Fall 2011 Preview: The CW’s New Shows September 9, 2011

Sarah Michelle Gellar returns to tv in Ringer, the CW's most promising new show.

I’m officially too old for this network. Although, I’m still watching Supernatural – not sure why – it’s not as good as it used to be and probably should have ended two seasons ago. And this year the only new show I’m interested in is Ringer. Only because Sarah Michelle Gellar is the star. Anyone else and I wouldn’t even consider watching it. They aren’t giving much info about the actual premise, other than that she is posing as her twin sister who disappeared or something. Another positive is that Jason Dohring (Logan on Veronica Mars) has been added to the cast. On that note, count me in!

The other shows:

• Hart of Dixie – Looks painfully sweet and sappy, and I’m not too impressed with Rachel Bilson’s acting. All these shows that take Northerners or big city dwellers down south to small town America are so cliched and get a lot of things wrong. And Rachel Bilson as a brilliant surgeon? Really?

• H8R – The name alone would keep me away from this “reality” show, but then I find out that it’s even worse than I thought. Mario Lopez is the host (go away!), and it focuses on “stars” like Snookie and some other people I’ve never heard of. I’m pretty sure only people who watch E! or MTV know these stars. It’s about celebrities confronting the people who hate on them. Sounds like a very silly premise. Am I really supposed to feel sorry for these “famous” people because someone doesn’t like them? Obviously, I’m very irritated by this show. I hope it’s an instant failure.

• The Secret Circle – Not so much interested in this one. Trying to continue capitalizing on Vampire Diaries success, no doubt. But doesn’t that show have witches in addition to vampires and werewolves? This show apparently focuses solely on witches. Not sure this one will catch on. But you never know with CW. Vampire Diaries didn’t look too promising when it started, and it has a huge following now.

So that’s it. Weak offerings, CW, very weak. Then again, maybe I’m just too old to see the genius in them. 😉   After all, the old folks probably complained about Buffy and Angel back in the day.

Fall 2011 Preview: Fox’s New Shows

"New Girl" is a refreshingly funny sitcom that I look forward to watching this fall.

This fall, Fox is too busy overhyping Glee and its newest Idol wannabe to leave much room on the schedule for new shows. So this won’t take very long:

• Terra Nova – You’ve probably seen promos for this – it seems to be the Fox show they are promoting heavily. It’s a cross between Jurassic Park and Avatar, and I am not super interested, but I do like the guy from Life on Mars (Jason O’Mara) that stars in it. So, I’ll check out the pilot at least. I’m not very crazy about dinosaurs (I only watched Jurassic Park when it had been out for nearly ten years, and I hated it), so I hope the focus is on the characters and not the things trying to eat them.

• Allen Gregory/I Hate My Teenage Daughter – Meh. One is a cartoon about a super intelligent and mature seven year old. The other is about two incompetent single moms trying to raise their teenage daughters. My guess is that neither one will do particularly well.

• The X Factor – Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul try to reclaim their former Idol glory, and just as my interest in that show continues to wane (I still can’t believe how weak the finalists were this past season!), I just don’t care about this one. I haven’t even investigated it – just another talent competition.

• New Girl – I am actually very interested in this one. Zoey Deschanel is just so cute, charming, and funny. The trailer looked pretty funny, and I like that she has a trio of male roommates who are trying to help her get back on her feet after a bad breakup. Seems different and funny. I’ve already seen the pilot thanks to Tivo’s free preview, and it was laugh out loud funny. The characters are not your stereotypical sitcom types. They are quirky but likeable, even after just the first few minutes of the show. Make a point to watch this one – it’s worth your time! I especially loved the use of Dirty Dancing references and music in the pilot episode. Instant classic.

Mid season will mark the premiere of Alcatraz, which has potential since it comes from J.J. Abrams and has Jorge Garcia. But like many supernatural shows, it may be too specific to last very long. Another new show will be Touch, which sounds very convoluted and complex. But I’m interested in it because it has Kiefer Sutherland playing a loving father to an autistic 11 year old who happens to have a very special gift of seeing the interconnectedness of events that other people can’t see. Or something like that. Those shows usually don’t last very long (remember Flashforward? – probably not…), but maybe since they have a few more months to work on it, the showrunners will get this one right.

So I will be watching The New Girl, along with returning favorite Fringe. In my opinion, this sci-fi gem is by far the best show on Fox. Every season it reinvents itself or adds another layer of complexity and excitement. I was skeptical about the alternate universe last season, but after a few episodes I was hooked and was equally interested in both storylines (over here and over there). However, I am on the fence about Glee. I still haven’t been interested enough in it to finish watching all of last season. The final three episodes are waiting on my Tivo. A few issues I have with it: overpromotion, weak to nonexistent plots, and inconsistent (if any) character development. Suddenly last season almost all of the teenagers on the show were completely self-centered and even vindictive toward their fellow gleeks. Why watch a show that doesn’t have any likeable characters? I have heard about some behind the scenes changes, so I am willing to give the show another chance. But if things don’t change soon I will have no regrets jumping off the Glee bandwagon. What will you be watching this fall on Fox?

Fall 2011 Preview: CBS’s New Shows September 7, 2011

Person of Interest is the only remotely interesting new show on CBS this fall.

Other than a few notable exceptions, CBS generally makes shows for old(er) people, tries too hard to make shows that will appeal to younger people, or simply makes shows that are borrring. And so the trend continues with this fall’s small batch of new shows.

• How to Be a Gentleman – I’ll start with the worst one. Another “man’s man” show (apparently the big theme this year on all networks), this one has Kevin Dillon playing a “real man” who makes it his mission to transform this other guy from a weakling into a strong man. Chloe from 24 and Murray from Flight of the Conchords won’t be enough to save this one. Murray was extremely annoying in the trailer. That actor seems stuck in unfortunate type casting. Sadly, this show may succeed with a certain audience.

• 2 Broke Girls – Really bad name, never heard of the actors, and a bland premise about two waitresses befriending each other. Who knows? Maybe it could be the next “Laverne and Shirley,” but I doubt it.

• A Gifted Man – This one creeps me out, mainly because the main actor looks creepy. Oh wait, it’s Patrick Wilson, who played that weirdo guy in Watchmen (I suffered through the extended bluray version of that movie…). No wonder I don’t like him. So this one is about a surgeon whose wife dies and starts to explain the meaning of life to him in spirit form. What, is she going to look over his shoulder and tell him how to perform open heart surgery? Not interested. [Now some of the critics actually say this one is pretty well done, but I’m just not interested enough in the premise or the cast to check it out.]

• Unforgettable – CBS seems to be running out of gimmicks for crime procedurals. In this one the main detective remembers every single detail of her life, except for her sister’s murder. Bummer for her. Easy one to skip for me.

• Person of Interest – I saved the best for last. Michael Emerson’s presence is the main thing that makes this one interesting. He plays a man who designed a machine for the government that deciphers all the email/texts/etc. that the government has secretly been tracking since 9/11. The machine basically weeds out all the miscellaneous info and helps predict events that are going to happen. Sounds a little like Minority Report. So Michael Emerson teams up with a detective sort played by Jim Caviezel to help track down potential suspects or victims before it’s too late. I am sure Emerson will be very good in this role, but I’m not sure about the overall premise.

I just realized that I don’t watch a single show on CBS, and I doubt any of these new comedies and dramas will be added to my must-see lineup. There are a number of shows on CBS that I used to watch, but whenever I need to pare down by list of shows, this network seems like an easy place to start. I would still enjoy, but no longer watch: The Mentalist, How I Met Your Mother, Amazing Race, CSI. Will you be watching anything on CBS this fall?

Fall 2011 Preview: NBC’s New Shows September 6, 2011

"Up All Night" just may be my most anticipated show of the fall.

A couple of days ago I previewed ABC’s new shows. Next up is NBC, whose primetime lineup is so cluttered with Dancing with the Stars and other mediocre reality shows that there is only room for a handful of new offerings. Very few of these look promising:

• Free Agents – The only thing this show has going for it is that Anthony Stewart Head is in it. But he plays “the boss,” so I doubt that will be very interesting. This show is about “two recently heartbroken coworkers desperately trying to put their lives back together.” Yawn… The only buzz about this show among the critics is that it will likely be one of the first to get the axe.

• Grimm – Okay, so this show looks like it wants to be better than it actually will be. But I will at least watch the pilot since it is written and produced by Angel/Buffy guy David Greenwalt. I think Once Upon a Time will be the better fairy tale show this season. This one may be too procedural in nature. The main guy is a detective who is also one in a long line of “grimms,” protectors of humanity from the monsters that really exist. It looks like he’s trying to find the “Big Bad Wolf” and save a little girl in the pilot episode. Maybe a little too specific, and too strange a combo of normal procedural with fantasy. That’s the problem I had with Alex O’Loughlin’s Moonlight, and it ended up being short-lived. That being said, I am intrigued by Silas Weir Mitchell’s “reformed grimm” character, who acts as an informant for the main character. Could add an interesting dynamic to the show.

• Prime Suspect and Whitney – These two shows have nothing in common except that I have no interest in either one. American remakes of British shows don’t usually succeed, and just because a comedian is funny doing standup doesn’t mean they will find Seinfeld level success on tv. The show pages didn’t do anything to draw my attention to the story, characters, or actors. Moving on.

• The Playboy Club – Another rip-off of Mad Men, with this one being offensive to me because of the whole blatantly objectifying women thing. It’s like the NBC powers that be said, “Hey, I bet people would watch a show where women bounce around in playboy bunny costumes…” Supposedly they will feature storylines about women’s rights and equality and such, but it’s hard to take those topics seriously in a playboy club setting.

• Up All Night – I’m really excited about this one! What’s not to love about Will Arnett, Christina Applegate, and Maya Rudolph? (As an aside, if you haven’t watched Bridesmaids, save it to your Netflix queue – so funny, if also highly inappropriate.) Anyone who currently has a baby, is suffering from sleep deprivation, or is navigating the unfamiliar landscape of parenthood, can relate to this show very well right now. Will and Christina are new parents to a baby girl, and he is a stay at home dad while she resumes her career. Maya Rudolph plays her well meaning boss who is totally clueless about kids. It looks really, really funny. Hope it lives up to my expectations!

So there you have it. I will check out Up All Night, and with a more skeptical eye, Grimm. NBC hasn’t had a great track record with dramas in recent years, but it is home to my current favorite drama, Parenthood, and one of my all time faves, Friday Night Lights. I also admit that The Sing-Off is a guilty pleasure for me. I’ll probably get caught watching it from time to time this season. NBC’s main strength, though, is still its comedies. The Office is past its prime, but I’m still loving 30 Rock and Community. Which NBC shows will you be watching this fall?

Fall 2011 Preview: ABC’s New Shows September 4, 2011

One of ABC's most intriguing new shows

I love this time of year! The summer heat starts to dissipate, the kids go back to school, and the tv networks launch a plethora of new shows. Every year I enjoy researching these shows before they ever air: who stars in them? what are they about? what shows are they up against? And most importantly, why should I care? With that in mind, I’d like to share my initial impressions of the five biggest networks’ new offerings. I’ll start with ABC, since, as usual, they have the most promising new crop of comedies and dramas.

• Apt. 23 – This roommate comedy has a naive midwesterner choosing her new roommate (Krysten Ritter, the girl from Veronica Mars and Breaking Bad), because she is friends with James Van Der Beek. That’s about the only interesting thing about the show, and all the characters seem pretty unlikable. It is funny that James Van Der Beek plays himself, but I think that will get old. Think I’ll skip this one.

• GCB – I think that if you want to go there and name a show something controversial like “Good Christian Bitches” then you should own it and not shorten it to GCB. No one knows what that means! They should have found a more suitable name that wouldn’t alienate much of what is probably their target audience. I hear that at one point they changed the name to “Good Christian Belles,” but I’m sure they want a name that conveys a snarkier tone. It is about a woman returning to her hometown of Dallas after a nasty divorce, only to encounter the mean-spirited ladies she went to high school with. Based on the trailer, this show looks like it is trying too hard to be clever. I would totally skip this one, but Kristin Chenoweth is in it, so I may at least watch the pilot. I also think it’s weird that Leslie Bibb is playing mother to a teenager! She was on that WB show Popular when I was in graduate school 10 years ago! That wasn’t really that long ago, was it?

• Charlie’s Angels, Last Man Standing, Man Up – I lump all these together because they seem to emphasize the same thing: females are starting to dominate the world. Do we really need a Charlie’s Angels tv show again? The first movie was okay, the sequel was so so. I’m not interested. And Last Man Standing is basically Home Improvement 2.0. Man Up seems mediocre at best. Not even worth writing about here.

• Missing – Sounds like it has potential with Ashley Judd as a former CIA operative on a mission to find her missing college aged son in Europe. Perhaps too specific a plot to last long, but I’ll watch the pilot.

• Pan Am – This is ABC’s obvious attempt to recreate the success of Mad Men. May be too stylized to work on network tv. I don’t find myself very interested, but then I never got into Mad Men either. Unlike Mad Men, there isn’t much buzz about this show. Critics are calling it boring and saying you’ll fall asleep watching it.

• Revenge – This one stars Emily Van Camp as a woman out for revenge against a bunch of rich people for destroying her father’s life. What happened to our sweet Amy Abbott from Everwood? Could be a good soapy show, plus it marks the return of Nick Wechsler (Kyle on Roswell) to tv! (He’s been floating around as an occasional guest star for the past decade…)

• The River – I enjoyed the preview for this one. Features some good actors (Joe Anderson, Leslie Hope, etc.), and looks pretty spooky! I like a good adventure thriller, so I’ll check this one out. It centers on the mysterious disappearance of a popular wildlife expert in the Amazon, and when his family and crew go on a quest to find him, they stumble upon something frightening and deadly.

• Scandal – This is the one that stars our beloved Desmond (Henry Ian Cusack) from Lost. For that alone I’ll watch the pilot. But it actually looks really good. Not necessarily a show you’d have to watch every week, either. But it looks very well done. It’s about a team of lawyers whose job is to make their clients’ scandals go away. The premise doesn’t sound too exciting, but the trailer actually made it look pretty riveting.

• Suburgatory – Hate the name, somewhat offended by the obvious mockery of the suburbs since that’s where I live! But this one actually looks like it has similar humor to Clueless, which I loved. Fitting, then, that it stars Jeremy Sisto (he played Elton), but how weird that he’s the dad! He moves his teenage daughter to the suburbs, where she is less than impressed by her fellow students and everyone else. It also stars Alan Tudyk (Dollhouse, V, Firefly), who is overdue for a successful show, and Ana Gasteyer. I’ll check this one out.

• Work It – Worst. Idea. Of. This. Season. The preview was embarrassingly awful to watch! This is Cavemen bad. If it succeeds, then there is definitely something wrong with Americans. It’s about two unemployed car salesmen who dress as women to get jobs as pharmaceutical reps. A similar premise may have worked for Tom Hanks in the early ’80s show Bosom Buddies, but I just have no interest.

• Once Upon a Time – I am excited about this one! I am intrigued by the cast (Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parilla, etc.), anything from the Lost writers must be pretty good, and it has that epic feel to it. Hope it finds an audience! Like everyone else, I’m having trouble understanding exactly what it’s about, so I’ll just say that it’s about the real world and fairy tales colliding.

So there you have it: ABC’s new shows for 2011-2012. Some of these won’t premiere until midseason, but it’s good for the network to advertise them now. I’m not completely sold on any of these shows, but I am hopeful that at least Once Upon a Time and Suburgatory will be worth adding to my viewing lineup. Which of these shows are you looking forward to or rolling your eyes at?

SYTYCD Season 8: Ranking the Top 12 Couples July 14, 2011

Melanie and Marco: this season's power couple

While I have been enjoying this season of So You Think You Can Dance, I have been underwhelmed by most of the couples. I am excited to see how the introduction of all-stars next week will breathe new life into some contestants who have been hindered or overshadowed by their current partners. Now that we’ve had a chance to get to know the remaining couples pretty well, and since they will be split up starting next week, I thought I’d take a moment to rank them from best to worst. These ranking are based less on individual talent, more on the chemistry and stage presence of the couples.

1. Melanie and Marco – They are this season’s powerhouse couple. (Previous seasons’ power couples include s4 Katee and Joshua and s6 Ashleigh and Jakob.) I don’t think anyone would argue that they aren’t the current frontrunners. Yes, they’ve had some help from the cameras, the lighting, and the judges’ gushing praise, but even without all that they are both phenomenal dancers who light up the stage every time they perform. I haven’t loved every one of their routines, but like Sonya said last night, they always perform with a confidence that enables the audience to sit back and just enjoy the dancing. Their success from this point on will depend on which all stars they are paired with, and whether or not they are able to sustain the same performance quality and chemistry as they have had with each other. Those will be difficult standards to live up to, but I know they are capable.
   
2. Caitlynn and Mitchell – Based on their presence in the bottom three couples more than once this season, this pair isn’t super popular with most viewers. But they are actually my second favorite. They are both beautiful people and dancers, and they work well together. Caitlynn really seems to trust Mitchell, as he has been able to toss and twirl her around the stage with ease every week. Like this week’s guest judge, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, I didn’t “get” the message of their first performance last night, but that wasn’t their fault. And while their second performance was fine, I was almost embarrassed to watch it, since Caitlynn looks about 15 to me. Her costume and choreography just seemed a little too “adult” for her. My favorite of their dances this season has been last week’s Mandy Moore contemporary. I’m not a huge fan of Celine Dion’s overdramatic pop ballads, but their dancing was beautiful and believable.
   
3. Jordan and Tadd – Jordan and Tadd are this season’s “cute couple.” (Similar to Neil and Lauren several seasons back.) Most of their performances have been pretty bubble gum: sweet, cute, but not much substance. This may be to cover up the fact that Tadd is not as versatile and talented (outside of his own style) as most of the other contestants. The vulture, the princess, the other princess one… Most of their routines have showcased Jordan’s talents, while Tadd has been an also ran. But let’s be honest, on this show, even a sub par male dancer can survive if he dances without his shirt on (Neil’s shirtlessness almost carried him right to the grand prize!). Since that happened last night, I think he’ll be safe for at least another week. With new partners next week, Jordan has the potential to do really well, but Tadd may struggle.
4. Clarice and Jess – I don’t have much to say about Clarice, but I must admit that Jess is growing on me. Even though his obnoxious personality initially prevented me from enjoying his performances, I can’t deny that he is an extremely talented dancer with natural charisma. He will be perfect for Broadway, and he has surprised me more than once in other styles this season. Their contemporary performance last week was enjoyable, last nights’ jive was entertaining, and I even bought the lyrical hip hop/artist routine (although the huge creepy portrait of Clarice was unnecessary and distracted me from the performance there at the end). This couple is a clear case of mismatched talent. I don’t want to be rude, but Clarice is not even close to the same level as most of the other girls. I’ve asked myself more than once what she’s still doing here. I think she will be in big trouble next week when she doesn’t have Jess there to carry her. But as long as Jess doesn’t get stuck with ballroom, he could hang around for awhile.
5. Sasha and Alexander – These are both great dancers, but here is a classic case of greatness being squashed by an absolute lack of chemistry. When I watch them dance together, I feel like I’m just watching them go through the motions of the choreography. There are occasional glimmers of power and talent, but there’s a definite emotional disconnect that inhibits both of them. If they are still around next week (their security is definitely in question), I think they could both benefit from new partners.
   
6. Ryan and Ricky – Oh, Ryan and Ricky. Such wonderful alliteration, but somehow it hasn’t worked out nearly as well for them as for Melanie and Marco. She’s too tall, he’s too skinny, when it comes to chemistry, they don’t have any. (I couldn’t resist the urge to go poetic – theirs is such a tragic pairing.) I really enjoyed their zombie fashion show performance last week, but all their other performances have been almost painful to watch. Based on their solos, they are both talented dancers. But I think that neither of them is completely comfortable with the idea of being on national television. (Reminiscent of some past contestants, including season 6’s Channing.) They always seem to hold something back, unlike the “all-in” attitudes of dancers like Melanie and Marco. I have a feeling that Ryan will be going home tonight, and maybe Ricky as well. They may keep him around another week to see how he does with another partner, but it may be too late for both of them.

So that’s my opinion of the Top 12 Couples. Agree? Disagree? Leave your comments below. Check back next week for my rankings of the top ten contestants. (Oh, and fingers crossed that Pasha and Mark are among the all-stars!)

David Anders: One of TV’s Unheralded Heroes February 10, 2011

He has played the son of a Russian mobster, the biological father of a vampire-loving teenager, an eternally young ne’er do well, and even the unfortunate victim of a corn-worshipping cult. But to me, he’ll always be Sydney Bristow’s charming, British-accented nemesis, Julian Sark. I’m talking about one of my favorite unheralded tv actors: David Anders.

Mr. Anders was one of the first celebrities who I investigated on IMDb, when I first discovered the website nearly a decade ago. Since I only knew him at the time through his character on Alias, I was surprised to learn that not only was he only in his early 20s, but he was from Oregon. In his role as Sark, he came across as much more mature than 20, and his British accent was so flawless that I had assumed he was really from England. Sadly, most of his subsequent roles haven’t featured such an attractive accent, nor have his characters met very satisfying fates. However, no matter how poorly written or short-lived a role is, if David Anders’ name is attached, I will always check it out. Let’s take a look at some of his work:

• Alias – (2002-2006) – So far this has been Anders’ most impressive and memorable role. Sark was supposed to be a villain, but he was impossible to dislike! For awhile, the writers hinted that he and Sydney were half-siblings, and I wish that had been true. But at least he crossed over from the dark side in later seasons, to assist Sydney and company on some cases.
• Heroes – (2007-2010) – Let me be clear. David Anders was the only reason I tuned in to season two of this show, which was already faltering big time by the end of the first season (and it only went down hill from there…) By the next season, Anders’ presence almost wasn’t enough to make me keep watching, the show had become so ridiculous. So when he was killed off with absolutely no fanfare, I immediately stopped watching, with no regrets. Even when his character was alive and well, this was not a villain you loved to love. He was annoying and selfish – not the best role for someone as attractive and charming as David Anders!
• Children of the Corn – (2009) – Sadly, things didn’t get much better in his next role, SyFy’s tv remake of the classic ’80s horror movie of the same name. The original was campy enough (what was Linda Hamilton thinking?!), so why redo it? At least it gave me a chance to see David Anders again, in a slightly less annoying role than that of Adam Monroe on Heroes. As is usually the case in horror movies, Anders’ character didn’t meet a very good end.
• 24 – (2010) – I had started to tire of Jack Bauer and company by the time this final season rolled around. (I never fully recovered from the bizarre direction they took Tony Almeida…) I was considering not watching, but then the names of the new cast started being announced: Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck was back!), Freddie Prinze, Jr. (that should be interesting…), and David Anders! So yet again, Anders became my motivation for watching a show. And his role as Josef Bazhaev didn’t disappoint. He was a “bad” guy, but he had the redeeming qualities of risking his own life to help his brother, and ultimately deciding to turn on his Russian mob father to help Jack save the day. It was a short-lived role, but a step in the right direction.
• Vampire Diaries (2010-2011) – And now it appears that David Anders has found a new generation of fans on the CW. Many viewers of Vampire Diaries were probably starting kindergarten when Julian Sark first came to life on Alias. So to them, it’s not strange for him to be playing someone’s father on this show about a group of teenagers, two vampire brothers, and apparently a clan of werewolves (I stopped watching during the first season, so I’m not really sure what’s going on now…) But to me it’s very weird! He’s only 30 years old, and he’s playing father to Elena, who must be 18. Do the math. Then again, he has often played roles older than his real age. I did tune back in to this show to see him, but at the time it appeared to be his last episode (as had the episode before that, when he had been left for dead…) Plus, I admit to fast forwarding through the show and only watching his scenes. But I am glad that he is back on tv – hopefully for a prolonged stay this time.
• The Riot (2011) – Perhaps this will be the year that Anders has a breakthrough year. He’s turning 30 in March, and he’s appearing in a feature length film called The Riot. It doesn’t exactly feature a top notch cast, but headliners Ron Perlman and Michael Clarke Duncan tend to have success in action movies. Based on the synopsis (four friends stick together and try to survive in a world “on the cusp of disaster”), it looks like he’ll be playing a good guy for once. Let’s hope this role will get David Anders noticed even more, so he can land some better roles, and I’ll only have to watch great shows to see him.

Fringe: A Show You Should Be Watching January 21, 2011

A young woman loses herself in her job as she tries to escape the ghosts of her past. A father learns to depend on the son he has been estranged from for years, as the son struggles to forgive his father for a life altering act committed years ago. Meanwhile, mysterious events are taking place all over the world, and a team of scientists and investigators use unconventional methods to solve crimes, save lives, and sometimes even save the world!

This is a very basic synopsis of the excellent scifi show Fringe, which returns tonight after its winter break. If you have never watched before, do yourself a favor and start catching up! Fringe is currently in its third season, and it just gets better and better. It’s the only show I consistently watch the night it airs, and it’s also the best scifi show currently on tv. Here are my thoughts on why you should be watching Fringe, too.

• It’s a worthy successor to The X-Files – When The X-Files ended, I doubted that any other scifi show would captivate me as much as it had. Then along came this tale of FBI agent Olivia Dunham, who finds herself working for a division that investigates strange, seemingly inexplicable cases. She works alongside Dr. Walter Bishop, a brilliant scientist who uses unconventional investigative methods and spent several years in a mental institution. Tagging along as a “supervisor” for his father is Peter Bishop, and he and Walter are still working through all sorts of family baggage. This trio is joined by a few other team members, and together they investigate the strange, unimaginable, and sometimes horrific events tied to the Pattern. Instead of Mulder and Scully, we have Olivia, Peter, and Walter. Instead of aliens and government conspiracies, we have shape shifters and other world conspiracies. But both shows have a satisfying blend of character development and mysterious cases/freaks of the week.
  
• Olivia – Olivia is an interesting and likable heroine. She loves her job and is committed to doing her best. She genuinely cares about the people she works with and the victims she encounters in her investigations. The writers have been slow to reveal details about her past, which makes her a somewhat enigmatic figure when it comes to her emotions, her mindset, and her relationships, or lack thereof.
  
• Peter and Walter’s father/son relationship – This pair is one of the most entertaining on tv. John Noble and Joshua Jackson have great chemistry as the bickering father and son who obviously care for each other, even though they don’t always see eye to eye. Peter exhibits great patience with his socially dysfunctional and mentally unstable father, and Walter has proven how much he loves his son, even though some of his actions have been questionable. Some of the funniest, as well as the most heartwarming, moments on the show happen when these two are involved. And I should mention here that I totally have a crush on Joshua Jackson in this role. I was never a huge fan of Pacey when he was on Dawson’s Creek, but Peter is so charming, funny, and handsome that it’s hard not to love him. I even named my second child Peter, not completely because of this show – but it was definitely what gave me the initial idea for the name.
  
• The Observers – Ohhhh, weird bald guys, wearing suits and hats, who show up at important or significant events in history. Count me in. The verdict is still out on who these guys are, what their ultimate goal is, and where they come from. But part of the fun of watching Fringe is noticing their appearances. It’s usually very subtle – they may be standing at a bus stop in the background, may walk past other characters, etc., but when they do show up it’s usually a signal that something important is about to happen.
  
• The alternate universe – I don’t want to say much about this development, since it didn’t surface until late in the second season. Let me just say that it opened up a whole new world of possibilities for the show, and has resulted in a highly entertaining and exciting season three.
  
• Rich mythology – The Observers and the alternate universe are only part of the intricate mythology of this show. The X-Files had a rich mythology, but the writers never resolved much of it. Fringe has done a more satisfying job of answering some questions, so that viewers aren’t as frustrated by the new questions those answers create, or the questions that are left unanswered. The first season didn’t supply much information – it was more about the case of the week, as well as getting to know the characters. But as season two progressed, we learned more about the other world, and after several episodes that only hinted at the secret of Peter’s past, the shocking truth was finally revealed, and that secret has led to all sorts of complications. So, yes, there are many complex details to figure out, but the show can also be enjoyed on an episode by episode basis.
• The musical episode – When a show comes up with an unusual episode, I am sold. Buffy the Vampire Slayer succeeded with “Once More, with Feeling,” its musical episode, Angel impressed me with its “puppet” episode, and last season Fringe satisfied me with its version of a musical episode. It was part story time, part old school private eye, part musical – and I loved it! Agent Broyles played piano and sang a smooth jazz number, Olivia sang a beautiful ballad, and Walter even conjured up some singing corpses. It was weird, but it worked. This episode proved that you never know what you are going to see when you turn on Fringe.
  
• The details – One of my favorite aspects of season three has been the amount of detail provided about the alternate universe. JFK was never assassinated, avocados are an endangered fruit, writing instruments have been replaced by electronic devices, etc. These sometimes subtle, sometimes large details give this other world a distinctive look and feel. If you are interested in reading about more of these details, check out this page on Fringepedia about the parallel universe.
• Genuine chills and thrills – The CSI intros, infamous for being gross and shocking, have nothing on Fringe. A woman giving birth to a baby who ages 80 years and dies within a few minutes? Sure. A mad scientist who collects the donated organs of a deceased ballerina to put her back together again as a marionette dancer? Why not. A victim whose facial orifices close over, leaving him a faceless corpse? Well there you have it. The incidents, the investigations, and the discoveries never cease to shock, perplex, or surprise. Needless to say, the writing team is very creative and imaginative. The one hour episode flies by every week – so much is happening, and it is so entertaining.

I had a hard time writing this post. I really wanted to convey how much I love this show and why, but I didn’t want to give away too many details in the process. Much of the fun of watching Fringe is in the not knowing, not having all the information, not completely understanding what’s happening. I hope I’ve piqued your interest enough that you will give the show a try. Set your DVR for Friday nights at 8 p.m. central time! Let me know what you think after you check it out.

Football, Ballet, and the Wild, Wild West January 19, 2011

Football. Books adapted into movies. Oscar nominees. Here’s how I’ve been entertaining myself during the winter hiatus that most of my tv shows are in.

• Friday Night Lights: Seasons 3 and 4 – I am so in love with this show. I’m ashamed at how non-committal I’ve been to it all these years. I’d watch, and really enjoy, a few episodes, but then let ten pile up on my Tivo, end up deleting them before I watched them, etc. Not really sure why I didn’t just sit down and watch every episode I could get my hands on. It’s so, so good! This time around, I fell in love with Tim Riggins, a bad boy with a good heart, and even found myself welcoming new characters with open arms (I’m usually resistant to change when old characters are replaced with new ones). From Eric and Tami Taylor’s realistic marriage and parenting challenges, to Matt Saracen’s struggle to deal with his dysfunctional family, I enjoyed every aspect of these two seasons. Apparently the fifth and final season is still airing on Direct TV, so I’ll have to wait a few months to see how it all ends.
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire – In a recent post I talked about how much I enjoyed Stieg Larsson’s trilogy about the enigmatic Lisbeth Salander. So I was pleased when I discovered that the Swedish film adaptations of the first two installments were available on Netflix Instant Watch. The first one, Dragon Tattoo, was just as thrilling as the book. It was a great translation from page to screen. The second, Played with Fire, was equally entertaining, but was a little rough around the edges. (Some of the important plot points were rushed through or skipped, and it seemed pretty low budget.) Apparently I am far from tiring of this trilogy, since I am looking forward to the American movie version, directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, Social Network), which will star Daniel Craig as journalist Mikael Blomkvist, Christopher Plummer as the Vanger family patriarch, and newcomer (at least to me) Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander. Should be a good one!
  
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – This movie taught me a lesson that I should have learned a long time ago: I am not a fan of movies based on graphic novels. Let’s review the earlier hints I should have taken: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen – What a silly, silly movie; A History of Violence – all I remember about this one is the ridiculous cheerleader scene; 300 – No amount of slow and/or fast motion battle effects could impress me enough to finish this one; Watchmen – three of the most miserable hours I’ve ever endured (accidentally watched the extended version…), and I was completely puzzled by the story. And so we come to the Michael Cera action comedy about a slacker musician who can only date the girl of his dreams if he defeats her seven evil exes. I was so overwhelmed by the clever recreation of a comic book and homage to video games, and so underwhelmed by the plot and dialogue, that I turned this one off after 40 minutes. Obviously I did not fall into this movie’s target demographic, particularly since I’ve never even glanced at a graphic novel. I really thought I would like the movie – I can appreciate movies that are “different” (say, for instance, Stranger Than Fiction, or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), but this one was just too busy – all bells and whistles, no substance.
• Black Swan – What to say about a psychological thriller set in the world of ballet? It was everything I hoped it would be: a magnificent, frightening, beautiful mess that deserved a standing ovation as the credits rolled. Natalie Portman was terrific as dancer Nina, who slowly unravels under her enormous desire to be perfect in the starring role of Swan Lake. And Barbara Hershey was almost unrecognizable, but fantastic as Nina’s controlling mother. She sent chills down my spine with a subtle shift of her eyes, and made me gasp with some of her creepy interactions with her daughter. The music was beautiful, the effects were appropriately weird, and yes, there were some shockingly graphic scenes that helped establish Nina’s spiraling emotional/psychological state. It’s one of those movies that blurs the line between “real” and “imagined,” which gave it a dreamlike quality. Should it win Best Picture? The subject matter seems a bit too campy for such high accolades. But it’s definitely deserving of some sort of recognition for setting a new standard of quality for psychological thrillers.
  
• True Grit – Now here’s a movie that has Best Picture written all over it. Strangely, though, there’s been little Oscar buzz about this latest product of the Coen brothers (No Country for Old Men, Oh Brother Where Art Thou). I don’t even like westerns, but I loved this movie. I fell under its spell from the moment an orchestral version of “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” started playing in the opening scene. It’s a beautiful old hymn, and its lingering presence, in different forms throughout the movie, helped create a very satisfying tone of quiet resolve. The song also matched the rugged beauty of the Indian territory that Mattie Ross, Rooster Cogburn, and Laboeuf traversed on their hunt for Tom Chaney. I was very impressed by all of the actors. Hailee Steinfeld was terrific as 14 year old Mattie, carrying herself like a young woman with more maturity and intelligence than her age would suggest. Jeff Bridges proves, once again, that he plays drunken, past their prime heroes very well. Matt Damon really surprised me with his unusually funny role as a Texas ranger who was a little too proud of himself and his home state. These three also had great chemistry (as well as some great dialogue to work with). Josh Brolin used an unusually high-pitched voice as the villain, and it made him even creepier in the role. Like some of the Coen brothers’ previous movies, this one was a strange mix of heavy themes and oddball humor. The result: not your typical Western, but a perfectly entertaining and epic drama. And it’s much more than just a revenge movie – it’s a beautifully told story of persistence, endurance, and camaraderie.

I’ll be taking a big step down in quality when I watch my next Netflix movie. Yes, The A-Team is far from Oscar material, but I’ll give it a look since Bradley Cooper (my beloved Will Tippin from Alias) is in it. I also hope to watch a couple more of the Oscar hopefuls before that awards show airs – perhaps The King’s Speech, The Fighter, and The Social Network. What movies have you loved or hated lately?

2010: Year in Review January 1, 2011

2010 was a year that marked the birth of my second son, which has made it decidedly more difficult for me to maintain this blog. Perhaps one of my new year’s resolutions will be to post more frequently. We shall see. Blame it on pregnancy ditziness, blame it on newborn phase sleep deprivation, but whatever the cause, much of 2010 is a blur, especially the entertainment world. I do remember saying goodbye to, and shedding some tears for, one of my all-time favorite shows. I also remember the wrong person winning American Idol, the soap opera I grew up on coming to an end, and Christopher Nolan continuing his movie-making magic. Here’s a bullet point list of the best of times, worst of times of 2010.

• Good Reads
  • Stieg Larsson’s Girl trilogy – I read all three of these books in 2010 and found them completely riveting. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was a satisfying blend of suspense and mystery revolving around the enigmatic Vanger family. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest was a conspiracy-filled investigation to clear the name of the wrongfully accused, and The Girl Who Played with Fire was a satisfying ending to the trilogy with its expose of a secret organization and Lisbeth Salander finally finding some peace. I have watched the Swedish movie adaptations of the first two novels, and they were surprisingly good (meaning the transition from page to screen was pretty accurate). I hear there are American versions in the works, but since the trilogy is set in Sweden, and so much of the plot revolves around Swedish politics and culture, I don’t think they will be as good.
  • Eric Larson’s The Devil in the White City – I don’t usually read historical non-fiction, but I was fascinated by this book, which blends the story of an infamous serial killer with the city of Chicago’s efforts to prepare for and host the 1893 World’s Fair. Larson knew when to elaborate and when to summarize, to make this a quick and interesting read. Word on the street is that there is a movie in the works, with Leonardo DiCaprio set to play serial killer H.H. Holmes. Should be a good one!
• Good Movies
  • Shutter Island – Speaking of Leonardo DiCaprio, he has completely redeemed himself for Titanic. Yeah, I guess I should have gotten over that about ten years ago, but I lost over three hours of my life to that movie!! It took me a long time to forgive him for shouting “I’m the king of the world” and such. This year, he only impressed me, starring in two of my favorite movies. One was Shutter Island, adapted from the Dennis Lehane novel. I knew it would be good when I saw that it starred DiCaprio, along with Mark Ruffalo (one of my favorite character actors) and Ben Kingsley. This one was terrific in the theater: the scenery, the music, the everything. The ending surprised (and disappointed) some people, but Martin Scorsese did a great job with every single detail, from beginning to end, and I was impressed.
  • Inception – The only person who outdid Scorsese this year was Christopher Nolan, who continues to amaze me with his ability to intrigue and entertain. Inception is the last movie I saw in the theater before my son was born, and I haven’t been back to the movies yet! What a terrific experience that movie was: the sights, the sounds, the story… the whole package. I look forward to giving it a second look soon.
• Good Music
  • Mumford and Sons – Their Sigh No More is the only complete album I purchased in 2010, and I love it. From the mainstream hit “Little Lion Man,” to the solidarity of “Timshel,” to the poetry of “The Cave,” everything is worth listening to and enjoying.
    
  • Glee – Nothing is more fun to listen to than songs from Glee. They are fun to sing and dance along to, in the car, the kitchen, or anywhere else. The second season has been a little lackluster, but I’m still enjoying last season’s hits – most notably “Somebody to Love,” “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” “Borderline/Open Your Heart,” and “Alone.”
    
• Good TV
  • Breaking Bad – After three seasons of it receiving awards and accolades, we finally jumped on the Breaking Bad bandwagon, zooming through the first two seasons on DVD. Now we are anxiously awaiting season three, and hope it will reair on AMC before the dvd release. Bryan Cranston is truly amazing in this role, one that is about as far removed from the dad on Malcolm in the Middle as you can be. I’ve had several people tell me they don’t want to watch the show because it sounds depressing (actually, I think I was one of those people before I watched it!), but the show balances out the heavy themes (cancer, drug addiction, deception, etc.) with lighter moments. We so enjoyed this show that we decided to try out AMC’s other original series. We quickly lost interest in Mad Men (well made, yes, but no likable characters!), but immediately took to the new zombie drama The Walking Dead (too bad there were only six episodes in season one…). I was also interested in Rubicon, but since it was canceled after one season, I’m not sure I’ll ever watch it.
  • Fringe – I continue to love this sci-fi investigative show. The story arcs are imaginative, the characters well drawn, and the details thorough. This season has been all about this universe vs. the alternate universe, and I appreciate all the little details that the writers throw in about alt-universe (JFK was’t assassinated, they no longer use writing pens, avocado are a rare fruit, etc.). This show even inspired the name that I eventually chose for my son (Peter).
  • Lost – I couldn’t do a year end post without mentioning what is probably my all-time favorite show. I throughly enjoyed the final season, although it took me awhile to come to terms with the way it ended. The show had a great run, though, so I don’t miss it now. Too much other tv to watch anyway.
• Good Sports
  • The Saints won the Super Bowl! – After years of embarrassment, followed by some years of “almost, but not quite,” the Saints finally had their moment of glory as Super Bowl champs, by winning a handful of crazy games. It was oh so sweet to celebrate with them after all those depressing Sunday afternoons growing up in Louisiana, watching the ‘Aints.
  • Duke wins the NCAA championship! – What a rare thing, for two of my teams to win championships during the same year! I have been a Duke fan since 1991, the year they won their first championship. I’ve followed their ups and downs ever since then, and was pleasantly surprised when they were the only #1 seed left standing for the Final Four last season, and added another championship to their collection. Go Blue Devils!

• Disappointments
  • Velva Jean Learns to Drive – This book was okay, but I was really unhappy with how it ended.
  • The Event – I guess I shouldn’t have expected much from NBC, since their action/suspense shows usually fail, but this show was just one, big convoluted and implausible mess. I tried to watch it, but gave up on about episode 5 or 6. I suppose it will last for awhile, but I won’t be tuning in to this failed hybrid of 24 and Lost.
  • So You Think You Can Dance: Season 7 – When I first heard that the show was mixing things up by pairing new contestants with all-stars, I was super excited. And as much as I loved seeing Pasha, Mark, Kathryn, etc., their presence made it nearly impossible to pick favorites among the newbies. We couldn’t enjoy power couples, and I was usually too busy watching one of the all-stars do their thing to notice how the actual contestants were doing. Throw the ridiculous number of injuries in, and the uneven number of guys and girls during the second half of the season, and it was an epic failure. There were still a few memorable performances, but none that I can think of right now.
  • Lee beating Crystal on American Idol – Every year I only half watch the spectacle that is American Idol, and last season, my one eye open quickly pegged Crystal the only one with the total package amonst the weak top ten. As much as I liked Lee (he was a nice guy, after all), he wasn’t nearly as talented or comfortable on stage as Crystal. Like all previous contestants, their post-Idol successes or failures will determine the real winner (a shout out here to the one and only Jennifer Hudson, who was voted off way too soon on her season of Idol).

So what were the best and worst moments in 2010 entertainment for you?