Saturday, January 10, 2009

Midseason TV coming sooner than you think

Mid-season TV coming sooner than expected


Now that we're done with the two weeks of television nothingness that is Christmas and New Years, we can go back to wondering when new TV is on and not worry about Christmas related programing filler. Not to mention all the End of the year "BEST OF 08" clip shows to grace your television screen. Much like winter this is a very cold and lonely time. Those of you who, like squirrels, saved your nuts for the long winter in the form of TiVo programing are all done with whatever it was that you were taping. Now we wonder where the quality stuff is on tv?

For that very reason I broke it down for you. This is the Mid-season Television break down guide and surprise surprise, it's coming earlier once we roll into 2009

Broadcast television:

Friday Night Lights - NBC, Jan 16, 9 pm
I have nothing to hide here. Season 3 of FNL's is amazingly well written. Forget season 2. Hell, many of you never even heard of this show. Go. Watch it. NOW! But the biggest problem here is that NBC, in a deal to keep it running for a third season, let DirecTV take first run rights and well, before it ever hits NBC's air waves it'll already be shown. So the ratings are going to suck here. Enjoy it while it last since it may very well be canceled come next year.
Kings - NBC, March 26, 10 pm
A modern-day soap loosely based on the story of King David, in which an everyday guy rises to the seat of political power in his small town. The way NBC has gone with most of its new shows... expect this to be dead within 6 episodes.
Flashpoint - CBS, Jan 9, 9 pm
Don't know. Don't care. It's CBS. Unless you're over 60, you shouldn't either.

Scrubs - ABC, Jan 6, 9 pm

Why hey, it's your favorite socially awkward indie film doctor on a new network. At the very least ABC wont let this one die on a bad note like NBC just gave up on it. Not expecting much.
Lost - ABC, Jan 21, 9 pm
Expect five new questions for every answer you get. Or maybe J.J. Abrams is finally bored of driving us in circles and will get on with it.
Castle - ABC, March 9, 10 pm
Captain Tight-pants is back and well, I hope for his sake the curse of getting a show canceled (Firefly, Drive) doesn't follow him.

Meet Richard Castle: he's a successful murder-mystery writer who has just killed off his main character. However, it seems one of his fans liked his books just a bit too much when a copycat murderer starts running around killing people as described in Castle's books.

The weary writer is called in by the NYPD homicide department to help them catch the killer.
Cupid - ABC, March 24, 10 pm
If anyone even remembers this show.. wow. ABC Studios and Sony Television team up with Rob Thomas to bring back his 1998 series about a man who believes he is Cupid, who has been sent to earth by Zeus to help 100 couples get together as punishment for his arrogance-without any magic. Bobby Cannavale takes over the lead role created by Jeremy Piven in the 1998 series. ABC has ordered Cupid to series for mid-season 2008/2009.
24 - Fox, Jan 11, 9 pm
There's 24 hours in a day and within that day includes endless terrorist ass kicking that Jack will unleash. Expect some crazy shit to go down this season and that's all my NDA allows me to say.
Lie to Me - Fox, Jan 21, 9 pm
DR. CAL LIGHTMAN (Tim Roth, "The Incredible Hulk," "Reservoir Dogs") can detect the truth by analyzing a person's face, body, voice and speech. When someone shrugs one shoulder, rotates their hand or raises their lower lip, Lightman knows they're lying. By analyzing facial expressions, he can read feelings - from hidden resentment to sexual attraction to jealousy. But as Lightman well knows, his scientific ability is both a blessing and a curse in his personal life, where family and friends deceive each other as readily as criminals and strangers do. Lightman is the world's leading deception expert, a scientist who studies facial expressions and involuntary body language to discover not only if you are lying but why.

It's a Fox show.. All I'm saying is don't get attached.
Dollhouse - Fox, Feb 13
You have a couple of things weighing against this one. It's on FOX on a FRIDAY NIGHT and it's a show by JOSS WHEDON. Hell, most shows get canceled with only having two of those traits. Put all three of them together and you might as well put down the pre-order for the Dollhouse Complete Series DVD. There's already a SAVE DOLLHOUSE campaign prepared for the moment Fox cancels it. But hey, if you're a sucker for pain and still want to know a bit about this...

ECHO (Dushku) is an "Active," a member of a highly illegal and underground group who have had their personalities wiped clean so they can be imprinted with any number of new personas. Confined to a secret facility known as the "Dollhouse," Echo and the other Actives including SIERRA (Dichen Lachman, "Neighbours") and VICTOR (Enver Gjokaj, "The Unit") carry out engagements assigned by ADELLE (Olivia Williams, "X-Men: The Last Stand," "Rushmore"), one of the Dollhouse leaders. The engagements cater to the wealthy, powerful and connected, and require the Actives to immerse themselves in all manner of scenarios romantic, criminal, uplifting, dangerous, comical and the occasional "pro bono" good deed.

After each scenario, Echo, always under the watchful eye of her handler BOYD (Harry Lennix, "Commander in Chief," 24), returns to the mysterious Dollhouse where her thoughts, feelings and experiences are erased by TOPHER (Fran Kranz, "Welcome to the Captain"), the Dollhouse's genius programmer. Echo enters the next scenario with no memory of before. Or does she? As the series progresses, FBI Agent PAUL SMITH (Tahmoh Penikett, "Battlestar Galactica") pieces together clues that lead him closer to the Dollhouse, while Echo stops forgetting, her memories begin to return and she slowly pieces together her mysterious past. DOLLHOUSE revolves around Echo's blossoming self-awareness and her desire to discover her true identity. But with each new engagement, comes a new memory and increased danger inside and outside the Dollhouse.

And you can also check out a tiny preview here.
Hell's Kitchen - January 29
What's there to say? This show is one of those guilty pleasures. I like seeing terrible chefs get chewed out by the man! That and having the ability to send guest to eat at taping is always fun.
Reaper - CW, March 17
All I needed to know from this is CW. No thank you!

Cable television

Battlestar Galactica - SciFi, Jan 16, 10 pm
It's a nerd show and I'm a nerd. Entering into the series final season, we find our toasters and humans looking for some resolution great enough so that nerds don't riot in the street. I can tell you I'm frakin' ready for this one.
Monk - USA, Jan 9, 9 pm
Another show going into the final season. USA, were characters sort of happen. If you haven't watched it yet.. well, you're not interested in it. move on.
Psych - USA, Jan 9, 10 pm
If you aren't watching this by now then you've never flipped through USA for longer than five minutes. More of the same, but the same is excellent no matter what. Awww yeah.
Burn Notice - USA, Jan 22, 10 pm
Ah Miami, my old stomping grounds. How can I praise this show enough? It's not only because I've had some attachment to this production but it has to do that it's a great formula show. Week in and week out you know what's going to happen. Michael will manage to find a down on his luck client to help while we get a snippet of the large season story arc towards the end when Bruce Campbell comes in with it. Great popcorn action.
Nip/Tuck - FX, Jan 5, 10 pm
Without The Shield, FX only has two shows I love anymore. Nip/Tuck has been a great utility program even though I'm always behind on the season when it starts up.
Damages - FX, Jan 7, 10 pm

Big Love - HBO, Jan 18, 9 pm

Flight of the Conchords - HBO, Jan 18, 10 pm
How can you not love this show? Clearly you have to be a communist or some evil bastard. Watch it.. well, Jan 18, of course.
East Bound & Down - HBO, Feb 15, 10:30 pm
Created by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, this half-hour comedy follows a former professional baseball player who returns to his hometown in the South to take a job as a substitute gym teacher.
The L Word - Showtime, Jan 18, 9 pm

The United States of Tara - Showtime, Jan 18, 10 pm
I've been seeing ads for this everywhere. But other than that it does look interesting. If you liked LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, you'll dig it.
Secret Diary of a Call Girl - Showtime, Jan 18, 10:30 pm

The Closer - TNT, Jan 26, 9 pm

Trust Me - TNT, Jan 26, 10 pm

The Beast - A&E, Jan 15, 10 pm
The Beast will be popular because it has the soon to be dead Patrick Swayze in it. It centers on an unorthodox but effective FBI veteran, Charles Barker (Swayze), who takes on a rookie partner, Ellis Dove (Fimmel), to train in his hard-edged and psychologically clever style of agenting. In the premiere episode of "The Beast," the mischievous Barker hazes Dove as they go undercover on their first case to infiltrate a weapons smuggling ring. Barker brilliantly manipulates situations, constantly tests his new partner's abilities and pushes him to delve deeper into the roles of the undercover characters he creates. Although Dove takes a liking to Barker, the new job takes its toll on him. The stress and danger of being an agent quickly makes him realize that he can no longer maintain normal relationships outside of work. Yet that's not the worst of it. The rookie is confronted with a larger challenge: An FBI Internal Affairs team feels Barker may have gone rogue and they try to enlist Dove as a double-agent in the bureau's investigation of his mentor.

Secret Life of the American Teenager - ABC Family, Jan 4, 8 pm

Kyle XY - ABC Family, Jan 12, 9 pm
People actually watch ABC Family? Usually it's just a Harry Potter movie on.
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! - Adult Swim, Feb 9

Spring: Party Down (State guys get a single camera comedy on Starz), Rescue Me, Breaking Bad (all in March), In Treatment, The Pacific (sequel to Band of Brothers), Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Tudors, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Squidbillie

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