Category Archives: Returning Shows

‘The Mindy Project’ and ‘Vegas’ – Two Shows I Wish I Loved

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Cr: Beth Dubber/FOX

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

There are times when I am out of sync with the rest of the critics andThe Mindy Project (premiering tonight at 9:30 p.m. on FOX) is one of those times. I’m not feeling the love that so many are bestowing upon the show.

It’s not that I hated the new comedy from Mindy Kaling. I am simply not wildly enthusiastic about it. Kaling stars as Mindy Lahari, an OB/GYN with a successful medical career and a disastrous personal life.  That’s a great and relatable premise for a show. My problem is that the whole pilot has this “Look at me! Aren’t I clever and cute?” vibe.  And I do think Kaling is clever and cute but the pilot feels too self-aware and self-conscious.

These are problems that can be fixed of course.There is a certain innate nervousness that can be present in a pilot. The stakes are extremely high as far as television goes. Maybe things will settle down by episode two.  I’m rooting for Kaling to succeed. TV needs more funny women and it certainly needs more funny women who don’t look like everyone else on TV.

(My other gripe with The Mindy Project is that it took Anna Camp away from The Good Wife. And I loved Caitlin. She was a fantastic foil for Alicia and her departure was way too abrupt. I know this doesn’t really count as a legitimate gripe with the series but I had to share.)

The show definitely has a potential breakout character in Chris Messina, who plays Mindy’s fellow doctor Danny Castellano. It would be great to see Messina, who also plays Reese Lansing on The Newsroom, finally have his moment. And if The Mindy Project doesn’t work out, he can just move in with the boys over on New Girl.

I’m not against The Mindy Project, I’m just not for it yet.  After you watch the show tonight, let me know what you think.

Vegas (premiering tonight at 10 p.m. on CBS) is another show I would love to love. Jason O’Mara is a man who deserves a hit TV series.  I’ve been a fan ever since his character terrorized Brenda on The Closer. Until the bizarre finale, Life on Mars was a fantastic show and there was great potential in Terra Nova. O’Mara swings for the fences when he picks a TV project and I really admire that.  I’ve loved Dennis Quaid ever since I saw The Big Easy (so interesting that both he and Ellen Barkin are in new TV shows this fall). And, of course, it’s always fun to have Michael Chiklis back on TV. Really, you couldn’t ask for better headliners.

Quaid stars as Ralph Lamb, a reluctant sheriff in the 1960’s in Las Vegas. O’Mara is his brother and Chiklis is the gangster Lamb must battle. Chiklis clearly enjoys playing bad and this role seems much more comfortable for him than the heroic family man he played in No Ordinary Family. But there’s also something far too familiar about Chiklis in Vegas. It’s like Vic Mackey got sent back in time (perhaps during a Life on Mars/The Shield crossover event?). His performance almost seems redundant.

The pilot for Vegas moves very, very slowly. Make sure you drink lots of caffeine before you sit down to watch this show.  Mad Men looks downright speedy compared to Vegas.  It’s a totally different pace for primetime television and one that I’m not sure will work.  But there is still some good stuff here. I will be following the show closely. After you watch tonight’s premiere, let me know what you think.

Finally I will be holding the first meeting of the Private Practice support group tonight when the show returns for its sixth season tonight at 10 p.m. on ABC.  Really there is absolutely no reason why I should still be watching this show or why I should care if Addison picks Sam or Jake.  So, if you still watch the show too, join me tonight so we can commiserate together.

Remember to follow my blog by entering your email in the upper right hand corner. That way you’ll know every time I have a new post. And don’t forget to email me your favorite quotes and familiar faces this week. I’ll be posting them on Thursday.

The Morning After: The delightful season premiere of ‘Castle’

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By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

Will they or won’t they?

TV loves a couple that can’t be together because:

  1. They work together and it would COMPLICATE things
  2. He/she is already dating someone else who is obviously so WRONG for them
  3. Their timing is OFF

But here’s the thing: if a series hinges on a will they/won’t they couple, it can become problematic.  Sometimes a show can completely collapse when a central couple comes together. What happened on Moonlight has become legendary (yes I know there were other reasons like pregnancy and contract negotiations that ruined the show, but Maddie and David sleeping together marked the beginning of the end).  Sometimes a show can wait too long. By the time Bones and Booth got together on Bones I was no longer invested in their relationship.  Sometimes a show can wear out our patience by putting a couple through a seemingly endless make-up/break-up cycle until the final credits roll (I’m looking at you Ross and Rachel).  Sometimes a show gives viewers what they want because the situation must to be played out. Cuddy and House were never going to be good together on House but viewers needed to watch the dysfunctional duo figure that out. Sometimes putting a couple together completely evolves the show. I’ve loved watching Jim and Pam marry and have children on The Office. And sometimes a show refuses to give many viewers what they want as it would irrevocably alter the show and the characters’ integrity. Witness Benson and Stabler on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Castle played it exactly right. Having exhausted all the reasons to keep the couple apart (they do work together, they have both dated other people and their timing has been off), the show kicked off season five with Castle and Beckett in bed engaging in flirtatious pillow talk.  That’s precisely where most viewers wanted to see them.  The timing is perfect. The show has not exasperated me with the constant back and forth dance nor has it waited too long. I believe two adults like Castle and Beckett would eventually tell each other how they feel.

But what I liked best about the premiere is that the dynamic between Castle and Beckett didn’t really change. Their witty rapport – her exasperation with his antics, his impish response – was all still there. Their dialogue about the case had the same feel. They weren’t talking coyly while figuring out who was trying to have Beckett killed. I really loved that they still referred to each other by last name while at work.  And even though it’s a little silly that they would hide their relationship from their co-workers and family, it’s also fun to give the duo something to be in cahoots about.

I am positively delighted with the season premiere of Castle. How about you? Talk about the premiere below. And remember this week I’m bringing back Quotes of the Week and Where Have I Seen Them Before so email me your familiar faces and favorite quotes through my contact form or at amyattvgaldotcom.

‘Homeland’ Button Giveaway!

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By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

In honor of Homeland‘s excellent Emmy wins Sunday night (so, so glad the show didn’t have to play the long game with the Emmy Awards) and Homeland‘s second season premiere this Sunday, I’m giving away two Homeland buttons (pictured above). One features Claire Danes with the caption “Pharmacy’s Closed. We’re Doomed.” The other features Mandy Patinkin with the caption “Knows Everything. Yes, Even That.”

The first person to either email me at amyattvgaldotcom or direct message me on Twitter with how Brody realized that Carrie had been spying on him will win both buttons. You must be very specific.

This contest is closed. Congratulations to Rhonda who was the first to email me that Carrie knew Brody liked Yorkshire Gold tea. Two Homeland buttons are coming  your way Rhonda!

The Emmy Awards I Care About

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Photo: Courtesy of SHOWTIME

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

The Emmys are my night of nights. My Super Bowl and World Series. Forget Christmas, this is the most wonderful time of year. I still love everything about the Emmys — the red carpet arrivals, the gushy speeches, the upset wins,the bad outfits and the questionable hairstyles.

But after years of trying to accurately forecast the Emmys and failing rather miserably, I’ve realized that no matter how hard I try, I am pretty bad at Emmy predictions.  Seriously, you so don’t want to take me to Vegas.  Therefore this year, I decided to talk about the six nominees that I would really like to see win.

Outstanding Drama: Homeland

I’m still recovering from the stress that was watching “The Weekend” episode. It was one of the finest hours of television I’ve ever experienced – surprising, nuanced, and brilliantly acted. In its first season, Homeland turned every convention about an one hour drama completely around.  It was impossible to play predict-a-plot with this series. Did you ever think that Brody and Carrie would sleep together? Did you ever think Brody would confront Carrie in the middle of the season? At the end of “The Weekend,” I was convinced (kind of) that Brody was innocent, but I had this lingering thought: “What if Brody is actually playing the long, long game?”   Any show that can make a viewer vacillate convincingly between two equally believable scenarios is pretty amazing and deserves to be recognized.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Claire Danes, Homeland

This isn’t just the performance of Danes’ career; it’s the performance of the season. There’s a palpable intensity to Danes’ portrayal of troubled CIA agent Carrie Mathison. You can feel that this woman is precariously teetering between sanity and the pull of her mental illness.  In her performance, Carrie’s mistakes (really should you sleep with your target? I don’t think so.) make perfect sense.  If the role of Carrie had been miscast, Homeland never would have worked as a series. Danes makes the series.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

For all the reasons I stated yesterday, Poehler deserves this win. Plus it’s really the only way to reward Parks and Recreation which was the year’s best comedy.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory

I didn’t watch the show every week until Bialik came along. She so wholly owns the character of Amy Farrah Fowler. Everything about Bialik’s performance — from the way she walks to the way she speaks — transform Amy’s funny lines into hilarious ones.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Max Greenfield, New Girl

As I talked about earlier this week, this is the right role at the right time for Max Greenfield. But a character like Schmidt is so tricky because if an actor took the role too far, Schmidt would become a joke and a joke that the audience wouldn’t care about.  Greenfield makes Schmidt outrageous while still keeping him believable and vulnerable. One of the most interesting things that happened last season was how New Girl morphed from being about the adorkable Zooey Deschanel to truly being an ensemble comedy that often focused on the friendship of the three male roommates. Deschanel may have gotten most of the attention but Greenfield made the show.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Christina Hendricks, Mad Men

Last season might not have been Mad Men’s best but it was definitely Hendricks’ best. Hendricks has been nominated twice before and this is the year she deserves to win. “The Other Woman,” which found Joan sleeping her way into a partnership was devastating and heartbreaking. Hendricks’ performance haunted me for days.

Those are the six awards I care most about this Sunday. How about you? Which Emmy award categories are you most excited about? Talk about it below.You can get a complete list of Emmy nominations here.

Also I’ll be tweeting during the Emmys so make sure to follow me on Twitter at @amytvgal and let me know what you think about the show.

I’m Literally So Excited about the Return of ‘Park and Recreation’

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Photo by: David Giesbrecht/NBC

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

I just wrote about how The Office has been on the decline. The exact opposite thing has been happening over at Parks and Recreation, which returns for its fifth season tonight at 8:30 p.m. on NBC.  The series positively blossomed last year. The comedy managed to make small town politics fascinating while building one of the sweetest romances on television. I was in love with show last season.

Parks and Recreation is doing everything right. Leslie Knope is naively optimistic but also smart and good at her job. This definitely was not how Leslie was at the start of the series when often she came across as the female version of Michael Scott. But now Amy Poehler has created one of the most fully realized females on a comedy today. And she’s also created one of the best female friendships on TV – I adore the relationship between Leslie and Ann (Rashida Jones).  The show judiciously gives viewers the exact right dose of certain characters. Ron’s obsession with meat and disdain for all things personal is hilarious because the show plays that note perfectly and, of course, because Nick Offerman is brilliant at the role. As he did on Everwood, Chris Pratt has made Andy so much more than  the resident dimwit.  I literally don’t understand how the show didn’t receive an Emmy nomination.  (And yes I do love Rob Lowe’s Chris. My loyalty to Sodapop is unending).

As the season begins Ben (Adam Scott, who after Jason Ritter’s Mark Cyr, is currently the second best boyfriend on TV) is off running a campaign in Washington D.C. and Leslie is trying to effect change in Pawnee as a city councilwoman.  The episode deals with the real issues of long distance relationships and differing career trajectories, features some fun political cameos (really it should only be a matter of time before Leslie’s hero Hillary Clinton decides to stop by) and is simulateonously poignant and hilarious. You really can’t ask for much more from a comedy.  (Oh, and by the way, I’m so not ready to talk about the Amy Poehler/Will Arnett divorce. I’m going to need some time to recover from that one.)

Are you excited for the new season of Parks and Recreation? Talk about it below.

‘The Office’ Returns for Its Final Season

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Photo by: NBC

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

The Office returns tonight at 9 p.m. on NBC and I enter the season relieved. The show has announced that this season will be its last. No matter what happens, it will all be over soon. There’s a certain freedom showrunners and writers feel when they know they are heading towards the end. They can write towards something that is finite. So I enter the season both relieved and optimistic.

Because, let’s be honest, The Office wasn’t great last season. It’s difficult when the quality of a beloved TV show begins to decline and a series over stays its welcome.  It’s especially challenging when it’s a show that used to be fantastic. It’s not that The Office is horrible now, it simply isn’t the hilarious show it once was.  That’s partly because the jokes have become too repetitive. It’s partly because Steve Carell isn’t on the show anymore.  It’s partly because the comedy chose to focus on things most viewers don’t care about (is there anyone out there who cares about Erin and Andy as a couple? Anyone?).  And it’s partly because some of the characters have, at times, morphed into caricatures of themselves (I’m talking to you Dwight).  (As a side note, I also wish the show would stop dropping potentially interesting story lines. They did it when they jettisoned the idea that Phyllis was Erin’s mom and they do it again tonight.)

Of course, there have been other problems. James Spader never quite gelled with the show, which was odd since he seemed like her would be the perfect fit. And I simply can’t get on board with the addition of Catherine Tate’s Nellie.  Her shtick is funny in and of itself but on The Office it plays like the rest of the cast is doing a show and she’s stuck in an improv skit.

But I’m still watching The Office because every episode usually has at least one moment that makes me laugh out loud. And I’m keeping an open mind about this new season because the season premiere shows a lot of promise:

  1. First of all, the way to my remote is by adding a former Greek star to your cast. Clark Duke (Dale on Greek) comes about as a new Dunder-Mifflin employee dubbed Dwight Jr. The scenes between Duke and Rainn Wilson are pretty great.  Jake Lacy (somehow looking years younger than he did on Better With You) is the new Jim.  Their presence not only provides some good comedic fodder but it also serves as a reminder that everyone is older and it might be time for some employees to move on.
  2. There’s a tease at a very interesting plot twist involving Oscar that I hope the show explores and does not abandon (see above)
  3. The one thing I’ve always loved about the show is the relationship between Pam and Jim. The series managed to put them together without disrupting the show and has kept them consistently true to their characters. Jim is a loveable underachiever who cherishes his family but has always known he is not realizing his full potential. Pam is a homebody who realized everything she needed was right in Scranton (one of my favorite episodes is when she is thrilled that Jim bought her childhood home).  A plot development in tonight’s premiere is utterly believable and I kind of can’t wait to see what happens next.

Are you excited for the final season of The Office or did you break up with the show a long time ago? Talk about it below and remember to follow my blog so you’ll know every time I have a new post. Also with the new season starting next week, I will be bringing back both the “Quotes of the Week” and “Where Have I Seen Them Before?” If you see a familiar face or hear a great quote, write me at amyattvgaldotcom or contact me through my contact page.

Worst New Shows of the Season

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CR: Nathaniel Bell/FOX

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

Into every season, a bad TV show must fall. And a slew of bad shows are about to come raining down on your TV.

I have spread the dislike around and have picked the worst new show on each network. My usual caveat applies – sometimes bad or average pilots can become great shows (for instance, I wasn’t necessarily wowed by the Revenge pilot last season). But these five shows have the most to overcome.

Mob Doctor (premiering September 17 at 9 p.m. on FOX): Giving this show a bad review makes me sad. I simply don’t like it when two of my favorite actors end up in a clunker. Jordana Spiro stars as Dr. Grace Devlin. She’s a brilliant surgeon when she’s not being called upon by the Chicago mob to do their medical bidding. (Mob Doctor also wins this season’s award for most literal title). Zach Gilford co-stars as her boyfriend and fellow resident Dr. Brett Robinson.  Pause for a moment, won’t you, and reflect on the possibility of a series starring P.J. Franklin (My Boys) and Matt Saracen (Friday Night Lights). Savor this image. Now completely obliterate it from your head because Mob Doctor is so not that series.

Beauty and the Beast (premiering October 11 at 9 p.m. on the CW): Beauty and the Beast, starring Kristin Kreuk and Jay Ryan as the title characters Cat and Vincent, is not only the CW’s worst new show but it’s also the worst new show of the season (you’re breathing a sigh of relief right about now aren’t you, Malibu Country?) Honestly if I didn’t know this was an actual real show I would swear it was a Saturday Night Live skit. (And even as I write this, I’m not completely convinced that this whole thing isn’t for an episode of Punk’d).  I mean it is kind of hilarious that the producers think that taking the very, very attractive Ryan and giving him a strategically placed scar makes him a beast.  But even taking away the CW propensity for prettying everything up, the show is seriously flawed. It’s melodramatic, poorly acted (Kreuk remains not the sharpest tool in the acting shed and it doesn’t help that the show has made Catherine a HOMICIDE detective) and completely uninteresting. At the end of the pilot, I didn’t care if Cat and Vincent ever got together and that’s not good.

Malibu Country (premiering November 2 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC): There are some shows that set expectations from the moment the cast is announced. And when you have Lily Tomlin in your cast, I watch the show with one solid expectation – that the show will be funny. And Malibu Country simply isn’t.  Reba (I seemed to have missed the announcement when she dropped her last name, but she just goes by Reba now) stars as a country singer who raised a family in lieu of pursuing her career. She divorces her no good, cheating husband Bobby and heads to Malibu with her mother (Tomlin) and two teenage children.  Sara Rue pops up doing her best Real Housewives spoof as Reba’s new neighbor Kim. The one semi-bright spot is Jai Rodriguez of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy who plays an assistant who could help Reba’s career. I always liked him and it is kind of fun to see him on TV again.  Reba’s WB show Reba had a certain amount of charm and except for a few minor changes Malibu Country is basically the same premise. Perhaps it will develop some charm as time goes on. But I’ve got to think ABC knows they have a stinker on their hands or they wouldn’t be waiting until November 2 to premiere it.

Guys with Kids (premiering September 26 at 8:30 p.m. on NBC): If you caught last week’s sneak peek, you probably already know what I’m going to say about this show. Guys with Kids is cut from the comedy cloth that wives are nagging presences who husbands must endure, deceive or ignore in order to have any fun.  These three guys – Gary (Anthony Anderson), Chris (Jesse Bradford) and Nick (Zach Cregger) – are also raising children. So that means that not only can the show touch upon every cliché about being married but it can also run through every cliché about having children. Good times. The show does have moments of inspiration. I thought , for instance, it was pretty funny that Chris’s ex-wife Sheila (Erinn Hayes) actually did have a date with Kareem Abdul Jabbar. But rare moments of inspiration don’t make a show.

Partners (premiering September 24 at 8:30 p.m. on CBS):  To be clear, Partners is the worst new show on CBS but it’s nowhere close to being the worst new show of the season. My major issue with the comedy is that it’s basically Will & Grace: The Saga Continues. Except this time instead of a gay man being best friends with a straight woman, a gay man (Michael Urie) is best friends with a straight man (David Krumholtz). Brandon Routh (Superman) and Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill) are their significant others. Urie is positively charming as the needy but well-meaning Louis and the rest of the cast is equally strong.  But everything about the show – the sexually suggestive double entendres, the slapstick humor, the over-the-top characters – is very, very familiar.

So those are my picks for the worst new offering of each network. Don’t worry, we’ll have more bad shows to talk about as the new season launches (I’m talking to you Emily Owens, M.D.).  I’ll be back tomorrow with my picks for the best new shows of the season. Talk about which show you are least looking forward to below. And don’t forget to follow my blog so you’ll know every time I have a new post.

Which New ‘American Idol’ Judge Are You Most Excited About?

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Photo by Evan Agostini/PictureGroup

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

Years ago, I was sent to review a concert in Boston. I can’t even remember who the headliner was now (maybe Tim McGraw?). But the opener for the opener was Keith Urban. I had never heard of him. I wasn’t familiar with any of his songs.  But about five minutes into his set, I thought, “Who is this guy? He’s amazing.” Seriously, if you’ve never seen Keith Urban live in concert, you need to. Put that on your bucket list right now.

The next day I went out and bought all his CDs (that shows you how long ago this was, I was still buying CDs). And I’ve loved him ever since. As I like to say, I loved Keith Urban long before Nicole did.

So I’m very excited Keith Urban is one of the new American Idol judges. I broke up with the show last year and didn’t even miss it. Not even a little bit. Not once. (And many of you know how difficult it is for me to break up with a show). But I really don’t know if I will be able to pass up the chance to see Urban on TV once a week.

This got me wondering, which new American Idol judge are you most excited about? Or does the recent announcement of new judges have no impact on whether or not you will watch the show. Talk about it and vote below. And don’t forget to sign up to follow my blog. That way you’ll know every time I post something new.

An Open Love Letter to ‘Parenthood’

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Photo: Chris Haston/NBC

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

Dear Everybody Involved in Parenthood:

As I write this letter, I am thinking about the following:

  • I need to buy my toddler new shoes and I want to do it before my coupon expires.
  • I’m worried that I’m not watering our newly hydroseeded lawn correctly.
  • I must finalize plans for my husband’s birthday.

Can you imagine how boring my life would be if it were a TV show? (Does Amy’s lawn grow grass? Tune in next week for the thrilling conclusion of our special two-part episode.)  But this is where the sheer genius of Parenthood comes in. You somehow turn the utter minutiae of life into a compelling drama.  A child who doesn’t want to go to school. A family deciding to get a new dog. A missing lizard. In your capable hands, all of it becomes fascinating to watch.

I have long said that family dramas are the most difficult to successfully pull off. There are no crimes to solve, patients to save, or cases to litigate. Each week, you must successfully pull viewers into the Braverman family’s life without having any built-in hook you can write around each week.  I want to be a Braverman. I want to call up Kristina (Monica Potter) and have coffee with her. I want to babysit Max (Max Burkholder) and Jabbar (Tyree Brown). I want record in the studio run by Crosby (Dax Shepard) and Adam (Peter Krause) and I can’t even sing. Seriously, I’m in love with your show and in awe of what you are able to do each week.

Now that you know how I feel, let’s talk about Ray Romano. I have long been a fan. Honestly I was watching Everybody Loves Raymond back when it was on Friday nights and I’m pretty sure his parents and I were the only ones watching. I thought Men of a Certain Age  was a brilliant and vastly underrated show that demonstrated that Romano was so much more than just a funny guy.

BUT his presence on Parenthood makes me nervous. I adore Mark Cyr (Jason Ritter). He’s one of the very best TV boyfriends ever created. And as much as I love a good love triangle, I really don’t think we need one here. Let Mark and Sarah (Lauren Graham) have other conflicts – they can fight about their wedding, their engagement, their careers, their age difference — really I’m fine with anything. Just please, please, please don’t break them up. Please don’t let Sarah fall for Hank.

Thanks ever so.

Much love,

Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal

Who is your new favorite character on ‘Glee’

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By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

Last night we were introduced to a slew of new characters on Glee. Who is your early favorite? Rachel’s dance teacher Cassandra? Puck’s half-brother Jake? Fabulous singer Marley? Rachel’s new potential love interest Brody? Bitchy new cheerleader Kitty? Or the fabulous Wade/Unique (I know he’s not totally new but I’m counting him anyway since we only saw him in two episodes last season.)

Vote for your favorite and then talk about it below.