New to TV this Summer (2013) – Part 2

I can remember back when the summer months meant we couldn’t find anything new to watch on television… maybe a reality program here, or a two-hour made-for-TV-special there, but no new series.

But not anymore.

As the hot winds blow into our neighborhoods, so does a new television season.

This summer, the networks have a lineup of new programs to entertain us during the primetime hours.  Some of the series have promise, while others may flop—but, regardless, we’ll tune in to check them out!

Continuing with the Part One introduction, here are a few more premieres we can look forward to this summer…

*****

Whodunnit?

Ever want to attend one of those murder mystery dinner parties?  I have!

Whodunnit? is kind of like reality television’s version of these parties…

Thirteen “investigators” will gather and live inside a mansion, attempting to solve a “murder.”  The “investigators” will use real CSI technology and work up a “murder dossier” of sorts.  Each week, the contestants will describe what they think happened in detail and those furthest from the truth will be eliminated.

This setup reminds me of the older reality show, The Mole, that aired from 2001-2008.  Remember that one?

Needless to say, I will be tuning in and playing along…

Whodunnit? premieres June 23^rd on ABC.

*****

Crossing Lines

Get ready for summer’s new police procedural…

Crossing Lines follows a group of International Criminal Court (ICC) officers as they investigate cross-border criminals and their crimes.  Working to solve some of the “most notorious international crimes,” this series promises to be action packed.

And just look at the headliner… Donald Sutherland.  He doesn’t need any introductions, does he?  The new series also stars: William Fichtner (Prison Break), Tom Wlaschiha (Game of Thrones), Marc Lavoine, Richard Flood, Gabriella Pession, and Moon Daily.

Crossing Lines premieres June 23^rd on NBC.

*****

Under the Dome

What would happen if we were cut off from the world?  If we couldn’t leave our city or county lines?  If we were imprisoned by an impenetrable barrier?

Based on the science fiction novel by Stephen King, Under the Dome follows the residents of Chester’s Mill after they are cut off from the world by an impenetrable barrier—a dome of sorts.  As one can imagine, some panic, while some keep calmer heads and attempt an escape.  Will they uncover the truth in time to save their small town?

The new horror/mystery series stars: Mike Vogel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre circa 2003), Rachelle Lefevre (the Twilight saga), Colin Ford (Supernatural), Natalie Martinez (Detroit 1-8-7 and CSI: NY), Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Britt Robertson (The Secret Circle), Aisha Hinds (Detroit 1-8-7, True Blood, and Cult), and many other familiar faces in recurring roles (like Jeff Fahey from Lost).

Under the Dome premieres June 24^th on CBS. 

*****

Ray Donovan

ABC has Olivia Pope; Showtime now has Ray Donovan…

Ray Donovan (played by the adorable Liev Schreiber, from the Scream films, Salt, and other major motion pictures) “fixes” Hollywood’s problems.  He does the dirty work for the city’s celebrities and life seems great for Ray… until his father (Mickey Donovan, played by the great Jon Voight—no introduction necessary, right?) is released from prison.

The new drama series also stars: Paula Malcomson (Deadwood) as Abby Donovan, Ray’s wife and L.A. social climber; Steven Bauer (Scarface) as Avi, Ray’s right-hand man; Katherine Moenning (The L Word) as Lena, Ray’s assistant; Pooch Hall (Jumping the Broom) as Daryll, Ray’s half brother; Dash Mihok (Romeo + Juliet) as Bunchy Donovan, Ray’s troubled brother; Eddie Marsan (Mission: Impossible III) as Terry Donovan, Ray’s other brother; and Elliot Gould (Friends and the Ocean’s movies) as Ezra, a frequent client of Ray’s.

Ray Donovan premieres June 30^th on Showtime.

*****

The Bridge

If FX’s other original programs are any indicator, The Bridge should be very good…

The Bridge follows Detective Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger, from the National Treasure movies and Inglorious Basterds) from El Paso and Detective Marco Ruiz (Demian Bichir, A Better Life and Savages) from Chihuahua, Mexico as they investigate a serial killer operating both sides of the Texas/Mexico border.

The new police drama also stars: Annabeth Gish ( from some of my ‘80s favorites, like Shag, Mystic Pizza, Hiding Out, and most recently Pretty Little Liars), Ted Levine (Monk and The Silence of the Lambs), and Matthew Lillard (Scream).

The Bridge premieres July 10^th on FX.

*****

If I had to rank these in order of which one I’m most looking forward to, I’d put Whodunnit? at number one.  After all, I love trying to figure out murder mysteries!!  Ray Donovan and The Bridge probably tie for second, mainly because I absolutely love Showtime’s and FX’s original programs.  Because of Nip/Tuck and Justified, I have really high hopes for The Bridge; but Ray Donovan’s trailers have piqued my interest since the first time I saw them air months ago—so it’s a tie.  That leaves Under the Dome and Crossing Lines…  I think I’ll put Stephen King’s new TV series at number four with Crossing Lines in last place.  No offense, but I’ll blame this one on advertising.  I’ve seen ads for Under the Dome for months and only recently caught a quick ad for Crossing Lines.

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

And for all the Zero Hour and 666 Park Avenue fans, ABC is currently airing the remaining episodes for both series on Saturday nights…

Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – From a Straight Up Mess to Prophet… NBC’s Save Me

The summer shows have started, some of them anyway.  And while we still have quite a few to premiere over the next month or so, I did catch a new NBC sitcom that aired two episodes this past week: Save Me.

We’ve heard the stories… someone suffers a near-death experience, prompting a change in his or her outlook on life.  This change is not always a bad thing; sometimes it is absolutely necessary to save one’s soul, but it’s also not always an easy adjustment for those around us and accustomed to our old ways.

This is the premise behind NBC’s Save Me…

Save Me follows Beth Harper (Anne Heche, Hung), the matriarch of a run-of-the-mill Midwestern family…. or are they?

After Beth nearly chokes to death on a sandwich, she claims she now has a direct line of communication with God (she’s not very religious, so she usually refers to God as “He/She”).  Obviously, she can’t control when God speaks to her; however, Beth chooses to have her one-on-one time with “He/She” while sitting on the porcelain throne.  Why not, it’s a perfect time to think… right?  Anyway, now believing to be a prophet, she’s set on making right with all those she has wronged and even begins to convince her worst critics that she has changed for the better.

The new sitcom also stars: Michael Landes (Final Destination 2) as Tom, Beth’s philandering husband; Alexandra Breckenridge (American Horror Story) as Carly, one of Tom’s “side projects”; Heather Burns (Miss Congeniality) as Jenna, one of Beth’s neighbors; and Madison Davenport (Shameless) as Emily, Beth’s daughter.

This sitcom really does have a sweet family dynamic.  Despite the fact that Tom is cheating on Beth and their marriage is practically over at the beginning of the show, the two stick together for the sake of their teenage daughter.  He may be unfaithful, but it’s also obvious he loves Beth.  And with her new “trick,” he’s beginning to remember why he fell in love with her in the first place.

And then there’s Beth… man, was she a mess prior to her choking on that hero.  She was no angel, to say the least, but in those few minutes when her heart stopped beating, she found something enlightening and decided to better herself—she wants to save her marriage, she wants to be a better mother (and this relationship could really use some work), and she wants to be a better friend.

By now, you know my rules when it comes to comedy—sitcoms must make me laugh out loud.  I can usually tell after one episode if a thirty-minute show will find a permanent place on my DVR queue; but if not, watching two episodes is definitely enough.  After the two episodes of Save Me, I’m not completely sold… but Anne Heche is very entertaining as Beth.  Plus, the message of the show really is sweet.  Deep down, anyway… some of it is a bit raunchy.

So for now, I’m awarding Save Me with the JFTV rating.  This sitcom is kinda like our favorite bag of potato chips—we know eating one right after the other is not at all good for our health, but the flavor bursts (and the salt) keep us coming back for more.

Did you watch Save Me?  Do you plan to?  I’d love to hear from you!

Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss today’s review, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more
MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies
GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food
JFTV (Junk food TV):It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds
TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol
SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out
NIV (NyQuil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer
LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
Inedible TV: Exactly how it sounds…

Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – Playing The Goodwin Games

I know I mentioned last week (and the two weeks before) that I would review Starz’s Da Vinci’s Demons today, but I’m still behind on my TV watching since taking a break from the regularly scheduled program.  I know… I’ve been doing that a lot lately.  Let’s blame it on Spring Fever.  That, and trying to push out my Football Sweetheart paperbacks and book two in the series.

However, I am back this week… sort of.  As of Monday night, I had no idea what I was going to blog about today.  And then something happened that hardly ever happens to me—I caught a new television series airing live that I had NO IDEA about beforehand.

For today’s Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday post, I’m reviewing Fox’s new sitcom, The Goodwin Games.  It may be short and sweet, but it’s a new review nonetheless.

Written by the creators of How I Met Your Mother, The Goodwin Games follows three siblings after they learn of their father’s recent passing.  The two brothers and their sister return home and are immediately summoned to the office of their father’s attorney where they will hear the reading of his will.  Everything seems normal, that is until they learn their father (Beau Bridges, does he really need an introduction?) was worth millions… twenty-three million to be exact.

Unlike traditional wills, these siblings will not split the inheritance… instead, only one of them will earn it all.  That’s right, I said “earn” it.

By following previously taped video instructions, the older brother (Henry, played by Scott Foley, most notable for his roles on Felicity, The Unit, and most recently, Scandal), the sister stuck in the middle (Chloe, played by Becki Newton from Ugly Betty and How I Met Your  Mother), and the youngest and perhaps least responsible of the three (Jimmy, played by comedian T.J. Miller seen on occasion around Chelsea Lately’s roundtable) battle it out—starting with a game of “Trivial Pursuit” that Daddy Goodwin has personalized to fit the family’s history.

Like I said, I just happened upon this show Monday night… I had no idea it planned to air on Fox this summer (great job promoting the show, by the way).  So I did what anyone would expect of me—I stopped and watched it.  LIVE!  And I never watch live TV…

Anyway, while I’m not at all accustomed to seeing Scott Foley in a comedy, he plays the role of the responsible and successful Henry very well.  He has a dry sense of humor and his comedic timing is great as he brags about himself.  Becki Newton I am more familiar with, especially since her role as Barney’s ex on HIMYM.  She’s cute and honestly seems to be playing the same kind of role I’ve seen her in before.  And then there’s T.J. Miller.  He’s funny and he’s also playing a role that I would expect from him, knowing him from Chelsea’s show.

But let’s not forget about Beau Bridges.  He’s great, but when is he not?  Did anyone watch him on My Name is Earl?  Sitcoms are his thing.

Casting and acting aside, is The Goodwin Games worth a watch?  I’m going to stick it out…

Why?  Because I did laugh-out-loud.  That is a requirement of mine when watching sitcoms… if they make me smile, good for them.  If they make me laugh, good for me.

This sitcom really does have a sweet family dynamic.  Despite the siblings bickering at the beginning, they grow and learn to laugh together and love each other once again.  But will it last?  Because now they have another leg of “The Goodwin Games” to compete against one another to win their father’s millions… and probably many more games after that, or at least while Fox airs new episodes.

So for now, I’m awarding The Goodwin Games with the SSTV rating.  I’m not sold, but I’m coming back for more.

Did you watch The Goodwin Games?  Do you plan to?  I’d love to hear from you!

Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss today’s review, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more
MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies
GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food
JFTV (Junk food TV):It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds
TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol
SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out
NIV (NyQuil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer
LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
Inedible TV: Exactly how it sounds…

New to TV this Summer (2013) – Part 1

I can remember back when the summer months meant we couldn’t find anything new to watch on television… maybe a reality program here, or a two-hour made-for-TV-special there, but no new series.

But not anymore.

As spring blows into our neighborhoods, so does a new television season…

Starting this week, the networks have a lineup of new programs to entertain us during the primetime hours this summer.  Some of the series have promise, while others may flop—but, regardless, we’ll tune in to check them out!

Here are just a few of the upcoming premieres we can look forward to this summer…

*****

Save Me

We’ve heard the stories… someone suffers a near-death experience, prompting a change in his or her outlook on life.  This change is not always a bad thing, sometimes it is absolutely necessary to save one’s soul, but it’s also not always an easy adjustment for those around us and accustomed to our old ways.

Save Me follows Beth Harper (Anne Heche, Hung), the matriarch of a run-of-the-mill Midwestern family…. or are they?

After Beth nearly chokes to death on a sandwich, she claims she now has a direct line of communication with God.  She’s set on making right with all those she’s wronged and even begins to convince her worst critics that she has changed for the better.

The new sitcom also stars: Michael Landes (Final Destination 2) as Tom, Beth’s meandering husband; Alexandra Breckenridge (American Horror Story) as Carly, one of Tom’s “side projects”; Heather Burns (Miss Congeniality) as Jenna, one of Beth’s neighbors; and Madison Davenport (Shameless) as Emily, Beth’s daughter.

Save Me premieres Thursday, May 23^rd on NBC.

*****

Motive

Anytime a crime occurs, whether in real life or on TV, everyone wants to know why the crime was committed in the first place—the motive.

Television is full of crime dramas and police procedurals today, but most of these shows focus on the investigation and capture of the suspects rather than the motive behind the act.  Some TV programs might answer the why in a brief one or two lines of dialogue after they’ve interrogated the suspect for a few minutes, but they don’t really spend a lot of time on the motive.

Motive, a new ABC crime drama, hopes to change all of that.

The new series follows Detective Angie Flynn (Kristin Lehman, Judging Amy and The Killing) as she works homicide cases.

Wait a minute… that sounds just like every other police procedural on TV today.  Right?

Wrong.  Motive will identify the killer and victim at the beginning of each episode.  Viewers will then get to watch as Angie and her partner (Louis Ferreira, SGU Stargate Universe) work the case, while experiencing a series of flashbacks revealing clues at the same time.

Motive kind of reminds me of a combination of Cold Case (because of the series of flashbacks) and the short-lived series The Whole Truth, where viewers experienced the crime through both the prosecutor’s and the defense attorney’s point of view and they had to decide which one was the truth… fun show, but it didn’t last long.  Let’s hope Motive doesn’t suffer the same fate.

The new crime drama also stars: Lauren Holly (NCIS) as Betty Rogers, the medical examiner; Roger Cross (24) as Supervisor Boyd Bloom; Brendan Penny (Stargate: Atlantis) as rookie detective Brian Lucas; and Cameron Bright (The Twilight Saga) as Manny Flynn, Angela’s son.

Motive actually aired last night on ABC following Dancing with the Stars… but don’t worry, that was just a sneak peek.  The series officially premieres Thursday, May 23^rd on ABC.

*****

Mistresses

Based on the popular British television series of the same name, Mistresses is a sexy new drama following the lives of four girlfriends as they discover who they really are via their friendships, relationships, and sex.

Sound familiar?  I’m thinking of one of my favorites here… Sex and the City.

The series stars: Alyssa Milano (Charmed) as Savannah “Savi” Davis, a successful lawyer, hoping to make partner—still sounding familiar here….; Jes Macallan as Josslyn Carver, Savi’s single and carefree younger sister who is not really looking to settle down; Rochelle Aytes (Detroit 1-8-7 and The Forgotten) as April Malloy, a recent widow and single mother who owns her own linen shop; and Junjin Kim (Lost) as Karen Rhodes, a successful therapist who has a history of having affairs with her patients.

They’re all beautiful; they’re all successful; they’re all single.  Will Mistresses be the next Sex and the City?  Or will it flop trying, just like Lipstick Jungle?

Mistresses premieres Monday, June 3^rd on ABC.

*****

And remember, Graceland premieres Thursday, June 6^th on USA and King & Maxwell premieres Monday, June 10^th on TNT.

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