New fall TV schedule gives ‘deja vu’ feeling
The simplicity. The repetition. The antiquated medium.
When writing about broadcast television these days, it’s easy to imagine what it must have been like to be a critic for the final issues of Cave Painting Digest: “Grod kill deer. Grod kill bear. Grod great hunter. But when Grod show something different?”
It’s no secret that while we’re living in a Golden Age of cable series, network fare just keeps getting more and more derivative.
Twenty years ago, the fall season offered “Friends,” “ER” and “My So-Called Life.”
Ten years ago it was “Lost,” “House,” “Desperate Housewives” and “Veronica Mars.”
Even as recently as five years ago, fall brought “Modern Family,” “Community,” “The Good Wife” and the one good season of “Glee.”
This fall, there’s a “Pygmalion” update called “Selfie.”
Seriously.
Seemingly every new series this season is either based on something (spinoffs, remakes and comic book adaptations), inspired by something (“Scandal” and “How I Met Your Mother” seem pretty influential) or outright knockoffs (here’s lookin’ at you, Fox’s “Mulaney”).
Not all of them are terrible.
The CW’s “Jane the Virgin,” Fox’s “Red Band Society” and NBC’s “A to Z” are plenty likable.
Fox’s “Gotham,” NBC’s “Marry Me” and ABC’s “Black-ish” look promising.
And if you haven’t seen “Broadchurch,” the British crime drama on which it’s based, Fox’s “Gracepoint” is quite good.
There’s just nothing that left me clamoring, or even terribly curious, to see what happens next.
Here’s a look at this fall’s 24 new series, and, as always, times and dates are subject to change:
THE LEADING LADIES
Call it The “Scandal” Effect: The networks finally seem to have realized that viewers will tune in for dramas centered around strong, powerful women.
“MADAM SECRETARY”
8 p.m. Sunday, KLAS-TV, Channel 8
Who’s in it: Tea Leoni, Tim Daly, Bebe Neuwirth, Zeljko Ivanek
What it is: A college professor and former CIA analyst (Leoni) is appointed secretary of state when her predecessor dies under mysterious circumstances. If “The Good Wife” didn’t make you think of Hillary Clinton, this one will.
What it’s like: “The Better Wife.” The “mysterious circumstances” angle plays like second-rate “House of Cards.” But the dynamite cast, which includes former Las Vegas “Jersey Boys” star Erich Bergen, is ready to step in with some enjoyable character moments whenever the main story lags.
“STATE OF AFFAIRS”
10 p.m. Nov. 17, KSNV-TV, Channel 3
Who’s in it: Katherine Heigl, Alfre Woodard
What it is: CIA analyst Charleston Tucker (Heigl) is responsible for compiling the daily briefing book for the president (Woodard).
What it’s like: “Homeland Lite.” Charleston is attractive, blond, prone to risky sexual behaviors, and isn’t altogether there mentally. She’s basically a desk-bound Carrie Mathison, minus the crazy eyes. Then there’s the silly conspiracy a la “Madam Secretary.” Charleston needs to find herself a Brody, quick.
“HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER”
10 p.m. Thursday, KTNV-TV, Channel 13
Who’s in it: Viola Davis
What it is: A top criminal defense attorney (Davis) teaches a class she calls How to Get Away With Murder, but some of her brightest Middleton University students take that name a bit too literally.
What it’s like: “Murder, She Taught.” Double Oscar nominee Davis will be very good in just about anything. But with a principal cast of 10 thinly drawn characters, three criminal cases and several time jumps crammed into the pilot, the result feels solid but soulless.
THE FOREIGN CONCEPTS
Three of the fall’s most watchable new shows — and one of its least — are remakes of series from overseas.
“JANE THE VIRGIN”
9 p.m. Oct. 13, KVCW-TV, Channel 33
Who’s in it: Gina Rodriguez
What it is: A 23-year-old (Rodriguez) obsessed with telenovelas, grilled cheese sandwiches and saving herself for marriage is accidentally artificially inseminated with the only sperm sample from her new boss, the cancer-surviving hotelier she once had “a monster crush on,” in this loose adaptation of the Venezuelan telenovela “Juana la Virgen.”
What it’s like: “Pregnant Betty.” The “Ugly Betty” comparisons are easy to make, and not just because of the dearth of dramedies centered around Latinas. Blessed with an immensely likable lead, the quirky, charming “Jane” is one of the best shows of a bad fall.
“RED BAND SOCIETY”
9 p.m. Wednesdays, KVVU-TV, Channel 5 (already airing)
Who’s in it: Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable
What it is: Two cancer patients, a girl with an eating disorder, a boy with cystic fibrosis, a cheerleader with a bad heart and a coma patient live and attend classes in an L.A. hospital in this dramedy based on the Spanish series “Polseres Vermelles.”
What it’s like: “GleE.R.” From the disparate group of teens ridiculed by the mean cheerleader to the Sue Sylvester-like head nurse (Spencer), the show’s “Glee” influences are hard to miss. Considering “The Fault in Our Stars” proved young females can’t get enough of attractive teenagers with long-term illnesses, this enjoyable newcomer hopefully will be around long enough to carve out its own path.
“GRACEPOINT”
9 p.m. Oct. 2, Channel 5
Who’s in it: David Tennant, Anna Gunn, Michael Pena, Nick Nolte, Jacki Weaver
What it is: The murder of a young boy tears apart a small seaside town as virtually everyone is considered a suspect in this remake of the British crime drama “Broadchurch.”
What it’s like: “Broadchurch” — pretty much exactly, note for note like “Broadchurch,” down to having Tennant reprise his role as the lead detective. “Gracepoint” promises to eventually diverge from the original, but in the meantime, its writers could do worse than copying one of 2013’s most outstanding dramas.
“THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA”
8 p.m. Wednesdays, Channel 3 (already airing)
Who’s in it: Debra Messing, Josh Lucas
What it is: Laura Diamond (Messing) juggles her job as an NYPD homicide detective with taking care of her unruly kids in this adaptation of the Spanish telenovela “Los Misterios de Laura.”
What it’s like: Oof! The tone is all over the place, from murders and hostage situations to pee, poop and puke jokes. It’s tone deaf, atrocious and Messing mugs for the cameras as though she were in a grade school pageant. The only real mystery is how this thing ended up on the air in the first place.
OUTSIDERS
TV will always have a place for misfits, outliers and, in the case of “Utopia,” rednecks, polyamorists and naked yoga enthusiasts.
“BLACK-ISH”
9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Channel 13
Who’s in it: Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laurence Fishburne
What it is: When his oldest son makes the field hockey team, starts going by Andy instead of Andre and wants to have a bar mitzvah, an African-American advertising executive (Anderson) begins questioning whether wealth has watered down his family’s cultural identity in this comedy.
What it’s like: Funny-ish. The pilot certainly has its moments, with Fishburne proving delightful as the grumpy Pops. But the whole “keeping it real” premise feels like the sort of hooky sales pitch that will be abandoned in a few episodes a la “Cougar Town.” “FOREVER”
10 p.m. Monday (regularly airs at 10 p.m. Tuesdays), Channel 13
Who’s in it: Ioan Gruffudd, Judd Hirsch, Alana De La Garza
What it is: A New York medical examiner (Gruffudd) who can’t be killed uses the deductive skills he’s acquired over the past two centuries to help an NYPD homicide detective (De La Garza) solve crimes.
What it’s like: “Sherlock, the Immortal.” It feels like Fox takes an unsuccessful stab at something similar every couple of years, but with its “Castle”-like undertones, “Forever” could find a home on ABC. It’s not great, but it’s genial enough to watch while you’re doing some laundry or light housework. Sometimes that’s enough.
“UTOPIA”
8 p.m. Tuesdays and 8 p.m. Fridays, Channel 5 (already airing)
Who’s in it: “Fifteen pioneering Americans”
What it is: Fifteen pioneering Americans leave their lives behind for up to a year to create a society from scratch on a five-acre compound covered by 126 cameras in this reality series.
What it’s like: “Big Brother in the Boondocks.” For all the highfalutin’ talk about social experiments and sky-high aspirations of forming a perfect way of life, it’s just another silly reality show in which a bunch of strangers hook up and yell at each other. There’s no prize. There’s no competition. There’s no point.
FOLLOWING PROCEDURES
CBS is sticking with its bread and butter: the crime drama. But in two of those cases, the network is at least adding some pretty weird jam to that bread and butter.
“NCIS: NEW ORLEANS”
9 p.m. Tuesday, Channel 8
Who’s in it: Scott Bakula, Lucas Black, CCH Pounder
What it is: A team of special agents investigates crimes involving military personnel in the Big Easy in this spinoff.
What it’s like: “NCIS” in New Orleans. If you like the other “NCIS”es, you’ll probably enjoy this one, too. It isn’t terribly well written, but who doesn’t love Bakula?
“SCORPION”
9 p.m. Monday, Channel 8
Who’s in it: Elyes Gabel, Robert Patrick, Katharine McPhee, Eddie Kaye Thomas
What it is: A team of brilliant eccentrics is recruited by Homeland Security to help defend the country against complex modern attacks.
What it’s like: “N(erd)CIS.” “The Big Bang Theory” is such a massive hit, you can’t blame CBS for trying to replicate it as a dramatic thriller, complete with a waitress (McPhee) who helps the geniuses make sense of the outside world. But aside from the utterly ridiculous final act — one of the most bonkers action scenes you’ll (hopefully) see this fall — the whole thing isn’t nearly as much fun as it should be.
“STALKER”
10 p.m. Oct. 1, Channel 8
Who’s in it: Maggie Q, Dylan McDermott
What it is: The members of the LAPD’s Threat Assessment Unit investigate stalking cases.
What it’s like: “NCI(ck)S.” McDermott is playing basically the same character he trotted out in last fall’s quickly forgotten “Hostages,” and I’m looking forward to the day he’s in a series I want to watch. Until then, he’s doing what he can with this lazily disturbing, creepy-in-a-Lifetime-movie-way drama from the once-entertaining mind of Kevin Williamson (“Scream,” “Dawson’s Creek”).
COMIC BOOK GUYS
Just like last year, the fall’s buzziest pilot is a spinoff of a superhero franchise. Unlike last year’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” here’s hoping “Gotham” doesn’t wait until April to kick into high gear.
“GOTHAM”
8 p.m. Monday, Channel 5
Who’s in it: Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, Jada Pinkett Smith
What it is: Detective James Gordon (McKenzie) and his crooked partner, Harvey Bullock (Logue), investigate the murders of young Bruce Wayne’s parents in this Batman prequel that features younger versions of Catwoman, Penguin, Riddler and Poison Ivy.
What it’s like: Not as much like “Batman Babies” as you might think. “Gotham” isn’t as gritty as the Nolan movies nor as bright and goofy as the Schumacher ones. Logue brings a nice depth to Bullock, who’s not quite sure what to make of the heroic Gordon, who’s in just his second week on the job. The more time spent with them — and Robin Lord Taylor, who’s very good as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin — instead of young Master Bruce, the better.
“CONSTANTINE”
10 p.m. Oct. 24, Channel 3
Who’s in it: Matt Ryan, Harold Perrineau
What it is: Demon hunter John Constantine (Ryan), whose soul has been damned to hell, travels the country trying to save others from a similar fate, while spending plenty of time arguing with an angel (Perrineau), in this adaptation of DC’s “Hellblazer.”
What it’s like: A one-man “Supernatural.” Ryan’s take on Constantine is cheekier and more entertaining than Keanu Reeves’ version in the 2005 movie. But while the pilot doesn’t offer much you haven’t seen before, it should be the perfect companion piece for its lead-in, “Grimm.”
“THE FLASH”
8 p.m. Oct. 7, Channel 33
Who’s in it: Grant Gustin, Tom Cavanagh, Jesse L. Martin
What it is: When S.T.A.R. Labs’ particle accelerator explodes, a geekish crime scene investigator (Gustin) is given superspeed in this spinoff of “Arrow.”
What it’s like: Better than “Arrow” — at least based on its pilot. The first episode offers numerous Easter eggs for fans of the comics. Based on the list of upcoming guest characters, “The Flash” seems much more willing to embrace supervillains than “Arrow.”
HOPELESS ROMANTICS
Network executives: “People loved that ‘Mother’ show. We should get us something like that.”
“A TO Z”
9:30 p.m. Oct. 2, Channel 3
Who’s in it: Ben Feldman, Cristin Milioti
What it is: Online matchmaker Andrew (“Mad Men’s” Feldman) falls for attorney Zelda (“How I Met Your Mother’s” Milioti).
What it’s like: “How I Met the Mother From ‘How I Met Your Mother.’ ” He believes in destiny; she’s far more practical. He has an obnoxious best friend who’s prone to lying for sex. There’s a gimmick (they’ll date for eight months, three weeks, five days and one hour). There’s even a narrator (Katey Sagal) from an ’80s sitcom. It’s as though someone harvested all of “HIMYM’s” quirks but only a fraction of its heart. Still, the leads are appealing. And you have to respect any comedy that can turn the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon into a punch line.
“MANHATTAN LOVE STORY”
8:30 p.m. Sept. 30, Channel 13
Who’s in it: Analeigh Tipton, Jake McDorman
What it is: A small-town romantic (Tipton) and a jaded New Yorker (McDorman) begin dating in this comedy built around their inner monologues.
What it’s like: “A to Z” populated by wholly unlikable people. Apparently, guys like boobs and girls like purses. Who knew?
“MARRY ME”
9 p.m. Oct. 14, Channel 3
Who’s in it: Casey Wilson, Ken Marino, Tim Meadows
What it is: Annie (“Happy Endings’ ” Wilson) and Jake (“Childrens Hospital’s” Marino) have dated for six years, but they hit a speed bump when Annie ruins his elaborate proposal in this comedy from “Happy Endings” creator David Caspe.
What it’s like: “Happy Beginnings.” The scattershot jokes and random pop-culture gags should feel familiar to fans of ABC’s late, great comedy. The “Happy Endings” pilot was abysmal, and that series eventually became pretty terrific. This one’s pretty good, so the sky’s the limit.
JUST PLAIN HOPELESS
“Utopia,” “The Mysteries of Laura” and “Manhattan Love Story” just as easily could have ended up here. They’re all exponentially worse than “Mulaney,” which is here because, through the five episodes screened for critics, it doesn’t seem to be solving any of its many problems.
“SELFIE”
8 p.m. Sept. 30, Channel 13
Who’s in it: Karen Gillan, John Cho
What it is: In an effort to be taken seriously, a social-media-obsessed Eliza Dooley (Gillan) enlists a marketing expert named Henry (Cho) to rebrand her in this comedy ever-so-loosely based on “Pygmalion.”
What it’s like: The TV equivalent of those mosquito alarms and ringtones that only young people can hear. Peppered with outdated buzzwords, verbal hashtags and observations like “being friended isn’t the same as having friends,” it feels like the most topical comedy of 2011. But maybe I’m just being “jelly.”
“BAD JUDGE”
9 p.m. Oct. 2, Channel 3
Who’s in it: Kate Walsh
What it is: A criminal court judge (Walsh) parties too much, sleeps around and wears animal-print undies beneath her robe in this comedy.
What it’s like: Just bad. Two roles were rewritten and recast, and the show runner quit two weeks ago over “creative differences.” A review copy of the reworked pilot episode wasn’t available, but judging from the original, that’s likely the only time the word “creative” will be used in association with “Bad Judge.”
“THE McCARTHYS”
9:30 p.m. Oct. 30, Channel 8
Who’s in it: Tyler Ritter, Joey McIntyre, Laurie Metcalf
What it is: A close-knit Boston family watches sports and argues in this comedy.
What it’s like: “The Hopper Commercials: The Series.” It’s just spectacularly unfunny, with more product placements for “The Closer” and “The Good Wife” than jokes.
“CRISTELA”
8:30 p.m. Oct. 10, Channel 13
Who’s in it: Cristela Alonzo
What it is: A law student (Alonzo) juggles life at home with her sister’s family and her mother with her internship at a prestigious law firm in this comedy.
What it’s like: Big, broad and desperate to be loved. You want to root for Alonzo, and there are a couple of genuine laughs in the early going. But “Cristela,” which feels like it escaped from the ’80s, is just too rough around the edges.
“MULANEY”
9:30 p.m. Oct. 5, Channel 5
Who’s in it: John Mulaney, Martin Short, Elliott Gould
What it is: A stand-up comedian (Mulaney) is surrounded by an odd assortment of mostly terrible friends and colleagues in this comedy interspersed with bits of Mulaney’s stand-up act.
What it’s like: “Seinfeld,” if George were black, Elaine were Iranian, Newman were a drug-slinging ginger and Kramer were an unfathomably mincing Elliott Gould. Mulaney is even referred to as a “Seinfeld ripoff” in a later episode. The stand-up bits are frequently funny, but early episodes are marked by stretches of horribleness broken up by something hilarious. A couple of years ago, “New Girl” coined a new word: adorkable. “Mulaney” is horrlarious.
Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567.
