It’s September, and the fall television
season is almost upon us. Most of the shows will return in a couple of weeks. I
think I’ll try out nine new shows. It usually takes me three to four episodes
to commit to them though, so we’ll see what happens. Here’s the run down
(starting with Sunday):
THE SIMPSONS [FOX]
Upcoming Season: 28
Premiere Date/Time: Sun, Sept
25 @ 8pm
Genre: Animated Comedy
Starring: Dan Castellaneta (Hey Arnold!)
Hank Azaria (Smurfs, Ray Donovan)
Creator: Matt Groening (Futurama)
Showrunner: Al Jean (The Critic)
Why I watch: I’ve seen every
episode, why stop now?
Coming up: The 600th
Episode will be their annual Treehouse of Horror
[NEW!] SON OF ZORN [FOX]
Upcoming Season: 1
Premiere Date/Time: Sun, Sept
25 @ 8:30pm
Genre: Live & Animated
Comedy
Starring: Jason Sudekis (Last Man on Earth, SNL)
Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Creators: Reed Agnew &
Eli Jorne (Wilfred)
Showrunner: Sally McKenna (newcomer)
Premise: Zorn, an animated
hero tries to win back his human wife
Why I’ll give it a chance: Interesting
premise, looks kinds funny
What could hurt it: Both
original showrunners/creators stepped down
THE LAST MAN ON EARTH [FOX]
Upcoming Season: 3
Premiere Date/Time: Sun, Sept
25 @ 9:30pm
Genre: Apocalyptic Comedy
Starring: Will Forte (SNL, Nebraska, MacGruber)
January Jones (Mad Men, X-Men: First Class)
Creator: Will Forte (That 70’s Show, 3rd Rock from the
Sun)
Showrunner: Dan Sterling (The Office, Sarah Silverman Program)
Why I watch: The concept
still works and Forte is cringingly good
Coming up: Pat and his armed
hazmat suited companions invade
[NEW!] WESTWORLD [HBO]
Upcoming Season: 1
Premiere Date/Time: Sun, Oct
2 @ 8:00pm
Genre: Western/Sci-Fi
Starring: Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs)
Ed Harris (Truman Show, Pollock, The Rock)
Creators: Jonathan & Lisa
Joy Nolan (Person of Interest, Dark
Knight)
Showrunners: Jonathan &
Lisa Joy Nolan
Premise: A futuristic theme
park with artificial beings go haywire
Why I’ll give it a chance: The
cast and HBO is promoting it endlessly
What could hurt it: Looks a
little dark and confusing
THE WALKING DEAD [AMC]
Upcoming Season: 7
Premiere Date/Time: Sun, Oct 23
@ 9pm
Genre: Drama / Horror
Starring: Andrew Lincoln (Love Actually, Strike Back)
Norman Reedus (Boondock Saints)
Creator: based on Robert
Kirkman’s graphic novel
Showrunner: Scott Gimple (Chase, Flash Forward)
Why I watch: It’s an intense
hour of drama and zombies
Coming up: Someone’s dead
from a brutal batting
LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER [HBO]
Upcoming Season: Still in
Season 3
Premiere Date/Time: Sun,
still running @ 10pm
Genre: ‘News’ program
Starring: John Oliver (Daily Show, Community)
Creator: John Oliver
Showrunner: Tim Carvell (The Daily Show)
Why I watch: Love Oliver’s
rants
Coming up: More focussed news
stories
THE BIG BANG THEORY [CBS]
Upcoming Season: 10
Premiere Date/Time: Mon, Sept
19 @ 8pm
Genre: Friends Comedy
Starring: Jim Parsons (Garden State, The Muppets, Normal Heart)
Johnny Galecki (Roseanne, In Time, Christmas Vacation)
Creators: Chuck Lorre (2½ Men) & Bill Prady (Dharma & Greg)
Showrunners: Prady &
Steven Molaro (The Class, All That)
Why I watch: Great cast
chemistry
Coming up: An actual wedding
for Leonard and Penny
GOTHAM [FOX]
Upcoming Season: 3
Premiere Date/Time: Mon, Sept
19 @ 8pm
Genre: Crime/Thriller
Starring: Ben McKenzie (Southland, The OC)
Donal Logue (Vikings, Terriers, Zodiac)
Creator/Showrunner: Bruno
Heller (Rome, The Mentalist)
Why I watch: The Riddler is
even more fun than Penguin
Coming up: More villain
backstories, and maybe Joker
[NEW!] CONVICTION [ABC]
Upcoming Season: 1
Premiere Date/Time: Mon, Oct
3 @ 10pm
Genre: Courtroom Drama
Starring: Haley Atwell (Agent Carter, Captain America)
Eddie Cahill (CSI:NY, Friends, Glory Days)
Creators: Liz Friedlander (Stalker), Liz Friedman (Jessica Jones)
Showrunner: Friedlander and
Friedman
Premise: Former bad girl
first daughter is blackmailed to do some lawyering
Why I’ll give it a chance: I
like Haley Atwell and courtroom shenanigans
What could hurt it: Like
Friedman’s credits, not Friedlander’s
THE ODD COUPLE [CBS]
Upcoming Season: 3
Premiere Date/Time: Mon, Oct
17 @ 9:30pm
Genre: Friends Comedy
Starring: Matthew Perry (Friends, Mr. Sunshine, Go On)
Thomas Lennon (Sean Saves the World, Reno 911)
Creators: Danny Jacobson (Mad About You), Joe Keenan (Frasier)
Matthew Perry (Mr. Sunshine, Go On)
Showrunner: Bob Daily (Frasier, Desperate Housewives)
Why I watch: Lennon is
hilarious a persnickety Felix
Coming up: More roommate
antics.
[NEW!] ATLANTA [FX]
Upcoming Season: 1
Premiere Date/Time: Tue, Sept
6 @ 10pm
Genre: Dramdey
Starring: Donald Glover (Community, The Martian)
Brian Tyree Henry (newcomer)
Creator: Donald Glover (Childish
Gambino videos)
Showrunner: Glover & Paul
Simms (Newsradio, Divorce)
Premise: A rapper’s cousin
tries to help him make it big in Atlanta
Why I’ll give it a chance: Donald
Glover has some great subtle humour
What could hurt it: I’m not
really into rap
BROOKLYN NINE-NINE [FOX]
Upcoming Season: 4
Premiere Date/Time: Tue, Sept
20 @ 8pm
Genre: Workplace Comedy
Starring: Andy Samberg (SNL, Hot Rod, Celeste & Jesse Forever)
Andre Braugher (Last Resort, Homicide:Life on the Street)
Creator: Michael Shur (SNL, The Office, Parks & Recreation)
Showrunners: Shur & Dan
Goor (Daily Show, Parks & Recreation)
Why I watch: Such a great
ensemble. Braugher is awesome.
Coming up: Jake and Holt
hiding from Jimmy Figgis in Florida
NEW GIRL [FOX]
Upcoming Season: 6
Premiere Date/Time: Tue, Sept
20 @ 8:30pm
Genre: Friend Comedy
Starring: Zooey Deschanel (Elf, 500 Days of Summer, Yes Man)
Jake Johnson (Safety Not Guaranteed, Let’s Be Cops)
Creator: Elizabeth Merriwether
(new)
Showrunners: Brett Baer &
David Finkel (Just Shoot Me, 30 Rock)
Why I watch: Love the
camaraderie among the roommates
Coming up: CeCe & Schmidt
married life and Nick makes a choice
[NEW!] THIS IS US [ABC]
Upcoming Season: 1
Premiere Date/Time: Tue, Sept
20 @ 9pm
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Starring: Mandy Moore (A Walk to Remember, Tangled)
Sterling K Brown (ACS: The People vs OJ Simpson)
Creator/Showrunner: Dan
Fogelman (The Neighbors, Grandfathered)
Premise: Follow a group
people who share the same birthday
Why I’ll give it a chance: It
seems Parenthood-ish
What could hurt it: Fogelman’s
previous series were not that great.
MARVEL’S AGENTS OF SHIELD [ABC]
Upcoming Season: 4
Premiere Date/Time: Tue, Sept
20 @ 10pm
Genre: Action/Drama/Sci-Fi
Starring: Clark Gregg (Avengers, New Adventures of Old Christine)
Ming-Na Wen (ER, Mulan,The Single Guy)
Creators: Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Avengers)
Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog)
Showrunner: Jed Whedon & Tancharoen
(Dollhouse)
Why I watch: Every episode is
full of action, humour & great stories
Coming up: Daisy is rogue,
there’s a new director and maybe Ghost Rider
THE FLASH [CW]
Upcoming Season: 3
Premiere Date/Time: Tue, Oct 4
@ 8pm
Genre: Action/Adventure
Starring: Grant Gustin (Glee, 90210, Arrow)
Jesse L Martin (Law & Order, Smash, Rent)
Creators: Greg Berlanti (Dawson’s Creek, Everwood, Eli Stone)
Andrew Kreisberg (Boston Legal, Arrow) & Geoff Johns (Arrow)
Showrunner: Gabrille Stanton
(Grey’s Anatomy, Haven)
Why I watch: Reminds me of Smallville with a little less angst
Coming up: ‘Flashpoint’ past
reboot storyline.
THE MINDY PROJECT
[HULU]
Upcoming Season: 5
Premiere Date/Time: Tue, Oct
4
Genre: Workplace Comedy
Starring: Mindy Kaling (The Office, Wreck-It Ralph)
Chris Messina (Newsroom, Damages, Argo, Ruby Sparks)
Creator: Mindy Kaling (The Office)
Showrunner: Matt Warburton (Simpsons, Community)
Why I watch: The quick comedy
one-liners
Coming up: Mindy makes a
choice between Danny & Jody
MODERN FAMILY [ABC]
Upcoming Season: 8
Premiere Date/Time: Wed, Sept
21 @ 9pm
Genre: Family Comedy
Starring: Ty Burrell (Back to You, Out of Practice)
Julie Bowen (Boston Legal, Weeds, Lost, Ed)
Creators/Showrunners: Steve
Levitan (Just Shoot Me, Frasier, Wings)
Christopher Lloyd (Wings, Frasier, Out of Practice, Back to You)
Why I watch: Best family
sitcom on television
Coming up: Haley tries to get
over Andy, Claire is boss but now Jay’s there
[NEW!] DESIGNATED SURVIVOR [ABC]
Upcoming Season: 1
Premiere Date/Time: Wed, Sept
21 @ 10:00pm
Genre: Drama Thriller
Starring: Kiefer Sutherland (24, Touch, The Lost Boys)
Kal Penn (House, How I Met Your Mother, Battle Creek)
Creator: David Guggenheim (Safe House)
Showrunner: Amy B Harris (Sex and the City, Gossip Girl)
Premise: A cabinet minister
becomes president after a terror attack
Why I’ll give it a chance: This
political thriller looks very intriguing
What could hurt it: Worried
it’s just going to become a 24 clone.
[NEW!] FREQUENCY [CW]
Upcoming Season: 1
Premiere Date/Time: Wed, Oct
5 @ 9pm
Genre: Drama/Fantasy/Mystery
Starring: Peyton List (Jessie, Bunk’d)
Riley Smith (Nashville, 90210, Drive)
Creator/Showrunner: Jeremy
Carver (Supernatural, Being Human)
Premise: A detective teams up
with her dead father through a radio
Why I’ll give it a chance: The
trailer actually got me interested
What could hurt it: Doesn’t
look like the premise can last long
[NEW!] THE GOOD PLACE [NBC]
Upcoming Season: 1
Premiere Date/Time: Mon, Sept
19 @ 10pm (usually on Thursdays)
Genre: Divine Comedy
Starring: Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars, Forgetting Sarah Marshall)
Ted Danson (Cheers, Becker, CSI:, Fargo)
Creator/Showrunner: Michael
Shur (Parks & Rec, Brooklyn
Nine Nine)
Premise: A terrible person
somehow makes it to heaven to start anew
Why I’ll give it a chance: Michael
Shur is involved, so it should be funny
What could hurt it: The
premise does not seem that strong.
NNEW!] MACGYVER [CBS]
Upcoming Season: 1
Premiere Date/Time: Fri, Sept
23 @ 8pm
Genre: Action Adventure
Starring: Lucas Till (newer X-Men films)
George Eads (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
Creator: Peter M Lenkov (Hawaii Five-O) & Lee David Zlotoff (MacGyver)
Showrunner: Lenkov
Premise: A young MacGyver
starts a new organization to stop terrorism
Why I’ll give it a chance: I loved
MacGyver & the original writer is returning
What could hurt it: The
original was cheesy, hopefully this one isn’t
[NEW!] LUKE CAGE [NETFLIX]
Upcoming Season: 1
Premiere Date/Time: Fri, Sept
30 @ 12:01am
Genre: Crime Drama
Starring: Mike Colter (Jessica Jones, Zero Dark Thirty)
Frankie Faison (The Wire, Banshee, Silence of the Lambs)
Creator/Showrunner: Cheo
Hodari Coker (Ray Donovan, NCIS: LA)
Premise: A hero with
impenetrable skin becomes a superhero for hire
Why I’ll give it a chance: Other
Marvel Netflix shows are pretty awesome
What could hurt it: Don’t
know much about this character
MASTERCHEF JUNIOR
[FOX]
Upcoming Season: 5
Premiere Date/Time: Fri, Nov
TBD @ 8pm
Genre: Reality Competition
Starring: Gordon Ramsay (Hell’s Kitchen, Hotel Hell)
Christina Tosi (Unique Sweets)
Creator: Based on the British
version of the show by Franc Roddam
Showrunner: Robin Ashbrook (As Seen on TV)
Why I watch: Great dishes and
the judges are a bit nicer
Coming up: More kids that
make me feel bad about my lack of skills
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE [NBC]
Upcoming Season: 42
Premiere Date/Time: Sat, Oct
1 @ 11:30pm
Genre: Sketch Comedy
Starring: Kate McKinnon (Ghostbusters)
Cecily Strong (The Awesomes)
Creator/Showrunner: Lorne
Michaels (30 Rock, Portlandia)
Why I watch: It’s an
institution. Always something to talk about.
Coming up: A season without
Taran Killam and Jay Pharaoh
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIIMY FALLON [NBC]
Upcoming Season: 4
Premiere Date/Time: ongoing @
11:30pm
Genre: Talk Show
Starring: Jimmy Fallon (SNL, Fever Pitch, Whip It)
Creator: Lorne Michaels &
NBC
Showrunner: Josh Lieb (The Daily Show, Newsradio)
Why I watch: It’s always
filled with fun moments and games
What new shows are you going try this
year?
UPCOMING REVIEWS: Emmy
Predictions, Snowden
