Monday 9/12.
- WWE: Raw. Nothing terribly exciting from what I remember. Wrestling and my fandom are a strange beast. As soon as the show ends I pretty much forget everything that happened. That fallacy of mine struck again, although I remember liking it. I also doubt that most of you read this column for wrestling results.
- Prison Break. This episode had a great opening, a nightmare of Lincoln on his way to the electric chair. This show is clawing its way towards the must see zone, it's not quite there yet. The interplay between the inmates and the intricate maneuverings are quite entertaining. I just want the characters to become more complex in addition to being colorful. ***
Tuesday 9/13.
- Bones. Since the success of CSI a couple of years back, we have been building towards this moment. Not necessarily this show, but the eventual saturation of TV with crime procedurals. I really want to like this show, it has a couple of things going for it, Boreanaz and Deschanel are likable leads, and the sets are wonderful, but at the end it feels like just another procedural. ***
- House, MD. A wonderful start to the new season. House takes on the case of a death row inmate, played by LL Cool J in a bit of stunt casting, who is dying too soon. The wonderful cast interactions combined with the bizarre illnesses haven't lost a beat. This show is reinvigorating the medical drama. ***.5
- Rescue Me. The wonderful second season comes to a close. Tommy is in the grip of depression over the death of his son. He contemplates turning back to alcohol. Janet realizes the marriage is disintegrating. Sean questions the existence of God after talking to Tommy's daughter and Jerry leaves his wife at a home. This season was fantastic, this is definitely a show to keep an eye on. ****
- Supernatural. The WB is trying it's hand at a new spooky show, and the premiere holds some promise. It features two twenty something brothers on a search for their father and taking on ghosts and specters along the way. The do a good setup of the past as well as the present. The writing and acing were pretty good. I am actually looking forward to see how well this develops. ***.5
- Miami Ink. Continuing the trend of interesting ink work, I am still entertained by this show. They bring in another artist, as one of the regulars broke his arm. We get to see some interesting designs, including an old style pin up girl and Our Lady of Guadalupe. Looking forward to what they design next. ***
Article comments
1 - JohnWStiles
Thanks for the coverage. I can't bring myself to watch TV much these days. Waiting for The Sopranos and Gray's Anatomy and trying to justify a $60 per month cable bill...
2 - Eric Berlin
I thought Bones was terrible, and I'm a big Boreanaz fan. Maybe I just don't have a lot of patience for the very tired procedural model. I fault the writing, mostly, which just wasn't as perky as it was trying to be.
That said, I really do hope they bring back The Inside, which features fellow Whedon vet Adam Baldwin.
It's Always Sunny grew on me over the season to the point where I really started to look forward to it. The cast is wonderfully wacky, and the writing is bizarre, dark, and funny.
I stopped watching Starved after the yark factor got too high for me (I have a fairly weak stomach!). Too bad, as it has potential.
Prison Break achieves what it aspires to: escapist fun (in the clink, of all places!). I'm enjoying it, curious to see where it will go. "Escape is only the beginning," we're told.
We'll see!
3 - Bob A. Booey
Who started this terrible trend of calling the CSI-ripoff shows "crime procedurals"? It's apparently caught on, because EVERY review and critic I've read for the fall season is using the term "procedural." I hate it almost as much as I hate these shows. I want to know which studio executive or TV writer is responsible for this so I can stomp on their boxy black framed glasses.
That is all.
4 - Chris Beaumont
I'm pretty sure that The Inside got canned. They didn't even air all the completed episodes!
I like the Bones leads enought to give it some time to develop.
Did you know Charisma Carpenter will be a recurring character on Veronica Mars? She'll be a trophy wife.
Something I heard about Prison Break: I heard a rumor that once they escape, the show remains in the prison and focuses on another character trying to escape. I don't think that is true though....
Bob,
What term would you use? I have seent he use of procedural since L&O started, probably earlier. It seems to fit, but I am open to other terms to use.
5 - Bob A. Booey
How about "CSI ripoff" or "Law & Order ripoff"? Whichever is most appropriate to the show in question.
That is all.
6 - Eric Berlin
Chris -- They show Carpenter briefly during a V Mars promo. She's the second Buffy/Angel alum to hit the show as Alyson Hannigan was a recurring character during the first season.
Yeah, I think there's gonna be some kind of major twist with Prison Break as the plot line of getting the brothers out of jail will have to climax and be resolved at some point. I'm guessing they're going to go the 24 route and continue to escalate the levels of political corruption. The Martha Stewart evil mastermind character will become more involved at some point, etc.
Somehow it will have to revolve around the prison (I'm guessing), which will be interesting to see.
7 - Chris Beaumont
Haven't seen that promo...
For Whedon fans, Joss himself will be making a cameo in, I believe episode 2.6 of Veronica Mars.
8 - Eric Berlin
Kevin Smith will as well, as a convenience store clerk, I believe!
Looks to be a great season...
9 - Bob A. Booey
It's officially Buffy-sanctioned, the heir to the Buffy chick power genre.
Joss doesn't have anything to do with the show, though, right?
That is all.
10 - Chris Beaumont
No, I just think he really likes it, is all. I think a few former Buffy/Angel writers are working on it.
11 - Bob A. Booey
Like I said before, it's Buffy without the monsters, sex, and kung fu. A lot of the dialogue and the strong female characters remind me of Buffy, but it's obviously less sarcastic, witty and pop culture referential.
That is all.
12 - Eric Berlin
It's a pretty sexy show, Bob, particularly near the end of the season. And I'd venture that the wit and pop culture factors are not that far below Buffy at her/its peak.
13 - Eric Berlin
Salon just honored Veronica Mars with its "Buffy" award for the most underrated yet beloved show on TV.
14 - Joanie
Bones isn't horrible, but it lacks the fire of the original (and Miami) version of CSI. They better do something soon to make it a viable candidate for a full-season run.
Veronica Mars always scores high with me, if only because the show's kept my friend employed.
15 - Temple Stark
Sibling rivalry at an impasse.
TV/Video Editor Joan picked this his pick of the week. Go HERE to find out why. And thank you very much.