Genre TV This Fall (and Beyond)
May. 19th, 2009 10:47 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sdelmonteSo the old school networks are telling us what we can watch in the coming year. And there is a decent amount of SF and fantasy, but some of it seems familiar.
As is my tradition, I offer a brief preview of genre TV (broadcast division)...
NBC brings back Chuck (albeit only for 13 weeks) and Heroes (though does anyone care anymore?); and will add (as I noted two weeks back) Day One, wherein the world goes haywire with wacky hijinks ensuing. Day One won't debut till after the Winter Olympics, though.
ABC launches (also as noted) Flash Forward, based on the Robert Sawyer novel and created for TV by David Goyer (Batman Begins and Dark City). This will air on Thursdays at 8 pm. The plot? Everyone in the world passes out and gets a vision of the next six months. And then has to decide what to do next. Could be interesting, though comparisons with Lost - entering its last season next year - are inevitable.
ABC also gives us yet another adaptation of Updike's Witches of Eastwick, simply called Eastwick, Wednesdays at 10; and will bring us a revival of the 1980s alien invasion show V. Not sure why anyone thinks we need to bring back V, but everyone said the same thing about BSG, so who knows? Also, while Castle is not SF, it still stars Nathan Fillion, and it's been renewed, which probably makes a nice change for a capable actor who never seems to have much luck.
Fox is bringing back Dollhouse and Fringe, which probably marks the first time since the Chris Carter era that Fox has renewed two genre shows. (Sarah Connor Chronicles, though, is gone.) There is one somewhat interesting addition to the lineup, coming in the winter: Human Target, based on a very minor DC character with an unique approach to bodyguard work. Minor, but apparently beloved someplace, since this is the second time he's getting a TV show. (Trivia question: who starred in the very unsuccessful 1980s series?)
CBS has no genre. Get with the program, CBS.
And the CW - why is it always the CW, and not just CW? - is getting a show called The Vampire Diaries (based on a series of YA books from the 90s) that sounds like it's aiming for the Twilight crowd as two vampire brothers compete for the love of a mortal woman. Smallville and Supernatural will be back, as well.
I will likely give Flash Forward a try, and wait to see if any of the others get any positive buzz. With the renewals of Chuck and Dollhouse, though, I almost feel like maybe I can try out a genre series without that utter feel of dread of cancellation.
As is my tradition, I offer a brief preview of genre TV (broadcast division)...
NBC brings back Chuck (albeit only for 13 weeks) and Heroes (though does anyone care anymore?); and will add (as I noted two weeks back) Day One, wherein the world goes haywire with wacky hijinks ensuing. Day One won't debut till after the Winter Olympics, though.
ABC launches (also as noted) Flash Forward, based on the Robert Sawyer novel and created for TV by David Goyer (Batman Begins and Dark City). This will air on Thursdays at 8 pm. The plot? Everyone in the world passes out and gets a vision of the next six months. And then has to decide what to do next. Could be interesting, though comparisons with Lost - entering its last season next year - are inevitable.
ABC also gives us yet another adaptation of Updike's Witches of Eastwick, simply called Eastwick, Wednesdays at 10; and will bring us a revival of the 1980s alien invasion show V. Not sure why anyone thinks we need to bring back V, but everyone said the same thing about BSG, so who knows? Also, while Castle is not SF, it still stars Nathan Fillion, and it's been renewed, which probably makes a nice change for a capable actor who never seems to have much luck.
Fox is bringing back Dollhouse and Fringe, which probably marks the first time since the Chris Carter era that Fox has renewed two genre shows. (Sarah Connor Chronicles, though, is gone.) There is one somewhat interesting addition to the lineup, coming in the winter: Human Target, based on a very minor DC character with an unique approach to bodyguard work. Minor, but apparently beloved someplace, since this is the second time he's getting a TV show. (Trivia question: who starred in the very unsuccessful 1980s series?)
CBS has no genre. Get with the program, CBS.
And the CW - why is it always the CW, and not just CW? - is getting a show called The Vampire Diaries (based on a series of YA books from the 90s) that sounds like it's aiming for the Twilight crowd as two vampire brothers compete for the love of a mortal woman. Smallville and Supernatural will be back, as well.
I will likely give Flash Forward a try, and wait to see if any of the others get any positive buzz. With the renewals of Chuck and Dollhouse, though, I almost feel like maybe I can try out a genre series without that utter feel of dread of cancellation.
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(no subject)
Date: May. 19th, 2009 03:30 pm (UTC)Flash Forward.
(no subject)
Date: May. 19th, 2009 03:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 19th, 2009 04:21 pm (UTC)Although that didn't work for The Unusuals.
(no subject)
Date: May. 19th, 2009 05:00 pm (UTC)Also, that vampire thing on the CW has Ian Sommerhalder (Boone).
(no subject)
Date: May. 19th, 2009 05:01 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 19th, 2009 05:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 19th, 2009 05:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 19th, 2009 09:24 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 19th, 2009 10:12 pm (UTC)BTW, you can find episodes of The Flash . It's showing its age, but it's still a lot of fun.