You’ve seen the commercials. You’ve heard the hype. Now there’s only one thing you want to know: Which of these new midseason shows are worth watching and which should be avoided at all costs? In this continuing series, we give you the scoop on some of the most highly-anticipated shows of 2012, with today’s subject being HBO’s ANGRY BOYS.

The Plot: In a brand-new comedy series written and starring Australia’s Ricky Gervais equivalent, Lilley amps up his acutely observed, character-based comedy style – mastered in his two previous series SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH and WE CAN BE HEROES – to a new conceptual stratosphere in ANGRY BOYS. Shot documentary-style, each taboo-crossing, half-hour episode of hilariously unconventional and impetuous, filled with endearing characters that are sure to make audiences laugh with delight.

The First Impression: Fresh off the success of SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH, comedian Chris Lilley is back with ANGRY BOYS. More episodes (12 versus SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH’s 8), more characters (Identical twins Daniel and Nathan Sims, a former world surfing champion, among others) and more boundary-pushing. Which is to say, no gender, sexuality or race is safe in this series whose creator has made a name for himself by shocking audiences and treading on taboos. Highlights of which this time around include Lilley’s Japanese mom (“Jen Okazaki”) who takes Tiger-parenting to an entirely new and very disturbing level, an African American rapper (“S.mouse” played by Lilley in full-on blackface) and an unorthodox prison officer at a boy’s detention centre (“Ruth ‘Gran’ Sims”).

The Concern: Despite ANGRY BOYS increasingly kooky collection of colorful characters (Oh, did we neglect to mention that Lilley’s Japanese mom character is forcing her son to pretend to be gay in an effort to make a mint off marketing him as Japan’s first ever gay teenaged skateboarder?) there is simply no escaping the unfortunate sense of deja vu we felt while watching the series. What’s more, while we’re first to give Lilley credit for the ambition and scope of ANGRY BOYS, his insistence on cramming that many new characters into the series’ 12 episodes may have backfired somewhat, resulting in less time for us to become invested in his latest set of alter-egos. None of whom reach the pinnacle of comedic brilliance that was the likes of Mr. G or Ja’mie (circa. SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH). Which is why…

The Verdict: Has us recommending you watch the series, but via your DVR/PVR so that you can easily jump around to your favorite story-lines.

ANGRY BOYS premieres Sunday January 1st at 10PM on HBO and HBO Canada

Good News: HBO has given ENLIGHTENED, its low rated albeit critically acclaimed Laura Dern starrer a chance to find an audience by officially renewing it for a second season. Bad News: For HUNG, BORED TO DEATH and HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA, all three of which were canceled after three, three, and two seasons respectively. [Source]

Good News: Broadway’s Book of Mormon just received the kind of publicity money can’t buy. Bad News: For fans of AMERICAN IDOL runner-up David Archuleta, who announced during a Christmas concert Monday that he will be taking a two-year break from his singing career to go on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. #HasaDigaEebowai [Source]

Good News: Comedian John Cleese is kicking off the new year by making an all-too rare sitcom appearance. Bad News: On a February sweeps episode of WHITNEY that will see him play Whitney and Alex’s (Chris D’Elia) couples therapist. [Source]

Good News: Whoopi Goldberg has actually been forced to publicly come out and deny farting on THE VIEW. Bad News: Assuming of course we remember our second grade recess etiquette — just to give you an indication of how ridiculous we think this story is — who ever smelt it dealt it! [Source]

Good News: The number of episodes BONES fans will get in 2012 has just been bumped up by one. Bad News: Also bumped, the show’s December 15th midseason finale, which has been moved to January 12th in an attempt by FOX to boost the series premiere of THE FINDER spinoff. [Source]

Good News: Aaron Sorkin’s much-anticipated HBO series has finally gotten a title. Bad News: For Canadian Kevin Finkleman’s former CBC series which just became the second most notable series to go by the NEWSROOM moniker. [Source]

Good News: SUPERNATURAL is bringing Misha Collins back from the dead. Bad News: Fans will have to wait until episodes 17 thru 19 for their return of their formally M.I.A. angel. [Source]

SUNDAY
Sunday nights have been brutal for viewers with no less than eight competing shows: FALLING SKIES, LEVERAGE, DROP DEAD DIVA, TRUE BLOOD, IN PLAIN SIGHT, THE PROTECTOR (which just moved to Mondays), THE GLADES, BREAKING BAD and AGAINST THE WALL.  Factoring in that THE KILLING and GAME OF THRONES were also around for early summer, Sundays were a tough night to figure out what to watch and when.  Fortunately, many of these shows repeated frequently throughout the week to allow viewers a chance to catch anything they may have missed. 
 
But the standout was newcomer FALLING SKIES, which took the entire globe by storm and become a summer sensation.  With its trio of deadly aliens (the Skitters, the Mechs and the tall skinny freaks), Sundays were simply owned by FALLING SKIES.  Everyone wanted to see what was truly lurking beneath the surface and whether the survivors of the 2nd Mass had a chance in hell of ever fighting back.  With the 2-hour season finale scheduled to air this Sunday, August 7th and a rumored massive cliff-hanger, perhaps not all mysteries will be nicely tied up with a bow, but the good news is that FALLING SKIES will be back for its 2nd season next summer.  So don’t miss the season finale which promises an epic battle and revelations that will send our minds reeling until next summer.
 

MONDAY
Even more brutal than the jam-packed Sunday nights, Monday nights offered eleven competing shows all scrambling to capture a share of the viewers.  Tossed into the timeslot ring were: TEEN WOLF, EUREKA, WAREHOUSE 13, ALPHAS, THE CLOSER, RIZZOLI & ISLES, WEEDS, THE BIG C, THE PROTECTOR (it’s new night), SECRET LIFE OF AN AMERICAN TEENAGER and SWITCHED AT BIRTH.  It was nearly a blood-bath as viewers were forced to choose and unlike the Sunday night shows, these shows did not repeat so conveniently throughout the week.  Returning favorites THE CLOSER, RIZZOLI & ISLES, EUREKA, WAREHOUSE 13, and SECRET LIFE all held their own and recaptured their audiences.  What was astounding was that newcomers such as TEEN WOLF, ALPHAS and SWITCHED AT BIRTH were out of the gate successes and they too snagged a healthy portion of the viewing audience.  With a second season pick-up already announced for TEEN WOLF and an unprecedented order of 30 episodes for the 1st season of SWITCHED AT BIRTH, their respective networks were clearly pleased as well.  With ALPHAS holding onto the same audience that tunes in for EUREKA and WAREHOUSE 13, next season orders for all three are just about guaranteed.  The breakout hit for Monday nights is a tie between the supernatural thriller TEEN WOLF and ABC Family’s family heart-warmer SWITCHED AT BIRTH.  Both offered something vital to viewers seeking comfort TV:  a family they wanted to be a part of. 
 
While a teenage werewolf transition tale does not exactly scream “family” – TEEN WOLF did offer a wonderful surrogate family through young Scott’s friends.  Whether it was the lovely Allison, who stole his heart with love-at-first-sight, the best friend Stiles who knows how to quip a handy one-liner in a stressful moment, the ultra-competitive quasi-evil duo of Lydia and Jackson, or the muscle-bound, yet with a heart-of-gold Derek, teens were not the only ones cozying up to the young group of teens fighting to survive while hunted from all sides. 
 
In addition, SWITCHED AT BIRTH offered the most heart-breaking storyline couched in a warm, sunny world where two families chose to live together after discovering their daughters were switched at birth 16 years ago.  It was not just the “blue sky” appeal of the show that caught our attention, but rather the equally addictive and appealing characters that invited us into their homes.  From Bay to Daphne to Toby, Emmett, Liam and Ty, and all the charming parents, SWITCHED AT BIRTH introduced us to families and friends that we would all love to be a part of.
 

TUESDAY
Tuesday nights, while somewhat less time-constrained, were also busy nights on TV.  Competing were:  WHITE COLLAR, COVERT AFFAIRS, MEMPHIS BEAT, PRETTY LITTLE LIARS, THE NINE LIVES OF CHLOE KING, COMBAT HOSPITAL, and MTV’s AWKWARD.  With 7 shows clamoring for attention, it was a little easier to juggle shows and watch them all, but it required some viewer dexterity.  Returning favorites WHITE COLLAR, COVERT AFFAIRS, MEMPHIS BEAT, and PRETTY LITTLE LIARS all fared well, but the newcomers stumbled under the weight of the stiff competition. 
 
Viewers were less likely to sample the new shows on Tuesday nights than other nights of the week — which is a shame, cause each of the new series had something special to offer and are worthy of second seasons.  For the teenage crowd, both THE NINE LIVES OF CHLOE KING and MTV’s AWKWARD offered heaping spoonfuls of heart-melting romance.  Only the heartless could have withstood such wonderfully woven tales of teenage angst and teenage romance mixed with fun doses of comedic relief.  Then over on the darker side, there was COMBAT HOSPITAL which gave a glimpse into the world of medical surgeons in the war zone of Afghanistan.  But it only sounded dark and depressing.  The actual show had a nice mix of odd personalities and heart-warming messages.  Plus, one look into Michelle Borth’s soulful eyes and you too would be caught up in the day-to-day struggles of life on the front lines.  To viewers who tuned in and tuned out too quickly and those who have resisted these fine shows, it’s your loss.  For those who discovered and stuck with these shows, you know what I’m talking about when I say, these are must-see shows on Tuesday nights. 
 
As for the break-out hit of Tuesday nights, it goes once again to COVERT AFFAIRS.  Not even breaking stride from its first season break-neck pace, COVERT AFFAIRS took things to another level of action, globe-trotting and giving fans exactly what they want – more Auggie!  Piper Perabo’s Anne Walker may be the star of the show, but Chris Gorham’s Auggie Anderson stole all the hearts of the fans.  Kudos for all the hard work and inspired stories this season.  It’s been a fun and wild-ride!

 
WEDNESDAY
A night of much more manageable TV viewing, Wednesday offered a nice light night of only six competition shows:  ROYAL PAINS, NECESSARY ROUGHNESS, FRANKLIN & BASH, MELISSA & JOEY, STATE OF GEORGIA and HAPPILY DIVORCED.  It was a night that also relied heavily on comedy to ease the weekly tensions as viewers found themselves mid-week and flagging a bit at the thought of two more work days.  Despite the prevalence of comedy and the quick success of HAPPILY DIVORCED, which has already been picked up for a second season, the show that was the break-out success was newcomer NECESSARY ROUGHNESS. 
 
A tale of a therapist swept up into the high-stakes world of competitive sports, viewers latched onto Dr. Dani’s unique brand of therapy and her adrenaline-junkie clientele.  It also helped that the one client threaded throughout the season was charismatic Mehcad Brooks who stole scenes any chance he got and made us think of out-of-control football stars as great people to have hanging around the house.  The addictive trio of the unorthodox Dr. Dani, the mysterious fixer Nico and the hot-headed, but heart-warming T.K. made NECESSARY ROUGHNESS the break-out show of Wednesday nights.
 

THURSDAY
As the week wound down, it was a night of easy delights as BURN NOTICE, ROOKIE BLUE and newcomer SUITS dazzled fans with their own blend of amped-up drama.  Whether it was explosions, gun-fights, cheating boyfriends, or a con man turned wanna-be-lawyer, Thursdays had exactly what viewers wanted as they raced towards the end of the work week – pure, unadulterated, octane-fueled adrenaline rushes. 
 
SUITS does not exactly sound like a show for which a word like adrenaline would be associated, but it’s tight-wire act teasing us with whether Mike and Harvey’s high-stakes game of the ultimate con be found out kept viewers breathless with anticipation.  While both BURN NOTICE and ROOKIE BLUE brought their A-game this season, SUITS stole the night.  It was impossible to not fall for the charming handsome duo of Mike and Harvey and their new take on a legal drama can be wicked fun. Another show that if you haven’t checked it out yet, be prepared to fall in love!
 

FRIDAY
Also an easy night of TV, with the sci-fi faves TORCHWOOD and HAVEN facing off and as FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS wound down its final season, Fridays were a delicious treat for world-weary TV viewers.  Real life can suck the life right out of you by Friday, so it takes special shows to infuse a bit of life back into viewers before they tackle their unruly weekends.  Fortunately, as the Emmy nominations proved, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS was exactly what viewers were in the mood for and it was a great way to say goodbye to a show that created a world that felt like a second home for most of us.  To this day, there are many savvy TV critics who still believe that there simply must be a real Coach Taylor and his wife Tammy living in a small town in Texas.  It felt that real and that special of a place.  Pray the Emmy voters get it right this year and crown FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS the best drama on TV.  It earned it.
 
So while FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS felt like home, the worlds of TORCHWOOD and HAVEN were nothing like any place we would ever dream of living.  Frankly, both those worlds scared the beegeebizes out of us.  TORCHWOOD’s “miracle day” where everyone on earth stops dying, only to find out that is a fate worse than death; and HAVEN’s isolated world where an entire town is plagued by a curse that makes them all wish they lived somewhere else – those were not exactly the places anyone wants to willingly go to.   Yet, funny enough, viewers still flocked to them.  Watching others suffer and endure mysterious torment is oddly appealing.  But, more likely, it was the captivating characters that kept viewers tuning in.  Without the magic and mystery of the relationships between Audrey, Duke and Nathan on HAVEN, and the star-crossed lovers Jack and Gwen on TORCHWOOD, surely the horror stories of each show would not have been enough.  But throw in a few people that fans are dying to see more of and you’ve got a Friday night hit.  So sci-fi Fridays are alive and well and we can’t wait to see where these gripping shows take us.  Don’t miss another second and be sure to tune in for both TORCHWOOD and HAVEN on Fridays – they offer an adventure like you have never seen before!
 

SATURDAY
No matter how you look at it, Saturday nights are the slowest night of TV.  Other than the occasional Syfy or Hallmark movie of the week, the only network dipping its toe into Saturday night programming is BBC America, which offered both DOCTOR WHO and OUTCASTS on Saturday nights this summer.  DOCTOR WHO teased fans by starting the summer, then going on a short hiatus, and then will return on August 27th to finish off its 6th season.  This was a double-edged sword of disappointment as fans were outraged to have the mid-season interruption just when the show was picking up steam and left everyone shell-shocked over the identity of River Song, and that it was replaced by a show that was already announced to only extend one short season.  So OUTCASTS already had a death-knell hanging over it and DOCTOR WHO fans were chomping impatiently at the bit to get their show back.  The clear winner of Saturdays was DOCTOR WHO – and its tale is not over yet.  With its next episode entitled, “Let’s Kill Hitler” and knowing perfectly well the mystery of River Song is nowhere near being concluded, DOCTOR WHO promises to recapture hearts and imaginations all over again.  Is it August 27th yet????
 
Summer viewing has been long mistaken as a time that dead shows come to die and new shows come to debut to less competition.  While both those premises may be true, for the television connoisseur, it is a time of discovery and a chance to embrace and celebrate shows that would be overshadowed the rest of the year.    For the summer of 2011, it was like opening up a treasure chest with each piece more dazzling and delightful than the last. So I invite you to savor these last few weeks of summer TV and appreciate the final episodes of the season.  Summer of 2011 was simply spectacular!

Catch up on past episodes of your favourite summer shows for free at clicktowatch.tv

Move over Tina Fey, there’s a new Sarah Palin impersonator in [Tinsel] town. Her name, Julianne More (pictured above, right). And if this first look photo is any indication, she’s got America’s most famous hockey mom’s mannerisms down pat. Which, in case you were wondering, certainly bodes well for director Jay Roach, who coincidentally enough begins shooting HBO’s GAME CHANGE, based on the bestselling account of the historic 2008 presidential campaign, today.

THE BORGIAS
Despite the fact that on the surface, Showtime’s THE BORGIAS — complete with copious amounts of sex and gratuitous levels of violence — is equal to timeslot rival GAME OF THRONES in almost every respect. There is one unmistakeable thing that separates HBO’s big budget fantasy from Jeremy Irons Showtime starrer: Have you seen those adorable Dire Wolf Cubs?

SUNDAY NIGHT ON ABC
As much as we hate to be that guy — you know, the Hollywood cliché who swaps his steady squeeze for a hot young newcomer — we recently decided that it was time to trade ol’ reliable Sunday stalwarts DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and BROTHERS & SISTERS for the flashier newbies GAME OF THRONES and THE KILLING. Don’t shoot the messenger.

TREME
As much as we’d like to applaud HBO for continuing to shine a much needed spotlight on a post-Katrina New Orleans — particularly in lieu of America’s 24/7 Cable News Outlets who seem to be far more interested in covering Lindsay Lohan’s legal snafu — nothing screams “bummer of a way to end a weekend” like a TREME viewing party. Worse still, we’re not the only ones who feel that way.

NURSE JACKIE
With apologies in advance to Showtime, no amount of Emmy love for star Edie Falco can make up for the fact that following WEEDS, DAMAGES and THE UNITED STATES OF TARA we’re thisclose to O.D.’ing on cable shows starring incredibly brilliant albeit somewhat damaged woman.

TELEVISION NEWS
You know, those programs media conglomerates spend hundreds of millions of dollars per year on so that they can alert you to news your Twitter feed “spoiled” 7 hours ago! (See: Japanese Earthquake)

After months of anticipation and hype, this Sunday will see HBO (and HBO Canada) unveil GAME OF THRONES, based on George R.R. Martin’s page-turner of a best-selling book series of the same name

Or so we’ve heard.

Because here’s the thing: The one teensy bit of information you should probably be aware of before diving into our review is that prior to the news that HBO was adapting this blockbuster book series for the small screen, we had… dare we say… never heard of it. What’s more, the fantasy/historical genre has never exactly been, to borrow a line from one Austin Powers, “Our Bag, Baby”

Yes on the surface, complete with lavish production values, appealing British accents and copious amounts of sex and violence, shows like GAME OF THRONES should be appealing. Unfortunately we have a not-so-storied history of being turned off by the cornucopia of plot twists, collection of characters, and sheer amount of energy it traditionally takes to keep track these type of shows.

Luckily for HBO, not to mention writers and executive producers David Benioff (Troy, The Kite Runner) and D.B. Weiss, GAME OF THRONES has managed to succeed where a long line of high-concept, big-budgeted shows such as SPARTACUS, THE TUDORS and ROME have failed.

In fact, viewers who have been anxiously anticipating this adaptation (yes, we’re talking to you @ProgGrrl) will be happy to learn that GAME OF THRONES succeeds on virtually every level. Not only were we wowed by the extraordinary visuals and scenery beautifully shot in Northern Ireland and quickly engrossed in the politically charged fictional world of Westeros that sees various factions of the seven kingdoms do anything (and we mean anything) to reclaim the Throne, we’re thrilled to report that we were actually able to follow the story.

Suffice to stay, the fifty to sixty million dollars HBO spent in translating Martin’s books from page to small screen would have been all for naught if the average viewer was incapable of following along. And thankfully for this GAME OF THRONES neophyte, what completely sets this series apart from the long line of aforementioned shows set in historical/fantasy times is how easily we were able to follow what could have been an incredibly complex set-up, which for the benefit of fellow THRONES newbies we’ve attempted to sum up like so:

There once was a mad king who ruled the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. We say “once,” because said King was killed, quite literally stabbed in the back, by Jaime “The Kingslayer” Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) whose twin sister with whom he shares a very unusual bond with Cersei (Lena Heady) is now coincidentally enough married to current King Robert (Mark Addy). Unfortunately for Robert, not everyone is pleased with his ascension to the throne. Enter Viserys (Harry Lloyd) and Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), two of the last known surviving members of the Targaryen clan who of course have a plan to reclaim the throne they (and many) believe is rightfully theirs. A plan that involves Viserys marrying off sister Daenerys to Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), leader of a group of savages known as the Dothraki Bloodriders. In other-words, it’s war! Which is how our story begins as King Robert enlists his old friend Ned Stark (Sean Bean), warden of the North, Lord of Winterfell and father of five children (each of whom have a curious connection to a pack of wolf cubs) to protect the throne.

Full disclosure: We’ve barely scratched the surface. That said, all one really needs to know is that GAME OF THRONES has something for everyone. Top notch acting (Sean Bean! Peter Dinklage! Lena Headey! And an adorable litter of Wolves that will have animal lovers standing up and cheering!), ridiculously cool set pieces (Wait until you get a load of that Northern Wall!), and best of all, a mythology that while easy enough to follow still managed to both challenge and leave one clamoring for more (Note: Bookmarking The Daily Beast’s GAME OF THRONES for Dummies will only add to your enjoyment). So much so that the only negative we can think to mention is that HBO Canada only sent us the first six episodes. Grade: A-

GAME OF THRONES premieres on Sunday April 17 at 9PM on HBO (HBO CANADA)

Good News: TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES is returning to the small screen. Bad News: Make that, reruns of TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES are returning to the small screen, with Syfy acquiring the rights to all thirty-one episodes starting Thursday April 7 at 9PM. [Source]

Good News: Thanks to high profile pilots from J.J. Abrams (ALCATRAZ), Antoine Fuqua (EXIT STRATEGY), Joe Hill (LOCKE & KEY) and Hart Hanson (THE FINDER), Fox’s Fall sked — assuming the aforementioned pilots get picked up to series — has the potential to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. Bad News: For HUMAN TARGET, LIE TO ME and FRINGE fans. [Source]

Good News: After far too long away, EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND creator Phil Rosenthal is plotting a return to television. Bad News: Everybody, okay fine… we, do not love the idea of him eschewing his comedic genius for RANDOM FAMILY, a one hour HBO drama said to be more along the lines of THE SOPRANOS. [Source]