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new and noteworthy tv: 9/18-9/24

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The calm before the storm of full fall television.

  • The State (NGC) Series Premiere, Monday, 9pm – Four young British men and women who leave their lives behind to join ISIS.
  • Fuller House (Net) Season Premiere, Friday – How is this already at season 3?
  • Neo Yokio (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – This Japanese anime style cartoon has some demon slaying and other goings on.
  • Transparent (Am) Season Premiere, Friday – What other sort of messes can they get into.
  • Mike Judge Presents: Tales From the Tour Bus (Cin) Series Premiere, Friday, 10pm – An animated recounting of country music tour bus tales.
  • Star Trek: Discovery (CBS) Series Premiere, Sunday, 8:30pm – The first ep will air wide before getting restricted viewings to CBS All Access.

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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returning fall favorites

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The fall season doesn’t have quite the weight it once did but the shows are coming back. So here’s a look at some of the things that I’m looking forward to.

  • Better Things (FX, 9/14) – This Pamela Adlon series was the half hour show that I most looked forward to in what I sort of think of as the Louie vein of comedy.
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 9/25) – I’m always happy to see what the gang is getting up to.
  • Bojack Horseman (Net, 9/8) – It’s odd but it’s good on so many layers.
  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox, 9/26) – Since the original they’ve really found a way to bring out great qualities in each character and pairings.
  • Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (BBCA, 10/14) – This was such an wacky series but I was won over by the conspiracies and time travel and the relationships that formed.
  • Elementary (CBS, 10/2) – Still invested in the pair of crime fighters if not always the crime and whatever the overarching drama is.
  • Fresh Off the Boat (ABC, 10/3) – The backdrop of immigrant family in the 90s adds a nice layer to the family hijinks.
  • Good Behavior (TNT, 10/15) – Intrigued to see what our con woman and hit man get up to this season.
  • The Good Place (NBC, 9/20) – This was a great intro last season and I’m excited to see where Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, and the gang take us this season.
  • Lethal Weapon (Fox, 9/26) – Light and fluffy this new duo of Riggs and Murtaugh have a good groove.
  • Madam Secretary (CBS, 10/8) – This is my hopeful political show where just enough magically gets resolved that I can ignore the real world for a bit.
  • The Middle (ABC, 10/3) – This show has done a surprisingly good job of keeping the family comedic beats as the kids age.
  • Mom (CBS, 11/2) – Allison Janney, Ana Faris, and their mostly recovering cohorts bring it in a great balance of real and unreal ways.
  • Mr Robot (USA, 10/11) – Also a little uneven but the wins on this show are strong enough for me to dive back in.
  • New Girl (Fox, 9/20) – One more season before the roomies and romances take their full stride into the tv afterlife.
  • Queen Sugar (OWN, 10/3) – This is my first Oprah drama and I like the way the location is as much of a character as the fragmented family of sugar farmers.
  • Speechless (ABC, 9/27) – I actually dropped this show last season but after hearing continued good things went back and picked it up and was rewarded enough to season pass it.
  • Stranger Things (Net, 10/27) – I wasn’t as enamored of this show as everyone else, maybe much due to my Winona disdain, but it’s definitely a fun bingeable what I’ll call summer show.
  • Superstore (NBC, 9/28) – The characters in this show have developed enough to make me keep tuning back into this work place comedy.
  • This is Us (NBC, 9/26) – This one is on everyone’s radar, and while I find it a bit uneven the drama on here fills my missing sort of Parenthood slot.
  • Transparent (Am, 9/22) – I’ve binged this since finally getting onboard with Prime and as reported it’s well worth a watch for the Pfefferman drama.
  • Will & Grace (NBC, 9/28) – I guess I’m calling this returning, and while I’m actually curious to see how it goes I remember the early series less dramatic moments fondly enough that I can’t imaging not sticking with it.
  • You’re the Worst (Fxx, 9/6) – I really enjoy the risks this show takes in regard to characters and storytelling and will keep tuning back in.

With a few others that I’ll check back in on: Gotham (Fox, 9/21), Life in Pieces (CBS, 11/2), Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD (ABC, 9/20), Search Party (TBS, 11/19), Z Nation (Syfy, 9/29)

Note: Premiere dates subject to change always check your local listings.

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new and noteworthy tv: 9/11-9/17

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I’ve mostly cleared out my backlog in preparation for fall returns and sampling.

  • The Mindy Project (Hulu) Season Premiere, Tuesday – The sixth and final season, too bad I have yet to cave on getting Hulu.
  • Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief Telethon (Various) Tuesday, 8pm – A telethon to aide victims.
  • Riviera (SundNow) Series Premiere, Thursday – Julia Stiles stars in this 10 part thriller with other good picks like Lena Olin and Anthony LaPaglia, and yes Sundance Now is yet another pay service.
  • Better Things (Fx) Season Premiere, Thursday, 10pm – This dramedy series featuring Pamela Adlon as mother of three is a total gem.
  • American Vandal (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – A half hour Making a Murder-ish true crime satire.
  • ACM Honors (CBS) Friday, 9pm – Nashville hosted awards.
  • Emmy Awards (CBS) Sunday, 8pm – Even if they did pick the right things there’s too much tv out there for this format to still really work.
  • The Vietnam War (PBS) Sunday, 8pm – 10-part, 18-hour series from Ken Burns, I really hear these are all amazing.

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: 9/4-9/10

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I wrapped up Ozark on Netflix which I really enjoyed, and glad to hear it’s coming back for another season. Still plugging away on The Wire and Deadwood and my gym going has lapsed a bit but still working on streaming comedies there with Catastrophe, Grace & Frankie, Bored to Death, Kimmy Schmidt, and just taking a peek at I Love Dick.

  • AHS: Cult (Fx) Season Premiere, Tuesday, 10pm – I’ve been off of these for a while but they’re bringing yet another slant.
  • You’re the Worst (Fxx) Season Premiere, Wednesday, 10pm – One of the comedies I most look forward to as these messes of people bring their weird slant.
  • Bojack Horseman (Net) Season Premiere, Friday – The whole family is officially hooked on this and their binges will be rewarded with new episodes, I actually need to remember where last season left off.
  • Greenhouse Academy (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – A sci fi teen drama adapted from an Israeli tv series set at a boarding school with evil plots to be thwarted.
  • One Mississippi (Am) Season Premiere, Friday – Was just talking to a friend about how this show seemed a bit under the radar but might my favorite of the recently binged comedies after I upped to Prime.
  • Con Man (Syfy) Series Premiere, Saturday, 10pm – Good buzz coming off of previous releases, Alan Tudyk stars as a former sci fi star hitting the convention circuit, note all eps air back to back.
  • The Orville (Fox) Series Premiere, Sunday, 9pm – Seth MacFarlane stars in this future space ship exploration dramedy, I’m picturing Galaxy Quest but think I’ll be disappointed.
  • Top of the Lake (Sund) Season Premiere, Sunday, 9pm – Looking forward to seeing Elizabeth Moss as this really interesting Jane Campion detective series finally returns (note for me this is showing up as “Top of the Lake: China Girl” not “Top of the Lake” so check your season pass).
  • The Deuce (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday, 10pm – Getting great reviews this series follows the legalization and rise of the porn industry with some credentials like Maggie Gyyllenhaal to give it some cred.

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: 8/28-9/3

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I took a break from some of my streaming options to cull some of the misc backlog. Broadchurch, Humans, Orphan Black, Tennison… check. Although I guess I did stream a little Defenders which suffers from much of the issues of previous Marvel stories, though Jessica Jones still keeps it interesting.

  • US Open (ESPN/2) – First rounds play starts Monday
  • Narcos (Net) Season Premiere, Friday – I lost interest in this in the first season.

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: 8/21-8/27

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I used to relish the downtime of summer but now realizing that with the way things are going I’m going to have to make another series of cuts if I’m doing things like watching The Defenders while having a backlog of quality shows.

  • Disjointed (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – Kathy Bates take to comedy in Chuck Lorre’s latest of a new found cannabis dispensary.
  • The Tick (Am) Series Premiere, Friday – I still think of Patrick Warburton as the tick but will give this new version a go.
  • Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day (ABC) Sunday, 11am – Marking the start of the US Open.

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: 8/14-8/20

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Still moving along on The Wire and Deadwood and have a little catch up on some of the other summer fare.

  • CMA Fest (ABC) Wednesday, 8pm – Country music stars perform.
  • Marlon (NBC) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 9pm – The latest Wayans intro to the sitcom world.
  • Project Runway (Life) Season Premiere, Thursday, 8pm – Another season of hopefuls, and I’m just a season or so behind.
  • The Defenders (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – I’ve had mixed emotions about each of the individual series but I’m cautiously optimistic that there will be enough Jessica Jones to make it intriguing.

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: 8/7-8/13

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Added Ozark to the current streaming series watches. Also caught up enough to pass on a few of the latest summer additions, The Guest Book, What Would Diplo Do?, Loaded, Midnight Texas, Hooten and the Lady, Somewhere Between, Will, Salvation, I’m Sorry, Tales, The Mist, and Still Star Crossed, and maybe I’ll check one more of Manhunt (I also meant to check out another Snowfall but somehow never recorded it).

  • Difficult People (Hulu) Season Premiere, Tuesday – I’m still no go on Hulu but folks reportedly are amused by this snarky comedy with Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner.
  • Mr. Mercedes (Aud) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 8pm – So apparently the Audience Network which I don’t think I’ve ever heard of is available through Directtv and AT&T U-verse, based on Stephen King’s book where a demented killer taunts a retired police detective.
  • Swedish Dicks (Pop) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 8pm – A new comedy about an ex-stuntman and a Swedish DJ who look to solve some wacky crimes.
  • Weekend Update: Summer Edition (NBC) Season Premiere, Thursday, 9pm – There’s just too much to mock.
  • Atypical (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – A coming-of-age story about mother and autistic son, maybe.
  • Orphan Black (BBCA) Series Finale, Saturday, 10pm – I will be sad to see the amazing Tatiana Maslany hang up her clone cap.
  • Teen Choice (Fox) Sunday, 8pm – You know the coveted awards we’ve all been waiting to see.
  • Get Shorty (Epix) Series Premiere, Sunday, 10pm – Based in part of the Elmore Leonard novel hitman becomes movie producer, worth a look for those who get Epix.

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: 7/31-8/6

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So there was a bit of a delay this week due to some technical difficulties. Next week I’ll shoot for a restart but in case you might be missing anything here are some of the noteworthy.

  • Surviving Escobar (Net) Series Premiere, Tuesday – The life of Pablo from the moment he decides to surrender based on a book, eh wasn’t that into Narcos.
  • Manhunt: Unabomber (Disc) Series Premiere, Tuesday, 9pm – Paul Bettany takes a run as the unabomber as the series focuses on the FBI profiler tracks him, maybe.
  • The Lowe Files (A&E) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 10pm – I don’t normally point out reality but Rob Lowe and kids checking out the spooky somehow couldn’t resist a nod (I think I read that he once saw Bigfoot).
  • The Sinner (USA) Miniseries Premiere, Wednesday, 10pm – Jessica Biel is at least supposed to be good in this whydunnit after she randomly stabs some guy on the beach.
  • The Guest Book (TBS) Series Premiere, Thursday, 10pm – Another riff on a new tale in a hotel this one tells new stories of a rental cabin in a reportedly amusing way.
  • What Would Diplo Do? (Vice) Series Premiere, Thursday, 10pm – James Van Der Beek has done a few nice turns so I’m intrigued by his spin as EDM DJ.
  • Comrade Detective (Am) Series Premiere, Friday – Hard to know what to make of this cop show comedy set in 80’s Romania in Romanian with English dubbed over by Channing Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
  • Wet Hot American Summer (Net) Season Premiere, Friday – Much of the celeb cast return for a ‘reunion’ episode where they revisit the camp counselors, probably only worthy for those who truly enjoyed the first rounds.
  • Sharknado 5 (Syfy) Sunday, 8pm – Yep they’re still doing these.
  • Ray Donovan (Show) Season Premiere, Sunday, 9pm – Not that anyone who watches this show needs a reminder but it’s back.

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: 7/24-7/30

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A few more summer additions, worth a look or not, I’m still making slow progress with The Wire.

  • Midnight, Texas (NBC) Series Premiere, Monday, 10pm – Traveling psychic settles in a weird town, doesn’t look promising.
  • Somewhere Between (ABC) Series Premiere, Monday 10pm – A local news producer helps track down a serial killer by reliving the week prior to killings.
  • People of Earth (TBS) Season Premiere, Monday, 10:30pm – I thought the first season of this was totally charming though its unique slant of space alien abductee group might have been initially off-putting.
  • The Last Tycoon (Am) Series Premiere, Friday – Kelsey Grammer and Matt Bomer star in this drama about legendary film mogul in 1930s Hollywood.
  • Room 104 (HBO) Series Premiere, Friday, 11:30 – Latest from the Duplass brothers, tells a different story each week from a room in a motel chain.

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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