new and noteworthy tv: 9/30-10/13

Batwoman

Last week was a busy week, I am likely going to give another watch to most network shows other than passing on Bob, Mixed-ish, and Bluff City Law. And now we’re back to a good steady pace of new shows with the wrapping up of Ink Master this week I’m intrigued for Ink Master Grudge Match, as well as returning MSec and Mr Robot.

  • All Elite Wrestling (TNT) Series Premiere, Wednesday 10/2 – Will wresting return to the glory days of early cable?
  • Almost Family (Fox) Series Premiere, Wednesday 10/2, 9pm – A good cast with Timothy Hutton and Brittany Snow among others is promising but the weird premise, fertility doc uses own sperm, might not strike the right tone.
  • Raising Dion (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 10/4 – Raising a kid with special abilities poses its own set up unique challenges based on the comic book, no real word on this yet.
  • Batwoman (CW) Series Premiere, Sunday 10/6, 8pm – Ruby Rose takes the title character Kate Kane back to Gotham, intrigued by superhero reboots the CW versions have been falling a little flat for me but Rose could give new life so we’ll see on this.
  • Press (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 10/6, 10pm – A British drama showing journalists juggling challenges both personal and professional.
  • Nancy Drew (CW) Series Premiere, Wednesday 10/9, 9pm – Follows Riverdale and seemingly wants to follow in similar vein, this updated story starts with Nancy caught up in her mother’s murder.
  • Breaking Bad: El Camino (Net) Special presentation, Friday 10/11 – I occasionally regret dropping this series after season 2 but for the many dieharders this is a movie picking up at some point.
  • The Birch (FB) Series Premiere, Friday 10/11 – Based on a short film this horror series is look at the relationship between a teenager and the protector of the woods.

Additional streaming:

  • Seis Manos (Net) Series Premiere, 10/3 – Three orphaned martial arts warriors join forces with the DEA and Mexican Federale.
  • My Country: The New Age (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 10/4 – Historical Korean drama set between dynasties about people who desire power while protecting their faith.

Returning streaming: Carmen Sandiego (Net, 10/1), Sorry for Your Loss (FB, 10/1), Big Mouth (Net, 10/4), Creeped Out (Net, 10/4), Goliath (Am, 10/4), Into the Dark (Hulu, 10/4), Light as a Feather (Hulu, 10/4), Peaky Blinders (Net, 10/4), Rotten (Net, 10/4), Super Monsters (Net, 10/4), Legend Quest (Net, 10/5), Haunted (Net, 10/11), Insatiable (Net, 10/11), Plan Coeur (Net, 10/11), Yoohoo to the Rescue (Net, 10/11).

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

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new and noteworthy tv: 9/23-9/29

Fall is here! Depending on where you are it still feels a lot like summer but tv waits for no man. I did my note of returning fall tv but in lieu of an intriguing new fall tv post without any advanced knowledge on many of these series I’ll call out anything I’m particularly looking forward to or have reason to believe it might be worth a look.

  • Team Kaylie (Net) Series Premiere, Monday 9/23 – Teen celebrity gets a court order to lead an inner-city wilderness club for some reason.
  • Bob (Hearts) Abishola (CBS) Series Premiere, Monday 9/23, 8:30pm – The latest Chuck Lorre comedy and while this could be the next gem the previews make it feels a bit like a Mike & Molly with immigration instead of weight as the hook as this romance takes off, maybe.
  • All Rise (CBS) Series Premiere, Monday 9/23, 9pm – New judge tries to do things the right way, maybe.
  • The Prodigal Son (Fox) Series Premiere, Monday 9/23, 9pm – Serial killer’s son helps solve crimes with what looks like the help of dear old dad, some early interest.
  • Bluff City Law (NBC) Series Premiere, Monday 9/23, 10pm – Jimmy Smits returns to the courtroom in this new drama as his daughter returns to the firm following the mother’s death, maybe.
  • Mixed-ish (ABC) Series Premiere, Tuesday 9/24, 9pm – I never quite connected with Black-ish or Grown-ish but they both have ingredients I wanted to like more than I did so we’ll see on this.
  • Emergence (ABC) Series Premiere, Tuesday 9/24, 10pm – Another genre show, this one with Allison Tolman playing a cop who takes in a girl unscathed by a mysteries crash, and intrigue ensues to see if this could rise above some similar attempts.
  • Stumptown (ABC) Series Premiere, Wednesday 9/25, 10pm – This is my dramatic pick of the season with Cobie Smulders as tough PI, you know a little messy but trying to do the right thing, based on a graphic novel.
  • Cake (Fxx) Series Premiere, Wednesday 9/25, 10:30pm – Life action and animated short form animation, unknown but could have some good bits in the mix.
  • Creepshow (Shud) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/26 – This anthology series based on the film by Stephen King, unknown but could have some good bits in the mix.
  • Perfect Harmony (NBC) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/26, 8:30pm – Anna Camp and Bradley Whitford helm a church choir in need of help premise which hopes to bring the best elements of a Pitch Perfect with a little more hard on their luck comedy, good ingredients might make this work.
  • The Unicorn (CBS) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/26, 8:30pm – Walter Goggins more known for playing more sketchy guys in dramas stars as a widow starting over, including dating, and this looks to have good cast and some early signs of good comedy, comedy pick of the season.
  • Carol’s Second Act (CBS) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/26, 9:30pm – Patricia Heaton plays a divorce who takes a late in life career path is worth a look to see if her sitcom luck holds out (and I’m going to ignore the fact that she’s 61 playing a 50 year old, why?).
  • Sunnyside (NBC) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/26, 9:30 – Kal Penn stars as a scandal ridden councilman turns to tutoring Queens residents prepping for their U.S. citizenship test, strikes as a light premise but who knows maybe it’s the next Community.
  • Evil (CBS) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/26, 10pm – This reads a little X-File-ish and a trio look into the scientific vs. supernatural display of evil, but with the Good Wife/Fight Kings at the helm this could stand out and I’m intrigued to see what they’ll do with this.
  • The Politician (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 9/27 – Ryan Murphy’s latest introduces us to high school student with aspirations of Oval Office by way of student body president and this dark humor has potential to strike some right cords.
  • Bless the Harts (Fox) Series Premiere, Sunday 9/29, 8:30pm – A new addition to the animated lineup, the voices of Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig among others bring some hope to this family and their hijinks.

More streaming:

  • Bard of Blood (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 9/27 – Former Indian spy leads a rescue mission.
  • Skylines (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 9/27 – German hip-hop producer gets caught up in the drug business.

Returning streaming: Abstract: The Art of Design (Net, 9/25), Glitch (Net, 9/25), Liza on Demand (YT, 9/25), Explained (Net, 9/26), El Marginal (Net, 9/27), Transparent (Am, 9/27).

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returning fall favorites

The Good Place

A few things retired this last year and I’ve pretended that I’ve been more discriminating about adding new shows but let’s face it there’s always a pretty decent set of returning tv. Here are some of the shows I’ve still got on season pass (or the streaming equivalent). Stay tuned for intriguing new fall tv.

  • Big Mouth (Net, 9/29) – I caught up on this amusing coming of age animated show, that’s pretty crass but has some heartfelt humor.
  • Bless This Mess (ABC, 9/24) – This is one of those shows that has the potential of being very funny though they’ve just started to mine the rich comedy potential of this fish out of water with a great cast.
  • The Connors (ABC, 9/24) – I really liked the balance shift to the other characters after Barr left and all of their aging has just brought new fodder.
  • The Crown (Net, 11/4) – I admit that I’ve only gotten through the first season and though it was very good I haven’t gotten back to it, curious to see the play out of power and whatnot.
  • Goliath (Am, 10/4) – This show about a washed up once great lawyer got so ridiculous in the last season that I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to tune in again but now that it’s coming back I have to admit I’m a little curious.
  • The Good Place (NBC, 9/26) – This show has been a true delight with each season bringing the funny with each twist and turn, I can’t wait and am very sad for the final season with this forking dummies.
  • God Friended Me (CBS, 9/29) – This show is for sure on the schmaltzy side but sometimes even I need a little feel-good resolution and the overarching mystery is enough to keep a greater thread but not so convoluted it turns me off.
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Fxx, 9/25) – Going into the fourteenth season of this the characters haven’t grown anything other than older but curious what mess of adventures they’ll get themselves into.
  • The Kominsky Method (Net, 10/25) – Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin are great as friends, whether they always like it or not, who are facing the challenges of their later years.
  • Madam Secretary (CBS, 10/6) – If only politicians were always trying to do the right thing, well I’m happy to watch the final season of Tea Leoni as Elizabeth McCord throwing her hat into the presidential race.
  • Mom (CBS, 9/26) – Anna Faris and Allison Janney bring mother daughter drama to new points of laughter with their fellow recovering addicts.
  • Mr Robot (USA, 10/6) – I have no idea what’s going on in this show anymore but still compelled to see what Rami Malek’s character and his breaks from reality bring through computer hacking.
  • Single Parents (ABC, 9/25) – This is another comedy that feels like it’s got a lot of great ingredients and although it hasn’t mastered them week after week I’m still for sure in.
  • Sorry for Your Loss (Face, 10/1) – Elizabeth Olsen as a young widow trying to deal with her grief hit so many good notes in its first season that I’m almost afraid of another but I’ll be tuning back in even if I haven’t mastered Facebook Watch.
  • Superstore (NBC, 9/26) – This show currently holds the mantle for best workplace comedy and since they’re not afraid to stray from big stakes issues curious how the cast will deal with Mateo being arrested by ICE.
  • Transparent (Am, 9/27) – I’m also pretty behind on this and haven’t tuned in post Tambor drama but it’s a rich family and some odd tangents have made for an interesting show, the final season will air as a feature length musical so there’s that.

And don’t worry some stuff is just set for later. Anything else on your list?

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new and noteworthy tv: 9/9-9/22

With a little free time some backlog conquering seems within my sights. Wrapped the latest Stranger Things which still meets a pretty good summer nostalgia factor and am working away on Veronica Mars and Downton Abbey (before the movie comes out!) among others. This week also looking forward to return of odd Mr Inbetween on FX, mildly intrigued by the latest season of American Horror Story but stopped watching seasons ago, and staying tuned for the series finale of Killjoys. And of course gearing up to take a look ahead to official Fall TV!

  • The I-Land (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/12 – No advanced word on this sci-fi adventure where ten people wake on an island with no memory by Neil LaBute and Lucy Teitler but might be worth a look.
  • Mr. Mom (Vudu) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/12 – Based on the film this ’83 comedy the premise isn’t revolutionary but a dad stays home when a mom gets her dream job, I don’t even know if I get Vudu.
  • Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate (ABC) Thursday 9/12, 5pm – Down to ten and then who knows how many we’ll be back to for the next one.
  • Unbelievable (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 9/13 – Based on a true story, after a young woman is accused of lying about a rape two detectives investigate similar attacks with Toni Collette among others with some good early buzz.
  • Undone (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 9/13 – Animated time travel and esoteric meaning of life, perhaps.
  • Country Music (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 9/15 – Ken Burns latest documentary, I am just listing this because people can’t stop talking about how amazing all his documentaries are and I feel terrible that he makes like one a year and I can’t even make the time to watch.
  • Criminal (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 9/20 – Detectives pressure a doctor to confess to murder, not sure anything about this other than David Tennant is in it so maybe worth a look.
  • Between Two Ferns: The Movie (Net) Friday 9/20 – I guess feeling a little Galifianakis nostalgic after Baskets but not sure what to make of the idea of his random awkward interviews in movie form.

Other streaming releases:

  • When the Camellia Blooms (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 9/18 – Korean romance drama an orphan who grows up to be a single mom falls for a police officer.
  • The Family Man (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 9/20 – Indian middle class family man and world class spy.

Returning streaming: This Close (SundN, 9/13), The Chef Show (Net, 9/13), The Ranch (Net, 9/13), Top Boy (Net, 9/13), The Fastest Car (Net, 9/20).

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

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