2011/12 TV Season - New Shows (The Comedies and Reality TV Thread)

[Allen]

Did anyone watch The Playboy Club last night. I meant to watch it, but ended up watching Fashion Police instead. I was curious how it turned out.

[BigB08822]

Did anyone watch The Playboy Club last night. I meant to watch it, but ended up watching Fashion Police instead. I was curious how it turned out.

Yes, Allen. Check out the Drama thread, I posted about it in there. Not that I went into great detail but I got drawn in and already set the series to record.

[Cachoo]

I watched "New Girl." I kind of liked it. It needs to pick up the pace but I do think it has potential if you like sitcoms.

[PeterG]

I watched "New Girl." I kind of liked it. It needs to pick up the pace but I do think it has potential if you like sitcoms.

I've never liked Zooey Deschanel better! Loved the little singing thing she does every now and then. I also like all the male roommates and am fine with the one taking off his shirt whenever he feels appropriate (or inappropriate!). I was fine with the pacing, I'm okay if things are not all rapid-fire if there is good storytelling taking place. Which this show definitely has. I like my New Girl.

I enjoyed Two Broke Girls - at first I didn't see where it could go over time, but by the end, I think they revealed what the plan is for the show.

Really liked that the socialite is not stupid, as might have been the complete stereotype. She's privileged and a bit snotty, but also educated, smart and practical. If they do it right, it could work well against the other character's different brand of smart and practical, and education on the street instead of in the Ivy League. Supporting characters were all weak though - if the show lasts, I expect a shift after the first few episodes.

I thought the writing was really good and I'm glad I have some comedy back in my life! (Other than loving Outsourced last year, it's possible that the last sitcom I followed was Friends!)

I really like that the two leads can be snarky with each other, but that it's there for a laugh and doesn't go on and on, which can really bring things down. They're in for an interesting friendship, and we get to go along for the ride! I also liked how they ended the show, letting us know the direction they're heading towards for season two. Hope it lasts well beyond that.

Also found myself through most of Ashton Kutcher's debut on Two and a Half Men. Haven't watched the show in years as I found it just getting too far into the gutter, but will give it another chance now.

I watched the season debut online yesterday. I had seen bits and pieces of it during commercial breaks of DWTS, but when I watched it as a whole I thought, "yup, this is why I never watched it regularly". It was great to see Jenna Elfman and Jenny McCarthy though. Would like to see them take over as "Two And A Half Women". Now THAT would be a show!!

[Allen]

I watched "New Girl." I kind of liked it. It needs to pick up the pace but I do think it has potential if you like sitcoms.

I turned the channel after the first 15 minutes. The major reason was that I had seen everything they showed for the past 4 months in commercials. I think I may give it another chance next week though and see what I think.

[Lara]

From someone who's watched few sitcoms since the 90's (Raising Hope was my favorite in a long time) I enjoyed 2 Broke Girls and gave New Girl a chance. I was lucky in that I managed to avoid all the promos over the summer, but I'm still leaning towards Jess being more annoying than cute. I think if anything saves it for me it might be the Nick character but will see.

[oleada]

I'm on the fence about the New Girl as well. Some parts I liked but sometimes it's like Zooey D is trying to be quirky. I might watch 1 or 2 more episodes.

I liked 2 Broke Girls a lot. There were some rough bits but mostly, I found it hilarious and the leads are charming. I also felt compelled to watch, because it is set in Brooklyn But I'll definitely keep watching.

[BigB08822]

Did anyone watch or like Whitney? I saw the actress/comedian on Jay Leno last night and I don't know, she didn't come across as very likable to me. She jumped in Gerard Butler's lap and mentioned an erection (actually, the lack thereof) and everything was very very sexual. I like sexual jokes but this was on national television and I am not sure if it was the best way to promote your primetime comedy. She just tried way too hard and it made me vow to never watch her show.

[Allen]

Did anyone watch or like Whitney?

I didn't watch it. She's a fairly regular panel member on Chelsea Lately and I never found her that funny. In fact, I was really surprised to see her with her own show.

[Lara]

I also felt compelled to watch, because it is set in Brooklyn

[challon]

The funny thing is, that Whitney Cummings is one of the creators of 2 Broke Girls.

[Artemis@BC]

I caught up with both "Girl" comedies last night. I enjoyed both, though wouldn't rave over either. Both seemed to be trying a bit hard to establish the characters as "Characters," and both were riddled with that-would-never-happen-in-real-life scenes, but that's par for the course for a sitcom.

If I had to pick one I'd give a slight edge to New Girl, because a. Zooey D. is just so darned likable, c. I liked the character dynamics, sitcommy tho they were, and c. it's back to back with Raising Hope.

[PeterG]

Shows debuting and returning this week (new shows in bold):

Monday, September 26

9:30 Mike & Molly (CBS)

Tuesday, September 27

9:00 24 Hours in the ER (BBCA)

Wednesday, September 28

8:30 Suburgatory (ABC)
9:30 Happy Endings (ABC)
10:00 Storm Chasers (Discovery)

Thursday, September 29

8:30 How to be a Gentleman (CBS)

Saturday, October 1

11:30 That Mitchell & Webb Look (BBCA)

Sunday, October 2

10:30 How To Make It In America (HBO)

I liked 2 Broke Girls a lot. There were some rough bits but mostly, I found it hilarious and the leads are charming. I also felt compelled to watch, because it is set in Brooklyn But I'll definitely keep watching.

I'm thinking I'll like this one more than New Girl, although I have high hopes for both. New Girl isn't filmed in front of a live audience like 2 Broke Girls, so it's not trying to be the regular sitcom-type show...

...I'd give a slight edge to New Girl, because a. Zooey D. is just so darned likable, c. I liked the character dynamics, sitcommy tho they were, and c. it's back to back with Raising Hope.

I find the whole cast quite likeable, which is really important to me in regards to TV shows the remain on my must-see list. I don't need characters to be perfect...I loved Laura Innes character on ER and she wasn't always sunshine and sweetness...

[Matryeshka]

I guess I'm the dissenting opinion--after years of not watching many new shows, the two I took a chance on recording were The New Girl and 2 Broke Girls. The New Girl is going to be the cancelled girl fairly quickly. 2 Broke Girls has a laugh track and tired jokes that make it seem dated already. Both felt stale and contrived and had the only in a sitcom universe...They really need to get rid of laugh tracks. Who does that anymore?

I do hope all three girls get better projects--I love Zoe D. and the two leads on Broke. I hope the shows are successful enough that they all get offered better vehicles in the future.

[BigB08822]

Matry, sometimes shows use laugh tracks for the pilots and then go to using the live audience for future episodes after the pilot is picked up. I guess they don't want to take any chance with the audience not doing their job? Maybe the pilot isn't even filmed in front of a live audience? I would expect that to get better this episode or within the next few, depending how many they filmed before getting picked up.

[Matryeshka]

I think I would find a live audience even more annoying. I don't want to hear any laughter--if you have to be told it's funny, it's not. It's not Broadway; the actors don't need to hold for laughs/applause for the majority of its audience. Unlike music, I've never found live or canned laugher to add anything. It breaks that fourth wall faster than anything for me.

[BigB08822]

Really? I see your point but I am so used to hearing laughter that I can't imagine watching a comedy without it. Are their any sitcoms without laughter, either from a live audience or from a laugh track? If so then I guess it doesn't bother me after all or I just don't watch those shows.

[Artemis@BC]

Really? I see your point but I am so used to hearing laughter that I can't imagine watching a comedy without it. Are their any sitcoms without laughter, either from a live audience or from a laugh track? If so then I guess it doesn't bother me after all or I just don't watch those shows.

I remember reading or hearing about Sports Night, and how Sorkin really, really didn't want a laugh track, but was pretty much forced into it by the network. And wow does it ever sound false. But by season 2 he got his way, no laugh track. Now Sports Night was more of a dramedy than an out-and-out comedy, but it still had a lot of laughs ... and loses nothing without the laugh track.

[PeterG]

Are we talking about recorded laughter for a show as something different than a live show with a laughing audience? I assumed Two Broke Girls was filmed in front of a live audience, like all the great sitcoms of years past (Lucy, All In The Family, Roseanne, Cheers, Friends, etc.)

[Buzz]

Liked 2 Broke Girls. I think it should do good considering the times we are in, so I will be tuning in and routing for it.