By: Bill Cushing – September, 2018
The new TV season is upon us and just like every year there are lots of new shows. Which are worth devoting your time to? This column will hopefully help you decide the answer to that question. Here are some of the shows I think will be worth checking out.
Jack Ryan (Amazon) – John Krasinski (The Office) stars in this TV adaptation of the popular Tom Clancy novels. Krasinski will play Jack Ryan, the character made famous in the movies by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck, and Chris Pine. In this incarnation, Ryan is a young up-and-coming CIA analyst thrust into a dangerous field assignment for the first time; he uncovers a pattern in terrorist communication that launches him into the middle of a dangerous gambit with a new breed of terrorism. Premiered August 31st on Amazon.
Mayans M.C. (FX) – Kurt Sutter’s long-awaited Sons of Anarchy spin-off is set in a post-Jax Teller world. Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes is fresh out of prison and a prospect in the Mayans M.C. charter on the California/Mexico border. The series stars JD Pardo, Edward James Olmos, Clayton Cardenas, Sarah Bolger, Michael Irby, and Richard Cabral. Premieres September 4th at 10 pm.
Kidding (Showtime) – Jim Carrey stars as a Mr. Rogers type children’s TV icon coping with his crumbling family life in this new series directed by Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). This one is getting a lot of buzz. Premieres September 9th at 10 pm.
Norm Macdonald Has a Show (Netflix) – The former Saturday Night Live actor has a new talk show on Netflix. Guests will include David Letterman, Drew Barrymore, Chevy Chase, Jane Fonda, Michael Keaton and Judge Judy. Adam Eget will be Norm’s sidekick. Premieres September 14th on Netflix.
The Good Cop (Netflix) – Tony Danza and Josh Groban star as cops who are also father and son in this dramedy from Monk creator Andy Breckman. Groban plays a pathologically honest detective who tries to keep an eye on his crooked but kindhearted dad (Danza) when he’s not solving murders. Premieres September 21st on Netflix.
A Million Little Things (ABC) – This drama series centers on a group of friends from Boston who bonded under unexpected circumstances. Some have achieved success, others are struggling in their careers and relationships, but all of them feel stuck in life. After one of them dies unexpectedly, it’s just the wake-up call the others need to finally start living. If you’re a fan of TV dramas like ‘This Is Us’ then this is one that you’ll want to check out. Premieres Wednesday, September 26th at 10 pm.
The Romanoffs (Amazon) – This highly anticipated series, created, written, produced, and directed from Mad Men mastermind Matthew Weiner, will feature eight separate stories about people who believe themselves to be descendants of a Russian royal family. An impressive cast will star in the series and will include Diane Lane, Paul Reiser, Aaron Eckhart, Noah Wyle, Amanda Peet, as well as Mad Men alum John Slattery and Christina Hendricks. Premieres October 12th on Amazon Prime.
Homecoming (Amazon) – Julia Roberts stars in her first television series, a psychological thriller based on the podcast of the same name. Roberts plays Heidi Bergman, a caseworker at a facility treating soldiers returning from war, and a veteran eager to rejoin civilian life. Stephan James and Bobby Cannavale will also star. Premieres November 2nd on Amazon Prime.
Camping (HBO) – Jennifer Garner and David Tennant star in this new comedy series from the creators of ‘Girls.’ The series follows married couple Kathryn (Garner) and Walt (Tennant) who have planned a delightful camping weekend for Walt’s 45th birthday. Let’s just say the trip doesn’t turn out quite as planned. Premieres October 14th.
That’s it for this month. Hopefully this gave you some idea of what to watch this season. Enjoy!
If you have any questions about TV you can email me at BillsTVTalk@gmail.com. I will answer all of your questions and will feature some of the questions I receive in a future Mailbag column
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