Bob's Burgers
I was skeptical about this animated sitcom from the creator of Lucy, Daughter of the Devil and Home Movies. After all, it was just last season that Fox added the disappointing Cleveland Show to its "Animation Domination" lineup. But the unique art and original voice of Bob's Burgers is exactly the breath of fresh air their Sunday night needed. Sandwiched between The Simpsons (now in its 21st season) and three shows with Seth MacFarlane at the helm, Bob's is looking pretty darn special.
The Cape
Kudos to NBC for trying something a little out of their box, but I think The Cape misses the mark. The style vacillates uncomfortably between gritty action and over-the-top comic book action. If the show were super-stylized (in the vein of say, Pushing Daisies) to capture that comic book feeling, I think it could really be worth watching. As is, it's an unremarkable superhero story.
Lights Out
Holt McCallany gives a pitch-perfect performance as a boxer balancing his family life with his return to the ring. If you like FX-style dramas, this seems to be a good one. (I don't.)
Off the Map
It's Grey's Anatomy in South America. And it doesn't pretend not to be. I wish more emphasis was being placed on the unique experience of young American doctors in a foreign country, rather than the quirky kinds of medical problems people might have in South America. It's okay, I guess. Unremarkable.
Being Human
Based on the British show of the same name, this Syfy original is the story of a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost sharing an apartment. I'm not familiar with the original so I can't draw comparisons, but this is my favorite new show. A premise that could have been hokey is instead played deliciously dark, and the main cast is terrific. This one has a permanent spot in my DVR.
Harry's Law
Kathy Bates is great in this lawyer drama from the creator of Ally McBeal and The Practice. Bates's character has left patent law to start her own firm where she defends the underprivileged and poor residents of her neighborhood. Which means her defense strategy is usually to make grand speeches about things like inequality and rehabilitation over incarceration. Radical liberalism aside, Harry's Law has the quirky fun we expect from a David E. Kelley show.
Perfect Couples
This NBC comedy about three young couples has two couples too many, in my opinion. Every time Mary Elizabeth Ellis and David Walton are onscreen, the show is worthwhile. The other two couples are boring stock characters. Been there, done that.
Fairly Legal
USA's new show has a decently original spin on the lawyer drama - Sarah Shahi plays a mediator, so her goal is not to win a case, but to find a solution where everyone walks away a winner. However, the execution of the idea is nothing special, and Shahi doesn't really have the chops to carry a series like this on her own.
Finally, a special shout-out to the return of Parks and Recreation, still going strong.
Overall, January had a much better offering than the fall. In February we'll see the premieres of Mad Love and Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior on CBS, FOX's The Chicago Code and Traffic Light, and the much buzzed-about return of Matthew Perry in Mr. Sunshine on ABC.
