tv

breaking up is hard to do

No Comments

With the wrapping up of Grimm and Bones, two shows that I quite enjoyed but abandoned along the way, made me start doing another think on shows that had once be enjoyed (some making my favorite tv of the year lists) and had to be given up along the way. Real estate for tv shows these days is limited so though I like to give some a long leash eventually the cost (time)/benefit (enjoyment) needs to hit a reality check.

  • The 100 (CW) – This pretty teens style CW show really developed into an interesting post-apocalyptic take but after a mixed season last year (as well as some unfortunately cast cuts) this year’s latest impending doom just couldn’t keep my interest.
  • The Blacklist (NBC) – I was never a fan of Elizabeth and as all the drama revolves around her it was always a matter as to whether Red and the others could balance that out, and when things turned to Elizabeth and her baby I couldn’t take it anymore, I wish they had killed her off.
  • Empire (Fox) – I love a fun soapy show and the musical angle on this just made it that much more fun, but these all seem to have a shelf life, no matter how much I enjoy the characters there’s a limit to how many circles of drama can keep me engaged.
  • The Outsiders (WGN) – This captured a little of the spirit of the total chaos of Sons of Anarchy with the wild folks in the woods but turned out to be too much of a mixed bag to keep it in the lineup.
  • Sleepy Hollow (Fox) – The first season of this was what’s been described as ‘bonkers awesome’ and then while they continued to struggle with how to manage the stories and supporting cast the key was always the chemistry between the two leads, and when they decided to nix one of the two in a reboot that was it for me.
  • The Walking Dead (AMC) – Ok, so the drama here was usually a good balance of zombie chaos outshone by drama and violence of the more human kind but somehow eventually managed to undermine the characters and my patience in sticking through some of the downs for more sparing ups.

And some previous drops Awkward, Grey’s Anatomy, Last Man on Earth, Major Crimes, Modern Family, Nashville, Suits and my most controversial Breaking Bad following season 2 (I am tempted to go back and see if I would have turned back around on this).

Continue Reading

tv

breaking up is hard to do

No Comments

breaking-bad

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?

Continue Reading

best, tv

critics’ picks – top tv of 2012

No Comments

louieTime to get started on our year end lists! While the tv shows aren’t currently fresh, the critics’ best and award noms give you something to get ready to tune back into. I can’t personally recommend all of these shows (stay tuned for my top ten list) and as most readers know I don’t catch most of the real cable on first run (HBO, Show, Starz), but from the breadth of shows there is a little something out there for everyone. So without further ado here’s a sampling of top tv picks:

  • 2 Broke Girls (CBS) – E
  • 2012 Election  – JP
  • 30 for 30 (ESPN) – DF
  • 30 Rock (NBC) – AS, PGA, TG
  • American Horror Story: Asylum (Fx) – AFI, GG, JP, MoR, MZS
  • Archer (Fx) – MZS, TG
  • Ben and Kate (Fox) – TG
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – E, MR, PGA
  • Boardwalk Empire (HBO) – GG, TG
  • Boss (Starz) – GG, TG
  • Breaking Bad (AMC) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MR, MoR,  MZS,  PGA, TG
  • Call the Midwife (PBS) – MR
  • Castle (ABC) – E
  • The Colbert Report (Com) – KT, MM
  • Coma (A&E) – MZS
  • Community (NBC) – E, MZS, TG
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) – PGA
  • Dexter (Show) – MR, TG
  • Don’t Trust the B- In Apartment 23 (ABC) – TG
  • Downton Abbey (PBS) – MR, PGA
  • Enlightened (HBO) – GG
  • Episodes (Show) – GG
  • Game Change (HBO) – AFI
  • Game of Thrones (HBO) – AFI, DF, E, GG, JP, MoR, PGA, TG
  • Girls (HBO) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MR, MoR, TG
  • Glee (Fox) – E, GG
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – KT, MR
  • Gossip Girl (CW) – E
  • Happy Endings (ABC) – E, MoR
  • Hatfields & McCoys (Hist) – MZS
  • Homeland (Show) – AFI, AS, E, GG, JP, KT, MM, MR, MoR, MZS, PGA, TG
  • The Hour (BBCA) – DF, TG
  • House of Lies (Show) – TG
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – E
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Fx) – TG
  • Justified (Fx) – KT, TG
  • Louie (Fx) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MM, MR, MoR, MZS, PGA, TG
  • Luck (HBO) – AS, MM, MZS
  • Mad Men (AMC) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MR, MoR, MZS, PGA, TG
  • Magic City (Starz) – TG
  • The Middle (ABC) – MR
  • The Mindy Project (Fox) – E
  • Modern Family (ABC) – AFI, E, GG, PGA, TG
  • Nashville (ABC) – KT
  • New Girl (Fox) – E, GG, MoR, TG
  • On Freddie Roach (HBO) – DF
  • Once Upon a Time (ABC) – E
  • Parenthood (NBC) – AS, JP
  • Parks and Recreation (NBC) – AS, DF, E, JP, KT, MoR, TG
  • Raising Hope (Fox) – TG
  • Revenge (ABC) – E
  • Scandal (ABC) – E
  • Shameless (Show) – TG
  • Sherlock (PBS) – MM, TG
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – MR, TG
  • Supernatural (CW) – E
  • Treme (HBO) – AS, DF, MZS, TG
  • The Vampire Diaries (CW) – E
  • Veep (HBO) – TG
  • The Walking Dead (AMC) – AFI, E, MM, MR, TG
  • Wilfred (Fx) – TG

AFI – AFI Television Programs of the Year, AS – Alan Sepinwall for Hitfix, DF – Dan Fienberg for Hitfix, E – E! Best Comedies and E! Best Dramas, GG – Golden Globe nomination, JP – James Poniewozik for Time, KT – Ken Tucker for Ew, MM* – Mary McNamara for LA Times, MR* – Matt Roush for TV Guide, MoR – Maureen Ryan for Huffington Post, MZS – Matt Zoller Seitz on Vulture, PGA – Producer’s Guild, TG – Tim Goodman’s Best Comedies and Dramas

* Some top votes were for categories of shows or notations to things like Clint’s chair speech and referee strike.

Continue Reading

tv

my schedule

No Comments

We’ll see if anything changes and I’m always pretending I’ll be a bit more ruthless with some cuts, but here’s where things are netting out for now.

Monday

  • 8pm – How I Met Your Mother (CBS) / Bones (Fox)
  • 10pm – Castle (ABC)

I’m kind of over all of these shows but feel dedicated to see them through for their resolution and still glimmers of my past appreciation.

Tuesday

  • 8pm – Ben & Kate (Fox) / Hart of Dixie (CW)
  • 9pm – Happy Endings/Don’t Trust the B in Apt 23 (ABC) / New Girl/The Mindy Project (Fox) / Go On/The New Normal (NBC)
  • 10pm – Parenthood (NBC) / Vegas (CBS)

My biggest competitive slot at 9… Ben & Kate aren’t rock solid yet so we’ll see where it goes, but the rest of the funnies, assuming Endings and Apt 23 come back in good form, are pretty solid, capped off with some good family drama and a so far kind of intriguing Vegas.

Wednesday

  • 8pm – The Middle/Suburgatory (ABC)
  • 9pm – Modern Family (ABC)
  • 10pm – Nashville (ABC)

More funny, and I’m only one in but enjoyed the drama of the Nashville songsters and the actual and subjective politics surrounding them and the pretty catchy tunes.

Thursday

  • 8pm – The Big Bang Theory (CBS) / 30 Rock (NBC)
  • 9pm – The Office/Parks & Rec (NBC)
  • 10pm – Elementary (CBS)

When’s the last time I was enjoying so many comedies, though hoping Office will go out on a good note, and then the enjoyable latest iteration of Sherlock and Watson.

Friday

  • 8pm – Community (NBC) / ANTM (CW)
  • 9pm – Grimm (NBC)

So Community isn’t back yet, but whenever and wherever it hits I’ll check it, I have somehow been sucked back into ANTM hijinks, and still digging the silly and sometimes grisly weekly fairy tale mystery.

Saturday

  • Day of rest or frolic

Sunday

  • 9pm – The Good Wife (CBS)
  • 10pm – The Mentalist (CBS)

A good dramatic lineup to cap off the week with my favorite network drama Wife.

And still working in my less time slot specific cable entries of It’s Always Sunny (FX), The League (FX), Major Crimes (TNT), Sons of Anarchy (FX), The Walking Dead (AMC) and tentatively American Horror Story (Fx).

What’s in your queue?

Continue Reading