Um... not that I do that…
I'm talking about this guy I know…
I have a girlfriend…
She's a model and she lives in Canada…
Okay, moving on... In the past, I was the very first one hipping people to Friends, 24, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, Big Bang Theory, Dollhouse, and other hit or cutting-edge shows. (Of course, I also touted Men Behaving Badly, What About Brian, Reunion, and Big Shots, but hey, you gotta take the good with bad, right?) Anyway, here’s a look at some new fall shows:
Accidentally On Purpose
A little more to go on: Thirtysomething career woman Jenna Elfman works at a TV station (hence the Mary Tyler Moore comparison), has a one-night stand with a twentysomething video game jockey and aspiring chef with three loser roommates. She gets pregnant and they all move in together.
Premise: C
Lead Actors: C (Elfman gets an A but co-star Jon Foster has as much charisma as a box of Wheat Thins.)
Supporting Cast: F
Writing: B
Overall: C-
The writing is pretty crisp and hip, but the pacing is off and the first episode felt ridiculously rushed. The supporting cast (including TV vet Grant Show and Ashley Jensen from Ugly Betty) adds absolutely nothing. Also, the producers didn’t think things through. Where’s this show gonna go after the baby comes? Elfman deserves way better.
Cougar Town
A little more to go on: Real estate agent Courteney Cox is divorced and attempting to get back into the dating scene with the help of best friend Christa Miller (The Drew Carey Show, Scrubs) and sassy assistant Busy Phillips.
Premise: D
Lead Actors: B-
Supporting Cast: C+ (though Busy Phillips has been on the radar since her days on Judd Apatow’s Freaks and Geeks)
Writing: D
Overall D+
Cox’s character has a lot going on. She’s raising a son, dealing with her deadbeat ex-, feuding with a cradle-robbing neighbor, and fumbling through relationships with various boy-toys. Unfortunately, none of this is very funny. Cox and Miller (what the hell’d she do to her lips, by the way?) are both good comedic actresses but can’t sustain this frenetically paced vehicle.
Melrose Place
What it is: One of the most popular night time soaps of the 90s revamped, with a few original cast members thrown in for good measure.
A little more to go on: You’ve got a lot of the stereotypical characters here -- a hot, bitchy manipulator (Katie Cassidy’s Ella); a sensitive artist (Michael Rady’s Jonah); the bad boy (Shaun Sipos’ David); dark, brooding, mysterious guy (Colin Egglesfield’s Auggie), and a seemingly sweet but possibly psycho chick (Ashlee Simpson’s Violet.) Lucky for us the show’s producers learned a lesson from 90210 last year and jump-started this show by bringing back 1st-gen Melrose characters Sydney, Jane and Michael.
Premise: B (with the understanding that simply updating a hit show from 15 years ago is incredibly lazy.)
Lead Actors: B
Supporting Cast: B
Writing: C+
Overall: C+
The “who killed Sydney” storyline holds your interest, as does the med student by day, hooker by night character played by Stephanie Jacobsen. The return of Heather Locklear as Amanda Woodward could really see this show take off. Still, all in all, not bad for what it is.
Related Posts:
No comments:
Post a Comment