Well, the endless summer of reality TV is finally taking a bow and slinking back into the shadows for its winter hibernation. This retreat of summer fare, such as “Who Wants to Marry My Short, Bald Dad?” and “Big Brother — Season 562,” signals not only the return of old prime-time favorites, but also the birth of a few promising series that will finally give us an excuse to put down our books and focus on something really important — mindless entertainment.
The biggest buzz in new comedies this fall is NBC’s “Coupling.” After last year’s anemic performance by “Good Morning Miami,” which has now been exiled to Tuesday night, this is the peacock network’s last chance to find a Must See TV anchor before “Friends” bids us farewell.
Based on the popular British comedy of the same name, “Coupling” follows the lives of six thirty-something friends (three guys, three girls ? sound familiar?) living in Chicago who are either sleeping together, wanting to sleep together or dealing with having, at some point, slept together. I have it on good authority that the first “very special episode” of this sex-driven comedy has something to do with each of the characters developing a frighteningly similar rash. (Kidding.) “Coupling” kicks off its season Sept. 25 at 8:30 p.m.
Also premiering on NBC this year is “Miss Match,” a lighthearted drama from Darren Star, the creator of “Sex and the City.” This “Ally McBeal”-style dramedy stars Alicia Silverstone as divorce lawyer Kate Fox, a young woman with a knack for bringing lovebirds together and then probably negotiating their amicable settlement just a few years down the road. Her hobby turns into a second career when a bride-to-be socialite gives Kate credit for her love match. While the concept, creator and star form a promising ensemble, the death grip for this charming series may be its idiotic time slot ? Fridays at 7:00 p.m. But that’s what TiVo is for, right?
Competing against “Miss Match” in the coveted Friday night timeslot is CBS’ “Joan of Arcadia.” This new family drama centers on Joan Girardi, an average teenage girl dealing with the everyday struggles of growing up ? you know … acne, boys and bad hair. Oh, right, and God keeps talking to her. I don’t mean He whispers something in the wind or she gets a warm, fuzzy feeling while saying her bedtime prayers. The Big Guy is actually stopping her on the street and giving her stuff to do.
I’m not exactly sure how the logistics of this whole God-encounter thing are going to work, but it’s an interesting concept. And as long as it doesn’t drift into the schmaltzy territory of “Touched by an Angel,” it could turn out to be a thought-provoking and touching drama. All of you who are rolling your eyes right now ? stop it. Plus, it stars that freaky girl from “The Ring,” and she still gives me a serious case of the creeps.
The only comedy making its debut on CBS this season is the Charlie Sheen vehicle “Two and a Half Men.” Sheen plays Charlie Harper, a wealthy, self-absorbed, womanizing bachelor living in Southern California. Harper’s life is turned upside-down when his recently-divorced semi-dorky brother and his ten-year-old nephew move into his Malibu bachelor pad. While Sheen did well on ABC’s “Spin City,” something tells me the only hope this sitcom has for survival is its golden position Monday nights right after the CBS darling “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
If you want to watch the exact same show, but with women, check out ABC’s new sitcom “Hope & Faith.” The shining stars are Kelly Ripa (who apparently had too much time on her hands with a morning talk show, a husband and like a dozen kids) and Faith Ford, who play two sisters trying to live together without killing each other. Ripa’s character is Hollywood darling Faith, who falls on some hard times after her soap opera character is killed off. Left penniless and emotionally wounded, Faith is forced to move in with her sister, Hope, played by Ford. Hope is a stay-at-home mom residing peacefully in the land of Suburbia with her delightful husband, 2.5 kids and a dog. Actually, I’m not sure about the dog, but the rest is true. You can catch this fish-out-of-water comedy every Friday night at 8:00 p.m.
Those are just a few of the gems the networks have prepared for our enjoyment this season. Although my brief preview only scratches the surface of what lies ahead in TV Land, hopefully it provides you with a guide to traverse the rough and often uncertain terrain of television premieres. Godspeed on your journey, young couch-potato traveler!
