The fall season starts in less than 2 weeks.
That right there is my motto this week. I’m trying to get through a long week of my 9-5 job, and all I keep telling myself is “The fall season starts in less than 2 weeks.” I truly feel like it’s the greatest phrase in the world right now (until next week, that is, when I have the mantra “The fall season starts next week”).
As we unite as TV addicts to count down the days until Prison Break Season 2 hits the air, I want to take some time to think about some burning questions (8 things going through my mind) that I have for the new year.
1. Will Michael Schofield smile more than 1 time while on the run this year?
I, for one, hope so. Wentworth Miller is beautiful when brooding, but it would be a nice change to the show if he was allowed to lighten up a little bit. Yes, I get that he’s on the run from prison, and he probably won’t have time to stop and enjoy, say, a movie, but I would like for him and Lincoln to take a minute, sit back, and revel in the realization that they made it out, and it’s now up to them how their lives play out.
2. What show do I think will be the first show out the door, based on reviews that I’ve seen?
I would love to say “Happy Hour” or “Til Death” on FOX, because I’m hearing that the shows aren’t good (some say that they’re AWFUL). Then again, remember last summer when “The War At Home” was being reviewed and all critics thought it was AWFUL and then Michael Rappaport scored himself a second season while critically acclaimed fare like “Arrested Development” was thrown to the curb? That said, I’m worried that shows with critical buzz going into September will suffer the consequences. With the reputation that networks have gotten for not taking a chance when a show doesn’t succeed right away, I worry that shows like “The Nine” or “Smith” will fade in the dark long before Brad Garrett and co. hit the road.
3. If Mackenzie Rosman and David Gallagher can successfully sever ties with the shipwreck that is “7th Heaven” are they young enough to salvage some sort of respectable career?
In a word, no. When the only thing of merit on your resume is “7th Heaven” going into an audition, I don’t think that casting directors will think to themselves “Damn, 7th Heaven, that’s good acting there, snap them up, get them on my show or in my movie”. With a pair of kids that showed great promise as adorable child actors in seasons 1-3 of that show, it’s a real shame that they’ve successfully dug themselves into a hole. Luckily for them, they’ve yet to sign on for the show’s unprecedented, and unnecessary, 11th season, at least signifying that they’re making every attempt to distance themselves from the show that at the same time made them famous, but made them almost a laughing-stock of TV addicts everywhere.
4. Can I truly believe in my favourite actors from past TV series’ as OTHER characters on OTHER tv shows?
Victor Garber and Ron Rifkin. Truly a great duo, now trying their luck as completely different characters on completely different shows. First, with Victor Garber, playing an oily lawyer on “Justice,” someone who cares only about the TV limelight, it’s so un-Jack Bristow that it scares me! Then, there’s Rifkin as a caring family member in the ensemble piece “Brothers and Sisters,” I’m going to have trouble believing him as someone that isn’t a creepy, creepy man who stares “lovingly” at Sydney Bristow all the while planning her demise. Like I don’t quite love Dennis Haysbert as Jonas on “The Unit” (versus the greatest American President David Palmer, his role on “24”), I worry that I won’t love these guys, two of my favourite actors, period, in their new roles.
5. Will LOST get back to the intensity and sheer awesomeness that was Season 1, versus the not-so-much feeling of Season 2?
My only hope is that it happens, and it happens fast. I love LOST. I watch LOST every week, and worship the show. But I’d be lying if I said that I thought Season 2 was as even and well played as Season 1. The addition of a million new characters did not answer enough questions for me, and I was left with more a feeling of “eh” at the end of the season finale than a feeling of “holy shit” like I was for Season 1. While I’ll continue to have faith in a show that has brought us truly inspired television, I worry that the addition of Dr. Legaspi from ER (Elizabeth Mitchell) as a love interest for Jack (wait, I thought he and Kate had a loooooove connection?), Annie from Related (Kiele Sanchez) as a new love interest for the third new character, Rodrigo Santoro, I’m worried that the story will focus too much on them, and not enough on the characters we’ve grown to love – Sawyer, Sayid, Charlie, Sun, and Jin!
6. Can The O.C. recover, or should we say good bye to our friends from Newport Beach after their 16 episodes air?
I’m a big fan of this show. It’s uneven, it’s uncomfortable, the acting sometimes feels forced, and the storylines are tremendously unbelievable. But I’m a big fan of this show. I worry that the backlash felt by killing off Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) will cause even more of a downward plunge in ratings, I worry that the addition of Kaitlin Cooper (Willa Holland) with her “more-wooden-than-Mischa” acting style, and the focus on younger cast members will throw the core fans for a loop and cause them to forget this show is on, and focus their energy on the CSI/Grey’s Anatomy competition.
7. If a show moves to Friday night on FOX, can it be saved?
That is the scariest question for me to answer as the season is about to start up. Yes, we have all Fall to be in love with my favourite new show from last season, Bones, but what happens when it moves to Fridays in January? (yes, it’s a long time away, but I’m an over thinker, so I’m over thinking…) I know that I personally would follow the not!love-connection of Bones and Booth to any night, any time, and network, etc., but I worry that the other fans will forget it existed when it moves to the danger zone.
8. Will JAM (The Office’s Jim & Pam) make it beyond their little kiss?
Everyone watching The Office can feel the love between Jim and Pam, but with the rumblings of new cast members, most specifically, Rashida Jones (daughter of Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton), I worry that the kiss in last season’s finale was a once and done thing, and we’ll be left wondering what might have been. While, in most situations, I’ll completely buy the idea that a couple getting together could symbolize the end of their story, in this case, I feel like so much more could be explored with JAM together, that it terrifies me to turn the premiere on, with the thought that they won’t take on the relay and run with it.
What do you think? What are your answers to these questions? What other questions do YOU have going into the Fall Season? What is making YOU think and/or worry, as we enter the 2006-2007 term?
In other thoughts this week…
“Nip/Tuck” is back in the first week of September, and I could not be more excited. I have utter faith in Ryan (the creator – I like to pretend we‘re on a first name basis) and I firmly believe that he can repair the show that he single-handedly damaged with The Carver story. I believe in the characters, as outrageous as they might be, and I believe that the core relationships of Sean/Christian/Julia can be redeemed and recovered as Season 4 takes off!
“Psych” only continues to get better. James Roday is a great find, and his chemistry with Dule Hill is spot on. I totally believe them as best friends who grate on each others nerves, but can’t function without each other. Also, can I just say that I love the theme song? Some might say it’s annoying, but I think it’s great!
I babysat on Saturday (that’s not the story, stay with me, it gets good), and as the baby slept, I found myself flipping channels. I came across the “Degrassi: The Next Generation Every Episode Ever” marathon on The-N. As I watched 10 episodes of this completely addicting show, I immediately was hooked, and need to watch the rest of the show now, so that I can be completely caught up on all 100 episodes!
And finally, I’d like to extend my gratitude to Netflix for helping me to relive my Battlestar Galactica obsession. I just got through Season 1’s 13 episodes, and I’m anxiously awaiting re-watching Season 2 and eventually Season 2.5 in preparation for Season 3 in October!!
As always, thanks for reading – let me know what you’d like to see, what you’re thinking about this summer, what shows you can’t miss, and what shows have you asking “is that seriously still on the air?” Send me an email, I’m always interested to hear what the readers have to say! mytakeontv@thetvaddict.com