As for the dramas:
Intelligence- A new show with a midseason premiere has some unique challenges the overcome: 1) true or not, when a network holds onto a show until midseason, viewers get the impression that the network does not think too highly of this show and is just airing it because it has a hole on the schedule to fill, 2) most viewers have already invested in as many shows as they have time for and simply can’t fit anything else, and 3) midseason shows rarely get the sort of promotion that a show premiering in the fall gets. Granted, shows in the fall are premiering against many more new shows and has to stand out against many new brands, but a midseason premiere has to stand out primarily against already established shows, which, in my book, is even harder. If I’m given the option between a show I’ve already invested time into and a show that may or may not be good and the networks don’t seem to think much of it, I’m most likely going to pick the one I have already been enjoying. That being said, I like the chemistry between Josh Holloway and Meghan Ory, and the concept has a lot of potential to grow into something unique.
Nashville– This is one of those rare cases where I can’t really blame the network at all for this show’s lack of viewership. ABC certainly worked hard to promote this show in hopes that it would catch some of the Glee audience and attract those who love music but are too old for Glee‘s high school dramas. The show’s biggest flaw thus far has been it’s insistence that Teddy, the husband of country superstar Rayna James (played by the ever magnificent Connie Britton), is someone whose political career we should have any interest in. Not only does it seem out of place on a show about the country music scene, but they made Teddy so unlikeable in the beginning that he simply has been unable to recover. I say, Kill him off! I have a friend who told me she doesn’t watch the show because she doesn’t like Hayden Panettiere. Not only is that a shame because Panettiere has been a truly (maybe even surprisingly) strong actress, but also because her character, Juliette remains one of the most dynamic, complicated characters out there. What this show has over Glee, besides for continuity, logic, and common sense, is some great vocals that always make sense in the context of the plot. It always makes sense when we hear a character singing and there is never an occasion when you hear a song and think “why on earth are they singing that?” and “how is no one staring at them for singing and dancing in this totally inappropriate location?”
The Good Wife & Parenthood– I said this before, but The Good Wife and Parenthood are two of the best casted and best written shows on TV. (And maybe ever.) The Good Wife manages to bring in guest stars and let them shine in a way that I have never seen another show do and Parenthood can get you crying at least once in any given episode. (And lest you fear it is a very depressing show, those tears are just as often tears of joy as tears of sorrow!) No other show keeps me hanging on to every second of every episode the way these two can.
Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD– Billed as this season’s biggest disappointed (though likely going to be renewed for at least one more season) SHIELD had a lot of things going for it before it premiered. Those things were also the things it had against it. There was the hype: Joss Wedon! More Marvel! Avenger’s was huge! Great pilot! The negatives: Joss Wedon was not involved in most of the show’s day-to-day work. Marvel and Avengers are full of big budget graphics and tons of superheroes where this is meant to be a show primarily about the ordinary humans living in a world where the superpowered exist. The second episode was so formulaic and underwhelming it was shocking. In truth, the show needed what most shows, especially genre shows needed: time. SHIELD needed time to find its chemistry and pacing, to lay the groundwork for the mythology of the show (one might say that the truth about Agent Coulson’s resurrection was a red herring to keep us from realizing that the truth about Skye’s upbringing was the bigger, more interesting mystery), and to start bringing in some of the comic book favorites (Deathlok made his first official appearance today and while we did not know we were watching his origin story all along, Mike Peterson episodes have consistently been some of the strongest of the season thus far). The show has only just hit its stride and it deserves a second look from those who changed the channel only a couple episodes into the season.
So, now that you know what you’re missing, what are you waiting for? Turn on your TV sets and start watching!
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