The Fall 2011 New Series Thread (starts 9/13)

[Brian Seiler]

Not one of your assertions refutes the fact that there are live human beings there, and it's not a laugh track.

Except for the one where they're not mutually exclusive. Studio audiences are generally not large enough to get the kind of sound you want for a sitcom laugh track. It is not unheard of to punch up what you get on tape with canned stuff to get a final result you're satisfied with.

My point is, "This show was recorded before a live studio audience" is a bullshit holdover from the birth of television that tells us nothing about anything, including whether or not additional flavor was added afterwards. A show recorded in such a fashion can (and often does) also employ a laugh track.

[lordkosc]

Whitney is very guilty of using the laugh track, its quite horrible, and every time I hear the forced laughs go off at something not even mildly funny, I cringe heavily.

[Bahimiron]

Whitney is filmed before a live studio claque.

(Actually, I don't give a shit if it's a live studio audience, a laugh track, the finished product is shown to a group of people and their laughs are recorded or what. I don't need the show to provide laughs. It just needs to provide reasons for them. I'll handle the rest.)

[mystery]

I don't think we can prove it either way, except that one can buy tickets for the show, so we know real people exist in that studio, watching the show.

As to whether or not it's pumped up mechanically, I'd submit that laughter is infectious, and if you've ever attended a live performance of a similar situation comedy, and you're among people that are laughing at the jokes, you're likely to laugh along.

You've seen the audience during a Jeff Dunham "comedy" special, right? I'm half-convinced that they're pumping gas into that theater.

[Rightbug]

I watched Revenge, all 3 episodes, and its not very good.

My fiancee is totally sucked into this show and while it's not totally my cup of tea, one thing that I do admire about it is that they very obviously plotted out the entire season, very tightly. This doesn't happen nearly as much as it should and it's refreshing to see when it does occur.

[Athryn]

I liked it, but I had to make the choice between it and American Horror Story, and that show is a little more fun.

[Brian Seiler]

Oddly enough, one of the things that you'll hear from showrunners and other people who have to pitch shows these days is that they have to plot as much as the first two seasons, at least loosely enough that they can speak to what's going to happen, before they even go in to pitch the show. Tightly plotting, however, and writing out something like a show bible before you've even gone to air is one of those things that's stupid to do for a lot of reasons. For one thing, the guild kind of frowns on doing that much work for free. For another, in about seventy to ninety percent of cases, you're just wasting your time anyway, because your show is going to fail. I think that's why you're seeing more weird cases like Fringe, where it's pretty obvious the creative team started out with one idea and then quickly punted that and went in a different direction. Maybe being based on a book is helping Revenge out? I have no idea how closely they're following Monte Cristo, as I managed to dodge that bullet throughout my education.

I cannot recommend the Nerdist Writers' Panel enough if you want to know trivial little crap like this about how television gets made. It might be my favorite new thing I've found over the past couple of months.

[sluggo]

I liked it, but I had to make the choice between it and American Horror Story, and that show is a little more fun.

Wednesday night at 10PST, Revenge, AHS and the premiere of Psych all ran at the same time.

Thankfully, we live in a world where DVRs exist and where cable networks run their new shows 2, 3 sometimes 4 times a night. :) And I'm sure ABC will have Revenge to watch on its website soon enough.

[lordkosc]

Subugatory gets my nod for surprise of the fall season. I thought the description looked dull and forced, but the actors pull it off very well and the writing is smart and funny. It helps A LOT that this show is on the DVR schedule with The Middle and Modern Family, two very funny shows. It has just the right blend of humor to be different from both, and the Law & Order cop as the dad was inspired casting (he was hilarious in the most recent episode). Bonus : Alan Tudyk.

Does it get better in episodes 2/3? I watched the first , and I liked it , but not enough to plan on watching the 2nd, without some positive word of mouth from you fine gents on here.

[Athryn]

Wednesday night at 10PST, Revenge, AHS and the premiere of Psych all ran at the same time.

Thankfully, we live in a world where DVRs exist and where cable networks run their new shows 2, 3 sometimes 4 times a night. :) And I'm sure ABC will have Revenge to watch on its website soon enough.

For me, I had to choose between the two because my SO didn't like either of them, and I can only spend so much time watching TV.

[Brian Seiler]

ABC just shut down production on Charlie's Angels. It's not canceled yet, but maybe we can hope?

[Hugin]

ABC just shut down production on Charlie's Angels. It's not canceled yet, but maybe we can hope?

Yes, it's canceled.

[Razgon]

Just saw the first episode of Pan Am. While its not my normal type of show, I love the way its filmed. The colors are so bright and its all very very stylish and crispy clear.

That and the sub-plot may keep me interested, but my GF is definetely very interested in the show.

[Brian Seiler]

Yes, it's canceled.

Even faster than my RSS feed. There was much rejoicing.

No news yet on what gets its spot. They've got four more episodes in the can at this point to burn through before they absolutely have to make a call.

[lordkosc]

Just saw the first episode of Pan Am. While its not my normal type of show, I love the way its filmed. The colors are so bright and its all very very stylish and crispy clear.

That and the sub-plot may keep me interested, but my GF is definetely very interested in the show.

Whats funny about Pan Am, is that I found the women on there far more attractive than the women on Charlies Angels.

[jerri blank]

You've watched 3 episodes of this show, and you've yet to notice that the show always starts with "Filmed before a studio audience"?

Oops, you're right - I wasn't thinking and used the term "laugh track" incorrectly. The audience laughter is offputting, especially given that they laugh WAY too hard at pretty lame stuff.

[mystery]

This week's American Horror Story: Another episode I should have watched in the light of day.

*shudder*

[mystery]

The first episode of The Boss has leaked to the interwebs. I highly recommend tracking down a copy of this. Excellent production quality, as we've come to expect from a Starz-backed series, along with great writing and acting.

Personally, I'm happy to see Kelsey Grammar doing something onscreen that I don't immediately despise. He's been in the tall grass of political commentary for quite some time, now.

[lordkosc]

First episode is next Friday, I'll just wait, as I do pay for Starz, lol.

But from the info I've read, it does sound good.

[gameoverman]

This week's American Horror Story: Another episode I should have watched in the light of day.

*shudder*

I've only recently watched the two available episodes of this. Wow. The Shining/Amityville Horror as a weekly tv show. It's only been two episodes but already I'd say it's working like a charm. Just when I think the last scene was about as far out as they could push things another scene comes up that leaves me squirming even more.

The people running Terra Nova should take notes, this is how you take full advantage of your core concept. Terra Nova skimps on the dinosaur action, this show throws its haunts in your face every chance it gets.

[alexlitel]

Excellent production quality, as we've come to expect from a Starz-backed series

When after Party Down's cancellation did Starz's shows start having production values?

[Equis]

Pan Am reminds me of West Wing.

Not just because Tommy Schlamme is one the producers, but because of the almost relentless optimism and idealism that pervades the show. (also the cinematography, but I put that down to Schlamme). It's a shame that Pan Am itself doesn't generally have WW's snappy dialog or weighty issues; this is a show that might have benefitted from Sorkin. In any case, It's a good reminder, even if Pan Am is not where WW was. It's still early though, so there's my hope. Pan Am becomes West Wing.

[Brian Seiler]

We've got Pilot news.

And it's Marvel related.

Punisher. On Fox. They're proceduralizing it to an extent, so Castle is going to still be a police during the day and he's going to go out and shoot people in they various holes and inputs at night. So he's like murder Batman. Or something.

I am not optimistic.

[Athryn]

Hmm, new show on Starz premiering tonight called, simply "Boss."

it has Kelsey Grammer as Tom Kane, the mayor of Chicago in a time when things were even more corrupt. First episode is directed by Gus Van Sant. I think I'll put it on my DVR to record and see what's up. It's gotten at least one good review.

Anyone heard anything about it?

[Brian Seiler]

I've heard the commercials virtually non-stop on the radio. Sounds like Kelsey Grammar playing a sonofabitch. I'm not particularly intrigued by them, but I'll be listening to see if it's any good. I missed the Damages bus, so it'd be nice to get in on the ground floor.

[lordkosc]

Hmm, new show on Starz premiering tonight called, simply "Boss."

it has Kelsey Grammer as Tom Kane, the mayor of Chicago in a time when things were even more corrupt. First episode is directed by Gus Van Sant. I think I'll put it on my DVR to record and see what's up. It's gotten at least one good review.

Anyone heard anything about it?

I'll be watching this tonight, hope its good :)

[jason]

We've got Pilot news.

And it's Marvel related.

Punisher. On Fox. They're proceduralizing it to an extent, so Castle is going to still be a police during the day and he's going to go out and shoot people in they various holes and inputs at night. So he's like murder Batman. Or something.

I am not optimistic.

Jeez... why do this? Why not model it after something like The Equalizer, or Human Target? Why make him a cop? Ugh...

[Tin Wisdom]

Why make him a cop? Ugh...

Because then it would be even LESS a direct copy of Dexter. Duh.

[awdougherty]

Been a little slow to catch up on the new stuff.

Is Prime Suspect considered a hit? I watched the pilot and thought it was not great but I thought I would give it a chance. Thought the second may have been decently acted, but the story was crappy and didn't seem at all grounded in reality.

Whitney mostly has Whitney wearing sexy costumes, but it isn't funny, the laugh track is insulting, and it seems like a throwback to the Seinfeld singular observation joke per episode that I thought only worked part time on Seinfeld.

The New Girl isn't great either. Zooey has enough personal charm to keep me mildly entertained, but otherwise, it feels a bit like the same style of humor (but not as funny) as Happy Endings or even here and there with Up All Night.

Speaking of, I feel like Up All Night should be better somehow but I still watch it.

Anyway, no new show that I've seen has really grabbed me.

[sluggo]

Been a little slow to catch up on the new stuff. Is Prime Suspect considered a hit?

Whitney mostly has Whitney wearing sexy costumes, but it isn't funny

Prime Suspect is doing pretty lousy ratings, and they can't be happy about it, because they're running it three nights a week -- Thursday is the proper spot, Saturday is a throwaway night, and then Monday in the spot vacated by Playboy. But critics say the show is getting better and urging people to check it out. I've not taken up that offer yet.

I thought the last new episode of Whitney (they had a rerun this week, WTF) was way better than the first few. I'm hoping that show is finding some kind of groove, because I like Cummings and want the show to be better.

After Once Upon a Time airs Sunday, I'm going to do some kind of recap on where all the new shows stand, since that's bascially the last premiere of the season (other than Allen Gregory, I guess).