TV Mad Man

Above is a promo for ABC’s new comedy Happy Endings premiering tonight after Modern Family at 9:30/8:30c with back to back episodes, before landing in its regular 10/9c time-slot next week. Happy Endings is the last in a string of “friend” comedies, most of which never got of the ground like NBC’s never-aired Friends with Benefits or their underrated Perfect Couples, but lets hope to change that with ABC’s outing. Happy Endings stars Elisha Cuthbert (24), Eliza Coupe (Scrubs), Zachary Knighton (FlashForward), and others, who are six friends that we meet as one of them gets left by the alter by their other friend. I have seen four episodes and the show quickly goes from sad and depressing comedy to hilariously upbeat by the second episode naming phrases like “chick-sand” and a hilrious outing being beards for their gay friend.

Happy Endings is not outwardly orginal, but the charm and tone is enough to set it apart and come next week when Cougar Town is back, this will be a welcome addition to an already almost-perfect Wednesday comedy lineup.

Next up, is tomorrow’s replacement to Perfect Couples, the long gestating The Paul Reiser Show. As you might guess, it surrounds the former Mad About You star in a semi-scripted Curb Your Enthusiasm journey of unemployment in LA. If you like Curb Your Enthusiasm, you will surely be familiar with the concept, but it certainly is not on that level. It is contrived and forced at times, but I could not help but watch all four of the seven episodes, because in each way it gave me a small reason to come back, and then, it lost me.

If you are tuning in at 8/7c for Community (which you should be), this is not for you, but if you miss the good old Mad About You days, and want to check in which your former TV star, it might not hurt to do so at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.

Bravo is riding high right now. Ratings are the biggest they have ever been, returning series are hitting their mark and they are expanding to more days than ever. This week is a transition week, with three of the nights moving on to new seasons.

Starting tonight, Pregnant in Hells follows the life of Rosie Pope, who is the foremost leader in helping expecting moms. I have not yet seen the series but I am still grieving from last year’s wonderful but barely seen 9 by Design. Then tomorrow, following the Top Chef: All Stars reunion at 10/9c (BLAIS!), the new revamped Top Chef Masters takes off at 11/10c (it airs normally a hour before). The new season has a new host, Curtis Stone, new judges (Bye Gael Greene), and a new format (same as the mothership). The premiere, however, does not change the show one bit as it is still competitive, fun, and tasty.

Finally, Thursday night brings us back to the City with a brand new season of Real Housewives of New York City. My favorite of the franchise, all the housewives (minus a Monday-bound Bethenny) are back with a new addition, Cindy, who from the two episodes I have seen, is not afraid to stir up trouble. The first few outings are a mixed bag with Alex stirring up most of the controversy, but I have high hopes  for the season that will take ALL the ladies to Morocco, and all the hell in between Manhattan and the Hamptons.

Tune in all week to Bravo, and not to mention after the Housewives premiere Thursday, its Andy Cohen’s 100th What What Happens Live with Ramona and Jill. Always a blast.

AMC is know for its excellence in shows that I devour (Breaking Bad) to shows that were gone to soon (Rubicon) to ones that give me goosebumps (The Walking Dead), and to ones that I just keep winning awards (Mad Men). Now, AMC has brought us another “one” of excellence. The Killing, debuts tonight at 9/8c, and is based on a Danish series. It surrounds the mystery of “Who killed Rosie Larsen,” a young girl in Seattle and the grieving parents, and the detectives that solve the case. The show is not a typical procedural, first and foremost, the show is set over 13 days and 13 episodes, and that is not a coincidence. Second, the viewers are show not only the people involved in the crime but they people it affected, from a political candidate (Billy Campbell) to the detective (Mireille Enos) its preventing from moving on. The shows ensemble also grows with Michelle Forbes, Kristin Lehman, and Brent Sexton.

I have seen tonight’s two-hour premiere twice and am going to watch again tonight. It is mesmerizing, compelling, thoughtful, unique, and depressing in the way that makes the tone so stark and dark. It is a home-run on any network, but just another in AMC’s fantastic bullpen of dramatic, dare-I-say, masterpieces.

[youtube p6gfbck4gjo]

ABC has brought a lot of new additions to its lineup this year and none have really stuck: Better with You (on its last legs), Mr. Sunshine (never caught on), My Generation, and others, and they are betting on their last new drama of the year to hit. Body of Proof, starring Dana Delanay, as a former neurosergouen turned medical examiner, premieres tonight on ABC at 10/9c after Daning with the Stars. The series was orginally scheduled to air in the fall on Fridays but after new ABC chief Paul Lee saw the series, he wanted to give it a better launch.

After seeing three episodes of the House-like medical drama, it is certainly a wonderful vehicle for Dana but does not catch your attention quite like its male counterpart. The series also stars Jeri Ryan, Sonja Sohn, and John Carroll Lynch. Check out a promo below and see for yourself tonight…

Tonight on Showtime, the two comedies on television that showcase complicated women so perfectly are back. Tonight at 10/9c, Nurse Jackie and United States of Tara return for both of their third seasons.

The last time we left Jackie (Edie Falco), her best friend and husband staged an intervention on her excessive pill-popping problems. Nurse Jackie is a wonderfully constructed dramatic comedy, and I know that sounds like an oxymoron but the show is more a drama than a comedy when it comes to Jackie but the supporting cast led by Eve Best and Peter Facinelli. After screening the whole upcoming season, I can say that the show is back to its stellar ways after a noticeable dip in season two. Look for return of Coop’s two moms (Swoozie Kurtz and Judith Light), and Zoey is getting a boyfriend.

[youtube b3_3rBBITSs]

In United States of Tara, at the end of a mediocre season two, Tara (Toni Collette) learned she and Charmaine have a half-brother name Bryce, and Charmaine’s wedding went awry with a baby in tow. The third season is a improvement on the last but still has weak ends that should be tied up such as the use of Kate and Max. The high point (again!) is Marshall (Keir Gilchrist) who gives a outstanding performance as Marshall, Tara’s gay son that after two years is still trying to figure himself out. He goes through another transformation in the new season that is both heartbreaking, uplifting, and fun.

[youtube dmbpMCRSrbI]

Check out the new seasons tonight on Showtime at 10/9c, as well as the premiere of The Borgias, a new period drama starring Jeremy Irons next Sunday at 10/9c.