Da Goddess

I watched all the new shows this season because, well, I can. King Arthur’s DVR allows us to record everything and why shouldn’t we spend some time checking everything out before we make the decision to devote our time to entertainment? Also, anything we miss, we generally catch via onDemand. (I really love technology!)

Thus far, I’ve yanked a few shows off the schedule because they failed to produce laughter, horror, or sorrow. Essentially, they were boring or just poorly done. One show was taken from me — from all of us — after a single airing. Honestly, couldn’t they have given us a few weeks to try it before they pulled the plug? Tony Shaloub, I still love you, even if network execs don’t.

Shows we’ve dropped:

1. The Goldbergs. Just…really…uninspiring. I could barely get through an entire episode. I tried another to be fair, but all I could think was “horribly done take-off on the Wonder Years“. I could understand them wanting to go *there* because Wonder Years had heart and charm and there was fun, too. The Goldbergs went to Awkward Family Photos, thought they could play with that visual and that would be good enough. Waaaaaaay off the mark. So, gone they are.
2. Super Fun Night. I love Rebel Wilson. LUV her. And yet this is just a whole bunch of people doing things that mean nothing in a non-funny way (and just to clarify, I didn’t like Seinfeld’s “show about nothing” either). This lovely, exuberant woman needs better material for me to tune in again and give it a shot. Until then, she’s off the schedule.
3. Lucky 7. To be fair, I was willing to give this show a few more airings before culling it from the herd, but ABC did it for me. The opening episode was
4. We Are Men. The show that was taken from us too soon. There was plenty to like and one airing didn’t even begin to plumb its depths. Here’s hoping Shaloub gets another vehicle to drive back to the top of the ratings heap.
5. Michael J. Fox Show. Man, we so very much wanted to like this. We tried. And nothing. Nothing stronger than “eh”. Actually, it was more of an “e”. Underwhelmng. Completely underwhelming. The youngest boy and the daughter are about the only bright spots and you can’t really place the entire show on their backs when it’s not supposed to be about them in the first place.
6. Dads. Martin Mull, Peter Reigert, Seth Green…it should’ve been funnier than it is. No improvement after subsequent airings. Buh-bye!
7. Welcome To The Family. There was no “there” there.
8. Once Upon A Time In Wonderland. I didn’t bother watching because it wasn’t in my wheelhouse. However, King Arthur tried it and waved goodbye after half an episode.

There were many other new shows to watch which we passed right over. Ironside didn’t appeal to either of us. Betrayal. Sleepy Hollow. Agents of SHIELD. Didn’t bother with any of ’em.

Now, the shows we’ve watched, liked, loved, and can’t stop watching:

1. The Crazy Ones. Robin Williams is fun! Sarah Michelle Gellar is surprisingly perfect as his daughter. Bob Benson, er, um, I mean, James Wolk is a delight. Hamish Linklater, also a delight.
2. Trophy Wife. Malin Ackerman is perfect as the third, younger wife of Bradley Whitford. The cast is well-balanced and funny. It’s worth watching.
3. Back In The Game. James Caan is wonderful as the cranky has-been/now-grandfather. Maggie Lawson is…just like a normal single mom working a menial job who’s moved back to Dad’s house so she and her son can get back on their feet. The kids on the baseball team are a miixed bag. The opposing Little League coach is irritating, but a good foil for the harried mother.
4. The Blacklist. James Spader. As a rule, any show with Spader will always be on my TV. He’s creepy, yet somehow also appealing. There’s just something about him and the way he works as a “consultant” to the FBI that’s infinitely appealing.
5. Hostages. So much better than we expected.
6. Sean Saves The World. I rather adore Sean Hayes. Plus, Linda Lavin is on the show. Took a couple episodes to hit its stride, but it was worth the wait.
7. MasterChef Junior. Gordon Ramsay is wonderfully encouraging to the children who are competing in this cooking show. The kids? AMAZING!
8. Brooklyn Nine-Nine. I didn’t hold out much hope for this show being funny, but it is. The ensemble cast hits every note perfectly.
9. Hello Ladies. Awkward, funny, delightful.
10. Mom. It was a hard first two episodes, but we like it. Anna Faris and Allison Janney have chemistry that can’t be denied.
11. The Millers. Between this show and The Crazy Ones, Thursdays are magic. Will Arnett, Beau Bridges, Margo Martindale are perfection. Gut-busting laughter each and every episode, guaranteed.
12. The White Queen. Granted this started airing before the Fall season, but it just finished and it was so juicy! STARZ is said to be picking it up for a “second series” as The White Princess and I couldn’t be happier.
13. The Bridge. Another show that technically aired before the Fall season. Still, it was dark and twisted and enthralling. I can’t wait for more.

There are shows set for mid-season that can’t come too soon. John Malkovich in Crossbones (as Blackbeard) looks to be intriguing (pirates…and more pirates, how could that be bad??), Black Sails on STARZ is another pirate-themed show that I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE!, Enlisted could be fun, and I’m hoping to catch Reign onDemand (please let it be good).

And that’s about it so far. What about you? What are you watching and enjoying?