Shows I'm Watching

I've always thought that the inherent problem with the Emmy Awards versus the Oscars is that it's impossible to watch all the "great" shows, simply due to the time it would take.  With movies, it's technically "impossible" but you can come close.  If you see 50-odd movies a year and make an effort to watch all of the critically-acclaimed ones (either at the theater/DVD/or screener) you can offer a pretty good opinion.  When the Oscar nominations come out, if you've already seen said 50-odd movies, it is possible to see all of the other nominated films. Now think of TV and the Emmys. No one sees the entire run of all or even nearly all of the acclaimed shows on the air.  Then, when the nominations come out, let's face it, even if you tried, you couldn't get through even 1/100 of the nominated shows.  Right? If you were being completely fair, you'd have to watch the entire run of each sitcom and each drama to vote.  (I know a handful of episodes of each are given as screeners, but I suspect no one watches even all of these say 3 episodes-per-show each.) It's just the nature of TV.

I used to try to "keep up" with TV, but those days have passed.  The older I get, the more I (a.) still see my 60-movies-a-year, and have a pretty solid continually contemporary opinion of the movies but (b.) watch less and less TV: stick to my "favorites"; sample here and there; never watch a show because it's "good for me."

That whole diatribe is my way of introduction for the following: a list of my current favorite shows (i.e. everything I watch in order of favorites).  My criteria is simple.  I only watch shows for which I can't wait to see the next episode. Gone are the days of 4 episodes languishing on my DVR because I'm not "in the mood."  I've dropped those shows. And I'm a happier man for it! I recommend it.

Shows I watch, in order of favorite:

1.) The League (season 4, premiere: October 11th) Never in a million years would I have thought that The League would end up my favorite series.  Last season I was DVR'ing each individual episode when I saw the hysterical promos during It's Always Sunny, then just set a series recording because it was turning out to be every week! I had seen a few of the episodes from both seasons 1-2: I've since watched them all.  It's so brilliantly funny; the characters are great; the guest stars deliver.

2.) Archer (season 4, premiere: ?) Every episode isn't a knock out of the park, but I can't get enough.  The good thing is they don't overdo it: 13 episodes a season is a "leave 'em wanting more" formula.  And to tide us over was the brilliant book How to Archer, a MUST, I loved it-- hilarious!!

3.) Parks and Recreation (season 5, premiere: September 20th) Aged to perfection.  Can't wait for the new season.

4.) It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (season 8, premiere: October 11th) One of my favorite shows of all-time.  Unlike most people though I don't protest when my favorite show gets cancelled.  Every dog has his day.  I think the "gold standard" of 7 seasons set by The Mary Tyler Moore Show was close to target (I might even vote for 5 or 6).  Shows just shouldn't be run into the ground.  I would so much rather see the "gang" in another show with different characters. Or even better, I wish they'd collaborate on a really great movie that took 2 years to produce.  I'll always love Sunny but with a guaranteed 9 seasons and an option for 10, my formerly #1-solid show is starting to tumble down my top ten...

5.) Wipeout (season 5 currently airing, renewed for a 6th season premiere: TBD [December 2012?]) My guilty pleasure.  I know this is gonna sound weird, but I love the writing!  Smarmy sometimes works well. And who doesn't love Smallsy? I'll miss Vanessa though, *sniffle*!

6.) Family Guy (season 11, premiere: September 30th) I haven't watched Family Guy from the beginning, but I've watched it for quite some time.  It remains fresh and funny despite the years: this may be the exception to long runs— animated series— although I've long since stopped watching The Simpsons, which surely would have been in my top ten, you know, in the '90s.

7.) Breaking Bad (season 5, part 2 premiere: summer 2013) OK, I've identified my biggest issue with Breaking Bad right there: season 5, part 2— one year from now?  Dudes, we know you said you'd wrap it up in 5 seasons and decided to get greedy.  Call it season 6.  We won't fault you.  But why do we have to wait an entire year? Having said that, the show is still pretty damn good.  I feel a little padding here and there (translation— in season 5: part 1 whenever Mike was on-screen it was amazing, and when he wasn't, I was climbing the walls), leading to usually one episode sitting on my DVR these days, unlike in seasons past. But just one. And yes BB fans, I know I've placed this show under Wipeout.  I just have to be honest, my Wipeouts never remain on the DVR.  BB seasons 2-3 and even 4 were way near the top of my list.

8.) 30 Rock (season 7, premiere: Oct. 4th) I'm sensing a "theme" to this blog post, because ta-da 30 Rock is doing it right.  Although it's had its ups and downs episode-quality-wise for me, it's a series that knows how to bow out gracefully with this 13-episode final season.  If not for this, I might have dropped the series, but for 13 last episodes, they've got me.

9.) Modern Family (season 4, premiere: Sept. 26th) I like it, but let's not pretend we're curing cancer.

10.) Survivor (season 25, premiere: Sept. 19th) I dropped Survivor for a few seasons in the early years, but have stuck with it since "All-Stars," so it's been quite a consecutive run of late.  The only problem is the last season ("One World") was terrible. Will I watch season 25? Probably. (I mean Blair is gonna be on it.) And especially as next season, 26, is an expected "Fans Vs. Favorites."  But it really is time to wrap it up.

11.) Saturday Night Live (season 38, premiere: September 15th) If I had a nickel... for ever time someone told me SNL wasn't funny anymore and then cited the "best" seasons as those which "coincidentally" coincided with their mid-20s.  The fact is, SNL probably peaked in 1979.  It seems to me that the show has exactly one great episode a season.  I think I watch SNL because it's a culturally interesting way to mark time. I also like that it has kept that old-fashioned traditional Sept. to May season schedule. I do fast-forward when I get to a recurring sketch I hate: life is too short (example: "Garth and Kat"). Very excited that Daniel Craig has been announced as a guest host for October.

12.) Star Wars: The Clone Wars (season 5, premiere: September 29th) I watched the first two seasons or so of SW:TCW and dropped out.  When I saw the promo for season five (with Darth Maul, etc.), I thought I'd make a return visit.

13.) The Office (season 9, premiere: September 20th) Probably the least-hip, most-maligned series I watch.  The switch-up in cast has kept this series going a la Law & Order, however, it also had me dropping it for a few seasons in between. I returned for James Spader, which ended up being sort of a bait-and-switch, because he wasn't on it too much, nonetheless I enjoyed my return to The Office.  Season 9 is teetering on the edge though. Now that Spader is completely off, I might be done. Will at least tune in to the first couple.

14.) Don't Trust the B... (season 2, premiere: Oct 23rd) I watched the entire first season, and think I may have had my fill.  I'll check out at least the first episode of season two.

15.) America's Got Talent (season 7 currently airing)— my "one season pass" this summer was enough. Acceptable, but not must-see TV.

New "At the Movies": The Return of Roger Ebert

Good News!  At the Movies is back.  The piece of the pilot that's available online (below) is very encouraging.  If you get Ebert's annual, you see that he's extremely well-informed as to what movie fans spend their time doing/thinking, in addition to the latest in moviemaking techniques.  That's suggested in this new program which combines various features to the usual movie reviewing.



My only question is why isn't Ebert using the computerized voice that matches his own (as he demonstrated on Oprah) and instead has that Stephen Hawking-like "voice."

Show starts in January... I'll be watching!

"Stealing First Base" Movie Kisses Montage on The Simpsons

Sarah Silverman guest-starred on The Simpsons episode "Stealing First Base" this past Sunday, and when her character kisses Bart a Cinema Paradiso-inspired flurry of images follows. A very sweet moment-- but how can you lose with that "Love Theme from Cinema Paradiso"? (Which was also played over the end credits.) There were fifteen "clips" in the montage: the "movies" scored 13 clips and TV got 2. Here's the bit from Hulu, plus the rundown.... framing isn't perfect on any of these, but just so you get the idea...



From Here to Eternity
















Gone With the Wind
















The Quiet Man















Lady and the Tramp














Planet of the Apes

















On Golden Pond

















Ghost















Spider-Man















Star Trek














Beauty and the Beast (TV series)-- couldn't find an exact match















The Public Enemy















WALL•E














Alien3














The Godfather, Part II














All in the Family: "Sammy's Visit"

"CBS Evening News" to Host America's Oldest Man

This Friday, as part of Steve Hartman's "Assignment America" segment, at the end of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, is an interview with 112 year-old Walter Breuning (b. 1896). The oldest man alive in the U.S. (and the third-oldest man worldwide), he's a resident of Great Falls, Montana and has made the rounds in recent years on various media outlets, including News Hour with Jim Lehrer in February.

There's a clip of Mr. Breuning talking about the Depression on Montana's News Station.com (link). It seems these types of questions are always asked, but what I'm hoping for from Steve Hartman is something less historical and more cultural in nature. I'd love to hear Breuing talk movies. I mean, here's a man who was 19 when The Birth of a Nation came out, 25 for The Kid came out, 31 for Wings.

Bob Barker Appears on "The Price Is Right"

This one gets a tag in classic TV and current TV. Bob Barker promoted his memoirs on The Price Is Right in an episode that aired this week-- it was nice to see him back. He appeared in the last ten minutes of the show during the showcase segment, and for once Drew Carey showed some enthusiasm. All things considered they did a nice job with Bob's return.

"Rescue Me" Season Five Starts Tonight

It's been an age since season four of Rescue Me ended (it feels like we're in season seven or eight as a result). But I'm just glad it's back. I'm asked by non-Rescue Me viewers if you can pick up the series at the beginning of a season. And I think this is a rare show that actually can be taken season by season. It will probably have a long shelf life when it finally goes off the air because of this, anyway as much as any old TV series.

The reviews of the new season have all been resoundingly ecstatic. I can't help but think, well after a year, it BETTER be good. This will be a 22-episode season (the series' longest). One hour dramas for me are better when there are 13 or so, and I'm hoping not to run out of steam on RM by season's end-- if any show can do it this is the one.

"Star Wars Clone Wars" 'Pop Up' Re-Runs

Ran across a post on TV Squad, regarding re-runs of Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Cartoon Network. Looks like all my Clone Wars questions will be answered! Ha ha! I actually am a little bit interested in watching these because I'm not super knowledgable about the obscure ins and outs of the Star Wars universe and I'm wondering how these shows all fit in-- how much of it is original to this show, what's already existed in book/comic form, etc. Hope it's done well.

What's the Deal with the "Pillars of the Earth" Miniseries?

Last year I read with great excitement about the Pillars of the Earth miniseries which seemed imminent. Now, one year later, there isn't even any news about it on Ken Follett's website! My blog entry of one year ago is among my most-read entries since it comes up second in a Google search of "Pillars of the Earth Miniseries". What a disappointment that this project is seemingly in limbo.

Funny "Mad Men" Parody, "Mad Libs Men"

Came across this very funny concept (at collegehumor.com)-- using Mad Men actor look-a-likes and basing the dialogue around Mad Libs. A stretch, yes, but, funny is funny.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

"Chicago Legal" '09

I was wondering if somehow Boston Legal would get a reprieve (it obviously deserves better than five seasons) but it seems that, in a mixed blessing, David E. Kelley has a new deal going. His spec script for Warner Bros. TV-- an hourlong legal drama-- was picked up in a bidding war by NBC. This surely means Boston Legal is done, but at least as a consolation we'll get another Kelley legal drama in '09. The show, according to TVGuide.com is set in a Chicago law firm and focuses on an aging partner and his daughter. NBC might be considering it for the soon-to-be-vacated ER timeslot.

"It's Always Sunny" Blog Goes Up

Have questions for Dirty Frank? Want to know if Rob is working out? Like to read the first chapter of Dennis' Memoirs with a Geisha? Welcome bitches, to the Paddy's Pub blog.

The cast is making videos of e-mailed fan questions. Bring on season four!

Survivor Micronesia: Great Season Despite Mishaps

It seems like no one I know watches Survivor "anymore." It's like Saturday Night Live. "Oh, I haven't watched that in years."

Yes the last couple seasons I didn't watch too closely 'cause they were getting ridiculous-- especially the challenges. But, I'm telling you this season,which was off to a rocky start, squarely landed as one of the better ones. Now when four cast members leave without getting voted off (two medical, one went nuts, one quit) you could chalk that up to disaster, but actually it stirred things up from the usual machinations. Plus the "dumb" factor. One guy was tricked by a "fake" hidden immunity Idol, and, notoriously, another player (Erik) actually gave up his individual immunity because he was told it would make him look good to the jury for helping someone else (!?). By-the-way, the "angle" of the show was "Fans Vs. Favorites" but that seemed to go the wayside (with the exception of the manipulation of wide-eyed Erik)-- in fact the show succeeded in spite of its "premise." Even the "girls-club" angle didn't bother me: they played it well, and in the end it really wasn't a "girls-club" because only a two-person alliance lasted.

I wasn't necessarily crazy about the "winner" but this season definitely gave the series the shot-in-the-arm it needed to get it to its end-game: supposedly, according to Jeff Probst: 20 seasons, or perhaps a 21st with a super all-star season.

The next (17th) season airs this fall and is set in Africa, this time in Gabon. Now, I will admit that the promo for this next season had me rolling on the floor. It goes.. "Earth's last Eden's.... Gabon is one of the world's last remaining sanctuaries for pure untouched wilderness..." And, so we're taking Survivor to this "untouched" sanctuary-- that sounds like a responsible thing to do !!!



Monday Add: For Survivor watchers, here's the link to the winner on the Early Show (I never watch the Early Show, so I have to catch this on the net too).

"30 Rock" and "The Office" Return

So after quite some time, the two best network sitcoms returned with new episodes. Could they come out of forced hibernation unscathed? 30 Rock seemed a bit rough around the edges. It had a number of laughs though. And of course several of them came from the mouth of Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy. Every time Jack reminisces about childhood I should make sure I'm not about to drink something. The premise was silly and moments were forced-- there seemed to be a let's have each character speak rule-- but I think it did OK.

The Office also tried to find ways of reminding the audience who each character was in the ensemble. This new episode, based around a disastrous dinner party thrown by Michael, was a total derailment of a near-flawless show. The conceit of the "interviews" seemed hopelessly unreal as the characters were interviewed in Michael's bathroom. And every situation was totally over-the-top. This starts people whispering the phrase "jump the shark" around the water cooler. I think when the show gets back into "the office" it might get back on it's feet. As for this single episode: a major disappointment, but probably still better than half the stuff out there.

“The Sarah Connor Chronicles” Debuts

Tonight the second part of the two-part premiere of THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES aired.

Sunday night’s “part one” started off pretty rocky— average at best— and then got a bit better toward the end of the episode. I didn’t expect much improvement following this first hour, but the “upcoming scenes” looked good, so I had hope— happily, the second hour was a vast improvement.

I like the fact that the first hour planted seeds for two character-driven aspects of the show: (1.) That Sarah worries about losing John in the present even though she knows she’s also “saving” him and humanity in the future and (2.) That the girl terminator (“Cameron”) has been built for reasons beyond just protecting John (especially intriguing is the fact that the bad terminator I.D.'s her as an "unknown cyborg").

The series smartly got itself out of 1999 and up to present day (or at least 2007). I especially liked the idea that John immediately wants to check out the new computers and electronics— and that’s how we segue into the cliché search on the internet, without it being quite so cliché.

The casting of Summer Glau as the girl terminator is smart: she’s a hottie but she does have an unusual look— a high forehead, round face, and a certain quality about her eyes. The choice of long hair is a little bit more Hollywood than would make sense: a fighting warrior would not have such a weakness (even if it might contribute to her other possible reasons for being, i.e. her attractiveness to John). One thing though— her performance did change between the first and second hour: from more “normal” to markedly “Terminatoresque”— I think she got a note from the director at some point: “More Terminator!” Love it when she mimicked the girl leaning back on the truck.

Lena Headly’s Sarah Connor is beginning to grow on me— the writing of her tossing Cameron out the window was genius! And the tete-a-tete between the two in the final scene was very nicely written and played.

Lastly, I’m glad there were some clues to narrative secrets (“not this John”) but that the series didn’t go the LOST/ HEREOS route of “what the hell is going on?” every second— just nice compact 24 (or FUGITIVE)-like hour-long installments. Looking forward to the whole season.

Another Season of "Beauty and the Geek"

Whodathunk that Beauty and the Geek would turn out to be such a watchable show. Its not quite the "social experiment" it claims to be and its more like "Bimbo and the Geek," as the show only casts pretty dumb girls (and gives them intelligence quizzes); however, it does show how narrowminded everyone is about these two social stereotypes. This season the "twist" was to have a male beauty and a female geek join the crew and it worked out pretty well-- all the girls wanted the Beauty Guy and all the geeks wanted the Geeky Girl (in spite of the hotties surrounding them). No one really "grows" too much: what happens is a few geeks learn to adapt to society and "fit in" better, generally based on looks (i.e. each season the geeks get a "makeover"). I don't know if this is a good thing, maybe it is. It certainly is for them. I don't really think the women change at all. They may learn to like the geeks in the house-- but I doubt they're all embracing of geeks in the real world. The best advice ever for a geek was given by male beauty Sam: just stop being a geek. Looking forward to Season Five!

Denny Crane and Alan Shore

I was catching up on Boston Legal and I was struck yet again by how much I loved watching Denny Crane and Alan Shore. The Denny-Alan relationship is just the best male-male combo on TV. What makes the pairing all the more unique is that they're at the same level: they're each other's sidekicks.

The narrative benefit of series TV, unlike say a movie, is that you have the time to develop character relationships in long form, over the years of the actors/characters/and viewers lives. The drawback is the average viewer will only watch the show once and not get the nuances of repeat viewing, like a film. However, when done right, this one viewing can yield the lasting impression and familiarity of character that comes with watching the same movie once every year.

Denny and Alan are perfect for series TV. And for me, they're the new Maddie and David, less the conundrum of "will they or won't they." I know when the series ends I'll miss them more than I'll miss the show itself.