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

April 3, 2016 No Comments

I’ll only tune into the finale of Idol if they promise to bring back Dunkleman.

American Idol (Fox) Series Finale, Thursday, 8pm – I’ve been off this for some time but it really was quite the era of musical searching.
The Odd Couple (CBS) Season Premiere, Thursday 8:30pm – In case those of you forgot about this like I did.
Catastrophe (Am) Season Premiere, Friday – This show gets some good buzz though still holding out on paying for Amazon.
The Girlfriend Experience (Starz) Series Premiere, Sunday 8pm – A new spin from the Soderbergh movie, this is supposed to be intriguing.
Fear the Walking Dead (AMC) Season Premiere, Sunday, 9pm – I didn’t love the first season of this and already being behind on Walking Dead proper I’m tempted to skip it.

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

new and noteworthy tv: 1/13-1/19

January 13, 2014 No Comments

Ok this is more like it, my TiVo finally has a backlog that I will find daunting…

Monday

Australian Open (ESPN2, various) – The first week gets into full swing.
Lost Girl/Being Human/Bitten (Syfy, 8/9/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – The campy but fun folks like a succubus who are more than human, vampire, werewolf and a ghost trying to find their human, and then a series with a closer look at a lady werewolf worth a shot.
Switched at Birth (ABCF, 8pm) Season Premiere – The girls start their senior year.
Archer/Chozen (Fx, 10/10:30pm) Season/Series Premieres – Animated spy returns and then a wrapper returns.
Don’t Trust Andrew Mayne (A&E, 10pm) Series Premiere – Illusionist pranks, pass.

Tuesday

Face Off (Syfy, 9pm) Season Premiere – Fifteen new contestants test their creature creating chops.
Kroll Show (Com, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – Something comedic returns.

Wednesday

American Idol (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – JLo, Keith and Connick are in their chairs, and I am choosing again to value each hour I spend not watching this show.
Suburgatory (ABC, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – Ready to see what’s up on the return of our Tessa and George to their suburban existence.
Duck Dynasty/Crazy Hearts (A&E, 10/11pm) Season/Series Premieres – The quacking cash cow returns followed by the ‘reality’ of trying to make it in Nashville.
Men at Work (TBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – This buddy comedy returns to try to make you laugh.

Thursday

Critic’s Choice Movie Awards (CW, 8pm) – Broadcast Critics put their picks out there.
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo/Welcome to Myrtle Manor (TLC, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – More reality of the, what’s the politically correct term for ‘white trash’, nature.
Under the Gunn (Life, 9pm) Series Premiere – Latest twist of mentor/designing competition, I like Gunn and still enjoy a runway so worth a look.
Party Down South (CMT, 10pm) Series Premiere – Watching friends party.
SWV Reunited (WE, 10pm) Series Premiere – Following their comeback.
Jerks with Cameras/Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory (MTV, 10:30/11pm) Series/Season Premieres – Yet another prank show and they more Rob’s antics.
Brian Boitano Project (HGTV, 11pm) Series Premiere – When you think Boitano you think home renovation.

Friday

Cold Justice/APB with Troy Dunn (TNT, 8/9pm) Season/Series Premieres – More real crime and then looking for lost loved ones.
The Diamond Collar (OWN, 10pm) Series Premiere – A look at mafia turned dog groomer.
Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10pm) Season Premiere – Bill’s back.

Saturday

Flowers in the Attic (Life, 8pm) – Apparently not quite captures the quality of the cheese of the book but how could one not be curious.
Mom’s Got Game (OWN, 10pm) Series Premiere – Former WNBA mom manages NBA son.
My Big Redneck Family (CMT, 10pm) Series Premiere – Who doesn’t need another redneck spinoff?

Sunday

The Following (Fox, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – I can’t believe this show is back.
Keeping Up With the Kardashians/Richkids of Beverly Hills (E!, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – Blurg.
Sherlock (PBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – We’ve been waiting and now it’s time to find out what happened to Holmes.
Looking (HBO, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – The male gay version of (insert slightly incorrect comparison to chick show here), give in to the promise of the characters.

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.

breaking up is hard to do

August 22, 2013 No Comments

As a person who clearly loves some television, and spends a decent amount of time watching it, even I can’t watch everything. I’ve found over time that I like a well balanced portfolio… a little quality drama, a little comedy, a little procedural. Sometimes I want to sit down and focus on a show I think is great and sometimes I want to have something on in the background while I write a pchron post.

What I need to avoid is having a TiVo backlog so large that I feel like it’s a to do list or I’m spending time watching something I don’t enjoy all that much and haven’t gotten back to Friday Night Lights for example which I happen to really be enjoying.

So why can’t I let go? Some shows used to be good. Some shows are good enough but there are too many things that I like more. And some shows may be great but they drive me crazy for one reason or another (stop being so dumb/mean/crazy!). So cutting the cord on committing to the rest of Under the Dome (which I felt great about until someone started talking about how good it was getting) made me take a look back at some of the shows I’ve let go.

American Horror Story (Fx) – Loved some of season one just too random crazy.
American Idol (Fox) – Over the judges and the repetitiveness of the rounds.
Bates Motel (A&E) – I liked the way they recreated the characters but too much crazy in that town.
Breaking Bad (AMC) – This is the one that gets most people, I like an anti hero but I still need someone to root for.
The Carrie Diaries (CW) – This show was cute, but a little too cute.
Criminal Minds (CBS) – I still occasionally catch this in reruns, just not enough interest in cast or cases to keep me invested in the brutalness.
CSI (CBS) – Again just not interested enough in cast or cases.
Franklin & Bash (TNT) – I like a dumb cable show with quirky leads, but there are a lot out these days so not all make the cut.
The Glades (A&E) – I almost like the leads, just not quite enough.
Glee (Fox) – This show had some amazing moments but it just started to falter too much.
The Killing (AMC) – The leads are great, particularly Holder, but the misleads and unsolve were too much for me to return to S2.
L&O:SVU (NBC) – Whatever Benson.
Perception (TNT) – Not sure if it’s that I don’t love RL Cook in this or if I’m not quite sure about the cases or McCormack’s ‘perception’ solving them.
Person of Interest (CBS) – Intriguing but somehow not engaging…
The Voice (NBC) – I get why people dig Blake and Adam but tuning back in second season not as into the competitors.

And some of these are on the chopping block:

Awkward (MTV) – I loved the first season of this but now Jenna has just gotten more annoying, we’ll see what the new showrunners bring.
Bones (Fox) – This was once one of my favorite procedurals, but I’m kind of over it, not because they’re together or not but because it’s hard to stay fresh after eight seasons.
Burn Notice (USA) – Ok it’s in the final season I’m hanging in there.
Castle (ABC) – Ditto Bones though season 5…
Crossing Lines (NBC) – If this show hadn’t been on when there wasn’t a lot else I’m not sure I would have stuck out the first season.
How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – Another last season that is keeping me hanging in for my need for completion and hope for a few of those choice moments.
Major Crimes (TNT) – I did love me some Closer but our new lead’s calm might be working against the show.
Modern Family (ABC) – I find this show brings some funny, but its gotten a little too stereotypical and repetitive.
Nashville (ABC) – I remember really enjoying the first couple eps, but saved almost all of season 1 on dvr and have yet to return, not a good sign.

There have also been a few shows that for me have come back from a drop:

American Idol (Fox) – Ok I dropped this again but at one point I got sucked back in, reality shows can do that any season for me.
America’s Next Top Model (CW) – I have a couple of friends who watch this so it’s harder for me to chat about the silliness that this show is if I don’t watch.
Parenthood (NBC) – The Bravermans sucked me in after dropping them one day when I was sick and checking out OnDemand.

The fall season is always a good time to reevaluate so we’ll see what makes the cut. I’m sure there are other things I’ve cut or am about too cut, what about you, anything getting the ax?

new and noteworthy tv: 2/4-2/10

February 4, 2013 No Comments

Monday

Rules of Engagement (CBS, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – What, this show’s still on?
Monday Mornings (TNT, 10pm) Series Premiere – Medical melodrama with a dash of ridiculous, I’ll check at least one.

Tuesday

Betty White’s 2nd Annual 90th Birthday Special (NBC, 8pm) – Blow those candles.
Smash (NBC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Taking it to Broadway.
Tosh.0 (Com, 10pm) Season Premiere – Shouldn’t this be like Tosh.4 by now?

Wednesday

American Idol (Fox, 8pm) The Hollywood rounds start, might I take a peek?

Thursday

Community (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Will the new showrunner keep that special something?
Brand X With Russell Brand (FX, 11:30pm) Season Premiere – More Russell.

Friday

The Job (CBS, 8pm) Series Premiere – Compete for a job.
Touch (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – Kiefer keeps following his son.
Something Borrowed, Something New (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Wedding it up.
The Jenny McCarthy Show (VH1, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Why did I think she was going to OWN?

Saturday

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (ABC, 8pm) – St. Valentine’s festivities.
Oddities/Odd Folks Home (Sci, 9/9:30) Season/Series Premieres – A shop of oddities and then a trip to some of the folk’s houses.

Sunday

The Grammy Awards (CBS, 8pm) – Sing it.
SNL in the ’80s (NBC, 9pm) – Lost and found.
Battlestar Gallactica: Blood & Chrome (Syfy, 9pm) – What happened when Adama was a youth? for those of you who missed this online.
Gypsy Sisters (TLC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Life with a gypsy family in West Virginia.
Snapped (Oxy, 9pm) Season Premiere – Sometimes I think I might snap.

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.

dropped

September 6, 2012 2 Comments

I’ve mentioned some of the shows that I’m looking forward to, but fall is also the time to make some cuts. There have been a few shows that have been dropped over the years, I can’t wait for them all to get canceled… Sometimes it’s because I can’t keep up with more than two shows per time slot but typically I just can’t take it anymore. For these I’ve only included shows that I’ve stuck with for a bit, and admittedly these aren’t all recent drops.

American Idol (Fox) – I keep trying, and tune back in to catch the new competitors as well as the new judges but I just find myself with not enough to keep me tuning back in, I’m out.
The Apprentice (NBC) – I tried some of the early seasons of these but just can’t get on board with watching the ‘celebrities’ fight and fight their way through challenges.
Criminal Minds (CBS) – This gruesome case of the week got a little monotonous for me though I do still tune back into reruns now and again.
Glee (Fox) – I loved the moments where they got the mix of humor and heart and music just right but those got fewer and farther apart, I’m slightly intrigued about life after high school but history tells us that it won’t improve things.
Gossip Girl (CW) – I loved a few seasons of this but again post high school shenanigans and re-pairings lost my interest much like every other teen drama.
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – I was still hanging on to this when a triple booking last season meant I would have to take an extra step like watching online, after I missed a couple eps… no more Meredith for me.
Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) – Though the show did make me want to visit Hawaii again, and I liked the banter between the boring and the funny leads, one character of interest in a case of the week wasn’t enough.
The LA Complex (CW) – It was so bad it was good but then this Canadian kids trying to make it big in LA just got plain bad.
Once Upon a Time (ABC) – I love a fairy tale remake but though I was engaged in some of the retold tales the present day town didn’t have much to offer.
Person of Interest (CBS) – If two men who don’t emote go around trying to save people does anyone care?
Private Practice (ABC) – Who would have thought that you could get cheesier than Grey’s?
Scandal (ABC) – The thing that may have kept me tuned into this was the fact that the lead wore some beautiful outfits, but the scandalous items and their resolutions are a little too preposterous.
Survivor (CBS) – Reality shows are the easiest for me to drop, I’m not engaged in the new set of characters and though new each season, it’s somewhat repetitive.

As noted on a couple shows are also probation: ANTM (CW), L&O: SVU (NBC), The Voice (NBC). What’s no longer in your queue?

new and noteworthy tv: 5/14-5/20

May 13, 2012 No Comments

Schedules and cancellations rolling out, time to prune my season pass list…

Monday

America’s Got Talent (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Howard Stern joins.
The Bachelorette (ABC, 9:30pm) Season Premiere – Dates, roses, whatever.
Outlaw Empires (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Kurt Sutter supplements Sons of Anarchy with a look at real life criminal organizations.

Tuesday

Pregnant in Heels (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – Maternity concierge is pregnant herself.

Wednesday

ANTM (CW, 8/9pm) – Maybe it’s time to check back in on the British invasion.

Thursday

American Idol (Fox, 8pm) – Aren’t we done with this yet?

Friday

Tron: Uprising, Beck’s Beginning (Dis, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – There’s more story to tell about Tron.

Saturday

Hard Parts (Speed, 11pm) Series Premiere – Haven’t you always wanted to watch someone track down hard to find auto parts?

Sunday

AMGEN Tour of California (NBC, 10am) – The cable coverage wraps up on NBC as the guys head into Los Angeles.
Billboard Music Awards (ABC, 8pm) – Performances, awards.
Keeping Up with the Kardashians (E!, 9pm) Season Premiere – Whatever.
Jessie Stone: Benefit of the Doubt (CBS, 9pm) – Tom Selleck returns to the role that is much better than that Blue Bloods thing he does.
Mrs Eastwood and Company (E!, 10pm) Series Premiere – Managing a South African singing group.
Mystery Diners (Food, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Can a hidden camera catch a thief?

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.

new and noteworthy tv: 3/5-3/11

March 4, 2012 No Comments

Is it time to tune into Idol again?

Monday

Bachelor (ABC, 8pm) – Women tell all…
Love Broker (Brav, 10pm) Series Premiere – Another matchmaker reality show.

Tuesday

Breaking In (Fox, 9:30pm) Season Premiere – What happens when they sell the biz to Megan Mullally?
Decision 2012 (NBC, 8pm) – Returns and analysis of Super Tuesday.
American Digger (Spike, 11pm) Series Premiere – Excavation team.

Wednesday

Doomsday Bunkers (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Company that builds underground bunkers.
Million Dollar Listing New York (Brav 10pm) Series Premiere – A few real estaters sell some property.
My Crazy Obsession (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – More obsessions, too many cabbage patch kids?
Happily Divorced (TVL, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – The return of Fran.

Thursday

American Idol (Fox, 8pm) – Another one bites the dust.

Friday

Ghost Adventures (Trav, 9pm) Season Premiere – Shanghai tunnels of Portland.
Comedy Bang! Bang! (IFC, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Experimental?

Saturday

Game Change (HBO, 9pm) – Does Julianne Moore do a better Palin than Tina Fey.

Sunday

Cupcake Wars (Food, 8pm) Season Premiere – Happy anniversary Girl Scouts.
Bob’s Burger (Fox, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – Taffy tour.
Coming Home (Life, 10pm) Season Premiere – Raiders reunion.
Restaurant Stakeout (Food, 10pm) Series Premiere – Hidden cameras try to uncover the root of the restaurant problems.
Shahs of Sunset (Brav, 10pm) Series Premiere – Persian pals.

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.

new and noteworthy tv: 1/16-1/22

January 14, 2012 No Comments

Enough good tv starting that I may not get sucked into the Australian Open…

Monday

Australian Open (ESPN2, ongoing/various) – The play continues.
The Revolution (ABC, 2pm) Series Premiere – Lifestyle experts transform.
Alcatraz (Fox, 8pm) Series Premiere – Always willing to give JJ Abrams shows a shot, a mix of cops and supernatural, and a reason to see Hurley again on another island.
Betty White’s 90th Birthday/Betty White’s Off Their Rockers (NBC, 8/9:30pm) Series Premiere – Everybody toasts Betty and then seniors play pranks what could be more hilarious.
Being Human/Lost Girl (Syfy, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – More irregular folks and the new/lost girl is a succubus.

Tuesday

Remodeled (CW, 9pm) Series Premiere – More businesses get makeovers, this time modeling agencies.
Ink Master (Spike, 10pm) Series Premiere – Nobody wants to be tattooed by the losers in this competition.
Justified (Fx, 10pm) Season Premiere – Raylan I missed you.
Ragin’ Cajuns (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Shrimp fishing, or should i say fishin’.
Southland (TNT, 10pm) Season Premiere – This cop show tends to not disappoint and this seasn’s guests include Lucy Liu.
White Collar (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – Who will betray who?

Wednesday

American Idol (Fox, 8pm, and Thurs/Sun) Season Premiere – I keep saying I’m out, but depending on scheduling…
Mistresses (BBCA, 10pm) Season Premiere – Relationship problems?
Royal Pains (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – More doctoring.

Thursday

Archer/Unsupervised (Fx, 10pm) Season/Series Premiere – The return of the animated government agency followed by high school misfits.

Friday

Shark Tank (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Get your inventions ready.
On Freddie Roach (HBO, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – A look at boxing trainer and Parkinson patient.
Swanderosa (CMT, 10pm) Series Premiere – The Swan family hosts events on their Texas estate.

Saturday

Drew Peterson: Untouchable (Life, 8pm) – I’m only including this because people are talking about how awesomely gross Rob Lowe is in it.
Bayou Billionaires/My Redneck Vacation (CMT, 9/9:30pm) Series Premieres – More people out of their elements, with new money or new vacay locals.
Idiot Abroad (Sci, 10pm) Season Premiere – More torturing of Karl.
Scorned (ID, 10pm) Series Premiere – Investigating crimes where love has gone awry.

Sunday

Prime Suspect (NBC, 9pm) – In case you were following the changing time slots on the remaining eps.

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.

shows on probation…

June 1, 2011 No Comments

E! recently asked readers what shows they were retiring from their schedules (aka DVR DOA). This of course led me to wonder about my own personal cancellations. Aside from shows that have in fact been canceled I don’t know that I officially retired anything from my lineup but a few are definitely on probation, and let me tell you why:

American Idol (Fox) – This is the one show that I actually am planning to retire, but we’ll see how desperate I am mid-season after checking out X Factor, I find the week after week performances a bit redundant, the more interesting talent (good and bad) gets eliminated earlier than the bland but likable, and the judges lack of judging has caused my fast forwarding to become too much.
America’s Next Top Model (CW) – I have skipped a couple seasons and think about dropping this every year, the model wannabes and their challenges are actually entertaining, and annoying, but again the week after week format with my not actually caring (or remembering) who wins is right on the brink.
Chuck (NBC) – This show has been on my favorite list for many years because of the sharp wit of the juxtaposition of the spy world and the nerds of Buy More, as well as some genuine good chemistry, but I so tired of the family mythology… with that wrapped up and it extended for a final season I’ll check out the final 5 eps on TiVo (and still probably ride out the final season).
Hawaii 5-0 (CBS) – The problem with this show is that it just isn’t that good, I like the joking between the leads, mostly thanks to Dano, but mostly don’t really follow the case of the week or care about the characters, though most weeks I’m game enough to see them romping through paradise chasing some scum balls, though if the TiVo backs up enough I still may delete all.
House (Fox) – I get it, he’s curmudgeonly, and not in a ‘but he’s really a good guy’ kind of way, but he’s also a genius, but watching he and his staff almost kill or let a person die each week until they figure out the puzzle with a House a ha moment has gotten a bit redundant, with him kicking his self destruction up a notch and Cuddy exiting we’ll see if the dynamic intrigues.
L&O: SVU (NBC) – This will be the last of the bunch and while I have tired of Olivia and Elliot, as well as some of the ripped from the headline sexual stories, I’m intrigued as to the change in dynamic that will come with Elliot not returning, hopefully a little more time with Munch and Tutuola.

Any other casualties out there?

new and noteworthy tv: 5/23-5/29

May 22, 2011 No Comments

Just a few more things wrapping…

Monday

Bachelorette (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Ashley (some girl who has done this before) returns to find her own dude.
Clash of the Commercials (CBS, 10pm) – Favorite international commercials.

Tuesday

American Idol (Fox, 8pm) – The two night finale kicks off on a special night with our two least offensive contestants.

Wednesday

The Oprah Winfrey Show (ABC, 4pm*) Series Finale – The queen of daytime television officially hangs up her hat, too bad I don’t get her new network.

Thursday

So You Think You Can Dance (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – More dancers and Mary Murphy is amongst the judges (she’s the loud one).
Secret Diary of a Call Girl (Show, 10:30pm) Series Finale – I guess one can’t be a call girl forever.

Friday

River Monsters (AnPl, 9/10pm) – This special installation of the monsters of the deep could be combined with the killer carp show scheduled on National Geographic tonight, happy summer swimming.

Saturday

Revolver Golden Gods Awards (VH1 Cl, 10pm) – Metal!

Sunday

My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding (TLC, 9pm) Series Premiere – This UK series follows the secretive community of gypsies.

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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