ABC Fall Update & Aw man, they cancelled The Killing

They finally went and did it. ABC released their fall premiere dates yesterday.
I only mentioned 2 shows worth checking out on my previous ABC post but that means two things. One, I need to update you on the dates these shows premiere. Two, I forgot to mention a show that looks promising called Last Resort.
So here I will give you those dates and some info on the upcoming Last Resort.

666 Park Avenue - Sundays, 9pm CST
Premieres September 30th

Once Upon A Time - Sundays, 7pm CST
Premieres September 30th

(For heaven's sake, Sunday night DVR'ing should be some kind of Championship sport...)

Last Resort - Thursdays, 7pm CST
Premieres September 27th

If you have seen the ads on TV, you may have an idea about the show's premise. Basically, a crew from the US Navy decides not to follow orders to launch nuclear missiles against Pakistan. This officially makes the ballistic missile submarine crew enemies of their own country.
With this being an election year, it may serve as a commentary on the way the country works. Could be very interesting.
For you Falling Skies & Once Upon A Time fans, our fair Jessy Schram (Karen, Cinderella) is also going to be in this show that is currently filming in Hawaii.

Now for the sad news...
AMC has officially decided to cancel The Killing. For anyone who has read my blog, you know I am a huge fan of this show. Oddly, the news of the cancellation comes the day after Michelle Forbes (Mitch) won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress in their television awards.
I am sad but have hope. Fox Studios issued a statement that they will "proceed to try and find another home" for the series.
In the meantime, I will continue to be an avid supporter of this series as it contained some of the best writing and acting on television.

Breaking Bad - Thoughts from last week (premiere)

Last week was the epic return of the beloved Breaking Bad. I am thrilled it is finally back. As we get ready for episode two, it’s time to review where we stand.

Intro (or Did I miss something?!) – 

We see Walt celebrating his 52^nd birthday at a Denny’s. He has hair, a New Hampshire D.L. and some need to get hardcore firearms.

My first thought was, WTF? How is he STILL alive? Ok, second thought since the first one was, DUDE! HAIR!

So the cancer hasn’t killed him yet. That’s good news. He has spare Benjamins (tip to the waitress), also good news. It doesn’t look like he has been busted by the “man” yet. Again, more good news. That is, if you are a fan of Walter White’s crazy ass.

This intro seems to be one of those that Vince Gilligan likes to use to tease us. Floating eyeball ring a bell? This is a tactic in which Mr. Gilligan excels. He also always comes through with an answer to these teases as well.

Main plot (or MAGNETS BITCH!) –

So they got Gus. Mike is none too pleased about his boss’ death but has the brains to know that if he doesn’t help, he will go down with the rest of them.

Glad to see Jesse as the one to get some credit for coming up with a pretty damn good idea. The actual act of using the magnet turned into yet another close one for our favorite criminals.

Now our guys think they are good because Walt says so. Hate to tell ya Walter but you got another thing coming.

Based on the little address in Gus’ picture, Walt is going to have more trouble.

Hank & the DEA - 

I’m pleased that Hank is up and doing what he does best again. I was a little unhappy that he didn’t get much time last week but I am sure that will be changing.

They don’t know how close they really are to the maker of the blue.

Walt & Skyler - 

He forgives her? As much as she has done, I’m not 100% sure what he is forgiving. The money? Sleeping with Ted? Going behind Walt’s back to Saul for help with Ted? All of this?

She is freaked. Who knows how she is going to react as the season goes on. Skyler is not a stupid woman but now she is in a very awkward position. She has assisted Walt in all of this. She has as much to lose as he does. The difference between them is he is no longer afraid of anything, she is afraid of him.

All that being said, I can’t wait for tonight’s episode. I would really like to see more of Hank & Marie. Hank had so much figured out and now is starting to get confirmation he was correct about Gus. When the meth starts to show up again, he will know that Gus wasn’t the only man in this game. Marie is just plain funny. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Marie and Hank (and let’s face it, Saul), sometimes this show would be too heavy. 

Fall DVR Guide - Cable & Network all in one place!!!

Here is your chance to get those DVR settings you need!

Most Fall TV listings online are for the major networks and do not include other cable channels.

Now, only available here, is a more "complete" guide to what to watch and when. Enjoy!! 

(Jeez, Sundays are pretty full huh?)

**Note: This stuff changes as we all know. If there are changes in the next few months, I will update this guide. If you notice something is incorrect, please comment & I will adjust accordingly.

Sunday to Saturday, top to bottom

Fall TV - PART SIX - AMC, HBO, Showtime

Since the remainder of my television interest lands in the lap of cable offerings, I am choosing to lump together HBO, Showtime and AMC. Just a warning since this one may be a little longer than the others.


HBO - Boardwalk Empire, Sundays *Premiere Sept 16, 8pm CST

Winner of multiple awards, this show hails as one of HBO’s finest series’ to grace television. The 1920s Atlantic City mobster series follows Nucky Thompson, Atlantic County Treasurer, as he effectively rules the area mob-style. The beauty of this series isn’t just casting or the spectacular movie-like cinematography. It’s the way they weave in the historical with the fictional. Most of the characters are based on their real-life counterpart who makes for an intriguing mix of a history lesson and mobster mythology.

Season three is to take place more than a year after Nucky “took care of” Jimmy, with the season starting on New Year’s Eve 1922. Jumping ahead will allow the series to show all the pressure from the Prohibition even more intensely. Things really started to get more violent as the Prohibition wore on and this will drive this series further. The world will change, so will Nucky’s life.


Showtime - Dexter, Sundays, Premiere set for September 30th

While I believe that this show will never live up to its fourth season, we got a crazy ride in its sixth season. That being said, it certainly wasn’t the best ride we have had. The plot overall was mildly interesting with all the biblical apocalypse references. The kills were somewhat spectacular from a visual perspective (think of the angel spreading her wings). Overall though, the series doesn’t seem to be as great as it was. I think we have the feeling now that Dexter will never get into trouble for his actions. Then, in the season finale, he gets seen by Deb. For the show itself, this is a game-changer.

In the book series, we are so far off from the TV series that there are very few similarities. That can be a good thing since there are surprises with each season of the show. It also demonstrates the differences in creative minds. For example, Debra has known about Dexter’s hobby since the Ice Truck Killer case, which is in the first book and is part of the first season. The differences here are MASSIVE. Brian lives, Deb knows everything, LaGuerta is dead, Doakes is alive but a crippled pain in Dexter’s proverbial butt, and only one seems to suspect Dexter of anything. There was no Lila or Lumen in the books. There is no Harrison, instead Rita and Dex have a daughter and Uncle Brian is a huge part of the “family”.

If the writers from the show follow the book series at all, this rift between the staunch cop and loving sister will likely diminish with a little time. Obviously, I see the series taking a longer run with her trying to accept Dexter’s ways because she simply can’t send Dexter to prison. (Hello end of series.) The biggest hurdle for Deb is facing this new information about the man she now realizes she is in love with.

On that note, this whole I’m-in-love-with-my-adopted-brother thing is kind of freaking me out. I don’t like the path they seem to be taking with Debra and Dexter’s relationship. Hopefully, we can just tune in to Game of Thrones for all the sister humping instead of seeing these two characters go down that road.

With all of this, I am excited to see Dexter again. With any luck, we will get Dexter doing what he does best.



AMC – The Walking Dead, Sundays **Premiere October 14, 8pm CST**

The Walking Dead was going to be one of my favorites from the moment I heard they were actually finally casting for the series a few years ago. As a fan of the comic series, I was over the moon when I heard about this. Needless to say, I was in no way disappointed.

I have read complaints by people that there aren’t enough zombies or that there are too many. I have heard people complain about the characters not being “real” enough. Naysayers, be gone! This show is TV at its finest.

The second season’s finale left us watching Andrea run for her life while her companions think she is dead. The other survivors from Hershel’s farm are huddling in the dark scared. Rick has declared “Rick-tatorship” is the way of the new world. At least Lori knows where Carl is for the time being.

Then, for the epic cliffhanger, we catch a glimpse of the infamous prison and the most popular heroine in comic book history, Michonne. TV viewers have no idea what they are in for with these two little things being introduced. This show will be taking a turn with the situations our beloved survivors have found themselves in. Things are about to get really messy. I can’t wait.

AMC - The Killing - Sundays

At this point, there is no word if the series will be picked up for a third season. I, for one, hope it is. The show received so much flogging about not solving the Larsen case in the first season it took a major drop in ratings during its second year. It may be what kills The Killing. I find this to be unfortunate. I will post as soon as any news is announced. I hope it is good news, as in a renewal for a third season.

Fall TV - PART FIVE - fX

fX has become a network that is starting to bring out more substantial shows as of late. In its early years, they brought us FOX repeats such as Married...with Children and other FOX staples. In the mid-2000s, the network changed its m.o. and has become a force almost as strong with original programming as AMC bringing us Nip/Tuck, The Shield, and Rescue Me.

With the release of American Horror Story and Wilfred last year, as well as a string of solid current hits like Sons of Anarchy, the network is becoming a powerhouse in the drama department but in the twisted comedy department as well.

At the time of this writing, fX has not released its upcoming Fall premiere dates.

Sons of Anarchy – Tuesdays, 9pm CST

Coming into its fifth season this year, this show is now the biggest thing in the FX lineup. How can you go wrong with a show that follows a hardcore motorcycle gang? It was picked up for a sixth season before they even started production on the fifth. There is a sign for you.

Last season ended with Jax declaring his presidency and introducing some new players into the field. The upcoming season has cast Harold Perrineau (LOST, Oz) as Damon Pope, the most powerful gangster in Oakland and Jimmy Smits (LA Law, Dexter) as a Latino gang leader that will mentor Jax.

With the additions to the cast, I can’t see how this show can’t go on for another few seasons.

American Horror Story – Wednesdays, 9pm CST

Where do I begin with this show?! I can’t get enough of it and actually found myself squealing at the appearance of some of the guest stars. Yeah, I’m a dork. I have accepted and embraced this fact.

For AHS’s pilot episode, we were introduced to the series by way of a wife catching her husband screwing a student of his, the wife having a stillborn prior to the cheating incident, and a weirdo in a gimp suit. All this happens during the episode after the opening sequence that includes a pre-pubescent boy getting his throat slit. Wait…what??? Yes, welcome to the edge. What a freaking ride.

If you didn’t catch the series last year, you missed Jessica Lange in one of her best performances of her life. That is saying a lot. It also was the biggest new cable series of the year. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

For the second season, the show is going to do something that I believe has never been done before on a TV series. They will be changing the characters and the setting completely, which makes it more of an anthology of sorts rather than a series. While Jessica Lange will be back for season two, she will not be playing Constance. This time around she will be the head of an asylum for the criminally insane, where the show will be set.

While there has been no word on specifics, I can’t imagine this show going limp on us. It shocked the hell out of a lot of viewers and critics with its debut season. It can only get stranger from here. That, my friends, is good television. I can only hope Denis O’Hare will be making an appearance again.

Fall TV - PART FOUR - FOX

FOX has been killing as lot of good shows for a suspect list of “quality” programming. I suppose it is in the numbers as with any other network. House is no more, Alcatraz was cancelled after its first season, and Fringe is up for its final season this year. While many seem to enjoy Animation Domination on Sundays (come on, you know you love The Simpsons still), the network appears to be depending on American Idol and Gordon Ramsay interventions for its steady viewers. I personally think this is a mistake. Fox became a groundbreaker for the sci-fi genre with The X-Files. I believe this may be their real talent but they choose to go with fodder that gets numbers. While FOX is still churning out hits with Raising Hope and New Girl, it is no longer that shocking channel which brought us the super-nerd hit Firefly. With Fringe closing shop, there isn’t much left on FOX that makes one say “wow.”

On that note, here’s what I will be watching

Glee – Thursdays 8pm CST, September 13^th premiere

Yeah, I know. Go ahead and get it out of your system, then take a moment to just read.

Glee isn’t what it may seem to some of my readers. Might not be your cup of tea, so to speak. Cast away your preconceptions of this show and give it a fair chance.

I will be honest. I didn’t care to watch it even with the rave reviews that it was getting until I heard they were going to be doing “Thriller” and in full zombie glory. I’m a sucker for zombies and who doesn’t love “Thriller”? Anyway, I watched it and cannot say I was hooked from that moment on. It did bait me to tune in again just to see what all the fuss was about.

I personally enjoy the music because these kids have some serious pipes on them. Others out there just like the quick wit of Sue Sylvester, played by the incomparable Jane Lynch. I am sure there are many who watch just strictly for the teenage drama.

I can totally understand the hesitance to watch the show by some. All I ask is for you to actually watch one and if you can’t tolerate it, that is fine. I find it funny, and I have a twisted sense of humor. Therefore, you might find it funny too.

Fringe – Fridays, 8pm CST, September 28^th premiere

Welcome to the end.

This will mark Fringe’s fifth and final season. I am very sad to see it go but sometimes you have to know when to say when.

Fringe has re-defined the realm of sci-fi television. It has yet to disappoint with writing or character development. Since it will be the last season, we will see if the ending contains the answers to the questions we have been bombarded with for years.

With subject matter very much on the fringe of science, it takes a bit of attention to follow the stories sometimes. I am very interested to find out more about the Observers and the promos have promised serious Observer action. They have been with us since the beginning but there hasn’t been much in the way of definition to these beings until recently.

Peter and Olivia’s love story aside, the series has a lot of heart. Walter makes you adore and almost despise him at times in the same breath. It speaks volumes about the cast to have characters delve so deep into such chaos and still keep some humanity.

Excited for answers, bummed that I have to say goodbye.

Animation Domination – Sundays, 7pm CST, premieres September 30^th

I’m not going to bother to drone on about how witty Seth McFarlane is or how The Simpsons have been on forever now. Just wanting to let you know if you want to just zone out with some cartoons, Sunday night on FOX is the place to do it.  The lineup will be as follows:

6:30pm CST The Cleveland Show (premieres October 7^th)

7pm CST The Simpsons

7:30pm CST Bob’s Burgers

8pm CST Family Guy

8:30pm CST American Dad

Next up – FX Network

Fall TV - PART THREE - CBS

As far as I am concerned, there is only one night to tune into CBS. Saves a lot of that DVR space though. That’s a positive.

CBS has changed as a network from being the channel continually on at the nursing home to the channel you might want to check out every couple of years. Of course, that is my opinion of the network as a whole over the last couple of decades. You have CSI (waiting for CSI: Garden of Eden), Hawaii Five-O, 60 Minutes, How I Met Your Mother and The Good Wife. All outstanding shows in their own rights, most of the popular shows on CBS fail to keep me intrigued. Here is a list of the ones that do, all of which air on Thursdays. No word on the actual premiere dates for CBS at the time of this writing.



The Big Bang Theory – 7pm CST

I tend not to be a fan of sitcoms. There are a few examples of decent ones but overall they tend to be the same old thing over and over. This series has been touted as the smartest sitcom on television. Sure they are poking fun at the occupation of the main characters but they are right. This is smart and funny. This fall will bring the sixth season of the smartest situation comedy since Fraiser.


Person of Interest – 8pm CST

Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson, aka Jesus and Benry in my world, star in this paranoia inducing action packed drama. Of course, Caviezel brings the big screen action hero to the small screen as a former CIA operative. While some of the action sequences may be over the top (bazooka in Brooklyn), it makes the show fun for the viewer.

The show centers around Caviezel‘s character, John Reese, and an eccentric billionaire named Finch, played by Emerson. Finch has constructed a computer program that predicts crimes for the government. It is initially built after 9/11 to assist in preventing terrorism but because it can even find the small crimes that happen to ordinary people, it doesn’t interest the CIA or Feds. Finch sees use in this and recruits a somewhat reluctant Reese.

The cliffhanger for season one wasn’t the most suspenseful one in the realm of season finale cliffhangers. However, the vague beauty of it should make for a very interesting start to the series’ second season.


Elementary – 9pm CST

Since you’re already tuned in, you may as well stay for this new offer (and the only one worth checking out in my opinion).

CBS is stepping in with this debut just after the US got Sherlock (BBC) season 2. With the BBC version, there have been ravings about how beautifully shot, written and directed it is. The actors, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, are above comparison. So who can blame CBS for taking on something similar but in the US? Elementary is a contemporary telling of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic Sherlock Holmes’ stories. That’s pretty much where the similarities end with the BBC offering.

Starring Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock, this modern version is the third time CBS has tried a Sherlock Holmes series. In this version, Sherlock is a former consultant for Scotland Yard who moves to New York to check into a rehab facility for his addiction. Here, he meets a sober Joan Watson, played by Lucy Liu, and he decides to stay in the States.

While there is absolutely no way CBS could possibly pull off something as striking as the BBC’s Sherlock, this might just do well. The main cast, including Aidan Quinn, has their own fans that will at least take a look at the episodes to see how the stars fare. I will admit I plan on watching just because I will at least give Miller a shot due to my love for his character in Trainspotting. Others will tune in just to see how much it “will suck” compared to the BBC version. With a little luck, this show might do well.

Fall TV - PART TWO - ABC

There isn't a whole lot coming from this network to be excited about. I know it was the home to many hits such as LOST, Desperate Housewives and countless others but the 2012-2013 Fall season doesn't bring much in the way of excitement other than one new show and one returning for its second season.

Once Upon A Time – Sundays, 7pm CST (No word on premiere date at this time, expect September)

If you haven’t given this series a chance, you should. The cast is made up of many actors that you may love from other series like Breaking Bad, True Blood, Big Love, House, Mad Men and LOST, just to name a few. Robert Carlyle, as Rumplestiltskin, gives performances that one rarely sees on network television. Of course, he is one of the reasons I started to watch this show in the first place. (Yeah, you know that my second reason was the tagline “from the writers of LOST”…)

By far one of the most original shows on the air, it not only gives fairy tale beings like Snow White and Jiminy Cricket depth but it ties what we already know about one fairy tale in with another. For example, in season one, The Evil Queen’s relationship with the Genie/Magic Mirror is shown in “flashback” sequences while showing a similar relationship between Regina (Queen) and Sydney (Mirror).  We know she is evil and we know the magic mirror serves her. This little scenario gives us the why and how he became the mirror and her faithful servant.

Returning for its sophomore season, Once Upon A Time has figured out a way to give us fairy tale magic while making us feel like the stories are brand new.

666 Park Avenue – Sundays, 9pm CST (Again, ABC hasn’t released premiere dates yet, expect September or possibly early October)

I must start this one with a disclaimer. Based on the promos that have been aired, I suspect this will be somewhat like a soap opera versus a prime time drama. If Terry O’Quinn wasn’t one of the stars, I truly don’t know if I would even give this show the slightest bit of attention. That is not to say that the plot doesn’t sound intriguing to a horror/supernatural fan.

The series is based on a book written by Gabriella Pierce and revolves around a couple moving into an upscale Manhattan apartment building. The building is owned by Gavin Doran (O’Quinn) and his wife, Olivia (Vanessa Williams). These two are way more than what meets the eye. Strange goings on in the building lead one to believe it may be possessed and it is being listed as a horror genre show. This makes me think it will be worth checking out at the least.

It’s hard to tell from commercials but from what I can see, O’Quinn is playing what he plays best, the antagonist. That’s really all I needed to hear. When it airs, I will be sure to let the world know what I thought about it.