Rank the 2011/2012 New Shows

[Starbreaker]

Well, not everything has aired yet, but what new stuff is everyone enjoying this season?

1. Homeland (SHO)

Despite only having aired one episode so far, I thought it was a very well done pilot with some great acting and I found the episode to be pretty suspenseful. I remembered hearing about it a few months ago, but I didn't realize it was airing so soon. I'm glad I resubscribed to Showtime, because I think Homeland has a great chance to take home some Emmys.

2. American Horror Story (FX)

Once again, only a pilot, but an enjoyable one. I like horror, I like weird, and I like Ryan Murphy. Nip/Tuck is one of my favorite shows and the fact that Murphy gets to do even more crazy and weird stuff than he got to do in that show scares and excites me at the same time. I'm just hoping there's a good conclusion to this short season.

3. Prime Suspect (NBC)

Maria Bello is great. I like the gritty feel and how the detectives are always down each others throats, but in a more realistic way than what is portrayed on some cop shows nowadays. It has an early Law & Order feel to it. Sadly, it's on a network that nobody watches, so I'm trying not to get too attached to it.

4. Unforgettable (CBS)

Hyperthymesia used in crime solving. I'm really surprised nobody thought of this earlier. Dylan Walsh and Poppy Montgomery play off of each other pretty well. The underlying story of Carrie trying to find her sister's killer could give the show some legs.

5. 2 Broke Girls (CBS)

Kat Dennings is really funny. I'm not quite sold on the rest of the cast, but it's worth watching just for her.

6. Up All Night (NBC) - Will Arnett and Christina Applegate are hilarious. Maya Rudolph ruins the show and needs to be kicked to the curb.

7. New Girl (FOX) - It's a little over the top, but I enjoy some of the nerdy references.

8. A Gifted Man (CBS) - The premise about a doctor's dead ex-wife visiting him to get him to do more good in his life is interesting. I like the cast, but I think the plot could wear thin very soon. Looks like it's renewal is sitting at about 50/50 right now.

9. Person of Interest (CBS) - There's probably a cool show dying to get out somewhere in there, but I don't think Michael Emerson is going to be enough to keep this show afloat. The weekly cases have been extremely dull so far.

10. Revenge (ABC) - intentionally campy? Not bad, but not really my thing. Might make for a good weekend marathon if I'm down with the flu or something

11. Whitney (NBC) - truthfully, not as bad as the promos made it out to be. It's not something I'd watch regularly, but it got a few chuckles out of me

12. Pan Am (ABC) - not bad, but a little too lighthearted for my taste. And I already watch Mad Men...

13. Ringer (CW) - just... yikes. Melodramatic music and some really awful CGI. Not really my thing either.

14. Suburgatory (ABC) - Pretty, pretty, pretty bad. The lead actress is gorgeous though. Cheryl Hines can also be pretty funny. I don't know why she chooses all these horrible roles outside of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

15. How to Be A Gentleman (CBS) - The only pilot I truthfully couldn't even make it through. Painfully unfunny. I don't see this lasting the year.

No interest in: Charlie's Angels, Secret Circle
Don't even want to talk about: Playboy Club, Free Agents

Ready to check out Grimm even though it looks bad.
Really ready to see Alcatraz, Awake, and The River

 

[timothy]

prime suspect
american horror story
unforgettable
2 broke girls
how to be a gentelman
person of interest
a gifted man
whitney

out of the list you provided those are my new show I like them.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I don't get Showtime or HBO (Homeland does look good!) and haven't seen American Horror Story yet (maybe tonight). So far, here's my list...

1. Pan Am (ABC). Despite being only marginally interested in the topic, I gotta admit the characters and the production values are very good. The spy angle is interesting and probably needed to provide some easy dramatic fodder.

2. Person of Interest (CBS). This is a toss-up with Terra Nova, but I'll give it the edge because Michael Emerson is so fun. I appreciate that the sci-fi-y Orwellian machine angle and Reese's mega-violence are a departure from the usual CBS fodder, but they need to develop both characters' backstory and motivation to keep me watching. More interesting crimes-of-the-week would help a lot. So far, they've been too plodding.

3. Terra Nova (FOX). Interesting premise, but for the most part the characters are just too vanilla to carry the story, and the plotlines are already starting to remind me of warmed-over VOY scripts. I wish they'd dump the family altogether and turn the show over to Stephen Lang.

And that's it for me so far. Of the shows I've sampled and rejected, here's the rankings, from the best to worst:

1. Revenge (ABC). Good cast, but the premise didn't grab me.

2. The Secret Circle (CW). I get enough weekly teen angst from The Vampire Diaries, thanks.

3. Playboy Club (NBC). Someone needed to think harder about "who is this show for?" It doesn't seem to be calibrated to appeal to women or to men. Also, needing to get approval from Playboy Inc. probably robbed it of some bite that could have saved it.

4. Ringer (CW). What a mess.

5. Death Valley (MTV). With a sure-fire comedy premise like "LA cops battle the undead," I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the show to be funny.

Coming Up This Fall:

Grimm (NBC). Probably will be paint-by-numbers but I'll check it out.

Once Upon a Time (ABC). No idea what to expect from this one; doesn't seem like the kind of premise that will work on broadcast or perhaps on TV at all.

Hell on Wheels (AMC). I'm hungry for historical drama, and the TV season hasn't exactly been full to the brim with winners, so if this is any good at all, I'll stick with it.

Coming Up Midseason:

The River (ABC). Seems gimmicky, another Lost wannabee that won't make it.

Touch (FOX). Worried it could be too mawkish.

Awake (NBC). Intriguing premise, but will be a challenge to make work on broadcast.

Alcatraz (FOX). How long is a premise like that good for? One season maybe.

Smash (NBC). Sounds like it could be a lot of fun.

 

[stj]

Missed most of these!

Person of Interest, not watching any more. Not interested in seeing Jim Caviezel really pissed off by his crown of thorns.

Suburgatory, borderline. The wonderfulness of "middle class" morality is going to be the moral of the story but it's not too convincing. Not quite enough characters to invest in, there's just the lead (I've already forgotten her name!) and Jeremy Sisto.

Terranova has possibilities. There may be too many personal jeopardy plots. I could appreciate the teen angst more if they did something science fictional with it, like having the older boy keen to live independently, as a frontiersman can in a way youth in modern industrial societies can't. But Dad wants to keep the kid safe (which is also to say, under his thumb.) Or realizing that funny named girl (a Mary Sue type character, funny names are huge red flags,) is an irresponsible adventuress.

 

[Cicero]

1. Pan Am
2. Person of Interest
-- White Collar
-- The Mentalist
3. Prime Suspect
-- The Big Bang Theory (new to me)
4. Suburgatory

Watched and didn't like (worst to best):

-- Modern Family (new to me)
1. Charlie's Angels
2. New Girl
3. Terra Nova
4. Whitney

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Just saw American Horror Story, my new #1 show. It's more fun than Pan Am, although I probably shouldn't rank it higher.

 

[Technobuilder]

Grouped By Taste In No Particular Order:

Fantastic:
-2 Broke Girls (CBS)
-Up All Night (NBC)

Great:
-Person of Interest (CBS)
-Prime Suspect (NBC)
-Terra Nova (FOX)
-New Girl (FOX)

Okay:
-Pan Am (ABC)
-Suburgatory (ABC)
-Whitney (NBC)
-Playboy Club (NBC) [Cancelled]
-Free Agents (NBC) [Cancelled]

Meh:
-Unforgettable (CBS)
-A Gifted Man (CBS)

Terrible:
-How to Be A Gentleman (CBS)

Haven't Seen Yet:
-Homeland (SHO)
-American Horror Story (FX)
-Revenge (ABC)
-Ringer (CW)

 

[JWD75]

I've only bothered to check out two new shows. The first is American Horror Story which I thought was awesome in all aspects - though I would prefer a bit less male nudity from here on out. The other is Terra Nova which is a show that I want to like because I find the premise interesting. Unfortunately due to extraordinary bland storylines and characters, I am rapidly losing interest in it.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

That's funny, I was just thinking that I want more male nudity.

 

[Mr Light]

1. Terra Nova: makes me nostalgic for 90s sci-fi
2. New Girl: it's cute
3. Up All Night: can't get enough GOB
4. 2 Girls: Kat Dennings is funny, the rest is lame
5. Whiney: meh.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Person of Interest delivered a good episode. Here's hoping that the show is finding its footing.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Pan Am is shaping up great, but the ratings are dropping and I fear it's doomed. This is why we can't have nice things on network TV.

 

[bigdaddy]

Pam Am I have only seen 1 episode of and it's really good, and so going to be canceled.

Suburgatory is a great show with a wonderful group of random characters.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Bad news for American Horror Story. Apparently the viewers noticed that it's garbage.

Awwww...but it's fun garbage! Party poopers.

 

[Technobuilder]

After another few episodes, I'm bumping up a few and downrating others.

Fantastic:
-2 Broke Girls (CBS) [Very CBS, but Edgy for CBS]
-Up All Night (NBC) [Will Arnett FTW.]
-Person of Interest (CBS) [The best Charlie's Angel's reboot this year.]

Great:
-Prime Suspect (NBC) [It's been stated Helen Mirren's UK Original blows this out of the water though]
-Pan Am (ABC) [Chistina Ricci is the main reason I'm watching this. Love her. Wish the writing was better.]

Okay:
-Terra Nova (FOX) [I like the premise but this story of the week dynamic is boring, Bring back the main Arc/Mythology aspect.]
-A Gifted Man (CBS) [I like almost all the actors except the one who plays the dead wife, not sure where the story can go, but I've watched others with less.]
-Suburgatory (ABC) [Oddball, but I feel it's trying too hard and not hard enough simultaneously]
-Whitney (NBC) [Episode 4 actually got a few chuckles, but the character is too neurotic and not funny enough to offset said crazy.]
-New Girl (FOX) {Hiatus} [Downrated for being gone due to baseball.]

Meh:

Terrible:
-Unforgettable (CBS) [No fun at all.]

Haven't Seen Yet:
-Homeland (SHO)
-Revenge (ABC)

Decided I don't care enough to bother:
-American Horror Story (FX) [Meh.]
-Ringer (CW)[I saw the first 20min. Meh.]

 

[Spot's Meow]

I've only checked out seven of the new shows this season, as I wasn't really interested in the new crime dramas (like Prime Suspect) or the majority of the new comedies (Big Bang Theory, Office, and Modern Family are enough for me at the moment). Here's what I thought, favorite to least favorite....

1. Revenge
I really love this show. Emily Van Camp always chooses shows I love (Everwood, Brothers and Sisters), so it made sense to check this one out, and I wasn't disappointed. I love how badass yet sweet her character is, it is not your typical female lead. Both the Hamptons conflicts and her inner conflicts are fascinating to watch. I also really like how the series started with what happens several months into the future, and now we are seeing how those events unfolded. I just can't find anything wrong with this show.

2. Pan Am
Really this should be tied with Terra Nova, as I feel pretty much the same about both of them. I don't love them, but they are growing on me each week. In the case of Pan Am, I am really starting to like the characters. I also enjoy the spy story.

3. Terra Nova
This show has a lot of potential, and I am interested to see where it goes. I am also intrigued by the little mystery of the boss guy's son and the strange rock etchings. I do feel that the show moved way too fast in the premiere though...watching now, it's mind-boggling to think that only a couple of episodes ago the main character was locked up in a prison for several years, suddenly escaped and then plunged himself through a time warp. And no one even mentions it anymore.

4. Secret Circle
This is another one that's growing on me. I was on the fence about the pilot, which also suffered from moving too quickly over things that should have been spread out over several episodes at least, but each week they make me like the characters more and more. And they have created a good pace of introducing mysteries and also solving others, so there is just enough to leave you satisfied but wanting more.

5. American Horror Story
I wanted to like this one a lot, but instead I feel uncertain about it. There are elements that I really like and find unique, but there are other parts of the show that just annoy me and make me want to turn it off. The biggest annoyance is how sex-centered the show is. I really hate shows like that, where every thought, word, and action from the characters seems to center around their sex lives. We get it, you're horny for the maid and haven't had sex with your wife in a long time, mention it and move on, don't write a whole episode around this. I will continue watching because my boyfriend loves the show.

6. Person of Interest
It's okay, but mostly boring. The crimes of the week aren't memorable or captivating, and there isn't enough of a continuing plot to keep me interested. I do wonder about Finch's backstory, but I would rather read up on the Wikipedia episode descriptions at the end of the season than actually spend time watching the show.

7. Last Man Standing
This show wasn't terrible, it's just not something I am going to watch beyond the pilot. It is a very typical '90s Tim Allen sitcom, which does have a time and a place, but isn't something I would watch religiously. This is the kind of show that makes for great reruns at 6 PM in the background while you're cooking dinner. I hope it makes it there someday, I'll probably watch it then.


I am looking forward to seeing Grimm, Once Upon a Time, and a few of the midseason shows as well.

 

[Starbreaker]

So, 6 weeks later:

1. Homeland
2. American Horror Story
3. 2 Broke Girls
4. Unforgettable
5. Up All Night

I literally watched every pilot and this is all I'm sticking with through the end of the season. The jury is still out on Up All Night too. Maya Rudolph is completely unnecessary.

 

[Caliburn24]

Homeland is the best so far, but how it sticks the landing in the finale is going to be important to how satisfying it really winds up being.

Terra Nova
Pan Am
Grimm
Person of Interest
Once Upon a Time

Are all broad, bland, pretty productions with(at the moment) almost no forward momentum or reason for me to really make them appointment TV week in and week out.

Overall I am really disappointed with the new crop of shows. Everything is so terribly by the numbers, with hardly any creativity or ambition. Everything is utterly safe and pedestrian. Gah.

 

[Mr Light]

I quickly lost any and all interest in Terra Nova. The stories are just really boring.

 

[Starbreaker]

I quickly lost any and all interest in Terra Nova. The stories are just really boring.

Yeah me too.