FLASH
Premieres: October 7
Why it might be good: With "Arrow," Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg and company proved they could do a grim, gritty and very effective Batman-in-miniature series revolving around a DC Comics second-stringer (who was conceived in the first place as a Batman clone). With this spin-off about the crimson-clad DC speedster (played by Grant Gustin), they're doing something trickier: sincere, sunny, unapologetically upbeat superheroics. And they pull it off. There are some corny spots (just as there are on "Arrow"), but Gustin's charming and believably noble, Tom Cavanagh and (especially) Jesse L. Martin lend tremendous gravity to the proceedings as Barry Allen's two adult mentors, and the pilot's big emotional and action beats land. There's also the danger that on a weekly schedule and budget, the world's fastest superhero may look more like a jogger, but he has a head start on most of the season's other newbies.
Why it might be good: With "Arrow," Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg and company proved they could do a grim, gritty and very effective Batman-in-miniature series revolving around a DC Comics second-stringer (who was conceived in the first place as a Batman clone). With this spin-off about the crimson-clad DC speedster (played by Grant Gustin), they're doing something trickier: sincere, sunny, unapologetically upbeat superheroics. And they pull it off. There are some corny spots (just as there are on "Arrow"), but Gustin's charming and believably noble, Tom Cavanagh and (especially) Jesse L. Martin lend tremendous gravity to the proceedings as Barry Allen's two adult mentors, and the pilot's big emotional and action beats land. There's also the danger that on a weekly schedule and budget, the world's fastest superhero may look more like a jogger, but he has a head start on most of the season's other newbies.
BLACK-ISH
Premieres: September 24
Why it might be good: Where most new comedies take a while, if they're lucky, to find their voice and comic point of view, "Black-ish" — starring Anthony Anderson as a wealthy executive worrying that his suburban wife and kids are losing touch with their roots — has both in abundance from the start, thanks to a sharp script from Kenya Barris, careful shaping from comedy vet Larry Wilmore, and good performances from Anderson, Laurence Fishburne (in a recurring role as Anderson's old-school dad) and Tracee Ellis Ross (as Anderson's wife). It's not raucously funny, but it's smart and has a clear sense of what it's about and how it will be about it. The worry is that Wilmore's imminent departure to host "The Minority Report" on Comedy Central will take away some of that focus, but it's a promising start
PETER PAN
Premieres: September 24
Why it might be good: Where most new comedies take a while, if they're lucky, to find their voice and comic point of view, "Black-ish" — starring Anthony Anderson as a wealthy executive worrying that his suburban wife and kids are losing touch with their roots — has both in abundance from the start, thanks to a sharp script from Kenya Barris, careful shaping from comedy vet Larry Wilmore, and good performances from Anderson, Laurence Fishburne (in a recurring role as Anderson's old-school dad) and Tracee Ellis Ross (as Anderson's wife). It's not raucously funny, but it's smart and has a clear sense of what it's about and how it will be about it. The worry is that Wilmore's imminent departure to host "The Minority Report" on Comedy Central will take away some of that focus, but it's a promising start
Premieres: December 4
Why it might be good: OK, so "The Sound of Music Live!" wasn't actually "good." In fact, it was kinda unbearable. But it was intriguingly unbearable and maybe Allison Williams has brings more acting chops to the role of Peter Pan than Carrie Underwood brought to Maria? Or maybe the prospect of Christopher Walken trying to remember his lines as Captain Hook is too enticing to pass up? Or maybe the supporting cast, already featuring Kelli O'Hara and Christian Borle, is shaping up nicely? Or maybe we (I) just like "Peter Pan" more as a musical than I ever liked "The Sound of Music"? Even if the results haven't wholly paid off yet, NBC's live musical project is an admirable one. [I'm really holding out for "The Music Man" if that is, indeed, what will come next in NBC's live parade.]
Why it might be good: OK, so "The Sound of Music Live!" wasn't actually "good." In fact, it was kinda unbearable. But it was intriguingly unbearable and maybe Allison Williams has brings more acting chops to the role of Peter Pan than Carrie Underwood brought to Maria? Or maybe the prospect of Christopher Walken trying to remember his lines as Captain Hook is too enticing to pass up? Or maybe the supporting cast, already featuring Kelli O'Hara and Christian Borle, is shaping up nicely? Or maybe we (I) just like "Peter Pan" more as a musical than I ever liked "The Sound of Music"? Even if the results haven't wholly paid off yet, NBC's live musical project is an admirable one. [I'm really holding out for "The Music Man" if that is, indeed, what will come next in NBC's live parade.]
GOTHAM
Premieres: September 22
Why it might be good: "Rome" creator Bruno Heller presents a sweeping origin story not just for Batman, but many of his allies and archenemies, set at a time when Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) is a kid whose parents just died, Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) is a rookie detective working with the shady Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), and future supervillains like the Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman are lurking on the fringes of the larger criminal world of Gotham City. It's a concept that may ultimately collapse under the weight of giving the bad guys a 10-plus year head start on Batman, but in the early going, Heller and director Danny Cannon present an appealing mash-up of familiar comic book characters and '70s cop movie tropes. McKenzie and Logue make a fine team, Jada Pinkett Smith is unusually lively and fun as crime boss Fish Mooney, and the show looks fantastic. It could go off the Bat-rails in a hurry, but it doesn't seem like it'll be a dull ride.
Why it might be good: "Rome" creator Bruno Heller presents a sweeping origin story not just for Batman, but many of his allies and archenemies, set at a time when Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) is a kid whose parents just died, Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) is a rookie detective working with the shady Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), and future supervillains like the Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman are lurking on the fringes of the larger criminal world of Gotham City. It's a concept that may ultimately collapse under the weight of giving the bad guys a 10-plus year head start on Batman, but in the early going, Heller and director Danny Cannon present an appealing mash-up of familiar comic book characters and '70s cop movie tropes. McKenzie and Logue make a fine team, Jada Pinkett Smith is unusually lively and fun as crime boss Fish Mooney, and the show looks fantastic. It could go off the Bat-rails in a hurry, but it doesn't seem like it'll be a dull ride.
'Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways'
Premieres: October 17
Why it might be good: A couple years ago at Sundance, Dave Grohl wowed audiences not with his guitar-wielding, but with his filmmaking. Documentary "Sound City" was a guided tour of one of the most vaunted rock 'n' roll studio spaces in the country, so now the Foo Fighter has taken the show on the road. "Sonic Highways" will pick up and drop off in eight different American cities, as Grohl's group collaborates with esteemed artists as the frontman compiles interviews, scenery and gushy studio tours along the way. Will this HBO series prove interesting to more than just audiophiles? At least fans will get an album out of it, one by the same name.
Why it might be good: A couple years ago at Sundance, Dave Grohl wowed audiences not with his guitar-wielding, but with his filmmaking. Documentary "Sound City" was a guided tour of one of the most vaunted rock 'n' roll studio spaces in the country, so now the Foo Fighter has taken the show on the road. "Sonic Highways" will pick up and drop off in eight different American cities, as Grohl's group collaborates with esteemed artists as the frontman compiles interviews, scenery and gushy studio tours along the way. Will this HBO series prove interesting to more than just audiophiles? At least fans will get an album out of it, one by the same name.
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