New to TV in 2013 – Part Two

If there’s anything we’ve learned over the last few years, we’ve learned to adapt to the constant adjustments the television networks make to our primetime TV schedules.  Just a few short months ago, the fall programming premiered—some of the September pilots passed the test and will live to see another day, while others have already been cancelled.

But don’t worry… the networks have a lineup of many new programs to accompany our returning favorites in 2013.  Some of the series have promise, while others may flop—but, regardless, we’ll tune in to check them out!

Continuing with last week’s introduction of the first five January pilots, here are just a few of the upcoming premieres we can look forward to in 2013…

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Over the years, HBO and Showtime have produced GREAT original programming… even dating back to when I was a child with HBO’s Fraggle Rock.  Yeah, that’s right—Fraggle Rock.  Since then, I’ve enjoyed a few other HBO series such as Sex and the City, The Sopranos, Band of Brothers, and True Blood.

Showtime’s no slouch either.  Mostly, I’ve enjoyed the comedies like Weeds, Californication, and the most recent hit, House of Lies.  However, Showtime has also hit it big with a few of its original dramas (Dexter, Shameless, and Homeland).

So, Cinemax is finally joining this party…Most people associate Cinemax as “Skin-a-Max” for its late night adult television programming, but now I believe the network is trying to at least compete with HBO and Showtime during the primetime hours.  Not only have they recently aired Hunted, an original action/drama starring Melissa George as Sam Hunter, an undercover operative seeking revenge against those who tried to kill her, but they also plan to release another series in January that has piqued my interest—Banshee.

Banshee follows Sheriff Lucas Hood (Antony Starr) as he serves and protects a small Amish community in Pennsylvania.  Not only does Sheriff Hood have a dark history of his own (he served time for his previous crimes), but so do the town and “founders” of Banshee.  But he’s not intimidated by the local men and their previous arrangements—he has sworn to do his job to the best of his ability… no matter what it takes.

The new series also stars Ben Cross (Dark Shadows), Ivana Milicevic, and Ulrich Thomsen.  Oh, and did I mention Banshee shares the same creators as True Blood?

Banshee premieres Friday, January 11^th on Cinemax.

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We all knew it was just a matter of time.  And that time has finally arrived…

Once again, television is hoping to cash in on the success of a previous TV hit—Sex and the City—and has created a spinoff series, hoping to attract today’s younger audience and more than likely all of those that worshiped the former HBO franchise.  Hey, I’m one of them.  Not only did I tune in every Sunday night with my girlfriends to watch Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha, but I also tortured my guy and forced him to take me to the theater to see both film continuations of the series.  Well, I didn’t force him, but I conveniently selected show times at our local full-service bar and restaurant/movie theater for the showings.  I figured if he could drink hard alcohol while sitting through the film, my chances greatly improved of getting him to take me.  I was right.

But The Carrie Diaries isn’t just television’s attempt to keep the Carrie Bradshaw hype alive; the series is based on the book of the same name written by Candace Bushnell, the woman responsible for Sex and the City in the first place.  And which network is best suited for telling the tales of a teenage Carrie?  The CW… one of my favorite channels on TV today.

The Carrie Diaries follows a teenage Carrie Bradshaw (played by AnnaSophia Robb from Soul Surfer) after the death of her mother.  After spending all summer grieving with her father and rebellious younger sister, Carrie jumps at the chance to intern at a job her father secured for her—in Manhattan.

This is where Carrie’s love affair with New York, fashion, clubbing, and writing about friendships, dating, and sex begins…

The new series also stars: Austin Robert Butler (High School Musical) as Sebastian, Carrie’s love interest; Katie Findlay (The Killing) as Maggie, Carrie’s best friend; and Ellen Wong (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) as Jill, Carrie’s other best friend.

The Carrie Diaries premieres Monday, January 14^th on the CW.

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SyFy is at it again…

Last year, the science fiction channel began airing Lost Girl, a TV series already primed for season two in Canada.  The network started the episodes from the beginning and ran them consecutively so US audiences were all caught up.  I loved it—watching Lost Girl every week for almost twenty weeks was like an extended season of supernatural greatness.

And it appears the network is at it again… only this time, it’s with the SyFy UK hit and Canadian series Continuum.  As this show prepares for season two in Canada, the American audiences will get to experience it from the very beginning this month.

This science fiction program follows a group of convicted terrorists, or rebels, known as Liber8 from the year 2077 back in time to 2012.  Inadvertently following them is officer Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols from Criminal Minds), so she takes it upon herself to prevent this group from altering events in the past.

Will Kiera control the past to save the future?

The series also stars: Victor Webster (Charmed, Mutant X) as Carlos, Kiera’s partner in the present… which I’m guessing is technically 2012 and not 2077; Erik Knudsen (Jericho) as the 2012 Alec, Kiera’s confidant;  and Tony Amendola (Once Upon a Time) as Edouard, the leader of the Liber8 rebels.

Continuum premiers Monday, January 14^th on SyFy.

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There’s a ton of programming on BBC America that I want to see: the UK version of Being Human, Doctor Who (thanks to the great Amber West), Hex, Law and Order: UK (I actually caught a few of these over the weekend), and now Ripper Street.

Ripper Street?  That’s right!  As in Jack the Ripper!

This BBC mini-series follows a group of detectives around Whitechapel in London shortly after the gruesome murders credited to Jack the Ripper.  Although they believe the Ripper to be gone, the murders continue—and it’s their turn to do the hunting.

Ripper Street stars: the award-winning English actor Matthew Macfadyn as Detective Inspector Edmund Reid; Jerome Flynn (Game of Thrones) as Detective Sergeant Bennet Drake; Adam Rothenberg (The Ex-List) as American Homer Jackson; and MyAnna Buring (Downton Abbey) as Long Susan, a brothel owner.

Ripper Street premieres Saturday, January 19^th on BBC.

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If I had to rank these in order of which one I’m most looking forward to, I’d put Ripper Street at number one—that’s an easy one.  Ranking the rest isn’t as easy because I’m equally as interested in all three!  But, for argument’s sake, I’d say Continuum probably comes in second—it has a leg up on the others because I can watch this one with my guy.  The Carrie Diaries falls into third, not far behind second—loving SATC the way that I did/do, I’m very interested to see what Ms. Bushnell has in store for us now.  And that leaves Banshee in fourth place… which is an injustice if you ask me.  I’m really looking forward to seeing what Cinemax has to offer by way of its original programming; but unfortunately, someone always has to come in last.

There’s more on the horizon for 2013, but these shows along with last week’s should get everyone’s palate wet…

Which of these new programs are you most looking forward to and why?  I’d love to hear from you!