By CHRIS SURPRENANT
Arts Editor
Published September 13, 2011
MONDAY
2 Broke Girls: Hit! This new CBS comedy appears to be The Odd Couple and Laverne and Shirley of our generation. Starring Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs, this new series focuses on gruff, working-girl Max (Dennings) and prissy heiress Caroline (Beth Behrs), who find
themselves thrust together working in a greasy-spoon diner.
Based on the previews, 2 Broke Girls seems to have promise. Television today has many ensemble comedies, which are great, but blend together after a while. Dennings and Behrs are the stars, and the supporting cast only helps heighten their old-school antics, but not overpower them. The fish-out-of-water/odd couple concept holds a lot of promise and makes any situation ripe for humor. Look for it at 8:30 after How I Met Your Mother.
The Playboy Club: Miss. NBC seems to be taking a hint from AMC and cash in on the Mad Men audience. Set in the 1960’s, the series focuses on Hugh Hefner’s iconic Chicago club, and the icon that made him famous- his Playboy Bunnies.
The series wants to focus on the liberation of women during the time of the country’s sexual revolution (an idea great on its own); however, the series takes a turn into an absurd subplot involving murderous Bunnies and the secrets they hold. It may get viewership for its content, but not for quality. The Playboy Club airs at 10:00 after The Sing-Off.
TUESDAY
New Girl: Hit! This new FOX comedy stars Zooey Deschanel as Jess, an emotionally unstable, newly single teacher who moves in with three quirky, random guys, played by Jake Johnson as Nick, Max Greenfield as Schmidt, and Winston, played by Lamorne Morris. Together, they try to repair the broken Jess, and learn how to deal with life as a twenty-something.
Anyone who is a fan of Deschanel will definitely swoon over her performance as Jess. She is able to be a complete dork, while at the same time manages to be incredibly suave. These traits, combined with her eccentricities (i.e. constantly singing to herself) create a fresh, dynamic character with equal parts charm and wit. Catch New Girl at 9:00 after Glee.
Last Man Standing: Miss. Tim Allen makes his return to sitcom land as Mike Baxter, a blue man in a pink world. The series revolves around his life with his all-female family, and the challenges he faces as both the father of girls and a husband. Portrayed as a “man’s man,” Allen’s character appears to play off every gender cliché ever to come across the airwaves.
Unfortunately, the main force driving the show (the women) are portrayed as constantly shrieking, and always in an unstable emotional state. Allen’s Mike of course has no idea how to deal with these problems, and bemoans the fact that he is all alone in the female household. It also doesn’t help that Allen portrayed practically the same character on his huge success Home Improvement. Get some new ideas, ABC. Last Man Standing airs at 8:00 on ABC.
WEDNESDAY
I Hate My Teenage Daughter: Hit! Though the name verges on offensive and perhaps slightly twisted, the new FOX comedy is something different from TV land. Jaime Pressley and Kate Finneran star as Annie and Nikki (who were at the bottom of the food chain in high school) as the mothers of two “mean girls.” The series offers an edgy, previously unexplored parent/child dynamic. Of course, every TV parent has issues with their onscreen offspring, but their problems never exactly reach the level of delightful helplessness as I Hate My Teenage Daughter does.
If you’re not easily offended, give this one a try. The previews take a pretty good look at high school meanies and the parents who raised them. If given a little time, the show could be one of the most unique on the air. I Hate My Teenage Daughter airs at 9:30 on FOX.
Suburgatory: Miss. The new ABC comedy tries to take a candid, offbeat look at life in the suburbs. Teenager Tessa moves from the Manhattan life she has always known into a land of PTO moms and super-fan dads, also known as the suburbs. The series chronicles Tessa’s observations on how life in the suburbs works, calling into question the nose-jobs of high school princesses, and the abhorrent lifestyle of jocks. Here lies the problem.
Though it has a few clever moments that reflect on the life of average high-schoolers, Suburgatory makes the mistake of generalizing its subject. Trying to spoof typical teenage stereotypes, the previews do not add to or comment on these images, but rather perpetuate them. The average viewer will undoubtedly find something to identify with, but will be put off by the series as a whole. It may turn around, but for now, I’ll be watching something else. Suburgatory airs at 8:30 on ABC.
THURSDAY
How to be a Gentleman: Hit! With a tagline like, “Prude meets dude,” How to Be a Gentleman (CBS) is sure to be something special. Polite, self-confirmed gentleman/magazine columnist Andrew (David Hornsby) finds himself facing an impolite world, especially after running into a gruff high school friend Bert (Kevin Dillon). Andrew and Bert move in together, and try to teach each other their ways. Andrew tries to put the “gentle” into Bert’s “man,” while Bert tries for the opposite.
Another odd-couple/buddy comedy, this one puts a unique spin on the concept. Dillon looks like he’ll be a real riot, playing a complete jerk beside Hornsby’s uber-polite Andrew. Look for How to be a Gentleman at 8:30 after The Big Bang Theory.
Charlie’s Angels: Miss. Another remake? ‘Nuff said. Airs on ABC at 8:00.
FRIDAY
Unfortunately, Friday’s new shows, A Gifted Man (CBS) and NBC’s Grimm both seem to be recycled runoff of earlier series. A Gifted Man stars Patrick Wilson as a charismatic neurosurgeon who has visions of his dead wife, whom he must help crossover to the “other side.” Sound familiar? CBS, Ghost Whisperer called, and they want their idea back. At best, A Gifted Man should be a lackluster mini-series. It airs at 8:00 on CBS.
NBC’s Grimm also seems to be drawing on old material in hopes of a new hit. A supernatural procedural starring David Giuntoli as a detective who discovers he is a descendent of the famed fairytale writers, the Grimm brothers. The good detective is followed literally by wolves in sheep’s’ clothing. Fairytale characters disguised as humans torment townspeople and he’s got to stop them! Too cheesy, thank you. If you’re looking for quality supernatural drama, tune into the CW’s Supernatural at 9:00 instead.
SUNDAY
Though filled with many returning favorites such as The Good Wife and Desperate Housewives, the world of television has added two new shows that add just the right amount of class and offbeat-ness to the lineup. ABC is now home to Pan Am, a new series set in the glamorous age of stewardesses—the 1960’s of course. For now, Pan Am looks to be the better of the vintage-inspired shows this season, and appears much more grounded than NBC’s The Playboy Club. Pan Am stars Christina Ricci as one of the airline’s stewardesses trying to get ahead in life. It’s all in good fun, and allows viewers a trip around the world each week. Pan Am airs at 10:00 on ABC.
ABC has also added Once Upon a Time, its own answer to the new fairytale craze. The idea sticks more closely to the root of fairytales than NBC’s Grimm and is much more a family-friendly thriller. Taking place in the New England town of Storybrooke, newcomer Emma (Ginnifer Goodwin) must try to solve the secret the town holds—residents are all fairytale characters, but they cannot remember because of a curse placed on them by the Evil Queen (of the Snow White story that is). It looks campy, but campy is good every once in a while. Tune in at 8:00 for a nice bedtime story.
