Thursday, May 18, 2006

2006 Fall Season Line-up

This season is ending, some shows with a bang and some with a farewell. Some new shows are returning for their second season - Bones, Criminal Minds, How I Met Your Mother (Barney!) and of course new shows that take the place of the shows leaving after their first season - Courting Alex, Commander In Chief, and Stacked.

Of all the networks, ABC has the most upcoming fall shows, with 9. Fox is next with 7 shows, NBC has 6, and CBS has 4. This is not including new midseason shows (and I'm only including scripted shows)

Now let's play Which Show Gets Cancelled! (C) - Comedy; (D) - Drama

CBS:
(C) The Class - People from the same third grade class are brought together for a surprise reunion. David Crane of Friends and Jeffrey Klarik of Mad About You are involved with this sitcom. Jason Ritter, Sean Maguire, and Lizzy Caplan star. CANCELLED

(D) Jericho - A baffling explosion causes social, psychological, and physical chaos in a small, isolated town. Stars Skeet Ulrich, Erik Knudsen. This could be good, so NOT CANCELLED

(DC) Smith - Diverse crew of career criminals as they plot and carry out high stakes heists at prominent locations. The thing is, the main character wants the one big heist that will set him for life, allowing him to finally retire. Starring Ray Liotta, Virginia Madsen, Simon Baker and Amy Smart. Since I'm really stoked to see this one, NOT CANCELLED. If it turns out anything like Thief, CANCELLED.

(D) Shark - A show about lawyers (duh). Starring James Woods with Spike Lee directing the pilot episode. They're pulling out the big guns and I think James Woods is hit or miss - plus my lack of interest in this show makes me think CANCELLED, but the interest of most people in law shows, especially with a name like Shark could equal NOT CANCELLED.

ABC

(DC) Big Day - Danny and Alice are getting married today and we see it in 22 episodes. I remember my wedding and I say YES! because watching my wedding fall apart was utterly hilarious. It's 24 does a wedding day. NOT CANCELLED.

(C) Let's Rob... - Donal Logue (The Tao of Steve) is a janitor who puts together a motley crew to rob Mick Jagger's swank New York apartment. The only problem is that not one of them has stolen so much as a candy bar. What kind of show name is "Let's Rob..." anyway. It should be cancelled just on name alone. Donal Logue is funny, but I still think CANCELLED

(C) Help Me Help You - Self help group therapy where the Dr. may be just as crazy as the patients. Stars Ted Danson. CANCELLED, although Danson shows usually last a couple of seasons.

(C) Notes From The Underbelly - "The politics of parenthood can be just as demanding as raising he child. A group of friends watch their lives change to accomodate the little stranger. CANCELLED

(D) Betty The Ugly - An ugly duckling and a mogul's son are the "Working Girl couple who tackle the colourful, cutthroat world of fashion head on. This stars America Ferrerra and she made me cry in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. NOT CANCELLED

(D) Brothers and Sisters - Calista Flockhart narrates this tale of a family whos recent loss brings their own pressing personal issues to light. Family McBeal. The strength of the actors may bring this drama through. NOT CANCELLED

(D) Day Break - Brett Hopper keeps reliving the day he was framed for murder (that's weird) - and no cute groundhog can help him get out of it. Stars Taye Digg and Adam Baldwin (Jayne!). Even though this is a midseason show, I had to give a shout out to someone from the Firefly crew! NOT CANCELLED

(D) Men In Trees - A horrible title for a "fun and sexy drama about finding love in the most unexpected places". Stars Anne Heche. CANCELLED

(D) Six Degrees - " A story that will prove just how small the world really is and how someone just five people away could be shaping your future. From the creators of Lost and Alias, this give us all hope for another great drama, so, NOT CANCELLED

(D) The Nine - Nine people trapped in a bank robbery gone wrong and a 52 hour hostage stand off are irrevocably and forever linked. Stars Tim Daly, Chi McBride, and Scott Wolf. This promises a Lost-esque flashback/ 24ish filmed show. Done well, this will definitely be a NOT CANCELLED. Plus, being told from the linked after a tragedy story, there are so many directions the story line could go and the actors are top notch. I'm hoping this does well.

NBC
(D) Heroes - "Heroes chronicle the lives of those [with supernatural ability] whose destiny just might be saving human kind. Stars Milo Ventimiglia (of Gilmore Girl fame). NOT CANCELLED because people always want more X:MEN.

(D) Friday Night Lights - Football story, like the movie, but every Tuesday (unless they change the schedule). I loved the movie, but will miss Billy Bob Thornton. NOT CANCELLED

(D) Kidnapped - A couple's 15 year old son is kidnapped. Shocking crime or business vendetta? Watch as the event unfold. Delroy Lindo, therefore NOT CANCELLED.

(C) Twenty Good Years - Old men live the rest of their lives to the fullest. John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor (George Bluth) so NOT CANCELLED, although networks didn't take too kindly to Arrested Development, so CANCELLED

(C) 30 Rock - Tina Fey is Dick Van Dyke. It's full of SNL alums and Alex Baldwin. CANCELLED, even though I think Tina Fey is funny.

(D) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Josh Lyman and Chandler Bing are Dick Van Dyke breaking new life into a sketch comedy series. I still think this is a drama though. Starring Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford and Amanda Peet. This sounds like it has potential, but CANCELLED

FOX
(C) Happy Hour - "Happy Hour... free buffalo wings... half priced drinks... and the time between the end of one relationship andthe start of another". CANCELLED, but I'll take the free wings and half priced drinks.

(D) Justice - "An unflinching, behind the scene look at the way high profile cases are tried in the media age. Starring Victor Garber, Kerr Smith, Eamonn Walker. CANCELLED

(D) Standoff - Two of the top ranked negotiators in the FBI's Crisis Negotiation Unit are sleeping together and when it's revealed, it cause friction with the group. Gina Torres stars. NOT CANCELLED 'cause of my girl Gina aka Zoe aka good to see you on TV again Torres.

(C) 'Til Death - A comedy about new marriages vs. old marriages. Starring Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher. Two funny people and a good comedy for Fox. NOT CANCELLED

(D) Vanished - A woman disappears and the investigation into that disappearance brings up more than anyone ever thought. Rebecca Gayheart, Ming Na star. NOT CANCELLED our of sheer voyeurism and guilty pleasurism.

The Wedding Album - "Things are definitely more interesting when every day at the 'office' is the most important day of someone else's life." CANCELLED - doesn't seem to have much substance. I couldn't even tell if it were a comedy or a drama.

(C) The Winner - A 43 year old looks back to the tender age of 32 when he became a man. Now rich, he leads us through the steps he took to get there, with the help of his true love's 13 year old son. Stars Rob Corddry (of Daily Show fame - And some Arrested Development), Julie Hagerty (Airplane!) and Lenny Clarke (funny!) NOT CANCELLED

So let's recap:
So that's 10 shows cancelled, 14 shows not cancelled, and 3 shows I'm not sure of, all in my own humble opinions. Of the 27 shows mentioned, 10 shows are strangers come together shows with two of them being about strangers who used to be in the same class; 3 are law and order shows, 2 are heist knockoffs, even though the show Heist won't be coming back for a second season and Thief was horrible; 4 deal with marriage (all aspects of it) and 3 have a hostage aspect to it.

I can't wait to see:
Smith (CBS)
Big Day (ABC)
Betty The Ugly (ABC)
Day Break (ABC)
The Nine (ABC)
Standoff (FOX)
The Winner (FOX)

And Surface, I will miss you and your water monstery goodness. I downloaded you religiously. Farewell my friend. Especially you Nim.

I hope you've enjoyed your read. Good Night.

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