TV ramblings
I've decided to talk about my five favorite on-air tv shows for a few minutes.
1) Friday Night Lights. I'd heard this was good, and Kyle Chandler (Jeff Metcalf from Homefront, natch) is in it. So I recommended it to Carrie for her Netflix queue. Fast forward three weeks, and Carrie's absolutely OBSESSED. I was running around reviewing shows and getting my keg ready for the Conway wedding, but this post weekend I caught up on most of it, too. I like it a lot. I'm not obsessed with it the way Carrie is, but I love the cast, and it's just so well written, and the characters feel so real and likable, that I think I'm going to keep watching this one for a long time (or: for a short time, if it's cancelled soon.) Oh, and did I mention Kyle Chandler? If you don't like football: no worries, it's not really about football anyway. Carrie HATES sports, and as I said, she's nuts about it. Do yourself a favor and put it on your queue (DVR or Netflix, whatever floats your boat).
2) Mad Men. I like Friday Night Lights a lot, but I freaking LOVE Mad Men. To keep up the Homefront devotion, this one stars John Slattery (Al on Homefront, Roger on Mad Men), who's actually just one of a terrific ensemble. If you don't know anything about it: the title refers to the advertising men on Madison Avenue in the late 50s (the show takes place in 1960). The world of the show is so different from ours that the mere concept (subservient women! Drinking at work! 1960s costumes! Men unapologetically having affairs!) was what originally got me to tune in. But it's the charafcters, and the dialogue, and the fascinating complexity of the stories that really gets me. The season finale is this Thursday, and I'm seriously bummed that I won't get to watch it every week anymore.
3) Battlestar Galactica. On the other hand, Mad Men being over means that I'm one week closer to the fourth (and final! sob!) season of Battlestar Galactica. What a show. I'm not even a sci-fi fan, but this show is pretty close to my all-time favorite (honestly, nothing's ever going to match Homefront, so I can't say it's my absolute favorite). Twists and turns, fascinating villains, genuine heroes - this show keeps pulling amazing stories and adventures out of the well. Granted, the third season had a few weak episodes here and there, but overall the quality is so much higher than just about any other show on TV. And Starbuck is easily one of my favorite female characters ever on television. I love that Katee Sackhoff; she deserves to be a big star.
4) Damages. Speaking of women who deserve to be big stars... I think Glenn Close is really one of the great actresses of our day. Yes, I'm biased because I loved her in Sunset Boulevard - what's your problem with that? Anyway, Damages is exactly the sort of mystery/thriller/legal drama that I love. Incredibly exciting, with loads of twists and turns - and this is key - the writers obviously had the entire thing plotted from the get-go. Alias lost me when I realized that the writers had no idea where they were going with any of their storylines; I've never been interested in Lost or Prison Break because I fear the same. Damages, on the other hand, has been relentlessly heading towards an exciting conclusion for the entire series. I've also been pretty shocked at the fantastic performance of Ted Danson - did you all realize he's a terrific actor? I only really ever thought of him as Sam Malone, but he's brought layer after layer to his sleazy billionaire Arthur Frobisher. Even Rose Byrne as the (sorta) innocent has got me impressed. Apparently FX is rebroadcasting the entire season (only 12 episodes or so) this Saturday, so I definitely recommend putting it on your DVR and enjoying the ride.
5) Pushing Daises. Speaking of DVRs, let me sing the praises. If this didn't automatically tape for me every week, there's no way I would have tried this one out. Sheer delight, and the only show on this list that has me smiling for the entire hour. Caveat: I've only seen three episodes, so things could go sour. Actually I can totally see how some people would consider this show twee or cutesy, but for me, it's the smartest and most original new series of the season (I tried and quickly gave up on Dirty Sexy Money, Gossip Girl and Private Practice, so to be fair I haven't see ALL the new shows this year). I love Lee Pace and Anna Friel, and any show with both Kristin Chenoweth and Raul Esparza is all right with me. Additionally, the cheerful morbidity, and visual creativity get me every time. This show is just too much fun.
Anyway, for now Scrubs has scrolled to number 6, but don't worry, Scrubs, I still love you!
1) Friday Night Lights. I'd heard this was good, and Kyle Chandler (Jeff Metcalf from Homefront, natch) is in it. So I recommended it to Carrie for her Netflix queue. Fast forward three weeks, and Carrie's absolutely OBSESSED. I was running around reviewing shows and getting my keg ready for the Conway wedding, but this post weekend I caught up on most of it, too. I like it a lot. I'm not obsessed with it the way Carrie is, but I love the cast, and it's just so well written, and the characters feel so real and likable, that I think I'm going to keep watching this one for a long time (or: for a short time, if it's cancelled soon.) Oh, and did I mention Kyle Chandler? If you don't like football: no worries, it's not really about football anyway. Carrie HATES sports, and as I said, she's nuts about it. Do yourself a favor and put it on your queue (DVR or Netflix, whatever floats your boat).
2) Mad Men. I like Friday Night Lights a lot, but I freaking LOVE Mad Men. To keep up the Homefront devotion, this one stars John Slattery (Al on Homefront, Roger on Mad Men), who's actually just one of a terrific ensemble. If you don't know anything about it: the title refers to the advertising men on Madison Avenue in the late 50s (the show takes place in 1960). The world of the show is so different from ours that the mere concept (subservient women! Drinking at work! 1960s costumes! Men unapologetically having affairs!) was what originally got me to tune in. But it's the charafcters, and the dialogue, and the fascinating complexity of the stories that really gets me. The season finale is this Thursday, and I'm seriously bummed that I won't get to watch it every week anymore.
3) Battlestar Galactica. On the other hand, Mad Men being over means that I'm one week closer to the fourth (and final! sob!) season of Battlestar Galactica. What a show. I'm not even a sci-fi fan, but this show is pretty close to my all-time favorite (honestly, nothing's ever going to match Homefront, so I can't say it's my absolute favorite). Twists and turns, fascinating villains, genuine heroes - this show keeps pulling amazing stories and adventures out of the well. Granted, the third season had a few weak episodes here and there, but overall the quality is so much higher than just about any other show on TV. And Starbuck is easily one of my favorite female characters ever on television. I love that Katee Sackhoff; she deserves to be a big star.
4) Damages. Speaking of women who deserve to be big stars... I think Glenn Close is really one of the great actresses of our day. Yes, I'm biased because I loved her in Sunset Boulevard - what's your problem with that? Anyway, Damages is exactly the sort of mystery/thriller/legal drama that I love. Incredibly exciting, with loads of twists and turns - and this is key - the writers obviously had the entire thing plotted from the get-go. Alias lost me when I realized that the writers had no idea where they were going with any of their storylines; I've never been interested in Lost or Prison Break because I fear the same. Damages, on the other hand, has been relentlessly heading towards an exciting conclusion for the entire series. I've also been pretty shocked at the fantastic performance of Ted Danson - did you all realize he's a terrific actor? I only really ever thought of him as Sam Malone, but he's brought layer after layer to his sleazy billionaire Arthur Frobisher. Even Rose Byrne as the (sorta) innocent has got me impressed. Apparently FX is rebroadcasting the entire season (only 12 episodes or so) this Saturday, so I definitely recommend putting it on your DVR and enjoying the ride.
5) Pushing Daises. Speaking of DVRs, let me sing the praises. If this didn't automatically tape for me every week, there's no way I would have tried this one out. Sheer delight, and the only show on this list that has me smiling for the entire hour. Caveat: I've only seen three episodes, so things could go sour. Actually I can totally see how some people would consider this show twee or cutesy, but for me, it's the smartest and most original new series of the season (I tried and quickly gave up on Dirty Sexy Money, Gossip Girl and Private Practice, so to be fair I haven't see ALL the new shows this year). I love Lee Pace and Anna Friel, and any show with both Kristin Chenoweth and Raul Esparza is all right with me. Additionally, the cheerful morbidity, and visual creativity get me every time. This show is just too much fun.
Anyway, for now Scrubs has scrolled to number 6, but don't worry, Scrubs, I still love you!