10 Most Anticipated TV Shows of Fall 2014

Summer television sucks, it’s a fact of life. Always has and probably always will. Oh sure it’s better than it used to be. I remember a time where summer meant nothing but re-runs and sports. Now, we can watch our choice of re-runs on services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. (Seriously, did you ever think that you’d pay money to re-watch shows from 10 to 20 years ago?)

Sure we have our competition shows such as America’s Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance and The Voice, but the vast majority of the good scripted shows are saved for the fall season.

And as is tradition, late July and August is when the networks decide to throw us some trailers, making us salivate in anticipation, not unlike Pavlov’s dogs. Scraps of material we can pour over and dissect for any information that may give away a plot line.

Here is a list of the 10 shows that have me drooling away as I wait. Some of them are new, some are returning, and as always, there are in no particular order.

1.      The Walking Dead – Oh yeah baby! The comic book inspired zombie action/drama’s Season 5 is set to debut in mid-October and AMC has released a 3 minute trailer that is freaking amazing. Fans will know that Rick and company were left in a fairly dire situation in last season’s finale, but the trailer let’s know that the fight is just beginning.

2.      The Newsroom – HBO’s critically acclaimed drama will be returning for its final season this fall. Although no official date has been announced, filming had wrapped up at the beginning of July. Jeff Daniels leads a fantastic cast in Aaron Sorkin’s series that is rich in quick witted dialogue and engaging story lines about real life events and the people that report them. File this under “cannot wait.”

3.      The Flash – Originally slated to be a supporting character on CW’s Arrow, the network wisely decided to give speedster superhero Barry Allen (aka The Flash) his own series. It will debut on October 7^th. Fans are generally pleased with CW’s foray into the DC Comic Universe so expectations are high. I’m just glad it’s not Aquaman.

4.      Gotham – Speaking of the DC Universe, Gotham makes its debut September 22^nd and will feature the beginnings of the Bruce Wayne and police commissioner Gordon (just a lowly detective at this point.) Hoping to cash in like Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., DC will also feature the beginnings of super villains The Joker, The Penguin and Poison Ivy.

5.      Sons Of Anarchy – The final season for FX’s most successful show is set to start September 9^th for 12 more glorious episodes. This entire series has been building to this climax and creator Kurt Sutter has masterfully dictated the pace. Gemma really “forked” up last season (horrible pun intended) and now our anti-hero Jax has some tough decisions to make.

6.      Hell On Wheels – As a treat this AMC western drama will premier its 4^th season August 2^nd. It’s the story of the first continental railroad’s construction by the Union Pacific in the 1860’s. The engaging storylines following a railroad tycoon, a recently freed slave and a vengeful Southern soldier make for a great watch. Even if westerns aren’t your thing, this one is well worth it.

7.      Boardwalk Empire – HBO’s prohibition-era gangster series set in Atlantic City, NJ is set to start its 5^th season on September 7^th. Steve Buscemi is captivating as Enoch “Nuckie” Thompson, crime boss of the time who based on an actual historical figure, Enoch L. Johnson. No word on whether this will be the last season, but faithful watchers like myself hope there is least one more. That’s right HBO, I’m looking at you.

8.      The Blacklist – NBC struck gold with this James Spader action drama about a former government agent turned criminal genius turned informer. Red Reddington will return September 22^nd to give us more clues about his history and true intentions. Probably the best show of its kind on network television.

9.      Scandal – ABC made parent company Disney blush with this sexy political drama but its huge popularity has guaranteed its return on September 25^th. Kerry Washington plays Olivia Pope, a political “fixer” who gets called in to advert various scandals, in and around Washington DC, including the White House. This show keeps you guessing and has at least one “omg” moment per episode.

10.   Constantine – Based on the comic book series Hellblazer, this new action series will debut October 24^th on NBC. It’s the story of dark magician John Constantine and his fight against supernatural powers that threaten humanity. I’m on the fence about this one, but the comic was so good, I’m giving it a chance.

Feeling Old…

I’m not old.

That’s what I keep telling myself. How can I be old? My memories seem fresh and vivid. I clearly remember my 21^st birthday…well… okay, bad example. But I do remember being 21 and it quite literally feels like just few years ago. Of course I also remember being 31 and 41, so this gets a little confusing.

So I am old. Crap. What the hell happened? 

This is an enigma of life and a never-ending dialogue from one generation to the next. Just reading this post, a generation younger (my sons) won’t really understand it. And a generation older (my mom and her sisters) will laugh because they have been trying to convey it to me for years. But they shouldn’t laugh too hard because the generation ahead of them is howling! And on it goes.

But it occurs to me that you never feel old all at once, it’s a myriad of little things that brings you to the eventual realization that you are Danny Glover’s Roger Murtaugh and that you are indeed “too old for this s***.”

Here are some instances in my life that have cleared the fog of youthful self-delusion. Take of it what you will.

• The first time I heard Nirvana played on a classic rock station. I was positive it was a mistake until some quick math made me wince. Damn, it qualified
• When I really eyed that motorized chair at Walmart. Nope, not yet.
• Realized that comfort outweighs style in footwear. Pretty much.
• The 80’s are to now as the 50’s were to the 80’s. Think about it. Especially when catching a re-run of Roseanne.
• The first time I lied about my age for no good reason at all.
• Picked more grey hair from the hairbrush than brown. It was neck-and-neck for a while, but grey has now taken the lead.
• When I first referred to college-aged people as “those damn kids.”
• When I pulled out my ID at a store for alcohol and the clerk laughed out loud. The sign says, “We Check ID If You Look Under 40.” Damn kids.
• Once I had dinner before 6pm. I skipped lunch, I swear.
• I’m closer to retirement than the start of my adult life. I really need to get a career…
• Mid-life crises make complete sense now.
• Pain can appear in any part of my body, at any time and for no particular reason.
• Movie theaters are loud. Really loud.
• Pepto-Bismol is the elixir of life.
• And the coup de grace, I uttered the phrase: “When I was a kid…” That one stung.

There are many more, but those immediately came to mind. Like I said, take of it what you will. I’m realizing that aging and age really comes down to perspective. So you should do your best to keep yours.