2007 Fall Television Pilots, Reviewed: Part II

Private Practice

Spin-offs rarely do well, but I hope this show will be an exception.  One of the most well-written characters from Grey’s Anatomy has moved from Seattle to a small clinic that houses a sex-addict, a psycho psychiatrist, an ‘alternative medicine’ practitioner, and a loving-yet-divorced couple. Think of all the seasons you can go just with these characters! B

Journeyman

I liked Journeyman — when dealing with time travel, there’s lot of  plot holes that must be covered in depth, and confusion that must be avoided if the story is to be comprehensible. Journeyman managed to pull it off adequately. Look forward to seeing more. B-

Pushing Daisies

This amusing show about a young man who has the ability to bring anybody back to life (for one minute) is narrated by a quirky pseudo-British accent that becomes a tad grating by the end of the episode — unfortunate, because it is an entertaining show. B-

Reaper

Remember Dead Like Me? Dark comedy about a teenager who becomes a reaper? Stick in Satan and get rid of Mandy Pakinkin, and you’ll get this show. Granted, its not a bad show, it just feels like I’ve seen it all before. Extra credit: spot “Her Big Brown Eyes” from Dead Like Me at the DMV! C

Back to You

An awful narcissistic re-hash of Kelsey Grammar’s Frasier character, in a new setting. Might as well just watch re-runs of Cheers — you’ll laugh more, that’s for sure. F

Moonlight

Hey, vampires never get old, especially tortured vampires with an affinity for the lowly mortals; Moonlight shows us a vampire working as a private investigator — in the pilot episode, he routs a cultish blood-worshipping college group and saves a girl from possible demise. Entertaining stuff. C+