright awful (and last year's lone hit <i>Call Me Kat</i> was too). Fox lives and dies on its alternative programming, from football to professional wrestling to <i>The Masked Singer</i> and game shows. It's boring.</p><p>Click after the jumpf or show descriptions.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><u>Dramas</u><p></p><p><b>The Big Leap</b> is a modern tale about second chances, chasing your dreams
and taking back what’s yours. From creator/executive producer Liz
Heldens (<i>The Passage, Friday Night Lights</i>), director/executive
producer Jason Winer (<i>Modern Family</i>) and executive producer Sue Naegle, the show revolves around a group of
diverse, down-on-their-luck characters attempting to change their lives
by participating in a potentially life-ruining reality dance show that
builds to a live production of <i>Swan Lake</i>. On the heels of his latest
show failure and a stressful divorce, producer NICK BLACKBURN (Scott
Foley, <i>Scandal</i>) reluctantly signs on to produce “The Big Leap,” a
brand-new contest series filming in Motor City. The show, which brings
together dancers from every age, background and body type, is the
brainchild of aging dancer WAYNE FONTAINE (Kevin Daniels, <i>Modern
Family</i>). With choreographer MONICA SULLIVAN (Mallory Jansen, <i>Galavant</i>) on board to help Nick mount the production, he begins his
search for not only the best dancers, but also the ones that could stir
up the most drama. GABBY LEWIS (newcomer Simone Recasner), once dreamt
of becoming a professional dancer, but her dreams were sidelined when
she got pregnant right out of high school. In the midst of the monotony
that is her 9-to-5 office job, she stumbles upon <i>The Big Leap</i>,
reigniting her passion for dance. Auditioning alongside Gabby is JUSTIN
REYES (Raymond Cham Jr., <i>Five Points</i>), Gabby’s former dance partner
and high school boyfriend…that is, until he came out of the closet (to
the surprise of no one, except Gabby). Their fellow contestants include
REGGIE SADLER (Ser’Darius Blain, <i>Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle</i>), a
famous pro football champ whom Nick believes could give the show the
star power and controversy it needs to break through; BRITTNEY LOVEWELL
(Anna Grace Barlow, <i>The Goldbergs</i>), a born-and-bred hyper-competitive
ballroom dancer paired with her twin brother; unemployed autoworker MIKE
DEVRIES (Jon Rudnitsky, <i>Catch-22</i>), whose gradual unraveling recently
led his wife, to leave him; PAULA CLARK (Piper Perabo, <i>Covert Affairs, Coyote Ugly</i>), a high-powered corporate executive; and former
ballerina JULIA PERKINS (Teri Polo, <i>Meet the Parents</i> franchise), now a
social-media-obsessed mom who focuses more on her Instagram than on her
teenage girls or husband; Inspired by a U.K. reality format, <i>The Big Leap</i> is an innovative show-within-a-show that takes viewers on a journey
of self-acceptance, body-positivity and empowerment at any age.</p><p><b>Our Kind of People</b> - Inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s provocative, critically acclaimed
book, <i>Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class,</i> the
series takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s
Vineyard, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful black
elite have come to play for over 50 years. <i>Our Kind of People</i> follows
strong-willed, single mom ANGELA VAUGHN (Yaya DaCosta, <i>Chicago Med, Whitney</i>) as she sets out to reclaim her family’s name and make an
impact with her revolutionary haircare line that highlights the innate,
natural beauty of black women. But she soon discovers a dark secret
about her own mother’s past that will turn her world upside-down and
shake up this community forever. The show is a soapy, thrilling
exploration of race and class in America and an unapologetic celebration
of black resilience and achievement</p><p><b>The Cleaning Lady</b> - From executive producer/writer Miranda Kwok (<i>The 100</i>), executive
producer/showrunner Melissa Carter (<i>Queen Sugar</i>), executive
producer/director Michael Offer (<i>Homeland, How To Get Away With
Murder</i>) and executive producers Shay Mitchell <i>(You, Pretty Little
Liars</i>), Rose Marie Vega and Paola Suarez, <i>The Cleaning Lady</i> is a
thrilling and emotionally driven character drama about a whip-smart
Cambodian doctor who comes to the U.S. for a medical treatment to save
her ailing son. However, when the system fails and pushes her into
hiding, she refuses to be beaten down and marginalized. Instead, she
becomes a cleaning lady for the organized crime, using her cunning and
intelligence to forge her own path in the criminal underworld. THONY
(Elodie Yung, <i>The Hitman’s Bodyguard</i>) had it all – a successful
career, a handsome husband and a child on the way. But when their son,
LUCA (newcomers Valentino and Sebastien LaSalle), was diagnosed with a
rare, life-threatening immunodeficiency disorder, her husband’s own
secrets begin to emerge, leaving Thony to save the boy on her own. Now
in Las Vegas with her sister-in-law, FIONA (Martha Millan <i>The OA</i>),
Thony waits for a matching bone marrow donor for Luca, while struggling
to make ends meet as an undocumented worker. Then, through an unexpected
connection with the mobster ARMAN MORALES (Adan Canto, <i>Designated
Survivor</i>), Thony learns she can now save Luca – even if it means
sacrificing her own soul in the process. Crossing into a world of moral
greys, Thony begins to live a double life, keeping secrets from her
family, while cleaning crime scenes for Arman and dodging the law. Based
on the original Argentine series, <i>The Cleaning Lady</i> is a story of
empowerment, resilience and the human spirit that asks us all if the
ends justify the means.</p><p><b>Monarch</b> is an epic, multi-generational musical drama about America’s first
family of country music. The Romans are passionate and fiercely
talented, but while their name is synonymous with honesty, the very
foundation of this family’s success is a lie. When dangerous truths
bubble to the surface, the Romans’ reign as country royalty is put in
jeopardy. Nicky Roman, the brilliant and fierce heir to the crown,
already battling an industry and world stacked against her, will stop at
nothing to protect her family’s legacy. It’s finally her turn. But is
it too late?</p><p><u>Comedies</u></p><p><b>Pivoting</b> is a single-camera comedy about how we deal with life, death
and all the crazy things that happen in between. Set in a small,
middle-class town in Long Island, NY, the series follows three women –
and close-knit childhood friends – as they cope with the death of the
fourth member of their group. When faced with the reality that life is
short, these women pivot, and alter their current paths, by way of a
series of impulsive, ill-advised and self-indulgent decisions. These
pivots will strengthen their bond and prove it’s never too late to screw
up your life in the pursuit of happiness. For AMY (Eliza Coupe, <i>Happy
Endings</i>), the fearless producer of a local cooking show, managing a
hundred employees comes easily. Yet, when it comes to caring for her own
children – seven-year-old LUKE (Marcello Reyes, <i>Modern Family</i>) and
18-month-old JULIA – she’s absolutely terrified. Despite her lack of
maternal instincts, her husband, HENRY (Tommy Dewey, <i>Casual</i>), a
contractor who never loses his cool, perfectly counter-balances Amy in
all of her flaws. Her pivot is to be a more active, present mother.
JODIE (Ginnifer Goodwin, <i>Once Upon a Time</i>) is a stay-at-home mom of
three in a loveless marriage. Her husband is a controlling,
finance-obsessed jerk, but Jodie has never even considered that the
grass might be greener anywhere else. When she does, her pivot means
getting in shape…and maybe more with her hot 25-year-old trainer, MATT
(JT Neal, <i>Bless This Mess</i>), who gives her the attention, affection and
excitement she didn’t realize she had been craving for years. SARAH
(Maggie Q, <i>Designated Survivor</i>) is a successful doctor — an MD and
PhD, as she will readily let anyone know. For Sarah, the loss of their
friend is compounded by the recent divorce from her wife. After a life
filled with stress, Sarah is sent into a tailspin, that launches her
pivot to a simpler, and thus happier life — working as a grocery store
employee. Written by Liz Astrof (<i>The Conners, 2 Broke Girls</i>), <i>Pivoting</i> takes a real look at three intelligent, empowered and seemingly
enlightened women who decide to stop and hit the reset button. For all
three of these women, the untimely and heartbreaking death of their
friend was the wake-up call they didn’t know they needed, but might be
just the thing that helps them live their best lives.</p><p><b>Welcome to Flatch </b>- Inspired by BBC Studios’ BAFTA-winning format <i>This Country</i>, <i>Welcome to Flatch</i> is a half-hour comedy written and executive-produced by Emmy
Award winner Jenny Bicks (<i>Sex and the City, The Greatest Showman</i>)
and directed and executive-produced by Emmy Award nominee Paul Feig (<i>The Office, Bridesmaids</i>). When a documentary crew sets out to
explore the lives of residents in a small American town – their
concerns, their dreams, their lives – they stumble upon the midwestern
town of Flatch, a place you want to visit and maybe even stay. If there
was a decent motel. Which there is not. Flatch is made up of many
eccentric personalities, including two cousins who don’t have much, but
they do have each other. Twenty-year-old KELLY MALLET (newcomer Chelsea
Holmes) has never left her hometown and doesn’t want to. Outwardly
tough, she’s really a softie with dreams of being an entrepreneur, and
the wardrobe of an aging male sports fan. SHRUB MALLET (newcomer Sam
Straley) is Kelly’s 21-year-old cousin and best friend. He has the soul
of an artist and the body of an artist with a mineral deficiency. Hoping
to guide Kelly and Shrub is FATHER JOE (Seann William Scott, <i>Lethal
Weapon, American Pie</i> franchise), the town’s new pastor and a recent
transplant from Minneapolis. He loves his adopted town and its odd
inhabitants and always believes things can be made better with a good
chat and a hug, even though he’s not sure it’s okay to hug anymore.
Actually, Joe arrived in Flatch with his girlfriend, CHERYL (Aya Cash, <i>The Boys, You’re The Worst</i>), but they broke up soon after they
moved. A reporter back in Minneapolis, Cheryl is surprised to find that
she is blossoming here as editor of the town’s newspaper (circulation
751). Other residents of the town are NADINE PETERSON (Taylor Ortega, <i>Succession</i>), who went to high school with Shrub and Kelly and is
everything they are not – beautiful, married, successful; BIG MANDY
(newcomer Krystal Smith), Kelly’s neighbor and a magnetic force of
nature; and MICKEY (newcomer Justin Linville), an old classmate of Shrub
and Kelly’s who works at the fireworks store.</p><p><u>Unscripted</u></p><p><b>Alter Ego</b> - In this all-new original singing competition, lost dreams and second
chances are reignited when singers from all walks of life become the
stars they’ve always wanted to be. However, these contestants won’t
perform as themselves. Rather, they’ll be given the chance to show how
they’ve always wanted to be seen, creating their dream avatar <i>Alter Ego</i>
to reinvent themselves and perform like never before.</p><p><b>Next Level Chef</b> - Gordon Ramsay is back with <i>Next Level Chef</i>, the next evolution in
cooking competitions. The series features a one-of-a-kind culinary
gauntlet – which Ramsay designed — set on an iconic stage like you’ve
never seen. Over three stories high, each floor contains a stunningly
different kitchen. From the glistening top floor to the challenging
bottom of the basement, the ingredients will match the environment,
because Ramsay believes the true test of a great chef is not only what
they can do in the best of circumstances, but what kind of magic they
can create in the worst! With a level playing field, Ramsay has opened
up the competition and scoured the country for the very best line cooks,
home chefs, social media stars, food truck owners and everything in
between, all competing against one another with the goal of finding the
food world’s newest superstar. Joined by two elite names in the food
world, chefs Nyesha Arrington and Gino D’Acampo, Ramsay and his
co-mentors will leave no stone unturned, as they each recruit a group of
the talented young chefs, and take them under their wings. Ramsay and
his friends will attempt to bring out the very best in their cooks, as
they all try to find “the one.”</p><p><b>Don't Forget the Lyrics!</b> - Emmy Award nominee Niecy Nash hosts the all-new version of the popular
game show <i>Don't Forget the Lyrics!</i>, challenging contestants’ musical
memory, as they get one song closer to winning $1 million if they <i>Don't Forget the Lyrics!</i> Contestants will choose songs from different genres,
decades and musical artists, then they’ll take center stage to sing
alongside the studio band as the lyrics are projected on screen – but
suddenly the music will stop, and the words will disappear. Will the
contestants belt out the correct missing lyrics, or freeze under
pressure? If they sing nine songs correctly, they are presented with a
No. 1 hit and sing the final missing lyrics for the top prize of $1
million. It’s that simple: 10 songs, some missing lyrics, $1 million.</p><p><b>Domino Masters </b>- Emmy Award-winning actor and comedian Eric Stonestreet (<i>Modern Family</i>)
hosts new unscripted competition series <i>Domino Masters,</i> featuring teams
of domino enthusiasts facing off in an unbelievable domino toppling and
chain reaction tournament. Throughout the competition, Stonestreet,
alongside the judges, will encourage the domino aficionados, introduce
incredible challenges and put the creations to the test until one team
is crowned the <i>Domino Masters</i>. <i>Domino Masters</i> brings imagination and
creative ingenuity to life when teams of domino enthusiasts go
head-to-head in a toppling tournament to create mind-blowing
masterpieces, with infinite possibilities and thousands of tiles and
unique kinetic devices. Sixteen skilled teams will compete against each
other in ambitious dominoes building challenges to be crowned the
country’s most talented amateur domino topplers. In each episode, the
teams will be given a bold theme and exciting custom elements to
incorporate into their topple. The competing pairs who most impress the
judges will progress to the next round, until the finale, during which
the top teams will face off for a cash prize, the ultimate trophy and
the grand title of <i>Domino Masters</i>. </p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-5232883423904343552021-05-14T18:14:00.004-04:002021-05-14T18:17:39.674-04:00Fall 2021 Schedule: NBC<p> <b>Monday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Voice<br />10:00 - Ordinary Joe (NEW)</p><p>For the first time since its premiere, <i>The Voice </i>will move to only one cycle per season in the fall. That'll leave room for NBC's midseason plans (see below).</p><p><b>Tuesday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Voice<br />9:00 - La Brea (NEW)<br />10:00 - New Amsterdam</p><p>The only change here is slotting in the new drama <i>La Brea</i>, a high-concept sci-fi/fantasy adventure series that was developed during the pandemic last year. It'll take over <i>This Is U</i>s<i>'s </i>timeslot, while the veteran drama gears up for a mostly-uninterrupted run of its final season at midseason.</p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>8:00 - Chicago Med<br />9:00 - Chicago Fire<br />10:00 - Chicago PD</p><p>No changes to the Dick Wolf Chicago night, except in terms of cast: two series regulars (Torrey DeVitto and Yaya DaCosta) announced they're not returning next year.</p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>8:00 - Law & Order: For the Defense (NEW)<br />9:00 - Law & Order: SVU<br />10:00 - Law & Order: Organized Crime</p><p>Dick Wolf gets another night all to himvuself with it's all <i>L&O</i> all the time on Thursdays. The new drama <i>For the Defense</i> leads off the night, followed by the boosted <i>SVU</i> and the new hit led by Christopher Meloni's Det. Stabler, <i>Organized Crime</i>.</p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>8:00 - The Blacklist<br />9:00 - Dateline NBC</p><p>No changes to Fridays.</p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>Sunday Night Football</p><p><b>Midseason</b></p><p><i>This Is Us</i> returns for its sixth and final season at midseason alongside comedies <i>Kenan, Mr. Mayor,</i> and <i>Young Rock</i>. They'll be joined by two new comedies, <i>American Auto </i>and <i>Grand Crew</i>, and the Renee Zellwegger-led limited series <i>The Thing About Pam</i>. New alternative series include an <i>America's Got Talent</i> spin-off subtitled <i>Extreme</i>; an American version of Eurovision called <i>American Song Contest</i>; a new Ava Duvernay series about ra,ce in America; and the premieres of <i>Who Do You Think You Are?</i> and <i>That's My Jam</i>, which were ordered last year but halted during the pandemic. There are also several new docuseries coming, including another Dick Wolf series, which you can read about below.</p><p>In addition, the final season of <i>Brooklyn Nine-Nine </i>will air this summer, using the Olympics as a lead-in. Decisions have not yet been made about <i>Good Girls, Manifest, Debris, Ellen's Game of Games</i>, and <i>Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist</i>.<br /></p><p>This is, again, a stagnant schedule. Nothing is moved around the board, just empty holes filled. And that's not the kind of thing that will save the sinking broadcast ship. <i>Organized Crime</i> goosed the schedule for a while, playing on nostalgia, but it's quickly leveled off into a solid performer but not nearly the juggernaut it was in its first two weeks. Same for <i>This Is Us</i>, which fell precipitously in the last year. The pandemic really seemed to drive home how little people want or need broadcast television. Why wait for new episodes of a show, doled out in confusing chunks to accommodate how slowly shows were being made, when you can binge the entire thing after it's over? Why watch commercials when you can binge commercial-free on Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Disney Plus, and other streamers? The uncertainty facing networks is reflected here. NBC doesn't seem to know what to do, so they're relying on familiarity (<i>Law & Order, Chicago</i>, procedurals).</p><p>The new shows are more of the same (a sci-fi series a la <i>Manifest, Debris</i>, etc; a spin-off/franchise; a multi-timeline drama), and comedies are missing entirely from fall, a sign of just how far they've fallen recently. I don't really know what to make of this, except that it may not be long before the networks are filled with unscripted fare and scripted is only on prestige channels.<br /></p><p>Click after the jump for new show descriptions.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><u>Comedy</u><p></p><p><b>American Auto</b> - From the creator of <i>Superstore</i> comes a new workplace comedy that takes
the wheels off the automobile industry. Set in Detroit, the corporate
executives of Payne Motors are at a crossroads: adapt to the changing
times or be sent to the junkyard. Shaking things up is the new CEO,
whose leadership, experience and savvy is only slightly offset by her
complete lack of knowledge about cars. Luckily, her team has some of the
best minds in the business – when they aren’t fighting or trying to
outwit each other. From the corporate office to the factory floor, the
crew of Payne Motors is driving home the laughs. The cast includes Ana
Gasteyer, Jon Barinholtz, Harriet Dyer, Humphrey Ker, Michael B.
Washington, Tye White and X Mayo. Justin Spitzer (<i>Superstore</i>) will
write and executive produce. Jeff Blitz will direct and executive
produce the pilot episode. Aaron Kaplan and Dana Honor will executive
produce. <i>American Auto</i> is produced by Universal Television, a division
of Universal Studio Group, in association with Spitzer Holding Company,
Kapital Entertainment</p><p><b>Grand Crew</b> - From Phil Augusta Jackson (writer-producer-director, <i>Brooklyn
Nine-Nine</i>) and Dan Goor (creator, <i>Brooklyn Nine-Nine</i>) comes a new
comedy that proves that life is better with your crew. This group of
young professionals are all trying to navigate the ups and downs of life
and love in Los Angeles — and they always find time to gather at their
favorite bar to “wine down” and unpack it all. There’s Noah, a hopeless
romantic too eager to settle down; Nicky, a go-getter in both real
estate and romance; Sherm, a low-key genius who plays the dating odds;
Anthony, whose true love is his career; and Wyatt, who’s relieved to be
married and out of the dating scene. And just like wine, their
friendship gets better with time. The cast includes Nicole Byer, Justin
Cunningham, Aaron Jennings, Echo Kellum and Carl Tart. Phil Augusta
Jackson will write and executive produce. Mo
Marable will direct and co-executive produce the pilot. Dan Goor will
executive produce. <i>Grand Crew </i>is produced by Universal Television, a
division of Universal Studio Group.</p><p><u>Drama</u></p><p><b>La Brea</b> - An epic adventure begins when a massive sinkhole opens in the middle of
Los Angeles, pulling hundreds of people and buildings into its depths.
Those who fell in find themselves in a mysterious and dangerous primeval
land, where they have no choice but to band together to survive.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world desperately seeks to understand what
happened. In the search for answers, one family torn apart by this
disaster will have to unlock the secrets of this inexplicable event to
find a way back to each other. The cast includes Natalie Zea, Eoin
Macken, Jon Seda, Nicholas Gonzalez, Chiké Okonkwo, Karina Logue, Zyra
Gorecki, Jack Martin, Veronica St. Clair, Rohan Mirchandaney, Lily
Santiago, Josh McKenzie and Chloe De Los Santos. Writer David Appelbaum
executive produces with Avi Nir, Alon Shtruzman, Peter Traugott, Rachel
Kaplan, Steven Lilien, Bryan Wynbrandt, Ken Woodruff, Arika Lisanne
Mittman and Adam Davidson. <i>La Brea</i> is produced by Universal
Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with
Keshet Studios.</p><p><b>Law & Order: For the Defense</b> - In its 30-year history as the most successful brand in television, Law
and Order has only ever explored the perspective of its iconic
prosecutors … until now. From legendary executive producer Dick Wolf
comes <i>Law & Order: For the Defense</i>, the newest entry in the
beloved franchise that takes an unflinching look inside a criminal
defense firm. Every week, the series will put the lawyers – and the
criminal justice system – under the microscope like only Law & Order
can, delivering hard-hitting, ripped-from-the-headlines stories that
provide a new vantage point on justice. Carol Mendelsohn will executive
produce with Dick Wolf, Arthur Forney, Julie Weitz and Peter Jankowski.
The series will be produced by Universal Television, a division of
Universal Studio Group, and Wolf Entertainment </p><p><b>Ordinary Joe</b> - Life is all about the choices you make – and sometimes what you do in a
single moment can change everything. This new heartfelt, life-affirming
drama follows Joe Kimbreau, who faces one of these decisions at his
college graduation. The three parallel stories that diverge from that
night find Joe and the people around him with different careers,
relationships and family lives, showing the unexpected ways that things
change – and stay the same. But when it comes down to it, there is no
“right” choice; no matter what happens, Joe’s life is always messy,
exciting, tough, unpredictable … and beautiful. The cast includes James
Wolk, Natalie Martinez, Elizabeth Lail and Charlie Barnett. Russel
Friend and Garrett Lerner will write and executive produce along with
executive producers Matt Reeves, Adam Kassan, Rafi Crohn, Howard Klein.
Adam Davidson will direct and executive produce the pilot episode. <i>Ordinary Joe</i> is produced by 20th Television, Universal Television, a
division of Universal Studio Group, 6th & Idaho, 3 Arts</p><p><b>The Thing About Pam</b> - Two-time Academy Award winner Renée Zellweger stars in a riveting
true-crime drama inspired by one of the most popular, compelling sagas
ever told on <i>Dateline NBC</i>. What appeared to be a straightforward
murder case would eventually set off a chain of events exposing both a
wrongful conviction and a diabolical scheme involving a woman named Pam
Hupp. From Blumhouse Television, NBC News Studios and
showrunner/executive producer Jessika Borsiczky, this limited series
will bring a new perspective to a story that has already captivated
millions. The cast includes Renee Zellweger. <i>The Thing About Pam</i> will
be executive produced by Renee Zellweger, Carmella Casinelli, Jessika
Borsiczky, Liz Cole, Noah Oppenheim, Jason Blum, Chris McCumber and
Jeremy Gold. Blumhouse Television, NBC News Studios and Big Picture Co.
will produce.</p><p><u>Unscripted</u></p><p><b>AGT: Extreme</b> - Expanding the <i>America’s Got Talent </i>franchise from powerhouse producer Simon Cowell and production partner Fremantle, <i>AGT: Extreme</i>
will showcase the most outrageous and jaw-dropping daredevil acts. Each
week extreme contestants will go head-to-head in the most wild, wacky
and craziest stunts to vie for the ultimate title. Cowell will serve as a
judge. <i>AGT: Extreme</i> will be co-produced by Fremantle and Syco
Entertainment. Simon Cowell, Sam Donnelly, Jason Raff and Richard
Wallace are the executive producers</p><p><b>American Song Contest</b> - America’s biggest live entertainment event has arrived! Based on the
worldwide phenomenon <i>Eurovision Song Contest</i>, organized for 65 years
by the European Broadcasting Union and watched by 200 million viewers
annually, this amazing musical spectacular combines the competitive
spirit of rooting for your favorite sports team with the joy of watching
a beloved singing performance. In the U.S. version of the international
megahit, <i>American Song Contest </i>will feature live original musical
performances, representing all 50 states, five U.S. territories and our
nation’s capital, competing to win the country’s vote for the Best
Original Song. An incredible solo artist, duo, DJ or a band will
represent each location and will perform a new, original song,
celebrating the different styles and genres across America. The live
competition consists of three rounds as the acts compete in a series of
Qualifying Rounds, followed by the Semi Finals and the ultimate Grand
Final where one state or territory will emerge victorious. <i>American
Song Contest </i>will be produced by Anders Lenhoff, Christer Björkman,
Peter Settman and Ola Melzig alongside Propagate’s Ben Silverman, Howard
T. Owens and Gregory Lipstone. The series is from Universal Television
Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group.</p><p><b>Home Sweet Home</b> - Following two families who lead very different lives for a life-changing
experience, executive producer Ava DuVernay’s <i>Home Sweet Home</i>
explores what it’s like to walk a mile in another person’s shoes by
challenging racial, religious, economic, geographic, gender and identity
assumptions as participants exchange homes for a week and experience
the life of someone unlike them. From Warner Bros. Unscripted Television
in association with Warner Horizon and ARRAY, <i>Home Sweet Home</i> is
executive produced by Ava DuVernay, Sarah Bremner and Paul Garnes. </p><p><b>LA Fire and Rescue</b> - In this new docuseries, Dick Wolf, Universal Television Alternative
Studio and 44 Blue Productions have gained unprecedented access within
The Los Angeles County Fire Department. The LACoFD is responsible for
protecting the lives and property of 4 million residents living in 59
cities across Los Angeles County. From helicopter mountain rescues,
lifeguard beach SOS, fireboats, hazmat units, to California’s raging
wildfires… they do it all. These fire fighters are true everyday heroes
and their compelling stories will be told alongside the heart-pounding
action of unpredictable and dangerous circumstances as they face the
front lines of life and death. From the producers of NBC’s hit drama
Chicago Fire comes Real Heroes. Real Calls. Real Drama. The series is
produced by Dick Wolf and Tom Thayer for Wolf Entertainment, Rasha
Drachkovitch for 44 Blue, and Universal Television Alternative Studio, a
division of Universal Studio Group. </p><p><b>That's My Jam</b> - Jimmy Fallon will make his primetime hosting debut and executive produce <i>That’s My Jam</i>, a new hourlong music and comedy variety event series
that draws its creative DNA from wildly popular “The Tonight Show” games
such as “Wheel of Musical Impressions,” “Roots Name That Song” and
“Slay It Don’t Spray It.” In each episode, two teams of two celebrities
compete for charity in a series of music and dance-based games,
performative segments and play-along trivia with Fallon hosting all the
action. The format was brought to Universal Television Alternative
Studio by Fallon, longtime <i>The Tonight Show</i> producer Jim Juvonen and
writer Josh Knapp. Adam Blackstone is Musical Director and will lead the
house band throughout each episode.</p><p><b>The Wheel</b> - The series will put viewers into a spin each week as celebrity guests
attempt to help contestants win big. Full of edge-of-your seat jeopardy,
plenty of laughs, huge stars and a spectacular 42-foot-wide spinning
wheel make for one of the most exciting, and unorthodox, game shows to
come around in a long time. <i>The Wheel</i> is produced by Michael McIntyre
and Dan Baldwin for Hungry McBear and by Warner Bros. Unscripted
Television in association with Warner Horizon with Mike Darnell and
Brooke Karzen serving as executive producers. Jeff Apploff serves as
executive producer and showrunner</p><p><b>Who Do You Think You Are?</b> - <i>Who Do You Think You Are?</i> returns with new journeys of self-discovery,
connection and diversity. A new group of celebrities will set sail on
their mission to connect with their family history. <i>Who Do You Think
You Are?</i> is produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in
association with Shed Media, Is or Isn’t Entertainment and Ancestry with
Dan Peirson, Lisa Shannon, Stephanie Schwam, Lisa Kudrow and Dan
Bucatinsky executive producing. </p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-60453141996696509172021-05-10T16:01:00.015-04:002021-06-12T10:53:18.592-04:002021-2022: Broadcast Shows Canceled & Renewed<p><b>ABC</b></p><p><u>Renewed</u>: American Idol, America's Funniest Home Videos, Big Sky, black-ish, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, The Conners, Dancing with the Stars, The Goldbergs, The Good Doctor, The Great Christmas Light Fight, Grey's Anatomy, Home Economics, A Million Little Things, The Rookie, Shark Tank, Station 19, Supermarket Sweep<br /></p><p><u>Canceled</u>: American Housewife, Call Your Mother, For Life, mixed-ish, Rebel<br /></p><p><u>Awaiting Decision:</u><span> The Bachelor, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?</span> <br /></p><p><b>CBS</b></p><p><u>Renewed:</u> The Amazing Race, Blue Bloods, Bob <3 Abishola, B Positive, Bull, The Equalizer, FBI, FBI: Most Wanted, Magnum PI, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Neighborhood, SEAL Team*, Survivor, SWAT, Tough as Nails, The United States of Al, Young Sheldon</p><p><b> </b><u>Canceled</u>: All Rise, Clarice, MacGyver, Mom, NCIS: New Orleans, The Unicorn<br /></p><p><u>Awaiting Decision</u>: Kids Say the Darndest Things</p><p>* Moving to Paramount+<br /></p><p><b>The CW</b></p><p><u>Renewed:</u> All American, Batwoman, Charmed, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Dynasty, The Flash, In the Dark, Kung Fu, Legacies, Nancy Drew, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Riverdale, Roswell, New Mexico, Superman & Lois, Walker, Whose Line Is It Anyway?<br /></p><p><u>Canceled</u>: Black Lightning, Supergirl, Supernatura<u>l</u></p><p><b>Fox</b></p><p><u>Renewed:</u> 9-1-1, 9-1-1: Lone Star, Bob's Burgers, Call Me Kat, Duncanville, Family Guy, The Great North, Hell's Kitchen, I Can See Your Voice, The Masked Singer, The Resident, The Simpsons</p><p><u>Canceled</u>: Bless the Harts, Filthy Rich, Last Man Standing, neXt, The Moodys, Prodigal Son</p><p><u>Awaiting Decision</u>: America's Most Wanted, Cherries Wild, Game of Talents, The Masked Dancer, Name That Tune<br /></p><p><b>NBC</b></p><p><u>Renewed:</u> The Blacklist, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Kenan, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Law & Order: SVU, Mr. Mayor, New Amsterdam, Saturday Night Live, This Is Us, The Voice, The Weakest Link, Young Rock<br /></p><p><u>Canceled:</u> Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Connecting, Debris, Superstore, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist<br /></p><p><u>Awaiting Decision</u>: Ellen's Game of Games, Good Girls, Manifest<br /></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-58137302496837115602021-04-02T14:40:00.003-04:002021-04-02T14:40:44.781-04:00Pilot Review: The United States of Al<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbE-AlLKcrGkoKC4jfNXpsbjwiLh2lI7zi9Sk46W3iI8D7F4CUqeTVHlOddQFoZu-78zFJdswaOTcTGoY0UOkNyaaNFyXSsQef04FH4BPRc7lg3pFhtRMNtc0Q0lr64bjMXJwPOhFu1mc/s882/al.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="611" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbE-AlLKcrGkoKC4jfNXpsbjwiLh2lI7zi9Sk46W3iI8D7F4CUqeTVHlOddQFoZu-78zFJdswaOTcTGoY0UOkNyaaNFyXSsQef04FH4BPRc7lg3pFhtRMNtc0Q0lr64bjMXJwPOhFu1mc/s320/al.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>The United States of Al</b> (Thursdays at 8:30pm on CBS)</p><p>More than a week before it even premiered, a 90-second teaser for <i>The United States of Al </i>created a social media uproar. The series was slammed, particularly on Twitter, for casting a non-Afghan actor as an Afghan character and for being offensive (honestly, I'm not exactly sure how and neither, seemingly, were the commenters, since I can't find any reasons for it other than "racism", so I won't comment on that). The ire is misplaced, because as far as I can tell this isn't so much racially or religiously offensive; it is, however, offensively stupid, which is about what you can expect from the pilot of a new Chuck Lorre sitcom.</p><p>Lorre owns CBS's comedy blocks. Of their six sitcoms currently on the air, he's a producer of five of them (only <i>The Neighborhood</i> isn't part of his empire) and creator of four. And almost all of them, including those no longer airing, had rough beginnings, with some blossoming into feel-good shows about friendship (<i>Mom, </i><i>The Big Bang Theory</i>, <i>Two and a Half Men</i>) and others turning into pleasant, relatively one-note distractions (<i>Young Sheldon, Mike & Molly</i>). It's hard to tell if <i>The United States of Al</i> will fall into the former category, the latter category, or become something else altogether (will it join <i>Disjointed</i> as the only Lorre-created show to last only one season?), especially since his show's pilots never truly indicate what the show will eventually become. But here's hoping <i>The United States of Al</i> can at least escape its old-fashioned "fish out of water" trappings and give its characters actual characterization.</p><p>The pilot actually gets off to a rather pleasant start, with an unexpectedly emotional moment. Riley (Parker Young, most recently of Bravo's <i>Imposters</i>) is an ex-Marine waiting to greet his interpreter at the airport. Awalmir (Adhir Kalyan, <i>Rules of Engagement</i>), or "Al" as he's known to Riley and Riley's family in America, saved Riley's life in Afghanistan, and Riley is returning the favor by allowing Al to live with him in Ohio. Al disembarks, and the two men share a tender, un-self-conscious moment hugging and crying in the airport terminal. The scene ends with a joke about the Air Force being full of crybabies, and it's a surprisingly sweet beginning to the show. Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there.</p><p>As Al is introduced to American customs, like paying a set price for groceries and not haggling over the price of avocados, and meets Riley's family, the comedy becomes more forced and more expected. LOL watch this guy talk a cashier down from $8 to $5 for a rotisserie chicken! LOL listen to this guy talk about how his younger sister is actually an old maid in Afghanistan! LOL can you believe this guy's a Muslim so he's never seen boobs before?! <i>The United States of Al</i> is lazy and utterly laughless for the next twenty minutes.</p><p>This is frustrating not only because of that touching first scene but because the show does seem to <i>want</i> to go further in its depiction of the trauma of war and of the bonds between soldiers and those with whom they serve. But the scenes where these ideas come to the forefront, such as one where Al is pulled over for driving too slow and gets off, despite not having a driver's license, because the cop is also an ex-Marine, are out of place amongst the "foreigner in America" jokes. These moments should humanize the characters, fill in the gaps of their identities, but instead they just highlight how empty they are. We know nothing of Al other than his bond with Riley. He's a character that represents much-needed diversity on TV, in particular on the Old Whitey network that CBS typically is, but there is no real attempt in the pilot to make him a fully-realized person; he's just a vehicle for dated comedy.<br /></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-40174189116486425902021-02-19T17:20:00.003-05:002021-02-19T17:20:20.190-05:00Pilot Reviews: Young Rock & Kenan<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EyFYPJ3QYamXWJ11J6dgwdPadS7EHq9layHmVJpG_8o7ud_aS2eb1HM4qsDVqbJLfDdQWuzuwzBsT16Wu5jCetS6zL0uPYB7gtMmAzeyE89WPyR5HCbBnkpqAmXCKbuQGQlTpfyabn9v/s1496/kenan-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="1122" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EyFYPJ3QYamXWJ11J6dgwdPadS7EHq9layHmVJpG_8o7ud_aS2eb1HM4qsDVqbJLfDdQWuzuwzBsT16Wu5jCetS6zL0uPYB7gtMmAzeyE89WPyR5HCbBnkpqAmXCKbuQGQlTpfyabn9v/s320/kenan-COLLAGE.jpg" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b>Young Rock </b>(Tuesdays at 8:00pm on NBC) <br /></p><p></p><p>I'm not exactly sure why <i>Young Rock</i> exists in the format it exists in, but I'll give it points for one thing: it's a unique spin on a traditional family sitcom. Period pieces of barely-bygone eras have been all the rage in broadcast comedies of late (see: <i>The Goldbergs, Schooled, The Kids Are Alright, Young Sheldon</i>, etc.), so <i>Young Rock</i> is a basic addition to that trend, though it stands out for a couple of very obvious reasons: it's Dwayne Johnson (duh), the kind of major star that broadcast television has failed to attract in the last decade or so; and it's diverse as all hell, and very appealingly so.</p><p>Too bad it's not all that funny.</p><p>There are, for sure, some amusing moments in <i>Young Rock</i>, mostly thanks to an endearing performance by Adrian Groulx as ten year-old Dwayne and to an absurd framing device that has <i>Fresh Off the Boat</i>'s Randall Park playing a future version of himself as a reporter interviewing 2032 presidential candidate Dwayne Johnson about his life. That's both the set-up and the pay-off of <i>Young Rock</i>: Johnson reflects on his childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. How much you're on board with that premise will also translate directly into how much you appreciate and enjoy <i>Young Rock</i>. Not caring one way or the other about Johnson, it put me immediately at arm's length with the show and then failed to really pull me back in.</p><p><i>Young Rock</i> just doesn't have very many laugh-out-loud moments and too often gets bogged down in its own structure and time-jumping from future to distant past to less-distant past to least-distant past. All of this means we never get enough time spent in any one period to latch onto anything of import. We get snatches of story and lessons learned ("Work the gimmick," we hear over and over in the pilot), but there's nothing to latch onto, except for surface-level identifiers (Andre the Giant appears as a family friend during the childhood years, for example).</p><p>All of this is to say, there's not a whole lot for me to latch onto here. Dwayne Johnson fans, of which there are clearly legions, will probably find his (surprising) extended presence entertaining and the tales of his past likely fun. But those of us who just want a laugh and thought maybe the guy who replaced Robin Williams in <i>Jumanji </i>could provide that will need to look elsewhere for anything other than a few feel-good moments.</p><p><b>Kenan</b> (Tuesdays at 8:30pm on NBC)<br /></p><p><i>Kenan</i> is a shocking misfire, squandering the talents of a well-above-average cast in a pilot that is completely laughless and uninspired. For a show featuring two of <i>Saturday Night Live</i>'s funniest, most consistent cast members, it's painful to say that. Kenan's best characters on <i>SNL</i> are slightly absurd but still grounded in the real world; think his Steve Harvey and David Ortiz impressions. But <i>Kenan</i> gives its star too much of the latter and none of the former, leaving him to flounder in an empathetically vulnerable role that doesn't let him land a friggin' joke.</p><p>Instead, Chris Redd gets to be the slightly absurd character as Kenan's brother who stays up all night partying and getting "nine numbers" at the club ("I guess she forgot one" is the eye-rolling punchline) and doing eye wide-eyed thing Redd does well with one-liners on <i>SNL</i>. And Kenan's two daughters get the most running jokes, referring to their mother as "deceased parent," as one of their dad's self-help books encourages, and begging for their own smartphones so they can make Instagram accounts (like the two year-old neighbor who got a paid partnership for butt paste). But Kenan gets to flit from scene to scene being sad beneath the surface, packing lunches while creeping through the house before dawn, and trying to convince everyone around him that HE IS JUST FINE!</p><p>On the one hand, Kenan Thompson is always supremely watchable and likable. But I want him to be doing something else. His first pass at a sitcom was developed nearly a decade ago in fall 2012, and it obviously never went forward, and then this iteration of <i>Kenan</i> has been in development since fall of 2018 (when it was titled <i>Saving Larry</i> and was to focus more on the father-in-law character) and was ordered to series nearly two years ago before being pushed due to scheduling issues and then COVID. So for it to have taken <i><b>this long</b></i> to finally get Thompson his own primetime series, and for that series to be so uninteresting and unfunny, is a massive disappointment.<br /></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-7238150928260493732021-02-13T11:34:00.002-05:002021-02-13T11:34:33.923-05:00Pilot Review: Clarice<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfk9WEFa4Q3GZLlC5xQFIQP6qRiRuwSbBEx-Qeb455nTRZb8QrtwFh06PwkxrOC9CUzKZwH5gFjUwHV2QnclQT0eoBKSCXC9C1_3aICz926zuhQUQLX766hCHze4cb8PDPXnVlE-IinOO/s528/FIN02_Clarice_1Sheet_Hero_1F_Trim_Legal.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="356" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfk9WEFa4Q3GZLlC5xQFIQP6qRiRuwSbBEx-Qeb455nTRZb8QrtwFh06PwkxrOC9CUzKZwH5gFjUwHV2QnclQT0eoBKSCXC9C1_3aICz926zuhQUQLX766hCHze4cb8PDPXnVlE-IinOO/s320/FIN02_Clarice_1Sheet_Hero_1F_Trim_Legal.webp" /></a></b></div><b><br /> Clarice</b> (Thursdays at 10:00pm on CBS)<p></p><p>I'm one of the few who hated the little I saw of NBC's cult favorite <i>Hannibal</i>, so I had low expectations of another small-screen adaptation of Thomas Harris's Hannibal Lecter series (especially one that is seeming to bypass the famous doctor altogether). <i>The Silence of the Lambs</i> remains a gold standard of film-making in the horror and crime genres, and its gritty noir influence is still felt in film and television three decades later. So yeah, rather than just copying the style, why not return to the source material? If CBS's <i>Clarice</i> is the answer that question, it's because there's no matching the original.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a>If it's been a while since you've seen <i>The Silence of the Lambs</i>, don't worry. The opening scene of <i>Clarice</i> makes sure to recap what you missed: Clarice Starling, fledgling FBI trainee, solved the case of a disturbing serial killer named Buffalo Bill, who murders and then skins women to make clothes out of them. In the process, she saved his latest victim, Catherine Martin, the daughter of a US senator. All of this came with the help of a dangerous psychopath (whose name is curiously never mentioned - a rights issue, perhaps?). All of this exposition plays out in the form of mandated therapy a year after the events of Jonathan Demme's film, placing us in 1993. Starling is soon pulled from therapy and flown to DC, much to her disappointment considering how much she enjoys working in the windowless bowels of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit, at the express request of now-Attorney General Ruth Martin (Jayne Atkinson, <i>House of Cards</i>). There's a potential new serial killer on the loose, and Martin wants Starling's help. So she's thrown back to the wolves to prove herself as an adept profiler and investigator and not just a lucky beginner.<p></p><p>My main issue with <i>Clarice</i> is simply that it exists. I don't mean that it shouldn't but rather that it does not need to, because its very existence is the reason it is never going to be great. The specter of Jonathan Demme's iconic 1991 film, and especially of Jodie Foster's Academy Award-winning performance as Clarice, looms over every moment of <i>Clarice</i>'s pilot. It's impossible to watch the show and not compare it to its predecessor(s), and while <i>Clarice</i> acquits itself well compared to, say, the abominable 2001 sequel <i>Hannibal</i>, it pales in comparison to every aspect of <i>The Silence of the Lambs</i>. It doesn't help that director Maja Vrvilo (<i>Picard</i>) makes many choices that directly correlate to the film: the buzzing sound of a camera's flash, dreams filled with flying moths, the POV-in-the-dark as the killer is hunted at the climax, etc. When I said earlier that the style of Demme's film is still replicated or paid tribute to, that is quite literally the case in this pilot; unfortunately, it's too much to ask a broadcast network pilot to live up to one of the best-known psychological thrillers of all time.<br /></p><p>That burden is heavy on Australian actress Rebecca Breeds (<i>The Originals</i>), who is given very little to distinguish her take on Clarice Starling from Foster's. Breeds probably has the hardest task of anyone, seeing as how Foster's take on Clarice has been ranked by the American Film Institute as the greatest heroine in film history. Breeds is left, then, not to try and create her own take on this character but to mimic the easiest parts of Foster's performance: the West Virginian drawl, the breathiness and hushed tones, the clenched jaw. Obviously the character needs to hew near Foster's, since this is a direct sequel taking place a year after the events of <i>Lambs</i>, but it sometimes feels like Breeds was cast simply because she can imitate Foster and resembles her at certain angles.</p><p>It's not entirely Breeds' fault, though. I don't know how a show like <i>Clarice</i> could really be successful. Setting it so soon after the film, which means <i>Clarice</i> is now a period piece, is a detriment because it means we're now forced to compare this new series to the movie side-by-side. There's no divorcing the two projects. Introducing other characters from <i>Lambs</i> further forces comparison, as we're now not just following Clarice as she moves on to new cases, we're also revisiting the trauma Buffalo Bill caused to Catherine and Ruth Martin. That's a nice narrative move, exploring the perspectives of women as survivors rather simply as victims, but it doesn't help to establish <i>Clarice</i> as its own thing.</p><p>How could creators Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet (who together wrote the 2017 <i>The Mummy</i> reboot) have fixed this? Like I said, I don't know.<i> </i>Set it in the present? Then Clarice would either be nearing retirement age, or they'd have to do some retconning of <i>Lambs</i> having occurred more recently. Set it sometime between <i>Lambs</i> and now? That's what <i>Hannibal</i> did, and that didn't turn out so well (and it may have then invited comparison to the 2001 film, rather than the 1991 film). Set it soon after but divorce Clarice from the events and/or characters of the film? This would solve some problems, but not all of them.</p><p>This is all to say that no matter how it was approached, the whole idea of <i>Clarice</i> just isn't a winner for me. As a lower-quality sibling to <i>The Silence of the Lambs</i>, some may find it interesting or nostalgic enough to keep watching. As a procedural with a strong female lead, it's not as unique a concept as it was in the early 90s, but it can feel easy and comforting for viewers who enjoy these types of shows. But as a direct descendant of one of the best films ever made, particularly within its genre, <i>Clarice</i> is as lifeless as the bodies Starling studies at crime scenes.<br /></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-79320333682141911092021-02-08T11:36:00.000-05:002021-02-08T11:36:02.394-05:00Pilot Review: The Equalizer<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyR1dHVqGyXyfxAudhZd2u-hJWIVs9jNLWb0QxcQ5zMcXtQIvpKFewFnORRdKrlXoqKpWJz-yTZehshAWsEvZSRitqO9IFI8jt2BG7IqtuPiSCajLGtmAHpTnAN9xrOf-fporIUJkGE4Dq/s1500/eq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1014" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyR1dHVqGyXyfxAudhZd2u-hJWIVs9jNLWb0QxcQ5zMcXtQIvpKFewFnORRdKrlXoqKpWJz-yTZehshAWsEvZSRitqO9IFI8jt2BG7IqtuPiSCajLGtmAHpTnAN9xrOf-fporIUJkGE4Dq/s320/eq.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>The Equalizer</b> (Sundays at 8:00pm on CBS)</p><p>It's easy to understand why CBS ordered <i>The Equalizer</i>, a remake of its 1980s series and the subsequent film series starring Denzel Washington, without the show ever having filmed a moment of footage. It's in their procedural wheelhouse; it comes from the creator of <i>Castle</i>, which ran on ABC for nearly a decade; and the cast features a true star in Queen Latifah, surrounded with a host of notable supporting players. Honestly, it's a no-brainer; pandemic or not, <i>The Equalizer</i> was never going to slip through CBS's fingers.</p><p>And that can make for a sure bet in terms of audience, but it doesn't always make for a winning series, creatively.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a>What was likely new and exciting in 1984 isn't either in 2021, but in this current moment of global tragedy and anxiety, that's okay. <i>The Equalizer</i>'s familiar plot points and action-film style can be comforting. We follow Latifah's Robyn McCall, a former intelligence operative who's retired to raise her teenage daughter. She hasn't completely tapped out of the life, though, and a few minutes into the pilot, she's exchanging secret notes with ex-CIA director William Bishop (Chris Noth) at the Wonder Wheel. There, she saves a girl on the run from the cops from being raped by a shady counterfeiter. Sensing that she can do some good, Robyn works to clear the girl's name and is soon back in touch with fellow former operatives Melody (Liza Lapira, <i>NCIS, Unbelievable</i>), a sniper, and Harry (Adam Goldberg, <i>The Hebrew Hammer</i>), a hacker. They hunt bad guys and save the day and yada yada you know the rest.<p></p><p>It's a basic premise. It's a basic episode. With any lesser pedigree behind it, <i>The Equalizer</i> wouldn't stand out in the slightest. But fortunately for CBS, Queen Latifah is here, and when you have someone of that caliber and wattage leading your series (and helping steer the ship as a producer), you can bet that the quality will automatically be elevated. And that is absolutely the case in the pilot. Latifah is assured as Robyn, tough when she's out trapping villains and kicking ass but warm when she's giving her Black, just-arrested daughter The Talk (and no, I don't mean the birds and the bees). It's a great performance by broadcast television standards. And with a star of Latifah's magnitude, the rest of the production must match her, and for the most part, it does. The action sequences are genuinely thrilling, especially the first fist fight (which, visually, reminded me of the 2014 film's quick-cut, shoot-em-up style). And the overall production value, from veteran director Liz Friedlander's angles and camera movements to special effects that look like they cost more than an entire season of some reality shows, match the cinematic quality you'd expect from a show lead by a big star. From that perspective, <i>The Equalizer</i>'s pilot is never boring or second-rate.</p><p>Where those elements come into play are in the moments where you can't help but remember you're watching yet another CBS police procedural. It may be led by a woman, a Black woman at that, but this is still a cop show with a formulaic structure and characters that, while played by wonderful actors, are like any character on any <i>NCIS</i> or <i>CSI</i> iteration. Queen Latifah, Chris Noth, Liza Lapira, and Adam Golberg aside, this is a show about a person who takes down criminals with the help of some friends. You don't get more generic than that. (It's possibly why the original series was a middling ratings performer that many don't know even existed; if you're under 40 and familiar with the the title, it's almost certainly because of Denzel Washington and not Edward Woodward.) In that respect, <i>The Equalizer</i> fits comfortably into the CBS schedule of comfort food and background noise.</p><p>Depending upon how such shows make you feel, these formulaic elements can be a help or a hindrance. Creators Andrew W. Marlowe and Terri Edda Miller wrote a script that, while often quippy and never slow, could have easily been an episode of <i>Castle</i> or many, many other shows. In terms of audience, that means you can drop in and out of <i>The Equalier</i> with relative ease. Miss a week? Oh, well, it doesn't really matter. You know what you missed. But in terms of extended interest, it's a structure that has proven unpopular with younger and binge-minded viewers. Who wants to binge thirteen or more episodes of a show when they all have the same basic outline? It's a format that can be viewed as blissfully uncomplicated or detrimentally simplistic.<br /></p><p>All of this is to say, if you're here for Queen Latifah and/or her able and exciting supporting cast, <i>The Equalizer</i> will satisfy. But if you're here for something thrilling or exciting, a twist on the traditional procedural, <i>The Equalizer</i> disappoints. Despite its attempts at being socially conscious, the show, itself, doesn't rise above its old-fashioned trappings.<br /></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2213364924454927105.post-25331080722664522812021-01-22T14:37:00.002-05:002021-01-22T14:37:48.386-05:00Pilot Review: Walker<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1vhmXXd5f_0hVxOprImWHxMixiCGjTWqFmYa6cNJwEw4_r3OygEj-2pZnKg-aXURQHRcerDDzEdv_MAz0jccvZMnIrg-Wvfsw2_VtiCaCjLrDoCG9tMsmAcgJa7Z298A5pnZA9gJAo_M/s1200/WALKER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="801" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1vhmXXd5f_0hVxOprImWHxMixiCGjTWqFmYa6cNJwEw4_r3OygEj-2pZnKg-aXURQHRcerDDzEdv_MAz0jccvZMnIrg-Wvfsw2_VtiCaCjLrDoCG9tMsmAcgJa7Z298A5pnZA9gJAo_M/s320/WALKER.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Walker</b> (Thursdays at 8:00pm on The CW)</p><p>What a mindfuck the past year has been. You don't need me to recap all the stresses we've globally experienced, but it hit me hard watching <i>Walker</i>, the CW's reboot of the nonsensical Chuck Norris vehicle <i>Walker, Texas Ranger</i>. After years of watching cops kill innocent Black people on camera, and with something of a reckoning finally happening in 2020; after watching cops allow violent insurgents into the Capitol on January 6 to literally shit on our government and try to assassinate our leaders; after Senator Ted Cruz of Texas attempted to throw out the votes of millions of people in an attempt to undermine our electoral and democratic processes; watching a show about police in Texas isn't high on my list of things I want to do. Sorry, not sorry. <br /></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><!--more-->It's not that I think all cop shows should be canceled and all police are murderers, but it's an awkward time to make a choice to sit down and watch a television series based on a property in which the celebrated, nearly-canonized leading man ignores rules and regulations to deliver "Texas justice," which basically means beating up whoever he needs to in order to get the result he expects, needs, or wants. <i>Walker</i> tries to wrestle with some of those issues by being politically correct (in one scene, the family patriarch is told it's "Mexican-American" when he calls a character "Mexican") and by adding exactly one actor of color (Lindsey Morgan, <i>The 100</i>), but it never feels earned or like it's enough to make up for the cultural and narrative shortcomings.<p></p><p><span>Now, I've only ever watched one episode of <i>Walker, Texas Ranger</i>, so I can't speak to how closely <i>Walker </i>hews to the Norris brand, but I can't imagine Chuck Norris spawning a million memes if this is what the original series was like. Replacing action and ass-kicking with family drama, <i>Walker</i> follows the title character (<i>Supernatural</i>'s Jared Padalecki) as he reacclimates to his family, his job as a Texas Ranger, and his life as he returns from two years undercover, a job he took following his wife's murder. He has a bratty teenage daughter (Violet Brinson) who's understandably pissed off that her dad ran off after she also lost her mother; a younger son (Kale Culley) he struggles to connect with; a brother who's taken over as ADA (Keegan Allen, <i>Pretty Little Liars</i>); and parents (Mitch Pileggi & Molly Hagan) trying to hold the family together.</span></p><p><span>That's it! It's a cop show plus a family drama but the twist? It's in TEXAS! Not New York<i>,</i> not Los Angeles, not Chicago or Miami or any other city where you'd expect to see a police procedural. Nope, this is Austin, Texas. And just in case you forgot, everyone wears giant cowboy hats all the time, Walker and his partner eat lunch at a BBQ food truck, and scenes are set with twangy music playing over shots of Austin's downtown.</span></p><p><span>But that doesn't really even matter, because most of <i>Walker</i> is a slow (sometimes agonizingly so), steady, laidback drama about a dad trying to reconnect with his kids after a tragedy. It's an almost old-fashioned kind of WB show in that way; he just happens to also be a ranger. But even on that front, creator Anna Fricke (who, incidentally, <i>did</i> write episodes of those WB shows like <i>Everwood</i> and<i> Dawson's Creek</i>) and director Jessica Yu (<i>Ratched, Hollywood</i>) never really distinguish <i>Walker</i> from other primetime soaps about dead parents and rebellious teens. Picking up pieces of other shows from the trope bin and plunking them down in Texas doesn't make an interesting new show.</span></p><p><span>Of course, none of this is of consequence to the CW's audience. Like with <i>Dynasty</i>, I'm sure the target demographic doesn't even know <i>Walker, Texas Ranger</i> exists, let alone that it made its star into an icon. So Fricke has, in place of crafting a compelling series (perhaps one that fully grapples with its source material's problems), thrown a lot of CW-friendly storylines, characters, and actors into a blender to create another lackluster slice of primetime government cheese.<br /></span></p>Fake TV Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074996415220473142noreply@blogger.com0