Pop Forecast: Conners return to TV without their matriarch
TELEVISION
Big events: The Conners (Oct. 16, ABC/CTV); The Kids Are Alright (Oct. 16, ABC/CTV); The Rookie (Oct. 16, ABC/ CTV)
Big picture: The Conners are back in this sitcom revival spinoff — minus their loudmouth matriarch, of course. No worries. John Goodman’s Dan was always our favourite Conner parent anyway.
Meanwhile, new comedy (and borderline horror story for some) The Kids Are Alright follows an Irish-Catholic family of 10 boys in the 1980s (sorry, nothing beats The Goldbergs for ’80s laughs). Michael Cudlitz and Mary McCormack play Mom
and Dad, but it’s the kids themselves who are all right at comedy.
Finally, The Rookie comes from a former Castle showrunner and stars the actor-formerly-better-known-as-Castle (Nathan Fillion) in a dramedy about a 40-something small-town man who reinvents himself as a big-city cop. In a surprise career move for Fillion, his portrayal of the cop is far more earnest than sarcastic. Captain Reynolds (Fillion’s character in Firefly) and Castle were peas from the same pod — so its good to see the Edmonton-born actor diversifying.
Forecast: The Conners’ success will make Roseanne Barr wish Twitter was never invented. U.S. President Donald Trump will continue to make us all wish Twitter was never invented.
MUSIC
Big releases on Oct. 19: Elle King (Shake the Spirit); Peter Bjorn and John (Darker Days); Will Oldham (Songs of Love and Horror); Yoko Ono (Warzone)
Big picture: Elle King’s wondrous, larger-than-life voice is always enough to shake the spirit — especially during a week in which every other noteworthy album title sounds like a major downer. King — also known as America’s Adele — is a raspy, blues-soaked soul singer with pop sensibilities that can’t be denied. You’ll dance, bob or weave. Her breakthrough 2015 single Ex’s & Oh’s was no fluke. Cross “dynamite sophomore album” off her to-do list.
Forecast: King is queen this week.