The 2011 Fall television season is almost a month old now and I thought this would be the perfect time to look back at some of the shows’ early promotional artwork. With already a handful of cancellation notices being already delivered, plenty more shows are either waiting to receive a full order for the season or to terminate production immediately. Must be stressful to be a showrunner.

In this day and age, it’s all about instant results. Most networks are trigger happy when it comes to getting rid of shows. Either they premiere with big numbers or show growth in subsequent episodes or they’re dunzo. Long gone are the days when networks were willing to nurture a show and give it a shot. Realistically, only The CW does that nowadays because they have a smaller viewership. So you know when they cancel you early, it’s because you suck major balls. I’m talking to you Mario Lopez and your awful “H8R”.

Obviously to do well, you need the right amount of promotion and advertising dollars on your side. Great creative also helps and that’s why I decided to write this post. I scoured through most of the shows this season to pick my favorite posters. With a new show, it’s especially important to tell what the show is about with an eye-catching visual. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and these ten were the ones that succeeded in conveying their message, IMHO. See if you agree with my choices.

My Picks For 10 Best Promo Posters This Fall

New Girl

Definitely the breakout hit of the new television season. Poster does a great job of capturing Zooey Deschanel’s “simply adorkable” personality. There were other versions, but I chose this one because it puts Deschanel front and center. Let’s face it, she makes the show.

Two and A Half Men

Would “Two and A Half Men” survive without it’s main star? That was the question everyone was asking and not “to be or not to be?” Turns out that not only did it survive, but it thrived. The veteran show delivered huge premiere numbers. In subsequent weeks, it’s retained a good chunk of those viewers. Apparently Ashton is worth every penny CBS paid for. Sex always sells and the network might as well pimp out Ashton. Loved that this poster actually complimented the plot of the premiere episode.

Revenge

I had little, to no, expectations for this drama. Correction, I had little expectations people would tune in to watch this soapish show. To my surprise, not only have comedies come back strong this season but soapy shows as well. “Revenge” is addictingly awesome. The poster perfectly captures that a beautiful rose has its thorn. In this case, the rose and many thorns are the show’s lead character looking for revenge. Love Emily Thorn.

Ringer

First episode grabbed me but then the following two sorta bored me. That being said, the last couple have won me over with their twists and turns. I think the CW has a keeper. Like many shows, there were several posters created. This one is my favorite because it perfectly captures the duality of the lead characters both played by Sarah Michelle Gellar. Welcome back, Buffy.

The Office

I’ve never caught an episode of this NBC sitcom, but I definitely appreciate the brains behind the creative. The show’s take on Georges Seurat’s masterpiece “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” is brilliant.

Modern Family

There was another poster that featured the cast crying with the tagline “We’ve missed you, too”. It was cute, but this one is way better. Having the cast pose on the stairs like “The Brady Bunch” was pure genius. In a weird way, “Modern Family” is this millennium’s hilariously dysfunctional family. All we need for them to do is go on a group trip to Sears. Oh, “sunshine day”.

Dexter

This poster says it all. Dexter is the angel of death. Love the angel wings made out of splattered blood and Michael C Hall in a praying position. Artwork definitely worked. The drama premiered with its best ratings ever. Not shabby for a show entering its sixth season.

Suburgatory

Definitely of the least hyped and promoted shows this fall. I guess being sandwiched by “The Middle” and “Modern Family”, it was guaranteed to get a sampling. The fish out of water suburban comedy is hilarious. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you have too. It’s “Mean Girls” meets “Juno” without the pregnancy. Love the title of the show and it’s play on the whole heaven/hell thing. The white picket fence acting like a prison for our poor heroine is brillballs.

Pan Am

Even tough it’s losing viewers on a weekly basis, the 60s-era drama lifted off with big numbers. It’s not the graphic designers’ fault the show is creatively not living up to its potential. Their work on the vintage poster definitely lured in viewers willing to give the show a shot.

The Playboy Club

I found “The Playboy Club” had better storylines than “Pan Am”. Too bad middle America was too prudish to give the show a shot which lead to it’s cancellation. There are a slew of other shows like “90210″ and “Grey’s Anatomy” that show way more sex and skin than this bunny show. The show never really had a shot. That being said, I love the artwork and Amber Heard looks smoking hot in it.

Honorable Mentions

Hart of Dixie, Hung, 2 Broke Girls

These three also impressed me. Rachel Bilson looks gorgeous in her promo ad. Love that the stethoscope is heart-shaped- play on words on the character’s last name, Hart. Sex always sells and “Hung’s” poster shows off all of Thomas Jane’s assets. I just love “2 Broke Girls” and they can’t do wrong in my eyes. I love that their poster pimps out the producer’s “Sex and the City” pedigree.

Fall 2011 TV: Which Show Had The Best Poster?

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There you have my favorite posters of the fall season. Did I miss any worth mentioning? If I did, please let me know. Stay tuned tomorrow to find out which five shows had the worst promo materials. It’s always more fun to mock the crappy stuff, don’t you think?

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