Returned!

Ok, all -- I'm back from my journey to the Indianapolis 500 and, aside from camping alongside the racetrack and sharing a set of port-a-potties with a bunch of drunken hooligans, it was pretty good.
But, of course, I missed the blog. And, really, could I have left at a worse possible time? I've barely gotten to write anything about the new fall lineups, about which I have some strong feelings. So, even though all my fellow TV writers have moved on to arguably more important things (like the steaming train wreck that is "Jon & Kate Plus 8), I'm going to write a few quick thoughts on some of the broadcast networks' recent announcements.
* Does anybody else get the idea that Fox was only allowed to renew one of its low-rated, acclaimed cult sci-fi series. How else to explain why the network renewed "Dollhouse" and not the equally worthy "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles?" I really would have liked to see them both come back, especially since "TSCC" was just hitting its stride with a great finale. But I'm glad that at least one of them will return. "Dollhouse" just got better as it went on, and I'm interested to see what Joss Whedon and co. will do with a second season.
* NBC renewed the cult series "Chuck," but canceled "Medium" and "My Name is Earl." CBS has announced it will pick up "Medium" and another network might pick up "Earl," but I'm thinking the latter is unlikely. Where would "Earl" go? The show, which I loved in its first two seasons, is running out of steam. And where would it go? ABC picked up "Scrubs" when NBC dropped it, but that show still had some creative juice left (at least, that's what I've been told. I don't actually watch it.) "Earl's" returns are diminishing, and I'm not sure anyone else wants to jump on board.
* OK, for me, this was the saddest announcement: The CW canceled "Reaper." Well, maybe. ABC studios is still trying to sell the show, and syndication is a real possibility. Check out all the details here at the ReaperDMV fan site. They encourage writing to your local CW affiliate, and I second that.
I know "Reaper" never really lived up to the promise of its pilot, but I was really fond of it. I loved Ray Wise's cheeky performance as the Devil, and Bret Harrison had a nice Everyman charm as reluctant soul-hunter Sam Oliver. I still held out hope that it would gel a little better as it went on, but I always enjoyed it. I'm not surprised it's gone, but I'm still really sad.
In fact, I was so distracted by "Reaper's" cancellation, I barely noticed that The CW didn't pick up the "Gossip Girl" spin-off with Brittany Snow. That was a little surprising, as the show's had a lot of buzz. But, judging from the back door pilot that aired as a "Gossip Girl" episode, I can't say not picking it up was a great loss.
Well, that's it for now. I'll have more on the new shows once I get a chance to see some. I also plan to start watching the summer shows soon, so I'll have reviews on those in the near future as well.

NBC's infronts: Thoughts, musings and other random stuff

Yesterday, NBC held its network "infronts," an early version of the "upfronts" that other networks will host in a few weeks. The event included a few announcements about which shows would be renewed and which new shows NBC was picking up for the 2009-2010 season.
Below are a few of my thoughts on the announcement.
* NBC announced that it was picking up freshmen series "Parks and Recreation" and "Southland" for second seasons, and renewing the much-debated "Heroes" (which I dumped the second half of this season) for a fourth. This is in addition to the previously announced renewals of "The Office," "Friday Night Lights," "30 Rock" and "Law & Order SVU." NBC will announce whether it will renew other on-the-bubble shows -- including the beloved but low-rated "Chuck" -- in a few weeks. While I agree that both "P&R" and especially "Southland" have promise, I'm slightly worried that NBC is biting off more than it can chew. No time periods have been announced for any of these shows, and I'm wondering where everything will land. Late last year, the network gave away an entire hour of its weeknight schedule to Jay Leno's new show. Thus, none of NBC's new or returning shows can use the hour from 10 to 11 p.m. So where does that leave "Southland"? With its bleeped curse words and fairly gritty depictions of crime, it's really best suited to the 10 p.m. hour. I'm glad it's been renewed, but what will happen to it? Will NBC squeeze it in at 9 p.m. with the same content and hope no one causes a stink? Will the network tone it down (possibly turning it into a less effective show)? I'm a bit worried about it.
* In addition to "Chuck," shows whose fate have yet to be decided include "Medium," "My Name is Earl" and "Law & Order." Reportedly, the acclaimed but low-rated shows "Life" and "Kings" are dead in the water.
* NBC's new shows include a remake of the 1989 Steve Martin movie "Parenthood." The movie, as you may recall, was already adapted for TV once, in 1990 as a short-lived dramedy starring Ed Begley Jr. (and, according to IMDB, a young Leonardo DeCaprio). Gotta say, have mixed feelings about the new version. First, unlike the movie or the previous show, the new "Parenthood" focuses not on the Buckman family, but on the Braverman family. The characters are totally different, so why even call it "Parenthood"? Is this some sort of misguided attempt to capitalize on a recognizable brand? If so, maybe they should have picked a movie that isn't 20 years old. That said, I'm going to give the show a chance, if only because the cast is so great. Stars include Craig T. Nelson, Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, and Bonnie Bedelia. Also, the series is from Jason Katims, a show runner on the excellent "Friday Night Lights." So, fingers are crossed.
* As often happens at NBC, there are two shows with amazingly similar premises. "Trauma," from executive producer Peter Berg (another "FNL" mastermind) is a medical drama seen through the eyes of paramedics. "Mercy" (from a team that includes yet another "FNL" alum, Liz Heldens) is a medical drama seen through the eyes of nurses. Only time will tell if they are different, and watchable, enough to both survive.
* Other new shows include the comedies "100 Questions" -- about a single gal looking for love -- and "Community," starring "The Soup" funnyman Joel McHale and comedy vet Chevy Chase. Of the two, "Community," focusing on life at a community college, sounds more promising, but Chase and McHale are both hit-or-miss presences, so we'll see.
What are your thoughts?