Here it is:
Man, when I decided to review the year in TV, I didn't know
what I was getting myself into. Well, I'm done. It's not great, oh well. But
here it is. I don't give away much, just my personal feelings about said show,
though there are some spoilers. So, if you haven't watched, don't read, I don't
wanna be blamed for giving something away. heh.
Read, enjoy, debate, disagree...
Read, enjoy, debate, disagree...
CBS
Jericho
I’m
starting with this show because it’s canceled. It was, by far, one of my
favorite new shows this year. After high hopes with The Nice and Six
Degrees—more on that later—this was a nice surprise. With high tension a la 24
and the mysteriousness of LOST, it helped me cope with less than stellar
episodes those other shows delivered this year.
Skeet
Ulrich should get nominated for an Emmy. His tortured, angst ridden bad boy
persona had just enough kindness and ruthlessness to make him utterly
believable. The rest of the cast was brilliant.
The
show started out with the typical "Whodunit" questions, but what
gripped me was Hawkins. Was he good or wasn't he? In the end, he turned out to
be the perfect co-leading man for Skeet's character. And it seems TV shows
aren't worried about killing off characters anymore. In 22 episodes, they
killed off half of America, but more important for the show, they killed
off six or seven characters integrated in the storyline and one major
character. Makes for great drama and a pissed off Jenn at the same time,
though, I’ll live.
Of
course, with any show, there were predictable moments, however many more
"Oh Shit!" moments filled the season. And there was plenty of boy
angst in this show. Trying to find a male character who is supposed to be tough
and leaderesque with the ability to cry fascinates me. Several of the men in
this show were able to pull it off and make me get all misty eyed. So much boy
drama, I was gushing with glee!
Now
that this show is canceled, the producers are trying to show it around to other
networks. I honestly hope someone picks it up, not just because I don't know all the
answers yet, because it was a great show. It showed how society can pull
together and triumph when faced with isolation and annihilation. Jericho brings
out the most basic elements of life and survival, and to see it in a realistic
situation without all the hoopla of technology (thought there is some),
was a great twist for this show.
CSI-The
original
I'll
continue with the CBS shows. It will probably make this easier to keep track
of.
Three
things stood out for me this season.
1.
Sara and Grissom
I
was always a ‘shipper for these two, until they got together. Probably the only
couple on TV I wanted to see together, who did, then didn't care anymore.
Mostly it’s because CSI doesn't involve personal history very often and I never
felt a sense of couplehood until the season finale. Even then, the whole office
was like “Huh?” when Grissom confessed, and didn’t make a strong case toward
the end to get her back.
2.
The miniature killer
The
way they handle this in the end was STUPID! To show WHO it was fifteen minutes
into the season finale totally ruined it for me. But then again, I know about
serial killers, so I thought it would have had a bigger impact if they hadn't
revealed who it was until the very end. However, I loved the creativity of the
mini-killer. I loved the models, and I even loved how the killer was always one
step ahead of the Grissom all the while drilling into the CSI's mind and
basically driving him close to the edge.
3.
Supporting cast
Thanks
to Greg getting out of the Lab and on the streets, the new CSI labbies were
able to get more screen time. While Hodges does annoy the crap out of me
sometimes, I do think he's funny and bounces off the other main characters
well. However, no one will ever top Greg as the CSI head Labbie, but he's a
good co-leader of the supporting cast. I enjoyed the episode where Hodges
wrangled the others in the lab to “Help Grissom” and found the bleach
connection in the mini-killer cases. It seems everyone in that division needs
Grissom’s approval and he finally got it.
The
guest stars, including the CSI favorite, Lady Heather came back! And with the
possibility of Sara not returning next season, maybe, just maybe, we'll get our
favorite Dominatrix on the show as a semi-regular.
Criminal
Minds
I
finally started watching this show regularly this season when I got the DVR. I
saw the majority of the previous season during the summer and was hooked.
If
you're unaware, I've been fascinated with serial killers for quite some time.
I've watched plenty of movies, read more than enough fiction about serial
killers, and even a few of John Douglas' non-fiction books he wrote about
his creation of FBI Behavioral Profiling. This show is basically him
and an idea he had about a mobile BAU that the FBI wouldn't let him do. So Douglas wrote
a fiction book called Broken Wing and Criminal Minds was born. (Though, I think
without mention of Douglas or use of him as an advisor—essentially,
they stole the idea and gave no credit.)
Anyway,
the group jet sets around the country, helping local cops solve grisly murders
every week. They too had their own fanatical serial killer this season. He was
a nut (David Caradine), but left me feeling a little disappointed in the end
because he kinda just gave up. Some of the stories were tough and touching,
others were simple and 'whatever', but it was a great season and helped me come
up with some great ideas for my own fiction.
We
learned more about our BAU Agents and even saw a bit of flirting between Garcia
and Morgan! I liked getting into Gideon's head toward the end of the season,
especially with the last episode, but I think they could have stretched that
out a bit more. Hotch is a great character too. He’s a family man, who is
stable, in control, dedicated, and willing to work outside the box to get
things done. He's in deep shit next season...
James
Van Der Beek of Dawson's Creek fame, turned out a brilliant performance of
a fucked up killer. The new agent on the crew, Prentice, seems to be a
spy! It was cool to see Karen from 24 show up on Criminal Minds. I wasn't
expecting that!
Survivor
All
I really need to say about this season is—Yao-Man is awesome! And I picked Earl
to win--even telling my roommate during the commercial that EVERYONE was going
to vote for him. Whee, I was right!
I
am SO stoked to see the next season in China! I've been dying and waiting
for them to pick something cooler than the tropics. I was thinking more the
rain forest, but China is good!
Talley-Ho,
Jeff!
24
Last
year ended with my beloved Jack Bauer, heading to China on a very
unfriendly looking freighter. When the big bad terrorist decided they wanted
Jack, the deal was made and he came home, albeit looking like a Geico Caveman
on crack. It seems only the Chinese can successfully kidnap, detain, and
torture JB, no one else can keep him down. So, of course, he gets away and is
asked once more to help save America with his awesome
Jack-a-bilities.
The
bad guys aren't the only bad guys. The good guys aren't always the sharpest
knives in the drawers. The Jack eventually found his grove, then lost it, then
got it back, then lost it again.
The
season was predictable, and full of subplots that I didn't really care about,
nor were concluded properly. (How's Palmer and Logan? Is Martha getting
arrested? Is Chloe’s baby Morris'?)
I
knew that they were going to set off a nuke. They HAD to. It was hinted at just
about every season since the show started, so for them not to do it, would have
been stupid. It paid off, for a few episodes. Not to mention the tears coming
out of Jack's eyes after he killed Curtis—his scarred hand clutching his
head—then BOOM! You knew then, that Jack had snapped back and he was going to
kick ass without taking names. Screw being tortured, you just nuked LA—it’s
time to pay!
Fayed
learned that the hard way. That was the second best fight to the death scene of
the entire series.
There
were a few characters I didn't like. But man was it great seeing some of the
guest stars. Kari Matchett, the chick from Invasion, J.C. MacKenzie, Normal from
Dark Angel, and GB3 and Ally McBeal star Peter McNicols along with Powers Booth
was awesome.
Though
it wasn't the best season of 24, it still kept my attention and occasionally
had me at the edge of my seat. I'll be back for the next season. Hopefully this
time, Jack won't take off the bag and he'll be his ol' bad ass self again. He
needs the bag damn it! And he should really kill someone with it next season.
I
have the AMEX debrief thing to watch over the summer, so that could be
interesting.
American
Idol
I
called Jordin, though I liked Blake. The finale was good. Jordin and Ruben sounded
awesome together. And when I saw that Doug-E-Fresh was there I almost laughed
myself right off the couch. "Six minutes, Doug-E-Fresh, you're on!"
I
did donate to America Gives back, and I think it was very smart and wise of
them to use their #1 Show in the UNIVERSE status to do something worldly
beneficial with it.
The
Simpsons
This
season was, by far, the best one they've had in a while. I think, perhaps, they
lost focus because of all the Family Guy nonsense that went on. The movie
should be good, I hope.
Family
Guy
There
was two-three months late last year and early this year, where the first five
minutes of every Family Guy episode had me laughing so hard I almost wet
myself. I'm not ashamed to admit it!! Having been a fan long ago when they were
first on, I'm really glad its back. Giggity Giggity, Giggity Goo.
American
Dad
This
show started out well, then got crappy, then got good again. I think the
writers have realized their strengths and weaknesses with the show now and can
give us more of the right style of humor and character development. Roger is
the shit. He is the glue of the show, undoubtedly, and he just makes me laugh.
I love when it goes too far because it's the cringing laughing that no one
really wants to do, but just can't help themselves.
CW
Why
did Lana have to be in the hospital every other week? Then there was one month
she was in the hospital EVERY episode. Okay, I understand she thought she was
pregnant but for real...If anyone was in the hospital that much in real life
they'd probably be committed or die.
So
this was the first year without Papa Kent, I think. I miss him, but it didn't
hurt the show like I thought it would. Oliver Queen and the other freaks
definitely made up for it. The episode where they went to Lex's secret lab and
got all covert-op was fantastic. I could totally see a Justice League show, but
apparently, Aquaman is getting his own show. *eye roll*
What
I love most about this show is Lex trying his damnedest to be good, but he just
can't grasp the concept. He's not completely evil, yet, which I think should
change very soon. Bizzaro Clark has an interesting feel; I just hope it'll only
last an episode or two. This next season should be about Clark and
Lex going at it over the death of Lana (who is probably not even dead). I hope
Chloe isn't dead either; she's fun.
Supernatural
I've
watched Jensen's (Dean) career for a while--going all the way back to Days of
our Lives if you can believe it. I loved him in Dark Angel and Smallville, but
in Supernatural he's a gem. He's got the sarcastic wit of Han Solo and the
tortured soul of Jack Bauer, what could be better? His pop culture quips and
comebacks are usually spot on and, when unexpected, even funnier. He could
probably carry the whole show on his own, but that's another story. However, I
do find the dynamic of the show interesting. There are two main characters.
That’s it. I’ve seen a few semi-regulars, but for the most part, it’s just
these two. Hunting. It works.
This
season we saw Sammy fall closer and closer into the demons trap. Dean, poor
Dean, has the burden of 1. Being alive thanks to his father's deal with the
devil. and 2. The knowledge that he may have to kill Sam.
The
boys have lost everyone and everything close to them, but still they trek on,
hunting evil sprits and saving humanity one spooky haunted
house/park/mine/diner at a time. They ran into a few other demon-touched freaks
this year, and it was nice to see them all back for the season finale. Sadly,
it didn’t end happily ever after. I knew Sam wasn't going to die, but seeing
Dean, all angst'd out and making another deal pissed me off. I know Dean wants
it all to end and he'd love nothing more than to die and get it over with, the
tragic-hero thing will be a little hard to take if Sam has to do the same thing
just to get Dean an extension. The concept of him having one year left to live,
is intriguing and could turn into something spectacular, but they’d have to
kill him at the end.
Shows
like this, you don't have to think too hard about them. Just sit back, believe,
and enjoy the ride. I did. Even the silly filler episodes they punk’d off on
us.
NBC
If
you're not watching this show, you should. The cast is spectacular and for a
freshman comedy to be as funny as it was, I have high, high hopes for the
future. Provided Alec Baldwin and Tracey Morgan can stay the fuck out of
trouble. Since I’m a drama queen when it comes to TV, this is a nice change of
pace and just about the only sitcom I keep up with right now.
Tina
Fey is a genius. And if you don't love the shit out of Kenny, there's something
seriously wrong with you. Okay, maybe he's a little irritating, but that's the
fun thing about him!
Studio
60
I
have a feeling this show won't be coming back. Shame, really. It's good. I
wouldn't say great, yet, but it could be. Hell, some of the sketches I've seen
on Studio 60 are funnier than the shit they do on SNL. Which is sad, when you
think about it.
In
true West Wing-esque style, they walk and talk A LOT on this show, but the
banter and the quick-paced dialogue between the characters makes it all the
more real for me. Bradley Whitford is a wonderful actor, for his sake, I hope
the show comes back. Some of the characters are a bit one-dimensional; however,
with hard work and better writing, I think it could soar!
Scrubs
I
only watched a few here and there. The musical was hilarious. That's a must see
from this season.
Law
and Order: SVU
I
used to watch regular L&O but then Jerry Orbach died. So, SVU became my new
L&O favorite. Not only do you have Richard "Munch" Belzer who is
a comic genius in his own right, you've got Ice-T and the dynamic duo of Chris
Meloni and Mariska Hargitay. Their on screen chemistry and camaraderie is
remarkable for a guy-girl cop show.
While
Benson was off the show for half of it due to an FBI operation into a homeland
"terrorist" organization (Hargitay was preggers), Stabler was
battling his own demons at home and in his head. He almost fell in love with
Dani, (the chick from Gladiator) a replacement who was a psycho to boot. His
wife wanted a divorce. And he practically helped a suspect die this season.
Along
with Benson's troubled past and search for information on her father, which
finally came to a conclusion, the ripped from the headlines motif of SVU held
up once again this season without pandering to the audience and staying true to
the tough as nails L&O that I've always enjoyed. Tim Daly guest starred as
an evangelist suspect in a gay man’s death, shame the poor guy can’t get a
break (his series The Nine, tanked), he even died on the Sopranos recently.
Meloni
should be nominated this year for an Emmy.
Heroes
Ah.
What to say about Heroes? From the first moment Hiro Nakamura showed up on the
screen, I knew I was going to love this show. 1. They used subtitles!!! 2. He's
Japanese. 3. He's a Trek Geek. 4. He LOVES having powers. 5. He's adorable!
Okay, okay, can you tell he's one of my favorite characters of the year? Well,
he is, along with Peter Petrelli. Heart of gold, ruthless family and
absorption of powers makes for a very conflicted man. His journey is far from
over. He is the Alpha to “the mystery man’s” Omega, at least, I think so.
So,
they saved the cheerleader and the world, in a less than spectacular season
finale, though this freshman hit is just beginning.
We
know Sylar won't stop until he gets Claire's power and just about everyone
else's power. We can kinda guess that Hiro will be prominent in the next
season. We've heard that the next 'chapter' will feature some favorites from
season one and new characters with new powers. I’m down with that, though not
sure how everyone else feels. They all have favorites now, it’s hard to take
that away.
I
hope the writers know where they are going with this. Sci-Fi in mainstream
primetime hasn't always done well. When you start changing the characters from
one season to the next, you run a very high risk of people not caring anymore.
Me, I'll stick it out because I'm a fan of the genre and know good TV when I
see it. As long as it keeps my interest, keeps me thinking, or keeps me
guessing, I'll be happy.
Personally,
I think they should have killed off more people than Sylar's mom (Anyone else
notice it was Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors?), and the OTHER Gieco Caveman
on TV this year, radioactive Ted, The other great guest stars-MacDowell and
Roberts got the ax too. The shapeshifter chick whatever, I hope she is dead.
Parkman (though I love him!) doesn’t really do much for the plot. DL he’s just
boring.
Right
there you get rid of three characters allowing you to bring in others and keep
the awesome ones around you’ll have happy fans.
Was
anyone else disappointed with the non-fight between Peter and Sylar? Hell, the
future episode where they light up their hands and stare down each other was
more interesting than what we saw in the finale.
Ah
well, can't win them all.
Theories
for next year:
Hiro
will learn how the powers came to the human civilization.
He
may teleport to a new future, see something wrong with it and go back to the
present to find Peter and Flying Man. (I think Nathan will be
dead though, unless Peter got some of Linderman's healing power and helped his
brother.)
HRG
aka Mr. Bennet(who I always had a feeling was good-ish), will hunt down Mama
Petrelli and bitch slap her.
Nikki's
all better, so she needs to start kicking some ass.
And
Cerebro, er, I mean Molly will probably be adopted by Parkman or Mohinder.
Mohinder
will get his power. I mean his sister had one, it obviously runs in families
more often than not.
The
kids will start pissing off their parents and we'll see a battle royal of moms
and daughters, dads and sons. (Okay, that's a joke)
Honestly,
as long as they keep Hiro, Sylar, Peter and Mohinder, I'll be fine.
ABC
The
main reason I love this show is because it suckered all those non-sci-fi fans
into caring about a show that is OBVIOUSLY science fiction! For me, that's like
the ultimate geek revenge. They made the first season so awesome and so
mysterious that people couldn't stop watching. Now, when they realize that some
of the shit isn't explainable in the real world, they got upset. Hahah.
I
enjoyed this season. I don't understand why everyone needs mystery and clues
and answers in every single episode. What was wrong with Desmond's episode?
Seriously? I thought it was brilliant, it made you wonder if he was
hallucinating, actually traveled in time, or dreamt/visioned the whole thing.
Personally, I think Desmond is one of the best characters on the show and is
completely underutilized.
Sawyer
(Josh Holloway) should get an Emmy nod this year for his amazing work with the
con man and the brutal murder scene. He more than deserved to kill that man and
I think Locke knew it. I loved it!
Theories
for next year:
The
flash forward parts with Jack will either:
A.
Only be a possible future.
I
think that Desmond will change that future now that he knows it isn't Penny's
boat. Though we didn't see his particular vision where Charlie died (RIP), it's
possible he wasn't supposed to be there at all and he was because Charlie
knocked his ass out. I think he'll arrive just as a few of the castaways are rescued.
He'll tell Jack what happened. Russo will turn the radio tower back on and the
ship won't be able to lock onto their signal anymore and loose the location of
the island.
B.
Will be the new formula for the next season, meaning all the Flash parts off
the island will be after the rescue. Which would make for a very interesting
ending to the show. The forward flashes would go backwards--so for example the
next flash we see of Jack will be a couple months before he's doped out on the
meds, shorter beard, just getting back into the grove of working at the
hospital...then the next one would be the Flight 815 press conference…then what
happens when they get to the freighter...etc. You follow?
Who
is Naomi and her people? Could they be Dharma trying to take back their island?
What's
the deal with Locke? I think he'll find/help Jacob and when he does
that he'll learn the truth about the island, take over the others, and bring
peace to both groups.
So
what's up with the island? Not sure yet to be honest. I think perhaps, it's
location has something to do with a Bermuda Triangle type of situation. I think
something worse than the Dharma massacre happened there and I think that has
something to do with the healing ability and smoke monster.
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