new and noteworthy tv: 2/22-2/28

This week caught up on a bit of backlog plus diving back into my Netflix rotation, kicking off new series Love which is growing on me.

  • Prey (BBCA) Series Premiere, Thursday, 10pm – It’s apparently two three-part stories with yet another flawed detective leading the charge.
  • Fuller House (Net) Series Premiere, Friday, 3am – I was apparently not the right age to have watched Full House and this revisit has apparently a lot of nostalgia but not much to speak of if you’re not revisiting old friends (minus the Olsens of course).
  • Independent Spirit Awards (IFC) Saturday, 5pm – As a nice warm up awards show.
  • The Oscars (ABC) Sunday, 5:30pm – The most important award is who wins the pool.
  • Rough Draft (Ova) Sunday, 8:30pm – Talk show hosted by Reza Aslan puts its focus on writers a la Actors Studio.
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new and noteworthy tv: 2/15-2/21

I went on a miniseries binge to clear some TiVo backlog, catching Wolf Hall and Tut, both entertaining though different in tone, similar in theme on those silly royals and their need to birth heirs. I’m still not paying for Hulu or Prime but will check out Love when it becomes available.

  • 11.23.63 (Hulu) Series Premiere, Monday, 3am – The Stephen King book gets adapted.
  • Grammys (CBS) Monday, 8pm – Songs and singers and stuff.
  • The New Yorker Presents (Am) Series Premiere, Tuesday, 3am – This dabbling of items might like the magazine sit in my backlog.
  • Gonzaga (HBO) Series Premiere, Tuesday, 10pm – They turn to take a look at college basketball.
  • Join or Die with Craig Ferguson (Hist) Series Premiere, Thursday, 11pm – Craig sits down to chat with folks, he says it’s more discussion style than interview.
  • Cooked/Love (Net) Series Premiere, Friday, 3am – A four part docufood series with Michael Pollen and a new romantic comedy from Judd Apatow.
  • The Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60/Journey to the Oscars (ABC) Sunday, 8/9pm – A look at the parks with some tributes and some of the actors that are on their way to gold.
  • An All-Star Tribute to James Burrows (NBC) Sunday, 9pm – I think this is the friends reunion they keep talking about.
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new and noteworthy tv: 2/8-2/14

I’m almost done trying to watch the best movies of last year and can start to turn my attention back to my tv backlog. Trying to finish rewatching X Files before I started watching the new season was probably a mistake.

  • Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS) Series Premiere, Monday, 10:30pm – The Daily Show correspondent gets her own gig.
  • Not Safe with Nikki Glaser (Com) Series Premiere, Tuesday, 10:30pm – An Inside Amy Schumer gal gets her own gig too.
  • Project Runway All Stars (Life) Season Premiere, Thursday, 9pm – Caught up to being only a season behind.
  • Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (ABC) Sunday, 8pm – The kids are up to some comedic and heartwarming things.
  • The Bachelor at 20 (ABC) – Sunday, 8pm – A look at how they all found love.
  • Tonight Show Valentine’s Day Special (NBC) – Sunday, 9pm – Because when I think Valentine’s Day…
  • Vinyl (HBO) – Series Premiere, Sunday, 9pm – With Jagger and Scorsese behind this dramatic look at Bobby Canavale as a 70’s record exec it’s gotta be worth a watch.
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new and noteworthy tv: 2/1-2/7

ojI sort of enjoyed the abbreviated list from last week so going to try out the new format. Mostly this means limiting a lot of season premieres (if you watch it assumption is you’ve got it) and a lot of the reality series premieres (I mean really…).

  • Lost Girl (Syfy) – Winter Premiere, Monday 10pm – I still enjoy this campy show and so tuning into the final run (my TiVo doesn’t always pick these up as new because of some sort of pre-airing)
  • The People vs. OJ Simpson (Fx) – Series Premiere, Tuesday 10pm – When I first heard about this I couldn’t imaging wanting to watch but rumors are it’s actually good.
  • Madoff (ABC) – Miniseries Premiere, Wednesday 8pm – Two parter this week with Richard Dreyfuss as Bernie, probably a skip on my list.
  • Animals (HBO) – Series Premiere, Friday 11:30pm – A new animated for adults by the Duplass Brothers looks at the likes of rats, pigeons, bedbugs and their issues, potential to be amusing.
  • Super Bowl (CBS) – Sunday 3:30pm – Go sports teams!
  • Puppy Bowl (AnPl) – Sunday – Pregame seems to start at noon with official play at 3pm.

Enjoy!

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procrastinator picks – top tv of 2015

I tend to internally mock critics who say they can’t narrow it down to 10, but seriously too much out there, it’s impossible. I kept it to ten but I did cop out this year and put them in alphabetical order. My caveats as usual, these probably aren’t the best shows out but ones that I personally enjoyed, and I can’t completely rate on just an individual season. Also my usual clarification that I don’t get high end cable so those shows might be on my to do list but they won’t be here, plus shows that I’m behind on like Mad Men and Rectify (which I love).

  • The 100 (CW) – The dynamics amongst all the factions in this post-apocalyptic world have increased in quantity and in stakes and it’s moved beyond the pretty young things CW slant, though certainly maintained the pretty people.
  • The Americans (Fx) – Spy mom and dad and great spy wigs sure keep getting in and mostly out of fixes, and the relationships with others keep getting more complicated, what are the chances that bringing in spy kids will go smoothly?
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – I didn’t love running for office Alicia but starting over yet again Alicia brought yet another new spin on this rich cast of characters that just keeps me entertained with the cases and the personal lives where there’s not always a real right.
  • Humans (AMC) – Lots of riffs out there on the androids taking over but this truly human look at a group of unanticipated aware and feeling synths and their interactions with each other, the humans around them, society as a whole and of course some ‘evil’ corporation kept me all in.
  • Jessica Jones (Net) – A new crop of great series on Netflix but this less Marvel-ish Marvel is the one that truly made me want to binge as I enjoyed the tough damaged lead and her fight against uber creepy villian with the help and hindrance of some good supports.
  • Justified (Fx) – The last season brought back much of what I loved about the series, Raylan was someone we all fell in love with as he fought the good fight in sometimes the wrong ways to hunt down folks as only a Marshall near his own Harlan, Kentucky hometown can do.
  • Mr. Robot (USA) – This is the show that put USA on the map this year and it was quite a big swing, the lead Rami Malek really should get much of the credit for carrying this peculiar character in a psychotic split between computer hacking, and well hacking, tempted to go back and watch again.
  • Orphan Black (BBCA) – This admittedly wasn’t my favorite season of this show but I love it so much even a dip in the distractions to the clone club from the boy clones couldn’t dampen my love for the performances of Tatiana Maslany and her band of supporters.
  • UnREAL (Life) – My fave new campy show this look behind the scenes of a Bacheloresque show had so many layers as we follow Producer Rachel trying to come back from her own personal drama while the manipulations on and off camera reach new highs, or should I say lows, and I’m not a Bachelor watcher.
  • You’re the Worst (Fxx) – The first season of this show won me over with a new twist on the rom com by playing into and out of the stereotypes as the characters were all a mess, and the second season delved into Gretchen’s mess/depression in a way that was able to include some truly funny moments in what was a dramatic and sensitive, amazing work by Aya Cash.

My honorable mentions were giving me too much stress so I’ve even eliminated those. What were some of your favorites from last year?

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new and noteworthy tv: 1/25-1/31

You_Me_EndTechnical difficulties led to an abbreviated list but here are some new options:

  • Lucifer – Monday at 9pm (Fox) – The devil as crime fighter sidekick, not too promising
  • Magicians – Monday at 9pm (Syfy) – Based on some books, this series reportedly has some promise
  • Recovery Road – Monday at 9pm (Free) – The latest from no longer ABCFamily looks at a high schooler in rehab, will probably be more poignant than Valley of the Dolls
  • Outsiders – Tuesday at 9pm (WGN) – The clans at working fighting for something reportedly has some sparks of quality
  • You, Me, and the Apocalypse – Thursday at 8pm (NBC) – Jenna Fischer, Megan Mullally, and Rob Lowe and world destruction of course worth checking out

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

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new and noteworthy tv: 1/18-1/24

basketsWould watching War & Peace get me out of the guilt of having never read it? Legends looks to mix a lot of items but may need some time to be successful but will def watch before one of my returning faves 100. Baskets with Galifianakas and from Louis CK promises to be oddball comedy which may not work for everyone but is def worth a look. Reports are that the new ‘season’ of X-Files starts out a bit of a mess but toward ep 3 or 4 hits a nice note. Plus a couple more Netflix shows, I know someone who has been missing Chelsea. And of course more Australian Open tennis!

  • Monday – Just for Laughs (CW, 8pm), Hit the Floor, Season Premiere (VH1, 9pm), War & Peace, Mini-series Premiere (Hist/A&E/Life, 9pm), Almost Royal, Season Premiere (BBCA, 10pm)
  • Tuesday – Marvel’s Captain America/Agent Carter, Season Premiere (ABC, 8/9pm), The Prancing Elites Project, Season Premiere (Oxy, 8pm), DC’s Legends of Tomorrow/Dawn of the Justice League (CW, 9/9:30pm), Gangsters: America’s Most Evil, Season Premiere (Reelz, 9pm), Total Divas/Just Jillian, Season/Series Premieres (E!, 9/10pm), Fit to Fat to Fit, Series Premiere (A&E, 10pm)
  • Wednesday
  • Thursday – Portlandia, Season Premiere (IFC, 7pm), DC’s Legends of Tomorrow/The 100, Series/Season Premieres (CW, 8/9pm), Baskets, Series Premiere (Fx, 10pm), London Spy, Series Premiere (BBCA, 10pm), Recipe for Deception, Series Premiere (Brav, 10pm), Dark Net, Series Premiere (Show, 11pm)
  • Friday – Mad Dogs, Series Premiere (Net, 3am), Childrens Hospital, Season Premiere (AdSw, 11pm)
  • Saturday – Chelsea Does, Series Premiere (Net, 3am), The Artful Detective, Season Premiere (Ova, 7pm), Black Sails, Season Premiere (Starz, 9pm), Forensic Justice, Series Premiere (Spike, 9pm), It’s Not You, It’s Men/Where Are They Now, Series/Season Premieres (OWN, 9pm), Beowulf, Series Premiere (Esq, 10pm)
  • Sunday – The X-Files, Season Premiere (Fox, 7pm), Hollywood Medium, Series Premiere (E!, 10pm)

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 1/11-1/17

billionsThe biggest news of the week is maybe that ABCFamily is now called Freeform… And while anything new on Showtime is worth a look I’ll check out the new comedic but confusingly promo’d Tribeca.

  • Monday – Cake Wars, Season Premiere (Food, 9pm)
  • Tuesday – State of the Union (NBC/PBS, 6pm), MadTV 20th Anniversary Reunion (CW, 8pm), Shadowhunters, Series Premiere (Free, 9pm)
  • Wednesday – Dual Survival, Season Premiere (Disc, 9pm), Duck Dynasty, Season Premiere (A&E, 9pm), Face Off, Season Premiere (Syfy, 9pm), Second Chance, Series Premiere (Fox 9pm), Younger/Teachers, Season/Series Premieres (TVL, 10/11pm)
  • Thursday – The World of Dog Awards (CW, 8pm), Alaska Proof, Series Premiere (AnPl, 9pm), Colony, Series Premiere (USA, 10pm), Workaholics/Idiotsitter, Series/Season Premieres (Com, 10/10:30pm), Greatest Party Story Ever, Series Premiere (MTV, 10:30pm)
  • Friday – Degrassi: The Next Class, Season Premiere (Net, 3am), Just Add Magic, Series Premiere (Am, 3am), Hell’s Kitchen, Season Premiere (Fox, 9pm), The People’s Couch, Season Premiere (Brav, 10pm), Real Time with Bill Maher, Season Premiere (HBO, 10pm)
  • Sunday – Australian Open, First Rounds Start (ESPN2, 4pm), Critics’ Choice Awards (A&E/Life, 5pm), Democratic Debate (NBC, 6pm), Angie Tribeca, Series Premiere (TBS, 9pm), The Real Housewives of Potomac, Series Premiere (Brav, 9pm), Billions, Series Premiere (Show, 10pm), Mercy Street, Series Premiere (PBS, 10pm)

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 1/4-1/10

shades-of-blueAnother year and TV is starting again. A few new ones that I’m not sure are worth more than a glance, Zoe is the latest sitcom for Brandy, MTV’s Chronicles based on some fantasy book, Poor Decisions  may be just that, and Jane Lynch returns in Angel, while you can’t count out J Lo and Liotta returning to the small screen on the latest cop drama. For returning shows I’m a fan of New Girl and It’s Always Sunny and will resist the final season of Idol.

  • Monday – Antiques Roadshow, Season Premiere (PBS, 8pm), The Bachelor, Season Premiere (ABC, 8pm), Kids Baking Championship, Season Premiere (Food, 8pm), The Biggest Loser, Season Premiere (NBC, 9pm), Fast n’ Loud/Diesel Brothers, Season Premieres (Disc, 9/10pm)
  • Tuesday – 60 Minutes Sports, Season Premiere (Show, 8pm), Finding Your Roots, Season Premiere (PBS, 8pm), Hollywood Game Night, Season Premiere (NBC, 8pm), New Girl, Season Premiere (Fox, 8pm), Dance Moms, Season Premiere (Life, 9pm), The Little Couple, Season Premiere (TLC, 9pm), Beyond the Tank, Season Premiere (ABC, 10pm), Killing Fields, Series Premiere (Disc, 10pm), The Shannara Chronicles, Series Premiere (MTV, 10pm), Zoe Ever After, Series Premiere (BET, 10pm)
  • Wednesday – American Idol, Season Premiere (Fox, 8pm), Mike and Molly/People’s Choice Awards, Season Premiere (CBS, 8:30/9pm), My 660-Lb Life, Season Premiere (TLC, 8pm), Nova, Season Premiere (PBS, 9pm), American Crime, Season Premiere (ABC, 10pm), Criminals at Work, Series Premiere (BET, 10pm), It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia/Man Seeking Woman, Season Premieres (Fxx, 10/10:30pm)
  • Thursday – Child Genius, Season Premiere (Life, 8pm), My Diet is Better than Yours, Series Premiere (ABC, 9pm), Angel from Hell, Series Premiere (CBS, 9:30pm), Growing Up Hip Hop, Series Premiere (WE, 10pm), The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, Season Premiere (IFC, 10pm), Lip Sync Battle, Season Premiere (Spike, 10pm), Shades of Blue, Series Premiere (NBC, 10pm)
  • Friday – Ex Isle, Series Premiere (WE, 10pm), My Lottery Dream Home, Series Premiere (HGTV, 11pm)
  • Saturday – Mythbusters, Season Premiere (Disc, 8pm)
  • Sunday – Golden Globes (NBC, 8pm), Shameless, Season Premiere (Show, 9pm)

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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critics’ picks – top tv of 2015

americans

So there are more of these lists than one person could list, and there are a couple of great lists existing including HitFix critics’ tv poll and Metacritic’s Top Ten List. But for the sake of keeping on top of what’s the top here’s the list, maybe you’re missing a show or two worth considering. And of course stay tuned for my top ten list.

  • The 100 (CW) – MR
  • The Affair (Show) – BL
  • The Americans (Fx) – EN, JD, TV, AFI, TG, MZS, WP, AS, JP, MH, MR, TVL, JJ
  • Better Call Saul (AMC) – JD, AFI, BL, MM
  • Black-ish (ABC) – DF, AFI, CC, MZS, JP, MR, TVL
  • Bojack Horseman (Net) – EN, TV, DF, AH, MZS, MR, MM
  • Broad City (Com) – EN, MH
  • Catastrophe (Am) – EN, AH, CC, WP, MR, TVL, MM
  • Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (CW) – EN, AH, BL, TVL, JJ
  • Documentary Now (IFC) – JJ
  • Empire (Fox) – AFI, CC, WP, TVL, MM
  • Fargo (Fx) – EN, JD, TV, DF, AFI, TG, BL, MZS, AS, MH, MR, TVL, JJ, MM
  • The Flash (CW) – BL
  • Fresh Off the Boat (ABC) – MR
  • Game of Thrones (HBO) – AFI
  • Getting On (HBO) – EN, TVL
  • Halt and Catch Fire (AMC) – TV, WP, JP
  • Hannibal (NBC) – EN, AH, MZS, MR, JJ
  • Homeland (Show) – AFI
  • How to Get Away With Murder (ABC) – TVL
  • Inside Amy Schumer (Com) – EN, MR
  • Jane the Virgin (CW) – EN, BL, CC, WP, MR
  • Jessica Jones (Net) – MZS, MR, TVL
  • The Jinx (HBO) – DF, BL, WP, JP, MH, MM
  • Justified (Fx) – DF, AS, MH
  • Key & Peele (Com) – EN
  • The Knick (Cin) – CC, MH
  • The Last Kingdom (BBCA) – BL
  • The Last Man on Earth (Fox) – CC, TVL
  • Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) – DF
  • The Leftovers (HBO) – EN, TV, DF, TG, AH, CC, MZS, AS, JP, MR, TVL, MM
  • Louie (Fx) – EN, TG, MH
  • Mad Men (AMC) – EN, JD, TV, DF, TG, AH, MZS, AS, MR, JJ
  • Making a Murder (Net) – BL
  • The Man in the High Castle (Am) – TVL
  • Manhattan (WGN) – TV
  • Master of None (Net) – EN, JD, AFI, CC, AS, JP, MR, TVL, JJ, MM
  • Masters of Sex (Show) – BL
  • Moone Boy (Hulu) – MH
  • Mr. Robot (USA) – EN, AFI, TG, BL, CC, WP, MR, TVL, JJ, MM
  • Narcos (Net) – JD, BL
  • Nathan for You (Com) – WP
  • Orange is the New Black (Net) – EN
  • Parks and Recreation (NBC) – AS
  • Penny Dreadful (Show) – CC, MH, TVL
  • Playing House (USA) – TVL
  • Rectify (Sund) – DF, TG, BL, CC, MZS, AS, JP, MR, JJ
  • Review (Com) – EN, DF, AS, JP
  • Rick & Morty (AdSw) – EN, AH
  • River (Net) – JD
  • Scandal (ABC) – EN
  • Show Me a Hero (HBO) – JD, TV, BL, MZS, MM
  • Silicon Valley (HBO) – MM
  • Supergirl (CBS) – BL
  • Transparent (Am) – EN, TG, AH, BL, CC, WP, AS, JP, MH, MR, TVL
  • Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Net) – EN, AH, JP, TVL, JJ
  • UnReal (Am) – EN, TV, AFI, TG, AH, BL, CC, WP, MR, TVL
  • Veep (HBO) – TG, TVL
  • Vikings (Hist) – BL
  • Wolf Hall (PBS) – MR
  • You’re the Worst (Fxx) – EN, TV, CC, MR

List of critics, note I took some liberties with a couple peeps who went crazy beyond ten:

AFI – American Film Istitute, CC – Critic’s Choice, JD – John Doyle for The Globe, DF – Daniel Fienberg for Hollywood Reporter, NG – Neil Genslinger for NYT, TG – Tim Goodman for Hollywood Reporter, AH – Alison Herman for Flavorwire, MH – Mike Hale for NYT, BL – Brian Lowry for Variety, EN – Emily Nussbaum for The New Yorker, JJ – Jeff Jensen for EW, MM -Melissa MAerz for EW, JP – James Poniewozik for NYT, TVL – TVLine’s Best Comedy and Dramas, WP – Willa Paskin for Slate, MR – Maureen Ryan for Variety, AS – Alan Sepinwall for Hitfix, MZS – Matt Zoller Seitz for Vulture, TV – Todd VanDerWerff for Vox

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