“The River”
Tuesday 9pm, ABC
You might recognize the name Oren Pell if you’re a fan of the Paranormal Activity series of films. Inspired by The Blair Witch Project, writer-director Pell took a modest budget and made a fortune out of “found-footage” film. He’s taking a similar approach with this new drama/horror series about a film crew heading to the Amazon to track down the scientist-host of a popular nature show who went missing six months ago while embarking on a mysterious quest. If this one isn’t somehow influenced by the cult classic Cannibal Holocaust I will be amazed. ABC is playing coy with marketing of this show, barely identifying the actors and instead focusing on the characters themselves, helping to perpetuate the illusion that “The River” is “real.”
“Full Metal Jousting”
Sunday 10pm, History Channel
What History Channel dubs “the first extreme sport,” jousting features two men on horseback, riding toward each other at speeds up to 30mph, aiming long lances at a specific piece of armor on the opposing rider’s shoulder. If the lance connects and breaks, that’s some points. If the other rider is knocked off, that’s more points. It’s an incredibly complicated and dangerous sport, and thus it’s brilliant fodder for a reality competition. “Full Metal Jousting” features 16 competitors—some with jousting experience, some without—being trained in the jousting arts and then pitted against one another while wearing modern steel accoutrements. This isn’t the Candyland stuff you see at your average Renaissance fair.
“Comic Book Men”
Sunday 10pm, AMC
Seeking to capitalize on the success of comic-book adaptation “The Walking Dead” (which returns from its hiatus immediately preceding this show), AMC is going unscripted for this new series focusing on the staff and customers of Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash, the New Jersey comic shop owned by Kevin Smith. You may remember Smith as the ’90s era darling of slacker comedies, with films like Clerks, Chasing Amy, and Dogma to his name. Well, he’s also a huge comic geek, and has written story arcs for Daredevil, Green Arrow, and other super heroes when not making films. I fear this new series will reduce comic readers—like myself—to emotionally stunted, socially awkward man-children. (Not that there isn’t some truth to that.) I also wonder if any non-nerds will care.