Fall 2011 served up so many good shows, and so few of them have been canceled, that it’s easy to overlook the midseason premieres. Yet the networks have found a few open slots. I have a feeling the top two on this list will be really good, furthering this season’s status as the best since at least 2004-05. Here are some shows to look out for this midseason (all times are Central):
1. “Napoleon Dynamite” (7:30 p.m. Sundays on Fox, starts Jan. 15) — I didn’t realize how desperately I wanted to see an animated “Napoleon Dynamite” series until I saw the trailer. The entire cast will return, doing the voices of their characters, in a series that should expand Napoleon’s stuck-in-time small-town Idaho world and add to the list of catchphrases. The only reason to worry is that Jared and Jerusha Hess’ follow-up to the “Napoleon” movie was the weak “Nacho Libre.” But I think they were forcing that one a bit, and once they get back in the “Napoleon” groove, they’ll be fine. The clips already released to the web certainly look flippin’ sweet.
2. “The River” (8 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC, starts Feb. 7) — I haven’t heard people buzzing about this series, which chronicles a scientist who goes missing in the Amazon rainforest and the wife and children who search for him and encounter even deeper mysteries. But frankly, I think it looks outstanding, with atmospheric visuals and a vaguely creepy vibe. Boding well for “The River’s” quality: It comes from a couple of the guys behind the “Paranormal Activity” film franchise: Oren Peli wrote the first film and Michael R. Perry penned the second chapter. Interestingly, Perry also worked on “FreakyLinks” (2000-01, Fox) a hit-and-miss series that came out in the wake of “Paranormal’s” “found-footage” predecessor, “The Blair Witch Project.” I think he will learn from what worked and what didn’t work on that series.
3. “Smash” (9 p.m. Mondays on NBC, starts Feb. 6) — I struggled with “Glee” because I loved the concept of a TV show packed with musical numbers, yet I thought the performances were hit-and-miss and the stuff between the songs was not great. (Yeah, I know “Glee” is still on the air, but I’m so over it. Sorry.) Will “Smash,” about ingénues (including former “American Idol” contestant and — oddly — Missouri State Fair grandstand performer Katharine McPhee) competing for a spot in a Marilyn Monroe musical, be the show “Glee” should have been? I don’t know, but I’m intrigued enough to give it a fair shot.
4. “The Firm” (8 p.m. Sundays on NBC, starts Jan. 8) — I recently rented the movie “The Lincoln Lawyer,” and it piqued my hibernating interest in law stories. Frankly, I miss my weekly fix of “Law & Order” and I’m predisposed to think almost any other law show or movie will be inferior to that tried-and-true classic. “The Firm,” which picks up 10 years after the events of the 1993 movie — with Josh Lucas (who, by the way, played an attorney in “The Lincoln Lawyer”) taking over the Tom Cruise role — won’t make me forget about “L&O.” But the fact that the writer of the novel, John Grisham, is an executive producer proves NBC isn’t merely trying to cash in on a popular film; there’s more story to tell here. And since I’m kind of on a courtroom-drama kick, I’ll give it a chance.
5. “Alcatraz” (7 p.m. Mondays on Fox, starts Jan. 16) — Admittedly, the trailer is the weakest among this batch of five. Still, not all good shows produce good trailers: “Ringer,” for example, has turned out to be better than it looked. The pedigree of “Alcatraz” is hard to argue with: It’s from J.J. Abrams, who has overseen both compelling (“Lost” and “Fringe”) and not-so-compelling (“Undercovers”) series, but the fact that this one has a supernatural bent bodes well (The premise: Inmates from years gone by start re-appearing). Also, maybe the presence of “Lost” actor Jorge Garcia will be a good omen. (I don’t know if the “Lost” connection worked for “Person of Interest”; it’s not my kind of show, and I heard mixed reviews). Also in its favor, “Alcatraz’s” preview features Sam Neill ominously intoning “Welcome to Alcatraz,” the best introduction to the island since Sean Connery said “Welcome to the Rock.”
What midseason shows will you be programming your DVR for? Share your thoughts below.
Comments
John, I echo your thoughts on “Napoleon Dynamite,” “The River,” “Alcatraz” and “The Firm.” Not so much with Smash. Along with expanding on some of your picks, here’s a list of the shows I’m looking forward to.
The Finder (8 p.m., Thursdays on Fox, starts Jan. 12) — The background for this gem was laid in an episode “Bones.” It kind of has a “Burn Notice” feel, but with way more laughs, action and just overall upside. The premise — An Iraq war veteran who suffered severe brain damage and now, with his team in tow that includes Michael Clarke Duncan, he has the uncanny ability to find anything and everything when given the smallest of leads ( like even a pocket watch will do) — is also really fresh and inventive.
Missing — (7 p.m., Thursdays on ABC, starts March 15) I love Ashley Judd murder mysteries on the big screen, so it’s only natural that this one would be a must-see.
Project Runway All-Stars and Rachael Vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off (8 p.m., Sundays on Food Network) — These reality shows aren’t up your alley, but they’re bleepin’ awesome. If you’d broaden your viewer horizons, I’d think you’d realize that. You don’t have to love fashion or cooking to enjoy these laugh-track reality shows. Just watch Aaron Carter try to make homemade ranch (hilarious) for his jalapeno popper pasta salad, and former olympian Summer Sanders tasting and reacting to said ranch (which has a shit ton of onion powder, thousand island dressing and tobasco).
Napoleon Dynamite (7:30 p.m. Sundays on Fox, starts Jan. 15) — Like two of my other favorite movies, “The Goonies” and “The Breakfast Club,” I felt that Napoleon left a lot of room for a sequel or two. A TV show spinoff, though, is undoubtably better. Can hardly wait for this one to debut.
The River — I agree with you, this show looks outstanding and the trailer looks amazing.# Posted By Seth Stringer | 1/6/12 3:24 PM
Yeah, I have a bias against reality shows because the cheapness of that genre wiped out so many good shows about a decade ago. But I guess the cable ones aren’t so bad. Still, with only so many hours in a day, scripted shows get the edge when vying for my time. I’m not crazy about Smash either; I’m not sure why I rated it that high. Probably because I like the idea of it being an amazing show, but it probably won’t be; although it probably won’t have the embarrassing lows of Glee, it might struggle to reach the highs (like Gwyneth Paltrow’s cover of “Forget You”) since it seems to lean more toward musical numbers than pop songs. And I dislike musicals. But I’ll give it a shot at least. Your description of Finder makes it sound like 100 other “detective with a quirk” shows. Not that that’s a bad thing, but I wouldn’t label it inventive. Missing — meh. Not really a big Ashley Judd fan, mainly because I saw her in an awful film called Double Jeopardy. Premise is similar to all those shows that got canceled a few years ago. Seems like a good mini-series, but not sure if I want to invest the time. Napoleon got a middling review from EW; let’s hope it gets better as the series continues.# Posted By John Hansen | 1/7/12 8:46 PM