2011-12 Season Outlook- Cable

Here at the Quiet Pool Perspective we like to give you a head start on figuring out what to watch heading into a new television season. Although we aren't cool enough to get all of the pilots in advanced, we have seen each and every trailer, have done the research, and have listened to what the critics are saying about all of the new shows for the 2011-12 season. So below are some my opinions on what should be watch, as well as some early insight on what I will be watching this year.

Here’s what’s new on cable…

A Quick Look

Excited For
  1. Luck
  2. Homeland
  3. Hell on Wheels
Interested In
  4. American Horror Story
  5. Boss
Giving a Chance
  6. Enlightened

And Some More Depth

American Horror Story – FX – Premieres 10/5
Need to Know: It comes from Ryan Murphy of Glee and Nip/Tuck infamy. From the title and the commercials it seems to be very creepy. It stars Connie Britton and Dylan McDermott.
Quiet Pool Plan: I am all for the crazy and the creepy so I will give this a whirl. I have been told Nip/Tuck was good before getting too crazy, and I’ve enjoyed Glee to a point, so I’m sure this will start out with a bang, even if it falls quickly.

Britton and McDermott on American Horror Story

Boss – Starz – Premiers 10/21
Need to Know: It’s not Hank. Kelsey Grammer returns to tv after his most recent failure for this Starz drama. He plays the mayor of Chicago with a terrible neurological disorder. It also stars Kathleen Robertson as Grammer’s personal aide.
Quiet Pool Plan: The guy from Back to You and Claire Arnold? That will hook me for a while. Starz doesn’t have the greatest history of scripted drama, but you gotta start somewhere right?

Enlightened – HBO – Premiers 2011
Need to Know: Half hour series starring the Jurassic Park lady and Luke Wilson. That’s all there is to know.
Quiet Pool Plan: It’s HBO, so they’ve earned my attempt.

Hell On Wheels – AMC – Premiers 11/6
Need to Know: It’s a western about a confederate soldier, who is seeking revenge on Union soldiers that killed his wife.
Quiet Pool Plan: Since I am now a southerner, I am all for getting back at those terrible Yankees. And I love me some period drama, so I am in this one.

Homeland – Showtime – Premiers 10/2
Need to Know: It’s the pick by most critics as the best new drama of the season. More importantly, I will be reviewing it this fall for TV Fanatic. It’s a psychological thriller starring Claire Danes as a CIA agent. A marine POW Damian Lewis returns to the U.S. and Danes thinks he was turned by Al-Qaeda and is a threat to the country.
Quiet Pool Plan: Even if I wasn’t getting paid to watch this, I would be excited. It sounds a lot like what Rubicon wanted to be, but failed so miserably at. It should be a good one.

Luck – HBO – Premiers January
Need to Know: This is the one folks. The one I’m probably most excited about. It stars Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte, and it’s about gambling at a horse track. It will be run by David Milch of NYPD Blue and Deadwood fame. The pilot was directed by decorated filmmaker Michael Mann.
Quiet Pool Plan: This is as easy as it comes. I am on board. Let’s start the train now folks.

Dustin Hoffman in Luck