Fall TV Preview 2013

It’s that time of year again, friends! After a long Summer drought of decent TV, we return to our regularly scheduled programming!


HOLLA!

If anyone knows me, they know I love my shows. I mourn them the moment the season finale ends, and rejoice when the season premiere begins. Last year, I gave you my Fall TV Preview 2012. In this post, I laid out the shows I would be watching regularly, the shows I would be watching hesitantly (ie: on probation), and the NEW shows I would be giving a chance.

Now it’s time to do it all over again, people. So buckle up!

Summer rarely affords good TV viewing. I did a lot of reading this Summer. That being said, I did have two shows I was digging:

Under the Dome 

Wilfred

Wilfred is fantastically irreverent and hysterical. But for some reason (perhaps my crazy Summer schedule), it lost me mid-season. I haven't given up on the show, and I hope to catch up at a later date. 

Under the Dome, though, has kept me intrigued. I don’t think the acting is the greatest, and some contest the variations from the book. But of all the things I could be watching over the Summer, it was interesting enough to finish the season and watch it again (yay renewal!) when the next season begins.

Updates From Last Year

If you refer to my 2012 TV Preview, I had Modern Family on Probation and Revolution on my Give a Chance list. Neither made it more than a month. Modern Family’s schedule was too off and on, and I felt the episodes I did watch didn’t have me interested and laughing like before. Revolution was just bad. I tried. But I couldn’t get into it.

Now let’s get on to the UPCOMING SEASON!

Shows I Can’t Miss

New Girl

(Premieres TUE 9/17 at 9/8c - FOX)

The season ended with many loose ends, including Cece’s called-off wedding, Schmidt’s choice between Cece and Elizabeth and Nick and Jess’s relationship (trip to Mexico?!). SO many questions to be answered, and we can guarantee many laughs to be had. If there is one show on TV that is consistently laughable and quoteable, it is New Girl. Bring on more Schmidt-isms!


JAR!

Parenthood (Premieres THURSDAY 9/26, 10pm - NBC)

HELLO. IT’s the one thing I’ve been waiting for MY WHOLE LIFE.

Also?

NEWSFLASH!

NBC moved Parenthood to a NEW DAY: Thursday. Same time (10pm). This make Thursdays very show-heavy, and if Grey’s Anatomy has a 2-hour episode I have big choices to make .


Oy!


I am excited by the news of Jasmine and Crosby’s baby, and I am dying to see what happens with Amber and Ryan (there are rumors of some jealousy sparks flying from a to-be-introduced character!). Is Mark gone forever from Sarah’s life? Will Hank be back? Will Christina stay cancer-free? 

We’ll be live chatting the show every Thursday at 10pm on the CSHM Facebook Page (warning: spoilers!)

The Good Wife

(Premieres Sunday 9/29, 9pm - CBS)

In my opinion, The Good Wife is some of the BEST writing on television. Hubby always jokes that he hates all the shows I watch. Yet, every Sunday he manages to find himself in whatever room I am in at 9pm. In his words, “I don’t intend on watching it. If anything, I intend not to watch it. But if you catch even the first 60 seconds, you are sucked in and have to watch the entire episode.”

TRUTH!


So many things happened last season that I’m still trying to get my mind around it. I felt there was going to be future reconciliation between Peter and Alicia toward the end of the season. I felt that Alicia was getting ready to say goodbye to Will. I though Alicia would be committed to her new role as Partner at Lockhart Gardner. Then *BAM* season finale. My whole world shifted. Is Alicia making the decision to go to Cary’s new firm so that she can be with Will, no strings attached? Or is she doing what is best for HER? Is she definitively closing off her relationship with Peter?


I can’t wait for this season to begin!

Community 

(Unknown)

I know, I know. It’s been a rollercoaster ride with this show. But you know what? I love the characters. I love how complicated the inside jokes are weaved into the writing. I love Joel McHale.

Wait.

Did I just say that? Chevy Chase is gone (yay!), but there are reports that Daniel Glover is leaving the show (sadness). I’d like to see them finish strong, whether that’s by having one last season or pulling it together for a few more. There is no news on when this season will begin, but I’m on the look out!

Parks and Recreation 

(Premieres Thursday 9/28, 8pm - NBC)

The town of Pawnee and their Parks and Rec department have truly grown on me the past few years. I am in love with the quirkiness and the biting humor. Will Ann still pursue single parenthood? Will we see less of April and Andy? Adam and Leslie are newlyweds in this coming season and we could see Ron Swanson as a Daddy?


HOW CAN I MISS THIS?

Answer: I can’t.

Bring on the AWESOMESAUCE! 

Until then, study up on the Ron Swanson Pyramid of Greatness.

Grey's Anatomy 

(Premieres Thursday 9/26, 9pm - ABC)

Yes, friends.

Last year, I had Grey’s Anatomy on PROBATION. I felt that the writing had possibly gone downhill, we’d lost key (and beloved) characters, and everything had seemingly gone to pot. Then the season began and new characters, new storylines breathed new life into Seattle Grace/Mercy West/Grey Sloan Memorial hospital. Wounds healed from the losses sustained from the plane crash, and life slowly became normal(ish) again for our favorite doctors.

BUT.

There is always drama.

We left last season with Arizona having kissed a visiting doctor and revealing her pent-up anger toward Callie. Meredith brought her baby boy into the world. And we are still uncertain what lies ahead for Christina and Owen. I’m interested to see what happens with Karev and Jo, as well as April and Avery. So many relationships! 

AND WHAT ABOUT RICHARD? Alert reader and bloggy friend Julie from Juliverse alerted me to a GLARING plot twist overlooked in my write up.  Remember Dr. Webber was electrocuted at the end of last season's finale? WILL HE SURVIVE?

We'll find out in 2 weeks!

On Probation

The Mindy Project 

(Premieres Tuesday 9/17, 9:30pm - FOX)

Last year, I committed to giving The Mindy Project a chance. The show is decent and cute, but let me confess something: I often forget to watch it because I’m usually 1) Still laughing and quoting New Girl and 2) so giddy about Parenthood coming on directly after. Luckily, Parenthood is in a new timeslot, so I will break the precedent and give The Mindy Project another chance (and moving it to “On Probation”).


Give me all you got, Mindy!

Give a Chance

Very few shows have made it on the list this year. I feel like my TV viewing schedule has grown thin, and nothing worthwhile is on tap to fill the spaces. I looked over all of the new shows each network had to offer. Most seemed redundant or not quite my speed. These are the few that caught my eye (some are not new, but rather, new to me):

The Crazy Ones 

(Series Premiere, Thursday Sept 26th 9/8c - CBS)

Elementary 

(Premieres, Thursday, Sept 26, 10/9c - CBS)

The Goldbergs 

(Series Preimiere, Tuesday Sep 24 9/8c - ABC)

I don’t know enough to write a synopsis on these guys. I’ll report back, though, if they move up onto the Probation list over the course of the season!

~~~~~ 

Are you still trying to find information on what shows premiere when? My girl Dresden has got you covered. She made up a pretty (and resourceful) Guide to 2013 Season Premieres for September and October. Yes they are printable so you can pop them up on your fridge and not miss a single premiere. I LOVE these calendars. I hope you find them helpful!


Now it’s time for you to SPEAK UP!

What shows are on YOUR 

Can’t Miss/Probation/Give a Chance 

lists? 

What shows am I TOTALLY 

missing out on and need to put on my viewing schedule? 

Leave a comment and join the conversation!

Season Premiere Conflict: The Braverman Grace Hospital Dilemma

Houston, we've got a (huge) problem.

It all goes back to my friend Brie. I will blame her. Years ago, she turned me on to the show Grey's Anatomy. I'd heard her talk about it plenty, and so when Chica was just shy of two years old, I found that Lifetime had reruns of Grey's from 1pm-3pm. So I figured I'd check it out. 2 episodes.  Every day. During Chica's nap time.  It was like I was meant to fall in love with the show.

It was not too long before I was caught up in all the storage room romances, abnormally occurring crisis situations and, of course, McDreamy. And I will share that while I have stood by Grey's through thick and thin, Brie has stopped watching completely because she couldn't embrace the loss of Mark Sloan and Lexie Grey.

I have to question, were you ever really a fan, Brie??

Fast forward another two or so years. Brie calls me: 

B: You've got to check this show out. You'll really like it.
S: Which one?
B: It's called Parenthood. It's well-written and it's right up your alley.
S: What channel is it on? What day? What time?
B: Tuesdays at 10pm on NBC.
S: 10pm? Like at night?
B:.....

I resisted the first year, but as Parenthood gained popularity, I decided to give it a chance during it's third season. I started with the season premiere (without having seen seasons 1 or 2, mind you) with my laptop open to the Parenthood wikipedia page so I could understand any past situations or family history. I was quickly captured by the Braverman clan, and after Season 3, I spent the summer watching Seasons 1 and 2 on Netflix (and bawling my eyes out during every flippin' episode).


To say I fell in love with this show is an understatement. Every Tuesday night I live and breathe for this show. I have live Chats with friends and CSHM fans on Facebook. I rallied every time there were utterances of cancellation. I stood by when Season 4 was cut short. 

I'm a Braverman Believer.

Well now, thanks to NBC and ABC, I have a huge problem.

You see, Parenthood has been moved from it's time slot on Tuesday nights at 10pm to Thursday nights at 10pm.

I see you're all like, "Um....so?"

WELL.

Thursday nights are already a pretty full night for Steph TV. Somehow over the years, many of the TV shows I love have ended up on Thursday nights: Community, Parks and Recreation as well as Grey's Anatomy.

Grey's Anatomy, people.

Now, I'm fortunate enough that Grey's is on at 9pm on ABC and Parenthood is on at 10pm on NBC. The debacle comes on the fated day of September 26, 2013. Quite possibly my favorite day of the entire 2013 year. Why? Because it is the night I look forward to all summer: Season Premiere Night. Each year in early September, I document my Fall TV Previews.  I share the shows I am excited to continue watching (as well as a slight recap of what happened last season), new shows I will be putting on trial and giving a chance, as well as shows that have jumped the shark and I will be letting go. Then I impatiently wait for the season premieres like a newly potty-trained toddler who has to pee.

This year, September 26 will be host to four of my Season Premieres. 

And...

::ready for it::

Grey's Anatomy will be overlapping with the Parenthood premiere.

DARN YOU, conflicting networks! Darn you TV gods for allowing Grey's to have a 2-hour season premiere (be still my heart) and Bravermans to be moved to the same night!

YOU CAN'T MAKE ME CHOOSE.

So what's a girl to do?

And let me state now, I will not be accepting "Hello, Steph. That's what DVR's are for" or "You're kind of too obsessed with TV shows" or "this is the stupidest dilemma in all of history" responses. 

Obviously. 

Instead, I will dream of a fictional TV world where the Bravermans all suddenly go to medical school and come on staff at Seattle Grace Mercy West Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Or they come on as a board of advisors and run the hospital, also renaming it the Braverman General Hospital. 

CAN YOU IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES?

Maybe Brie would begin watching again....

UPDATE: Check out my Fall TV Preview for 2013!