Monday catch-all
Apparently it's fall, and it's too damn hot, still in the 90's and like a gazillion-percent humidity. Misery.
The Spousal Unit and I rented a U-Haul on Saturday and went to Lakeland to pick up The Maternal Unit's really good queen-size mattress/boxspring that was relatively new at the time she died. Since The Sibling can't use them because the bedroom set she'll be putting in there is our GrandMaternal's old antique furniture, which is full-size, TMU's bedroom set had to go. So we also took a couple of dressers and the headboard with us, which meant earlier in the week we had to get rid of the mattress/boxspring and couple of old eclectic pieces I was using in The Boy's room. Luckily for us our neighbors across the street wanted all that, so we didn't have to haul any of it ourselves to Good Will.
So that was a long, hot day. After we got home and unloaded, returned the U-Haul, then back again to clean up, we treated ourselves to a meal at our fav New Orleans restaurant. Then back in time to finish watching the Gator game and the penultimate episode of Doctor Who, which was so much more than the stand-alone I was expecting. We really enjoyed it, and the only spoiler I will mention is how we fell in love with the name Stormageddon, and at some point in our lives it's likely there will be a pet in the mix with that name. And Matt Smith rocks so hard. Just so you know. ;)
The Spousal Unit put out our Halloween lights yesterday. He's traveling two days this week and all of next week, and I'm not looking forward to that. The minor, but still promises to be an epic mess, construction we're supposed to have done is starting to get put into play. I think the windows we ordered are finally in, so that will either happen one day this week or next. The screen room company already had the lines in the backyard marked, so the next step is for them to come out and rope off the room layout. I've also contacted a tree-trimming service today and someone is supposed to come by this afternoon or tomorrow to give me an estimate on raising the canopies of a few oak trees.
My credit card took a huge hit this afternoon as I'm having to pay for some dental work for The Boy who has no money or insurance. And I still have to pay the rest of The Girl Child's tuition for the semester. So the stock market is doing my stress level no favors right now.
Of the series that have premiered thus far, these are the ones I've sampled. Let me just say that I'm getting cross-eyed checking out so much new tv that I really need things to start getting canceled, please. I can't keep up, and they haven't even all premiered yet. Also some summer tv still hasn't finished airing. Seriously, I need to get paid for this. No, really. ;D
HALF-HOUR COMEDIES:
Up All Night (NBC) - I was as completely bored by it as I thought I would be, despite the affection the critics seem to have for anything Wil Arnett, Maya Rudolph, and Christina Applegate are attached to. Didn't even watch the whole half-hour pilot, that's how bored I was.
Free Agents (NBC) - I wasn't wowed, even though I thought it was better than Up All Night. But I didn't bother with the second episode. Besides, saw the previews for the Brit version beginning on BBCA, and it looked a lot better. A lot raunchier too. ;) And apparently the second episode tanked in its regular time slot anyway, so it's likely top of the hit list to be one of the first new series canceled.
2 Broke Girls (CBS) - I liked it better than I thought I would after seeing the previews - at least, most of it. Some parts of the pilot I found boring too. Not one I feel compelled to keep up with, but can catch another episode On-Demand if I need something to watch while cooking dinner.
New Girl (FOX) - ADORKABLE! As charming as I thought it would be. Loved the entire cast, and the premiere did very well in the ratings, so it's a keeper.
ONE-HOUR DRAMAS:
Ringer (CW) - After watching the second episode, which ratings-wise lost a lot of viewers from its premiere, I have to admit it's not wowing me at all. I give up. Sorry, Sarah - you know I still love you, though. But I'd rather watch New Girl in your time slot.
The Secret Circle (CW) - I've watched the first two episodes and I'm still interested enough to check back in this week. I like The Vampire Diaries better (especially last week's episode!), but I'm sticking with TSC as the other half of a pair of bookend series. Call it a guilty pleasure.
Unforgettable (CBS) - I found the name ironic since I think it's mostly forgettable. It's a fairly standard by-the-numbers cop procedural with the only twist being the "mentalist" girl having an affliction whereby she remembers every little thing from her entire life, except, of course, how her sister died when they were kids. I guess that's supposed to be the hook. It has the nuts and bolts of a decent procedural, though, if those are your kind of thing. The premiere episode did well enough in the ratings, so it's likely to become another procedural notch in CBS's belt. But I don't feel the lure to keep up with it.
Revenge (ABC) - Thus far the biggest surprise of the season. At literally the last minute - like 30 seconds before it aired - I set up the dvr for last week's premiere because some critics seemed to like it. I figured I'd watch a few minutes, get bored, and delete the rest unwatched just to say I tried it. Boy was I wrong. *facepalm* I'm hooked - line and sinker - and I'm almost embarrassed to say that. ;) But, OMG, it's a glitzy far superior effort than Ringer in terms of noir'ish soap opera, with a better set-up, better writing, acting, and lots of characters you automatically love to hate and want to see taken down in flames one by one by the protagonist, Rebecca/Emily. Plus, it's just pretty to look at - it's supposed to take place in the Hamptons. I don't know if that's where they actually film it - I should check it out. But I'd say this is my number one guilty pleasure of the season. It did decent in the ratings on Wednesday night, so I hope it sticks around. More *facepalming*. ;)
Person of Interest (CBS) - On the flip side, this might be my biggest disappointment of the season so far. I don't know what I was expecting ... something else, something unique by the likes of JJ Abrams. But once you get past the initial set-up, it immediately turned into another standard procedural. I really did like Jim Caviezel's ex-CIA operative character, and he's definitely the reason to watch. Michael Emerson, OTOH, was a bit bland, plus too close to channeling Ben Linus from Lost. And no one else stood out, and the case dujour was just so-so. Figured out the supposed "twist" as soon as the "person of interest" was introduced. I'm not saying thumbs down or anything, but honestly, I think I'd rather watch The Vampire Diaries off the dvr at 9 pm on Thursday (or even The Secret Circle live).
Prime Suspect (NBC) - Being a fan of the Brit series with Helen Mirren, this remake had a lot to live up to going in. The biggest draw is Maria Bello, who is not the Jane from the Brit series, but who does a kick-ass job making the role her own. As for the rest of the cast, despite the fact that many of them are actors I've liked in other projects, no one else honestly stood out for me like Maria did. And, unfortunately, the series had very disappointing ratings up against The Mentalist and Grey's Anatomy at 10 pm on Thursday. So I think I'm going to cut my losses now and not get attached.
A Gifted Man (CBS) - I kind of liked this one, even though it's a pretty predictable story line. The brilliant neurosurgeon, who has lost a lot of his humanity by virtue of his success, is visited by his recently deceased ex-wife, who must stick around to guide him back toward being the better man he once was. It's obvious where this is going. That being said, there is a genuine beauty in the relationship between Mike and Anna, and there are some good supporting characters who could get interesting as the story progresses. The biggest surprise, however, is that CBS is trying out yet another "I see dead people" series on the same night (Friday) that they axed Ghost Whisperer and Medium. The premiere ratings were moderately okay, but we'll have to see what CBS considers good enough to stick with. Since I don't watch anything else on Friday nights at 8 pm, I will probably check out another episode or two before I make a Must See, or not, decision.
Pan Am - Beautifully shot, of course - it's Tommy Schlamme, after all. And it really did have that West Wing high production value to it. Also, they seemed to get the time period down and do a good job of bringing the audience back to the heyday of those big Pan Am intercontinental airbuses. The cast was fine ... and, yet, I was pretty much bored the entire hour. Plus, the espionage angle just seemed silly and completely out of place. That aspect worked a lot better in the BBC/BBCA period piece series, The Hour. Supposedly it premiered last night to good ratings, and maybe I'd get more interested if I stuck with it another week or two. Or not. The problem is Sundays are getting very crowded with new HBO/Showtime and AMC programming, so let's just say I cut it for time constraints since it didn't immediately enthrall me.
Tonight we'll be checking out the two-hour premiere of Terra Nova on FOX. Unfortunately, we heard that the teen boy character goes the same annoying route as Tyler on V, and that's not going to hook me in at all.
Good article/review about the first season of ALPHAS. The season finale tonight is supposed to run 63 minutes, so if you're dvr'ing, adjust accordingly!
The Spousal Unit and I rented a U-Haul on Saturday and went to Lakeland to pick up The Maternal Unit's really good queen-size mattress/boxspring that was relatively new at the time she died. Since The Sibling can't use them because the bedroom set she'll be putting in there is our GrandMaternal's old antique furniture, which is full-size, TMU's bedroom set had to go. So we also took a couple of dressers and the headboard with us, which meant earlier in the week we had to get rid of the mattress/boxspring and couple of old eclectic pieces I was using in The Boy's room. Luckily for us our neighbors across the street wanted all that, so we didn't have to haul any of it ourselves to Good Will.
So that was a long, hot day. After we got home and unloaded, returned the U-Haul, then back again to clean up, we treated ourselves to a meal at our fav New Orleans restaurant. Then back in time to finish watching the Gator game and the penultimate episode of Doctor Who, which was so much more than the stand-alone I was expecting. We really enjoyed it, and the only spoiler I will mention is how we fell in love with the name Stormageddon, and at some point in our lives it's likely there will be a pet in the mix with that name. And Matt Smith rocks so hard. Just so you know. ;)
The Spousal Unit put out our Halloween lights yesterday. He's traveling two days this week and all of next week, and I'm not looking forward to that. The minor, but still promises to be an epic mess, construction we're supposed to have done is starting to get put into play. I think the windows we ordered are finally in, so that will either happen one day this week or next. The screen room company already had the lines in the backyard marked, so the next step is for them to come out and rope off the room layout. I've also contacted a tree-trimming service today and someone is supposed to come by this afternoon or tomorrow to give me an estimate on raising the canopies of a few oak trees.
My credit card took a huge hit this afternoon as I'm having to pay for some dental work for The Boy who has no money or insurance. And I still have to pay the rest of The Girl Child's tuition for the semester. So the stock market is doing my stress level no favors right now.
Of the series that have premiered thus far, these are the ones I've sampled. Let me just say that I'm getting cross-eyed checking out so much new tv that I really need things to start getting canceled, please. I can't keep up, and they haven't even all premiered yet. Also some summer tv still hasn't finished airing. Seriously, I need to get paid for this. No, really. ;D
HALF-HOUR COMEDIES:
Up All Night (NBC) - I was as completely bored by it as I thought I would be, despite the affection the critics seem to have for anything Wil Arnett, Maya Rudolph, and Christina Applegate are attached to. Didn't even watch the whole half-hour pilot, that's how bored I was.
Free Agents (NBC) - I wasn't wowed, even though I thought it was better than Up All Night. But I didn't bother with the second episode. Besides, saw the previews for the Brit version beginning on BBCA, and it looked a lot better. A lot raunchier too. ;) And apparently the second episode tanked in its regular time slot anyway, so it's likely top of the hit list to be one of the first new series canceled.
2 Broke Girls (CBS) - I liked it better than I thought I would after seeing the previews - at least, most of it. Some parts of the pilot I found boring too. Not one I feel compelled to keep up with, but can catch another episode On-Demand if I need something to watch while cooking dinner.
New Girl (FOX) - ADORKABLE! As charming as I thought it would be. Loved the entire cast, and the premiere did very well in the ratings, so it's a keeper.
ONE-HOUR DRAMAS:
Ringer (CW) - After watching the second episode, which ratings-wise lost a lot of viewers from its premiere, I have to admit it's not wowing me at all. I give up. Sorry, Sarah - you know I still love you, though. But I'd rather watch New Girl in your time slot.
The Secret Circle (CW) - I've watched the first two episodes and I'm still interested enough to check back in this week. I like The Vampire Diaries better (especially last week's episode!), but I'm sticking with TSC as the other half of a pair of bookend series. Call it a guilty pleasure.
Unforgettable (CBS) - I found the name ironic since I think it's mostly forgettable. It's a fairly standard by-the-numbers cop procedural with the only twist being the "mentalist" girl having an affliction whereby she remembers every little thing from her entire life, except, of course, how her sister died when they were kids. I guess that's supposed to be the hook. It has the nuts and bolts of a decent procedural, though, if those are your kind of thing. The premiere episode did well enough in the ratings, so it's likely to become another procedural notch in CBS's belt. But I don't feel the lure to keep up with it.
Revenge (ABC) - Thus far the biggest surprise of the season. At literally the last minute - like 30 seconds before it aired - I set up the dvr for last week's premiere because some critics seemed to like it. I figured I'd watch a few minutes, get bored, and delete the rest unwatched just to say I tried it. Boy was I wrong. *facepalm* I'm hooked - line and sinker - and I'm almost embarrassed to say that. ;) But, OMG, it's a glitzy far superior effort than Ringer in terms of noir'ish soap opera, with a better set-up, better writing, acting, and lots of characters you automatically love to hate and want to see taken down in flames one by one by the protagonist, Rebecca/Emily. Plus, it's just pretty to look at - it's supposed to take place in the Hamptons. I don't know if that's where they actually film it - I should check it out. But I'd say this is my number one guilty pleasure of the season. It did decent in the ratings on Wednesday night, so I hope it sticks around. More *facepalming*. ;)
Person of Interest (CBS) - On the flip side, this might be my biggest disappointment of the season so far. I don't know what I was expecting ... something else, something unique by the likes of JJ Abrams. But once you get past the initial set-up, it immediately turned into another standard procedural. I really did like Jim Caviezel's ex-CIA operative character, and he's definitely the reason to watch. Michael Emerson, OTOH, was a bit bland, plus too close to channeling Ben Linus from Lost. And no one else stood out, and the case dujour was just so-so. Figured out the supposed "twist" as soon as the "person of interest" was introduced. I'm not saying thumbs down or anything, but honestly, I think I'd rather watch The Vampire Diaries off the dvr at 9 pm on Thursday (or even The Secret Circle live).
Prime Suspect (NBC) - Being a fan of the Brit series with Helen Mirren, this remake had a lot to live up to going in. The biggest draw is Maria Bello, who is not the Jane from the Brit series, but who does a kick-ass job making the role her own. As for the rest of the cast, despite the fact that many of them are actors I've liked in other projects, no one else honestly stood out for me like Maria did. And, unfortunately, the series had very disappointing ratings up against The Mentalist and Grey's Anatomy at 10 pm on Thursday. So I think I'm going to cut my losses now and not get attached.
A Gifted Man (CBS) - I kind of liked this one, even though it's a pretty predictable story line. The brilliant neurosurgeon, who has lost a lot of his humanity by virtue of his success, is visited by his recently deceased ex-wife, who must stick around to guide him back toward being the better man he once was. It's obvious where this is going. That being said, there is a genuine beauty in the relationship between Mike and Anna, and there are some good supporting characters who could get interesting as the story progresses. The biggest surprise, however, is that CBS is trying out yet another "I see dead people" series on the same night (Friday) that they axed Ghost Whisperer and Medium. The premiere ratings were moderately okay, but we'll have to see what CBS considers good enough to stick with. Since I don't watch anything else on Friday nights at 8 pm, I will probably check out another episode or two before I make a Must See, or not, decision.
Pan Am - Beautifully shot, of course - it's Tommy Schlamme, after all. And it really did have that West Wing high production value to it. Also, they seemed to get the time period down and do a good job of bringing the audience back to the heyday of those big Pan Am intercontinental airbuses. The cast was fine ... and, yet, I was pretty much bored the entire hour. Plus, the espionage angle just seemed silly and completely out of place. That aspect worked a lot better in the BBC/BBCA period piece series, The Hour. Supposedly it premiered last night to good ratings, and maybe I'd get more interested if I stuck with it another week or two. Or not. The problem is Sundays are getting very crowded with new HBO/Showtime and AMC programming, so let's just say I cut it for time constraints since it didn't immediately enthrall me.
Tonight we'll be checking out the two-hour premiere of Terra Nova on FOX. Unfortunately, we heard that the teen boy character goes the same annoying route as Tyler on V, and that's not going to hook me in at all.
Good article/review about the first season of ALPHAS. The season finale tonight is supposed to run 63 minutes, so if you're dvr'ing, adjust accordingly!