Elementary
If you like: “The Mentalist” or “House”
Airs on: CBS
Premiered Sept. 27
Airs Thursdays at 9 p.m.
Elementary presents itself as a modern rendition of the classic Sherlock Holmes detective stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The show stars actor Jonny Lee Miller as an American Holmes and, in a surprising twist, Lucy Liu portrays the female interpretation of Dr. Watson. Elementary is set in New York City where Sherlock Holmes is a recovering addict with former surgeon Joan Watson hired to be the detective’s sober companion, who eventually becomes his crime-solving accomplice. With this in mind, it’s hard to tell whether the show is a fast-paced and unique thriller or merely one of the many generic crime shows already on television, but with the widely known image of Sherlock Holmes stapled to it. After watching the promo on CBS senior Hannah Cohen decided to tune in for the first episode.
“I was hooked,” she said. “It’s got a little bit of everything: action, suspense and mystery.”
Cohen plans to make it one of her regular watches, having been a fan of Liu’s work.
“When I was little I was obsessed with Charlie’s Angels, and she’s one of the angels so of course I was excited that she was in it,” Cohen said.
So, for a student who has read all the Sherlock Holmes books or is simply a lover of crime shows, Elementary is worth taking a peek at this fall.
The Walking Dead
If you like: “American Horror Story,”
“Supernatural” or “Lost”
Airs on: AMC
Returned Oct. 14
Airs Sundays at 8 p.m.
A television adaptation of the comic book written by Robert Kirkman, “The Walking Dead” is a story about life during a zombie apocalypse. The show follows Rick Grimes, played by actor Andrew Lincoln, who leads a group of fellow survivors as they struggle to stay alive. At first glance, “The Walking Dead” may seem purely action-based, but upon closer inspection the series also contains a lot of the elements that make up a drama.
“Even my wife who hates comics and scary movies likes it,” Tyson Ostroski said.
He has been tuned in since season one.
As the plot unfolds, many secrets between the survivors are formed and exposed, including many instances of betrayal and a dangerous love triangle.
Monster-slaughtering aside, “The Walking Dead” explores how humans interact when strained to keep themselves and their families among the living.
“It deals with the characters’ relationships and their pasts,” Ostroski said.
The critically acclaimed series, which won the Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation among other recognitions, has already formed a large fan base which anxiously awaits the series’ return.
“It’s for geeky people – people who like something different,” Ostroski said.
For an ample fill of gore, action and drama, catch “The Walking Dead” when it returns for its third season this fall.
The Mindy Project
If you like: “New Girl,” “Scrubs” or “Bridesmaids”
Airs on: Fox
Premiered Sept. 25
Airs Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m.
Following the success of the movie “Bridesmaids,” more and more sitcoms this year have been incorporating female leads, which isn’t an entirely new idea. Shows such as “I Love Lucy” and “Roseanne” were driven to success by their leading ladies. But unlike past years, these comedians are not playing the wife or mother figure but instead independent, single women. Sophomore Brant Milleborg, who enjoyed the movie “Bridesmaids,” feels like ladies can do just as well as men in the humor department.
“Women can do whatever they want,” Milleborg said. “They don’t have to be just a mother.”
“The Mindy Project” follows that 2012 trend exactly. Actress Mindy Kaling, known for her part in “The Office,” will play Dr. Mindy Lahiri in her pursuit to become “the perfect woman.” Lahiri sets multiple goals for the things she wants to accomplish in life, which she repeats as a mantra to inspire or get her through a particularly rough set of antics. The show’s comedy sprouts from her struggle to obtain these seemingly impossible ideals while trying to find the guy that meets all the strict points on her mental checklist.
Because the main character is a woman, the jokes featured are different than what male-dominated sitcoms discuss.
“Girls make jokes about the things guys do and it’s funny because we actually do that stuff,” Milleborg said. “Females comedians have a different outlook.”
It’s like the basic romantic comedy unraveled over a span of episodes, so viewers are kept guessing whether Lahiri will get her happily-wedded ending or not.
