Pilot Watch 2013 – FOX

Like a couple of years ago, Megan, Kyle, and I were all able to check out the FOX pilots for the 2013 season. We have each rated them as Watch, Maybe, or Skip. At this point, it isn’t a surprise at how our feelings fell for each show. 😉
 

Almost Human (Premieres 11/4)

Jenny: This was a fantastic pilot. I love the two main characters (I have a newfound crush on Michael Ealy!), I love Sandra—the boss (played by Lili Taylor)—and Minka Kelly. Michael Irby was a great character on The Unit, but his character is an ass in this one. I totally call this now as one of my favorite new dramas on any network—if not THE favorite. It’s another hit for J.J. Abrams. – Watch

Megan: When I hear J.J. Abrams’ name attached to something, I usually want to give it a shot, seeing as I loved Fringe. I’m sure that this is going to be another show that I can’t get enough of. I really enjoyed the futuristic idea of having robot police officers. I, Robot with Will Smith did it better, but for a television show, this one is going to meet my expectations. I found the back-story very moving, but the partnership between the characters is what is really interesting. I’m very intrigued to see how they manage to push the series further. Overall, I’m ready to see more, so I’ll be watching. – Watch

Kyle: This pilot starts off really slow, but eventually establishes an interesting world and mystery. I’ve never really been a fan of Michael Ealy, and him playing a robot doesn’t really help that. I’m also not sure if I will grow tired of the darker, future setting of the series. That said, since it comes from the creator of Fringe, I will definitely give it a lot of leeway to grow and establish itself. – Watch
 
Jump with us to see more of what we thought about the FOX fall pilots.
 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Premieres 9/17)

Jenny: Really cute. I love Andre Braugher as the new captain. Andy Samberg is great, his chemistry with Melissa Fumero is good, and the supporting cast is a good fit. I can’t wait to see if this stays funny or if it becomes too over the top and just becomes stupid. – Watch

Megan: I wasn’t entirely sure that I was going to like this comedy, but after the first ten minutes that seemed a little slow, it really caught my attention. Andy Samberg is quite funny, but I think that the new captain is going to be my favorite character. You should really tune in to check out a fun comedy. – Watch

Kyle: I was pleasantly surprised by this pilot. I expected to be annoyed by Samberg and for him to over-act, like he was doing an SNL skit. However, the episode was really clever and funny. It is an office comedy that also extends the humor to the crime scenes and investigations. I like that while Samberg’s character is a constant joker, he’s also a very good detective—which you don’t typically see. The rest of the ensemble also plays really well off one another—the pilot sets up some really fun dynamics and relationships. – Watch
 

Dads (Premieres 9/17)

Jenny: Better—a lot better—than I’d thought it was going to be. The dads are annoying, but they’re supposed to be. Seth Green & Giovanni Ribisi are good as the best friends/business partners…and OMG! London’s back! *laugh* Brenda Song is fun as the guys’ assistant, Veronica. The show made me laugh, and I am looking forward to the next episode to see if it fizzles or not. – Maybe

Megan: After watching the pilot, my view of this show drastically changed—the humor is cheap and not nearly as amusing as it was in the trailer. I despise the laugh track that they use, because I hate being told when to laugh, and I really expected more from one of my favorites, Seth Green. I’m really disappointed in what I saw and wish that it had lived up to the hype from the trailer. Complete fail. – Skip

Kyle: It’s been almost five months since I watched this pilot, and I still have no desire to watch any more. The pilot was was terribly unfunny, with tasteless and racist humor. The cast deserves better, but based on what I read from TCA coverage, the creators don’t see anything wrong with the humor and have no plans to change anything. This is this season’s I Hate My Teenage Daughter. – Skip
 

Enlisted (Premieres 11/8)

Jenny: Funnier than I’d thought it would be. The brothers are hysterical. Their Command Sergeant Major is great (I’ve always loved him), and the rest of their squad is funny. I see this going one of two ways: Cute and sweet while being funny, or too ridiculous to be funny. But I’m definitely looking forward to more. – Watch

Megan: I have loved Geoff Stults (The Finder) and Chris Lowell (Veronica Mars) for a long time. They are both really good in this. Lowell is probably going to be my favorite on the show, because of his bitter wittiness. I think this is going to be one of my new favorite FOX comedies. The idea of a platoon of rejects learning to be soldiers is really amusing. If you weren’t sure about tuning in, you most definitely should reconsider and make it one of your must-see shows. – Watch

Kyle: I like the cast, but didn’t really find this show all that funny the first time around. Rewatching the pilot recently, I enjoyed it more and found some funny moments—it kind of reminds me of Police Academy, but set in the Army. I’m still not sure if it is something I will stick with, but I’ll give it a few weeks. – Maybe
 

Sleepy Hollow (Premieres 9/16)

Jenny: From the beginning, it had my heart pounding. I love the two leads (I’ve never seen either of them before, so I’m really glad I like them!), and the story lines are intriguing. There were parts that shocked me so much that my jaw actually dropped. I loved how it ended and the setup for the future episodes and seasons. – Watch

Megan: FOX surprised me the intrigue presented in the pilot, but I’m concerned with how difficult it’s going to be to keep it going throughout the season. I found the pilot to be creepy and exciting, but definitely not family friendly. It’s a little frightening. If they can keep up the police drama while adding just enough supernatural, then it’ll be a winner—if they can’t, it may not be as big of a hit. I’m still interested at the moment to see more, so check it out and join the hunt for the Headless Horseman with me. – Maybe

Kyle: I really enjoyed the pilot when I first watched it. The episode sets up an interesting plot, with some unexpected twists and turns. I really liked the cast, and the special effects were well done. If there’s a fault, it’s that it is going for a more serious tone, and some aspects don’t feel realistic. For example, when Ichabod Crane first wakes up from his 200+ year nap, he doesn’t seem all that shocked by modern technology and adapts immediately—the same with the Headless Horseman, who carries a machine gun instead of his contemporary musket or rifle. It seems like the show could go the Supernatural route, with the series exploring a larger mythology while the main characters also invesitgate supernatural creatures of the week. – Watch