Nathaniel. Home again from a relaxing weekend offline. My last for the next six months as it's all prestige movies and Oscar hoopla from now until March.
I've had a lot of fun writing up True Blood during the summer (finale writeup tomorrow). I have no intention of turning the blog into The TV Experience but a little variety never hurt anyone and I might add a briefer small screen column -- possibly with guest bloggers on occasion-- or maybe just continue with the odd "TV at the Movies" episode. I'm cancelling HBO when True Blood ends. Why? Budget reasons and a clear lack of interest in their slate of original programs. I never thought I'd say the latter but it's too man-centric for me now, as if their entire programming directive is "get me more Sopranos / Entourages ... literally. put them in period garb or relocate the action. whatever". I miss the Sex & The City / Six Feet Under / Sopranos days when the network felt more equal opportunity thrilling and more original ... as if their goal was to corner every market that was demanding quality television. The point: I have a lot of DVR openings now given cancellations, loss of interest in longrunning shows, delays, etcetera... so I may take a deeper looker (offline) at the new season offerings -- which basically start tomorrow with RINGER -- than I normally do.
Christian Borle, Debra Messing and Anjelica Huston in SMASH (2012)
The new show I'm most interested in is Smash, the first television series (to my knowledge) that's ever used Broadway musicals as its topic. In one of those daydream fantasies where one imagines oneself a tv creator this is always the topic I dreamed up for MY series that I would direct and produce (fantasizing remember... I do neither of those things). I imagined just such a show so many times. I wish they had gone with Broadway musical stars in the major roles (it'll be weird that Glee uses more of them given the respective topics) but Katharine McPhee (from American Idol) has a good voice and I'm intrigued to see how Oscar winner Anjelica Huston will fare in the key supporting role -- can she finally win the Emmy that's eluded her for the past 22 years despite frequent nominations?
But Smash doesn't premiere until 2012 so here are some shows I'm considering sampling -- which usually means just the first episode unless it's very intriguing -- primarily chosen for topics or actresses I like. As I do.
CLICK AHEAD FOR THE LIST AND READER POLLING -- I'm curious about your watching habits from none to too much.
Buffy ♥
Ringer
Sarah Michelle Gellar who helped make Buffy the Vampire Slayer the greatest series ever is finally back in this story of twin sisters and identity theft. People I trust like the pilot episode. Cross your fingers.
Curio Factor
American Horror Story OR Revenge OR Terra Nova
Family drama with horror / ghostly elements from Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck, Glee) starring Connie Britton (♥) and Dylan McDermott... and get, this, Jessica Lange! The advertisements have been interesting on this one including a weird pregnant mother levitation poster. Here's the odd 'family portrait' teaser.
I can't imagine that Ryan Murphy isn't spread too thin these days for this to really work but I don't want to go without Connie Britton in my life post FNL. Unless I have to (like say if she makes a show where she doesn't have a real character to play. I've yet to find an actor that makes all-exposition dialogue or 'i'm-totally-defined-by-other-characters' types riveting.).
Revenge is a prime time soap that's supposedly loosely based on The Count of Monte Cristo. Here's the key thing (for me): Madeleine Stowe, a film actress from the 90s who I was really into (I seem to be the only one but goddammit she was great in Short Cuts and Last of the Mohicans) finally returns to acting in the key villain role after over a decade of very low profile-ness. Finally, Terra Nova is from executive producer Steven Spielberg and is about a family transferred back to prehistoric earth. With dinosaurs! Dinosaurs are always a plus for one's inner child.
Boring Genre/ Fine Actor
A Gifted Man OR Prime Suspect
I tend to snooze when it comes to procedurals and Lord knows TV doesn't need any more of them after CSI and L&O bred like bunny rabbits with both official children and bastards popping up all over the place. But then there's Patrick Wilson(♥) and Maria Bello (♥) to consider.
Fairy Tale Madness
Grimm OR Once Upon a Time
Apparently all the networks decided they needed fantasy / procedural/ drama / urban fantasy hybrids all at once -- there are others, too -- but in both cases here the springboard concepts aren't any more terrible than say how Buffy the Vampire Slayer would sound if you didn't yet know that Joss Whedon was a genius. You know? I'll watch the pilots.
Film actresses headlining TV series this year: MARIA BELLO, CHRISTINA RICCI, ZOOEY DESCHANEL
Girlish Sitcoms
I Hate My Teenage Daughter OR The New Girl
The first is a sitcom about two single moms raising daughters. The title/concept sounds hateful but then so did Cougar Town and Raising Hope which are both hilarious and high quality. If there's a laugh track I won't even last through the pilot on either but Katie Finneran (♥) is always a delight to watch. The latter stars Zooey Deschanel and, well, I might peek. But I fear generic times ten with twee side dishes.
Mad Men Inspired
Pan Am OR The Playboy Club
Stylish adult costume heavy series. Wheeee. Pan Am looks more promising but that's probably because the costumes look fun and Christina Ricci looks fun in them. Too handsome to be a real human Eddie Cibrian and out starlet Amber Heard headline the other one, The Playboy Club.
I'd love to hear which shows you're planning to sample as the Fall Season begins in the comments.
Also for TFE reference please answer the following polls.
Which of these still running shows that I watch regularly or semi-regularly do you watch?
Would you enjoy a live blog of the EMMYs hear at The Film Experience?