Shows with new style dominate fall TV lineup

By Jess Decina
and Jenn Tuohy

Hearing the words “there’s nothing on TV” is probably every college student’s nightmare. Fortunately, networks have recently dished out their annual slew of brand new TV shows that satisfy everyone’s needs, no matter what interests them. Three of these shows – ABC’s Brother’s and Sisters and Six Degrees, along with NBC’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip – are about to be given a closer look.

Every family has its own load of problems. Brothers and Sisters zeroes in on one family’s in particular. It was a highly anticipated show, and with good reason. It boasts an all-star cast, including Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal), Sally Field (Norman Rae) and Rachel Griffiths (Six Feet Under) among other notables.

Brothers and Sisters introduces the audience to the Walker family, who has its own problems, quarrels and other situations, but who still love each other a lot. The family is headed by Nora Holden (Field), the always-opinionated mother and William Walker (Tom Skerritt), father and head of the family business.

The performances in Brothers and Sisters are stellar. Listening to the Walker siblings is like sitting in a room with five real siblings. They each have their own personality and opinions meshing together in arguments or conversations. Field, as Nora Holden, is spectacular and plays the part of an opinionated mother very well. Skerritt is brilliant as William Walker, painting a portrait of a father who is both a family man and a businessman.

Flockhart as Kittie is also solid as a right-winged radio host and the apple of her father’s eye but has a less than perfect relationship with her mother. Field and Flockhart together in the same scene is pure perfection as they show awkwardness and indifference towards each other as a mother and daughter in disagreement.

Many families of today can relate to this drama because they probably have been in the same positions as the characters. The Walker Family is like any other family trying to cope with bad relationships, love, careers and heartbreak. Brothers and Sisters airs Sundays at 10 p.m., on ABC.

If your eyes crave a show with a little more edge and a little less family orientation, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip can satiate that need. The show, which airs Monday nights on NBC, is a brilliantly crafted show that, so far, has aimed to please its viewers with a blend of comedy and drama that hasn’t been seen on TV in a while.

The show centers upon the fictional NBS network, which airs a weekly sketch comedy show dubbed Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. The show spectacularly falls to pieces when the former executive producer (Judd Hirsch) interrupts a live show with an outrageous rant about the media and entertainment. This all occurs just hours before NBS’s new president, Jordan McDeere (Amanda Peet), takes the helm. In an effort to calm the raging media attention, she re-hires two of the show’s old writers, Matt Albie (Matthew Perry) and Danny Tripp (Bradley Whitford).

The show has the look and feel of what might happen backstage on the set of Saturday Night Live. The authentic feel makes the show more fun to watch, as creator Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) brings to life every aspect of a studio to life – from the moving sets and the hanging lights to the nervous techies and the frantic writers.

Studio 60 is packed with solid performances, making it impossible to tag any character as typical or one-dimensional. Perry and Whitford easily steal the show; their characters are fresh, funny and real.

Perry is especially surprising, presenting a character as someone who is worrisome, neurotic and sarcastic without actually reincarnating his character from Friends. Whitford’s performance is often intense, as his character struggles with a drug addiction. Together they are incredible, playing off each other’s personas with a chemistry that’s hard to find on TV.

There is little to dislike about this show. The only complaint is the pacing. It has introduced a plethora of character relationships in a span of two episodes. This makes for a few confusing moments, and no one wants to turn to their friend to ask, “What just happened?” while the show is still in progress. The show is smart and dares to be different, which makes it a winner.

But maybe Studio 60 doesn’t match your style. For those who want a little more mystery, Six Degrees is the perfect choice. Six Degrees is based on the phenomena of “six degrees of separation,” which says all people on Earth are intricately connected to others. The six characters in the show are linked in this fashion; however, they are unaware of it.

Six Degrees is a feast for the eyes to behold. The witty and intellectual storyline engages the audience for the entire show. Because viewers know very little about each character, they have to keep watching to understand it. This adds to the show’s overall appeal because viewers have to get fully involved when watching.

The action is high-paced and sometimes hard to follow because viewers are only being provided with small snapshots of each scene. However, the audience will be rewarded for its patience when it can piece the story together like a puzzle and see the whole picture.

Six Degrees will appeal to anybody who likes to be challenged by a TV show. It stands apart from other action-packed shows and is a perfect match for people that are tired of boring shows that lack luster. Six Degrees airs Thursdays at 10 p.m., on ABC.

These promising shows will keep you entertained for a short while. Unless, of course, you’d rather be studying.