Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Return of the Watch List and Midseason Premieres!

Everyone survive New Year's? Great, let's get back to business. Time to track the midseason shows.

First, if you need a list of midseason show premiere dates, look here.

The list does NOT include shows currently on hiatus (yes, 'Surface' is returning. No, 'Killer Instinct' is not.) The shows being pushed aside for the new ones will be back late Marchish, (Damn you 'Prison Break'!!) others even later. Also, these are shows that currently have premiere dates. As other show premieres are announced, I'll cover them.

New Midseason shows (hourlong)

  • Book of Daniel (NBC) Friday night is open territory, but I don't think redstaters are going to care that much for a drug addicted man of God. Six episodes, max and it is done.
  • In Justice (ABC) ABC needs a procedural. Really really needs one. This one has a shot, also on Friday nights, so we'll see. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
  • The Unit (CBS) (*Premieres in March) From David Mamet and Shawn Ryan (creator of 'The Shield'). It sounds promising. You'll see endless commercials for it during NFL playoffs. I say it goes the distance.
  • South Beach (UPN) Beautiful people. Cold weather people will probably watch just to remember what summer is like, but how much business can it do on UPN? I'm on the fence.

New Half-hour scripted shows:
  • Emily's Reasons Why Not? (ABC) Initial tune in will be good, but can Heather Graham really carry a sitcom? I say nay. Four and out.
  • Courting Alex (CBS) Because we don't have enough sexy single girls with sitcoms devoted to them. Jenna Elfman returns to our screens in this one. Good news: it is scheduled on Monday nights in CBS's comedy block. Bad news: It will go up against 24 and Prison Break.
  • Four Kings (NBC) Slotted after newly moved 'Earl' this one will have to battle the people turning over to Survivor. I dunno, sounds like bad mojo to me...even with Seth Green ("Greg the Bunny", anyone?)
  • Crumbs (ABC) It's got Fred Savage and Jane Curtain in it. There will at least be some initial tune in. As long as it is better than 'Freddie' I'm totally on board. I'm gonna give it a fighting chance.
  • Love Monkey (CBS) I think it might actually be an hourlong, but since I couldn't find out, I stuck it down here. I like Tom Cavanaugh, so I want it to live, but the title makes me laugh and not in a 'ha ha, that's hilarious kind of way'. Still, sober CSI network -- I mean, CBS, needs some more funny in its lineup. I'm just not sure this is the right kind of funny.

Of course as I said, there are lots more shows to evaluate and put into the Watch List. These will all be added to the 'On the Fence' category to start, just to give them all a fighting chance. New Watch List posted shortly...

2 comments:

Julie O'Hora said...

I know almost nothing about SOUTH BEACH, but I know the showrunner. On that, alone, I'd bet it's a smarter-than-you-might-expect show. Guess we'll know soon enough...

Anonymous said...

i've seen a screener of emily's reasons and it's lame. my future wife, i mean heather graham is not the show's only problem. things would have been better with a more compelling main character but the show is hackneyed, unfunny and eminently forgettable. it's not painful like head cases or as desperate as kitchen confidential it's just blah. DOA.