Midseason Check-In: What Will Happen to the Rookies?

[original comments from 2/21/14; final update: 5/10/14]

Shows have come and gone, both for me and for everyone. Many mid-season replacements are moving along now, and others are coming back from Olympics hiatus, so let's take a short look at how the new network programs have done based on what has premiered so far...

What I Planned to Watch:
The Goldbergs (ABC): 15 episodes in, 7 more to go in the first season. I'm willing to bet it'll get renewed, which is great, because I enjoy it. RENEWED!
Lucky 7 (ABC): CANCELLED after 2 episodes.
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC): Full season ordered, but I quit after 3 episodes. It'll likely be renewed. RENEWED!
Intelligence (CBS): 7 of 13 in, and I gave up after the pilot. Numbers are decent, but there are other factors in play for a second season. CANCELLED!
The Crazy Ones (CBS): 15 episodes have aired so far, and it may or may not be renewed, but I quit after 5 episodes. CANCELLED!
We Are Men (CBS): CANCELLED after 2 episodes.
Star-Crossed (CW): only one episode in, so it's too early to really tell. CANCELLED!
Dads (FOX): its season of 18 episodes has finished airing, and many believe it will be cancelled. I quit after 6. CANCELLED!
The Michael J. Fox Show (NBC): CANCELLED after 15 episodes; I quit after 8.
Sean Saves the World (NBC): CANCELLED after 13 episodes; I quit after 5.
Welcome to the Family (NBC): CANCELLED after 3 episodes, though a few more are available on Hulu.

The Others:
Back in the Game (ABC): CANCELLED after 10 episodes. 
Super Fun Night (ABC): It will only run 17 episodes, and it's not looking good for renewal. CANCELLED!
Trophy Wife (ABC). It will have a full season, and has 8 episodes to go, This one actually won me over, but nobody else, and it's not likely to be renewed. CANCELLED!
Betrayal (ABC): It has finished its 13-episode season, and I'll bet it's canceled. CANCELLED!
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (ABC): You CAN have too much of a good thing, and this is an example. 8 episodes have aired so far, and probably only 5 more will. CANCELLED!
Mom (CBS): 16 episodes so far, 8 to go, and it looks like renewal is a distinct possibility. RENEWED!
The Millers (CBS): 10 episodes aired so far, and more should come this year and next. RENEWED!
Hostages (CBS): It ran 15 episodes and is not likely to get any more. CANCELLED!
The Originals (CW): RENEWED!
Reign (CW): RENEWED!
The Tomorrow People (CW): 13 down, 9 to go, and although this one could go either way, I'm betting against it. CANCELLED!
Almost Human (FOX): 6 episodes aired so far, and the horizon is bleak. CANCELLED!
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX): 16 down, 6 to go, it's doing well, but could do better. RENEWED!
Enlisted (FOX): 5 out of 13 episodes have aired, and the ratings are just abysmal. CANCELLED!
Murder Police (FOX): CANCELLED without airing.  
Rake (FOX): 5 out of 13 have aired, and the audience is steadily declining. CANCELLED!
Sleepy Hollow (FOX): RENEWED!
The Blacklist (NBC): RENEWED!
Chicago P.D. (NBC): 5 out of 15 episodes have aired, and it's a toss-up at the moment. RENEWED!
Dracula (NBC): It got its 10 episodes, and although it's not looking great, a renewal is not impossible. CANCELLED!
Ironside (NBC): CANCELLED after 3 episodes.

What are your predictions at this point in the season?

We Are Men: A Man and his Dog

CBS went ahead and canceled this series, but I figured I might as well give a few thoughts on the second and final episode. This is particularly interesting because the only two series that have been cancelled so far are ones that TheTalkingBox had picked up to cover. If some of the early predictions are correct, Dads and Welcome to the Family could be the next to go, and are also comedies we've picked up. Here's hoping we're not just bad luck this season!

Sonja Flemming /CBS ©2013 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

We Are Men "We Are Dognappers" (S01E02): The guys are celebrating various successes, including Stuart's divorce finalization... right up until he learns that Amy is going to get the dog, despite not being a dog person. Frank suggests they steal the dog back, but it's out being walked when they get there. [haha that they have the neighbor boy go in through the doggie door!] The guys kill time by stealing some wine and watching Stuart's wedding video, which includes the honeymoon! [ugh.] Stuart has to dash off when a patient has pregnancy complications, and then Gil heads off for a camping date with his daughter when a slumber party doesn't pan out. Frank and Carter steal the dog on their own, only because Amy is oblivious. When Frank gets trapped in Stuart's bathroom as Stuart and Amy are intimate, Carter decides to go for it with Frank's daughter, Abby. [how was Stuart back from the hospital in under an hour?] In the end, Stuart and Amy get joint custody of the dog. [kinda funny to see "scenes from the next" that will never happen.] 

NEW SHOW: We Are Men: Meet those Men!

I loved Tony Shaloub in Monk. I thought he was great in Wings. In We Are Men, however, notsomuch. To his credit, he is probably doing a great job, but the character just doesn't seem to be a great fit. Kal Penn also didn't thrill me, and I couldn't care less for the other two guys, so maybe this series isn't going to be a hit for me after all. A divorce or a separation is one thing, but four six divorces, a separation, and a left-at-the-altar between four men doesn't exactly draw me in quite as much. The pilot was so expository, however, that the regular episodes are bound to be different enough to need to see a few to get a good feel for the series. Thoughts?

We Are Men "Pilot" (S01E01): An old boyfriend busts up Carter's wedding to profess his love for a bride. Carter is in denial that it's over, but his whole life changes when he moves and has to find a new job, having previously worked for his would-be father-in-law marketing industrial paint. He wants to coach basketball, and it just so happens that one of his three new friends has an "in" with a junior varsity team at a high school. [he played for UCSD... maybe if I was a basketball fan this would impress me.] Of course, Carter blows off an interview when he has the chance to get back with his fiance, who is controlling. The guys come together and bust up the second wedding (which was only maybe two months after the first one!), helping Carter realize that he shouldn't throw away his life.

Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2013 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Now, let's talk about those friends, who all live in the same complex "four exits from Hollywood." From left in the above picture...First, there's Stuart, who has two divorces in his past, as well as at least one STI. [and is still battling the division of property, LoL.] Then there's Gil, a small business owner, who has been separated from his wife for over a year. He was caught in the world's worst affair, but still thinks there's a chance he will reunite with his wife and daughter. [haha on the "dinner" joke after his daughter noted her friend's mother's chest size.] And there's Frank, a clothing manufacturer, who grew apart from his wife after 16 years of marriage. He's now divorced from her, and three other women for that matter. [holy cow!] He has at least one adult daughter, Abby.

Together, the four guys don't make the best decisions, and find themselves doing strange things like breaking into a Catholic school to play basketball, only to wind up paying off a nun. [their complex doesn't have a basketball court amongst those other amenities? or they just wanted a change in scenery?] They also try to be wingmen for one another, but it doesn't always work out the way one might expect. For instance, Frank draws a mother/daughter pair for himself and Carter but takes the daughter. [WEIRD.]

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.

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: CBS & The CW for 2013

With CBS only picking up eight programs and the CW only five (no comedies for them!), I figured I'd combine those two networks into one post. Honestly, CBS is doing so well that they can afford to take risks and try out higher budget shows than the other networks, but it seems like they've still got some solid options, which is good. The CW is becoming more and more of a true player in the broadcast network game, but it seems that this season's selections are SO niche that it's very difficult for the average viewer to find something worth their time. This isn't a new problem for them, per se, but it certainly seems worse with this batch than those of the past two years!

I'll be trying out one drama each from CBS and the CW and three of the CBS comedies, so that should keep me busy, at least for a few weeks! I did do a couple of Examiner pieces on the CBS offerings, so for more details, check here and here. 

CBS COMEDY:
Crazy Ones is a father-daughter workplace comedy with Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar starring, and Hamish Linklater (Matt from The New Adventures of Old Christine) as well. I'll give it a go for both the premise and the talent, but I don't have high hopes for the series. 

CBS

We Are Men was previously known as Ex-Men because it focuses on four guys living the single life with exes in their lives. Talent includes Kal Penn and Tony Shalhoub, and for them alone, I'll be giving it a try. I think that the premise is ridiculous (TVLand already has The Exes, after all), but maybe it'll turn out to be better than I'm expecting. 

CBS

Friends With Better Lives has a group of thirtsomethings in different life stages wondering if their friends have it better than they do. Not gonna lie... this show hits a little close to home for me. I don't have a lot of friends in the same stage of life, so I'm quite enthused to watch this one and see if it plays out realistically. James Van Der Beek might bring it down, though, so let's hope that doesn't happen.

Mom has a newly sober single mother trying to get it together while her mother berates her. I found the concept boring and the trailer worse, so I'm staying away.

The Millers (previously The Unauthorized Greg Garcia Project) is Will Arnett as a newly divorced man whose parents (including Beau Bridges) move in with him. I'm so sick of this multi-generational household concept that I could scream! 

CBS DRAMA:
Hostages features a surgeon who is scheduled to operate on the POTUS. She is told that if she doesn't kill him while he's under the knife, her family will be killed instead. I don't think this is anything more than a movie (though it's not a bad plot), and Jerry Bruckheimer just isn't enough to make it worth it.

Intelligence follows a man, Gabriel, who has been implanted with a super-computer microchip, allowing him to connect to (and hack) the Internet, the telephone, and satellite data. Gabriel helps the government. I think a lot of people will tune-in to this updated Six Million Dollar Man program, but I don't think they'll stay. That said, I'll try it out. 

CBS

Reckless is two lawyers struggling with mutual attraction while dealing with a police sex scandal. Television does not need more of this, and I think it's already played out to boot. I'm ignoring it.

CW DRAMA:
The 100 is based on not-yet-published books set 97 years after nuclear war destroys civilization. 100 juvenile delinquents are sent back to Earth to attempt re-colonization. I've had my fill of futuristic apocalypse dramas, and I really don't think that the majority do all that well. Pass. 

The Originals is probably the CW's most-promising pilot, based on the fact that it's a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries. Set in New Orleans, Klaus faces off against his "diabolical former protégé," Marcel. As many of you know, rarely am I into the supernatural, so I'll be moving right past it.  

Star-Crossed (previously Oxygen) has Aimee Teegarden in love with an alien. The boy, part of "The Orion 9," have spent the past ten years in an internment camp and are just being integrated into suburban life. Add in Maggie Elizabeth Jones and it could be worth an episode or two, however ridiculous it may sound.

CW

Reign is for the history lovers, telling the story of Mary, Queen of Scots' rise to power, beginning when she arrives in France. I considered checking it out for the period aspects alone, but after seeing promos and a clip, I don't think it's for me.

The Tomorrow People is based on a UK series where people are evolving to possess the powers of teleportation and telepathy. Across the globe, these gifted citizens must come together to defeat the forces of evil. This one probably interests me the least, but sounds like the kind of show that might be shlepped to Comic-Con to grow an audience.

Any of them sound like something you'd watch?

[quick links to the other networks: ABC, FOX, NBC.]