Contributor: Paul Asay

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

How I Met Your Mother

Television sitcoms often put their giggliest gags in the mouths of their most obnoxious, morally challenged characters. Time to put the kibosh on Barney.

America’s Got Talent

Fifty percent American Idol. Fifty percent The Gong Show. One hundred percent spectacle.

Gary Unmarried

The subject of divorce isn’t exactly a knee-slapper. But that’s not keeping CBS from (once again) turning it into a sitcom.

The Terror

While The Terror aims to put a bit of prestige sheen on this telegenic monster yarn, the content we can see is the real beast.

Arrested Development

Arrested Development’s development was arrested by Fox in 2006. Now it’s growing again … on Netflix. Is it the same old Bluth show with the same old Bluth problems?

Claws

Is TNT’s new dramedy Claws Interesting? Maybe. Unapologetically trashy? Absolutely. Worth watching? Hardly.

The Dude Perfect Show

This CMT show is still all about Dude Perfect’s genial members ribbing one another, performing feats of athletic magic and playing outrageous games.

Speechless

Can a disability be funny? In ABC’s new sitcom, it is. Too bad the show can be a bit foul, too.

American Ninja Warrior

It’s American Idol without the singing, Wipeout without the gleefully mean-spirited narration. This is American Ninja Warrior, the latest entertainment import from Japan—and it might be one of the cleaner shows on television.

Angel from Hell

Guardian angel Amy flaps into Allison’s life uninvited and unwanted. Sort of like this CBS TV show.

Rabbids Invasion

After taking the video game world by crowd, Rabbids have invaded Nickelodeon. Do they have a nefarious endgame in mind? Or do they just want to holler “Bwah!”?

JONAS

It’s good to be a Jonas Brother. Not only do you have fame, fortune and a fabulous face, but now you have your own sitcom—on Disney Channel!

Kirstie

Long-time and memorable television personalities gather on TV Land for a crass show best quickly forgotten.

Girls

Trapped somewhere between Gossip Girl and Sex and the City, a certain brand of irresponsible, sex-addled New York City girl tries to grow up. Her process is something you don’t want to see on TV.

Ghosted

Sorry, Scully and Mulder. You don’t have a monopoly on investigating freaky unexplained phenomena anymore.