S.H.I.E.L.D.: It's Just Not There

It is tough when you want a series to be good, for more reasons than just a favorite actor or an intriguing premise. This series has both of those, along with Marvel backing, Joss Whedon's genius, a crazy budget and complicated fight scenes, but I'm just not interested. Even though ABC gave Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. a full season order, I'm finding it less and less interesting, and will cease to cover the action series after this episode. Over the past week, I've read three articles from major outlets that describe what the series needs in order to be better, and I think it all boils down to the fact that it could really use superheroes! Mike in the first episode was decent, but the focus on bureaucracy just doesn't do it for me. I'm moving on to bigger and better things, as this show and its characters just annoys me. And, for that matter, it seems to bug most people I know... are you advocating for this series? Why?

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. "The Asset" (S01E03): Skye isn't happy with early morning workouts, but she has to do them unless she'd prefer doing intellectual drills like Fitz and Simmons. [S.H.I.E.L.D. does not seem a like a place I'd want to work!] Ward says that he didn't take truth serum, it was a tactic to get her to play along. [this is not a selling point, either....] Ward confides in Skye that his father physically abused him, and that's what started building him up to take on more.

A trucker has important cargo to deliver, but he and his escorts get knocked in the air by an invisible force, which Fitz and Simmons identify as a gravity-distorting device. [Simmons reminds me of Hermione a tiny bit.] It appears to be an inside job, and Coulson finds someone who might be responsible... Ian Quinn, who perhaps has Hall imprisoned. However, he's in the Republic of Malta, and Skye may be S.H.I.E.L.D.'s only hope, as she's not a real agent and doesn't have to follow the same rules. [red tape being the problem already? eye roll!] She gets herself an invite to an exclusive event, and soon is offered a job as a hacker. Before too long, she blows her cover when she's caught talking to herself, but she gets around it by letting Quinn know that S.H.I.E.L.D. is listening. [at last she thinks quickly on her feet!] She drops the earpiece in a glass of champagne, then works the system to allow a breach so Coulson can get in to save Hall.

ABC/Justin Lubin

EXCEPT, Hall has become a traitor to S.H.I.E.L.D., and believes he is protecting mankind with his gravity device. Meanwhile, Skye still can't bring herself to shoot Quinn, but Coulson can, and kills Hall. Skye brings herself to return to training, as she wants this, and Melinda also decides that she wants to return to the front line. [her mention that Coulson died was a bit intriguing.]

SHIELD: Only a Tiny Improvement

Better than last week, sure, but there might just be too much violence for me. Of course, maybe I should have taken "front row seats to the craziest show on Earth" a little more seriously, but how can I when the promos for the series include phrases like, "their most bizarre case yet," when fewer than five episodes have aired?? I wasn't a Firefly fan right away, so out of respect for Joss Whedon, I will give this drama one more episode to get shiny! There is talent in the cast, and plenty of money in the sets, so if only the plots would be a little more interesting, because Skye as a spy sure ain't doing it... 

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. "0-8-4" (S01E02): Skye shows up with her stuff, ready to be a consultant for SHIELD. Melinda is worried that they're adding yet another person with no combat training, but they head off for an Incan archaeological site in Peru. There, they come across a 1500-year-old object in a millenium-old structure. It may be German, but before they can figure out too much, they're under fire and must make a run with it. When they get back to the plane, Fitz reveals that it is full of radiation, and they don't have the proper containment options. [the references are SO obvious they make me sick. "Stark's a consultant." the last thing we found? "a hammer."]

ABC/Richard Foreman

It becomes clear that the team has only been working together as of recently, but they're talents individuals: Ward speaks six languages, Simmons has 2 PhDs in fields Coulson can't pronounce, and Fitz is a rocket scientist. Skye tries to start over with Ward, but soon afterward, the "rescued" Peruvians attack the plane. Fitz, Simmons, Ward, Skye, and Melinda are thrown into the hold, while Coulson is kept elsewhere, to confirm flight patterns and such. [Fitz and Simmons being shocked at who Melinda is was stupid.] Melinda dislocates her wrist to get out, then knocks out a guy with her legs. [talent.] The geniuses then use a mini remote-controlled helicopter to make the gamma-radiation bomb blow a hole in the side of the plane, sucking out the bad guys before Skye inflates a raft to block the hole. [I'm pretty doubtful that would work, as the vacuum force is strong AND the placement would have to be just right.] Camilla, Coulson's friend from years ago, will be tried for the overtake. They are able to safely transfer the 0-8-4 at "The Slingshot" to send it to the sun before it becomes so unstable it explodes. 

The episode ends with Skye getting a message from another organization, to which she replies, "I'm in," noting that she might be infiltrating SHIELD. [eye roll.] Oh, but it doesn't really end there, as there's a Nicky Fury scene where he gets upset it only took Coulson six days to turn the plane into scrap metal. [was the fish tanks thing supposed to be funny?]

NEW SHOW: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

I'm a superhero fan. Although X-Men are my favorite, I've enjoyed the various other comic book films and adaptations that have been released over the past decade or so, even the less popular ones like Daredevil. Therefore, I had high expectations for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., though I feel like most people did, with the names attached to it and the hugely positive reception for the Avengers and Iron Man films in particular. So, it could be that the pilot was decent, but it did not excite me and I wasn't particularly taken with it or most of the characters. I'm sad to say that this show is already looking to get cut, but, on the other hand, I've seen many pilots that I hated only for the series itself to become a favorite, so only time will tell.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. "Pilot" (S01E01): A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Ward, uses a handprint on a glass to get into an apartment, where he uses an x-ray device to look through the walls. After some fighting, Ward joins Fitz and Simmon on a plane, piloted by Melinda. [black matte plane... interesting.]

Mike is a single father in East Los Angeles. His wife left him when he lost his job after injury, for which he did not receive workman's compensation. [a story we've all heard a hundred times.] However, he saw a doctor afterward who gave him experimental super strength, which he uses to save people from burning buildings. A bystander gets his face on her phone and follows him for a few days before confronting him, specifically to suggest he try to avoid SHIELD. [but she doesn't really have a reason to hide from them over any other government entity.] She steals his driver's license, then goes to record a podcast when SHIELD shows up and kidnaps her, wanting to know who "the hooded hero" is. [she hacked the SHIELD database from her van??] When she won't talk, she is threatened with a truth drug. But, Coulson gives it to Ward and lets Skye interrogate him. [I didn't find this as funny as it was supposed to be. and, it's creepy to know that such tactics will be employed on this series.] Meanwhile, Fitz and Simmons search the bomb site, and eventually put together enough clues to determine that someone who underwent the same procedure of Mike WAS the bomb! [dang!] Mike will also explode before long, so Fitz and Simmons work on an antidote, based on knowing that the centipede-like thing on Mike's arm seems to use a serum used years ago on SuperSoldiers. [hmmm...]

Skye is allowed to return to civilization, and after Mike tries to get his job back and winds up beating up his boss, he turns to get to help him disappear. ["no, it's an origin story" was so cliche!] She deletes his identity from various databases, then signals Fitz and Simmons to their location - Union Station. [so she's like a super-hacker?]

Credit: ABC/Justin Lubin

But, the doctor has an assistant who also goes after Mike, for the kill. Coulson tries to talk to Mike, but Ward winds up having to shoot him, though he isn't dead. [so shooting was the plan all along? is there corruption to the system? not a fan...] Coulson drops off Mike's son in the country with a family, saying that his father will return. Then, Coulson offers Skye a job. [so she'll go from anti-establishment to working for an undercover agency in a matter of days? annoying.]

Fun Friday: My Fall Broadcast Network Picks

So, back in June, I broke down all of the new broadcast network pilots, giving a little summary about what they're about and which interest me the most. [CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, CW] (I also did this in 2012 and 2011, if you're nostalgic.) Below is a look at just the ones I'll be tuning in to watch this fall, starting September 17th! We looked at how our DVR will fit it already, but this is to remind you why these shows are worth checking out, in premiering order. When we get closer to mid-season, I'll post another article with those picks in it as well.

Dads (FOX Comedy, premieres 8pm Tuesday, Sept. 17th) has gotten a lot of flack, especially because of the stereotypes and racist jokes in the pilot. I support Seth MacFarlane and will be checking it out for his work, as well as the acting of Seth Green and Giovanni Ribisi, but the story of two grown men whose fathers move in with them certainly does not sound like the best idea all season.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (previously just S.H.I.E.L.D.) (ABC drama, premieres 8pm Tuesday, Sept 24th) is Joss Whedon's spinoff from the Avengers film and based on the Marvel characters. There are many rumors about the series because of the secrecy everyone involved has kept, but the pilot screening at TCA proved to be very adventurous and exciting, so hopefully the season will follow suit.

The Goldbergs (ABC comedy, premieres 9pm Tuesday, Sept. 24th) is about a family in the 1980s. Mom, Dad, Grandpa, and three kids make up the core unit, with the youngest son a budding filmmaker, resulting in a lot of narration. There are great things about the series (Patton Oswalt, for one), but I have great hesitations about this one because some of the story premises sound a bit annoying.

Lucky 7 (ABC drama, premieres 10pm Tuesday, Sept. 24th) has seven coworkers from Queens winning the lottery. I think its biggest obstacle will be the in media res beginning but with the right flashbacks, it could still work. Plus, the big focus on "blue collar" folks and their ways of life in the multicultural Queens is appealing to a broad audience with so many upper-middle-class families on TV today.

Crazy Ones (CBS comedy, premieres 9pm Thursday, Sept. 26th) is more than just Robin Williams playing a random old guy with daughter and business partner Sarah Michelle Gellar. The premise behind the advertising firm's ideas and the addition of Hamish Linklater weigh-in well for the program. It sounds a little odd for a CBS offering, but there is still potential if it can get a good start. 

We Are Men (previously Ex-Men) (CBS comedy, premieres 8:30pm Monday, Sept. 30th) marks the return of Tony Shaloub and Kal Penn to comedy, playing two of the four men in the show. I find The Exes very funny, but this show's addition of the guys' exes may or may not be the greatest idea. Still, the talent and driving theme seem to be worth the time to see how a few episodes will play out.
 
The Michael J. Fox Show (NBC comedy, premieres 9pm Thursday, Sept. 26th, though normal airtime will be 9:30) can be a challenge to watch, as witnessing the suffering of someone with Parkinson's can be uncomfortable. However, Michael J. Fox is about as famous as they come, so seeing him live out the story of his life with some changes (like his profession being a NYC newscaster) could be grand.

Welcome to the Family (NBC comedy, premieres 8:30pm Thursday, Oct. 3rd) will either find an audience or it won't, and I think that's all there is to it. It's Reba with older kids and cultural differences, minus Barbara Jean. The more I learn about it, the less "staying power" is seems to have, but I just have a feeling that there could be a silver lining behind it all...

Sean Saves the World (previously The Untitled Victor Fresco/Sean Hayes Project and Happiness) (NBC Comedy, premieres 9pm Thursday, Oct. 3rd) is one of the weaker series that interests me, as Sean Hayes playing a gay man raising a teenage daughter is, quite frankly, a blah concept. However, the supporting characters and plotlines could turn this one around.

TCA Summer 2013: Sunday

Sunday began with Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which I had completely forgotten was still around. And, apparently, Meredith Vieira has been hosting it for a decade already. Well, now Cedric the Entertainer is going to pick up the hosting responsibilities, and you can read my highlights on that panel here.

Immediately following was the panel for Trophy Wife, which I was not looking forward to. I originally boiled down the series to "a girl who falls for a twice-divorced man with three bratty kids. She wants to win over the kids and avoid the exes, but it's going to be harder than she thinks." After the panel, I must say that I was a little more taken with the series than before. Apparently the title is supposed to be ironic, and even upon reading the script, Malin Akerman "thought it was so brilliant" and "the complete opposite of a trophy wife." However, the title may come into play as the Kate character encounters various people who view her as such. Plus, Kate is not really replacing the previous "wives" in this situation (Jackie and Diane) completely anyway, as she sometimes teams up with either of the women toward a common enemy (like a teacher). That said, it still may not be the best pilot, as EP Lee Eisenberg pointed out that introducing eight characters in 21 minutes is "very tricky," though the final scene has Kate admit to Bradley that she has no idea what she's doing, and that is an honest moment that may resonate with viewers.

Next was the Executive Session with Paul Lee, which I'll bullet-point for you here, as I thought that most of the questions either didn't receive great answers or weren't the most interesting inquiries.

• Last time Lee spoke at TCA, he talked about the female demographic and its importance to the ABC network. Lee shared that ABC is the Number One women's 18-49 network, and lots of the his "have incredibly empowered women in them." But, shows like S.H.I.E.L.D. and Goldbergs are "constructed to be four-quadrant shows" so women aren't the only focus. He also called ABC "the most upscale network" and mentioned that "we focus on empowered women. We are men-inclusive. We are family-inclusive. And we are highly co-viewed." The journalists in the room mused over the term "co-viewed" a bit, as it's not exactly a familiar word. 
• It would later be discussed further, but when asked about Rebel Wilson's American accent on Super Fun Night, Lee explained that it was Wilson's "choice" to do that, but he thinks that she's "going to be fantastic at it" and is "actually extremely good at it." He also added that "she's so funny and she brings such a presence to everything she does, and she has an in-built fan base who are already very engaged with that show." 
• Regarding Suburgatory, which got renewed yet is not on the fall schedule, Lee has "a little inkling in our mind where that show is going to go back" and that the third season will "bring the show back to all the sort of fish-out-of-water stories that it was originally intended to be." This made me happy, as loyal readers know how much I became disappointed in that series. Still, if I had to guess, I think Suburgatory isn't on the schedule yet because ABC doesn't put a lot of faith in Back in the Game, which is a Wednesday night comedy we'll get to later today... 

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland was next, and I was really looking forward to hearing about that series, as I'm not a big fan of the original, yet was surprised that ABC chose to feature it at Comic-Con over the new drama. I'll be writing more about this one at a later date, so stay tuned.

Following that was Super Fun Night, which still looks horrific. And, after a lunch screening of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., we had the garbage that is Betrayal. Everyone in the room tweeted about the many similar series that exist on ABC already, including Revenge, Mistresses, and Scandal. I'll be looking at that one in more detail just before the drama is set to premiere.

Two of the ABC series I'm most looking forward to followed, The Goldbergs, which is the family comedy set in the 80s, and Lucky 7, which has seven Queens residents splitting lottery winnings. ABC handed out scratch-offs to accompany that one, with critics winning massages, gas cards, or a junk food gift basket. I have lots to say about these two series and their panels, and will likely cover one over in my Examiner column tomorrow.

Before the much-anticipated Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. panel (where everyone really wanted to hear from Joss Whedon, not just because he's shiny but also because he wasn't going to be at the cocktail reception following), we had Back in the Game, which I initially touted as a Bad News Bears-type series, and the panel really solidified that perspective. It actually made me feel worse for anyone wanting to tune in. I mean, look at these tidbits:

• There are coaches on the show to help the actors if they need it, but "they're actually really athletic," according to EP Mark Cullen. Plus, they need horrible kids to be on the horrible team, so it works out. Maggie Lawson, however, played softball growing up and is good enough that she doesn't need a "stunt thrower."
• Cullen also noted that even though the kids "have two good coaches," the team will "get somewhat better, but they're never going to be good." He later added that "they're not going to win a game all year," making them worse than Charlie Brown's team. So the gimmick to watch this show over others is a kids' baseball team, but it's a horrid at the sport?
• I'm glad that someone asked how the series plans to last more than four years with a Little League team as the backdrop for the comedy,

That's it for Saturday, ABC, and TCA, actually. PBS has the end days of the summer tour, and although we may do some retweets, no major articles are planned for their presentations.

TV Highlights at Comic-Con 2013

Over the 4th of July weekend, SDCC released the schedule for the upcoming convention. Between comics, movies, video games, television shows, and countless other pop culture phenomena, hundreds of panels will take place between July 18th and 21st. Let's take a look at some of the television highlights. Check back this week for the schedule we will attempt to follow this year with two staffers at the event.

Thursday, July 18
Intelligence: 10 a.m. in Ballroom 20. It's the CBS thriller where a man has been implanted with a super-computer microchip so he can help the government by quickly hacking internet, telephone, and satellite data.

Star-Crossed: 11 a.m. in Ballroom 20. It's the CW drama where Aimee Teegarden is in love with an alien who is part of "The Orion 9," a group that has been in an internment camp since landing.

Beauty and the Beast: 12 p.m. in Ballroom 20. Back this year are Kristin Kreuk and Jay Ryan for CW's cult favorite.

Psych: 1 p.m. in Ballroom 20. Always a hit panel, James Roday, Dule Hill, and Maggie Lawson will be on the panel for this USA series.

The Blacklist: 3 p.m. in Room 6A. A new NBC drama, this police procedural will have a wanted criminal turning himself in, offering up all his colleagues, and then demanding to work with a rookie FBI agent.

The X-Files 20th Anniversary: 3:30 p.m. in Ballroom 20. The reunion of Mulder and Scully from the long-running FOX thriller. 

Dexter: 6:30 p.m. in Hall H. After several appearances at Comic-Con, it's time for this Showtime series to say goodbye with Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas, and James Remar.

Hannibal: 6:45 p.m. in Room 6A. With one season in the books, this serial killer series makes its first appearance at SDCC.

Friday, July 19
The Big Bang Theory: 10 a.m. in Ballroom 20. What's interesting here is that the focus is not on the actors but on the writers for this CBS ultra-hit.

Adventure Time: 11 a.m. in the Indigo Ballroom at Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. The Cartoon Network cult hit's creator Pendleton Ward and some cast members.

Veronica Mars: 11:15 a.m. in Hall H. With a highly-anticipated film in the works, creator Rob Thomas and several stars (including Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, and Chris Lowell) will be available to show exclusive footage and answer questions.

Nikita: 11:30 a.m. in Room 6BCF. It's the end of the line for this CW cult series starring Shane West. Catch it one last time

Bones: 12:30 p.m. in Ballroom 20. Rather than giving up new scenes, CBS's Bones will share never-before-seen footage, coupled with some teasers.

The 100: 12:45 p.m. in Room 6BCF. Another of the CW's new dramas, this dystopia is based on not-yet-published books set 97 years after nuclear war destroys civilization. Can you handle another futuristic apocalypse drama?

The Walking Dead: 1:35 p.m. in Hall H. The line will surely be long for this one! Stars Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, and others will be in the room alongside the creative team to discuss what's ahead in season four of this AMC series.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 1:45 pm. in Ballroom 20. Another highly anticipated panel will feature Joss Whedon and surprise guests to discuss the new ABC series.

Game of Thrones: 2:50 p.m. in Hall H. If you make it into the room, you're probably in for a treat. GoT has had hugely appreciated panels in the past, and with HBO's Emilia Clarke, Richard Madden, and Peter Dinklage around, it should be epic once more.

The Following: 3:15 p.m. in Ballroom 20. Last year, the pilot was shown to attendees, so be sure to see what's in store for Kevin Bacon during season two of the FOX serial killer thriller.

Sleepy Hollow: 3:30 p.m. in Room 6A. FOX is bringing out the pilot for a screening!

Almost Human: 4 p.m. in Ballroom 20. It's J.J. Abrams' new FOX futuristic police series, featuring robot assistants.

Bob's Burgers: 4 p.m. in Indigo Ballroom Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. FOX's non-MacFarlane, non-Simpsons animated show will return to SDCC with more never-before-seen footage and a Q&A with the creator and several of the voice actors, including Dan Mintz and Kristen Schaal.

Falling Skies: 4:30 p.m. in Room 6BCF. Previous Comic-Con goers are likely after the killer swag from this panel, where TNT stars Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, Will Patton, Drew Roy and more will tease the remainder of season three.

Archer: 5 p.m. in Indigo Ballroom Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. A screening and Q&A from FX's covert operations cartoon, featuring voice actors H. Jon Benjamin (yes, it's poorly timed as he's also a voice for Bob's Burgers!), Aisha Tyler, and Judy Greer, among others.

TV Guide Magazine Fan Favorites: 5:15 p.m. in Ballroom 20. A real crowd-pleaser, this year's hot actors include Candice Accola, Joseph Morgan, Tyler Hoechlin, Henry Ian Cusick, Danai Gurira, Clark Gregg, and Blair Underwood.

Animination Domination High-Def: 6:45 p.m. in Room 6DE. FOX's anti-Adult Swim comedy block will preview two new series: Axe Cop and High School USA!.

Saturday, July 20
Bates Motel: 10 a.m. in Room 6A. Cast members Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, and others will participate in a Q&A as well as show some new footage from the A&E horror series.

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: 10:15 a.m. in Ballroom 20. Premiere screening of the ABC spinoff, need I say more?

Once Upon a Time: 11 a.m. in Ballroom 20: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, and others will be available to discuss the upcoming Neverland episodes.

Futurama: 12 p.m. in Ballroom 20. Futurama is another show at the end of its life, so as Comedy Central waves goodbye, join voice actors Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, and more as they perform from "Last Episode Ever." Plus, Matt Groening will be there to showcase some of his excellent cartooning!

How I Met Your Mother: 12 p.m. in Indigo Ballroom Hilton San Diego Bayfront. The CBS comedy has never been to Comic-Con before, but the whole cast Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, and Alyson Hannigan) will be in the house to promote their final season, as well as creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas!

The Simpsons: 12:45 p.m. in Ballroom 20. After 25 years on the air, the FOX animated family comedy is still going, here to show never-before-seen footage. Also, you can hear "We Put the Spring in Springfield" performed live.

The Originals: 1 p.m. in Indigo Ballroom Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Possibly the CW's most-promising pilot for fall and spun off from The Vampire Diaries, check out a preview and do a Q&A with the stars.

Family Guy: 1:45 p.m. in Ballroom 20: Fans can expect to see Seth Green, Alex Borstein and some surprise guests... if you can handle a twelfth season of this FOX feature.

True Blood: 3:30 p.m. in Ballroom 20. With a new showrunner Brian Buckner, the series returns to Comic-Con with a chunk of stars to preview what's next for the HBO vampire series. 

Revolution: 4:55 p.m. in Room 6BCF. Season two of the NBC post-apocalyptic drama will move to Wednesdays, but here you can see an exclusive first look, as well as take part in a Q&A with actors and producers.

The Tomorrow People: 5:55 p.m. in Room 6BCF. Watch the pilot for the CW's new drama, based on a UK series where people are evolving to possess the powers of teleportation and telepathy. Several actor will also be in attendance.

Sunday, July 21
Supernatural: 10 a.m. in Hall H. Another CW series, this panel will combine an exclusive video presentation with stars Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins, and Mark A. Sheppard answering fans' questions.

Doctor Who: 12:30 p.m. in Hall H. Why this panel is always on Sunday is beyond me, but BBC America is celebrating the show's 50th anniversary, so it's sure to be crowded in line!

Community: 1:50 p.m. in Hall H. NBC actors and showrunners will be around for this one, the show's first time in "the big room." Look for Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Ken Jeong and more.  

Under the Dome: 2:15 p.m. in Room 6BCF. The CBS summer hit series makes its debut with several actors and producers around, including Mike Vogel, Dean Norris, and Rachelle Lefevre. 

Sons of Anarchy: 3:50 p.m. in Hall H. The FX biker drama panel will include the full cast for a fun way to end Comic-Con.

Fun Friday: My Potential Fall 2013 Watching Schedule

Now that we've looked at all of the upcoming pilots on the broadcast networks, it's time to see just how hard my DVR will be working! I was initially afraid that I wouldn't be able to get all of my hopefuls to fit with my in-progress series, but it seems that the networks are playing nice and not over-burdening me on any specific nights, though my Thursday is filling up fast! For a chart view of the schedule, check out TVbytheNumbers.

The broadcast networks ordered 49 series for next season, plus some miniseries and specials. After going through all of them, 16 interest me, which makes for a busy watching schedule, especially when you factor in the five returning broadcast network shows and the dozen or so cable shows we cover. Last year I picked out 15 new series (though Mistresses has yet to air and Crossbones is being counted again this year), so it's not as crazy a number as you might think.

Mondays I'm blocking 8-9:30 on CBS (How I Met Your Mother, We Are Men, 2 Broke Girls), and that's it. This is nice because it's the same block I started with last season (when Partners was in the 8:30pm slot), and because a lot of the cable shows I enjoy air on Mondays.

Tuesdays are all ABC with one CBS slot, the 8pm Dads. I'll be on ABC the entire three hours of primetime (S.H.I.E.L.D., The Goldbergs, and Lucky 7), except for 9:30's Trophy Wife.

Wednesdays have The Middle returning at 8pm on ABC, but are otherwise empty, unless I want to waste some time hate-watching Revolution on NBC at 8pm. I'm surprised that Wednesdays will be so bare!

Thursdays are busier than expected - I've got some CBS (The Big Bang Theory, The Crazy Ones, and Two and a Half just for fun), but I also have 8:30pm-10pm over on NBC, where they'll show Welcome to the Family, Sean Saves the World, and The Michael J. Fox Show.

Fridays has The Last Man Standing, plus The Neighbors if I want some guilty pleasure viewing.

Saturday has nothing for me, though I will be picking up Bob's Burgers on Sundays as it enters its fourth season. 

Why doesn't this sound so rough? Well, partly because a bunch of my selections are being held as midseason replacements or late starters, including Friends with Better Lives, Intelligence, Star-Crossed, About a Boy, The Family Guide, Undateable, and Crossbones. Let us know below how tough your own schedule will be!

Looking Ahead: ABC's Comedies and Dramas for 2013

What intrigued me most about the shows ABC has decided to try out this fall is that I really needed to see the trailers to make decisions about a good chunk of them. For a large proportion of the new series this year, I've been able to make decisions on the premises and cast/crew alone. This means that ABC did a good job of marketing their programs to me, but they also run the risk of seeming too generic for specific groups to try. I think they have a wide variety of options, but that has its own pros and cons, so who knows.  

I'm looking to try out one of the comedies and two of the dramas, which is low for me when you consider how many of ABC's series I've enjoyed in the past. Which interest you?

COMEDY:
Back in the Game (formerly The Untitled Cullens Project) is about a divorced woman who brings her son along to live with her father. The old man is a former baseball player, but because her son loves the sport, the mother is drawn back into it once again. It sounds a little like The Bad News Bears, and I'm not interested.

The Goldbergs is your average variety family comedy, except it's set in the 1980s. You've got mom, dad, three kids, and grandpa. The youngest is a budding filmmaker, so we see a lot of narration from his point-of-view, much like The Wonder Years. The more I learn about the series, the less I like it, but I'll give it a couple episodes for now.

ABC

Mixology, as you might expect, is set in a Manhattan bar. It's a bit How I Met Your Mother in that the series depicts singles looking for love in a single night. It didn't sound good to me, but the trailer was almost repulsive, so I'm staying far away.

Super Fun Night reminds me a bit of The Weekenders in that it's three ladies concerned only about having a great weekend, or, more specifically, a great Friday night. I didn't even smile at the trailer, and find the premise to be a terrible movie, let alone a disastrous show.

Trophy Wife is about a girl who falls for a twice-divorced man with three bratty kids. She wants to win over the kids and avoid the exes, but it's going to be harder than she thinks. Again, this sounds like a bad movie and nothing more.

DRAMA:
Betrayal is about an affair between a married photographer and a lawyer who is facing off against the photographer's husband in the courtroom. Gag me with a spoon... this is about as off-putting as it gets!

Mind Games (previously Influence) is two brothers using human behavior statistics and psychology to get things to go their way. It's part Psych and part House for starters... if you know how someone will react, you can create illusions all around you. I hate manipulation, so I'm out.

Killer Women is based on an Argentinian series where there's one rough-and-tumble woman in the Texas Rangers who is determined to succeed. Female empowerment aside, this honestly looks really boring.

Lucky 7 is based on a British program where seven coworkers (in Queens for this version) win the lottery. I liked the backstory flashes for the characters enough to give this one a try, though I think I would have approached it differently.

ABC

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (previously S.H.I.E.L.D.) is the Joss Whedon project based on the Marvel Comics' organization, a spinoff from the Avengers film(s). Because I'm a big Marvel fan, I'll try it out, but I've already been rolling my eyes a bit.

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland is the spin-off to the hit Sunday night attraction, Once Upon a Time. The difference here is that it will be told from the perspective of Alice. I don't have any interest in the original, and this one sounds no better.

The Resurrection (previously The Returned) is a bit too creepy for me. The idea is that dead people return from beyond out of nowhere, acting like no time has passed. This only works in a specific town in Missouri, but it reminds me a lot of Alcatraz. I think there's a market for it, but it's not me.

How many of these shows will you be tuning in to try?

[quick links to the other networks: CBS/CW, FOX, NBC.]