TV Guide
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I feel like I haven’t added new shows to my repertoire in awhile, not since Mad Men really. That is, until recently, when three new shows have earned PVR status in my life.
I don’t suppose I’ve ever explicitly stated what all I watch. The answer is a lot, across a relatively broad range of genres. I don’t think any show that I watch puts me on an island – at least one friend or family member watches what I watch. Actually there is one show I can think of I’m currently (sadly) alone in watching. But for my own “I used to watch THAT?” pleasure in a decade or so, is my current weekly TV roster. Keeping in mind MANY of these shows aren’t on at the same time, so I’m not logging 50 hours of TV per week.
MONDAY (CW Night!)
Life Unexpected – this is one of the few new shows I’ve added and have consistently enjoyed to date. The show has its kinks that I needs to work out…Bug and Tasha are annoying, Lux needs to stop acting like a spoiled brat and make some more friends (or nemeses) at school, and they need to give Ryan an emotional outlet to vent to as currently we just seem him angry with no follow-up, which his unfair when every other character has that go to person to talk with.
It’s very funny, gives light to the challenges of being in the public eye (which my bf in the radio industry appreciates), and features some pretty interesting, flawed characters that I’m still undecided about. My sister watches this show and is also enjoying it…I hope CW gives it a second season where they can regroup (having shot the majority of the show before it aired as far as I know) and fix some of the problems.
Gossip Girl – I’m actually enjoying S3 as they can officially drop most trappings that held the show back for S1 & S2 (namely: school). With only half of the core cast in school, and a flexible college schedule at that, their traipsing about town feels slightly more realistic. Plus Blair & Chuck! What I don’t love? The fact that the show is still a constant merry-go-round of relationships, and I’m NOT a fan of the current shipper pairings of Dan & Vanessa and Nate & Serena. Plus get a new format for your episodes, not every single one needs to hinge on X random society event. Seriously. My sister and boyfriend also ‘live’ watch this with me, while a couple of friends are catching up on DVD and love the show (it’s no OC).
One Tree Hill – it seems the CW is shuffling their two Monday anchors around the arrival of Life Unexpected. I’ve generally hated this season of OTH – it feels like they’ve stuffed new characters down our throats while cutting the existing ones off at the knees with some of the most boring, hemming and hawing but everything always turns out storylines of all time. Quinn needs to disappear, and Taylor isn’t winning me over either. Plus I don’t want them to dredge the lovely actress that plays Clay’s dead wife / dead wife doppelganger through the mud for the next while, only for him to stay with Quinn. I never thought I’d say it, but bring back Peyton & Lucas, stat! At present I think I have two friends that still watch it, but both were hesitant last I spoke to them about it whether or not they’d continue onwards.
TUESDAY
Lost – Bless this show. It came into my life in late 2008 and provided a month and a half of DVD delirium as I moved into my new house and had no money. Season 5 was disappointing but I’m enjoying unlocking the riddles at last this season, and I’m holding my breath for an explosive (?) finale. I’ll be sad to see it go, but excited to own it on DVD for friends and family members to enjoy and theorize about. Countless friends of mine watch and love it – although some are (understandably) at the end of their ropes with it.
Parenthood – I just added this one as well. My sister and I watched the first two episodes last weekend and I think it has potential. It’s not as funny as some of the other family dramedies out there (yet) but it elicited a few giggles and bits of thoughtfulness. Trippy to see Lauren Graham as someone other than Lorelai, and the girl that played Patty on American Dreams seemingly slightly older and fast forwarded to the new millennium only to still be a lot like Patty of yesteryear. I’ll give it a few more episodes before I fully commit one way or the other.
WEDNESDAY
America’s Next Top Model - …is…ridiculous. Still I like they’re doing another NYC season and I can’t not watch this trainwreck of a show. I used to like and respect it a lot more (as did my bevy of friends that have since abandoned it) but I’ve still got the odd friend (plus my mom and sister) who watch it.
THURSDAY
Survivor – I am loving Heroes vs. Villains right now. It’s missing a certain something still, perhaps it’s just been such a long time since we had a full all star cast, and I want some more h-core strategy, but revisiting these crazy characters and having some surprising new faves to cheer for has already made this season a worthy watch. My parents are avid watchers, and finally one of my friends has jumped back on the Survivor wagon for me to gossip with.
The Office – This show has jumped the shark, and I acknowledge that. I like the Andy/Erin romance but feel it’s an awkward rehash of Pam/Jim that’s being played for laughs more than sentiment so far. Speaking of Pam, they’ve made her into a shrill, irritating wife-y…which is disappointing. I DO appreciate that the show has followed a natural progression for the paper company (re: bankruptcy and buyout) and am enjoying the return to some more office-y antics as of late, like last week’s “leads” episode, but I think the time has just about come for Dunder Mifflin to shut its doors for good.
Flashforward – Well this just came back and I’m happy about it. I agree with the criticism that the show lacks the emotional resonance of ‘Lost’ (which it’s trying to both emulate and replace) but I think anyone that is a fan of Lost would appreciate that they are giving us answers on rapid-fire, but still leaving opportunities for many, many questions (take note Lost). This is the only show on my list that no one else seems to watch sadly.
FRIDAY
What Not To Wear – I’m enjoying the latest round of tweaks to the show’s format, although I do wish they’d do some more of their spectacular specials like going to Paris (or hey, Canada?) instead of being in NYC all the time. I enjoy new hairstylist Ted and the show is great to just throw on during a lazy Sunday when I’m folding laundry or doing my nails. As such I have a backlog of 4+ episodes on my PVR at any given time. My sis is obsessed with this show.
SATURDAY
Project Runway – I generally like this season, at least quite a bit more than least season’s snoozefest. Canada is several weeks behind the US so any commentary on the show will seem dated. The continually come up with interesting challenges though – I personally enjoyed this season’s children’s wear competition. I am sad that dreamy Jesse Lenoir is gone though. My mom watches this, although I haven’t chatted to her about this season yet.
Models of the Runway – I watch approximately five minutes of this show. It’s totally pointless other than to see the interesting way the designers are flipping up their models this season. For the last few years the model selection has been bo-ring, but something seems to have inspired them to swap things up a bit more this season. There’s been no “mothereffing walk-off” drama yet, but it’s nice to identify the girls by name for once.
SNL – Ugh what a terrible, terrible season. Reading the recaps on About.com has served to enforce this. There is no originality, no life to the sketches or the actors. Lorne Michaels needs to do a serious rethink in terms of who has hired as writers and as performers because the show is just drab. How many times have we seen the vintage sportscasting bit? What up with that? Call it the season of repeats…I’m bored.
SUNDAY
Degrassi TNG – Apparently I have a lot of shows on Sunday, however no more than 2 have been on at the same time so far. I heart Degrassi. I miss the stronger integration of the old school cast that came in the earlier seasons, and I miss a lot of the original cast, but the new cast has its strengths and interests for me as well. I also like to wave a little Canadian flag of pride as this show continues to flourish beyond our borders.
Desperate Housewives – I’ve ranted about this show too many times to count now. It’s become a parody of itself really, increasingly soapy instead of satirical with throwaway storylines and recurring characters. And yet it has one of the strongest consistent followings on television. Go figure. I haven’t been able to tear myself away, although the fact this show builds up a backlog of episodes a la WNTW is disturbing.
Amazing Race – This season so far has kind of…sucked? There isn’t really anyone to cheer for other than the magical cowboys, but I don’t feel a strong attachment, nor am I realllllly rooting for them. Magic hippies? Yes. Magic cowboys? Not so much. Annoying reality-show types making a return to reality television? Meh. Plus the boyfriend’s TAR pool pick (Dan and gay Jordan) are pretty disappointing.
Life – I just taped the first instalment of this last night. We’ll see if it’s worthy of my continued viewing. I anticipate…yes?
That’s all. A boring post! Still to come? The fourth seasons of FNL and Mad Men.
- Britt’s On
I don’t suppose I’ve ever explicitly stated what all I watch. The answer is a lot, across a relatively broad range of genres. I don’t think any show that I watch puts me on an island – at least one friend or family member watches what I watch. Actually there is one show I can think of I’m currently (sadly) alone in watching. But for my own “I used to watch THAT?” pleasure in a decade or so, is my current weekly TV roster. Keeping in mind MANY of these shows aren’t on at the same time, so I’m not logging 50 hours of TV per week.
MONDAY (CW Night!)
Life Unexpected – this is one of the few new shows I’ve added and have consistently enjoyed to date. The show has its kinks that I needs to work out…Bug and Tasha are annoying, Lux needs to stop acting like a spoiled brat and make some more friends (or nemeses) at school, and they need to give Ryan an emotional outlet to vent to as currently we just seem him angry with no follow-up, which his unfair when every other character has that go to person to talk with.
It’s very funny, gives light to the challenges of being in the public eye (which my bf in the radio industry appreciates), and features some pretty interesting, flawed characters that I’m still undecided about. My sister watches this show and is also enjoying it…I hope CW gives it a second season where they can regroup (having shot the majority of the show before it aired as far as I know) and fix some of the problems.
Gossip Girl – I’m actually enjoying S3 as they can officially drop most trappings that held the show back for S1 & S2 (namely: school). With only half of the core cast in school, and a flexible college schedule at that, their traipsing about town feels slightly more realistic. Plus Blair & Chuck! What I don’t love? The fact that the show is still a constant merry-go-round of relationships, and I’m NOT a fan of the current shipper pairings of Dan & Vanessa and Nate & Serena. Plus get a new format for your episodes, not every single one needs to hinge on X random society event. Seriously. My sister and boyfriend also ‘live’ watch this with me, while a couple of friends are catching up on DVD and love the show (it’s no OC).
One Tree Hill – it seems the CW is shuffling their two Monday anchors around the arrival of Life Unexpected. I’ve generally hated this season of OTH – it feels like they’ve stuffed new characters down our throats while cutting the existing ones off at the knees with some of the most boring, hemming and hawing but everything always turns out storylines of all time. Quinn needs to disappear, and Taylor isn’t winning me over either. Plus I don’t want them to dredge the lovely actress that plays Clay’s dead wife / dead wife doppelganger through the mud for the next while, only for him to stay with Quinn. I never thought I’d say it, but bring back Peyton & Lucas, stat! At present I think I have two friends that still watch it, but both were hesitant last I spoke to them about it whether or not they’d continue onwards.
TUESDAY
Lost – Bless this show. It came into my life in late 2008 and provided a month and a half of DVD delirium as I moved into my new house and had no money. Season 5 was disappointing but I’m enjoying unlocking the riddles at last this season, and I’m holding my breath for an explosive (?) finale. I’ll be sad to see it go, but excited to own it on DVD for friends and family members to enjoy and theorize about. Countless friends of mine watch and love it – although some are (understandably) at the end of their ropes with it.
Parenthood – I just added this one as well. My sister and I watched the first two episodes last weekend and I think it has potential. It’s not as funny as some of the other family dramedies out there (yet) but it elicited a few giggles and bits of thoughtfulness. Trippy to see Lauren Graham as someone other than Lorelai, and the girl that played Patty on American Dreams seemingly slightly older and fast forwarded to the new millennium only to still be a lot like Patty of yesteryear. I’ll give it a few more episodes before I fully commit one way or the other.
WEDNESDAY
America’s Next Top Model - …is…ridiculous. Still I like they’re doing another NYC season and I can’t not watch this trainwreck of a show. I used to like and respect it a lot more (as did my bevy of friends that have since abandoned it) but I’ve still got the odd friend (plus my mom and sister) who watch it.
THURSDAY
Survivor – I am loving Heroes vs. Villains right now. It’s missing a certain something still, perhaps it’s just been such a long time since we had a full all star cast, and I want some more h-core strategy, but revisiting these crazy characters and having some surprising new faves to cheer for has already made this season a worthy watch. My parents are avid watchers, and finally one of my friends has jumped back on the Survivor wagon for me to gossip with.
The Office – This show has jumped the shark, and I acknowledge that. I like the Andy/Erin romance but feel it’s an awkward rehash of Pam/Jim that’s being played for laughs more than sentiment so far. Speaking of Pam, they’ve made her into a shrill, irritating wife-y…which is disappointing. I DO appreciate that the show has followed a natural progression for the paper company (re: bankruptcy and buyout) and am enjoying the return to some more office-y antics as of late, like last week’s “leads” episode, but I think the time has just about come for Dunder Mifflin to shut its doors for good.
Flashforward – Well this just came back and I’m happy about it. I agree with the criticism that the show lacks the emotional resonance of ‘Lost’ (which it’s trying to both emulate and replace) but I think anyone that is a fan of Lost would appreciate that they are giving us answers on rapid-fire, but still leaving opportunities for many, many questions (take note Lost). This is the only show on my list that no one else seems to watch sadly.
FRIDAY
What Not To Wear – I’m enjoying the latest round of tweaks to the show’s format, although I do wish they’d do some more of their spectacular specials like going to Paris (or hey, Canada?) instead of being in NYC all the time. I enjoy new hairstylist Ted and the show is great to just throw on during a lazy Sunday when I’m folding laundry or doing my nails. As such I have a backlog of 4+ episodes on my PVR at any given time. My sis is obsessed with this show.
SATURDAY
Project Runway – I generally like this season, at least quite a bit more than least season’s snoozefest. Canada is several weeks behind the US so any commentary on the show will seem dated. The continually come up with interesting challenges though – I personally enjoyed this season’s children’s wear competition. I am sad that dreamy Jesse Lenoir is gone though. My mom watches this, although I haven’t chatted to her about this season yet.
Models of the Runway – I watch approximately five minutes of this show. It’s totally pointless other than to see the interesting way the designers are flipping up their models this season. For the last few years the model selection has been bo-ring, but something seems to have inspired them to swap things up a bit more this season. There’s been no “mothereffing walk-off” drama yet, but it’s nice to identify the girls by name for once.
SNL – Ugh what a terrible, terrible season. Reading the recaps on About.com has served to enforce this. There is no originality, no life to the sketches or the actors. Lorne Michaels needs to do a serious rethink in terms of who has hired as writers and as performers because the show is just drab. How many times have we seen the vintage sportscasting bit? What up with that? Call it the season of repeats…I’m bored.
SUNDAY
Degrassi TNG – Apparently I have a lot of shows on Sunday, however no more than 2 have been on at the same time so far. I heart Degrassi. I miss the stronger integration of the old school cast that came in the earlier seasons, and I miss a lot of the original cast, but the new cast has its strengths and interests for me as well. I also like to wave a little Canadian flag of pride as this show continues to flourish beyond our borders.
Desperate Housewives – I’ve ranted about this show too many times to count now. It’s become a parody of itself really, increasingly soapy instead of satirical with throwaway storylines and recurring characters. And yet it has one of the strongest consistent followings on television. Go figure. I haven’t been able to tear myself away, although the fact this show builds up a backlog of episodes a la WNTW is disturbing.
Amazing Race – This season so far has kind of…sucked? There isn’t really anyone to cheer for other than the magical cowboys, but I don’t feel a strong attachment, nor am I realllllly rooting for them. Magic hippies? Yes. Magic cowboys? Not so much. Annoying reality-show types making a return to reality television? Meh. Plus the boyfriend’s TAR pool pick (Dan and gay Jordan) are pretty disappointing.
Life – I just taped the first instalment of this last night. We’ll see if it’s worthy of my continued viewing. I anticipate…yes?
That’s all. A boring post! Still to come? The fourth seasons of FNL and Mad Men.
- Britt’s On
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