new and noteworthy tv: 7/17-7/30

Not much time for other things with my Justified rewatch but did manage to catch the start of Family Law which is a show I find fun and think Moonshine might be a good light complement. I also started off with Miracle Workers which I’m not sure I would stick with unless it was the final season and What We Do In the Shadows which is still funny though I’m probably not as enamored as some of the critics I follow.

  • Surf Girls Hawai’i (Am) Series Premiere, Tuesday 7/18 – Reality spotlight on a docuseries about Hawaiian female surfers.
  • Justified: City Primeval (Fx) Series Premiere, Tuesday 7/18, 10 pm – Raylan heads to Detroit, sounds like it’s set to run as a miniseries or be picked up for more.
  • Almost Paradise (Free) Season Premiere, Friday 7/21 – I hadn’t thought this would be back after the first season in 2020 but our retired DEA agent played by low-key fave Christian Kane makes for entertaining enough summer hijinks as I recall.
  • Special Ops: Lioness (Para+) Series Premiere, Sunday 7/23 – An espionage thriller with Zoe Saldana in the lead.
  • Son of a Critch (CW) Series Premiere, Monday 7/24, 8/8:30pm – In this comedy a 6th grader is the protagonist based on the coming-of-age memoir.
  • Children Ruin Everything (CW) Series Premiere, Monday 7/24, 9/9:30pm – This looks like a repairing of a Canadian show that’s played on Roku, let the parenting hijinks commence.
  • Dark Winds (AMC) Season Premiere, Sunday 7/30, 9 pm – This ’70s Navajo police drama was a good one.
  • Harley Quinn (Max) Season Premiere, Sunday 7/30 – Harley’s back, this show is usually pretty fun.

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST, please check your local listings.

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procrastinator picks – top tv of 2015

I tend to internally mock critics who say they can’t narrow it down to 10, but seriously too much out there, it’s impossible. I kept it to ten but I did cop out this year and put them in alphabetical order. My caveats as usual, these probably aren’t the best shows out but ones that I personally enjoyed, and I can’t completely rate on just an individual season. Also my usual clarification that I don’t get high end cable so those shows might be on my to do list but they won’t be here, plus shows that I’m behind on like Mad Men and Rectify (which I love).

  • The 100 (CW) – The dynamics amongst all the factions in this post-apocalyptic world have increased in quantity and in stakes and it’s moved beyond the pretty young things CW slant, though certainly maintained the pretty people.
  • The Americans (Fx) – Spy mom and dad and great spy wigs sure keep getting in and mostly out of fixes, and the relationships with others keep getting more complicated, what are the chances that bringing in spy kids will go smoothly?
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – I didn’t love running for office Alicia but starting over yet again Alicia brought yet another new spin on this rich cast of characters that just keeps me entertained with the cases and the personal lives where there’s not always a real right.
  • Humans (AMC) – Lots of riffs out there on the androids taking over but this truly human look at a group of unanticipated aware and feeling synths and their interactions with each other, the humans around them, society as a whole and of course some ‘evil’ corporation kept me all in.
  • Jessica Jones (Net) – A new crop of great series on Netflix but this less Marvel-ish Marvel is the one that truly made me want to binge as I enjoyed the tough damaged lead and her fight against uber creepy villian with the help and hindrance of some good supports.
  • Justified (Fx) – The last season brought back much of what I loved about the series, Raylan was someone we all fell in love with as he fought the good fight in sometimes the wrong ways to hunt down folks as only a Marshall near his own Harlan, Kentucky hometown can do.
  • Mr. Robot (USA) – This is the show that put USA on the map this year and it was quite a big swing, the lead Rami Malek really should get much of the credit for carrying this peculiar character in a psychotic split between computer hacking, and well hacking, tempted to go back and watch again.
  • Orphan Black (BBCA) – This admittedly wasn’t my favorite season of this show but I love it so much even a dip in the distractions to the clone club from the boy clones couldn’t dampen my love for the performances of Tatiana Maslany and her band of supporters.
  • UnREAL (Life) – My fave new campy show this look behind the scenes of a Bacheloresque show had so many layers as we follow Producer Rachel trying to come back from her own personal drama while the manipulations on and off camera reach new highs, or should I say lows, and I’m not a Bachelor watcher.
  • You’re the Worst (Fxx) – The first season of this show won me over with a new twist on the rom com by playing into and out of the stereotypes as the characters were all a mess, and the second season delved into Gretchen’s mess/depression in a way that was able to include some truly funny moments in what was a dramatic and sensitive, amazing work by Aya Cash.

My honorable mentions were giving me too much stress so I’ve even eliminated those. What were some of your favorites from last year?

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new and noteworthy tv: 4/13-4/26

tatau

Consider this a special double issue. I don’t have a lot of faith in Tatau or The Messengers (though more in BBC than the CW), and don’t get Show for Happyish. And of course sad to see the very end of Justified and the start of the end of the cheesy but fun Lost Girl.

  • Monday: Turn, Season Premiere (AMC, 9pm), Cucumber and Banana, Series Premieres (Logo, 10/11pm), Rivermen, Series Premiere (Hist, 10pm)
  • Tuesday: Botched/Good Work, Season/Series Premieres (E!, 9/10pm), Deadliest Catch, Season Premiere (Disc, 9pm), Justified, Series Finale (FX, 10pm), Arranged, Series Premiere (FYI, 10:15)
  • Wednesday: Million Dollar Listing: New York, Season Premiere (Brav, 10pm)
  • Friday: Bitten/Lost Girl, Season Premieres (Syfy, 8/10pm), Cedric’s Barber Battle/Whose Line is it Anyway/The Messengers, Series/Season Premieres (CW, 8/8:30/9pm)
  • Saturday: Orphan Black/Tatau/Graham Norton Show, Season/Series Premieres (BBCA, 9/10/11pm)
  • Sunday: Academy of Country Music Awards (CBS 8pm), Naked & Afraid, Season Premiere (Disc, 10pm)
  • Monday: Live & Hip Hop Atlanta, Season Premiere (VH1, 8pm),
  • Tuesday: Inside Amy Schumer, Season Premiere (Com, 10:30pm)
  • Wednesday: The Unexplained Files/The Prancing Elites Project, Season/Series Premieres (Sci, 9/10pm)
  • Saturday: When Calls the Heart, Season Premiere (Hall, 8pm)
  • Sunday: Chef’s Table, Series Premiere (Net, 3am), Happyish, Series Premiere (Show, 9:30pm), The Legend of Shelby the Swamp Man, Season Premiere (Hist, 10pm)

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 11/19-11/25

backstrom

A little tennis, the start of the final run of Raylan, and worth checking into the new he’s a jerk but a smart jerk formula, this time with Rainn Wilson, and of course some new reality.

  • Monday – Australian Open (ESPN2, Various)
  • Tuesday – State of the Union (Various, 6pm), Friday Night Tykes/The Short Game, Season/Series Premieres (Esq, 6/7pm), Justified, Season Premiere (Fx, 10pm)
  • Wednesday – Dual Survival, Season Premiere (Disc, 9pm), All-American Makers, Series Premiere (Sci, 10pm), Best New Restaurant, Series Premiere (Brav, 10pm)
  • Thursday – Backstrom, Series Premiere (Fox, 9pm), Morgan Spurlock, Season Premiere (CNN, 9pm), Nightwatch, Series Premiere (A&E, 10pm), Million Dollar Critic, Series Premiere (BBCA, 10pm)
  • Friday – Bring It!/Preachers’ Daughters, Season Premieres (Life, 9/10pm), King of the Nerds, Season Premiere (TBS, 9pm), Love, Lust, or Run, Series Premiere (TLC, 10pm)
  • Saturday – Black Sails, Season Premiere (Starz, 9pm)
  • Sunday – Miss Universe (NBC, 8pm), Sons of Liberty, Mini-series Premiere (Hist, 9pm)

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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returning fall favorites

the-good-wife

Well we’re easing into it but I think we can officially categorize post Labor Day September as fall. And while I’m still waiting for a little more info on new shows to see what I’m most excited about there are some returning favorites already queued up with a season pass.

  • The League (Fxx, 10/3) – This is one of those off color Fx (now Fxx) series that has sort of grown on me, people who are so wrong it’s right, no football appreciation required (if you like It’s Always Sunny this is a nice pairing).
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx, 9/9) – This show has had some uneven spots but watching the interpersonal drama, and admittedly the significant violence, and who’s lying, Jax, makes it a can’t miss to see where our favorite motorcycle gang ends up.
  • New Girl/The Mindy Project (Fox, 9/16) – Both of these shows have improved with time and with fleshing out the ensemble, they make me laugh enough.
  • The Good Wife (CBS, 9/21) – Last season this show really demonstrated how to shake up a longer term series, and still hold on to what makes it special; still has the best balance of weekly cases with the personal and political drama where I’m interested in what everyone is doing.
  • Sleepy Hollow (Fox, 9/22) – One of the critics I read dubbed this show ‘bonkers awesome’ and she’s right, it’s a ridiculous premise but the fast pace and main character dynamics keep it oh so interesting and did I mention headless horseman ridiculous?
  • The Blacklist (NBC, 9/22) – This one is really all about James Spader and fortunately that’s enough to keep this criminal with unclear motives catching bad guys on his list interesting.
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 9/22) – They’ve done a pretty good job keeping what could be a one note show going, adding to the ensemble and growing the characters a bit, but keeping the mockery in top form.
  • Parenthood (NBC, 9/25) – As we enter the final season we can assume that the Braverman family will not be drama free and while I haven’t loved every story arc I’ve come to be invested, plus I would follow Lauren Graham and Peter Krause anywhere.
  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox, 9/28) – The latest addition to funny, again finding the balance of the could be annoying main character Samberg has been key but it’s really the ensemble with the amazing Andre Braugher among others that makes it.
  • The Walking Dead (AMC, 10/12) – Each season has had a different feel based on where the cast is but I’m intrigued to see them back together and of course getting out of whatever fix they’re in since the live people are often more of a problem than the dead ones.
  • The 100 (CW, 10/22) – I keep giving these relatively cheesy CW shows a shot and this one, which is basically pretty people land on earth and so far run into pretty people who survived, but I’m often a sucker for that whole moralistic creating your own society and what’s really right, we’ll see if this season keeps me coming back.
  • Grimm (NBC, 10/24) – A procedural show of the not normal variety, in that there is a world of non humans among us, and while I wouldn’t say I love this show the characters and stories keep me coming back.
  • Elementary (CBS, 10/30) – I can’t watch this show at the same time as Sherlock because they’re so different in tone but I am down for seeing what our re-imagined Holmes and Watson get up to each week mostly because I like Miller and Liu.

Notable mention (those that are either a little uneven, a little passed their prime, or too fresh to see if I’m hooked): Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD (ABC, 9/23), The Middle (ABC, 9/24), Bones (Fox, 9/25), Mom (CBS, 9/29)

And keep your love for a few of these shows on the back-burner until mid-season and beyond: The Americans, Cougar Town, Hannibal, Hart of Dixie, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Justified, Lost Girl, Louie, The Mentalist, Orphan Black, Parks and Recreation

What are you most excited to see return?

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new and noteworthy tv: 1/6-1/12

enlisted

The holidays are over and television is returning…

Monday

  • Antiques Roadshow (PBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – A first edition of the Book of Mormon among other things.
  • The Bachelor (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Juan Pablo meets the women.
  • Rachael vs. Guy/Mystery Diners (Food, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Culinary competitors and then a look at vegan, or not, fare.
  • Single Ladies (VH1, 9pm) Season Premiere – Reuniting for a wedding.
  • Cracked/King (Reelz, 11/11:59pm) Season Premieres – Psych crimes and career risking cops.

Tuesday

  • Escaping the Prophet (TLC, 7pm) Series Premiere – In case you were missing a show about helping to flee the Church of Latter Day Saints.
  • Beat the House (HGTV, 8pm) Series Premiere – Dream house vs two others, what will they pick?
  • Bad Girls All Star Battle (Oxy, 8pm) Season Premiere – There is something wrong with calling anything bad girls ‘all star’.
  • Intelligence (CBS, 9pm) Series Premiere – It’s kind of like Chuck with a chip and they intended to do it to Sawyer from Lost.
  • 100 Days of Summer (Brav, 10pm) Series Premiere – In case you want to follow Chicago people over a summer.
  • Cougar Town (TBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – The cul de sac crew is back.
  • Justified (Fx, 10pm) Season Premiere – Raylan tangles with some bad guys, I missed Raylan.
  • Killer Women (ABC, 10pm) Series Premiere – The hot cylon from BStarG hunts ’em down.

Wednesday

  • Spice of Life with Bal Arneson (Cook, 6pm) Series Premiere – Cook with spices, make a spice rack.
  • People’s Choice Awards (CBS, 9pm) – The people have spoken.
  • Nova (PBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – Nasa telescope.
  • Psych (USA, 9pm) Season Premiere – Does everyone still think this guy is psychic?
  • David Blaine: Real or Magic (ABC, 10pm) – In case you missed his astonishments.
  • 60 Minutes Sports (Show, 10pm) Season Premiere – One would assume this is an hour on sports.
  • The Real World: Ex-Plosion (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – Strangers, and their exes…
  • Chicago PD (NBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – A spin off of Chicago Fire, and yeah this cop’s a rebel, can’t do Fire but worth a look.

Thursday

  • Appalachian Outlaws (Hist, 10pm) Series Premiere – Because stuff happens in Appalachia.
  • Spoils of Babylon (IFC, 10pm) Series Premiere – A multigenerational chronicle…

Friday

  • Enlisted (Fox, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – This new military sitcom had some critics laughing.
  • 10 Million Dollar Bigfoot Bounty (Spike, 10pm) Series Premiere – As I recall there are a few other bigfoot shows and surprisingly they still haven’t found one, unless they did and it didn’t make the news.
  • Banshee (Cin, 10pm) Season Premiere – More action.
  • Helix (Syfy, 10pm) Series Premiere – A team of scientists checks out an outbreak in the Arctic.

Saturday

  • US Figure Skating Championships (NBC, 8pm) – They jump, they spin…

Sunday

  • 90 Day Fiancé (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – American men have 90 days to decide to marry women needing visas.
  • Golden Globes/Arrivals (NBC, 7/8pm) – Let’s get this over with and on to the real award shows.
  • Shameless/House of Lies/Episodes (Show, 9/10/10:30pm) Season Premieres – Everything is starting to be fresh.
  • True Detective/Girls (HBO, 9/10pm) Series/Season Premieres – Who wouldn’t check out Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as detective partners, and you know girls.
  • Unlocking Sherlock (PBS, 10pm) – Behind the scenes to tide you over.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 1/7-1/13

COUGAR-TOWN-e1336678178291

Post holidays, we’re getting back in business…

Monday

  • The Bachelor (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Sean meets the women.
  • Antiques Roadshow (PBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – A million dollar discovery is made.
  • Love & Hip Hop/Black Ink Crew (VH1, 8/9pm) Season/Series Premieres – Relationships and a new tattoo crew.
  • Switched at Birth (ABCF, 8pm) Season Premiere – The daughters of these not related families continue their drama.
  • Deception (NBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Police officer investigates the death of a childhood friend, looks Revenge-ish and will probably be dumb but worth a shot.
  • The Staircase (Sund, 10pm) Series Premiere – Found dead at the bottom of the staircase, did the husband do it?
  • Trouble Next Door (Own, 10pm) Season Premiere – Series documenting families in crisis.

Tuesday

  • Cougar Town (TBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – It’s back, don’t forget to change your season pass to TBS to catch this gang, their wining, and their whining.
  • Justified (Fx, 10pm) Season Premiere – Season pass already set.
  • Africa (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – It’s about Africa?
  • Frontline (PBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – Starting with Michelle Rhee as chancellor of DC public schools.
  • The Joe Schmo Show (Spike, 10pm) Season Premiere – More fake reality show.
  • America’s Supernanny (Life, 10pm) Season Premiere – Getting control of the kids.
  • Snookie & JWoww (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – Can’t wait for parenthood.
  • The Burn with Jeff Ross (Com, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – More guests.
  • Scoring the Deal (HGTV, 11pm) Series Premiere – Real estate wheelings and dealings.

Wednesday

  • Stars in Danger: The High Dive (Fox, 8pm) – Celebrities learn how to flip it, you know, without the splash.
  • People’s Choice Awards (CBS, 9pm) – What do the people know anyhow?
  • Property Brothers (HGTV, 9pm) Season Premiere – Twin real estaters help folks fix ’em up.
  • Washington Heights (MTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – In case there are more ‘real’ people you want to get to know.
  • Barter Kings (A&E, 10pm) Season Premiere – Bartering snakes.

Thursday

  • Critic’s Choice Movie Awards (CW, 8pm) – I am mildly curious as to what the critics might say.
  • The Millionaire Matchmaker (Brav, 9pm) Season Premiere – More love to be found for the wealthy.
  • Kathy (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – Guests Liza and Jane Lynch.
  • Rehab Addict (DIY, 10pm) Season Premiere – Home rehab that is.

Friday

  • Banshee (Cin, 10pm) Series Premiere – Ex-con and master thief assumes the identity of a sheriff, curious if I got Cinemax.
  • Out There (IFC, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Animated 15-year old’s misadventures.

Saturday

  • Miss America (ABC, 9pm) – Women walk the walk and talk the talk.
  • Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual (We, 9pm) Series Premiere – Unusual, uninteresting.
  • Staten Island Law (OWN, 9pm) Series Premiere – The reality of mediation.

Sunday

  • Australian Open (ESPN2, 3:30pm, and various) – First round!
  • Golden Globe Awards (NBC, 7/8pm) – Arrivals and then Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host.
  • Girls/Enlightened (HBO, 9/9:30pm) Season Premieres – Laura Dern and Lena Dunham return.
  • Shameless/House of Lies/Californication (Show, 9/10/10:30pm) Season Premieres – As do the people in these shows.
  • Pete Rose (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Pete’s getting married.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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procrastinator picks – top tv of 2012

BunheadscastHart_of_Dixie_intertitle

Well the critics have weighed in, but what do I recommend? It’s hard to tell how unbiased I can look at each individual season but based on previous lists some shows are still faves and alas some shows have definitely dropped off. And of course there are some other shows in my queue, clearly I watch more than ten, or eleven, shows a year. Based on today’s thoughts here’s where I’m at:

  • Justified (Fx) – Raylan the Kentucky Marshall is a fave, some season arcs are stronger than others but they do a great job with the supporting cast and keeping me tuned in to who he will shoot, or get shot by, next.
  • Good Wife (CBS) – They’ve managed to evolve the story of this woman who is standing by her man, raising her family, practicing law and dealing with official and unofficial politics in a way that just keeps me hooked.
  • Sherlock (PBS) – I guess you can never have too much Holmes, sadly only three episodes per season setting him and Watson in modern day, a great look at the traditional stories with new slant on the characters.
  • Parenthood (NBC) – I actually dropped this show when it first came on but now am hooked on the Braverman’s and their drama, at times ridiculous they have some great and touching moments.
  • Parks and Recreation (NBC) – Small town politics with a cast of characters that are quirky and endearing, makes me laugh out loud.
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – The complications upon complications, and the lack impulse control that these people suffer from, keeps me wondering how they can keep going without all being dead but I can’t look away.
  • Louie (Fx) – He’s the critics’ darling and for good reason, you can tell he definitely does what he wants on this show you never know what you’re going to get but this sad guy is getting a lot right.
  • Community (NBC) – The nods to all things pop culture in these eps keeps it a cut above, curious how the new show runners will keep it going.
  • Cougartown (ABC) – As folks should know this show is moving to TBS, but the cul de sac crew drinking wine makes me laugh, maybe because I’m also usually drinking wine.
  • Bunheads (ABCF)/ Hart of Dixie (CW) – These shows are going to get a dual listing, although I can’t honestly say that either of these shows are the best on tv I find them both very enjoyable with their flawed leading lady tries to do right in a small town slant.

Lots of good tv to be had, what’s on your list?

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critics’ picks – top tv of 2012

louieTime to get started on our year end lists! While the tv shows aren’t currently fresh, the critics’ best and award noms give you something to get ready to tune back into. I can’t personally recommend all of these shows (stay tuned for my top ten list) and as most readers know I don’t catch most of the real cable on first run (HBO, Show, Starz), but from the breadth of shows there is a little something out there for everyone. So without further ado here’s a sampling of top tv picks:

  • 2 Broke Girls (CBS) – E
  • 2012 Election  – JP
  • 30 for 30 (ESPN) – DF
  • 30 Rock (NBC) – AS, PGA, TG
  • American Horror Story: Asylum (Fx) – AFI, GG, JP, MoR, MZS
  • Archer (Fx) – MZS, TG
  • Ben and Kate (Fox) – TG
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – E, MR, PGA
  • Boardwalk Empire (HBO) – GG, TG
  • Boss (Starz) – GG, TG
  • Breaking Bad (AMC) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MR, MoR,  MZS,  PGA, TG
  • Call the Midwife (PBS) – MR
  • Castle (ABC) – E
  • The Colbert Report (Com) – KT, MM
  • Coma (A&E) – MZS
  • Community (NBC) – E, MZS, TG
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) – PGA
  • Dexter (Show) – MR, TG
  • Don’t Trust the B- In Apartment 23 (ABC) – TG
  • Downton Abbey (PBS) – MR, PGA
  • Enlightened (HBO) – GG
  • Episodes (Show) – GG
  • Game Change (HBO) – AFI
  • Game of Thrones (HBO) – AFI, DF, E, GG, JP, MoR, PGA, TG
  • Girls (HBO) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MR, MoR, TG
  • Glee (Fox) – E, GG
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – KT, MR
  • Gossip Girl (CW) – E
  • Happy Endings (ABC) – E, MoR
  • Hatfields & McCoys (Hist) – MZS
  • Homeland (Show) – AFI, AS, E, GG, JP, KT, MM, MR, MoR, MZS, PGA, TG
  • The Hour (BBCA) – DF, TG
  • House of Lies (Show) – TG
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – E
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Fx) – TG
  • Justified (Fx) – KT, TG
  • Louie (Fx) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MM, MR, MoR, MZS, PGA, TG
  • Luck (HBO) – AS, MM, MZS
  • Mad Men (AMC) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MR, MoR, MZS, PGA, TG
  • Magic City (Starz) – TG
  • The Middle (ABC) – MR
  • The Mindy Project (Fox) – E
  • Modern Family (ABC) – AFI, E, GG, PGA, TG
  • Nashville (ABC) – KT
  • New Girl (Fox) – E, GG, MoR, TG
  • On Freddie Roach (HBO) – DF
  • Once Upon a Time (ABC) – E
  • Parenthood (NBC) – AS, JP
  • Parks and Recreation (NBC) – AS, DF, E, JP, KT, MoR, TG
  • Raising Hope (Fox) – TG
  • Revenge (ABC) – E
  • Scandal (ABC) – E
  • Shameless (Show) – TG
  • Sherlock (PBS) – MM, TG
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – MR, TG
  • Supernatural (CW) – E
  • Treme (HBO) – AS, DF, MZS, TG
  • The Vampire Diaries (CW) – E
  • Veep (HBO) – TG
  • The Walking Dead (AMC) – AFI, E, MM, MR, TG
  • Wilfred (Fx) – TG

AFI – AFI Television Programs of the Year, AS – Alan Sepinwall for Hitfix, DF – Dan Fienberg for Hitfix, E – E! Best Comedies and E! Best Dramas, GG – Golden Globe nomination, JP – James Poniewozik for Time, KT – Ken Tucker for Ew, MM* – Mary McNamara for LA Times, MR* – Matt Roush for TV Guide, MoR – Maureen Ryan for Huffington Post, MZS – Matt Zoller Seitz on Vulture, PGA – Producer’s Guild, TG – Tim Goodman’s Best Comedies and Dramas

* Some top votes were for categories of shows or notations to things like Clint’s chair speech and referee strike.

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new and noteworthy tv: 1/16-1/22

Enough good tv starting that I may not get sucked into the Australian Open…

Monday

  • Australian Open (ESPN2, ongoing/various) – The play continues.
  • The Revolution (ABC, 2pm) Series Premiere – Lifestyle experts transform.
  • Alcatraz (Fox, 8pm) Series Premiere – Always willing to give JJ Abrams shows a shot, a mix of cops and supernatural, and a reason to see Hurley again on another island.
  • Betty White’s 90th Birthday/Betty White’s Off Their Rockers (NBC, 8/9:30pm) Series Premiere – Everybody toasts Betty and then seniors play pranks what could be more hilarious.
  • Being Human/Lost Girl (Syfy, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – More irregular folks and the new/lost girl is a succubus.

Tuesday

  • Remodeled (CW, 9pm) Series Premiere – More businesses get makeovers, this time modeling agencies.
  • Ink Master (Spike, 10pm) Series Premiere – Nobody wants to be tattooed by the losers in this competition.
  • Justified (Fx, 10pm) Season Premiere – Raylan I missed you.
  • Ragin’ Cajuns (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Shrimp fishing, or should i say fishin’.
  • Southland (TNT, 10pm) Season Premiere – This cop show tends to not disappoint and this seasn’s guests include Lucy Liu.
  • White Collar (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – Who will betray who?

Wednesday

  • American Idol (Fox, 8pm, and Thurs/Sun) Season Premiere – I keep saying I’m out, but depending on scheduling…
  • Mistresses (BBCA, 10pm) Season Premiere – Relationship problems?
  • Royal Pains (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – More doctoring.

Thursday

  • Archer/Unsupervised (Fx, 10pm) Season/Series Premiere – The return of the animated government agency followed by high school misfits.

Friday

  • Shark Tank (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Get your inventions ready.
  • On Freddie Roach (HBO, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – A look at boxing trainer and Parkinson patient.
  • Swanderosa (CMT, 10pm) Series Premiere – The Swan family hosts events on their Texas estate.

Saturday

  • Drew Peterson: Untouchable (Life, 8pm) – I’m only including this because people are talking about how awesomely gross Rob Lowe is in it.
  • Bayou Billionaires/My Redneck Vacation (CMT, 9/9:30pm) Series Premieres – More people out of their elements, with new money or new vacay locals.
  • Idiot Abroad (Sci, 10pm) Season Premiere – More torturing of Karl.
  • Scorned (ID, 10pm) Series Premiere – Investigating crimes where love has gone awry.

Sunday

  • Prime Suspect (NBC, 9pm) – In case you were following the changing time slots on the remaining eps.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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