Episode 56 – What’s New on TV: Winter 2015

Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Why Watch That
It may be cold outside, but there is a variety of new TV shows premiering this winter that will keep you warm. In this episode, the Critic and the Referee discuss new TV shows from the Winter 2015 schedule.
Girlfriends Guide to Divorce (Drama/Comedy)
Developed by Marti Noxon
Premiered on Bravo, December 2, 2014
Plot: After Abby McCarthy, author of self-help books and guru to people with family issues, states that she and her husband have separated, her career screeches to a halt. The revelation puts America’s once-favorite girlfriend in free fall. Acclimating to being single in her 40s, she turns to friends for advice: Entertainment lawyer Lyla does constant battle with her ex, and entrepreneur Phoebe has an odd relationship with hers. For the divorce, Abby hires Delia, an associate of Lyla’s. The “Girlfriends’ Guide” book series inspired the dramedy – Bravo’s first original scripted series.
Librarians (Adventure)
Developed by John Rogers
Premiered on TNT, December 7, 2014
Plot: The series follows four people: Eve Baird (Rebecca Romijn), who is chosen by The Library to be a new Guardian; and Ezekiel, Cassandra, and Jacob – who were asked to apply to the Library to become The Librarians, but weren’t chosen in favour of Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle). While Flynn is searching for the Library (which is lost in time and space during the pilot), the four become a new team of Librarians in order to solve impossible mysteries, recover powerful artifacts, and fight against supernatural threats, especially against the forces of the Serpent Brotherhood, led by the mysterious and immortal Dulaque (Matt Frewer).
Marco Polo (Drama)
Created by John Fusco
Premiered on Netflix, December 12, 2014
Plot: In a world replete with greed, betrayal, sexual intrigue, and rivalry, the series follows Marco Polo’s (Lorenzo Richelmy) early years in the court of Kublai Khan (Benedict Wong), the Khagan of the Mongolian Empire and the founder of the Yuan dynasty, which lasted from 1271-1368.
Mozart in the Jungle (Comedy/Drama)
Developed by Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman & Alex Timbers
Premiered on Amazon Instant Video, February 6, 2014 (First season provided in full on December 23, 2014)
Plot: A blend of sex, drugs and classical music illustrates that what happens behind the curtains at the symphony can be just as captivating as what occurs on stage.
Galavant (Comedy/Musical)
Created by Dan Fogelman
Premiered on ABC, January 4, 2015
Plot: The series follows the adventures of Galavant (Joshua Sasse), a dashing knight hero down on his luck who is determined to reclaim his reputation and his “Happily Ever After” by going after the evil King Richard, who ruined it the moment he stole the love of Galavant’s life, Madalena. He is assisted by Princess Isabella, whose kingdom of Valencia has been conquered by Richard, and Sid, his squire. Meanwhile, the murderous but weak-willed Richard tries to win over the scheming Madalena. The episodes chronicle Galavant’s journeys (and the twists and turns that go along with them) through musical numbers composed and written by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater.
Agent Carter (Action/Adventure/Drama)
Created by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely
Premiered on ABC, January 6, 2015
Plot: When troops return from fighting abroad, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell reprising her role from the “Captain America” films) finds herself marginalized once again by 1940s U.S. society. In the wake of losing her love, Steve Rogers, she struggles to balance life as a single woman and work at the covert Strategic Scientific Reserve with administrative duties and secret missions for Howard Stark, an old acquaintance. Edwin Jarvis, Stark’s butler, helps Carter as she risks her life and freedom to complete assignments.
Empire (Drama/Musical)
Created by Lee Daniels & Danny Strong
Premiered on FOX, January 7, 2015
Plot: Hip-hop artist and CEO of Empire Entertainment Lucious Lyon (Terrance Howard) has always ruled unchallenged, but a medical diagnosis predicts he will be incapacitated in three years, prompting the sharks to circle. Without further damaging his family, he must decide which of his three sons will take over. His favorite, young Hakeem, is a gifted musician but values fame over hard work. Middle son, Jamal, is talented, shy, and gay, which embarrasses Lyon. The oldest, Andre, is business-minded but lacks charisma. The reappearance of Cookie (Taraji P. Henson), his ex-wife, complicates things; she says he owes her for taking the fall for the drug-running that financed his early career.
Hindsight (Romantic Comedy/Sci-Fi)
Created by Emily Fox
Premiered on VH1, January 7, 2015
Plot: As she nears 40, Becca (Laura Ramsey) is about to marry for a second time (this time to Andy Kelly), but her joy is tempered by the absence of her former best friend Lolly, who dropped out of their relationship years ago.
Togetherness (Comedy)
Created by Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass & Steve Zissis
Premiered on HBO, January 11, 2015
Plot: The spark in parents Brett (Mark Duplass) and Michelle (Melanie Lynskey) Pierson’s marriage is all but extinguished. When his best friend, out-of-work actor Alex, and Michelle’s sister Tina move in with them in Los Angeles, the four adults try to remain good friends/siblings/spouses while achieving their personal goals: Sound designer Brett, pushing 40, wants to rediscover himself; Michelle wishes to rekindle passion for life; Tina tries to get her bounce-castle business off the ground; and Alex takes yet another shot at an acting career.
Man Seeking Woman (Romantic Comedy)
Created by Simon Rich
Premiered on FXX, January 14, 2015
Plot: Naive 20-something Josh Greenberg (Jay Baruchel) is in search of love. Things aren’t exactly in his favor: He has a bad job and apartment and is afraid to approach women. But his best-friend/confidant Mike (his polar opposite) is a cool, confident bro with an expense account. Mike is also the proverbial devil on his buddy’s shoulder, pushing him to engage in activities like sex and drugs. Also in Josh’s life are his sister Liz, a corporate lawyer who wants him to get his act together, and ex-girlfriend Maggie, for whom he still longs – despite her leaving their four-year relationship.
12 Monkeys (Sci-Fi/Mystery)
Created by Terry Matalas & Travis Fickett
Premiered on Syfy, January 16, 2015
Plot: Time-traveler James Cole (Aaron Stanford) travels from the year 2043 to the present day to stop the release of a deadly virus by the enigmatic organization known as “The Army of the Twelve Monkeys.” That virus, in Cole’s original timeline, caused the death of 93.6% of the world population. Cole will be helped by brilliant virologist Cassandra Railly (Amanda Schull) and Jennifer Goines (Emily Hampshire), a math genius with mental issues.
Quick Mentions
Better Call Saul (Drama/Comedy)
Created by Vince Gilligan & Peter Gould
Premiered on AMC, February 8, 2015
Plot: He wasn’t always Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), ace attorney for chemist-turned-meth dealer Walter White. Six years before he begins to represent Albuquerque’s most notorious criminal, Goodman is Jimmy McGill, a small-time attorney hustling to make a name for himself. He’s a forceful champion for his low-income clients – an underdog whose morals and ambitions often clash. Jimmy works with private eye Mike Ehrmantraut, a former Philadelphia cop and recent transplant to the Southwest. Mike has a specialized skill set – he’s a “fixer” of sticky situations – that Jimmy soon learns to appreciate.
Schitt’s Creek (Sitcom)
Created by Eugene Levy & Daniel Levy
Premiered on CBC Television, January 13, 2015 (Premieres on POP, February 11, 2015)
Plot: When filthy-rich video store magnate Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy), his soap star wife Moira (Catherine O’Hara), and their two kids, über-hipster son David (Dan Levy) and socialite daughter Alexis, suddenly find themselves broke, they are forced to leave their pampered lives to regroup and rebuild their empire from within the rural city limits of their only remaining asset – Schitt’s Creek, an armpit of a town they once bought as a joke.
The Slap (Family Drama)
Created by John Robin Baitz
Premiering on NBC, February 12, 2015
Plot: A once happy family suddenly begins to fall apart following a seemingly minor incident in which a man slaps another couple’s misbehaving child.
The Odd Couple (Sitcom)
Developed by Matthew Perry
Premiering on CBS, February 19, 2015
Plot: In the mid-to-late 1990s, Felix Unger (Felix Unger) and Oscar Madison (Matthew Perry) meet at college, and fate puts them together as roommates: While Felix is extremely neurotic and fussy in contrast with the slovenly and easy-going Oscar, they both become friends quickly. They eventually marry two women very different from themselves (Felix gets hitched with the calm but feisty Frances, and Oscar settles down with the insecure Gaby) and have children.
About twenty years later, Felix, now a neat-freak photographer is kicked out by his ex-wife Frances and moves in with his best friend Oscar, now a sports-writer, whose ex-wife Gaby has left him because of his slovenliness. Now, both divorcees will have to live in the same apartment in spite of their differences.
Allegiance (Spy/Drama)
Created by George Nolfi
Premiered on NBC, February 5, 2015
Plot: A rookie CIA analyst doesn’t know that members of his family are part of a Russian sleeper cell.