Fall 2010 Network TV Preview

I’m a 34 year old pop culture fanatic. I take my TV very seriously and am a proud couch potato. Don’t get me wrong, I like to get out and explore, but the best part of my day can be watching a quality TV show that rips your heart out (a la Joss Whedon). The biggest fight my husband and I have ever had is over the fact that Direct TV doesn’t have a Tivo (stinkin sub-par DVR). A couple of years ago I started doing an entertainment news-type update for my friends. Basically I just rant and rave about TV (and sometimes movies), but I take pride in the fact that I’ve turned some of my friends on to shows they probably never would have watched before.

You can see teasers for all of the new Fall shows on the corresponding network website. So of course, I watched all of them. Without further ado, we have attached the Fall 2010 schedules for each network color coded as new shows in green, new time slots in red and any titles in bold are shows I’ll be watching.

NBC

The Event: Blair Underwood is the President and something is about to happen…Oh, and I think the lady that had a limp on ER is an alien or something. Ehhh.

The Chase: A lady US Marshall (who does not appear to be as cool as either the movie or TV version of Karen Sisco) tracks down bad guys. If I watch it, it will be because Cole Hauser is in it and I love him. Maybe I’ll watch the premiere out of loyalty.

Undercovers: Imagine that Sidney Bristow and Michael Vaughn got married, retired from the spy life and then got so bored with each other they had to go back into the spy life. Although I think the character Steven Bloom looks more bad ass than Vaughn ever was. Anyhoo, this is from JJ Abrams and if you know anything about me, you know that if either Joss Whedon or JJ Abrams put a show on TV, I’m watching it.

Outlaw: Jimmy Smits is a Supreme Court Justice that decides that he can do more good as a lawyer. So he steps down and goes back to being a lawyer. The teaser looked pretty good. Carly Pope (Popular) and Jesse Bradford (Desperate Housewives) are along for the ride. It is in the Friday night death slot, so I wouldn’t get too attached.

Outsourced: Some guy who works for a gag gift company comes back from management training to find that the whole office he was going to manage has been outsourced to India…so he moves to India where he must teach his new employees how to sell these stupid gifts and how to sound American. Apparently, a lot of people at the Press Tour were offended by this show. Personally, I think they need to relax. That being said, I think this show looks terrible.

ABC

Better With You: Truthfully, I can’t remember what this show is about. I think there are two sisters, one who has been in a long term relationship for a while but doesn’t want to get married and the other gets engaged after dating someone for a short amount of time. Obviously it didn’t make an impression.

Body of Proof: Dana Delaney is a surgeon who, after a serious car accident, can’t perform surgery. So, she becomes a medical examiner and helps the cops solve cases. I watch way too many crime shows now but I really liked Delaney on Castle last year. Plus Kima from the Wire is in it. It is on Friday nights, which doesn’t bode well, but I’ll dvr the first episode.

Detroit 1-8-7: Christafah (that’s Michael Imperioli for you non Soprano fans) is a cop in Detroit.

No Ordinary Family: Darla (or for you Dexter fans, Rita) and her family (including hubby Det. Vick Macky) gain special powers after a plane crash in the Amazon. The show is created by Greg Berlanti (Everwood). I know some people are scared of this show, but I like the cast, I like Berlanti and I’ve heard that the early reviews are good. Check it out.

Whole Truth: All you need to know is that I wrote, “Lame Lawyer show” in my notes.

CBS

Defenders: Jim Belushi and Jerry O’Connell are Vegas Criminal Defense Attorneys. LAME.

Mike and Molly: Follows the love story of two adults struggling with their weight. Do I really need to watch 24 minutes of fat jokes? No thanks.

$#*! My Dad Says: Shatner plays a dad that doesn’t have the brain-mouth filter. I don’t need to watch this show, I live it! Hello, have you met Jim Revel?

Hawaii Five-O: Moonlight, Jin, Boomer and Scott Caan remake the classic series. Ehhh, I don’t know. I kinda want to support Jin, but I’m not quite sure. I may wait for some early reviews to come in before making my final decision.

Blue Bloods: Tom Selleck, Donny Wahlberg, Bridget Moynihan and Will Estes are an Irish family who all involved in law enforcement. As I mentioned earlier, I already watch too many procedural shows, but Donny Wahlberg was my first boy band crush! Looks like I’ll be tivo-ing the pilot of this Friday night show.

Fox

Running Wilde: Gob Bluth and Felicity star in this new sitcom from the creator of Arrested Development. He is a spoiled, rich, brat and she’s a sweet, good, mother who knew each other when they were children and who fate brings back together. Really? Do you have to question if I’ll be watching?

Lone Star: This nighttime soap follows Texas conman Robert Allen. Hey look! It is Tyra from FNL with brown hair!! I’ll check out this show. I wasn’t going to originally but it has been getting good buzz.

Raising Hope: A teenager finds out he has a daughter and his wacky family helps raise her (get it, Raising Hope?) Anyhoo, Cloris Leachman and Steph from Goonies are in it (although she looks a little scary). The trailer made me laugh so I’m going to check it out.

CW

If you are interested in the CW too bad, the CW is still shunned. Any goodwill I may have felt toward the network vanished the moment I realized One Tree Hill and Smallville are still on. No! I will never get over Veronica Mars or Everwood. Despite my love for The Vampire Diaries (which really is fantastic), the CW boycott remains (almost completely except for one hour on Thursdays) intact!