Saturday, May 31, 2014

Coming Up...


These twenty new tv shows are worth considering, although I'm not getting excited until at least the third episode mark (ie once they've survived the early cancellation round).

A couple of upcoming shows don't have easily accessible trailers yet, like iZombie (from the creator of Veronica Mars), Battle Creek (from the creator of Breaking Bad), and Messengers (since the CW gave us The 100, I'm looking on the network's scifi efforts favourably). So, not ignoring, just reluctant to comment without seeing at least thirty seconds of footage - regardless of the production team's pedigree or how good the series seems conceptually.

In no particular order:


1. Extant
Plot: An astronaut returns to Earth after a thirteen month solo mission to discover she's pregnant. Also, her husband made them a robot child while she was away... 
My reaction: Movie quality Spielberg entertainment. Conspiracies, complex family themes, probably aliens, all beautifully presented (editing, sound, brilliant actors, etc). CAN'T WAIT.
Cast: Mega-top notch. Halle Berry, Camryn Manheim, and Goran Visnjic, for starters.





2. Madam Secretary
Plot: Former CIA analyst becomes the Secretary of State, at the President's request.
My reaction: She's too... I don't know. Something in this trailer isn't clicking. I want to love it. Maybe the pilot will sell it better?
Cast: Glad to see Tea Leoni in a small screen leading role.


3. State of Affairs
Plot: CIA agent, who dated the president's son before his death, becomes said president's daily briefer.
My reaction: I'm in. I like Katherine Heigl and believe she deserves better than rom-coms. Story-wise, I can take some overly-dramatic/unrealistic moments in the name of good drama. 
Cast: Aside from Heigl, the wonderful Alfre Woodard. And Parker from Buffy! (Adam Kaufman's great).


4. The Leftovers
Plot: Two percent of the world's population mysteriously disappears, and those left aren't handling it well.
My reaction: Come on, it's HBO. That's enough of a reason to give this one a shot; in recent years the network's been hitting it out of the park. 
Cast: Includes Liv Tyler, and that blonde guy who's appeared in many relatively low grade teen shows (Secret Circle, 90210, Twisted, 10 Things I Hate About You). Glad to see he's graduated.



5. Scorpion
Plot: A bunch of geniuses start a company and end up, you know, sort of almost saving the world a lot.
My reaction: Still on the fence here. Could be fun, I love clever characters, but still, might go wrong. Requires cerebral writers, so let's hope the plots hold up.
Cast: The trailer just finished and I've already forgotten them. That's not a good sign, is it?


6. Gotham
Plot:  Focuses on the city of Gotham when Batman was still just a kid. 
My reaction: Oh, so very many fan boys and fan girls waiting for this one. I'm not really into Batman, but I'll see it so I can have a conversation with DC comic-loving friends.
Cast: Donal Logue and Ben McKenzie. Both solid talents.


7. The Flash
Plot: Scientist struck by lightning discovers he can now move superhumanly quickly. (I can't believe I just made The Flash sound so boring!).
My reaction: Superhero shows are fun and they obviously tap into something in the modern psyche (I mean, the number of youtube views on this trailer alone is wild).
Cast: Mostly young and pretty (because hello, this is the CW).


8. Manhattan
Plot: Scientists in New Mexico rush to build the first atomic bomb.
My reaction: Strange that a show about atomic bomb testing somehow seems so poetic and kind of beautiful. Heard some good things, can't wait to view.
Cast: I saw Olivia Williams (most under-rated modern actress) in a promo shot. Not sure how many episodes she's in, but those are the ones I'll be watching!


9. Halt and Catch Fire
Plot: It's the eighties and the computer revolution is happening, man. Or something like that.
My reaction: The energy of this one catches me. Maybe it's just a great trailer, but I don't think that's all it is. Can't wait to watch the pilot, I'm really curious.
Cast: Relative unknowns albeit with extremely cool bios.


10. Outlander
Plot: A married nurse from 1945 is thrown back in time to the 1700s (and also forced to marry).
My reaction: Interested to see if this will work because there's a whole heap of women-oriented time travel fiction out there, basically a (pretty much) untapped market cinematically.
Cast: Generally relative unknowns who look like they're doing a good, possibly great, job.


11. The Whispers
Plot: Imaginary friends turn out to be aliens getting kids to do bad stuff that will help the invisible invaders take over the world (well, I'm guessing that's the end game?).
My reaction: This idea is so fabulous I am angry at myself for a) not thinking of it first and b) not pitching it first. Definitely the kind of scifi I like. 
Cast: Total fan of Autumn Reeser (fantastic in Last Resort), but it kind of looks like she dies in the pilot?? Hopefully not! 


12. Legends
Plot: An undercover operative is having some identity issues. I sense multiple conspiracies! Good times.
My reaction: Glad to see Sean Bean starring in a series. Not only because he's a fantastic talent, but because, theoretically, it should make it harder to kill him off again. Right? RIGHT?
Cast: Ned Stark.


13. The Last Ship
Plot: A virus has wiped out most of the earth's population, but this lot look like they may have found the key to the cure.
My reaction: Michael Bay executive produces (which pretty much means nothing to me). I've listed the series because there are a number of great actors in the mix. Combined, they could probably make a commercial appear deep. Ocean deep. (Yes, I went there.)
Cast: Eric Dane, Rhona Mitra, Adam Baldwin? I want on that boat!




14. Forever
Plot: A kooky medical examiner who can't die works on cases with a widowed no-nonsense cop.
My reaction: Let's face it, Castle isn't going to last forever. This is in the Castle mould (albeit with a supernatural twist), but I think the ABC knows how to make this style of odd couple procedural work.
Cast: Ioan Gruffudd and Alana De La Garza. Solid leads.


15. Secrets and Lies
Plot: A guy who finds the body of a neighbour's kid while jogging becomes the lead suspect in the murder.
My reaction: This is a remake of an Aussie series, but it looks way better than the Down Under effort. I don't watch (that many) procedurals, but this looks fab.
Cast: Juliette Lewis and Ryane Phillippe face off. Both under-appreciated. Should be brilliant.


16. Gracepoint
Plot: A small town is shaken when a boy is murdered and (almost) everyone becomes a possible suspect.
My reaction: A remake of the British show, but in this case, I think the Brits probably did it better. 
Cast: At least they were smart enough to import David Tennant. 


17. Crossbones
Plot: The high sea adventures of legendary pilot Blackbeard in the 1700s.
My reaction: True, pirates aren't doing so well on the small screen of late, but when in doubt, it helps to cast one of the greatest actors alive today.
Cast: Hello, John Malkovich Being John Malk- no, wait, he's being Blackbeard. Whatever, I'm in.


18. Constantine
Plot: The Hellblazer character Constantine is brought to the small screen.
My reaction: I'm having visions of cancellation. Flashback to The Dresden Files, ie great source material made into a show that just isn't translating well to television.
Cast: No one I find inspiring, frankly. (Wondering why I've included this? A combination of optimism and peer pressure.)


19. The Knick
Plot: A hospital drama, but this one's set in the early 1900s at New York's Knickerbocker Hospital.
My reaction: Am guessing Steven Soderbergh finds medical advancement in the early 1900s extremely interesting, and this is probably very good, but I don't think my stomach could take it. 
Cast: Clive Owen, because when you're Steven Soderbergh, you aim high.


20. The Strain
Plot: A doctor at the New York Centre For Disease Control has to combat the spread of a virus whose symptoms look familiar... (Apparently these vampire types are NOT pretty.)
My reaction: No real trailer yet, so I'm breaking my own rules, but come on, Guillermo del Toro, people. 
Cast: Some creepy, very good actors like David Bradley and Nikolai Witschl.