Tag / Rachel Nichols

by jim

Midseason Review – Mondays

Day 2 of our look back at my thoughts on the new fall television season and what is new for the winter and spring.

7:00

How I Met Your Mother – Entering its 8th, and last, season, this is a show in desperate need of a change.  I’ve never been one of those people who felt that the show needed to introduce the title mother in order to make the show worth while, it has started to feel that the writers and producers are treading water while waiting to bring the mother on board.  That could give the show enough juice to energize not just this season, but any possible future ones as well.

As it turns out, this is not the final season for HIMYM.  Which means they will likely continue to tread water for another year.

Bones – Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz returned last week for the 8th season with a move to Mondays, taking over the House timeslot.

At this point, Bones is, to paraphrase Dennis Green, the show we thought it was.

8:00

2 Broke Girls – In some ways, this was one of the more disappointing series to debut last season.  Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs are both talented actresses who could use better material.  Hopefully the writers and producers spent the summer focusing on what worked last year and got rid of the base racial stereotypes that tended to drag things down.

The second season has improved somewhat, but the show still tends to go for the lowbrow laughs at every opportunity.

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by jim

25 Years Of Fox – Drama

The Fox network celebrated its 25th anniversary last Sunday night in a 2 hour retrospective.  Here’s a final look back at some of the dramas they have broadcast over the years, based on Wikipedia’s list:

24: One of the best shows ever to air on any network, let alone Fox.  The nation’s introduction to Jack Bauer and the Counter Terrorism Unit was ironically delayed, as the pilot was pushed back following the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Ally McBeal: David E. Kelley’s special brand of whimsy took hold at a Boston (where else?) law firm featuring young, mostly attractive lawyers who lived for their quirks.

Beverly Hills, 90210: It started off as a show tackling the relevant teen issues of the day, but took off when it embraced its inner soap.  Who can forget Dylan and Kelly on the beach while Brenda was in Paris, Brandon leading the student body protest declaring that “Donna Martin Graduates”, or Donna trying to keep her virginity for years and years, before finally giving it up to young David Silver.

Boston Public: David E. Kelley again infiltrates Boston, this time focussing on the teachers and administrators at a school.

The Chicago Code: A one season wonder focusing on a group of cops trying to take down corruption at city hall.

Class of ’96: I enjoyed the show, but it tried to be the original issues-based 90210 except in college, and who needed that when we had the current 90210 in college?

Dark Angel: Jessica Alba starred as a genetically altered being trying to take down the people that created her.

Drive: Only four issues of this show starring Nathan Fillion and a young Emma Stone ever made it to air.

Dollhouse: Somehow Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku got two seasons of Dollhouse on the air.

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by jim

Midseason Review – Wednesdays

Continuing our look back at September’s thoughts about humpday’s tv output.

7:00

Undercovers – JJ Abrams revisits the spy drama for the first time since Alias, which was one of my favorite series.  That alone will give this show a reasonable leash.  I haven’t seen the pilot yet, so I can’t really comment on it beyond that.

Imagine a show with all of the problems Alias had integrating the spy world with the family stories, but without any of the good stuff Alias had.  NBC has pulled it off the schedule, never to be heard from again.

7:30

Better With You – I’ve enjoyed Jennifer Finnigan and Joanna Garcia in previous series, and last season’s new ABC comedies on Wednesday night turned out to be great, so I gave this a shot.  The only thing worse than this pilot is Garcia’s taste in men.

As you may have guessed from the comment above, this did not get a second chance.  Also, and I mean this in the nicest possible way, F Nick Swisher.

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