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.

The Following

UPDATED REVIEW: Kevin Bacon tracks down a serial killer who is already in jail (and reportedly dead, too). How does that work? Well, it seems this guy has cult followers doing his sadistic bidding … on this sadistic TV show.

JONAS L.A.

The Jonas Brothers move their sitcom to the West Coast and bring a mellower, more mature vibe along for the ride.

Scream: The TV Series

MTV hopes Lakewood has an inexhaustible supply of telegenic teens. Otherwise, the series might murder itself right out of existence.

The Million Second Quiz

This nonstop game show offers contestants a hot seat worth some cool cash—the biggest jackpot in television history, NBC says. Is it a TV winner too?

Riot

From France and Australia (with love and loopiness) comes the summer’s strangest, zaniest show.

Animation Domination High-Def

Is it the end of the world? No, just Fox’s new Saturday block of foul animated comedies. But for families who might want to stay up late and watch a bit of TV on occasion, it could be close enough.

Hard Sun

Given all the blood and brutality we witness, Hard Sun can be hard to watch.

Stitchers

If it weren’t for the Freeform logo permanently stitched to the bottom corner of your screen, Stitchers would make you think you’re watching the CW.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

The denizens of this crazy precinct are charged with cleaning up New York’s streets. Too bad they didn’t do the same for the show.

The Carrie Diaries

UPDATED REVIEW: Ever wondered how Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw became the sex-manic fashionista she was for all those years on HBO? No, we hadn’t either. But the CW has.

2 Broke Girls

This sitcom’s writers pack more sex jokes into a half-hour comedy than some airlines pack in seats on their planes.

Elementary

UPDATED REVIEW: Sherlock Holmes will never actually die, it seems—a mystery he might set his keen mind to solving one of these years.

Touch

UPDATED REVIEW: Kiefer Sutherland’s back on Fox. But instead of torturing terrorists, he’s caring for a special-needs son with a very special (and spiritual) gift.

Austin & Ally

UPDATED REVIEW: Austin & Ally is a standard-issue Disney sitcom … with a Nickelodeon twist.

Louie

UPDATED REVIEW: Critics are calling Louis C.K.’s show on FX one of the best comedies on TV. And if best means raunchiest, then we just might have to agree.