If We Controlled Your Remote… 10/3/13

Help, I’m drowning in new TV! I thought the summer was busy, but now that the fall TV lineup is back in full swing, I don’t know how I’m going to keep up! To help you try to stay afloat in this vast primetime ocean, we’ve got some suggestions on what shows to check out tonight.

Kyle’s Choice

The new shows keep on coming—tonight, NBC premieres the new comedy, Welcome to the Family. This sitcom explores the culture clash when two very different families are thrown together by an unplanned pregnancy. Latino gym owner Chuey Hernandez (Ricardo Chavira) is proud of his son Junior (Joseph Haro), valedictorian and first of the family to be heading off to college. However, Junior’s promising future may be put on hold when he discovers his secret girlfriend Molly (Ella Rae Peck) is pregnant. Molly’s parents (Mike O’Malley, Mary McCormack) aren’t too thrilled by this either—not that Molly’s really had a promising future to begin with.

I enjoyed tonight’s pilot and look forward to seeing where the series goes. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but still a lot of fun. I liked the two “teenage” leads as well as the rest of the cast—Mike O’Malley is always great, and Ricardo Chavira brings that same humor he brought to Desperate Housewives. However, I didn’t even realize it was In Plain Sight’s Mary McCormack playing the mother until I read a review weeks after I had watched the pilot—she looks so different!

Find out if you like this sweet new comedy tonight on NBC at 8:31/7:31c.

I’ll also be watching/recording The Big Bang Theory, The Millers, The Crazy Ones, Elementary, Grey’s Anatomy, Parks and Recreation, Sean Saves the World, The Michael J. Fox Show, Parenthood, Glee, Childrens Hospital, NTSF:SD:SUV:: and Hot Package.
 
Jump with us to see else we think you should watch.
 

JJ’s Choice #1

The biggest show on social media and with increasing ratings during the second season, Scandal, is returning tonight. And after last season’s finale, it will be a very interesting return. Last season ended with Olivia being named as the President’s mistress, and it could be almost anyone who leaked it. And on top of that, we learned the identity of Olivia’s father, which will prove another very interesting addition to an already volatile mix.

I caught up on Scandal’s first season during the second season mid-season break. I was a little skeptical at first because, to me, Shonda Rhimes’s shows have had an expiration date. But even though there is a lot of drama on this show, so far, it seems to have nailed the perfect balance between episodes, seasons, and personal drama.

On tonight’s episode, “It’s Handled,” the White House and Pope & Associates face their biggest scandal to date, and a surprise allegiance is formed in order to get things handled. Meanwhile, Rowan, Olivia’s father, will stop at nothing to carry out his orders and no one can stand in his way.

See the drama unfold on ABC at 10/9c.
 

Jenny’s Choice

While I love the new shows, I’m so glad The Big Bang Theory is back. Last week’s first two episodes were classic TBBT, and I loved them. Sheldon and Penny were spending a lot of time together because Leonard was gone, and it was fun to see. Raj can still talk to women without alcohol, although he’s not very good at it—he tends to offend more than anything. Then when Leonard returned, he sneaked in to see Penny, avoiding Sheldon so he & his girlfriend could spend some quality alone time together. Of course, Sheldon’s not stupid—most of the time—and he figured out Penny had a “visitor,” although he didn’t imagine that it was actually Leonard. When he burst in them, he got upset, but of course, it all worked out. So now the gang is all back together. Yay!

On tonight’s episode, “The Scavenger Vortex,” when the entire gang competes in a scavenger hunt designed by Raj, it brings out the best—and worst—in everyone.

Laugh along with me tonight on CBS at 8/7c.

I’ll also be watching/DVRing The Millers, Welcome to the Family, The Crazy Ones, The Michael J. Fox Show, Two and a Half Men, Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell, & Elementary.
 

Megan’s Choice

Tonight is the series premiere of The Millers, and I don’t care what a lot of critics are saying. I like this show! There’s something super amusing about watching older parents move in to their kids’ houses while they sort out their marriage. Will Arnett is fabulous in this, and Margo Martindale is such comedic genius as the mother. I honestly don’t know how this show isn’t on the top of everyone’s list, because it’s funny, and I promise you that you won’t regret it if you tune in. Give it a shot—PLEASE!

On tonight’s episode, “Pilot,” Nathan and Debbie’s distress over their parents’ divorce increases when they announce that they will each be moving in with one of them.

To watch the hilarity unfold, tune in to CBS at 8:30/7:30c.

I’ll also be watching The Big Bang Theory, The Crazy Ones, Elementary, The X Factor, Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy, Welcome to the Family, The Originals, The Vampire Diaries, The Michael J. Fox Show, and Glee.
 

JJ’s Choice #2

Like Super Fun Night, this show hasn’t been getting the best pilot reviews. But between Sean Hayes and the addition of Megan Hilty, I have to check this out! The biggest challenge will be to see if Sean Hayes can lead this show when he isn’t Jack.

On tonight’s episode, “Pilot,” Sean is a divorced gay dead who juggles his carreer, offbeat employees, pushy mother, Lorna, and weekends with his teenage daughter, Ellie. But when his 14-year-old daughter moves in full-time, this balancing act becomes increasingly more difficult.

See if Sean manages on NBC at 9:01/8:01c.

I’ll also be watching The Big Bang Theory, Parks and Recreation, The Vampire Diaries, Glee, and Project Runway.