I like this new trend of debuting new shows at different times of the year. It isn't all about Fall anymore.
So far this spring, there are two shows I'm loving - Smash and ABC's Scandal. Just to get things out of the way, ABC has had plenty of bombs. I suffered through one episode of GCB, I think my husband watched two before giving it up. It is just silly - I think that is the best word for it and a true waste of a wonderful former Designing Woman. I've also tried the other "B" show and don't care for it either. Shows filled with characters you just don't like or respect are unappealing.
So back to Smash which is the only thing I watch on NBC. It is about creating a musical and building the careers of two very talented young women. But what makes the show are all the sub plots and there are plenty. EVERYbody on this show has a story. Thankfully it has already been renewed for Fall.
I was a little concerned about Scandal thinking that it might be just too much of the character Olivia Pope wearing her 'big white hat' and always saving the day. She does her job well but her famous instincts start failing her in the first episode. The show reinforces the knowledge that Washington is filled with the fallible and they are much more fun to watch in fiction than reality.
ABC has had a few other premieres I haven't even bothered with like Missing and the River which were unappealing to me from the previews. Seems like I didn't miss anything.
I haven't watched much on CBS. With a fairly successful lineup already, they haven't introduced much. They just brought back Rules of Engagement which surely will get canceled this year. It should have gone after about season 2. Rob was awful but I hear it may come back anyway.
Wonder if there will be any new things for the summer. With the regular season winding down it would be nice to have one or two things to watch over the summer months.
Showing posts with label Television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Television. Show all posts
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Poor excuse for comedy
Last night I felt kind of 'blah' and I just wanted to hang out with my husband. He watches all the CBS comedies so I watched from Jeopardy through Mike and Molly. Two and one half hours of TV is too long for me and Two and a Half men are two and half too many!
Actually, let's start with How I Met Your Mother which really should have been gone a couple of seasons ago. These people still have the same hang-ups they had in season 1. They are better people than Seinfeld's lot but the idea is the same. Take a group of people, create a formula that works and just rehash each week. It is very good formula, but it is a formula. Barney is trying to score, Marshall and Lily are obsessed about something to do with each other and their relationship, and Ted can't seem to keep the good girls or see the flaws in the bad ones.
Two Broke Girls showed promise in the premise. It is a timely comedy but it is so poorly done. The supporting cast is like someone went through a checklist of minorities and plugged one into each slot. Their dialogue is terrible. The Girl's dialogue particularly Max is getting as vulgar as 2 1/2 Men. It's cheap and demeaning. The horse bit is also particularly stupid. I can't believe some animal rights organization hasn't complained about the idea of keeping a horse in a backyard in Brooklyn. If the girls were making some progress toward their business goals I might give it another chance.
Two and a Half Men really should have gone away about 3 seasons ago. It has nothing to do with Charlie Sheen's personal life either. The show as just the same old stuff. It can make you laugh for a moment which is a credit to the actors including Ashton Kutcher who seem to be able to make something out of what is being passed off as comedy. One of the biggest mistakes besides not growing these characters is not using the supporting cast more. In this case they have gems in Bertha and Evelyn. They should be on every show.
The only salvation of the night was Mike and Molly which was hysterically funny. This is a great credit to the writing as they needed few of their expansive and talented cast to make it work. You knew Mike was putting his big foot in his mouth over and over. You knew he meant well and you knew he was going to be ripped to shreds for it in his new household of women. Everything is working on this show I just wish it had a more mature lead-in.
The saddest thing about the first three is that my husband keeps saying they are better than a lot of the other stuff out there. True. I know a Mash, Friends, Frasier, Big Bang, and Modern Family don't come along very often. It just seems like there shouldn't be so much gap between these outstanding comedies and everything else.
Actually, let's start with How I Met Your Mother which really should have been gone a couple of seasons ago. These people still have the same hang-ups they had in season 1. They are better people than Seinfeld's lot but the idea is the same. Take a group of people, create a formula that works and just rehash each week. It is very good formula, but it is a formula. Barney is trying to score, Marshall and Lily are obsessed about something to do with each other and their relationship, and Ted can't seem to keep the good girls or see the flaws in the bad ones.
Two Broke Girls showed promise in the premise. It is a timely comedy but it is so poorly done. The supporting cast is like someone went through a checklist of minorities and plugged one into each slot. Their dialogue is terrible. The Girl's dialogue particularly Max is getting as vulgar as 2 1/2 Men. It's cheap and demeaning. The horse bit is also particularly stupid. I can't believe some animal rights organization hasn't complained about the idea of keeping a horse in a backyard in Brooklyn. If the girls were making some progress toward their business goals I might give it another chance.
Two and a Half Men really should have gone away about 3 seasons ago. It has nothing to do with Charlie Sheen's personal life either. The show as just the same old stuff. It can make you laugh for a moment which is a credit to the actors including Ashton Kutcher who seem to be able to make something out of what is being passed off as comedy. One of the biggest mistakes besides not growing these characters is not using the supporting cast more. In this case they have gems in Bertha and Evelyn. They should be on every show.
The only salvation of the night was Mike and Molly which was hysterically funny. This is a great credit to the writing as they needed few of their expansive and talented cast to make it work. You knew Mike was putting his big foot in his mouth over and over. You knew he meant well and you knew he was going to be ripped to shreds for it in his new household of women. Everything is working on this show I just wish it had a more mature lead-in.
The saddest thing about the first three is that my husband keeps saying they are better than a lot of the other stuff out there. True. I know a Mash, Friends, Frasier, Big Bang, and Modern Family don't come along very often. It just seems like there shouldn't be so much gap between these outstanding comedies and everything else.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Finding Harry
Harry's Law comes on NBC on Wednesday's at 9 opposite Modern Family. No wonder it struggles in the ratings with that kind of competition. Fortunately, NBC does rerun it on Saturday night so that is how we are keeping up. Unfortunately, they don't make use of the web and post the episodes on-line. So check it out Saturday nights at 8:00 Eastern.
I like this show because the court cases are always interesting and Kathy Bates does such a fine job of portraying a compassionate yet gutsy attorney. She is the kind of attorney you would want if you were unfortunate enough to be in a position to need one. I also like two things that make this drama very different. One, Harry Korn is 62 years old. Not many 60+ get to lead their own drama - Sally Field did it in Brothers and Sisters and Tom Selleck does in Blue Bloods but that is about all I can think of.
Two, the show is set in Cincinnati. Finally someone in Hollywood realized that there is more to the country than NY or LA. There are certainly many other oddities about the show that add to its appeal. Give Kathy Bates drama a try on either Wed or Sat. If you like a good courtroom drama, you'll like this one.
I like this show because the court cases are always interesting and Kathy Bates does such a fine job of portraying a compassionate yet gutsy attorney. She is the kind of attorney you would want if you were unfortunate enough to be in a position to need one. I also like two things that make this drama very different. One, Harry Korn is 62 years old. Not many 60+ get to lead their own drama - Sally Field did it in Brothers and Sisters and Tom Selleck does in Blue Bloods but that is about all I can think of.
Two, the show is set in Cincinnati. Finally someone in Hollywood realized that there is more to the country than NY or LA. There are certainly many other oddities about the show that add to its appeal. Give Kathy Bates drama a try on either Wed or Sat. If you like a good courtroom drama, you'll like this one.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Where's the funny?
I had hopes for Two Broke Girls when I watched CBS on-line preview. The premise is good and the chemistry between the main characters works. However the supporting cast is awful or at least they seem to be. My husband insists it is the writing. Probably because it is clear the character of Max is having to wring every last thing she can out of her lines and hers are the best of the show.
This isn't the only disappointment. I wonder if CBS has already pulled How to Be a Gentlemen as they are premiering the should-have-been-cancelled years ago Rules of Engagement late this month on Thurs at 8:30. I like Gentlemen better and it shows more promise though still nothing great.
Over to ABC, I don't even watch Happy Endings because the previews look so stupid. I watched half of Subergatory last week and that was plenty. NBC has already dumped a comedy and stooped to carrying Whitney which I haven't watched but my husband the reviews say is awful and Up All Night which I lasted through about 5 minutes of.
Why can't anyone create a decent new comedy? Shows like Modern Family and the Big Bang Theory are few and far between.
This isn't the only disappointment. I wonder if CBS has already pulled How to Be a Gentlemen as they are premiering the should-have-been-cancelled years ago Rules of Engagement late this month on Thurs at 8:30. I like Gentlemen better and it shows more promise though still nothing great.
Over to ABC, I don't even watch Happy Endings because the previews look so stupid. I watched half of Subergatory last week and that was plenty. NBC has already dumped a comedy and stooped to carrying Whitney which I haven't watched but my husband the reviews say is awful and Up All Night which I lasted through about 5 minutes of.
Why can't anyone create a decent new comedy? Shows like Modern Family and the Big Bang Theory are few and far between.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
New Dramas
Over the weekend, I watched three of the new Fall dramas via the Internet. Any network not putting their progamming on-line is missing out. Hear that NBC! I'd have liked to see Harry's Law as I watched a few episodes last season and it conflicts with Modern Family but no, they can't put the whole thing on-line.
Anyway, I watched Revenge, Unforgettable (which I consistently forget the name of it) and a Gifted Man.
Revenge - ABC has hyped this to death like all their new shows but this is the only one where they put the first few minutes on-line so you could actually get a preview. Combine that with a favorable review by my husband who typically watches just about everything new at least once and I decided to give it a try. It was engaging and I'm surprised to add it to my watch list for the weekends. Surprised because I really didn't think this had legs. How much revenge can you take? Plus it is set in the Hamptons and begins in September? Still it seems to work for me. It isn't gory; she doesn't even kill off everyone. She has other ways of getting her revenge which makes it far more interesting and her far less likely to get caught. I'm interested in the main characters backstory. Still, I can't see this lasting more than a couple of seasons, but it can still be a good drama.
Unforgettable - This was the one of the three I most thought I wanted to see. I'd seen the 60 Minutes piece about people who remember every day of their lives. This is totally bizarre especially when the character in the series starts telling someone what time the sun came up on a certain day. I don't know what time the sun came up today! Poppy Montgomery is very good in this role. She is sharp and yet vulnerable. I love the interaction she has with a particular resident at the nursing home where she volunteers - good irony by the writers. I'm just not sure the weekly stories are going to keep me coming back so it might get forgettable for me.
A Gifted Man - I was stunned to like this show! Really stunned. First off, I don't care for ghost stories - good ghost or not. I watched it Sunday when there was truly nothing else I wanted to see. Yet the main character is not what I expected. He seems like a pompous jerk and he is yet he has friends, he has family that loves him and he does indeed have a heart. His ex-wife - the ghost - is the kind of person you just want to be around so it is no wonder he doesn't want her to leave his life. One wonders why he would have divorced her in the first place. The patients were also very watchable. The only downside to this drama is that it airs on Friday night which is where shows typically go to die. CBS has had tons of great dramas that either started out on Friday or were parked there where they lost their audiences - Early Edition, Picket Fences, and others I can't even remember now. So I hope this one will survive its time slot to live on.
Anyway, I watched Revenge, Unforgettable (which I consistently forget the name of it) and a Gifted Man.
Revenge - ABC has hyped this to death like all their new shows but this is the only one where they put the first few minutes on-line so you could actually get a preview. Combine that with a favorable review by my husband who typically watches just about everything new at least once and I decided to give it a try. It was engaging and I'm surprised to add it to my watch list for the weekends. Surprised because I really didn't think this had legs. How much revenge can you take? Plus it is set in the Hamptons and begins in September? Still it seems to work for me. It isn't gory; she doesn't even kill off everyone. She has other ways of getting her revenge which makes it far more interesting and her far less likely to get caught. I'm interested in the main characters backstory. Still, I can't see this lasting more than a couple of seasons, but it can still be a good drama.
Unforgettable - This was the one of the three I most thought I wanted to see. I'd seen the 60 Minutes piece about people who remember every day of their lives. This is totally bizarre especially when the character in the series starts telling someone what time the sun came up on a certain day. I don't know what time the sun came up today! Poppy Montgomery is very good in this role. She is sharp and yet vulnerable. I love the interaction she has with a particular resident at the nursing home where she volunteers - good irony by the writers. I'm just not sure the weekly stories are going to keep me coming back so it might get forgettable for me.
A Gifted Man - I was stunned to like this show! Really stunned. First off, I don't care for ghost stories - good ghost or not. I watched it Sunday when there was truly nothing else I wanted to see. Yet the main character is not what I expected. He seems like a pompous jerk and he is yet he has friends, he has family that loves him and he does indeed have a heart. His ex-wife - the ghost - is the kind of person you just want to be around so it is no wonder he doesn't want her to leave his life. One wonders why he would have divorced her in the first place. The patients were also very watchable. The only downside to this drama is that it airs on Friday night which is where shows typically go to die. CBS has had tons of great dramas that either started out on Friday or were parked there where they lost their audiences - Early Edition, Picket Fences, and others I can't even remember now. So I hope this one will survive its time slot to live on.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Fall 2011 Week 1 in Review
Wow, that sounds like an imposing title. I just wanted to post my thoughts on the first week of the fall TV season. Notice the week isn't over but it might as well be. Friday and Saturday are dead TV nights.
So here's what I think of what I've watched so far:
Two and a Half Men. Yes I was one of the 27 million viewers to see what the return without Sheen would be like. I thought the funeral with all the old girlfriends and Rose being at the heart of his demise to be well done. Jon Cryer really got a chance to shine in this episode which he deserved. However - and you knew there would be a however - the new version of the show is clearly going to be more of the same. Personally, I think this show should have ended two seasons ago. The characters hadn't grown any. If anything, they had all gotten worse! No, I won't worry about watching this on Monday nights.
Two Broke Girls is the only new show I've seen so far. The girls are well portrayed and interesting. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast is a dud. I don't expect this to last.
Modern Family - I've set a high bar for this show. It is the funniest thing on TV. The first of the two episodes on Wednesday was a bit disappointing. There were humorous spots but they seemed forced to me. This may be because ABC had played some of them to death. Now I do understand why Gloria kept singing when everyone else had stopped.
ABC does the worst series promotion of any network. They run the same previews over and over. They also don't take advantage of the web and offer a few minutes preview of new shows. Placement of their previews is also questionable.
Now I feel better and back to Modern Family. The second episode where Cam and Mitchell prepare to tell the family about adopting another baby is much better. Very funny lines and one of those where it all comes together in the end. They bring it all back to family. I'll be watching next week for sure.
Big Bang Theory - Two hysterical episodes! We both laughed so hard at Sheldon and the red chair! I'm hoping Leonard's romance with Pria fizzles. She was a good character for awhile but it is time for at least one of the girls to move on and she is the one I want to see swapped. Amy and Bernadette are keepers for sure. Nothing about this show is getting stale. Clearly someone knows what they are doing.
Person of Interest - I lost interest in this supposedly 'highly anticipated' new show after about 30 minutes. I finished it out but it will be the last one for me. The main character is one of those invincible Rambo types who always has the skills he needs, always gets a break and never fails to clear a room of bad guys with his fists or conveniently place weapons. The back story is weak and done to death - guys drops out of society after something happens to the women he loves. Yawn.
Tonight is a rerun of Revenge so I might watch it. I saw the first few minutes on-line - the only one of the new ABC shows to be presented that way. It shows promise and my husband liked it. However, again however, it seems more like a mini series to me. Doesn't look like there would be enough here to make an ongoing series. Still I may give it a try.
So here's what I think of what I've watched so far:
Two and a Half Men. Yes I was one of the 27 million viewers to see what the return without Sheen would be like. I thought the funeral with all the old girlfriends and Rose being at the heart of his demise to be well done. Jon Cryer really got a chance to shine in this episode which he deserved. However - and you knew there would be a however - the new version of the show is clearly going to be more of the same. Personally, I think this show should have ended two seasons ago. The characters hadn't grown any. If anything, they had all gotten worse! No, I won't worry about watching this on Monday nights.
Two Broke Girls is the only new show I've seen so far. The girls are well portrayed and interesting. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast is a dud. I don't expect this to last.
Modern Family - I've set a high bar for this show. It is the funniest thing on TV. The first of the two episodes on Wednesday was a bit disappointing. There were humorous spots but they seemed forced to me. This may be because ABC had played some of them to death. Now I do understand why Gloria kept singing when everyone else had stopped.
ABC does the worst series promotion of any network. They run the same previews over and over. They also don't take advantage of the web and offer a few minutes preview of new shows. Placement of their previews is also questionable.
Now I feel better and back to Modern Family. The second episode where Cam and Mitchell prepare to tell the family about adopting another baby is much better. Very funny lines and one of those where it all comes together in the end. They bring it all back to family. I'll be watching next week for sure.
Big Bang Theory - Two hysterical episodes! We both laughed so hard at Sheldon and the red chair! I'm hoping Leonard's romance with Pria fizzles. She was a good character for awhile but it is time for at least one of the girls to move on and she is the one I want to see swapped. Amy and Bernadette are keepers for sure. Nothing about this show is getting stale. Clearly someone knows what they are doing.
Person of Interest - I lost interest in this supposedly 'highly anticipated' new show after about 30 minutes. I finished it out but it will be the last one for me. The main character is one of those invincible Rambo types who always has the skills he needs, always gets a break and never fails to clear a room of bad guys with his fists or conveniently place weapons. The back story is weak and done to death - guys drops out of society after something happens to the women he loves. Yawn.
Tonight is a rerun of Revenge so I might watch it. I saw the first few minutes on-line - the only one of the new ABC shows to be presented that way. It shows promise and my husband liked it. However, again however, it seems more like a mini series to me. Doesn't look like there would be enough here to make an ongoing series. Still I may give it a try.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Winners!
I feel like a jinx. Usually when I watch an awards show, the people I want to win, don't. But not last night. I watched most of the first hour as that was the comedy portion and then my husband wanted the TV. Everyone I wanted to in comedy win, did! It was terrific.
Ty Burrell gave the best acceptance speech I've ever heard. I loved that Melissa McCarthy was a surprise winner. And Jim Parsons is just terrific. Kind of feel sorry for Steve Carrell even though I don't watch his show. But Parsons is just so good; he deserves another win.
Julia Margulies won again for the Good Wife which was well deserved. I would have liked to see Alan Cummings get an Emmy for playing Eli. He has taken what I presume was to be a throw away character and turn him into a fan favorite.
Tonight, the new season resumes. Thank goodness, reruns are over for at least a few weeks anyway!
Ty Burrell gave the best acceptance speech I've ever heard. I loved that Melissa McCarthy was a surprise winner. And Jim Parsons is just terrific. Kind of feel sorry for Steve Carrell even though I don't watch his show. But Parsons is just so good; he deserves another win.
Julia Margulies won again for the Good Wife which was well deserved. I would have liked to see Alan Cummings get an Emmy for playing Eli. He has taken what I presume was to be a throw away character and turn him into a fan favorite.
Tonight, the new season resumes. Thank goodness, reruns are over for at least a few weeks anyway!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Looking forward to Fall
In this last week of reruns, the days are getting really short and the nights long and very boring. I typically watch only one show per night - sometimes 2 half hour shows but they are enjoyable and break up the evening. So I'm really looking forward to the return of:
Sunday - The Good Wife which is no doubt the best drama on television. I hope it does great in the new time slot. There is a catch up episode on-line though it doesn't cover nearly all that happened and doesn't really talk much about the one character that everyone does talk about - Calinda. All the characters are interesting and have tons of depth to keep this one going a long time.
The Housewives are doing their final season and I'll probably catch it via the Internet on Tuesdays when there is nothing on in Primetime yet again.
Monday - Mike and Molly. I was very surprised to like this show. It is more about their relationship than their weight though of course that does spark lots of jokes. It is the supporting cast that often makes or breaks a sitcom and this is no exception. The sister is hilarious!
Tuesday - as I said, nothing here except perhaps the new show Unforgettable but it doesn't come on until 10.
Wednesday - Modern Family! What else? TV's best sitcom. My favorite of all time is Frasier and this one just might top it.
Thurday - Big Bang Theory - my husband's favorite sitcom. I thought the addition of the girlfriends was a mistake but I was so wrong. Bernadette, Amy and Pria added much needed friction and material to keep the character's growing.
Friday - dead as usual. We typically watch PBS.
Saturday - ditto.
I will probably watch Two and a Half Men just to see what they have done with it. If it is as vulgar as the previous version, I'll pass. I'm done with How I Met Your Mother. I didn't watch this last season. I so don't care who the Mother is anymore.
Sunday - The Good Wife which is no doubt the best drama on television. I hope it does great in the new time slot. There is a catch up episode on-line though it doesn't cover nearly all that happened and doesn't really talk much about the one character that everyone does talk about - Calinda. All the characters are interesting and have tons of depth to keep this one going a long time.
The Housewives are doing their final season and I'll probably catch it via the Internet on Tuesdays when there is nothing on in Primetime yet again.
Monday - Mike and Molly. I was very surprised to like this show. It is more about their relationship than their weight though of course that does spark lots of jokes. It is the supporting cast that often makes or breaks a sitcom and this is no exception. The sister is hilarious!
Tuesday - as I said, nothing here except perhaps the new show Unforgettable but it doesn't come on until 10.
Wednesday - Modern Family! What else? TV's best sitcom. My favorite of all time is Frasier and this one just might top it.
Thurday - Big Bang Theory - my husband's favorite sitcom. I thought the addition of the girlfriends was a mistake but I was so wrong. Bernadette, Amy and Pria added much needed friction and material to keep the character's growing.
Friday - dead as usual. We typically watch PBS.
Saturday - ditto.
I will probably watch Two and a Half Men just to see what they have done with it. If it is as vulgar as the previous version, I'll pass. I'm done with How I Met Your Mother. I didn't watch this last season. I so don't care who the Mother is anymore.
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