FOX Upfronts- Gut Reactions

The network upfronts were a while back, but now that the true tv season is over I have some time to look over what got canceled, what's coming back and what's new at FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS and The CW.

First up is FOX.


Canceled: 24 is the only cancellation of note. After some up and downs the past few seasons, they finally pulled the plug on Jack Bauer and company after eight seasons. Dramas Dollhouse and Past Life also got the axe, while another sitcom attempt by FOX ended terribly. Brothers and Sons of Tucson were both theoretically gone before they got through five episodes. Also the way too long running comedy 'Til Death is out of there.

Returning: The four animated shows are back on Sundays. Other FOX staples American Idol and House, MD are also still kicking around as they digress in quality year after year. Fringe will be in its third season, while Glee and Human Target return for sophomore seasons. Human Target likely won't make it further than that as it is set to air on Fridays this fall.

New Shows

I already reviewed The Good Guys when it aired a preview event this spring, but it still looks promising if for Bradley Whitford alone. Two others that could be good for FOX are Lonestar and Running Wilde. Lonestar seems to be a family drama of the Dallas/Dynasty ilk. The lead guy is somewhat of an unknown, but it has Jon Voight and Adrianne Palicki from Friday Night Lights so it doesn't lack in star power. Running Wilde comes from the creator of Arrested Development and stars Will Arnett as a similar character as he played in the earlier FOX hit.

Others that I might give a try include Mixed Signals and Terra Nova. Nova has no trailer out so I'm not quite sure what it's about, but heard it was from Steven Spielberg so that has to be a plus. Mixed Signals is another sitcom, this one starring Roy from The Office.

Bob's Burgers, Raising Hope and Ride-Along all get the pass-aroo vote from me.

The Good Guys- The Mustachioed Gentleman

The network upfronts were this week and I'm going to do some coverage on them next week once most seasons are over, but FOX brought out of one its new shows last night as a preview event. The Good Guys, starring Bradley Whitford, Colin Hanks and Bradley Whitford's mustache, premiered last night before Idol. It's basically a buddy cop action/comedy that feels very 1980s-esque.

Why does it feel 1980s-esque? Well besides the kitchy editing and graphics, it's because Whitford's character Dan Stark is a cop legend from the 80s that is still bumming around today. After one episode, Whitford is killing it and making it worthy of a watch. The jokes are corny, but funny. Everything about Stark is ridiculous and that works. He has a giant mustache, he drinks on the job, and he hates new technology. I'm pretty sure he used the phrase 'computer-machine' three times in this episode. He also brings to the table a great nostalgia for his glory days of the mid-80s. Every time he starts to tell a story about him and his famous partner from the good old days it was funny.

The Goody Guys had a very Chuck Season One feel, in that it is an action show that isn't taking anything serious at all. There is ridiculous crime going, guns a blazin' and everything is a joke. It's a nice change of pace to all of the serious action shows out there.

The editing and graphics that I mentioned earlier, plus a bit of weird pacing to the pilot, are a couple of the early mis-steps. The pilot should have focused a bit more on the two partners and less on the criminals. Kind of like Justified split its stories in half, between Raylan and the criminals early on, The Good Guys kinda did that last night and it felt weird. Maybe it was because Mikhail from Lost is supposed to be Russian, not latino, but nothing clicked on that side of the story.

One other thing that didn't work for me at all was Colin Hanks. I know he's basically the straight man in this situation but he couldn't have been less entertaining in the pilot.

The Good Guys will air again this summer and be on the fall schedule for FOX in 2010.