Fall has finally arrived, and with the season comes the premieres of television’s newest shows. With the unyielding competition for television, only the best shows make it to a second season. Pilot episodes set the stage for the entire series, and “Gotham,” “How to Get Away with Murder” and “A-Z,” have particularly captured and enthralled their audiences already. The pilots certainly did not disappoint the already high expectations of the shows.
“Gotham” follows a young James Gordon and Harvey Bullock on their adventures as detectives for Gotham City. The first episode features the iconic murders of Thomas and Martha Wayne, leaving Gordon and Bruce Wayne to meet and form a friendship. The show portrays the journeys of the legendary characters featured in Batman films and comics, Poison Ivy, Selina Kyle, The Joker and the Riddler towards villainy. The audience will be introduced to several Joker candidates, but the identity will be revealed in a later episode. The larger-than-life Gotham City contains an interesting tapestry of characters to make for an alluring and dark show to help viewers understand why a Batman figure was necessary.
“How to Get Away with Murder” opens with a dramatic and engaging pilot leaving the viewers with the question: who is the murderer? The show follows the dynamic story of a cutthroat teacher and her class of law students. The protagonist, Wes Gibbins, is the class underdog who was just accepted into the school. The show also focuses on three other students and the intense and ridiculous tasks the class requires of them. Fans of “Scandal” would enjoy “How to Get Away with Murder,” as the fast-paced drama is similar.
The show’s “TV Line” review states, “Be forewarned, this pilot demands your attention. The story abruptly toggles between timelines and it will take some time to get the assorted telegenic kiddies straight, so if you’re the type to zone out after the 140th character of a tweet (or article), this is not for you. “Murder” invites you to wonder, throughout its first hour, what (and who) it is about; those who play the game will get reeled in, real quick, and in turn possibly discover a new TV obsession.”
“A-Z” is this year’s newest romantic comedy series, and it is essentially the TV version of the film “500 Days of Summer.” The show begins with the voiceover, “Andrew and Zelda date for eight months, three weeks, five days, and one hour. This television program is the comprehensive account of their relationship.” Zelda is a hardworking lawyer who when asked if she believed in destiny says, “I believe in facts.” On the other hand, Andrew, Internet dating site employee who is a true romantic. Their differences make for good laughs and sweet moments. Though the viewer’s know that the two do not end up together, we can’t help but root for them anyway. “A-Z” will capture the hearts of fans of “How I Met Your Mother.”
