Old shows, new shows – bring them on!
Posted 9 September 2014 12:00 AM by Cindy Earehart Rinker
Oh, wait. I saw candy corn yesterday. Is that a glad tiding?
As it turns out, the answer is a mixed bag. Some things old and some things new are, indeed, showing up in the coming weeks. I am most excited about these returning series on the major networks:
On Thursday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m. on ABC, I will ready and waiting for Scandal to start. I was a late-adopter of Scandal. In fact, I watched the first two seasons on Netflix (in about a month). At the end of last season, everything was blown up (almost literally) and Olivia left Washington, D.C., with Jake. The new poster for the show says “No looking back.” I am not sure what that means, but I can’t wait to find out.
The NBC drama, Law and Order SVU, will premiere its 16th season opener on Wednesday, Sept 24. Mariska Hargitay (real-life daughter of movie star Jayne Mansfield) is the reason I watch, although SVU is known for a great ensemble cast. The cases are horrible, but watching those raw emotions play out is kind of cathartic, I think. This season, Olivia has a baby. That is going to mean some big changes in the sergeant’s life.
Season 7 (hard to believe) of The Voice will start 8 p.m. Monday, Sept 22. This NBC music contest show is my favorite primarily because of the initial competitions while contestants are being chosen and the relationship between Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. This season Pharrell Williams and Gwen Stefani are joining the team and they will work together and separately to sort out the best voice.
And when I look at the brand new shows, I do see a few I want to at least give a try:
Selfie – Premieres 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20 ABC
I will have to go watch this on another TV that is not showing NCIS in my house, but I think this could be cute. A person trying to be the “It-Girl” in social media finds herself without “Likes” in the real world and hires a guy to rebuild her image. OK. It’s My Fair Lady. And they do more than a tip of the hat to that by naming the characters Eliza Dooley and Henry Higgenbottam. I think I might enjoy watching someone get continually chastised for continually picking up her phone.
Madam Secretary – Premieres 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21 CBS
Who remembers Dharma and Greg? Well, those crazy kids have certainly grown up. Now, Tea Leoni (formerly Dharma and Mrs. David Duchovny) is now the Secretary of State. CBS has certainly been pushing this series which may not be your cup of Tea if you aren’t a political wonk. Tim Daly and Bebe Neuwirth – two other excellent sitcom actors – add to the cred of this program.
NCIS New Orleans – Premieres 9 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23 CBS
OK, so this is not necessarily new in that it is a spinoff from the forever-franchise of NCIS, but it does feature an exciting location – New Orleans – and the always-charming Scott Bakula with a Southern drawl. You know you are still watching the lead-in, might as well give this version a try!
Gotham – Premieres 8 p.m. Monday, Sept 22. FOX
The name makes you think Batman; there is a reason for that. The story centers on Gotham City Chief Commissioner Jim Gordon before he was chief commissioner. Gordon’s career as a detective begins with him investigating the murders of the parents of a young boy – wait for it – Bruce Wayne. The series promises to reveal the origins of Gotham City bad folks like Catwoman, the Riddler and the Penguin. I’m gonna give it a try.
How to Get Away with Murder – Premieres 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25 ABC
From what must be the most tangled of minds, Shonda Rhimes (Scandal, Gray’s Anatomy) this sounds like it could be an interesting show merging the main character’s law and teaching professions with a student-based plot to commit murder. Rhimes’ TV pedigree is enough to make me tune in.
I am glad I have a Shentel DVR, otherwise I would never get to see all of these shows. It also is a way to invest in new shows without actually committing to being on the couch at a certain time and for a certain time. After a pitiful summer of TV entertainment, I am ready for the fall!
Cindy Earehart Rinker, formerly editor and general manager of a local weekly newspaper, is currently a marketing supervisor at Shentel.
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