Coming Up Next (Part II)

By Peter Glagowski
Staff Writer

Our previous article gave you all a good guideline to some of the new fall programs, but Part II will go more in-depth with actual critic and fan reception. You can also expect a wider range of channels and shows to be discussed so you can keep your entertainment value high for the entire fall (and possibly winter) programming schedule.

NBC just launched their new season of “Law and Order” on the 5th of November. Though starting the 19th season of a show may appear to be overkill, critics seem to have different ideas. Maureen Ryan from the Chicago Tribune writes that, “All in all, the show is much better than it was when it was rotely doing “ripped from the headline” stories, which was only a few seasons ago.” David Hinckley from The New York Daily News mentions, “As you would expect from a show entering its 19th season, the acting and the pacing are strong and confident. L&O has always been smart enough to stick with what works.” Overall, critical reception has been generally positive and fans seem to have tuned in well to the season start of one of the longest-running shows on television.

NBC also started the 3rd season of the hit show “30 Rock.” The show always had fascinating writing and wonderfully angelic performances from actor Alec Baldwin and actresses Tina Fey and Jane Krakowski, but apparently the cast is bonding closer as the series grows. Verne Gay from Newsday even went so far as to say that, “This is TV's best comedy. And there's nothing in the first two episodes that would suggest otherwise.” The writing is supposed to be even more screwball and hilarious, which should keep viewers in stitches while waiting during the commercials.

Showtime started the 3rd season of their show, “Brotherhood,” to some fairly positive reviews. Gillian Flynn from Entertainment Weekly writes that, “If Brotherhood isn't as brilliant as The Wire, it's just as believable. The cast is so solid.” While not all critics have praised the show as much as Entertainment Weekly, they all do agree that the cast is the main draw to the show. Jason Issacs, Jason Clarke and Annabeth Gish have all been turning in superb performances which are keeping their viewers glued to the television screens.

The Oxygen network has recently started their attempt at Reality TV by giving rapper Coolio his own show, “Coolio’s Rules,” which premiered on November 28. Fans of Coolio have been enjoying the show, but any sensibility or plot is simply missing. Critics have called the show a disaster, but not because of the writing. The show is said to have no cohesive platform to establish conflicts and just ends up being more like surveillance tapes. Ellen Gray from the Philadelphia Daily News says that, “Like so many of the celebrities who open up some version of their home lives to camera crews, Coolio comes off as a guy with way too much time on his hands.”

Starz began a spin-off series on the movie “Crash” with their new TV series, “Crash”. The series stars Dennis Hopper as the lead and continues to take the non-linear approach to storytelling that the movie showed. While the movie received positive buzz from critics (and even won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2005), the TV series seems to have taken a turn for the worse. David Zurawik from the Baltimore Sun writes that, “Not surprisingly, Crash, the TV series, does not measure up very well against the film in terms of atmosphere and acting.” The show is broadcast for an hour each week, yet the story never amounts to anything. Just like the movie, a lot of the dialog seems to be racist for the sake of provoking people into rage.

Comedy Central started another controversial series this season with “Chocolate News.” The show is a sketch comedy act from Comedian David Alan Grier and tackles ideas pertaining to the press. Fan reaction has been next to awful, which means that the show may not ever see another season, but critics seem to be enjoying Grier’s performances and writing a lot. James Poniewozik of TIME Magazine writes, “In all, not a great debut, but one with potential, and it shows off Grier's versatility well.” This seems to be the general reaction; anything deserves due credit for being different.

ABC has begun their second season of “Eli Stone” to positive reception. Fans see the show as the ultimate “feel good” series on TV, and critics seem to agree. Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly says, “In this warm, charming episode, the underappreciated legal show proves it's still fit to practice.” Rob Owen from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also says that the show is, “A quality series that's the TV equivalent of comfort food.”

ABC also launched a remake of a British drama with “Life on Mars.” Jason O’Mara stars as a cop who gets transported back into the 1970’s after a freak accident. Both fans and critics note that the show really does feel like a distant planet with the 1970’s setting. Matthew Gilbert of the Boston Post writes that, “They've [ABC] pulled together a vivid cast and evoked the ideal tone - not comedy, not psychodrama, not sci fi, but an intriguingly evasive blend of them all.” Fans are also taken by the performance of lead star Jason O’Mara. With such an interesting premise, “Life on Mars” will probably be on the air for the next few years before becoming stale.

ABC does have a severely lacking show in their schedule and that is reserved for the second season of their show, “Private Practice.” No response to the show has been favorable, with critics and fans both panning the show universally. Fans have been disgusted that it focuses mainly on sexual tension while regretting leading lady Kate Walsh, yet Critics see the show as merely poorly written. Ken Tucker from Entertainment Weekly writes that, “The combined writing talents of creator Shonda Rhimes and Buffy the Vampire Slayer mainstay Marti Noxon cannot resuscitate the ailing subplots now infecting the Oceanside Wellness medical practice.” This writer watched around 20 minutes of the show and was completely lost and disturbed at the utter lack of characterization in the script.

One of the best networks on cable, FX, started what has to be seen as the worst show of the season, “Testees.” Critics have no love for the show, but fans are taking a more laid back and accepting tone. Ginia Bellafante from The New York Times abhors the show: “All of this might be vaguely defensible if “Testees” were trying to satirize the abuses of Big Pharma, or the limited opportunities for dumb white men, or really if it were trying to satirize anything at all. But it just sits there, inert, like a patient on a gurney.” Having seen the first episode, this writer can vouch for how idiotic the show really is. Fans may enjoy it, but in a way that evokes gross-out laughs.

Finally, CBS launched a new take on the sitcom with, “Gary Unmarried.” The show has been a flop so far and does not seem to be gaining any attention. The show began on September 24, yet Nielsen ratings have been shaky. Fans note that the editing is off and works against the show, but critics seem to think that the show lacks interesting side characters. David Hinckley of the New York Daily News writes, “While they're entertaining together, the show needs other characters to avoid becoming just an endless exchange of the snarky things TV writers love to have exes say about each other.”

While some shows were left out of this write up (Gray’s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives, which have both been receiving good buzz/ratings), what is included should be enough to sustain viewers for the entire fall season. A lot of shows do have competing time slots, but DVRs and digital streaming off network websites should allow you to watch any show you may be interested in. If readers have any more questions about the fall schedule, please feel free to contract the writer or editor for more information at housatonichorizons@yahoo.com.