All through ‘upfronts’ week, TMINE will be revealing the new shows that are going to be hitting US TV screens from September 2018
Rounding off the last of the major networks in this year’s Upfronts week is The CW. Surprising it may be to UK viewers, but until now The CW hasn’t had a seven-day a week schedule, handing over duties at the weekend to other broadcasters, and even sub-contracting on occasion – which led to the likes of Valentine.
Now, though, it;s planning to extend to a full week of programming, so unsurprisingly, they’ve not cancelled even their clunkiest of clunkers and are instead giving them at least another year, while simultaneously commissioning a batch of new shows to make up the days. These include Vampire Diaries spin-off Legacies, blind detective show In the Dark and Roswell remake Roswell, New Mexico, but The CW hasn’t gone any actual footage of them to show us, so instead, we’re going to focus on the two for which there are trailers.
Full synopses, complete with TMINE’s hottest of hot takes, after the jump.
Charmed
The Short Version
Diversified remake of the “surely not that old” original Charmed about three witchy sisters.
The Long Version
“Stronger together.” That’s what Marisol tells her daughters, firebrand social justice warrior Melanie “Mel” Vera, and her sister, fun-loving Maggie, about their family. Mel is a graduate student in the women’s studies department her mother heads at Hilltowne University; Maggie is a freshman considering rushing a sorority (to Mel’s amused dismay) and going “on” again with her on-again off-again boyfriend Brian. But then, a shocking tragedy shatters their world and threatens their sibling bond: Marisol dies in a horrifying accident. Or was it? Three months later, we find Mel unable to accept the official explanation of their mother’s death, while Maggie accuses her of being morbidly obsessed.
And then, another huge shock shows up at their front door: they have an older sister, brilliant geneticist Macy, whom their mother kept a secret all these years! Macy is new in town and doesn’t know a soul (except for Galvin, the cute fellow scientist who’s been showing her around). Macy is eager to connect with Mel and Maggie, but Mel can’t handle another shock, and shuts her out. With the emotions of all three sisters running high, each of the girls suddenly exhibit impossible new abilities: Mel can freeze time, Maggie starts hearing others’ thoughts, and Macy has telekinetic powers.
But don’t worry, there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation…or so says Harry Greenwood (who as far as they know is the officious new chair of the women’s studies department), when he gathers the three sisters together to reveal they’re actually powerful witches, as was their mother. And he’s not really a professor, he’s their “Whitelighter,” a witch’s advisor and guide! Not only that, but Mel was right: their mother’s death was no accident – she was murdered by unknown dark forces. It’s a lot to take in, but ultimately the sisters accept their new destiny as The Charmed Ones…and their new duty to protect humankind from the demons that walk among us…one of whom killed their mother. With the Power of Three, they are stronger together… even if they have no idea what they’re really up against.
Starring Melonie Diaz, Sarah Jeffery, Madeleine Mantock, Rupert Evans, Ser’Darius Blaine, Charlie Gillespie, and Ellen Tamaki. Based on the original series, Charmed is from CBS Television Studios in association with Propagate Content, with executive producers Jessica O’Toole (“Jane The Virgin”), Amy Rardin (“Jane The Virgin”), Jennie Snyder Urman (“Jane The Virgin”), Ben Silverman (“The Office”), Brad Silberling (“Jane The Virgin”) and Carter Covington (“Faking It”).
TMINE’s Hottest of Hot Takes
Supposedly a ‘more feminist’ version of the original, although it seemed almost identically feminist to the original (and I write as one of the few straight men in the whole world to have seen all eight seasons of that) from the trailer and Holly Marie Combs is equally withering about the claim:
Guess we forgot to do that the first go around. Hmph. https://t.co/kDXLBefuSG
— Holly Marie Combs (@H_Combs) January 26, 2018
Still, despite the shift in ethnicity, it does seem more or less the same as before. The effects are better, the idea of making the Whitelighter not a hottie is probably a good one, they fiddled around with the back story to basically make the eldest sister have Rose McGowan’s storyline, but otherwise it looks pretty similar. All of which makes me wonder what the point is. But if they can do something good with it, it could be quite enjoyable.
All American
The Short Version
Poor kid from the ghetto gets to go to posh Beverly Hills High School because he’s good with a ball.
The Long Version
Spencer James is a rising high school football player and A student at South Crenshaw High. Compton is the place he calls home. But when Beverly High School’s football coach Billy Baker recruits him to join his team in Beverly Hills, Spencer’s mother, Grace, and his best friend, Coop, convince Spencer it’s an opportunity he has to seize. Now Spencer must navigate two worlds, the south side neighborhood that he knows and the affluent Beverly Hills world that has offered him an opportunity for something bigger. When Spencer is forced to move in with Billy and his family to protect his transfer permit to Beverly, Billy’s son, Jordan (the team’s starting quarterback), is less than thrilled to be sharing his father’s attention — or the team spotlight — with Spencer. While Spencer struggles to find his footing, he makes an unlikely friend in Jordan’s sister, Olivia, who is dealing with her own demons. He also quickly develops a crush on his classmate, Layla, something her boyfriend, Asher, quickly realizes — and so, he sets out to drive Spencer off the football team and out of Beverly Hills for good. Inspired by the life of NFL player Spencer Paysinger.
All American stars Daniel Ezra, Taye Diggs, Samantha Logan, Bre-Z, Greta Onieogou, Monet Mazur, Michael Evans Behling, Cody Christian and Karimah Westbrook. All American is from Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios in association with Berlanti Productions, with executive producers April Blair (“Reign”), Greg Berlanti (“The Flash,” “Riverdale”), Sarah Schechter (“The Flash,” “Riverdale”) and Rob Hardy (“Power”).
TMINE’s Hottest of Hot Takes
Looked potentially interesting for about the half the trailer, as a potential exposé of racism, classism and privilege in a rich part of the US, before degenerating into a bog standard High School Rivalries drama. Taye Giggs is always worth a look in and the oddness of Greg Berlanti doing something other than superhero TV shows almost makes me want to watch. But I think I’d rather watch Hoop Dreams again instead.
Fall schedule
New programmes in UPPER CASE
SUNDAY
8-9 PM — Supergirl
9-10 PM — CHARMED
MONDAY
8-9 PM — DC’S Legends of Tomorrow
9-10 PM — Arrow
TUESDAY
8-9 PM — The Flash
9-10 PM — Black Lightning
WEDNESDAY
8-9 PM — Riverdale
9-10 PM — ALL AMERICAN
THURSDAY
8-9 PM — Supernatural
9-10 PM — LEGACIES
FRIDAY
8-9 PM — Dynasty
9-10 PM — Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
