Last year I posted my Midseason TV Preview. This time around I’m breaking that idea in pieces with a new kind of post called This week in NEW TV. Essentially they will serve as expanded versions of my usual TV Reminders. These posts will crop up through January and February as new TV shows premiere this winter. I will recommend new, buzz-worthy shows for you to watch. If you want a broader overview of all the new series airing on the big four networks, check out 2011-12 Upfronts coverage.
::SUNDAY::
The Firm — NBC — 9PM
NBC’s latest drama The Firm is based on the 1991 John Grisham novel of the same name. The show continues the story of attorney Mitchell McDeere and his family 10 years after the events of the book and film. (In 1993 Tom Cruise stared in an adaptation of the legal thriller.) On TV Josh Lucas (The Lincoln Lawyer) plays McDeere and it’s his intention to “homage Tom Cruise’s performance” from the movie rather than mimic it. The modern day McDeere will see that his past (as laid out in the movie) will come to haunt him. A brief summary: As a young associate, McDeere brought down the prestigious Memphis law firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke, which operated as a front for the Chicago mob — and his life was never the same. After a difficult decade, which included a stay in the Federal Witness Protection program, Mitch and his family now emerge from isolation to reclaim their lives and their future — only to find that past dangers are still lurking and new threats are everywhere. It’s certainty not necessary for viewers to have seen the movie or read the book before watching the TV series, but those who are fans of the previous works should be anticipating this return to the trials and tribulations of Mitchell McDeere. Though I don’t exactly have the highest of hopes for it, I will be giving this legal drama a try. I do believe that next month’s Smash has a better chance at lifting the Peacock’s spirits out of the gutter. The 2-hour pilot airs tonight at 9PM and The Firm lands in its regular Thursday 10PM slot next week.
House of Lies — Showtime — 10PM
Here is another show premiering that is based on a book: Martin Kihn’s House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time. Shortened for obvious reasons, House of Lies is a dirty sexy black comedy set in the world of corporate management consulting and it follows a team of cut-throat business people who are willing to go extremes to make deals happen. Movie star Don Cheadle transitions to TV in the lead role, and he is surrounded by a cast of incredibly funny people. Veronica Mars’ Kristen Bell returns to TV at long last (her stint on Heroes was OK, I guess) and Ben Schwartz has brought his infectious sense of humor with him from Parks and Recreation. Josh Lawson, Dawn Olivieri (Heroes) and Richard Schiff (The West Wing) are also involved. It’s on Showtime so you know what that means: profanity will fly and nudity will define itself. The premise and cast alone, however, should draw you to at least watch the pilot.
