The New Season (2021)

[ClarkKent_DC]

It's that time of year again!

Continuing the tradition started by Doctor Hmmm? back in 2010, and followed inconsistently since (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020), here's a catchall thread about any and all shows debuting or returning this fall, with an emphasis on the shows that don't generate their own threads.

[ClarkKent_DC]

I've said several times I've felt iffy about Legends of Tomorrow, as it has drifted far afield from its original premise (misfit heroes secretly protecting the timeline), removing various characters along the way, and devolving into general silliness. But I keep hanging in there, and this season, I think I'm being rewarded for my patience.

Over the course of last season, Sara has been cloned into an indestructible body, Mick has become a mother (that's right, mother) to a brood of alien beasties, Gary has been revealed to actually be an alien, Zari 1.0 has reappeared and traded places with Zari 2.0 for a while, and, as often happens, they've gained a new recruit, Spooner.

At the end of last season, our merry band is in 1925 Texas, for reasons I've already forgotten. Defeating the Big Bad has meant the sacrifice of John Constantine, and Mick chooses to take his leave from the team. Then they're all on the way into the Waverider ... when another Waverider flies by and blows it up!

What to do, what to do ... ?

Gary remembers that the Time Bureau installed black boxes in the ships, so some of them go to retrieve it, but they find it's got nothing in it but a instruction manual and Behrad's stash of edibles. But Ava figures out that there's a renowned physicist in New York who is deals with time theory, so they resolve to go there to get his help ...

... which, somehow, results in them becoming a band of bank robbers ("the Bullet Blondes Gang"), being pursued by none other than famous G-man J. Edgar Hoover himself! (Ava insists they steal only $93 and change, just enough to make it to New York, and makes a note to repay the bank.) And a mishap happens after they bust through a roadblock -- with Nate switching to his Steel guise so he can survive the fusillade of gunfire being sent their way from Hoover's tommygun. Unfortunately, at a later moment, Hoover fires on Nate with a pistol, Nate "steels up," and the ricochet hits Hoover in the noggin and kills him stone cold dead! 

(Ava also makes a note to revive J. Edgar Hoover.)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Astra tries using her magic to reconstitute the Waverider, but it's too much for her and she gets a nasty nosebleed and nearly collapses. She mutters something about wishing Gideon was there ... and a moment later, Gideon shows up in the flesh!

This is getting interesting ... ! 

[Mark Sullivan (Vertiginous Mod)]

It's been fun so far, I agree. I know I'll miss Constantine, but things have sure gotten interesting in his absence.

[ClarkKent_DC]

The next episode of Legends of Tomorrow is #100, so they're pulling out all the stops! Somehow, the now-human form of Gideon will take us through her memories, so we will see "behind-the-scenes" moments from the past ... involving seven former members of the team, including Rip Hunter, Hawkman, both halves of Firestorm, Captain Cold, and The Atom. 

From Entertainment We Should Stop Calling It Weekly: "Legends of Tomorrow Welcomes back 7 Heroes in 100th Episode First Look Photos"

[ClarkKent_DC]

The B Positive Season 2 series premiere starts putting in place the pieces of its new status quo. As noted elsewhere, Season 1 ended with the odd couple of Gina and Drew undergoing the kidney transplant surgery.

We find in the Season 2 premiere that it was a success, and now Gina and Drew are awkwardly trying to figure out what to do with themselves. Drew awkwardly visits the dialysis group, and finds old pals Jerry and Eli and a couple new faces, including someone sitting in Samantha's spot, which is awkward, since she was the funniest one.

In Season 1, Eli had stared going out with Gina, but things have become awkward for them. Drew has awkwardly come to mistake his feelings of gratitude toward Gina for love, and is secretly rooting against Gina and Eli. (Drew seems to have forgotten about the girlfriend he had at the end of Season 1, but she's supposed to return, played by a different actress, which will be awkward.)

Gina, for her part, is joyous over doing this selfless deed of giving away her kidney to someone she barely knows, and wants to do more, somehow. Well, karma rewards Gina for being a generally sunny, kind and nice person: One of the residents at the nursing home where she works dies* and leaves her FORTY-EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS! 

Going forward, Gina buys the nursing home and makes it her mission to make things better for the residents. And, as noted elsewhere, if they were to phase Drew out of this scenario entirely, I would not mind at all. (It kind of looks like they're going that way.)

* Said resident, Mr. Knudsen, was played by old pro Bernie Koppel, which unfortunately means he won't be back. 

[ClarkKent_DC]

ClarkKent_DC said:

After several false starts and years in development hell, the TV adaptation of Y, The Last Man finally sees the light of day. 

I've read the entire run of the Vertigo series, and mostly liked it for the concept; I most definitely did not like the lead character Yorick, for whom the phrase "whiny, useless slacker" was coined. Early reviews of the limited series are mixed, per Rotten Tomatoes. Maybe I'll give it a chance, although I don't have Hulu and it's not clear if it will run on FX.

Well, that was quick.

From Variety: "‘Y: The Last Man’ Canceled by FX"

[ClarkKent_DC]

Reflecting the new direction B Positive is taking, the show is scrapping its creepy opening credit sequence for a splashy Broadway-style production number.

Per TVLine: "B Positive's Annaleigh Ashford Sings and Dances in New Gina-Centric Opening Title Sequence — Watch Video"

[ClarkKent_DC]

TVLine handicaps several freshman TV series: "Fall TV Freshman Report Card: Here Are 20 Ways to Improve 11 New Shows"

[ClarkKent_DC]

Fantasy Island gets a second season, per The Hollywood Reporter: "‘Fantasy Island’ Renewed for Second Season at Fox"

[ClarkKent_DC]

From TVLine: "NBC Midseason Schedule: This Is Us Farewell Run, Renee Zellweger's Pam, Blacklist Makes Way for L&O Revival"

[Richard Willis]

I watch several shows from the other networks, but Blacklist is the only NBC show I still watch.

[ClarkKent_DC]

For NBC, I'm watching Chicago Fire and looking forward to the return of This Is Us, and have again become a regular viewer of Saturday Night Live. I've mentioned Ordinary Joe but haven't tried it yet. It's supposed to be aimed right at the This Is Us crowd, who are going to need something to watch after it wraps its run this season. One thing that's making me hesitate is that Ordinary Joe follows our title hero in one of three paths -- nurse, rock star and police officer -- and I'm on a self-declared moratorium on cop shows.

(I'm wondering if I'll break it for the return of original Law & Order, but the fact that it's original Law & Order might not be enough to get me to change my mind. Barney Miller is, of course, exempt, but only because I've seen them all. I even got the boxed set of the whole series for Christmas.)

[Richard Willis]

I bought the Barney Miller DVDs as they came out. Love that show.