This Fall TV Preview is not doing it for me

This fall season is not really doing it for me. I used to look forward to the fall season since I was 9 but now, it just sucks. Many of the shows feel like re-hashes and some of them are. It is just the same people over and over. For example, Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton both failed with their sitcom "Back to You" and now are trying their own sitcoms "The Middle" and "Hank." Can't they take a hint? The only promising show is "Glee" but like my best friend says, if it is different and smart and on FOX, then it will fail. Why House and 24 have survived is because they have been able to be mainstream and not quirky. "Glee" is quirky. Other familiar faces are Dominic Monaghan ("Lost") in "FlashForward," Scott Wolf ("Party of Five," "Everwood") and Elizabeth Mitchell ("24") in V, Christian Slater ("My Worst Enemy") in "The Forgotten," Julianna Marglies ("ER") in "The Good Wife," Courtney Cox ("Dirt") in Cougar Town, Alex O'Laughlin ("Moonlight") in "Three Rivers." Now we have yet another nurse show "Mercy", adding to "Nurse Jackie" and "Hawthrone," but it isn't on cable, so maybe it will survive like "Mentalist" has been able to with it being a clone copy of "Psych."

"Melrose Place" is just yet another re-hash. And "Eastwick" what is that? Christian Slater had a failed show ("My Worst Enemy") last fall and "The Forgotten" is a ironic name, it is just going to be forgotten. I think "The Vampire Diaries" will be a bad show but will survive thanks to tweens and will be like "One Tree Hill" and "Smallville." "The Beautiful Life" (The CW) will not survive. "Community" (NBC) is a tough thing, it is a new sitcom headed by Joel Mchale, I love him and I want it to survive but it can be a slippery slope. For sure the ABC sitcom "Modern Family" won't survive because it has a gay couple in it and so did 2003 ABC sitcom "It's All Relative" and that did not survive. The FOX sitcom "Brothers" won't survive, why does FOX keep putting bad sitcoms? The only funny thing they got are their cartoons and "The Cleveland Show" seems like more of the same.

Kath & Kim Review

I didn't think I would do a review on this show, Kath & Kim started as an Australian show. Now NBC has an American version with Selma Blair and the wonderful Molly Shannon. While the original Kath & Kim, Kath was much older looking than Molly Shannon. The show is not only about a mother and daughter, but two selfish materialistic superficial women. The joke would be that they are dumb and we are smart, but it doesn't end there, Molly and Selma bring an emotional truth to it. With improv comedians, being filmed with one camera is a gimme, you would think you would be tired of it. The series needs more than just that. When I heard Kim wanted a divorce, i thought it would be about a real reason, but it is just a dumb reason. Kim basically is an ignorant spoiled brat. Her new husband Craig (Mikey Day) is your typical young 'dude' but he does seem to be 'smarter' and more idealistic about marriage. In the pilot, the Bodyguard is refrenced and a smart thing was not using the song "I Will Always Love you" and use another Whitney Houston song. John Michael Higgins, a Christopher Guest staple plays Kath's boyfriend/fiance and his character is much more delightful than his past characters.

Pushing Daisies Episode One Review

Wednesdays 8PM Eastern/7PM Central ABC

"Pushing Daisies" is about Ned (Lee Pace), a pie maker who at nine years old discovered he could bring the dead back to life. He figures out the rest of the rules in a horrible way. If whomever he revived, stays alive more than a minute, anyone else in close proximity dies. His dog dies, he revives him and a squirrel dies. His mother kills a fly, he brings the fly to life and his mom dies from a blood vessel popping in her brain. He brings her back to life, but his neighbor (the father of the girl he loves) dies. But there is just something worse. His mother kisses him good night and dies. Meaning that he touches whoever he brought back to life one more time, they are dead forever. Now in present time, he brings murder victims back to life to find out who killed them but only for a minute. With private detective Emerson Cod (Chi McBride), they collect the reward money, which most often is attached to who had been killed.

What can I say? No words can accurately express how wonderful this show is. I will try, it is beautiful, imaginative, warm and full of promise. The show was created by Bryan Fuller, who also created "Wonderfalls," "Dead Like Me," and the pilot for "The Amazing Screw-On Head." It is also directed by Adam Kane and Barry Sonnenfeld, who directed the pilot and executive produced the live-action "The Tick." He also directed the two Men In Black movies and produced the upcoming Enchanted. It shows in its beautiful imagery that is not too showy and not off-putting, it reminds me a bit of Tim Burton's work. Even with its morbid subject matter, it is fun and optimistic. Chi McBride, who made up for "The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer" with "Boston Public," more than makes up for it as Ned's partner, who serves as Ned's conscience, in this one. The dialogue is crisp, maybe a bit too intelligent for average folk. Personally, I just love the dialouge. Lee Pace wonderfully plays Ned with exuberance and understandable lament, Ned is a man who chose not to touch anyone fearing he might loose them and as a result, many want to get close to him but he doesn't let them. Lee Pace has a way he makes things sound matter-of-factly. The narrator is a bit tacky but he grow on you, explaining every scenario and the pilot, if anything, definitely needed explaining. The complicated plot and other plot twists are made simple through the narrator and apt storytelling.

Above are Charlotte "Chuck" (Anna Fiel) and Olive Snook (Kristin Chenoweth), the two women in Ned's life. Olive Snook, works for Ned in his pie shop and lives next door. She gives his dog the much need affection he needs since Ned's touch would kill the dog. She has come on to him and can't understand why he won't get close to her. Chuck, Ned's lady love at 9, whose father died, was Ned's first and only kiss. Chuck was killed on a cruise and Ned's world spirals. He knows the risks but he lets her live longer than a minute--the crooked funeral director dies in consequence. Like Ned, Chuck has a unique story as well. She was raised by her two shut-in aunts and had to take care of them. Lily (Swoosie Kurtz) and Vivian (Ellen Greene) are her creepy and eccentric aunts, who used to be synchronized swimmers with a mermaid gimmick. Chuck was also forced to stay at home, so she read many many books dreaming of an adventure. Once she decides to go on cruise--which is free, taking some prized monkey trinkets for the tour office lady--and dies at the hands of a murder who suffocates his victims with a pink bag with a happy face on it. Every time the bag appears are pretty eerie.

The episode has a lot of names have repetitive themes such as the town he and Chuck lived in--Coeur d'Coeurs. Chuck's aunts were the Darling Mermaid Darlings, and Boutique Travel Travel Boutique. There is a wonderful scene where Chuck is surprised she can't touch Ned, she asks, "Not even a kiss?" Ned gives her a face of 'are you kidding me?' which is classic Lee Pace, if such a thing would be known by the mainstream audience. So yeah, Chuck and Ned play the unrequited love with great something... I am out of words.

I just pray it won't get canceled and people will catch to it.

Reaper Episode 2 Review

"Charged" - October 2, 2007

I didn't review the first episode of "Reaper," because lots of people did. Second episodes of new shows are always interesting for me. Sometimes they are 'fillers,' that are sometimes meaningless, just meant to fill in time. Some continue the story of the first. I feel they are completely different from the pilot. Unique and sometimes, not similar to the rest of the season. Most second episodes are written by other writers and never write other episodes.

The cast gels, Brett Harrison is awesome as Sam, endearing and cute. His sidekick Sock (Tyler Labine), like Entertainment Weekly says, you actually want to hang out with him. Tyler has played sidekicks a lot and in other 3 shows. Andi (Missy Peregrym), the love interest is actually likable as well. You can understand why Sam likes her. She is fun. One complaint: Ben (Ricky Gonzalez) is Hispanic and almost a 'red shirt'. For those that don't know, that is a Star Trek reference. Almost everyone with red shirts got killed. He got hurt and seriously burned in the first episode. Then in this episode, Sam says that 'somebody' ended up in the hospital. Ben's name was not even mentioned, in terms of him being the one that ended up in the hospital. Ben gets hurt once again in this episode---and still is on Sam's side and wants to continue fighting. Everyone has talked about Ray Wise as the Devil, the role is delightful. I was afraid he was going to be annoying but so far none are.

The series is like any superhero/sci-fi/fantasy show but much funnier and with a complicated plot made simple. To save his life, Sam's dad soul his first born's soul, thinking he wouldn't even have kids because the doctor told him so. What he didn't know was that the doctor was paid to lie to them by the Devil. So then Sam was born and when he became 21, he would be the Devil's bounty hunter for the rest of his life. The Devil threatens Sam's mom's life to do the job. So Sam lies to his mom telling him he is not working for the Devil anymore. What is cool is that Sam's friends Sock and Ben and his father know about his 'secret identity.' Interestingly enough, the Devil is not the one encouraging Sam to lie to his mother, it is his father--with a new car. Said car is then turned against him.

So for the second episode, Sam is not sure about his destiny. He avoids doing his bounty hunter job. The Devil convinces him like a father that sees potential in their son and encourages him with tough live. Cool things that remind me a bit of Beetlejuice, Sam gets transports (Vessel) for his prisoners in a creepy box that follows him. Also, when he finally has his prisoner trapped, he takes him to 'hell on Earth.' Like in the first episode, he went to the DMV, that reminded me of afterlife office Beetlejuice went to. Each Vessel is designed especially after each target, supposedly--their 'fighting' outfits change with each foe as well. The first one is a dirt devil, the second is a remote control car. Basically, regular stuff. In this second episode, the foe ('The Soul') is barely seen until halfway through the episode, which is interesting.

Moonlight First Episode Review

All vampire shows have their lore and each time they start, they got to explain the rules. "Moonlight" gets it over with it by the beginning. Mick is a 90-year old vampire detective who lives in L.A. who doesn't hurt innocents, he protects innocents... No it is not "Angel" and it has been mentioned before. Alex O' Laughlin ("The Shield") is all with the feathered hair and intriguing and charming. We do get to see him shirtless in the beginning as well. He narrates like flim-noir but the show is not shot in such a way. He can disappear out of nowhere like Angel but stakes, crosses and garlic don't effect him. The sun just makes him 'sick' but he doesn't instantly burst into flames. He does have the super smelling, super strength, incredible speed and rapid healing abilities. Cliches are abound like him falling in love with the hot blond reporter Beth (Sophia Myles). Any show that hires Kevin Wisman ("Alias" gadget man Marshall) is a good one. Also, Jason Dohring, fresh off from "Veronica Mars," plays the 400-year old Josef. He is coy and sexy, great to see. Nice to see him in dress clothes. Brian J. White, also fresh off "The Sheild" plays a lieutenant.

The vampires on this show have the teeth, the eyes, but not the monster faces from "Buffy." Mick, like Angel, feeds from medical blood packets. The vampires have connections, they actually have jobs, some big ones. Josef is scared the secret of the vampires will be revealed and doesn't want anyone to know and puts it on Mick to kill those responsible. The real connection between Mick and Beth is that Beth is the girl he was sent to save on his first case. She was kidnapped by his ex-wife Coraline, (40 Days 40 Nights, A Knight's Tale, and "Dirt" Shannyn Sossamon) the one who sired him. Mick is like Nicholas (Geraint Wyn Davies), the vampire from "Forever Knight" that had morals and was ethical, not a 'soul' concept like Angel had. The real conenciton with "Angel" is gone. Angel's former showrunner David Greenwalt was brought on as executive producer and showrunner for Moonlight after the original pilot presentation was shot. During that time he ditched most of the pilot and gave several prominent roles to some new actors. But he then left the show for personal reasons. It is not known how much of his influence is still left in the first episode shown but you can kind of feel it. The original pilot writers Ron Koslow and Trevor Munson remain as Executive Producers and Creator credit.

The show is definitely quotable. I see it being as a cult favorite, if it has breakaway success, let's see...

Big Shots First Episode Review

Four guys that are friends who are high up execs with lots of money and drama. Duncan (Dylan McDermott) is the bad boy play boy with ex-wives with a teenage daughter Cameron (Peyton List) who calls him 'Duncan' who drops out of school and gets a job at his makeup business. He still has sex with his ex-wife, her mother Lizbeth (the stoic Paige Turco from "Rescue Me"). James (Michael Vartan) is the well-meaning guy with he wife and kids. Karl ("West Wing" Joshua Malina) is the pharmaceutical nerd that is having a manipulative interior designer mistress Marla ("Tru Calling" Jessica Collins) and has a worryworth wife Wendy ("Gilmore Girls" Amy Sloan--she played Sheila). Brody (Christopher Titus) is the cool guy whipped by his wife Janelle (no one cast--we just see her back). He is like the Chandler of the group. Why are trannies so popular with ABC's new shows? First with 'Dirty Sexy Money," now here where Duncan was caught having sex with a transgender individual (Jazzman) in a public restroom. Poor James, first is fired by his boss, his boss dies and then he finds out his wife had an affair with his boss. Nia Long (Are We There Yet?) deliciously plays James' co-worker Katie. She is not above having sex with hot men and she seems to be a good friend to James. What is great is how Duncan can read James' metaphor or whatever without bringing it up.

The show is fun, not all of it gels and some of the dialogue is trite, especially Duncan's. As for the shirtless scenes, we see Joshua Molina twice in bed with his mistress (eh..), Dylan McDermott shirtless in a steamy pool room and Chris Titus with a towel over his chest. The poor guys, the women manipulate them or try to get the best of them. Karl's mistress Marla gets to know his wife Wendy and they become friends and she wrangles up that she is their new house designer. Duncan's daughter Cameron tries to stump him as she can. Are the women in the show treated the same on "Entourage"? So far, the men are chauvinist pigs but the women or gender-wise, are trifling. We don't even see Jeanelle's front side and doesn't speak one line. The only one that doesn't seem trifling is Katie, but she is promiscuous The argument can go to "Sex and the City" where they say that they treat men like crap and toys. But it would be refreshing if one show focused on one gender wouldn't tip the scales.

Dirty Sexy Money First Episode Review

"Dirty Sexy Money"

Wednesday 10pm

I did not expect to like this show. I thought it was going to obnoxious, the characters are a bit but its okay.

Peter Krause plays a other respectable honest guy, a bit better than his "Six Feet Under" character. You can actually like him this time. He plays Nick, whose father's life was all the rich family The Darling's whims. They are seriously screwed up rich people who need constant attention. He practically grew up along side them but some resented him, namely Brian (Glenn Fitzgerald), who is a priest who refuses to claim his son. William Baldwin, plays the oldest Patrick, who is the District Attorney and has a thing for trannies. Jeremy (The go-to screwed up guy Seth Gabel from "Nip/Tuck") is the young one and most misunderstood by his father. He has a coke dealer but is well meaning. He is extremely close to Juliet ("The O.C." Samaire Armstrong), who is basically a Paris-caricature but she plays her with honesty. Nick has a past with Karin (Natlaie Zea), who is still not over him and all over him.

Zoe McLellan plays Nick's wife Lisa, who like Nick, isn't fond of the Darlings but when Nick is offered the job by Tripp Darling (Donald Sutherland)---she is okay with it. Even though they know what it will entail, Nick as their lawyer/publicist is their babysitter--they still dive into it, like a deal with he devil. Donald offers Nick a boat load of money. Surprise, surprise, Donald is actually caring in this one, he doesn't come off as a prick. Jill Clayburgh ("Nip/Tuck", "Ally Mcbeal") is a great pick as the mother. Even though Nick and Lisa know things won't be great, they still dive into it. So do we, everything is a bit practicable but the show is hilarious and enthralling. The 'serious' stuff doesn't bog down the show, which is a good. Like all these screwed-up dysfunctional families, you can tell they actually care about each other. One of the exec producers is Greg Berlanti, also responsible for "Brothers & Sisters," but the show doesn't feel like it. It feels more like a The Royal Tenenbaums/"Nip/Tuck hybrid with a "Boston Legal" overlay.

Bionic Woman First Episode Review

I never saw a full episode of the "The Six Million Dollar Man" or the original "The Bionic Woman", but I did see the TV Movie of the Bionic Girl, Sandra Bullock. NBC is counting a lot on "Bionic Woman." It is pretty good, from the producers of the current 'Battlestar Galactica," it feels like it. Like all current shows, this one has its mysteries. Michelle Ryan, the English woman, as Jamie Sommers, may not seem like much as a character but her charisma takes control. Jamie takes care of his sister Becca (Lucy Hale), runs a bar and has a boyfriend Will (the enthralling Chris Bowers, who looks a bit like "Moonlight"'s Alex O'Laughlin) is working on the Bionic project. The last Bionic Woman come out from the dead and tries to kill Jamie and Will. Jamie suffers the most damage. Will decides to make Jamie Bionic. Jamie feels violated when she finds out what happened to her.

A great cast is assembled, Miguel Ferrer (as the boss guy), Will Yun Lee (as an operative or something), Mark Shepard (As Anthony, a escaped prisoner claiming to be betrayed) and Molly Price (the number 2 woman) rounding out the cast. By the end of the episode, she understands her powers more and takes her power back by putting down that the company must play by her rules. The breakout star is Katee Scakhoff ("Battlestar Galactica") is just wonderful, she is funny, sexy and cool. Perfect villain or antagonist. What can sum up the whole thing is when a little girl sees Jamie running fast and tells her mom, who doesn't believe her. "I just think it was cool that a girl could do that." The pilot isn't all that thrilling but has good potential.

Kid Nation Second Episode Review

When it is suggested to kill the chickens on the farm for food, other kids that didn't get their chance to stand up and get their limelight do. There is Emilie, who is opposed to killing the chickens and with two other kids try to protest and try to stop the chickens from being killed. When they decided two to be killed, she still went to see them but couldn't bear it after the first one was off. So there is big ethical questions and questions of whether or not if you would kill the chicken at that age. Emilie, does think about the others. On the other side, Greg, the oldest, tries to get the gold star by killing the chickens, boasting that he had killed animals before. Also cleaning dishes, which Mike was suspicious of. The Gold Star went to the well-deserving Michael, instead of Greg. Greg did give a good reason for why he wanted it, for college but that would be a lot of kid's reasons. Maybe the drive wasn't in the right place. Especially his reaction to Michael getting the star. I am glad Emilie stuck with it and didn't go home.

Journeyman Review

The story of a man who disappears from the current timeline for long periods of time and appears in different time periods, Dan Vassar ends up in 1987 or 1997, and sometimes runs into his family members and friends, even himself. He can be diriving and taken on one of his 'trips' and his car crashes into a post. He even bumps into his dead ex-wife Livia. In his current life, he is married and has a child with Katie, his brother Jack's ex or something. Entertainment Weekly called the show, the same old same old, good protagonist but kind of mundane. But the show really effects. Everything is devastating. I felt down through the first half. Everything was going down for Dan. Everyone thinks he's crazy, he has disappeared for two days ans everyone suspects drugs. He saves lives and tries to figure out who he really is there to save. The ending of the pilot is amazing and really pulled me together. But I don't know if I can go through this up and down sort emotional ride every week, people doubting the hero. I had my doubts about Kevin McKidd, some people have compared him to Anthony Michael Hall--he looks more like Daniel Craig to me. Entertainment Weekly calls him a star ready to pop but the show isn't his vehicle to propel him. After seeing this, I do agree he has charisma and has star potential.

Kid Nation Review

"Kid Nation" starts out the story of the town of Bonzana and the bus comes into an empty town. When they arrive at 'the middle of nowhere,' the host welcomes them and then they have to carry wagons four miles to the town. One kid sprains their ankle and is carried to the town by two girls. They arrive to the town and find flat mattresses folded into chests in dusty and ratty rooms. Like any "Survivor" show, the contestants talk to the camera their inner thoughts and fight and argue with each other. They try to cook and the others just beg and beg for the food and when it comes, they complain. The four children chosen for the tribunal, their leaders, are criticized and put down. The younger kids (8-10) clash with the older kids (12-14). The tribunal split the 40 kids into four groups guided by colors. They are later pit in a combination harking back to Nickelodeon's "Double Dare" or FOX Kids' answer to "Survivor" called "Moolah Beach" with colored water. From that, the merchants, laborers and such are chosen. The host gives them a choice for their prize: seven Outhouses (they only had 1 so far) or a television. I admit that when I was a kid, I would have wanted a TV but now, I just gotta poop. 40 kids and 1 toliet? I don't think so! So they wisely chose the toilets. Conflict erupts when the younger kids are chosen to cook and don't clean up after themselves. They have a big town meeting and one of the kids leaves and another kid is awarded a golden star.

So far, so good start.

A lot of the kids stood out but these stood out for me. I didn't want to mention them all.

Mike, the lead boy, can be like the next Bill Gates, he does seem to have a genuine concern for his 'people.' He struggles to be taken seriously and stresses out about dynamic problems and structure.

This girl Laurel is awesome. On the website, she says somehting that makes me jump up and down: "I'm not sure if President Bush will read this (probably not) and I don't want to hurt his feelings but I am not to happy with his decisions. I believe he vetoed a bill that would allow children to get access to free health care. The whole War going on that he is in favor of and I am strongly not in favor of. There has been a lot of lying and deception with this President. He does not seem real bright like a president should be."

Sophia is 14 and so mature, she got the golden star first because of her initiative in cooking. She was criticized by other kids are being bossy about the plates, but someone had to lay down the law. There was a great tearful call between her and her mother. In another awesome scene, she danced for nickels to get a bike.

The oldest of the kids at 15, Greg strikes me as that blond kid from "Lord of the Flies," you know something is going to go down. I'm kidding. But there is certainly a lot of conflict between the younger and older kids that might come up again later. When he and Mike fought, they later apologized, which was great.

I left the best for last. Michael is the most articulate person I have heard of years, no matter the age. He is 14, I remember lots of articulate 14 years old back in High School so it's no surprise. But he, just, gives me hope for the future. "Our current president, George W Bush, because he has done more to damage relations with other countries than any other president." As for getting green, "I would more strongly support research and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and have the US become a signatory nation of the Kyoto Protocol."