New Shows I'm Buzzing About

       Among my favorite new shows: Almost Human and The Blacklist, I would like to add USA's Sirens to the list. All of these shows are on or were on their first season and while some new shows may not be renewed (and I pray I'm wrong) I still think they're worth talking about. 

An electric bromance for the ages

       I didn't get a chance to see FOX's Almost Human when it premiered it's two episodes but I did catch it the night after. The Pilot was phenomenal and the second episode "Skin" had me rolling in laughter and held me in awe over the story line of criminals kidnapping women to harvest their skin to put on their sex bots.

"Don't touch the green wire. I mean white wire! Uh-oh..."

        John Kennex is a police detective in the year 2048 where crime has gone up 400% (is that even possible?!). After leading a failed police raid on criminal organization EnSyndicate, John lost his leg, most of his memories, and spent almost 2 years in a coma. John is not a fan of synthetics but he requires an android as his partner. Instead of a cold, logical MX, John gets partnered with a DRN named Dorian. DRNs were built with "synthetic souls" making them behave more human, but like humans they reach their emotional limits (some even offed themselves because they couldn't handle the things they saw on the job). Together John and Dorian solve cases and try to keep the city safe. 

John's gun is super cool!

        The partnership between John and Dorian has explosive chemistry. They are in a way "broken" and their need for each other to stay on the police force turned from a forced partnership to a close friendship. There are quite a few laughs but also some tender moments with amazing, colorful characters. Joel Wyman has made Fringe a cult classic and while Almost Human has traces of his previous work it has completely twisted the cop procedural into an hour long action movie that I look forward to every week. This show is totally original while other cop procedurals go through the same motions. Almost Human is worth every second to watch.

       Sirens is a new show on USA, which as a network has done incredible work with shows that are unique with vibrant, well thought out characters and Sirens is no different. Yet instead of being an hour long this show runs 30 minutes, which I'm fine with. The show centers on three paramedics: Johnny, Hank, and Brian who live in Chicago and we get a look into their professional and personal lives. 

"Canadian sea otters are small, they're furry and they're running out of clams, Hank!"

          I never really thought about what paramedics did besides treating gun shot victims and women having babies in places not the hospital. Some of the calls these guys get are just hilarious! Even disembodied fingers don't seem so grim (still gross though). But what lightens the awful situations is the humor that just seems to happen so naturally among the three main characters: Johnny, his best friend Hank, and the new guy Brian. Together or apart these guys are dynamic and unique. What I'm grateful for is that Hank isn't the stereotypical gay guy we usually see on TV; someone effeminate and acts as a girl's sassy friend. Hank is more down to earth, snarky, and would rather have a beer and watch a game. And Johnny may like to project a sort of "man's man" persona but he just can't seem to let go of his dream girl, ex-girlfriend Theresa; both I may add who are in a sort of stalemate but despite Johnny's commitment issues and Theresa's "move in or move on" ultimatum, these guys just can't stay apart. 

"WHAT IS THAT?"

       It's not only homosexuals and heterosexuals portrayed on this show but we also see them expand the sexuality spectrum: asexuals, who are people who don't (or don't want to) have sex and this character is a girl on the paramedic team nicknamed Voodoo because of her love of blood and guts. I only recently found out about this new sexuality (or lack there of) in Psychology Today. Now Brian (who's awkward yet very sweet, which makes him very funny and adorable to watch) is apparently in a relationship with Voodoo and I'd be very interested in seeing how this non-sexual relationship plays out. 

"It's up there...it's really up there..."

         Making this show 30 minutes was a good call although it's not all comedy there are tender, real emotional moments too. My favorite scene in "Famous Last Words" was at the end when Johnny tries to reconnect with his estranged father and finds out that his dad was always there (with a long lens camera) and that his parents split because they just hated each other from the start. Even though Johnny's mom lied how she and his dad split up she still turns out to be a great mom dedicated to her son. 

"It moved!"

     My parents are divorced so I can relate but my mother is also a bipolar alcoholic who thinks everyone else has a problem but her, but that's off topic. Bottom line is: it's a great show and you'd be crazy to miss it.

               Finally, NBC's spy and conspiracy thriller, The Blacklist has sent waves through audiences. I didn't want to get into this show but I was suffering from writer's block and thought some TV entertainment would break the wall. The show had already aired 4 episodes so I made a marathon of it and I became dizzy with enthusiasm. The Blacklist is about the notorious Raymond Reddington, once a loyal patriot of the United States turned traitor making millions off of selling information and providing criminals with whatever they need. He's known as the criminal's concierge. Suddenly Reddington just gives himself up to the FBI and says he wants to become their CI but only if newbie Agent Elizabeth Keen is his handler.

Shhhhh Red has a secret to share with us....

         The Blacklist is a world of spy vs spy, nothing is what it seems, and all the gritty glamour the criminal underworld has to offer. It's a web of secrets and lies and each time we get an answer we just have even more questions. James Spader continues to amaze me. He portrays Reddington so well with his calm, sophisticated, courteous demeanor then switching to a cold, detached killer. And it always seems that Reddington knows more than he's telling; he's an enigma wrapped in a puzzle, inside a mystery box.

Light 'em up, Red!

        Then there's this big secret about a shadow government lurking behind the scenes. You really don't know who they got on their side; who's a puppet for them. Apparently they have people so scared that people are willing to die rather than divulge any secrets. And of course, Agent Keen's husband, Tom, has been revealed to be a sleeper agent for who knows who or for what purpose! Does he work for the shadow organization or is someone else in pulling Tom's strings (if Tom is his real name)? It's not just Reddington who is a tasty puzzle to solve but everyone is hiding some dirt from their past and each reveal makes your head spin. It's a heart stopper for sure and I look forward to every episode each week!

A criminal whose best accessory is his smile

        There are more new shows that I'm crazy about but these 3 I think deserve special attention. I hope to see more seasons in each show's future.