I have always enjoyed the first week of the new television season. Ever since I was a kid, I would hustle to the grocery store to pick up an issue of the oversized TV Guide Fall TV Preview. I would read about every new show coming and decide which ones sounded interesting. Of course in those days I had to make a real choice if there were two on in the same time slot. No way to time shift then. As much as I miss that TV Guide issue I adore not having to make choices. Which means after the first week of the new season I have sampled the new shows and here are my impressions after one episode.
Bob Hearts Abishola (Mon CBS)- I like everyone involved with this sitcom from the producer Chuck Lorre to the actors. The previews had me interested as I saw them all summer. After the first episode I was underwhelmed. The leads weren’t as dynamic together as I’d hoped. I’ll be watching another few episodes, but this was my biggest disappointment of premiere week.
Bluff City Law (Mon. NBC)- I am a sucker for Jimmy Smits playing a lawyer. He was a favorite on LA Law and this feels a bit like the same character transplanted to Memphis. He is the head of a famous law firm who convinces his daughter to return home to practice even though there are unresolved personal issues. A show like this succeeds on the strength of its characters and its cases. The latter was a suit against a pesticide company as well as one which feels like this show’s version of “The Making of a Murderer” as it looks to be a case which unspools over multiple episodes. This was the biggest surprise of premiere week for me.
Emergence (Tue. ABC)- I don’t know I think I’m just burned out on weird conspiracy theory shows. The first episode was nice enough but it all felt like been there done that. I don’t think I’ll be back for episode two.
Stumptown (Wed. ABC)- Based on a great indie comic by Greg Rucka I was worried this was going to get dumbed down for television. The first episode alleviated my concerns as Cobie Smulders plays Dex Parios perfectly. The show will not be hemmed in by the comic material because there are only a few issues. I do hope they incorporate most of what is in those issues over the season. The first episode was as much fun as the comic.
The Unicorn (Thur. CBS)- This was another one which had my hopes elevated because of the actors involved. In this case they delivered a snappily written half hour of comedy. This is getting a season pass on the DVR
Perfect Harmony (Thur. NBC)- This was the surprise because of how much I liked it even though it draws on such obvious beats. Southern church choir picks up a new director, Ivy League trained, and they learn from each other. You’ve seen it a million times. When the actors involved commit it doesn’t matter. I was completely into the final act even though I knew how it was going to come out. On at the same time as The Unicorn, thank heaven for DVR.
Evil (Thur. CBS)- Another obvious concept carried off by the two stars and the writing team behind them. A priest seeks out the help of a scientist to help him determine if miracles, possessions, etc. are real. Like The X-Files prior to this the early fun is the banter between the skeptic and the believer. Also like The X-files there seems to be a larger conspiracy behind the scenes. If that conspiracy can be kept to the background for a long time while the core concept remains primary, I’ll like this show more. After one episode I want to see more.
–Mark Behnke
