Fall TV round-up

I'm not much into TV. There are a few shows that I've stuck with, but for the most part I get bored easily or I just plain don't have the time to watch every episode, much as I'd like to. But there are some good ones coming back, and just starting out, this fall. And I'll admit it, I'm a total sucker for fresh material...especially when it involves superheroes, urban legends, murder mysteries, hipster fashion, show choir drama, and resurrected witches. (No, the last one is not a joke. The hipster fashion, however, is theoretically ironic.)

So this won't cover all the new shows and returns this fall, and no, I won't cover Breaking Bad--I'm still not caught up on all the previous seasons, which makes it a little strange for me to watch the new one--but if you're interested in any of the keywords I mentioned above, read on.

Sleepy Hollow (New)
What it's about: Colonial-era Ichabod Crane kills the horseman of death on a battlefield, gets whacked himself, and wakes up at the same time as his now-headless nemesis in 2013 New York, where he spends half his time hunting monsters and the other half convincing his new partner-in-crime, Lt. Abbie Mills of the Sleepy Hollow police force, that no, he is not insane, he's just a time-traveler.
Check it out if you like: Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Criminal Minds, Sherlock, The X-Files, Pushing Daisies...basically if you love mystery/crime/fantasy shows and/or like to have the pants scared off of you.
Why you should watch it: Because you like to have the pants scared off of you--and after just two episodes I can confirm that it will, indeed, scare your pants off. This show isn't for the faint-hearted--especially the second episode, which has so many creepy undead ghouls running around that the Addams Family might mistake it for a family reunion home video. If comedy's more your thing than horror, there's plenty of that too. The man-out-of-time trope is played to a T, so much so that the characters reference it themselves--at one point, Abbie's boss refers to Ichabod Crane as "Captain America"--and may I add here, it's a blast watching Ichabod adjust to modern life?
Warnings: If you're looking for a Tim Burton tribute, look elsewhere. The styling of the show is more Sherlock than Corpse Bride. It's fairly well-done in terms of cinematography, costuming, and other production values, but it's no Breaking Bad--the story gets patchy in places. And did I mention it scares the pants off of you?

Pretty Little Liars (Returning in October, 4th season)
What it's about: Aria, Spencer, Emily, and Hanna (and since the first half of this season, Mona) have been repeatedly stalked and tormented since their friend Alison disappeared and was later found dead. "A," later revealed to be a team rather than a person, hasn't cut them a break, and his/her/their tricks have been getting progressively more daring...until the girls discover that their former friend may be alive, and then, as always, all hell breaks loose.
Check it out if you like: Buffy, Gilmore Girls, Breaking Bad, Criminal Minds, Veronica Mars, any shows with a strong female lead or strong element of mystery/crime.
Why you should watch it: Don't be fooled by the precedented "fluffiness" of most teen-oriented, girl-oriented TV shows, or the faux drama of most ABC Family originals...this one packs a punch. The Liars are well-rounded, fully-developed characters with interests, fears, and goals well outside the realm of romance. The cast is diverse. The story is strong. The plot has more twists than any Cedar Point roller coaster. I cited Breaking Bad as a "sister show" not because of the plot elements--I assure you, no one cooks meth in this show, so far at least--but because both shows have the same level of layering and the same high-stakes, high-emotions type of situation. Don't believe me? In the first half of this season, one of the girls had to keep her mother out of jail on murder charges while another was almost sawed in half by a buzz saw.
Warnings: All right, this one won't scare the pants off of you...but it might make you paranoid, not gonna lie. Also if the lack of romantic subplot is what drives you to shows like Criminal Minds, this probably will not be your cup of tea...but if you're on the fence, don't be afraid to give it an episode or two to hook you in.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (New)
What it's about: If you liked The Avengers, get ready to have your world rocked: Agent Phil Coulson is back, and more bad-ass than ever. He runs an operation revolving around new superheroes--and new threats--assisted by the pretty (and pretty damn smart) hacker Skye and broody, handsome Agent Ward.
Check it out if you like: The Avengers, pretty much anything by Marvel or Joss Whedon.
Why you should watch it: BECAUSE IT'S JOSS BLOODY WHEDON THAT'S WHY. Oh wait, you need more reason...okay. It's because, much like Pretty Little Liars and Sleepy Hollow, the show manages to feature strong, smart female characters without delivering Strong Female Characters or falling into the "man-hating cynical butt-kicking chick" trope--a.k.a. the hallmark of a classic Joss Whedon show, along with his usual trick of making the characters utterly self-aware of the ridiculousness of their situation. ("What does the title of this organization mean to you?" "Someone really wanted the initials to spell 'shield.'") Don't be thrown by lack of Avengers--the sass, excitement, and character development is alive and well even in the non-superheroes.
Warnings: If you don't like action, if straight drama or "realistic" drama is more your thing, or if you're bothered by explosions, this probably isn't the best choice. And don't expect Loki to pop up after the trouble starts, you'll be disappointed. (I know I was.)

Glee (Returning tonight, fifth season)
What it's about: Even if you've never watched an episode in your life, I'm going to assume that you probably know that this is about a bunch of high school/college students who...you guessed it...participate in glee club.
Check it out if you like: Any of the previous seasons. (Really, though--this show kind of has a cult-esque following. If you love it, you love it. If you hate it, you hate it. I really don't have much to compare it to.)
Why you should watch it: Really, you shouldn't. It's not the best show on the network (to say the least) and if you don't like Top 40 or show choir/musical theater, you'll be screaming at the musical numbers within the first five minutes. But there's something about this show that I just love, there's something about it that just draws me in...I'm not sure what it is. Maybe it's that I can see myself in some (but thankfully, not all) of the characters. Yeah, the characterization changes week-by-week and no one is ever consistent for more than three episodes (if that) in a row, but it employs some of the same self-aware humor as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and it's funny as hell, especially when you sit there and pick apart all the dumb-ass continuity errors...but I guess that's an occupational hazard of having three creators/writers.
Warnings: Terrible but addictive. Watch at the risk of loving it.



And if my brief list of fall comebacks and premieres wasn't enough for you, here's my top ten list of Netflix's Best:

1. Sherlock (First 2 seasons)
The unstoppable duo of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman make this show worth watching...but it's the dynamic between them and the rest of the cast that makes it addictive. Hands-down the best Sherlock adaptation I have ever seen. Be warned: the third season still hasn't come out.

2. Monk (Complete series)
An OCD detective solves crimes using his finely-honed observation skills. If this show doesn't make you laugh, I'm not sure we can be friends. (And if it doesn't make you cry, you're probably a Dalek, in which case why the hell are you watching human TV shows?)

3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Complete series)
Joss Whedon loves writing about complete and total BAMFs with an unbeatable sense of humor (and a knack for pop-culture references)...and this show is no exception. Best of all it actually treats the vampire lore with some respect, unlike certain other franchises I could mention, which lets the bad guys stay scary and the good guys genuinely earn their redemption.

4. Doctor Who (First 6 seasons)
Yes, this is a science fiction show. And yes, it is fairly nerdy. And, yes, watching all six seasons (and all of the classic Doctor Who, also available on Netflix) is pretty time-consuming. So if you don't want to get mega-involved, don't start watching. But if you do, you won't regret it, because the Doctor is hilarious. And pretty bad-ass. And definitely the kind of person whom you will want to be your best friend.

5. Supernatural (First 7 seasons)
The perfect blend of comedy and horror, featuring an adorable Angel of the Lord who will absolutely steal your heart with his first appearance. Better watch this one in daylight, unless you want to start thinking that every creak of the floorboards and every flicker of movement in the mirror is actually a demon set on devouring your organs or enslaving your soul.

6. How I Met Your Mother (First 7 seasons)
Okay...okay. I'm a sucker for Alyson Hannigan, okay? But seriously this is a pretty good show. And it's got Neil Patrick Harris and watching this sweetheart play a womanizer is, no lie, absolutely freaking hilarious. Especially when he breaks out into song. Maybe it's a little drawn out, but I'd rather watch this than something like Two and A Half Men (and why haven't they canceled that one yet?).

7. My Fair Wedding (4 seasons)
Okay, yes, it's a reality show. But it's funny. Especially when the brides apparently have no idea that once they call in David Tutera, they give up control. And watch the fifth season--it shows you all the misbehaving brides and awkward situations that the previous ones skim over. It's like Bridezillas, but with more flair, more fluff, and less bite.

8. Traffic Light (first season)
Short-lived but hilarious, even if you think the whole twentysomething-guys-trying-to-keep-their-shit-together premise is getting old. I promise you, this one doesn't fall into cliche--not very often anyway--but when it does, it manages to turn the trope on its head. Throw in Kris Marshall (My Family, Love Actually) for good measure, and you've got a recipe for comedy success.

9. Coupling (Complete series)
What's funnier than seeing Commodore Norrington talk relentlessly about sex, gynecology, and Lesbian Spank Inferno? Seeing his friends talk about it with him, and make fools of themselves at regular and frequent intervals along the way. This Brit comedy is genius--the writers have a knack for layering comedy the way Breaking Bad layers crime drama.

10. 18 to Life (Complete series)
Never heard of it? I hadn't either, but it's good. Centered around two eighteen-year-olds who spontaneously elope and featuring Life With Derek's Michael Seater, this show is so adorable--and hilariously ridiculous--that it's hard to believe it was canceled so abruptly. (Or, considering all the crap reality shows burning good shows out of network slots, maybe it's not.)