If We Controlled Your Remote… 1/3/18

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Jenny’s Choice

My pick tonight is the series premiere of 9-1-1 on FOX. This new procedural stars Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights, Nashville), Peter Krause (The Catch, Six Feet Under), Angela Bassett (American Horror Story, What’s Love Got to Do with It), Kenneth Choi (American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson), Aisha Hinds (Shots Fire, Underground), Oliver Stark (Into the Badlands), & Rockmund Dunbar (Prison Break, The Path), so it’s quite a strong cast.

This isn’t a normal procedural, though. First, it comes from Ryan Murphy (Glee, Scream Queens) and Brad Falchuk (American Horror Story, Glee), so not names you’d normally see when attached to a procedural. Second, most procedurals have a major “A story” that is the meat of the episode. Take Chicago Fire, for example. Whatever big call they have is usually involved in the A story, and they usually only have one big call per episode. But in this case, at least in the pilot, which I’ve seen, there are a handful of calls for the firefighters, paramedics, & cops. Each call gets a smaller, quicker focus, rather than taking one and fleshing it out to fill the episode. It was a rather fun take, in my opinion. Also, we get another view of first responders, in Connie Britton’s 911 operator. That’s a point of view we’re not used to seeing.

I read a review yesterday that wasn’t very positive, but frankly, I quite enjoyed the pilot. I liked the way they handle the quick calls and how much we see (without getting too detailed or involved) into the characters’ personal lives. Hopefully everyone will give it a chance and we see them settling in and getting more comfortable in their roles.

On tonight’s episode, “Pilot,” emergency response providers put their lives at risk to save others, from a possible baby in the walls to a young girl home alone when intruders break in and more.

Don’t miss tonight’s premiere on FOX at 9/8c.

I’ll also be watching/DVRing The Amazing Race, The Goldbergs, The Librarians, Iron Chef Showdown, Law & Order: SVU, Modern Family, Property Brothers, SEAL Team, American Housewife, Chicago PD, Criminal Minds, & Match Game.
 
Jump with us to see else we think you should watch.
 

Kyle’s Choice

Tonight, The Amazing Race finally returns to kick off its 30th installment on CBS, as 11 new teams prepare to travel to 10 countries, 21 cities, and over 29,000 miles as they struggle to be the first team to cross the finish line and take home the one-million-dollar prize. Phil Keoghan returns to host this 30th race, which includes a very strong-looking batch of new teams, including a few celebrities, such as Big Brother couple Cody Nickson & Jessica Graf and competitive eaters Joey Chestnut & Tim Janus. There are also several athletic teams participating this year, including retired NBA All-Stars Cedric Ceballos & Shawn Mario, professional skiers/X-Games champions Kristi Leskinen & Jen Hudak, and IndyCar drivers Alexander Rossi & Conor Daly. And rounding out the teams are firefighter/paramedic twin brothers Eric & Daniel, dating lifeguards Lucas & Brittany, Goat Yoga moms April & Sarah, nationally ranked debaters Henry & Evan, dating violinists Trevor & Chris, and professional models Dessie & Kayla.

I’m really torn as to who I’m rooting for this season. The identical twin in me has to cheer on the brothers; the Big Brother fan in me has to cheer on Cody and Jessica, who were the only good part of last season; and finally I’d also be thrilled to see the competitive eaters win since I watch them compete in the Nathan’s Hot Dog eating competition every 4th of July. Based on these teams, it looks like this is going to be one fierce competition this year, and I look forward to seeing what foreign locations and unique challenges await them!

Tonight’s premiere, “You’re a Champion, Prove It,” begins in Washington Square Park in New York City. The 11 teams then fly to Iceland, where they must traverse a massive canyon high above the Geitargljufur River.

Meet the new teams tonight on CBS at 8/7c.

I’ll also be watching/recording 9-1-1, grown-ish, The X-Files, The Goldbergs, Speechless, Modern Family, American Housewife, Match Game, The Blacklist, Knightfall, MythBusters, and The Librarians.
 

Phoebe’s Choice

I remember two years ago when season ten of The X-Files came out of nowhere and left me convinced there would be another bunch of episodes pouring out soon. Well, it took a while, but tonight it’s finally here! And thank God, because they ended on a huge cliffhanger. One that left me wondering what would happen next, and also why on earth did they use the translation of “Mein Kampf” as the title for the episodes which bookended S10?!? Anywhoodles, let’s go for a flashback and remember just what happened last time they blessed us with the tales from the FBI’s sub-basement.

The finale began with the reintroduction of guest star Tad O’Malley (Joel McHale), the Alex Jones satire who appeared in the first installation of “My Struggle” way back in the season ten premiere. He’s convinced that the government is using vaccines to infect people with alien DNA that will actually destroy our immune systems and leave us ripe for takeover. His paranoia is supported by a nationwide outbreak of strange illnesses. The rookies on the team, Agents Einstein and Smith, were around again for this one, after being introduced the week before as a “Scully Jr” & “Mulder Jr” respectively. At the time I thought it was an easy way to keep the franchise going without needing Duchovny & Anderson around for five more years. Part of the reason I was certain we’d get a prompt S11.

While Mulder went off to confront the Cigarette Smoking Man in South Carolina, Einstein and Scully worked on finding a vaccine for the nationwide outbreak of sickness. While they were working in DC, they happened to discover that former agent Monica Reyes had been the righthand woman for the Cigarette Smoking Man since the closure of the X-files. Soon they figured out it wasn’t alien DNA that was spreading the virus but lack of it. With her alien-infused DNA, Scully was able to synthesize an antidote.

As she was rushing to meet Agents Miller and Mulder as they were stuck in traffic trying to get back into DC, she realized Mulder was so far gone that he needed alien stem cells. Which they could only get from his and Scully’s child William. Just as she said this, a flying saucer arrived and shined its light down on the car they were in. Like whoa! And now two years later, we finalllly have the end to this tale!!

On tonight’s episode, “My Struggle III,” Mulder and Scully learn that they aren’t the only ones desperately searching for their long-lost son, William. The very fate of the world may depend on it.

Don’t miss the season premiere tonight on FOX at 8/7c.

I’ll also be tuning in to watch the latest historical adventure in the new Vikings!
 

Megan’s Choice

I’m very excited for Criminal Minds to return from hiatus because it has been a great season so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes. On the last episode, the team investigated a couple murders involving members of a truth seekers group – better known as a conspiracy group. They all had issues trusting the government and believed the BAU was actually out to get them. In the end they realized that the one member was the murderer and she had been playing them all along. It was especially tough for Tara, because at one point, the murderer mentioned some of the terror attacks and school shootings were faked by the government, including the Sandy Hook school shooting, which Tara had been to right after to investigate and interview parents and school officials, etc. So when the woman made that claim, Tara had to take a break and fall apart a bit in private.

On tonight’s episode, “Submerged,” when a series of backyard pool homicides are reported in California, the BAU team searches for an UnSub with a puzzling past. Lou Diamond Phillips guest stars.

To find out what puzzle they need to solve to catch their UnSub, tune in to CBS at 10/9c.

I’ll also be watching The Amazing Race, 9-1-1, SEAL Team, Chicago PD, Iron Chef Showdown, and Law & Order: SVU.

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