OCTOBER ENTERTAINMENT BLENDER: New Fall Shows worth watching

COURTESY OF SHOWTIME

There is no denying that the television networks have unleashed a bunch of mediocre shows this fall season. From garbage like a half-hearted reboot of Charlie’s Angels to NBC’s insipid Playboy Club and the overhyped bomb Terra Nova, it is tough to parcel out anything of substance worth investing your time into. The best new show of this development season are unfortunately being held off to the spring in the form of NBC’s Smash, a drama centered around a Broadway musical starring Katherine McPhee and Debra Messing. Having sifted through the new options this fall, I can recommend three new shows worth watching: FOX’s NEW GIRL (Tuesdays 8 PM), FOX’s THE X FACTOR (Wednesdays and Thursdays 7 PM), and SHOWTIME’s HOMELAND (Sundays 9 PM).


In the 19 months of hype FOX did for THE X FACTOR, Simon Cowell, creator and head judge, told us the show would be different from American Idol, but never really specified the ways in which they would differ. Fast forward to the premiere, where auditions happened in front of live arena crowds and the show immediately had a leg-up on Idol in my eyes. The three other judges besides Cowell are L.A. Reid, a big-name Sony record producer that has helped propel the music careers of Justin Bieber, Rihanna, and Kanye West among others, Nicole Scherzinger, a member of the “Pussycat Dolls”, and Paula Abdul, Simon’s buddy from Idol and a performer and dancer in her own right. I love that the only age limit on the show is contestants must be 12 or older. Groups are also allowed.

So far throughout the auditions, the crowd really has an impact on the proceedings. A contestant needs three judges to vote “yes” to get put through to the Boot Camp round. One girl came out and sang a passionate version of “Impossible” a capella that wowed Simon and L.A., yet failed to win over the girls who thought she shifted in and out of key too many times. Simon was so enthralled that he reached out to the audience who gave the contestant a thunderous ovation, earning the girl another song to win over one of the girls. She made the most of it winning over Nicole and now moves onto the next stage where one of the four judges will mentor her. After the audition stage, contestants will be divided into four groups: Over 30, Men, Women, and Groups. Eventually the show will proceed to live competitions for votes of the American public. The winning contestant or group will earn a $5 million dollar recording contract, the largest prize in the history of reality television. If you loved watching the funny, opinionated Simon Cowell on AMERICAN IDOL and enjoy watching the growth of performers from no-names to legitimate stars, THE X FACTOR is much watch television this fall.

FOX has also managed to capitalize on its GLEE juggernaut by launching the instantly appealing new comedy NEW GIRL in the slot following it. Starring the charming/adorable Zooey Deschanel as Jess, the show instantly has a lead that can sing, dance, and be outright hilarious whenever it is necessary. Jess gets away from her boyfriend in the pilot after she catches him cheating on her and ends up moving in with three bachelors due to them having an empty room and all three being won over by Jess’s personality. She is naïve, fun, and so innocent. The latest episode dealt with her having problems going back to her ex’s house to grab her television and other stuff she left there after she breaks the television in the apartment. Hillarity ensues when she cannot bring herself to stop the car in front of the guy’s house until she hears a sappy love song. A bickering argument then occurs causing the roommates to have to get involved to protect their new friend and save the television. The roommates’ characters need to be fleshed out a bit more, but Deschanel’s presence and likeability make it hard to ever get annoyed.  This is one of the breakout hits of the season as FOX has already given the show a full-season order. If you like your comedy with some heart at the center or just love Deschanel, get on board with NEW GIRL.

Last but certainly not least is the best new drama of the season in Homeland, a delicious thriller about a rescued Al-Qaeda prisoner who was held in captivity for 8 years and the CIA analyst who has good reason to think the returned marine may be planning a terrorist attack on the United States. Damian Lewis of Band of Brothers fame plays the rescued marine prisoner Nick Brody, returning to two kids that barely know him, a house that has cameras all over it unbeknownst to him, and a wife that was sleeping with a fellow marine until receiving the news that her husband was alive. Lewis is sensational in the role, and shows the various dimensions of Brody’s personality in realistic fashion. Imprisonment has made him quiet and reserved, but a vicious side lurks underneath with flashes of it being shown in the closing moments of the pilot.

Claire Danes plays CIA analyst Carrie Mathison, a woman convinced that Brody is hiding something and that also might be unstable herself. Danes electrifies in the role stopping at nothing in pursuit of the truth. There are demons in her closet and an incredible pattern she recognizes in Brody’s public appearances in the pilot leads her to believe she is onto something in investigating this man. If taut, sharply-written, riveting cat and mouse drama is what you are looking for, start watching the best drama of the new season.