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Fall TV Preview

Fall TV Preview

Last updated on: September 9, 2008 at 9:38 am by J. Ryan Parker

Fall TV Preview 2008-09-09T09:38:21-07:00 J. Ryan Parker

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I received my favorite issues of Entertainment Weekly recently, the Fall telvision and movie previews. I thought I would comb through them and create my own version of each. So here it is, the first ever Pop Theology Fall TV Preview or, rather, the contets to the Pop Theology DVR Box.

Sunday

Sunday Night Football: The best announcing duo in the business, or at least my favorite. John Madden’s latest iteration of his football game may be full of maddening glitches, but no one states the obvious like he does. There are some interesting matchups here this season with Steelers at Browns (9/14), Cowboys at Packers (9/21), and Patriots at Colts (11/2), to name a few. However, the seven weeks of flex scheduling starting November 16th, makes this the best football slot going.

The Simpsons: I wish I could quit you, but having a DVR makes it impossible. What else can they do? Unfortunately, some of the early reports regarding upcoming episodes do not sound all that funny. Seth Rogen’s guest spot might likely be the highlight of the season. I wonder if the election will provide some funny fodder? Unlike past seasons, there seem to be more doubts than assurances here.

Family Guy: Seth MacFarlane, the $100,000,000 kid, returns to helm one of the funniest animated series ever. Let’s hope that, unlike his football counterparts, a huge contract doesn’t make him fat and lazy. One upcoming episode: Peter persuades Jesus to quit his job at a used record store.

True Blood: Despite negative reviews, I was still excited about this new HBO series about Southern vampires. I caught the first episode which aired on Sunday night and enjoyed it enough to keep watching. Anna Paquin needs to work on that Southern accent, but everyone else gets it ’bout right. The whole socio-political parallels are a bit heavy-handed and some of the characters look badly in need of some quick development, but hopefully the show will address these as it progresses.

DVR Gamble of the Night: Valentine on The CW, starring Jaime Murray from Hustle.

Monday

Monday Night Football: It’s Monday night in the Fall, what else does one watch? Thankfully, being on the West Coast allows me to watch the game in its entirety and then catch all the DVR’ed programs below without having to stay up until 2:00 a.m. Scheduled matchups this season include Eagles at Cowboys (9/15), Vikings at Saints (10/6), Broncos at Patriots (10/20), and Packers at Saints (11/24), the last of which I will hopefully be attending.

Worst Week: Tim Goodman, TV critic for The San Francisco Chronicle, gave this new series a thumbs up on his recent radio show. I think I’ll take his advice and, for the first time in a long time, give a CBS sit-com a shot. Another British transfer, Worst Week follows Sam Briggs, a well-meaning but unlucky guy who tries to do right by his newly pregnant girlfriend and her parents. Kurtwood Smith, Red from That ’70s Show, plays her father.

Heroes: Season 2 was just not that good, but the geek in me watched anyway. Thankfully, a lot of the early responses are positive that the creators have turned it around. The trailers for season three look devilishly good with a focus on a host of villains that our heroes must either combat or join.

Tuesday

Fringe: If I were ranking this preview by shows about which I am most excited, Fringe would top the list for sure. Premiering tonight on Fox, Lost creator J.J. Abrams’ new show focuses on fringe science. Apparently events happen around the world that scientists must suppress. Chronicle television critic Goodman said the first few minutes of tonight’s premier are scary as well. Thankfully, in a way, Abrams breaks with mythology and offers up a series whose episodes find some resolution each week but also contribute to a much bigger picture. The casting of Lance Reddick (Daniels from The Wire) might be, for me, the highlight of this series.

Wednesday

Friday Night Lights: I have to go over to a friend’s house to watch it on Direct TV…so be it. I am just glad this high school soap opera found a waiting room before returning to NBC in 2009. So much for time with the new baby, Tami (Connie Britton) takes over as the new principal. Domestic confrontations abound. Riggins and Lyla apparently get together…what a great pairing, the boozer and the teetotaler.

Pushing Daisies: Eye candy par excellence. A television sugar high like no other with the addiction to boot. I can’t get enough of this writing.

DVR Gamble of the Night: Sons of Anarchy on FX, starring Hellboy‘s Ron Perlman.

Thursday

Kath and Kim: Selma Blair! Too cute. Molly Shannon. Too annoying! Will this Australian import find its own brand of humor. Clearly there’s enough about crazy suburban American women to spoof. I do find the inclusion of John Michael Higgins (from numerous Christopher Guest projects) an added bonus, however.

The Office: I’m still not a sold-out fan, and it is not because I constantly compare the British and American versions, because I do not. I think the Jim/Pam relationship is cute at best and boring at worst, but I will still tune in, especially for Dwight, Stanley, and Darryl. Here’s hoping that Amy Ryan sticks around for a while as well.

Hole in the Wall: What television season would be complete without a Japanese import game show?

Friday

Crusoe: This is definitely DVR material, and if I get through two episodes, I will be surprised. I am a sucker for period dramas though, and the cast, including Sam Neil and Sean Bean, looks promising.

So that’s how the Pop Theology DVR will shape up, at least for now. Of course Fridays are movie nights, so check back soon for the Pop Theology Fall Movie Preview.

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