Fall TV 2016 Premieres: 5 New Network TV Shows To Watch This Season
Fall TV season is almost here with a fresh set of television episodes for some of your favorites like Big Bang Theory and Modern Family. But, if your favorite show got cancelled and you’re looking for something new, here are some fresh TV shows on the Fall schedule that have been generating some buzz.
Kevin James Is Back
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Kevin James returns to television after a nearly ten-year hiatus since his last season of King of Queens with a new sitcom Kevin Can Wait. James took a break from TV to pursue a moderately successful film career, but he doesn’t see his return to television as a step back, rather, something he is comfortable with.
The premise of the show has James playing a newly retired police officer who is adjusting to spending quality time with his wife and three kids. Though James’ supporting cast is less well known, King of Queens fans will be happy to see the return of his real-life brother Gary Valentine. Starting in possibly the best time slot available for not just Fall TV but a new series premiere, the first episode of Kevin Can Wait airs this Monday, September 19 on CBS right after Big Bang Theory’s Season 10 premiere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuNcS1-Xpxs
Move Over Veronica Mars, Kristen Bell Has a New Gig
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Kristen Bell also makes her return to television this Fall with sitcom veteran Ted Danson in The Good Place for NBC. Bell plays a character who discovers she has passed away and a case of mistaken identity has placed the woman of shady morals in the “good” place instead of the “bad” place. Early reviews of the show have been positive, but as Rob Lowe can attest from last season’s cancellation of The Grinder, the critical response doesn’t necessarily matter if the ratings aren’t there.
The Fall TV premiere of The Good Place will air on Monday night, September 19, behind NBC’s highly successful The Voice, Season 11 premiere. Bell and Danson will need to make a good impression from the get-go in order to get the audience to follow them over to their regularly scheduled TV time slot of Thursday nights between Superstore and Chicago Med. NBC used to dominate Thursday nights in the eras of The Cosby Show and Friends but has struggled to keep up with their “Must See TV” mantra in the past couple of years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMf24rEsMOs
NBC Tries to Fill the Parenthood Void
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For those who are still struggling with missing the Braverman’s of Parenthood, NBC is hopeful that its new show This is Us will fill the void. Starring Milo Ventimiglia of Gilmore Girls fame, Mandy Moore, and recent Emmy nominee Sterling K. Brown, This is Us follows the story of a group of people who have a shared birthday and how their lives unfold. The trailer, which NBC shared four months ago, has garnered more than 8 million views, which bodes well for the new show’s odds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfUiKg28r_M
That being said, NBC may be risking losing viewers of its new Fall TV hopeful. According to TVLine, This is Us will make its Fall TV debut on Tuesday, September 20 at 10/9c before moving to its regular time slot of 9:00 p.m. The hope here is obviously that the first few episodes will pick up a large enough audience following The Voice lead-in to dominate the Tuesday night network ratings.
Kiefer Sutherland is Back for Thrills
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Kiefer Sutherland may have left the role of 24’s Jack Bauer behind, but he returns to network television in the ABC political thriller Designated Survivor. Sutherland plays a lower level government employee who is thrown into the presidency after all other members of the cabinet and congress are killed in a catastrophic event. With Sutherland’s past success in 24 and ABC’s winning formula when it comes to the thriller drama genre with shows like How to Get Away with Murder and Scandal, it seems like this Fall TV show is destined for high ratings.
Early critical response has been off the charts in favor of Sutherland’s drama, making it seem like ABC has another winner on his hands. The Fall TV premiere of Designated Survivor is set for this Wednesday, September 21 at 9:00 p.m., airing right after ABC darlings Modern Family and Blackish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_f1v0Nx5Sw
CBS Snags Another Friend
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Friends star Matthew Perry made the leap to CBS two years ago with The Odd Couple and now his buddy and Friends cast mate Matt LeBlanc will also get his chance with the network. LeBlanc stars as a contractor who takes on more household responsibilities after his wife returns to work in the new television comedy Man with a Plan. The formula is familiar and LeBlanc comes across as a Tony Danza from Who’s the Boss meets Patrick Duffy in Step by Step in the trailer.
According to Digital Spy, Man with a Plan has already suffered a recast and reshoot with a new female lead which could mean that the show was doomed before it began. That being said, LeBlanc and Perry will be airing on the same night which could appeal to those who are missing their Friends fix and are tired of reruns.
Man with a Plan gets its Fall TV debut later than the other aforementioned television shows with its premiere date being October 24, at 8:30 p.m. EST. This could work in the show’s favor as finicky television viewers will have decided whether or not they want to remain vested in the other new Fall TV shows. Or it could backfire on LeBlanc and mean he has another Joey or even worse, Top of the Heap, on his hands.
Is there a TV show you’re looking forward to this Fall TV premiere season? Tell us about it!
[Featured Image by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images and Mike Windle/Getty Images]
