Fall TV season is right around the corner, and we've already seen signs that there may be a dearth of original ideas in this fresh crop of shows. However, two new sitcoms appear to be taking the idea of "high concept" to new, conceptual highs and, judging by their trailers, they might be worth checking out when they debut in September.
The more promising of the pair is The Good Place, starring Kristen Bell and Ted Danson, two actors who have made very good television in the past; creator Mike Schur was a co-creator of Parks and Recreation, so that's also a good sign. There's a Defending Your Life vibe to this, and a chipper sunniness that I'm hoping rubs off after an episode or two. But going simply off the trailer, I have hope that this might be a show about ideas bigger than simply sticking its characters in awkward situations every week (the MO of most network sitcoms)—this boasts a dark central protagonist and suggests potential for exploring some uncomfortable ideas. We'll find out on Monday, September 19, when The Good Place debuts its first two episodes on NBC, then moves to Thursday nights for the rest of the season.
Son of Zorn, meanwhile, could go either way. I really like the conceit of this show in theory, but in practice, nothing in this trailer seems particularly funny or inventive to me. It also looks like the concept—which should be immediately apparent upon watching the trailer—is merely a roundabout way to dive into standard family sitcom shlock. (Not to mention how much it reminds me of a show I didn't like, Golan the Insatiable.) There are some good names onboard, including Jason Sudeikis, Tim Meadows, and the hilarious Artemis Pebdani (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), and it's got the imprimatur of executive producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie, 21&22 Jump Street). But this looks like a launchpad for some very obvious jokes about "fish-out-of-water dad tries to reconnect with family and fit into everyday society." And the animation, while deliberately echoing the crappiness of shows like He-Man, is a tad too goofy to not interfere with suspension of disbelief. I think Son of Zorn needs another twist or something, but maybe it's got something up its sleeve that's not in the trailer. We'll see how it pans out on Sunday, September 11 when it premieres on FOX.