WARNING: The free form ramblings continue, be prepared for run-ons, incomplete thoughts, and atrocious punctuations. This is what happens to a mind on TV, it's not pretty, but kind of fun.
The new season starting to catch steam. All the shows I want to sample are coming fast and furious, leaving me with little time to write about them. I'll do what I can.
Best show I watched this week: Battlestar Galactica, followed closely by Lost.
Worst show I watched this week: The War at Home.
Sunday 9/18.
- King of the Hill (Fox 7:30). I can't believe that this is still on. I can't believe I still take the time to watch it, I've never been much of a fan. Anyway, this season premiere was decent, as the guys try to ditch Hank, by also ditching Bill. Nothing really new here, and I probably won't continue watching. And they didn't keep Futurama... **
- The Simpsons (Fox 8pm). The second episode of the season is a bit better than the first, but not much, this series has been slipping for years now. I just don't find it all that funny. This episode has them placing the cemetery next to their house, giving Lisa a wonderful view which scares the heck out of her. Far from their best work. **
- The War at Home (Fox 8:30). Don't know why I gave this a second week, the first was abysmal, the second even worse. This is an awful series. 0
- Family Guy (Fox 9pm). Peter leaves and gets a job at a brewery, while back home Brian marries Lois. Turns out to be a winner, although the memories of the show are a bit muddled. See what TV does to you? ***
- American Dad (Fox 9:30). Stan decides to teach his son sex ed, so as not to let the school get their hands on him. Funny episode, but it still strikes me as a redux of Family Guy. ***
- Wanted (TNT 10pm). The first season draws to a close as the team joins up with the LAPD to bring down a ganglord on a rampage. The issue becomes a bit more personal as one of the team is attacked at her apartment. A rather forgettable end to the season. **.5
Monday 9/19.
- WWE: Raw (Spike 9pm). Bischoff tries to strip Cena of the title in favor of Cena, but Vince arrives to stop that, and announce the upcoming Homecoming to USA show. Trish has her first singles match since her injury, defeating Torrie Wilson. Trevor Murdoch of the new tag champs defeats Hurricane in a singles match. Carlito and Flair have a good rematch for the IC title. The show closes with a good 8 man tag pitting Cena, HBK, Matt Hardy, and Big Show against Kurt Angle, Chris Masters, Edge, and Snitsky, with the faces winning with a pile on. ***
- Surface (NBC 8pm). Another new alien invasion show. I thought it had a decent start, although the three pronged approach may not be in it's advantage, but we will see. We get glimpses of creatures swimming in the ocean, and some strange eggs are starting to hatch. I am willing to give this a couple more weeks to grab my attention. **.5
- Las Vegas (NBC 9pm). One of my favorite guilty pleasures. This season starts off with Ed getting the band back together to work under new owner Monica, played by Lara Flynn Boyle. It takes some doing to get them together, but once they are, it isn't long before they have to stop an attempted robbery. Fun. ***
- Medium (NBC 10pm). Can't believe that Patricia Arquette won an Emmy for this. It's not bad, but at times I find it to be dreadfully dull. This episode for example, I couldn't care less about the plot, it was moving to slowly to hold my attention. **
- Arrested Development (Fox 8pm). What a glorious day it is to have the return of of Bateman and crew. This show is great. It is discovered that the wrong Bluth is behind bars, and that they are selling off the cabin's land that none of them have ever visited, plus the matriarch Bluth is off her meds, and George Michael is avoiding Maybe. ****
- Kitchen Confidential (Fox 8:30). A new debuting sitcom, I actually liked it. Seems like it could make a good pair with Arrested Development, if only people would watch it! This one is about a chef with an anger issue, he spent some time in prison, and is now trying to turn himself around. ***
- Prison Break. This has been developing nicely. Schofield has had a good number of roadblocks. Outside forces are gathering and conspiring to get him out of that prison. Will they succeed? We also get to see some evidence that may exonerate Lincoln. Good stuff, the supporting cast is colorful and fleshes out the show, ***
Tuesday 9/20.
- My Name is Earl (NBC 9pm). What a fun premiere. This low class, career thief is about to learn a lot about karma. Earl, played perfectly by Jason Lee, makes a list and sets out to start righting his wrongs in hopes of something good happening. First up is a s guy he used to bully as a kid. This could be a one! ***.5
- The Office (NBC 9:30). Steve Carrell is back leading this dysfunctional office. The premiere has them going to Chili's to hand out office awards, with goofy results. I am really liking this show. We get the furthering of some intra-office relationships, and plenty of wacky humor. Not the best episode, but a good start. ***.5
- Bones (Fox 8pm). After 2 weeks this is growing on me. This episode has them looking into a bombing which may have been terrorist related. The show is laid square on the shoulders of Boreanaz and Deschanel, their interplay is pretty good, and their likability is what carries the show. ***
- House (Fox 9pm). This week House is convinced to help a young girl with cancer, who has other symptoms. Turns out it could be a tumor, but the only way to find it is to actual kill her for a short time. House is as dry as ever, much the chagrin of his team. ***.5
- Nip/Tuck (F/X 10pm). I've tried watching this a few times over the past couple of years, but have not been able to get into it. Figured I'd give the premiere a shot. It was a 90 minute episode which focuses on Christian dealing with his mortality following the Carver attack, and a very obese woman who is fusing to her couch. It was decent, but I find the show to be a little too cold and emotionless to latch onto. **.5
- Supernatural (WB 9pm). I am really liking this series, I know it's only 2 weeks in, but it is cultivating a nice X-Files crossed with Buffy vibe, with a little metal music thrown in. This week has the brothers following the coordinates from their fathers book, and finding a Wendigo at work. They help a young woman find her brother and save the day, but the search for their father continues. ***.5
- Law & Order: SVU (NBC 10pm). My favorite of the L&O series returns. A pedophile is released, and immediately suspected of a new attack, Elliot goes undercover to befriend him and catch him in the act. It leads to a pretty tense climax. Robert Patrick is good in his guest spot as the suspect. ***
Wednesday 9/21.
- Destination Lost (ABC 8pm). A pretty good primer, letting the newcomers catch up on what happened during the first season, and reminding us faithful. ***
- Lost (ABC 9pm). What was beneath the hatch? The word "Quarantine" for one, and for a second, there is someone living at the bottom amongst old 80's era technology. Up top, Jack, Kate, and Locke have to decide if they really want to go down there. Locke does, and sends Kate down, Locke follows. Jack sensing trouble goes down the hole as well. We get flashbacks to Jack helping a woman in a car accident, and racing some guy in a stadium. Turns out the guy living in the capsule. Looking forward to what comes next. ****
- Invasion (ABC 10pm). The third of the alien invasion shows this season arrives. Something happens during a hurricane. A skeleton is found, but it's cause of death is unknown. A woman is found unscathed and unclothed after the storm, ans her daughter muses "You smell different." Interesting start to the series, a little slow, but I am willing to give it a shot. ***
- Head Cases (Fox 9pm). This was OK. Payne pulls a Jerry Maguire and tries to woo his former assistant to come work with him, while Schultz brings in his own assistant. They end up taking a case defending a guy suspected of torching his wife's father's car dealership in the name of ELF. **.5
- E-Ring (NBC 9pm). New political thriller with Benjamin Bratt, Dennis Hopper, and a real bad name. Bratt is the newest addition to the crew, just as they have to deal with the extraction of a spy in China. It was well done, but didn't really grab me enough to keep watching. ***
- Over There (F/X 10pm). Mrs. B is back with her group. While looking for insurgents, they decide to make themselves comfortable at one of the estates, making use of the gold bathroom, and contemplating what to do with the 5 million dollars they find there. This show continues to be riveting. ***.5
Thursday 9/22.
- Joey (NBC 8pm). Beginning it's second season revamp, we have Joey getting killed off of his show, and going through a series of hijinks while trying to get in a movie. Which he of course does. It was a decent opener to the mediocre series. I still think the Joey character is great, but the show could be better. I liked this, especially the brief cameo by Kevin Smith. ***
- CSI (CBS 9pm). Picking up with the team getting back together, they work a pair of cases, one with a blown up trailer, and the other a dead stripper. More interesting are the story carryover from last season. Nick is a little jumpy, and Grissom may have found an accomplice to last years kidnapper. Plus Warrick is married. Good start. ***
- ER (NBC 10pm). A new year begins. New interns, new teaching R2's, new problems. This series has shown remarkable resiliency in it's almost complete changeover of cast since it's inception. In addition to the hospital, there is ongoing drama of Luka and Sam, and the runway son. It'll be interesting to see how this lineup stands up. ***
- Everybody Hates Chris (UPN 8pm). The premiere is pretty funny. Never thought I'd say that about a UPN comedy. This episode introduces us to Chris' family and some of the opposing forces he has to deal with. ***
- Reunion (Fox 9pm). This episode was a bit better than the debut, although it strays bit too far to teen melodrama for my tastes. I am intrigued enough to give it a little more time and see where it goes. The secrets mount up between the friends, and the drama builds. A baby given up for adoption, an attempted robbery, a missing gun. This could become completely compelling, or tedious. **.5
- Criminal Minds (CBS 10pm). Mandy Patinkin heads this crew of profilers. He plays a guy who suffered a nervous breakdown, and is now being pressed back into service. This episode has them setting out to save a woman trapped by a serial killer. Nothing special, despite the good work by Patinkin. **.5
Friday 9/23.
- Ghost Whisperer (CBS 8pm). The Friday feel good show. This show seems set to counteract the usual ghosts are here to hurt us kind of show. Jennifer Love Hewitt helps a Vietnam vet reconnect with his family. It was a little sappy, but well done, and Hewitt is likable. Not sure I will watch it a lot, but I expected worse. ***
- Threshold (CBS 9pm). This is cultivating a nice X-Files like vibe. The signal is spreading, and more people are being infected. What is it, and what do they want? A good cast anchors this alien conspiracy show. Hopefully it will do well in this bad Friday slot. ***.5
- Killer Instinct (Fox 9pm). A rather tepid crime drama. The bad guys method of using spiders is unique, but the characters are luke warm, and not terribly interesting. The Crime drama is fast approaching it's saturation point. **
- Stargate: Atlantis (Sci-Fi 8pm). Two episodes close out this summer season. The first episode was good, an Ancient ship is found, with all of the crew in stasis, Shepherd goes into the system to find out what's going on. It is a race against time as Wraith ships approach. The second episode features the return of Ford, now teaming with some other enzyme addicts. He forces Shepherd and crew to help in his plan to take on a Wraith hive ship. Things don't go well, and we get the summer cliffhanger. ***
- Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi 10pm). What an amazing finish to the summer season. The Pegasus returns, with their Admiral who is there to take charge of the fleet. This leads to strong personality conflicts with Adama, not to mention the now mingling crews. The team gets broken up, against their will. The Pegasus has their own prisoner Cylon, just like Six. Helo and Chief save Boomer, and inadvertently kill Lieutenant Thorn. They get arrested and are about to be put to death for treason. Adama sends a team to get his men back.... To Be Continued. New episodes resume in January. ****
Saturday 9/24.
- Justice League: Unlimited (Cartoon Network 8pm). The fall premiere is here. This episode has GL, Supergirl, and a couple other traveling to Scartarus, to help Morgan and his people fight off an evil wizard who is trafficking in kryptonite with Metallo. Could this signal bigger things? I didn't think this episode was all that good. **
- WWE: Smackdown (UPN 8pm). The show opens with Booker T and Christian, pretty good match with Booker coming out on top. Then a big speech by JBL, surprised how good a talker he's become. The new version of LOD was up next, making quick work of a pair of jobbers. Hardcore Holly had his way with Sylvan. Orton came out to talk down 'Taker again, turns out 'Taker was hiding in a casket and gave Randy a little surprise. Mr. Kennedy took out Rey Mysterio with that cool looking finisher of his. Simon Dean was fodder for the debut of many times over amateur champ Bobby Lashley. Benoit once again made quick work of Orlando Jordan. Main event is Batista and Eddie Guerrero taking on MNM, ending when Eddie snuck down at the end to steal the pin. Decent episode. ***
To be dropped from the "To Watch" list:
- The War at Home
- E-Ring
- Killer Instinct
Shows on the bubble:
- Medium
- Criminal Minds
- Head Cases
- The Simpsons
That is all.
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Article comments
1 - Bob A. Booey
"King of the Hill" is a great, underappreciated show that is 100 times better than "Futurama" ever was. The problem with "Futurama," if you could get past the Matt Groening name and the similar animation styles, was that it didn't have the smart Harvard Lampoon writers "The Simpsons" did and it just wasn't funny. Period. I gave it every chance and it always sucked.
I watched the last half of the "Joey" premiere and it reeked of desperation. The show, despite NBC's spin, hasn't improved. They're going for an "Entourage" vibe by giving Joey new hanger-on buddies like his annoying, random new Arsenio Hall-Lite actor friend who tries to help him get work. The writing is still horrible and Matt LeBlanc has become, if it's possible, an even WORSE actor who shouts out every line and has a painfully predictable line delivery. And the ratings reflect it. People may have loved friends, but they're not stupid.
The romance between Joey and his neighbor Alex had no real chemistry, and the writing was so bad that the rooftop scene where Joey expressed schmaltzy but very Rachel-and-Ross-like words to his neighbor were immediately ruined with LeBlanc overacting a mock comic reaction following them. This is the difference between the generic idiocy of "Joey" and the subtler touch of "Friends" in a nutshell -- "Friends" would have let the romantic moment develop and not wiped it away with a cheap joke. Everything about "Joey" seems unoriginal and has "notes from the network" all over it, from the generic stupid theme song -- "Everything's gonna be alright, yeah" -- to the boring and uninspired supporting cast. It doesn't have the wit or courage to be a true satire of Hollywood and struggling actors and it relies way too much on the dumb cutesy factor with LeBlanc that lost its appeal on the public halfway through last season, when the ratings began their nosedive.
And the ratings were bad for the premiere, which is further indication that the show will be gone after its contractual obligation ends this year.
It's poetic justice that "Everybody Hates Chris" beat "Joey" in the ratings because it's everything "Joey" is not: smart, funny, drawn from real talent, and genuinely, not akwardly and artificially, touching and sweet.
"Joey," much like its main character, tries too hard to be appealing to everyone and in the process is endearing to no one and has not distinct style or point of view for its comedy. "Friends" was never great art, but it was the ultimate yuppie comedy that created its own language and comedic style for the sitcom genre. The writing on "Friends" got progressively worse and the jokes got cheaper, but it was a hundred times better in its worst episode than "Joey" has been in its best. "Joey," despite sharing some of the same producers and writers, has none of the same feel or inoffensive, pleasant attractiveness of the show it was spun off from.
That is all.
2 - Scott
I'm amazed "ER" is still on the air. What is this now...it's 11th season or something? I guess it's still popular enough to justify it's existence.
And I must respectfully disagree while also agreeing with Bob on "Futurama" and "King of the Hill." KOTH is great and underappreciated but I love Futurama more. If it came to a choice between the two, I'd pick Futurama.
3 - Bob A. Booey
"ER" still has decent ratings and it's probably more about the franchise than the actors now. I can't see it being on the air in five years, but I guess we'll find out if people will still tune in with the last of the original cast gone now.
"King of the Hill" has more three-dimensional characters and more insight into family and personality than all but a few shows on TV during its run. That's saying a lot for an animated show and Mike Judge has shown he can consistently surprise you with his wit and brains as well as his humor. Plus, "King of the Hill" is just 100 times funnier than "Futurama" ever was.
That is all.
4 - Tom Johnson
Am I the only one to find some Ed-like charm in My Name is Earl? As much as I enjoy it, I worry that it will succumb to what ultimately dragged Ed down - that its premise will wear thin and the effort to "do good" every episode will quickly become a very repetitious formula. I'm hoping they can look beyond Earl "doing good" every episode and instead let him struggle at things for longer than 20 minutes a week. Doing good isn't usually the easiest thing. Here's hoping they show Earl really working at getting past his flaws to do the right thing - eventually.
I'm thrilled to see Joey tanking already against the far superior Everybody Hates Chris. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this show develops, but it's already on the must-see list.
Invasion is going to have to get a lot more interesting for me to keep coming back. The premiere was a yawner.