Another underwhelming season of TV?

I almost shudder to say this, but I would almost rather see more presidential ads than the mindlessly repetitive ads for the upcoming fall season. Probably the worst offender in terms of advertising blitzes is NBC. They advertised Medical Investigation like there was no tomorrow. By the time the first episode aired, I knew the whole plot of the first episode, including what was wrong with the patients and what was causing their ailment, just from the previews. It’s like the TV networks are taking notes from the movie trailers that give away the entire plot, including the ending.

One of the first shows to premiere was Hawaii. As Blaine and Antoine used to say during In Living Color, hated it. I don’t see how that show could be more formulaic than it already is, and yet each episode seems to hit a new low. I suspect this one will die a quick death. I only wish the infernal Las Vegas would do the same.

Medical Investigation is just okay, although the most recent episode featuring the comatose teenage girls seemed a little silly and overblown to me. I have always been a big fan of Neal McDonough, but after the cancellation of Boomtown, he hasn’t been cast in the right roles. (Walking Tall?! Neal, what were you thinking?) Also, what are Kelli Williams and Christopher Gorham doing in that show? They seem all wrong. Kelli Williams seems ideally suited for a soccer mom role in a Lifetime production, but that’s about it. Christopher Gorham has the dubious honor of having starred in a UPN show that got cancelled because of low ratings (Jake 2.0). Even when he’s 80, he’ll still be typecast in “too young to be part of the team” roles.

I said it before, and I’ll say it again. Joey was a bad idea. I didn’t laugh once during the premiere, and I’m a guy who enjoys good comedy. (I thought I was going to have a heart attack from laughing so hard during Shrek 2.) Will its ratings be any good? I suspect they will, because the equally unfunny Friends was a huge hit. People have to watch something, after all, don’t they?

As for new shows I haven’t seen, there are really only two that I’m really looking forward to — Boston Legal (the spinoff of The Practice starring William Shatner) and CSI: New York. The rest I suspect will be underwhelming, but I reserve the right to be pleasantly surprised.

Brian

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