Fall TV
You know, I’m a pretty jaded TV viewer. The past couple years, my total diet of the tube has been Sopranos, 24, American Idol, House and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Two networks.
Gotta tell you though, I’ve seen a couple of the new CBS shows, and I’m impressed. The Class is funny and smart. I saw the pilot on an American Airlines flight and laughed a lot. Good show.
Link: The Class on CBS.
Then, there’s Jericho. I am really impressed with this one. Saw the promos on the same airplane, and downloaded the show from the iTunes Music Store. Wow. Very credible and relatable premise.
The small town of Jericho, Kansas is going about its business. A local, self-described "screw-up" returns home after 5 years away, and as he’s again leaving town, a mushroom cloud appears over Denver, to the west. The explosion has no local effect, but the rest of the world is silent. Then, evidence of another explosion in Atlanta, and the townspeople wonder, are they at war? Is it a terrorist attack? Aliens perhaps?
CBS has obviously taken to heart the success of Lost, and come up with a much more believable and intriguing drama. I’m hooked. Sure, there are a few forgivable blemishes, like using contemporary music as a shortcut to mood and storytelling. It’s lazy writing, but somewhat enjoyably done. And sure, the pilot is a little soon to setup the romantic triangle that the lead character (played terrifically by Skeet Ulrich) will be dealing with.
But I’m hooked.
