TV Review Weekly

For any of you with blog-readers, you'll know I attempted to post a blog review show last week, but the writing staff had creative differences, so the project has been tabled until an agreement is reached. Writers. So temperamental.


On a similar vein, original television is airing its last few episodes over the next few weeks (apart from USA who had already filmed its January season before the strike), so I've decided to dedicate today to the shows I let take me hostage so that I can better deal with the non-stop Biostatistics homework. Really, folks. All I do is math, math, and more math. Set up grids. Perform cross-calculations. Double-check with software. No one can begrudge me a little TV joy in this sad excuse for a daily routine.


3rd Rock (NBC)

5 reasons I love 3rd Rock:

1. Tina Fey is a rock star, if you consider irony music to your ears.

2. "I trusted you. You wear glasses," "Please respect celebrity privacy," and other such one-liners

3. Guest stars that rock the rock. Who will ever forget David Schwimmer as Green-go?!

4. The goofy-sweet guy has perfect comic timing and an awesomely empty look on his face that makes everything funnier - even the line, "Smoothe Move, Ex-Lax."

5. Whoever thought I'd laugh at a Baldwin for something not posted on a tabloid?!


Bottom Line: Tina Fey funny. Hee hee.


Amazing Race (CBS)

Goths. They are so cool. I must say that of all the "we just want to show people that [insert marginalized group here] are not what people think" groups - only the goths have achieved the end. Can't remember their names for all the 'y', 'r' and 'x' but those pink-and-black bedecked folks are my faves for this season. I'll watch as long as they're wandering around being absolutely lovely human beings.

Bottom line: If you're not a fan of humanity, this show's not for you.




Big Bang Theory (CBS)


*chortle, chortle* This show is proof that geeks are the new In-crowd. I love Sheldon - what is it about obsessive-compulsive disorder that is just so delightful?! He may give Tony Shaloub a run for his Emmy money in this year's "I shouldn't laugh but how could I not?" category.

Bottom line: Thumbs up to the socially inept!


Bionic Woman (NBC)

Every so often a really good idea comes around that gets thoroughly destroyed by Hollywood.

Bottom Line: Deserved better but just gets worse with every episode.


Chuck (NBC)

"Is this the part where I scream like a girl until someone rescues me?" -- Chuck

For me, it was love at the first Captain Awesome reference. Chuck learned the tango. Chuck drives a Prius. Chuck loves the snark. Chuck can't get promoted at the TV-land Best Buy equivalent. There is nothing about Chuck I don't love and give a high-five. I still don't bond with the main chick - I had high hopes she was being written out last week - but the rest of the cast is stellar. The show runs the risk of thinking itself a serious spy show, so, before it turns into the dreadful last few seasons of Alias - get yourself some Nerd Herd booty.

Bottom line: If you think geeks are just as cool as CIA agents OR that CIA agents are cooler than geeks, probably not your show. But if you think CIA agents are just another form of geek, then you've found your TV home.


Dancing With the Stars (ABC)

*yawn* Excuse me, I stopped watching after Sabrina left and the competition died. I heard there were more shows but only Helio was left as a contender....so I watched Chuck instead.

Bottom line: Sabrina got robbed. End story.


Desperate Housewives (ABC)

I may be done if they've killed off either Tom or Carlos. Kill off both - well, that would almost be as bad as killing off Lynnette's children, as implied in the cliffhanger. For leaving me with this horror, I declare a pox on all writers at the picket line. Please take this huge raspberry blown in your direction as a sign of my affection.

Bottom line: Someone give Felicity Huffman an Emmy so that her character can have some happiness.


Dirty Sexy Money (ABC):

Uhm. I don't know what to think of this show. I am enthralled by the morally inept twins, disturbed by Karen's machinations, and nervous about the evil priest but have no emotional reaction at all the the married senator sleeping with the transvestite. I made a decision to keep watching as long as the main character remains happily married. Since I deleted my Season Pass and now only watch online, my hope is not high that I will be a long-term viewer. In the meantime, I enjoy Jeremy and Juliet in the non-stop antics of the young and uber-wealthy.

Bottom Line: May be too soapy even for me.


ER:

This is on my TV after Tivo finishes recording The Office and My Name is Earl. I watch 10 minutes as I fall asleep - just long enough to figure out if Luka and Abby are still married and laugh at the ridiculously bad medical practice. It's a very pleasant way to watch ER. Don't know why I ever watched a whole episode.

Bottom line: Good for sweet yet adventurous dreams. Bad for preparing to become Board-certified in emergency medicine.


General Hospital (ABC)

ARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!! How can we be back to NOTHING?! How could "they" follow-up the great Anthony Zacchara storyline and Emily's funeral with a return to NOTHING??!!! Oh when oh when will I get the courage to delete my Season Pass??!!

Bottom line: The perfect show for those who enjoy emotional stymie and/or torture.


Grey's Anatomy (ABC)

Even during my flirting heyday, I never had as cheap an affair as with this show. After 4 episodes, I just felt dirty. The thrill is gone, baby. If it ever was...

Bottom line: I don't have enough skin to keep trying to scrub off the lingering icky.


Heroes (NBC)

Apparently, intelligence and heroism are mutually exclusive. Who knew?! Well - apart from readers/viewers of the Superman comics/movies. But apart from those well-informed fans, the rest of us are only watching to see how strong the association may be.

Bottom line: Me so gullible. Me so confused. Me save world.


House (FOX)


Did anyone else notice the disappearance of the Mormon guy? Wow. Nice to know that TV audiences still can't handle my chosen group identity. I went to the boards once and there was more hate than a good lynching. Sad....sad, sad, sad. We're just people, people. That said, the writers had never heard a Mormon pray because the guy did the Hail Mary at one point. But - hey - I gave them BIG POINTS for trying.


Bottom line: Not open-minded but continues to fill the medical drama requirement.


How I Met Your Mother (CBS)


We've lost that loving feeling and are in the unknown relationship period where you hang on and wait to see if there's anything to save. I'm pretty sure I'm cheating on HIMYM with Big Bang Theory. I guess the name was just too scintillating for me to stay in a committed sitcom relationship. Oh, how my morality has fallen since I moved to LA....

Bottom line: Still funny. But maybe it needs to be someone else's funny.


Jericho (CBS):

Did CBS know that I was about to announce my impending boycott? Just when the screaming in my head reached a brand new level of intolerable, CBS announced that Jericho returns with 7 episodes in February.


Bottom line: If it's the only original programming in town, will CBS give Jericho a green light for regular TV fare? I've got crossed fingers. So crossed they're cramping.


LOST (ABC)

I am too fearful about the strike to even lament LOST. If it doesn't come back....if it doesn't....no, I just can't think that way. LOST will return. It must. My psyche depends on it.


Bottom line: Still the best, most creative thing on TV....come back....come back! (That's my Rose voice from Titanic)


My Name Is Earl (NBC)

Remember when The Fonze went to prison and got eaten by a shark? No. Well, if Earl had been Happy Days, the phrase would be "prison shark" not "jump the shark". I love the wackiness of the characters and the gentle fun poked at persons who think being on COPS or Jerry Springer is equivalent to true celebrity. Still, probably run its course.

Bottom line: Probably not going to go UP in the ratings game but still funny.


NCIS (CBS)

I love Abby - I'm totally digging on Emos and/or goths this year. The team interactions make for classic comedy. But the rest (aka plot) makes no sense.

Bottom line: Laugh at the antics. Watch CSI: for everything else.


Pushing Daisies (ABC)

*humming* So this is love, hmmm hmmm hmmm. So this is what makes life worthwhile. I'm all aglow, hmmm hmmm hmmm hm. *with realization dawning* Oh, sorry. I get all Disney-happy over this show. Lovely. Joyful. Sweet. Thought-provoking. Funny. Everything TV could always be if it just ate more pie. *humming*

Bottom Line: I have found TV heaven.


Samantha Who(ABC)

Gosh. I can't remember if I thought this was funny. I keep watching, though. Huh. And I love the idea that if you suddenly had everything wiped clean, you may care a lot less about living Sex & the City and a lot more about your family.

Bottom line: Amnesia may be contagious.

The Office (NBC)

I am giving them a standing ovation for portraying a realistic relationship. Jim & Pam date. Off-screen. They like each other but that's not what work is about, so we don't have to watch them date. So, the show stays funny and they stay together. So far, this show deserves its fan base. Oh - and Dwight is a comic masterpiece. Even his corny blog is funny.

Bottom line: Why is America watching Samantha Who when they could be laughing at their coworkers - or, at least, coworkers at Dunder-Mifflin?

Ugly Betty:

The only thing missing from this telenovela is an ending - and that's a mistake, I think. One of the great pieces of Spanish-speaking TV is that all shows have a programmed end point. Betty keeps pushing itself not to resolve, but everything about the show wants to move towards conclusion. Ugly Betty is lovely and it should continue to be lovely by being honest to the writing style and planning for an ending when the story is told.

Bottom line: Ay chihuahua. Betty needs a happy ending.


Well, that's enough for now. Took me a week to write this thing - so I really do watch too much TV. Now I get to go and take my finals!