Tube Talk: Fall Premiere Guide

By Jessica Zischke, The Dartmouth Staff | 9/23/13 11:00am

Fall is officially underway, which means the beginnings of a new season of TV shows. Networks have already rolled out some new and returning programs, but have no fear! Tube Talk has gathered the biggest premieres that have aired so that you won’t miss a beat.

Recap of What You’ve Already Missed

 

Sept. 1 – Sept. 14

Photo Courtesy of HBO

With the premiere schedule picking up ever so slightly this week, a handful of shows made their returns. Two FX comedies aired on Sept. 4: “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “The League.” Unfortunately, “The League” has seen a steady decrease in viewers over the first four seasons, with an average of less than 1 million viewers last season. “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” has suffered likewise with its lowest viewer average yet occurring in season nine.

The Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning drama “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO) began its fourth season on Sept. 8. The show earned a similar number of viewers compared with previous seasons, further proving that the Prohibition-era drama isn’t just another show to sit in your TiVo for weeks at a time.

The FX drama “Sons of Anarchy” started its sixth season on Sept. 10 with the most-viewed episode since it aired. The season premiere brought in 5.87 million U.S. viewers. This season is expected to be the second to last in the series.

“The X Factor” (Fox) returned on Sept. 11, bringing judges Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato, Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio together for their first episode as a panel. These first episodes only cover the auditions, but viewers have still been turning out in droves to watch. Besides, the auditions are always the best part, right?

 

Sept. 15 – Sept. 21

Photo Courtesy of Fox

The beginning of this week kicked off with the returns of “Bones” (Fox) and “Dancing with the Stars” (ABC) while “Sleepy Hollow” (Fox) aired its series premiere. Over 10 million U.S. viewers parked in front of their television sets for the premiere of Fox’s latest series that combines fantasy, mystery and drama into one very enticing hour-long slot.

Fox’s biggest comedy night this season took over on Sept. 17. With the airing of two new series — “Dads” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” — as well as the return of the two most beloved Fox shows, “New Girl” and “The Mindy Project,” it was without a doubt an important night for comedy fans everywhere. Unfortunately for the network, “Dads” has already received scathing reviews calling the show racist, homophobic and sexist, among other offenses. On the other hand, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” starring Andy Samberg, has fared better thus far, with some calling it one of Fox’s best comedies.

ABC took the reigns back on Sept. 20 with the returns of “Last Man Standing,” ”The Neighbors” and “Shark Tank.” While the first two comedies noticed a dip in viewership over last year’s premieres, 6.68 million U.S. viewers parked in front of their televisions for the premiere of the fifth season of “Shark Tank,” a reality show featuring entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to a panel of potential investors. Despite the lower turnout for “Last Man Standing,” Tim Allen’s current show, and “The Neighbors,” a sci-fi sitcom that may have been doomed from the start, ABC was able to snag the Friday night slot, which will help numbers as the seasons continue.

 


Jessica Zischke, The Dartmouth Staff