Day One
For shows that jump the shark in the pilot, or rub you the wrong way from the beginning, whether due to cheesy acting (the new Knight Rider), a ridiculous concept (the old KnightRider), or stunt casting that doesn't work (My Own Worst Enemy).
Kings
We applaud NBC for trying something different with Kings, a modern-day take on David and Goliath that's much more layered and character-driven than many of the slick and pretty one-hour shows the network's gotten behind lately. We love the brilliant, corrupt and slightly paranoid King Silas, and we're rooting for the handsome, emotional, war-hero David Shepherd. So why hasn't the rest of the Sunday night TV audience gotten hooked?
The series plummeted 24 percent from its premiere in the ratings this week, garnering only 4.58 million viewers. Is this a case of a great show being on the wrong network? Is it just a bad time slot? Or are people uninterested in the characters and story revolving an unfamiliar, modern monarchy?
Did you tune in to Kings? What do you think of the show and its future? Weigh in after the jump!
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Nathan Fillion
Full disclosure: We love Nathan Fillion. We're dying for him to get a vehicle that allows his talent, charm and wit to shine.
Fillion first caught our attention on the short-lived but much-loved Firefly, where he played the dashing and loyal Captain Mal. And even though we loved seeing him on Wisteria Lane as Dr. Mayfair, we were much more excited to hear that he'd have his own show on ABC, called Castle. The previews were cute, kinda like Bones and Moonlighting squished together, and we could tell the show would have a procedural structure but a light and comedic tone. Could this finally be the Fillion vehicle we were hoping for?
Well, we watched the show, and like most pilots, it had some flaws. But, the jury's still out on Castle. So, we turn to you, mighty fans. What did you think of the premise, Fillion and costar Stana Katic's chemistry, and the poker party featuring other famous murder-mystery writers? Do you think Castle has what it takes to stick around past midseason? We're just dying to know.
Weigh in after the jump!
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Eliza Dushku, Dollhouse
Joss Whedon fans love the Buffyverse, made Dr. Horrible an online hit, and did their best to save Firefly, his quirky space western. We'd love to see his new Dollhouse succeed, but we're nervous. Like Firefly, it's stuck in a Friday-night slot on Fox — and if the network opts to air episodes out of order, like it did with Firefly, the show may be in as much trouble as the Serenity crew.
Of course, Dollhouse is as different from Buffy, Angel and Firefly as you can get. The story revolves around Echo (Eliza Dushku), one of several actives, or "dolls," who have agreed to have their personalities wiped clean so they can be imprinted with new traits and skills for each assignment. The dolls are hired by the wealthy, powerful and connected to become whatever the client wants them to be. It's darker than Whedon's past series — some have even likened the dolls to technologically enhanced hookers...
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Fringe
When Fringe premiered last fall, many critics likened it to The X-Files, mostly because both shows dealt with paranormal phenomenon and featured a male-female partnership. As Fringe has progressed, it has developed a tone that's more J.J. Abrams than Chris Carter. But, the similarities in the two series' storylines are starting to pile up. See if you agree with our list:
-On Fringe, Olivia is kidnapped and experimented on by government baddies.
-On TXF, Scully is kidnapped and experimented on by government baddies.
-On Fringe, a machine disturbs matter, causing solid objects to move through other solid objects. But, when it goes wrong, a man gets stuck — alive — half inside and half outside a wall.
-On TXF, a warp in the space time continuum causes a man to become trapped — alive — half inside and half outside a rock...
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Trust Me
At first, Lie to Me's similarities to CBS' hit The Mentalist made it seem like the most likely winter show to shark-jump from the beginning. But it's actually pretty good. And so we turn our gaze to Trust Me. Despite the show's stellar cast — which includes Tom Cavanagh, Eric McCormick and Monica Potter — we have mixed feelings. Do you think Trust Me has potential?
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