I’ve been too busy watching TV to write about it.
The first official cancellation of the final season is a big disappointment to me. FX has canceled the new Kurt Sutter series “The Bastard Executioner” or rather it has failed to pick it up for a second season. The first season just wrapped and I really really liked it. I am highly disappointed. The show failed to get even 1 million viewers. I thought it was great and was anxious to see where it went from here. It did go out with a big episode but it was hardly a satisfying ending.
Executioner wasn’t so much canceled as it failed to be renewed. But the winner of the first to be canceled award goes to ABC’s “Wicked City” which was dropped after just three episodes with terrible ratings. It was about a man and woman who are lovers and serial killers get their sexual kicks by killing. It was also about the cops chasing them. Set in the 1980s Los Angeles. I only got to see the first episode and I thought it was a bit interesting if not great.
Other cancellations have not been as definite or obvious. Some ongoing shows have announced their final season and some new shows have had the number of scripts have had their number of scripts reduced and production has been shut down which means they are pretty much dead but just not yet officially canceled. TV Line refers to this as a “soft cancellation”. A few have already been picked up for a full season. We’ve included a renewal scorecard but there isn’t much new filled out yet except for some summer shows that will not be back next year. I didn’t write as many individual reviews as I had hoped to the season but here’s a brief we step of some winners and losers.
The new sitcom “Life in Pieces” did not hold my interest for even one full episode. Nothing to see here… Move along. The ER room drama “Code Black” had some potential but considering that I’m already watching too many shows to keep up with all of them, it was one that I had to drop. If you watch the classic “ER” TV series for 11 or 12 years you’ve seen everything that this show had to offer. In some ways it suffers from the same problems that the original ER had in its early seasons. Patients come and go so quickly that you never get into their stories at the doctor spend so much time treating them that you have trouble getting into their stories. It’s just a continuous stream of medical jargon and flying blood gauze bandages. And predictably at about the 40 minute mark of each episode they went into Code Black status as expected.
Another casualty to my watchlist was “Rosewood” about it private who works in Miami. First of all I didn’t buy the premise that a guy could be a private duty medical examiner in a major city like Miami when certainly they have city or county medical examiners on the job all of the time. While there were some nice looking women running around and it was great to see the sky driving around beautiful Miami in a fancy car, the stories weren’t that interesting, the love interest didn’t have much chemistry, and the subplot about his health issues was just boring. If it was a summer replacement show and nothing else was on I would probably watch it and Code Black.
The next to leave my watchlist that has not quite yet left is “The Grinder”. This is a sitcom with one running joke week after week. The premise is that Rob Lowe played a famous lawyer on TV and when his series is canceled he moves in with his brother who is a real life lawyer. He keeps trying to act like he can be a lawyer because played one on TV. I think the only reason I’m watching it is to see how long they can keep repeating the same story over and over again.
Speaking of “stupid premise” I’m going to continue watching “The Player” despite its stupid premise. It has enough action,, shootouts etc. to keep me interested. Some other brief comments… Quantico is slightly too soap opera in nature but I’m hooked on the story of who is responsible for a terrorist bombing. I’m hoping that the show was grossly unrealistic because if these characters are representative of who the FBI is recruiting these days, this country is a lot of trouble. They are all neurotic misfits.
Minority Report and Limitless are what I would call watchable but neither is as good as I had hoped they would be. The first couple of episodes of Heroes Reborn got bad reviews and it did take a while to get going however it eventually delivered big time and by the ninth or tenth episode it was everything that you ever liked about the original Heroes series. The characters that they brought back from the original series were fun to revisit and the new characters are very compelling. I really hope that even though this was supposed to be a limited event series I would love to see it picked up for more episodes next year. I would have to say it’s my favorite somewhat new show since it really is a continuation of the original series Heroes.
Returning favorites include all of the comic book shows Gotham, Arrow, and The Flash each of which has upped its game. And speaking of “open your game” the clear winner in that category is the new season of The Walking Dead. The action sequences get the first few episodes surpassed many action movies. To see such cinematic storytelling on a weekly series is amazing. And the plot and characters are every bit as wonderful as they have ever been perhaps better.
Also of special mention in returning series have been the incredible performances by Cameron Moynahan as the Joker -like character in Gotham. And the episode of Agents of Shield that told what happened to Simmons while she was trapped on alien planet was clearly the best episode they’ve ever done even if it was a ripoff of The Martian.
The only disappointing returning series is the new round of American Horror Story. For the first two or three episodes it was just wall-to-wall blood and gore with no story and no character. They are gradually starting to reveal a little bit of plot and we are getting to know the characters but it seems like the first half hour of the show is just a showcase of the grotesque and the real storytelling doesn’t get going until about halfway through the episode. They need to find some balance between the gross out and the storytelling.
The jury is still out on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. I like the premise of a romantic comedy TV series where people break out into song like a Hollywood movie musical. The solos are extremely clever and are reminiscent of last year’s musical Galavant and the musical episode of Psych both of which I loved. But it’s just so so as a romantic comedy story. A little bit like The Grinder is a one joke story that they keep repeating over and over.
Longtime readers of this blog know that we occasionally issue an award titled “Chris Young’s sure sign of the coming Apocalypse award”. Fortunately we have not had one of those recently. One television event that narrowly missed apocalyptic status was the decision to have a crossover episode between Bones and Sleepy Hollow. Those episodes have aired and I still think was a bad idea. They did succeed in keeping the supernatural elements out of the Bones episode to a certain extent although they did have some s’plaining to do about Ichabod Crane’s handwriting appearing in a 200-year-old document. Overall it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been but it was still a bad idea.
However with this installment of the blog we have created a new award. The first recipient of “Chris Young’s OMG I can’t believe they did such a cool thing” award goes to Gotham. Reports say that Paul Rubens a.k.a. Pee-wee Herman has been cast to play the Penguin’s father in an upcoming episode.
In the links below read…
TV Line broadcast renewal scorecard
Postmortem interview with Cameron Monahan about his Joker -like character in Gotham
Postmortem interview with producers of The Strain about the end of season 2 and what to expect in 3
Spoilers from Michael Ausiello dated October 13
Spoilers from Inside Line dated October 18
Spoilers from Michael Ausiello dated October 22nd
Interview with Neil Degrasse Tyson about season 2 of StarTalk and other topics
Spoilers from Inside Line dated October 29
Interview with Arrow producers about recent plot points
Spoilers from Michael Ausiello dated November 5.
Spoilers from Inside Line dated November 11
Interview with stars of Arrow and The Flash about crossover episodes December 1-2 which will launch new series Legends of Tomorrow
Spoilers from Michael Ausiello dated November 18
Interview with producer of Marvel’s Jessica Jones
Spoilers from Inside Line dated October 22
Calendar of fall finale and midseason returns and premieres
Not in the links below but also of interest
HBO is considering a series based on the Watchmen graphic novel and film
CW network has ordered 5 additional scripts for iZombie bringing it to 18 episodes for this season 2. Also additional scripts for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend however we don’t know how many total that is. The report didn’t say.
CBS is developing a series based on the Nancy Drew detective stories for kids.
Peter Sarsgaard will have a recurring role in the Showtime revival of Twin Peaks
ABC Family channel is changing its name to “Freeform” starting in 2016
Animated series Bob’s Burgers has been renewed for season 7 and 8.
Despite what TV line describes as “barely detectable ratings” series “Halt and Catch Fire” has been renewed for a 10 episode third season at AMC.
FX networks has renewed Tyrant for season 3
Fox’s ordered three additional scripts for Rosewood. Quite a full season pickup but still a vote of confidence from the network.
Former King of Queens Kevin James will write and star in a new sitcom for CBS with a 13 episode commitment for the 2016-17 season. It’s a family comedy about a retired cop.
CBS announced that sci-fi drama Extant has been canceled. The story had run its course.
Blindspot has been picked up for a full season. I should’ve mentioned it in my intro to this blog. It has enough action, story, and characters to keep my interest. I think I actually like it better than The Blacklist of which is a ripoff in some respects.
Late update Blindspot has been picked up for season 2!
Fox has cut the order for Minority Report from 13 episodes down to just 10 because of terrible ratings.
David Duchovny has hinted that he may show up in the Twin Peaks revival reprising his role as transgendered DEA agent Denise Bryson.
CW network announced Beauty and the Beast will end its run after season 4. This would never worked for me and I gave up after just a couple of episodes.
Look for Arrow bad guy Damien Darhik to cross over to The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow is future episodes.
Harry Connick Jr. is going to host a syndicated daytime talk/variety show.
Laura Spencer the redheaded gal who is Raj’s girlfriend on The Big Bang Theory has been promoted to series regular. However she will still occasionally guest star as an intern on Bones.
SyFy Channel has canceled its supernatural series Dominion. Although I watched it it really wasn’t that good.
When 2 Broke Girls premiered a couple of weeks ago it was ahead of schedule. That timeslot was supposed to be for a new Jane Lynch sitcom titled Angel from Hell. That show has now been pushed to February.
Showtime’s Homeland producers need to vet their art department better. They hired in Arabic speaking graffiti artist to tag a wall to appear in the background of a scene. He wrote “Homeland Is Racist” nobody noticed until it was too late.
Fox sitcoms Grandfathered and The Grinder have received orders additional episodes and then later were picked up for a full season.
SyFy Channel says that Defiance will not return. Season 3 left Nolan and Doc flying off into the universe. A fitting ending.
ABC has picked up sitcom Doctor Ken for a full season.
NBC Universo has acquired the exclusive rights to The Walking Dead dubbed in Spanish. Season 1-3 will begin airing in early 2016
Dr. Phil has signed a multi-year that keep him on the air through the year 2020.
It’s no myth… MythBusters has been canceled after 14 seasons, 248 episodes, 2950 experiments, 1050 myths and 900 explosions. The latest season really wasn’t up to their usual standards without the assistants that were cut from the show last year. It was fun while it lasted. The final season begins January 9, 2016.
Freeform channel formerly known as ABC Family has renewed Switched at Birth for season 5
ABC has canceled its summer supernatural series The Whispers
Lindsay Wagner will guest star on NCIS as Agent Bishop’s mother. No relation to Robert Wagner place Tony’s father.
CBS has picked up Limitless for a full season order of 22 episodes
NBC has cut The Player down to just 9 episodes.
Brian Fuller will reboot Steven Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” anthology series for NBC
ABC has trimmed its order for evening soap opera Blood and Oil to just 10 episodes.
FX network has canceled Married
Ricky Gervais will return to host the Golden Globes Awards in 2016
Walking Dead producer Scott Gimpel refuses to say whether or not you-know-who is really dead or not but he did say that the injury to Rick’s hand was not serious and would not require amputation.
NBC sitcom Truth Be Told has been trimmed from 13 down to 10 episodes.
HBO has changed its mind after initially renewing The Brink a Jack Black comedy it has now decided not to renew it after all.
Despite my inability to get through a full episode, CBS has picked up a full season order new sitcom “Life in Pieces”
Starz has renewed Ash vs. Evil Dead for a second season before the first one even began. I need to check this one out.
Norman Reedus will star in a biker themed reality series AMC in 2016
Netflix has renewed Longmire for season 5
RIP Al Molinaro died at age 86 he was the driving owner Al on happy days and on the original odd couple he was Murray the cop
A new Star Trek series will premiere on CBS in 2017
SyFy Channel has acquired a 13 episode series titled Van Helsing with a female lead daughter Vanessa Van Helsing
Former Sons of Anarchy veteran Tommy Flanagan will play a bad guy in the upcoming Gotham
Jon Stuart has signed a deal with HBO to create original digital short form material for HBO Now and HBO Go As Well as for slick rights to some future TV and movie prospects.
The revival of Twin Peaks has been pushed until 2017
David Harvey will host a reality competition series called First Impressions for USA Network that will pit comic impressionists against each other.
BBC America will have a supersized one-off episode of Luther on December 17
NBC has renewed Chicago fire and Chicago PD for their next season. Very early to be doing so.
American Horror Story has been renewed for season 6 at FX. Producers have already invited Lady Gaga to return but no word on if you will accept and what the next story will be like.
Joel Hodgson has launched a kick starter campaign to revive Mystery Science Theater 3000
CBS will have a live addition of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert to air after the Super Bowl.
Bob Newhart will come back from the dead to guest star on an upcoming episode of Big Bang theory
ABC miniseries about Bernie Madoff starring Richard Dreyfus will air February 3-4.
TNT has renewed Murder in the First for season 3.
Former NYPD Blue start James McDaniel will play the Mills sisters father in an upcoming episode of Sleepy Hollow
As a result of the Paris bombings HBO has canceled a live U2 concert from Paris. Also Supergirl and NCIS: LA postponed terror related episodes because of the Paris bombings. The concert has been rescheduled for December 7 the Supergirl and NCIS LA episodes will air eventually. Additionally Undataable dropped its live episode in favor of a rerun and was criticized for it claiming that it was a publicity stunt. Other shows had special opening sequences including SNL and Stephen Colbert
Megan Boone a.k.a. Elizabeth Kean on The Blacklist is pregnant in real life. No word about what it means for her character.
Genifer Goodwin a.k.a. Emma Snow on Once upon a Time is pregnant in real life. No word about what it means for her character.
E! Network has canceled its pop-culture talkshow The Soup after 22 seasons
Original American Idol judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell will return to guest start sometime during the final season of American Idol.
Celine Dion will pay tribute to the victims of the Paris attack during Sunday’s American Music Awards.
Code Black has been given 5 more episodes to bring its total up to 18.
Colton Haynes will reprise his role of Roy Harper in upcoming episode of Arrow
Marvel’s Ant Man is definitely getting a sequel which will also feature The Wasp tentatively scheduled for July 2018
Composer John Williams will be the first ever composer to receive an AFI Lifetime Achievement Award. Much-deserved.
Animated “Guardians of the Galaxy” has been renewed for a second season on Disney XD
RIP actress Maureen O’Hara who is 95. She played opposite John Wayne in several movies.
Mark Wahlberg will star as Steve Austin in a film version of Six Billion-Dollar Man to be released to theaters December 2017
A&E and documentary maker Vice Media will rename the H2 (History 2) Channel as Viceland in 2016
Amazon is developing a TV series based on Marion Zimmer Bradley’s fantasy/sci-fi books Darkover. Unlike Game of Thrones, they won’t have to worry about getting ahead of the novels. There are 25 books in the series.
RIP Melissa Masterson screenwriter who wrote ET The Extraterrestrial. She was 65.
Z Nation has been renewed for season 3 on SyFy Channel
Chloe Grace Moretz will star in a live-action film version of The Little Mermaid for Universal Studios
A remake of the 1965 series Lost in Space is coming to Netflix as a series
Disney XD announced Gravity Falls will end in 2016
FX network has announced Fargo has been renewed for season 3
Other GOP candidates are demanding equal time after Donald Trump hosted SNL if all 17 of them got their own episode it would probably extend past the election 🙂 NBC has offered candidates 12 minutes and five seconds of free advertising or promos as compensation instead.
AMC new series “Into the Badlands” earned the third-best debut ever for a cable show thanks to strong lead-in from The Walking Dead
Advanced sale tickets to the new Star Wars movie are predicted to reach $100 million by opening day
RIP Jim Perry game show host of Card Sharks and Sale of the Century was 82
Despite weak ratings CW has ordered additional episodes of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and iZombie bringing their totals to 18 and 19 respectively
RIP car designer George Barris who designed the Adam West sixties version of the Batmobile age 89
Pixar schedules Finding Dori June 2016, Cars 3 in 2017, Toy Story 4 2018 all sometime in June of those years
Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have announced “Godzilla vs. Kong” will reach theaters in 2020
From the “I can’t remember if I already reported this department” Chris Rock will host this year’s Oscars
RIP Gunnar Hansen made 68 played the original Leatherface killer in Texas Chainsaw Massacre
CW announced premiere of Flash/Arrow spinoff series “Legends of Tomorrow” will be January 21. Also CW series “The 100” return same day.
TV Line Broadcast Renewal Scorecard
Strain EPs Clear the Air on Nora’s Fate, Tease a ‘Different, Faster’ Season 3
Neil deGrasse Tyson on StarTalk Season 2: Cosmos, Comedy and Why Charlie Sheen (?!) Is a Dream Guest
Arrow EP Talks Oliver/Laurel Face-Off, Sara’s Future, Dig’s ‘Wound’ and More
Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on Arrow, Bloodline, Grimm, Supergirl, Scandal, TVD, Supernatural and More
When Will Your Favorite Shows Return From the Holidays? Save These Dates!