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?