Hits and Misses so far for 2009/2010 Television Season Part 1 (ABC)

We're over a month into the new season of television and there is a picture forming of how shows are doing, and I'm starting with ABC which has the most new shows this season.

Breakout hits:

Modern Family undoubtedly is the new comedy hit of the year. Getting rave reviews from critics and fans, Modern Family's ratings have stayed in the healthy 3s.

Cougar Town has had definite success though less than Modern Family. The ratings are dropping, but so far, Cougar Town looks like it will be staying.

Questionable:

FlashForward was touted as the next Lost by ABC, but clearly it hasn't lived up to the billing, and the ratings for the past few weeks have reflected that. While I expect a renewal, FlashForward needs something to jump start the ratings, lest it fall to the wayside like Heroes.

The Middle did well enough to be picked up for a full season by ABC, but the ratings are still poor. I am guessing it won't be renewed, but it may have a chance depending on how well Scrubs and Better Off Ted do.

Misses:

The Forgotten failed from the beginning. Another cop drama, but the twist is that they're not actually cops, and no one cared.

Hank was terrible from the beginning and the viewers acknowledged that by not watching. Sorry Kelsey Grammer, better luck next time.

Eastwick is actually a decent show that I would watch if I had more time, or was more interested in girly shows, so I don't understand how Eastwick has had such low ratings. It will most likely be canceled.

Returning Shows:

Grey's Anatomy is facing stiff competition from all networks, but so far, it has dominated Thursdays, blowing out CSI which used to be its main competitor.

Castle may be considered a winner having received a full season pickup and increasing ratings per week. If it continues down the path, it could be renwed and be a solid show for ABC.

Ugly Betty was put on Friday and looks like it will die there.

I know there are more shows, but these are the more important points that I see.

Review - Eastwick Season 1 Episode 2 Reaping and Sewing

Eastwick is charming. I don't see how anyone can really hate this show. There's many likable elements to this show that very few elements that are too off-putting. I probably won't watch this again, but there is a certain quality to this show that people should take a look at.

Sure the plot is a little mundane and the themes are simplistic, but the show isn't supposed to be compelling or complex. The characters are all a tad unrealistic, but they are likable. The dialogue and delivery has a really nice humorous feel to it. There isn't anything clever or smart about it, but it works. The show doesn't take itself too seriously and the drama is still light-hearted.

The mystery does not feel like a mystery very much, and I'm not even sure it should. The rich guy Van Horne is obviously a devious character with a shady past. Joanna and Penny dig up an old picture of Van Horne except it's not his name. He tries to corrupt the women through various means. There is some story about this new guy who Roxanne dreams about him killing her so she questions her abilities after talking to him. After the attempted rape of her daughter, Roxanne confronts the guy (her ex-boyfriend) and gets into a protracted battle with him which culminates into the 3 friends eyeing him and causing him to most likely be killed.

The endings of both episodes have been awkward with the openings equally as awkward and I was really confused when the episode started. The writing of Eastwick needs work and there is so much more that could been done with the idea of witches, but the cast is great and I think it balances out the other negatives.

Score: 8.5/10

ABC's Eastwick lacks magic, but manages

I found the show enjoyable. It was light, good natured, and fun, but I didn't see anything that would keep me watching. I can see how the how would appeal to people; it's a bit like Desperate Housewives with magic. I've seen many bad reviews for the show and honestly I don't see why they hated it so much. The dialogue was really fresh for the first act and had a fairly interesting premise.

Some coins fall beside a group of women they make wishes, and toss them into a fountain. Later, they discover they can do certain things. A rich guy named Darryl Van Horne (Paul Gross) comes to town and buys everything. He eggs the women on to embrace their desires.

It touched on social issues like women in the workplace, women's vs men's roles, and had a bit of family drama involved. Each woman has their own issue and it could be interesting to see how they deal with it. Roxanne (Rebecca Romijn) is a cougar (yes I know, another cougar...) and her boytoy wants to be her boyfriend. She has dreams of the future but doesn't fully understand her ability. Kat (Jaime Ray Newman) has an alcoholic husband and after she accidently shocks him with lightening, requests a divorce. Joanna (Lindsay Price) struggles to assert herself at work, but her newfound powers starts changing things up.

Will it continue watching? No, it's not my kind of show. Will other people keep watching? Definitely. I saw lots of things in the show that others might like. I've seen complaints about the whole anti-feminism thing, but it's too early to tell.

Score: 8.5/10