The new tv season is underway, and there is a lot to talk about. Some new things have come, some old things have returned, and some new things have already failed (I'll talk about that more in a minute). There are few really shining spots, a few spots that I'm stunned are still there. I have taken a moment below to elucidate what I think are the highlights of the new season. Enjoy...
The Good Stuff that Returned
Fringe: Fringe had a strong second season last year. The story that was compelling from last year has flowed smoothly and smartly forward into this year. New twists and new oddities have occurred in just the first episoe, (like Walter ending up owning Massive Dynamic).
Vampire Diaries: This show is my guilty pleasure. I don't like to admit that I am thrilled by this show. It is the opposite of everything I am normally attracted to in terms of television. The merger of the dark, the inhuman, and the supernatural with an everyday life show is impressive. And the ancient dark secret twist on the cocktail adds an excellent chaser. And for the next season... It is showing all the signs of picking up where last season left off with compelling TV.
Castle: I have really enjoyed this show over the last few seasons. And this season hasn't disappointed in the opening episodes of this year. Nathan Fillion has turned what could have been a yawner of a show into an excellent top tier program. It makes me happy that I wandered into it. It is a fresh take on the crime drama, and it is fully unique in every way possible.
The New Stuff
The Event: The concept seems interesting enough. The acting to this point has been top notch and the script has been well constructed. Exceptional performance by Blair Underwood as a president willing to take on tough choices and lead in difficult circumstances. It goes without saying that I find the show enjoyable. There is one flaw that is driving me nuts with the show though. There doesn't seem to be one central focus from which the show tells a story. It is all over the place, and has key sequences told from a myriad of times and places. There isn't a single unified narrative so far.
@#$% My Dad Says: No show on the fall schedule was more villified than this one by the critics. With the venom that they all approached this show, it was obvious that they hated it, and felt it didn't belong on the schedule. I don't know how they could have come to this conclusion. This show is extremely original, and funny with an impressive comedic with and timing. William Shatner brings a fresh take to the angry curmudgeon archetype. Its funny as hell and it brings life to the sit-com format that desperately needed it.
The Failures (So Far)
Lone Star: Nothing exemplifies the disconnect between those that review television for a living and those that watch it, than Lone Star. This show was critically acclaimed from every corner. Nearly every reviewer fawned over this show with flowery and effusive praise. And yet it totally fell flat with viewers, and Fox pulled it after two episodes.
Those that review television were interested in the concept of the show, and were willing to build it up in the hope that the long term could be good. The average viewer was watching or not watching what was actually there, and made a judgement based on that. The show took too many risks, and didn't take advantage of the inherrent opportunities that this construct provided. At the end of the day, it was entirely too difficult to watch the doe-eyed nice guy fleece good people out of their money. The simple truth being, that the public's wounds from being fleeced by the flim flam men from Wall Street are just too fresh with some still bearing the bruises and the weeping sores of their contact with the con men of Wall Street.
Boardwalk Empire: So I really gave this show a solid try. I wanted to enjoy it. Steve Buschemi is an excellent actor, and I am a huge fan of his work. And a large portion of the team from the Sopranos came to work on this project. It goes without saying that I wanted this to work. The problem is this... IT IS BORING! I can't get over the fact that both episodes I tried to watch were absolutely tediously boring. I gave up on it sadly.
Complaints:
There are a number of shows that I wish I could fit in, but just can't due to the limitations of my DVR, and time constraints. Nikita is chief among this category. It looks interesting and cool, but I have not resolved the lack of ability to overcome the DVR limitation or the time to fit it in.
The Good Stuff that Returned
Fringe: Fringe had a strong second season last year. The story that was compelling from last year has flowed smoothly and smartly forward into this year. New twists and new oddities have occurred in just the first episoe, (like Walter ending up owning Massive Dynamic).
Vampire Diaries: This show is my guilty pleasure. I don't like to admit that I am thrilled by this show. It is the opposite of everything I am normally attracted to in terms of television. The merger of the dark, the inhuman, and the supernatural with an everyday life show is impressive. And the ancient dark secret twist on the cocktail adds an excellent chaser. And for the next season... It is showing all the signs of picking up where last season left off with compelling TV.
Castle: I have really enjoyed this show over the last few seasons. And this season hasn't disappointed in the opening episodes of this year. Nathan Fillion has turned what could have been a yawner of a show into an excellent top tier program. It makes me happy that I wandered into it. It is a fresh take on the crime drama, and it is fully unique in every way possible.
The New Stuff
The Event: The concept seems interesting enough. The acting to this point has been top notch and the script has been well constructed. Exceptional performance by Blair Underwood as a president willing to take on tough choices and lead in difficult circumstances. It goes without saying that I find the show enjoyable. There is one flaw that is driving me nuts with the show though. There doesn't seem to be one central focus from which the show tells a story. It is all over the place, and has key sequences told from a myriad of times and places. There isn't a single unified narrative so far.
@#$% My Dad Says: No show on the fall schedule was more villified than this one by the critics. With the venom that they all approached this show, it was obvious that they hated it, and felt it didn't belong on the schedule. I don't know how they could have come to this conclusion. This show is extremely original, and funny with an impressive comedic with and timing. William Shatner brings a fresh take to the angry curmudgeon archetype. Its funny as hell and it brings life to the sit-com format that desperately needed it.
The Failures (So Far)
Lone Star: Nothing exemplifies the disconnect between those that review television for a living and those that watch it, than Lone Star. This show was critically acclaimed from every corner. Nearly every reviewer fawned over this show with flowery and effusive praise. And yet it totally fell flat with viewers, and Fox pulled it after two episodes.
Those that review television were interested in the concept of the show, and were willing to build it up in the hope that the long term could be good. The average viewer was watching or not watching what was actually there, and made a judgement based on that. The show took too many risks, and didn't take advantage of the inherrent opportunities that this construct provided. At the end of the day, it was entirely too difficult to watch the doe-eyed nice guy fleece good people out of their money. The simple truth being, that the public's wounds from being fleeced by the flim flam men from Wall Street are just too fresh with some still bearing the bruises and the weeping sores of their contact with the con men of Wall Street.
Boardwalk Empire: So I really gave this show a solid try. I wanted to enjoy it. Steve Buschemi is an excellent actor, and I am a huge fan of his work. And a large portion of the team from the Sopranos came to work on this project. It goes without saying that I wanted this to work. The problem is this... IT IS BORING! I can't get over the fact that both episodes I tried to watch were absolutely tediously boring. I gave up on it sadly.
Complaints:
There are a number of shows that I wish I could fit in, but just can't due to the limitations of my DVR, and time constraints. Nikita is chief among this category. It looks interesting and cool, but I have not resolved the lack of ability to overcome the DVR limitation or the time to fit it in.
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