After several terrible years of television programming that plummeted ratings on the network, NBC is starting to understand how to develop shows again. Their comedies have improved dramatically, but their dramas remain lackluster and formulaic and mainly geared to women. The one well-written, original, male-oriented drama they had in the last few years was Southland, which was jettisoned to make way for the dreadful Jay Leno and his 10 pm show. Thankfully, Southland was quickly picked up by TNT, which has taken the show to a more violent, racier level using the more relaxed basic cable format. Despite the improvements in programming, there are still just a few tolerable options for any guys to check out. Below is a list rating all of NBC's current Spring 2012 line-up.
Sunday
Celebrity Apprentice (New season premieres Feb. 19th)- Basically unwatchable. Just a bunch of D-list celebrities that nobody cares about yelling at each other. Don't waste your time. Rating- 0 out of 5
Harry's Law (New season premieres March 4th)- For its first season, the show had some major eye candy in smoke-show Brittany Show; however, she has since left the show severely dropping its rating. The plot itself involves Kathy Bates as a lawyer taking strange cases and helping the underprivileged. To no surprise on network TV, she ALWAYS wins. The plot has been seen before and lacks originality. Rating- 1 out of 5
Monday
The Voice- This is just another version of American Idol. Their premise is that the first round of singer selection is done blind, so the person could be unappealing but have a great voice. Then every other round after that is not blind, making the entire premise irrelevant. One of the dumbest show ideas in recent memory. Rating- 0.5 out of 5
Tuesday
Biggest Loser- Of all the reality dramas on NBC, this is by far my favorite. By no means do I watch the show weekly, but I have watched several episodes from start to finish. The show definitely motivates the viewer to work out and improve eating habits and regularly shows good work out routines and health tips to use daily. There have also been a few former athletes who have competed on the show, most notably former Olympic Wrestling Gold-medalist Rulon Gardner (pictured to the right). The game play aspects that ruin most reality shows certainly bring the overall rating down, but this is a great show to watch occasionally when you have some time to kill. Watch on DVR to fast forward because the weigh-ins take forever in order to fill out the 2 hours of air time. The show would be better as a packed hour. Rating- 3 out of 5Parenthood- Based on the movie starring Steve Martin, the show attempts to blend humor and drama with the background of a dysfunctional family unit. Its just another boring family problems show with no edge at all. Rating- 1 out of 5
Wednesday
Are You There, Chelsea- Chelsea Handler is a funny comedian, which is rare for a woman, but her character is so tame in the show that she doesn't have her usual edge. She plays her real-life sister and Lauren Prepon plays Chelsea in real-life. Prepon is god awful in that role. She doesn't have the comedic timing, and I'm sorry, but she's gross. In addition, the show is set to a laugh track, which is unbearable this day and age. Rating- 0.5 out of 5
Whitney- Whitney Cummings, a frequent comedian on Comedy Central's celebrity roasts, plays the title character and she attempts to bring her typical vulgarity to the role. It's NBC though, so she can't actually be as vulgar as she would like. That fact plus the laugh track make this another comedic miss. Rating- 1 out of 5
Law & Order SVU- The last surviving member of the prolific Law & Order franchise, the show continues to succeed in the ratings because of its interesting plot-lines. The shows is now in its 13th season and remains a solid option as a show to occasionally watch without any week to week commitment needed. The recent cast addition of hottie Kelly Giddish and the usually twisted plots adds 1 point to the show's overall rating. Rating- 3.5 out of 5
Thursday
30 Rock- A few seasons ago, this show was a must watch with original jokes and eccentric characters. The jokes are beginning to get incredibly repetitive, however, as the characters have not developed any depth. The show has run its course but can still generate a few laughs every week. Rating 3 out of 5
Parks and Recreation- The show started off slowly, but then dramatically improved the cast with the additions of Rob Lowe and Adam Scott. The characters are well developed and the cast is exceptional. This is one of the best comedies on network television. Amy Poehler's character can be annoying and unfunny, keeping this show from reaching a 5 rating. Rating 4 out of 5
The Office- I actually enjoy the show more now that Steve Carell moved on. Ed Helms is terrific as the new boss and the cast has more balance. Those of you who stopped watching when Carell left might want to reconsider. Rating- 4 out of 5 (3.5 before Carell left)
Up All Night- I desperately wanted this show to be funny because I love Will Arnett and Christina Applegate in comedic roles, but the show just isn't funny. The premise deals with a young family struggling to balance their social and work lives with their new child. I have two young kids and am struggling with these exact issues, and I still find the show unfunny and irritating. Rating- 0.5 out of 5
Grimm- Interesting show where the characters from the "Grimm Fairytales" exist in the present day and frequently commit crimes that must be stopped by a modern-day Grimm. The shows is by no means perfect and plays into the formulaic one week = one case issue that plagues network drama, but the idea is interesting and worth checking out if this is your type of genre. Rating- 3 out of 5
Friday
Who do you Think You Are?- Celebrity genealogy. Yawn. Rating- 0 out of 5
Dateline NBC- Possibly the best investigative crime show on television. The show highlights great cases every week, and if you love seeing real-life crime-solving and trials, this is as good as it gets. Plus, the show keeps getting better as crime-solving technology improves and their budget increases. Rating- 4.5 out of 5
Summary of Shows Worth Watching
5 (Must watch)- Community
4-4.5 (Great show. Check it out no matter what genre's you like)- Dateline NBC, Parks and Recreation, Rock Center w/ Brian Williams, The Office
3-3.5 (Worth checking out if you're into the genre)- Grimm, 30 Rock, Law & Order: SVU, Biggest Loser
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