TV I'm Watching Right Now
Wow, I watch a lot of TV. This doesn't include all the shows my husband watches that I end up viewing with him. Also, I'm not fannishly active for all of these. First, the TV that's currently airing:
American Idol
I enjoy this show, and I really enjoy the RPF that comes out of it. I dabble in watching, catching a season every other year or so. It's fun watching people go for their dreams, and being surprised by hearing the voices that come out of some of the people. It's fun watching them live together and go through the experience together. I actually have difficulty watching the first episodes of the seasons (the one with all the auditions, including the really bad ones) because I have quite a large embarrassment squick. I hate watching other people fail at something, or watching them be mocked by others. I have a visceral, very unhappy reaction when that happens. Obviously, that happens on this show - the judges make judgements, some of the contestants are presented as crazy by the editing. But now that Simon is gone that's been toned down a lot and I find it easier to watch. Seriously, watching Simon tear people apart (even when I agreed that they couldn't sing) was difficult for me. Randy, Jennifer and Steven do a good job of saying the difficult things in a compassionate way. Anyway, I'm enjoying this season so far, and hope to connect with some of the contestants.
Justified
My husband is a big fan, and I've found myself really liking it as well. It's the story of Raylan Givins, a deputy U.S. Marshal who is sent back to his hometown of Harlan County, Kentucky, after the questionable shooting of a mobster in Miami. The show is named after Raylan's particular brand of justice; he somehow always finds himself in gunfights with the bad guy, and he always wins. His answer is "well, it was justified." There are three things this show does right: characters, relationships, and plot. The characters are three-dimensional and well developed. The villains are complex and really chilling at times. The relationships (friendships, family, romantic, all of them) are also complex, and the way they evolve through the show is organic and fantastic to watch. (And they really do evolve) Actually, I've got quite a lot to say about Justified, so I'll have to make a separate post for it.
Mythbusters
Here we have a show about blowing things up, testing theories, building crazy stuff. All good things to watch. I'm a casual watcher, but I really enjoy fic for this show.
NCIS
I've really liked this season, particularly the latest episodes. They've gotten really personal with some of the characters and I like that. It continues to be a solid show that my husband and I watch together.
Nikita (The current series)
I used to watch reruns of the 90s series and loved it, so I figured I'd try this one. As a reboot it's pretty good. Different from the original, but it's got to be hard to get completely different actors to be the exact same as the first ones. This new series is very flashy with lots of sexy outfits and explosions and expensive looking locations. It's exciting, with pretty good writing, though some of it is kind of outrageous and unrealistic. I'm a casual watcher; I DVR the episodes, but don't freak if one gets deleted before I can watch it.
Psych
A show that continues to delight me. It's silly, even over-the-top absurd at times, but it always puts a smile on my face and I love it for that. Plus, it has this ability to produce really angsty fanworks, despite the light tone of the show. If you want to see a fucked-up Father-Son relationship, take a look at Henry and Shawn Spencer. I ship Shawn and Lassiter (hardcore), and both characters have had difficult pasts that make bringing them together complicated and satisfying.
Rizzoli & Isles
This one is lots of fun, and is charming and interesting. I love the relationship between the two leads, detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles. Just like all the best buddy slash shows, you can take them as the best of friends who'll do anything for each other, or as two women in a romantic relationship. Personally, I prefer the femslash, and the show really delivers. There are tons of interpersonal moments, and even a couple of events where they actually pretend to be in a romantic relationship. They really, really sell it. But the important thing to me is that it doesn't feel like a male lesbian fantasy.* Despite being gorgeous, neither woman is your ideal feminine type. Jane is brash, independent, and a tom-boy who has no interest in cloths. Maura is more feminine (she's always dressed to the nines, which is a little unrealistic given her job, but w/e), but she's extremely intelligent, honest to the point of rude, and tends to be socially awkward. So, interesting characters who aren't the typical female on TV. The family relationships are also really interesting, especially the mother-daughter relationships. It's just not your stereotypical show, on any level.
*Yes, I realize how that sounds coming from someone who sees many male characters as my own personal gay fantasy. I won't say I'm any better than the men who put the typical lesbian fantasy on TV, but that doesn't change the fact that our interests differ. Or, at least, that I can appreciate something that doesn't cater to that typical image.
Sherlock (BBC)
Hubby and I watched Season 1 together and we both loved it. (In fact, we marathoned it one Saturday) The snark, Sherlock with a list of 101 reasons for any given conclusion he comes to (as hubby pointed out, most crime shows will give you one reason for a conclusion, two or three if you're lucky. But Sherlock has, like, fifteen, thus making him an actual genius instead of a wannabe who plays one on TV), the way he's so... himself - and fuck anyone who doesn't like him. Great fun to watch. Benedict and Martin are both amazing, and the amount of squee over them is not overblown, IMO.
I'm not sure about the slash, though. Don't get me wrong, I love the chemistry Benedict and Martin have, it's fantastic. That sort of thing always wants to be slashed. I've read fic with great banter and chemistry, and it's fun. But, as Sherlock points out, he's a sociopath. That doesn't lead to easy relationships, or even annoying relationships. I have to think it leads to impossible, heartbreaking relationships, at least on John's end. I haven't yet figured out how that translates to romance, or even to a friendship relationship. I want to make that leap to serious shipping, it just needs to be sorted out first. (Although, based on the conversations I've seen on the web, I suspect that Season 2 will do some of that sorting out for me.)
The Vampire Diaries
Another show I adore. I've got way too much to say about it to put it all here. Just know that I'm SQUEEFUL about certain developments this season. I really do need to do a write-up about it.
White Collar
I adore this show. It's squeeful fun and interesting to watch. It's different than many other crime and cop shows. The mysteries are about art, antiques, jewelry, stocks and bonds, and scams and heists of all kinds. I mean, what other series would have an entire episode about forging an antique bottle of wine?
I can't wait to see the end, with Neal's hearing coming up. This season has yet more trust issues (I'm convinced the writers will never give up the game of who will break trust next), but I see them working even closer to a middle ground.
**SPOILERS FOR WHITE COLLAR in the next three paragraphs!!**
I was just over the moon about Neal deciding, ultimately, that Peter and his life in NY are more important than the treasure. Just, yeah. Yes, he planned to go, but he didn't in the end. That made me very happy.
Upper West Side Story
The '10 points for gryffindor' comment made me giggle. Neal reading poetry!! The student having a crush on Neal! The whole thing was squeeful to me. Then Peter with his comments about artists being punished, and his conversation with Elle about Neal getting off scott free. Come on, Peter, we all know what you want to do here. It's a nice set-up for a BDSM scene.
Pulling Strings
I LOVE that Diana is engaged, and that everyone in the office is happy for her. I was a little surprised they wrote her as saying "It's moving too fast" - what, like she's the guy? - but we don't really know anything about her relationship, so... Overall, I love the way the show has handled her relationship. I love the episode where Neal and Sara have dinner with Diana and Christie, and the way Diana's sexuality is a fact but not a big deal. I did get a total kick out of Neal saying he'd plan the bachelor party, though. Now I really want to read about the party, and about Diana and Christie's relationship.
And TV I'm watching off Netflix:
Farscape
I'm enjoying it, but it hasn't quite grabbed me like I hoped it would. I'm halfway through Season 1, and stalled by SPN.
Fringe
I watched the first DVD and promptly had nightmares that night. *sigh* I wish I could not be a five year old about it, but it just happens. However, the characters and relationships look fascinating, so I might push on to watch it.
Stargate Atlantis
This is another series I've been reading in for forever, but haven't seen all of it. I'm into season three, watching off Netflix streaming. I keep getting sidetracked away from it, but I really do love this show. I love the sci-fi aspect and I adore the characters and relationships. I know that many people have issues with the show, but to me it's a fun show that spawned some amazing slash and OT4 fic. I will always love it. (Maybe my lax attitude to the weaknesses comes from the fact that I first started watching in the fifth season, and it already had a built-in fandom that had 'fixed' all the show's problems. I might feel differently if I had watched along as each season aired. Impossible to know now.)
Supernatural
I finally got over myself and am watching steadily. I've finished Season 1, and am now watching the Streaming episodes. I realize SPN is currently airing, but I put it down here because I'm nowhere near caught up to the current season. Also, I have tons to say about it so it gets it's own post. (But does anyone have the box sets? Can you tell me which discs have special features like episode commentary and such? I'll get those discs from Netflix)
Torchwood
I enjoy this overall, but it's a bit more bleak than I thought it would be. I thought BSG had a monopoly on bleak shows, but I think Torchwood might give it a run for it's money. I started this one a while back but have been distracted from it. Occasionally the lure of the slash brings me back, but it'll probably have to wait till after SPN. Originally posted at http://pslasher.dreamwidth.org/40397.html. Read
comments over there.
American Idol
I enjoy this show, and I really enjoy the RPF that comes out of it. I dabble in watching, catching a season every other year or so. It's fun watching people go for their dreams, and being surprised by hearing the voices that come out of some of the people. It's fun watching them live together and go through the experience together. I actually have difficulty watching the first episodes of the seasons (the one with all the auditions, including the really bad ones) because I have quite a large embarrassment squick. I hate watching other people fail at something, or watching them be mocked by others. I have a visceral, very unhappy reaction when that happens. Obviously, that happens on this show - the judges make judgements, some of the contestants are presented as crazy by the editing. But now that Simon is gone that's been toned down a lot and I find it easier to watch. Seriously, watching Simon tear people apart (even when I agreed that they couldn't sing) was difficult for me. Randy, Jennifer and Steven do a good job of saying the difficult things in a compassionate way. Anyway, I'm enjoying this season so far, and hope to connect with some of the contestants.
Justified
My husband is a big fan, and I've found myself really liking it as well. It's the story of Raylan Givins, a deputy U.S. Marshal who is sent back to his hometown of Harlan County, Kentucky, after the questionable shooting of a mobster in Miami. The show is named after Raylan's particular brand of justice; he somehow always finds himself in gunfights with the bad guy, and he always wins. His answer is "well, it was justified." There are three things this show does right: characters, relationships, and plot. The characters are three-dimensional and well developed. The villains are complex and really chilling at times. The relationships (friendships, family, romantic, all of them) are also complex, and the way they evolve through the show is organic and fantastic to watch. (And they really do evolve) Actually, I've got quite a lot to say about Justified, so I'll have to make a separate post for it.
Mythbusters
Here we have a show about blowing things up, testing theories, building crazy stuff. All good things to watch. I'm a casual watcher, but I really enjoy fic for this show.
NCIS
I've really liked this season, particularly the latest episodes. They've gotten really personal with some of the characters and I like that. It continues to be a solid show that my husband and I watch together.
Nikita (The current series)
I used to watch reruns of the 90s series and loved it, so I figured I'd try this one. As a reboot it's pretty good. Different from the original, but it's got to be hard to get completely different actors to be the exact same as the first ones. This new series is very flashy with lots of sexy outfits and explosions and expensive looking locations. It's exciting, with pretty good writing, though some of it is kind of outrageous and unrealistic. I'm a casual watcher; I DVR the episodes, but don't freak if one gets deleted before I can watch it.
Psych
A show that continues to delight me. It's silly, even over-the-top absurd at times, but it always puts a smile on my face and I love it for that. Plus, it has this ability to produce really angsty fanworks, despite the light tone of the show. If you want to see a fucked-up Father-Son relationship, take a look at Henry and Shawn Spencer. I ship Shawn and Lassiter (hardcore), and both characters have had difficult pasts that make bringing them together complicated and satisfying.
Rizzoli & Isles
This one is lots of fun, and is charming and interesting. I love the relationship between the two leads, detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles. Just like all the best buddy slash shows, you can take them as the best of friends who'll do anything for each other, or as two women in a romantic relationship. Personally, I prefer the femslash, and the show really delivers. There are tons of interpersonal moments, and even a couple of events where they actually pretend to be in a romantic relationship. They really, really sell it. But the important thing to me is that it doesn't feel like a male lesbian fantasy.* Despite being gorgeous, neither woman is your ideal feminine type. Jane is brash, independent, and a tom-boy who has no interest in cloths. Maura is more feminine (she's always dressed to the nines, which is a little unrealistic given her job, but w/e), but she's extremely intelligent, honest to the point of rude, and tends to be socially awkward. So, interesting characters who aren't the typical female on TV. The family relationships are also really interesting, especially the mother-daughter relationships. It's just not your stereotypical show, on any level.
*Yes, I realize how that sounds coming from someone who sees many male characters as my own personal gay fantasy. I won't say I'm any better than the men who put the typical lesbian fantasy on TV, but that doesn't change the fact that our interests differ. Or, at least, that I can appreciate something that doesn't cater to that typical image.
Sherlock (BBC)
Hubby and I watched Season 1 together and we both loved it. (In fact, we marathoned it one Saturday) The snark, Sherlock with a list of 101 reasons for any given conclusion he comes to (as hubby pointed out, most crime shows will give you one reason for a conclusion, two or three if you're lucky. But Sherlock has, like, fifteen, thus making him an actual genius instead of a wannabe who plays one on TV), the way he's so... himself - and fuck anyone who doesn't like him. Great fun to watch. Benedict and Martin are both amazing, and the amount of squee over them is not overblown, IMO.
I'm not sure about the slash, though. Don't get me wrong, I love the chemistry Benedict and Martin have, it's fantastic. That sort of thing always wants to be slashed. I've read fic with great banter and chemistry, and it's fun. But, as Sherlock points out, he's a sociopath. That doesn't lead to easy relationships, or even annoying relationships. I have to think it leads to impossible, heartbreaking relationships, at least on John's end. I haven't yet figured out how that translates to romance, or even to a friendship relationship. I want to make that leap to serious shipping, it just needs to be sorted out first. (Although, based on the conversations I've seen on the web, I suspect that Season 2 will do some of that sorting out for me.)
The Vampire Diaries
Another show I adore. I've got way too much to say about it to put it all here. Just know that I'm SQUEEFUL about certain developments this season. I really do need to do a write-up about it.
White Collar
I adore this show. It's squeeful fun and interesting to watch. It's different than many other crime and cop shows. The mysteries are about art, antiques, jewelry, stocks and bonds, and scams and heists of all kinds. I mean, what other series would have an entire episode about forging an antique bottle of wine?
I can't wait to see the end, with Neal's hearing coming up. This season has yet more trust issues (I'm convinced the writers will never give up the game of who will break trust next), but I see them working even closer to a middle ground.
**SPOILERS FOR WHITE COLLAR in the next three paragraphs!!**
I was just over the moon about Neal deciding, ultimately, that Peter and his life in NY are more important than the treasure. Just, yeah. Yes, he planned to go, but he didn't in the end. That made me very happy.
Upper West Side Story
The '10 points for gryffindor' comment made me giggle. Neal reading poetry!! The student having a crush on Neal! The whole thing was squeeful to me. Then Peter with his comments about artists being punished, and his conversation with Elle about Neal getting off scott free. Come on, Peter, we all know what you want to do here. It's a nice set-up for a BDSM scene.
Pulling Strings
I LOVE that Diana is engaged, and that everyone in the office is happy for her. I was a little surprised they wrote her as saying "It's moving too fast" - what, like she's the guy? - but we don't really know anything about her relationship, so... Overall, I love the way the show has handled her relationship. I love the episode where Neal and Sara have dinner with Diana and Christie, and the way Diana's sexuality is a fact but not a big deal. I did get a total kick out of Neal saying he'd plan the bachelor party, though. Now I really want to read about the party, and about Diana and Christie's relationship.
And TV I'm watching off Netflix:
Farscape
I'm enjoying it, but it hasn't quite grabbed me like I hoped it would. I'm halfway through Season 1, and stalled by SPN.
Fringe
I watched the first DVD and promptly had nightmares that night. *sigh* I wish I could not be a five year old about it, but it just happens. However, the characters and relationships look fascinating, so I might push on to watch it.
Stargate Atlantis
This is another series I've been reading in for forever, but haven't seen all of it. I'm into season three, watching off Netflix streaming. I keep getting sidetracked away from it, but I really do love this show. I love the sci-fi aspect and I adore the characters and relationships. I know that many people have issues with the show, but to me it's a fun show that spawned some amazing slash and OT4 fic. I will always love it. (Maybe my lax attitude to the weaknesses comes from the fact that I first started watching in the fifth season, and it already had a built-in fandom that had 'fixed' all the show's problems. I might feel differently if I had watched along as each season aired. Impossible to know now.)
Supernatural
I finally got over myself and am watching steadily. I've finished Season 1, and am now watching the Streaming episodes. I realize SPN is currently airing, but I put it down here because I'm nowhere near caught up to the current season. Also, I have tons to say about it so it gets it's own post. (But does anyone have the box sets? Can you tell me which discs have special features like episode commentary and such? I'll get those discs from Netflix)
Torchwood
I enjoy this overall, but it's a bit more bleak than I thought it would be. I thought BSG had a monopoly on bleak shows, but I think Torchwood might give it a run for it's money. I started this one a while back but have been distracted from it. Occasionally the lure of the slash brings me back, but it'll probably have to wait till after SPN. Originally posted at http://pslasher.dreamwidth.org/40397.html. Read
comments over there.