Matthew Reine
It’s the time of year again that has every television viewer across the world excited. If you caught the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards last week then you all know what programming the people prefer. Yes, sadly we’re still months away from a new seasons of Game of Thrones or Veep but the 2015-2016 television schedule is about to get shaken up with all of your favorites returning with new seasons. Will newcomers, Empire and How To Get Away From Murder, be able to maintain their audience? I think the numbers are in their favor. Personally, I’m looking forward to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Modern Family, Black-ish, and Undateable returning. What can I say, I’m a comedy guy. This Fall, numerous new programs will debut and hope to have success. While it’s too early to dictate what will survive or die in the ratings game, here are some of the new programs that have people talking.
Grandfathered (Fox)
I know, I know. We’re all waiting for the Full House sequel series, Fuller House, to premiere on Netflix in 2016. Now, before you catch the Tanner family once again take San Francisco by storm, you’ll find Uncle Jesse himself, John Stamos, on Fox in a new comedy. Grandfathered stars Stamos as a recently divorced man who suddenly finds out he has a son from a fling over 20 years prior. Worse, he finds out his son has a kid of his own so now he has to come with terms with not only discovering that he’s a father, but a grandfather as well. This might be the comedy I’m looking forward to most this season, not just for Stamos but Josh Peck as well who plays Stamos’ estranged son. The Wackness is one of my favorite films of the past 10 years thanks to Peck’s breakthrough performance that showed he had range beyond Drake & Josh.
Minority Report (Fox)
Based off the 2002 Steven Spielberg-directed, Tom Cruise-starring sci-fi thriller, this show takes place during the aftermath of the film’s events. When the Pre-Crime unit is disbanded, three gifted individuals who can predict the future try to help a detective solve crimes. The movie was above average but I’m honestly not much of a science-fiction fan. Oh yeah, and what was the last successful series that was spun off from a film? Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Yeah, I don’t see this one lasting very long. Some names you might recognize here are Meagan Good, Wilmer Valderrama, and former MTV correspondent, Nick Zano also of 2 Broke Girls fame.
Limitless (CBS)
Another series based off a box office smash. Unfortunately, Abbie Cornish and Robert De Niro are nowhere to be seen here but the series will see Bradley Cooper reprise his character from the movie in a few episodes. The series follows the basic plot of the film with a man experience unwavering intellectual abilities after consuming a newfound, unidentified drug. I would label this a dud since the film wasn’t very good but Cooper’s involvement on-screen and as an executive producer might make this pull through to a possible second season.
The Grinder (Fox)
Fresh off his stint as Chris Traeger on Parks & Recreation, Rob Lowe returns to television alongside Fred Savage who bowed out of acting a few years ago to focus on directing. Here, Lowe plays Dean, a television actor whose career is at a halt after his show, The Grinder, in which he played a lawyer, is cancelled. He then decides to return home to work for his family’s law firm. Hilarity ensues when his character’s knowledge is put to the test when he sees the differences between the life of a real lawyer v.s. one on television. Fox doesn’t have a very good track record when it comes to comedies so I’m afraid this one’s getting the ax. I do like Lowe and Savage though so let’s hope not.
The Muppets (ABC)
After the success of the 2011 film and its 2014 sequel, Muppets Most Wanted, the resurgence in Jim Henson’s famous puppet gang has led ABC to bring the Muppets back to primetime television. In this half hour weekly installment, join Kermit, Ms. Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal, and the others and see what mischief they get into every week. This will follow more of a documentary style sitcom format ala The Office rather than the sketch comedy that we saw on the 70s program, The Muppet Hour or 1996’s Muppets Tonight. Expect this one to also also push the envelope and blur the line between child and adult humor. One example is Fozzy complaining how his online dating profile has gotten a lot of responses he wasn’t expecting when he wrote that he was a “ passionate bear looking for love”. Yeah, expect a lot of that. I was a huge fan of Muppet Babies when I was a child so I am curious to see how the Muppets fare on the air in 2015.
Scream Queens (Fox)
Forget American Horror Story, Ryan Murphy might have something special here with this all new horror anthology program. It boasts an A-List cast consisting of Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts, Abigail Breslin, Keke Palmer, Nick Jonas, and Ariana Grande and is sure to bring the chills every week to your home as well as a few laughs with its slapstick nature popularized by the classic 80s slasher flicks. This first season focuses on a college sorority that is haunted by a murder mystery from decades back. I smell a winner here. I hope it’s successful so we can focus on different stories every year. At the very least, it’ll be better than the MTV adaptation of Scream.
Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris (NBC)
Neil Patrick Harris is back in the house in this variety series. It debuted to over 6 million viewers which is a good sign so let’s hope those numbers stay consistent. Follow the former Barney Stinson as he showcases his talents live from Kaufman Studios in Astoria, Queens with various pranks and skits.
Uncle Buck (ABC)
This isn’t the first series that has been adapted from the 1988 John Hughes film, no sir, in 1990, an Uncle Buck series aired for a season on CBS in 1990. Let’s hope this Mike Epps version does a little better. It features a big 2015 upgrade with modern technology along with a predominantly African-American cast. I find Epps funny but only in small doses so let’s see how he fares as a leading man on this TV series. I did get a kick however out of him recreating the famous Macaulay Culkin/John Candy exchange from the film with the constant questioning after their initial meeting.
Dr. Ken (ABC)
What you may not know is that comedian Ken Jeong of The Hangover and Community fame is also a real-life M.D. Now, he’s taking that real life experience and using it as the basis for his new sitcom where he plays….a doctor. Margaret Cho guest stars as a fellow doc. I find Jeong hysterical but I hope they don’t drive what makes him so likable into the ground like writers do with so many other comedic actors.
Rush Hour (CBS)
Oh. My. Detectives Lee and Carter are back but this time, on the small screen. Co-produced by Brett Ratner, who directed the three Rush Hour films, this series follows the everyday adventures of the mismatched police duo solving crimes all over Los Angeles. You know, a few years ago, Brandon T. Jackson shot a pilot for a Beverly Hills Cop series that never got picked up but somehow, this one did. It will air on CBS with Justin Hires and John Foo replacing Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan respectively. The trailer honestly doesn’t look very good so I don’t even expect this one to last even an entire season before being yanked from T.V. Wait, what’s that…is that Bill Lawrence as one of the executive producers? C’mon Bill!
Supergirl (CBS)
With the success that DC has had in the past with comic book series like Smallville and most recently with Arrow, Gotham, and The Flash, CBS will tap into the DC universe yet again with this heroine and show that females can also kick ass. In a story similar to Superman, we follow this seemingly invincible woman from her home on Krypton to her normal life on Earth working at a media company to fighting evil. The pilot had been available for free online for a couple of months months and received decent reviews so let’s see how this’ll hold up. It definitely won’t be a cheap series to produce but with the luck DC’s had in television, this one has a good chance of flourishing.
The Player (NBC)
Following his tax burdens that put him behind bars for a couple of years, Wesley Snipes returns to a regular gig in television. Here, he plays a casino worker in Sin City who employs a security guard, formerly having worked for the CIA to stop crime all over the city. Man, I hope we get to see the Wesley Snipes of old kicking all kinds of ass on-screen to the roar of the crowd over boring one-note acting Snipes. Nobody wants to see that!
Heroes Reborn (NBC)
The first few season of Heroes is generally considered some of the best television ever but ever since its finale in 2010, the show has left a lot to be desired. That all changes this Fall when Heroes returns with a 13-episode miniseries entitled Heroes Reborn. None of the original cast members return but a new generations of characters and adventures attempt to breathe a new life into a series that didn’t end on the best note. Will this be successful and lead to more future projects? Only time will tell. All the things reported have fans holding on to a lot of hope.
