Fall TV 2014 Previews: Tuesday Nights

Tuesday has the most new shows of any day of the week. There's several new comedies, an experiment in utopia, two new crime shows (including a new NCIS) and another teen superhero. 

Selfie

 Premiere Date: September 30

Showtime: 8pm

Network: ABC

Description: A very, very loose adaption of My Fair Lady with Karen Gillan as Eliza Dooley. a woman obsessed with social media until she realizes she has no real friends. She turns to John Cho as Henry Higenbottam, who reluctantly agrees to "rebrand" Eliza.

     

To Watch or Not to Watch: The pilot is already on Hulu, so you can judge for yourself. IGN likes the two leads (Gillan and Cho), but thinks the plot is a little thin and the slang is overdone. Hitflix hates the Eliza character as well as her buzzword lingo. No one is a fan of Karen Gillan's attempt at an American accent. I'm leaning towards "to watch" because I think this is a shaky premise that, like Ugly Betty could build into a beautiful show with awesome chemistry between the leads. Plus, I have a soft spot for both Karen Gillan and John Cho.

Manhattan Love Story

 Premiere Date: September 30

Showtime: 8:30pm

Network: ABC

Description: Remember that amazing reality TV show Blind Date where little pop-ups show what the two daters are (probably) thinking? That was awesome. This is like that, except with annoying voiceovers instead of cool '90s pop-ups. 

To Watch or Not to Watch: Just watching the trailer gives me PTSD flashbacks to That Awkward Moment. Look, everyone has thoughts that they're glad strangers and friends can't hear. The mind can be a strange and terrible place. And that is about 90% of the thought dialogue for White Male Lead - his mind is a place I never want to be. It makes me like him less and hate the show more. Hitflix says it best: "if I feel pity towards one character and active dislike towards the other and I need to pretend that they're soulmates? That's not an investment I'm going to make."

Forever

 Premiere Date: September 23

Showtime: 10pm

Network: ABC

Description: A brilliant medical examiner solves crimes and is immortal. And is played by one of my favorite British actors, Ioan Gruffud.

To Watch or Not to Watch: This is TV's second attempt at a devastatingly attractive European actor playing an immortal, crime-solving man in New York City. The first was New Amsterdam, which aired back in 2008 and lasted only 8 episodes, possibly because I was the only one who watched it. It starred Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, better known as Jaime Lannister. I watched it, as I will watch this show, because I'm intrigued by the entire concept of immortality. New Amsterdam was a terribly written show, and even Nikolaj's crooked smile couldn't save it.  I will most certainly watch Forever, but have only middling expectations that it will be any better than New Amsterdam. Although Forever has already won brownie points from me by allowing Ioan Gruffud to keep his charming British accent. Both Hitflix and Flavorwire find it a blandly enjoyable crime procedural akin to Castle.   

NCIS: New Orleans

 Premiere Date: September 23

Showtime: 9pm

Network: CBS

Description: It's NCIS in New Orleans.

To Watch or Not to Watch: Do you like NCIS? Do you like the thought of NCIS in New Orleans? I think those two questions tell you everything you need to know about whether you want to watch this show or not. 

The Flash

 Premiere Date: October 7

Showtime: 8pm

Network: CW

Description: Another attractive young man with impossibly sharp cheekbones and superpowers on the CW (see, e.g., Smallville, Arrow). This time it's the super speedy Flash.

To Watch or Not to Watch: I watched all 10 seasons of Smallville, so of course I will watch this one. It's going to be ridiculously cheesy and it will make very little sense, but it will be campily fun. Hitflix and Screenrant both like the lead actor and find the show zippy and enjoyable. 

Utopia

 Premiere Date: September 7

Showtime: 8pm

Network: Fox

Description: A reality TV show where 14 adults come together to build a society (or, more likely, fail to, due to the kind of petty bickering reality TV is known for).

To Watch or Not to Watch: The premise is compelling, but Flavorwire thinks that it is wasted by the network turning the show into generic reality TV with the same character types you find on everything from Bachelor to Survivor. Probably a fun show to watch with a group who enjoys a good heckle.

Marry Me

 Premiere Date: October 14

Showtime: 9pm

Network: NBC

Description: A sitcom about a couple that's been dating for years, but go through several botched marriage proposals in the pilot.  

To Watch or Not to Watch: Hitflix doesn't love the pilot, but thinks this may be one of those shows like Happy Endings or Cougar Town that are built on an irritating premise, but quickly turn to focusing on the chemistry of the cast. I'm hoping that's what happens - it has the potential, and I am a big fan of Casey Wilson from her days on Happy Endings.