Pilots: iZombie, One Big Happy, Weird Loners, Younger

I’ve been watching a lot of television shows lately, whether they be new ones, shows I follow that premiere around this time, shows I need to catch up on, or my all time favorites. I’ve been watching some pilot episodes lately, particularly these four new shows that have just recently be released.

So the whole zombie genre is definitely here to stay. From the creator of Veronica Mars, iZombie tells a story of a doctor who becomes a zombie after a weird party. She now works at the morgue and eats the brains of the victims. The brains give her a vision that help with the murder solving. So in a nutshell, it’s a zombie crime show. So far it’s been very straight forward - what the plot tells you is what you get. Of course there’s still the mystery as to why there are zombies in the first place, and how they’re functional beings as opposed to the zombie portrayals we’re used to and all that. The crimes aren’t as elaborate, and the show is still trying to fit her personal drama into the show. Despite adding a bit of personality and back story to the character, it seems so out of place. So far the show is good - it’s not so zombie-like but I’d like to know how the show is going to take that factor and integrate it with the growth of the show. 

Verdict: Still watching it!

Ever since one of my favorite shows (Happy Endings) got cancelled, I’ve been following the six characters into their next television endeavors. I loved how The Mindy Project adopted Adam Pally to the cast, though his run has come to an end. I found him to be a delightful addition to the show, and I really hope Mindy gets better ideas for story arcs for the supporting characters as they’ve all been reduced to filler minutes for the Mindy and Danny Show. I’ve also followed Damon Wayans Jr back to New Girl, but that show has become intolerable as of late. Then there’s Casey and Ken Marino’s show Marry Me, which was trying to find its groove (or has already been cancelled). Now there’s One Big Happy starring Elisha Cuthbert and Nick Zano, about friends who are having a baby. The “twist” of their show is that she’s a lesbian, and he just started a relationship with a new girl. The show itself is a horrible caricature. The jokes arent funny and the characters are not likable. Rather they appear to be lazy portrayal and caricatures of human beings that could probably function better in their roles and situations than the three actors. I was clearly not amused with the way the show was written, and the performances that go with them. 

Verdict: Dumped.

Weird Loners is about four people who are unlucky in love. Their issues stem from different sources and they all come together through coincidence. To be honest the show doesn’t have quite a form yet. They have managed to establish their Caucasian characters, but the only person of color in their cast have yet to be at par with the other actors. Based on the pilot, they’re alone because of their personality - they don’t really know what they’re looking for.

Verdict: I don’t know if I’m going to stick around for this show. Maybe the next episode will determine it for me.

After her divorce and being a stay-at-home mom for years, Liza began to look for a job, for her age has been an hindrance for her to get an actual job in her field. Since she looked young enough to (apparently) pass in her 20’s, she reinvents herself with a new age and a new personality (suited to her supposed age, according to her). Hence the title, Younger. I think the show has some promise, but that would depend on the direction the show would take. What would be the conflict? Is her pretense enough to sustain the show? What is the atmosphere that the show is trying to accomplish? 

Verdict: Still watching...for now.