Fall may have been the season for single women, with such new hits as "New Girl," "2 Broke Girls," "Pan Am" and "Whitney," but the winter is the season for the eclectic male lead. The season's chilly weather also brings with it the premieres of "Angry Boys," "It's a Brad, Brad World" and "Luck," as well as the continuation of "The Life and Times of Tim," offering a respite from the fall's influence of "Bridesmaids" (2011) on female comedies. Although a heavy emphasis on cable shows dominates the mid-season, almost all of the major networks feature a new show for viewers to enjoy.
"Angry Boys" created by Chris Lilley, the genius behind "Summer Heights High," premiered Jan. 1 on HBO. With a speciality for mock-documentaries, Lilley portrays several different characters in the program, including imbecile twin brothers, their prison officer grandmother, an overbearing Asian mom, an aging surfing champion and a black rapper named S.mouse. The first episode contains the same sort of outrageous and often offensive humor that Lilley brought to the world of "Summer Heights High." The quick-witted granny's sarcasm dominates the premiere, as she frequently ridicules the delinquent juveniles, giving them superhero-themed pajamas and serenading them with awkward karaoke renditions.
"A Brad, Brad World" stars Rachel Zoe's fashion assistant Brad Goreski as he ventures solo into the cutthroat world of styling. Here, he tries to move his studio out of his garage, but he has to contend with only having one celebrity client. The show, which premiered Monday Jan. 2 on Bravo, also features Goreski's boyfriend of 10 years, Gary Janetti, who embraces a conservative but preppy style.
"The Life and Times of Tim," an offbeat animated comedy in its third season on HBO, features the voice of creator Steve Dildarian as Tim, an average idiot who always says the wrong things at the wrong times. Right now, a jobless Tim has accidentally killed a blackmailing caddy and has managed to offend everyone in attendance at a Chinese funeral. If you are ever feeling particularly down, be sure to check out Tim, who is certain to be in more trouble than you.
A predominantly male cast also stars in "Luck," which premieres on Jan. 29 on HBO. This drama centers on the Santa Anita racetrack and its daily operations. Created by David Milch, the mind behind "Deadwood" and "John From Cincinnati," the show takes a look at the intricate world of horse racing and stars a big-name cast including Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte and Dennis Farina.
Although there will be a heavy emphasis on comedy this January, dramatic shows remain on the schedule including "Luck" and Fox's "Alcatraz," a show produced by J.J Abrams. This drama is expected to be full of sinister schemes and will include the reappearance of several thought-to-be-dead Alcatraz inmates.
The Emmy Award-winning "Downton Abbey" also returns to PBS, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of "Brideshead Revisited." Both programs have captivated American audiences with sumptuous and sometimes scandalous narratives about British aristocracy during World War I. Modern viewers are still enamored by this type of slow-paced, elitist costume drama almost as much as by the nauseating real-world antics of Seaside Heights, N.J.
"Jersey Shore," a show that bridges drama, comedy and romance, returns in its fifth season to MTV this January. The always colorful cast of Snooki, the Situation and the other muscled, fake-tanned loonies are back from embarrassing themselves in Italy to continue their socially unacceptable behavior on the shores of New Jersey.
The much-loved cult film "Napoleon Dynamite" (2004) will be adapted this season in the form of an animated comedy series on Fox, starring Jon Heder as the voice of the eponymous character. The most anticipated comedy to return this season, however, is Tina Fey's sitcom "30 Rock," which enters its sixth season on Jan. 12. The season will face the interesting challenge of dealing with the storyline of character Avery Jessup, Jack Donaghy's wife, who had been kidnapped by Kim Jong-Il during season five. In light of the Korean dictator's recent death, audiences will soon find out how the show's writers will reconcile comedy and recent political developments. The new male-dominated shows to premiere this winter will face competition from the fall's female driven shows, particularly the return of Fey's Liz Lemon. With the Golden Globes around the corner, it will be interesting to see whether comedy or drama will reign supreme this year.
