My Tuesday night preview starts off with one of the five quirky new “relationship” comedies that debuted this year, Manhattan Love Story. I wish I had published my preview last week — of the five newbies, MLS was the one that looked the least focused, the least entertaining. And with the biggest pitch being that you get to hear what’s going on in their heads (like Herman’s Head, which I enjoyed), I figured it was a high contender for early cancellation. I didn’t realize HOW high — it was cancelled already, the first casualty of the new season.
I’m also predicting mid-season cancellation for About a Boy. This one debuted last year, and went nowhere, but somehow got renewed. For the seven people who watch it, I’m sorry for your pending loss.
There are five returning shows and one new show that I have zero interest in, but suspect they’ll probably go all season — Utopia, Supernatural, The Mindy Project, Sons of Anarchy, New Girl, and Chicago Fire. Each of the returning shows have cult followings, and the new Utopia reality show probably doesn’t need it since it is one of the basest versions of reality programming (pick diametrically opposed nutjobs and make them work together).
I had mild interest in Marry Me and Selfie. Marry Me focuses on a couple through a botched proposal, and the ups and downs of their relationship (moving in, for example). Selfie, by contrast, is aimed at the younger, hipper crowd that I hope are out somewhere doing anything else on Tuesday besides watching this show. John Cho is awesome, but the rest is downright painful. Think of watching a bunch of 14 year olds having a conversation about relationships, and you captured the level of ability of writers for this show. Three minutes of the pilot and I was grinding my teeth. Pass on both, and I’m betting (nay, hoping), they both get cancelled mid-season.
There are two returning shows in which I have had moderate interest. The first, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., is one I feel I should be watching just by genre alone. I love superhero shows, for the most part. Electra and Daredevil, perhaps not. But generally. And I tried this one last year. After a strong first couple of episodes, I started to tune out, and by Ep 7, I was gone. Apparently around Eps 14-15, the show picked up again, and grew throughout the season. I’ll catch up on NetFlix or something. The other show, NCIS, is incredibly formulaic at times, and while I love the addition of Bishop last year, some of the episodes drop to almost-Hawaii-Five-O quality. If NCIS: Orleans catches on, this could be NCIS’ last season, but it will still go full season at least.
For the shows where I have high interest, the first is a bit odd. I don’t mean the show itself is odd, but the experience watching it. I watched the first episode of Forever and I was enjoying it fine. Medical examiner show? Check. New York City? Check. Something quirky about lead? Check — he’s immortal (he dies, but pops back up very much alive in the river). Lives with an old man who looks like his father, but probably isn’t? Check. Has a secret area in the old man’s business? Check — wait a minute. Strong sense of deja vu here. Search, search, search. Yep, there was a show called New Amsterdam a few years ago, almost identical premise. And while I love Alana de la Garza as the lead detective (and loved her on Law and Order back in the day), Ioan Gruffudd as Henry Morgan, the ME who didn’t die is a bit odd choice. I didn’t mind him in the Fantastic Four, and he’s passable here, but he’s just not dynamic enough to pull off the Sherlock Holmes style of Johnny Lee Miller for example. Alas, I expect it will be cancelled mid-season.
NCIS: New Orleans will probably go full season, as the pedigree is too strong. If it fails a bit, they’ll have cameos from the other shows to prop it up. But the team around Scott Bakula is great, particularly Zoe McLellan. She used to be a mainstay on J.A.G., but I honestly don’t recognize her from that. She shone on Dirty Sexy Money a few years ago, even if the show didn’t.
I’m also VERY happy to predict that The Flash will also go full season. Unlike Gotham which is down and dirty, and The Arrow is dark and noirish at times, the Flash is a, umm, flash of welcome light. Mainly because the main star, Grant Gustin. Everything he does seems like it is powered by cheery-little-boy, and it is easy on the soul to watch. Not sure about Jesse L. Martins yet, but I like seeing Tom Cavanagh again. I’ve watched five episodes so far, and I’m loving it. Not as much as the gravitas-filled Arrow, but as a light palate cleanser, it’s pretty good.
Which leaves only one show for Tuesday night, the returning Person of Interest. I confess that I like the show. I wish there were more Sameen episodes than John or Fusco, but a bit more Root is welcome (even if the budget for adding Root meant they had to kill off Carter). Unfortunately, the “unseen” enemy of Samaritan is making the first few episodes of this year pretty ethereal. This past week, they added a terminator chick working for the machine (to match Root’s connection), but I’m not sure audiences will stick around for the new “menace”. At least with Elias, or HR, you could “see” the bad guys. It’s more like they’re acting against a green screen and someone forgot to add the F/X. I’ll keep watching, curious if anyone else will.
And that wraps up Tuesday nights…
| Day | Show Title | Category | Interest | Prediction | Status |
| Tuesday | Manhattan Love Story | New | Zero | Cancel mid-season | Cancelled |
| About A Boy | Returning | Zero | Cancel mid-season | Pending | |
| Utopia | New | Zero | Full season | Pending | |
| Supernatural | Returning | Zero | Full season | Pending | |
| The Mindy Project | Returning | Zero | Full season | Pending | |
| Sons of Anarchy | Returning | Zero | Full season | Pending | |
| New Girl | Returning | Zero | Full season | Pending | |
| Chicago Fire | Returning | Zero | Full season | Pending | |
| Marry Me | New | Mild | Cancel mid-season | Pending | |
| Selfie | New | Mild | Cancel mid-season | Pending | |
| Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | Returning | Moderate | Full season | Pending | |
| NCIS | Returning | Moderate | Full season | Pending | |
| Forever | New | High | Cancel mid-season | Pending | |
| NCIS: New Orleans | Returning | High | Full season | Pending | |
| The Flash | Returning | High | Full season | Pending | |
| Person of Interest | Returning | High | Full season | Pending |
