You’ve read his take on the most promising fall shows and least promising ones. Now, in what we promise is our final look back at the Network’s UpFront offerings comes our very own Ken Tucker in-training Aleks Chan, with a look at the shows that fall somewhere in-between.
ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE (CBS)
After the horridly ill-conceived COURTING ALEX, Jenna Elfman returns to the small screen as Billie, a San Francisco film critic who hooks up with a younger guy and – surprise – gets pregnant. Pregnancy as a premise hasn’t always worked, and the clips don’t really provide much hope that AOP will be any different, but Elfman is one deft comedienne, so if anything, it’ll be tolerable.
EASTWICK (ABC)
Also known as Charmed Lipstick Housewives and the City. Based on the John Updike novel about three women (Lindsay Price, Rebecca Romijn, and Jamie Ray Newman) who are imbued with magical powers, it looks as tawdry and superfluous as I remember CHARMED ever was – not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Last week the five major broadcast networks outlined their new fall schedules and previewed clips of new series for advertisers at their annual Upfront presentations. After taking a look at these clips myself, I’ve compiled a list, divided into what’s most promising, what’s roughly in the middle, and what looks horrible. These aren’t reviews per se, they’re just immediate reactions to very brief footage – I’ll reevaluate after I’ve screened the pilots later this summer. First up, least promising of the bunch… Alex O’Loughlin fans, please don’t hurt us.?
100 QUESTIONS (NBC)
Buzz was that NBC was high on this comedy before its Upfront presentation and that it was being touted as “the next FRIENDS.” Highly doubtful, and I’m pretty sure the laugh track was the only thing laughing during the dreadfully unfunny trailer.
BROTHERS (FOX)
Starring former New York Giant Michael Strahan…plays former NFL player Mike Trainor, who returns home to help his brother’s struggling restaurant business. CCH Pounder from The Shield and Carl Weathers also star as their parents. Strahan does fine, but what would really be great is if the whole thing didn’t feel so strained and dated.
Like clockwork, or a second-rate reality TV offering from the CW, it happens every year; The post-network Upfront shuffle. That awkward week following the Upfronts when networks quietly begin to recast and retool the shows they just spent the week touting to advertisers/ media buyers as the Fall’s “Next Big Thing!”
According to the Hollywood Reporter (who is living up to their namesake by reporting), ABC’s FORGOTTEN has jettisoned its lead investigator played by British import Rupert Penry-Jones, NCIS: LOS ANGELES is dropping Louise Lombard and THREE RIVERS is continuing the trend that seems to plague star Alex O’Loughlin (see: MOONLIGHT) by recasting the female lead originally played by Julia Ormond. Changes are also in store for TRAUMA, THE GOOD WIFE and NBC’s 100 QUESTIONS (details of which can be found here.)
MELROSE PLACE According to the official CW description: The new MELROSE PLACE features a dynamic ensemble of up-and-coming stars, along with two original cast members reprising the roles they made famous: Laura Leighton as Sydney Andrews and Thomas Calabro as Dr. Michael Mancini. MELROSE PLACE promises to deliver all the backstabbing and sizzle of the original series.
According to this TV Addict: We’re cautiously optimistic, assuming of course that the proverbial powers that be learned a lesson or two (of five!) from the colossal disappointment that was 90210’s first season. Plus, having Sydney Andrews (Laura Leighton) and Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro) back in our living room on a weekly basis to wreak havoc sure sounds like fun.
THREE RIVERS According to the official CBS description: THREE RIVERS is a medical drama that goes inside the emotionally complex lives of organ donors, the recipients and the surgeons at the preeminent transplant hospital in the country where every moment counts.
According to this TV Addict: With apologies to his legions of dedicated, passionate and very vocal fanbase, Alex O’Loughlin deserves far better than a re-tread of a failed TNT medical drama (see: HEARTLAND starring EVERWOOD alum Treat Williams)
Laura Leighton’s Sydney returns to MELROSE PLACE (right) alongside Katie Cassidy as Ella
With the CW getting set to officially announce their Fall lineup tomorrow in New York City, theTVaddict.com is thrilled to be one of the first to offer up an early glimpse at the three new shows that we may-or-may-not be borderline too old to watch! Meet the cast of MELROSE PLACEMELROSE PLACE 2.0, MODELS INCTHE BEAUTIFUL LIFE and TWILIGHTTHE VAMPIRE DIARIES after the jump.
THE DEEP END According to the official ABC description: Sterling Law is one of L.A.’s most prestigious law firms. Each year it recruits four new young lawyers from the finest law schools worldwide. It will nurture, guide and shape these recruits into the best damned lawyers they can possibly be — or else.
According to this TV Addict: It’s GREY’S ANATOMY meets L.A. LAW. Which is something we’d usually be far more critical of, except for the fact that these lawyers include JACK & BOBBY’S Matt Long! VERONICA MARS’ Tina Majorino! TITANIC’s Billy Zane! And Broadway’s Norbert Leo Butz! (TV Addict note: Gratuitous use of exclamation marks denotes our off-the-charts level of excitement for this series)
CBS, the network that has yet to meet a procedural it couldn’t turn into a ratings smash continued to play to their strength this morning by announcing the addition of three new ones to their 2009 Fall schedule. Joining THE MENTALIST (which is moving to Thursday at 10PM), CRIMINAL MINDS, COLD CASE and their 37 CSI spin-offs is the NCIS spinoff titled LOS ANGELES, the Juliana Margulies legal drama THE GOOD WIFE and THREE RIVERS — a medical drama starring some guy [Alex O'Loughlin] who fans may remember from that Vampire show MOON-something-or-other (Now, will you stop emailing us to Save MOONLIGHT!?)
On the comedy front comes the much buzzed about Jenna Elfman laugher ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE and a shuffling of the deck chairs on Monday night with HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER moving to 8PM and THE BIG BANG THEORY being awarded CBS’ most coveted time-slot, the big 9:30PM slot following TWO AND A HALF MEN.
Snap Judgements to come, but until then, check out the full CBS schedule after the jump.
This morning Stephen McPherson, ABC Entertainment Group president, revealed ABC’s plans for next season and unveiled the network’s 2009-10 fall schedule. Plans that can be summed up in four words: A Bet on Comedy (ABC, get it?)
Adding to the already solid lineup which include the inexplicable ratings juggernaut that is DANCING WITH THE STARS, CASTLE, GREY’S ANATOMY, PRIVATE PRACTICE, UGLY BETTY, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and BROTHERS & SISTERS are a slew of high profile new Wednesday night comedies which include Kelsey Grammer’s HANK, Patricia Heaton’s THE MIDDLE, Ed O’Neill’s MODERN FAMILY and Courteney Cox’s COUGAR TOWN. Also on for the fall is the Jerry Bruckheimer procedural THE FORGOTTEN, the high concept sci-fi series FLASH FORWARD and EASTWICK based on the popular movie THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK.
Being held for midseason are returning favorites LOST, SCRUBS, BETTER OFF TED and THE BACHELOR alongside new offerings V (a re-boot of the 80’s classic) and HAPPY TOWN (a small town murder mystery from the brains behind LIFE ON MARS and OCTOBER ROAD).
Full schedule after the jump with “Snap Judgements” following ABC’s upfront presentation later in the day.
More shocking than the FRINGE season finale comes FOX’s just announced 2009-2010 schedule. FRINGE moves to Thursday and gets paired with BONES, which for the first time doesn’t find itself on the move. TERMINATOR gets terminated, and worse, replaced with ‘TIL DEATH, the show that refuses to live up to its namesake and just die (Yup, it’s gonna take a while to get over this one). And FOX pairs GLEE with a second helping of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE.
First look video, photos and snap judgements to come following FOX’s upfront presentation at 4PM, but until then, click below for the entire FOX 2009-2010 schedule.
CBS, the network that has yet to meet a procedural it couldn’t turn into a ratings smash continued to play to their strength this morning by announcing the addition of three new ones to their 2009 Fall schedule. Joining THE MENTALIST (which is moving to Thursday at 10PM), CRIMINAL MINDS, COLD CASE and their 37 CSI spin-offs is the NCIS spinoff titled LOS ANGELES, the Juliana Margulies legal drama THE GOOD WIFE and THREE RIVERS — a medical drama starring some guy [Alex O'Loughlin] who fans may remember from that Vampire show MOON-something-or-other (Now, will you stop emailing us to Save MOONLIGHT!?)
This morning Stephen McPherson, ABC Entertainment Group president, revealed ABC’s plans for next season and unveiled the network’s 2009-10 fall schedule. Plans that can be summed up in four words: A Bet on Comedy (ABC, get it?)
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