The Fox network announced its new fall shows today. Here are mini-reviews of two of ‘em. Warning: they’re based solely on short clips provided by the network, so I (and you) reserve the right to adjust opinions of them, up or down, once full-length episodes are available. But that will be… in the fall. Who wants to wait to have an opinion until then?
• The Cleveland Show This is the Family Guy spin-off about mild-mannered Cleveland Brown, who moves with his son to a new town and marries his high-school sweetheart. She has two kids. The humor plays like a far more conventional sitcom than Family Guy, with jokes about the new blended family and the resentments it causes. Oh, and a couple of bears are the next-door neighbors. I like the character of Cleveland, but I’m not a Family Guy fan, so put my opinion in that context. I’d probably watch an episode of this faster than I would a new one of Guy.
B-
• Brothers Real-life former footballer Michael Strahan and comedian Daryll "Chill" Mitchell star as brothers. Strahan plays a, yes, former football player who’s strapped for cash and moves into his parents house. The folks are played by Carl Weathers and, in what look like a rather trite mom-role that made my heart hurt a little for her, CCH Pounder (so great in The Shield). There are numerous sentimental jokes about Mom sticking a fork in Mitchell’s legs (he’s in a wheelchair) in the hope he’ll one day yelp in pain.
C
• Glee You can read my full review of this great new show, whose first episode will premiere tomorrow night, right here. It’ll return in the fall.
A
saw the pilot for glee, it was amazing! lea michele is awesome; and of course matthew morrison is adorable!
I really hope Cleveland fails. Picking it up for two season before its premiere was beyond stupid. Do we really need another MacFarlane show?
http://tvdonewright.com/2009-2010-season-preview/
Brothers was just G-dawful. Seriously terrible. (recommendation: run screaming NOW). Glee, OTOH, was sort of darkly delightful, if that makes any sense. It’s quirky and a bit darker than I thought, which I guess should be expected from Ryan Murphy (of nip-tuck fame). The music was good, though, and the cast well suited. Lea Michele has an incredible voice. It might not be for everyone, but give it a show (recommendation: definately worthwhile).
Reviewing TV show trailers is just stupid.
The Cleveland Show is such a fail, hes, by far, the most boring character on Family Guy, seriously, wtf were fox execs. thinking when they pick up a show like that, but most of all, ordering 2 seasons before the premier. Someone on Fox is on drugs…
And Glee… well, i dont like musicals, enoght said.
what kind of donkey doesn’t like family guy?
The Cleveland show will be hilarious and another hit for MacFarlane. It’s funny that there’s so much Family Guy bashing here. Obviously many, many people like it given it’s tremendous popularity. I’m sure most of those criticizing are closet fans. Ken Tucker clearly has the personality of a wet blanket.
Glee Club should be good. How could it not be? It’s got Jane Lynch in it for cryin’ out loud!
haha thats so cool cleveland has his own show!! im gonna miss stewie though
I’m sad to hear such solid actors as CCH Pounder, Carl Weathers (very funny on Arrested Development) and Chill Mitchell (The John Larroquette Show and Ed) are stuck in what appears to be terribly unfunny mess. However, it should be a perfect fit with ‘Til Death.
I was working on the Paramount Lot when they were shooting Glee and I thought, “What the hell is this?” Now I can’t wait. This show looks awesome!
Glee looks wonderful! I just hope it finds a wide audience.
Soo Fox can put crap like Brothers,The Cleveland Show ,and that other lame ass animated sit down ,Shut up but they cancel the Sara
Connor Chronicles??Idiots!!
Do we really need another MacFarlane show?
Hell yes we do!
Who was reviewing trailers? The reviews were for pilot screeners.