The fall upfronts are done. ‘The what?’ Some of you may be asking… This is when the networks start pimping their fall shows to advertisers.
Personally I try not to get too invested in anything new. Most of the pilots aren’t finalized and certainly aren’t reviewed so things can change dramatically between now and then (and even go away). Though I am admittedly not immune the hope of a high concept show (Charlie’s Angels), the return of a favorite talent (Sarah Michelle Gellar in Ringer), or creators with a somewhat proven track record (Once Upon a Time from the creators of Lost and Spielberg’s Terra Nova).
What I tend to pay a little more attention to at this point are shows that have been canceled (see notations below) and shows in a schedule shootout. Every fall there is at least one time slot where something gets kicked to the curb that would normally make the cut. I do like to watch new shows at least once so thank goodness for a couple of replays and online viewing to ensure the right picks are getting the season pass. Here’s what it’s looking like for me for now:
Monday
- 8pm – How I Met Your Mother/Two Broke Girls (CBS) vs. Terra Nova (Fox) vs. The Sing-Off (NBC)
- 9pm – House (Fox) vs. Hart of Dixie (CW) vs. Two and a Half Men (CBS) – willing to give Ashton a try
- 10pm – Castle (ABC) vs. Hawaii Five-O (CBS) vs. The Playboy Club (NBC)
Tuesday
- 8pm – Last Man Standing/Man Up (ABC) & Glee (Fox)
- 9pm – Ringer (CW) & New Girl (Fox)
- 10pm – Unforgettable (CBS) & Parenthood (NBC)
Wednesday
- 8pm – The Middle/Suburgatory (ABC) vs. The X Factor (Fox) vs. Up All Night/Free Agents (NBC)
- 9pm – Modern Family (ABC) vs. ANTM (CW) vs. Harry’s Law (NBC) vs. The X Factor/I Hate My Teenage Daughter (Fox) – I admittedly can’t endorse 2 out of those 4 but I do watch
- 10pm – Revenge (ABC) & L&O: SVU (NBC) – say goodbye to Stabler
Thursday
- 8pm – Charlie’s Angels (ABC) vs. Big Bang Theory/How to Be a Gentleman (CBS) vs. X Factor Results (Fox) vs. Community/Parks & Rec (NBC)
- 9pm – Grey’s (ABC) vs. Person of Interest (CBS) vs. The Secret Circle (CW) vs. Bones (Fox) vs. The Office/Whitney (NBC)
- 10pm – The Mentalist (CBS) & Prime Suspect (NBC)
Friday
- 8pm – Chuck (NBC)
- 9pm – Grimm (NBC)
Saturday – Nothing
Sunday
- 8pm – Once Upon a Time (ABC)
- 9pm – The Good Wife (CBS)
- 10pm – Pan Am (ABC)
And for a look at your own schedule check out TV Guide’s fall grid and for what’s been canceled (and sticking around) check out The Futon Critic’s scorecard. New shows are in italics.
