There were few things I enjoyed less than the 2011-2012 ABC schedule. Online job search systems and the price of gasoline are among the things I enjoyed less than what ABC aired last season. I spent nine months watching and writing about Once Upon a Time and Revenge. I stopped watching the network's best shows before they took off. Every time I watched Revenge, I was flooded by ads for Shonda Rhimes' melodramatic doctor shows. Credit where credit is due, though: ABC landed on their feet in the last year of Desperate Housewives. Their comedy lineups are very successful. ABC is able to air shows that should've been left for dead in the mid-to-late 90s with the confidence that Tim Allen and Reba McIntyre have a loyal and dependable audience. Last summer I wrote about ABC's need for younger shows. Now, the network has a decent mix of veteran and young shows. The Sunday night lineup is supposed to be the hottest night on television, going from a nonsense show about how fairy tales are real and magic is back and ending on John Locke as an evil hotel owner. The network might have a big hit in their new show Last Resort.
No one will remember this except for me, but I left my Revenge and Once Upon a Time reviews on a cliff-hanger. Show runners aren't the only ones who deliver cliff-hangers in May. No, ma'am. I refused to decide which show I'd continue writing about in the fall. Ideally, I'd like to declare my intention to follow each and every show closely throughout the 2012-2013 season, regardless of the season, so that I can confidently opine on the relationship struggles of Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy or on the dimples of Elisha Cuthbert. Alas, that won't be the case, mostly due to my opinion that the majority of TV shows aren't really worth minute week-to-week coverage. Many, many websites try to cover every scripted show. Not The Foot. The returning shows previews are about providing the reader with an idea about what to expect from the newest season of his or her favorite show. As for that cliff-hanger decision, read on to find out which show I chose to continue writing about.
CASTLE returns on Monday, September 24 at 10PM
I talked about Castle several times during the 2011-2012 TV season with a friend of mine during my failures of trying to make an ANGEL fan out of her. The conversations mostly concerned Nathan Fillion and why he looked like he stopped trying to look presentable with HD photography filming him. I never gleaned anything about the show beyond what I knew: that Castle and Kate had unresolved feelings for one another, that they solved cases every week, and that my friend no longer found Nathan Fillion attractive. She was not enthusiastic about the show. Anyway, season four concluded with a passionate kiss between Castle and Kate after she quit her job. A mysterious man showed up to protect her afterwards. Kate made some headway in the mystery of who murdered her mother. For what it is worth, series creator Andrew Marlowe emphasized the romantic aspect of Castle/Kate heading into the season, teasing that they'll be a couple. I've no idea how the new dynamic will change the show.
PRIVATE PRACTICE returns on Tuesday, September 25 at 10PM
ABC renewed Private Practice for 13 episodes. The show is entering its sixth season on the airwaves. Also, Shonda Rhimes is running three shows, joining Ryan Murphy in that club. The actors don't seem particularly eager to continue doing the show beyond the initial order, according to Huffington Post. ABC slashed the show's budget. The October 2 episode will be the 100th episode of the series. In my thorough research of what to expect, it seems like Kate Walsh will need to decide between the two men who love her. And, I assume, she'll continue solving medical cases every week.
THE MIDDLE returns on Wednesday, September 26 at 8PM
The ratings for The Middle steadily dropped throughout its third season, sparking speculation about cancellation. The series is back after its finale was watched by 6 million plus people. There is zero information about season number four, which is why I wrote two sentences about ratings. The AV Club called season three "its best yet." Devoted The Middle Fans feel the show deserves to be talked about as much as Modern Family is talked about. Of course, any fanbase thinks that way about their show. The season premiere will be one hour long.
MODERN FAMILY returns on Wednesday, September 26 at 9PM
The sixteen second promo for season four featured Sofia Vergara excitedly declaring, "I'm pregnant!" Creators Steve Levitan and Chris Lloyd teased, to TV Line, that Gloria will insist on wearing the same outfits regardless of how big her belly gets. Season 4 seems like it'll deal with a myriad of storylines: character going away to college, adoption, and teaching. Levitan and Lloyd promise a great Halloween episode. I assume the season premiere will be one hour long.
GREY'S ANATOMY returns on Thursday, September 27 at 9PM
Grey's Anatomy enters its ninth season with the aftermath of a devastating plane crash. I use various sites to write the returning shows part of the preview. Imagine my surprise when I saw TWoP gave a 'Best' to the Grey's Anatomy finale. Will the season nine premiere be Shonda's homage to the movie Alive? Rhimes promises nothing to fans. Any character could depart following the plane crash. I respect Rhimes' ability to manipulate the audience with her insane cliffhangers. The show could be a piece of shit at this point for all I know, but folks are talking about the show because of the plane crash. So, yeah, tune in to find out who survived to return to the nonsense world of melodrama and medicine.
SCANDAL returns on Thursday, September 27 at 10PM
This show premiered in March and ran for seven episodes. Critics were kind to the show; some even liked it. Television Without Pity called it an 'surprisingly entertaining' political show. I read comments on a EW Scandal article. Commenters love, LOVE the show and are on the edge of their seats waiting to learn the fall-out of the end of season 1, in which stuff happened. Yes, stuff happened. The specifics confuse me. Feel free to insult me in the comments. Anyone who does won't be the first. The President loves Olivia but is stuck with his wife or something. Olivia solved his infidelity scandal problem; however, he feels betrayed. Stuff happened and more stuff will happen. Tune in!
ONCE UPON A TIME returns on Sunday, September 30 at 8PM
OUAT's producers and actors went to San Diego Comic Con in July to promote the second season of the show. The panel resembled a LOST panel. Kitsis and Horowitz were glib and full of teases. They follow the Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse way of talking about their show: tell nothing but do it in such a way as to create more excitement. Emilie de Ravin joins the cast as a regular after her guest stints as Belle last season. The panel concluded with a video that hinted Captain Hook will make his way to Storybooke this season. Last season ended with the characters remembering their fairy tale selves and magic being restored to Storybooke. This is what I wrote in my review of the season finale about what to expect in season 2:
Emma wondered why the curse didn't immediately return everyone to the fairy tale world. Henry thought something went wrong. We'll need to wait until the second season to learn about this mystery, to learn how Charming and Snow took back the kingdom, and to learn what Rumple plans on doing with the magic.
Many people love this show. I'm the grumpy in the blogger ruining everyone's Once Upon a Time fun, so I'll refrain from needlessly insulting the show. I'm going to tune back in and probably write about the second season in hopes everything got better.
REVENGE returns on Sunday, September 30 at 9PM
Oh, Revenge. ABC believes in the nighttime soap so much that execs crossed their fingers, shut their eyes and placed it in the Desperate Housewives timeslot. In spring 2003, many shows had pregnancy cliffhangers. In spring 2012, many shows brought back a mother-thought-dead. The biggest "shocker" of season 1 was the reveal of the fact that Emily's mom is very much alive. There were also possible deaths and the return of the real Emily Thorne, who's pregnant with Jack's child. The worst part of the finale was the reveal of a shadowy organization pulling the strings of everyone, or something. I don't know. I pushed this show out of my head once I posted my review on an early Thursday morn. Emily's identity will be found out in season 2 and a whole bunch of other nonsense will happen. Tune in if you dare.
SUBURGATORY returns on Wednesday, October 17 at 9:30PM
Fans and Tessa will meet her mother this season. Season 1 concluded with an episode about the town's celebration of mothers, which made Tessa feel left out. Malin Ackerman has been cast as the very important mother. I watched the pilot and one scene from another episode. I think Jane Levy is terrific and gorgeous as Tessa. Perhaps it's not too late to start watching the series regularly. Series creator Emily Kapnek promises stories on the relationship front between Tessa/Ryan and George/Dallas.
HAPPY ENDINGS returns on Tuesday, October 23 at 9PM
The series began with Alex leaving Dave on the altar. As season three begins, they're back together. There will be no lack for stories in the early part of the season. Casey Wilson's character, Penny, might date or might not, because producers are always non-committal in interviews. I have no idea what Eliza Coupe's character will be doing. Eliza Coupe is awesome.
DON'T TRUST THE B---- IN APARTMENT 23 returns on Tuesday, October 23 at 9:30PM
Van Der Beek and Jane made a sex tape that Jane released for a couple thousand dollars. I don't know if the sex tape will matter in season two. The sex tape bit was the only information I gathered about this sitcom. I recall the renewal being a surprise. Van Der Beek's a good sport. I got nothing else to write.
LAST MAN STANDING returns on Friday, November 2 at 8PM
I bet this show is the next According to Jim, meaning it'll be on for seven seasons and net a sweet syndication package from myPHL or The CW. The series was initially about Tim Allen's character feeling emasculated by the presence of women in his life. ABC went wild with the 'mancession' craze until every series but Last Man Standing failed. Sometimes a series abandons its premise early. I don't know if that happened with this show. I'm surprised it's back for a second season, although I shouldn't be.
THE YOUTUBE CLIP OF THE WEEK
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