Okay, let's use this thread for all zingers and discussion about all these shitty NEW shows that are coming out.

NOT returning shows. For instance, if someone starts talking about "The Office" , "Heroes" or "Prison Break", it's getting chopped. My hope is that we can find something watchable out of the new crop of crap that's being tossed out.

So use this thread to help your fellow man. If you see something new and cool; let us know. If you see something new and crappy; let us know.

I'll kick it off. Tonight I watched "K-Ville", a new police drama on FOX. It stars Anthony Anderson, the motor-mouthed wisecracker from countless movies. But he's trying to play it straight. It's a tough sell, since he has a reputation of being comic relief.

The gimmick of the show is that it's about New Orleans, post-Katrina. Every line of dialogue or every plot element seems to reflect this. Anderon's wife is contemplating leaving for Atlanta, when Anderson says: "no..we can stay and FIGHT for this city!" Lots of preachy lines abound.

The action sequences were rather vomit-inducing. Shaky camera work and rapid scene shifts were tough to follow. Within literally ten seconds, the cops had run out of a house, guns blazing, jumped into a car, given chase, had a firefight, saw the pursuee's car get flipped over, and the suspect ran into a casino.

Later, the bad guys try to lean on Anderson-- by running a live firehose from the hydrant to his second story window. A dead horse head it wasn't. One of the bad guys was "Ethan Rom" from LOST, so you knew up-front that he couldn't be a angel.

In the opening scenes, it seemed like it'd be more of a wide-open gang fight. As if anarchy is running rampant in New Orleans and the cops are just another gang. Something like that, while stretching the truth a bit, would make for some interesting TV. But this was just a cheesy cop drama that relied too much on Katrina gimmicks. By contast, there were a few episodes of "NYPD Blue" that used the WTC disaster as a backdrop. But it wasn't the driving force of the plot and the characters.

Anderson's partner, played by Cole Hauser, confesses to a previous life of crime. When the flood came, his records washed away and decided to go straight. Another tough sell, but there's potential in a charater like that. Ex-rogues usually make for some good fun.

I give "K-ville" five episodes to live, unless there's some serious re-tooling.

I just can't take Anthony Anderson seriously. He looks like the kid from Keenan and Kel.

As a matter of fact, for the longest time I thought he was.

He's not?! Seriously...I thought that too. Until one post ago.

I checked IMDB and didn't see Keenan And Kel as a credit. :huh:

Keenan is on SNL now.

To further the point of the thread, I watched the Pilot for "Chuck" last night, and it was great. The premise is that this guy Chuck, who works in the "Nerd Herd" at "Buy More," had a college roommate who was a rogue CIA agent. His roommate downloads information, saved in images, and e-mails it to Chuck before he's killed. The CIA & NSA both go after Chuck, thinking he's some kind of super-spy that worked with his old roommate, but he's just a normal Joe who happened to be on the guy's e-mail list. Once they figure THAT out, they sign him up to help them out while living his normal life.

The show feels like a mix of Scrubs, Alias, and Judd Apatow style comedy. It sounds odd, but it works. Chuck has a sister, who's boyfriend Chuck has named "Captain Awesome," who's trying to help him get over his college girlfriend, and a best friend named Morgan who's trying to get over junior high. If all goes well, this will be a show that can create a good blend of spy drama and situational comedy. If it fails, well, I'll buy the DVD

That Caveman show has completely taken the last shred of hope I had for humanity.

Did you WATCH "Cavemen"?? I've seen it bashed everywhere, but nobody's actually watched it (myself included). But it does give me hope that next year we can see a "Snickers FEAST" show.

Watched "Reaper" tonight on "The CW". They premiered it at San Diego and I meant to catch it, but failed. It seems that nerds are the big thing for new TV shows. Reaper has a nerd, plus that "Chuck" show, then CBS has something called "Geek meets Chic" (or whatever it's called).

Anyways, I liked "Reaper" and while I wasn't cracking up, the show has some potential and I'd tune in again. A kid's parents sold his soul to the devil before he was born. The contract became valid at age 21. The Devil pops up and gets the kid to run around as his bounty hunter. So it's kinda' like "Ghost Rider", but not trying to be serious. He works at a Home Depot-like store and gets help from his buddy to run around and catch demons. The Devil gives him a special "vessel" to catch each baddie-- this week it was a mystical Dirt Devil handheld vac. After he catches the demon, he has to return it to the "portal to Hell", which is at the DMV ("closest thing to Hell on Earth"). It reminded me a little bit of USA's "G vs E" from 1999.

The cast all appear to be in their late 20's, but they're supposed to be 21. A more youthful look would've worked, but once I got over that, it was okay. Also, the characters are all apparently allowed to take whatever the hell they want from Home Depot at a whim, without penalty.

The main guy's comic relief sidekick seemed to be amplified way too much. It seemed to be telegraphed whenever he'd deliver a punchline. Funniest part for me was when the Devil is talking to the guy in a hockey arena. The Devil decides to get nasty and lets the zamboni run over the driver's body. For the rest of the scene, the zamboni's driving around, leaving a bloody trail. That made me feel that the show would've worked better on cable.

Caught The Big Bang Theory after How I Met Your Mother on Monday and wasn't impressed. Sure it has the super hot Kaley Cuoco in it, but it's also got Ira from Suicide Kings and some guy who reminds me way too much of Eddie Kaye Thomas as the two male leads.

It's basically "hot chick lives next door to 2 super nerds" so it should only last a season, if that. There's only so much they can do with it, and the pilot was already way too nerdy, and really probably turned a lot of people off on the show.


What channel is Chuck on?

"Chuck" is on NBC. You might've mistaken it as an ad for "The Office", since they're doing their best to make the main guy looked like Jim Halpert.

Thank you for identifying "Big Bang Theory". It's that "Geek meets Chic" sitcom, right? Where some guy's wearing a Flash shirt? Promos for the frickin' thing have been running non-stop during my weekly Denver Donkey games.

That's the one. Really not worth you're time unless you enjoy unnecessarily nerdy comments by two guys who have no idea how to pick up chicks. Pretty cliche trash.

It looked like total shit... so with your report I can safely say it IS Total Shit.

Of course, I say that about every show that CBS promotes. "The #1 Most-Watched Critically Acclaimed New Show in its Timeslot for Shows That Were New!!"

I'll give more reports as I watch more shows, but after tonight I'm stuck in work hell until Monday night. Which means I'll miss The Office on Thursday. Anything "interesting" on tonight?

"Bionic Woman" premieres tonight. I saw it in San Diego and wasn't impressed at all. Seemed cliche, as the lead character works as a hippy n' trendy bartender at a hip n' trendy bar and they play lesbo-rock during her "introspective inner turmoil" scenes. The plot just wasn't working for me, either. She escapes from a top-secret government project by simpling running away. The special effects looked incredibly cartoony (especially a scene where she's running alongside a road), but those may have been re-touched.

They've done a lot of airbrushing on her for the promotional materials, but she didn't look all that attractive in the show itself. I suppose it'll appeal to fans of "Dark Angel" or psuedo sci-fi crap. In a way, it could be seen as female version of "Smallville". NBC will give it a big push since they don't have many action/adventure shows on their schedule.

I think it's produced, or directed, or something by the folks who did the "Battlestar Galactica" revival. Three actors from that show made prominent appearances on the new "Bionic Woman"

Yeah, Big Bang Theory is a Big Bang Dud. The premise could work, but it feels way too much like 2 1/2 men without the Sheen. The Mah-Sheen. Which is the only reason to even glance at 2 1/2 men. I'm still waiting for a Major League reunion on there. With Ducky as the manager or something.

Reaper was ok, and like E said, it has promise. I'm not proclaiming it the next big thing, but for a CW show I was entertained. No new show has me as excited as Chuck yet.

I caught "Reaper" again and it was okay. I think this show would be great in 30 minutes, but it can begin to drag after a full 60. I feel asleep in the final 15 minutes, but that had more to do with me being tired than the show's content. I was pleased to see that the episode was written by Kevin Murphy (Tom Servo of MSTK3K fame), as I spotted some of his trademark scripting.

They seem to be playing up the African-American sidekick more this time out. That's fine, but he's like junior version of "My Name is Earl's" Crabman/Darnell. Even down to the way he delivers his lines.

The show also had me stretching the boundaries of plausibility by having a live stage (complete with dressing room, backstage and a theater) at a farmer's market street fair. Plus, the "Work Bench" store all the characters work at, also has a deep supply of DVD's and movies. That was tough to accept, too.

Finally saw "Cavemen", too. Had alot of absurd humor, as 3 cavemen met a cavewoman at a frozen yogurt place. Wasn't incredibly funny..but had a few moments, as it was just bizarre.

So...it's been over two months and not a single new show has caught on with me. But this writer's strike is supposed to delay some stuff, and supposedly "LOST" is in big trouble because of it.

what shows have writers on strike?

The Big Bang Theory has really grown on me. I'm still watching Chuck, too.

This page seems to be the official list of strikers and WHICH shows are affected:
http://www.wga.org/subpage_member.aspx?id=2529

I love Chuck and Journeyman, and am quite fond of Pushing Daisies.

Heroes rules, as always, too.

I can only cross my fingers and hope that Chuck and Journeyman return after Dec 3rd, when all the finales are set to air.

It would seem pretty set that Chuck is staying. Journeyman, I'm not so sure, but there are worse shows on the air.

Chuck is nothing revolutionary yeah, but it's still damn entertaining TV as far as it goes...and it being before Heroes is also a plus.

I was shocked to do a little ratings research and see that the NBC block on Monday night (including Heroes) just does 4.0-5.0's pretty regularly, while fucking Dancing With the Stats on ABC (which I do watch) pulls a rediculous 18.0.

I watch bad reality TV, sure, but I also like to think I watch some good tv. Its all in the eye of the beholder, but I hate that more people aren't watching that NBC block.

And all of NBC is running till Dec. 3rd pretty much, except for The Office, which airs its last episode this week.