Five Midseason Shows To Watch

By Clint McLeod
Correspondent

With New Year’s week behind, we as a nation can finally put our attention towards a very important event: Mid-Season Replacements!

Typically, the Mid-Season Replacements (MSRs as Jim J. Bullock would call them) have been a mix of low budget reality shows and poorly put together laugh track comedies like last year’s Fox bomb, The Winner. But this year is different. MSRs represent brand spankin’ new television. MSRs are a virtual oasis of new programming in a reality and rerun heavy television landscape. Now, remember Fancast users we must lower our standards. We must realize that there will be no 30 Rock out there. Instead we may have to settle for a comedy like Amen. Instead of hoping for Heroes, be prepared for Fast Lane.

So here are the 5 New Mid-Season Replacements To Watch

BREAKING BAD – AMC
This is AMC’s second scripted show, behind Mad Men. If you didn’t watch Mad Men, then you missed out on a truly great drama. This time around AMC goes for a comedy starring Bryan Cranston playing a middle-aged Crystal Meth dealer. This show HAS to be good. Simply put, imagine the pitch meeting where the creator says, “We think there is a lot of comedy potential in Crystal Meth.” Now pot lends itself to humor, but unfortunately comedies centered around whippets and frog licking have failed. Now I have no idea what the storylines are, but I think we can all expect some pretty funny midnight Sudafed runs to 7-11.

LIPSTICK JUNGLE - NBC
This January we get two Sex In The City knock offs; Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle. Basically both follow a group of what I am going to assume are powerful, independent women, who need a man. While the choice of which to watch is difficult, I am throwing my editorial weight behind Lipstick Jungle. I base this weighty decision on the fact that “The Jungle” stars Lindsay Price and Brooke Shields. Price is a 90210 alum. You know who else is? Oscar winner Hillary Swank and legendary actor Brian Austin Green. That right there is Hollywood royalty. Now Shields starred in Suddenly Susan, which I’ve been told some people watched. While, I’m not confident that either show can escape the comparisons of Sex In The City, I think that this one doesn’t also want to try and mix in Wisteria Lane as well.

THE RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES – FOX
Amy Sherman-Palladino, who penned most of the Gilmore Girls series is back with this new female centric comedy. This time we get to follow the lives of two sisters, with potentially hilarious results. I’m predicting that this comedy isn’t for everyone. Dane Cook and Chris Rock fans need not apply here. Basically, we’re looking for the Americans that are still upset that the famous female duo “The Mommies” are still off the air. Now I have to admit that this isn’t up my alley, but Sherman is a very solid writer for her genre, so if you enjoy beanie babies, John Tesh and Drew Barrymore movies, then get your DVRs set.

CELEBRITY REHAB – VH1
Dr. Drew tries to help celebrities, or at least people you’ve heard of, try to kick their chemical dependency. These include such notables as American Idol contestant Jessica Sierra and of course VH1 mainstay Bridget Nielsen. The show bills itself as trying to open the eyes of addition to Americans, which is a noble idea. But lets get real. This is just another vehicle for celebrities, who have been forgotten to reemerge on the pop culture landscape. With that said, I of course will hop on board for the train wreck that this show, like all other VH1 reality shows create.

KNIGHT RIDER – NBC
I want this show to be good, but I don’t. I’m starving for quality shows, so hopefully this can entertain, however I don’t want television to become like the movie industry and reproduce old shows at a high rate. While seeing an updated KIT is certainly appealing, just remember this could eventually mean that we see another Vicky robot in a remake of Small Wonder. Or perhaps we’ll be treated to the return of Daphney Colman in Drexel’s Class 2. Never the less, I think Knight Rider will be worth at least one watch and if talking cars are as good at fighting crime as I remember, then it might just get the season’s pass on my DVR.

So those are the 5 new shows that I think you should check out. Of course I’d be a fool to think that they’ll all be good, but I’m confident that we can squeeze out 2 potential keepers out of the lot. Let me know what shows are getting you jazzed up this January!