Verdict: Fall Television Season
By: MattInRC
Sometimes my boss here at SJF allows me to actually go home and enjoy small screen affairs. I know, reviewing 100 films last year takes a bit of the tan off, but so does watching as much television as I do. This year, the networks are making it even harder, especially with some seriously interesting new shows. As someone who only watches Over-the-Air programming, I have to say that 2013 looks at least on paper to be the most intriguing in several years. Welcoming back our favs Person of Interest, The Big Bang Theory, Arrow, and The Following has kept us busy, while several new shows (some of which with October and November premieres) means our DVR will be humming through Christmas. But, that also means some shows have got to go: goodbye NCIS: Los Angeles (too dull), Hawaii Five-O (Fridays - enough said), and 2 Broke Girls (Denning's boots don't make a show), while Revolution (potentially the most disappointing) could be our next victim. From superheroes to super creepy villains, we cover just a few must-sees, because we know you have a movie to catch!
Show: Sleepy Hollow (FOX)
Time: Mondays, 9PM
The Concept: Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) has been awakened hundreds of years after his death during the Revolutionary War to hunt down none other than the Headless Horseman, who is actually one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Crane teams up with local sheriff Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie) to discover who awoke him and what The Four Horsemen intend to do in the little town of Sleepy Hollow.
The Verdict: If you're wondering how such a concept can possibly be entertaining, stop. It's fun, delicious horror mixed with just enough history and 'man out of time' moments to keep your attention. Star Trek: Into Darkness writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman know that audiences love historical dramas with good character development, and casting Mison gives the audience an instantly electric actor who can wash over even the most senseless aspects of this show. If anyone thinks that chasing former Redcoats around Upstate New York deserves any explanation, with its lead actor donning 18th Century clothing, go back and watch your Universe Blu-rays. We have no idea if this one will last, especially when Crane's 'lights on - lights off' shtick gets old, but we're prepared to see that issue resolved. Take a chance on this one.
Show: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC)
Time: Tuesdays, 8PM
The Concept: Fresh off Marvel's mega-smash The Avengers, an elite team of human agents is assembled (no pun) to clean up their messes and deal with humanity's reaction to a new world of superheroes.
The Verdict: S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) is back to lead this strangely pretty cast, which includes Chloe Bennet as a computer hacker and bruiser/loner Grant Ward. Neither of them seem to have the acting chops nor the gravitas to handle Director Joss Whedon's interesting pilot, while Ming-Na Wen as the enigmatic Melinda May are strangely thrust back into working with Coulson without any character backfill. Some shows need time to develop, particularly with young cast members with zero personality. Bennet's Skye lives in her van yet somehow has perfect skin and lip gloss and can easily hack into S.H.I.E.L.D. databases, while non-household names Iain De Caestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge as scientists Fitz and Simmons are barely audible with their British accents. Still, there was plenty to like in the pilot to keep us interested, with plenty of winks to Avengers and even Iron Man 3. Rumors have surfaced of highly-suspect future scripts, generating all the wrong buzz for a show that's got a lot to prove. Marvel needs this show to succeed, both as a bridge to the upcoming slew of feature films, but also to prove Avengers fans can live without Avengers in their television show. And with a pilot that gets a little too Back to the Future for our tastes ('Roads? Who needs roads?'), can S.H.I.E.L.D. grow an audience that won't see Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, or Hulk on the small screen? I guess we'll find out.
We're also interested in Almost Human (November 4), Dracula (October 25), as well as Masters of Sex (September 29). But that's on Showtime, so unless someone is nice enough to give us their password, we'll stick to O-T-A.
What new shows are you watching, and which have you bid a fond farewell? Comment below and join the conversation!
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