Meet the cast of Ryan Murphy's new sitcom, "The New Normal," premiering tonight on NBC.
Fall television season brings new shows, including “Go On” and “The New Normal”
Sixty-five percent of new television shows fail.
Just think about that for a moment. More than two-thirds of the TV series introduced to the airwaves each fall are canceled within their first season.
Some shows may not make it past a single episode.
It’s a sobering thought, especially as we embark on another fall TV season. Some of the shows introduced last year — including “2 Broke Girls,” “New Girl,” “Person of Interest” and “Revenge” — are still with us. Others are long gone.
I may not be able to predict this fall’s eventual winners or losers, but I’m happy to share my take on this season’s fresh offerings. Here’s what you expect this week.
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“Go On” (NBC)
Premieres: 9 p.m. tonight
Matthew Perry knows a thing or two about the fall TV blues. After hitting a pop culture homer on “Friends,” the actor struck out with two short-lived shows — “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” and “Mr. Sunshine.” Now Perry is stepping up to the plate once more with “Go On,” about a grieving sportscaster who turns to group therapy sessions led by therapist Lauren (Laura Benanti). I don’t know about you, but I have faith the sitcom star’s snide charm can carry the show through its weaker moments.
“The New Normal” (NBC)
Premieres: 9:30 p.m. tonight
“Glee” creator Ryan Murphy courts controversy with this new sitcom about a gay couple, Bryan (Andrew Rannells) and David (Justin Bartha), who hire single mom Goldie (Georgia King), to be their surrogate — despite the objections of her racist, homophobic grandma (Ellen Barkin). The broad stereotypes and emotional histrionics may make you wince, but Barkin brings a nice bite to her role as the new Sue Sylvester.
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“The New Normal” photo by Timothy White/NBC.
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1 comment
Patrick
September 11, 2012 at 3:00 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
It really is a gamble to bring out any new TV show. It can be hard to anticipate what viewers will want to see from season to season. My coworker at Dish and I were discussing the new shows yesterday; I think Go On looks promising. I am really cheering for Matthew Perry since he has not had a real hit since Friends. My Hopper DVR will catch all the new episodes of Go On as well as the other prime time shows from the four major networks. I liked The New Normal; I’m not sure what kind of staying power Go On could have though. How long will people want to see a show about someone in grief counseling?