If We Controlled Your Remote… 1/8/20

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

Tonight, Freeform kicks off the newly reimagined Party of Five, which is similar in concept to the original 1990s FOX series but with a more modern take. Nearly 23 years ago, Javier Acosta (Bruno Bichir, Narcos) and his wife Gloria (Fernanda Urrejola, Narcos: Mexico) came to the United States illegally and set down their roots, opening a popular local restaurant and expanding their family to include five children. Their eldest son, 24-year-old Emilio (Brandon Larracuente, 13 Reasons Why) is a DACA child who now lives on his own, pursuing a career as a musician. However, when ICE raids the family restaurant, arresting the Acosta parents, taking them away to be deported to Mexico, Emilio is forced to put his own dreams on the back burner and step up to take care of his younger siblings: Lucia, Beto, Valentina, and baby Rafael. Sixteen-year-old Lucia (Emily Tosta, Mayans M.C.) was a straight-A student, but after her parents’ arrest, she starts to act out and party rather than concentrating on her grades. Meanwhile, her twin brother Beto (Niko Guardado, The Goldbergs) is also neglecting his schoolwork and sports in order to step in and try to keep the family restaurant afloat. And precocious young Valentina (Elle Paris Legaspi, Vida), who was celebrating an academic achievement with her parents at the restaurant when ICE arrived, probably misses and needs her parents the most, as she is just hitting puberty.

I had never seen the original series, but I thought tonight’s premiere was really well done. It feels like a very modern take on the same concepts of the original show – the kids weren’t left orphaned, but for all intents and purposes, it’s almost like they are. I feared that with a topic like this, the series may get too political, but in the first episode, it never felt so. It is just heartbreaking drama depicting this family being torn apart by an unfortunate situation. With no other family to turn to, the siblings are now on their own and must quickly learn how to balance their lives as children while also taking on more adult responsibilities – from making sure they keep what’s left of their family together, to desperately trying not to lose their home or the family business (their only source of income) and raising their baby brother, who may never know his parents. At the same time, they are working to try to work the legal system and reunite with their parents. I look forward to checking out more of this series to see how the story progresses.

On tonight’s series premiere, “Pilot,” when ICE deports their parents, life for the five Acosta siblings is turned upside down; oldest son Emilio puts his music career on hold to move back home and take care of his siblings.

You can check out the episode right now on Hulu and at Freeform’s website or tonight on Freeform at 9/8c.

I’ll also be watching/recording Modern Family, Single Parents, Stumptown, and Almost Family.
 
Jump with us to see else we think you should watch.
 

Megan’s Choice

Tonight is bittersweet for me because on one hand, Criminal Minds season 15 premieres tonight after a long hiatus, but on the other hand this is also the last season for the show…so I am full of mixed emotions. I am hopeful that these last 10 episodes will bring us closure on many fronts, including Reid and JJ – after last season’s confession from JJ about her love for Reid and his obvious feelings for her, will the writers go there? Will Garcia find real love after all this time? So many questions but only so many episodes left to answer them in. Regardless of where the writers go, I am sure I will be content, as long as they don’t kill off all of the characters in the end. What about you? What do you hope for from this final season?

There are two episodes tonight, starting off with “Under the Skin,” the BAU team investigates an UnSub with striking similarities to Rossi’s latest obsession, “The Chameleon,” a.k.a. Everett Lynch, who nearly killed him and then disappeared.

Following that on “Awakenings,” with a member of the BAU in the hospital, the team searches for Everett Lynch and his daughter, Grace. Also, Spencer has a meaningful visit with his mother, Diana Reid, while she’s experiencing a period of lucidity.

To watch the beginning of the end for our favorite FBI agents, tune in to CBS at 9/8c.

I’ll also be watching Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Party of Five, Guy’s Grocery Games, Undercover Boss, Stumptown, and Single Parents.
 

Jenny’s Choice

I’m excited because #OneChicago is back tonight after all three shows left us with pretty decent cliffhangers. When we left off Chicago Med, Natalie had her memory back, but Will told her they were better off apart, that he was happy. April found out that medically, she was likely unable to have children. She didn’t take the news well and began pushing Ethan away, going so far as to kiss Dr. Crockett. Ethan meanwhile had agreed to do a short, 6-week deployment, so without knowing about the kiss between April & Crockett, he told April to figure out what she wanted by the time he returned. Dr. Charles was sadly throwing a “Bon Voyage” party for Caroline, who was getting worse quickly, before he could take her on a trip to spend her last days. There were great stories as well, one of which was Maggie’s boyfriend Ben suddenly going from on the verge of dying himself to being off oxygen and breathing unassisted and looking like he was going to get better. And Will had a touching story about a boy with Down syndrome, and it ended well, with a risky surgery by Dr. Abrams going well and the boy being okay after a car wreck. So when the show returns tonight, will April tell Ethan about the kiss and her diagnosis? Will more have happened between her and Crockett, or will she recommit herself to Ethan? Will Natalie and Will still be at complete odds? Will Caroline have passed away, and will Maggie still be fighting her cancer with chemo?

On the midseason finale for Chicago Fire, Gabby returned to Chicago to attend a fundraiser, and she stopped back at the firehouse first to see them…well, to see Casey. She asked him to go with him to the fancy fundraiser, and he agreed. They danced while at the party, and it led them back to her hotel, where Casey spent the night, leaving quietly in the morning with a smile on his face. Meanwhile, while helping clean out old junk from the firehouse, Cruz found an old drone of Otis’s that they’d worked on together. Unfortunately, Cruz had tried to take it out one day and broke one of the legs so it didn’t fly. He stuck it on the shelf to hide it from Otis and it got forgotten about. Ritter and Gallo helped him figure out how to fix it, and he ordered a replacement part. When it came, they found the last video the drone recorded, which was of Cruz and Otis. It was bittersweet, leaving both Cruz and me crying. As for Stella & Severide… Stella pushed herself too hard and was so sleepy that she got into a car wreck just after leaving the firehouse. Fortunately everyone was okay. Unfortunately, Severide was chasing after an arsonist who attacked him right at the end of the episode, leaving them in the basement of the building with fire spreading around them.

That leaves the Chicago PD midseason finale. It was pretty much all about Halstead. Turns out he’s become involved with the widow and son of Marcus West, the innocent man who was killed while being held in jail for Intelligence. They don’t know who Halstead is, just a guy who befriended them, has been helping with money and spending time with the kid playing baseball, etc. Unfortunately, she got involved with drugs (pushing, not taking), and Halstead got rolled up with it. He was kidnapped along with her when the bad guys came to her asking where their missing drugs were. Halstead was getting the crap beaten out of him, but it seemed like things were going to be okay…when the widow learned who he really was and that he was responsible (well, he FELT responsible) for her husband’s death. So when Intelligence arrived on scene, before they could get down to the basement where Halstead and the woman were, the woman got ahold of one of the bad guys’ guns and shot him. Oops. Oh, and Burgess was trying to figure out what she’s going to do about her pregnancy. Ruzek was still trying to be completely supportive, but things were awkward.

So exciting things in all of the shows. I’ve seen the premieres for all three, and I can tell you that all three shows get right back in the swing of things with all cliffhangers resolved. Yay!

On tonight’s Chicago Med, “Guess It Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” Dr. Halstead’s world is thrown into turmoil when a former patient resurfaces. April has a secret she considers confessing to Ethan. Dr. Charles tries to maintain his focus during a difficult time.

Then on Chicago Fire, “Hold Our Ground,” members of Firehouse 51 are dismayed to learn their boundaries have been redrawn to overlap with an adjacent station and problems quickly arise. Casey and Gallo hunt a missing piece of equipment. Brett and Foster find themselves at odds. Mouch tries the find the recipient of a mysterious letter he discovers.

Finally, on Chicago PD, “Mercy,” as they await news of Halstead’s fate, the team tries to focus on work, turning their attention to an illegal arms dealer. Atwater discovers his brother, Jordan, is back in Chicago and could be tied to the case. Voight faces the tricky task of how to deal with Halstead’s shooter. Burgess finally makes her decision.

Don’t miss all the exciting winter premieres tonight on NBC starting at 8/7c.

I’ll also be watching America’s Top Dog, Criminal Minds, Guy’s Grocery Games, Modern Family, Single Parents, Stumptown.