The 2012-2013 Television Season: An Overall Look

The Network Logos

Grid from TVLine.com

And that’s it. That’s our fall schedule. I’ve given my thoughts on NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and The CW. And my first thought is– what a disappointing season. Admittedly, I tend to be cynical/pessimistic/overly critical, but it’s hard to pick out a show that really stands out, whether for me personally or for television in general. Do any of the offerings have any buzz around them? Any excitement?

I have shows that I am willing to try, but none reach that “must see” level for me. Last Resort probably looks the best, but it still lacks that wow factor. And the fact that it’s going against two of CBS and FOX’s biggest hits makes one wonder its chances at survival. Revolution looks to have good production values, but we’ve been burned by that type of series before, a lot. 666 Park Avenue looks more like a lark than genuinely chilling. And I’d like a better first impression from Vegas than “this might work…if it were on cable…and Dennis Quaid wasn’t the lead.” Elementary tries to have its cake and eat it too by adopting the insane modern Sherlock while making him remorseful and palatable for a mass audience. And ABC’s midseason replacement Zero Hour looks like the most ridiculous show ever made. Is a CW show (Arrow) really one of the high points of the season?

In the comedy realm, nothing seems particularly amusing. NBC might have ordered a large amount of sitcoms, but do any of them look funny? From the first promos, Next Caller looked the best, and that stars Dane Cook if you want an idea about how dire the situation is. ABC has overly invested in the family sitcom (is it due to Disney ownership?), and The Neighbors made an impression simply because it looks so insanely terrible that it might actually exist in that weird realm between terrible and good. The more I think about it, the more annoyed I am by Partners, a show whose stale ethnic and sexual orientation jokes make you wonder if its creators’ sense of humor has evolved since the 1980s.

If I had to guess the first show to be cancelled, I’d pick Partners with The Mob Doctor close behind. If I had to guess the success, I’d say Nashville, with 666 Park Avenue in second place.

So do any of you readers have any thoughts? Anything that strikes your fancy on any network?

Brett Harrison Davinger

To contact me, e-mail brett.davinger@gmail.com.