Welcome to another weekly round table. This week it's a post mortem on fall TV and I'm (Yon) joined by SpoilerTV writers: Milo (MJ), Marko Pekic (MK), Andrea, Donna Cromeans (DR), Claire (CS), Jennise Hall (JH), Laura Markus (LS), Zandarl (DC), Beth (BW), AD (AO), Bex (BX), Jamie (JC), Lisa Macklem (LM) and Angela Niles (AN). Sit back enjoy the read and feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
1. Which Broadcast season finale was the best in your opinion?
MK: Arrow had an exceptional finale, the season was average at best but the finale brought all the feels. Also Killing Eve killed it, what a jaw dropping finale. Perfect way to end a phenomenal season.
MJ: Legends of Tomorrow's finale was fantastic, reveling in its insanity, and the best of what I saw here, although most of what I watched was strong. The Blacklist delivered a game-changer that should really shake up the dynamic in Season 6, and Gotham set the stage for its season finale in style, even though the finale wasn't perfect, I did love the way the show set itself up for its final season - fully setting the stage for the true potential of the No Man's Land arc and giving us our best look at the future Bat signal yet. I loved the ending.
Andrea: Maybe because I've watched it last night, but Blindspot had a strong finale, i like the possible storyline they can do next season, if they do it right! Still mad for that death, Luke you deserve a show that don't kill you after one season! But for the story it was needed, sadly!
CS: I totally enjoyed American Housewife's season 2 finale! I think it was the best episode of the season. It pulled together all of the best aspects of the show with Katie and family and friends working together towards a seemingly out of reach goal. Nathan Fillion on a camel was fun too! And the aesthetics of the show with the Indian themed Spring Gala; the music, the dancing, the costumes and decor was simply beautiful. I’ve really warmed to this show. Also loved The Goldberg’s finale, especially Barry and Lainiey getting engaged! So much craziness to look forward to for Fall 2018!
JH: Um, Lucifer and Lethal Weapon, Black Lightning, and Big Bang Theory.
LM: EASILY Brooklyn Nine-Nine's "Jake and Amy"! The most satisfying finale we could've gotten, though if it were to be the series finale I might've ripped every last hair out of my head. The wedding shenanigans were beautiful, Gina Rodriguez was stunning as was her chemistry with Rosa, and everything Holt had to say brought me to tears. Surprised? You shouldn't be.
DC: Supergirl still to air the strongest of the CW Shows so is Black Lightning, though it had a great start it had a few shaky points that need ironing out next season but a strong finish. Once Upon A time having the stories come full circle was also a fitting end to the whole show. The One that had the best cliff-hanger and can’t wait for its return was new Show Station 19, it had everything you would expect from a Shonda Land Finale, who will live and who will die and action in abundance. I am pleased this show will return next year.
BW: The best finale for me was Gotham, it was action packed as per usual but also set up an amazing final act. B99 was also everything!
AD: This is a hard question since I watched so many shows, but my choice would be The Good Doctors, finale episode “More.” The storyline for this episode hit close to home. I could be biased but, the performance from all the cast members was outstanding. I am not a fan of cliffhangers but the episode closed out in a way that I would have been satisfied if there was no second season. Freddie Highmore is well known for his excellent work in almost everything he books, but The good doctor gives us a vulnerable, smart, complicated and kind character that personally I was rooting for every week. Richard Schiff as Dr. Glassman balanced out the pair with a brilliant portrayal of the overbearing “father,” mentor and friend.
BX: Timeless. It was shocking and heartbreaking, there were endings but also hints of new beginnings, and that final scene was the best kind of cliffhanger - one full of hope, and with so much potential for season three. Cliffhangers typically leave me frustrated, but this one had me utterly gleeful with the possibilities. Any season finale that makes me feel all that, that makes my heart hurt one minute, and then fills it so completely with joy the next, has to be the best in my opinion.
JC: I have to be honest, there was no season finale that really wowed me. I was impressed with both Lucifer and Agents of SHIELD's finales. And the cliffhangers of Timeless and The Blacklist had me wanting more. But other than that, most finales were average. Modern Family's finale was actually disappointing, didn't feel like a finale at all.
LM: Two favorite finales: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Timeless. Jane the Virgin gets best jawdrop moment though!
AN: I loved the season finale for “The Good Doctor”. It was heartfelt, emotional, and did a lovely job of showing how far all the characters had come throughout the show’s first season, both individually and as a team. And it left open some intriguing possible storytelling avenues for the show for next season that I’m looking forward to seeing play out.
2. Which storylines did you enjoy the most this season and which were the most disappointing?
MK: Miranda Bailey had an interesting arc this season but Meredith Grey's journey takes it home this season for me. She did so much, faced so many obstacles and risen to new grounds personally and professionally. Very proud of her journey this year.
MJ: I really enjoyed Gotham this season as it paved way for No Man's Land, it saved its best for its fourth season. Like SHIELD, both shows have really impressed and have turned from one of the worst comic book shows on TV into the best.
Andrea: Arrow was really painful to watch, didn't like the storyline this season! Normally with DC TV I watch it live but with Arrow I could go for few weeks without watching it and i didn't miss it! For the one i enjoy the most, well Shadowhunters obviously! Except that big twist of a cliffhanger! That change a lot! As for Fall to Spring shows, Supernatural, it had it's down but when it was in it's ups it was really good!
The Bad: Legends of Tomorrow had been having a very good season in my opinion until their season finale with what I consider a ridiculous stunt. All season long they’d been fighting a terrifying and powerful demon and they defeat him by joining forces in a Ghostbusters like ending and becoming a 30-foot giant blue stuffed animal? After it aired I got into a lot of discussions with people telling me it was fun, that LoT do fun and sarcasm well, but in my opinion, this went way beyond that, that stunt didn’t just jump the shark, it took a flying leap over it. As a viewer and a fan of the show it jerked me right out of it and I was sorely disappointed in it.
The bad: The Middle’s complete and total failure on the Sue/Sean story arc was probably the most devastatingly disappointing story arc for me on television since Ross and Rachel. There is just SO much more they could have done with it. They actually kept them apart until the final minutes of the series finale! How can producers be so tone deaf to their fan base? I didn’t want it to be the Sue/Sean show but it was just such a waste of a terrific story and instead they threw silly, overplayed tropes at us. All shows do peter out after a few seasons but The Middle was still great going into season 9 and after a couple of episodes completely nosedived.
JH: Most disappointing is easy. Arrow. One of the shows I had to watch when I got home from work the night it aired, had slipped to stacking up on my DVR. The season’s arc story was so disjointed and the character work so disappointing that the show began to lose me as a fan. The writing in Irreconcilable Differences was so bad that stopped watching the show all together. Hopefully, new showrunners can reinvigorate the show but if they think stunt casting is all they need to do then that’s a done deal.
One of the storylines I enjoyed the most was Charlotte’s story on Lucifer. I didn’t think they’d find a way to keep that character on the show and make her story interesting. They did and I was invested. I wanted to know if she was going to succeed in avoiding a return to hell. The way that story ended one of my favs.
DC: The arrival of Reign and the worldkiller’s on Supergirl giving us one of the best villains to date. In Once Upon a Time the reboot, sadly it did not work for the show and ultimately lead to is demise.
BW: My favorite storyline this year was Fitz from AOS coming to save the team and his marriage to Simmons. It was just everything I had always wanted for him and them as characters. I mean the finale broke my heart but the journey this season made me a happy fan. One of the storylines I hated the most was Mon El's on Supergirl. I like the guy, but him coming back and constantly apologizing to Kara was incredibly annoying to me. Was he perfect last season? Of course not, but this was over the top in how much they made him grovel. It led me to no longer watch the show. Finally Superstore with the Amy and Jonah stuff. They wrote America's pregnancy in at such an odd time and then proceeded to have them hook up, I don't see the logic here.
AD: The Good: This Is Us gave the viewers answers they had been waiting for in regards to Jacks (Milo Ventimiglia) death and pushed forward with all the Pearsons children stories. I also loved the focus on mental health throughout the season.
The Bad: The Flash was really disappointing this season for me. The show ended season three on a cliffhanger but came back with a very mediocre Thinker storyline that didn’t feel well put together. The performance by Neil Sandilands (Devoe) and Kim Engelbrecht (Marlize) was amazing, but the other guest characters were not able to match up. I like that Iris was the leader but also feel that the show completely neglected Barry’s and her relationship especially after what happened at the end of season three. The double wedding with the Arrow couple also annoyed me. It was weak writing even though I understand not wanting to waste time and money on two weddings, Iris and Barry deserved better.
BX: I enjoyed Mandy's expanded role while on deployment on SEAL Team the most, as it allowed that character to be better utilized.
Most disappointing was the Lucifer/Chloe/Pierce love triangle on Lucifer. It was unnecessary and a massive disservice Chloe's character.
JC: Again, most were average. I did the storylines on This Is Us, Timeless and Legends of Tomorrow. But most storylines really bothered me this year. I'm not a fan of long arcs and that seemed to be the theme. The storylines on CW's DC shows lasted way too long. I was not happy with Lucifer this season, especially since I know they can do so much better. Once Upon A Time's storyline reboot fell flat for me and even one of my favorite shows, Agents of SHIELD, while it had some great moments this season, was missing something.
LM: Most disappointing storyline? Arrow. Hands down. If it weren't changing showrunners, I'd be done with the show.
AN: I loved Claire taking on the creepy doctor on “The Good Doctor” this season, it was a timely storyline and it really added to her character. She may be normally gentle and friendly, but she also doesn’t take people’s crap lying down. And I liked the Barnes arc on “Criminal Minds” - it was brief, yes, and I feel there was so much more they could’ve done with it beyond what we saw on the show, but it did allow for a few interesting side stories with the team and let us see what their lives outside the team would be like. So that was fun.
On the flip side, however, I do wish “Criminal Minds” had done more to explore the aftermath of Reid’s time in prison from season twelve, along with exploring the fallout of losing a team member in the line of duty this season, and Emily being held captive by Mr. Scratch, to name but a few things. There were occasional passing mentions and references here and there, but it still fell a little too short for me.
3. Which show did the best job in showing more diversity this season? And which shows tried but failed miserably?
MK: Black Lightning did a great job telling important stories both race and sexuality related. Speechless was amazing with the incorporation of more disabled actors and characters, which is a rarity on TV shows. Major kudos to them. Truly disappointing was Supergirl. They've killed their racial diverse Worldkillers way too fast and the league members barely got any screen time.
MJ: Star Trek: Discovery was one of the big talking points here. It had a POC female lead and a incredibly diverse cast, but it didn't stop it from killing off its fair share of POC characters, including Battlestar Galactica's Rekha Sharma rather unceremoniously. Apart from that, which was one of the show's weakest links, one of the (many) highlights of the show was the ultimately doomed relationship between Stamets and Hugh Culber, a Star Trek first - which has the potential to end up on either side of the scale as we're led to believe that this isn't the end of their story yet and we'll see it continue somehow in the second season, as Star Trek can bring characters back from the dead so I wouldn't be surprised to see it continue like this. It helps that it has been given a seal of approval by GLAAD, who were consulted prior to its airing. And Actor Wilson Cruz claims that "This is not a bury your gays, kill your gays trope storyline". If it all leads to nowhere it'll be a disappointment, but I remain cautiously optimistic.
Andrea: On the shows that I watch there is little to none diversity and if they try to include something "diverse" ti get killed after few episodes or it didn't work and they don't go there anymore! The only show that I watch that it's doing an excellent job with diversity is Shadowhunters!
DR: I’d say Legends of Tomorrow did a good job by finally addressing Sara’s sexuality and bringing in Jes Macallan as Ava, her love interest has been great, and by showing Zari openly professing and practicing her Muslim faith.
JH: SEAL Team gets a mention because of their portrayal of females in the military.
Lost in Space had a diverse cast. But they stuck out because, to my mind the fact that Penny’s race wasn’t a story point implied that the actress was hired because she was the best actress auditioned. We need more casting like that.
Interesting is CBS’ reaction to the accusations in the wake of the exits of Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim. Several of the ethnic actors with minor parts found their way into the opening credits though their presence in the episodes didn’t increase substantially.
LS: B99. Done. Goodbye.
DC: Star Trek Discovery jumped straight into my head as I read this question but it stumbled a little with the kill the gay's trope. All the CW shows are multi-diverse as even Cat Grant stated in Season 1 Supergirl. However, it needs improvement with its dealing of certain groups.
AD: How to Get Away with Murder wins for diversity for me this past season. The show added several diverse guest characters and maintained balance with all their storylines.
Hawaii Five-0 gets the bummer of the season for how they handled their minority characters departure. The situation opened them up to public criticism and not in a good way at all.
BX: Timeless focused on women and poc more this season and did the best job in showing more diversity. This is a show that is already beautifully diverse, but I believe the focus of the people the Time Team met this season is a big part of what made season two so strong.
JC: Brooklyn Nine Nine has always been great with diversity and Rosa's storyline this season was proof of that. Really glad we finally got a show like Black Lighting with a black lesbian superhero who is bulletproof. As for the ones that failed. Most shows pay attention to having people of color on their show but it's usually how those characters are treated that is the main problem. And the same goes for diversity sexuality wise. The shows that failed here are too many to name.
AN: Among the shows I watched, “The Mayor” and “S.W.A.T.” had black leads, and “S.W.A.T.” featured an interracial relationship, and shows like “The Good Doctor” and “Criminal Minds” did well at bringing in a bit more Asian representation, and have generally diverse casts as a whole (“Criminal Minds” is probably one of few diverse shows on CBS, really). And “The Good Doctor” also gave us a positive portrayal of an autistic character in Shaun Murphy. “How to Get Away with Murder” also continues to be very diverse in the types of characters it has, both within its main cast and in the types of guest stars who show up.
4. What show are you most eager to return?
MK: As always that is Greys. The saving grace of Peak TV. Excited to see my shows Will & Grace and Speechless to return. Also it has been 84 years since Murder ended.
Andrea: Almost the entire line up of the CW except the Friday shows! Criminal Minds, The Good Place, Will and Grace, Midnight Texas!
DR: Next year? Supergirl, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Timeless
CS: Timeless MUST return and sooner than March and with more than ten episodes. Also, looking forward to Channel Zero (looks especially terrifying), Young Sheldon, Santa Clarita Diet, The Goldbergs, Speechless, American Horror Story and a lot of the new shows look very promising; especially The Kids Are Alright and Manifest.
JH: Well, Lucifer was cancelled. Lethal Weapon will have to pass a test when it returns. But I’m looking forward to the return of Black Lightning, and Midnight, Texas. Can’t think of anything else.
DC: Midnight Texas, Supergirl, Black Lightning will certainly keep me busy next fall.
BW: Most of the shows I want to return are midseason like Gotham and B99. In the fall I guess the one I am most eager to return is, 9-1-1, it is the show that really surprised me and I miss Buck a lot! Also my Friday night comfort show of H50, I love having that to look forward to.
AD: The Good Doctor and Agents of Shield
BX: SWAT, SEAL Team, Star Trek Discovery, The Orville, and hopefully Timeless.
LM: Show I'm most eager to return? GAME OF THRONES!!! If you mean fall return, has to be The Walking Dead.
AN: All my current shows, honestly. I look forward to seeing what new shows like “S.W.A.T.” and “The Good Doctor” have planned for their second seasons, and how they’ll continue to build on and develop the characters and their storylines. And with older shows like HTGAWM and “Criminal Minds”, I’m just happy to still have them around to watch each week.
5. What summer shows do you look forward too?
MK: Cloak and Dagger definitely. I saw the two hour premiere and it certainly puts a twist on all the Superhero shows so far. It is Runaways but with good actors, intriguing plot and great chemistry. Also can't wait to see Younger and The Sinner this summer. Through standouts this summer.
Andrea: I think this is the first year i don't have a summer show, or at this moment i don't remember anything that i want to watch this summer, the only one is Shadowhunters but it seems that it will start August 14th so it's almost a Fall show!
DR: I personally can’t wait for the return of Salvation! It’s been nearly a year and that asteroid hasn’t hit Earth yet! Can’t wait to see what happens to Grace, Darius, Harris and the others!
CS: Can’t wait for the Duplass brothers and HBO’s Room 104 in its sophomore season. I love anthology shows and can’t wait to review it for SpoilerTV. Also, Teachers on TVLand, American Woman with Alicia Silverstone on Paramount and Take Two with Eddie Cibrian looks promising.
JH: Cloak and Dagger
LS: Well I started watching The Bold Type so if I can finish on time I will be looking forward to watching it. Other than that, I am woefully behind on everything else. Yell at me for recommendations, please!
DC: Wynonna Earp and Chesapeake Shores as it is my feel-good show and new show American Women which is set to arrive next month look promising.
BW: I am looking forward to see how The Originals will end and of course seeing how the spectacular season of The 100 is going to go. I can't wait to see Sense 8's final chapter. Also Chesapeake Shores is the ultimate comfort watch so that will be awesome. I caught up on Younger and The Bold Type so I have those to watch as well. I was hoping that Amazon would have mercy on me and release High Castle, but that is a rant for another day!
AD: American Gods is one of the shows that I am eager to watch. I want to see what the new showrunners will do with the story moving forward.
BX: Younger.
JC: The show I'm most excited for this summer is The Bold Type.
LM: Summer show I am absolutely dying for is 12 Monkeys! So sad this is the last season!
AN: “Trial & Error”. The first season was wonderfully entertaining, and I’m looking very forward to seeing how they’ll take on a whole new case this season. And it’ll be fun to see the team and their murder board again, too.
