Broadcast Freshmen Grading – How Did I Do With 2012-2013′s New Shows?

Aside from Hannibal, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and the CW have made their decisions about which shows are returning next season. How did I do this year on picking which new shows to watch?

ABC

Canceled: 666 Park Avenue, The Family Tools, How to Live with Your Parents, Last Resort, Malibu Country, Red Widow, Zero Hour

Renewed: The Neighbors

I watched more of ABC’s pilots than I typically would for a network since their media site allowed me to preview several shows weeks or even months before they aired. I didn’t like  666 Park Avenue. I thought The Family Tools and How to Live with Your Parents were decent, but by the time they finally started airing I didn’t have time to watch. I loved the pilot of Last Resort, but subsequent episodes lacked the same polish, so I bailed after episode 3, always saying I’d get back to the show, but never actually doing so. The Neighbors was far better than I was expecting, and I watched through the mid-season break, and plan to catch up this summer.

Grade: A+

CBS

Canceled: Golden Boy, Made in Jersey, Partners, Vegas

Renewed: Elementary

I watched not a single full episode of any of the canceled shows, and I loved Elementary right from the start, and it remains one of my favorite new shows.

Grade: A+

Fox

Canceled: Ben & Kate, The Mob Doctor

Renewed: The Following, The Mindy Project

I watched the two new comedies on Fox with a nervous eye toward the ratings. While Ben & Kate was cute, The Mindy Project was far more funny. The drama premises interested me not at all.

Grade: C+

NBC

Canceled: 1600 Penn, Animal Practice, Deception, Do No Harm, Go On, Guys With Kids, The New Normal

Renewed: Chicago Fire, Revolution

I passed on all of NBC’s new dramas, though I did give Revolution two episodes to convince me it was must-see-TV (it failed to), but I was far more willing to try out comedies. The New Normal proved its awfulness in one episode, and I moderately enjoyed Animal Practice while it lasted. I enjoyed 1600 Penn, Go On, and Guys With Kids, but fell multiple episodes behind with each of them quite frequently.

Grade: D

The CW

Canceled: Cult, Emily Owens, MD

Renewed: Arrow, Beauty and the Beast, The Carrie Diaries

I was going to give Cult a chance because of Matt Davis, but the previews turned me off, and I never planned to watch Emily Owens. Arrow is tied with Elementary for my favorite new drama of the year, and I enjoyed Beauty and the Beast but fell behind because of my new job. Initially I didn’t like the idea of The Carrie Diaries at all, but cute promos and a Doctor Who alum has pushed the show into “maybe I’ll check it out someday” territory.

Grade: A

In all, I give myself a B+ for show selection this year – beating my score for last year.

How did you do on picking new shows to watch?

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News: No More Emily Owens, MD or The Mob Doctor, ABC Comedies Get More Episodes

The CW has officially canceled Emily Owens, MD – the freshman show will air all of its 13-episode initial order. The Mob Doctor has also coded, but less officially – Fox declined to order additional episodes for the show, and is burning off the final four episodes around New Year’s. Both shows had terrible ratings, so their demise was expected. With Private Practice ending as well, these season has not been kind to medical dramas. The CW will still have Hart of Dixie in the genre, but The Mob Doctor did a poor job at trying to fill the Monday void left by House.

Speaking of House, Hugh Laurie is close to a deal to play Blackbeard in NBC’s 10-episode pirate drama Crossbones. Yes, I could totally see him as a pirate! NBC has also ordered a period pilot, The Gilded Age, from Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.

Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue have enough time to tweak their final episodes, so fans of the shows will get some closure when the two shows end.

ABC’s two November-debut comedies (sophomore Last Man Standing and freshman Malibu Country) have been picked up for their back five episodes (instead of nine, due to their late starts). Also, Fox’s Touch has been moved to Fridays and will air a two-hour debut February 8th.

Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D. has cast the role of Agent Grant Ward, giving it to newbie Brett Dalton. While I’m still hoping some Whedonverse vets make it into the show, I think it’s quite interesting that this guy looks like a combination of Angel (top half of his face) and Spike (bottom half). Am I the only one seeing this?

British historical fantasy show Merlin will come to a close after its currently airing 5th season, with a special 2-hour episode to wrap things up.

And I think that catches me up with at least the most important news (in my mind) that’s cropped up over the past week. What news items have YOU talking?

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New Fall 2012 Shows – Which Pilots Do You Plan to Watch?

(Uber-cool photo above from TheInsider.com)

Thanks to sneak peaks and early releases, the fall broadcast TV season is well underway, even if most shows don’t premiere until next week (or later). Into the bunch are thrown 21 new scripted shows – which of these do you intend to check out?

Please vote in the poll for all the shows for which you plan to see (or have already seen) the pilot episode. Then leave a comment and let me know which shows you’re most excited about!

Which broadcast show pilots do you plan to watch (or have already seen)?

View Results

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ABC Premiere Dates 2012 — Your Fall TV List – TVLine

ABC has finally announced its fall 2012 premiere dates, with most shows coming back during the final week of September (starting Monday, September 24 with Castle, and ending Sunday, September 30 with Once Upon a Time at their normal times).

Notable exceptions include Suburgatory (which returns Wednesday, October 17, in a new 9:30 time slot), Happy Endings and Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 (Tuesday, October 23 at 9 and 9:30 – I wonder if they did that so Apt. 23 would come back on the 23th – great way to get people to remember!), and the network’s two country-music themed offerings, Nashville (October 10) and Malibu Country (November 2).

The only new show I’m planning to check out on ABC this fall is Last Resort (premiering Thursday, September 27, at 8), with a cast that includes Dichen Lachman (Dollhouse), Autumn Reeser (No Ordinary Family), and Scott Speedman (Felicity).

ABC Premiere Dates 2012 — Your Fall TV List – TVLine.

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New Fall TV Shows 2012 — Full List With Preview Photos – TVLine

The reason that I link to TVLine so often is because they are so awesome at what they do – for example, this planned-to-be-updated slideshow on the fall TV pickups. They do miss out on one thing, though – personal commentary. Which I’m happy to provide. I don’t treat shows with their evenhanded professionalism – I have my favorites, and I’m not afraid to talk about them more, bash (kindly) crappy shows, and outright ignore TV that I don’t think is worthy of attention.

While it’s hard to judge a potential show by a cast list, description, and possibly a cast photo (especially comedies), here’s my first thoughts on which shows I’ll be checking out next fall.

666 Park Avenue – ABC – possibly, want to check out the preview to see whether this leans toward horror or supernatural fun, more likely to watch if the latter.

1600 Penn – NBC – the fact that this is a comedy and stars Bill Pullman (who’s played a president before) makes me more likely to watch this.

Animal Practice – NBC – not feeling this comedy of about an antisocial vet. If the previews make me laugh and it’s a good timeslot, I might check it out, though.

Arrow – the CW – definitely will try out this one, superhero shows were notably missing on TV this past year.

Beauty and the Beast – the CW – the fact that Jay Ryan only sprouts his beast-like qualities when angry gives this a bit of a Grimm feel, and improves its less-than-impressive 80s pedigree.

Ben & Kate – Fox – could be fun, could be a disaster, waiting for previews to decide whether I’ll take it for a spin.

The Carrie Diaries – the CW – nope. Not gonna watch, no matter how much I like Annasophia Robb. The CW passed on The Selection for this?

Chicago Fire – NBC – how can a cast photo make me less interested in a show? Don’t know exactly, but this one does, and I wasn’t too hot about the show in the first place, despite enjoying Jesse Spencer on House. Thinking it may be this year’s Trauma.

Cult – the CW – high-concept show that has a description which bores me. A favorite actor might have reeled me in to try it, but I think the show-within-a-show aspect will eventually kill it.

Do No Harm – NBC – medical shows usually generate a pass for me, but the dark alter-ego thing might pull me in, if the previews wow me.

Elementary – CBS – I know this won’t live up to the awesomeness of BBC’s Sherlock, but since I enjoy most Holmes reimaginings I’ll give this a try.

The Family Tools – ABC – not really interested, but if the previews make me laugh, I might spare a half hour to give it a fair shot.

First Cut – the CW – pass. Medical meets high school drama sounds boring.

The Following – Fox – no serial killers for me, thank you.

Friend Me – CBS – checking this comedy out solely for Gupta (aka actor Parvesh Cheena)

Golden Boy – CBS – one guy’s journey from police officer to commissioner? Yawn.

The Goodwin Games – Fox – I like How I Met Your Mother, so if this show can make me laugh too, I’m in.

Go On – NBC – now this is a cast photo that works! I couldn’t have cared less about this show, but the tone set by the photo (above) makes me think it will be worth checking out.

Guys With Kids – NBC – sounds like a companion show for Up All Night, and since I don’t watch that . . .

Hannibal – NBC – did I mention no serial killers? Pity that Hugh Dancy will be in it, since I actually like his acting.

How To Live With Your Parents For the Rest of Your Life – ABC – could be fun, but shorten the title, please.

Infamous – NBC – intriguing undercover premise. I have a feeling I may pass on this out of sheer busyness, but I’ll let the previews make up my mind.

Last Resort – ABC – premise of a nuclear sub that refuses orders was enough to hook me, the additions of Dichen Lachman (Dollhouse) and Autumn Reeser (No Ordinary Family) to the cast made this a project I was rooting for.

Made in Jersey – CBS – not much info, but lawyer shows usually indicate a pass for me.

Malibu Country – ABC – if you knew my tastes in music, you’d understand why this is a huge NO.

The Mindy Project – Fox – curious to see what Kaling can do as not-Kelly, so despite the medical theme (boy, a lot of networks are trying to fill House’s place!), I’ll probably watch the pilot.

The Mob Doctor – Fox – I mean it, enough with the medical shows already! Ha, I have a feeling she’ll be digging a lot of bullets out of people.

Nashville – ABC – yes, country music is the genre I hate, so NO.

The Neighbors – ABC – a gated community of aliens? I have to see where they’re going to go with this.

The New Normal – NBC – pass.

Next Caller – NBC – another case of the cast photo working, plus Jeremy Tambor was great on Bent. This just moved from pass to checking out the pilot!

Partners – CBS – pass.

Red Widow – ABC – premise doesn’t pull me in enough.

Revolution – NBC – a few actors I’m familiar with and a decent premise make this a “see if the previews are any good” maybe for me.

Save Me – NBC – this just looks like a blend of creepy and blah. Huge pass.

Vegas – CBS – what is with networks and the 60s? Wanting the next Mad Men? Pass.

Zero Hour – ABC – need more info on what conspiracy they’re featuring, but this is leaning towards a pass.

New Fall TV Shows 2012 — Full List With Preview Photos – TVLine.

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