Judging the Fall Season: ABC’s New Shows
ABC made its presentation of the network’s fall TV schedule to advertisers on Tuesday, and the network has released trailers of these new shows. Let’s look at them with a sharp eye. Note: All judgments are based solely on the clips, and are not reviews of entire episodes, which are not yet available.
Designated Survivor
Keifer Sutherland plays the only cabinet member not trapped listening to the President giving a State of the Union speech when there’s a terrorist attack—he’s what’s officially termed the “designated survivor” and therefore automatically becomes President. Buy the premise, you buy the show—his Congressman is not especially popular or experienced, but he’s got spirit! He’s got moxie! He’s got a loving family! The general air of the show is 24 crossed with Madam Secretary.
Speechless
Minnie Driver at her Minnie Driver-est: Playing a pushy, wisecracking mom with a special-needs son, her character is so obnoxious, cops won’t pull her over for speeding because, one sighs, “Life’s too short.” She bullies the school principal, she has her son give the finger to a woman who notes there is no handicapped sign on her car. And she’s the one we’re supposed to like. You know why–because she sticks up for her child and fights for his right to be… the son of a really obnoxious mother. This one grated right from the start.
American Housewife
Katy Mixon (Mike & Molly) stars as a woman who moves her family to Westport, CT, so her children can attend a good public school and immediately runs into snobby women who try to weight-shame her. And they drink green health drinks that this mom doesn’t like. So she insults the insulters, sasses everyone, enjoys a good temper tantrum now and then. The trailer for this is funnier than the one for Speechless, but only because Mixon is more amusing in her role. Boy, is Westport going to hate this show.
Conviction
Hayley Atwell, fresh off the cancellation of Marvel’s Agent Carter, lands the lead in another ABC hour, this one about a “bad girl” (ABC’s language) “who’s done some bad things.” Translation: she plays Carter Morrison, scandal-ridden daughter of a former President, who’s now trying to redeem herself as a crusading lawyer. But she had to be blackmailed into doing it, so you know she’s still a prickly pear. This trailer tries way too hard to prove Hayley’s rebel bona fides.
Notorious
Based on true stories about real-life defense attorney Mark Geragos and TV news producer Wendy Walker, it’s about a lawyer (Rescue Me’s Daniel Sunjata) and a TV producer (Covert Affairs’ Piper Perabo) who… are involved in breaking-news stories whenever they’re not flirting. I watched this trailer three times and still had a hard time figuring out what the devil is going on between them and some imperious news anchor, or reporter, or someone. The trailer was a botch, trying way too hard to be a Shonda Rhimes lark.
