Well, this one of my favorite times on television. It is the new television season. Now on the cable channels new shows and seasons of beloved shows, start throughout the year. On the mainstream ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, fall is a big deal. In fact I am a little behind. I love fall. I have fond memories of school starting and the new fall lineup on television. I am determined to catch up with them over the next couple of weeks. There are 2 shows I want to address and both are on the fab 4 network shows.
The other day I was lamenting the ending of Weeds. Mary-Louise Parker is already jumping into new work, with Red 2, remember how great she was with Bruce Willis? That is not all though, she is filming Feed The Dog, Les Passages, and finished up Jamesy Boy. So she is still a type A personality. I was flipping through the channels and there he was, Andy Botwin, or Justin Kirk as he is known IRL. That's In Real Life for those of you who didn't know. I knew, I saw The Net.
He is the lead in a new NBC show called Animal Practice. He plays Dr. George Coleman. Whereas Andy Botwin could never find a way to keep his thoughts to himself, Dr. George Coleman, hates people. So his conversations are limited. He loves his patients. There are 2 break away stars for me. First a Capuchin monkey named Dr. Rizzo (Crystal). He loves to paint to music, and dresses in the cutest clothes (Ok, I will stop the cuteness). Next is animal handler Angela (Betsy Sodaro) she is quirky, even odd, yet loveable. This last week she sold Dr. Rizzo's painting to a gallery, only to feel so much guilt she bought it back for an additional $200. They all work at Crane Animal hospital which caters to the rich and famous. Where Dr. Coleman's boss is his ex-girl-friend who inherited the business. She is Dorothy Crane (Joann Garcia Swisher). If you love quirky comedies, you will certainly love this.
That leads me into a show I already watch and love. One that boasts a Weeds alumni. It is Suburgatory. It is in it's second season on ABC. Jeremy Sisto plays single father George Altman. George moves his teenage daughter Tessa (Jane Levy) to the burbs to give her a better life. A redhead in a sea of blonde girls. They move from NYC to the fictitious suburb of Chatswin. Now as someone who lives in the burbs, I completely understand Tessa's desire to chew her arm off to escape the burbs for NYC. She makes a friend in the awkward Lisa Marie Shay (Allie Grant also a Weeds alumni- Isabel Hodes).
George has a girlfriend, Eden (the famous Alicia Silverstone). She is about 8 months pregnant, as she is a surrogate mother for Noah and Jill (Alan Tudyk and Gillian Vigman). I love that they wove Alicia Silverstone's vegan lifestyle in with Eden. I am sure they did this to annoy Tessa. How are you supposed eat wonderful hot gooey pastries with frosting, while Eden is shoving whole grain down your throat? I get It. I know where Tessa is coming from. Even with a girlfriend the easy going George is a chick magnet, yet he doesn't exactly get it. There are some great supporting actors in the show. Ana Gesteyer (SNL alum), Jay Mohr, and Cheryl Hines. The show's writing is clever and funny. So I would tell you to watch the show and enjoy the casting!!