NBC is counting on Revolution to become a hit. Unfortunately for NBC, whatever they hope for never comes to fruition. The Event was supposed to be awesome and wasn't. The Cape was a disaster. The network continually attempts to take back the comedy spotlight from ABC. Once upon a time, they were the must-see networks for comedies. Matthew Perry is back on the network after Mr. Sunshine flopped. Jimmy Fallon will make even more money as one of the creators of Guys With Kids. Unfortunately, NBC's basically 'damned if they, damned if they don't.' I'll root for the network to find solid footing with a hit or two.
Today marks the end of week one of the 2012 Fall TV Preview. Next week I'll preview every returning scripted show on networks, cable and premium channels. Reality TV has no place in The Foot. Without further ado, here's what to expect from NBC's new shows:
GO ON
Created By Scott Silveri
Premiere Date: Tuesday, September 11 at 9PM
Premise: (from NBC's press release, May 2012) Misery loves company. Unless you're sportscaster Ryan King (Matthew Perry, "Friends," "Mr. Sunshine") who thinks misery should just be left alone. After taking some time off, Ryan - who recently lost his wife in a car accident - is now ready to get back to work. And while he seems like his same old charming, cocky self, his boss won't set him back on the air until he seeks counseling. So, Ryan reluctantly joins a support group with one goal in mind: get in, get out and get back on the radio as quickly as possible.
Thoughts: I watched the Pilot of Go On because it was a rare opportunity for me to actually watch an entire episode rather than a short trailer. NBC's brand of comedy is annoying. Within three minutes, I wanted to turn the Pilot off. With the exception of Community, NBC comedies are quite rote stylistically. They are broad and silly and tolerable for up to three weeks. Matthew Perry is the prototypical sitcom performer. Everything he does is loud. By the end of the first act, he's already engaged his grief group in a game of March Sadness in which everyone one-ups each other's hardships to find out who has experienced the most hardship. The character he portrays is fast-talking and closed off and a sports radio personality. Sports radio personalities are insufferable, so I can't fault Matthew Perry for being insufferable as Ryan King.
The tones fluctuate wildly throughout the "Pilot." Ryan's ordered to attend group grief therapy after his wife passed. His boss won't allow him to work until they feel he's dealt with his wife's sudden death. March Sadness closes the first act. The second act has a poignant montage of the characters, alone, living their lives without the people they lost. The silent moments were effective; those moments when the characters were genuinely human and not sitcom caricatures. Ryan opposes group therapy because he feels the process is unnecessary. Every session he's deflecting emotion, changing the dynamic of the room, trying to inject fun. I respect Silveri's attempt to balance comedy with grief. I think Ryan King's journey through his emotions could work because grief a process, and I like the idea of him connecting with people through a very sad thing they all experienced. It's not a bad pilot. Silveri's script doesn't make light of grief. The silliness is a bit too much, like the last scene of the 'Pilot.' So, hopefully future episodes figure out the tones.
Chance of Weekly Review: 23%
THE NEW NORMAL
Created By Ryan Murphy & Ali Adler
Premiere Date: Tuesday, September 11 at 9:30PM
Premise: (from NBC's press release, May 2012) These days, families come in all forms - single dads, double moms, sperm donors, egg donors, one-night-stand donors... It's 2012 and anything goes.
Thoughts: Ryan Murphy is running three shows on three networks. The last show runner, who did that, to my memory, is Joss Whedon. Very impressive, Mr. Murphy. Yet again, a character wants to change her entire life because a relationship didn't work--these inciting incidents need to change. The New Normal is about a young woman named Goldie who becomes a surrogate for a gay couple. Together, with Goldie's 8 year old daughter, they become a surrogate family. Goldie's going to help make the couple's dreams come true and they'll help her make her dreams come true. Goldie wants to be a lawyer but those plans were derailed when she had a daughter. I assume the tone will be similar to Glee because Ryan Murphy has a distinct voice. The trailer was sweet. I'm sure the series will be sweet. I've never been a Ryan Murphy fan, though.
Chance of Weekly Review: 0%
GUYS WITH KIDS
Created By Amy Ozols, Charlie Grandy & Jimmy Fallon
Premiere Date: Wednesday, September 12 at 8:30PM
Premise: (from NBC's press release, May 2012) From Emmy winner and executive producer Jimmy Fallon comes a new comedy about three thirty-something dads trying to hold on to their youth, while holding onto their new babies' hands. Easy, right? Thankfully, Chris (Jesse Bradford, "The West Wing"), Nick (Zach Cregger, "Friends with Benefits") and Gary (Anthony Anderson, "Law & Order") have each other to help navigate their survival as new dads, while still trying desperately to remain dudes.
Thoughts: Guys With Kids uses a laugh track. Huh. I thought only CBS still used the laugh track. ABC Family airs Baby Daddy every Wednesday, which a show about three male roommates who raise a baby. Guys With Kids isn't much different. Two of the guys have spouses. The single one uses his baby as a wingman. Jokes are built on the idea that the men are not qualified to raise a child because they aren't women. Couples don't get free time anymore. Children are wild and time-consuming. This is nothing new. I'm not interested. I won't be watching.
Chance of Weekly Review: 0%
REVOLUTION
Created By Eric Kripke
Premiere Date: Monday, September 17 at 10PM
Premise: (from NBC press release, May 2012) Our entire way of life depends on electricity. So what would happen if it just stopped working? Well, one day, like a switch turned off, the world is suddenly thrust back into the dark ages. Planes fall from the sky, hospitals shut down, and communication is impossible. And without any modern technology, who can tell us why? Now, 15 years later, life is back to what it once was long before the industrial revolution: families living in quiet cul-de-sacs, and when the sun goes down lanterns and candles are lit. Life is slower and sweeter. Or is it?
Thoughts: Over 8 million people watched the trailer on YouTube. Not bad. The creative team behind Revolution is strong--JJ Abrams, Bryan Burk, Eric Kripke, and Jon Favreu. Name power doesn't always work in TV though. Abrams' latest shows haven't done too well. For whatever reason, I'm not excited about Revolution. The idea of electricity being gone is cool, but I don't care about why it happened or what kind of conspiracy exists. I think I'm burned out on conspiracies. Awake, the one series I was most excited about, lost me when the writers introduced a conspiracy. I'll check an episode or three because of the creative team.
Chance of Weekly Review: 50%
ANIMAL PRACTICE
Created By Alessandro Tanaka & Brian Gatewood
Premiere Date: Wednesday, September 26 at 8PM
Premise: (from NBC's press release, May 2012) Meet Dr. George Coleman (Justin Kirk, "Weeds"), a top-dog New York veterinarian. With an unorthodox style of operating, George's success comes from his undeniable gift with animals of all kinds. That is, all but the human kind. Dorothy Crane once held the key to George's heart, but today she also holds the key to the family business as she takes over Crane Animal Hospital. Not only is she George's new boss, but her romantic history with him and her lack of experience with animals is seriously cramping his style.
Thoughts: Animal Practice is terrible. I didn't like any part of the 'Pilot.' The obnoxious leading man syndrome of NBC comedies (except for McHale) hit Justin Kirk. The main conflict of the series is between two people who used to have sex. Once again I'll urge TV writers to come up with a different inciting incident for the premise of a series. They must work together now, which George doesn't like one bit, but somehow they'll find a way and be a great team. Tanaka and Gatewood created odd secondary characters for the two leads to play off. Annie's Boobs is the only delightful presence in the 'Pilot.'
Chance of Weekly Review: 0%
CHICAGO FIRE
Created By Derek Haas & Michael Brandt
Premiere Date: Wednesday, October 10 at 10PM
Premise: (from NBC's press release, May 2012) No job is more stressful, dangerous or exhilarating than those of the Firefighters, Rescue Squad and Paramedics of Chicago Firehouse 51. These are America's everyday heroes -- the courageous men and women who forge headfirst into danger when everyone else is running the other way. But the enormous responsibilities of the job also take a personal toll.
Thoughts: Lauren German's in this show. I like Lauren German. The series is an inside look at the firefighter profession. Two male characters clash when they're not fighting fire, but they put their differences aside when they do. The death of one of their own is what sparks the conflict between the two. I'm not sure what to expect each week besides the responsibilities of the job taking a personal toll on the lives of the characters.
Chance of Weekly Review: 5%
THE YOUTUBE CLIP OF THE WEEK
1 comment:
Some of these shows seem really like a stretch. I find it hard to believe they’ll make it past an episode or two, let alone a season. Last TV season I really didn’t have time to watch TV because I work nights at Dish. This year I’m ready, I just got the Hopper which automatically records all the primetime shows on ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox with the new Primetime Anytime feature. I will have all the series premiers automatically without having to set a timer. Once I do get the time to watch, I can watch as it aired or with all the commercials pre-skipped thanks to the Auto Hop feature.
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