Its been since Heroes first started that I have ever been hooked into a show that did not follow the episodic theory of shows where you can miss multiple shows and still know whats going on in general. The shows over the years that I have liked have been able to carry some sort of overarching story that held my attention and made it necessary for me to watch for what came next.I’m not hard to entertain, and I have slightly abnormal taste in shows and movies both at least compared to those who consider themselves critics of the industry. I prefer understated acting that is true to the character to acting where the actors “skill” becomes more important to the role then the character itself.

So with that in mind here are my thoughts of the new series that I have seen thus far.

Up All Night

My wife and I were looking forward to this one, as we are expecting a child and thought it would be funny to see someone going through the crazy and funny things that could happen when you have a child and still attempting to have some sort of social life outside of work. So far we have been seriously disappointed. I do not get most of the humor, but from time to time there is a really funny “laugh out loud” moment that I consider a fluke. We have not been really following it since the 3rd episode as it has failed to keep our interest. I also have never been a fan of 30 minute episode series. Not enough story to get invested in.

Unforgettable

The concept is truly innovative in a way, and in some ways is very similar in form to the Mentalist (which is my favorite show still running right now). So this show has some elements that make me partial to it including the primary actress who I always enjoyed seeing on Without a trace. I only partially liked the show as it was a prototypical episodic show that had very few themes and plots outside of the show you were watching. The show as a crime show is definitely above average at this point, and I believe that will continue to get better based on the plot that we are only shown bits and pieces of at a time about the main characters sister’s murder. This show I will continue to follow, but I believe is a bit limited in how long the main plot that is pointed to every episode can last without losing interest in it. Overall it is a solid show.

Last Man Standing

Its been a long time since I’ve truly enjoyed a comedy show. Sure How I met your Mother is amusing from time to time as is Two and a Half Men, but never consistently funny. After seeing the first two episodes I am sure that this show will not let me down. I’ve always been a Tim Allen fan, and am much more amused by simple common humor then outlandish or what I call “stupid humor”. Is it cliche? Absolutely! Is it simple? Thats one of the reasons why I like it. Has it been done before? Its more or less the same formula as Eight Simple Rules and the Bill Engvall Show. Sometimes..things just work.

Terra Nova

Going into the season I was convinced that this would be my favorite new show, and it has not disappointed in the least. The visuals, the attention to detail on the dinosaurs and other wildlife, the storylines and acting have all exceeded my expectation. Anyone who knows me knows that they had me just with dinosaurs, but they really pull together a well designed plot with good characters. Enough background plot that you have to pay attention, and really seem to have invested in making you invest in their characters. As much as I love Jurassic Park, I like this concept much better. As high as I am on this show, my prediction however did not hold true as this is my second favorite new show which leads to my next show to review.

Revenge

Politics, terrorism, slander, pain, and absolutely complicated. Absolutely perfect, at least for me. The main character is from one of my old favorite shows (Everwood) and I like everything about this show. But she (Emily Vancamp) absolutely makes this show what it is. The deviance, the absolute determination to carry out her plan, her cold manner that shows exactly how hurt she is, and her ability to momentarily forget about all those things when she is in a situation that brings something good from her past up without messing with her goal is absolutely the largest reason why I like this show. Supporting characters do a good job as well, but it is most definitely showing when Emily and Victoria are in the same room. I can almost guarantee you I will not miss any of this show or Terra Nova this year if I can help it (thank you DVR and internet watching)