TV Features

New Wave of Dramas with a Genre Twist

By
early September, the summer TV season is drawing to a close and the
fall premiere week is just around the corner, so it is time for
dicing and slicing the new crop of shows in the hope of getting some
idea on what to except. Sometimes, in the process of sifting through
them one more time, a previously unnoticed trend is uncovered. Networks
are always looking for the next big thing, the next idea with the
potential to make them lead  — or at least contribute to them leading —
the pack for a while before the others catch up or before the dreaded
viewer fatigue. This fall, it seems some of the networks are betting on
a particular formula for TV series. These new shows are your typical
procedural or medical dramas with a little genre twist spicing things
up and possibly setting them across categories.

Summer Glau: Unfortunate Choices or ‘Curse’?

Depending
on your age or maybe your preferences in science fiction, the name
Summer Glau is likely to conjure up one of two sets of images. You
might see a fragile, seemingly unbalanced young woman with graceful
ballerina steps and an iconic image of her appearing surrounded by
bodies, herself unscathed, head down with outstretched hands holding an
axe and a sword. You might also have glimpses of a cold, always
machine-like, and yet possibly the most bewitching human-like android
that ever appeared on TV.

Will Powers Be a Hit For FX?

I should begin this article by
admitting I’m not an expert on Powers.
I’m not an expert on any comic actually, this being only the
third series I have ventured into. But since starting the first
issue about a week ago, I haven’t been able to stop. Now I’m as
excited as any fan to start seeing promos featuring caped figure’s in
chalk outlines. Though that won’t be happening for awhile, if ever,
as the series has yet to be greenlit past a pilot, and if it is
picked up would likely be looking at a mid-2012 premiere date. Though
with the news that FX President John Landgraf has enjoyed what he has
seen so far of the pilot(that finished shooting earlier this month),
there is a good chance Powers will be finding its way onto
television screens. Which has me wondering if the series will be
able to capture the appeal of its source material.

At first the concept of Powers
didn’t sound all that enticing to me; especially as a television
series. The comics tell the tale of two homicide detectives who face
the usual crime that comes with any big city, but with one small
difference: they also share their jurisdiction with all manner of
superheroes and villains. A police procedural with fantastical
elements; NBC just had two of those this pilot season(Grimm
that will be airing in this fall, and 17th Precinct which
wasn’t picked up). Needless to say, it was a concept I had heard
before, and even knowing the comic had over ten years on these new
shows didn’t make me any more open to the idea. It was once I
stopped judging a book by it’s cover that I realized Powers
had a very unique story to tell, that was set in an enthralling
universe. And as luck would have it, FX seems intent on staying true
to that story.

Fall Viewing Guide

In those places that have trees, the leaves are falling. Blockbuster season is over and Oscar contenders are beginning to hit theaters, but the most important thing about the fall, (at least as far as we’re concerned) is the return of 90% of everything good on television. Summer isn’t without its charms, but when it comes to TV, the fall is where it all begins. Serialized dramas and the comedy elites return to the screens for your and our viewing pleasure, but with so much to choose from and only so much time in the day, how does one choose? That question is sadly unanswerable, but to lend a helping hand, we thought we’d put together our thoughts on some of the best that’s out there.

Nick’s Picks 

Archer (FX) September 15, 10:00PM EST

Someone call Kenny Loggins, because the gang from Isis are back in the “Danger Zone” this Fall. A trio of episodes will be airing to help build anticipation for the third season; which is premiering in 2012. Archer is a must for anyone calling themselves a fan of comedy, and this is the perfect opportunity to jump on board. There is no reason not to stick around after the first three episodes of It’s Always Sunny and be treated to Archer’s subtle genius. The best comedic cast since Arrested Development is reason enough to watch (don’t let his Comedy Central show fool you; H. Jon Benjamin is one of the funniest people alive), but the series also features some of the sharpest writing TV has seen in years. Dialogue that moves so fast it’s hard to keep up with all the laughs and deeply layered running jokes are just two of the things this show does incredibly well.

Face-off of the New Fall Comedies

The Fall schedule has its fair share of
new comedies, and I can think of no better way to welcome these fresh
faces than by pitting them against each other. Matched up based on
their similar themes of family, friends, relationships, and men that
aren’t quite men; are eight of TV’s latest comedic ventures.
Single-camera series square off against the more traditional
multi-cam format to decide which is worthy of your time. So place
your bets on which shows will make it to the twelfth round, and which
will be knocked out as soon as the bell rings.

The Dark Days Are Coming: A Look at Dexter Season Six

To say that there has been hype about the upcoming season of Dexter
would be a bit of an understatement, somewhat like saying that the
serial killer is a well-balanced and perfectly normal member of society.
With Rita’s shocking exit from the show at the end of the fourth season
came one of the more dramatic twists of any show in recent memory, and
along with it came both speculation and worry – the latter
of which was not necessarily removed from fans’ minds when the fifth
season came to pass. The worries for the most part came in the form of
questions surrounding the direction of the show. Although Dexter lived
on before his wife, the show had always been relationship-based, most
specifically focusing on how Dexter kept his Dark Passenger a secret.

Why Syfy’s Alpha Abilities Are So Refreshing

I have been watching Alphas
for only a couple of weeks now, and I have to say it took me by
surprise. Like everyone who has been exposed to comic book superheroes
and the sleuth of recent years’ summer blockbusters, I thought I knew
what to expect. I turned out to be wrong on many things, but what really
struck me was the series’ take on superpowers. Indulge me for a while
and allow me to show you why to me it’s been — so far at least — so
refreshing.

They Died So Young: 5 Great Three Season Shows

Alright. So three seasons is not all
that young when it comes to the lifetimes of television shows, but
that’s my tagline. And just as with the ones from the first two
features, these series were also killed off before their time. In
this final installment I’ll cover five more series that were still
taken from us too soon, despite them lasting longer than many great
shows. There’s an old show about futuristic space, and a recent show
about the old west. A dramedy about a teen detective, and a comedy
about a dysfunctional family. And no list of great three seasons
shows would be complete without a cult classic featuring a tattoo
named Petunia.

What You Should Be Watching

Summer
will soon be drawing to a close, so TV series with short-season orders
are each concluding their season or are right in the middle of it. We at
Player Affinity TV thought we should help you enjoy your summer by
checking the landscape for you, and recommending only those series you
should be watching. These picks are not for everyone, but they each have
a quality that sets them above others in their category.

Television’s Greatest Leaders of the Last Decade

The past ten years of television have
given us many incredible leaders of men, but I wanted to pay homage
to the cream of crop. Making the cut are the most benevolent, the
most selfless, and the the most determined of commanders. Their
domains range from entire countries down to single departments, but
they are all inspiring figures and deserve recognition for their
roles in modern television.