All the buzz last week may have been about the Oscar nominations, but I was so excited about the mid-season return of my two favorite shows (Veronica Mars and Battlestar Galactica) that I thought this was a good time to take stock of my television viewing to date. Part of the last few weeks has been devoted to catching up on Heroes. I refused to allow another pop-culture juggernaut (like Lost) pass by while I watched forlornly from the sidelines. It’s too much like a Jr. High School dance. I won’t have it.
So I started in on Heroes during the hiatus and have pretty much caught up on the characters and the backstory. It’s a really clever concept with great twists and cliffhangers. But with the possible exceptions of Hiro and the indestructible cheerleader, I don’t really feel invested in most of the characters and their inner lives. So I think it’s good—good enough to rank a season pass slot on my TiVo—but not great.
Moving On…
Biggest Disappointment: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Way back in the fall I was insanely excited for Studio 60. West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin, Josh Lyman and Chandler Bing joining forces? How could it miss? By being painfully self-important, that’s how. Self-important works when you’re writing about the White House, but not an SNL knockoff. I cannot handle one more pompous speech about how the culture war is played out every week on a late-night comedy sketch show. It’s not. The last funny thing I saw on SNL was Justin Timberlake singing about his dick in a box. How’s that for high-brow?
On the flip side, I’ve been strangely charmed by 30 Rock the couple of times I’ve caught it. This could be because I have a bit of a girl crush on Tina Fey (the thinking man’s hot chick), or because Alec Baldwin is a comedic God.
Best New Discovery: Weeds
Take heed, ladies of Wisteria Lane. If you want to skewer the suburbs, this is how it’s done. I always knew I loved Mary Louise Parker, and now I know why. She leads a great supporting cast in this dark, caustic comedy about single parenthood, suburbia and the mind-altering drugs you need to survive it.
Most Over: Grey’s Anatomy
Forget about all the backstage scandal. I know we tune in for the McDrama, but can’t the characters at least PRETEND to be doing some actual doctoring once in a while? Also, American Idol. Every year I say I’m not getting sucked in, this time I mean it. I’m holding strong.
Most Excited For: Finding out who killed the Dean, and who the Final Five are. If you don’t know what that means, I can’t help you.
That’s all I’ve got for now. In the future I plan to dedicate an entire post to the demise of The OC, and tackle why the American version of The Office is NOT as good as the British in its own special way. Until then, happy viewing!
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10 comments:
Battlestar Galactica? Isn't that that John Travolta movie based on the L. Ron Hubbard novel? If you're converting to Scientology, isn't this information that I - as your boyfriend - should know?
Glad to hear you give Heroes two thumbs up. I haven't tuned in yet but have been hearing more and more praise from friends up here. I'll have to check it out.
Also, I'm with you on Grey's -- I still tune in (of course) but really, come on with all the drama on and off screen already!
I just got cable installed in my place this weekend. Although, poor girl that I am I elected to not pay the extra $10 a month for DVR. This may become one of my biggest mistakes of 2007.
oh yeah, I knew there was one other show I wanted to mention -- Weeds.
I have the 1st season in my Netflixs que and am actually quite excited about it.
Desperate Housewives it is not (thank heavens.)
For the record, Matthew, Battlestar Galactica has nothing to do with Scientology or, God forbid, John Travolta. Also, science fiction is typically one of my least favorite genres. But if loving BSG is wrong, then I don't want to be right!
You need to come to the posting board on my web site and talk about BSG. There's only one other person on there who watches it, but she's completely obsessed, too. We also get pretty good VM threads going.
I'm taking BSG away from Matt in an effort to bring Erin to the dark side. Your boyfriend (who is growing side burns so he can be more like me) has an awful lot of Buffy to watch still.
Oh, and just out of curiosity, did you get the "self-important" bit about Studio 60 from Matt? Because I said almost those exact words to him...
Meg, since you enjoy the occasional dick in a box, I encourage you to go onto youtube and watch a piece called "my box in box", for a refreshing change of pace. Though not quite as funny as the original, it's still slightly amusing, and well-made.
Matt would look dapper in sideburns.
Hey, remember when Matt got your Tivo from Norm McDonald? Yeah, that was awesome.
Sar--Believe it or not, I've already discovered the "Box in a Box." I'm glad that you also appreciate the humor of gift wrapped genitalia!
Kyle--I guess great minds think alike when it comes to Studio 60. Although, believe me, I'm aware that I owe my best television viewing to you and Nicole.
This is fun commenting on my comments! I hope I'm not violating some sacred blogging rule.
I wish it were true that you owed me anything for your wonderful love of BSG and VM but sadly, I too owe Kyle for introducing me to these shows...He actually watched all of season 1 of VM without me as I refused to watch a TV show about a crime solving teenager who he had a crush on...it was hard admitting these things but at least now they are out in the open...thanks for covering for me all this time Kyle...
It's what good boyfriends do. And in Nicole's defense, while it was my friends who told me about BSG, we watched it together, so I don't really have a leg up on that one.
Although she does owe me for Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Scrubs, and the OC...
The "Box in a Box" girl was on Countdown a while back. The woman who sang it and the woman who's in the video (two different people). The woman who wrote the song actually said "dick in a box" live on MSNBC. Pretty funny.
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