Fall Television 2009 Discussion

By BOP Staff

November 18, 2009

Casablanca. (This only makes sense if you've seen the show...and if you haven't, WTF?)

New at BOP:
Share & Save
Digg Button  
Print this column
Josh Spiegel: In general, I have been disappointed in the new season of TV. There are only a few new shows I'm still watching and, considering the consensus, I'm a bit left out, as I've found Community to be far better in every way than Modern Family. I'm still watching both, of course, but the latter program needs to cut it with the voiceovers at the very end that are meant to bring us all together in watching a heartwarming comedy. I guess I prefer the emotion in shows to not be force-fed. I'm still watching, but I'm iffy.

Aside from that, I'm watching V, but it's only just started, so who knows if it'll remain a keeper. Any show that chooses to make Alan Tudyk play someone boring is a show whose sanity I question. White Collar has proven to be satisfying, mostly thanks to the smooth rapport of the stars, Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay. Usually, I'm not involved enough in the USA brand of TV show, but this one is still impressing me.

The only major disappointments I tuned into were Flash Forward and Cougar Town, both of which I wanted to like but didn't. The former program had problems in the pilot that only got exacerbated in the next episode, which lay flat until I got to see that Courtney B. Vance was in the bathroom during the flash forward, and saw himself...in the bathroom in the future. Fun times. Cougar Town is a show that I'd really like to like, except Courteney Cox seems to think she's playing a three-camera sitcom with a studio audience instead of a single-camera program. She's overplaying everything, and the same attitude I was hoping to see in the show as with Scrubs didn't show.




Advertisement



Among returning shows, I've not given up on any of them, but House, in particular, is starting to worry me. The premiere was great. However, since then, the non-House characters have gotten a lot of screen time, and none of them are as fascinating or charismatic as House is. Hugh Laurie will keep me watching through pretty much anything, but the program is far past its glory days. Mad Men just ended its third season on the highest of high notes, remaining the best show on TV when it's on the air. Now, I'll have to make do with The Office (sigh, David; just, sigh) and Parks and Recreation, which is very close to surpassing The Office as the funniest TV show. And, I'll continue counting the days until Lost premieres.

Mary Doskins: Unlike most of the staff here, I just couldn't take Modern Family. It's just not my cup of tea. I made it to about the first commercial break and that was it.

As far as TV stars in new roles, I've liked Courteney Cox in Cougar Town and Jenna Elfman in Accidentally on Purpose. I really think that Elfman (along with Christina Applegate) is another of those under-appreciated comedic actresses on television. However, Hank was really disappointing. I really like Kelsey Grammer, but this one just didn't work. It just seemed like he was the only one that had been displaced from his privileged lifestyle, but the rest of the family was coping fairly well. I've really liked The Middle. It kind of reminds me of Malcolm in the Middle, but not quite so over the top. The youngest son, Brick, played by Atticus Shaffer, has been quite a scene-stealer for me.


Continued:       1       2       3

     


 
 

Need to contact us? E-mail a Box Office Prophet.
Thursday, March 28, 2024
© 2024 Box Office Prophets, a division of One Of Us, Inc.