News

So it’s that time of year again – the upfronts. For the uninitiated, it’s when the main US broadcast networks reveal to the world what new TV shows they plan to give us, starting in what Americans call the fall and we Brits call autumn, but with a few ‘mid-season’ replacements (that usually never see the light of day) in there as well.

After last year’s drekfest, which followed on from the previous year’s more promising offering in almost all getting cancelled, we have a somewhat similar situation this year, with perhaps one or two shows that look decent out of a multitude of cobblers. Here’s a rundown:

Comedies

• About A Boy –

  Based on the Nick Hornby novel, and starring David “Death to any NBC show I’m in” Walton

• The Family Guide – ‘It’s not every family that’s brought closer together by divorce, but then again, the Fishers aren’t exactly typical.’ This is a comedy, BTW.
• The Michael J. Fox Show – Guess who stars in this
• Sean Saves The World – Sean Hayes, that is
• Undateable – A refreshing comedy about the “do’s,” “don’ts” and “duhs” of dating. Except it looks wretched
• Welcome To The Family – Teenagers get married. Hilarity unsues.

Dramas

• Believe – The new Heroes, except with JJ Abrams and Alfonso Cuaron in charge

• The Blacklist – James Spader does The Following crossed with White Collar
• Chicago PD – A Chicago Fire spin-off about the police. Like the world needed one of those
• Crisis – All the kids of the nation’s politicians are kidnapped. Sure. That would happen, wouldn’t it?
• Crossbones – John Malkovich is Blackbeard the pirate. Nuff said
• Dracula – Jonathan Rhys Meyers is a vampire. Nuff said
• Ironside – Blair Underwood in a remake of the 70s classic. I’m assuming that the guy pushing the wheelchair will be white, this time.
• The Night Shift – A hospital night shift. Yawn.

After the jump, full summaries and even a trailer or two, as well as both the fall and mid-season schedules. And remember, children, that if you can spot Hannibal in either of those schedules, it’s because it’s neither been cancelled nor not cancelled, but if it had been cancelled, so that one of these new shows can replace it.

Continue reading “NBC’s upfronts 2013-4 – a rundown and clips from the new shows”