2018 Fall TV Shows

It’s that time of the year again!
Some love the thrill of baseball’s first pitch, or the first kickoff, but for me, it’s the new TV season.

I will typically watch almost EVERY new show, though there are exceptions. If it's something I know doesn't interest me, I won’t bother. That usually includes shows focused on anti-heroes (e.g., moms, or teachers who turn to selling drugs for noble reasons, crime families, etc.) or horror shows or those with lots of graphic violence, blood and gore.

My track record is not always great. It seems I like high-concept shows (e.g., The Crossing, Flash Forward, The Event, Terra Nova) or serialized storylines that end up being cancelled. I have a good instinct about new series with interesting premises that can’t be sustained over a long period of time. I’m generally not a fan of re-boots (Knight Rider, Bionic Woman), and am wary of revivals (Will and Grace), though this year presents an exception with one of my favorites shows.

And there are those shows that get me hooked…even for extended seasons…then deeply disappoint.
(I’m looking at you, Lost and How I Met Your Mother.”)
It’s a risk every time I began watching.

So, I’ve done my “research” (i.e., read reviews and watched trailers), and I have my list ready so I can program my DVR.

This season there are shows that have caught my interest.
And there are also a few that won’t even make it to my DVR.

Here’s a few initial thoughts:

Excited to see:

The Rookie. A middle-aged guy decides to go to the police academy to become a cop. My reason for watching this one can be summed up in two words: Nathan Fillion.

Manifest. Yes, I know it’s a high-concept show: people in a plane are caught in a storm, and when they land, more than five years have passed. And yes, I know it’s by the same folks who gave us Lost. But I reckon I’m like Charlie Brown and the football: I gotta try.

The Cool Kids. The lives of three guys at a senior residential facility are disrupted by a new arrival. This is probably one of the funniest preview trailers I’ve seen in a long time.

A Million Little Things. To me, this is ABC’s attempt to compete with This Is Us. (Which I love!) It certainly appears to have all the feels. I like the idea of showing the devastating results of suicide to those who are left behind.

Murphy Brown. I adored her. And I think we live in a time where her voice is needed.

Not Sure:

New Amsterdam. This is one of those shows that sound noble and principled, with a touch of Gray’s Anatomy drama thrown in. But I am not sure how long they keep up a storyline when we know the main character is dying. (Not a spoiler; it’s in the preview trailer!)

Magnum PI. I mean, come on. Can anyone replace Tom Selleck? And where’s the moustache?
Reboots are not easy, and most don’t work. But I have to admit, I was just as skeptical about MacGyver, but that show ended up one that we watch. Maybe…

Charmed. I’ve watched a few shows in the original series, but never finished. This updated re-boot might work, though.

Probably Not:

God Friended Me. Really? Anyone else think this sounds like a digital, virtual version of Touched By An Angel? I was burned last year with the sweet…but cancelled…Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, so I’m just not sure I can put my heart out there for another one.
And let’s face it, God didn’t help the lead character in his last series.

The Neighborhood. I adore Max Greenfield (Deputy Leo on Veronica Mars), but not a fan of Cedric the Entertainer.

Happy Together. Famous rock stars hides out in the home of average couple? Again, this premise does not seem sustainable.

The Kids are Alright. Usually if I saw that Mary McCormack (West Wing, In Plain Sight) was involved, that would be enough to bring me in, but I think we’ve already seen this show several times in the past few years in different incarnations. (The Real O’Neals, The McCarthy’s)

FBI. The previews look intense, but interesting. Generally speaking, cop dramas are not thing. (I have to wonder if Donald Trump will watch…so he’ll have more reasons to criticize the real agency?)

No Interest…At all:

I Feel Bad. And guess what? I don’t feel bad at all that I won’t be watching.

Single Parents. This one is actually getting good buzz from critics, but I have to admit: I cannot stand…cannot watch…Brad Garrett.

All American. I love Taye Diggs (OMG, he’s hot!), but it’s about football. Yeah…nope. (Can we bring back Rise?)

The Conners. I didn’t watch Roseanne when it was on originally. I am just not a fan of her, and that was before she went off the deep end, mentally and politically. Also didn’t watch the revival, and won’t be watching this version.

The streaming services have a few show that have also captured my interest:

The Good Cop (Netflix)

Homecoming (Amazon)

The Romanoffs (Amazon)

The First (Hulu)

Or course, if my hopes are dashed with these shows, there’s a new batch slated for mid-season to suck me in!

Remotes ready…click…record!