ABC's New Schedule: Agent Carter Airing During SHIELD Break
ABC have many new shows on the way, some more ambitious than others. Here's a the first footage from all of them that debuted today, along with my very quick first reactions.American Crime
ABC saved this trailer for last (I'm going alphabetically, so it's first here. Hah!) and it's easy to see why. It's a very prestigious project, coming from a recent Oscar-winner, John Ridley (12 Years a Slave), and boasts a talented cast, including Felicity Huffman, Timothy Hutton and Benito Martinez. And it's a compelling story, mixing a mystery element with a tale of race relations in America. The trailer looked enticing and hopefully the series can live up to the pedigree.Black-ish
ABC have several comedies about different ethnic groups and their experiences this season, which is commendable. They also are continuing their run of not-so-great titles for their comedies (see Cougar Town, Trophy Wife), which is not as commendable. The cast for Black-ish, including Anthony Anderson and Laurence Fishburne, is strong, but the trailer felt fairly mundane - though the kind of mundane that makes me think maybe I'll want to see how the show holds up after the pilot.Oh, and Hannibal fans, be aware Fishburne is technically in a recurring role here, leaving him room to continue to fly to Toronto for more serial killer awesomeness.
Cristela
Personally, I'll admit to being a much tougher sell on traditional multi-cam sitcoms these days - but they certainly can be funny, in the right hands. However, I didn't find much to laugh at in the footage from this comedy starring Cristela Alonzo.Forever
Anyone remember New Amsterdam, the short-lived FOX series starring a pre-Game of Thrones Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as an immortal living in modern day New York? Forever, starring Ioan Gruffudd as an immortal living in modern day New York, reminded me of it. Except Forever looks to have a much lighter, and goofy tone to it. Which seems an odd fit.Fresh off the Boat
None of ABC's new family comedy trailers really stuck out, but this looked to be the best of the bunch. The story of the child of Chinese immigrants, trying his best to fit in after his family moves to Orlando in the 1990s -- the show is based on Chef Eddie Huang's memoir -- Fresh off the Boat may not have had anything super funny in the trailer, but it has some chuckles and looks like it has a sweet tone to it.Galavant
Well you can't say ABC is playing it safe with this one. A comedic period piece musical? No, this sure isn't another procedural! This is a big swing -- described by Paul Lee as "Spamalot meets The Princess Bride -- and will instantly turn off a lot of people, but I am not one of them. The biggest standout looks to be the original musical numbers, which sound both catchy and funny in the trailer, which one would hope given they are written by composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast) and lyricist Glenn Slater (Tangled). Will the rest of the show be strong enough to sustain itself between songs? Here's hoping!How to Get Away with Murder
Whether you're a fan of Shonda Rhimes' series like Grey's Anatomy and Scandal or not, you have to be impressed by her success. Rhimes' latest (which will air on Thursdays with her other two, for a Rhimes-centric night of programming) is the story of a group of law students and their intense professor (Viola Davis) - and, it seems, some very dangerous extracurricular activities. It looks fun, in an over the top way, and if you're a big Harry Potter fan, it's a kick to see Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas!) as the new kid in class.Manhattan Love Story
It would be hard to have a more generic title than this show, though at least this romantic comedy has something different to offer - the conceit of hearing the thoughts of the two lead characters, as they begin their relationship. However, that idea feels more movie-friendly than TV-friendly and like it could get old really fast. The leads, Analeigh Tipton and Jake McDorman, look appealing though.Marvel's Agent Carter
Alas, ABC haven't posted the trailer they played at the Upfronts today online. However, don't get too excited (or upset, as it were) about what you're missing: There was no new footage. And how could there be, when nothing's been shot yet? Instead, we got a look at what to expect via some moments from the Captain America movies, along with a lot of the Agent Carter short that served as the show's de facto pilot last year. That short was great and totally sold me on why a Peggy Carter series could be awesome. If you haven't seen the short, here's a clip below.