Midseason Premieres and Schedule Changes, Legends Gets a New Lead

The CW has just announced that midseason thriller Cult will debut Tuesday, February 19th, taking Emily Owens, MD’s 9pm slot. This show-within-a-show follows Jeff (The Vampire Diaries’ Matt Davis) as he investigates a show (also) called Cult, whose fanatical followers may have had something to do with his brother’s disappearance. Check out the video preview:

As previously announced, the CW’s other midseason show, The Carrie Diaries, will begin Monday, January 14th, at 8pm, pushing 90210 to 9pm.

ABC is moving Suburgatory to its old 8:30 slot, and premiering How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) at 9:30, both on April 3. When Suburgatory finishes its season, The Family Tools will get a (very) late spring debut on May 1st at 8:30. I assume that means The Neighbors’ freshman run ends in March?

On the drama side, ABC is neatly fitting its midseason shows into the slots held by its canceled shows. Body of Proof will return to take Private Practice’s Tuesdays-at-10 spot, Red Widow will replace 666 Park Avenue Sundays at 10 (after a 9-11 two hour premiere March 3, and Zero Hour drew the short straw and got Last Resort’s doomed 8pm-on-Thursdays-where-ABC-shows-die spot starting February 14th (I’m predicting it will do about as well as Missing – though who knows, maybe all the guys without Valentine’s dates will tune in for the premiere).

Syfy also announced midseason programming, with 3 scripted dramas to premiere Monday, January 14. Canada time-travel police drama Continuum makes its US debut at 8pm, Being Human returns for season 3 at 9pm, and season of Lost Girl kicks off at 10pm. Also, the final season of Merlin makes its way across the pond on January 4th at 10.

TNT drama pilot Legends has a new lead after Brendon Fraser left the role, and it’s someone who two kinds of fantasy fans can get excited about – Sean Bean! The Lord of the Rings and Games of Thrones actor will play a deep-cover operative with an uncanny ability to transform himself into a different person for each job.

What do you plan to watch in 2013? Does Sean Bean’s casting make you more likely to check out Legends if it makes it to series?

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Broadcast Freshmen Grading – How Did I Do With 2011-2012’s New Shows?

Aside from a few midseason debuts and several likely-canceled shows, ABC, CBS, the CW, Fox, and NBC have all made their decisions about which new shows are returning, and which aren’t. How did I do at picking which shows to watch this year?

ABC

Canceled: Charlie’s Angels, GCB, Man Up, Missing, Pan Am, The River, Work It

Renewed: Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, Last Man Standing, Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Scandal, Suburgatory

I tried out Missing but wasn’t hooked. I fell in love with Once Upon a Time and Suburgatory, and my feelings for the B—- are a little mixed, but generally positive. I would have tried Revenge if I had time, and I planned to preview Scandal but was deterred by less-than-stellar reviews.

I give myself an A+ for ABC.

 

CBS

Canceled: A Gifted Man, How to Be a Gentleman, NYC 22, Rob, Unforgettable

Renewed: 2 Broke Girls, Person of Interest

I watched How to Be a Gentleman since it was the only 1/2 hour show in an empty timeslot. I disliked both Rob and Unforgettable, giving up on episode 2 for both after allowing the pilot a little leeway. I watched 2 Broke Girls and Person of Interest from the start, and liked both (though 2 Broke Girls has degraded some over the year).

I give myself an A+ for CBS.

 

The CW

Canceled: Ringer, The Secret Circle

Renewed: Hart of Dixie

I only watched Ringer, which I wanted to love more than I did. Sarah Michelle Gellar and the unexpected yumminess of Ioan Gruffudd kept me watching through a rough start, but I’m glad I saw the whole thing through till the end. I watched the Hart of Dixie pilot, but medicial + the South wasn’t my cup of tea.

I give myself a C- for the CW.

 

Fox

Canceled: Alcatraz, The Finder, I Hate My Teenage Daughter, Terra Nova

Renewed: New Girl, Touch

I watched two new Fox shows, The Finder and New Girl. Didn’t even try the others. New Girl took a bit to grow on me, but I loved The Finder from the start, and am glad I watched it.

I give myself a C+ for Fox.

 

NBC

Canceled: Are You There, Chelsea?, Awake, Bent, Best Friends Forever, Free Agents, The Playboy Club, Prime Suspect, The Firm

Renewed: Grimm, Smash, Up All Night, Whitney

NBC canceled 8 new shows (of which I watched 3), and renewed 4 (of which I watched 2). I didn’t watch a single episode of the other 7. Grimm and Smash deserved the renewal for being fresh and catchy, something that Awake’s excellent but dour presentation could have used. Cop shows seem to work best with a bit of lightheartedness thrown in, a fact that Grimm realized by bringing in Monroe more. Awake’s twin tragedies prevented all but a slight wry sense of humor. The conspiracy behind Awake’s two realities could have counterbalanced that, but the show’s creators seemed to be saving most of that for future seasons, which ironically prevented future seasons by not hooking viewers. Bent and Free Agents were under-promoted and misrepresented, which almost caused me to miss out on them – how much more a casual TV viewer?

I give myself a C for NBC.

 

What new shows did you watch this year?

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Monday Madness: Favorite New Show

This week on Monday Madness, it’s time to vote for your favorite new TV shows! This poll is for all live-action scripted shows that aired their first US episode between June 1, 2011 and April 30, 2012, and includes both broadcast and cable shows.

This poll will be open for one week, and you can choose up to 10 of your favorite new shows. Be sure to spread the word so your favorites will make it into the top 10!

Even though there are 50 options on this list, I know there are some shows I left out (I think there are only a few canceled shows or lesser-known cable shows left out this week)! As always, you can cast write-in ballots (for new live-action scripted shows only please) by leaving a comment. Want more of a say in what makes it onto the poll each week? Be sure to follow me on Twitter, since I usually ask for nominations for the next Monday Madness the weekend before the new poll.

Next week’s poll will focus on favorite season and series finales. Please nominate your favorite finales by leaving a comment! In your comment, be sure to note the show, season, episode title, and not-too-spoilery descriptive phrase (think of what a promo for that episode would say). For example: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 2, “Becoming, Part Two.” Aided by an unlikely ally, Buffy must face Angel to save the world.

Without further ado, here’s the poll for this week’s Monday Madness! Voting ends around 1AM May 7th.

UPDATE: This poll has closed. You can view the top ten list here.

This poll sponsored by Nannerbug Designs. Contact me if you would like to sponsor next week’s poll!

What's your favorite new show? (Choose up to 10!)

  • Once Upon a Time (10%, 168 Votes)
  • Person of Interest (9%, 144 Votes)
  • Grimm (9%, 144 Votes)
  • The Finder (7%, 111 Votes)
  • Bent (5%, 78 Votes)
  • New Girl (4%, 70 Votes)
  • Alphas (3%, 55 Votes)
  • 2 Broke Girls (3%, 48 Votes)
  • Falling Skies (3%, 48 Votes)
  • Revenge (2%, 41 Votes)
  • Suburgatory (2%, 40 Votes)
  • Alcatraz (2%, 39 Votes)
  • GCB (2%, 39 Votes)
  • Touch (2%, 38 Votes)
  • Awake (2%, 36 Votes)
  • The Secret Circle (2%, 36 Votes)
  • Terra Nova (2%, 35 Votes)
  • Smash (2%, 34 Votes)
  • Ringer (2%, 33 Votes)
  • Hart of Dixie (2%, 33 Votes)
  • Scandal (2%, 32 Votes)
  • Suits (2%, 30 Votes)
  • American Horror Story (2%, 29 Votes)
  • Last Man Standing (2%, 26 Votes)
  • Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (1%, 25 Votes)
  • Franklin & Bash (1%, 25 Votes)
  • Switched at Birth (1%, 23 Votes)
  • Homeland (1%, 21 Votes)
  • Pan Am (1%, 21 Votes)
  • Unforgettable (1%, 19 Votes)
  • Up All Night (1%, 18 Votes)
  • Necessary Roughness (1%, 17 Votes)
  • Missing (1%, 17 Votes)
  • A Gifted Man (1%, 16 Votes)
  • The River (1%, 16 Votes)
  • Spartacus: Vengence (1%, 13 Votes)
  • Whitney (1%, 12 Votes)
  • Prime Suspect (1%, 9 Votes)
  • NYC 22 (0%, 8 Votes)
  • House of Lies (0%, 8 Votes)
  • Are You There, Chelsea? (0%, 8 Votes)
  • The Firm (0%, 7 Votes)
  • Best Friends Forever (0%, 7 Votes)
  • I Hate My Teenage Daughter (0%, 6 Votes)
  • Rob (0%, 2 Votes)
  • Boss (0%, 2 Votes)
  • Charlie's Angels (0%, 2 Votes)
  • How to Be a Gentleman (0%, 1 Votes)
  • Free Agents (0%, 1 Votes)
  • Man Up (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 568

Loading ... Loading ...

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Richard Castle made a Cameo in ‘Tell Me No Lies’ | Castle: ABC TV Series / Show Nathan Fillion & Stana Katic

Richard Castle, star of ABC’s Castle, showed up on another ABC show – in an author endorsement on a spy novel in Missing!

Richard Castle made a Cameo in ‘Tell Me No Lies’ | Castle: ABC TV Series / Show Nathan Fillion & Stana Katic.

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TV Ratings Thursday: ‘Big Bang Theory’ Doesn’t Dent ‘Community;’ ‘Awake,’ ‘Missing’ Keep Sliding, As Most Shows Decline – Ratings | TVbytheNumbers

People who were worried about The Big Bang Theory affecting Community’s ratings can relax a little – Community’s rating is exactly what it was last week, when CBS was airing basketball. Even better, it was rated higher than 30 Rock, which follows Community in a less competitive timeslot.

Not so good are the ratings for NBC’s Awake, and ABC’s Missing. I’ve only caught one episode of Missing so far and thought it was decent, but I’ll be really sad to see Awake go. It puts such a cool twist on a crime drama (would have loved to see it following NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles on Tuesdays on CBS instead of Unforgettable).

TV Ratings Thursday: ‘Big Bang Theory’ Doesn’t Dent ‘Community;’ ‘Awake,’ ‘Missing’ Keep Sliding, As Most Shows Decline – Ratings | TVbytheNumbers.

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ABC Close to Renewing Grey’s, Revenge, Castle, Once Upon a Time and More! – TVLine

Yay for more Castle, Suburgatory, and Once Upon a Time (though did we ever doubt they’d get renewed?)! Since those are the only ABC shows I watch (though I did enjoy the Missing premiere), I’m pretty happy with this news. Though this isn’t a formal renewal notice, it matches most renewal predictions.

ABC Close to Renewing Grey’s, Revenge, Castle, Once Upon a Time and More! – TVLine.

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Ratings — Community Returns With Wins Over American Idol

True, the win over American Idol was just with Adults 18-34 ratings in the common half hour, but it’s still amazing! The 2.2 rating was a season high for the show. Last week, 30 Rock only managed a 1.4 in that slot. True, it was up against The Big Bang Theory, but this week Community was up against the start of March Madness basketball and ABC’s premiere of Missing.

Ratings — Community Returns With Wins Over American Idol.

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