The CW

• From the writer of HBO’s Sex and the City comes the prequel everybody’s been waiting for. The Carrie Diaries has been picked up by the CW and will feature Carrie Bradshaw’s life before she moved to New York.
• The CW has also ordered a remake of the 1987 television show, Beauty and the Beast. It’ll be set in modern times with a procedural angle.

CBS

• CBS has picked up a comedy pilot from Nick Stoller. The untitled pilot features a guy working in an advertising agency with the woman who broke his heart.
• They also picked up a new drama show, Trooper, about a single mom who becomes a New York State Trooper.

Discovery Channel

• Unchained Reaction is a new series premiering on the Discovery Channel. This six-episode show follows two competing teams who need to build a complicated chain reaction contraption. Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman of Myth Busters are on board as judges.

ABC

• A new one-hour drama series is about to premiere on ABC. Based on the bestselling book by Gabriella Pierce, 666 Park Avenue follows the lives of a Midwestern couple who move to New York and to 666 Park Avenue, as resident managers. Little do they know, all residents of the building have made deals with the devil for their own desires.

NBC

• Comedy pilot, Isabel, has been picked up by NBC. The show will star Marcia Gay Harden and Sophie Schloss.
• NBC has also picked up two drama shows, Country and Chicago Fire. Country is set inside an LA County Hospital and Chicago Fire is set in a Chicago fire department.

Of the five shows nominated for Best Comedy or Musical, one was from HBO (Enlightened), one was from Showtime (Episodes), two were on Fox (Glee and New Girl), and one – the winner – was on ABC (Modern Family). Of the five nominees, two were on premium networks, which is two more than NBC and CBS combined.

In the category for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy, three of the five were on premium channels, including the winner, Matt LeBlanc for Showtime’s Episodes. In the Actress category, Laura Dern of HBO’s Enlightened beat out the competition from three network shows and one other premium network.

Adding all that up, two of the three winners and 7 of 15 nominees in the big three comedy categories were on channels that most of America don’t get to see. So what is it about these shows that is capturing the attention of the awards-givers? Is it the freedom to do and say things that wouldn’t fly on basic cable? Is it the money being poured into these programs by the cash-heavy premium channels? Or are they just making better shows right now?

At least NBC snuck in a few nominees in the best Actor and Actress categories. Only Johnny Galecki’s wonderful nerdiness on The Big Bang Theory allowed CBS to even get on the board. The Golden Globes don’t actually get to determine what people watch. The viewers will have their say in the end. But last night’s award show was just one more reminder to the once dominant NBC and CBS that the times, they are a’changing.

While I do have some reservations about Grimm, it is performing solidly in the ratings and gaining audience share as the weeks go by. The set-up each week is formulaic and straightforward. Portland cop Nick Burkhardt and his partner are called to investigate a routine police case. Except – surprise – it isn’t a routine case at all. There is a supernatural element involving a fairy tale character living among the unsuspecting populace. Luckily, Nick isn’t just a cop. He’s also a Grimm – a guardian tasked with policing these supernatural beings.

Unfortunately for Nick, his Grimm training ended almost as soon as it began. His aunt, a Grimm herself, showed up at his home, announced he was a Grimm, and promptly died. So far this season, Nick has been at a disadvantage as all the fairy tale creatures seem to instantly recognize him as a Grimm, but he knows little to nothing about them. And don’t let the name “fairy tale” fool you. These are dark interpretations of such classics as “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” and “The Three Little Pigs”.

The highlight of the show through half a season has been Silas Weir Mitchell in comic relief as Monroe. Monroe is a Blutbad – the technical name for a werewolf – who has repented of his murderous ways and wants only to be left alone. That hasn’t worked out well for Monroe, who has grudgingly been pulled into the Grimm’s service every week.

Why Nick’s every case involves a fairy tale creature, why a homicide detective gets called in on cases that don’t involve homicides, and how long Burkhardt’s partner can plod alongside without ever seeing any of the supernatural goings on are questions that are best left unasked if you want to try to enjoy Grimm for what it is – a Freak of the Week drama in the vein of the X-Files.

All we know for sure is that Community isn’t going to be a part of NBC’s Thursday night lineup when the rest of the shows return from their mid-season hiatus. When, or if, it will ever return is the subject of conflicting information. Although the ratings have been less-than-stellar, Community has stronger than average support from the viewers it does have. The result of this combination is a show that the network doesn’t like enough to keep but likes too much to cancel.

Based on the first two seasons of themed episodes, I’d say it is a show worth saving. Based on the shortened third season, in which the writers abandoned the genre-spoofing in favor of straight forward situational comedy, I’d say the show’s time has come. So by a 2-1 split decision, I’m hoping the show returns — maybe as a summertime fill-in. Stay tuned. And let the letter-writing begin.

At the same time that the Peacock sends Community off to TV limbo, another Thursday night comedy is shuffling off to a more well-defined future. Whitney, which has been an odd duck among the Thursday night flock, is moving to 8:00 on Wednesday nights. Which is a little bit like moving to batting ninth in baseball – you’re still on the team, but you’re one move away from being benched.

• Dark Minds will premiere on Investigation Discovery on January 25, hosted by crime author M. William Phelps and criminal profiler John Kelly. They work together to solve and bring justice to unsolved homicide cases — but only the ones they believe have been done by serial killers. An anonymous source, a convicted murderer with multiple life sentences, is helping them catch these killers.
• Operation: Osmin on nuvoTV will be back with its second season on January 13. Osmin Hernandez is a former military officer who’s now making a living as a personal trainer and he’s made it his mission to whip 20 people into great shape in 30 days.
• A special preview of Betty White’s Off Their Rockers will be broadcast on NBC on January 16. It will air right after Betty White’s own TV special, Betty White’s 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America’s Golden Girl.
• Jamie’s American Road Trip will premiere on BBC America on January 3. Join Jamie Oliver as he travels the US to discover the best ingredients, the best recipes and the best restaurants out there.
• Cajun Pawn Stars will premiere on the HISTORY Channel on January 8. Based in Alexandria, Louisiana, the show focuses on the lives of Jimmie DeRamus and his family as they handle the operations of Silver Dollar Pawn and Jewelry Center.
• Philly Undercover premieres on January 7 on the NatGeo WILD Channel. The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has teamed up with a police team undercover to go deeper into the dogfight industry and protect the animals being hurt in the process.
• Animal Planet has a new show and it’s about the Gator Boys Alligator Rescue Team. Gator Boys follows Paul Bedard and Jimmy Riffle as they rescue alligators before they become victims of trappers. Gator Boys premieres January 8.

But one of my very favorite things about Parks and Recreation has been the development of the character of Ron Swanson, played with delightful stoicism by Nick Offerman.

Ron was a good character from the beginning. But something happened around the time that we were introduced to the Ron Swanson Pyramid of Greatness (chock full of such insights as “America: The only country that matters. If you want to experience other ‘cultures,’ use an atlas and a ham radio” and “Greatness Itself: The best revenge”) at the start of last season. Swanson went from a good character to a great one. He is staunchly anti-government, yet tasked with running a government department. He’s wholly unsocial while fiercely loyal to those few people within his sphere. Ron is a man’s man. Unless one of his ex-wives is around.

Ron keeps a survival pack hidden in an air duct in his office. He hired a secretary whose sole qualification was a willingness to keep the public, whom he serves, from ever getting anywhere near him.

This week’s episode was focused almost exclusively on Leslie, but there was still time to remind us who Swanson is. The intro featured Ron as he was shocked to learn how computer cookies and Google Earth are invading his privacy. His logical and well-reasoned response was to throw his entire computer in the dumpster. Problem solved.

I expect a real life cult devoted to the teachings of Ron Swanson to pop up any week now.

The level of honesty, character development, and sheer raw humanity in the show has not been achieved by many other shows. Many critics have even given this fact as the reason why the show did not reach immediate popularity. The issues the show presented were so raw, so real, and so emotion evoking that many viewers simply did not want to be confronted with such powerful feelings while watching television. The viewer really felt like part of the small Texas town the series was based around. The lows felt by viewers were not usually evoked by fictional storylines, but neither were the highs.

Outrage struck viewers when a murder plot was introduced, and many viewed it as an ugly, unrealistic tarnish on the show’s otherwise exemplary storyline. In the second season, a high school character killed a man who attempted to rape his crush, and then he and the girl attempted to hide the body and craft a coverup. However, the outrage sparked by the murder plot is simply a testament to how brilliant the show was the rest of the time. Otherwise, it would not have caused such a personal reaction with the viewers.

The fictional community of Dillon, Texas is completely focused on the high school football team that captivates every citizen of the town. The head coach, Eric Taylor, is the central character. His struggles surround whether to put his focus on his family, his status in the hectic community, or his personal goals as coach. His wife, Tami, is the principle at the high school, and his daughter Julie attends the high school. Outside of this family, the story focuses on the lives of the high school football players. Imagine your typical high school students, but with amplified personal issues, and sometimes chilling home issues. Friday Night Lights does a great job of equally balancing the story between the coach, the many players, and other random characters of the town.

Friday Night Lights was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards show earlier this year, along with a Peabody Award, a Humanitas Prize, and a Television Critics Association Award. Although, while airing, the show’s ratings were not spectacular, it has attracted somewhat of a cult following since its cancellation, with several campaigns started to try to keep the show on air. NBC began offering the entire series on DVD as of earlier this year, and if someone you know loved the show or loves football, it will make the perfect holiday gift.

Showtime

Inside Comedy, a new comedy documentary series, will premiere on Showtime on January 26, 2012 at 10 pm. Created by David Steinberg (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Steve Carrell (The Office), Inside Comedy discusses comedy and the funnies with some of the nation’s top comedians. Every half hour episode focuses on interviews including Ellen Degeneres, Jerry Seinfeld and Mel Brooks.

ABC Family

A new drama will premiere this January on ABC Family. Jane By Design, premiering January 3, 2012, stars Erica Dasher as a high school student turned designer. Jane, with her eccentric fashion sense, lands a job at a top fashion house, where they actually mistake her for a  young adult out of high school. She doesn’t set them straight and now she has to juggle the demands of the fashion industry and the growing pains of high school.

Discovery Channel

Watch out for Discovery’s newest show to premiere on December 6 at 10 pm.Moonshiners explores the process of brewing illegal moonshine, which is passed down from generation to generation. Moonshiners will premiere on December 6 and will continue to air new episodes weekly starting on December 7 at 10 pm.

Bravo

A new style docu-series will premiere on Bravo on January 2 at 10 pm. It’s A Brad, Brad World follows the adventures of Brad Goreski, who previously worked with Rachel Zoe and has now moved forward with his own business and own show.

Midseason Schedules

CBS and NBC have both just announced their midseason schedules.

• On CBS, Rob! (starring Rob Schneider) will premiere on January 12 at 8:30pm, while Undercover Boss’ third season will premiere on January 15 at 8:00pm. CBS’ The Amazing Race will also premiere during the midseason but has no exact premiere date yet.
• On NBC, the new season of The Voice will premiere on February 5, following the Super Bowl, and will continue to air new episodes every Monday, starting on February 6 at 8:00 pm. It will be followed by the premiere of Smash (starring Katherine McPhee) at 10 pm. New comedy, Are You There, Chelsea?, will premiere on January 11 at 8:30 pm and Chuck will air its series finale on January 27 at 8 pm.

Who’s Still Standing?

On December 19, a new game show will premiere. Who’s Still Standing? pits contestant against contestant until there’s one last person standing.

Based on the Israeli game show, Still Standing, Who’s Still Standing? features one main competitor. He competes against 10 challengers with a classic trivia match combined with a little bit of physical comedy, perfect for quality time with the whole family. The main competitor must answer trivia questions correctly against one challenger to move on to compete against the next challenger. If the challenger or competitor answers incorrectly, they fall through a trapdoor and are out of the competition. This continues until there is only person standing. If the original main competitor manages to answer all the trivia questions correctly and is the last person standing, he can win up to $1 million in prizes.

Hosted by Cash Cab’s Ben Bailey, Who’s Still Standing? will premiere on December 19th and continue with a daily telecast all week. It returns the next Monday, December 26, with a new episode airing every week.

Betty White’s Off Their Rockers

Who says Jackass and Punk’d are just for teenage and kid-like boys? Betty White may be America’s sweetheart, but that doesn’t mean she can’t play a trick or two. In her latest show on NBC, Betty White proves age is never a hindrance to playing a joke on someone else.

Betty White’s Off Their Rockers features seemingly poor defenseless and helpless senior citizens roaming the streets searching for victims. Their victims usually consist of the younger crowd, who will never suspect these older folks of playing pranks on them. But that’s exactly what they do! And hidden cameras everywhere perfectly capture their honest reactions.

Betty White’s Off Their Rockers is coming soon on NBC!

Two shows, premiering the same week, with the same basic premise of mixing fairy tale characters with modern day life. And yet three weeks in, they have each established themselves and are very, very different shows. In fact, they take exactly opposite approaches to the fairy tale/ real life mixture.

In Once Upon a Time, the fairy tale characters were transported to our world by a dastardly spell cast by the evil witch from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. They exist in our world, but they don’t know it. They – Snow White, Prince Charming, Jiminy Cricket, Rumpelstiltskin, and the like – exist as regular people in our regular world with no memory of their magical prior lives. Only a small boy, the grandson of Snow White and Prince Charming, knows the truth. And he’s dragging his birth mother, who long ago gave him up for adoption, into the intrigue.

Grimm, by contrast, features a world in which the fairy tale creatures – werewolves and the three (not so) little bears and such – exist side by side with humanity. The creatures know full well who they are; it is the rest of humanity that remains ignorant. A Grimm is a hunter of these malevolent creatures, akin to a Slayer from the Buffy series. The newest Grimm comes into the job woefully unprepared with only a few parting words from his dying aunt and the unwilling assistance of a recalcitrant werewolf to guide him. Grimm is the darker of the two shows, a crime drama with a fantastic twist.

On first glance it appeared that network TV could not possibly sustain two shows with such similar premises. But already it is clear that these two shows are moving in different directions and appealing to a different fan base. Each program’s prospects for long-term success are based on the show’s individual merit and are not tied to one another. May the better show (or both shows) win.