More on the Fall Season: Person of Interest and Terra Nova

I am trying to catch up on my favorite shows as well as the new season these days.  It is not easy with a slew of new programs coming out in September and many more to follow in October and even November.  Of the new shows so far I found one I like and one I will not watch again.

-- Person of Interest:  This CBS series starts off with an interesting premise - two leftovers from the government's war on terror find each other and team up to fight ordinary crime.  We have seen plenty of shows (and even movies) where the stars try to alter the future with their limited knowledge of things to come.  For instance, think of ABC's show Lost.  Speaking of Lost, it is nice to see the calm present of Michael Emerson again, even though I believe his role on this show will be a bit more benevolent than Ben Linus. The energy of the pilot is promising, yet I can see this slipping back into a simply cop/national security chase each week.  I mean, how much can you do with a single Social Security number?  I guess that will be the question each week.  I may put this show on the back burner while I try other pilots, but overall I enjoyed the first episode.

-- Terra Nova:  "Terrible No No" is what comes to mind.  There has been an enormous amount of press about this Steven Spielberg-guided project concerning future Chicagoans who return to the dinosaur past in order to restart civilization.  An interesting idea where Jurassic Park meets Land of the Lost meets Blade Runner meets Lost in Space.  However, what we really have here is "Lost Without a Script."  The central family returning to the past is an odd pairing of personalities which never convinced me they cared about one another.  And the dinosaur battles seemed to be the only passion on the screen, with everyone else mumbling predictable lines as they walked around their Gilligan huts filled with Apple-like machines.  The show takes me back to Episode One of the Star Wars movies where George Lucas still had his machines but he had lost all interest in writing a script with convincing dialog.  I did not expect the same from Spielberg, but that is what I see here.  I guess I now have more time to catch up with other shows.

The Emmys and the New TV Season

Now that the Emmys are over, we know what worked on TV last season.  I am happy that the winners included such well-written, produced, and acted shows as Modern Family, Friday Night Lights, Mad Men, and Justified.  In terms of Networks, HBO came out with the highest number of awards (19), followed by PBS (14), and CBS (11).  I was surprised about PBS coming out so high, but then again Downton Abbey was worth all of the attention (with the second season already underway in England).  Only HBO's Boardwalk Empire did better in terms of total Emmys.  I was also happy to see The Kennedys getting recognized.  This mini-series was a hot potato among networks until it was picked up by the unknown Reelzchannel. 

So, on we go to a new fall season.  I will be carefully watching many of these new series and offering up some commentary along the way.  Of course, dozens of shows are premiering in the weeks ahead, though many will die on the vine.  For the best listing so far on upcoming shows I would check out TV Guide's fall listing. 

September's Returning Shows

I have been looking forward to a number of returning television shows.  Here some of them from my list:

-- Sci-Fi/Fantasy:  The fourth season on this FX's  Fringe returns this  Friday (September 23rd).  I have already written about this series and the show's website provides some great background on the series and the characters.  It's a story about alternate universes, a father's love for his son, and decisions that can change the worlds.  And speaking of family, I look forward to the return of the two brothers of Supernatural the same evening as Fringe on the CW (the seventh season of the series).

-- Sitcoms:  Modern Family is back for its third season this Wednesday (September 21st) for a one-hour episode, this ABC series has elevated the half-hour sitcom to something worth watching.  Of course, I would add these others to my list as well:

•  Raising Hope:  Season two returns to Fox this Tuesday (September 20).  This season you can see Greyson Chance playing the part of a young Jimmy Chance.
• Parks and Recreation:  Season four returns to NBC this Thursday (September 22).  I wonder what's happening in Pawnee.

-- Simply Strange:  FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia stands by itself and is not for the weak of heart.  Going into its seventh season, it is probably one of the more politically incorrect shows on television, including odd spins on topics such as abortion, child abuse, drugs, and prostitution.  It is basically Seinfeld on crack.  The season premiere was this past Thursday (September 15th) and it was just as shocking as ever with a scene out of the movie Carrie, a poke at diabetes, and the disposal of a dead prostitute's body.  Check out this trailer for more on this very strange show.

Fall Season: The Secret Circle

Think of the CW's The Secret Circle as a Twilight wannabe and all will be well.  This new show from Kevin Williamson (producer of the Vampire Diaries, another Twilight wannabe contender) is set in the state of Washington as well.  However, in this case we meet Cassie who is also running away from her past to family in the deep dark woods of upstate coastal Washington.  And instead of meeting an attractive vampire on her first day at a new high school, she meets an attractive witch (or warlock, thought that word was not used in the pilot).  Oh yeah, she is also saved in the parking lot by her handsome beau, but rather than threatened by an out-of-control car driven by a classmate, she is stuck in a burning car set alight by an out-of-control spell driven by a classmate.  Did I miss anything?  Of course, there is also the meeting in the woods between the two new friends who seem to be destined for each other while nature glistens (or floats) around them.  I think that does it. 

So, now that we have that out of the way, does this show have a chance on its own merits?  Possibly, but only because you have two decent actors; Britt Robertson from Life Unexpected and Thomas Dekker from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.  Leaving aside the cluster of vampires, werewolves, and witches crowding television these days, this show could stand alone as its own version of high school angst.  All I know is that the television version of high school is getting more interesting each day, whether you are singing in the halls, biting a bully, or casting a spell on the new girl.

Something for Game of Thrones Fans

If you cannot wait for season two of HBO's Game of Thrones and need to satisfy your hunger for dire wolves, dragons, and the Wall, then you may want to check out the Winter-is-Coming fan page.  The site goes deep into the characters, actors, and filming of the series.  Of course, the authors of this page are also stalking the set of season two, so you may get some insights on the next season as well.  And you can go here to read the blog of George R.R. Martin himself (even if it is labeled "Not a Blog").  HBO is also doing is part to keep the series in the forefront of everyone's mind, including a recent visit to Comic-Con in San Diego.  Finally, you can read the books while waiting for the next season.  In a recent New York Times book review, the author of the piece noted,

Martin possesses two virtues in abundance. First, he’s unapologetically coldblooded. Westeros is a dangerous place governed by the whims of men, not the rule of law, and the first novel in his series is famous for (spoilers follow!) dispatching a thoroughly admirable major character with whom readers have been identifying for most of the book...Martin’s second virtue is a nearly supernatural gift for storytelling. All of his hundreds of characters have grace notes of history and personality that advance a plot line. 

So enjoy these sites and stories and do not fret about season two.  As with winter, it is coming.

Update:  It will be interesting to see if Game of Thrones can win an Emmy this year.  Nominated under the Outstanding Drama Series, it will be matched against Mad Men, Friday Night Lights, Dexter, The Good Wife, and another HBO series Boardwalk Empire. As the Huffington Post noted earlier, maybe the Emmys is moving in a new direction and finally recognizing science fiction and fantasy as a growing and viable form of television (of course, Lost, True Blood, and other shows have been recognized over the years):

"Game of Thrones" -- based on the book series by George R. R. Martin -- has had widespread success, though, not just among skinny geeks in their mom's basements playing World of Warcraft, but with men and women of all stripes. The show has met with critical acclaim for both its finely drawn characters, and its bloody high-stakes action. “Game of Thrones” could be a breakthrough for other programs in the sci-fi/fantasy arena, which includes everything from the space drama of "Star Trek" to the mystical thriller of "Lost." 

Game of Thrones was also nominated in 12 additional Emmys categories. It is nothing less than impressive.

Second Update:  Games of Thrones won two Emmys: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series  (Peter Dinklage) and Outstanding Main Title Design.  I wish the count was higher, but the nominations and awards are still great news for the first season of a fine show.

Reality TV - Dumb and Dumber

With a new TV season starting this fall, I am glad to see a lot of new scripted shows.  That said, reality TV is returning and does not seem to be going anywhere fast except a new locale in some cases.  Here is a sampling:

-- The Real Housewives of Beverly Hill is in season 2.
-- Jersey Shore is in season 4 and season 5 is in the can (I wish literally).
-- The Biggest Loser is now in season 12.
-- The Bachelor is now in season 16.
-- The Amazing Race is now in season 19 and going all over the place.
-- Survivor is in season 23 and going to the South Pacific.

Now some of these shows are better than others, but beware.  I think the participants, public, and advertisers need to be careful.  Last month, Psychology Today reported on the suicide of the husband of one of the participants in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The author states,

I think Reality Television has made us dumber, if only because it has made everyone believe that the poorly scripted, crudely edited, and horribly acted crap we are fed is an actual form of reality. It absolutely is not. But I think that the real problem is that Reality Television has made so many of us lose our sense of self in search of a public existence we probably don't really want and can't really stand.
 
In another article the author notes,

Reality TV also makes us a little less tolerant of people's genuine suffering. When viewers turn to "Hoarders" and "Celebrity Rehab" to ogle at the mess that people with debilitating psychological and physiological problems have made of their lives, it is less with a sense of compassion then with gruesome curiosity. 

And  let's not forget the recent dust-up between Abercrombie & Fitch and Jersey Shore, where the clothing company is offering to pay one of the Jersey Shore cast members not to wear its clothing.  According to a company statement, "“We understand that the show is for entertainment purposes, but believe this association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans."  I cannot say I understand all the fuss, since I did not know Abercrombie & Fitch even sold clothes based on the ads I have seen, but I guess its good PR for all involved.  Even so, it may be wise for other companies to take note.  You do not need your brand flashing on the torso of some kid being arrested for lude and obnoxious behavior associated with a reality program (or at least I do not believe so, but then again I am not in marketing).