Will & Grace Season 9 Premiere Review

Will & Grace returned tonight after more than a decade off the air, and like so many other people, I'm thrilled. I will admit that I haven't actually seen all eight previous seasons of the show, and I haven't been a fan for very long, but I'm still very excited.

The episode begins with the Core 4 playing Heads Up, but Jack and Karen are not even remotely thrilled. Karen's asleep, but she wakes up when Jack shakes some pills and Karen tells everyone that she had a crazy dream. She tells everyone what happened in the dream. Will and Grace were married and had kids, and they lived together. They never had kids, but they were married (they both got divorced) and they are living together (but not if you ask Grace). Later on, Will is writing a letter to a Congressman, but Grace is starting to feel like she isn't "woke." Karen is gloating about the election, but Grace is beyond sick of it. Then Jack bursts in, and he knows Will is interested in a guy. As it turns out, he wasn't writing the congressman because of politics, he was flirting. Jack tries to help Will, so he finds out when the Congressman has a speaking engagement. He books a train for Will to go, and now they're all set.

Grace arrives at work, and she asks one of the workers, Tony, if Karen offends him. He avoids the question, but ultimately tells Grace he doesn't offend her. Grace wants to talk to Karen about keeping politics out of work. Then, Karen tells Grace that she has a new job for her: redecorating the Oval Office. Karen talked directly with Melania, and got the job. Grace acts like she doesn't want the job, but then she accepts. In DC, the guys are at the Congressman's speaking engagement, right by the Oval Office. The Congressman arrives, and he meets Will. Grace and Karen are in the Oval Office, and Grace is amazed at how many great minds have worked in the room. They're ready to start, and Grace needs to make sure the curtains work with his coloring, so she pulls out some Cheetos. The Congressman asks a tour guide to give Will a tour of the West Wing, and she agrees because they don't have rules anymore. Grace notices the event outside, and knows that Congressman Sandoval was there that day. And then she sees Will talking to him. And then Will sees Grace, and he runs. Jack is talking with the Secret Service agent that he knew, and he tells him about all of his failed businesses (but he avoids all talk of "Just Jack!"). When the tour guide brings Will to the Oval Office, he sees Grace, who is infuriated. They keep repeating each other, and they get in a fight over what the other is doing. Will compares Grace to Mrs. Peacock from Clue (I love this reference so much! Clue is super underrated.). Grace thinks Will is acting superior. Will tells Grace she should move out if she's so unhappy and calls her crazy. So she starts a pillow fight. They make a mess of the Oval Office, because of course they do.

Jack is still talking to Lenny the Secret Service guy, when Karen comes out. When Lenny tries to catch up with Karen, he gets called to the Oval Office. Back in New York, Grace is getting ready to leave. Will and Grace both confess that they didn't tell the other about what they did because they didn't want the other to think less of them. Will tells Grace she should stay, for as long as she wants, and when he picks up her suitcase to move her back into her room, it's empty. She was never planning on moving out.

This was a great episode! They've definitely still got it, even 10 years later. The cast still has the same amazing chemistry that they've always had, and they're just as funny as before. It really was great to see them all in modern times, tackling issues in current times. Everyone was great in this episode, and I'm excited to see what they'll tackle next. So far, this is easily my favorite new show of the season, even though it's not really new.
My Score: 9.5/10
My Grade: A

You already know how I felt about the revival premiere, but what did you think? Let me know in the comments below and vote in the poll below!

2017-18 Week 1 Sitcom Scorecard -- 14 Sitcoms Deliver Original Material During Premiere Week

Written Grateful Original Network Programming Has Returned by Bridger Cunningham

Image result for will and graceWelcome back, folks!  Wednesday, September 20 delivered the first two ratings helpings with back to back showings of The Good Place.  The 10:00 showings delivered a 1.3, up from its last original 1.1 telecast in February 2017 and already below the 2016-17  average of 1.35.  Fret not, as that 13-episode season had two plum post-Voice airings which rated 2.3.  And a 1.3 is far above the rest of that season's renewed sitcoms' averages, so The Good Place has plenty of territory to display its true grit.  For week 1, CBS again claimed 1st place, a throne in sitcoms they've owned since 2004.  ABC and NBC tied for 2nd place as ABC Wednesday returned down, and NBC powered up with Will-power and Grace-ful Writing.  And down in the cellar, FOX is in an anemic 4th place this week.

Image result for sheldon proposesThe meat of the conversation starts with the Monday, September 25 premiere of CBS' only comedy block of the evening.  The 11th season premiere ofThe Big Bang Theory returned to am impressive 4.1, up 7% from last year's 3.8 premiere in the same timeslot and up a landmark 64% from its last showing in May 2017.  Thus proving instead of allowing shows to wither on the vine, fix the writing! A special airing of freshman pilot Young Sheldon enjoyed an unheard of 3.8, up 41% from Kevin Can Wait's 2.7 premiere in the same timeslot, as well as matching the TBBT season 10 premiere that season and retaining 93% of this season's TBBT premiere.  Kevin Can Wait registered a 2.3 in its Autumn timeslot in the wake of Erinn Hayes' controversial firing and Leah Remini's first appearance on contract.  This was down 15% from the previous 2.7 premiere, yet drastically up 109% from the 1.1 finale in May.  Housed in the undesirable 9:30 timeslot is the premiere of Me, Myself and I with a softer 1.6, on par with last season's 60 minute premiere of 2 Broke Girls.

Image result for american housewife - greg driving
Tuesday, September 26 evening had sparse to report as ABC will debut October 3, and only returning favorites The Mick and Brooklyn 99 premiered t horrid results.  The Mick delivered a saddening 0.9, drastically down from its NFL-Inflated 2.8 January premiere and only up slightly from its series low 0.7 rating in May.  Brooklyn 99 delivered a sickening 0.7, down 36% from its meager 1.1 premiere last fall and only up a tick from its disastrous 0.6 season finale in May.  It appears the Silent Spring ratings will haunt this block well into the new season.  Wednesday, September 27 spelled the return of ABC's prized sitcom block with The Goldbergs returning to a 1.8, down 10% from the previous season premiere of 2.0 and up from the 1.4 May finale.  Speechless delivered a disastrous 1.4, 30% down from the 2.0 series premiere and up from the 1.2 May finale.  The 9th season premiere of Modern Family bolstered a 2.1, down 19% from the 2.6 season premiere last season and up from the 1.7 finale last May.  American Housewife debuted its 2nd season in an upgraded timeslot with a disappointing 1.6, down 15% from the 1.9 series debut last fall and up from the disastrous 1.2 May finale.

Image result for great news - tina fey
And Thursday, September 28 allowed NBC to debut its laughers free of sit-competition as Superstore's 3rd season premiere registered a 1.3, down 14% from the 1.5 premiere last fall and way up from the 0.8 depressed May finale.  The Good Place's timeslot premiere stilted a 1.4 in a W&G lead-up, up 7% from the week before.  The heralded return of Will and Grace after an 11-year hiatus delivered a glorious 3.0, and Great News scored a series high 1.3, up 8% from the 1.2 April debut and over double in showing from the pitiful 0.8 May finale.


So what do weeks 0 and 1 forecast for the debuts?  The Big Bang Theory exhibiting a great episode displayed in a rare uptick for the 11th season sitcom.  CBS' plugging of Young Sheldon advertisements and speculation over premise paid off.  Too bad the show will be off the air for weeks, although it's premiere rating is stronger than Kevin Can Wait and double the delivery of The Great Indoors.  Speaking of KCW, the controversy over Erinn Hayes' firing and Donna's death drew a respectable boost.  KCW's true test will be how it holds with 9JKL, aka [The Address Sitcom]'s premiere next week.  Me, Myself & I has a hard road ahead of it as the 9:30 timeslot is a tough sell.  If it manages to deliver respectable ratings straight through to its last showing in this slot on 10/23, it can easily endure a nice shelf life.

Much of Tuesday has yet to be determined as ABC's comedy block marks its debut next week, and FOX delivered embarrassing ratings in like with the Spring Doldrums.  Wednesdays on ABC ended a three-year unstoppable streak as it appears the network is regressing to the previous pattern of the showings surrounding MF not retaining the rich ratings bed.  MF has faded with age, but Speechless losing 33% of a 2.1 lead-in spells trouble.  And is American Housewife a good fit following MF?  The ABC block has shown quality of writing now reflects in their ratings.  AH fans not fret, as last season's 2nd episode outperformed the premiere in creativity.

NBC can enjoy a brief windfall with a highly publicized Will and Grace revival, as shows seldom reach the heights above the 3.0 mark unless tied to The Big Bang Theory.  NBC's Thursday roster still performs soft and best utilize W&G's 13-episode fall run for development.  Great News enjoyed the largest bump as last season's spring afterthought seldom perked above the 1.0 mark.  The Good Place has to prove itself this season, and Superstore isn't going anywhere as it is the strongest show next to Will and Grace.  How will the NBC roster fare when CBS comedies return?  More than likely they will rate under, and FOX's The Orville is showing a stability plateau.  NBC will more than likely compete for 3rd Place with FOX, as ABC and CBS still reign on this evening.  FOX Sundays have yet to perform and await FOX's prized return of post-Football inflation.

Scroll down the colored table beneath the ranking sitcoms and see some revealing data in the averages.  Often, CBS' average minus its strongest show presents a wide margin, and this week only sports a difference of .15.  That will change when Little Sheldon returns in November.  ABC's range is similar, as MF is no longer a power player, but a nice piece performing above average.  NBC's range is widest, as the averages minus W&G drop .42.  And FOX?  More debuts are needed to form an opinion, albeit Tuesday evenings appear to be losing.

A Simple Music Review: Metronomy

Electronic music has had its fair share of criticism and that's understandable. Some may say it is soulless and noisy. But during my carpool days, I found that there are numerous artists who can make electronic music which is joyful, emotional and catchy. Metronomy is one band who excels in making such music.




Metronomy originally started with Joseph Mount, his cousin Oscar Cash and school friend Gabriel Stebbing. They released their first album, Pip Paine (Pay the £5000 you owe) back in 2006. Despite starting their career, I hold no love for it. I found the album too strange. It just wasn't enjoyable for me at all. I'm sure most people agree with me since it's the only album that is not available on the Google play store and it has very few views on YouTube, thereby indicating it's lack of popularity. The only song worth mentioning is 'You Could Easily Have Me' and even that has a really messed up music video. Fortunately for them, the only direction they had to go was up.


#2. Nights Out (2008)



To be honest I wasn't even planning to talk about this one either. I was ready to write it off as a wacky dance album but then I changed my mind after I saw the music videos. The videos managed to leave a positive impression on me and allowed me to look at the album in a better light. 'A Thing For You' is certainly a worthy rival for OK GO's 'Here It Goes Again' in terms of having an epic video while 'Heartbreaker' is a nice little video about two guys trying to cheer their friend up. The only video i don't suggest you watch is 'My Heart Rate Rapid'. That video is the stuff of nightmares.

So here are my Top 5 songs for this album:

5. The End Of You Too
4. On The Motorway
3. Back On The Motorway
2. Radio Ladio
1. A Thing For You


#3. The English Riviera (2011)


This is the first album featuring drummer Anna Prior and bass guitarist Olugbenga Akeladan after Gabriel Stebbing left the band in 2009. The English Riviera is the main reason I started listening to Metronomy. More specifically, it was because of the song 'The Look' which had a lovely tune along with a playful music video about birds. The Music video for 'Everything Goes My Way' will definitely make you say "Oh Deer!" and while i found it catchy, I'm partially convinced that the song 'Corinne' is about sexual harassment. I could be wrong though. But it's still worth a listen.


My Top 5 songs for this album are:

1. The Look
2. The Bay
3. Everything Goes My Way
4. She Wants
5. Corinne


#4. Love Letters (2014)


Like Nights Out, this album took a while to get used to. Sure I got sucked in by 'Reservoir' and 'Monstrous' but the rest took a long time for me to appreciate. Make sure to keep an empty stomach while watching 'Month of Sundays' because the music video feels like you're on a roller coaster.
'Monstrous' has a very eerie tune yet leaves me feeling hopeful. Hopeful for what, I cannot say but it's a beautiful song nonetheless, especially the last 30 seconds. I have no idea how they achieved that sound but those few seconds were breathtaking.


Anyways, my Top 5 songs for this album are:

5. Month of Sundays
4. Love Letters
3. The Upsetter
2. Monstrous
1. Reservoir


#5. Summer 08 (2016)


While 'The Look' is what made me notice them, Summer 08 is the first Metronomy album I fell in love with. Almost all of the songs are really catchy and that's impressive considering how Joseph Mount composed most of the album by himself. When listening to 'Back Together', make sure to listen to it completely as it shifts from a strange conversation to a beautiful 70's/80's vibe. 'Night Owl' has a dark but hilarious video where everyone tries to kill Joseph. Lastly, 'Old Skool' is a very smooth song and to top it off, the video features a Game of Thrones Star. Overall, the whole album really sets a cool mood when playing it.

Finally, my Top 5 songs for this album are:

5. Night Owl
4. My House
3. Old Skool
2. Back Together
1. Love's Not An Obstacle

Thank you for reading. If you wish to share your sentiments about the band, let me know in the comments below.

To read other articles from this series, click on the links below:

The Strokes

Childish Gambino

The Audiots

Friday TV Ratings 9/29/17: ’Inhumans’ Has Okay Start, ’Exorcist’ & ’MacGyver’ Hit Series Lows, ’Blue Bloods’ On Top (UPDATED)

Here are the final broadcast ratings for Friday, September 29, 2017.


Photo: Marvel/ABC
Finals Update: Hell's Kitchen (0.9, +0.1) adjusted up. 

Time
Show
18-49 Rating
Total Viewers    (In Millions)
8:00pm
Marvel’s Inhumans (P) (ABC)
0.9
3.75

Hell's Kitchen (P) (FOX)
0.9
3.02

MacGyver (P)
0.8
6.69

Law & Order: True Crime (R) (NBC)
0.5
2.99

Masters of Illusion (R) (CW)
0.2
0.93




8:30pm
Masters of Illusion (R) (CW)
0.2
0.99




9:00pm
Hawaii Five-0 (P) (CBS)
1.0
8.64

Dateline NBC (NBC)
0.9
5.17

The Exorcist (P) (FOX)
0.5
1.58

Masters of Illusion (R) (CW)
0.2
0.92




9:30pm
Masters of Illusion (R) (CW)
0.2
0.95




10:00pm
Blue Bloods (P) (CBS)
1.1
10.04
20/20 (ABC)
0.6
2.95
(P) = premiere
(R) = repeat

The sole series premiere on premiere Friday was ABC's 'Inhumans' (0.9). It got off to a relatively decent start but didn't exactly blow the house down. 'Once Upon a Time' will take over the 8pm timeslot next week. The alphabet network capped off the night with a rotten '20/20' (0.6).

On CBS, it was a brutal return for 'MacGyver' (0.8). The drama merely matched its series low and couldn't hold a candle to its 1.7 series premiere. 'Hawaii Five-0' (1.0) and 'Blue Bloods' (1.1) posted better results but were still 29% and 15% below their year-ago openers respectively.

All hell broke loose on Fox as usually reliable 'Hell's Kitchen' (0.8) fell nearly 30% from last year. The series never went below a 1.0 last year, so this is a major disappointment. At 9, 'The Exorcist' (0.5) hit a new series low on premiere night and fell 50% from last year's respectable 1.0.

NBC stayed out of the (original) scripted game and settled for an encore of 'True Crime' (0.5) and two hours of Dateline (0.9)

The CW had 2-hrs of 'Masters of Illusion' encores (0.2/0.2/0.2/0.2).

Promo Watch for Grey's Anatomy, Marvel's Inhumans, How To Get Away With Murder

The Ratings Junkie Friday, September 29, 2017

Thanks once again to Matt C for providing us information on what was promoted during these shows.

Grey's Anatomy (1st Hour)
Break 1 - 10 Days in the Valley, The Good Doctor
Break 2 - The Mayor, How to Get Away with Murder
Break 3 - 10 Days in the Valley
Break 4 - Shark Tank, Marvel's Inhumans
Break 5 - The Good Doctor

Grey's Anatomy (2nd Hour)
Break 1 - Scandal
Break 2 - Black-ish, 10 Days in the Valley
Break 3 - The Good Doctor, The Mayor
Break 4 - Black-ish, How to Get Away with Murder
Break 5 - Scandal, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World
During Credits - Grey's Anatomy (Next week's episode), How to Get Away with Murder

How to Get Away with Murder
Break 1 - Scandal, The Good Doctor
Break 2 - 10 Days in the Valley
Break 3 - The Mayor, Black-ish
Break 4 - Scandal, The Mayor
Break 5 - 10 Days in the Valley
During Credits - How to Get Away with Murder (next week's episode)

Marvel's Inhumans (1st hour)
Break 1 - The Mayor, The Toy Box, Once Upon a Time
Break 2 - The Middle, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World
Break 3 - Shark Tank, Once Upon a Time
Break 4 - 10 Days in the Valley

Marvel's Inhumans (2nd hour)
Break 1 - The Mayor
Break 2 - Black-ish, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World
Break 3 - 10 Days in the Valley, Once Upon a Time
Break 4 - Scandal, 20/20
Break 5 - Shark Tank, Black-ish
During Credits - Marvel's Inhumans (Next week's episode)

FOX Renew/Cancel: Lethal Weapon Looking Solid For Renewal

The Ratings Junkie Friday, September 29, 2017
Welcome to the next edition of FOX Renew/Cancel. While it may be too early to really know how shows will perform this season, and predictions are subject to change wildly, here are at least initial predictions.

The Table


Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon premiered a tiny bit under where it left off; nothing great, but also a nice improvement over some past time slot occupants. It should also be noted that the Season 2 premiere had to face The Voice and NCIS as competition and was FOX's highest-rated show that night. It held up much better than previous pre-Empire time slot occupant, Rosewood, did in its Season 2 move.

Star
Star received a massive time slot upgrade and capitalized upon it, getting a 1.8 out of a 2.4 in L+SD ratings. That is well above where it performed throughout the majority of its first season, and that alongside relations with Lee Daniels should be more than enough for it to be renewed, assuming it doesn't collapse.

Gotham
Gotham does not seem to be handling its move to Thursdays too well; the latest episode received a 0.9 in L+SD, 31% below its year-ago performance. It also is not owned by FOX, but rather Warner Brothers, which means FOX would not benefit from any potential syndication or streaming deals. With it finishing its 4th full season in the upcoming spring, Warner Brothers will have money from these deals despite the show not being in originals anymore should it be canceled. The fact that The Orville is performing significantly above it with even more competition also is not a positive factor.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is not owned by FOX, but has a syndication deal with TBS for the first five seasons of the series. With this being the fifth season, it will fulfill the number of episodes TBS asked for, and the L+SD ratings aren't really all that great--it premiered to a 0.7 A18-49 L+SD rating.

The Mick
While The Mick premiered barely above Brooklyn Nine-Nine, at a 0.9 L+SD rating, New Girl is ending, Brooklyn Nine-Nine likely as well, and The Last Man On Earth declining, there's a chance they keep around The Mick to try to build a more established live-action comedy block. Ultimately, I think its most threatening competition will be the non-football-inflated episodes of Ghosted.

What do you think of these predictions? Let us know in the comments below!

The Orville 'If the Stars Should Appear' [Season 1 Episode 4] Review


***Spoilers Ahead***

If the Stars Should Appear

Seth McFarlane, Penny Johnson Jerald, Mark Jackson, Max Burkholder (left to right).
Michael Becker/FOX

After two episodes centered on single characters, 'If the Stars Should Appear' returns to focusing on the ensemble as a whole. And, after a relatively tedious episode last week, The Orville is back to the blend of comedy and adventure that made the first two episodes fun to watch.

The episode opens with a fight between Bortus and Klyden. Bortus eventually decides to go to work early and the crew members attempt to get him to explain what happened. Despite the initial emphasis, this shred of a storyline is scrapped a couple minutes in. While I didn't like how it was left unresolved, I'm happy that this installment shifted towards something more action-packed as opposed to another mellow episode with Bortus.

Ultimately, 'If the Stars Should Appear' shines in the main plot and produces The Orville's best outing yet. One thing that really helped strengthen the plot is the setting. I really enjoyed the dystopian elements that came with the biosphere on the ship. From the ruthless dictator to the sheer denial that the citizens had about their impending doom, there were many great allusions to past and current events that made the episode feel cinematic and realistic at the same time. Additionally, the outing produced many outstanding dramatic moments. For example, the interrogation scene between Kelly and Hamelac was just as gruesome as it was well-done. Scenes like the former help show that this series is not just a comedy and that The Orville is not afraid to add components that are unlike anything McFarlane has done in his career.

Nevertheless, that doesn't mean that the comedy department did not deliver in the episode. For the most part, Issac provided the bulk of the laughs in this installment. While his character isn't particularly original, I can't help but enjoy his straight-forward demeanor and the way he explains simple things in a ridiculous manner. He really gets his moment in the sun in "If the Stars Should Appear" after being neglected in the first three episodes.

On the other hand, the B-plot doesn't really deliver. It focuses on the rest of the main cast (Bortus, Malloy, Lamar) as they fight off the Krill. The payoff of this underdeveloped plot is when Lamar exclaims "Boom Bitch!" after they defeat the ship. That brief moment serves as a nice nugget of comedy gold in an otherwise tedious storyline. Other than that exclamation, the plotline does not add much to the jam-packed outing. Overall, this storyline is far from bad, it just ends up being more than a bit forgettable. The writers should really utilize Lamar & Malloy more in future episodes instead of putting them in insignificant roles. But, I guess it's not realistic to expect every character to receive an equal amount of attention in each individual episode.

'If the Stars Should Appear' is the best episode of the series to date. The Orville has nailed the comedy-to-drama ratio and the dystopian premise helped create a great setting for another entertaining adventure. I hope that the series will continue to focus on action and adventure while also giving each character their moment to shine.


Stray Thoughts
  • The intro is simply too long. Sure, the ship looks great, but I wish they would do away with it.
  • Yaphet and Dr. Finn have great chemistry. I hope to see more of the former in the future.
  • I wonder if Klyden & Bortus's argument may be leading to a divorce.
  • On that note, the writers seem to have dropped Kelly & Ed's flirting/bickering shtick.

Grade: A-



What did you think of "If the Stars Should Appear"?

Great
Good
Okay
Bad
Awful
Survey maker

Leave your thoughts in the comments below. Catch an all-new Orville next Thursday at 9/8c on Fox.

Off Topic - Week 2 (2017-18 Season)

Friday night, and we are going Off Topic! It’s week 2 of the season, and we’re just getting started! Let’s discuss away!

Better Things Season 2 Episode 3 Review

This has been a very good season of Better Things so far, with a very funny season premiere and a more dramatic but still very good second episode. Let's see if they can keep the ball rolling with episode three.

Sam is lying in bed, thinking about her recent night out. During said night out, she meets a man named Robin who begins talking to her about kids, parenting, and relationships. While she's thinking about Robin and their conversation, her kids come in to interrupt her. Max wants to spend time together, while Frankie is pestering her about the minivan. She pretty much ignores them and keeps thinking about Robin and her night with him. Later, Sam and Max are waiting so that Max can get a license, but Max really wants to leave. Sam gets a call from Robin she was thinking about earlier, and he asks her to go to go away with him for a weekend, and she doesn't seem convinced at first. While Sam's distracted, Max walks out of the DMV and she calls Sam, interrupting her phone call. Sam is not pleased. She tells Robin that she'll think about going, and that she likes how he went about asking her. Now, she has to deal with Max. She drags her back in, and doesn't give her much of a choice in the matter.

Sam is at a restaurant with her friends Joy and Tessa, and she isn't acting quite right. As soon as the meal is finished, she calls Robin up and tells him she'd like to go with him. Back at home, Sam is packing for her trip. Frankie wants to know what she's doing, and Max is worried that she's fat. Sam plans on leaving the kids with Susie, but they both hate that idea. Max wants to watch the house and the others. Frankie doesn't like either option, but Sam really doesn't care. She allows Max to stay home alone with the girls, and she starts to leave. The girls chase after her, but she walks out, proclaiming that she doesn't care. She speeds away, away from the girls, Phil, and her home. Something tells me she really wants to go on this trip.

At the winery, she talks to Robin about the murder shows she loves so much (only real murders, none of that Law & Order crap). Robin starts taking about real issues, like how his daughter's mom left him and their daughter behind. Sam and Robin have a lot of fun doing various things as shown in a montage. They have a wine tasting, and she asks where they'll be staying. He says it's a surprise, but she replies by saying that she hates surprises. She asks him again, and tells him that she wants to know where they're staying so she can book a room for herself. When she asks how many rooms were booked, he says that he only booked the one room and gets a little defensive. This really get awkward, and Robin gets pretty annoyed that his surprise has been ruined. He finally tells her where they're staying, and he walks off to the bathroom. Sam is left by herself, and she's clearly really uncomfortable with what just went down.

Sam and Robin are driving to get food, and she talks a lot while he stays silent. Then she puts some music on. It's really awkward, because he says nothing the whole time. Nothing at all. At the restaurant, Sam talks a lot about the decor and she rambles on for awhile, and Robin finally says something. He apologizes profusely for the hotel incident, and she tries to make him feel a bit better but he won't stop apologizing. He asks that she hangs in with him for awhile, and to not dump him. Then, she says something super heartfelt. He really has to pee. But she also says that when she gets back from the bathroom, they're going to start over.

This was another entertaining episode, but it was another one that was far more dramatic than it was funny. The scene where Sam walked out of the house with the girls chasing her was probably the funniest part of the episode. I still really liked the episode, but I would have liked a bit more comedy mixed in. I also (once again) really missed Duke and Phil, because I just love them and we've barely even seen them this season. Maybe next week? Pretty please?
My Score: 8.5/10
My Grade: B+

NBC Renew/Cancel #1 [2017-18]: ’The Brave’ is on the Chopping Block + ’The Good Place’ is a Certain Renewal


Predictions for 9/29/17


Welcome to the first official NBC Renew/Cancel post of the 2017-18 television season. With the exception of Blindspot, all of the new & returning NBC shows have premiered. First, here's the table to show where each show is standing. 



Key

Show title [Average adults 18-49 rating/Most recent rating]


The Brave [1.3/1.3] - The military drama posted a 1.3 for its series premiere on Monday. That doesn't seem too bad until you realize that it had a 2.6 lead-in from 'The Voice'. This means that the series lost 50% of the reality show's audience for its first episode. Additionally, shows that air after 'The Voice' usually don't hold up well in week 2. 'Timeless' and 'Taken' fell 22% and 25% respectively for their second installments. A similar drop would put 'The Brave' at a measly 1.0 in the A18-49 demo. For a show airing in a lucrative timeslot, that's not enough to get by. If that wasn't enough, NBC decided to cancel a pilot encore in favor of one for 'True Crime'. Things are looking especially grim for this one.

source: futon critic


Great News [1.3/1.3] - Last night, 'Great News' premiered to a 1.3 demo. It was actually up from its first season debut and hit a new series high. Under normal circumstances, this would mean the show is safe. But, the comedy received a lead-in from 'Will & Grace' which posted a massive 3.0. This means that 'Great News' retained less than half of the former's audience. 'Will & Grace' is bound to drop in the following weeks and it'll likely take 'Great News' with it. Because of this, the series is a tossup until it is made clear if the show can stay in solid territory without a huge lead-in. 


Law & Order: True Crime [1.6/1.6] - Just like the shows above, 'True Crime' posted a solid number but it simply lost way too much from its 'This Is Us' lead-in (the latter posted a monstrous 3.9). I'll have to see how it does in week 2 before I push it in a 'cancellation' or 'renewal' category, but things aren't looking particularly great for it.


The Blacklist [1.1/1.1] - The veteran drama delivered a respectable 1.1 for its premiere. Despite moving to a new timeslot, the series was down just 15% from last year's premiere. If it can stay close to these numbers, it'll have no problem scoring another season. 


Law & Order: SVU [1.4/1.4], Chicago PD [1.3/1.3], Chicago Fire [1.5/1.5] - The three Dick Wolf dramas posted respectable ratings and are some of the network's strongest shows. There's not much stopping them from receiving additional seasons. 


Superstore [1.3/1.3] - The workplace comedy was up 63% from its finale and was only down 13% from its season 2 opener. 'Superstore' is also in its third season so a fourth season renewal would mean it would have enough episodes for a syndication package. It's a certain renewal.


The Good Place [1.3/1.4] - Last Wednesday, 'The Good Place' posted a 1.3 after the 'AGT' season finale (which posted a 3.0). It was down 43% from its year-ago debut and had relatively poor retention. But, the comedy actually rose from its premiere last night and posted a solid 1.4. That number is on par with last year's timeslot premiere which is an impressive feat for a serialized comedy. Because of this, it has been upgraded from 'Likely' to 'Certain Renewal'. 


Will & Grace [3.0/3.0], This Is Us [3.9/3.9] - Both shows have already been renewed and their massive premiere numbers justify the network's decision.


Poll of the Week


Will Great News be renewed or canceled?


Renewed

Canceled
Poll Maker


Leave your thoughts and personal predictions in the comments below. 

CBS Renew/Cancel: 'Young Sheldon' Starts Strong


CBS
Welcome to the CBS Renew/Cancel Watch. All in-season, scripted primetime shows airing on CBS in the 2017-18 season are included in the prediction table below. My current predictions are current as of September 29, 2017.

The key to the right indicates the colors associated with each prediction. The data in the table includes current season lows, highs, and averages (Adults 18-49 demo), as well as the year-to-year changes for returning shows. The shows are ordered by their season averages against other scripted CBS shows.

   Rank     
Show
    Season Low High /Average     
 Y2Y Change
1
 The Big Bang Theory 
- / 4.1 / 4.10
+32.2%
2
Young Sheldon
- / 3.8 / 3.80
--
3
Kevin Can Wait
- / 2.3 / 2.30
+42.9%
4
NCIS
- / 1.6 / 1.60
-7.0%
5
Me, Myself & I
- / 1.6 / 1.60
--
6
SEAL Team
- / 1.5 / 1.50
--
7
Bull
- / 1.3 / 1.30
-9.1%
8
Criminal Minds
- / 1.3 / 1.30
-6.5%
9
NCIS: New Orleans
- / 1.0 / 1.00
-15.2%
10
Scorpion
- / 1.0 / 1.00
-16.7%

The Big Bang Theory
Status: Already Renewed
Currently in its 11th season, The Big Bang Theory has already guaranteed itself a 12th season to air in 2018-19 thanks to CBS's two-year renewal back in March. Could it be dethroned over the course of the season by its shiny new successor? That's likely to be the only interesting challenge it'll have this season, but one it may not mind losing. 

Young Sheldon
Status: Likely to be Renewed
The prequel-spinoff of The Big Bang Theory debuted to a strong and unprecedented 3.8 rating and 17 million viewers on Monday, holding on to 93% of the mother show's audience in the demo. This performance is nothing short of incredible to launch the fall season for CBS. The network has already given Young Sheldon a full-season order to reward it and to continue the good work. While this start is beyond great, it's too soon to say how the season will unfold. The series returns on Thursday, November 2 at 8:30pm and will face ABC's Grey's Anatomy, NBC's The Good Place, FOX's Gotham, and The CW's Supernatural

Kevin Can Wait
Status: Likely to be Renewed
In the Look Ahead article I wrote last week I outlined my concerns for the second season of the Kevin James-led sitcom. In short, with Leah Remini on board as a series regular and Erinn Hayes out, the show has a lot to prove to its core audience, as well as the new fans it seeks to gain by adding Remini as a controversial key player. The season premiere on Monday scored a very respectable 2.3 rating (-12% from its S1 premiere), which looks worse when you account for its mediocre 60% retention from Young Sheldon. Regardless of the inflated nature of premiere night, this is a strong number for the show and it will hope to retain as much of that audience as it can going into next week and the weeks following, especially when it must anchor Mondays again come November.

NCIS
Status: Likely to be Renewed
So far this season, NCIS remains the highest-rated drama series the network has. It has been CBS's #1 drama for years and continues to rank near the top across all of scripted television. The network can still use it as a launchpad for new shows, or continue to nurture the likes of a Bull. There's little reason to believe that the final season is upon us yet.

Me, Myself & I
Status: Likely to be Renewed
A 1.6 rating for a comedy on CBS is objectively fine in 2017, but this series stands a lot to lose in the coming weeks and in November when it has to compete without the major viewing benefits that The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon bring to the line-up. It may be the victim of a bad time slot, or an unlikely hero that actually helps keep up the back-end of the night. For now, there simply aren't enough data points to suggest it's not safe, but that could change as drastically as next week.

SEAL Team
Status: Likely to be Renewed
The new David Boreanaz-led military drama brought in a 1.5 rating on Wednesday with almost 10 million viewers. Compared to last fall's debuts, this lags behind Bull (2.2) and MacGyver (1.7), but exceeds the Thursday premiere of Pure Genius (1.0). Looking back, Criminal Minds earned a 1.9 for its Season 12 premiere last year in the same slot. Considering all of that data, it appears to be a decent start for an untested property in a nice time slot. If it holds on to most of that audience it should be fine going forward.

Bull
Status: Likely to be Renewed
One of CBS's two returning sophomore dramas, Bull returned to a 1.3 rating on Tuesday in its same time slot as last year. This result is down 40% from its series premiere and up 15% from its Season 1 finale (1.1). It's not a very encouraging number, but it is one of the stronger young properties CBS has to work with right now. Barring any kind of major collapse, the show and star Michael Weatherly should likely be around again next fall.

Criminal Minds
Status: On the Bubble
This show has been on a noticeable downward trend as it's aged and has faced cast changes and cost negotiations with ABC Studios. Its 1.3 rating on Wednesday night is respectable for 10pm, where it tied NBC's Chicago PD in the demo and beat ABC's Designated Survivor (1.1). Looking inward, it even beat Scorpion (1.0) and NCIS: New Orleans (1.0). However, the Season 13 premiere was down 32% from last year's premiere, when it aired in the 9pm hour, and saw a decline of 19% from the Season 12 finale. This is the second oldest series on CBS, and it's starting to show cracks. The network did not get rid of any veteran dramas last year, and my gut is telling me that this series might be vulnerable by May as CBS tries to phase it out. On top of costs and cast changes it has not been able to launch a successful spinoff, which could be detrimental to its future on CBS. How the other veterans perform this year could be helpful to clear up its future, but at the moment the Season 14 forecast is not easy to predict either way and likely won't be for the foreseeable future.

NCIS: New Orleans
Status: Likely to be Renewed
The latest spinoff of the valuable NCIS franchise premiered to a 1.0 rating on Tuesday night, which was down 29% from its Season 3 premiere and down 10% from its Season 3 finale. This isn't good, but CBS may not be so quick to let go of its third wheel in the NCIS franchise just yet when it has had trouble grooming new properties to replace it. 

Scorpion
Status: Likely to be Renewed
Scorpion also returned to a 1.0 this week, which was down 33% from its Season 3 premiere and a 17% slide from its Season 3 finale. This looks worse than the slide for New Orleans despite similar results, and it stands as a single property apart from any franchise support. However, it also benefits from the argument that newer properties remain untested, and the competition for renewals might look different in a few weeks or by the end of the year. A big syndication deal like another show from its class, Madam Secretary, recently got could come in handy about now and make things a whole lot easier on it. I wouldn't be quick to assume this series isn't going to be back yet, and with the likelihood of something from Fridays being cancelled (I'm looking at the yet-to-premiere Hawaii Five-0), something in the realm of a Season 5 of Scorpion would be a decent fit for that night of lower expectations. 

Check back next week for updates, when MacGyver, Hawaii Five-0, Blue Bloods, Wisdom of the Crowd, NCIS: LA, and 9JKL enter the table.