A look back

At the beginning of the fall TV season I gave my opinion on the new shows.  I am a television junkie.  At one time in my life I wanted to be a television writer, so I of course that qualifies me as an expert when it comes to grading shows.  Since my initial observation I have made a few changes in my viewing and thoughts and decided a blog entry was necessary.

Sitcoms:

• 2 Broke Girls - Last rating:  No Go - Obviously America doesn't agree with me on this one, but I just didn't find it funny.  I only could stand about three viewings and I found it so bad I didn't give it another chance.  I liked actress Kat Dennings, but the plot was just the same old nonsense that I hate in sitcoms.  I mean, a horse in the backyard?  New Rating:  Not gonna happen

• Two and a Half Men - Last rating:  No Go - I tried to like this sitcom, I really did.  I like Ashton Kutcher, despite his cheating on my gal Demi, but really Demi what were you thinking in the first place, but this role is so stereotypical that it just backs up everything Charlie Sheen ever said about the show in the first place.  I recorded and watched it for several weeks but the humor never grew up.  Ugh.  Poor Jon Cryer.  He deserves better.  New Rating:  Not gonna happen

• New Girl - Last rating:  Keeper - This is one that I thought has gotten better with time.  The writing, while cliche at times, is still above notch.  The message is a good one.  I originally didn't like the character of Schmidt, but now he is my favorite.  I have to do some rewinding on my DVR because I laugh so hard I miss a lot of what he says.  Actor Max Greenfield is not someone I had ever seen before, but he is good.  It isn't a show you can sit down and watch with your children, and It isn't a sitcom on par with The Middle or Modern Family, my two fav sitcoms.  But the show isn't a bad way to spend a half an hour and it gives me the giggles.  New Rating:  Cute Keeper

• Up All Night - Last Rating - Catch it in reruns - Over the holiday break when all my shows were rerunning episodes I took a look back at this one and am so glad that I did.  It is hilarious!  They worked out what the show was about, the writing is clever, and the actors phenomenal.  I dislike Maya Rudolph's character the first time, and much like Schmidt now, I like her.  I think giving her a love interest made her more likeable, and I love her friendship with Applegate's character.  I was wrong about this sitcom.  It is certainly a good one.  New Rating - Great Keeper.

• Suburgatory -  Last Rating - Hmmmmm - I think this might be funny, but I agree with my friend Kelly that Jane Levy can't quite pull off the teen look like the actors on Glee.  And because of that it is sort of creepy.  I didn't care for the plot in the beginning, and so many of the characters are so cliche that it just rubs me wrong.  Doesn't anybody have fresh ideas anymore?  New Rating - Not Gonna Happen

Drama:

• Unforgettable - Last Rating:  Keeper - Haven't lost interest in this show at all.  This is one, out of three, that Darcy and I watch together.  I like the back stories.  I like the characters.  The crime plots are typical, but the fact that she has this unforgettable mind makes it stand out and keeps it interesting.  Plus, Poppy Montgomery isn't bad to look at.  New Rating - Cute Keeper

•  Revenge - Last Rating: Keeper - OMG! Love this show!  Keeps me on my toes each week.  I never know what is going to happen or who is good or bad.  Each time you think you have something figured out it turns out to be completely wrong.  I find the show refreshing.  A real exciting who done it.  Only problem with these types of shows is keeping it up.  It is too bad you can't do a show like this for only a year and have it all wrap up in the end.  Hey!  Maybe I'm on to something.  New Rating:  Great Keeper

• Person of Interest -Last Rating: Give it A Go - Another one of my favorites this year.  Again, it is different and refreshing.  It reminds me a little of The Equalizer, which I loved back in the day.  It is nice to see the good guys win, and the back stories are told in small amounts to keep us hanging.  New Rating:  Great Keeper

• A Gifted Man - Last Rating: A Keeper - This is one of those typical medical shows with hunky and beautiful doctors out to save the world, but I love it!  I could sit and stare into Patrick Wilson's blue eyes all night long.  I've taken to telling people I work for Holt Neuro when I'm in my scrubs.  The story has sort of strayed some from the original plot of the dead wife appearing as a ghost to lead him down the right path.  She appears less and less, but overall it is just good crap to wile away the hazards of the day.  New Rating - Cute Keeper

Shows I didn't review, but watch:

• Pan Am - This is by far my guilty pleasure #1 show.  I love the sets.  I love the actors.  I love the beauty.  I love the storyline.  I was just coming into the world at the time this show takes place so it is a new experience to see how air travel was back in the day.  I try to picture my parents during this time dressing up and partying with cocktails.  The women are the most beautiful women ever on television, and I like that most of them are fairly unknown to me.  I think the story is a good one with lots of history woven in, and I certainly hope it sticks around.  Rating:  Fav Keeper

• Once Upon A Time - SO creative!  Finally!  A different type of plot on television.  How simple it is to take stories everyone knows so well in fairy tales and use that as the basis for your show.  The premise is that the fairy tale characters are stuck in today's world in a town called Storyville.  They have no memory of their past lives until a stranger comes into town and unites with the kid in town who owns the fairy tale book and seems to know the truth.  Each week we learn more and each week we are surprised.  This is one of the shows our whole family watches together and loves.  We DVR the show and try to build up a few episodes to watch on the weekends so that we aren't waiting week to week.  If you haven't seen it yet, go to abc.com and get caught up.  So much fun.  Rating:  Fav Keeper

• Grimm - Okay, this is the other fairy tale show on TV on NBC.  The premise here is that the family of the brothers Grimm have the power to destroy fairy tale characters who live among us.  The show started off in one direction, but switched in the third episode, then switched again about halfway through.  I liked the first switch with each week being a new twist on a fairy tale, but the last switch is making things a bit, uh, grim for me.  I'm not a big fan of all the darkness.  I love the Blueblot character.  Without him it would be way too dark and turn me off.  He brings in humor and lightness, and I love his growing friendship with the Grimm police officer.  Rating:  Keeper.. for now

•  Alcatraz - For some reason my DVR hasn't recorded the show beyond the two hour special.  I'm still learning this new cable company we switched to (I miss my Knology and the NFL Network) and it is driving me nuts.  I've got to get online and catch up because I enjoyed the pilot.  I came into Lost late in season 3, but enjoyed most of it, so I think I'll like this one as well.  Can't rate it, but wanted to add it.

Shows that got cancelled, but deserve a second chance:

• Prime Suspect - Seriously?  A great show with great writers.  The acting was above par.  The camera work made it raw and real.  Action packed with a main character full of flaws, but heart.  So annoyed that this one is gone.
• Playboy Club - Okay, make fun of me, but I liked this one for the same reasons I like Pan Am.  I find Hugh Hefner back in the day interesting.  That whole club thing was intriguing and that era fascinating.  Plus the mystery crime, while cliche, was twisted enough to keep me interested.

Reality shows I'm watching: 

• American Idol - I watched with Simon Cowell and thought it wouldn't last when he left.  I watched anyway and was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed Steven Tyler and JLo immensely through the beginning stages.  However, once it was turned over to America I missed Simon's honesty.  Everything was "beautiful" with these judges and they loved it all.  Blah.  Same thing this year.  Watched last night's male round and thought that some of my favs (love most of the males) did awful, but not to hear the judges tell it.  Wonderful performance!  Blah.  I quit watching last year as soon as my boy James Durbin got booted.  I'll see how long I last this season, but I can assure you it won't be long if the judges don't start being honest.

• The Voice - I wasn't going to watch this last year because I was watching American Idol, but after a few shows I took a look back on my TV and was glad I did.  The thing about The X Factor was it was the same as American Idol.  The Voice?  Totally different.  None of this let's watch horrible singers make fools of themselves on national television.  The Voice actually picks real singers who get to sing to four judges whose backs are turned.  This way the voice is the only thing they are judged on, something those of us who are well endowed around the middle and not drop dead model gorgeous dream of someday happening.  But the thing that makes this show for me are the judges, particularly Adam Levine and Blake Shelton.  The way the judges interact with one another, fighting for a singer to be on their team, is fun.  I also like that the judges are a part of the show in more ways then just sitting in a chair and telling them how wonderful they were.  These judges actually coach the singers on their team and give them guidance.  I think the four judges were surprised at how much they all got into the show last year.  They too want to win and have their singer win.  That makes the competition different as well.

• Dancing with the Stars - So pumped for this season!  Several of my favs are on including General Hospital's Frisco, Jack Wagner, tennis great Martina Navratilova, and my childhood heroine and fellow Twitterer Melissa Gilbert.  Enjoy this show because it too is a real competition not only for the celebrities, but for the dancers too.  All of them want to win.  Just fun TV.

• Survivor - Have watched every season since its debut, and I still feel it is the best reality game show on TV.  Hands down.