SHILO’S SUPERLATIVES
Most Promising Trailer: I was most impressed by Sunnyside, which was a nice surprise since I’m not really a Mike Schur guy. But the show seems to have a good cast full of actors waiting to break out and the trailer made me laugh multiple times. I also liked that it was able to tackle something topical like immigration without being didactic, so if it can keep that up when the show gets going, it could be something to watch.
Most Anticipated New Show: Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. I’m fully supportive of broadcast continuing to order weird shows like this and the notion of having Jane Levy, Skylar Astin, Peter Gallagher, and Mary Steenburgen in a musical dramedy honestly seems heavenly. I’m very pessimistic about how it’s scheduled (Sundays at 9:00 midseason following a revamped Little Big Shots), but creatively, I think this could be one of the gems of the season.
Best Scheduling Move: Keeping One Chicago together. It’s not the sexiest or buzziest lineup on broadcast television, but these are three shows that feed off of one another and have proven themselves extremely sturdy.
Worst Scheduling Move: Not finding a slot for Council of Dads in the fall. If you’re going to order a show that prominently features terminal illness, you’re going to have to prop it up on the schedule and throw everything you have behind it when it comes to marketing. Giving it the same treatment that Rise and The Village got belies the confidence that NBC seemed to have in it this spring; obviously, shows fail for a number of reasons, but trying the same thing for the third time doesn’t make me think this time will be any different.
Most Likely New Hit: I don’t see a new ratings hit on NBC’s fall schedule. Bluff City Law‘s concept won’t inspire hit-level sampling, while Perfect Harmony and Sunnyside aren’t the broadest or best scheduled of shows. If we’re talking critically, I’m all in on Sunnyside, which has a topical premise and an executive producer in Mike Schur with a proven track record in that regard. It feels like something that critics will talk up; the only question is whether viewers will respond to the potentially polarizing premise.
Likely First Cancellation: I think all three new fall shows will air out their initial orders. Whether that’s in their original slot or not, I don’t know, but early season cancellations seem to be a thing of the past. Bluff City Law honestly seems to be in the worst position as Manifest is already slated to return to Mondays come midseason; the reason networks do shows like Bluff City is because they’re concepts that can produce more episodes, so if NBC is already kneecapping a bland procedural at 13-16 episodes, it doesn’t seem to have much of a future.
What I’ll Be Watching in the Fall: I’ll still be watching Superstore, which (hot take alert) is decidedly hit-or-miss with me. I might see how word-of-mouth shapes up for the first couple Sunnyside episodes just to be sure the premise stays optimistic and fun without delving into treacle.
