Fall TV: Ghosted and The Mayor

They're both 30 minutes, they're both comedies, and they're both pretty great! Ghosted and The Mayor also both suffer from the same problem, but I expect they will improve with time so let's not harp on it.

So what the heck are these shows about? Let's get right to it.

Ghosted

From (fill in the blank whatever production companies), comes Ghosted, a paranormal comedy about "a cynical skeptic (Craig Robinson), and a genius “true believer” in the paranormal (Adam Scott), [who] are recruited by a secret government agency to look into the rampant “unexplained” activity in Los Angeles -- all while uncovering a larger mystery that could threaten the existence of the human race."

Well, that promo isn't too bad surprisingly, and gives a pretty good intro to the show. The big strength of Ghosted is the cast, of course. Craig Robinson (The Office) and Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation) are great comedic actors on their own and have pretty good chemistry together doing the old "mismatched guys who become reluctant partners and end up becoming friends" shtick.

I enjoy the basic conceit and everything to do with the secret government agency is fun, clever, and surprisingly not a drag. It's also nice to see Ally Walker again (you might remember her from Profiler) playing the agency head. She's brilliant, capable, and basically like a grown-up Hermione Granger if she ran the X-Files division of the FBI. I also appreciate the diversity of the cast, both in color and gender.


The Mayor

"Young rapper Courtney Rose (Brandon Micheal Hall) needs his big break. For years, he's toiled away in a small inner-city apartment, making music in his junk-filled bedroom closet. Tired of waiting for opportunity, Courtney cooks up the publicity stunt of the century: Running for mayor of his hometown in California to generate buzz for his music career. Unfortunately for Courtney, his master plan goes wildly awry, ending in the most terrifying of outcomes: An election victory. With the help of his mother (Yvette Nicole Brown, "Community") and friends, including Valentina ("Glee's" Lea Michele), Courtney will have to overcome his hubris if he wants to transform the struggling city he loves."

This one is super fun with a side of heart. The scripts have snap, crackle, and pop and Brandon Michael Hall is really good as the newly elected mayor. The idea of running for mayor starts out as a joke and a good PR stunt to drum up downloads of his rap album, but by the end of the pilot he's all in on the whole mayor thing and trying to improve the city for his neighbors and friends.

I know, I know, it sounds cheesy, but the pilot had several laugh out loud moments and Yvette Nicole Brown, who was hilarious in Community, strikes just the right balance of supportive, motivational, tough, and loving as Courtney's Mom. Seriously, she's just great. I'm also really enjoying Lea Michele as Courtney's chief of staff. The dialogue moves so fast you might think this was a show by Amy Sherman-Palladino, and Lea never misses a beat. No word yet on whether there will be a musical episode.

So what are the two faults that these shows have in common? Believe it or not, it's just the pacing. They both have somewhat involved concepts and the pilots had to get a lot of set-up out of the way. With only 30 minutes, they both hit the ground running and had to cover way too much ground for just a half hour show. The first few episodes just felt so rushed there was almost no room for the characters or audience to breathe. In the long run, with the plot and characters established, I have a feeling they'll both settle into something great, but for now just prepare yourself for the shows to speed through a lot of plot in the first couple episodes. Having said that, I'd recommend them both, especially if you need something light and funny.

Ghosted airs Sundays at 8:30 EST on FOX and The Mayor airs Tuesdays at 9:30 EST on ABC. Episodes of both series are available online at the network websites.