Category Archives: tv

new fall tv

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Now that a month has passed since the start of the season, my TV schedule has started to shake out.

Quick thoughts on the new shows I’m watching…



Revenge
LOVE THIS SHOW. This is *so* what I wanted Ringer to be. Sure, it’s pretty much a primetime soap but the revenge angle gives everything additional meaning. And to think I was worried about how the show would sustain the storyline. I’m loving Emily’s tactical takedown of the Graysons (oh man, Victoria is wickedly awesome) — and of course, Emily VanCamp’s portrayal of the hatred underneath the sweetness. As far as the love triangle, I LOVE Daniel. And I’m sad that he might be dead. Please say it isn’t so. Since they never showed his face in the pilot, I’m holding onto hope that the body might be Tyler (can’t stand him anyway). I’m finding Jack to be a tad bit *too* noble for me (selling his boat for his dad and all) but I have a soft spot for Nick Wechsler (Roswell!) so I hope they do something more with his character. Overall, GOOD stuff.



Hart of Dixie
So great to have Rachel Bilson back on TV (I still miss The OC). Love her. This is your typical CW show. It reminds me of both Gilmore Girls and Everwood though not quite as good as either one. So far, the characters (particularly Lemon) and the storylines are kinda cliched but the show is so charming that I find myself not caring. I love the unlikely trio of Zoe, Wade and Lavon and surprisingly I don’t ship Zoe and George (I wish I did, though, I’m a sucker for Jason Street — I mean Scott Porter). A show very rarely makes me smile the way this one does so I’m on board. I need a fun, light show in my life anyway!



The New Girl
I’ve said before that I’m NOT a sitcom person. I don’t know why. I just don’t find most of them that funny. It’s possible I don’t have a sense of humor. BUT. I downloaded this pilot free on iTunes and watched it on the way to Vancouver and thought it was HILARIOUS. Jess is a little *too* quirky for me but I don’t care cause I love the guys. So excited for it to return tomorrow.

I’d like to check out Once Upon a Time too. I’m only 2 episodes behind so maybe I’ll be able to catch up? I’ll need something to replace Ringer and Grey’s Anatomy since I’ve lost interest in both…

cw premieres

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Work has seriously been kicking my a*s and TV has been saving me.

I thought I’d go ahead and write up some quick thoughts on the CW premieres even though I’m already behind and haven’t seen the second episodes yet…



Ringer
I DON’T KNOW. I guess it was… fine? The special effects (like the boat scenes) were terrible, though. I like all the actors involved so hopefully it loses its soap-y predictability in the next episodes. Because REALLY, I didn’t think it was such a surprise finding out Siobhan is still alive. Or that she was having an affair with her best friend Gemma’s husband. OR that the attacker that tried to kill Bridget was really after Siobhan. DUN DUN DUN. Anyway, Ioan Gruffudd was a highlight as I expected and maybe I’m crazy but I’m totally shipping his character Andrew with Bridget. They have great chemistry! And I know this is a drama but I hope the writers infuse *some* humor in the dialogue — I always thought Sarah Michelle Gellar did a great job with that on BtVS. Anyway, I’ll keep watching. Not much else on Tuesdays anyway.



The Secret Circle
Gawd, I’m such a typical CW viewer. I liked this a lot! Well, except for the main theme song. It totally freaks me out. Anyway, it’s basically a show about teen witches helmed by Kevin Williamson. I’m drawn like a moth to a flame. Heh. I have a soft spot for Britt Robertson from her role as Lux on the dearly departed Life Unexpected and I enjoyed her here too. The rest of the “secret circle” didn’t really impress me much. I found Diana & Adam pretty dull and Faye slightly rage-inducing. But that’s usually the case with pilots — there’s so much to set up that the characters don’t have much depth. It’ll be interesting to see if the show manages to keep the adults (yay Gale Harold) as entrenched in the story as they seem to be. They always start strong then fade into the background (ie. 90210, Gossip Girl).



The Vampire Diaries
Good season opener. I’m not a huge fan of Klaus and his quest for an army of hybrids so I wish Stefan wasn’t saddled with him. Actually, I wasn’t sold on anything involving the 3 leads (Elena, Stefan, Damon). Not even Stefan killing Andie. Or Stefan’s tearful phone call with Elena (who I love but really found kinda annoying in this episode). However, I totally adored Caroline & Tyler! They were funny and awkward, frustratingly adorable, then scorching hot. I love them so. But ACK! WTH Mrs. Lockwood! Finally, I’m so glad Jeremy has his own storyline — AND that it will apparently involve Matt. Both characters deserve something better to do than react to everyone else’s shenanigans.

Sooo glad it’s the weekend. I plan to catch up with TV. Definitely need the mindless entertainment. STAT.

fall tv 11

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I can’t believe the new TV season is upon us! The quality of summer TV (White Collar, Burn Notice, Suits, Eureka) was pretty awesome so I haven’t felt deprived. Plus, last season was slightly underwhelming for me overall. Here’s hoping for a much improved new season. I’m planning to check out the following…

MONDAYS:
Gossip Girl @ 8pm (CW)
Hart of Dixie @ 9pm (CW) – Rachel Bilson back on TV. Plus Scott Porter. I’m SO there.
Hawaii 5-0 @ 10pm (CBS) – I can’t resist. So much damn eye candy on this show.

TUESDAYS:
Glee @ 8pm (FOX) – I fully admit I’m watching solely for the musical performances. And Darren Criss.
Ringer @ 9pm (CW) – Please be good. I LOVE SMG.

WEDNESDAYS:
Psych @ TBD time (USA)
Modern Family @ 9pm (ABC)
Revenge @10pm (ABC) – I adore Emily Van Camp. I’m not too sure about the premise, though — EVC is the main character, Emily (lol), plotting revenge on wealthy Hamptons residents who destroyed her family. I enjoy primetime soaps but I wonder how this story is going to be sustained, particularly for multiple seasons.

THURSDAYS:
Big Bang Theory @ 8pm (CBS)
The Vampire Diaries @ 8pm (CW)
Grey’s Anatomy @ 9pm (ABC)
The Secret Circle @ 9pm (CW) – Totally up my alley. Kevin Williamson has not steered my wrong — see Dawson’s Creek, The Vampire Diaries.

I’m also considering Person of Interest @ 9pm (CBS) cause I like Michael Emerson. Maybe even Charlie’s Angels @ 8pm (ABC). These will be game-time decisions.

FRIDAYS:
A Gifted Man @ 8pm (CBS) – PATRICK WILSON. Enough said.
Chuck @ 8pm (NBC) – Last season. *sniff* I’m excited to see how this “little show that could” wraps up.
Nikita @ 8pm (CW)

SUNDAYS:
Once Upon a Time @ 8pm (ABC) – Fairytale drama? I’m intrigued.
The Good Wife @ 9pm (CBS) – I hope the new night works out. I love this show so much.
Dexter @ 9pm (Showtime) – Hmmm. We don’t have Showtime. Maybe we’ll wait until DVD or… ?

I stopped watching Supernatural last season (got bored) and I’m tempted to do the same with Bones as well. It’s a solid show but I’m not invested in the characters. I probably won’t watch the CSI franchise regularly either. Quality has declined and I’m tired of the formula.

Someday I’ll catch up with Parenthood and Fringe.

So… am I missing anything? What are you planning to watch? :)

tv season wrap-up, part 2

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OMG. The new TV season starts next week and I haven’t finished my wrap-up from last season. ARGH. Going to try and do this quickly…

Hellcats
Poor cancelled show. It totally ran out of gas in the last half of the season. I got whiplash with Alice/Jake (who I really liked), Alice/Lewis, and Kathy/Lewis. And I think the show lost its way when Marti and Savannah were given completely separate storylines with their families instead of focusing on their relationship with each other and their team. It’s too bad. This was a fun cast!

Gossip Girl
Oh show. I can’t quit you. Even though you fail to give Nate any meaningful storylines (at least he’s good for eye candy), can’t seem to commit to consistent characterizations (Blair, Chuck, their relationship), and keep introducing the C-R-A-Z-Y (Juliet, now Ivy). But despite all that, I’m so on board for next season. Serena in LA. Blair’s wedding that is SO not going to happen. A secret pregnancy. Dan’s tell-all book!!! I hope there’s room to develop the Dan and Blair friendship even more. I can’t help that I love them so.

Grey’s Anatomy
%$#@ has hit the fan! And it’s pretty damn depressing. Like REALLY. I’m torn. Especially about Cristina/Owen and their pregnancy. Isn’t this her second unplanned pregnancy? Shouldn’t someone who clearly (it’s practically written on her forehead) doesn’t want kids be more careful? So I’m sympathetic but at the same time I’m not. (I realize that sounds weird). And while I agree with Owen that Cristina shouldn’t make a decision about abortion without him, I also feel like he was trying to guilt-trip her which bothers me. And then there’s Meredith/Derek. I’m inclined to side with Derek about the clinical trial because that’s a professional issue and Meredith was wrong to switch the medicine. But leaving her? Stranded with their newly adopted baby? These storylines are rubbing me the wrong way. But I’ll keep watching because I’m a sucker.

Nikita
I liked this show from the beginning but the quality really got better and better as the season progressed. The finale was especially great. I’m a sucker for a great love story (Nikita and Michael on the run, yay!) but this show reeled me in with Nikita and Alex. And to see the conflict and tension between them in the finale killed me. It’ll be interesting to see the two of them working against each other (well, at least from Alex’s point of view). And I’m excited that the plot seems to be moving at a good pace now that the show has found its footing.

The Vampire Diaries
My current favorite show next to The Good Wife. I actually think the penultimate episode of the season felt more like a finale (with the ritual and the epic deaths) than the actual finale, which was mostly set-up for next season. I’m not terribly enamored by Damon/Elena (I like her with Stefan, what can I say) but I’m intrigued by Jeremy seeing dead people (Anna!) and the return of Stefan the Ripper. Should be GOOD.

Annnddd that’s it.

Oh. Except that at some point I need to finish watching the last 2 episodes of Smallville. OOPS.

Now to figure out my Fall TV schedule…

this summer’s tv

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I remember when summertime meant reruns on TV. Not anymore! This summer I’m spending my time with…

White Collar.
My favorite bromance is back. Though the show still features a “case of the week,” I’m really enjoying the tension just beneath the surface between Neal and Peter. It adds some depth to the show that wasn’t previously there. Good stuff! But I hate the new opening credits. Bring back the old credits!

Suits
Discovered this show thanks to Christie. I guess I can’t resist cute boys in suits (see above: White Collar) cause it’s become my new obsession. :D I love the mentor/mentee banter between Harvey and Mike. My only complaint is that I wish they wouldn’t spend any more time on Mike’s personal life, in particular his relationships with Trevor and Jenny. I know it’s necessary to show his time away from the office, not to mention his character growth but UGH… they are not interesting characters. Hopefully they’ll veer away from this storyline in upcoming episodes.

Game of Thrones
A few weeks ago, Rob arrived home after a weekend in Las Vegas and at the airport, he picked up the first book in this series. I hadn’t been particularly interested in it before but somehow, Rob convinced me to check out the show. And we devoured all 10 episodes in a few days. I absolutely love Tyrion and Arya (such spunk!) and can’t wait to see if I’ll enjoy them as much in the books. That is, if Rob ever finishes it so I can read it. :)

So You Think You Can Dance
As much as I love this show, it’s become too contemporary-focused, which is unfortunate. The first week of eliminations definitely proved that to me with Iveta and Nick getting the boot. On the other hand, I’m glad they’re using new choreographers this season. Routines were getting stale and the show needed some new blood to mix things up. So far, my favorite dancers are Tadd (can’t help it – he’s filipino!) and Melanie and Marko (talk about power couple!). Sasha and Ryan are my least favorites — they are OVER-HYPED.

I’m also working my way through the first seasons of True Blood and The Tudors (yes, again). WOOT.

It’s a good summer for TV.

In other fandom news, complete Comic-Con programming has been released. Just under 2 weeks now! I’m not 100% sure what panels I’m going to try and see but I do know that I’m bummed my TV boyfriend Joshua Jackson isn’t attending this year. Sadness.

tv season wrap-up, part 1

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I’ve barely written any TV blog posts this year so now that the 2010 – 2011 broadcast season is over, I figured I’d write some quick finale thoughts…

Chuck
The Vivian Volkoff arc in the latter episodes of the season left a lot to be desired (I think it was partly because the actress just wasn’t that believable as a villain) but the finale provided a satisfying resolution to that storyline while setting up new adventures. Honestly, I would have been ok if the show didn’t get renewed – we got to see Chuck save the day without the Intersect (although I have questions about how Sarah managed to stay alive so much longer than other Norseman victims), Sarah & Chuck’s wedding (their vows! LOVE) complete with flashbacks to their relationship (I guess the writers were thinking series finale), and our favorite team back together as freelance spies. But that’s not to say I’m not ridiculously happy that NBC is giving the show a chance to go out on its own terms. I’m excited to see what the writers have in store for the last season, especially now that Morgan has the Intersect uploaded to his brain. !!! I didn’t care for Morgan in the first few seasons but he’s become one of my favorites and it’ll definitely be interesting to see how he and Team Bartowski handle this uhhh… unique situation.

Hawaii Five-0
I don’t take this show too seriously so I thought the finale was pretty darn awesome. There were some WTF moments (anything related to Danny/Rachel and the need to leave for New Jersey THAT DAY) but I totally didn’t expect the twist with the governor and Wo Fat. Now that I’ve had time to think about it, I wonder if this was planned from the very beginning of the season. Maybe the governor put together the 5-0 task force as a way to keep Steve close and monitor what he was doing. Really good set up if that’s the case. Now Steve is arrested for murder (they have to see his taser burn, right?!), Kono’s suspended (I can’t believe the eyewitness testimony could be considered credible at this point), and Chin’s back at HPD (I have hope he’s going to be their “inside man” and try to help the others somehow). Phew. I have no desire to see Danny back in a relationship with Rachel (ugh, cheaters!) so he better stay in Hawaii to help his friends (although I don’t know why they bother with the drama of him moving to NJ — he’s a main character and isn’t likely to leave).

No Ordinary Family
So much potential (love the actors, especially Autumn Reeser) but this wasn’t a good show. I’m sorry! The writing was lacking (terrible storylines, inconsistent characterization), the episodes were slooooow, and there was just no spark. The premise really intrigued me but the execution was all wrong. Disappointing. Not surprised it didn’t get renewed.

Glee
It may seem as if I don’t like this show… but I really do. I just have problems with its inconsistency. Especially this past season. I think I got a little whiplash with all the back and forth between good (Duets, Original Song) and terrible (A Night of Neglect – WTF) episodes. But I’ve come to accept that I’m here for the characters, the minimal development and interaction they get, and above all, the songs and performances. I’m ok with that.

One Tree Hill
Oh, this show. Just when you think it’s over, it goes and gets renewed. Again. I still watch because I’ve really grown to like the characters but it’s lost a lot of the fun and spark it used to have in the earlier seasons. Plus, there’s been veerrrryyy little storytelling in the last few episodes. Nothing really happens! It’s no wonder they keep doing time jumps to change things up. In any case, the finale was fine. Everyone had their moment and their happy ending — Brooke gave birth, Haley opened her cafe, Nathan and Clay found their star, and Chase returns from the Air Force to reunite with Alex (who I actually love now). See! Would have been a great series finale. I’m not really sure what other stories they have to tell but I have two requests — can they PLEASE limit Chuck and Jamie’s screentime? They’re taking screentime from characters I actually care about. And they are not cute kids, I’m sorry. ALSO, and maybe more importantly, PLEASE bring back the original theme song full time. As interesting it is to hear different artists’ take on the song, it’s just not the same.

The Good Wife
I love this show. But I think it suffered slightly from trying to do too much in its second season. They introduced characters that didn’t really work, dropped storylines (the deleted voicemail kills me), and sacrificed the screentime of major characters in the process. The last few episodes, though, after Bond was ousted and Peter and Kalinda’s past was revealed, were pretty much on par with the best episodes of season 1. Not to mention that they did a great job of setting up storylines for next season. Like Alicia/Will exploring their relationship (loved that Alicia was the one calling the shots that night) — how is that going to affect their interactions with Peter? Will’s conversation with Peter in the finale was already fraught with awkward tension. Or Eli moving his business into the Lockhart Gardner offices — does this mean more Alicia/Eli interaction? Yes please! And with Alicia/Peter’s separation, I sure hope it means less Jackie. The actress may be a Dawson’s Creek alum (Grams!) but I CANNOT stand the character. I know she’s a mother and loves her son but COME ON. Cheating is not ok and she acts like Peter did nothing wrong. She irks me so much. The only thing I’m dreading about next season is the move to Sundays. Especially on CBS after football. Isn’t this where they put shows to die? :(

Ok, that’s it for now — back again with the rest soon. Happy 4th of July!

glee live concert

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This past Saturday Rob and I went to the Glee Live concert at the Staples Center with some friends.

It’s no secret that I’m pretty critical about the show. But who cares about that. The concert was GREAT! It was 80 minutes of infectious, gleeful FUN.



Evidence of my attendance. :)

I took photos during the concert but our nosebleed seats combined with the point and shoot I was using didn’t translate into good shots. But I’m going to post some of them anyway.



Opening number was “Don’t Stop Believing”. This was my favorite song of the concert. You could totally feel the anticipation of the audience when the first few bars of the music started playing. Then the cast came out and the excitement was palpable. Awesome.

What I loved most of all was that the concert really showcased everyone. Like you’d expect, Lea Michele, Chris Colfer and Amber Riley had solos but most of the cast did too. Heather Morris performed “Slave 4 U” and while I’m pretty sure she was lip-syncing, I think she out-Britney’d Britney. Her dancing was fan-freaking-tastic. Naya Rivera, Mark Salling, Cory Monteith and Kevin McHale had their own moments in the spotlight as well.



Ok, I’m biased. I love Darren Criss and I love The Warblers. So I was overjoyed when I found out they would be on the tour! They sang a mini-set of 3 songs and were terrific.



… And it was all over so soon. They closed the show with “Somebody to Love”.

I’m seriously amazed at how much time this cast puts in to their work — probably more than any other TV cast out there. During the season, not only do they film the show, they also have to lay down the tracks and practice for the musical numbers. And now when they should be on hiatus, they’re performing in this multi-city arena tour. Amazing.

Posting the set list for reference because I like this kind of stuff…


Don’t Stop Believing
Dog Days Are Over
Sing
Slave 4 U
Fat Bottomed Girls
I Want to Hold Your Hand
Ain’t No Way
PYT
Born This Way
Firework
Teenage Dream
Silly Love Songs
Raise Your Glass
Happy Days/Get Happy
Lucky
River Deep, Mountain High
Don’t Rain on My Parade
Jessie’s Girl
Valerie
Loser Like Me

Encore
Single Ladies
Friday – HILARIOUS
Safety Dance – Kevin McHale dancing!
Empire State of Mind
Somebody to Love

dexter

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I’ve heard so many good things about Dexter. But to be honest, I couldn’t imagine liking a show about a serial killer. Well, I was wrong! The show is so good that Rob and I watched the first 4 seasons over a few months and now I’m anxious for the 5th to be released on DVD.



The opening credits are AMAZING. Visually stunning. Usually we’ll fast forward through the credits of most shows but Dexter’s are so unique (and the theme song so catchy!) that it’s a great way to set the tone for each episode.

Each season is only 12 episodes long, which is just enough time to introduce, develop and close out the main storyline of the season. That doesn’t leave much room for filler episodes or superfluous storylines (though there are a few of those — Angel & Maria comes to mind).

Brief overall season comments (no specific spoilers here)…

Season 1
SO GOOD. This is my favorite of the 4 seasons I’ve seen so far. You’re thrown right into the season’s main storyline while learning about Dexter, his life, and the people in it.

Season 2
OK. Still a very good season but there were a couple of things that bothered me. First, a new character, Lila, was introduced who develops a relationship with Dexter. I HATED HER. I understand why someone like Lila was needed to show another side of Dexter but I just couldn’t stand her. Maybe it was the actress? Also, I was disappointed in the closure for this season because there was doubt raised heading into the finale but everything was resolved without those questions ever being addressed (not even in seasons 3 or 4).

Season 3
So much better! I didn’t like Jimmy Smits’s character at first but he grew on me and found his friendship with Dexter intriguing.

Season 4
WOW. Very close second to season 1 for me. The Trinity Killer storyline was set up and executed at a great pace (with unexpected twists!) and culminated in one of the best season finales I’ve ever seen.

Highly recommended! You can easily catch up via instant Netflix or DVD. Now, what show to marathon next?

midseason tv report card, part 2

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Ok, part 2 of the TV report card!

Hellcats – C+
Yes, I’m still watching this show. Heh. It’s not much more than a typical college drama but it’s totally grown on me. I love Marti, Savannah and the rest of the Hellcats (Lewis, Darwin, even Alice!) and the random singing and/or dancing in each episode. I was even pleasantly surprised by the storylines until recently when the show did an about-face and broke up 2 couples (Savannah/Dan, Marti/Lewis) and possibly damaged a major friendship (Marti/Savannah) to develop a relationship between Marti/Dan. UGH. I’m a sucker for romance, I admit, but not when it comes at the expense of the characters’ integrity and their other relationships. Also, the adult characters need to go. They contribute… nothing. (And DB Woodside deserves better).

The Big Bang Theory – B-
I just started watching TBBT regularly this season so I sometimes feel like I’ve missed out on important character backstory by tuning in so late. I may try and catch up at some point. Regardless, the characters are enjoyable and I love all the quirky friendships (is it weird that my favorite relationship is Penny & Sheldon?). I love the show best when all the characters are interacting, like this past week’s episode where everyone (including Bernadette and Amy Farrah Fowler) takes a road trip to a science symposium. Gotta love the musical beds, lol.

Bones – B-
Still a good show but I feel like it’s slowly becoming another procedural. I know it technically is but the characters have always elevated the show beyond the traditional formula. Unfortunately the past few seasons they’ve all been running in place.

Grey’s Anatomy – C+
I go back and forth all the time with this show. While I love the characters, the ridiculous storylines make my head hurt. Last year it was Mark’s daughter (I stopped watching while she was around; she bugged me) and this year it’s Callie’s pregnancy AND Teddy marrying a patient (Scott Foley!) so he could have insurance (they’re totally going to fall in love, I just know it). ARGH. Cristina getting her surgical groove back took a tad too long but Sandra Oh is so awesome she made it work. Random — I saw McSteamy (aka Eric Dane) and his wife in LA a few weeks back. He looks smaller in real life somehow but just as cute. :)

Nikita – B
Honestly, I never thought I would still be watching at this point in the season… but I’m really liking it! It definitely needs some work but the show is improving each week. The winter finale, in particular, was a good episode — it set up Alex as an agent working on the outside and it FINALLY addressed my biggest issue when Nikita’s shell program was discovered. Seriously, to have Nikita and Alex basically chatting online whenever they felt like it required too much suspension of belief. Now, if only the show would bring back Owen and get rid of Jaden (ugh, she’s such a one-note character), I would be a very happy camper.

Smallville – C+
I might be an episode behind. Not sure. This season has been a little off for me — the storylines seem a little stale and overall there’s missing something. Maybe it’s the loss of Chloe? Or maybe it’s that the show takes itself way too seriously? I can’t put my finger on it. I also don’t know what happened to me because suddenly I like Lois/Clark. They’re actually kind of cute. I was really hoping that Kristin Kreuk and/or Michael Rosenbaum would reprise their roles as Lana and Lex since it’s the final season but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. It would have been a nice way to close out the series, especially for the fans.

White Collar – A-
Gawd, LOVE IT. It may not be the best or smartest show about the FBI (case in point – the larger mythology storyline involving the music box doesn’t always make sense) but it’s so light and fun that I don’t really care. Besides, it’s the chemistry between Neal and Peter that makes the show so great anyway. The reason it doesn’t get a straight A is that so much of Neal’s backstory is centered around his ex-girlfriend Kate who, unfortunately, is not very likable or sympathetic (thanks largely to the actress that plays her).

Pass:
CSI
CSI Miami
No grades for these shows. I watch each week because it’s become a routine but I’m not too invested.

Dropped:
V – *yawn*
Supernatural – Watched the first few episodes of the season and it felt a little “been there, done that.” Then the episodes kept piling up on the DVR until finally last month, Rob & I deleted all of them. I enjoyed the earlier seasons (and of course love Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki) but honestly, I just got bored.

Need to Catch up on:
The Vampire Diaries. I’m about 4 episodes behind but this show is SO good it automatically gets an A for being so AWESOME.

midseason tv report card, part 1

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It’s midway through the 2010 – 2011 broadcast TV season and I thought it was about that time to do a midseason TV report card (gosh, it’s been awhile since I’ve done this)…

Chuck – A
One of the few shows I have to watch immediately. I love it. The past couple of seasons have been really solid with the story arcs about The Ring and Chuck’s mom and I’m so happy that Chuck and Sarah are a REAL couple! And they’ve been together since last season! I’ve always hated how fleeting TV relationships usually are. Chuck and Sarah prove that there’s always drama to mine in any romantic relationship (especially since they’re spies!).

Hawaii Five-0 – B+
This show isn’t reinventing the genre or anything but I enjoy it. Doesn’t hurt that Steve and Danno are totally HOT (and totally in a bromance — come on, they banter back and forth every single episode). But as much as I love Scott Caan, I’m not sure why he was nominated for a Golden Globe for this show. He’s basically playing himself!

Gossip Girl – B+
This season’s major story arc (so far) involving Juliet and her obsession with revenge against Serena is so ridiculously over the top. But that’s what I love about this show. I may not care for her but I have to admit that Juliet brought new life to the Upper East Side with all her mischief-making. Minimal Jenny and Vanessa is also a good thing. It’s too bad because I actually like both characters — the writers just don’t know what to do with them and they no longer have any redeeming qualities. I’m also intrigued by the thought of Dan/Blair. I used to ship Chuck/Blair but that relationship is seriously MESSED UP and beyond repair (I loved them so this is really disappointing). Blair deserves much better.

No Ordinary Family – C
Ehhh. I don’t know. This could actually be a decent show (they have the acting talent!) but it’s just so bland. There’s no spark. I expected much more from Greg Berlanti. But I’ll probably stick it out until the end of the season to see if it gets better. If not, I probably won’t tune in next season (if I’m being honest, I don’t think the show will get renewed; the ratings are pretty dismal).

Glee – B
I have a lot of issues with this show (treatment of Will and Rachel’s characters, portrayal of women, Kurt making everything all about him, etc) but I can’t help it. I love the singing! And sometimes there are flashes of brilliance as evidenced by The Duets and The Substitute, which are episodes that reminded me why I love these characters and why I continue to watch the show. I also discovered Darren Criss this season — he’s a new favorite!

One Tree Hill – C-
Same old show. I seriously can’t believe it’s on its 8th season. WHAT. As per usual, the show is slow-paced and isn’t scared to put its characters into unbelievably melodramatic situations (the stalker turned shooter comes to mind). At this point, I’m only watching for Brooke and Julian’s wedding and to see if the writers can give Nathan and Haley a storyline worthy of their awesomeness. I could care less about Clay/Quinn (OMG, most snooze-worthy relationship EVER) and Chase/Alex (I’m *still* in shock that Stephen Colletti is on this show — from none other than Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County).

The Good Wife – A-
A favorite. This season hasn’t been as good overall as the first. It feels like the writers are trying too hard to match the magic of the first season. Even still, it’s miles better than most other shows on the major broadcast networks. Anyway, I’m torn about the new characters — I wanted so badly to like Bond (Michael Ealy) and Blake (I’m a huge fan of Scott Porter’s from Friday Night Lights) but they’re not layered enough characters for me to understand their motivations. All I know is that they’re taking away precious air time from the characters I love, like Kalinda! But the season seems to be ramping up for some interesting reveals and I’m looking forward to it.

Modern Family – B+
I’m normally not a sitcom person but this one is HILARIOUS! The kids are the best. Especially Manny! It’s nice to have some levity on my TV schedule.

Part 2 in the next few days… :)