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Posts tagged as “Showtime”

TV Mid-Season '09: The Complete Review – What is new

Let’s finish the round-up with the brand new shows that are going to pop up in the next few months.

Fresh new shows for fresh new schedules.


– Harper’s Island (premieres April 9): Lots of retooling and backstage changes for this “Scream meets 10 Little Indians” show. The showrunner is currently Jeffrey Bell, who has written some pretty great Angel and X-Files episodes, so hopefully Harper’s Island will be worth my time.


– Kings (premieres March 19): The David v. Goliath myth set in an alternate place in “present times”. Ian McShane and the preview has definitely gotten me intrigued.


– Castle (premieres March 9): Despite me disliking the pitch (a novelist helping the NYPD solve crimes), it stars Nathan Fillion, so I’ll definitely be watching at least the first epis.
– Cupid (premieres March 24): Reboot of Rob Thomas’ show, by Rob Thomas, without Jeremy Piven.
– The Unusuals (premieres April 8): Even though I strongly dislike procedurals, I might check this one out. I read the pilot last summer and it had some interesting characters.


– Lie to Me (premieres Jan. 21): Tim Roth stars as a human lie-detector. The show could be a potential hit, seeing as it is right behind American Idol: Fight to the Death Edition. I’ll definitely check it out just because it’s Tim Roth starring.
– Dollhouse (premieres Feb. 13): Despite being a Whedon-prod with an awesome cast, I have my doubts about the show due to too much behind-the-scenes waves.


– East Bound and Down (premieres Feb. 15): A funny pilot with Danny McBride who has very quickly made a name of himself with Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express and Drillbit Taylor.


– The United States of Tara (premieres Jan. 18): The long-awaited Diablo Cody/Spielberg HBO show about a housewife with dissociative identity disorder. I also read the pilot way back when, sounded interesting. The filmed version is supposedly out on the Sho website for online viewing.


– Trust Me (premieres Jan. 26): Mad Men in today’s world, and funnier. At least that’s what it sounds like to me when I read what the show is about. Eric McCormack (Will from Will & Grace) and Tom Cavanagh star in this new dramedy about two BFFs that are creative partners at a high-levelled Chicago ad agency. Sounds good to me. I guess we’ll see how it turns out.

2009 is going to be a great year for new shows, I can sense it.

TV Mid-Season '09: The Complete Review – What is coming back

As we know, who says new year, says new schedule.

Time for The Complete Review’s awesome second part about the mid-season.
Let’s get it on and start things off with what is coming back.
I am not here talking about shows that premiered in fall, rather shows from last year that we have all been waiting for (or not?).

They’re back again. With a full stomach.


– Flashpoint – Season 2 (premieres Jan. 9): As previously reported, including the last 4 episodes from Season One, the second season should be comprised of 22 fresh episodes. Can it still be the hit it was last year? Only time (and Nielsen) will tell.


– Friday Night Lights – Season 3 (premieres Jan. 16): The season that has already been shown on DirecTV. I’m waiting for the HD release to watch it. Has it refound its Season One epicness?


– Scrubs – Season 8 (premieres Jan. 6): If you still haven’t heard, don’t be confused; Scrubs has moved to ABC due to shitty programming by NBC (amongst other things). If you want to get spoiled on the season/series-finale, there’s an interview with Bill Lawrence (the show’s creator) talking about that and what will happen once he and Zach Braff leave at the end of this year (yes, the show will probably continue in some form).
– Lost – Season 5 (premieres Jan. 21): They got off it. Now how do they go back?


– 24 – Season 7 (premieres Jan. 11): 24: Redemption was crap, and so were the first 15 minutes of the Season 7 premiere. Mix that with Tony Almeida coming back from his grave as a villain, and you’ve got another crappy 24 season on your hands. Or perhaps not?


– Reaper – Season 2 (premieres March 17): Cool first season, although I preferred Chuck to it.


– Big Love – Season 3 (premieres Jan. 18): Never saw the point of this show.
– Flight of the Conchords – Season 2 (premieres Jan. 18): I am told it is awesomely great.


– The L Word – Season 6 (premieres Jan. 18): Haven’t watched the show since Season 3 so can’t really comment on it.

The Big Unknown
The Tudors – Season 3 (Spring): How can a historical show continue to reinvent itself? By changing History.


– Battlestar Galactica – Season 4 (or rather 5) (premieres Jan. 16): This show has disappointed me so much since the third season, I just want to get it over with.


– Damages – Season 2 (premieres Jan. 7): The first season was epic and the second is supposed to begin where we last left off our awesome characters. Unfortunately it is quite probable that this second season will be less formidable than the first, though still quite entertaining nonetheless.

The Big Unknown
Rescue Me – Season 5 (Spring): The latest season was just okay with completely useless mini episodes. Let’s hope Rescue Me can wake up (I was about to do a Rescue Me play on word but waaaaay too easy). Michael J. Fox is coming back to TV with a role as Janet’s new love interest.

Now that we’ve seen new seasons, we’ll get a good look at the fresh new shows coming our way for this mid-season.
My guess is: awesomeness is coming.

And it begins

Enigmatic post title, eh?
Well not really.

First, the casting for ABC’s Flash Forward has finally begun with Courtney Vance cast as Stan Wedeck and Jack Davenport as Lloyd Simcoe.

Look to your right to catch the pilot script.

I thought it was a good pilot. I completely see why people would want to match it with Lost. The way it is told is certainly reminiscent of a mythological show like Lost. I’ve already got a couple theories going on in my head!

For those who read the book, the show seems to be completely different so don’t worry.
And if you’re thinking of getting spoiled off the book, don’t get your hopes up. The book’s explanation for the FF is some pseudo-science stuff that is way too complicated for national TV.

Also, Caprica (BSG’s prequel show) is finally set to begin.
I’ll let that post-title double pun sink in now for a while.

Okay?
All Good?

Let me repeat: Caprica has finally had a series order.

Happy?

I posted several months back about the pilot so if you want to glean a tinsy bit of info on that script check the small post. Although you’ll probably be better off finding your own copy of the pilot script by now.

Also, beginning (or rather continuing) is Showtime’s momentum, growing at an impressive rate. 2008 is Sho’s fifth consecutive year of growth, with a 7% increase of subscribers in the last 12 months.
The L.A. Times has just published a pretty interesting piece around the reasons behind Sho’s success.
As usual, a business eye in the TV world nowadays is not a must but a given. So get involved in SRS BSNS if you know what I mean.
I sense a shift of cable-power coming up.