October 2022 – procrastinationchronicles.com

my schedule

October 27, 2022 No Comments

Turns out I’ve sort of stopped doing this since with the ebb and flow of television there’s not one fixed time that I have a set fall schedule. But I have dabbled in almost all of the broadcast fall tv so I thought I’d let you know where I netted out. Lopez vs Lopez still hasn’t started but I feel like we’re good and if it’s awesome I’ll let you know.

Monday

Quantum Leap (NBC, 10pm) – This is a fun enough pickup from the original with a nice combo of random scenario of the week and overarching stuff and the characters are generally likable.

Wednesday

The Conners/Abbott Elementary/Home Economics (ABC, 8/9/9:30pm) – No real change here, I’m game for more funny with Abbott being the standout.

Thursday

Ghosts/So Help Me Todd (CBS, 8:30/9pm) – Ghosts is the other comedy standout and Todd isn’t revolutionary but Skylar Astin and Marcia Gay Harden sell it as mother/son kind of working (Attorney/PI) odd couple.
Alaska Daily (ABC, 10pm) – So far this has felt really quality with Hilary Swank as a fish out of water journalist trying to get to the bottom of ignored indigenous crimes and ruffling feathers along the way for good and for bad.
Call Me Kat (Fox, 9:30) – This show is almost funny, but I am crushed to have lost Leslie Jordan who was the bright spot here, not sure it will be worth it without him but we’ll see what they do.
Law & Order (NBC, 8pm) – I feel like it’s lost its edge with the topical ‘ripped from the headlines’ but there’s a nostalgia factor here.

Sunday

Family Law/Coroner (CW, 8/9pm) – The Canadians should not be underestimated, and I am adding this reluctant to be working together family of attorneys (and other related professions) with a can’t help but like her protagonist to the already enjoyed death investigation of the week.
The Equalizer (CBS, 8pm) – I mean Queen Latifa can solve it when you have nowhere else to turn, sure.

I have also been enjoying Welcome to Wrexham (which just wrapped but I’m behind, Fx/Hulu), Atlanta which is not done yet but I’m also behind on (Thursday at 10, Fx/Hulu), and Reginald the Vampire (Wednesday at 10, Syfy) which is very charming.

Do you still watch broadcast tv? Any winners?

*As always check your local listings.

new and noteworthy tv: 10/24-11/6

October 23, 2022 No Comments

I’m generally behind in streaming since I’ve been trying to catch up broadcast and cable fall tv, thought I did crank through Queer Eye: Brazil for some good feels that require little attention. I don’t think I caught the last season of Big Mouth but a new one is coming. The Ink Master finale is coming up on 11/2. Which means I should be almost done with my Paramount + subscription but I’m not caught up on Evil or The Good Fight yet (though have been watching an episode weekly when Ink Master comes out).

For more of what’s new that I will also likely ignore (at least for now):

Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (Net) Series Premiere, Tuesday 10/25 – A collection of sinister stories.
The Devil’s Hour (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 10/28 – A woman who repeatedly wakes in the middle of the night’s finds strange things and gets involved in a series of murders
The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 10/28 – Son of a notorious witch is caught between to clans.
Inside Man (Net) Series Premiere, Monday 10/31 – An American death row prisoner helps a British journalist search for a friend.
Blockbuster (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 11/3 – A workplace comedy set in the last Blockbuster, a good enough cast including Melissa Fumero and Randall Park, to be curious.
The Suspect (SundN) Series Premiere, Thursday 11/3 – A psychologist gets caught up in a murder.
Lopez vs Lopez (NBC) Series Premeiere, Friday 11/4 – George Lopez and his daughter are giving comedy a go together, as I believe a father and daughter.
Mood (BBCA) Series Premiere, Sunday 11/6, 10pm – Based on a play, a woman trying to make it as a singer ends up giving the influencer journey a go.
Dangerous Liaisons (Starz) Series Premiere, Sunday, 11/6, 8pm – This one’s a prequel telling the origin story.

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST, please check your local listings.

new and noteworthy tv: 10/10-10/23

October 8, 2022 No Comments

I finished up the latest season of the fun Resident Alien (Syfy) and the second season of HBO Max’s Love Life that reaired on TBS.

I’ve also been trying to check in with new Fall TV. Monarch and The Rookie: Feds are both a pass for me. I am sticking around for more of Quantum Leap (NBC) and So Help Me Todd (CBS). I am also tuning in for at least one more of East New York (CBS), Family Law (CW), Alaska Daily (ABC), and Fire Country (CBS). And cable shows Interview with the Vampire (AMC) and Reginald the Vampire (CW). I think I missed Walker Independence (CW) which I’m not too heartbroken about.

As TV has continued to expand, I’m going to narrow the focus of these listings just a smidge. I’ll still be focusing on scripted shows. And I’ll still share the new shows starting on major networks, cable, and streaming. I might let some of the lesser items go. And I’ll no longer be sharing some of the more niche foreign/foreign language shows. I also won’t reference most returning streaming but will highlight the things I have my eye on. Ok, let’s go.

The Winchesters (CW) Series Premiere, Tuesday 10/11, 8pm – I was not a Supernatural watcher but this is a prequel about their parents.
Professionals (CW) Series Premiere, Tuesday 10/11, 9pm – Tom Welling stars as the head of a security team that does what it takes for those who pay top dollar.
The Watcher (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 10/13 – A good cast headed by Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale in this latest Ryan Murphy spooky mystery/thriller where I think its the house that’s out to get them.
High School (Free) Series Premiere, Friday 10/14 – This show based on Tegan and Sarah’s memoir looks promising.
Shantaram (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 10/14 – Charlie Hunnam returns for this love story/adventure where he’s a fugitive on the run in Bombay.
Magpie Murders (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 10/16, 9pm – Based on a novel, this is a mystery in a mystery, maybe in a mystery.
Annika (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 10/16, 10pm – A police procedural goes maritime and supposedly adds some wit.
The Peripheral (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 10/21 – A sci-fi series centering Chloe Grace Moretz trying to hold together her family with a surprising future.

books, movies, tv

let things stand alone

October 1, 2022 No Comments

I’m the kind of person who really hates to miss the beginning of a movie. And I can’t jump into a series midway. What have I missed? What clue to the characters or situation is going to be lost on me?

So I have to say I am over all the media having to be tied into one another.

Just this week alone:

Law & Order – A super cross-over event (I was a little behind on this) I’ve bailed on SVU and OC but had been dabbling with the reboot of the original and one of the things I like about that show is an episode is an episode. But nooo, in a crossover event things span in this case three episodes. So I made an exception and caught all three. At least since I had watched the other shows I knew who most of the characters were but overall although they created an arc for each one there were a bunch of detectives bopping in and out of each. Preposterous. And with all of the related shows, 911s/FBIs/NCISs/CSIs/Chicago whatever, this obviously isn’t isolated.
The Rookie: Feds – I didn’t stick with the original The Rookie and I’m pretty sure they launched this as a backdoor pilot over there. So of course Nathan Fillion pops up as a street cop that our main protagonist has some sort of relationship with. And overall these characters all have relationships and stories that I have no idea what’s happening. And not in an of course all characters will have backstory kind of way. It made me less engaged in the characters and story. So whether your spinoff is a character taking a new journey, a sequel/prequel, or just a backdoor pilot seems like you could make it work as a standalone show.
Morbius – Marvel is probably the worst. The few movies I’ve liked the most are ones that stand alone. I’ve come to put up with a random guest appearance and an end cap that teases something else. But those are few and far between these days. As homework to watch the final Avengers I think you had to watch 30+ movies. And that’s not counting any series. And the bummer is that even when something is supposed to be kind of a dud like Eternals or Morbius I feel compelled to complete them.

And in addition to feeling like I have to watch every Marvel movie to understand what’s happening in any of them, I suppose I’m supposed to subscribe to Disney+ to watch all the tv shows as well. It’s just exhausting.

I’m also for the record totally over anything that’s a trilogy. The first movie or book never seems to work as a standalone event (I’m looking at you Dune movie and The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet book, so regardless of whether I would have enjoyed all three, I’m out!

I know one aspect of this strategy is giving people more of the kinds of properties that they want. But the other strategy of making you feel like you’re missing out if you don’t watch them all just seems manipulative and greedy.

Will I stop watching Marvel? Maybe not. But I am drawing the line somewhere.

Rant complete. Does this bug anyone else?