Thursday marks the sixth season return of Canada’s most-watched TV series: The Big Bang Theory. The CBS/CTV comedy shows no sign of slowing down even after two full seasons of nightly syndication.
There’s also two of the most promising new network dramas premiering tonight: Last Resort and Elementary (“New Holmes. New Watson. New York”), although I found they both lacked something. Read more about them below.
Last Resort
Thursday, Sept. 27, 8 p.m., ABC, Global
Andre Braugher plays Captain Marcus Chaplin, skipper of the most powerful nuclear submarine ever built. He ignores a direct (but unverified) order to fire upon Pakistan. Backed by his crew, which includes Toronto lad Scott Speedman, Autumn Reeser, Jesse Schram and Daisy Betts, Chaplin goes rogue and declares the sub a sovereign nation.
The pilot looked like a movie, with tons of action and effects. Shawn Ryan (The Shield) is a proven showrunner who has handled strong characters before. The challenge will be to keep this pricey sub drama afloat on a weekly TV budget, otherwise things could quickly lurch into Voyage to the Bottom of the Ratings.
SCORE: *** (out of four). A big old fashioned network adventure drama with some of TV’s top actors. So why do I still not care if I see another episode?
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Elementary
Thursday, Sept. 27, 10 p.m., CBS, Global
Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller from Trainspotting) is a drug addicted eccentric living in Manhattan. Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) is a former surgeon hired by his rich father to help sober him up and keep him in recovery. Together they help a New York police captain (Aidan Quinn) solve crimes.
Miller makes for a very House-like Holmes, all condescending wit and better-than-thou deductions. Liu, however, sleepwalks through this pilot. Together they stick to the usual CBS crime-of-the-week brand.
SCORE: *** (out of four). Watched this pilot twice and liked it less the second time, but Miller may turn me around yet.
