It’s time for a winter round up of America’s favorite pastime—Television!
Smash– for fans of Glee, but more mature.
The lights! The hairspray! The—Debra Messing! Think of Smash as Glee all grown-up. The show pits rookie actress Karen (Katherine McPhee) against experienced theatre veteran Ivy (Megan Hilty), in a competition for the career-making role of Marilyn Monroe in a new Broadway musical. And what’s better, the musical is being written by the Will and Grace-esque team of Julia (Debra Messing) and Tom (Christian Borle). While the show does have its dose of glitzy musical numbers, there is a much more dramatic side to it, as well. In the first two episodes alone, the audience was introduced to subplots including adoption, divorce, scandal, and heartbreak. Now that’s what I call a television show! Watch Smash on NBC Monday nights at 10:00pm.
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Awake– for fans of alternate realities.
In what NBC is calling “the hottest new psychological drama on television”, detective Michael Britton gets into a horrific car accident and afterwards, his life is never quite the same. He finds himself living in two very different realities. In one, his wife is alive and his son has died, and in the other, his son is alive, but his wife has lost her life in the car accident. In each reality a therapist tries to help Michael make sense of his psyche, but leaves him wondering if one reality is merely just a dream. Awake premieres Thursday March 1 at 10pm on NBC.
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It’s a Brad Brad World– for fans of fashion and anything cute.
It’s a Brad Brad World follows stylist Brad Goreski as he tries to make it big in the fashion industry. After working for famed stylist Rachel Zoe, Brad decides he no longer wants to be an assistant; he wants to be the boss. Now, with clients like Jessica Alba and Kate Spade, Brad’s career is skyrocketing. The show is worth watching for the clothes alone, but it certainly doesn’t hurt that Brad and his boyfriend, Gary are one of the funniest, cutest, most loving couples on TV right now (and in real life I guess, since this is a reality show). For a glimpse into the world of fashion styling and a little drama It’s a Brad Brad World is on Bravo Monday nights at 9.
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The River– for fans of Lost (aka fans of not really knowing what’s going on, but liking it nonetheless!)
ABC is really flipping the tables this time. Instead of having a show about lost people on a paranormal activity-prone island who are waiting to be rescued, they wrote a show about a search and rescue crew looking for a missing explorer on a paranormal activity-prone river. I know, whoa. All kidding aside, The River promises to fill the empty void in America’s TV schedule that was left by Lost. I, for one, think we should all jump in and see where The River takes us. Watch The River Tuesdays at 9pm on ABC.
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GCB –for fans of Desperate Housewives, the Real Housewives series, and anything in between.
GCB is set in a wealthy Texas neighborhood where hair is big and gossip is even bigger. When a former mean girl who left town years ago, returns home, her old enemies have trouble accepting that she’s back. Kristin Chenoweth stars as a particularly nosy neighbor. Oh, and GCB stands for Good Christian Belles, because I know you were wondering. Developed by famed Sex and the City creator, Darren Star, GCB sounds like the perfect guilty pleasure, and we are totally okay with that! Catch GCB on ABC Sundays at 10pm (premieres March 4).
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Shameless– for fans of completely functional dysfunctional families.
Shameless takes you along for the wild ride that is the life of the Gallagher family. There are a lot of them. They live in the Chicago projects. Their mother is out of the picture and their father is a raging alcoholic named Frank. Oldest daughter Fiona (Emmy Rossum) shines as a young woman trying to find her place in the world, while caring for not only her 5 siblings, but also, for her father. Shameless tells the story of an American family that is doing what they have to do to get by, with often-hilarious results. Whether they are stealing milk from the dairy truck down the street, getting paid to take the SAT for classmates, or waitressing at a bar with a Hooter’s vibe just to make ends meet, they have no shame. Shameless airs Sundays on Showtime at 9pm.
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Parks and Recreation– for fans of…anything funny.
I cannot express my love for this show enough. It doesn’t get a lot of attention from the media, but let me tell you, it is hilarious. Seriously, so funny. The show follows the day-to-day happenings of a Parks and Recreation department in the humble, fried food loving, Midwestern town of Pawnee, Indiana. The show works because each character is so uniquely different from anyone else you see on TV. Watch one episode and you’ll fall in love with Andy’s sweet (if, at times, childlike) naiveté, April’s make-you-need-to-drink-a-Gatorade dry wit, Leslie’s so-sunny-you’ll-get-a-sunburn optimism, and Tom’s, well, Tom’s swag. Tune into NBC Thursday nights at 8:30pm and I promise you, Parks and Recreation will not disappoint.