No More Running Wilde

Even though it has been getting better, its lame first episodes lost too many viewers. And now, there will be no more episodes ordered.

We will not miss this show, but it might have turned into a really great thing for us to catch up with on DVD if it continued to improve. We hope K Russell gets a new show, and we hope Will Arnett goes back to being part of an ensemble.

New shows- Not original enough?

The Event features mysterious visitors and is trying to be the next LOST.
Nikita is a remake.
Better with You is from a Friends writer and has a laugh track.
The premise of Raising Hope (a single young man having to raise a child) isn't groundbreaking.
The same goes for Running Wilde. (Liberal vs. conservative love premise)

Call us pessimists, but when watching this fall's crop of new shows, we kept thinking, "Have we seen this show before?" It feels like many of the new shows exist to replace old ones. Are we missing something unique or weird about a show? We've been pretty underwhelmed with the ideas for new shows lately.

We suppose Lone Star and Boardwalk Empire are pretty original. But we expect nothing less from HBO, and Lone Star will get canceled if its numbers don't improve.

We know original ideas only carry a show so far, and the real test is whether it's carried out well. But having a premise that is interesting and good to work with can help writers. Is it just us? Are we wrong? How do you feel about the new shows this season?

Running Wilde pilot review- Not quite "A Huge Mistake"

We are glad we get to see what GOB would have been like if Michael had given him any money. Speaking of that, did you catch the Arrested Development reference in the narration toward the beginning?

Running Wilde, starring Will Arnet (Arrested’s GOB) and Keri Russell, is about a rich trust fund guy named Steve Wilde who is still in love with his high school sweetheart, an environmental rights activist named Emmy. Emmy has been “lording having nothing over Steve for years.” Emmy has an intelligent, funny daughter named Puddle. Good casting there. That daughter looks just like Keri Russell, and she’s one of the most magnetic things about this show so far. The supporting characters are a rich guy who serves as Steve’s competition in life and the employees Steve Wilde has to be his friends.

In the pilot, Steve concocted a plan to get Emmy’s attention: give himself an award for charity. Emmy saw right through this, and prepared to go back to the jungle, where she was living with her daughter and activist boyfriend (David Cross). We laughed out loud when Steve relocated the jungle indigents to a resort, because he had to get them out of that hole (the jungle). They were frolicking in the pool with floaties. It was a riot.

Random girly thought: We loved Emmy’s watercolor-style dress at the charity award party. It reminded us of a short version of Rachel McAdams’ lovely Oscar dress this year. Take note, Gossip Girl.

This pilot was pretty amusing, but to give it more than an average grade would just show that we are biased toward anything reminding us of Arrested Development. The Running Wilde pilot was more chuckle-out-loud than laugh-out-loud funny. Pretty good for a sitcom whose title is a pun though. The set-up isn't great or original. We are a little disappointed in this pilot.

Average grade not-withstanding, we think this show has a ton of promise, and we think it’s something to keep watching. Don’t give up on this one too soon. There is only so much a show can do in a 22-minute pilot.

Episode grade- C

watch the pilot for free here.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/178589/running-wilde-pilot#s-p1-so-i0

Requests for more new shows granted, Jersey Shore out.

Some shy, uncommenting readers have emailed requesting coverage of more new shows. Shy or not, they shall be placated. More new show coverage:

*Lone Star- Sept. 20. Mondays at 9:00. Drama about a Texas con man.
*Chase- Sept. 20. Mondays at 10:00 A cop show
*Raising Hope- Sept 21. Tuesdays at 9:00. A comedy about a 23-year-old new single father.
Running Wilde- Sept. 21 Tuesdays at 9:30. A comedy with Will Arnet (from the excellent "Arrested Development) and Keri Russell (from the not-as-excellent, but still nice, Felicity).
*Better with You- Sept. 22 Wednesdays at 8:30 A romantic comedy show
*The Defenders- Sept. 22 Wednesdays at 10:00 A show about lawyers
*Body of Proof- Sept 24. Fridays at 9:00. A medical mystery procedural

Man, we've got a lot of TV to watch now.

So something has to go. Jersey Shore will no longer be covered. The move to Miami takes away the subject, it's just Sammie and Ronnie screaming at each other, and the novely has worn off. We predict this show's popularity will wane in the next year, and we want to be among the first to tune out.