Talk Back Redux: Which New Fall Series Are You Still Watching?

About two weeks ago, I asked readers to discuss which of the crop of new fall series they were still watching after sampling. I posted the question on the heels of the cancellation of FOX's Lone Star and ABC's My Generation, both of which were yanked from the airwaves after just two broadcasts.

A few weeks later, CBS yesterday picked up all five (yes, five!) of its new fall offerings, giving $#*! My Dad Says, Hawaii Five-0, Mike & Molly, The Defenders, and Blue Bloods full seasons.

It's rare for a network to go five-for-five when it comes to their freshman shows, but it also points to just what a middling season of television this has turned out to be thus far. A season where even NBC is giving a vote of confidence to mediocre series like The Event, Chase, and Outsourced... and ordering more scripts for Undercovers.

So now that the dust has settled a bit more, I'm wondering once again: what are you still watching a few weeks on from the initial question? What has fallen by the wayside in the time since? Are you still sticking with Nikita or No Ordinary Family? Curious to see whether Undercovers will improve?

What are you still watching? And what have you deleted from your TiVo Season Pass list?

Talk back here.

Talk Back: Which New Fall Series Are You Still Watching?

Sigh.

Personally, I think this batch of new series is pretty much a wash so far. Given the cancellations already of both FOX's Lone Star and ABC's My Generation, the clock is already ticking for more than a few other freshman series. (My money's on either The Whole Truth or Outlaw to be the next to fall.)

But, just out of (morbid) curiosity, I'm wondering which new fall series you're still watching and which you've already consigned to the dust heap of memory (or at least deleted your TiVo season pass).

Still hooked on The Event? Curious about Undercovers? Already passed on Running Wilde or Raising Hope? What are your thoughts on Hawaii Five-O, Mike and Molly, Chase, No Ordinary Family, Blue Bloods, The Defenders, Bleep My Dad Says, Nikita, and Hellcats?

Is there anything you've given a reprieve to or a complete pass? (And, yes, feel free to include new cable series like HBO's Boardwalk Empire or FX's Terriers, the only two new fall series that I've really taken a shine to.)

Talk back here.

Talk Back: What Did You Think of the Series Premiere of ABC's No Ordinary Family?

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... Michael Chiklis jumping over a building.

Now that ABC has launched its family-friendly superhero drama No Ordinary Family, I'm curious to hear what you thought about the Greg Berlanti/Jon Harmon Feldman-created pilot episode.

I was very frank about my own feelings about the pilot, which I've now seen no less than three different versions of since it was picked up to series in May. But now that the premiere has aired, I want to hear what you thought about the episode in question.

Did you enjoy the pilot? Were you bothered at all by the tonal inconsistencies? What did you make of the various coincidences that sprung up throughout the pilot, from the appearance of other super-powered types to that final reveal at the very end? What did you think about the fact that their powers were all connected to their internal struggles and did you find that to be on the nose at all?

And, most importantly, will you tune in again next week?

Talk back here.

Next week on No Ordinary Family ("No Ordinary Marriage"), Jim and Stephanie keep their powers under wraps, but it doesn't mean their abilities are dormant as Jim hunts for bank robbers and Stephanie goes back to work.

ABC's No Ordinary Family is Painfully Ordinary

ABC's superhero dramedy No Ordinary Family might be all the more frustrating because it has the potential to be something fun and irreverent, but instead is tonally inconsistent and plays too heavily with the sentimental and saccharine. To borrow some superhero parlance, rather than leaping tall buildings in a single bound, it thuds to earth with a sonic boom.

Creators Greg Berlanti and Jon Harmon Feldman want to have it both ways: he wants a superhero spectacle that borrows liberally from the success and charm of Pixar's The Incredibles but he also wants to tackle familial issues as well. When the Powells crash their plane into a remote section of the Amazon, they're granted extraordinary powers that separate them from mere mortals. Which would be enough of a suspension of disbelief but the powers they receive just happen to coincide with their particular cross to bear in life.

Father and husband Jim (Michael Chiklis), a police sketch artist by trade, has lost his spark and masculine edge: he's granted super-strength and nigh invulnerability, a bald-headed Hulk who can leap great distances. His wife, Stephanie (Julie Benz) is a harried scientist who is pulled in too many directions at once: she's gifted with super-speed! Kay Panabaker's Daphne can't understand her boyfriend or boys in general; she's the typical closed-off teenage girl, so of course she receives telepathy! And son JJ (Jimmy Bennett) is academically unmotivated, so he becomes a super-genius!

It's all a bit too neat and tidy as the Powells receive the very things that enable them to become better people, as Jim begins to moonlight as a steel-skinned vigilante, thanks to some assistance from his BFF George St. Cloud (Romany Malco); Stephanie is able to speed down a freeway and make a meeting on time. Daphne learns the truth about her boyfriend and JJ finally shines in the classroom.

But by solving their interior conflicts, the deus ex machina doesn't leave the series much room to grow either. It's also a bit head-scratching that the Powells would receive their newfound powers by landing in a remote section of the Amazon River and then return home to cross paths with other super-powered personae. It's a bit too coincidental and a final act reveal does nothing to ameliorate the strain of incredulity. Despite its efforts not to be Heroes 2.0, that's exactly what it began to feel like by the end of the hour, albeit a Heroes that focuses on more on hearth and home rather than, um, Sylar.

And, as mentioned earlier, there's a odd tonal inconsistency to the proceedings. In the pilot, the show tries to be cutesy, scary, and cozy in rapid-fire succession. While it wears its family entertainment badge of honor on its sleeve, it doesn't quite jibe with some of the violence that Jim encounters when he comes face to face with--SPOILER!--a teleporting thief with a penchant for firearms.

While No Ordinary Family could develop into a family-centric guilty pleasure in the 8 pm timeslot, it has a hell of a long road to reach that aim. Personally, I'd rather pop in my DVD of The Incredibles while they attempt to get there.

No Ordinary Family launches tonight at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC.

Channel Surfing: USA Renews Covert Affairs, Lost Star Could Be Rockford, Lie to Me Grabs Gunn, Cannavale to Blue Bloods, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

Good news for Annie Walker fans: USA has officially ordered a second season of espionage drama Cover Affairs. No word was given on an episodic order nor when Season Two of the Universal Cable Production-based series would launch, though the first season of the CIA drama is currently in full swing on the cabler. Series, which is shot on location in Toronto, is currently the highest rated cable series on Tuesdays in the 10 pm hour. (via press release)

Longtime followers on Twitter will remember that I pushed Josh Holloway for the role of Jim Rockford in NBC's resurrected The Rockford Files back in the spring when I read the pilot script. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is now pushing Holloway as well and reports that the former Lost star has been "mentioned in connection to the project, but [an unnamed] insider stresses that there are no serious talks going on at this time." So it's not like an offer has gone out to Holloway or anything but the project is still alive and kicking, even after an abysmal pilot that starred Dermot Mulroney in the role that James Garner made famous. [Editor: Personally, I think Holloway would be a significant improvement.] (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Breaking Bad star Anna Gunn will guest star this fall on FOX drama Lie to Me, where she will play Internal Affairs Detective Jenkins, described as "an ambitious, politically savvy police officer on the fast track to the top [who] realizes Lightman is someone who must be handled with caution as she tries to bring down Detective Wallowski." Gunn is set to appear in the season's third episode, which will air on November 24th. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

TVGuide.com's Adam Bryant is reporting that Bobby Cannavale (Cupid) has joined the cast of CBS' fall drama series Blue Bloods, where he will play Charles Rosselini, the boss of Bridget Moynahan's Erin. Rosselini is described as a "talented and popular Manhattan DA [who has] political ambitions, but as an ex-cop who served nearly 10 on the force before finishing law school, he remains a bit rough around the edges." He'll first appear in the October 15th episode. (TVGuide.com)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Ryan Devlin is headed back to ABC's Grey's Anatomy this season, where he will appear in a multiple-episode story arc set to begin in November, when he will reprise his role as the husband of Mandy Moore's character. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

HBO is said to be developing a series based in Los Angeles' adult film business, according to a report in The New York Post's Page Six, which claims that Mark Wahlberg and Steve Levinson have teamed up with writer James Frey--yes, that James Frey--for a drama series that will feature actors and adult performers. "The plot will focus on a giant video company under siege from Internet competitors and a girl from the Midwest whose boyfriend convinces her to move to Los Angeles to become a star," according to Page Six. Frey, meanwhile, said, "We're going to make a sprawling epic about the porn business in LA. We're going to tell the type of stories no one else has told before, and go places no one has gone before." (New York Post)

Could John May (Michael Trucco) be heading back to ABC's V? Showrunner Scott Rosenbaum tells TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams that Trucco might be popping up on the alien invasion drama again. "John May may return," said Rosenbaum. So could he be alive? "That's what they hinted to me," Michael Trucco told TVGuide.com. "I thought, 'OK, he's dead, but he's coming back?' They're like, 'Nope, he's dead.' I wrote that off as a one-off [appearance], but they made some indication that maybe he'd come back." (TVGuide.com)

Michael J. Fox is set to guest star on CBS' The Good Wife this season, where he will play Simon Canning, described as "a shrewd and cynical litigator whom Alicia (Margulies) faces in a massive class action [who] is willing to use anything in court, including symptoms of his neurological condition, to create sympathy for his otherwise unsympathetic client: a giant pharmaceutical company." “We’re absolutely thrilled that Michael has agreed to play this role,” said executive producers and show creators Robert and Michelle King in a press release. “His intelligence as an actor, combined with his incredible comic timing will really bring this smart, cynical lawyer to life.” (via press release)

TVGuide.com's Gina DiNunno has an interview with this week's ousted Top Chef contestant, Alex Reznik, in which they discuss, yes, the pea puree debacle and the Restaurant Wars drama, among other topics. "At no time during the show did I know the pea puree was an issue and that people were accusing me of stealing something," said Reznik. "It's not in my inherent nature [to steal]. So at no point did I ever try to defend myself... Amanda saw me make it. The day before, Kelly tasted my peas. The people on the show know I didn't take it. I can't really say what happened to [Ed's pea puree]. All I know is when I got to the challenge, the first thing I did was puree peas. They can't show everything. The reality was I won that challenge and it was masked by the pea puree." (TVGuide.com)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that Stephen Collins--best known for his role on 7th Heaven and next to be seen on ABC's fall drama No Ordinary Family--will guest star in the fourth episode of the upcoming season of Brothers & Sisters, where he will play Charlie, a man who helps Saul deal with his HIV diagnosis. "I don't want this to be like a TV Movie of the Week," executive producer David Marshall Grant told Keck. "Even though he didn't know his diagnosis until recently, I have a feeling Saul has been dealing with this for years. He hasn't been frequenting gay bars." (TV Guide Magazine)

Scott Caan's recent knee injury will be worked into the plot of CBS' Hawaii Five-0 this season, according to E! Online's Megan Masters. "According to an H50 rep, Scott's injury will not affect production in the least," writes Masters. "In fact, the also-Entourage star won't even need to miss an episode during his recovery, and is set to return to work Aug. 23... Said bumps and bruises will simply be written into the script, when Danno suffers a spill at the hands of his partner (played by Alex O'Loughlin—sigh). In the post-injury ep, the two visit the doctor's office together and when asked if he's suffered any trauma lately, Mr. "Book 'Em" responds: "I've got a partner—this guy is a physical injury!" (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

TVGuide.com's Adam Bryant is reporting that David Alan Grier will guest star on FOX's Bones this season, where he will play Professor Bunsen Jude the Science Dude, described as the "quirky host of a children's TV program" in the vein of Bill Nye the Science Guy. "He comes to the Jeffersonian Institute hoping to get Brennan (Emily Deschanel) on his show as a guest scientist," writes Bryant. "When Brennan scoffs at Jude's offer because she doesn't consider him a serious scientist, Jude volunteers to work with the 'squinterns' to help solve a murder case. Brennan agrees to appear on Jude's show if he is successful." (TVGuide.com)

More guest stars heading to Syfy's Eureka, with Ming-Na (Stargate Universe) and comic book legend Stan Lee set to descend on the Pacific Northwest town. "Ming-Na will portray U.S. Senator Alice Wen who arrives in Eureka to handle a sensitive matter within Global Dynamics," according to a Syfy press release. "Her character may appear in more than one episode. Details of Stan Lee's appearance are being kept under wraps. No airdates have been set at this time." They join previously announced guest stars Wil Wheaton, Jamie Kennedy, Chris Parnell, Felicia Day, Jaime Ray Newman, Ed Quinn, and Matt Frewer. (via press release)

NBC has renewed Last Call with Carson Daly for a fifth season. (Variety)

Chelsea Handler will host this year's MTV Video Music Awards. "If there's one awards show that I should be hosting, it's probably this one," Handler told The New York Times. "My personality probably wouldn't gel with the Emmys or the Golden Globes." (New York Times)

Don't hold your breath waiting for a Glee cover of a Kings of Leon song: the band turned down a request to license its music to the FOX musical-comedy. (Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Renee Felice Smith has been cast in a recurring role on CBS' NCIS: LA, where she will play Nell, described as "an incredibly bright, somewhat quirky, and extremely chatty intelligence analyst who’ll be assisting Eric (Barrett Foa) in the OPS center." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Universal Media Studios has signed a two-year overall deal with Parks and Recreation writer/producer Alan Yang, under which he will remain aboard the ensemble comedy while also developing new projects for the studio. (Deadline)

Former AMC executive Christina Wayne and her new company Cineflix Studios is set to pitch a comedy series based on Ariel Leve's novel "It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me," according to Variety's Cynthia Littleton. Script was written by Leve "with guidance from Wayne," and revolves around "successful femme journo in her late 30s whose life is turned upside down when she loses her job." (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: No Ordinary Family Cuts Two, Emily Deschanel Talks Booth/Brennan Romance, HBO Axes Tim, Parks and Rec, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that ABC's upcoming superhero drama No Ordinary Family is undergoing some casting changes as Tate Donovan (Damages) and Christina Chang (CSI: Miami). The actors respectively played the family's doomed pilot and a detective at the precinct where Michael Chiklis' character worked as a police sketch artist. An unnamed source close to the production told Ausiello that the decision was storyline-based and that producers hoped to bring both actors back in a guest starring capacity if their schedules allowed for it. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos has an interview with Bones star Emily Deschanel, in which she asks the actress about the will-they-or-won't-they romance between Brennan and David Boreanaz's Booth. So will the star-crossed duo ever come together? "[In] the 100th episode we came very close," Deschanel told Dos Santos. "And I think we keep moving forward... I was just talking to Hart Hanson, the creator of our show, about if Booth and Brennan get together in the next season, and I can't tell you what we decided." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that HBO has cancelled animated comedy The Life and Times of Tim... but studio Media Rights Capital is said to be shopping the Steve Dildarian-created series to other outlets, including Comedy Central, Adult Swim, and TBS. "A deal would be complex as it would include the existing 20 episodes as well as a potential new season of the show," writes Andreeva. [Editor: I heard about this a few days ago and was crushed to learn of HBO's decision as I adore Tim and hope it finds a new home soon.] (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Saturday Night Live (and MacGruber) star Will Forte is set to guest star in a third season episode of NBC's Parks and Recreation, which will return to the lineup in midseason. "The MacGruber spoofster will play a Pawnee resident whose obsession with the Twilight franchise complicates a pet project Poehler’s Leslie is working on," writes Ausiello. "Hint: Think time capsule."

Starz has unveiled its cast for its ten-episode medieval drama Camelot, set to premiere in early 2011. The cast of the international co-production will include Joseph Fiennes (FlashForward) as Merlin, Eva Green (Casino Royale) as Morgana, Jamie Campbell Bower (The Prisoner) as Arthur, and Tamsin Egerton as Guinevere. "With Joseph Fiennes, Eva Green, Jamie Campbell Bower and Tamsin Egerton in the cast, we've got actors who can bring real passion and intensity to their roles," said Starz President and CEO Chris Albrecht in a statement. (via press release)

CBS is said to have given a thirteen-episode order to comedy Mad Love, created by Matt Tarses, and will air the Sony Pictures Television-produced series in midseason, according to Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice. Project stars Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights) Lizzy Caplan (Party Down), and Jason Biggs (American Pie). (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

Ira Ungerleider has been hired as showrunner and executive producer of NBC's upcoming comedy series Friends with Benefits, from 20th Century Fox Television. As part of his deal, Underleider has also signed a blind script deal with the studio. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice is reporting that Lauralee Bell will reprise her role as Christine Blair on CBS soap The Young and the Restless beginning July 15th. "Her return is expected to last about a month, during which time Christine will reunite with Paul and Nina," writes Rice, "and harbor some secrets that will impact them and their children." (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

HBO has ordered a documentary based on Carrie Fisher's one-woman show Wishful Drinking, which will mix segments from the stage show with archival footage and interviews. (Variety)

BSkyB signed a deal to purchase Virgin Media Television's portfolio of channels, which includes Bravo and Living and five other webs in the UK. The deal, hailed by BSkyB CEO Jeremy Darroch as "an attractive investment opportunity which complements our existing content business and delivers strategic and financial benefits," is subject to regulatory approval. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

ABC New Series Previews: No Ordinary Family, The Whole Truth, My Generation, Off the Map, Detroit 1-8-7, Body of Proof, Mr. Sunshine and More

ABC unveiled its fall schedule and new programming offerings to advertisers today in New York, continuing the second official day of network upfronts week.

(You can read more about ABC's schedule and and read episode descriptions here.)

Not in New York? You can check out the show previews for ABC's newest series, including No Ordinary Family, The Whole Truth, My Generation, Off the Map, Detroit 1-8-7, Body of Proof, Mr. Sunshine, Happy Endings, and Better Together, below.

NO ORDINARY FAMILY



THE WHOLE TRUTH



MY GENERATION



OFF THE MAP



DETROIT 1-8-7



BODY OF PROOF



MR. SUNSHINE



BETTER TOGETHER



HAPPY ENDINGS



SECRET MILLIONAIRE



Which of these series look best to you? Which are you planning on checking out? And which will not even warrant a quick glance? Head to the comments section to discuss.

Exclusive: NBC Officially Announces Chuck Renewal, But Producer Ali Adler Moving On

NBC today officially announced that it had renewed action-comedy Chuck for a fourth season of thirteen episodes, landing it a spot on the 2010-11 schedule at the Peacock.

"Chuck has proven its enduring appeal and we love the new creative direction that Josh and Chris have taken the show," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios, in a statement.

While news of the renewal leaked out yesterday (and was itself confirmed earlier today by co-creator Josh Schwartz via Twitter), NBC today officially gave words of the Season Four renewal of Chuck in a press release that also touted the series order of several projects including Outlaws (formerly known as Garza), Harry's Law (formerly known as Kindreds), superhero drama The Cape, and comedy Friends with Benefits.

While the news of Chuck's renewal is cause for celebration, there is a bit of news that may put a damper on the joyous occasion: Televisionary has learned exclusively that executive producer Ali Adler will not be returning to Chuck for a fourth season.

According to a source close to the situation, Adler has accepted a position on ABC's new superhero family drama No Ordinary Family, from executive producers Greg Berlanti and Jon Harmon Feldman and ABC Studios. Series, which stars Michael Chiklis, Julie Benz, and Tate Donovan, revolves around a family who gains superpowers when their plane crashes in the Amazon rainforest. Adler is said to have signed on to No Ordinary Family earlier this month, prior to NBC's decision on Chuck's fate.

When reached via email, Adler had no comment on the rumor.

Adler will be much missed: not only had she been responsible for writing some of the Warner Bros. Television-produced series' most beloved episodes but, thanks to her generosity and passion for the series, remained one of its truest champions and advocates.

UPDATE: Adler has now confirmed her departure from Chuck via Twitter, where she wrote, "Decision 2 leave chuck family for NoOrdinaryFamily was a tuff 1. Love @joshschwartz76 + evry1 I worked w & all amzg fans. Long live Chuck!"

Dancing with the Upfronts: ABC Takes Flight with No Ordinary Family

Not content to be left out of today's announcements, ABC has made its first series pickup for the 2010-11 season, ordering superhero drama No Ordinary Family to series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Project, from ABC Studios and Berlanti Television, is written by Jon Feldman, directed by David Semel, and executive produced by Greg Berlanti, Michael Chiklis, Morgan Wandeell, and David Semel.

No Ordinary Family stars Michael Chiklis, Julie Benz, Jimmy Bennett, Christina Chang, Romany Malco, Autumn Reeser, and Kay Panabaker. The pilot episode featured guest star Tate Donovan. [Editor: having read the pilot script, I dare say that Donovan, who plays doomed pilot Mitch McCutcheon, will be back.]

Here's how ABC describes the project: "The Powells are about to go from ordinary to extraordinary. After 16 years of marriage, Jim and Stephanie’s relationship lacked the spark it once had, and their family life now consists of balancing work and their two children; leaving little time for family bonding. During a family vacation set up by Jim in an attempt to reconnect, their plane crashes into the Amazon River. But this is where the fun starts for the Powells as they soon discover that something’s not quite right. Each of them now possesses unique and distinct super powers. But saving and savoring their family life will be equally important as they try to find purpose for their new power and embark on a journey to find out what defines and unifies them. The Powells are a totally relatable family that happens to be a little bit amazing."