Entertainment
New Sitcoms for Fall 2013: Everything You Need to Know
Fall may mean the end of summer and a return to school for some, but there's always a silver lining: television shows come back! Ah, sweet, sweet television, you never let us down. And as with every fall, this one brings the excitement of new shows. Like a good reality show competition, this season brings the thrill of seeing which shows get kicked off and which shows make it to the top. And these shows aren't here to make friends, you guys. Let's take a look.
TV is Back!
Fall may mean the end of summer and a return to school for some, but there's always a silver lining: television shows come back! Ah, sweet, sweet television, you never let us down. And as with every fall, this one brings the excitement of new shows. Like a good reality show competition, this season brings the thrill of seeing which shows get kicked off and which shows make it to the top. And these shows aren't here to make friends, you guys. Let's take a look.
'The Michael J. Fox Show'
The concept: Basically, Michael J. Fox plays himself as a former TV anchor trying to return to his job after being a stay-at-home dad and driving his family crazy. Expect lots of Parkinson's disease jokes.
The premiere: Thursday, September 26 at 9:30 p.m. on NBC
The preview : The concept and characters aren't exactly original, but the jokes are on point, as is Fox's delivery. The show is clearly aware how easily this concept could turn cheesy, but avoids doing so by comfortably poking fun at itself.
Should you watch it? Yes. If not for Fox's name, then at least for the warm-hearted humor evidenced in the preview.
'Trophy Wife'
The concept: Sarah Haskins (from the formerly awesome "Target Women" sketches on Current TV) wrote a show based on her actual life as a woman who marries a much younger man. The "trophy wife" in this case is played by Malin Ackerman, who inherits kids and two ex-wives along with her new husband.
The premiere : Tuesday, September 24 at 9:30 p.m. on ABC
The preview: The actors are funny enough, but dear God, I have never wanted to punch a voiceover in the face until now.
Should you watch it? Try the pilot. Haskins and Ackerman are both women who have comedic chops for days (have you checked out Children's Hospital lately?), but the preview looks like the show could go either way: it could be another hidden gem with an unfortunate name, a la Cougar Town, or it could have a terrible voiceover that could drive you to a dark pit of endless madness.
'Dads'
The concept: Two dudes! And their wild and crazy dads! Laugh tracks! Seth MacFarlane produced it! Someone is rolling their eyes in the promo photo, those dads must be really crazy! Hilarious, bro!
The premiere: Tuesday, September 17 at 8 p.m. on FOX
The preview : I haven't seen so much casual racism set to a laugh track since the last time I watched Two Broke Girls. Brenda Song has a sharp, sarcastic delivery in the preview, but unfortunately it's relegated to math books and Asian schoolgirl jokes. The rest is mostly jokes about wacky old dudes, which is nothing new.
Should you watch it? Without the tired racial stereotypes, this would be a pretty bland show. With them, it's both offensive and terrible. Skip it.
'Brooklyn Nine-Nine'
The concept: Andy Samberg plays a cop who can't seem to grow up in a workplace comedy with a cast of quirky characters. Sound familiar? That's because it was developed by Michael Schur, who's produced and written for The Office and Parks and Recreation.
The premiere: Tuesday, September 17 at 8:30 p.m. on FOX
The preview : The strength in Schur's comedies come from the multifaceted quirks of his ensemble casts. The preview, however, oversells Samberg's man-boy schtick and ignores talented comedians like Chelsea Peretti and Terry Crews.
Should you watch it? Maybe. If you're a fan of Parks and Rec or The Office, you should definitely give a few episodes a try — his comedies aren't easily marketable, so Fox may have just put together the wrong kind of trailer for the show. But if you can't stand Will Ferrell, it's probably a safe bet that you won't like this show.
'The Goldbergs'
The concept: It's your typical American, white, middle-class family caught on videotape in the '80s.
The premiere: Tuesday, September 24 at 9 p.m. on ABC
The preview : Pretty bland. Wendy McLendon-Covey is hilarious, as always, and Jeff Garlin yells at people, as always. It relies heavily on nostalgia (obviously), and a lot of the same jokes and family dynamics that we've already seen.
Should you watch it? Looks like a show that could be easily missed. But who knows, it could surprise us all come September.
'Super Fun Night'
The concept: Rebel Wilson plays a reserved office assistant who finally goes out with her friends one night after years of girl's nights in.
The premiere: Wednesday, October 2 at 9:30 p.m. on ABC
The preview : ABC is placing all bets on Wilson for this one, and it's not clear from the trailer if it's going to work out. Wilson's in her element most when playing outrageous, weird characters, and this one seems pretty vanilla. And it's unclear exactly where the show will go after the "super fun night." That being said, the preview is pretty funny, and if done right, these women could really be some refreshing, funny and interesting characters on primetime.
Should you see it? Go for it. Even if it doesn't turn out to be a great show, anything with Rebel Wilson is bound to be a lot of fun.
'Sean Saves the World'
The concept: A gay, divorced dad tries to have it all while raising his daughter and dealing with his overbearing mother.
The premiere: Thursday, October 3 at 9 p.m. on NBC
The preview : It's basically like trying to watch a show about an all-grown-up Jack from Will and Grace. There's a reason there wasn't a spinoff about the show's most outrageous character, and it's not fun to watch Sean Hayes play things big, broad and safe here. A better show would've revolved around Thomas Lennon's boss character and his cockatoo, but alas, that is not this show.
Should you watch it? Nope. If you're jonesing for Sean Hayes, stick to Will and Grace reruns on Lifetime.
