By Jackson Santy ’13
THE ROUNDUP
It’s that time of year again, the time when we are settled in to school, break out the fall colors and indulge ourselves with the plethora of pumpkin flavored seasonal sweets.
But with fall also comes a new lineup of television, and this fall’s array of shows seems very promising in its early weeks.
The following shows make up this season’s “worth watching list.”
The Office (Thursdays at 8 p.m. on NBC)
Since the departure of the show’s star, Steve Carell (Michael Scott), critics have become skeptical of the show’s future.
Early last season (season seven), to fill the impending void of Carell’s absence, the producers brought in comedy superstar Will Ferrell. This filled viewers with some rays of hope, but Ferrell only stayed on for a handful of episodes.
The remainder of season seven was entertaining, but in every episode there was something missing.
Season seven exemplified the indispensable presence that Steve Carell brought to the set.
A few episodes in, season eight proves to be promising. Once again, the producers have brought in a character to replace Carell.
Actor James Spader (“Boston Legal”) takes the lead as Robert California, Dunder Mifflin’s newest boss, and is doing a great job.
Hopefully, season eight and Spader’s contribution will refill the show’s loyal viewers with a renewed sense of optimism.
Up All Night (Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC)
Right off the bat, “Up All Night” has been an absolute laugh factory.
The newest addition to the NBC lineup stars Christina Applegate (“Anchorman”) and Will Arnett (“Arrested Development,” “Blades of Glory”) as new parents Regan and Chris Brinkley.
The show centers around the quirky and chaotic life of the couple and their newborn making everyday issues into something that’ll make viewers laugh so hard they cry.
The show also stars Maya Rudolph as Applegate’s boss, an egotistical talk show host (imagine Oprah Winfrey if she was 10 times more conceited.)
The show’s irreverent view of the tribulations of parenthood, combined with Saturday Night Live-esque writing will undoubtedly make the show a hit.
Glee (Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on Fox)
The musical comedy phenomenon is back for its third season. The show follows high school teacher Will Shuester as he tries to transform the Glee Club and inspire a group of ragtag superstar performers.
The cast is nowhere short of talent; week after week the show’s musical numbers have awestruck viewers, and this season the McKinley High Glee Club is doing yet the same.
Opposed to the previous two seasons, season three takes a much deeper look inside the personal lives of the show’s core characters.
Compared to last season, where the only drama was which member was dating who, this season is only a few episodes in and tension is already rising.
The best thing about the show is its simplicity.
For one hour on a Tuesday night, you can find yourself getting lost in the singing and dancing and if you pay enough attention, you may even find a little bit of you in some of the characters.
If there’s one show you shouldn’t miss this Fall, Glee is the one.
However, for those who are new to the “Gleek Nation” and wish to start from the beginning, the past two seasons are available on Netflix Instant Watch.
New Girl (Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Fox)
Zooey Deschanel makes her television debut in the new series about the complexities of life’s romantic relationships.
The show centers on Deschanel’s character, Jess after she’s just gotten dumped by her adulterous boyfriend.
After the breakup, Jess moves in with three bachelors, who at first are skeptical about the decision but soon, realize it will pay off more than they could imagine.
Before the premiere, the show had a large buildup using ads and clips all over TV and the Internet.
The show looked to be a huge success, but when premiere time came, I was unimpressed.
As a whole, the writing and acting was decent, yet it was still very disproportionate to the buildup..
In general, the show is definitely worth watching, but it may not be as memorable as it’s been chalked up to be, and therefore might not be around long.
