Mystical Magick

Fall TV 2009-2010

It’s that time of the year again. Quite possibly one of my favorite times of the year. The time when all our favorite shows that left us hanging this past spring or all the new shows we’ve heard promoted all summer are finally here. One week and counting til the start of Fall TV 2009. Are you ready?

Have you read the releases and watched the trailers for all the new shows? Have you made your TV schedule? Do you know what days and times everything will premiere? Do you have your DVR, VCR, or Torrents set?

Great, then there’s still time to advise you on my picks for this TV season. So, without further adieu:

My TV Schedule 2009-2010

Monday

Gossip Girl (Sep.14 at 9pm on CW): Gossip Girl from the creator of The O.C. and Chuck, is about a group of privileged teens in Manhattan attending a private high school and whose lives revolve around the blog of the all-knowing and secretive ‘Gossip Girl’ (voiced by Veronica Mars‘ Kristen Bell). Quick pacing, witty dialogue, and gritty feel are what made Gossip Girl well known in the first place. But now that the show has been on the air for two years and things are changing as the gang go off to college, will the show grow up in mood and style to make a successful transition? I’m curious to find out. Get up to speed on this past season of Gossip Girl with this video recap.

Tuesday

V (Nov.3 at 8pm on ABC): A last minute addition to ABC’s fall schedule, V is a remake of the 1980’s miniseries about the world’s first encounter with aliens who call themselves The Visitors. EOnline has given the pilot a good review saying, “V is the best pilot we’ve seen in, well, forever.”  Meanwhile, TheFutonCritic isn’t as sure, “let’s hope the subsequent hours find more ways to pull us in.” While the inclusion of Joel Gretsch (4400), Morena Baccarin (Firefly), Scott Wolf (Party of Five), and Alan Tudyk (Firefly) was enough to peak my interest, clearly the jury is still out on whether this show will be worthwhile or not. That and whether these Visitors or V’s come in peace or to eat our brains. We’ll just have to wait and see, but until then view the trailer. It’s ok, I promise.

Wednesday

Glee (Sep.9 at 9pm on FOX): This is arguably this season’s most anticipated new show. Glee is a comedy musical series that follows an optimistic high school teacher as he tries to refuel his own passion for singing while reinventing the school’s glee club and challenging a group of underdogs to realize their star potential. The early broadcast of the pilot episode this past spring averaged 10 million viewers and created a loyal fanbase, however critical response has been mixed. So, the question now is will all of FOX’s promotion this summer work out and will the show live up to the hype? And more importantly, will FOX’s gamble on unique programming pay off this season? Well, at the very least, FOX sure hopes so because it’s every network’s dream to have a show with this many commercial options in music singles, record sales, tours, merchandise, episodes, DVDs, etc.. See the trailer and get a taste for the show.

The Beautiful Life (Sep.16 at 9pm on CW): Produced by Ashton Kutcher and bringing The O.C.’s Mischa Barton back to television, this new series was inspired by the real life experiences of model-turned-writer Adam Giaudrone. The Beautiful Life follows the lives of female and male fashion models sharing a residence in New York. Plus, TheFutonCritic has given the pilot a great review. At the least, watch the trailer and see if it’s your style.

Thursday

Flash Forward (Sep.24 at 8pm on ABC): When a mysterious event causes the entire world to black out, humanity is given a glimpse into its near future, and every man, woman and child is forced to come to grips with whether their destinies can be avoided or fulfilled. I believe this is supposed to be ABC’s most anticipated new show this fall, but I think they’re promotion efforts may have been a little lax as I haven’t heard much about it. But lucky for them I liked the original premise, I’ve read the pilot script, have begun reading the novel the show is based on, and I’m still intrigued and awaiting the premiere this fall. Judging by the pilot script I read, this show is definitely the new Lost. Watch the half-teaser/half-bts trailer and decide for yourself.

Vampire Diaries (Sep.10 at 8pm on CW): I swear I don’t having a thing for vampires, my past history notwithstanding, but it only appears that way since they’re everywhere right now. From Kevin Williamson the creator of Scream and Dawson’s Creek, comes Vampire Diaries about 17-year-old Elena Gilbert who is the object of interest for two brothers, Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) a centuries-old vampire who struggles to live peacefully among humans and his brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder, Lost) who embodies vampire violence and brutality. While the show may sound cheesy at first glance, the same could probably be said about the concept for Supernatural and that’s actually a good show. So, I’m willing to give Vampire Diaries a chance and see if it’s worth the time. Plus, after watching him in Wolf Lake, Smallville, The O.C., Everwood, and Fallen, I think it’s about time Paul Wesley gets his own show. And hey, the trailer isn’t half bad.

Fringe (Sep.17 at 9pm on FOX): Based on the idea of FBI agents investigating paranormal occurrences or ‘fringe’ science, this show quickly became known as X-Files Jr before it had even premiered. But let’s be realistic, all you really need are a male and a female investigating paranormal cases and you’ll of course get X-Files connections. What we really get though is a show that has gone beyond these comparisons and has developed it’s own unique mythology and world. Yet, the most important point is that creator J.J. Abrams, known for his twisty and myth-intense shows like Lost and Alias, has undoubtedly done it again. And pardon me while I fangirl a bit, but that first season finale kicked ass.

So, for those of you who are new or want to get a recap of Fringe, try watching a video recap of 1×01-1×10 and then skim through the official FOX video recaps of ‘Bound’ (1×11) down through ‘The Road Not Taken’ (1×19). Then finally enjoy the recap for the season finale, ‘There’s More Than One of Everything’ (guest starring Leonard Nimoy).  And now that you’re all caught up, you can get prepared with the exciting trailer for season two.

Friday

Dollhouse (Sep.25 at 9pm on FOX): Dollhouse is a highly illegal and underground place where ‘Actives’ or people who have had their personalities wiped clean are imprinted with any number of new personas so they can be programmed to fit their clients needs. And although I personally didn’t care for the first half of it’s debut season, all we need to do is recall the second half, the unaired episode ‘Epitaph One’, and the fact it’s crafted by Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly) and then we can just happily sit back and enjoy the ride. And since apparently there’s no Dollhouse season two trailer yet, I’m just going to have to send you to the season one recap.

Stargate Universe (Oct.2 at 9pm on SYFY): I remember when Stargate SG-1 started on Showtime and it was racier and darker for the first couple seasons. And it was good. Then, over time it got fluffier and more action and…it completely lost me. And that’s why I’m eagerly awaiting this new incarnation, Stargate Universe. It takes the mythology and Stargate you know and love, but we get back to basics. Back to the main themes of adventure and exploration, but darker and more character driven this time around. Plus, its already getting a lot of buzz. This is definitely not your daddy’s Stargate. I think you’ll agree after you watch the trailer.

Midseason

Day One (March 2010, Mondays at 9pm on NBC): Day One tells the story of life on earth following a global catastrophe where a group of survivors living in an apartment building in Van Nuys strive to rebuild society as they unravel the mysteries of what happened and face their uncertain future. The pilot to Day One has been directed Alex Graves who is a top director when it comes to pilots, having also directed the pilots for Fringe and The Nine. Originally the show was being compared to the now canceled Jericho, but it’s now safe to say that idea is unfounded after the trailer was mysteriously released a month ago.

Human Target (Jan.17 at 8pm on FOX, then Wed. at 9pm): Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel, Human Target is about a unique private contractor/security guard named Chance who is hired to completely integrate himself into his clients’ lives and become the human target. Besides being another genre show on FOX, it also brings Mark Valley (Fringe) and Chi McBride (Pushing Daisies) back to television. Watch the trailer here.

Caprica (Jan.22 at 9pm on SYFY): Brought to us by the creators of the successful and critically acclaimed series Battlestar Galactica, comes a prequel with the same feel and character development we’ve come to expect from it’s predecessor. This time, however, we’re treated to a show that is more grounded in today’s reality and more subdued in the science-fiction/action elements that made the original show popular. For some fans of the original series, this may put a damper on their enjoyment of this new show. But for others of us, it makes us just as excited. Or in my case, even more excited that we’ll now get to see some of the themes such as science, religion, philosophy, etc. dealt with in a direct way. The pilot is already on DVD, but barring that you can see the trailer and wait for the premiere in January.

So, that’s my Fall TV 2009 and some Midseason options. What’s yours?