Fox, 8:00 p.m. ET
SEASON PREMIERE: On the second night of the new fall TV season, there’s nothing new to get truly excited about, and even the good returning shows, by and large, are more acceptable than thrilling. That’s certainly the case here, as Zooey Deschanel’s sitcom, now starting its sophomore year, already feels more like an Old Girl. Another new episode is shown at 9 p.m. ET.
Fox, 8:30 p.m. ET
SERIES PREMIERE: Sandwiched between fresh installments of
New Girl, this new sitcom, from that show’s producers, starts out by introducing an unusual (for TV, that is) central dynamic: a grown sister and brother (played by Dakota Johnson and Nat Faxon), who actually get along. For our collective critical gang’s reaction, see our
TVWW Fall TV Preview page. And for a full review, see Ed Bark’s
Uncle Barky’s Bytes.
CBS, 10:00 p.m. ET
SERIES PREMIERE: Another new series premiere. This one’s a drama, with a good lineage, strong stars (Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis), and an intriguing premise: the building of Las Vegas in the 1960s. The premiere episode isn’t that captivating, but the leads maintain momentum, at least for now. For our collective critical gang’s reaction, see our
TVWW Fall TV Preview page. And for a full review, see Ed Bark’s
Uncle Barky’s Bytes.
NBC, 10:00 p.m. ET
Ray Romano, as Hank, has been an instantly valuable asset to this already strong dramatic series – I hope the writers find a way to keep him around, with an increasingly central role. But if not, make sure to enjoy him while we have him. Between this series and Men of a Certain Age, he’s proven he can play drama just as well as comedy, and with just as much empathy and likability.
FX, 10:00 p.m. ET
So who’s the most dangerous faction running around in town right now? The Sons of Anarchy, just dispatched for a short prison stay? The other inmates out to kill them? The CIA informants and agents who may or may not have the Sons’ interests at heart? The ruthless new mob boss, played by Harold Parrineau? Or the wounded but not dead Clay (Ron Perlman), who’s down but by no means out? With this crew, and those options, no wonder this FX series is more popular than ever. And, so far this season, more violent.