Author: Clara Bush

Clara Bush is a grammar nerd, social media specialist, and couch potato. She'll curl up with Netflix and a homemade dessert any day.

Fall TV 2018 Round 2: Skip it, watch it or give it another chance

I can’t believe I’m bored with new TV.

The new crop of shows is mediocre at best.

Here’s my short take on the latest new shows:

(Note: I didn’t include reboots or remakes since those feel like their own category.)

“The Neighborhood“

8 p.m. Mondays on CBS

Verdict: Give it a chance

This comedy has the potential to become a show that has laughs and good lessons about race and relationships. If not, it’s just a show where Schmidt (Max Greenfield, playing a dad whose family moves to a black neighborhood) smiles way too much.

“Happy Together“

8:30 p.m. Mondays on CBS

Verdict: Give it a chance

While the premise is completely ridiculous (a celebrity moves in with his accountant and his wife), this comedy has some laughs, especially with the cast’s physical comedy.

“All American“

9 p.m. Wednesdays on the CW

Verdict: Skip it

This drama is “Friday Night Lights” meets “The Blind Side” meets a soap opera (the pilot’s cliffhanger ending was so obvious). Also, pretty sure the main character wouldn’t be able to afford Beats by Dre headphones, but OK…

“The Alec Baldwin Show“

10 p.m. Sundays on ABC

Verdict: Skip it

If you think “Inside the Actors Studio” is dry, stuffy and impersonal, run away very quickly from this talk show. The format is stale, there’s no audience for feedback, and Alec Baldwin acts like he’s interviewing his guests for a job interview, not a talk show.

“The Kids Are Alright“

8:30 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC

Verdict: Skip it

This 70s-set show doesn’t make Catholics look great. The semi-happy conclusion happened too fast. I have no idea what compelled someone to produce this show.

“The Rookie“

10 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC

Verdict: Watch it

Yes, this may be a procedural, but it has heart. The pilot smartly showcased a snippet of every character to develop them in an interesting way without feeling overly expository.

 

What shows are you enjoying?

Fall TV 2018: Skip it, watch it or give it another chance

I’d say fall TV season is like Christmas for TV enthusiasts, but these shows aren’t that great, so if it does feel like Christmas, it’s disappointing.

Many new broadcast shows have premiered this month, so here’s my short take on each:

(Note: I didn’t include reboots or remakes since those feel like their own category.)

“Rel“

9:30 p.m. Sundays on Fox

Verdict: Skip it

This show feels like a 90s sitcom, and not in a good way. Plus, its identity seems conflicted between the newly single dad main character’s friends and his children, who were unseen in the pilot.

“I Feel Bad“

9:30 p.m. Thursdays on NBC

Verdict: Give it another chance

While the workplace setting of this Amy-Poehler-produced sitcom is embarrassingly bad, the show has a funny, honest take on being a woman and wife in a time when we’re supposed to have everything at our disposal. It could develop into something funny.

“Manifest“

10 p.m. Mondays on NBC

Verdict: Watch it

What could have been a cheesy take on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is actually a poignant look at family, relationships, grief and faith.

“FBI“

9 p.m. Tuesdays on CBS

Verdict: Skip it

Nothing is compelling about this procedural from producer Dick Wolf. While the pilot case was timely, the outcome was predictable.

“New Amsterdam“

10 p.m. Tuesdays on NBC

Verdict: Skip it

This drama, unfortunately, feels like it has a white-savior complex that’ll just make you roll your eyes through all the disjointed storylines. And if I heard Ryan Eggold’s hospital director character say “How can I help you?” one more time during the pilot, I might have thrown something at the TV.

“Single Parents“

9:30 p.m. Wednesdays on ABC

Verdict: Skip it

This poorly conceived show filled with stereotypes gives the stars (including Leighton Meester, Brad Garrett and Taran Killam) nothing to work with, except for one scene featuring a “Moana” song. Don’t waste your time.

“A Million Little Things“

10 p.m. Wednesdays on ABC

Verdict: Skip it

ABC’s answer to “This is Us” misses the mark with unlikable characters stuck in a sad story without any uplifting spirit.

“God Friended Me“

Sundays on CBS

Verdict: Give it a chance

It’s too bad Violett Beane picked this show over playing Jesse Quick on “The Flash,” because her earnestness is the only thing that carries this cheesy show that would’ve been better executed as a movie.

“The Cool Kids“

8:30 p.m. Fridays on Fox

Verdict: Skip it

Nothing is cool about this retirement-home-set show, especially with it’s anti-female and homophobic jokes.

Emmys 2018: 3 ways to improve the award show

If the most talked about thing that happened during the Emmys is a surprise on-camera proposal, you’ve done something wrong.

The 2018 Emmys aired Monday night, and no one seemed too interested.

Here are three ways the award show could improve:

stop airing on Monday nights

I’m sorry, but when has it become the norm to air a 3-hour award show on a Monday?

I used to work weird hours, and I watch The Bachelor (for the workout, only, I swear) so I understand that some people can watch a Monday night show without issues.

But many people work normal hours, so they don’t have time to devote to an award show on a Monday vs. a Sunday.

Plus sitting through a 3-hour show that’s not that interesting gets so old, so fast, especially on a weekday.

find good hosts

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are the gold standard. Period. Who’s missing their hosting?

Michael Che and Colin Jost (the current Weekend Update hosts on “SNL”) were fine, but not memorable. No one is raving about their performance.

Hosting can make or break an award show. They typically aren’t around much, but they start and finish the show, so they need to keep viewer’s attention in an entertaining, unique way.

Or hey, do what the Grammys did for a while and don’t bother with a host. The attendees are wired to perform, so producers can figure something out.

No one needs an annoying reminder of a bad host.

Change the voting process

It makes perfect sense that the Emmy nominations are picked by people in the respective peer category (acting, directing, etc.). In your peer category, you can best understand the nuances within that division.

And it also makes perfect sense that nominees submit best work to be watched, and you have to confirm you’ve watched the content to submit a vote.

But if you’re voting for a winner, you can vote in any category, so how easy would it be for the same voter to pick the same show?

It seems too easy, given that the same few shows swept multiple categories Monday night.

If you have to nominate within your peer category, why shouldn’t you vote for winners in only your peer category?

Also, as I’ve suggested before, it may be time to divide awards by cable/streaming and broadcast. Too many restrictions restrict broadcast TV, and it’s causing a discrepancy.

My summer of binge-watching and catching up

Summer is the slow season for TV.

So what’s a TV blogger to do? Catch up and binge-watch. #ThanksNetflix

Here are some of the shows I’ve binged this summer, along with my binge, savor or skip verdict:

Parenthood

I’ve always heard people talk about this show — how sad it was, how poignant it was, how underrated it was.

So when I was in the mood for some sad TV to get some tears out, I started watching.

But I barely cried. I didn’t think it was that sad. But season 4, when Kristina (Monica Potter) goes through breast cancer treatment, got me. I was tearing up almost every episode.

Overall though, it seemed pretty average. I found some of the characters extremely annoying and unbearable to watch, but I still rooted for the Braverman family to stick together.

Verdict: Skip it

Episodes

While this Showtime show ran for 5 seasons, it’s only 41 episodes, so I watched the whole series in 2 days.

While I enjoyed watching Matt LeBlanc play a bit of a douchebag, a mix of real-life debauchery and Joey’s womanizing ways, it seemed like some plots were irrelevant.

Seasons 3 and 4 just plotted along without much punch; I couldn’t tell you most of the main plot points. Season 5 wraps up everything nicely, but almost too nicely.

Verdict: Binge it

Grace & Frankie

This is one of those shows that I missed when it came out, and then felt like I couldn’t catch up. Summer was the perfect time to catch up.

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin really work as two women struggling to pick up the pieces after their marriages end, and then thrive in their 70s.

It’s pretty inspiring to watch these two thrive, even when they’re bickering with each other. And I find myself laughing almost every episode.

I don’t really need some of the secondary stories, such as Grace’s daughter’s divorce and Lisa Kudrow‘s appearance as a widow looking to get her house back from her stepkids (that 3-episode arc was just a major “Friends” fan service if you ask me).

At 13 30-minute episodes each season, they are easy to speed through, but now I’m bummed I don’t have new episodes to watch.

Verdict: Savor it

GLOW

Season 2 of this Netflix show holds up. I may say it’s better than season 1 because it has a more ensemble focus.

Yes, it’s a bit campy; it is a show about female wrestling in the 80s. But it also touches on women’s rights and sexual harassment in a subtle way.

Ruth’s (Allison Brie) meeting with a studio head and Debbie’s (Betty Gilpin) reaction to Ruth not sleeping with the exec resonates in the #MeToo era. It broke my heart to see a character act so nonchalant about a heinous act of power.

Verdict: Savor or binge it

Queer Eye

I saved the best for last. I’m obsessed along with numerous others.

I’ve fallen in love with the Fab Five. They seem like a fun, honest bunch of guys, and they seem to have a genuine interest in helping the heroes, the name they give the real people they help each episode.

I watched season 1 in May and season 2 the day it came out. I’ve already seen both seasons twice, and don’t be surprised if I start re-watching it once I finish this blog.

Verdict: Binge it (over and over)

Bonus

Because I’ve already seen “Queer Eye,” I may do a workout during my next watch through, following these guidelines:

  • Intro music: 30-second wallsit
  • Transition slide (day 1, etc.): 5 burpees
  • Fab Five on-camera interview: 10 situps
  • Antoni is delighted/disgusted by food: 10 lunges (per side)
  • Jonathan says YAS/queen/girl/honey: 5 pushups
  • Tan gives fashion advice: 20 jumping jacks
  • Karamo has a heart-to-heart with a hero: 10 tricep dips
  • Bobby says “this space”: 10 bicycles (per side)
  • Crying: 10 bridges
  • Swearing: 10 squats
  • Hugs/Kisses: 10 mountain climbers
  • The Reveal: 30-second football run
  • “They’ll feel better about themselves”: 10 Russian twists
  • Something gets thrown out: 30-second plank

Now that’s some quality TV watching.

Bachelor franchise falls to new lows with contestants, ‘The Proposal’

The Bachelor franchise has stooped to a new low, and it’s making everyone uncomfortable.

It’s one thing to hear about contestants who say or like questionable things, it’s another thing to watch a new series that is borderline-shameful in its concept, and it’s another thing, an awful thing, to have to watch a contestant who has an assault case attached to his name date the Bachelorette.

And it’s time for a re-evaluation.

With social media tracking our every move, it’s no wonder almost every season of the Bachelor/Bachelorette dirt comes out for at least one contestant.

With a pool of 20-30 people, one is bound to have liked a post they shouldn’t have on Instagram.

It takes 0.2 seconds to like a post, and it’ll last forever because that’s how the Internet works. And some contestants have learned that lesson the hard way.

Some, of course, don’t care. Last Bachelorette season, Lee wrote some racist Tweets, but he didn’t show much remorse when confronted. But this season, Garrett seems to care a little bit about his past actions of liking offensive Instagram posts, issuing an apology before the finale airs (where he’s predicted to be a frontrunner).

Social media actions are semi-forgivable. We all grow, we all change, and it’s a tiny thing, right? And liking something seems more forgiveable than writing by a hair.

It’s uncomfortable, for sure, but not unredeemable. But a contestant who was charged with assault is not.

When the news came out about Lincoln, a current contestant on the Bachelorette, it was shocking. And truly uncomfortable.

How are we supposed to watch this guy woo Becca when we know we was convicted in an indecent assault case, especially in the #MeToo era?

I couldn’t even think this guy was genuine from the beginning He cried over a broken picture in the second episode and he thinks the earth is flat. But now I’m really over it.

But what really bothers me is how this could’ve happened? These contestants are supposed to go through some extreme background and psychological checks, but somehow this case never made it to the team?

Seems impossible.

The Bachelor needs to start vetting people better, including an extensive historical social media check, just to be prepared for what may come out and give contestants a chance to defend themselves.

And also, no more stupid spinoffs. “Bachelor in Paradise” is bad enough (though it has an interesting set of proposals and weddings), but “The Proposal” truly hit a new low.

I watched the premiere Monday, and it was probably the worst hour of watching TV ever.

 

I don’t know where they picked these people, but it was cringey. The budget clearly on the low-end, though they someone found room to be able to CGI the suitor during his intro package.

The concept of going from never meeting to proposal in one hour TV time is insane. A proposal should never be competed for, but at least on the Bachelor/Bachelorette, you get to see some relationship growth. On “The Proposal” it’s like watching a poor-man’s Miss USA that ends in a proposal, with Bachelor-franchise ring designer Neil Lane, of course.

Now that they’ve pulled the second episode of the new show because of a sexual assualt accusation, can we really trust this team anymore?

The Bachelor franchise has always been a guilty pleasure, but now I feel just guilty watching it.

Upfronts 2018: Trends for broadcast TV

Making changes but rebooting favorites…that about sums up “new” TV in 2018.

Here are 3 trends from last week’s upfronts.

Reboots galore

The reboots trend will never die at this rate.

Coming off the success of ABC‘s reboot of “Roseanne,” more are coming.

First, “Murphy Brown” returns on CBS, with Candice Bergen bringing her strong newswoman character back to the screen. It’ll air on Thursdays, after CBS hits “The Big Bang Theory” and “Mom.”

Then, there’s “Charmed,” which the CW is bringing back to life. It’ll air alongside “Supergirl” on Sundays, a night that the network hasn’t aired new shows on before.

Lastly, “Last Man Standing” is coming back, on Fox. It’ll be paired with another comedy tailored for an older audience, “The Cool Kids.”

Switcheroos

Speaking of changing networks, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” is going to NBC after being canceled by Fox.

“Lethal Weapon” replaced lead actor Clayne Crawford after he was accused of poor onset behavior.

And with Thursday Night Football shifting from CBS to Fox, there are many schedule shifts for that network, which, for a network that is known for comedy, only has two new comedies premiering in the fall (“Rel” and the aforementioned “The Cool Kids”)

Very few new shows

With so many networks vying for viewers’ attention, it seems networks are playing it safe by airing fewer new shows and saving some for midseason, when a series premier typically means half the number of episodes.

This fall, most broadcast networks are airing only 2-4 new shows, with the exception of CBS, which boasts six new fall shows.

Midseason, which used to have fewer premieres, now seems to have a similar number of new shows (though that could change before January).

However, the reboots start in the fall, no doubt because they’ll get the viewer’s interest more easily thanks to old and new fans watching.

How TV comedies handle death

Resting in peace isn’t the easiest topic to cover.

While TV dramas seem to handle death on a regular basis, TV comedies handle it without consistency.

But how should a show that mostly about making people laugh handle one of the saddest life events?

Two popular sitcoms, “Friends” and “How I Met Your Mother,” went from one end of the spectrum to the other.

Two of the deaths on “Friends” were played for laughs. In TOW Nana Dies Twice, Ross and Monica’s grandmother is thought to be dead, but she has one last breath at the hospital, freaking out the siblings. At the burial, Ross falls into a gravesite. Yikes.

When Phoebe’s grandmother dies, 3-D glasses are passed out at the funeral. And later, her ashes are still in her taxi cab when Joey drives to Vegas. What?

The laughs went a little too far into an unrealistic, overly silly concept in both episodes.

On the other side, there’s “How I Met Your Mother,” which I think has one of the saddest deaths on a TV comedy.

When Marshall’s dad dies, it’s revealed at the end of the episode. Just when Marshall finds out they don’t have anything to worry about with infertility, Lily breaks the news about his father.

On IMDb, it’s said that actor Jason Segel didn’t know that’s what Alyson Hannigan would say, so his shocked reaction is real. And it’s so raw.

In the following episode, Last Words, Marshall urges his friends to remember the last words they said to their fathers. It really makes you think while showing a major life event and how it can affect friends.

While sitcoms are typically at a heightened reality, on-screen deaths and funerals can benefit from showing multiple emotions. In real life, death can bring laughter and tears.

On “Scrubs,” death is built into the hospital setting. Sometimes it was sad to watch beloved patients pass, and the writers did a great job with J.D.’s narrations commenting on how short life is and how everyone passes. On the hand, sometimes they made a point to make you at least chuckle. There is fantasy sequence where Turk and Carla raise a pumpkin and fret when he/she/it breaks.

It’s a nice balance on a show that’s filled with laughs and medical jargon.

“Modern Family” also had its script legs in both sides.

In Goodnight Gracie, the whole crew goes to Florida when Phil’s mother passed. Alex is confused and upset when her grandma, whom she bonded with deeply, leaves only a lighter for her, but by the episode’s conclusion, she discovers that the lighter had a memory and a hidden meaning from her grandmother.

Phil and Claire, on the other hand, awkwardly try (they first claim to be traveling vacuum salespeople) to meet a woman whom Phil’s mom thinks would make a great new partner for her surviving husband.

In season 3, the Dunphys’ neighbor passes, and all Luke wants is his TV. At first, Claire doesn’t think he’s accepted the death (even though she herself couldn’t stop smiling when telling people the neighbor had died), but it turns out it was a memory for him, and Claire calms down.

While these moments may be less memorable, they feel more in tune with the emotions we feel when someone dies.

But hey, that’s not really what sitcoms are for, are they?

 

Spring TV 2018: Stars return to TV to mediocre shows

If you want to make a comeback, make sure you pick a good project.

Unfortunately, for 3 TV stars this season, they didn’t pick good projects.

These three stars were on shows that are iconic and still binge-watched today. I don’t think we’ll be saying the same things about their new shows.

Jenna Fischer (“The Office“) stars on ABC‘s “Splitting Up Together,” Zach Braff (“Scrubs“) stars on ABC’s “Alex, Inc.” and Josh Radnor (“How I Met Your Mother“) stars on NBC‘s “Rise.”

It’s partly how the new shows are set up. Fischer’s character trades fourth-wall-breaking narration for text messaging shown onscreen, so she had at least has a small upgrade. But Braff’s character still narrates the show in the exact manner he did on “Scrubs,” and Radnor’s character is fighting for something sometimes only he truly believes in.

As I watched these shows, all I could think was “Are we just watching these actors as if their characters grew up 10 years?”

The new shows’ characters are all older, with young kids and significant others and couples friends. And the focus is centered more on families and school than bars and workplaces.

None of these shows allow these fine actors to shine in the way they could; they’re incredibly predictable. I called every plot point in the pilot of “Splitting Up Together,” which is just a divorce rom-com on TV. Same with Alex, Inc.; it felt like “Scrubs,” with a family for a medical staff and news podcasting instead of a hospital setting. But it had a similar comedic vibe.

And then there was “Rise,” which is just “Glee” without the comedic breaks and a touch of “Friday Night Lights” small-town family drama.

I wouldn’t be surprised if these shows are on air solely because of the actors. The only commercials that didn’t prominently mention the actor’s names for these shows were for “Rise,” which is more of an ensemble show (and also features other known actors such as Auliʻi Cravalho from “Moana” and Rosie Perez).

While I was excited to see these stars return to television, and I’m sure some people will still watch these shows because of the stars, I’m just not that interested because I’ve seen better shows from these same actors.

It’s partly the curse of being a star on a popular show, of course, but I’d suggest bingeing the old shows before watching these new ones.

4 observations from the 2018 Winter Olympics

I love the Olympics.

The athleticism, the tricks, the suspense…it’s an uplifting time for the world. We put aside the conflicts and just enjoy some healthy competition.

But there are some differences for the 2018 Winter Olympics:

Who misses Bob Costas?

Me!

Costas chose to step down from his NBC gig, and Mike Tirico took over.

Tirico was the first recipient of the Bob Costas Scholarship at Syracuse, so it’s a nice full circle.

I grew up watching Costas; I can’t help but feel like something is missing this year. I especially miss all the interviews Costas did with big-time USA athletes.

I have no doubt that Tirico will come into his own; he seems pretty confident in this ability. It’ll just take time.

Cool moments, fewer medals

As I’ve been watching, I keep thinking about how the USA doesn’t seem to be a big focus. And I wasn’t wrong.

Usually, the highest number of medals go to USA, Russia and China. This year, Russia is out, but some Russian athletes are still competing, representing the OAR.

But so far, Germany and Norway are winning more. The USA hasn’t even received 10 gold medals yet.

Not an impressive number for the USA. But we still got to see some amazing USA moments.

You could feel the adrenaline when Shaun White was competing in the halfpipe. He redeemed himself, coming out with his third gold in the event.

And Nathan Chen? What a comeback. He didn’t medal, but watching him nail 5 out of an attempted 6 quads was insanely impressive.

And for those who prefer more romance…

The Bachelor franchise strikes again.

The Bachelor Winter Games was a four-part event series where Bachelor/Bachelorette contestants from all over the world “compete” in Olympic-esque competitions.

The series even including The Bachelor National Anthem. I wish I was kidding.

It’s definitely not the finest TV ever, but it’s certainly entertaining, in an awkward and kind of sad way. (One judged “event” was a kissing showcase in front of former Bachelorettes and Arie, the current Bachelor.)

And hey, I guess you have to give people credit for being willing to fall on their face for 15 minutes of fame. And watching it can make for a good workout.

Award shows 2018: Do network shows have a place anymore?

At the Golden Globes this year, only one out of 11 TV award winners was a network TV show representative (Sterling K. Brown won best actor in a drama series for NBC’s “This is Us.”)

Tomorrow’s SAG Awards only have five network TV show nominations among all the categories.

Do network shows even stand a chance anymore?

Now that Netflix consistently pulls out award-winning shows, with Amazon and Hulu reaching their stride in quality shows, is it time to separate out network shows from paid services shows?

The way people watch Netflix shows vs. a show on ABC, Fox, etc. is so different. You can binge a Netflix series in a weekend, while NBC draws out one season of “This is Us” from September to April or so (but maybe that’s so we can all take a sobbing break).

Plus, Hulu and those networks have advantages network shows don’t. On a network like CBS, you can’t swear, show nudity, depict graphic violence and other things. Rules must be followed. On online networks, the rules don’t apply. Anything can happen. And it usually does.

Another big difference is network shows play to commercial breaks. They place cliffhangers and plot points in just the right spot to keep you watching. On Netflix, it seems like most original drama episodes end on cliffhangers so you’ll continue watching. And Netflix doesn’t even ask the pesky question “Are you still watching?” when it’s an original show. It can play out like one long, continuous story, and viewers soak it right up.

Network shows just can’t play the same game online networks can. So is it fair to pit them against each other in award categories?

Plenty of quality shows still exist on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and the CW. Should they be recognized in a different way? Or does that just further depict the difference in the TV formats?

It may be time to revisit how award shows handle TV shows.