NBC puts a new spin on classic ideas for 'Bent,' 'Awake,' 'Dream Big,' 'Whitney' and more
Why you might (or might not) watch 'Bent,' 'Awake,' 'The Playboy Club' and more
Wondering whether there’s anything worth watching on NBC this fall? If so, here’s our handy guide to what’s new (and old) on the network. Actors won’t be the only thing that’s familiar for 2011 – 2012 as series tap into classic ideas, remake existing ones and put a sometimes unique spin on oldies but goodies.
What It Is: “Better Off Ted” with Hank Azaria
How It’s Different: Azaria (“The Simpsons”) plays Alex, an unlucky divorcee who finds love (again) at work with Helen (Kathryn Hahn), only to turn her off by crying about his kids.
Why You Might Watch: An exceptional cast, including Anthony Head (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), comedienne Natasha Leggero and Hahn (“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.”
Why You Might Not: The way Alex’s sex life becomes the focus during company meetings may give any office drone nightmares.
What It Is: “Castle” meets the graphic novel “Fables.”
How It’s Different: In this re-imagining of Grimm’s fairy tales in the 21st century, Detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) discovers he’s a descendant of a group of elite hunters known as Grimms who are charged with stopping the proliferation of supernatural creatures in the world. Luckily, he gets a hand in sorting out this strange new (but old) world from Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell), who just might be more big, bad wolf than regular guy.
Why You Might Watch: Executive producer David Greenwalt (“Angel,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) has one heck of a track record.
Why You Might Not: You got tired of the fairy tale revamp after (or even before) “Red Riding Hood” bombed in theaters.
What It Is: “Mad Men” meets “Las Vegas” plus bunnies
How It’s Different: This Hef-approved look at Chicago’s Playboy Club in the early ‘60s examines the first glimmers of the sexual revolution – but also looks at the city’s seamy side when Bunny Maureen (Amber Heard) accidentally kills a mob boss and must look to club member and aspiring district attorney Nick Dalton (Eddie Cibrian) to help her cover her tracks.
Why You Might Watch: The same reason you watch “Mad Men” – smoking, drinking, skinny ties, cool tunes and pre-feminist banter.
Why You Might Not: Sadly, “Mad Men”’s ratings wouldn’t keep a network show afloat for more than half an episode.
What It Is: “Nurse Jackie” meets the original BBC “Prime Suspect”
How It’s Different: While Dame Helen Mirren gave the role of a brilliant but beleaguered detective her trademark steely charm, this time Maria Bello (“A History of Violence”) tackles the role with a hard-living slant.
Why You Might Watch: You love Maria Bello, who recently wowed us as a drug addict on “Law & Order: SVU.”
Why You Might Not: Helen Mirren isn’t in it.
What It Is: “Mad About You” meets “Mr. Mom” plus “30 Rock”
How It’s Different: Less family-friendly goop, more “SNL” attitude
Why You Might Watch: Will Arnett (“Arrested Development”), Christina Applegate (“Samantha Who?”) and Maya Rudolph (“SNL”) should be reason enough to tune in. With Lorne Michaels and “SNL” writer Emily Spivey behind the camera, it might be reason enough to stick around.
Why You Might Not: You hate people who swear like sailors around babies. Killjoy.
What It Is: “The New Adventures of Old Christine” but younger and hipper
How It’s Different: Whitney Cummings (“Chelsea Lately”) loves her live-in boyfriend but refuses to get married.
Why You Might Watch: Cummings has a sometimes crass, sometimes wacky charm that is sitcom ready.
Why You Might Not: You’re way over wacky sitcoms.
What It Is: “Leaving Las Vegas” but (hopefully) funnier
How It’s Different: The Chelsea Handler character (Laura Prepon) probably won’t die on the show, though we may want to kill her.
Why You Might Watch: We loved Laura Prepon on “That ‘70s Show.”
Why You Might Not: The show is based on Chelsea Handler’s book of the same name, and Handler plays the part of Sloane, Chelsea’s sister. If you’re not a Handler fan, that’s a whole lot of Chelsea.
What It Is: “Sliding Doors” meets “Jacob’s Ladder”
How It’s Different: Detective Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs, the “Harry Potter” franchise) has a car accident which kills his wife. Or is it his son? Every time Britten wakes up, he flip flops back and forth between contrasting realities in which either his wife or his son is dead. Keeping track of who he’s coming home to is only part of the problem: he also has to keep track of different cases at work and different shrinks (played by Cherry Jones and B.D. Wong).
Why You Might Watch: Jason Isaacs (who’s so deliciously malevolent in the “Potter” movies) grabs our attention even when he’s weighed down by grief, and we’re always happy to see Fez (Wilmer Valderrama, as Britten’s partner Efrem Vega) working.
Why You Might Not: If this show has the same finale as “Jacob’s Ladder,” you’re going to be almost as ticked off as when you watched the ending of “Lost.”
"Bent"
What It Is: “Cheers” without the beer
How It’s Different: Amanda Peet (“Something’s Gotta Give”) plays Alex, a hard-driving career mom who fights her feelings of attraction for her feel-good lothario contractor, (David Walton, “Perfect Couples”)
Why You Might Watch: Because Amanda Peet is always worth watching. Plus Jeffrey Tambor as Pete’s dad will give us “Arrested Development” flashbacks – hopefully in a good way.
Why You Might Not: We get plenty of meet-cute coupling on another NBC show, “Community.”
What It Is: “Fame” meets “A Chorus Line” times “All About Eve”
How It’s Different: When a successful songwriting team (Debra Messing and Christian Borle) start work on a musical about Marilyn Monroe, two strong contenders emerge for the coveted role: polished Broadway vet Ivy (Megan Hilty) and greenhorn Karen (Katharine McPhee). Who will win? And will the production ever get off the ground?
Why You Might Watch: “American Idol” castoff Katharine McPhee. Oh, and Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston as the powerful producer and Jack Davenport (whom BBC fans will recognize from “Coupling”) as the womanizing director of the show.
Why You Might Not: This could be great high drama or it could be pure camp – only time will tell.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login Signupm@m.com I could be wrong but I think Prime Suspect was originally on ITV (another terrestrial UK broadcaster). It's rare, but occasionally something good comes from somewhere other than the BBC!
May 16, 2011 at 6:33PM EST Reply to CommentLJA God, that Laura Prepon/Chelsea Handler clip was awful.
May 16, 2011 at 6:40PM EST Reply to Commentvelocityknown That and Whitney look pretty awful. I feel like NBC is trying to pander to the laugh-track CBS audience.
May 16, 2011 at 8:47PM ESTBut the good news is "Up All Night" looks fantastic (I think at least).
May 16, 2011 at 7:37PM EST Reply to Commentvelocityknown Oh and "Awake" looks very very good. SO disappointed NBC left that on the midseason table.
May 16, 2011 at 9:02PM EST Reply to Comment. Random Thoughts:
May 16, 2011 at 9:44PM EST Reply to CommentI was actually suprised that I liked a good amount of these clips; whitney was much better then expected, bent was a suprise (plus huge crush on peet), and a lot of the others looked pretty good.
An odd point I want to bring up, while watching Grimm did you get the feeling that they were going to reduce all crime/violence/evil to mythical creatures? This seems extremely reductionist and I hope it doesn't go there.
What was up with the laugh track on the Chelsea Handler show and why does the show look so terrible?
Awake looked pretty good, Isacs can be good when he wants to; hopefully Killian develops an understanding of long form narrative.
Hope these boost NBCs standings and I hope handler and whitney fail so they don't start leaning on the traditional sit com tropes.
Shayan Seriously, are we comparing the playboy club to mad men...
May 16, 2011 at 10:54PM EST Reply to CommentAwake looks awesome.
toonsterwu I liked the clips for Awake, Bent, Up All Night, Prime Suspect. I'm willing to take a wait and see on Grimm, Free Agents, the Playboy Club. Rest ... don't expect to care barring exceptional reviews.
May 16, 2011 at 11:18PM EST Reply to Commentmrbilliam Soo... did the Grimm trailer just give me the entire plot of the pilot episode, including the resolution of the climax, only reduced to 4 minutes?
May 16, 2011 at 11:21PM EST Reply to Commenttheholyavenger Free Agents, Up All Night, and Bent- mediocre. Whitney and Chelsea- really terrible
May 16, 2011 at 11:28PM EST Reply to CommentPrime Suspect- Looks like every other cop show but with a weird focus like there's never been a female cop before.
Playboy Club- Not terrible but completely unecessary. The guy needs to stop trying to do a Don Draper impression
Smash- Ehh, might be worth watching just for Katherine Mcphee. What's the goal for that series? Episode focus?
Grimm- sounds like a show that I would find worthless but actually looks decent. Is every case going to be based off a known fairy tale?
Awake- Looks cool, probably the best of the bunch and the only one I'll definitely watch.
KyleBlowers That's literally the same reaction I had half-way through the clip. "A department full of dicks and she's a jane"??? How is anyone supposed to take that seriously especially since, yeah, "female cop in a man's world!" isn't as as it was in 1991 when Prime Suspect(UK) premiered... twenty years ago, seriously, NBC?!?!?
May 18, 2011 at 8:45AM ESTGrimm: "Is every case going to be based off a known fairy tale?" --- Let's hope not, otherwise it's just rehash of Buffy/Angel CW-filler. If it's REALLY a "Fables" comparison expect more noir-detective style conspiracies and supporting characters than just Fairytale-X-Files retread... I REALLY hope bc the look is great..
Agree with most above.. the comedies and other series don't seem to measure up. SMASH, UP ALL NIGHT, BENT seemed unique and/or charming, but everything else was very 'meh' for me.