Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Just as spring gives rise to flowers and love, fall is the time for new television, as the big four networks (ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC) and cable channels alike stuff their lineups with fresh shows in the hopes of stumbling upon a lasting hit. Here are seven shows worth checking out when they premiere this fall:
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX) — 9/17
Following the lukewarm debut of The Mindy Project and slumping ratings for the once-formidable New Girl, FOX is in need of a comedy hit to shore up its Tuesday night block. Cop comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine has promise, boasting a high-pedigree cast, including Saturday Night Live veteran Andy Samberg and the perpetually underappreciated Andre Braugher (late of Last Resort). Creator Michael Schur crafted two of TV’s all-time-great comedy ensembles on The Office and Parks and Recreation, and if he keeps his streak alive, Brooklyn Nine-Nine could well be worth keeping an eye on.
Hostages (CBS) — 9/23
Taking a break from case-of-the-week procedurals, producer Jerry Bruckheimer (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) presents this limited-run series featuring Toni Collette (United States of Tara) as a surgeon about to operate on the president and Dylan McDermott (American Horror Story) as a terrorist holding her family hostage. Hats off to CBS and Bruckheimer for taking a risk on an out-there premise, but it remains to be seen whether Hostages has enough story to sustain a full-series run.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC) — 9/24
Yes, Joss Whedon directed The Avengers. But before Disney co-signed him a license to print money, Whedon created some of TV’s most loved and little-watched shows, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to short-lived space cowboy epic Firefly. It remains to be seen whether the Marvel name is enough to get viewers to tune into Whedon’s latest brainchild, which follows a team of superhero-supporting special agents. For all its big-budget splash, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. still seems to have all of Whedon’s staples in place (unwieldy title, snappy group of misfits, etc.). But will viewers follow comic book stories to TV?
The Millers (CBS) — 10/3
All of the promos for this show make it look like … well, they make it look like a terrible fever dream of fart jokes and fat people dancing. But despite its faulty (nonexistent?) premise and its home on the deservedly maligned CBS, it’s worth a tentative look based on the involvement of creator and writer Greg Garcia (Raising Hope) and a top-shelf cast, including J.B Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Margo Martindale (The Americans), Nelson Franklin (of the underrated Traffic Light) and Will Arnett (Arrested Development).
Hello Ladies (HBO) — 9/29
From executive producers Stephen Merchant (of the British version of The Office) and Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky (of the American adaptation of The Office) comes a new exercise in cringe comedy. Merchant stars as a single man desperately trying to make his way in the Los Angeles singles scene alongside his buddies, one recently divorced (Nate Torrance, Mr. Sunshine) and the other a charming paraplegic (Kevin Weisman, Alias). Fans of Merchant’s pitch-black past work with Ricky Gervais — including Extras and Life’s Too Short — should find something to like in his solo debut.
Masters of Sex (Showtime) — 9/29
TV junkies looking for a period piece fix between seasons of Mad Men may find the cure in this Showtime series, inspired by the real-life sex research of William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Featuring the always reliable Michael Sheen (Admission, Frost/Nixon) and the Internet’s girlfriend Lizzy Caplan (New Girl, Party Down), and sure to be chock-full of ’60s kitsch and pay-cable nudity, Masters of Sex has all the hallmarks of a potential future binge-watch.
The Michael J. Fox Show (NBC) — 9/26
Though Michael J. Fox never really disappeared from television, spending the last few years popping up in meaty guest roles in everything from Scrubs to Rescue Me, this NBC sitcom does mark Fox’s return to a full-time series. Still a charming comedic actor in his 50s, Fox’s wry sensibilities seem like a safe fit for a Curb Your Enthusiasm-style single-camera show, and it can’t hurt that he’s surrounded by well-liked veterans, including Breaking Bad’s Betsy Brandt. But will Fox’s star power be enough to get viewers to tune into NBC’s flagging Thursday-night comedy block?
