Fall TV 2014 Previews: Friday Nights

Friday nights, as per usual, aren't jam-packed with new shows. It is becoming less of a place where TV shows go to die (although it is still somewhat of a graveyard). Two new shows (and another airing of reality TV Utopia) are on fall Fridays: another laugh track comedy and a supernatural drama.

Cristela

 Premiere Date: October 10

Showtime: 8:30 pm

Network: ABC

Description: Cristela is a Mexican-American law student who must juggle an unpaid internship and her family.

     

To Watch or Not to Watch: Meh. This seems like basically another version of The McCarthys. Laugh track, zany family problems, etc., etc. Hitflix found Cristela the actress/producer incredibly engaging at the press conference, but the comedy of the pilot too broad and overdone.

Fall TV 2014 Previews: Wednesday Nights

Wednesday nights are looking pretty bleak. There's an attempt at the next Modern Family, a Glee with sick kids, a police procedural investigating mystery that cops can be moms, and and another police procedural, this one with a horror movie feel. One of these could be a breakout, but the trailers aren't too encouraging.  

Black-ish

 Premiere Date: September 24

Showtime: 9:30 pm

Network: ABC

Description: A sitcom about an African-American family - ABC's attempt at the next Modern Family.

     

To Watch or Not to Watch: Hitflix and TVline both like the adult cast and think that the show has a lot of promise. The trailer doesn't make me want to watch the show - I'm not into the pilot. But I agree that the parents in the show (Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross) are funny and have good chemistry. Plus, Laurence Fishburne (!!) plays the grandfather. If you like family comedies, it is certainly worth checking out. But it might take a few episodes to find itself.  

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.

Fall TV 2014 Previews: Monday Nights

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.