Welcome back to our TV Preview series! Over the next couple of months, we’ll be taking a look at the shows we highlighted in our TV Preview: New Friends post, and voicing our opinions on what’s good, what’s bad, what’s meh, and what you can avoid at all costs.
Warning! Possible spoilers ahead.
Premiered: Oct. 2 on NBC (Watch online.)
Twitter Pitch
Two cute people meet and fall in love, but #RelationshipsArentEasy and many #RelationshipsDontLastForever. But they’ll have fun along the way!
Familiar Faces
Ben Feldman as Andrew
Cristin Milloti as Zelda
Lenora Crichlow as Stephie
Parvesh Cheena as Dinesh
Lea Thompson as herself
Faces That Might Become Familiar (If You Keep Watching)
Henry Zebrowski as Stu
Christina Kirk as Lydia
Eric Normington as the bartender
Hong Chau as Lora
Redeeming Qualities
Emily: Ben Feldman and Cristin Milioti have great chemistry! The pilot is sweet, and while I never laughed out loud, I did have a smile on my face while watching. So far, this feels like a love story I would want to be in ...
Mandy: I’m looking for a replacement for my rom-sitcom fix, since I gave up on New Girl at the end of the last season and How I Met Your Mother has (thankfully) finally drawn to a close. Andrew and Zelda are kind of too cute for words, but I can see it being more in a good way than in a cloying way. I’m also curious to find out what happens when they stop dating—do they break up? Or does that mean another step in their relationship?
It's Not Me, It's You
Emily: So, does the fact that Katey Sagal tells me how long their relationship lasts (8 months and some odd days) mean that it ends after that? I saw 500 Days Of Summer (which I enjoyed), but not sure I want to invest week after week in a couple that's doomed from the start. Or is that just a ploy? I find it very confusing.
Mandy: Saying this first and foremost: Stu’s gotta go. Or his character needs some serious adjusting. And again with the voiceover. Katey Sagal’s narration is more intriguing than obtrusive, but really. What is with that being in so many shows this season?
Let's Do This Again
Emily: Why not? I'm a sucker for a good romantic comedy, and this feels right up my alley. Plus, I walked away from some not-to-be-named comedies last season that just became painful, so I'm good with adding a few half hours to the DVR to try. They're fun to watch after the dark shows, and easy to marathon if I fall behind.
Mandy: I’m going to give this show at least a few more episodes to hook me. If it doesn’t—or Stu gets worse—I don’t think I’ll feel bad about giving it up. It has promise, but I don’t love love it yet.
Premiered: Oct. 2 on Fox (Watch online.)
Twitter Pitch
Small town murder. Everyone's a suspect. #SoundFamiliar? Only this time, #DoctorWhoWillSolveIt!
Familiar Faces
Virginia Kull as Beth Solano
Michael Peña as Mark Solano
Kevin Zegers as Owen
Kendrick Sampson as Dean Iverson
Anna Gunn as Det. Ellie Miller
Josh Hamilton as Joe Miller
Adam Greydon Reid as Raymond Connelly
Sarah-Jane Potts as Gemma Fisher
Tom Butler as Chief Morgan
Alisen Down as Kathy Eaton
David Tennant as Emmett Carver
Shaker Paleja as Officer Bob Yeaton
Nick Nolte as Jack Reinhold
Jacki Weaver as Susan Wright
Darcy Laurie as Hugo Garcia
Jessica Lucas as Renee
Kevin Rankin as Rev. Paul Coates
Faces That Might Become Familiar (If You Keep Watching)
Nikolas Filipovic as Danny Solano
Madalyn Horcher as Chloe Solano
Stephen Louis Grush as Vince Novik
Redeeming Qualities
Emily: It's not like we haven't seen a small town murder where everyone's a suspect before...but that doesn't mean I'm not drawn in all the same. The pilot was well crafted in that every person seems to "know something," and I'm a fan of the "trust no one" plot twists. I like a good over arching mystery, and for a pilot this one was well enough acted and written that I'm curious to see where it goes.
Mandy: Many people have said that the British version of this show—Broadchurch—is fabulous. But I’ve never seen Broadchurch, so I don’t have much to compare it to. But, David Tennant is back on my small screen!
It's Not Me, It's You
Emily: There's a long shot where Detectives Carver and Miller tell the family that they found a body. It just stays on the family as they start crying and it is super awkward, and not in a "I'm watching an emotional moment and need to avert my eyes" way. It was very jolting and uncomfortable. Besides that, the pilot felt a little long. This may seem to contradict my "redeeming qualities" comment, but we have seen this before, so let's jump to the part that's different. Boy was murdered, it could be anyone (including the family), the detectives seem to have emotional issues that may mean they shouldn't be on the case, we get it. Now let's jump to the part that makes this show different. Because there has to be something, right?
Mandy: To be quite honest, I’m not sure I’m quite getting the suspense this show is supposed to be eliciting. It’s very twisty, but it didn’t quite catch my attention. Perhaps it’s the slow, calm feel of the show, which I found kind of strange for a show about a murder? I guess I’m used to a faster pace, and this show definitely a slow burn. Also, Ellie is kind of a terrible cop? Her emotions were constantly getting in the way of her doing her job.
Let's Do This Again
Emily: A "10 Episode Mystery Event" seems completely doable right now. If I get sucked in, I know in 10 weeks I'll have solved a murder, so that's exciting right there. And if by week 3 or 4 I really don't care who did it, I can delete the series without feeling like I'm causing the cancellation of the next great show. So, for the moment, the DVR series record is still set.
Mandy: As it’s only 10 episodes, I think I’ll watch the rest of the mini-series even if it continues to be a bit slow. I might not watch an episode each week, but I’ll eventually get around to the reveal.
Did you watch A to Z and/or Gracepoint? If so, let us know your thoughts below!