Highlights from my TV viewing
Because I am bored at work... here are thoughts on television I've been watching this past week:
1. Doctor Who. When I heart that David Tennant and Russel T. Davies were jumping ship, I was devastated and immensely concerned. When I heard who would be replacing the Doctor, I was less than thrilled. Stephen Moffat taking over certainly helped a bit because I love him but as a writer, maybe not as a show runner.
I was an idiot, obviously. This season (besides a few missteps like wtf were those crayola daleks. Total waste of a Winston Churchill) has been amazing. The tone is more whimsical, less dark. Russel T. Davies went into some dark place between Children of Earth and all the genocide the doctor kept committing. But this series has been lighter and more fun. I am so sad there are only two episodes left of this season.
2. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. I have a sick sense of humour. It's why I can watch shows like Wondershowzen and Drawn Together. But It's Always Sunny takes it to like some other level - possibly because its not animated and has no puppets. An episode about Dumpster Babies is not funny - except that it totally was. I also have kind of a giant crush on Charlie Day and yes he has a beard and yes I am now accepting that I may have a thing for beards. Dammit. But I finished it so I now I need to find something else.
3. Justified. Oh my god, Timothy OliFANTASTIC is fantastic. I read an interview with him about his character and one of the questions was "What do you have in common with your character?" and his answer was "Well we both look a like. I also like wearing hats." Besides Timmy O being kind of awesome, the show itself is fun. I didn't really understand where the show was going after the first episode but by the second episode I was sold. The criminals are just interesting and the show makes them into people which is nice. So often on tv, criminals are criminals and if a show is being daring, they'll make him sympathetic. "I only kill because I was raised by my psychotic grandfather who used to beat me and taught me that it was what men did." Whatever.
But Justified doesn't do that. These people do stuff that should land them in jail but they are still full characters. If anything, its some of Timmy's federal marshal comrades who need to be better developped. Anyway, the show's first season was really, really good.
4. Stargate Universe. I don't know what to make of this show because it was okay for most the first part. Interesting enough to keep with it but in need of a lot of improvements. It had all the potential though. I've watched the first five episodes of the second half of the season and it keeps throwing me for a loop. The format still needs work and the kinks still need to be worked out but the show keeps surprising me with these lovely little moments. There is one episode where two characters who I don't think had a conversation together at all during the show, bond, and it was really lovely. I am totally rooting for their friendship even though one episode beforehand, I was positive that they would never really interact in any way but civil and professional.
Some of it is really heavy-handed with their messages but I'm not going to give up on this show. If these few moments bloom into full episodes, it could be a fantastic sci-fi series. Stargate Atlantis found its real footing and flow in season 3. If this series gets that much, I'm sure they'll find it too.
5. True Blood. I was a little underwhelmed by the season premiere but I think that is mostly because a) the premiere was way focused on Bill and I don't mean to but I totally zone out when he starts talking. I just don't like the character b) a lot of it was setting plot points up. I'm positive that in a few episodes, I'll be babbling about it. Until then, I'll just have to content myself with the amount of naked Alexander Skarsgaard we got because damn that man is fine and like any typical girl, I have always had a thing for the bad boy (on screen). In real life, I like funny dorks with beards or hot geeks with glasses who love Tom Stoppard (yeah, still not over stupid comic book writer - goddamn it).
1. Doctor Who. When I heart that David Tennant and Russel T. Davies were jumping ship, I was devastated and immensely concerned. When I heard who would be replacing the Doctor, I was less than thrilled. Stephen Moffat taking over certainly helped a bit because I love him but as a writer, maybe not as a show runner.
I was an idiot, obviously. This season (besides a few missteps like wtf were those crayola daleks. Total waste of a Winston Churchill) has been amazing. The tone is more whimsical, less dark. Russel T. Davies went into some dark place between Children of Earth and all the genocide the doctor kept committing. But this series has been lighter and more fun. I am so sad there are only two episodes left of this season.
2. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. I have a sick sense of humour. It's why I can watch shows like Wondershowzen and Drawn Together. But It's Always Sunny takes it to like some other level - possibly because its not animated and has no puppets. An episode about Dumpster Babies is not funny - except that it totally was. I also have kind of a giant crush on Charlie Day and yes he has a beard and yes I am now accepting that I may have a thing for beards. Dammit. But I finished it so I now I need to find something else.
3. Justified. Oh my god, Timothy OliFANTASTIC is fantastic. I read an interview with him about his character and one of the questions was "What do you have in common with your character?" and his answer was "Well we both look a like. I also like wearing hats." Besides Timmy O being kind of awesome, the show itself is fun. I didn't really understand where the show was going after the first episode but by the second episode I was sold. The criminals are just interesting and the show makes them into people which is nice. So often on tv, criminals are criminals and if a show is being daring, they'll make him sympathetic. "I only kill because I was raised by my psychotic grandfather who used to beat me and taught me that it was what men did." Whatever.
But Justified doesn't do that. These people do stuff that should land them in jail but they are still full characters. If anything, its some of Timmy's federal marshal comrades who need to be better developped. Anyway, the show's first season was really, really good.
4. Stargate Universe. I don't know what to make of this show because it was okay for most the first part. Interesting enough to keep with it but in need of a lot of improvements. It had all the potential though. I've watched the first five episodes of the second half of the season and it keeps throwing me for a loop. The format still needs work and the kinks still need to be worked out but the show keeps surprising me with these lovely little moments. There is one episode where two characters who I don't think had a conversation together at all during the show, bond, and it was really lovely. I am totally rooting for their friendship even though one episode beforehand, I was positive that they would never really interact in any way but civil and professional.
Some of it is really heavy-handed with their messages but I'm not going to give up on this show. If these few moments bloom into full episodes, it could be a fantastic sci-fi series. Stargate Atlantis found its real footing and flow in season 3. If this series gets that much, I'm sure they'll find it too.
5. True Blood. I was a little underwhelmed by the season premiere but I think that is mostly because a) the premiere was way focused on Bill and I don't mean to but I totally zone out when he starts talking. I just don't like the character b) a lot of it was setting plot points up. I'm positive that in a few episodes, I'll be babbling about it. Until then, I'll just have to content myself with the amount of naked Alexander Skarsgaard we got because damn that man is fine and like any typical girl, I have always had a thing for the bad boy (on screen). In real life, I like funny dorks with beards or hot geeks with glasses who love Tom Stoppard (yeah, still not over stupid comic book writer - goddamn it).