After my Covid/back injury tv intensive things have slowed down a bit for me. I did do Station 11 on Max which was good, though you know never as good as the book. The big news is a have a temporary signup to Paramount+/Showtime because the latest season of Ink Master is on and it is my fave reality show. So I’ll dabble a bit there but am also still sorting my deep HBO backlog.
The Buccaneers (App+) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 11/8 – Early reviews of this Edith Wharton adaptation are positive for these American heiresses hitting the London debutante season.
Colin from Accounts (P+) Series Premiere, Thursday 11/9 – Australian comedy about a guy and a gal brought together by a dog + car accident.
The Curse (Show) Series Premiere, Sunday 11/12, 10pm – Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder star as a newly married, pregnant, cursed, home improvement show cohost couple.
Beacon 23 (MGM+) Series Premiere, Sunday 11/12, 9pm – A space set thriller based on the Hugh Howey book.
Blackberry (AMC) TV Premiere, Monday 11/13 – This looks like the repairing of the movie in miniseries form.
A Murder at the End of the World (FX/Hulu) Series Premiere, Tuesday 11/14 – One of the guests at an isolated retreat is murdered and an amateur detective tries to find the killer.
NCIS: Sydney (CBS) Series Premiere, Tuesday 11/14, 8pm – The latest spinoff goes down under.
The Long Shadow (SundN) Series Premiere, Thursday 11/16 – A drama about the five-year manhunt for the Yorkshire Ripper.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 11/17 – After Godzilla attacks a woman finds her family is connected to a secret organization of monster hunters.
The Holiday Shift (Roku) Series Premiere, Friday 11/17 – Romcom about the love stories of mall employees during the holidays.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 11/17 – An anime series a la Scott Pilgrim vs the World.
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.
TV years have gotten a bit murky. It used to be if it was on broadcast tv you watched it or you didn’t. Now with so much cable and streaming we’re often catching up. I know I am. Including all the cable channels who could watch it all?
And if I had the time I definitely don’t have all the channels. The biggest shift was I finally got HBOMax, but not until late in the year. I have definitely not caught up on all the 2022 fare, though you’ll see I was able to get started. I am also dabbling with getting different options for a limited time (e.g. Paramount+ and Apple+).
Recency bias may have resulted in some of this ranking but as you know on any given day who knows but you gotta land somewhere.
The Bear (Fx/Hulu) – If I’m lucky every season there is something new and special that draws me in, this was it for me this year, a very tense tale of a ‘real’ chef heading home to run a local restaurant after his brother dies and let’s just say things don’t go smoothly.
Hacks (HBO) – I just just finished this but was so drawn into these two women and their dysfunction and personal growth together as they turn an old-school comedian’s act into something new, Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder for the win.
Barry (HBO) – I can’t help myself with these painful shows where you can’t imagine how this is all going to work out, and Bill Hader’s hitman looking for a change in LA does it to a T.
Somebody Somewhere (HBO) – Ok so maybe the new HBOMax subscription was a good idea (and I’ve only scratched the surface); I was really drawn in by this look at a woman’s return to her small Kansas town and her struggle to fit in with family and found family.
Ghosts (CBS) – Based on an English show which I have yet to check out, Rose McIver plays a woman who inherits a family home and can see the undead, it brings lots of fun as we learn more about the long-term residents and watch them try to make a future.
Abbot Elementary (ABC) – You’ve likely heard about this one and for good reason, Quinta Brunson’s teachers in Philly has a ton of heart with its silliness.
Yellow Jackets (Show) – My Paramount+ temporary subscription led me to this (though I tried not to add any new shows) and couldn’t stop watching this time-split tale of present-day and the immediate aftermath of a plane crash filled with a high school girl’s soccer team, I mean that would traumatize anyone right?
Evil (Para+) – I’m a big fan of the King’s series and this is no exception, this show literally creeps me out with its trio of skeptics and believers investigating ‘occurrences’ for the church, and their personal lives are not unimpacted.
Reservation Dogs (Hulu) – Indigenous teens in rural Oklahoma do what they gotta do to make it to California while dealing with family and local drama, a nice mix of off-format, story, and character/relationship focus.
Ink Master (Para+) – This is my favorite reality show and as it was brought back it moved networks and changed judges but they were able to maintain the core of the thing (though I do miss Chris and Oliver), testing the skills of a tattoo artist to see who is the master
A few series that wrapped this year and while the final season might not hit the top ten, the series in their entirety were noteworthy (this is also a bit of a cheat to list more shows):
Animal Kingdom (TNT) – I enjoy a good crime drama and this So Cal surfing crime family sure brought the drama, it was a little uneven but I think quite good for what it was.
Atlanta (Fx) – Donald Glover really took artistic license but for the most part it was incredibly successful while also building rich characters and an interesting overall arc in this look at an up-and-coming rapper and his manager.
Better Things (Fx) – I just love what Pamela Adlon did with this semi-autobiographical dramedy about her family and her life surrounding Hollywood, this show was consistently in my top ten.
Claws (TNT) – Ok this was one heck of a campy show but if you want to watch a bunch of over-the-top nail artists take on some serious Florida crime these characters had heart and style.
David Makes Man (2021-OWN) – The first season of this was one of my favorite looks at coming-of-age both through the story and visuals and while the second season’s time jump wasn’t as successful for me it was still really interesting.
Dead to Me (Net) – Christina Applegate and Linda Cardelini play unlikely friends who won each other and me over with their approach to every ridiculous twist and turn they run into through their start with grief.
Deutschland 83/86/89 (2020-Sund/Hulu) – I caught these after the fact but loved the Americans-ish spy drama and the time jumps to see where it all went.
The Good Fight (Para+) – Christine Baranski can do no wrong and I enjoyed her years starting over at a new law firm following The Good Wife, they created something new but kept a lot of the elements of what made the former work through quirky characters, cases, and overarching issues, I actually paid to get the rest of this show.
Grace & Frankie (Net) – This show wasn’t revolutionary but the throwback feel of a screwball buddy comedy worked with not only great leads of Fonda and Tomlin but a fun supporting cast.
Killing Eve (BBC) – Ok this show kind of lost its way but that first season was enough to keep me in for moments of Eve and Villanelle’s relationship, assassins and spies, and some great outfits.
Ozark (Net) – This show pushed the edges of dark both metaphorically and visually but this family, with great performances, doing everything they can to survive, and maybe even thrive, through a money laundering entanglement with the Mexican drug lord, don’t get in their way.
Honorable mention: Alaska Daily (ABC), Dark Winds (AMC), Get Shorty (Epix), Only Murders in the Building (Hulu), Professor T (PBS), Reginald the Vampire (Syfy), Resident Alien (Syfy), Russian Doll (Net), Single Drunk Female (Free), So Help Me Todd (CBS), Upload (Am), Welcome to Wrexham (Fx), White Lotus (HBO).
There are also a few shows I am enjoying but not up to date on: Better Call Saul (AMC), Euphoria (HBO), and The Flight Attendant (HBO).
Is this just everything I watched last year? Sadly no. But I admittedly didn’t choose the smallest subset to mention.
For critics’ picks, there’s a good list at Metacritic. What were your faves?
With a lapse in new tv I’ve managed to wrap up the latest season on streaming for Ramy (great elements), Tuca & Bertie (didn’t grab me with its layers like BoJack did), Mindhunter (still good but not as strong for me as the first season), and Glow (enjoyed where they went and the variance of episodes) as well as the series finale of Madam Secretary (fictional political escapism pretty well done). I’m working through the 5th season of Schitts Creek which I won’t hit before the 6th premieres on Tuesday. I’m also super ready for the new season of Ink Master on Tuesday, this theme is ‘Rep Your Region’ with four regional teams.
With not a ton of info on new shows if I were to recommend one show it would be Sex Education (Netflix) which returns for its second season, the first was one of my favorites of 2019 (stay tuned for the full list) great characters and moments.
One Day at a Time (Pop) Promo special, Tuesday 1/7 – With the move to POP for its fourth season here’s a look, this was a good show and I’m glad it got picked up after Netflix dropped the ball.
FBI: Most Wanted (CBS) Series Premiere, Tuesday 1/7 – A spin-off from the FBI show, which never grabbed me.
AJ and the Queen (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 1/10 – RuPaul stars as as drag queen who travels in her RV with an 11-year old stowaway, sure.
Giri/Haji (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 1/10 – Tokyo detective goes to London to search for his brother who is in some Yakuza trouble.
Medical Police (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 1/10 – Two American doctors as a Brazilian pediatric hospital need to find the cure to a killer virus.
Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector (NBC) Series Premiere, Friday 1/10 – Based on the book (don’t ask me why they didn’t just call it ‘The Bone Collector’), after being paralyzed by a serial killer this former forensic criminologist is dragged back in, these always have potential of being decent procedurals.
The Outsider (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/12 – Based on Stephen King’s novel, and investigation takes an irregular turn into the supernatural.
Sanditon (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/12 – An adaptation of Jane Austen’s unfinished novel.
The New Pope (HBO) Series Premiere, Monday 1/13 – A sequel to ‘The Young Pope.’
68 Whiskey (Para) Series Premiere, Wednesday 1/15 – Army medics in Afghanistan in this comedy-drama, might be worth a look.
Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (Free) Series Premiere, Thursday 1/16 – Humor to deal with the myriad of problems that deal with a brother being responsible for his half sisters, this network tends to skew a bit young but might be an interesting mix.
Little America (Apple+) Series Premiere, Friday 1/17 – An anthology series looking at immigrant experiences.
9-1-1: Lone Star (Fox) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/19 – A spin-off of 9-1-1 which never grabbed me, this one focuses on Rob Lowe as a character who moves from NY to Austin with his son.
Avenue 5 (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/19 – Hugh Laurie stars as a captain of a cruise space ship that comically deals with problems on the way to Saturn.
Vienna Blood (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/19 – 1900s Vienna pairs a doctor with an inspector to look at crimes.
Additional streaming:
Jamtara (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 1/10 – This Indian tv show brings a group of young men into a phishing scheme that gets complicated by politicians and police.
Ares (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 1/17 – In this Dutch psychological horror series a student secret society brings secrets.
Returning streaming: The Brokenwood Mysteries (Acorn, 1/6), Ackley Bridge (Acorn 1/13), Grace & Frankie (Net, 1/15), Sex Education (Net, 1/17).
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.
Excited for the return of Ink Master, Queen Sugar, Baskets, Younger, and Jessica Jones. Was pondering about picking up Pose which returns though I dropped it midway last season I hear so many good things.
Too Old to Die Young (Am) Series Premiere, Friday – Mixed reviews for this crime drama set in the under belly of LA.
Jett (Cin) Series Premiere, Friday, 10pm – Carla Gugino plays a fresh out of prison, trying to retire, professional thief.
Los Espookys (HBO) Series Premiere, Friday, 11pm – A Spanish language comedy from Fred Armisen about a group of friends turn their love of horror into a business.
City on a Hill (Show) Series Premiere, Sunday, 9pm – 90s Boston crime with Kevin Bacon as FBI agent helping to investigate armed robbery that leads to more drama.
Euphoria (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday 10pm – Some early good buzz for this coming of age centering on a girl played by Zendaya recently coming out of rehab.
Other streaming releases:
Jinn (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday – Two Jinns, one good and one evil, enter the human realm, in high school.
Leila (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – Dystopian future woman looks for child taken from her.
Trinkets (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – Three girls connect in Shoplifters Anonymous.
Unit 42 (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – Widowed cop teams up with former hacker to combat cyber crimers.
The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.
Most of the dust has settled and very few shows were picked up by me, let’s see what I’m still looking at.
Tuesday
8pm – The Conners (ABC)
9pm – Lethal Weapon (Fox)
I do find The Conners a much fresher take than the previous Roseanne incarnation and while I’m a little less enthusiastic about the update to a new wildcard partner on Lethal Weapon, the new dude has potential but the stories and characterization seem light and knowing Wayans is bowing out after this season leaves a low enthusiasm. I’ve also dropped This is Us because the few things I thought were well done were far outweighed by my disdain for most of the characters and plotting.
Wednesday
9;30pm – Single Parents (ABC)
It’s not quite a good show but so far I like the characters enough to see if they can be something like the new Cougartown with kids.
Thursday
8pm – Big Bang Theory (CBS) / Superstore/The Good Place (NBC)
9pm – Mom (CBS) / Will & Grace (NBC)
The favorite laugers have returned and I’ll also give Murphy Brown one more shot but while I like the cast and the idea of their slant on news today it’s just not quite hitting the mark for me. I still need to catch Legacies on CW but having passed on previous incarnations am assuming that will also get a pass but who knows it could be a gem of a young supernaturals option.
Friday
8pm – Last Man Standing/Cool Kids (Fox) / Speechless (ABC)
No promises on keeping Kids but as a pairing with the predictable but mildly entertaining Last Man, it’ll get another viewing. And I still find Speechless fresh but I’m dropping Fresh Off the Boat which is hitting the repetitive character archetype point Modern Family did for me after a few seasons. I also couldn’t get on board with Midnight, Texas for a second season but it was a fun summer show last year.
Sunday
8pm – God Friended Me (CBS)
10pm – Madam Secretary (CBS)
And here’s to my night of hope, while God is a little too schmaltzy it scratches the Kevin Probably Saves the World itch, and Tea Leoni gives me hope that politics can be challenging but people are trying to do the right thing.
And a we’ve got some continued fun in cable with: Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS), Ink Master (Spike), It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Fxx), You (Life), Z Nation (Syfy)
Better late than never, here’s our lineup for the week.
The Terror (AMC) Series Premiere, Monday, 9pm – Inspired by a true story we join the Royal Navy in a perilous voyage.
Roseanne (ABC) Season Premiere, Tuesday, 8pm – The Conners are back and bringing their blue collar humor to present day, worth a look.
Ink Master: Angels (Para) Season Premiere, Tuesday, 9pm – Before we’ve even wrapped the current season of Ink Master the angels are back test more candidates.
Splitting Up Together (ABC) Series Premiere, Tuesday, 9:30pm – Jenna Fischer and Oliver Hudson pair up in a show about a couple who try to separate while still living in the same house, seems like it’s got potential but not all that realized.
Alex, Inc (ABC) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 8:30pm – Zach Braff returns to tv as a family dude doing a podcast startup.
Siren (Free) Series Premiere, Thursday, 8pm – Ok I read the promo for this show and can’t even do it justice, there’s mermaids (and mermen) wreaking havoc on a town.
The Dangerous Book for Boys (Am) Series Premiere, Friday – Bryan Cranston co-creates this show about three brothers coming to terms with the death of their father through a book he left them, it’s a comedy.
A Series of Unfortunate Events (Net) Season Premiere, Friday – This streaming series, an adaptation of the book with fave Neil Patrick Harris, isn’t in my queue but I hear it’s supposed to be enjoyable.
The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.
The first week and I’m already behind. Though happy to see some new reality coming back I’ll definitely have to limit the tennis watching.
End of the F***ing World (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 1/5 – I missed this on last week’s list and it’s getting some good buzz so wanted to call it out
ANTM (VH1) Season Premiere, Tuesday, 8pm – Yes, Tyra is back and looking at women of all (relatively) ages.
Ink Master (Spike) Season Premiere, Tuesday, 10pm – This season they’re bringing three ‘masters’ back to act as team leaders to coach competitors.
Alone Together (Free) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 8:30pm – Millennial platonic couple navigates the world of LA, comedically.
The Critics’ Choice Awards (CW) Thursday, 8pm – Another awards show I won’t watch but am mildly interested in the results, though this year I am further behind on movies than ever.
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – Letterman is back doing interviews in a more focused form and starts with Obama.
Philip K Dick’s Electric Dreams (Am) Series Premiere, Friday – A new sci-fi anthology series based on Dick’s work and featuring some good talent, I’m only on season 2 of Black Mirror.
Australian Open (ESPN2) Sunday, 4pm – Let the first Grand Slam of the year begin.
Some season premieres of shows to check for dvr recording if you’re watching this sort of thing: The Magicians (Syfy) Wednesday, 9pm; Taken (NBC) Friday, 9pm; Victoria (PBS) Saturday, 9pm; Divorce/Crashing (HBO) Sunday, 10/10:30pm.
The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.
Things are already wrapping up for their fall finales but everything is finally basically out so here’s where I’m at. *New shows indicated.
Monday
10pm – The Brave* (NBC)
This show isn’t necessarily all that good but it has avoided must of the unbearable personal stories or soapy drama that made the others of this ilk unwatchable, and you know so far they succeed on their missions in an uplifting way.
Tuesday
8pm – The Middle/Fresh off the Boat (ABC) / Lethal Weapon (Fox)
9pm – This is Us (NBC) / Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)
10pm – Kevin (Probably) Saves the World* (ABC)
Some good classics are still hitting the queue, though I am almost over This Is Us unless they find a way to make anyone else as interesting as Randall and his family’s stories. I am thoroughly enjoying the oddball Jason Ritter series where he’s trying to balance family and his new secret missions with his invisible to others new cohort.
Wednesday
8pm – Speechless (ABC)
I dropped this show mid-way through last season but am glad to say I listened to critics and got back on board.
Thursday
8pm – Gotham (Fox) / Superstore/The Good Place (NBC) / The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
9pm – Will & Grace*/Great News (NBC) / Mom/Life in Pieces (CBS)
I am mostly waiting for Gotham to be canceled and I am not sure how into Great News or Life in Pieces but some good comedies are still hitting Thursday night including the funny familiar though uneven Will & Grace.
Sunday
8pm – Ghosted* (Fox)
10pm – Madam Secretary (CBS)
I’m enjoying the buddy paranormal fighting comedy and the Secretary still gives me hope for politics where most things turn out ok.
And because no one lives on network alone, some cable shows that are in the queue: Better Things (Fx), Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (BBCA), Full Frontal (TBS), Good Behavior (TNT), Ink Master: Angels* (Spike), You’re the Worst (FXX), Z Nation (Syfy)
And I still haven’t watched this season yet but they’re backing up: The Long Road Home* (NGC), Mr. Robot (USA), Project Runway (Life), Queen Sugar (OWN), Top of the Lake (Sun)
So a couple things happened recently that made me revisit my cable. First my latest discount level contract expired and my cost for my Digital Starter package of 140+ channels went up. Second my channel lineup made yet another adjustment where they decided that Viceland, a channel where I only watch King of the Road – a skateboarding scavenger hunt show, is now worthy of being on a higher level. This is the second of the two ‘junky’ reality shows getting nixed, the first was Ink Master – the tattoo competition. Now when I lost Ink Master I debated upgrading my cable but it’s already so expensive it just didn’t seem worth it for one junky show. But two junky shows started to get my ire up.
So I did what any person in my social circles would do, threaten to cut the cord. Now as this blog makes pretty clear I’m not one of those people who doesn’t watch television but there are so many options out there that one might not need to have ‘cable’. But before I cut the cord I’ll need to research what I’m replacing it with. I already have Netflix and Amazon Prime. But if I added Hulu does that cover enough of the shows I’m currently watching? And do I need to supplement with other channels? And are they current? Can I shift to just not having shows in real time? Can I watch them online on the channel’s sites? And what are these new services I keep hearing about? In the end am I just sacrificing other shows? Or am I now going to spend so much money on other technologies that are going to be a pain to make up for it? Phew this was exhausting and I hadn’t even started.
So I did what any normal person in my social circles would do, punted the decision for another year. I signed up for another year’s contract at a discounted rate and went ahead and went for the upgrade. I’m probably spending $10/mo more than I was previously but really how big of a deal is that in the grand scheme of things? Plus now I finally also get Sundance and IFC among some other stuff. Still no HBO and all but I am still working my way through The Wire on Prime so no need to go crazy for now.
Not a ton new and noteworthy but there are some fun summer shows that I enjoy returning, while I’m still attending to Fargo and kicking through some streaming shows.
Ink Master (Spike) Season Premiere, Tuesday, 10pm – I’m still unresolved about my no longer getting Spike.
King of the Road (Vice) Season Premiere, Wednesday, 9pm – I thought the first season of this was a weird fun combination of skateboarding and stupid scavenger hunt hijinks.
Queen of the South (USA) Season Premiere, Thursday, 10pm – I enjoyed the first season of this drug dealing show with a good protagonist and lots of things going bad.
Orange is the New Black (Net) Season Premiere, Friday – Picking up where we left off with big trouble in Litchfield prison.
Wynonna Earp (Syfy) Season Premiere, Friday 10pm – This was a fun campy fighting the dead sort of show.
Orphan Black (BBCA) Season Premiere, Saturday, 10pm – The final season of what has been a great, though sometimes uneven show, excited to return to Sarah, her sisters and their friends and family.
Tony Awards (CBS) Sunday, 8pm – And the award goes to…
Claws (TNT) Series Premiere, Sunday, 9pm – Things are complicated in this Florida nail salon dramedy.
Steve Harvey’s Funderdome (ABC) Sunday, 9pm – Audience votes on one of two entrepreneurs.
French Open (NBC) Saturday/Sunday, 6am – Ready for some finals!
The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.
