Fall TV preview 2023: 10 shows I wouldn’t mind watching
Fall TV preview: Amid the strike, networks and streamers have patched together a slate of pre-planned shows and foreign imports.
Television
Rat King, mistaken identities emerge in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Season 3 (1989)
‘TMNT’ flashback (TV review): In episodes 9-21 of Season 3, the writers tentatively branch beyond homages to expand the Turtles’ own world.
Shredder and Krang throw schemes at the screen to open ‘TMNT’ Season 3 (1989)
‘TMNT’ flashback (TV review): The writers begin an ambitious (in terms of quantity) season with fun and funny premises in episodes 1-8.
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ finds its groove in back half of Season 2 (1988)
‘TMNT’ flashback (TV review): Writer Michael Reaves stabilizes the formula as “TMNT” shills toys while maintaining its energy and sense of humor.
‘Miss Marple’ (1984-92) stands as the spinster sleuth’s definitive portrayal
Sleuthing Sunday (TV review): Joan Hickson is exactly how I pictured Marple from the novels, and many other actors follow her lead in this standout series.
‘TMNT’ Season 2 (1988) stumbles through opening Sarnath arc
‘TMNT’ flashback (TV review): The writers stop overtly cribbing from the comics and instead riff on Eighties films. The rushed nature of these five episodes is evident.
‘Superpowered: The DC Story’ makes a case for DC’s history, not its present
TV review: The documentary has built-in appeal by being about colorful superheroes, but it shies away from deep dives.
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Season 1 (1987) bridges Mirage comics with movie
‘TMNT’ flashback (TV review): Eastman and Laird created the Turtles, but David Wise popularized them among kids with these five animated episodes.
‘Based on a True Story’ Season 1 somehow both frantic and slow
TV review: Craig Rosenberg’s series roasts the icky popularity of serial-killer podcasts. But its own fictional story is too slow of a burn.
Documentaries give solid overview of Philip K. Dick
PKD flashback (TV reviews): These three documentaries play well as introductions, and established fans will enjoy putting faces to names.