I hope everyone enjoyed the Awake pilot last night (or over the past few weeks, thanks to NBC releasing it online fairly early). If you haven’t read my review, please consider doing that. But amid all the beaming reviews and superlatives for Awake, big questions remain: Is it a series? Can the story be maintained … Continue reading Does a series’ ultimate failure negate a great pilot?
Tag: Lone Star
Series Premiere Review: Awake
There is a lot of baggage that comes with the premiere of Awake. Its creator, Kyle Killen, also guided FOX’s Lone Star to the airwaves last year. That series’ pilot is one of my favorite of all-time, so of course, Lone Star was canceled after just two episodes because of terrible ratings. I also … Continue reading Series Premiere Review: Awake
Test Pilot: File #36, Profit
Test Pilot #36: Profit Debut date: April 8, 1996 Series legacy: Known for its dark, complicated story and even darker lead character; thought to be ahead of its time Welcome back to Test Pilot guys and gals! With that extra-special Joss Whedon Theme Week behind us, it’s time to fall back into the typical, but … Continue reading Test Pilot: File #36, Profit
Test Pilot: File #23, China Beach
Test Pilot #23: China Beach Debut date: April 27, 1988 Series legacy: A well-respected, but sort of forgotten series It’s time for a new theme in the site’s most popular ongoing feature, Test Pilot. The primary reason I started this feature almost a year ago was so that I could have a solid excuse to … Continue reading Test Pilot: File #23, China Beach
Friday List: The best 15 television pilots
If you’re a regular reader of TV Surveillance, you know I love a good list. Or a mediocre list. Or even a horrible list. The point is I have a lust for lists. This fall, I’d like to provide you folks with more lists than ever and hopefully that will result in a weekly or … Continue reading Friday List: The best 15 television pilots
2010-2011 season wrap: The top 10 episodes of the season
The 2010-2011 television series officially ended yesterday. Obviously, there will be a lot of great television coming in the summer months ahead and it is sort of silly to stick to the ancient constructs of the broadcast television season (which ran from September 20, 2010 to May 25, 2011 this season), but I've never claimed … Continue reading 2010-2011 season wrap: The top 10 episodes of the season
Series Premiere — The Chicago Code, “Pilot”
Because Shawn Ryan's new police drama on FOX was up for the network's fall schedule last spring, it feels like we've been talking about and waiting for The Chicago Code (formerly Ride-Along) for a very long time and the anticipation has been building. This has probably only been compounded by the fact that Shawn Ryan's other … Continue reading Series Premiere — The Chicago Code, “Pilot”
TV Surveillance’s Best of 2010: The Best (and Worst) of the Rest
2010 has been a fantastic year for television. This year brought us a slew of great new programs and if we include the second halves of all the series that debuted in the fall of 2009 (which I am for these features), we have probably just experienced the best run of newbies since 2004. While … Continue reading TV Surveillance’s Best of 2010: The Best (and Worst) of the Rest
TV Surveillance’s Best of 2010: Top 60 Episodes, 20-11
2010 has been a fantastic year for television. This year brought us a slew of great new programs and if we include the second halves of all the series that debuted in the fall of 2009 (which I am for these features), we have probably just experienced the best run of newbies since 2004. While … Continue reading TV Surveillance’s Best of 2010: Top 60 Episodes, 20-11
Broadcast Power Rankings — Week 2
We're ready for week 2 of the broadcast power rankings! Time is a little short, so I think I'll be writing a little less this week. Here’s how I’m hoping this will work: In short, I’ll be ranking each network, from 1-5 every Monday based on a number of factors. More specifically, I’ll be not only considering … Continue reading Broadcast Power Rankings — Week 2
Lone Star, “One in Every Family”
Well, this was fun. After horrendous ratings in both its premiere and second episodes, FOX has done really the only it could do: cancelled Lone Star. The series is off the schedule and will be replaced by the sturdy Lie to Me starting next Monday. I know the campaigns are already going and people are … Continue reading Lone Star, “One in Every Family”
Broadcast network power rankings — Week 1
Earlier this month, I wrote a post discussing the possible new features that would be coming to TV Surveillance and if you remember that (or just clicked on that link), you'll know that Broadcast Network Power Rankings was not something mentioned. Truth is, I had originally hoped to keep up with all the new series … Continue reading Broadcast network power rankings — Week 1
Series Premiere — Lone Star, “Pilot”
Lone Star is, without question, the best broadcast drama pilot I've seen since Friday Night Lights' premiere back in 2006. That comparison is interesting (aside from the obvious inclusion of Adrianne Palicki in both casts and the Texas location), because while watching this episode, I felt some of the same feelings as I did when … Continue reading Series Premiere — Lone Star, “Pilot”
Fall TV “Preview”: Are there any broadcast hits in this group?
The fall television season is just about to begin! To celebrate, I’ll be doing a series of fun features and previews for both returning and brand-new series. I have not seen any of the new pilots or premieres from veteran series, and thus the quotes around preview. No matter, that won’t stop me from doing … Continue reading Fall TV “Preview”: Are there any broadcast hits in this group?
Fall TV “Preview”: Gauging my excitement for all of fall’s new series
The fall television season is just about to begin! To celebrate, I’ll be doing a series of fun features and previews for both returning and brand-new series. I have not seen any of the new pilots or premieres from veteran series, and thus the quotes around preview. No matter, that won’t stop me from doing … Continue reading Fall TV “Preview”: Gauging my excitement for all of fall’s new series
