Tell Me Again Why I Want A Bigscreen TV?
So what do you think of the new fall TV season so far?
In years past, I would get excited about the new TV shows debuting each September. Entertainment Weekly’s Fall TV Premiere Issue was my Bible. I would devour all the TV show summaries and make my list of what, when and which channel, so I wouldn’t miss an episode. (Yes, it doesn’t sound like I had much of a life, but that’s a different column.)
Then a couple of years ago I realized that I always picked the wrong shows to watch. Lost and Grey’s Anatomy didn’t sound all that interesting to me, so I didn’t watch even a minute of either of them. By the time I realized that I was one of three people in the U.S. not watching those shows, it was too late. I’d have to wait for the first season to be released on DVD and try to catch up over the summer before diving into the next new fall season.
The shows I’d selected to watch and had come to adore – especially sci-fi shows Invasion and Threshold – tanked in the ratings and were yanked off the air without any storylines being wrapped up. What a cruel and heartless thing to do to us TV groupies. That’s like smelling an apple pie baking in the oven all afternoon, taking one delicious bite of it, and then watching helplessly as the pie falls on the floor.
Given the speed that TV shows are released on DVD these days and the proliferation of those horrible, annoying pop up ads on the bottom of the TV screen – along with my Invasion/Threshold heartbreak, of course – the fall TV season doesn’t inspire excitement in me anymore. I still made my TV Show List this season, but my heart’s just not in it.
New fall TV shows that I’ve watched so far:
The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – I happened to catch a few minutes of this geeky-guys-have-crush-on-beautiful-neighbor show by accident, and that’s the only way I’ll watch any more of this unfunny, stereotypical dreck.
Journeyman (NBC) – A guy suddenly finds himself transported back through time, always to the same general area of his town, and he’s not quite sure why. His current wife used to date his brother, his former wife was killed several years ago, and going back in time and seeing how things used to be is messing with his head. Is it considered cheating on your current wife if you sleep with your former wife (who is dead in the present but very much alive – and technically still your spouse – in the past) during one of your time traveling jaunts? I’ve only seen one episode of Journeyman – as a re-run on a different channel – but I liked it a lot. So I’ll see how it fares this season, get the first season on DVD this summer, and go from there.
K-Ville – After watching one episode of this show, I knew it would get the axe soon and I was right. K-Ville combined an interesting premise (the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans) and ruined it with stereotypes, stock characters and Starsky and Hutch shoot-outs.
Bionic Woman (NBC) – Horrific dialogue, terrible acting, poor casting, bad writing … I’m running out of synonyms for “terrible.” This show is atrocious and I only watch because I’ve developed a strange addiction to online TV chat rooms where people discuss how crappy this show is.
Back To You ((FOX) – The best moments of this sitcom featuring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton as sparring TV news anchors who happen to be ex-lovers (Wow! What an original idea!) were the moments shown in the previews. I couldn’t make it through one whole episode and it’s only a 30 minute show.
Life (NBC) -- After spending twelve years in jail for a crime he didn't commit, the main character wins back his detective job and a ton of money. He's quirky, good at this job, determined to find the real killer, and in case I haven't mentioned it, quirky. I like this show but don't quite love it.
New Fall TV shows that I haven’t yet watched:
Caveman (ABC) – The GEICO ads jump to mainstream TV. From what I’ve read, you either love or hate this show.
Reaper (CW) – This supernatural comedy/action/thriller about a guy who discovers that his parents sold his sould to the devil was written by two women, which fascinates me. It has been getting decent-to-good reviews so far.
Chuck (NBC) – I haven’t read anything much about this supernatural/sci-fi comedy, but NBC sure promotes the hell out of it.
Women’s Murder Club (ABC) – It’s based on a James Patterson novel and stars Angie Harmon, but airing it on Fridays must mean the TV station doesn’t expect much from it.
Moonlight (CBS) – Another vampire show…in this one, the pilot was re-shot, actors were re-cast and the producer (formerly of vampire classic Angel fame) quit, which doesn’t inspire much confidence.
I’ll repeat this week’s main question: So, what do you think of the new fall TV season so far?
Are there shows I’m not watching that I should be? Am I the only one brutally disappointed by Bionic Woman? Does anyone besides me remember Invasion and Threshold?
Thank goodness for the comfort food of TV, the tried and true Law and Order. I discovered recently that you can almost always find an episode of Law and Order on TV, no matter what time or day of the week it is. So I won't turn off the TV for good just yet.
"FANGRRL" is ©2007 by Lisa Ciurro. All graphics, except where otherwise noted, are creations of Nolan B. Canova. All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2007 by Nolan B. Canova.
