Thursday, September 12, 2002

All hail the return of the TV viewing guide.


Check out the full grid of TV show times for the fall season. The new TV season usually fills me with glee, like a little girl in a candy store, but this fall there isn't a whole lot to get excited about.

Here’s some shows that show a little potential:
Boomtown (Sunday 10pm NBC). It’s the same story shown in four different perspectives. At least it’s a new concept in a sea of regurgitated crapola, but I worry that it will be boring since it's pretty much the same thing over and over again. There's potential here, but it will have to be done right. First show 9/29.
Birds of Prey (Wed 9pm on WB). Batgirl saves the day. This is just another example of comic book history gone awry. I’m interested…but I doubt this one will last, since the target audience will undoubtedly reject the historical comic inaccuracies. Begins Oct 8th.
Firefly (Friday 8pm on Fox). Joss Whedon, creator & writer for Buffy & Angel, has a new drama. He describes it as 'a space western.' I’m not sure what that means, but his whit and talent with the other shows means that I’m definitely tuning in for this one. I'm not sure this one will make it, as it seems more like a syndicated show on at 2pm Sundays, rather than prime time viewing material. Premier is next Friday 9/20 at 8pm.
Push, Nevada (Thursday 9pm ABC) is a play at home type show where clues lead you to the 1.2 million hidden somewhere in the country. I don’t think the mystery is where the money is, but rather why ABC would put a show with actual potential up against such stiff competition on Thursdays. Eh…ABC has it’s head up it’s own ass, but this is possibly the best thing they have going for them in the new season. This one may suffer where 24 did, in that if you miss an episode you're screwed for the following week. Premiere is 8pm 9/17, then again on 9/19 at 8pm, before the 2nd episode in it’s regular time slot).

Shows that could be good, but probably won’t:
Fastlane (Wed 9pm FOX) on brings us the return of Miami Vice style action, without all of the pastel sports coats. Tiffani Thiessen & Bill Belamy are in it. Nope, it’s not a comedy, so why do I feel like laughing? After The Fast & Furious did so well at the boxoffice, this seems like a sure hit, at least for a while. It’s starts next week 9/18.
John Doe (Friday 9pm on Fox). Dude wakes up knowing everything except who he is & where he comes from, uses useless knowledge to save the world. Eh, sounds familiar but I’ll give it a shot until the new Farscape & SG-1 episodes come back.
Hack (Friday 9 pm CBS) about the super hero in all of us: police officer turned taxi driver fights against the injustice in the world. On another network, maybe. CBS will just turn this into Touched by a Taxi Driver.
Haunted (Tuesday 9pm UPN) On right after Buffy, I’m sure I’ll catch this eventually. Cop gets visions that help him solve cases. It’s got the older brother from Party of Five in it.
The Twilight Zone (Wednesday 9pm UPN) It’s been done before but at least we know it’s a premise that works. Forest Witaker hosts.

Here’s some shows that I predict will crash and burn to their horrible deaths fairly early in the season:
Presidio Med (Wed 10pm CBS) Created by the same folks as ER, I imagine that it will be pretty much the exact same show. The only thing this one has going for it is Oded Fehr, who you may remember from the movie The Mummy & the gone but not forgotten TV series UC Undercover. Premier is Tuesday 9/24.
Dinotopia (8pm Thursday ABC). Man & Dinosaurs living together in a utopian world. Hmmm. I’d rather watch Survivor.
That was Then (Friday 9pm ABC). Some 30 something dude gets a do-over every week – a chance to go back to high school and change the future.
Girls Club (Monday 9pm Fox) Another David E Kelley masterpiece about lady lawyers. I guess he didn’t get it when Ally got canned – no one cares!
Septuplets (Thursday 9pm FOX) Read the discription of this show and tell me it’s for real. C’mon…seriously?
The Grubbs (Sunday 9:30 FOX) It’s like Malcolm in the Middle, except the kid isn’t a genius. It’s about the idiot triumphing. With Carol Kane & Randy Quaid starring as the parents.
Good Morning, Miami (Thursday 9:30 NBC) On right after Will & Grace, I think NBC is trying to avoid the after Friends cursed time slot. From reading the show premise, I’m not sure it would work in any time slot. I mean, who takes a job just because there’s a hotty working there? And how many sitcoms will start there?
Hidden Hills (Tuesday 9:30 NBC) a comedy about how funny life in the suburbs can be. Nope, never been done before.

It seems that my favorite waste of a Sunday afternoon show,Beastmaster, has been shitcanned after two seasons. MutantX will return, as will Andromeda, but many shows have been cancelled.

New on the syndicated market is Starhunter.

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