Post Mortem – Modern Family

After 11 seasons, Modern Family wrapped up its run in April, having won 22 Primetime Emmy Awards and 6 Writers Guild of America Awards.  Conceived by creators Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan while sharing stories of their own “modern families,” the show was presented in the mockumentary style that was all the rage in the late 2000s/early 2010s.

The ensemble cast, headed by television veteran Ed O’Neill, powered the show, with breakout performances by Sofia Vergara and Ty Burrell.  I’m sure we will be seeing this cast in numerous other projects for years to come.

Midseason Review – Wednesdays

old-tv-set1We have reached the half way point of our look back at my thoughts on the offerings for the new fall season.  Here’s what Wednesdays had on tap for the fall.

7:00

Riverdale – The show will address the death of star Luke Perry last spring, and his former 90210 co-star Shannen Doherty will make an appearance to pay tribute to Perry.  Of, course, this is assuming I ever catch up on the last season and a half of the show.

I haven’t caught up, and I don’t know if I ever will.

8:00

Modern Family – Season 11 will be its last, which seems about right.

Yeah, this seems to have run it’s course.

SEAL Team – David Boreanaz returns for a third season of the military procedural.

This is another one of those shows that I will watch as long as it’s on, but I won’t necessarily miss when it goes.

Nancy Drew – Building on the success of Riverdale, the CW takes another beloved property from the early-to-mid 20th century and ramps up the sex appeal for a 21st century audience.

I watched the first episode and never made it back for the second.  Not saying it was bad, but it didn’t necessarily pull me in.

8:30

Single Parents – After a surprisingly entertaining first season, the group of single parents returns for another go around.

Still surprisingly decent.  I think the fact that the kids seem to be talented actors helps a bunch.

9:00

Stumptown – Cobie Smulders returns to the small screen in this adaptation of the graphic novels of the same name from Oni Press.

An enjoyable way to spend an hour.

And now the new entry coming later this spring:

Criminal Minds – The CBS stalwart returns for it’s abbreviated final season.

2019 New Fall Season – Wednesdays

old-tv-set1We have reached the half way point of our look at the offerings for the new fall season.  Here’s what Wednesdays have on tap for the fall.

7:00

Riverdale – The show will address the death of star Luke Perry last spring, and his former 90210 co-star Shannen Doherty will make an appearance to pay tribute to Perry.  Of, course, this is assuming I ever catch up on the last season and a half of the show.

8:00

Modern Family – Season 11 will be its last, which seems about right.

SEAL Team – David Boreanaz returns for a third season of the military procedural.

Nancy Drew – Building on the success of Riverdale, the CW takes another beloved property from the early-to-mid 20th century and ramps up the sex appeal for a 21st century audience.

8:30

Single Parents – After a surprisingly entertaining first season, the group of single parents returns for another go around.

9:00

Stumptown – Cobie Smulders returns to the small screen in this adaptation of the graphic novels of the same name from Oni Press.

ABC Upfronts

After a decade of shaking up their schedule, ABC is taking a cautious approach this fall, with only three new series on the schedule.  The week gets off to a familiar start, with Dancing With The Stars followed by The Good Doctor on Monday nights.  Tuesday night is the biggest shake-up of the week, with two new shows and two returning shows in new timeslots.  The Roseanne-less The Connors returns for its second season, followed by Bless This Mess, which debuted this spring. mixed-ish, a new spinoff of black-ish, leads in to the mothership, followed by Emergence, about a police chief who takes in a young child she finds near the site of a mysterious accident

Wednesday stays pretty much the same, with The Goldbergs, Schooled, Modern Family, and Single Parents starting the night and leading into Stumptown, a new drama starring Colbie Smulders and based on the graphic novel by Greg Rucka, Matthew Southworth, and Justin Greenwood.  Thursdays stay exactly the same, with Grey’s Anatomy, A Million Little Things, and How To Get Away With Murder.  A revamped Friday kicks off with the re-located American Housewife, followed by Fresh Off The Boat and two hours of 20/20.  Sunday stays mostly all reality, with America’s Funniest Home Videos, Kids Say The Darndest Things, and Shark Tank, followed by The Rookie.

Agents of SHIELD will return at some point in 2020, along with returning shows Station 19 and American Idol.  Also on the bench for mid-season are The Baker and the Beauty, based on an Israeli series telling the story of the unlikely romance between a blue-collar baker and an international superstar, For Life, a prisoner-turned-lawyer serialized legal and family drama co-produced by 50 Cent, United We Fall, a multicamera comedy starring Jane Curtin and Will Sasso, and Reef Bank, an action drama bringing Poppy Montgomery back to the small screen.

Cancelled shows never to be seen again are Whiskey Cavalier, Speechless, Splitting Up Together, The Kids Are Alright, The Fix, and For The People.

Midseason Review – Wednesdays

old-tv-set1We are on the back half of our look back at the offerings for the new fall season.  Here’s what Wednesdays had on tap for the fall.

7:00

Riverdale – The sexy version of the Archie comics returns for its third season, assuming I ever catch up on the end of the second.

Well, I haven’t caught up yet.

8:00

Modern Family – The comedy, entering its tenth season, is really starting to show its age.  It’s still fun, but the plots are starting to get a little out there.

Looks like we are starting to wind down, with the show renewed for an 11th and final season earlier this month.

SEAL Team – David Boreanaz returns for a second season of the procedural, after their deployment to the Middle East.

This really isn’t a good show.

9:00

Criminal Minds – Season 14 of the show picks up where last season ended, with Reid and Penelope captured.

Another mainstay on its way out, after being renewed earlier this month for a shortened 15th and final season.

And now the new entry coming later this spring:

Jane The Virgin – The final season wraps up the telenovela.

2018 New Fall Season – Wednesdays

old-tv-set1We have reached the half way point of our look at the offerings for the new fall season.  Here’s what Wednesdays have on tap for the fall.

7:00

Riverdale – The sexy version of the Archie comics returns for its third season, assuming I ever catch up on the end of the second.

8:00

Modern Family – The comedy, entering its tenth season, is really starting to show its age.  It’s still fun, but the plots are starting to get a little out there.

SEAL Team – David Boreanaz returns for a second season of the procedural, after their deployment to the Middle East.

9:00

Criminal Minds – Season 14 of the show picks up where last season ended, with Reid and Penelope captured.

ABC Upfronts

ABC is shaking up their lineup this fall, with changes on every night save Monday and Thursday.  The week gets off to a familiar start with Dancing With The Stars, followed by The Good Doctor.  Roseanne returns for another season to kick off Tuesday nights, followed by The Kids Are Alright, about a traditional Irish-Catholic family navigating the turbulent 70s, then black-ish and Splitting Up Together staying put.  The night ends with The Rookie, bringing Nathan Fillion back to the network in a familiar setting.

Wednesday starts the same, with The GoldbergsAmerican Housewife, and Modern Family starting the night, followed by Single Parents, a comedy about, well, single parents starring Taran Killam and Leighton Meester.  The night is capped off by A Million Little Things, about a group of Boston friends who re-examine their lives when one of them dies.  Thursdays stay exactly the same, with the three Shondaland shows remaining in place.  A revamped Friday kicks off with the re-located Fresh Off The Boat and Speechless, followed by Child Support and 20/20.  Sunday goes all reality, with a junior edition of DWTS sandwiched between America’s Funniest Home Videos and Shark Tank.  The night ends with The Alec Baldwin Show, the first prime time talk show since the unfortunate attempt to keep Jay Leno happy while Conan O’Brien hosted The Tonight Show.

Agents of SHIELD will return in summer of 2019, and American Idol and For The People will return at some point.  Also on the bench for mid-season are The Fix, a legal drama from Marcia Clark starring Robin Tunney, Grand Hotel, from executive producer Eva Longoria, and Whiskey Cavalier, about a partnership of FBI and CIA agents played by Scott Foley and Lauren Cohan.  The one comedy is Schooled, a spin-off of The Goldbergs.

Cancelled shows never to be seen again are Alex Inc.The CrossingDeceptionDesignated SurvivorDownward DogThe Great American Baking ShowKevin (Probably) Saves The WorldInhumansThe Mayor, The Middle, Once Upon A Time, Quantico, Scandal, Somewhere Between, Still Star-Crossed, and Ten Days In The Valley.

Midseason Review – Wednesdays

old-tv-set1We have reached the half way point of our look back at the offerings for the new fall season.  Here’s my thoughts on what Wednesdays had on tap.

7:00

Riverdale – The sexy version of the Archie comics returns for its second season.

I mean, there’s really no particular reason for this show to exist, but it is a decent way to pass the time.

The Blacklist – Now that the mystery of Red’s relationship to Liz has been cleared up, things promise to take a lighter tone in season 5.

I have a feeling we may be seeing the end for The Blacklist sooner rather than later.

8:00

Modern Family – The comedy, entering its ninth season, is really starting to show its age.  It’s still fun, but the plots are starting to get a little out there.

Ridiculous is still the name of the game, but there is still entertainment to be had.

SEAL Team – David Boreanaz returns to television mere months after the end of Bones in what is likely to be another CBS procedural.

If it weren’t for Boreanaz, I wouldn’t bother.

9:00

Continue reading →

2017 New Fall Season – Wednesdays

old-tv-set1We have reached the half way point of our look at the offerings for the new fall season.  Here’s what Wednesdays have on tap for the fall.

7:00

Riverdale – The sexy version of the Archie comics returns for its second season.

The Blacklist – Now that the mystery of Red’s relationship to Liz has been cleared up, things promise to take a lighter tone in season 5.

8:00

Modern Family – The comedy, entering its ninth season, is really starting to show its age.  It’s still fun, but the plots are starting to get a little out there.

SEAL Team – David Boreanaz returns to television mere months after the end of Bones in what is likely to be another CBS procedural.

9:00

Continue reading →

2017 New Fall Season – Tuesdays

old-tv-set1Continuing our look at the new fall season, here are the offerings that I may find myself interested in for Tuesdays.

7:00

The Flash – Barry returns from the speed force a changed man for the fourth season of the show.

8:00

Black-ish – For its fourth season, the show moves out from Modern Family‘s shadow and gets to lead off its own hour.

This Is Us – The one breakout hit from last season returns to emotionally manipulate us once again.

DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow – With time shattered at the end of last season, the team has to put things right.

8:30

The Mayor – A rapper runs for mayor to gain publicity for his mixtape and accidentally wins.  With Yvette Nicole Brown on board, I’ll give it a shot.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine – Season 5 starts with Jake and Rosa in prison, framed for crimes they didn’t commit.

9:00

Kevin (Probably) Saves The World – Jason Ritter returns to television in this show about a layabout who learns its up to him to save the world.