Fall is just around the corner and with it comes the usual slew of new tv series. Let’s take a look at what magic you can find inside your television set once the wheel of the year has turned to the coolness and falling leaves of autumn. Will they be worth getting your hopes up for or are you in for a disappointment? Read on…
Once Upon A Time
When/Where to Watch: Sundays on ABC
Season Premier: October 23rd @ 8pm
Website: abc.com
From the writers of Lost, with Jennifer Morrison from House and Ginnifer Goodwin from Big Love, comes a tale of two worlds: our world and a world where fairy tales are real. A good King and Queen (played by Goodwin) have a terrible curse put on them and in an effort to hold on to any last chance at hope they send their baby daughter Emma away to our world hoping she’ll come back when she’s grown to save them. The daughter grows up into a tough bail bonds collector (played by Morrison) who’s had a hard life. When the son she gave up ten years ago finds her and asks for her help, they end up in the small Main town of Storybrook where all is not what it seems.
“It’s a place where magic has been forgotten, but is still powerfully close… where fairytale characters are alive, even though they don’t remember who they once were. The epic battle for the future of all worlds is beginning, but for good to win, Emma will have to accept her destiny and fight like hell. “
I personally have high hopes for this fantasy drama – spells and magic and fairy tales – oh my! I love the casting of the two lead actresses playing mother and daughter and Robert Carlyle looks perfectly creepy as whatever creature it is he’s playing. I’ve also had an obsession with fairy tales since early childhood so a tv show about fairy tales being real makes my girlish heart squee from excitement.
Grimm
When/Where to Watch: Fridays on NBC
Season Premiere: October 21st @ 9pm
Website: nbc.com
“Remember the fairy tales your parents used to tell you before bedtime? Well, those weren’t stories, they were warnings.“
From the producers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel comes the supernatural horror tv series Grimm. Set in Portland, Oregon, Grimm focuses on the story of Detective Nick Burkhardt one of the last “Grimms” – as in the brothers Grimm who wrote all your favourite bedtime fairy tales. The Grimm family has a secret; they can see what others cannot. As his mother dies Nick starts to gain her abilities to see monsters and otherworldly creatures in the faces of seemingly ordinary people and it becomes his duty to hunt them.
Appearing to be one part Supernatural, one part CSI, and one part of the creepier fairy tales you’ve read, Grimm should be the darker and bloodier of the magical shows coming this fall. I’m hoping for the old fairy tales to be told in their darkest glory like long ago when they were for adults and not children. Grimm should serve to distract and delight all the Supernatural fans who’ve been disgusted by the last manically written season. As a Pacific Northwesterner myself I’m excited for a new show based here and filmed here as the mountains, waters, and forests of giant trees lend themselves well to a fairy tale environment. I hope you don’t let me down Grimm!
The Secret Circle
When/Where to Watch: Thursdays on The CW
Season Premiere: September 15th @ 9pm
Website: cwtv.com
This teen witch horror focuses on the story of 16-year-old Cassie who finds out she’s a witch in a town full of secret witches after her mother dies in a mysterious fire. Being true to their stereotype, The CW has produced another supernatural tv series for teenagers, this time with witches. You won’t find any Wiccans or Druids in this show; The Secret Circle is pure witch fantasy where each teen witch comes from a long line of witches from six great families each with their own ancient grimoire passed down through the generations.
Cassie is the requisite blond good witch with Faye as your bad bitch witch with power hunger issues. Appearing to be a mix of The Craft with The Gathering and Charmed, I foretell that The Secret Circle will be a guilty pleasure for teens and women with a love of the supernatural and romantic drama (where there are teenagers, there’s drama). This series is also filmed in the Pacific Northwest making me think all the Twilight fans are hungry for more snow-capped mountains mixed with magic. I don’t have the highest hopes for this one, but maybe all those pretty young actors will surprise me.
Filed under: TV & Film Tagged: | drama, Fantasy, Grimm, Horror, Once Upon A Time, supernatural, The Secret Circle, tv
Any chance for a follow up on this? Have you had time to watch anything this busy season? Anyone?
Grimm started strong but seems a little slow now…and kinda hokey. I will continue to catch episodes as I can (no cable, internet is my friend) but feel this one slipping.
Once Upon A Time however has gotten WAY better! Pace is great, just the right amount of storybook cheese, and has not been dragged into Soap Opera territory…yet! LOL I do hope they keep the original writers room for this as the writing is the real star of the show…which is unthinkable given the amount of talent acting in front of the camera. A very nice addition to regular TV line-up.
Plus…I’d be entertained watching Ginnifer Goodwin read a phone book….and there is plenty of that man-candy to keep my wife happy. Did I mention Rumpelstiltskin? What you need more…???
Of course, shortly after writing this review, I no longer had cable, LOL.
From what I’ve heard from others I really want to get Once Upon A Time when it comes out on DVD.
I watched a few episodes of Secret Circle which resulted in much eye rolling at the teenage drama, love triangles, unrealistic magic, and power making women evil and crazy. Just another story to make teens feel special, like they have a dark secret, but really it’s just emo angst.
LOL…nice reply! Thank you. We have not had cable for almost a year now, but watch a few select shows via the internet….that’s the only way we have been able to see Once Upon A Time.