By Elizabeth Miller ’15, Entertainment Editor
For those of us who watched the Olympics, we all know what NBC’s fall shows are going to be, thanks to the thousands of commercials we saw during each break. All four shows they advertised— Grimm, Animal Practice, Go On, and Revolution—showed real promise from the clips we saw about a hundred times a night.
Go On is the show that caught people’s attention most from the advertisements. It tells the story of Ryan King, a sports radio broadcaster, who has recently lost his wife in a car accident. He isn’t allowed to return to work until he has competed 10 sessions of group therapy with the Life Change Group. The group is full of crazy characters, ranging from a woman who is grieving the loss of her cat to an old man who has everything go wrong with his life, to a quiet guy who randomly says the funniest things. The group is led by Lauren, a woman whose only life changing experience was being part of Weight
Watchers, and immediately takes a disliking to Ryan because of his unconventional approach to therapy. Overall, the show is full of hilarious jokes, as well as some touching moments.
Go On recommendation: a must-watch for fans of Matthew Perry
Of the four, Grimm is the only returning TV show on NBC this fall. It was one of the top new dramas on all of the major networks last year. It follows the story of Nick Burkhardt, a detective at the Portland Police Department. He is a Grimm, a person who can see creatures from fairytales as they really are, rather than as human. Nick uses his special skills to solve crimes that involve these supernatural creatures, with the help of his partner, Hank Griffin, and his fairytale friends, Monroe and Rosalee. However, this is no enchanted Disney world. Grimm is not a show for those who are faint of heart (or stomach). The show is full of gory scenes and fight sequences. Characters transform from humans to terrifying creatures that range from wolves to mice to witches. With a thick plotline and exciting characters, Grimm Season 2 shows as much promise as the first season.
Grimm recommendation: try it out unless you’re scared of blood
Animal Practice was one of the more advertised shows during the Olympics. It had adorable commercials about animals, such as penguins and dogs, competing in the Games. The same amount of charm found in those ads can also be found in the TV show itself. The storyline revolves around Crane Animal Hospital, one of the top veterinary practices in the country. The head veterinarian is a man named George, a caustic, yet endearing character. Although he adores all the animals he treats, he despises their owners and people in general. When his ex-girlfriend becomes the new director of the hospital, chaos ensues. Other characters include Doug and Yamamoto, two other veterinarians who are charming but socially challenged, Angela, a crazy nurse who seems to always be drunk, and Dr. Rizzo, George’s pet monkey. Although the commercials showed great potential for the show, the pilot says otherwise. It is comprised of jokes that fall flat and a bland plotline, with the occasional absolutely hilarious animal moment or clever line.
Animal Practice Recommendation: watch for the cute animals
Revolution is the new drama that viewers know the least about, as no pilot has been released. From what I can gather, it is the Hunger Games without the technology and fight-to-the-death circumstances. It tells the story of Charlie, a brave and rebellious girl with a strong sense of adventure. Sound familiar? She uses a bow, too. Here’s the catch, fifteen years earlier, the power suddenly went out, with no telling why. She lives with her father and brother in a small community that has returned to more basic standards of living. Charlie’s father and uncle are supposed to hold the secret as to why the power went out—information no one else knows. Charlie, along with two friends, travels across the country in search of her brother, who has been kidnapped by the government, and her uncle, who her father told her to find before he died. This dystopian series will hopefully live up to the standards set by the exciting plotline exhibited in its promos.
Revolution recommendation: give it a try, especially if you liked the Hunger Games
Photo courtesy of nbc.com
