Clara Bush

Fall TV 2017: Two CW shows premier

While many other new network shows have appeared, the CW is now airing its new shows.

Here’s my take on them:

‘Valor‘

9 p.m. Mondays on the CW

Another military special operations show make its debut.

Other ones are better.

The balance on this show is off. The lead is a female who has to work hard to keep her higher-ranking position. While it’s nice that they’re not focused too much on the woman-in-the-military idea, sometimes they overdo it with how she’s not “qualified.”

There are also two relationship storylines that I’m already over. It’s not needed, but I’m sure it was part of the show because of the network it’s on.

Grade: B-

‘Dynasty‘

9 p.m. Wednesdays on the CW

This remake is the perfect kind of soap. It’s filled with beautiful people wearing impeccable clothes and donning perfect makeup. And all those people have dirty secrets shrouded in sexual chemistry.

It’s a bit updated from the original (the setting is different, there are gay characters), but it in no way feels stale.

This drama could definitely be your next fun guilty pleasure.

Grade: A-

What are your new favorite shows?

Fall TV 2017: Try ABC’s ‘The Mayor,’ avoid CBS’ ‘9JKL’

And now we’re on a roll.

Another batch of fall TV shows have premiered, so here’s my take on each new regular series show:

‘Wisdom of the Crowd‘

8 p.m. Sundays on CBS

As much as I’d like to see this show is original, it’s not.

It’s “Bull” but with more with police and crime and less with the law. Even Michael Weatherly and Wisdom’s Jeremy Piven sport the same look in the shows. And they’re on the same network!

Jeffrey Tanner (Piven) believes everyone wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Very true, but it’s not as riveting to watch as one might expect, and there were two plot points that bothered me: the romance between Tanner and his associate was unnecessary, and the hacker issue was solved too quickly.

I appreciate the idea behind it, the idea that a social media network could crowdsource information to help solve crimes. It seems poignant and timely considering how many of us are on our phones 24/7.

Grade: B-

‘Ghosted‘

8:30 p.m. Sundays on Fox

Buddy comedy meets “The X-Files” in this comedy starring Adam Scott and Craig Robinson.

Fortunately for them, the dry humor works well in this sci-fi mystery comedy. Scott and Robinson play off each other while portraying an ex-professor and ex-cop both in low points of life.

Unfortunately, the supporting characters are archetypes, and since they’re the behind-the-scenes brains of the mission, we’ll probably have to deal with the overdone antics and overplayed jokes.

Grade: B

‘9JKL‘

8:30 p.m. Mondays on CBS

By the time the opening credits started, I knew this show wouldn’t be good.

After toughing it out (and I mean that literally, most jokes were awkward or painful), I can safely say this show is terrible.

Full of has-beens and B-list actors (including Elliott Gould, David Walton and Liza Lapira), the premise of a family all living next door in the same New York apartment complex came off way too-over-the-top, and not in a good way.

Grade: D+

‘The Gifted‘

9 p.m. Mondays on Fox

This drama reminds me of “Heroes.”

The pilot focused on one family fleeing after their two children reveal they’re mutants by causing chaos at a school dance.

It keeps your interest as the family goes through many hoops, but the show was cheapened by Stephen Moyer‘s character.

The “True Blood” actor plays a prosecutor specializing in mutant cases, so he’s portrayed as a good-guy-gone-rogue. At the end of the episode, (spoiler) he’s shot, as if that wasn’t expected. His character is overall unsatisfying.

Grade: B-

‘The Mayor‘

9:30 Tuesdays on ABC

This comedy threw me by surprise.

The previews made it seem so chilly, but it’s a nice, actually funny, parallel to the last election cycle. Even David Spade makes a cameo looking a bit like our current president.

Lea Michele‘s campaign manager/chief of staff character is a bit too familiar — essentially a political version of Rachel Barry, her character on “Glee“— but this show has a heart that I’m interested in seeing more of.

Grade: A-

‘Kevin (Probably) Saves the World‘

10 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC

Kevin last of the righteous, but he’s not a good person.

Maybe Kevin, played by Jason Ritter with the right mix of confusion, lazy and heart, will learn with the help from Yvette (Kimberly Hebert Gregory), a gift from God who gave up paradise for Kevin.

The casting of JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Kevin’s Amy sister is off — they don’t look anything alike — but this movie-like show has potential.

Grade: B

Fall TV 2017: ‘Young Sheldon’ adorable, skip ‘SEAL Team’

Fall TV is finally here!

Usually a round of shows premiere in the beginning/middle of September, but this year, the only show that’s premiered before the latter half of the month was Fox‘s “The Orville.”

That show, created by and starring Seth MacFarlane, isn’t sure what type of show it wants to be. The pilot had a crazy mix of romantic comedy, science fiction and thriller. It was uneven and predictable. I’m not sure TV was the right medium for it.

But now that we’ve finally hit the first week of new shows, here is my short take on each new regular series show:

‘Star Trek: Discovery‘

8:30 p.m. Sundays streaming on CBS All Access

To boost the CBS version of Hulu, “Star Trek: Discovery” premiered Sunday on CBS. Episode 2 was available during the broadcast.

The sci-fi show definitely has a movie feel to it, including a long thematic opener.

I was definitely out of the loop since I have little knowledge of the world of Star Trek, but it kept my attention.

Compared to “The Orville,” this is true sci-fi. And I can appreciate that there are women in leadership on this show.

Grade: B+

‘Young Sheldon‘

8:30 p.m. Thursdays on CBS

While this show will regularly air starting in November, the spinoff of “The Big Bang Theory” had a special premiere.

This comedy is filled with BBT easter eggs, including a perfect opener with Jim Parsons narrating while a train went around.

The casting of young Sheldon and his mother was perfect (Zoe Perry, the daughter of Laurie Metcalf, who plays Mrs. Cooper in the original, plays her in this show, and she carries a spot-on accent and demeanor). The only casting that bothered me was Sheldon’s dad, only because he played a character on “The Big Bang Theory.”

For BBT fans, this show is not a letdown. For non-BBT fans, it’s still a pretty adorable show.

Grade: A-

‘Me, Myself and I‘

9:30 p.m. Mondays on CBS

Starring Bobby Moynihan, this show focuses on one person in three phases of his life: middle school after his mom gets remarried, post-divorce and raising a daughter, and a just-retired man who just had a heart attack and is figuring out what’s next.

It’s an interesting concept, but very disjointed, even with the small-world moments between the generations.

In one of the last moments, two of the generations crossed over. Not sure if there will be more, but I thought it played well.

Grade: B-

‘The Brave‘

10 p.m. Mondays on NBC

Remember Anne Heche? It seems like she pops up on TV shows every year or so, and here she stars in a drama about of team of government officials trying to protect Americans.

From what I can tell, the team will be the focus, and there will be a new story/mission each week.

But what was supposed to be a nailbiter turned out pretty dull. As we learn more about the team, I expect to care more about the characters, but that wasn’t the case in the pilot.

Grade: C+

‘The Good Doctor‘

10 p.m. Mondays on ABC

The pilot of this medical drama surrounds an interview for Dr. Shaun Murphy, a potential new surgical resident at a hospital. Oh, and Murphy (played by Freddie Highmore, who still looks so young even after his run in the sinister “Bates Motel“) is autistic, so his appointment is controversial.

While I think it’s great to show the challenges and misperceptions of the autism, as well as having the chance to discuss autism in a new way, the show seems unrealistic.

In flashbacks, it’s revealed that Murphy and his brother ran away after their father killed a pet bunny, but his brother also dies at a young age. So how the heck did Murphy go to school, especially medical school?

With other drama that’s sure to pan out in the show, I’m not sure we’ll find out.

Also, similarities abound between Murphy and Sheldon on “The Big Bang Theory,” and it was distracting.

Grade: B

‘SEAL Team‘

9 p.m. Wednesdays on CBS

This pilot had an eerily similar plot to “The Brave,” including the third-act twist. And it wasn’t well done.

Between poor audio (it’s like some actors were sick or not mic’ed properly for most of it), shaky camera work (which may have been a director’s choice, but it was hard to tell), and bad acting, it was tough to watch.

The drama focused mostly on the SEAL team, even though ads for the show mentioned that SEAL members have two families. I don’t know what the plan is, but it’s uninteresting.

David Boreanaz (“Bones“) should’ve waited another year before returning to TV; maybe he could’ve gotten a better show.

Grade: C-

What new shows are you enjoying?

Emmys 2017: 3 disappointments from the TV awards show

The 2017 Emmys have one leg up on the 2017 Oscars: There was no mixup.

But is it just me, or are these starting to get boring?

Maybe there are just too many shows to keep up with nowadays, but I felt much less invested in the winners this year.

Here are my 3 biggest gripes from the show:

Have award shows gotten too political lately?

It’s not news to say we live in a tumultuous political climate. Tensions have been running high for about two years, and it’s not ending anytime soon.

The Emmys, like other award shows this year, took time to make sly (or not-so-sly) jabs at the current political environment. Some were funny, some were poignant…but overall, I’m done.

Award shows are supposed to be a time of celebration. Is it really necessary to bring down the great spirits with divisive talking points?

It’s not that we need to be politically correct all the time, but I don’t believe award shows are the place for that commentary.

If it’s part of someone’s acceptance speech, fine. You can’t control that. But for a bit, let’s leave out the scripted bits.

Stop dividing awards into unique categories

While I appreciate that this year the show wasn’t one hour of comedy, one hour of limited series and one hour of drama, this format wasn’t much better.

They announced by award types by category (lead actress/actor in 3 categories, director/show in all categories, etc.). It felt so stale.

Mix it up. I hate how shows leave the top awards for the end of night just to keep up ratings. But it’s overdone and makes the show seem routine.

Where was Stephen Colbert?

Colbert hosted this year, right?

Admittedly I wasn’t paying attention the whole time, but I felt like I saw Jermaine Fowler from CBS’ “Superior Donuts” more.

Fowler was the show’s “announcer,” giving anecdotes and fun facts throughout the 3-hour show. But he doesn’t have the clout that Colbert does, so it was confusing to see him show much.

I’m not the biggest fan of Colbert, but I hope Fowler got paid as much. Doubtful.

I hope next year’s show is better.

‘Moone Boy’ brings feelings of nostalgia to Hulu

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on June 9, 2015. “Moone Boy” premiered five years ago today.

Being a kid was the best.

No cares in the world, not much responsibility, no work … just lots of time with friends, family and fun.

Childhood is personified in a unique way on Hulu’s “Moone Boy.” Created by Chris O’Dowd, of “Bridesmaids” fame, the comedy follows an Irish family, specifically the lone son, Martin Moone, of the household and his invisible friend, Sean Murphy, played by O’Dowd, in the late 1980s/early 1990s.

The Irish family is also very Catholic, which causes conflict when one of the sisters is with child, whose father works at the town’s church.

The interactions between Martin (David Rawle) and his invisible friend make the show fun. It’s an inventive concept that you don’t see on TV often, though “The Whispers” on ABC seems to be taking the creepy angle of invisible friends (I can’t make myself watch that show yet).

O’Dowd is a writer, producer and director on the show, and his love for childlike antics and Ireland shine through in this comedy. He’s also not afraid to poke fun at himself, which means he sometimes dresses in hilarious outfits and makeup.

His character, although a figment of Martin’s imagination, has a life of his own, sometimes deviating from Martin’s moves.

“Moone Boy” also has a sense of nostalgia. The theme song includes drawings on loose-leaf paper — you know, the kind you had in second grade — and the fashion is a mix of ’80s and ’90s.

Martin isn’t the sharpest kid, but he has ambition. And he’s learning through success and failure, but usually with his invisible friend by his side.

Unfortunately, while “Moone Boy” has all of its new season 3 episodes on Hulu, only seasons 1 and 2 and episode 1 of season 3 are available without Hulu Plus. With only six episodes per season and each episode less than 30 minutes, it’s a quick watch. (Note: This show is still available on Hulu, which is a paid subscription site now.)

‘Glee’ unsuccessfully strives to gain viewers back in Fox show’s final season

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on Jan. 29, 2015.

Gleeks, rejoice!

“Glee” is back for its sixth and final season. And many of the main actors have returned to the Fox show at McKinley High.

Wait. Back up. How does that work? Wasn’t Artie (Kevin McHale) in film school? Wasn’t Rachel (Lea Michele) on her way to L.A. for a career in TV? Weren’t Blaine (Darren Criss) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) at the fictional NYADA? Wasn’t Mercedes (Amber Riley) about to go on tour?

That’s how season 5 ended … with tons of possibilities.

But that’s all been left behind for season 6. Because as the show lost viewers and focus, it has grasped on to old concepts, which is not a good thing.

After a time jump, Rachel is back leading the new New Directions, which means Sue (Jane Lynch) is back tormenting the glee club. Kurt is back, too. And Quinn (Dianna Agron). And Puck (Mark Salling). And even Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), who, let’s face it, never really had much to give to the show after her character admitted she lied about having a lisp in season 1.

Even stranger? Kurt and Blaine are no longer engaged. OK, that’s not strange considering the characters are around 19, but Blaine is now with Dave Karofsky, an old bully of Kurt’s. The relationship feels forced because, although Karofsky (Max Adler) had an important supporting storyline in season 3, his character didn’t need to come back. But he’s recognizable on the show, so why not bring him back? Almost every other character is back, as per showrunner Ryan Murphy’s not-so-wise plan to return focus to the original characters.

I’ll admit, I’ve seen every episode of “Glee” at least once. But I’ll also admit that somewhere around seasons 3 and 4, it lost its spark.

I hate to say this, but the show was hurt by the death of Cory Monteith, who played the lovable Finn Hudson. Obviously it was a shock. The tribute episode they did for him was stellar, but he was a huge component of the show. And his character’s relationship with Rachel was a key moment to the show’s series finale Murphy had originally planned.

But to go back to the old ways of the show feels stale and backward. Season 6 comes back to auditions, rival glee clubs and weekly themed lessons. The show was progressive in how it handled music and storylines, but now it’s just a rehash of season 1.

This show is supposed to be about dreamers. But with season 6, it’s just starting over with a new cast mixed with old stars who have lost focus. It’s not enjoyable anymore.

They should’ve just canceled “Glee” after season 5. Or found better ideas.

‘Under the Gunn’ tries to capture ‘Project Runway’ attention, but ultimately fails

This blog originally appeared on elkharttruth.com on April 17, 2014. The latest season of “Project Runway” premieres Aug. 17.

Spinoffs have become a huge part of TV culture, especially in the last year or two.

Whether it’s because it’s a way to capitalize on what’s already good or just a lack of original ideas, we are stuck with spinoffs.

One such spinoff is “Under the Gunn,” a Lifetime reality competition that’s a spinoff of the hit design show, “Project Runway,” hosted by Heidi Klum.

“Under the Gunn,” which aired its season finale April 10, was supposed to center around “Project Runway” mentor Tim Gunn, the beloved fashion instructor and mentor who is a big component of the success of “Project Runway.”

Many people voiced their excitement about the show on social media, mainly because it was all about Gunn.

But ultimately, that was not what “Under the Gunn” turned out to be.

Yes, it was a design competition. It had the usual drama, mess ups and down-to-the-wire moments. But Gunn didn’t mentor that much during the show’s 13-episode run.

Gunn served as a host and a mentor to the three true mentors of the show: Anya Ayoung-Chee, Mondo Guerra and Nick Verreos.

The trio of “Project Runway” alumni were the ones who actually mentored the contestants. They were the ones who walked around asking designing questions and pushing the designers to the next level.

The idea was that once all of one mentor’s contestants were eliminated, the mentor would be eliminated as well. But, predictably, each mentor was represented in the finale. The last four standing were: Asha Daniels (Mondo), Shan Keith Oliver (Anya), Sam Donovan (Mondo) and Oscar Garcia-Lopez (Nick), who was named the winner by judges Jen Rade, Rachel Roy and Zanna Roberts Rassi. Heidi Klum and actor Neil Patrick Harris were guest judges for the finale episode, which saw each designer complete a mini collection.

While viewers got to watch Anya, Mondo and Nick grow as mentors, I wanted to see Gunn mentoring more. That’s what he does on “Project Runway,” and that’s why people love him.

Gunn has a flair for mentoring. It’s his gift. He’s tough, but kind. He makes people question their work, he makes people laugh and he makes designers fulfill their potential.

His signature fashion, critiques and motto, “Make it work,” are what makes “Project Runway” so fun to watch.

And that was missing on “Under the Gunn.”

It’s not that Gunn was a bad host. It’s just this: He’s a better, more entertaining mentor.

SYTYCD vs. World of Dance: Which is better?

Don’t mess with what works. Or at least, not too much.

Jennifer Lopez brought her Fly Girl skills back to TV by starting the reality show “World of Dance” on NBC…12 years after “So You Think You Can Dance” premiered on Fox.

Let’s compare the two shows:

The host

SYTYCD’s Cat Deeley vs. WOD’s Jenna Dewan Tatum

Here’s the thing. Dewan Tatum actually is a dancer (“Step Up” forever!). Deeley is not. We’re talking zero experience.

Dewan Tatum acts as host and mentor on WOD as part of the show’s structure. She can give real feedback to the dancers.

But she’s a bit awkward as a host. She hasn’t gotten her footing yet. I fully believe she can, but her banter is more mechanical than natural right now.

Deeley may not know dance, but she has a natural flair for hosting. She has her lovable quotes (“Here are your…judges!”). And she banters well among the dancers, judges and audience.

Edge: SYTYCD

Judges

Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and more vs. Jennifer Lopez, Ne-Yo and Derek Hough

Both sets of judges have a good amount of knowledge. Not all do; SYTYCD usually brings in a guest judge whose dance knowledge is hit or miss.

Murphy and Lythgoe have chemistry thanks to years of working together. I could take or leave Murphy and her Hot Tamale Train, but I know some viewers eat it up.

I appreciate the range WOD’s judges give. They have experience in more styles, I believe, than SYTYCD’s mainstays. But SYTYCD judges have more range in how they critique performances.

Edge: SYTYCD (ever so slightly)

Scoring

On SYTYCD, most of the scoring is based on viewer votes. In the beginning, the judges choose who goes home from the bottom three after they dance for their life.

On WOD, the judges score based on five categories for a score out of 100. The higher scoring dancer/group moves on.

As a dancer, I appreciate WOD’s method. On SYTYCD, many times a better dancer would get kicked off because they somehow didn’t get enough votes, which always frustrated me.

The scoring on WOD seems to be more fair because it’s more based on technique and ability.

Edge: WOD

I’ll give “World of Dance” credit, it’s definitely better than some other reality dance TV shows. In another season or two, as it gains its footing, I think it could be as good as “SYTYCD.” I’ll keep watching both for now.

“SYTYCD” airs Mondays, while “World of Dance” airs Tuesdays until Aug. 8, which is the first season finale.

Emmys 2017: By the numbers, thoughts on nominations

The Emmy nominations were announced Thursday, July 13,

Let’s take a look at the the top categories:

Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”), Anthony Hopkins (“Westworld”), Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”), Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”), Liev Schreiber (“Ray Donovan”), Kevin Spacey (“House of Cards”), Milo Ventimiglia (“This Is Us”)

2: Actors in this category with multiple nominations this year (Rhys and Schrieber)

5: Previous Emmy wins to date across all categories

Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Viola Davis (“How to Get Away with Murder”), Claire Foy (“The Crown”), Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), Keri Russell (“The Americans”), Evan Rachel Wood (“Westworld”), Robin Wright (“House of Cards”)

22: Number of Emmys nominations across all categories among the group to date

1: Previous Emmy win (Viola Davis)

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson (“Black-ish”), Aziz Ansari (“Master of None”), Zach Galifianakis (“Baskets”), Donald Glover (“Atlanta”), William H. Macy (“Shameless”), Jeffrey Tambor (“Transparent”)

2: Number of actors in category who haven’t won an Emmy yet. Glover has never been nominated.

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Pamela Adlon (“Better Things”), Tracee Ellis-Ross (“black-ish”), Jane Fonda (“Grace and Frankie”), Lily Tomlin (“Grace and Frankie”), Allison Janney (“Mom”), Ellie Kemper (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep”)

24: Emmy nominations for one actress to date across all categories (Tomlin…Louis-Dreyfus has 23.)

Best Drama Series

“Better Call Saul” (AMC), “The Crown” (Netflix), “The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu), “House of Cards” (Netflix), “Stranger Things” (Netflix), “This Is Us” (NBC), “Westworld” (HBO)

5: New shows nominated this year. “House of Cards” and “Better Call Saul” have previous nominations.

Best Comedy Series

“Atlanta” (FX), “Black-ish” (ABC), “Master of None” (Netflix), “Modern Family” (ABC), “Silicon Valley” (HBO), “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix), “Veep” (HBO)

22: Previous wins across all categories for “Modern Family”

1: New show in the nominations (“Atlanta”)

3 thoughts on the nominations:

-As much as Mandy Moore’s character isn’t my favorite on “This Is Us,” I was surprised she wasn’t nominated. And you know Milo and Sterling will split the votes in that category.

-How is “Modern Family” still getting nominated? It still has good episodes, but overall it’s gone downhill. Also there are seven shows up for best comedy, which seems to be way too many.

-There are always snubs, but “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” has popped up on some snub lists. Frankly, the show wasn’t good. The acting wasn’t at its peak and some of the writing was so fluff. It was entered in the limited series category, which seemed like a good choice given its revival run, but I’m OK with it not being nominated.

The 69th Emmys will air on Sunday, Sept. 17, on CBS.

Couch potato sometimes: How I workout while watching TV

Raise your hand if you hate working out.

Now raise your hand if you love watching TV.

Of course, I can’t actually see you, but I’m guessing many people would raise their hand on both accounts. I know I would.

Yes, working out is good for you, but I don’t get a runner’s high. I don’t even get a runner’s medium. I just know to stay in shape and to lose weight, I need to exercise.

But I also have little to no motivation, and no one to work out with. But last summer I discovered a “Bachelorette” workout, and I was in.

No, I don’t love the show, but it can be addicting to watch people try to fall in love…knowing they’ll probably break up within a year of the finale.

When I first tried the “Bachelorette” workout, it was tough. I was not prepared to do 100+ squats, 10 for every rose given out (it was early in the season). But by the end of the two hours, I was sweating…without feeling frustrated.

I did something I love (watch TV for an extended period of time) while doing something I need to do (exercise). And it worked.

After one or two weeks of this, I got two friends to join in with me. We’d meet after I got off work, set the workout list by the TV, and made sure to hold each other accountable for doing the exercises (and also questioned whether something counted or not…I mentioned it was tough, right?).

It was quite effective. One of the girls had no problems fitting into her wedding dress, and I lost some weight and gained some muscle. All around a win-win.

I started looking up other TV workouts, as I call them. BuzzFeed has a huge list, but I alter them to fit what I need or add to them for a more intense workout.

Alternatively, most shows (or even movies) have a drinking game associated with it. I altered a “Friday Night Lights” drinking game into a workout for watching the show. (Crunches for every time you saw a jersey did wonders for my abs.)

I will say the most effective TV workouts are for reality competition shows, like “Bachelorette,” “Dancing with the Stars,” or “Project Runway.” There’s more regularity to these shows because of their format, so you’ll get a more well-rounded workout.

On the flip side, you can always add to the workouts. I altered one for “Gilmore Girls,” and well effective some episodes, I wasn’t doing many exercises for other episodes. But my aforementioned group of friends has done one for “Drop Dead Diva,” and we’ve added a couple extra exercises as we’ve progressed in the show.

They say it’s not good to watch TV for hours on end. But if you workout for at least part of it, you’ve earned some quality couch potato time. At least in my book.