Getting that Digital Video Recorder over the summer turned out to be a blessing and a curse both. No longer could I sit back and slush off the subtle guilt of not keeping up with any number of shows on the air. After all, I was able to say to myself under the cold glare of a nightmare's blackness of blank televised screen, you can only see one show at a time, right? And who has the human capacity in this Busy Age to actually haul bottom in front of a set week-after-week anyway for more than a handful of programs?
The DVR changed everything. I hate to admit it. Something involving the damned Box of Dreams and Failures changed my life forever.
That's my prefix for saying that I've watched at least a little bit of many of the shows on the air for this Fall 2005 season. Enough to have a read on what's good, what's bad, and what's ugly.
Let me preface right up front so we don't have any confusion:
Shows I don't watch and don't plan on catching anytime soon
CSI: The Franchise
Law & Order: The Franchise
Anything with Kirstie Alley
Anything on Lifetime
Any reality show that begins with So You Wanna or So You Think You or Gilligan, etc.
Without further delay, DeLay, or delusion, I give you my Top 10 shows, followed by some other nuggets of goodness most tasty.
#10 — Prison Break
Prison Break is a delightful departure from reality… and into the confines of a maximum security prison. It's as fine a roller coaster ride of thrills and chills as you're ever likely to find inside of prison walls. That said, the plot is at many points wildly implausible:
Exhibit A, your honor:
* Dude commits a crime so that he can bust his brother out of prison, who's on death row for the murder of the Vice President's brother
* Dude just happens to be a structural engineer
* Dude's death row con bro (who's really innocent, of course) just happens to end up in the prison that dude helped to design
* Dude tattoos his body with the prison's architectural schematics, robs a bank, gets hauled off to the clink, and we're off to the races
And that's just for starters! But it's fun, really!
The acting is strong, the pacing is nearly always pulse-pounding, and there's just enough off-beat humor to make you forget the plot holes (Exhibit B: the attractive female doctor, who just happens to be the Governor's daughter, is left alone with prisoners with nary a guard in sight) you can drive an armored truck through.
Article comments
1 - Baronius
I don't know exactly what's on my top ten list, but it would include Alias and Supernatural. I really want to get the word out on the latter. It looks like more pretty people on the WB, but it's actually a good show.
2 - Chris Beaumont
Nice column.Glad to see any Mars fan!
My list would probably include: Alias, Supernatural, Veronica Mars, Lost, My Name is Earl, Arrested Development, Everybody Hates Chris, Prison Break, Kitchen Confidential, Threshold.
Shows that I watched and have cut: Killer Instinct, Criminal Minds, E-Ring
3 - Joanie
My Name is Earl is now must-see for me. Lost, always. And, I'm sickly addicted to Apprentice (w/The Donald).
I gave up on Rome after the first half of the second episode. Bring back Entourage, The Comeback, and Cathouse!
And bring me TiVO!
4 - Eric Berlin
I must give full credit to Chris for turning me onto V Mars. (And she's pretty easy to get turned by... but I digress).
Supernatural has potential, but I decided by the second episode that I didn't feel like hanging with it. As a whole, at this point, it's a fairly rickety enterprise and I got bored of the fellas on the road fightin' baddies scenario.
The one "major" show I haven't seen as yet is Everybody Hates Chris, which I'm looking forward to watching.
I was done with Alias about two seasons ago, and feel pretty content that I dropped out at the right time.
Kitchen Confidential I find pleasant but not especially funny. Nice to see my man N Brendan (of Buffy fame) getting some work though!
I'll have to do a JJ Abrams / Joss Whedon-verse Where Are They Now? piece at some point.
5 - Chris Beaumont
The compatriots of those two are all over the TV dial!
Kristen Bell (Mars) was pretty good in Spartan. that's where I first saw her. That is a good and underappreciated film.
6 - Eric Berlin
I think I saw her on Bravo's Blow Out getting her hair done before I saw Veronica Mars.
7 - Sterfish
Interesting list of shows. I'd probably put about half of them on my list, which I would have serious trouble narrowing down to 10. As if I don't watch enough TV, I sat down and watched ABC's Night Stalker last night and enjoyed it.
8 - Eric Berlin
Thanks Sterfish. I realized circa two days ago or so that ABC is advertising Night Stalker like crazy. I read somewhere that it isn't getting ratings so far.
So what's your Top Three shows?
9 - Chris Beaumont
I watched the premiere of NS and thought it was OK. I have the 2nd ep taped, but haven't watched it yet. It may end up on the TV Diary Bubble.
On another note I must plug the new TNA: Wrestling Impact! show on Spike. it's nice to have an alternative to the WWE and some of these guys pull of crazy moves! For those 2 or 3 of you who like wrestling (Spike SSat. at 11, rerun Monday night at midnight, after Raw)
10 - Chris Beaumont
I watched the premiere of NS and thought it was OK. I have the 2nd ep taped, but haven't watched it yet. It may end up on the TV Diary Bubble.
On another note I must plug the new TNA: Wrestling Impact! show on Spike. it's nice to have an alternative to the WWE and some of these guys pull of crazy moves! For those 2 or 3 of you who like wrestling (Spike SSat. at 11, rerun Monday night at midnight, after Raw)
11 - Eric Berlin
Was at the wedding of an old friend last week who is an avowed comic book and wrestling fanatic. We had an epic three-day festival to commenorate Randy "Macho Man" Savage's 10-year anniverary of his ascendancy to the WWF throne. Anyway, much mention was made of all of this at the wedding, which was hilarious and great.
I really dug that MTV reality show that was on a year or two ago that had people auditioning and training to be wrestling "characters," but no way I could watch the quote-unquote "real thing."
12 - Eric Berlin
Chris / Sterfish / All:
Give me your Top Three shows. This I demand!
(Is it quittin' time yet?)
13 - Chris Beaumont
For this season so far?
Lost
Arrested Development
Veronica Mars
Honorable Mentions:
Supernatural
Threshold
My Name is Earl
The Office
The list goes on.....
14 - Eric Berlin
I can't believe I neglected to get Arrested Development in there... it was much MUCH harder than I expected putting this column together!
15 - Chris Beaumont
Makes one wonder.
So many people say there's nothing good on TV, or too much reality TV. But if you take the time to look the box is overflowing with worthy television!
16 - Eric Berlin
Yes Chris, that's my main driving factor in writing about television... accentuate the positive and all of that.
17 - Chris Beaumont
For awhile I had the "Too much reality TV and a lot of junk on TV" Then I take a look at my Diary list, and realize just how wrong I am!
I still stand by too much reality TV, can't stand it. I say get rid of reality TV and give some of those poor cancelled shows more of a chance to grow. (I'm looking at you, FOX!)
18 - Eric Berlin
I think there's a similar percentage of good reality television on the air as fictional programs. While budget is certainly a factor, I also have to blame scriped shows -- on many networks -- for being too safe, too boring, too predictable, and too recycled. There's a reason reality stormed in and took over the roost.
As a result, I think we're seeing better scripted shows over the last two years or so coming in: Lost, Veronica Mars, etc. Shows that are stranger, less predictable, and generally risky. Thus, the brilliant Arrested Development, which doesn't get ratings but is great great great nonetheless.
And I don't know what I was thinking in leaving it off the list!!!
19 - Scott
My top 3 as of right now...
Arrested Development
Extras
Family Guy (maybe...that whole Fox on Sunday night lineup is alright with me)
I've seen a few episodes of Prison Break, they kept me interested at least. I caught the second episode of Invasion. Boy, did it suck. And I've never seen an episode from either season of Lost (I know, I know) but from all I'm hearing, I'll have to check it out.
20 - Eric Berlin
Yes Scott, Lost has to be one of your must-sees. Unfortunately, it's much more fun to start at the beginning. But if you can rent the first season, you'll only have a several ep gap at this point.