In this Spielberg-produced adventure mystery, Earth's atmosphere is barely breathable and its inhabitants are trying to escape it. When they discover a way to travel back in time to a prehistoric era where dinosaurs are at the top of the food chain and not one spec of land has been ravaged by human civilization, they begin settling there in batches. The series follows one particular family, who seem more desperate than any to relocate to the New World. After breaking the population control laws by having a third child and assaulting the cops who search his home, Detective Jim Shannon (Jason O'Mara from "Life on Mars") is sent to prison without a protective rebreather mask. Two years pass and his doctor wife Elizabeth (Shelley Conn from How Do You Know) is offered a job in the New World with permission to take their two teenage kids Josh (Landon Liboiron from "Life Unexpected" and "Degrassi: The Next Generation") and Maddy (Naomi Scott from Lemonade Mouth), but not their 5-year-old daughter Zoe (Alana Mansour) or him. The only way they can stay together and stay alive is if he breaks out of prison and smuggles Zoe through the portal.
After a little resistance from the authorities, they all make it through, emerging like newborns into a new atmosphere, barely able to breathe, walk, or see. It is here in this new place that they get a fresh start: a new home, new jobs, and new friends. It seems like a true Utopia—the dad even manages to avoid reimprisonment, especially since there's no way to go back. But as with all new regimes, there is conflict, secret alliances, and false prophets.
The leader of Terra Nova, Commander Nathaniel Taylor (Stephen Lang from Avatar), was the first to explore the region, surviving on his own for 100+ days. He regulates its expansion, the protection against the creatures, the security of the perimeter, and much more. He seems to know everything, but claims he doesn't know the real reason his employers sent all of them back, and that a rebel group known as the Sixers that broke away from the compound on the 6th pilgrimage have an agenda of their own.
Watching the fight from both sides makes it difficult to distinguish the good guys from the bad guys—or the pawns from the misguided. Upon the exposition of golden mathematical hieroglyphs, which are being hidden from the settlers by the Commander and are allegedly left for him by his estranged son who ran away, it becomes clear that the Commander isn't as ignorant as he pretends to be. There's speculation that there might be powerful people on present-Earth who are trying to alter their current situation by sending mercenaries back to change the past. However, the reason Terra Nova was sanctioned was because they discovered proof that the past they travel to is a completely different timeline that doesn't affect present-Earth. If that's a lie, that could explain why the Sixers turned against them. It could also explain why the Commander's son ran away. But after a quick overview of Internet theories, I'm liking the idea that it's possible they're not even on Earth, and my theory that the lost son is actually further in the past and is communicating with his father through time by leaving artifacts to be found. But I don't think his messages are friendly. I think they're warnings and proof that something terrible could go wrong if they keep manipulating time.
This is all speculation at this point, whose side to be on is a crap-shoot, and who to trust is an even bigger gamble. Even the seemingly sweet Skye (Allison Miller from "Kings"), who helped Josh acclimate, seems a little shady. Behind the Commander's back, she questions his secrecy and his agenda, and brakes his laws, but when she's with him, she plays the Little Orphan Annie card and acts coy about her knowledge of the restricted areas in the jungle. Mira (Christine Adams from "Pushing Daisies"), the leader of the Sixers suggested that one of the Commander's inhabitants was a traitor, and my money's on the possibly vengeful orphan, whose parents died on his watch and who has surprisingly effective leadership and survival skills for a teenager.
Despite the comparisons to Avatar, Jurassic Park, and "Lost," based on scenery, design, isolation, divided agendas, the time traveling, and the recurring theme of "The Others," and the critic-consensus that the dialogue is lacking, it might be interesting to see where they go with this. My only hope is that there is more of an emphasis on the mystery and the action, and not the family drama and teen romances, which is to say, I hope it's a little more Syfy and a little less ABC Family.
In this unorthodox family comedy, single dad George (Jeremy Sisto from "Law & Order") decides to move his Tomboyish daughter Tessa (Jane Levy from "Shameless") from New York to suburbia to shelter her from sex, drugs, and the Village. The plot follows that old wives' tale that the city is the Devil's playground. I think we all know by now (after 8 seasons of "Desperate Housewives") that that may be true, but suburbia is his backyard.
When they arrive in their new home, they realize they stick out like sore thumbs. Their neighbors are almost as plastic as their lawn ornaments, they're ultra interested in George because he's single, and they're eager to lobotomize, I mean, initiate Tessa into their sorority of subservience. In whatever state of mind they exist in, girls should wear skirts that are an inch below their vajayjay, their bedrooms should be some shade of pink, they should always have makeup on, and they should always be conscious of a potential bachelor in their vicinity. School and self-respect take a backseat to style and social standing.
But mocking the lunacy that heavily coats suburban superficiality is not the whole point of the series. The series is suppose to be an examination of a father-daughter relationship. How does a father raise a girl on his own? And, most interestingly, how does she think he's doing? The show has a narration that's like "My So Called Life" meets "Daria," where we get to hear all of Tessa's snarky comments about everything she's being subjected to.
But sprinkled between her acts of rebellion and moments of desperation are heartwarming scenes like when the seemingly inappropriate neighbor Dallas Royce (Cheryl Hines from "Curb Your Enthusiasm") gives her her first real bra. That's traditionally a bonding moment between mother and daughter that is rarely if ever properly executed between father and daughter, so it was sweet to see her get to have that moment. Plus, it was proof that George made the right decision by moving her to a more girl-friendly location. However, the comedy will be in watching them both wrestle with what kind of girl is a product of such an aesthetically-obsessed environment.
So far, the comedy is decent and the acting is on par with your average sitcom. Depending on plot development, I give it a season.
Have you ever seen the 1991 Michael J. Fox comedy Doc Hollywood, where a big city doctor causes a car accident in a small town and is ordered to provide his expertise for free as community service? Well, this series is like if Grey's Anatomy's Christina Yang was unknowingly Freaky-Fridayed with The O.C.'s Summer Roberts, lost her ability to speak intelligibly, saying lines like, "What's up? You sick?", and was forced to star in a televised remake of that movie.
In this new CW dramedy, Rachel Bilson plays New York-bred Dr. Zoe Hart, who is hellbent on becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon because she's desperate to be loved by her heart-doc dad—so desperate she moves to Alabama to accept the persistent offer of a small town doc so she can complete a year as a general practitioner, acquire a better bedside manner, and be considered for a cardio fellowship, only to later discover that the man she's trying to impress isn't her real father and the townie who hires her is...or rather was, because he dies before she can ever officially meet him. If that's not convoluted enough, the town's Queen B Lemon (Jaime King)—and in this town that stands for Bitch and Belle—is engaged to the town's golden boy George Tucker (Scott Porter from "The Good Wife" and "Friday Night Lights") but is actually in love with the town's rich, famous, Black, ex-football-playing mayor Lavon Hayes (Cress Williams from "Friday Night Lights"). And while George is holding out hope that the obnoxious Lemon will turn back into the down-to-earth girl he fell in love with in high school, he's starting to like Zoe. Did you catch all that?
All of this could honestly be somewhat bearable if it wasn't for the blatant snobbiness that this story is drenched in. In every other scene there's a comment about how archaic Southerners are. They have roaming pet alligators, they don't have cable, they still celebrate the confederacy, and they don't realize they can get pregnant after having sex just once or that they should probably count the months after their last period to determine when they're due. I'm not from the South so I can't verify any of this, but I'm still insulted on their behalf. However, I commend the producers for letting them have all their teeth, allowing Lavon to speak without a slave's accent, and not having the towns folk ride down the street in horse and buggies shooting up into the air. The series was supposed to make fun of how high maintenance she was and show how she learns to be a more compassionate doctor, but instead it has its very own superiority complex. I think maybe Josh Schwartz should stick to making shows about rich people ("The O.C." and "Gossip Girl") and geeks ("Chuck"), because he's not doing his ex-employee any favors with this condescending mess. Ashley Tisdale's one-dimensional character Sharpay is more suited for this role. I'm surprised Disney didn't snatch it up.
As yet another addition to the period-specific dramas ("Mad Men," "Boardwalk Empire," and "The Playboy Club") that focus on one profession to tell the history of a certain age, "Pan Am" illustrates the Cold War period as a time of revolutionary change through the eyes of stewardesses. Some were intellects slash activists, some were natural born nomads, and some were spies.
"Pan Am" was the first global airline and as such was protected by the Geneva Convention against any political restraints, allowing them to participate in rescue missions and giving them access to forbidden locations. Its stewardesses and pilots were some of the most well-traveled and most trusted professionals in the world. They lived by a code of perfection and were considered the best in the business. According to the series, their limitless access and pristine reputation inspired the government, both CIA and MI-6, to use them as secret agents, passing information and acquiring it. And when they weren't swiping passports and conducting clandestine meetings, they were wading in the tumultuous waters of love—some falling to the whims of secretly married men and others forgoing the white picket fences of the American dream for a life of exploration.
In the series, each stewardess has an interesting backstory, explaining what led them to pursue a corner office in the sky. Laura (Margot Robbie) is a runaway bride. Her sister Kate (Kelli Garner from "My Generation" and Going the Distance) is tired of living in her shadow and eager to no longer be underestimated. Maggie (Christina Ricci) wants to see more of the world and one day change it. Colette (Karine Vanasse) is a carefree soul, who once unknowingly had an affair with a married passenger. And Bridget (Annabelle Wallis from "The Tudors") fell in love with pilot Dean (Mike Vogel from She's Out of My League) while secretly working for the government. When he proposed, she had to disappear and recommended Kate as her replacement to the G-men, and Kate gladly accepted the challenge. Meanwhile, Maggie waits in the wings, hoping Dean finally notices her affections for him. (It's like "Grey's Anatomy" on a plane.) Ultimately, their ambition to be apart of an elite sorority of professional women and the hope for more to life sucks you into their world. It's like co-pilot Ted (Michael Mosley from "Scrubs") says, "They're not like normal women. They're mutations…They don't know that they're a new breed of women."
I know at first it all looks and sounds like a commercial for why you should fly more often, and, much like "The Playboy Club," a glorification of an objectifying profession, but that's not why you should watch. You should watch to join these ladies on what seems like the beginning of a great adventure.
I'm probably one of the few film critics who absolutely loved Drew Barrymore's kitschy, glossy, girlie, badass Charlie's Angels trilogy, but you can't deny that it was the most profitable TV-to-film revival. Needless to say, I was psyched to hear that Barrymore would be bringing it back to TV. What I was hoping for was sexy, smart, badass women who save the day, pull off cool stunts, and have formidable opponents. Alas, lightning didn't strike twice.
I know that it's unrealistic to expect the same production value as the films, but couldn't they just have borrowed Hawaii Five-0's cinematographer, Nikita's combat trainer, and Gossip Girl's wardrobe? Even the Angels themselves are more B-team than A-Team. They cover the basic archetypes and skin tones. They seem qualified and feisty. But I don't feel the sisterly love. That's in part because the writers decided to introduce a new Angel as a plot device for explaining who these women are. It was a practical decision, but again not what a modern Angels fan is accustomed to. The Bosley they cast, Ramon Rodriguez (Battle: Los Angeles and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), is way too young to believably control three rebellious women who have a history of bucking authority. The Charlie (Victor Garber from "Alias") they chose for the intercom voice doesn't sound as refined and fatherly as Charlie normally does. He sounds like old Kit ("Knight Rider"). They should've got Malcolm McDowell ("Franklin & Bash") or Alan Dale ("Lost"). And to be honest, watching them report to an intercom seems incredibly archaic in an age with so many types of advanced technology.
I actually had high hopes for Minka Kelly's ("Friday Night Lights" and "Parenthood") first lead role, because she didn't get enough screen time on her previous shows, and I knew Aussie Rachael Taylor was meant for more after watching her steal every one of her scenes in Transformers. But it's hard to get in the Angels spirit when they're not all bffs yet. And there's nothing that entices me to stick around and watch as their friendship grows.
This police procedural, about a tough female detective who has to fight every day to be treated as an equal in the boy's club that is the police department, is actually a remake of a 90s British series that starred Helen Mirren. That version was heralded as groundbreaking for its attempt at maintaining its gritty and hardcore style in spite of the estrogen fueling it. It was an open letter to the male gender that not only could women do what they do, but they could do it better. The American version is tasked with recreating that same intensity and sustaining its feminist agenda.
Saddled with said pressure is Maria Bello, an actress who's never shyed away from intense, testosterone-filled films (History of Violence, Assault on Precinct 13, Abduction, etc.). Not many actresses are known for shedding their femininity to play a somewhat androgynous character. Bello has to walk a fine line between being a fearless, thick-skinned detective who isn't afraid of a little opposition, and a sweet, supportive girlfriend and daughter.
The men who surround her are also an important part of the dynamic. They're under the impression that her relationship with her former boss is what got her transferred to their precinct. They think she's entitled and willing to put-out to get ahead. So they steal her cases, insult her behind her back and to her face, and they disregard her case theories. They're so blinded by their egos that they're willing to convict the wrong suspect and allow a rapist to run free just so they don't have to share the spotlight or give her the respect she deserves. They make rooting for her easy. They're a pack of wolves nipping at a newborn.
I'm drawn in by this constant conflict. But even more so, I'm eager to find a replacement for "The Closer," another series with a powerful woman leading a squad of men who learn to respect her after she proves time and time again that she's damn good at what she does.
In this crime thriller, Mr. Finch, a billionaire (Michael Emerson from "Lost") who created a computer program that predicts the identity of people involved in a future violent crime, recruits ex-CIA agent John Reese (Jim Caviezel from The Passion of the Christ), who is presumed dead, to help him prevent crimes. He can't predict if the person who comes up is the victim, the perpetrator, or the witness, and he can't predict when or where it'll happen, but with his resources and IQ and Reese's combat training and self-sacrificial attitude, they might be able to make a difference.
However, there will be a few obstacles. First off, Finch's access to this system is illegal, since he hacked into the backdoor of the program, which is now property of the government. Secondly, Detective Carter (Taraji P. Henson from The Karate Kid), an officer Reese encountered when he assaulted a few young thugs who attacked him on a train, is hellbent on finding out who he really is. The cat-and-mouse chase should add a little more suspense to an already pretty tense situation.
The cast on this series mesh well together. Emerson has managed to repurpose his manipulative-and-enterprising "Lost" character and make him more sympathetic. He's at his best when he's controlling the chess board. Caviezel, on the other hand, has a knack for martyr roles and playing saviors. His character is quick and precise—moves as confidently as Bourne and is just as broken.
The series reminds me of FOX's "Human Target" in that a rich financier funds the noble missions of a law-breaking vigilante, but it's grittier and intense. (However, I wouldn't mind spotting Guerrero in an episode or two.) The dynamic between these two men works for now, but I think eventually there will need to be a romantic interest and an ever-elusive enemy to keep viewers coming back. They'll also have to try to avoid a procedural format of Crime of the Week, which I think they might succeed in doing, since spoilers suggest Reese will secretly investigate his new employer, and their trust won't be as solid as Finch thinks it is.
All in all, I look forward to trying to figure out whether each of their "clients" are the good guys or the bad guys, and to seeing what happens when they guess wrong.
I love drama—and not the way TNT loves drama. I love backstabbing, boyfriend-stealing, baby-swapping, disease-faking drama. It's why I've watched "Days of Our Lives" since I was 15, and why at the age of 25 I still watch teen shows like "Pretty Little Liars" and "Gossip Girl." One element that these melodramas tend to have in common is a consistent thread of revenge. Think about it. There's always someone out to get someone else. And the best part is that they all tend to have creative revenge schemes. They don't settle for anything so archaic as murder or calling the police. They steal bipolar medication and drive you to commit suicide ("90210"). They blackmail you into revealing your best friend's adult lover ("Pretty Little Liars"). They force you to whore out your girlfriend so you can save your company ("Gossip Girl"). They even kidnap your husband, bribe a criminal to be surgically altered to look like him, take his place, and ruin your marriage ("Days of Our Lives"). Whatever the plot, it's always calculated and emotionally devastating. When one of these characters takes you down, you're not likely to get back up—until it's your turn for payback.
The CW's latest contribution to the melodrama genre is Sarah Michelle Gellar's "Ringer." As I said in my review last week, it falls short on the intrigue and plot development. The characters are barely interesting and I don't care enough about Siobhan or Bridget to make the series apart of my weekly must-see schedule. "Revenge," on the other hand, will have you asking two very important questions: How did she do that? and What does she plan on doing next? Those are the questions that should plague you once a revenge plot is revealed. You should both fear and support the vengeance-seeker. And whatever their reason for seeking revenge should merit the lengths they'll go to.
Revenge's raison d'etre is not only betrayal but treason. A group of Hamptons socialites colluded to frame hedgefund executive David Clarke (James Tupper from "Grey's Anatomy") for funding a terrorist attack on a U.S. plane. Having betrayed his country, he was sent to prison and his daughter Amanda (Emily VanCamp) was sent to a foster home. Life's circumstances led her to juvy and when she was released on her 18th birthday, Nolan (Gabriel Mann from "Mad Men"), a young tech wiz her father invested in told her that he died in prison, and left her a box of personal effects, as well as 49% of his billion dollar company. Instead of mourning her father's death and going off to burn through her inheritance the way any normal poor person would, she plotted a revenge so complex that it involves taking on a different personality, Emily Thorne, and reinserting herself into those socialites' lives, through their children, their marriages, their friendships, and their businesses. She's going to take everything they hold dear.
When I first saw that Emily VanCamp was the lead actress on this series, I had low expectations. I've never seen "Everwood," I never liked her on "Brothers & Sisters," and I didn't think she could ever top Leighton Meester's Blair Waldorf, Michelle Tratchenberg's Georgina Sparks, or Pretty Little Liars' A. I never thought she could believably channel her inner bitch to a volcanic degree, but apparently I was wrong. I actually think Ms. VanCamp almost missed her calling. She was born to be a villain, possessing an appearance of innocence that equips her with plausible deniability, and a coldness that allows her to reveal someone's adultery just as easily as if she were announcing the purchase of a new couch. She's like a Trojan Horse, and these yuppies won't know what hit him.
My money is on Nolan though, who seems driven to a life of excess because of his unrequited love for her, and I also have a sneaking feeling that maybe that's not even Daniel since he was face down, but I'll play along, because I'm not really interested in the murder mystery. What'll have me coming back week after week are the unforeseeable steps in her intricate plan and the close calls she'll have every time someone thinks they know her. This week she ruined Victoria and Lydia's friendship, separated Conrad from Lydia by innocently inspiring Victoria to excommunicate her from the Hamptons, and drew a heavy blow to an already fragile marriage—and all of that could've been compromised if Nolan had outed her. It'll be a delicate dance, but I'm looking forward to the choreography.
In the last few years, TV show creators have put a heavy focus on family sitcoms, like "Modern Family," "Raising Hope," and "The Middle," and workplace sitcoms, like "Parks & Recreation," "Party Down," and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Some fared better than others. However, the one sitcom sub-genre that's had the most trouble adding to its brood is the ensemble sitcom, which are better known as "Friends" clones.
Since the end of "Friends," very few shows have successfully befriended its viewers, making them apart of the gang. Those that have set themselves apart by adding a twist. "How I Met Your Mother" (2005 - ) is telling a (really long) love story from the guy's point of view. "Community" (2009 - ) has theme episodes that make community college—actually, college in general—seem a lot more eventful than it actually is. "My Boys" (2006-2010) focused on beer-loving, poker-playing, sports lovers, one of which happened to be a girl. And "Happy Endings" (2011- ) starts off with a breakup mid-wedding, throwing the group dynamic off balance.
The reason it's so difficult to recreate the magic that was "Friends" is that it's not like a romantic comedy where you have to manufacture chemistry between two people, or a family/office comedy where sometimes it's funnier when the characters don't like each other. In order for a series like "Friends" to last, the entire cast has to seem like they've been good friends for a long time, all of their personalities and backstories have to be interesting, and, most importantly, at least two of the characters have to be likable enough for the audience to want to be friends with. The way a family sitcom allows viewers to laugh at a family that's worse than theirs and an office sitcom allows viewers to commiserate with an equally underappreciated employee, the ensemble sitcom should allow viewers to feel initiated into a private club—albeit along with millions of other viewers. It's what's called a post-modern family, made up of people who want to love each other vs. people who have to love each other.
Following those guidelines while watching this new ensemble series about a heartbroken girl who moves in with three single guys she met on Craigslist after being brutally dumped while naked, a la Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I found that it's lacking a few essential components. Sure, it's less frantic than "Perfect Couples" and more interesting than "Mad Love," but much like "100 Questions," most of the ensemble cast is dead weight. Thank God Damon Wayans, Jr. stuck with "Happy Endings," because his lines are ten times funnier on that series, as is his character's personality and the dynamic he has with his gay best friend and type-A wife. The self-proclaimed Lothario Schmidt (Max Greenfield from "Greek" and "Ugly Betty"), who should carry that douchebag jar they force him to contribute to around his neck, is a lot more annoying than he is funny. He pretty much tipped the douche-o-meter when he said a girl's name with an Italian accent—with the stereotypical bunched fingers gesture. And his even douchier friends—yes, it is physically possible to be douchier—are the reason abortion and beer goggles were created—for self-preservation and tolerance. Adam Pally has a similar character on "Happy Endings" as the inappropriate comic relief who is occasionally reprimanded for crossing a race and/or gender line. The keyword there is "occasionally," not every time he talks to, about, or near a woman. Maybe we cut his character Max slack because he's gay, but there's a certain way to make Schmidt's type of desperate-loser character likable and the proof is in Aziz Ansari's performance on "Parks and Recreation."
After the first episode, Wayans will be replaced by newcomer Lamorne Morris, but I think the producers should just nix both characters and add Rashida Jones as a lesbian (loved her in Our Idiot Brother) and another actor who can handle douchey dialogue without being off-putting. Someone like Neil Patrick Harris. But I'm getting off topic. The point is the entire cast isn't a wash. Zooey Deschanel (500 Days of Summer) did a great job of resizing her lovable charm for the small screen and she has impeccable comic timing. And the whole idea of a
beautiful girl putting on glasses and suddenly being branded as this undateable dork wasn't condescending this time, because she really, really, really is a dork. I swear on a stack of Tolkien. Her love interest Nick (Jake M. Johnson from Paper Heart and No Strings Attached), a cross between David Krumholtz ("Numb3rs") and Penn Badgley ("Gossip Girl") and the group's voice of reason, has just the right amount of low self-esteem and obsessive romanticism to make viewers root for him, and essentially for them as a future couple. Although, they could dab a little more makeup around his eyes. He looked as depressed as she was behaving. One friend I would keep though is her model friend Cecilia (Hannah Simone from "WCG Ultimate Gamer"). Why? Um, because she's smoking hot. She's so hot if you set her on fire, she wouldn't even feel it. I could stare at her all day and I'm straight.
The writers did a great job of creating interesting story elements, from the flirtation lessons to her obsession with Dirty Dancing to the spontaneous creation of her own theme song. They also succeeded in making Zooey's character Jess a fully three-dimensional character. They just need to figure out a way to make the rest of them just as interesting so we don't grow weary of Jess's constant cuteness. Can you imagine what "Friends" would've been like if it was centered around kooky Phoebe, neurotic Monica, or commitment phobic Rachel, or if "How I Met Your Mother" was all about Ted and only Ted, Lord help us, or if pop culture fanatic Abed was the sole focus of "Community"? They have to pepper in the eclectic characters, otherwise mainstream Middle America will tune out. Even family sitcoms know to do that, never having too much of the man-child Phil Dunphy ("Modern Family") or the senile grandmother Maw Maw ("Raising Hope").
I'll continue watching though because I want to see where this love story goes. It's not often that you witness a declaration of love in which both parties are unaware that a declaration is being made. Serenading her with her favorite song on the date she was ditched on was a very powerful foreshadowing, enough to keep me interested. Plus, I wish Zooey the best of luck, and I hope the new guy changes the dynamic for the better next week.
When this series was first announced, there was concern over how the producers intended on handling the delicate topic of the porn industry. How could they show the story of the classiest business built on the bosoms of babes without showing nudity? And if they had no intentions of showing any, then how would they get both men and women to watch?
This new NBC series actually resembles ABC's "Pan Am," in that it also shows one of history's most coveted and innuendo-drenched female professions, shrouded in intrigue. If you flip through a history book, you'll see Playboy bunnies dressed in satin leotards and nylons, and suited-up stewardesses serving with a smile. But these characters are not plastic recreations of pre-feminist prototypes. These women have dimension.
Amber Heard (Drive Angry 3D) plays the newest bunny Maureen at the notoriously exclusive Playboy Club. She's an orphan who's come to town to reinvent herself and become a star. Her light shines so brightly that she catches the attention of the aspiring State Attorney Nick Dalton (Eddie Cibrian) and his former employer,mob boss Bruno Bianchi, who hides in plain sight as a legit businessman known as Clyde Hill. When the mafia king follows her into the supply closet and gropes her tail, Nick pulls him off of her, and she kicks him so hard that she shoves her stiletto into his chest. Without skipping a beat, Nick wraps the body in a carpet and dumps him in a river. Before that night ever happened, very few people in town knew what the boss looked like, and after that night, only two knew what he looked like dead.
These two are now bound by a secret—his political aspirations and her life depend on keeping it. While there's a thin layer of trust between them, there's a thick layer of attraction. It's too bad Nick's already taken by the self-appointed head bunny Carol-Lynne (Laura Benanti from Take the Lead), who pushed her way to the top. She's not only the first bunny, the one who set the mold and fine-tuned the rules, but she's also owner Hugh Hefner's favorite, which is unfortunate for the club's manager Billy Rosen (David Krumholtz from "Numb3rs"). He's a fast-talking, strict businessman, sporting the thickest Chicago accent of the bunch, who says lines like, "Smart? Who needs smart? You're the only man I know who puts his hand up a girl's skirt...looking for a dictionary." He stands in the way of Carol-Lynne's plans. Going head-to-head with him and taking her jealousy out on Maureen, by pretending to care about making her a better bunny only to openly criticize her more, is only half the battle. The other half will be staying alive. There's so much backstabbing and hidden secrets in this series, it's a hotbed for framing and betrayal.
The drama doesn't end there though. The writers do well to pepper in a few "lighter" stories, like Brenda's (Naturi Naughton from Lottery Ticket) dream to be the first Black Bunny on the cover, Janie's (Jenna Dewan-Tatum from Step Up) trouble maintaining a relationship while men proposition her in front of her beau, and most interestingly, Alice's (Leah Renee Cudmore from "Runaway") funding of a secret gay club with her gay husband.
Trying to live up to the historical accuracy while incorporating suspenseful and interesting storylines like "Mad Men" does is risky. The comparisons are bound to happen, and with the years and the viewers behind it, "Mad Men" will always be ahead. It's only real advantage is that "Mad Men" just started retelling the history of the 60s. This series has the opportunity to show a different, more chaotic, revolutionary, freethinking time in America. With "Mad Men," time stands still as they are in a period of passivity. Now we get to see some action. With any luck, it'll progress into a glossier "Boardwalk Empire." Because if there's anything we've learned about history through that HBO series, it's that men aren't the only ones who'll do what it takes to survive.
One of my favorite rom-coms (and books) is Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. And as a result, one of my favorite comedic indie actresses is Kat Dennings. She's the perfect amount of rebellious, intelligent, and sassy. So needless to say, I was happy to hear that I'd be getting a weekly dose of her.
However, I was a little skeptical that a series whose plot sounded as simplistic as the title would last after the initial barrage of poor jokes were used up. It reminded me of "Mike & Molly." Yes, the series is a hit, and yes, Emmy winner Melissa McCarthy is deservedly one of the breakout stars of the year, but I lost interest in it, because not only am I one of those viewers who prefers the will-they-or-won't-they kind of love story, but because I was tired of the fat jokes. I get it. They're big. And? To me it's the equivalent of using curse words during standup—always settling for the easy laugh.
I was also concerned that the girl who was paired up with Dennings wouldn't be able to keep up. I would've picked someone more like Amber Tamblyn (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants), Alia Shawkat ("Arrested Development"), Michelle Trachtenberg ("Gossip Girl"), or even Hayden Panettiere ("Heroes"), if blonde is what they were going for. Instead, it seemed Dennings was stuck with newcomer Beth Behrs, who, by the commercials, seemed like she was playing Paris Hilton—five years too late.
But please, don't be fooled by the promos. Her character Caroline isn't as dumb as they make her seem. Yes, she naively walks around in fur coats in poor neighborhoods and sleeps on trains clutching designer luggage, but that's a lack of street smarts not a lack of intelligence. No matter how smart you are, you'll never know how to behave around a certain class system unless you're raised in it. Caroline has a business degree and she's learned a thing or two from her embezzling father on how to capitalize on a profitable opportunity.
After just two days of working at the diner and befriending Max (Dennings), she comes up with the idea to create a business around Max's deliciously addictive cupcakes, which she was underselling and therefore undervaluing—she even sold a few at an inflated price. Before you know it, she crunched the numbers on how much they'd have to sell in order to open their own bakery. And there it was: the reason the series has the potential to last at least two seasons. Following these girls as they navigate this post-recession world—one aspiring to climb her way out of poverty back into the lap of luxury and the other aiming to achieve the diminished American dream of making more than minimum wage—combining their talents, and ill-advisedly mixing money and friendship, should make for a great addition to CBS's Monday night comedy lineup.
FAVORITE LINES
"Do you know Paris Hilton?"-Max
"No, she's a hundred."-Caroline
"Don't lie to me. We're not related."-Max to Caroline
BEST LINES
> "It's not sass. This is how it is. Lions don't eat deer because they're sassy. It's called Darwinism."-Emma
> "You look like Willy Lohman."-Helen's reference to Death of a Salesman while describing Alex's wardrobe
Of all the comedy subgenres, the networks have yet to sell audiences on the babycentric comedy series. In 2007, ABC tried with "Notes from the Underbelly," then again in 2009 with "In the Motherhood," but both shows barely lasted a season. You'd think in an entertainment age where, after the success of Knocked Up, studios are churning out parenting comedies, like Baby Mama, Life As We Know It, The Switch, and even The Change-Up,audiences would have warmed to the idea by now. But it would seem that they're only interested in newborns when they bring two people together, not when they're just considered an adorable handful.
"Up All Night" tries to sell itself on the angle that the baby is actually a miracle of sorts, given that she belongs to a married couple (Christina Applegate and Will Arnett) that started their family a lot later in life than most. They're not just exhausted because she's up all night or constantly worried because they're young and inexperienced. They're tired because they're too old to pull all-nighters and then spring back into action a few hours later. They're constantly worried because they're kind of concerned that one or both of them won't live long enough to see her graduate from college. Appelegate's
character actually makes a running joke that in the future her husband will be dead and he won't be able to stop her from getting an apartment near their daughter's dorm and essentially stalking her.
Macabre humor mixed with your run-of-the-mill parenting woes all told from an older generation's perspective, a generation, which Applegate herself admitted in an interview with EW, spent a lot more years being selfish than the last. The only viewers who could possibly withstand watching their tedious lives unfold are ones who can relate—ones stuck at home on a Wednesday night instead of out like they used to be, or ones who are a few months away from
treading that very same path.
I'm actually bummed that this show isn't really for my demographic. I've missed Applegate ever since "Samantha Who" was canceled in 2009. I definitely need a weekly dose of "SNL" grad Maya Rudolph. And I am truly impressed that Arnett has managed to deliver such an understated performance, bringing his crazy meter down to a solid 3, and for once playing a normal human being. (sigh) I'll tune in for a few more episodes to see how things develop, and to see if Nick Cannon, Rudolph's talk show sidekick, is a nuisance or an asset.
BEST LINES
> "Stop saying 'a baby in there.' It's like you're saying there's a baby in the closet with a knife or something."-Reagan to Chris
> "At a certain age, a woman has to choose between her ass and her face. You can't have everything."-words of wisdom from Ava
Eight years ago Sarah Michelle Gellar was the WB's golden child. After wrapping 7 seasons of the cult series "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer," Gellar took a break from kicking ass and taking names, and signed on for "damsel in distress" roles (The Grudge, The Return, and Possession), where women were either emotionally or literally haunted. Having retired her hero title, her A status has since waned. She'll always be our Buffy but there's little confidence in her ever finding an equally challenging and legendary role again. And after watching her return to TV last night, it's evident her search is not over.
In the primetime soap, Gellar plays two characters, twins—both marked for dead. Bridget is the recovering alcoholic stripper, who witnessed a mob hit, escaped witness protection to avoid testifying, and is desperate to hide from her handler Agent Machado (Nestor Carbonell from "Lost") and the man she should've put away. Meanwhile, Siobhan (pronounced shah-bon) is the rich socialite who seemingly lives a blessed life. When Bridget visits her sister, she tries to make amends for something that occurred with Siobhan's deceased son. It's unclear, but it sounds like she did something unforgivable that Siobhan forgives a little too easily. During an afternoon on her sister's boat, Bridget wakes up to find her missing and her wedding ring inside of a medicine bottle. Frazzled by the possible suicide of her sister, bolstered by the fact no one knew Siobhan had a twin, and terrified of her fate, she makes the desperate decision to impersonate her sister, unaware of how complicated her life actually is.
In a matter of a few days, we discover that Siobhan is cheating on her husband Andrew (Ioan Gruffudd from Fantastic Four) with her best friend Gemma's (Tara Summers from "Damages" and "Boston Legal") husband Henry (Kristoffer Polaha from "Life Unexpected"), he wants her to leave her husband but she's refused in the past, she's pregnant with his baby, she's cold and dismissive towards her husband, she sent her rebellious step daughter Juliet (Zoey Deutch from "The Suite Life on Deck") to boarding school, which she later gets kicked out of, and, oh yeah, someone's trying to kill her too. By the unphased look on Siobhan's very much alive face at the end, one could conclude that whatever Bridget did to Siobhan in the past has led Siobhan to deem her expendable, because it appears as though she tricked her into taking a bullet that was meant for her. So far the mystery lies in who is trying to kill Siobhan, what she's done to deserve it, and whether her master plan has anything to do with her pending pregnancy or her deceased child.
I plan to tune in for a few more episodes to see how the mystery unfolds and because I'm interested in how Jaime Murray ("Dollhouse") fits into this, but it must be said that the dialogue, camerawork, green screen, and plot structure is amateurish at best. Shows like "Pretty Little Liars" and "Gossip Girl" have mastered the art of scandal and vengeance plotting, and the writers of this series should take notes. I started watching ABC Family's "The Lying Game" this summer, skeptical that it could possibly top an adult drama with a veteran actor attached. But the series, which contains a very similar plot—secretly identical twins from different sides of the tracks switch places unaware of the secrets that saturate their lives—is actually better paced, written, shot, and organized. What "Ringer" revealed in one episode, "The Lying Game" revealed in the first 20 minutes. And when they're not dropping secret bombs, the filler subplots are just as compelling, whereas "Ringer" has 3 romantic interest duds, including Bridget's AA sponsor Malcolm (Mike Colter from "The Good Wife"), and a lackluster supporting cast. With "Ringer," you get the feeling that in true soap opera fashion, you've barely scratched the surface—and not in a good way.
Find out when your favorite new shows are returning, what to expect, and what new shows are worth giving a shot:
SEPTEMBER 6 - Tuesday
10pm - "Sons of Anarchy" (FX)
SEPTEMBER 13 - Tuesday
8pm - "90210" (CW11) Last Season: Adrianna switched Silver's meds making her tank her NYU interview and break up with Navid. Silver figured it out, outed her, and got her excommunicated from the group. Adrianna almost committed suicide and then changed her mind, vowing to win them back. Max got expelled before graduation for writing Naomi's paper for her, which she didn't ask him to, and his parents forbid him to see her, then she tells him that she's pregnant. Jen came back for her baby. Liam took a job on a boat. Ivy and Raj got married. This Season: If you guys were worried about all the 90210-ers moving away after graduation, worry not. Everyone's college plans will either be put on hold, omitted, or completely based in their favorite zip code. Naomi starts her freshman year with Annie, and tries to regain her Queen B status. Dixon is searching for a roommate and working on his music career. Liam tries to take his relationship with Annie to the next level, and buys a bar on a whim, where he hires excommunicated Adrianna to work. Silver ditches college to become an artist, moves in with Navid, and starts working on a political campaign. Unexpected news kept Annie from leaving town and somehow drives her to become a professional escort, which might pose a problem with her new love interest, played by 33-year-old actor Chris McKenna. Other newcomers include Naomi's new love interest and Dixon's new roommate, rich cowboy Austin (Justin Deeley), and his country-singing cousin Sally (singer Kelly Pickler), young congressman candidate Marissa (R&B singer Brandy), nerdy sorority sister Alana (Sarah Hagan from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Freaks and Geeks"), Naomi's new nemesis, sorority leader Holly (Megalyn Echikunwoke from "CSI: Miami" and "4400"), a hot newcomer (Matt Cohen from "Rockville CA"), and Liam's new love interest (Kristina Apgar from "Privileged"). Mr. Matthews and Annie and Dixon's mom won't be returning to the series, and Teddy will only have a short arc this season. Biggest Scoop: Someone's going to develop a drug habit. My money's on Dixon.
9pm - "Ringer" (CW11)
Plot: A young woman on the run from the mob and the FBI poses as her wealthy twin sister to try and evade them, but soon discovers that her sister has a price on her head as well. One sister is driven by redemption while the other is driven by revenge. Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar ("Buffy, the Vampire Slayer"), Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four), Nestor Carbonell ("Lost"), Mike Colter ("The Good Wife"), Tara Summers ("Damages"), Kristoffer Polaha ("Life Unexpected"), Zoey Deutch Why Watch: For the drama, the mystery, and twice the dose of Gellar. Eight years and a baby later, the queen has returned.
10pm "Parenthood" (NBC) Last Season: Amber almost died in a car accident. Sarah put on her first play. Crosby convinced Jasmine to take him back and move into a home he's renovating for them. Adam lost his job. Kristina discovered she's pregnant. Haddie had sex with her boyfriend. Julia discovered she can't have anymore kids. This Season: Both Sean (Jason Ritter) and Seth (John Corbett) come back to complicate Sarah's life as she has to figure out how to juggle a relationship while helping her ex-husband out of a dark place. Crosby gets a "special friend" (Fiona Gubelmann from "Wilfred"), while Jasmine gets tempted by an accomplished doctor (D.B. Woodside from "Single Ladies" and "Hellcats"). Adam and Crosby go into business together, running their own music studio. Julia considers adopting the baby of a young pregnant girl from her firm. Haddie starts to wonder if having an adult relationship is preventing her from enjoying her last year in high school. Zeek helps Drew romance a high school girl. And Amber gets her own apartment. Biggest Scoop: Someone gets arrested.
SEPTEMBER 14, WEDNESDAY
10pm "Up All Night" (NBC) [regular time: 8pm]
Plot: An irreverent look at parenthood through the point of view of late-in-life parents: a stay-at-home dad and an acerbic working mother, who works for a narcissistic talk show host. Cast:Christina Applegate, Will Arnett ("Running Wilde"), Maya Rudolph (Bridesmaids), Nick Cannon (Love Don't Cost a Thing) Why Watch: The promos are a little misleading. Based on the pilot, it appears the series is actually a lot more mellow and not as jam-packed with jokes. The writers aim to illustrate exactly what it's like to be a parent: the frantic moments, the exhaustion, the profanity, the frustration, and the moments that make it all worth it. Non-parents probably won't enjoy it much, because they can't relate and will most likely lose interest after a few episodes. This is more for parents and parents-to-be. Fans of Arnett's type of comedy will also be a little disappointed. He's not the same psychotic, irresponsible man-child that he usually plays. He's understated and I, personally, prefer this Arnett. He seems a lot more mature. Rudolph was a little tough to take though, because I'm used to loving all of her characters, but she's anything but lovable in this. She plays an Oprah-type—if Oprah were incapable of doing anything on her own. Ultimately, if you love these comedians, then you might be able to endure it all.
8pm "The Vampire Diaries" (CW11) Last Season: Klaus convinced Elijah to save him at the last minute from their destructive spell, promising to show him where he's hid their family all these years. But in the end, he betrays Elijah and kills him. In order to save Damon, Stefan must agree to join Klaus as his alter ego, The Ripper. During the ritual, Klaus killed Jenna and Elena. Her friends cast a spell and John gives his life to Elena, then dies. In search of Damon, the sheriff accidentally shot Jeremy, and Bonnie casts a spell to revive him. But when he awakens, he can see ghosts, specifically his exes Vicki and Anna. Matt broke up with Caroline after finding out she's a vampire, and colludes with her mom, helping her pretend that her memory was successfully erased. This Season: While many viewers were excited about the prospect of Elena spending more time with Damon, it looks like they'll be building on their friendship more than their romance as they search for clues to find Stefan. David Gallagher ("7th Heaven" and Super 8) will play a Tennessee werewolf who has a run in with Klaus and the newly-evil Stefan, as Klaus searches for a way to make himself even more powerful. Sebastian Roche ("Supernatural") joins the series as a mysterious man who seems to be hunting Klaus. The ghosts from Jeremy’s past have a powerful message for him and they're affecting his relationship with Bonnie. He seeks help from Matt to figure out what they want. Caroline and Tyler get more intimate as a war erupts between their families. Biggest Scoop: Roles will be reversed. When Stefan returns, he'll be where Damon was when he first arrived, having to regain everyone's trust and prove he's not evil.
9pm "The Secret Circle" (CW11)
Plot: Sixteen year old Cassie (Robertson) moves from California to live with her grandmother in New Salem after her mother dies in a mysterious fire. She enrolls in a high school she soon learns is filled with witches. A coven, consisting of one member from each of the most powerful Wiccan families in town, seeks her out so that she can help them bind their powers and uncover why some of their parents died 16 years ago, so that they can prevent history from repeating itself. Cast: Brittany Robertson ("Life Unexpected"), Thomas Dekker ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"), Shelley Hennig ("Days of Our Lives"), Jessica Parker Kennedy (Another Cinderella Story), Logan Browning (Bratz), Louis Hunter, Phoebe Tonkin, Gale Harold ("Hellcats"), Natasha Henstridge ("Eli Stone" and The Whole Nine Yards) Why Watch: Because Harry Potter is over, Twilight will soon come to a close, and "Vampire Diaries" doesn't spend as much time on witchcraft as you'd like it to. >WATCH PROMO
10pm "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" (FX)
SEPTEMBER 19, MONDAY
8pm "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS) Last Season: Ted broke up with Emma. Lily discovered she's pregnant. Barney begged Nora for a second chance just when Robyn realizes she still loves Barney, and we discover he's the groom of the foreshadowed wedding. This Season: The gang will be up to their usual antics. Marshall and Barney make a bet that Barney can't get a peak of Lily's new pregnancy boobs, and one of the cast members streaks. Marshall has trouble finding a job initially, especially after a controversial video of him is posted on Youtube, but then he'll start working for his idol, an environmental lawyer (Martin Short) with a dark edge. Barney pursues Nora. Robin assaults someone and gets court-mandated therapy, which she uses to work out her feelings for Barney. Her introspection might be short-lived though, because she'll start dating her therapist (Kal Penn fromHarold and Kumar Go to White Castle). While Lily and Marshall spend most of their time preparing for the baby, and Barney drops hints about the identity of his future bride, Ted will be harping on why he has yet to achieve everything that Marshall and Lily have. Biggest Scoop: Robin and Barney have a hot and heavy dance sequence at a wedding.
8:30pm "2 Broke Girls" (CBS)
Plot:Set in New York City, the series chronicles the lives of two waitresses in their twenties—Max (Dennings), who comes from a poor working-class family, and Caroline (Behrs), who was born rich but is now down on her luck—working together at a Brooklyn restaurant. The two become fast friends and build their dream of one day opening a cupcake shop (for which they need to raise $250,000), although they can barely afford anything with the pay they receive at work, and must continually find ways to make ends meet, like handing out fliers dressed as King Tut and helping a hoarder organize their apartment. Cast:Kat Dennings (Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and Thor), Beth Behrs, Garrett Morris, Jonathan Kite, Matthew Moy ("Scrubs") Why Watch: The promos don't do it justice. First off, Behrs's character isn't actually as dumb as they imply. What she lacks in street smarts, she makes up for with business savvy. Secondly, Behr is also capable of keeping up with Dennings's signature snark. She can dish it out just as hard. Lastly, by the general title, one could assume the series has no solid schematic, but once they introduce the idea of these two girls working together to start a business, it's much easier to imagine seasons of content.
9pm "Two and a Half Men" (CBS)
Plot: Charlie dies. A heartbroken Internet billionaire, who has no luck with the ladies, buys his house and somehow adopts Alan as his love guru. Cast:Ashton Kutcher, Jon Cryer, Angus T. Jones Why Watch:Out of sheer curiosity of whether 1) this revived series will make it without Charlie Sheen and 2) whether Kutcher can ever be more than just the first celeb who repped Twitter or Demi Moore's underaged lover.
10pm "Hawaii Five-O" (CBS) Last Season: Rachel left her husband and decided to move back to New York with her daughter after discovering she's pregnant. Dano agreed to go with her, but was delayed when he was forced to arrest McGarrett, who was framed for the The Governor's death after discovering she ordered the hit on his dad. Kono was arrested for stealing the ransom money to save Chin Ho. And Chin Ho's name was cleared, despite his attempt to take the fall for his uncle. This Season: My prayers were answered and the writers are adding a little more romance to balance out the bromance. Lauren German ("Happy Town" and A Walk to Remember) will woo McGarrett as a Homeland Security Officer who was hand-picked to join Five-0 task force. In spite of Dano rekindling his relationship with his ex-wife, Scott Caan's "Entourage" costar Autumn Reeser ("No Ordinary Family") will knock him off his feet as a maritime museum curator. And Billy Baldwin will play a corrupt former homicide detective who has his eyes on Kono. Other guest stars will include Terry O'Quinn ("Lost") as a Navy Seal Lt. Commander who trained McGarrett and served with his father in Vietnam, and holds the secret to his parents' murder; Tom Sizemore as the leader of the Infernal Affairs investigation of Five-0; Greg Grunberg ("Heroes") as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent; and Richard T. Jones ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") as the new governor. Plus, Masi Oka was made a series regular, so we'll see more of him. Biggest Scoop: McGarrett breaks out of prison mid-transit.
10pm "The Playboy Club" (NBC)
Plot: Set in 1963, the series will center around the employees (known as Bunnies) of the first Playboy Club in Chicago at the center of the country's sexual revolution. Cast:Amber Heard (Drive Angry 3D and The Stepfather), Eddie Cibrian ("Third Watch"), Laura Benanti (Take the Lead), David Krumholtz ("Numb3rs"), Naturi Naughton (Lottery Ticket and Fame), Leah Renee Cudmore, Sean Maher (Serenity), Jenna Dewan (Step Up), Wes Ramsey ("CSI: Miami") Why Watch:I, like I'm sure everyone who's heard about this series, was expecting the glorification of an objectifying industry, but the producers wisely made it about more than just that. Sure, there's an idealized portrayal of what an honor it was to be a "Bunny," but there's also a real story happening amidst all the prancing and posing. Cibrian is an aspiring district attorney who used to work for the mob and he's become so enamored with the newest bunny, Heard, that he helps her cover up the accidental murder of the city's resident mob boss. Krumholtz is running the Playboy Club, but is experiencing a little resistance from the oldest Bunny, Benanti, who is looking to gain more control over the operation with the approval of Hef himself. Krumholtz must sustain her micro-managing while trying not to give into the mob's persistent request to have a stake in the business. And if that isn't enough to sway you, the writers are doing well to paint a picture of the 60s that "Mad Men" is only beginning to. Naughton acts as the voice of rebellious African American women, desperate to find a place where they're treated as equals. Cudmore represents both the married Bunnies, and provides a look at a different, secretive lifestyle that hid in the 60s and flourished in the 70s. And Dewan hides a secret that makes it impossible for her to marry. The acting is decent and the story has promise.
10pm "Castle" (ABC) Last Season: After the Captain told Beckett the truth about her father's death, he's murdered by his former cohorts and she's shot by a sniper at his funeral. Castle takes this opportunity to tell her he loves her. This Season: After Beckett's near death experience, Castle's daughter Alexis gets increasingly worried about her father's safety and takes her anger out on the recovering Beckett. Meanwhile, Castle may be getting a new love interest in the form of an art insurance investigator (Kristin Lehman from "The Killing") with a secret past. The team gets a new, tough-as-nails boss (Penny Johnson Jerald), who isn't swayed by Castle's charms. Tamala Jones was promoted to series regular. Her relationship with Esposito gets a little more complicated as they get more serious. And the 3XK killer returns. Biggest Scoop: Castle will get into a physical fight with Beckett's boyfriend.
SEPTEMBER 20, TUESDAY
8pm "NCIS" (CBS)
8pm "Glee" (FOX) Last Season: They lost Nationals. Will decided not to audition for a Broadway play. Finn broke up with Quinn to get back together with Rachel. Quinn chopped off her hair. Blaine told Kurt how he feels about him. And Mercedes and Sam started secretly dating. This Season: Coach Sylvester refocuses her attention on running for Congress and uses her dirty tricks in an arena she seems born for. Idina Menzel returns as Rachel's mom for a major arc this season. We get to meet Mike's parents, who, like most Asian parents, have different plans for him than he does. He's a senior and he has to start planning for the future, which might put a kink in his relationship with Tina, who is a junior. Mercedes gets a new boyfriend named Bubba (LaMarcus Tinker from "Friday Night Lights") over summer, since Sam's family moves away. Brittany decides she wants Artie back. Quinn is going to get in touch with her inner bad girl by way of Gwen Stefani-style pink hair. There will be fewer songs, only one tribute episode that's been in the works for the last two years, and no big name guest stars. Supporting characters like Mercedes, Mike, and Tina will get bigger storylines. And Vanessa Lengies ("Hawthorne") will join the series as a wealthy student named Sugar. We'll also see all 700 "Glee Project" contestants—somehow. Biggest Scoop: Will and Emma kiss...like with their mouths.
9pm "NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS)
9pm "New Girl" (FOX)
Plot: A well-liked, bubbly, young woman in her late 20s is trying to get over her surprise breakup with her model boyfriend. She eventually finds a new place to stay when she moves in with three single guys: Nick (Johnson), a bartender; Schmidt (Greenfield), a professional and modern-day Casanova; and Coach (Morris, who replaced Damon Wayans Jr. after the pilot), a former athlete turned trainer. Rounding out this unlikely bunch is Jessica's street-smart model friend Cece (Simone). Together, this group of friends try to help Jess learn a lot about love and life at a time when they're all rebuilding their lives or choosing a path. Cast: Zooey Deschanel, Jake M. Johnson (Paper Heart), Max Greenfield ("Ugly Betty" and "Greek"), Hannah Simone ("WCG Ultimate Gamer"), Lamorne Morris Why Watch: Deschanel has made a name for herself by playing characters who are adored (500 Days of Summer and Your Highness), so it'll be nice to see her play a total dork who's so vulnerable and socially inept that she watches Dirty Dancing on a loop to console herself. I know this isn't the first time that a shattered woman has been the subject of a female-centric comedy, but rarely has an underdog indie queen been the star. The only hitch is that the pilot and the promos have Damon Wayans Jr. as the token black guy, but since his ABC series "Happy Endings" got picked up, he had to pass the torch to Morris. That could change the dynamic tremendously if fans truly enjoy the chemistry of the first episode. We'll see.
9:30pm "Raising Hope" (FOX) Last Season: Sabrina broke up with her cheating boyfriend, and we learn that she had a major crush on Jimmy back when he was an unrecognizable, moody goth. This Season: The gang takes a family trip to Las Vegas for cousin Delilah's (Amy Sedaris) wedding. Jimmy gets to meet Sabrina's dad (Stephen Root from "NewsRadio"), which will probably be the episode that he's said to learn shocking secrets about her. Biggest Scoop: Burt will get kidnapped.
10pm "Unforgettable" (CBS)
Plot: Former New York City police detective Carrie Wells suffers from hyperthymesia, a rare medical condition that gives her the ability to remember everything and reexamine it in her memory. She is reluctantly asked by her former boyfriend and one-time partner to join his Queens homicide unit after she helps him solve her neighbor's murder. Helping him shakes loose a memory of her sister's murder, which is the one thing she can't remember, so she agrees to join his team in hopes of remembering more. Cast: Poppy Montgomery ("Without a Trace"), Dylan Walsh ("Nip/Tuck"), Kevin Rankin ("Justified" and "Trauma"), Michael Gaston ("One Life to Live"), and Daya Vaidaya Why Watch:If you're a fan of unorthodox crime shows, like "Medium" and "Body of Proof," then you might like this.
10pm "Body of Proof" (ABC)
SEPTEMBER 21, WEDNESDAY
8pm "The Middle" (ABC) This Season: The first episode is a family camping vacation with flashbacks to their honeymoon. Ray Romano ("Everybody Loves Raymond") plays a guy who ruined it. Axl will continue his brotherly hazing by welcoming Sue to his high school with a prank. Molly Shannon will guest star as Frankie's often-talked about sister. And Chord Overstreet ("Glee") will guest star as Brick's new 4th grade teacher.
9pm "Criminal Minds" (CBS)
9pm "Harry's Law" (NBC)
9pm "Modern Family" (ABC) Last Season: Alex graduated from middle school, and Cam and Mitchell decided to adopt a boy. This Season: They go on a family vacation to a dude ranch where the guys test how manly they are. There'll be even further competition between Jay and Manny's dad (Benjamin Bratt) when they race to figure out how much Jay gets to be in Manny's life. Hayley and Alex not only end up at the same high school, but in the same math class, which after initial resistance will lead to a "mutual advantage." Mitch and Cam struggle with the possibility that Lily doesn't want any competition. Josh Gad (Love and Other Drugs) plays a neighbor of the Dunphys who worships the ground Phil walks on. David Cross ("Arrested Development") will have a recurring role as a city councilman who goes toe-to-toe with Claire. Manny commits a crime, Claire ends up on an accidental date, and Phil tries his hand at inventing a scalp massager...unsuccessfully.
10pm "CSI" (CBS)
10pm "Law & Order: SVU" (NBC)
10pm "Revenge" (ABC)
Plot: A mysterious woman, Emily Thorne, arrives in the Hamptons seeking revenge on the people who framed her father. Cast: Emily VanCamp ("Brothers & Sisters" and "Everwood"), Madeleine Stowe (The Last of the Mohicans), Gabriel Mann (The Bourne Identity), Henry Czerny ("Falling Skies" and "The Tudors"), Ashley Madekwe ("Secret Diary of a Call Girl" and "The Beautiful Life: TBL"), Nick Wechsler ("Roswell"), Joshua Bowman ("Make It or Break It"), Christa B. Allen (13 Going on 30), Connor Paolo ("Gossip Girl") Why Watch:You've never seen VanCamp like this before. She's always been one to play a good girl, stumbling into things she isn't quite prepared for. Now she's playing an assertive, vengeance-seeking manipulator—and she's really good at it. The series has the scandalous plot lines of "Gossip Girl," the adult drama of "Melrose Place," and the intricate vengeance schemes of "Pretty Little Liars," minus the light moments. It's saturated in hatred and betrayal. What sets it apart is that it's from the perspective of the vengeance-seeker instead of the victims. You'll be mesmerized by how impressively she takes them each down, one by one. Also, "Roswell" fans will be happy to see the return of Wechsler, who plays the one guy who can save her from herself.
SEPTEMBER 22, THURSDAY
8pm "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS) Last Season: Leonard discovered Priya was moving back to India, and then caught Penny and Raj doing the Walk of Shame after a drunken one-night stand. This Season: Leonard and Priya attempt a long distance relationship even though it appears Penny wants him back. Meanwhile, Penny's place in the group is somewhat compromised because she slept with Raj. They were the first guys who treated her like a person more often than a sex object and now that's no longer the case.
8pm "Community" (NBC) Last Season: Annie was seduced by Abed's Han Solo impression, but he wasn't interested. The group discovered that Britta and Jeff have been secretly sleeping together all year. Pierce chose to leave the group after losing it during their epic paintball battle and psychologically toying with them. This Season: Abed and Troy move in together. Annie gets a type-A rival and rekindles her interest in Jeff. Troy tries to compete with Jeff for the position of group leader. John Goodman will play Vice Dean Laybourne, a thorn in both Dean Pelton and the gang's side, who abuses his power because his air conditioning repair program is the most successful of all the curriculums. Michael Kenneth Williams ("The Wire") will have a recurring role as a very intense ex-con Biology teacher, who finds an enemy in Jeff. Martin Starr ("Party Down" andAdventureland) will guest star as a poli-sci professor and project advisor during the Model UN episode. Given all the damage that they've done to the school, Greendale has wisely hired security: a power-hungry rent-a-cop (Mel Rodriguez from "Running Wilde") and Señor Chang.
8:30pm "Parks & Recreation" (NBC) Last Season: Ben finally made a play for Leslie, despite office protocol. But then Leslie was approached by a committee of politicians who are interested in helping her run for Mayor of Pawnee. She's faced with the choice of either forfeiting the seat to be with Ben or forfeiting the potential for true love to get one step closer to the White House. April and Andy got married, and Anne and Chris got back together. This Season: During the first half we'll see as Leslie tries to live with her decision, while still imagining the road not taken. Mark (Paul Schneider) returns for a few episodes, working for a construction company. We'll meet Ron Swanson's first wife (Patricia Clarkson fromFriends with Benefits and Easy A), also named Tammy. Word is she won't be the same manipulative sexpot that Megan Mullally was as Tammy 2, but somehow she'll be much more evil. And if that's not enough Tammy's, we'll also get to meet Tammy 0, Ron's mom (SNL writer/guest star Paula Pell).
9pm "Person of Interest" (CBS)
Plot:Mr. Finch (Emerson), a mysterious billionaire, has developed a computer program that predicts the identity of people connected to violent crimes that will take place in the future. However, the program has its limitations: for example, it cannot predict whether the person will be a victim, perpetrator, or witness, nor can it predict when or where the crime will take place. Unable to stop the crimes on his own, Finch hires John Reese (Caviezel), a former CIA agent who is presumed dead, to help stop the crimes from taking place. Cast:Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ and "The Prisoner"), Michael Emerson ("Lost"), Taraji P. Henson (The Karate Kid and Larry Crowne), Kevin Chapman ("Rescue Me" and "Brotherhood") Why Watch:After "Lost," it's obvious that Emerson is at his best when he's manipulating someone, even when he's doing it for good. And Caviezel's finally found a good role 7 years after being critically deified for playing Jesus Christ. Now he'll play another savior. Omnipotent with the help of his new partner and self-sacrificing to a fault. But in order to maintain viewer interest, they'll have to give these two vigilantes a series-long conspiracy to uncover and at least one love interest. In the mean time, viewers will enjoy trying to figure out whether or not the social security number that comes up belongs to a good person or a bad person. The cases will keep you guessing for sure. Nothing is ever as it seems.
9pm "The Office" (NBC) Last Season: Erin broke up with boring Gabe and asked Andy out, and he rejected her. Angela announced that she's getting married to her senator boyfriend, who everyone thinks is gay. Creed was crowned interim boss until the company could decide who they should hire. This Season: While James Spader has been chosen as the new boss, his ambitions are so lofty that he'll go
after Jo Bennett's (Kathy Bates) job and become CEO of Dunder Mifflin, leaving the office manager position open yet again. Since Jim and Pam are expecting another child, my fingers are crossed for Jim to step up
and overcome his fears of failure. We'll meet Andy's family, with
Stephen Collins ("7th Heaven") as his dad, Dee Wallace (E.T.) as his
mom, and Josh Groban (Crazy Stupid Love) as his brother. Also, the warehouse staff wins the lottery and quits. Biggest Scoop: Someone else has a bun in the oven. My money's on Angela. It's the most logical. Although, it being Kelly would be hilarious on so many levels.
9pm "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC) Last Season: Owen left Cristina with an ultimatum, demanding she not abort their child. Lucy took Alex's job in Africa and dumped him. He drowns his sorrows and drunkenly attempted to get Meredith disqualified for the Chief Resident position by telling Owen that she tampered with Derek's Alzheimer's drug experiment. When Derek found out, he abandoned Meredith and their newly adopted African baby. This Season: The chief fires Meredith. And since Alex ratted out Meredith, April became the new Chief Resident, and Owen was made the new Chief of Surgery, they'll all be treated like outsiders. Owen in particular will have a difficult time because he's more of a hands-on doc than a paperwork doc, and he's still waiting for Cristina to decide if she's getting an abortion, which she will by the end of the episode. Alex will at least have Arizona in his corner. Jackson attempts to pursue a field in plastics, which will of course be awkward, since his mentor will have to be Mark. Debbie Allen will play his mom. Callie and Arizona discover how motherhood affects their sex life, relationship, and work life. Scott Foley (Henry, Teddy's fake husband) was tapped to play a major character next season on "True Blood," so not sure what that means in regards to the likelihood of Henry's survival. And an ill-equipped male intern will join the cast.
9:30pm "Whitney" (NBC)
Plot: An opinionated woman and her very supportive live-in boyfriend have decided that they will not commit to marriage. But because of what she sees and hears around her involving other relationships, she decides to use unconventional methods to keep the romantic flames glowing with the help of her close friends. Cast:Whitney Cummings ("Chelsea Lately"), Chris D'Elia ("Glory Daze"), Rhea Seehorn ("Franklin & Bash"), Maulik Pancholy ("30 Rock" and "Web Therapy"), Zoe Lister-Jones (Stuck Between Stations), Daniel G. O'Brien, Jane Kaczmarek ("Malcolm in the Middle") Why Watch: Cummings' type of comedy is a little abrasive, so I was worried her character would be unlikable. But she's found a nice balance between sexy, sweet, and confrontational. The promos are pretty accurate on the caliber of jokes and how frequently they're told, but there's a chance her whiny how-do-we-have-a-commitment-without-committing schtick will get old quick.
Plot: This U.S. remake of a U.K. series is about Jane Timoney, an iconoclastic female detective who has to make her bones in a tough New York precinct that is dominated by men. Cast: Maria Bello (A History of Violence), Aidan Quinn (Unknown), Brian O'Byrne ("Mildred Pierce" and "FlashForward"), Kirk Acevedo ("Fringe"), Joe Nieves ("How I Met Your Mother"), Damon Gupton (The Last Airbender), Tim Griffin (Leatherheads and "Grey's Anatomy"), Peter Gerety ("Mercy" and "Brothers & Sisters") Why Watch: Bello has always been a tough chick. This role is a piece of cake for her. The only question is whether viewers are ready to take 60 minutes of testosterone-filled misogyny and balls-out feminism set in the cold-hearted, bleak city of New York. They didn't warm to "Detroit 1-8-7," so its chances don't look so good. History has proven that viewers only enjoy a hopeful, and sunny New York. Not the one that's on the news. One thing that sets this series apart from other gritty crime shows is that it's told through the eyes of a woman, an underdog. She doesn't just have to fight the criminals. She has to fight the cops too. And on an unrelated note, I just have to say this: Nieves was the bartender on "How I Met Your Mother." Moving on up!
SEPTEMBER 23, FRIDAY
8pm "A Gifted Man" (CBS)
Plot: Michael Holt (Wilson) is a talented but self-absorbed surgeon at an upscale New York City clinic. He lives a comfortable and materialistic life due to the wealthy clients he treats, but is nevertheless discontent with his life and acts coldly to those around him. His life is thrown into disarray, however, when he is visited by the ghost of his ex-wife Anna (Ehle), who was recently killed in a car accident. Anna asks Michael to help keep running the free clinic she previously directed, which leads Michael to be exposed to poorer patients in need, who are far different from his usual clientele. Michael's sister Christina (Benz), a single mother struggling to care for her troubled teenage son Milo (Aiken), believes in the supernatural and is thrilled with the idea that Anna is back in Michael's life, as she insists he was a better person when she was around. Cast: Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Ehle (The King's Speech), Julie Benz ("No Ordinary Family" and "Dexter"), Liam Aiken (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and Road to Perdition), Margo Martindale ("Justified," "Mercy," and "The Riches"), Pablo Schreiber (Happythankyoumoreplease and "Lights Out"), Rachelle Lefevre ("Off the Map" and Twilight), Afton Williamson Why Watch:It's one of those inspirational stories that chart the slow transformation of a heartless man into a selfless hero.
8pm "Nikita" (CW11) Last Season: Alex killed Jaden and discovered that Nikita was the one who murdered her father. She spared her life but vows to seek revenge. After Michael spared Percy's life, he goes on the run with Nikita, then Oversight hires Alex to hunt them down and puts Amanda in charge. This Season: Nikita and Michael are on the run with the hard drive and Alex is heading up the mission to take them down. Oversight hires Army Special Ops officer Sean Pierce (Dillon Casey from "Vampire Diaries") to retrieve the black box and keep tabs on Amanda, but he'll also become intrigued by Alex who he doesn't fully trust. In order to stay afloat, Michael and Nikita have to find a benefactor to support them. Since Amanda stole his job, Percy will be plotting his revenge. And we might get to meet Alex's mom—and I'm secretly hoping it's Amanda. Biggest Scoop: One female character will shoot another. My money's on Nikita shooting Alex. It is technically her turn.
9pm "CSI: NY" (CBS)
9pm "Fringe" (FOX) Last Season: Peter managed to create a bridge between both worlds, combining both Walternate and Walter's labs, and deleting himself from existence. This Season: When the series restarts, it'll sort of reboot—for a little while. We'll get to see what life would be like without Peter, because no one will remember he existed. And considering the impact that Peter has had on Olivia's life, especially her young life, and Walter's sanity, the changes should be pretty drastic. Not to mention, his child with Fauxlivia won't exist. Another big change will be the fact that the bridge unites both worlds and both Fringe divisions, which will pile double the workload on Division leader Broyles. And we'll get to see the differences between the doubles, like the fact that Walternate isn't as lab-savvy as our sweet Walter. Meanwhile, I'm excited to report that Lincoln Lee will be a permanent character this season joining the Fringe team on more cases. Also joining the cast is actress Mei-Ling Hwa ("Secret Life of the American Teenager" and "Dirty Sexy Money").
9pm "Supernatural" (CW11)
10pm "Blue Bloods" (CBS)
SEPTEMBER 25, SUNDAY
7:30pm "The Cleveland Show" (FOX)
8pm "The Simpsons" (FOX)
9pm "Family Guy" (FOX)
9pm "Desperate Housewives" (ABC) Last Season: Felicia almost killed Paul, Susan saved him, he realized he needed to turn himself in, and then Felicia got in a car accident. Lynette and Tom decided to get a divorce after she tried to micromanage his career. Bree started dating a cop. Gabby's stepdad tried to rape her, Carlos murdered him, and the ladies, including Renee, helped them cover it up. This Season: The ladies have trouble with their guilt and making the right choices. Plus, not only will Renee get a new love interest in the form of a ruthless contractor (Charles Mesure from "V"), but so will Tom. Andrea Parker will have the pleasure of playing his rebound. Meanwhile, Susan will go back to art school. Biggest Scoop: At the end of the first episode, there's a big reveal that's tied back to the pilot episode and involves Mary Alice's suicide.
9:30pm "American Dad" (FOX)
9pm "The Good Wife" (CBS) Last Season: Alicia realized that Kalinda slept with Peter the night he wins the election. She tore her a new one, then asked Peter for a divorce after buying him a new apartment and moving all of his stuff into it. The ink was barely dry before she got Will to pay for an insanely expensive hotel room so they could have one night together. This Season: While Will and Alicia enjoyed their night together, they'll certainly pay for it. Peter has his sights set on taking Will down and Alicia will have to decide how badly she wants to be with him. She might even consider staying married to Peter to help him become the governor and get out of the State's Attorney office, so their professional lives aren't intertwined anymore. But Will will have trouble of his own, when his ex and former co-worker (Lisa Edelstein from "House") shows up. Since they were partners at his old firm there's a chance she was involved in his shady dealings with Blake. She'll provide a stark contrast to Alicia who isn't as risky and unpredictable. Eli and Kalinda team up when he hires her for a few politically-driven investigations. We'll also get to meet Eli's ex-wife (Parker Posey). And Alicia's brother Owen will get a love interest in the form of a young philosophy professor (Michael Arden).
Biggest Scoop: Diane will get a new love interest and he'll be a much younger legal aide (Bill Heck).
9pm "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO) Last Season: Jimmy made his move to turn against his mentor Nucky, and an assassination attempt is made on Nucky's life. This Season: Jimmy is looking to take over Nucky's territory and Nucky will put up a formidable fight. Angela is getting to know Jimmy's inner circle, and his mom is pushing
him to overthrow Nucky, so that she can be queen of Atlantic City. Margaret and her children have moved in with Nucky, who might be rubbing off on her son. Her reasons for leaving Ireland will be revealed. Lucy is blackmailing Agent Van Alden with her pregnancy. Meanwhile, a new female prosecutor (Julianne Nicholson from "Law & Order: Criminal Intent") is hunting bootleggers.
10pm "CSI: Miami" (CBS)
10pm "Pan Am" (ABC)
Plot: Period drama about the pilots and flight attendants who once made Pan Am the most glamorous way to fly. Cast:Margot Robbie ("Neighbours"), Kelli Garner ("My Generation" and Going the Distance), Christina Ricci, Karine Vanasse, Michael Mosley ("Scrubs"), replacing Jonah Lotan ("Generation Kill" and "24") from the pilot is Mike Vogel (She's Out of My League and Cloverfield), Goran Visnjic ("ER") Why Watch:I know it sounds like a commercial for why you should fly more often, and much like "The Playboy Club" a glorification of an objectifying profession, but that's not why you should watch. First off, the first episode implies that the pilots don't always fly commercial airlines, and are often involved in government situations, like mass rescues, due to the political turmoil during the time. The reason is because Pan Am was the only global airline and as such was protected by the Geneva Convention in case they were ever held captive. Secondly, each stewardess has an interesting backstory, explaining what led them to pursue a corner office in the sky. But most importantly, the flight attendants aren't just eye candy. Some of them are in possession of the perfect cover to gather intel, detain suspects, and perform basic espionage on behalf of the CIA and MI-6. And sometimes leading a double life can interfere with their personal life. The writers have succeeded in making the lives of these ladies seem like a never ending adventure.
SEPTEMBER 26, MONDAY
8pm "Terra Nova" (FOX)
Plot: The show begins in the year 2149, a time when all life on planet Earth is threatened with extinction. In an effort to save the human race, scientists develop a time machine allowing people to travel 85 million years back in time to prehistoric Earth. After former police officer Jim is imprisoned for having a third child and exceeding population-control limits, he and his family join the tenth pilgrimage of settlers to Terra Nova, the first human colony on the other side of the temporal doorway. However, they are unaware that the colony is in the middle of a group of carnivorous dinosaurs, and it's habitually attacked by a group of rogue residents called the Sixers, who have a different agenda on Terra Nova. Cast:Jason O'Mara ("Life on Mars"), Stephen Lang (Avatar), Shelley Conn, Landon Liboiron ("Life Unexpected"), Naomi Scott (Lemonade Mouth), Allison Miller ("Kings"), Mido Hamada ("24"), Alana Mansour, Christine Adams ("Pushing Daisies"), Rod Hallett ("The Tudors") Why Watch:This series has been delayed so many times I wouldn't be surprised if initial fans have given up hope. But Steven Spielberg, the king of dinosaur epics, is trying to essentially capitalize off of the Avatar worship (even poaching its F/X supervisor) to bring Jurassic Park to the small screen in a giant way. If there's anyone who knows how to tell the story of a family forced to fend off the volatility of nature while mending the broken ties between them, it's him.
8pm "Gossip Girl" (CW11) Last Season: Blair and Chuck had one last night together before she officially accepted Louis's proposal. We discovered that Lily's sister actually paid a woman named Ivy to pretend to be her daughter Charlie so she could steal blank checks from her family. Vanessa asked Dan for a second chance, he rejected her, and she retaliated by getting his UES tell-all published. Nate and Raina broke up when she decided to move back to Chicago after she learned her father accidentally murdered her mother. Serena went to Hollywood and got an internship at a movie studio. This Season: Blair gets a new nemesis. Prince Louis's sister (Roxane Mesquida) will meddle in their relationship. Not to mention, do her best to keep Blair away from Dan, which probably won't be necessary since his lightly-veiled tell-all will most likely piss her off. But he won't be lonely, because it looks like Ivy is here to stay now that Kaylee Defer has been made a series regular. Serena will have a better focus this season, having found her calling in L.A. over the summer. Elizabeth Hurley joins the series as "a sexy, smart, self-made media mogul and all-around force to be reckoned with. Diana’s entrance on the Upper East Side will change the lives of all our characters — including, and especially, Gossip Girl herself." And given the set shots of her canoodling with Nate, methinks she'll be the Demi to his Ashton. Also, we won't see anymore of Eric and Jenny, because Connor Paolo joined "Revenge" and Taylor Momsen quit acting to be a poserrockstar. Biggest Scoop: More than one person in the Waldorf home is pregnant.
9pm "Hart of Dixie" (CW11)
Plot: The series follows New Yorker Dr. Zoe Hart who is in desperate need of a general practice position in order to be considered for a fellowship in the future. She decides to accept the offer of a Southern doctor from remote Bluebell, Alabama, only to discover that not only did he die and leave her his practice, but he was also her father. Cast:Rachel Bilson ("The O.C."), Scott Porter ("Friday Night Lights" and "The Good Wife"), Jaime King ("My Generation" and "Gary Unmarried"), Cress Williams ("Friday Night Lights" and "ER"), McKaley Miller ("The Gates"), Wilson Bethel ("The Young and the Restless" and "Generation Kill") Why Watch:I guess if you miss Summer Roberts that much, and really liked the 1991 film Doc Hollywood, then this'll just warm your heart.
9:30pm "Mike & Molly" (CBS) Last Season: They got engaged. This Season: Her mom gets married.
SEPTEMBER 28, WEDNESDAY
8:30pm "Suburgatory" (ABC)
Plot: A divorced father decides to get away from New York City to the suburbs so he can give his 16-year-old daughter a better life. However, the move to 'burbs has the daughter wondering if they just entered the world of The Stepford Wives after they see how 'perfect' their new locale is, right down to the neighbors who welcome them into the cul-de-sac. Cast:Jeremy Sisto ("Law & Order"), Jane Levy ("Shameless"), Cheryl Hines ("Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "In the Motherhood"), Carly Chaikin (The Last Song), Allie Grant ("Weeds"), Alan Tudyk (Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Serenity), Rex Lee ("Entourage"), Ana Gasteyer ("SNL"), Chris Parnell ("30 Rock"), Katelyn Pacitto, Kara Pacitto Why Watch:Newcomer Levy has great comic timing. She's like the sunnier "Daria" stuck in Wisteria Lane. Not sure the premise can last longer than two seasons, but I guess we'll see.
9:30pm "Happy Endings" (ABC) Last Season: Alex realized she's not completely over Dave, even though she left him at the altar. This Season: The gang will be back to their usual hijinks, celebrating Dave and Alex's non-nuptials, bonding with Mean Girls, and accidentally gender-bending on Halloween. Plus, we'll learn why Penny and Max dated, meet her mom (Megan Mullally from "Parks & Recreation"), and watch as Brad and Jane deal with the next step in their relationship.
SEPTEMBER 29, THURSDAY
8:30pm "How to be a Gentleman" (CBS)
Plot:The series chronicles the friendship between Andrew (Hornsby), an uptight gentlema-and-magazine columnist, and his abrasive old high school classmate Bert (Dillon). Desperate to keep his column after the magazine decides to gear all of its content towards a younger audience, Andrew changes its angle and uses Bert as his guide to becoming a modern man, hiring him as his trainer and moving in with him. Cast: David Hornsby ("It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"), Kevin Dillon ("Entourage"), Dave Foley ("NewsRadio"), Mary Lynn Rajskub ("24"), Rhys Darby ("Flight of the Conchords"), Nancy Lenehan ("Worst Week") Why Watch: If you like the idea of a sophisticated and sensitive guy being taught how to be a "man" by a meathead, and/or you miss Johnny Drama, then you'll find a lot of laughs in this.
10pm "Private Practice" (ABC)
OCTOBER 2, SUNDAY 9pm "Dexter" (SHO)
10pm "Hung" (HBO) This Season: Ray will get some professional competition (Stephen Arnell by "Vampire Diaries"), and he'll help a client (Ana Ortiz from "Ugly Betty") with a voracious sexual appetite and serious anger issues, both sexually and emotionally. Biggest Scoop: One of Ray's clients will be a pre-op transexual.
10pm "Homeland" (SHO)
Plot: Centers on Marine Sergeant Scott Brody, who returns home eight years after being a prisoner of war in Iraq, and Carrie Anderson, a drug-abusing-but-driven CIA analyst who suspects he might be a secret terrorist, plotting an attack on America. Cast: Claire Danes ("Dexter"), Damian Lewis ("Life"), Mandy Patinkin ("Criminal Minds"), Morena Baccarin ("V"), David Harewood ("Robin Hood"), Diego Klattenhoff ("Mercy" and "Men in Trees"), Morgan Saylor (Cirque du Freak), Jackson Pace (Cool Dog) Why Watch: It'll be an interesting cat-and-mouse game where you won't be sure who should be chasing who.
10:30pm "How to Make It In America" (HBO) This Season: Ben will get an older love interest, who is a "smart, classy and sexy New York tastemaker with an eye for talent who owns a showroom in downtown Manhattan." I don't know why Marisa Tomei just popped in my head, but she did.
OCTOBER 3, MONDAY
9pm "House" (FOX)
OCTOBER 5, WEDNESDAY
10pm "American Horror Story" (FX)
Plot:The story focuses on a family that move into a decrepit mansion in Los Angeles, eager for a fresh start after the father's recent adultery and the mother's miscarriage, unaware that it's haunted. Cast:Dylan McDermott ("Dark Blue" and "Big Shots"), Connie Britton ("Friday Night Lights"), Jessica Lange (Grey Gardens), Frances Conroy ("Six Feet Under"), Denis O'Hare ("True Blood"), Taissa Farmiga, Evan Peters (Kick-Ass), Alex Breckenridge ("True Blood" and "Life Unexpected"), Jamie Brewer Why Watch:Because you've always wanted to watch movies like The Last House on the Left on an endless loop.
OCTOBER 7, FRIDAY 10pm "Sanctuary" (SYFY)
OCTOBER 10, MONDAY
9pm "Bored to Death" (HBO) This Season:Zach Woods ("The Office") will play Ray's hilariously dorky super-fan.
9:30pm "Enlightened" (HBO) Plot:The story of Amy, a self-destructive executive, who, after a very public breakdown and a subsequent philosophical awakening in rehab, tries to get her life back together, while struggling with keeping her reproachful mom (Dern's real mom Ladd), loutish druggie ex (Wilson), and megaconglomerate employer virtuous. Cast:Laura Dern (Jurassic Park), Luke Wilson, Diane Ladd (Inland Empire), Timm Sharp ("Til Death"), Amy Hill (50 First Dates), Charles Esten ("Big Love" and "ER") Why Watch:Because we all have a breaking point and getting a guide to recovering from it couldn't hurt.
OCTOBER 11, TUESDAY
8pm "Last Man Standing" (ABC)
Plot:The series will follow Mike Baxter, a director of marketing at a
outdoor sporting goods store in Colorado, whose home life and world is
dominated by women: his wife and three
daughters, one of whom is a single mother. Cast: Tim Allen, Nancy Travis ("The Bill Engvall Show"), Molly Ephraim (Paranormal Activity 2), Alexandra Krosney ("Surviving Suburbia"), Kaitlyn Dever ("Justified" and Bad Teacher), Hector Elizondo (Princess Diaries), Christoph Sanders ("Ghost Whisperer") Why Watch: Because you wonder what Allen's "Home Improvement" character would be like if he had all girls instead of all boys.
10pm "Reed Between the Lines" (BET)
Plot:Centers on Dr. Carla Reed, a busy psychiatrist, wife and mom struggling to balance her job and her happy-but-chaotic home life with her English-professor husband Alex. Cast: Tracee Ellis Ross ("Girlfriends"), Malcolm-Jamal Warner ("The Cosby Show") Why Watch: They're saying it's the new "Cosby Show" and since one of its graduates is costarring, you could be swayed to believe them.
OCTOBER 12, WEDNESDAY
10pm "Psych" (USA) This Season: In accordance with the series's knack for hiring every iconic 80s/90s actor, Molly Ringwald ("Secret Life of the American Teenager" and TheBreakfast Club) will play a nurse at a mental hospital and a suspect in a case; Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon) will play a minor league baseball coach who asks for Gus's help; William Shatner (Star Trek and "Shit My Dad Says") will play Juliet's estranged, con artist father; Jason Priestly ("90210" and "Haven") will play one-half of a con artist duo; Cheech Marin will play Gus's childhood mentor in an episode that includes Mekhi Phifer as his ex a capella group member; Kristy Swanson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) will play a mysterious woman suspected of killing a man vampire-style; Malcolm McDowell ("Franklin & Bash" and "Fantasy Island") will play a British diplomat and suspect in a case; New Kid on the Block Joe McIntyre will play a buff cop who might be a masked superhero; and John Rhys-Davies (Raiders of the Lost Ark) will play a kooky art museum curator. Biggest Scoop: Shawn, Gus, and Lassiter wake up with no memory of the evening before, Hangover-style, and have to prove their innocence in a murder case.
OCTOBER 18, TUESDAY
8:30pm "Man Up" (ABC)
Plot: The series revolves around the lives of three guys with questionable childish behavior and lifestyles who decide it's time to do the one thing they had forgotten to do: act like real men. But they need to grow up a little before that can happen, even at their age. Cast: Christopher Moynihan ("100 Questions"), Dan Fogler (Take Me Home Tonight), Amanda Detmer ("Necessary Roughness"), Henry Simmons ("Shark"), Mather Zickel ("Reno 911!"), Teri Polo (Meet the Parents) Why Watch: Imagine 3 Phil's ("Modern Family") at different stages of his life and half the laughs.
OCTOBER 20, THURSDAY
8:30pm "Rules of Engagement" (CBS) Last Season:
Russell was obsessed with being the dumper and not the dumpee in his
relationship with Liz, and bumps into her on a single's cruise filled
with old women. This Season: The captain married them, and Liz is taking their vows a little too seriously.
OCTOBER 21, FRIDAY
10pm "Boss" (Starz)
Plot:The series follows Tom Kane, the mayor of Chicago, who has recently been diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disorder. Determined to remain in charge, Kane conceals the disease from everyone around him except his own physician, Dr. Ella Harris. Those around Kane are too busy with their own lives to notice anything unusual. Kane's marriage to his wife Meredith is nothing more than one of convenience. Kane's closest advisors begin to suspect something is wrong with the Mayor but respect him too much to ask any questions. While State Treasurer Ben Zajac is too busy cultivating his political ambitions to become the next Governor of Illinois to notice anything out of the ordinary. Kane's daughter, Emma, is the only one who who suspects something, but does she know enough to uncover his secret and what will it mean for his political career? Cast: Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier"), Jeff Hephner ("Hellcats"), Connie Nielsen (Gladiator), Kathleen Robertson ("Beverly Hills, 90210"), Hannah Ware Why Watch:Because you really miss "Frasier."
OCTOBER 23, SUNDAY
8pm "Once Upon a Time" (ABC)
Plot:The series is loosely inspired by the classic fairy tale stories except set in the present day. The stories hold a key to the mystery that will draw a bail bonds collector and the son that she gave up for adoption 10 years earlier to a New England town called Storybrooke, Maine. This town is actually a parallel world in which fairy tale characters look like normal people and don't remember their true identities or anything about their true lives. It's up to the bail bonds collector to save these characters and give them back the happy ending a wicked witch stole from them. Cast: Jennifer Morrison ("How I Met Your Mother" and "House"), Jared Gilmore ("Mad Men"), Lana Parrilla ("Swingtown" and "Spin City"), Robert Carlyle ("SGU Stargate Universe"), Ginnifer Goodwin, Joshua Dallas (Thor), Jamie Dornan (Marie Antoinette), Raphael Sbarge ("Prison Break"), Giancarlo Esposito ("Breaking Bad") Why Watch: If hearing "happily ever after" was never enough for you as a kid, you'll get to see what happens when that happy ending is stripped away and not even Prince Charming can save the day. Not only will a modern hero be their only salvation, but a female one at that. Most fairytale reimaginings just make the story darker, but this one changes the playing field.
OCTOBER 27, THURSDAY
10pm "Beavis and Butt-head" (MTV)
Plot:The show centers on two socially awkward, rock/metal-loving teenage delinquents, Beavis and Butt-head. Their most common shared activity is watching music videos. Despite having no experience with women, they're obsessed with sex. Each episode features a few interstitial scenes in which they view videos in this manner with the rest of the episode depicting them embarking on some scheme or adventure. They attend Highland High School, where their teachers are often at a loss as to how to deal with them, although in many episodes they just skip school. They have little remorse for their actions. They tend to survive without serious consequences, in contrast to those around them. Why Watch:Because "South Park" was getting too smart for you and you miss your M-T-V too.
10:30pm "Good Vibes" (MTV) Plot:Transplanted Jersey boy, Mondo, and his best bud, Woodie, are on a mission to surf the biggest waves, crash the wildest parties and chase the prettiest girls in Playa Del Toro, a California beach town where bikinis rule and the vibe is an endless summer. Cast: Josh Gad (Love and Other Drugs), Adam Brody ("The O.C."), Debi Mazar ("Entourage"), Tony Hale ("Arrested Development" and Happythankyoumoreplease), Olivia Thirlby (No Strings Attachedand The Wackness), Jake Busey, Danny McBride (30 Minutes or Less and Your Highness) Alan Tudyk (Transformers: Dark of the Moon and "Dollhouse") Why Watch:It makes fun of our generation's obsessions and pop culture idiosyncrasies.
OCTOBER 28, FRIDAY 8pm "Chuck" (NBC) Last Season:
After Sarah almost died, Chuck and Sarah got married, he lost the
Intersect, they were dismissed from government service, and given
ownership of Volkoff Industries, which they used to buy the Buy More and
the secret Castle base underneath it. After deciding to start their own
spy business with Casey and Morgan, Morgan accidentally downloads the
Intersect into his brain. This Season: Chuck and the gang
start Carmichael Industries, a spy company. Without the Intersect, Chuck
has to rely on his cleverness to succeed in the field, while also
acting as Morgan's handler the way Sarah once did for him. Speaking of
Morgan, he's enjoying his new "powers" a little too much, transforming
himself into an ass-kicking machine, always ready for a fight. Now that
Ellie knows about Chuck's secret life, it'll become more of a family
business. They'll also have some competition in the market, and said
competition will have a female leader that will peak Casey's interest.
The producers delivered yet again on the geektastic casting by getting Carrie-Anne Moss (Matrix).
The Buy More will remain the hub for their operations, but it'll also
be their funding, which means that they'll only be as well-funded as the
store is. Keep your eyes peeled for a cameo by Danny Pudi ("Community"). Biggest Scoop: One of the major characters will die.
9pm "Grimm" (NBC)
Plot: Set in present-day Portland, Oregon, the series puts a new twist on the stories of the Brothers Grimm in which a homicide detective learns that he is a descendant of a group of hunters known as "Grimms," who fight to keep humanity safe from the supernatural creatures of the world. Upon learning of his destiny and that he is the last of his kind, he has to protect every living soul from the sinister storybook characters that have infiltrated the real world. Cast:David Giuntoli ("Privileged"), Russell Hornsby ("Lincoln Heights"), Bitsie Tulloch ("Quarterlife"), Silas Weir Mitchell ("My Name is Earl"), Sasha Roiz ("Caprica"), Reggie Lee ("Persons Unknown" and "Prison Break") Why Watch: Reimaginings of fairytales have become very popular lately, and this is a chance to get a weekly dose of the darker side of every legend you heard of as a child. The pilot suggests that the series will be 80% police procedural 20% supernatural. The suspects and the detective will be based in fiction but his methods and surroundings are pure reality. It's a good balance for the viewer who's not a huge fan of fantasy.
OCTOBER 30, SUNDAY
8:30pm "Allen Gregory" (FOX)
Plot: A super smart seven-year-old is forced to attend public school after one of his two dads makes bad investments. Cast:Jonah Hill, French Stewart ("3rd Rock from the Sun"), Nat Faxon (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story), Joy Osmanski ("True Jackson, VP") Why Watch:He's an obnoxious little prick that reminds me of an older Stewey ("Family Guy") minus the attempts at world domination.
NOVEMBER 3, THURSDAY
9pm "Bones" (FOX) Last Season: Brennan told Booth that she was pregnant with his baby, and Angela and Hodgins had their baby. This Season: Brennan will attempt to still do her job despite the fact that she's in her second trimester. She and Booth will struggle with deciding how they'll raise their child, especially since they haven't moved in together yet. Tina Majorino will return as Booth's new sidekick, Special Agent Genny Shaw. But she won't be his only back-up when Brennan takes maternity leave. Sweets will be all too excited to step in. During it's midseason break we'll see some of the cast members on "The Finder," its temporary replacement. Biggest Scoop: The season's big baddie is a man named Pelant, who "fancies himself a 'hacktivist,' and is currently under house arrest for—among other techy transgressions—shutting down the DoD’s communications network and putting soldiers' lives at risk. But as testament to his craftiness, even though an ankle monitor keeps him from stepping past his front lawn and despite the fact he’s got no Internet (the horror!), Pelant is somehow carrying out a murdering spree."
NOVEMBER 30, TUESDAY
9:30pm"I Hate My Teenage Daughter" (FOX)
Plot: The show will follow two mothers who fear their daughters are turning into the kind of girls who tormented them in high school. Annie Watson (Pressly) grew up in an ultra-strict conservative family, and begins to notice that she has allowed her daughter Sophie (Lauren) to do what she wants to do, which she takes advantage of by embarrassing and mocking her mother. Meanwhile, best friend Nikki Miller (Finneran) grew up unpopular and overweight, reinvented herself as a Southern Belle, and begins to notice how manipulative her daughter Mackenzie (Dee) has become. Even the ex-husbands are not much of a father figure: Annie's ex Matt (Sheffer) is too clueless, prompting his lawyer brother Jack (Rahm) to step in (and crush on) while Nikki's ex Gary (Coleman) is letting their complicated relationship become more complicated in the parenting department. Cast: Jaime Pressly ("My Name is Earl"), Katie Finneran, Kristi Lauren, Aisha Dee, Eric Sheffer Stevens, Chad Coleman ("The Wire"), Kevin Rahm ("Desperate Housewives"), Rosa Blasi ("Make It or Break It") Why Watch:Because it's like watching that scene from Mean Girls where Rachel McAdams excludes her desperate-to-be-liked mom (Amy Poehler), except this time the mother isn't enjoying it.
*All plots cribbed from Wikipedia, IMDb, and Entertainment Weekly.
