BSG has eaten my brain, other fandoms beware
I know I am getting all weak pretty early in the TV season, but considering I am wanting to obsess with a few fandoms, I feel the need to cut some of the shows I was going to watch this year. And really it's mostly about me just knowing that I can't hack an insane schedule like I started out the year attempting.
Most of it this revolutionary thinking can be directly blamed on my marathoning addition of Battlestar Galactica to the lineup. I don't really know how to express enough how much seeing this show and catching up with it over the past week or so (up until episode 3.01 - 3.03, which I am going to have to download or something, but I aready read the transcripts so I could jump into this season) has like seriously changed the way I am looking at all of TV. And if it is already doing that to some extent now when I have been sleep deprived and all babbly over the past week from watching it all - when I really have time to digest and rewatch and think about all of the ultra rich things in the show that make it, honestly, the best television show being broadcast - well, it will be profound. Right now I'm still processing it all. But I do know one thing. Some changes are in the works with reguard to my TV time - more quality and less quantity.
The Keepers:
- Battlestar Galactica: Duh! As I said in my post last week and it just keeps echoing in my head - It is beyond awesome in almost every way any form of entertainment CAN be awesome. Period. I haven't been taken aback like this by a show since Firefly - and that is some serious show love right there. Trust in that.
- Lost: There is no way I could ever even get slightly mad enough at this show for me to miss one episode. Even when they killed my Magically Delicious in S1 I was right there crying my eyes out for hurting me so much, all the while reeling in the awesomeness of the show as a whole. Even last year with all of the Locke/Jack battle - I was never wavered, never thought the quality of each and every episode was lessening in anyway. It is one of the few shows I have watched since the premiere (as opposed to jumping in later as I'm known to do) and it is still one of the best all around shows I have ever seen.
- Veronica Mars: Like BSG, thanks to encouragement, love and a little friendly pressure from my peeps (Jeff, Larry & Flo) I got smart and finally caught up with this show over the summer and was of course blown away. It's not always perfect, and doesn't compete in my mind with my memories of BtVS the way I thought it would. And all of my friends were absolutely right. The consistent wit, wonderful acting, rich characterizations and just all around feel of the show are very unique and a more than welcome addiction to have.
- Supernatural: I fell for the show. What can I say. I still have yet to see S1, but I'm sure that will change within the next few weeks and will probably only make me enjoy and like it even more. I really don't know what that one thing this show has that others are lacking that makes me make a definate commitment after only 4 episodes, but it does. Honestly - and this is completely blasphemous to many who have heard my blast Jensen Ackles for his role on Smallville, but alot of my enjoyment of the show is really because of Dean Winchester and *gulp* JA's portrayal of that character. But once again I was wrong about something, I'm getting good at saying that now days. The premise of the show is just a genre that I have always really liked, I cut my fandom teeth on BtVS and am just predisposed for certain genres. Supernatural phenomenon and sci-fi are just my bread and butter and I enjoy the piss out of it when it is done well.
- Bones: I didn't catch pick the show up until about 5 episodes in to S1 and it hooked me right away. Maybe because I completely love me some Seeley Booth, maybe it's wondering what levels of social retardation Bones will stoop to next, maybe it is the ensemble of 'squints' and all of there gloriousness and maybe it's a bit of all of the above. But I love this show even though it's harder to rant about and to focus a fandom like obsession on because at the core it's a police type drama. *shrug* I still love it with all of my being.
- Entourage: My boys PWN me and when it returns it will be welcomed to my somewhat ample bosom with open arms. ;P
Shows I'm still on the fence about:
- Heroes: It's pretty good, and engaging enough with the cliffhangers and all, but I can't say that the little trips here and there aren't bugging me already. And if it's bugging me already then there could be more trouble ahead. Sometimes it's all about how seriously a show asked to be taken and a level of play they bring to the board. Heroes sets the bar pretty high with it's premise and it's cast size, what worries me is that they aren't doing a consistant job of keeping it all tied together. I'm still watching but with much skeptism.
- The Nine: I really might marathon the whole series this weekend to catch up since I have been recording it. But honestly being behind Lost is really hurting this show for me. That is why last year Ben was able to watch Invasion and I didn't. I am usually on the phone long distance or wandering around the house babbling to myself after Lost goes off - because I have to collect myself and lower my blood pressure from the rush (and I really don't look forward to BSG having the same effect on me week to week, although I know it will). I like what I have seen, and that is why I'm recording it - but for now we will see.
- Ugly Betty: I have been catching the west coast viewing on my distant network up until last week when Megan had a late gynastics and I was eyeball deep in S2 of BSG marathoning and didn't even remember anything else that night aside from Supernatural. But it does have a better case for it now that I am dropping Smallville all together (more on that in a sec). I like this show for no other reason but that it makes me kinda fuzzy inside at the end. It doesn't hurt that it stares directly into what is wrong with sterotypes in this country, but nothing ever is hurt by that IMO. I still want to marathon (and have the ability to do so at any time) The Office and once I do I know I will be watching that as well. Putting another kink in the Ugly Betty/Thurday night chain.
- Justice: Another show I really did like this year out of the gate, but to be honest I never would have given it a second glance if Fox hadn't started there season so much earlier than everyone else. But I liked what I saw of the first like 4 episodes. Unfortunately now they have moved it from the already problematic opposite Lost spot to opposite Heroes on Mondays, and even though I am having my issues with jumping into Heroes head first - I'm still more invested in the serial nature of it. Unfortunately Justice will probably suffer from that.
And the show I'm quitting:
- Smallville: I tried, I really did this year. But I've just had enough. I went threw a similar phase in S4 but this time it feels different. I don't care anymore and I never just didn't care. If I stop caring to the point of not even bitching about a TV show, then I'm done. I didn't watch it last week and didn't even ask Ben to record it, I haven't read a review aside from Jeff's at W-I - I just don't care. I did catch the last scene while waiting for Supernatural to start. After the 2nd episode of the year, I decided not to tape SV anymore and started recording SPN instead. I mean, over the summer I couldn't even muster the energy to even want to go back and rewatch ANY old episodes of SV, just thinking about it made me nauseous. So my Tom Welling Thrall has finally run it's course and I can honestly say I have had enough of all of it. I know I met a few people on my flist threw this fandom, but I think that at this point it isn't our only tie that binds - or at least I hope not. I just can't handle this show anymore or the fandom. If you haven't reached that point - that's fine and your prerogative, but I'm done. As a goodbye gesture I will use as the icon for this post one of my belovedly bad Kal - the ONLY Smallville character to never let me down (just the opposite usually ;P).
Now, I'm off to try to maybe babble a little on Jeff's review of last nights Veronica Mars over at Wicked-Insanity even though he did an excellent review and I really don't have much to add - I feel like I must at this point. My review for last weeks Lost is up over there as well if anyone is interested (although I mostly just hate on Locke, like, a lot). Keep an eye out for more real reviews and stuff and my big BSG postings to come. I just needed to kinda cleanse my fandom concious if you know what I mean.
Most of it this revolutionary thinking can be directly blamed on my marathoning addition of Battlestar Galactica to the lineup. I don't really know how to express enough how much seeing this show and catching up with it over the past week or so (up until episode 3.01 - 3.03, which I am going to have to download or something, but I aready read the transcripts so I could jump into this season) has like seriously changed the way I am looking at all of TV. And if it is already doing that to some extent now when I have been sleep deprived and all babbly over the past week from watching it all - when I really have time to digest and rewatch and think about all of the ultra rich things in the show that make it, honestly, the best television show being broadcast - well, it will be profound. Right now I'm still processing it all. But I do know one thing. Some changes are in the works with reguard to my TV time - more quality and less quantity.
The Keepers:
- Battlestar Galactica: Duh! As I said in my post last week and it just keeps echoing in my head - It is beyond awesome in almost every way any form of entertainment CAN be awesome. Period. I haven't been taken aback like this by a show since Firefly - and that is some serious show love right there. Trust in that.
- Lost: There is no way I could ever even get slightly mad enough at this show for me to miss one episode. Even when they killed my Magically Delicious in S1 I was right there crying my eyes out for hurting me so much, all the while reeling in the awesomeness of the show as a whole. Even last year with all of the Locke/Jack battle - I was never wavered, never thought the quality of each and every episode was lessening in anyway. It is one of the few shows I have watched since the premiere (as opposed to jumping in later as I'm known to do) and it is still one of the best all around shows I have ever seen.
- Veronica Mars: Like BSG, thanks to encouragement, love and a little friendly pressure from my peeps (Jeff, Larry & Flo) I got smart and finally caught up with this show over the summer and was of course blown away. It's not always perfect, and doesn't compete in my mind with my memories of BtVS the way I thought it would. And all of my friends were absolutely right. The consistent wit, wonderful acting, rich characterizations and just all around feel of the show are very unique and a more than welcome addiction to have.
- Supernatural: I fell for the show. What can I say. I still have yet to see S1, but I'm sure that will change within the next few weeks and will probably only make me enjoy and like it even more. I really don't know what that one thing this show has that others are lacking that makes me make a definate commitment after only 4 episodes, but it does. Honestly - and this is completely blasphemous to many who have heard my blast Jensen Ackles for his role on Smallville, but alot of my enjoyment of the show is really because of Dean Winchester and *gulp* JA's portrayal of that character. But once again I was wrong about something, I'm getting good at saying that now days. The premise of the show is just a genre that I have always really liked, I cut my fandom teeth on BtVS and am just predisposed for certain genres. Supernatural phenomenon and sci-fi are just my bread and butter and I enjoy the piss out of it when it is done well.
- Bones: I didn't catch pick the show up until about 5 episodes in to S1 and it hooked me right away. Maybe because I completely love me some Seeley Booth, maybe it's wondering what levels of social retardation Bones will stoop to next, maybe it is the ensemble of 'squints' and all of there gloriousness and maybe it's a bit of all of the above. But I love this show even though it's harder to rant about and to focus a fandom like obsession on because at the core it's a police type drama. *shrug* I still love it with all of my being.
- Entourage: My boys PWN me and when it returns it will be welcomed to my somewhat ample bosom with open arms. ;P
Shows I'm still on the fence about:
- Heroes: It's pretty good, and engaging enough with the cliffhangers and all, but I can't say that the little trips here and there aren't bugging me already. And if it's bugging me already then there could be more trouble ahead. Sometimes it's all about how seriously a show asked to be taken and a level of play they bring to the board. Heroes sets the bar pretty high with it's premise and it's cast size, what worries me is that they aren't doing a consistant job of keeping it all tied together. I'm still watching but with much skeptism.
- The Nine: I really might marathon the whole series this weekend to catch up since I have been recording it. But honestly being behind Lost is really hurting this show for me. That is why last year Ben was able to watch Invasion and I didn't. I am usually on the phone long distance or wandering around the house babbling to myself after Lost goes off - because I have to collect myself and lower my blood pressure from the rush (and I really don't look forward to BSG having the same effect on me week to week, although I know it will). I like what I have seen, and that is why I'm recording it - but for now we will see.
- Ugly Betty: I have been catching the west coast viewing on my distant network up until last week when Megan had a late gynastics and I was eyeball deep in S2 of BSG marathoning and didn't even remember anything else that night aside from Supernatural. But it does have a better case for it now that I am dropping Smallville all together (more on that in a sec). I like this show for no other reason but that it makes me kinda fuzzy inside at the end. It doesn't hurt that it stares directly into what is wrong with sterotypes in this country, but nothing ever is hurt by that IMO. I still want to marathon (and have the ability to do so at any time) The Office and once I do I know I will be watching that as well. Putting another kink in the Ugly Betty/Thurday night chain.
- Justice: Another show I really did like this year out of the gate, but to be honest I never would have given it a second glance if Fox hadn't started there season so much earlier than everyone else. But I liked what I saw of the first like 4 episodes. Unfortunately now they have moved it from the already problematic opposite Lost spot to opposite Heroes on Mondays, and even though I am having my issues with jumping into Heroes head first - I'm still more invested in the serial nature of it. Unfortunately Justice will probably suffer from that.
And the show I'm quitting:
- Smallville: I tried, I really did this year. But I've just had enough. I went threw a similar phase in S4 but this time it feels different. I don't care anymore and I never just didn't care. If I stop caring to the point of not even bitching about a TV show, then I'm done. I didn't watch it last week and didn't even ask Ben to record it, I haven't read a review aside from Jeff's at W-I - I just don't care. I did catch the last scene while waiting for Supernatural to start. After the 2nd episode of the year, I decided not to tape SV anymore and started recording SPN instead. I mean, over the summer I couldn't even muster the energy to even want to go back and rewatch ANY old episodes of SV, just thinking about it made me nauseous. So my Tom Welling Thrall has finally run it's course and I can honestly say I have had enough of all of it. I know I met a few people on my flist threw this fandom, but I think that at this point it isn't our only tie that binds - or at least I hope not. I just can't handle this show anymore or the fandom. If you haven't reached that point - that's fine and your prerogative, but I'm done. As a goodbye gesture I will use as the icon for this post one of my belovedly bad Kal - the ONLY Smallville character to never let me down (just the opposite usually ;P).
Now, I'm off to try to maybe babble a little on Jeff's review of last nights Veronica Mars over at Wicked-Insanity even though he did an excellent review and I really don't have much to add - I feel like I must at this point. My review for last weeks Lost is up over there as well if anyone is interested (although I mostly just hate on Locke, like, a lot). Keep an eye out for more real reviews and stuff and my big BSG postings to come. I just needed to kinda cleanse my fandom concious if you know what I mean.