The Fall TV season has begun this month which means TV Week in Review is back! Here’s what I’m watching this Fall. Every weekend, as per usual, I will give a roundup of my thoughts on the week’s TV, starting now! Here we go!
Reviews for Fall TV Shows Which Aired
September 13, 2015 – September 19, 2015
* Reviews May Contain Spoilers
Note: I will only be reviewing the premiere and not the entire season of Doctor Who and I will not be reviewing Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris.
Photo Credit: John P Fleenor
The Mindy Project (Hulu) – Episode 4.01 “While I Was Sleeping”
“Morning babe. Hungry?” – Matt
“Yes. Always.” – Mindy
Oh my God! What a premiere! First, can we just take a moment to flail over The Mindy Project being renewed by Hulu after it was canceled by Fox?! Praise Jesus for Hulu! Now, this premiere?! Ah-may-zing!!!!!!! In the premiere, we pick up exactly where we left off, Danny knocking on the door of Mindy’s parents’ home in India and Mindy back home freaking out, not having a clue where he is. Well, before Mindy falls asleep, she talks of a better life without ever having known Danny and then…and then!!! When she wakes up! Ta da! That life! We saw that life! Joseph Gordon-Levitt guest stars as Matt, Mindy’s husband in this alternate life dream and oh my goodness, this was perfect. Absolutely perfect.
“And we are married! And he’s not wearing a yamaka? Then how are we so rich?!” – Mindy
Then there’s Danny who finds out Mindy’s parents are planning to set Mindy up for an arranged marriage! While that in itself was hilarious, Danny’s cultural misconceptions were even more laugh out loud funny! Add to that Morgan’s surprise visit. And then Morgan inviting one of the possible suiters – played by Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) – over for dinner…this episode just kept getting better and better and better. Great to see the fabulous Freida Pinto in such a comedic role! This premiere truly never ceased to entertain.
“I went to Pakistan first. Big mistake! The Taliban tried to recruit me.” – Morgan
I loved how both story lines played out and intersected at the end. What a well executed episode! Really, everything about this episode was perfect. It contains all of the elements of what makes me love this show so much but really, it almost feels like a love letter to the fans. A “look what we’ve achieved together over three seasons” message and I am just so proud of this premiere and these writers and this cast and what’s to come this season. This episode was absolutely fantastic so if you have yet to watch it, don’t wait any longer!
Photo Credit: Daniel Sawyer Schaefer/Go2 Z Ice/Syfy
Z Nation (Syfy) – Episode 2.02 “White Light”
Last week’s season two premiere of Z Nation was fantastic and this week’s episode was just as great! More bounty hunters are after Murphy, making for some even more dangerous situations for the gang. We got a ton more chasing in this episode (Did you catch the zombie dog? Whoa!!) which was so much fun to watch. A never ending thrill ride. I LOVED how Doc’s ghost helped save himself! I hated how Murphy was in the closet the whole time and didn’t do a single thing to help Doc. Wow. Definition of selfish. He really is only thinking of himself. In case there was even a slither of a doubt.
Doc lived but we did have plenty of close calls this week (really liked the white light portions) and we did say goodbye to Mack this week. I’m wondering if Addy isn’t far too behind here because their stories were pretty weak once they separated from the group other than that one mind boggling episode you either loved or hated. So while the group may be reuniting, it’s not exactly with everyone we thought and that might also mean we get some new people in the mix! I don’t have any attachments to this new guy, Vasquez but I’m grateful he was there for Warren.
Finally, there’s Citizen Z who is really holding his own in his not so isolated anymore arctic zombie zone. Proud of him! Woo! I’m so excited to see where his storyline goes this season. Just as excited as I was last season so that’s a good sign! So, overall, really exciting episode! Can’t wait for more!
Photo via BBC America
Doctor Who (BBC America) – Episode 9.01 “The Magician’s Apprentice”
“How come you’re still alive?” – Clara
“Death is for other people, dear.” – Missy
Solid opening! I didn’t expect anything less. The season premieres are usually great. And the opening here was intriguing. The stakes raised when we see The Doctor face to face with a young Davros. As a reminder, Davros is the creator of the Daleks. But this Davros that The Doctor has come across is a child. This is a time when Davros asked for help and The Doctor gave up on Davros after Davros, a child, was too afraid to move. The Doctor left Davros. He left. And this it appears was the beginning of these two being enemies? Perhaps the Daleks wouldn’t exist if The Doctor had helped Davros that day? So many more questions arose with this episode! The never ending ride of questions with this show, man.
Meanwhile, Clara is faced with airplanes stuck in place in the sky! OoOoOo!!!! Now that was quite a disturbing sight to see! But wait! There’s more! Missy (Michelle Gomez) is back! And she was indeed behind the plane stunt to get Clara’s attention. Gomez is the best thing that happened to Doctor Who in all of season eight so I can’t even begin to explain how exciting it was to see her as Missy again! For who knows how long but she’s as evil as ever in the premiere. And willing to reel it in to find The Doctor. With Clara. Didn’t see that pair coming! But what is Missy’s agenda this time around? It’s much too early to say but I’m excited to see what’s ahead, if she’s still even a real threat after what The Doctor does at the end of this episode.
The two story lines intersect as they’re all taken to the planet of the Daleks, the ladies separated from The Doctor who is holed up with a dying Davros. Yikes! As terrifying as the situation is, I was very excited to see The Doctor and Clara on the planet of the Daleks. Quite a role reversal here since we basically always see the Daleks on earth. The episode ends shortly after this revelation of the trio being on Skaro, both Clara and Missy being killed by the Daleks, and The Doctor going back in time to that moment he had to save a young Davros only this time he’s there to kill him. But this brings SO many questions. He can’t really kill Davros because that zeroes out everything that’s happened up until this point. So what will happen?! And if The Doctor doesn’t abandon or kill (even though he appears to make the attempt) Davros, then how do they become enemies? If trying to kill him isn’t enough to make that point? Ahhhh. Way to reel me in!
This season has A LOT of questions to answer. On top of the mounting number of questions from previous seasons ha ha but wow, talk about dropping a load more on us! I was much more captivated here than I was in most episodes of last season and I’m hoping season nine is better than season eight which had its gems but overall was disappointing. So, after this mind boggling episode, here’s to a new promising season!
Premieres Next Week (September 20, 2015 – September 26, 2015)
67th Annual Primetime Emmys (Fox) Sunday, September 20 8ET/5PT
Gotham (Fox) Monday, September 21 8/7c
LIFE IN PIECES (CBS) Monday, September 21 8:30/7:30c
MINORITY REPORT (Fox) Monday, September 21 9/8c
Scorpion (CBS) Monday, September 21 9/8c
Castle (ABC) Monday, September 21 10/9c
BLINDSPOT (NBC) Monday, September 21 10/9c
SCREAM QUEENS (Fox) Tuesday, September 22 8/7c
Fresh Off the Boat (ABC) Tuesday, September 22 8:30/7:30c
LIMITLESS (CBS) Tuesday, September 22 10/9c
The Middle (ABC) Wednesday, September 23 8/7c
ROSEWOOD (FOX) Wednesday, September 23 8/7c
Modern Family (ABC) Wednesday, September 23 9/8c
Law & Order: SVU (NBC) Wednesday, September 23 9/8c
Black-ish (ABC) Wednesday, September 23 9:30/8:30c
HEROES REBORN (NBC) Thursday, September 24 8/7c
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) Thursday, September 24 8/7c
Scandal (ABC) Thursday, September 24 9/8c
The Blacklist (NBC) Thursday, September 24 9/8c
How To Get Away with Murder (ABC) Thursday, September 24 10/9c
The Amazing Race (CBS) Friday, September 25 8/7c
What are you anticipating next week?