Our lead TV writer, Will Harris, is doing a bang up job of previewing the fall season as it grows closer, but I thought I’d throw in my $0.02 by mentioning the five new series that have me pumped about the fall lineup.
In order of premiere date…
1. “Community” (NBC), 9/17/09
Anyone that is a fan of Joel McHale on “The Soup” already knows about his foray into scripted comedy this fall. IMDB describes the plot this way…
Jeff (Joel McHale) used to be a lawyer. When the state bar association revokes his license for having fake college credentials — he floated by on his degree from Colombia, but is legally obligated to earn one in America — Jeff enrolls at Greendale Community College. Intent on taking the easy way out, he forms a study group in a half-assed attempt seduce a pretty girl (Gillian Jacobs) and tries to coast on through. What he soon ends up with, aside from a coffee klatch of sad clowns, is a second chance at an honest life.
The trailer looks great…
The series seems to be going for a feel like that of “The Office,” though obviously that’s a tough standard to live up to. McHale has star potential, and he should bring a significant fan base over from “The Soup,” which he is going to continue hosting for the time being.
2. “Bored to Death” (HBO) 9/20/09
Oh boy. This series features two of my favorite comedic actors: Jason Schwartzman, who starred in the brilliant “Rushmore,” and Zach Galifianakis, who is blistering hot after his hilarious performance in “The Hangover.”
IMDB’s preview:
Abandoned by his girlfriend for his heavy drinking and pot-smoking habits, a young Brooklyn writer Jonathan Ames (Jason Schwartzman) is adrift. Too blocked to work on his second novel and too enamored with partying with his magazine editor, Jonathan decides to shake things up by moonlighting as an unlicensed private detective.
HBO + Schwartzman + Galifiankis = a great start
Parker Posey and Ted Danson also appear in the trailer:
3. “Modern Family” (ABC) 9/23/09
This looks like something in the vein of “Arrested Development,” and the trailer looks quite funny. Here is IMDB’s outline of the plot.
An unseen documentary filmmaker shows what it’s like to be a family in 2009 from the perspective of three couples: stressed out Claire (Julie Bowen) and her husband Phil (Ty Burrell), who would rather be the cool guy than parent; Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) who have decided to adopt; and Jay (Ed O’Neill) and his Columbian bride Gloria (Sofía Vergara), who seem to be deeply in love in spite of their wide age and cultural differences.
What it doesn’t mention is that the three couples are linked to form one big family. Here’s the trailer:
4. “Flash Forward” (ABC) 9/23/09
In what ABC hopes will be the heir apparent to “Lost,” “Flash Forward” has one of the best trailers of the new season.
5. “V” (ABC) 11/3/09
Will’s preview sums up the plot, so I’ll just post the trailer:
Let’s hope that this reboot goes as well as “Battlestar Galactica” did for Syfy. The ensemble cast features several familiar faces, but it’s Elizabeth Mitchell (most recently from “Lost”), who I’ll be tuning in to see.