Midseason Roundup

The Marriage Ref (NBC, Thursdays, 10pm): The perfect example of why I don’t like to judge a show based on just one episode. The preview that NBC aired after the Olympics Closing Ceremony was horrendous and painful to sit through. The second episode improved considerably, but by the third episode, which featured Ricky Gervais, Larry David and, of all people, Madonna, the show had won me over. It’s a simple concept: married couples bicker over something petty (e.g., pampering a pet iguana, not being allowed to use the dining room table), celebrity panelists debate the merits of the argument, and host/referee Tom Papa decides who’s right. Jerry Seinfeld is an executive producer and will sit on the panel occasionally, though the show was actually better when he wasn’t there. Gervais and David, who joked about doing a sitcom together, were golden, and who knew Madonna could be funny? I went into this show with the lowest of expectations (especially after that awful preview) and have been pleasantly surprised. Considering this is one of NBC’s Jay Leno Show replacements, the comedy bar has more than been surpassed.

Parenthood (NBC, Tuesdays, 10pm): Oh, how I wish I could sing the praises of the latest offering from Friday Night Lights executive producer Jason Katims. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a good show, but I wanted it to be great and it hasn’t come close to that yet. Granted, we’re only two episodes in, so there’s still hope. Part of the show’s problem is that it has too many balls in the air, something that’s a boon for FNL but a bit of a detriment here. Craig T. Nelson and Bonnie Bedelia head a clan that includes so many sons, daughters and grandkids that it’s sometimes hard to know which kid belongs to which parents. Among the story lines: Sarah (Lauren Graham, almost completely transcending the tics that she worked to perfection on Gilmore Girls) and her teenage kids move in with her parents; Adam (Peter Krause, typically fine) and wife Kristina (Monica Potter) learn that their son has Asperger’s Syndrome; and Crosby (Dax Shepard) finds out he has an illegitimate son he never knew about. The cast is top-notch, and the writing effectively acknowledges that dealing with family can be the most trying thing we may ever do in our lives. This show definitely has the blueprint for success; now all it needs to do is get out of its own way and build something magical.

Undercover Boss (CBS, Sundays, 9pm): There’s been some criticism that this show, which sends executives from companies such as 7-Eleven and Waste Management to the ground floor, is too good to be true. On some level, I agree with that. It does seem rather suspicious that we have yet to see an employee who has a major gripe with the company. How is it that trash collectors and deliverymen seem happier to be doing their jobs than I am? What’s their secret? It is interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes at some of the country’s most famous businesses, though I’m unsure how long this novelty will prove to be entertaining. Already renewed for a second season—it’s this year's highest-rated new series—this seems like the kind of show that will get tired after a while, not unlike Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (you’ve seen twenty home restorations, you’ve seen them all). Besides, with so many people watching, how can the producers possibly keep this ruse going for long?

Minute to Win It (NBC, Sundays, 8pm): About as disposable as TV gets. This game show challenges contestants to perform seemingly simple tasks (empty a tissue box with one hand, bounce a ping pong ball across three plates into a fishbowl) in one minute or less as they attempt to win a million dollars. Like Deal or No Deal, you’re left wondering why the whole thing is so drawn out. The first half of last night’s two-hour premiere (I confess, that’s all I could get through, and yes, I know I’m contradicting what I said earlier about The Marriage Ref) only had six games yet managed to fill an hour of prime time. If you do the math, that’s about fifty-four minutes of filler. Host Guy Fieri certainly sells the enthusiasm, though that's hardly enough when everything moves so slowly. I don’t know about you, but I prefer my TV to have a little more substance than watching some guy bob his head hard enough to make a pedometer register.