Last season three new shows, “30 Rock,” “Brothers and Sisters” and “Friday Night Lights” came out of the gate with strong critical fanfare but were met with the sound of crickets. All three managed to develop rabid fan bases, leading to second season renewals, though in two of the cases ,barely. As they gear up to return for new seasons, let’s examine why you should be watching these shows.
“30 Rock” has one of the best advantages going into the new season. One of the least watched shows of the season, the show was barely renewed. Last week, it won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy. The publicity from the win, as well as perceived quality should help the show bounce up in the ratings — similar to the bounce “Cheers” received 25 years ago in similar circumstances.
“30 Rock” premiered last season as one of two behind-the-scenes type shows. The story finds Liz Lemon (played to perfection by series creator Tina Fey) running a weekly sketch show “The Girlie Show.” A single woman in her late thirties, Lemon is the epitome of post-feminism thought. The ratings starved show is soon revamped against her will by brilliant-but-crazy network exec Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) — who brings in equally crazy funnyman Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) — renaming the show “TGS with Tracy Jordan.”
The show is a hit on a multitude of levels. First, the cast is amazing. Tina Fey plays her part to perfection. She plays an intelligent, over-bearing woman who’s just lonely with such mesmerizing power you feel the humor as well as the sadness. However, the true star is Alec Baldwin, whose character’s delivery of insane lines and ultimatums with a perfect lack of emotion or expression makes the show what it is.
Fey pulls double duty as the main writer for the show — contributing by crafting the lines and plots that make the show outrageous. Her storylines take humorous approaches a wide variety of themes, from loneliness to gender-bias. It’s here that the show reaches its plateau — by making us take a look at the elephant in the room: and laughing at it.
NBC managed to deliver another critical darling last season with football-focused “Friday Night Lights.” At first, the show seemed to be a poor concept riding the films popularity. However, it quickly differentiated itself, becoming a smart, well-written chronicle of life.
The show has a strong ensemble cast. Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton star as the head coach and his wife. Kyle’s quiet reserved depiction of a coach beleaguered by a crazed town is dead on, and really hits home. Britton’s plays off of him with her firecracker character and lack of remorse for the game. They are joined by an ensemble cast that consistently delivers strong — if not heart-wrenching — performances.
One of the highlights of the show is how serious it takes itself. This is Texas football, and after all, football is almost religious. The show captivates that idea perfectly –- a small Texas town where football is the end-all-be-all. It translates into a powerfully addictive drama about a bunch of high school kids and the adults who idolize their game. It’s like “Dawson’s Creek,” only with good stories.
Though football would seem to be the center of show, it instead is the backdrop. Against the game, drugs, sex, dreams of higher education, career fantasies and other intense issues are confronted.
Another show flying under the radar (though not so low, with the same amount of viewers as “FNL” and “30 Rock” combined) is “Brothers and Sisters.” The show stars Sally Field, Calista Flockhart and Rachel Griffiths, along with another half dozen fan favorites.
The show centers around the Walker family. The image of perfection, the family sees its world crumble with the death of their patriarch. They discover the head of their family was an adulterer and an embezzler and must come to grips with their rapidly changing lives.
Many shows seem to be oversaturated with drama. “Brothers and Sisters” isn’t really all that different. Some new crisis rears its head each week. However, with five (six by the end of the season as an illegitimate child is discovered) children and the oft-crazy mother (played marvelously be Sally Field in her Emmy-winning performance), the drama flows better than other shows. Ultimately, the show is a poignant look at adulthood, a reminder that when all else leave, your family will still be there by your side.
