Fall 2011 TV Season Part 2: Zany Cute, Tired and Boring; And, of Course, Dinosaurs!

On to part two. I added a few more shows then I mentioned before, simply because they ended up looking interesting. Lets hope that initial feeling holds out…

***

The New Girl

Summary:
Jess is the kooky odd girl and when she accidentally walks in on her boyfriend sleeping with another girl, it’s time to move out and find a new place to live. She moves in with three boys who have no idea what they are in for. From crying loudly at movies to having no idea how to treat other potential boyfriends, Jess is quite a loveable handful. But then the boys aren’t easy themselves. Oddly enough, they all seem to fit perfectly together.

My thoughts:
From the first scene my immediate thought was: this is not my kind of show. The main character comes off as annoying and I wasn’t at all impressed by any of the other characters. The storytelling style is disjointed, but there are still little tidbits that make you want to watch more.

There are some genuinely funny moments in this show. Jess is annoying, but cute and sweet at the same time, so it gives it this strange affect that you feel much of what the boys are feeling and you’re not sure if she’s worth all the time and effort; still by the end of the show you realize she’s not too bad and she is funny when you least expect it.

The pacing of the show seems to borrow a lot from Family Guy, and not very successfully. Whenever a character mentions something about their past we’re treated to a very quick slice of a flashback, that jars you out of watching, then we’re tossed back into the main story. Yes, it does let us learn about the characters quickly, but it leaves you feeling like you still missed something and you’re not really sure if it was worth wondering about.

In the end, this is certainly one of those shows that is occasionally funny, but I’m not going to clear my schedule to watch it. If I turn on the TV and its there and there isn’t something else on, I’ll watch it, but no more effort then that.

Pros:
Original characters
Cute story

Cons:
Jarring storytelling style
Annoying personalities

Verdict: Sorry, not that interested.

*****

Terra Nova

Summary:
In the year 2046 the world is dying and people are dying right with it. The one chance is a rift found in time, that can take people back to the time of the dinosaurs to start again. Terra Nova is called a paradise, but just like the main family has their secrets with an escaped convict father and a child who shouldn’t have been born; Terra Nova has its secrets as well. Paradise is never what it seems.

My thoughts:
This was certainly advertised as the epic release of this season. A huge budget was placed behind this show and it shows. The ads were everywhere before this show was released and you just could not get away from it. Luckily, the money and the hype seem to have paid off, with at least a promise of oncoming epic-ness. While the dinosaurs themselves don’t look like the marvels from say, Jurassic Park, for a TV series it is impressive and I know it will only get better with renewals and increase in budget.

This is a character driven story. You’re introduced to a huge cast and these are like-able realistic people who you want to see survive. The show is smart and doesn’t give you a clear villain off the bat, so just like the main family you’re searching for your bearings in this new place. There’s the dinosaurs, who are obvious threats. There’s the ‘sixers’ who you know next to nothing about, but you’re told they’re bad. And finally there’s the General running the whole place. He obviously knows more then he’s telling.

This show has the beginnings of a great story, with mysterious symbols on rocks, mention of a different time stream, and a couple characters who hint at controlling the past to change the future. My only fear is that I hope they don’t deal with the time travel element lightly. Time travel has the potential to be a great story, but only when handled correctly.

I am certainly interested in this show. I’m not quite sure if it lives up to the hype, but I’m happy for the budget it has, because the potential and promise are there. I really hope this show delivers.

Pros:
Budget
Mystery
Well written
Cons:
Time travel
Could be over confident

Verdict: Please don’t disappoint me! You’re doing so well so far!

***

How to be a Gentleman

Summary:
Andrew is the stereotypical uptight guy, forced into writing a more ‘hip and cool’ column by his company’s new management team. He spent his entire life writing about how to be a gentleman and now he’s at a loss. In walks an old bully from school who owns a gym and is the stereotypical male muscled slob. The two have decided to help and learn from each other… for better or for worse.

My Thoughts:
I don’t know. The only way this show could get more stereotypical is if the two suddenly found out they had to be roommates, but who knows, that might be a plot point for later.

This show seems like a one trick dog. We have two obvious stereotypes placed in front of us and they’re forced to adapt in supposedly hilarious ways. They are surrounded by a cast of characters who are also stereotypes or forced 2dimensional characters that really don’t stand out.

This series, based on a book by the same name, is attempting to be a Sex in the City for men, or something like that. We have the writer with the voice overs who is supposed to have hilarious commentary in the background as if the audience were reading the column and this leads to a couple jokes, but nothing really concrete. All of the mediocre elements do not combine to make a comical show, instead it feels tired and overdone, though with occasional funny moments. I certainly don’t think it’s the right type of show to hold viewers who sat down to watch Big Bang Theory, which was before it.

Pros:
Occasional laughs

Cons:
2 dimensional characters
Old plot gimmicks
Blah

Verdict: No, I think I’ll find something more interested on Hulu or Netflix, or maybe the next channel…

******


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