Monday nights have one my most anticipated new shows airing (Gotham). Plus a lot of other shows of which I'm much more wary.
Scorpion
Premiere Date: September 22
Showtime: 9pm
Network: CBS
Description: A group of 20-something genius misfits aided by one "normal" waitress, work for Homeland Security. It's basically The Big Bang Theory, except with MORE! SHOUTING! and no laugh track.
To Watch or Not to Watch:The "first look" provided by CBS is basically a 5-minute synopsis of the first episode. It looks eye-rollingly formulaic. Then again, it could always pick up after the pilot (although I don't expect it to). I think this show will be successful in the line of an NCIS, but I'm probably out for the first half, and then will see what it looks like after the midway point. Reviewers seem to find it goofy/absurd, but entertaining.
Jane the Virgin
Premiere Date: October 13
Showtime: 9pm
Network: CW
Description: A young virgin girl gets impregnated accidentally via artificial insemination. Based on a telenovela, so at least it is likely to be deliciously, insanely soapy.
To Watch or Not to Watch: The only other American TV show I've seen based on a telenovela was Ugly Betty, and it was amazing. So I want to cut this one slack, but...the entire premise is off-putting. There are literally hundreds of telenovelas out there - why remake this one? Nevertheless, TVline found it charming and Hitfix thought it was funny and amusing. So this turns into a "maybe" watch.
Gotham
Premiere Date: September 22
Showtime: 8pm
Network: Fox
Description: The shows follows a young Jim Gordon (Ben Mckenzie from The OC!) as he protects the city and meets the young heroes and villains from the Batman franchise.
To Watch or Not to Watch: Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! It looks beyond entertaining and the views are generally positive (many accolades fall on The Penguin, who looks like he'll be the dark horse favorite of the show). There are complaints that too many characters are introduced in the pilot. But long-term, that probably won't hinder the show.
State of Affairs
Premiere Date: November 17
Showtime: 10pm
Network: NBC
Description: This looks amazingly like a Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy, Scandal) project for not being a Shonda Rhimes project. Katherine Heigl is back doing what she does best - playing a sexy, tightly-wound type A lady with plenty of angst. Here, Katherine Heigl is one of the CIA's top analysts, who also happened to be engaged to the president's son. Who died. Oh, Katherine Heigl, why do all of your TV boyfriends have to die and leave you to mourn prettily? There may or may not be some kind of conspiracy surrounding his demise.
To Watch or Not to Watch: Who am I kidding, I'll probably watch it. A trashy version of West Wing is the kind of pop crack that I crave. Both Hitflix and TVline also seem cautiously optimistic - they like the cast but roll their eyes a little at the execution. If you are a fan of Scandal, then you're probably in. Although it sounds like NBC is trying to catch the crowd that devours The Blacklist (although everyone knows that the deliciously villainous James Spader is 90% of the reason for that show's popularity).
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