Fall 2016 TV Shows 3
Matt Seinberg

I finally watched three new shows, which premiered on CBS-TV, over the past couple of weeks. NBC and ABC didn't have anything that interested me.

"Man with a Plan"

"Man with a Plan" is the return of Matt LeBlanc to network television, playing a similar dim bulb like his "Friends" character, Joey Tribiani. Only this time he's married with three kids. The premise is that his wife, Andi, played by they funny and lovely Liza Snyder, is going back to work. Dad, Adam, gets to spend more time with the kids because he owns his own construction business with his brother Don, played by the very funny Kevin Nealon.

I certainly don't know of any business owner that would just cut back his workload just do his wife could go back to work, but, hey, it's television and they can do anything that they want to.

Adam soon discovers his kids are really monsters and he has to learn quickly how to turn them in "normal" kids again. One of the teachers, at their school, gives him that glare that pretty much makes him do whatever she wants. Another stay at home dad befriends Adam; he thinks they're best friends, but they're not.

I took care of my two kids from birth to when they started school on my days off when my wife was working full time; they each went to day care, part time. I thought it was going to get easier when they went to school, but no. Suddenly my day condensed into 3 or 4 hours before I had to pick them up again.

I think "Man with a Plan" will succeed; Adam and Andi are very good at being great parents. They're funny, too.

I'll give them show an A.

"The Great Outdoors"

"The Great Indoors" stars the very funny Joel McHale, as Jack, an outdoor adventure writer pulled into the main office to head the digital on-line department, staffed by millennials that have never stepped foot into the great outdoors. He's trying to understand them, and they are trying to figure out this "old guy" is and what he's done.

Susannah Fielding stars as his boss, Brooke, who happens to be the daughter of the owner of the magazine. Moreover, Brook and Jack once had a relationship, which makes the tension burn with anticipation. The owner is Roland, played by the very dry witted Stephen Fry.

Roland explains to Jack that the magazine is in deep trouble. If Jack doesn’t return from the great outdoors, he doesn't have a job. With an ultimatum like that, how can Jack say no?

I'll give this one a B.

"Pure Genius"

Finally yet importantly, is "Pure Genius" starring Augustus Prew, as James Bell, and Dermot Mulroney, as surgeon Dr. Walter Wallace. Bell is a Silicon Valley billionaire that has built the most high tech hospital in the world, Bunker Hill. He has recruited Dr. Wallace to be the chief of staff, and his nickname for him is "W." The show also stars Reshma Shetty, formerly of "Royal Pains”; she plays Dr Talaikha Channarayaptra.

Their goal is to get the bureaucracy out of medicine, and provide innovative solutions to modern day problems. They provide free care to all that come to the hospital, and provide community outreach to those neighbourhoods that truly need their help.

James Bell rushes head on to help people, not realizing that sometimes his actions have consequences for everyone involved. Dr Wallace is there to provide a firewall and provide a clear head to work around those problems.

My wife, who 99% doesn't enjoys such shows, seems to enjoy this one.

I'll give this show a B+.

Stay tuned for mid-season replacements in 2017.