We're now eight days into the new fall season and the hectic scramble has settled down a bit. Only two new shows debut today and one Wednesday. Let's begin with tonight's new comedy block on Fox.
TODAY
• Grandfathered, 7 p.m. today (Fox). First and foremost, we should all look as good at 52 as does John Stamos. Uncle Jesse of Full House is still a hunk and that's part of his character's shtick on Grandfathered.
In his new sitcom, Stamos plays successful restaurateur and ladies man Jimmy Martino. He's suave, handsome and the ultimate bachelor.
Into this idyllic situation steps Jimmy's adult son that he never knew he had, and -- surprise -- his son has a baby daughter. In one ego-crushing moment, Jimmy goes from self-centered stud to granddad. Comedy ensues.
Josh Peck (The Mindy Project) portrays Jimmy's son, Gerald, and Paget Brewster (Community) plays Gerald's mom, Jimmy's former flame, Sara.
Concerned about how Jimmy will handle all this is his restaurant family, assistant manager Annelise (Kelly Jenrette, Audrey) and chef Ravi (Ravi Patel, Super Fun Night).
Grandfathered has its humorous moments, but does not reinvent the comedy wheel. How much you enjoy Stamos will determine whether this will make your weekly viewing schedule. I, for one, am uncertain how the writers are going to stretch the premise into an entire season.
• The Grinder, 7:30 p.m. today (Fox). Far more satisfying is this comedy starring Rob Lowe (Parks and Recreation, The West Wing) and Fred Savage (The Wonder Years, Working) as mismatched brothers.
Lowe portrays Dean Sanderson Jr., the star for eight seasons of the hugely popular legal drama The Grinder. Once his series ends, Dean decides to move back home to Boise, Idaho, where his milquetoast brother Stewart (Savage) is all set to take over the family law firm.
Dean only played a lawyer on TV, but believes his charisma and acting skills will enable him to contribute to the firm.
Before long, Dean is everywhere in his brother's life -- in the courtroom and at home.
Mary Elizabeth Ellis (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) plays Stewart's wife, Debbie, and William Devane (24: Live Another Day) is Dean Sr., head of the law firm.
Natalie Morales (Parks and Recreation) is the firm's counselor and is one of the few unimpressed with Dean's Hollywood celebrity.
The bottom line: As much of an odd couple as these brothers are, in the courtroom they make a pretty good team.
The Grinder is one of my Top 7 must-see picks for the fall season.
• Returning faves. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. kicks off Season 3 at 8 p.m. on ABC with more on the introduction of the Inhumans as well as giving us more on the traitorous Grant Ward.
Beyond the Tank, the companion series to Shark Tank, returns for a second season at 9 p.m. on ABC.
• Settling in. Having already premiered, the following shows settle into their regular time slots tonight:
Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris, 7 p.m. (NBC)
Scream Queens, 8 p.m. (Fox)
The Voice, 8 p.m. (NBC)
WEDNESDAY
• Code Black, 9 p.m. (CBS). It's yet another emergency room drama. This one is set in an overcrowded and understaffed hospital in Los Angeles.
The main draw is that CBS managed to lure Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden (Pollock) to the project as head honchette Dr. Leanne Roris, the ER residency director.
A typical quote: "Life is measured here in split seconds," she barks. "Hesitate and people die."
CBS claims that this "gritty" series will be the fastest-paced ER drama ever to hit the tube, with few romantic distractions, unlike what we find on Grey's Anatomy.
"We're interested in the medicine," Harden told Entertainment Tonight, "but at the end of the day, we're interested in the people and how they do what they do."
Harden explains that a "code black" is the situation in the emergency room when there are more patients than there are doctors and beds to take care of them.
If you enjoy hospital shows, well, here's another one for you. I found nothing compelling enough about the series to add it to my DVR list.
I just ask one thing. Kindly have the operating rooms bright enough for the doctors to see. On Grey's Anatomy, they operate almost in the dark. Seriously.
• Returning duo. Two fan favorites rejoin the lineup Wednesday.
• Criminal Minds, 8 p.m. (CBS). Season 11 finds Jennifer Love Hewitt out of the cast and a mole in the midst of the Behavioral Analysis Unit.
• Chicago P.D., 9 p.m. (NBC). When Season 3 opens we find grief-stricken former detective (she resigned) Erin Lindsay (Sophia Bush) drunk and at a club. Can she be saved? Can she?
The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:
mstorey@arkansasonline.com
Style on 09/29/2015