Yesterday, we gave you details on the new Fox schedule, a schedule heavy on singing competitions and light on new shows. However, a couple of those new shows look outstanding. A couple of others don’t look so great. Based on the clips, however, Fox is likely to have a much better fall than NBC. There are definitely two hits here, and two others have the potential to be. The one from the creators of “How I Met Your Mother” looks terrible, which of course means that it’ll be on for 12 seasons.
If I had to pick one surefire hit of the fall, The Mindy Project, formerly “It’s Messy,” looks like it’d definitely be the one. Based on the lengthy preview clip, it’s not quite what I was expecting: A cute comedy set in an OBGYN’s office. It’s more cinematic in nature, and I hesitate to use the analogy because I know it’ll turn some noses around here, but it’s got a Bridget Jones in a hospital kind of vibe, plus a few minor quirks. Chris Messina, who always plays the boyfriend in whimsiquirkilicious indie comedies, is the love interest here, and Richard Schiff is the head of the hospital unit. Ed Helms and Bill Hader also have parts in the pilot. For what it is — sitcom chick-lit — it looks great. I have no idea why NBC passed on this project other than the fact that NBC has head-up-ass syndrome.
The Following: a 15-episode serial killer mystery with James Purefoy as the serial killer? Oh, hell yes. Kevin Bacon as the retired FBI Agent attempting to track him down is gravy, as is the evisceration of the victims and lots of violence. This actually does look like an FX show that Fox stole from them.
Ben & Kate also exceeds expectations. It looks decent, and the fact that it comes from a showrunner who wrote an outstanding episode of “Children’s Hospital,” gives it more potential. But it could also be a disaster.
Mob Doctor seems to combine elements of “The Sopranos,” “House,” and a procedural component. It’s about a surgeon (Jordana Spiro) working for the mob as a CI for the FBI. Unfortunately, based on the clip, it looks very overcooked. Zeljko Ivanek, Zach Gilford and William Forsythe also star, so there’s definitely some acting talent involved, but I don’t think it’s enough to overcome the “I’m not your typical doctor” bullsh*t.
Goodwin Games: I love Becki Newton. I love Scott Foley. This show, a midseason replacement, does not look good. At all. It involves three siblings apparently playing a game of Trivial Pursuit to see who ends up winning their father’s $23 million inheritance. The jokes … oh, the jokes. They’re so bad.
