Tuesday, November 21, 2006

TV TOP FIVE: Revisited

Okay, the fall season has ended and we are now moving into the holidays (which means lots of repeats and lots of Xmas specials) before the midseason replacements show up in January. I thought I would take a moment and let you know what I am liking and what I am not. But first: MY TOP FIVE SHOWS ON TV: 1. DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC). This show reinvented itself this season, leading up to the amazing Hostage Episode in November that claimed Nora. The season-long mystery in year 3 isn't as intriguing as Season 1, but it sure as hell victors over Season 2's Basement Lock-up storyline. If I had to gripe about anything it would be that I am tiring of the Susan/Mike storyline. But Bree is having a GREAT year (again).....2. UGLY BETTY (ABC). America Ferrara is fantastic in the lead. What sets this show apart is it's visual panache. The Mode Magazine people and their clothes aren't just beautiful, but the set pieces themselves offer scrumptious eye candy. And Vanessa Williams is PERFECTLY cast as Wilhemina. One hour comedies are rare, and the fact that my top 2 favorite shows are hour-long comedies is rarer still. 3. HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (CBS). I refused to even watch this show last year. I guess the title didn't jump out at me, or whatever. But I was on board with MOTHER since episode 1 of Season 2, and it's so frickin funny. If you loved FRIENDS, this is the best closest thing like it on TV to fill that void. Season 1 is out on DVD today. 4. HEROES (NBC). I grow more addicted to HEROES each and every week. It's a surprisingly mature approach to superheros. Seriously, when you watch HEROES you have to be prepared to see people with their heads carved open and their brains spilling out, people getting their skull impaled by a knife-sharp twig, sternums being pried open, etc. etc.....okay, but dont let that put you off (or, turn you on, in some cases)....the show has amazing visuals. It also keeps the action moving along, unlike..... 5. LOST (ABC). This show USED to be my favorite, but I think I am getting bored with it. I mean, is anyone else tired of the flashbacks? They were used to good effect in the first 2 seasons when we didn't know who these people were. But in season 3 we have a pretty good idea who everyone is. So whereas in the past each flashback fleshed out a character, in season 3 the flashbacks just get in the way of moving the present day story ahead. I mean, SIX EPISODES aired in the fall season. And WHAT really happened exactly? Jack, Sawyer and Kate are STILL locked away on that second OTHERS island, and everyone else gets about 2 minutes of airtime each week. I feel like it's been ages since I've seen Charlie, Claire, Sun, Jin, Hurley....seriously, LOST needs to get back in the game. Or maybe I want the show to lose even more viewers. That way, once ABC loses enough viewers to the point where they cancel it, we will then get all our answers resolved. Okay, maybe I DONT want that to happen, but I don't see why the producers can't do a better job with Bigger Reveals. So WHAT if we they tell us what the Big Mysteries are all about. I'll STILL watch the show. The castaways can STILL be lost on the island even if they know what's going on. Further, NEW mysteries can always turn up , too. Writers are talented people...RESOLVE some things already, people! Then get on with NEW mysteries. Because I'm F*R*U*S*T*R*A*T*E*D!........okayyyyyy...so, what shows disappointed me this year (and, no, I STILL LOVE LOST): THE CLASS (CBS). I had really high hopes for this show. It was cute in the beginning, but after a few viewings I noticed that there were only a few of the 3rd-grade classmates that I really liked. And LIKING your Friends, er, Class, is important, ya know? I think to save this show, some of the mates have to go: namely the gay guy. God, he ANNOYS me with his whiny voice and selfish ways. I could NEVER date a guy like that. And even the blonde newscaster with her daughter Oprah needs to be axed, too. UNFORTUNATELY that would mean the demise of the show's best character: the blondes "so gay he doesnt even know it" husband. Okay, so who DO I like? Easy: Jason Ritter is cute and funny. And his bantering with Lizzy Caplan is growing on me. Lizzy frustrated the HELL out of me in the beginning, but she is starting to become infectious. Her wheelchair-bound sister is also sweet and original, but the red head who she is falling in love with gives me the major creeps. And that leaves the best part of THE CLASS: Andrea ("JOEY") Anders and the carpenter guy. They are sweet and HOT (think Rachel and Joey). But it may be too late: the show is underperforming on the number one network on TV (CBS), and that means it's easy candidate for cancellation........STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP and 30 ROCK (NBC). Neither show lived up to the hype, with STUDIO 60 being the more obvious BIG DISAPPOINTMENT. To be fair, I have tuned into the show since Episode 3. I just grew too tired of it. The head writer takes it ALL too seriously, and the 'funny' skits that we see aren't even funny. They make the SNL skits they are based upon look Shakespearean. Still, if you are one of the STUDIO 60 fans you will be happy to know that NBC picked the show up for a full season. Somehow I don't see the same thing happening to 30 ROCK. It failed when paired with TWENTY GOOD YEARS, but performed even poorer when moved to Thursdays opposite GREYS ANATOMY and CSI. I know NBC is trying to rebuild it's Must See TV Thursday comedy block, but its a little too little and a little too late. NBC's best bet is to create a new 4-comedy block on a different night, because lets face it: NBC just doesnt have the momentum on Thursays anymore. .....JERICHO (CBS). I never really DISLIKED this show. In fact, I may have given up on it too soon. I hear that it has gotten better in recent weeks, and its doing great for CBS in it's timeslot. But I would be lost to tune in now. So I am going to wait until the First Season DVD comes out and watch it then.......VERONICA MARS (The CW). I don't know what's quite not right this year, but my beloved VERONICA MARS is no longer the slick, enjoyable, entertaining crime caper that I had fallen in live with from Years 1 and 2. I went to a public university, so i dont know if Hearst College is representative of a small college, but I just don't feel the vibe of her being in school. And where has Mac (Tina Majorino) been? I still support the show, but it no longer demands my immediate attention. In fact, I have 2 episodes sitting on my TiVo right now that (eventually) I will get to. Good News, though: VERONICA MARS IS up 7 percent from last season, and The CW just picked it up for a full season. .....TOP CHEF (Bravo): I guess food just isn't as exciting as designing dresses. I think I will wait for Season 4 of PROJECT RUNWAY (or Season 1 of TOP DESIGNER) before committing to another Bravo Reality Show.

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