If We Controlled Your Remote… 9/21/16

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Kyle’s Choice #1

speechless921smallTonight, ABC’s hilarious Wednesday night comedy line-up returns, but with a couple changes. One of these is the addition of the hilarious and heartfelt new comedy Speechless. Maya DiMeo (Minnie Driver, About a Boy) is a mom on a constant mission to find the best education/care possible for eldest son, JJ, who has cerebral palsy, is in a wheelchair, and can’t speak. Being an aggressive advocate to help JJ find his “voice” means constantly uprooting the family every time Maya finds the tiniest flaw in care or imagined non-PC slight or mistreatment to be outraged about. This constant moving is starting to wear down on husband Jimmy (John Ross Bowie, The Big Bang Theory) and other kids, Ray (Mason Cook, Legends) and Dylan (Kyla Kennedy, The Walking Dead), who’d like a bit of stability and to feel like their opinions also matter. As the series opens, the family moves once again – this time into the junkiest house in a neighborhood with a great school that will provide a full-time aide for JJ. However, it isn’t long before Maya starts finding flaws in the situation. The series also stars Cedric Yarbrough (Reno 911!).

I really enjoyed tonight’s premiere – it is one of my favorite new comedies of the fall. This series should fit well with the other family comedies in ABC’s stable, as it has the network’s trademark blend of humor and heart. While the series finds a lot of humor in situations surrounding JJ’s disability, it certainly doesn’t make fun of the disabled. It’s great to see an underrepresented demographic represented on TV. The cast is really talented, especially the young actor playing JJ, who himself has a less severe form cerebral palsy. My only concern about the show is how aggressive and annoying Maya gets in the premiere, but I suspect that character will loosen up pretty quickly over the course of the season.

On tonight’s premiere, “P-I-PILOT,” a mom is driven to do what’s best for her family in this sitcom, which begins with the DiMeos moving yet again, enrolling the kids in a new school and searching for the right caregiver to give JJ, her eldest son with special needs, his voice.

Move with the DiMeos tonight on ABC at 8:30/7:30c.
 
Jump with us to see else we think you should watch.
 

Jenny’s Choice

lethalweapon921smallWhen I first learned they were turning Lethal Weapon into a TV series, I was ecstatic. Right up my alley – a procedural with a great comedic element (like NCIS or early Castle and Bones, for example). Having seen the first two episodes, I can say I wasn’t disappointed in the least. Damon Wayans stars as veteran cop Roger Murtaugh, who is returning to work after suffering a near-fatal heart attack. His new partner is Martin Riggs, played by Clayne Crawford, who moves to California after his very pregnant wife and their unborn baby were killed in a car accident. Murtaugh is a by-the-book, take-no-risks cop, while Riggs feels like he has nothing left to live for and therefore takes ALL the risks he can in pursuit of the bad guys. Riggs’s heartbreak is really killer. Talk about total feels. The supporting cast is great too. I love Keesha Sharp as Murtaugh’s wife, and I adore Kevin Rahm, who plays their captain. And finally, Jordana Brewster is Riggs’s department-ordered shrink. If you’re a fan of procedurals – or even if you aren’t – I urge you to give this a shot. It’s simply a lot of fun to watch and totally worth your time.

On tonight’s episode, “Pilot,” after losing his wife and unborn child, Martin Riggs, a grieving rogue detective, moves to California to start over at the LAPD; Riggs is partnered with Roger Murtaugh, a by-the-book detective, who is a recovering heart attack victim.

Meet Riggs and Murtaugh tonight on FOX at 8/7c.

I’ll also be watching/DVRing Blindspot, The Goldbergs, Speechless, Law & Order: SVU, Modern Family, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Worst Cooks in America, black-ish, Chicago PD, & Cutthroat Kitchen.
 

Megan’s Choice

chicagopd921smallLast season of Chicago PD ended with Voight going off the deep end after his son was murdered. Voight killed the guy responsible for Justin’s death, but he isn’t finished, because there’s something unhinged in him now, and this is going to make this season very exciting. Personally I think Voight has always been just crazy enough, but this may be the point where he finally goes too far.

On tonight’s season premiere, “The Silos,” Intelligence investigates a gruesome case. Upon further examination, it appears the victim was wearing a CPD-issued wire at the time of his death. Meanwhile, Burgess meets her new partner, Julie Tay, who came from one of the worst assignments in the city. Together they respond to their first call, and Tay shares details of her past. Additionally, Commander Crowley confronts Lindsay about why she and Voight were at that location on the night that Intelligence pursued Justin’s killer.

To find out how everyone is adjusting after Justin’s death, tune in to NBC at 10/9c.

I’ll also be watching Blindspot, Lethal Weapon, Law & Order: SVU, and Designated Survivor.
 

Kyle’s Choice #2

designatedsurvivor921smallAlso new to ABC’s Wednesday lineup is new drama Designated Survivor, which brings Kiefer Sutherland (24) back to TV. Every year during the State of the Union, the government assigns one person as the “designated survivor.” They are sequestered in an undisclosed location in order to guarantee continuity of government should anything happen. When tragedy strikes, low-level cabinet member Tom Kirkman (Sutherland) suddenly finds himself President of the United States. Now, Kirkman is thrown into the hot seat, trying to ease the concerns of the citizens and learn to run the government while facing opposition from the inside from those who don’t believe he’s qualified to do so. The series also stars Maggie Q (Nikita), Kal Penn (Deadbeat), Natascha McElhone (Californication), Adan Canto (The Following), Italia Ricci (Chasing Life), LaMonica Garrett (The Last Ship), and Tanner Buchanan (Girl Meets World, The Fosters).

This was one of my favorites of the pilots I checked out this summer and one of my most anticipated new fall series. It’s got a great cast and mixes tense political drama with the larger mystery of who attacked the country, why, and how will we respond. I’m looking forward to seeing how the series explores Kirkman’s struggle to both learn how to be president as well as deal with internal opposition and doubts and also seeing how Maggie Q’s character – who also seems to face some doubts from her co-workers – as she investigates ground zero to figure out what happened. This definitely feels like the big show that people will be talking about this fall!

On tonight’s premiere, “Pilot,” Tom Kirkman, a lower level United States Cabinet member, finds himself suddenly appointed president of the country after a catastrophic attack kills everyone above him in the line of succession.

See how the country reacts to the new president tonight on ABC at 10/9c.

I’ll also be watching/recording The Goldbergs, Modern Family, black-ish, Survivor, Big Brother, Blindspot, Lethal Weapon, Empire, Worst Cooks in America, American Horror Story, You’re the Worst, and Mr. Robot.

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One Response to If We Controlled Your Remote… 9/21/16

  1. […] Tonight, ABC’s hilarious Wednesday night comedy line-up returns, but with a couple changes. One of these is the addition of the hilarious and heartfelt new comedy Speechless. Maya DiMeo (Minnie Driver, About a Boy) is a mom on a constant mission to find the best education/care possible for eldest son, JJ, who has cerebral palsy, is in a wheelchair, and can’t speak. Being an aggressive advocate to help JJ find his “voice” means constantly uprooting the family every time Maya finds the tiniest flaw in care or imagined non-PC slight or mistreatment to be outraged about. This constant moving is starting to wear down on husband Jimmy (John Ross Bowie, The Big Bang Theory) and other kids, Ray (Mason Cook, Legends) and Dylan (Kyla Kennedy, The Walking Dead), who’d like a bit of stability and to feel like their opinions also matter… […]