Like myself, most new shows of the 2012-2013 TV season have finished their freshman year. I decided that in order to save time, I will write brief assessments of all of the new shows that I watched. These include the ones that I highlighted back in September (with the exception of Elementary, whose pilot didn't hook me enough to keep watching) as well as a few that I picked up along the way. To avoid information overload (and also to give my fingers a break), I will do this in two posts, each one briefly summarizing and assessing three shows. I won't include spoilers since my hope is that you might decide to watch one or more of these shows if you haven't seen them.
For my first post I will discuss NBC's Revolution, The CW's Arrow, and ABC's Last Resort.
Revolution
Brief Summary: Fifteen years after a mysterious blackout rid the world of electricity, Charlie Matheson (Tracy Spiridakos) must rescue her brother Danny (Graham Rogers) from the militia of the Monroe Republic, one of the republics that arose to replace the United States government. Along the way, Charlie learns about her family's involvement in the blackout.
Assessment: Revolution began as one of my favorite new shows, but in the middle of the first half of the season it lost some steam. Not much happened as Charlie, Miles (Billy Burke), and the rest of their gang made their way to Philadelphia to rescue Danny. The show picked up again for the midseason finale (you can read my review for that episode here), but then the second half was the same as the first. It started out strong, was a little slow in the middle, then picked up toward the end. For the most part, I really enjoyed the last few episodes, especially the season finale. The end of the finale made me very excited for the next season. It seems like they're going in a completely different direction for the second season, which I think is a smart move.
Overall Rating for the Season: 3.5/5
Arrow
Summary: (Based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow) After being stranded on an island for five years, wealthy playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) returns to Starling City to right the wrongs of his father as a masked vigilante. Flashbacks reveal what happened to Oliver during his time on the island.
Assessment: As a fan of DC Comics, I was very excited for Arrow, and it did not disappoint. In fact, it quickly became my favorite new fall show. The acting and writing were both very good, and the action sequences were excellent. What made the show even better for me was the inclusion of several minor DC characters and subtle references to the comics. The island flashbacks started out somewhat weak, but they became much better once Slade Wilson (Manu Bennett) was introduced. I would recommend this show not only to fans of DC Comics but also to people who like exciting, action-packed TV shows. Because the show is on The CW, there is of course a love triangle subplot, but that is overshadowed by the rest of the show.
Rating: 5/5
Last Resort
Summary: After U.S. Navy Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) refuses an order to fire a nuclear missile from his submarine, he is attacked by another US sub. He and his crew, including his second-in-command Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman), take refuge on a small island.
Assessment: Power struggles and government conspiracies abound in this short-lived ABC drama. Last Resort was canceled about halfway through its 13-episode run, but fortunately that gave the writers time to craft an ending that gave some closure to those who stuck with the show. I was one of those people. I don't think it was good enough to deserve a second season, but I enjoyed the show while it lasted. Braugher and Speedman were both great in the lead roles, but there were too many minor characters to keep track of. The conspiracy plot was intriguing but also somewhat confusing. Overall, I liked the show, but I'm not sad to see it go.
Rating: 2.5/5
That's it for part one. Stay tuned for part two, where I will discuss Go On, The Following, and Nashville.
Showing posts with label Last Resort. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Last Resort. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Premiere Week Roundup
I almost did it. The only premiere that I didn't get to this week was Elementary (and the ones I put in bold, but those don't count), so once I watch it, it will probably get its own post. Also, I wanted to write this post before the end of the weekend, so I will review tonight's premiere(s) (most importantly, Homeland) within the next few days.
Now I'm going to briefly review the seven premieres that I watched this week. I will sort them by network, and I will give each of them a rating out of five.
CBS
How I Met Your Mother:
It has yet to be confirmed whether this season of HIMYM will be its last. I, for one, hope that it is because the show has lost steam the past couple of seasons. That said, the premiere was strong and brought Ted closer to the mother than ever before. I look forward to seeing how all the clues they have dropped since the beginning tie together in the end (if it is indeed the end).
Rating: 3.5
Hawaii Five-0:
This premiere was very intense. It picked up exactly where the finale left off, and it definitely delivered. I was somewhat disappointed by parts of last season, so I hope this season will remain as strong as it began. There is plenty of story to tell this season. Chin has suffered a loss, Danny is in a legal battle with his ex-wife, and Steve just found out his mother is not dead after all. Here's hoping they can maintain these story lines while delivering the intensity that they showed in the premiere.
Rating: 4
The Big Bang Theory:
Last season's finale was one of the best of the series, so I was slightly disappointed by this premiere. Howard argues with his mother, Leonard's relationship with Penny is awkward, and Raj is lonely...so nothing new (except that Howard is arguing from space). The only advancements we seem to be making are in the relationship between Sheldon and Amy. The two have a date night which is, in a word, interesting. The episode was still funny, but the plot was dry. I hope the writers can pick it up this season.
Rating: 3
Person of Interest:
Like The Big Bang Theory, last season's finale was amazing. Unlike The Big Bang Theory, this premiere did not disappoint. With Finch kidnapped, Reese must proceed on his own, which is an interesting new dynamic. My only request for this season is more flashbacks so we can delve deeper into the characters' pasts. In this episode, we see into the past of the machine, which has more or less become another character. I am very interested to see where they go with this season and how quickly Finch is rescued.
Rating: 5
FOX
New Girl:
FOX aired two episodes of New Girl on Tuesday, and they were both hilarious. I won't dwell too much on this premiere because all I need to say is that the show is hilarious and if you aren't watching it, you should be.
Rating: 5
ABC
Modern Family:
Although the story lines aren't always the most original, this show has some of the most consistently funny writing. The premiere was no exception. It was interesting how they handled this episode. It picked up right where the finale left off, where most sitcoms do a time jump to coincide with when the episodes are airing. At the end of the episode, there was a time jump to a few months later. I thought that was handled nicely. Finally, Ed O'Neill was amazing in this episode and proved that he should've won the Emmy last week.
Rating: 4
Last Resort:
I was actually quite surprised by this pilot. It was very well done, but I have some worries about it. A lot of characters were introduced, so I hope that they can develop them well. Also, it seems that this show will either be really good or will drop in quality fast since the pilot was so intense. Lastly, I hope they find a good way to use Autumn Reeser's character because I like her, but some of her scenes seemed out of place. I really look forward to the rest of this season.
Rating: 4.5
Wow. That ended up being a lot longer than I wanted it to be. I think it's safe to assume I won't be doing any more of these all-encompassing posts. I know these reviews were not very detailed, but I'll try to do detailed reviews for some future episodes. For now, excuse me while I massage my fingers.
Now I'm going to briefly review the seven premieres that I watched this week. I will sort them by network, and I will give each of them a rating out of five.
CBS
How I Met Your Mother:
It has yet to be confirmed whether this season of HIMYM will be its last. I, for one, hope that it is because the show has lost steam the past couple of seasons. That said, the premiere was strong and brought Ted closer to the mother than ever before. I look forward to seeing how all the clues they have dropped since the beginning tie together in the end (if it is indeed the end).
Rating: 3.5
Hawaii Five-0:
This premiere was very intense. It picked up exactly where the finale left off, and it definitely delivered. I was somewhat disappointed by parts of last season, so I hope this season will remain as strong as it began. There is plenty of story to tell this season. Chin has suffered a loss, Danny is in a legal battle with his ex-wife, and Steve just found out his mother is not dead after all. Here's hoping they can maintain these story lines while delivering the intensity that they showed in the premiere.
Rating: 4
The Big Bang Theory:
Last season's finale was one of the best of the series, so I was slightly disappointed by this premiere. Howard argues with his mother, Leonard's relationship with Penny is awkward, and Raj is lonely...so nothing new (except that Howard is arguing from space). The only advancements we seem to be making are in the relationship between Sheldon and Amy. The two have a date night which is, in a word, interesting. The episode was still funny, but the plot was dry. I hope the writers can pick it up this season.
Rating: 3
Person of Interest:
Like The Big Bang Theory, last season's finale was amazing. Unlike The Big Bang Theory, this premiere did not disappoint. With Finch kidnapped, Reese must proceed on his own, which is an interesting new dynamic. My only request for this season is more flashbacks so we can delve deeper into the characters' pasts. In this episode, we see into the past of the machine, which has more or less become another character. I am very interested to see where they go with this season and how quickly Finch is rescued.
Rating: 5
FOX
New Girl:
FOX aired two episodes of New Girl on Tuesday, and they were both hilarious. I won't dwell too much on this premiere because all I need to say is that the show is hilarious and if you aren't watching it, you should be.
Rating: 5
ABC
Modern Family:
Although the story lines aren't always the most original, this show has some of the most consistently funny writing. The premiere was no exception. It was interesting how they handled this episode. It picked up right where the finale left off, where most sitcoms do a time jump to coincide with when the episodes are airing. At the end of the episode, there was a time jump to a few months later. I thought that was handled nicely. Finally, Ed O'Neill was amazing in this episode and proved that he should've won the Emmy last week.
Rating: 4
Last Resort:
I was actually quite surprised by this pilot. It was very well done, but I have some worries about it. A lot of characters were introduced, so I hope that they can develop them well. Also, it seems that this show will either be really good or will drop in quality fast since the pilot was so intense. Lastly, I hope they find a good way to use Autumn Reeser's character because I like her, but some of her scenes seemed out of place. I really look forward to the rest of this season.
Rating: 4.5
Wow. That ended up being a lot longer than I wanted it to be. I think it's safe to assume I won't be doing any more of these all-encompassing posts. I know these reviews were not very detailed, but I'll try to do detailed reviews for some future episodes. For now, excuse me while I massage my fingers.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
My Most Anticipated New Fall Shows
It's been quite some time since my last post, but, summer TV being what it is, there hasn't been much to say. Plus, I've been busy getting ready for and moving into college, so I haven't had much time. So today I figured I would do another list, this time of the new fall shows that I'm most excited for.
1. Revolution (NBC)
If you watched the Olympics, you probably saw the promos for this show many times. Taking place 15 years after a mysterious event rid the world of all electricity, this show promises to be the most complex of the new season. Early buzz has been that the pilot was very good, which makes me even more excited. However, NBC has a poor track record when it comes to high-concept shows like this one (see: Awake, The Event, My Own Worst Enemy), so we'll see how far this one goes. I am going to the advance screening of the pilot here in Boston on Thursday, so expect a full review this weekend. In the meantime, I believe you can watch the pilot on YouTube.
Premiere: September 17 at 10:00 (all times are Eastern time)
2. Arrow (The CW)
As I briefly mentioned in my first post , I am a big DC Comics fan, so when I heard that a show about the Green Arrow was in development, I was quite excited. This pilot has also been praised by both critics and fans who saw it at Comic-Con. The show is most likely an attempt by The CW to get back the male viewers that they lost when Smallville ended, which is a fine plan, as long as the show is good. The show-runners have promised that other DC characters will show up in the series, so I will definitely be tuning in to this one.
Premiere: October 10 at 8:00
3. Last Resort (ABC)
I don't know much about this show except that it's about a submarine crew that refuses to follow an order to attack a country and are then considered enemies of the United States. I have no clue where the show will go from there, but, based on the concept and the generally good marks given by critics, it could become the network's most popular drama since Lost, provided that subsequent episodes don't drop in quality.
Premiere: September 27 at 8:00
4. Elementary (CBS)
This is the show about which I am the most skeptical. Centered around Sherlock Holmes, who moves to New York to solve crimes, it is sure to be a hit with the normal viewers of CBS procedurals. However, for people like me who are fans of Sherlock, it will inevitably be compared to the excellent BBC show. The oddest thing about the show is the casting of Lucy Liu as Dr. (Joan) Watson. It's an interesting twist, but I'm not sure how it will play out to the Holmes fans. I will definitely check it out, but the pilot is really going to have to hook me in order for me to continue watching.
Premiere: September 27 at 10:00
1. Revolution (NBC)
If you watched the Olympics, you probably saw the promos for this show many times. Taking place 15 years after a mysterious event rid the world of all electricity, this show promises to be the most complex of the new season. Early buzz has been that the pilot was very good, which makes me even more excited. However, NBC has a poor track record when it comes to high-concept shows like this one (see: Awake, The Event, My Own Worst Enemy), so we'll see how far this one goes. I am going to the advance screening of the pilot here in Boston on Thursday, so expect a full review this weekend. In the meantime, I believe you can watch the pilot on YouTube.
Premiere: September 17 at 10:00 (all times are Eastern time)
2. Arrow (The CW)
As I briefly mentioned in my first post , I am a big DC Comics fan, so when I heard that a show about the Green Arrow was in development, I was quite excited. This pilot has also been praised by both critics and fans who saw it at Comic-Con. The show is most likely an attempt by The CW to get back the male viewers that they lost when Smallville ended, which is a fine plan, as long as the show is good. The show-runners have promised that other DC characters will show up in the series, so I will definitely be tuning in to this one.
Premiere: October 10 at 8:00
3. Last Resort (ABC)
I don't know much about this show except that it's about a submarine crew that refuses to follow an order to attack a country and are then considered enemies of the United States. I have no clue where the show will go from there, but, based on the concept and the generally good marks given by critics, it could become the network's most popular drama since Lost, provided that subsequent episodes don't drop in quality.
Premiere: September 27 at 8:00
4. Elementary (CBS)
This is the show about which I am the most skeptical. Centered around Sherlock Holmes, who moves to New York to solve crimes, it is sure to be a hit with the normal viewers of CBS procedurals. However, for people like me who are fans of Sherlock, it will inevitably be compared to the excellent BBC show. The oddest thing about the show is the casting of Lucy Liu as Dr. (Joan) Watson. It's an interesting twist, but I'm not sure how it will play out to the Holmes fans. I will definitely check it out, but the pilot is really going to have to hook me in order for me to continue watching.
Premiere: September 27 at 10:00
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)