When prepping this summer to write pieces for the fall semester, I probably saw around sixty trailers for new TV shows. And yes – that is one trailer per show. While going through these trailers, I didn’t have the great luxury of skipping a single one, and I often wish I had. So to help you survive the onslaught of all Fall TV has to offer, I’m reviewing the very best and very worst of television.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Andy Samberg is unstoppable in this new comedy, where he stars as Brooklyn’s most skilled – yet most immature – detective who comes into conflict with the new captain, played by Andre Braugher. The single-camera technique works to this show’s advantage, adding to the awkward and brilliantly paced humor, and each character blends perfectly with the rest. The whole team is so great (yes, even the women! One of the rare shows that writes good female characters…) that you’ll have trouble picking your favorites. It’s a can’t-miss series that will have you cracking up and eagerly waiting for them to crack their next crime. Undoubtedly, one of the best shows of the season.
For Fans of: The Office, Parks and Recreation, Psych, Scrubs
When to Watch: Tuesdays at 8:30 PM on FOX
Sleepy Hollow
As far as horror pilots go, few can rival the sheer genius that was the very first episode of Supernatural. It had great exposition, actors, lighting, effects, story, pacing, score… A classic piece of both television and the horror genre. Sleepy Hollow may not be a classic and, as even the characters in the show reference, the plot feels rather Captain America. Even so, the actors are engaging, the story has many more twists than expected, and the show’s tone and environment balances the eerie East Coast folktale feel with the hip modern cop show vibe well. If you enjoy a series with solid mythology and a few thrills, add it to your list and watch as Ichabod Crane arrives in the modern-day to defeat the Headless Horseman and – yes, there is an ‘and.’ But to find out, you’ll have to tune in. Once you do, you’ll definitely return to Sleepy Hollow for more.
For Fans of: Grimm, Supernatural
When to Watch: Mondays at 9PM on FOX
Dads
If Brooklyn Nine-Nine is one of the best shows of the season, then Dads is one of the worst. Responses have fallen anywhere from those outraged due to the treatment of women and minorities to those simply disappointed from the lack of decent laughs (particularly from fans of creator Seth McFarlane). In fact, I did not laugh once during the pilot. I didn’t even let out a small, hesitant chortle. Watching this half-hour sitcom can only be described as uncomfortable and cringe-worthy. Chemistry between the actors is dead. Emotion is forced. And every joke falls flat. Save yourself the trouble and skip it. Luckily for FOX, however, there may be some very bored viewers who tune in for Dads simply to watch BNN right after…
For Fans of: No one will enjoy this show (… fine…maybe some fans of Seth McFarlane and Two and a Half Men)
When to Watch: Never (alright, if you must: Tuesdays at 8:00 PM on FOX)
Welcome to the Family
If you loved Mike O’Malley as Burt Hummel in Glee, you will want to watch this show, if only to see more of him. It follows the Yoder and Hernandez families as they must find a way to come together after their two children – Molly and Junior – find out that they are pregnant the day of their high school graduation. It’s a pretty safe, sugary show. Not family-friendly exactly (it is after all, rated TV14), but it isn’t groundbreaking, as it does follow many common tropes, including the wisecracking parents, the brainy kid, the dumb blonde, etc. While it isn’t laugh-out-loud funny, it’s an enjoyable little show about family bonds. It’s nothing to write home about and you won’t be up until 2AM raving about it on Tumblr, but you will have some fun.
For Fans of: Glee, Modern Family
When to Watch: Thursday, October 3rd at 8:30PM on NBC (special full preview available at NBC.com and Hulu now)
“Tune in” next week for an ABC special, when I review Back in the Game, Trophy Wife, The Goldbergs, and Marvel: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.!
All opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. // Cover photo: Brooklyn Nine-Nine Facebook page.