new and noteworthy tv: 6/15-6/21

BallersClipped offers a new sitcom set in a hair cutting place, in that not quite funny kind of way. Proof is probably an ok drama but I can’t get past the life after death concept. Deutsch gives us a German import about an East/West spy. Wives Club doesn’t show great promise in its lead up to Mistresses but I’ll check it out while Complications hasn’t gotten much great buzz. And Killjoys‘ space bounty hunters gives me reason to give Syfy one more try. And of course anything new on HBO is worth a look, for those that have HBO, and new PBS for those who do that.

  • Monday – The Making of the Mob, Series Premiere (AMC, 10pm), Top 5 Restaurants, Series Premiere (Food, 10:30pm)
  • Tuesday – Rizzoli & Isles/Proof, Season/Series Premiere (TNT, 9pm), Clipped, Series Premiere (TBS, 10pm), Tyrant, Season Premiere (Fx, 10pm)
  • Wednesday – Deutschland 83, Series Premiere (Sund, 11pm)
  • Thursday – The Astronaut Wives Club/Mistresses, Series/Season Premieres (ABC, 8/9pm), Complications, Series Premiere (USA, 9pm), Mountain Men/Alone, Season/Series Premieres (Hist, 9/10pm)
  • Friday – Killjoys, Series Premiere (Syfy, 9pm)
  • Saturday- Cops, Season Premiere (Spike, 8pm)
  • Sunday – Celebrity Family Feud/Battlebots, Season/Series Premieres (ABC, 8/9pm), The Last Ship, Season Premiere (TNT, 9pm), True Detective/Ballers/The Brink, Season/Series Premieres (HBO, 9/10/10:30pm), Bar Rescue/Catch a Contractor, Season Premieres (Spike, 9/10pm), Poldark/The Crimson Field, Series Premieres (PBS, 9/10pm)

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.

Continue Reading

new and noteworthy tv: 6/8-6/14

JonathanStrangeMrNorrellI’m intrigued by the making of the book about magic that I remember enjoying but after about a thousand pages can’t quite recall why, and maybe a looksee at the latest space drama where some peeps wake up with no memories. And a look at the latest prison shenanigans…

  • Monday – The Fosters/Becoming Us, Season/Series Premiere (ABCF, 8/9pm), Major Crimes/Murder in the First, Season Premieres (TNT, 9/10pm), The Real Housewives of Orange County/Odd Mom Out, Season/Series Premieres (Brav, 9pm)
  • Tuesday – Sisterhood of Hip Hop, Season Premiere (Oxy, 9pm)
  • Wednesday – Player Gets Played, Series Premiere (Oxy, 9:30pm)
  • Thursday – Beauty and the Beast, Season Premiere (CW, 8pm), The Seventies, Series Premiere (CNN, 9pm), The Josh Wolf Show, Series Premiere (CMT, 11pm)
  • Friday – Orange is the New Black, Season Premiere (Net, 3am), Defiance/Dark Matter, Season/Series Premieres (Syfy, 8/10pm), Love, Lust, or Run/Brides Gone Styled/Dare to Wear, Season/Series Premieres (TLC, 9/9:30/10pm)
  • Saturday – Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell, Series Premiere (BBCA, 10pm)
  • Sunday – Mother Funders, Series Premiere (Brav, 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.

Continue Reading

new and noteworthy tv: 6/1-6/7

unrealOf the new scripted series I don’t necessarily have high hopes for manipulating a reality show (Unreal), children hearing nefarious messages (Whispers), some chick going into a person’s subconscious (Stitchers), or yet another tale of random people tied together by something (sense8)… but I will of course take a look for a new TiVo filler. But am thrilled for the return of the best psychopath out there, what is Hannibal up to now?

  • Monday – So You Think You Can Dance, Season Premiere (Fox, 8pm), Devious Maids/Unreal, Season/Series Premieres (Life, 9/10pm), T.I. and Tiny, Season Premiere (VH1, 9:30pm), The Whispers, Series Premiere (ABC, 10pm)
  • Tuesday – Pretty Little Liars/Stitchers, Season/Series Premieres (ABCF, 8/9pm), Chrisley Knows Best/Royal Pains, Season Premieres (USA, 9/10pm), Secrets and Wives, Series Premiere (Brav, 10pm)
  • Wednesday – Girl Code, Season Premiere (MTV, 10pm), Hot in Cleveland, Series Finale (TVL, 10pm)
  • Thursday – NBA Finals (ABC, 6pm), Hannibal, Season Premiere (NBC, 10pm)
  • Friday – Austin X Games (ESPN/ABC, various), sense8, Series Premiere (Net, 3:01am), Catching Monsters, Series Premiere (Disc, 10pm), Preach, Series Premiere (Life, 10pm)
  • Saturday – French Open, Women’s and Men’s Final (Sat/Sun, NBC, 6am), Life Story, Series Premiere (Disc, 9pm), Power, Season Premiere (Starz, 9pm), Branson Taxi, Series Premiere (Reelz, 9:30pm)
  • Sunday – Tony Awards (CBS, 8pm), Food Network Star, Season Premiere (Food, 9pm), Married to Medicine, Season Premiere (Brav, 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.

Continue Reading

new and noteworthy tv: 5/25-5/31

aquariusNew series Aquarius with David Duchovney vs Mason hasn’t gotten good buzz but I’ll watch one at least and Golan the latest to the oddball animated items which I might not. Plus a couple of movie options with EW’s must watch of the week in Nightingale with Selma’s Oyelowo and then Nicole Kidman as Grace. And of course more reality.

  • Monday – American Ninja Warrior/The Island, Season/Series Premieres (NBC, 8/10pm), Grace of Monaco (Life, 9pm)
  • Tuesday – Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, Season Premiere (Fox, 8pm), Extreme Wight Loss, Season Premiere (ABC, 9pm), I Can Do That, Series Premiere (NBC, 10pm)
  • Wednesday – The Briefcase, Series Premiere (CBS, 8pm), iHeartRadio Country Festival (NBC, 9pm), Bullseye, Series Premiere (Fox, 9pm)
  • Thursday – Aquarius, Series Premiere (NBC, 9pm), Hoarders: Family Secrets/Smile, Series Premieres (Life, 9/10pm), 3am, Series Premiere (Show, 11:59pm)
  • Friday – Nightingale (HBO, 9pm), Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars, Season Premiere (WE, 9pm), What Would You Do?, Season Premiere (ABC, 9pm)
  • Saturday – French Open (Continued coverage on NBC for the weekend and ESPN2), The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe, Mini-series Premiere (Life, 8pm)
  • Sunday – Finding Bigfoot, Season Premiere (AnPl, 9pm), Return to Amish/Gypsy Sisters, Season Premieres (TLC, 9/10pm), Golan the Insatiable, Season Premiere (Fox, 9:30pm), Halt and Catch Fire, Season Premiere (AMC, 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.

Continue Reading

another 100

frenchlaundryAnother year another bay area top 100 restaurant list! For those of you who missed the year I focused on this you can check out the page or the post. And here’s the latest:

http://www.sfchronicle.com/food/top-100-2015/

And no I didn’t focus on this list last year, though I did manage to hit Monsieur Benjamin, Poggio, Tosca Cafe, and Trou Normand as well as a long awaited return to Slanted Door. With this year’s updates that brings me back down to only having visited 40.

While I won’t necessarily focus on conquering any number of these, it does make a handy reference. And who knows maybe this will be the year for Gary Danko or French Laundry, or maybe I’ll just try for The Progress. I’m getting hungry just thinking about more restaurants! Where to next?

Continue Reading

new and noteworthy tv: 5/18-5/24

David-LettermanA few things still kicking off but most prominently it’s time to say goodbye to Dave.

  • Monday – The Bachelorette, Season Premiere (ABC, 9pm), Street Outlaws, Season Premiere (Disc, 9pm)
  • Wednesday – 500 Questions/Celebrity Wife Swap, Series/Season Premieres (ABC, 8/10pm), Masterchef, Season Premiere (Fox, 8pm), Air Pressure, Series Premiere (Disc, 10pm), Late Show with David Letterman, Series Finale (CBS, 11:35)
  • Thursday – Red Nose Day (NBC, 8pm), Cutting It: In the ATL, Series Premiere (WE, 10pm), Between, Series Premiere (Net, 11:30pm)
  • Sunday – French Open Tennis (Starts Sun at 2am on ESPN2 and 10am on NBC, continuing), The Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, Season 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.

Continue Reading

new and noteworthy tv: 5/11-5/17

wayward_pines

More stuff wrapping up, including Mad Men, which I might actually start. I’m not overly optimistic but will check out Pines, while trying to wrap up some more backlog and do some damage on the Netflix queue.

  • Monday – Girl Meets World, Season Premiere (Dis, 8:30pm)
  • Thursday – Party Down South 2/Pontoon Payday, Season/Series Premieres (CMT, 9/10pm), Wayward Pines, Series Premiere (Fox, 9pm), Maron, Season Premiere (IFC, 10pm)
  • Friday – Superstar Duets (CBS, 9pm)
  • Saturday – The Billboard Music Awards, An Insider’s Guide (ABC, 8pm)
  • Sunday – 2015 Billboard Music Awards (ABC, 8pm), I Love Lucy Superstar Special (CBS, 8pm), Mad Men, Series Finale (AMC, 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.

Continue Reading

procrastinator’s bubble shows

bones

As we wait for fall tv schedules to be announced and final cancellations to come in (upfronts are scheduled to start next week), I have to admit that I’m almost looking forward to cancellations. My backlog gets to be sort of daunting, and of course new shows will come out in the fall. So some of the shows that I’m tempted to give up on could use a little push. Though the wind could change based on scheduling or a good run, following are some of the things that might no longer make the cut.

  1. 2 Broke Girls (CBS) Renewed – This show is one that I find almost funny, and although I don’t have a season pass of it, when I’m looking for a half hour I somehow seem to keep tuning back in, chances of dropping are moderate.
  2. American Crime (ABC) TBD – I only watched the first couple and was intrigued but wary, a cancellation might keep this backlog off my to do list to see if it’s worthwhile, chances of dropping are high.
  3. Bones (Fox) TBD – Once upon a time I quite enjoyed this procedural and I still enjoy many of these characters enough, but it’s kind of done and not sure I’d feel terrible about letting this go the way of Castle (which I’ve already dropped), chances of dropping are high.
  4. Broadchurch (BBCA) Renewed – I just wrapped up this season, and it was one of the shows that I enjoyed but kind of found myself checking how many minutes of the show were left, I’ll be tempted to tune back in to the premiere to see what the new season story line/mystery will be, chances of dropping are moderate.
  5. Grimm (NBC) Renewed – This show was kind of fun for a while but I’m kind of over the monster of the week and all the interpersonal drama has worn itself out (I love it when most characters get a chance to go bad but not digging Juliet’s current vibe), chances of dropping are high.
  6. The Last Man on Earth (Fox) Renewed – While the pilot was a treat this show quickly became about how annoying Phil could be, I’m short the last two of the season which could determine whether I’m intrigued by the current direction, chances of dropping are moderate.
  7. Madam Secretary (CBS) Renewed – This show is fine, it’s just quite predictable that she’ll face a dire situation each week and come out of it morally intact, and it just comes across as not as good as The Good Wife, but it still works, chances of dropping are low.
  8. The Mindy Project (Fox) TBD – I’ve quite enjoyed some of these episodes but just didn’t love this last season, not sure whether this ongoing pregnancy story line will continue to waylay the laughs but I’ll probably check in, chances of dropping are low.
  9. Sleepy Hollow (Fox) Renewed – The first season of this show was so fun, while the second season did everything it could to keep us mired in the more tedious aspects and characters, I think this new season is sort of another fresh start so worth checking, chances of dropping are low.
  10. Undateable (NBC) TBD – Another half hour that has some potential and started when there was’t a ton on, it just doesn’t quite keep me laughing enough to warrant it being on the to do list, chances of dropping are high.

There are tons of sites that track status of things, here are a couple: TVLine and Metacritic. Anything you’re looking to let go?

Continue Reading

new and noteworthy tv: 5/4-5/10

grace-and-frankieLots of stuff wrapping up and still a few things kicking off. I mean who could pass up at least a look at a new Jane Fonda/Lily Tomlin series?

  • Monday – David Letterman: A Life on Television (CBS, 9:30pm)
  • Tuesday – Nature’s Weirdest, Season Premiere (BBCA, 9pm), The Willis Family, Series Premiere (TLC, 10pm), Inside Comedy, Season Premiere (Show, 11pm)
  • Wednesday – Labor Games, Season Premiere (TLC, 10pm), Monument Guys, Series Premiere (Hist, 10pm)
  • Thursday – Lost in Transmission, Series Premiere (Hist, 10pm)
  • Friday – Grace & Frankie, Series Premiere (Net, 3:01am)
  • Saturday – Deion’s Family Playbook, Season Premiere (OWN, 9pm)
  • Sunday – What She Said, Series Premiere (TLC, 11pm)

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.

Continue Reading

new and noteworthy tv: 4/27-5/3

the-casual-vacancyA few things from the week, fortunately nothing much of note while I do some catch up.

  • Monday – Swab Stories, Series Premiere (VH1, 9:30pm)
  • Tuesday – Dancing with the Stars: 10th Anniversary Special (ABC, 8pm), Sons of Winter, Series Premiere (Disc, 10pm), Mark & Derek’s Excellent Flip, Series Premiere (HGTV, 11pm)
  • Wednesday – Casual Vacancy, Mini-series Premiere (HBO, 8pm), Ripper Street, Season Premiere (BBCA, 10pm)
  • Friday – Beyond the Tank, Series Premiere (ABC, 9pm), Curvy Brides/Psychic Matchmaker, Series Premiere (TLC, 9:30/10:30pm)
  • Sunday – Penny Dreadful, Season Premiere (Show, 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.

Continue Reading