Thursday, September 27, 2007

Rating the new shows. Part 1.

Truth be told, I’m not watching nearly as many new shows this week as I thought I might. I have The Journeyman and Cane on the PVR, as well as the first two episodes of the new season of Prison Break. I’m not sure when I’ll get to them because every time I turn on the TV, there’s a new show staring back at me. I did catch 3 new ones last night, though, so here’s my review:
Back to You

Starring: Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton
Premise: Big town news anchor returns to small town station; old anchor has some trouble adjusting.
Mini-Review: Predictable. Okay. Meh.
PVR: Will not record.
Final words: Might watch again when all the good shows go into repeats. Is this the only character Kelsey Grammar can play? Aside from Sideshow Bob, of course, which was sheer brilliance.

Private Practice
Starring: Kate Walsh, Tim Daly, Amy Brenneman
Premise: The Grey’s Anatomy spin-off with the Addison character going into private practice with a bunch of other good-looking docs.
Mini-Review: Did. Not. Like. Lame characters. Lame writing. Lame Addison. Yick.
PVR: Will not record.
Final words: I usually dislike pilot episodes of any show (except Ally McBeal – best pilot ever!) but there’s often enough there that I’ll give it another shot. Private Practice, you have wounded me with your inadequacy. Wednesday night called… it wants the hour between 9 and 10 o’clock back.

Dirty Sexy Money
Starring: Peter Krause and Donald Sutherland
Premise: Principled, upstanding son of deceased lawyer to beyond-wealthy, morally questionable family is asked to step into his father’s shoes.
Mini-Review: Good. Not great. But good. I like the premise, but the characters in the pilot were a little over the top.
PVR: Will record at least the next two shows.
Final Words: I usually like Peter Krause shows (Six Feet Under, Sports Night), so I have some faith that the show will get better as it matures.
How about you? Did you watch these ones? Any that you have seen that I should see?

18 comments:

email said...

The only one of these shows I caught was 'Private Practice.' I thought it was OK. It certainly didn't live up to Grey's Anatomy, and parts of it were trying too hard to do that (i.e. the "You moved her because I kissed you." "I did not move here because you kissed me." crap that kept cropping up). If they're going to try to do a Meredith/Derek thing here, they're going to fall on their faces. However, I liked the storyline with the nervous breakdown tile counter and the store clerk.

I don't like the pediatrician character at all - he makes me glad that I take my girls to a female pediatrician. I think the character played by Tim Daly would be better if it was played by someone else. I can't pinpoint why, but that's my reaction to that character. I'm not sure how I feel about Addison's friend the fertility specialist and her ex or soon to be ex-husband. I'll have to watch another episode to decide. I do like Amy Brenneman's character. Shrinks with issues - gotta love 'em. Not sure how I feel about Addison yet, but I do still have a lot of goodwill toward her character on Grey's, so more watching will be necessary.

Overall, it wasn't as good as I expected, but I'll be giving it a chance to see how it pans out over time. But Grey's premieres tonight, so YAY!

Misty said...

Cool. Thanks for keeping me a bit updated so I am not completely and hopelessly out of the loop. See, I really don't watch TV and count on other people's accounts so I have a vague idea what the heck everyone is talking about at the water cooler.

(shrug)

LoriD said...

jmc - what did you think of Grey's?

Tess said...

1) ONLY THREE SHOWS? Unacceptable.

2) I've only watched one of these (other 2 still languishing on DVR), so I'll have to come back to this one. I WANTED to like Back to You, but so far...I don't, really.

LoriD said...

Just 3 so far... it was Part 1. Part 1!!

email said...

If anyone hasn't watched Grey's, don't read this. I tried to be vague, but I'm not sure how successful I was.

I liked Grey's, EXCEPT I would have liked some more referring to what happened between the non-wedding and the first day of the new interns. Like what did Meredith and Christina talk about on their 'honeymoon' and what answers did they come up with for themselves and their relationships, if any? Some flashbacks or a montage at the beginning of the episode would have sufficed. You know, Izzy pining away for George, Callie and George working on a baby, Alex driving up to wherever Rebecca was from, Addison leaving, etc. I think they could have waited a little longer on the Meredith and Derek thing at the end there, unless the point of the last scene was her letting little sister know that Derek was taken. I'm not sure I like how the whole George/Izzy thing is playing out. I feel for Callie in this regard, but she was quite bitchy otherwise. I'm thinking she's going to turn up pregnant now that George has made a decision. Overall, it was still Grey's and I still love it.

email said...

Oh, and forgot to say, as always LOVE Bailey. I like that she's bitter and holding on to the bitterness. Betrayal takes a while to get past, and she feels betrayed, so it would not have been realistic for her to immediately accept what the chief said, though I liked what he said and think it is exactly right. That man is so darn wise. I wish his writers would write the things that come out of my mouth.

Tess said...

And *I* forgot to say that I loved Journeyman. Definitely a keeper.

Sara said...

Ugh, Back to you....hated it. BOOOORING.

Private Practice---very nice to watch Taye Diggs and Tim Daily. Yum Yum, plot was ok. I'll record it.

Dirty Sexy Money---I liked it a lot. Will record for now.


I recorded Big Shots last night but haven't watched it yet. Will see how it is.

email said...

Have Journeyman and Reaper on my DVR, but haven't watched yet.

Banana said...

I really liked Dirty Sexy Money. I have faith that it will be great.
I also sort of liked Journeyman on NBC - although the continuity isn't great and you have to suspend disbelief a lot.
I'm waiting on pins and needles for Pushing Daisies on ABC. It's supposed to be great. It premiers next Wed at 8.

LoriD said...

JMC - I hate to say it, but I'm not a crazy Grey's fan... mostly because I can't stand the Meredith character. I liked last night's show - I agree that a flashback to the 17 days off would have been really good. I like the Lexi Grey character a lot. I don't buy the whole George/Izzy/Callie triangle. It's George... he's a puppy!

Sara - I watched Big Shots last night. I'll probably watch it again.

Banana - I'm anxious for Pushing Daisies too. I was a HUGE fan of Dead Like Me, so I'm hoping this is as good.

email said...

I'm looking forward to "Pushing Daisies" as well. Also a big "Dead Like Me" fan, who is still hoping that by some divine intervention, they will somehow gather the cast back together and continue where they left off. One's gotta have hope...

LoriD said...

jmc - It WILL be coming back... currently in production. Rube will be gone, to be replaced by a new head reaper played by the guy who played Desmond on Lost. Georgia, Roxie, Mason and Daisy are all back. Go ahead... google it!

email said...

YAY!!! But I will miss Rube. Mandy Patinkin was so perfect in that role. But I'm glad everyone else will be back. Daisy is played by a different actress, though. And the scuttlebutt seems to be about a direct-to-DVD movie rather than a new series, but a series resurrection is possible in the future. The most comprehensive info I found was here.

In a similar vein, I just watched the series premiere of "Reaper" and really liked it. It's no "Dead Like Me," but it shows promise.

LoriD said...

Good link! It's funny anyone who has seen the series LOVES it.. very odd that it was canceled after just 2 seasons.

I will check out Reaper too. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I second (or third) the vote for Reaper. It was really interesting and fun.

Also, I too thought "Back to You" was just OK. I was hoping it would be funnier, but no.

Tess said...

Caught Dirty Sexy Money this weekend and I liked it. You're right, the characters were over the top, but I liked that. It had a vaguely "Arrested Development" vibe, even though I know it's supposed to be more drama-y.