2012 Midseason TV

HBO is supplementing its Sunday night lineup with Girls a new series from writer/director Lena Dunham that explores the lives of a group of women in New York City. Despite the shared network and premise, Girls is a long way from Sex and the City. For starters, these ladies are in their 20s, and they're far from settled in their careers or their skin. Read on to find out if the new comedy sounds like it might be worth the space on your DVR.

• What it's about: 24-year-old aspiring writer Hannah (Dunham) has just been cut off by her parents, making her existence in Manhattan pretty tough. Tougher than it already is, that is; Hannah struggles with everything from work (she's an unpaid intern) to dating (the boy she likes rarely texts her back, but has no problem using her for sex). Her friends have problems too; Marnie (Allison Williams) is no longer in love with her boyfriend, and free-spirit Jessa (Jemima Kirke) has a secret that could severely limit her social life.
• Where it works: The dialogue is cutting, funny, and refreshingly honest. Dunham seems unafraid to put herself in uncomfortable situations or make the characters stumble in an effort to show that they're real and imperfect.
• Where it doesn't: The characters are hyper-developed in the pilot, and each comes on a little strong, especially Hannah, who's exaggeratedly spoiled and insecure. Plus, it's a bit too self-aware of the Sex and the City comparisons, like when one character rattles off a whole monologue about being a Carrie and a Samantha.
• When it's on: Sundays on HBO at 10:30 p.m. starting on April 15
• You might like this show if: You want to see a different, candid perspective of what it's like to be a female 20-something — and you're OK with awkward sex scenes.

To watch a preview and see some pictures from Girls, just keep reading.

Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, premiering tonight, is a latecomer to the midseason TV schedule, but it's got a promising cast (especially if you love '90s TV). Starring Krysten Ritter as the titular "B," the show follows her and her new roommate, small-town June (Dreama Walker), who's just moved to New York City. The cast also features James Van Der Beek, who's playing a version of himself who's single, self-obsessed, and very into his Dawson's Creek groupies. To find out if this is a show you might want to add to your DVR, just read on.

• What it's about: When fresh-faced, trusting June moves to NYC, she thinks she finds the perfect roommate in Chloe, until she moves in and Chloe shows her true colors. Chloe is basically the worst roommate ever, partial to spending June's half of the rent money on herself and sleeping with June's fiancé. But Chloe's not all bad; we learn some of the reasons for her motivations in the pilot, and she and June (very slowly) start to get along.
• Where it works: The pilot is pretty funny, with some fresh jokes and interesting characters; the non-James Van Der Beek James Van Der Beek is endlessly hilarious to me as a longtime Dawson's Creek fan, and I also appreciate that Chloe isn't totally one-dimensional and that she does have a heart beating under there.
• Where it doesn't: I'm wondering how much mileage the show has with Chloe's behavior, especially since she shows that she's not completely terrible in the pilot. My other concern is that June seems to have more of the spotlight than Chloe, and though Walker is charming, Ritter is far more compelling.
• When it's on: Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. on ABC
• You might like this show if: You've seen Ritter in one of her many supporting roles and have always wanted to see more from her.

To see some photos and watch a preview for Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, just keep reading.

NBC's comedy Bent is part of their new midseason lineup, and it stars Amanda Peet and David Walton as two people who can't really stand each other — and obviously become love interests. The half-hour show is set in Venice Beach, and the tone is as relaxed as the beach town setting. If you want to know whether Bent is something you'll want to tune in to before tonight's premiere, my pilot scoop can clue you in.

• What it's about: Amanda Peet plays Alex, a single working mother who hires a contractor, Pete (David Walton) to make over her kitchen. Her uptight personality is challenged by Pete's relaxed, go-with-the-flow mentality, and though they're just client and contractor at first, there is chemistry all over the place.
• Where it works: I've loved Peet since her days on the short-lived series Jack and Jill and she brings her effervescent charm (even when Alex is being uptight) to her role here. And Walton is hilarious and her perfect foil. You may remember him from Perfect Couples, which didn't get much of a chance, but Walton was one of the highlights.
• Where it doesn't: The show seems like it's going to rely too much on Alex and Pete's will-they-or-won't they relationship. Sexual tension is a classic TV ingredient, but there has to be something more going on, and a kitchen renovation isn't going to cut it.
• When it's on: Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m.
• You might like this show if: You like light, quirky comedy — think Cougar Town.

To watch a preview and see some photos from Bent, just keep reading.

It may seem like we're heading into the homestretch of TV season, but a few midseason shows are still making their way out of the starting gate. One of those new series is Awake, which focuses on a man who finds himself living in two different realities after a tragic car accident. Before you check out the premiere tonight, here's what you're in for.

• What it's about: Jason Isaacs (who looks quite different without his platinum-blond Lucius Malfoy Harry Potter wig) stars as Michael Britten, a man who has lost either his wife or his son in a car accident. The confusion is that he's leading two different lives: one in which his wife is alive but his son has died, and the other in which the opposite is true. When he goes to sleep at night, he is able to live the other reality — a conundrum that his two therapists (he has one in each reality) are struggling to work through. The issue is that he doesn't want to resolve his problem, because then he'd have to face the truth that either his wife or son is truly gone.
• Where it works: The pilot is compelling from start to finish, and I love that there's a sci-fi aspect built into a typical procedural; Michael also works as a detective, so there's an extra layer built in as his two psyches begin to affect his work (and in the pilot, help him solve both of the cases he's working on.) I'm also intrigued by the many variables that could shake up his situation: is it possible that he's the one that's dead? What happens if he moves away or changes too many things? Will his wife and son get older?
• Where it doesn't: My biggest issue with Awake is how much is riding on the mystery of Michael's condition. Are we going to have to wait until the series finale to get some answers behind what's happening here?
• When it's on: Thursdays at 10 p.m. on NBC
• You might like this show if: You appreciate procedurals with a twist — and not a twist that's too gimmicky.

  See pictures from Awake and watch a preview when you read more

ABC is bringing a little bit of the horror genre to primetime with new series The River, which premieres tonight. In the show, created by Paranormal Activity's Oren Peli, a team of people goes on a rescue mission on the Amazon, but they find a lot more than they bargained for while on their expedition. It could be the next good TV mystery to get sucked into, so if you're interested, check out my thoughts on the pilot below.

• What it's about: A famous TV adventure series host, Dr. Emmet Cole (Bruce Greenwood), goes missing and is presumed dead while he's exploring the Amazon. His estranged wife and grown son refuse to give up, so they go to the site of his last trip, the creepy, jungle-lined Amazon, to see if they can find him. A documentary crew comes with them, and together they discover terrifying supernatural events aboard the boat.
• Where it works: There are genuine scares in the pilot, especially because the mystery seems to be rooted in chilling cultural folklore. And if you crave jump scares weekly, this may be the show for you.
• Where it doesn't: None of the main characters is particularly compelling, even though they each hint at enigmatic backstories for themselves. Also, the signature found-footage camera work may turn into a headache for some viewers.
• When it's on: Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC, starting Feb. 7
• You might like this show if: You really miss Lost and love the Paranormal Activity movies.

To watch a preview and see some photos from The River, just keep reading

NBC is getting in on musical madness with new show Smash, a drama that follows the production of a musical about Marilyn Monroe and the two ingénues vying for the lead. With high production value and an ensemble cast that includes Debra Messing and Anjelica Huston, the show is a colorful, splashy, and tune-filled entrant into the midseason lineup. Before you check out tonight's premiere, check out my first impressions below.

• What it's about: The first episode charts the early development of the musical Marilyn, the brainchild of a few theater producers (including Messing and Huston). As the idea germinates, the showrunners have to make the difficult decision of who to cast as Marilyn Monroe: the seasoned, Ivy (Megan Hilty), who's also a dead-ringer for Marilyn, or inexperienced Karen (Katharine McPhee) who comes in at the last minute and knocks their socks off.
• Where it works: Former American Idol contestant McPhee is an inspired choice here; we've all heard her sing, but it turns out that she can also act. She's charming and plucky as Karen, the girl who's a waitress by night so she can nurture her dream of making it big on Broadway. I also enjoyed seeing her home life with her supportive (and dashing) boyfriend played by Raza Jaffrey.
• Where it doesn't: It's unclear how much of the musical the series will be. In the opener, we hear numbers from Marilyn and familiar tunes like "Beautiful" in auditions, but when Ivy and Karen break into song at the end of the hour, it doesn't feel that organic — or necessary.
• When it's on: Mondays at 10 p.m. on NBC, starting Feb. 6
• You might like this show if: You like Glee, but this show is even more appealing to theater fans.

See a preview for Smash and photos after the break.

With ABC's midseason drama Scandal, Shonda Rimes, the mastermind behind Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice, moves out of the hospital and into Washington DC. Kerry Washington heads up a team of consultants who specialize in defusing political scandals, and if you're wondering if the new show will be juicy enough to make room for on your DVR, I've got a few opinions that may help you.

• What it's about: Washington plays Olivia Pope, a brilliant and ambitious political "fixer" who runs her own firm to clean up PR messes. Though she relies on her gut and is incredibly successful helping others, her personal life is kind of a mess. Columbus Short and Lost's Henry Ian Cusick also star as part of her team.
• Where it works: Lost fans will be happy to see Cusick as a dapper consultant (and on safe, dry land). Washington is also a beautiful asset as the leading lady, and there seem to be a lot of complicated relationships just under the surface.
• Where it doesn't: While Olivia's interesting relationship with the fictional president (Tony Goldwyn) is certainly scandalous, her chemistry with Goldwyn leaves something to be desired.
• You might like this show if: You watch Grey's Anatomy but have never particularly loved the medical setting.
• When it's on: Thursdays at 10 p.m. on ABC, starting April 5

To see a preview and some photos from Scandal, just keep reading.

ABC is bringing some sauciness to the midseason lineup with new comedy GCB, starring Leslie Bibb. Bibb plays Amanda, a recently-widowed woman who has to move back to her hometown for a fresh start. Unfortunately for her, the girls she knew in high school have grown into vindictive women who haven't forgotten how nasty Amanda was back then. If you're interested in this hourlong comedy, check out my pilot review to see if it sounds like something you'll want to add to your DVR.

• What it's about: After Amanda's philandering husband accidentally drives off a cliff, she moves herself and her kids to Dallas and into the home of her mother (Annie Potts). As she tries to settle in, she faces off with Carlene (Kristin Chenoweth) and her band of religious but catty minions who want to see Amanda brought down.
• Where it works: The casting is great, particularly Bibb as the lead character (anyone who loved Popular back in the day will delight in seeing her) and Chenoweth as a hypocritical bible quoter. But no one is as spot-on as Potts as Amanda's dignified but feisty mom.
• Where it doesn't: The pilot is a little too campy for its own good; the larger-than-life characters seem like they could be fun, but they also seem a bit too two-dimensional.
• When it's on: Sundays at 10 p.m. on ABC, starting March 4
• You might like this show if: You're a fan of any of the Real Housewives installments.

To see some photos and watch a preview of GCB, just keep reading.

Showtime's midseason comedy House of Lies has all the elements of a bold cable series: lots of drama, foul-mouthed characters, and sex, sex, sex. The show is about the consultants of firm Galweather & Stearn, who are committed to doing whatever it takes to make their clients happy — even if that means compromising their morals. Stars Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell, and Ben Schwartz joined showrunners at the Winter TCA to talk about their new show and morally ambiguous characters.

• Bell acknowledged that the role of Jeannie is "more provocative than anything [she's] ever done," especially in comparison to her previous TV role on Veronica Mars. When she was asked if she was enjoying the "naughty talk" on the show, she went for shock value and exclaimed that she was "f*ckin' enjoying the hell out if it!" More seriously, she said that as Jeannie, "sometimes I have a potty mouth," and added that "it's nice to not to have those limitations."
• Cheadle said that the decision to do a TV series wasn't out of the ordinary for him, because he wants to "spread [his] wings, so to speak," though he assured the audience that he was still making films. As for his character of Marty, who heads up the firm, Cheadle let us know that there's a good reason viewers might not be able to put their finger on the character: "he's asking himself that same question, who's the real me?" Cheadle said Marty will deal with that identity crisis this entire season, and "chart his crash and burn mentality."
• My favorite part of the panel was when someone referenced star Ben Schwartz's Parks and Recreation character Jean Ralphio. In response to whether Jean Ralphio would hire the firm to represent Entertainment 720, Schwartz said he would definitely figure out a way to afford Galweather & Stearn: "Oh, he'll get the money again." Also, Schwartz thinks Jean Ralphio would love the characters on House of Lies, saying "I think if Jean Ralphio met Marty he would do anything to be friends with him," and he would also "want to fall in love with Kristen and bring her home." The cast laughed about a House of Lies/Parks and Recreation intersection, with Schwartz saying that "it would be a very interesting mix to see those two worlds collide."