Entertainment Editorial: The New Fall Shows, Final Round (Thank God)

So several weeks back, I made a promise to loyal readers (and I do sincerely appreciate your patronage immediate family and girlfriend) that I would review all of the Fall’s new shows. Since then I’ve sat through everything from Charlie’s Angels–now mercifully let go by the Angel of Death or cancellation–to CW’s borderline unwatchable H8r (inexplicably still around through sheer force of Mario Lopez’s soul devouring smile). All of those reviews were back several weeks ago and now comes the final crop of five shows that drug their ass until October to premiere, like they’re special or something.

Show premiere number 22. Last Man Standing: This show sucks. I’m sorry to the millions of people that have somehow made it one of the biggest new hits of the Fall, but, well, we’ve parted ways several times before (2 Broke Girls, New Girl, the girl named Whitney, basically any sitcom about a girl trying to find her way in a city that substitutes showcasing more roles for thin, young white girls as diversity) and undoubtedly will again. The conventional critical wisdom is “Hey, it’s better than Man Up! so there’s that at least,” except that it isn’t better. I’ve watched two episodes and laughed a grand total of 1 time…during the commercial break. This show is repackaged nostalgia for the 90’s masquerading as a decent half hour to spend on television’s worst night, Tuesday (note to NBC, THIS is the night to attack on instead of surrendering two hours of primetime to fat people losing weight). Grade so far and forever: D-

23. Once Upon a Time: I’ll admit to grading this one on a curve as I like to reward shows with what I call “Ambition points.” It’s the same reason In Time will always be reviewed more favorably than Footloose and deserves to be. Once Upon a Time might just repackage a lot of the same fairytales we’ve known for years–hey wait, Grimm does something similar–but I will say it’s one of the only original shows this Fall, even if House’s Jennifer Morrison could seriously stand to lighten up as the miserable, surly looking lead character. Grade so far: B

24. Man Up!: Look, I said this show was better than Last Man Standing in the battle of ABC’s Tuesday night comedies with Man in their title. I didn’t say it was good and still don’t. The show takes an excellent premise (are men in 2011 really men?) and sidelines it with three lead characters that don’t really pop and supporting female characters that are a bit shrill. [The key to winning the battle of the sexes shouldn’t be by default of surrounding your guys with unlikable women.] I won’t continue to watch this critically savaged show, but I actually think most reviewers are too hard on it. Grade so far: C

25. Grimm: I’d really like to see a second episode of this show before I judge it. I am digging it so far but am a little worried it will turn into a procedural drag with a case-of-the-week formula (a similar fate has befallen the once extremely promising Person of Interest). Still, I particularly enjoyed the reformed Big Bad Wolf in the pilot episode and hope to see more of him without it becoming too cutesy (like, if he ate someone every few episodes it wouldn’t hurt matters just to show us he really can be dangerous). Grade so far: B

26: Allen Gregory: I’ve only seen one episode but I like where this show is headed. It’s certainly a change of pace from the increasingly childish Fox animated Sundays (where viewers can find the over the hill Family Guy, the deadbeat American Dad, and the pitiful Cleveland Show in not so fine form). Allen Gregory succeeds by making its central character so much brainer than all of the oafish sitcom dads we’ve come to expect on this night (which isn’t fair to The Simpsons since Seth MacFarland basically just copied Homer Simpson three different times and built shows around CIA Homer, black Homer, and Homer Homer, otherwise known as Peter Griffin). I’ll always have a soft spot for The Simpsons, but right now my brain is cheating on it with Allen Gregory. Grade so Far: B