Ypulse Youth Advisory Board Fall TV Preview: Part One
Posted by meredith on 09-10-2009
Ah, Fall TV. The silver lining to those back-to-school blues. And this year there seems to be no shortage of shiny new shows grabbing for teens’ attention. The CW alone has made sure of that.
To get a better idea of the new and returning shows teens/young adults will be tuning in for (or streaming online) we surveyed Youth Advisory Board members Alyx Steadman, Megan Reid, Caroline Marques and Michael Hayball on their personal picks for “ones to watch” this season. I also couldn’t resist throwing in a couple of my own (I am still in that 18-24 demo after all). Today and tomorrow we’ll be running part one and two.
In the coming weeks, we’re hoping to check back in with the Youth Advisory Board and find out what shows stuck and what didn’t. Look out for their full-length reviews then. In the meantime, let us know which new shows you think will be teen/young adult hits in comments!
Ed. Note: If you’re looking for a comprehensive list of new and returning shows take a look at this schedule from The Los Angeles Times or this one from our friends at Sweet Designs.
What Alyx will be watching…
‘Glee’
Biggest Draw: The world does not have enough musical shows. That is, until Fox’s “Glee” came along! It has the “High School Musical” spunk, but with a more teen twist.
Potential Drawbacks: Too much hype. I really just hope that they don’t disappoint in the end. This show could be huge, and it will be if they play their cards right.
Buzz-o-meter: Very high. The pilot premiered back in the spring, and people haven’t stopped talking about it since. I for one have been spreading the “Glee” spirit by buying their remakes of “Don’t Stop Believing” and “Rehab.” The buzz-o-meter is off the charts for this show. There is promotion online, on TV, and on peoples’ iPods with the music. If I had to pick one show to watch this upcoming season this would be it.
The Beautiful Life: TBL
The Draw: The darker side of beauty is exposed in the CW’s new show “The Beautiful Life.” In every preview I’ve seen, this show looks dark and sexy, which is something that appeals to older teens (proven by the success of CW’s other hit show “Gossip Girl.”) Also, what really made me excited for this show were the big names involved like “High School Musical’s” Corbin Bleau, along with female A-listers Mischa Barton and Sara Paxton.
Potential Drawbacks: Something tells me that this show is going to be even more scandalous than the channel’s other shows, which is fine with me. I just hope younger tweens don’t get the wrong impression.
Buzz-o-Meter: Low. If I hadn’t been looking at all the upcoming fall shows on the CW I might have missed TBL. I really haven’t seen or heard much about it other than what I’ve seen on the CW website. It’s supposed to be a big draw that Ashton Kutcher is producing it, but to me that doesn’t really matter. I’ve yet to be impressed enough by his work to get excited about seeing his name.
What Caroline will be watching…
Melrose Place
Biggest Draw: They remade “90210,” so why not “Melrose Place”? I haven’t seen many episodes of the original series, but I pretty much know what it’s about thanks to reruns on Swiss TV. The new series seems appealing in the ads I’ve seen on the CW. Also, I’m curious to see Ashlee Simpson acting again.
Potential Drawbacks: It might not be as good as the original. I don’t know if fans of the first series will be very happy with how the remake compares. Also, the characters are older, which might not appeal to younger teens.
Buzz-o-meter: High. I’ve seen previews on The CW that hyped the show a lot and when I was in LA this summer, and there were a lot of posters and billboards. I’ll admit I’m a bit more excited for the return of “One Tree Hill” and “Gossip Girl,” just because they are two of my favorite shows, and I’m not that big of a fan of the original Melrose. The buzz for it among my friends seems to be lower than GG…
Vampire Diaries
Biggest Draw: I saw the “Vampire Diaries” ad randomly. But from that first trailer, I had some mixed opinions. The biggest draw was not the stars since I didn’t recognize them (although they are attractive), and it wasn’t the buzz because it really doesn’t seem to be one of the big things people are talking about. I just liked the trailer and how it looked like a typical teen show, but with more danger and suspense. And yes, it did remind me of “Twilight.”
Potential Drawbacks: Just because “Twilight” pretty much snowballed the whole vampire trend doesn’t mean it won’t come to an end. I think there are a lot of teenagers who may be getting tired of vampire stories. Vampires have been in, and now they’re on their way out. Some might just not even try to watch it because they’ll be like: “Vampires? Been there, done that, times 10.”
Buzz-o-meter: Medium [Ed. note: Caro lives in Switzerland] The only things I’ve really seen are a few trailers, and they make the show seem interesting with characters dealing with normal teenage problems, and not so normal really dangerous problems. Maybe I would have been a bit more excited if it was about something other than vampires?
About Alyx
Alyx Steadman is a freshman in high school in Montana, and loves every minute of it. He loves reading, writing, acting, singing, and being a social butterfly. In the past people have accused him of being a YouTube addict and a pop culture junkie (and sadly Alyx cannot deny these accusations). His love for teen culture has led him to many hours slaving on the computer soaking up every piece of drama Hollywood has to offer. In the future he hopes to pursue a writing career as some type of journalist. Excited doesn’t even begin to cover how he’s feeling to be in the Ypulse Advisory Board. “Today the world changes so quickly that in growing up we take leave not just of youth but of the world we were young in.”
About Caroline
Caroline is a high school student in Geneva, Switzerland. While Caroline lists sports, music and travelling as her hobbies, she also very much enjoys writing and reading. After being a teen adviser for NickMag, she thought Ypulse would be the perfect opportunity for a new start. While trying to keep up with the trends (or setting some of her own), dance classes, working on long papers and trying to master three new languages, she rarely has time to write the novel she wishes she could finish, though she is certain one day she will. Writing is never far from her thoughts.
Categorized under: TV, Youth Advisory Board