Winter 2010 TV Schedule: Mine & Yours

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Television

January 8, 2010

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I will be the first to admit that I dropped the ball and failed to produce an updated spreadsheet of television shows, as I did in the Fall. Apologies.

As an alternative, I highly recommend this extensive Winter2010 Grid from a fantastic TV source, TheFutonCritic.com. 

In case you’re interested, here is my rather ridiculous schedule through May (viewing split between TiVO and online):

SUNDAY
Human Target (FOX, 8pm) new series, debuts 1/17
Brothers & Sisters (ABC, 10pm)

MONDAY
House (FOX, 8pm)
Parenthood (NBC, 8pm) new series, debuts 3/1
Chuck (NBC, 9pm) 
Life Unexpected (CW, 9pm) new series, debuts 1/18
Damages (FX, 10pm) returns 1/25

TUESDAY
The Biggest Loser (NBC, 8pm)
LOST (ABC, 9pm) returns 2/2
Southland (TNT, 10pm) new network, returns 1/12 [tomorrow!]
Nurse Jackie (SHO, 10pm) returns 3/22
United States of Tara (SHO, 10:30pm) returns 3/22

WEDNESDAY
Modern Family (ABC, 9pm)
Cougar Town (ABC, 9:30pm)
Nip/Tuck (FX, 10pm)
V (ABC, 10pm) returns 3/30

THURSDAY
Bones (FOX, 8pm) returns 1/14
Community (NBC, 8pm) returns 1/14
FlashForward (ABC, 8pm) returns 3/4
Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (CBS, 8pm) returns 2/11
Parks and Recreation (NBC, 8:30pm) returns 1/14
30 Rock (NBC, 9pm) returns 1/14
The Office (NBC, 9pm) returns 1/20
Fringe (FOX, 9pm) returns 1/14
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 10pm) returns 1/14
Private Practice (ABC, 10pm) returns 1/14
Project Runway (Lifetime, 10pm) returns 1/14
Burn Notice (USA, 10pm) returns 1/14

FRIDAY
Dollhouse (FOX, 9pm)
Medium (CBS, 9pm) 

I am also looking forward to the return of Friday Night Lights and the new series Justified on FX, but premiere dates for both have not been announced (I do not have DirecTV, so I have yet to see this season of FNL).

Yes, this is overly ambitious, especially given that I will be writing extensively about the final season of Lost from now through the end of May. I usually manage to find the time to catch up with the rest of my favorite shows, but I have a feeling that my TiVO will be full for summer viewing this year.

As you can see, Thursday night is very, very crowded. Note to the networks: some of us crave quality programming on other nights of the week as well. Special memo to NBC: now that you’re canning Leno at 10pm every night, my hope is that you offer unique shows like Kings or Life again…only this time, don’t move them around the schedule and please have more patience as buzz builds. 
 
Happy viewing!

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TV 2009: Top 20 Shows & Network Analysis

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Television

December 30, 2009

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As promised, yet another list!

At some point I will take a look back at the best television programs from the last ten years, but right now I am focusing on my favorite series’ of 2009. Similar to the caveat that I placed on my list of Favorite Films of the 2000′s, please note that these are not necessarily the most critically acclaimed or award-winning shows; the scripts, casts and production of these programs speak to me, week after week.

  1. Community (NBC)
  2. Damages (FX)
  3. Dexter (SHO)
  4. Dollhouse (FOX)
  5. FlashForward (ABC)
  6. Fringe (FOX)
  7. Glee (FOX)
  8. The Good Wife (CBS)
  9. House (FOX)
  10. Lost (ABC)
  11. Mad Men (AMC)
  12. Medium (CBS)
  13. Modern Family (ABC)
  14. Nurse Jackie (SHO)
  15. Parks and Recreation (NBC)
  16. Rescue Me (FX)
  17. Top Chef (BRAVO)
  18. True Blood (HBO)
  19. United States of Tara (SHO)
  20. V (ABC)

I am very encouraged on many levels. First of all, I am unable to recall a more successful year in recent television history for new series debuts; 9 out of the 20 are new shows! I also love that 8 out of the 20 shows above are on cable (basic or pay). Let’s face it, they have more freedom to take risks. With the exception of Lost, I found that most of the original, riveting and thought-provoking content this year to be on Showtime, FX and AMC.  


Oh, and the joy of laughter is back. Thanks to shows like Community, Glee, Parks and Recreation and Modern Family, cackling, chuckling and cracking up have returned to our living room (and hopefully yours)…at least on Wednesday and Thursday nights.  

CBS

This is the very first time that a CBS series has ever made my annual list of favorites. To me, Medium has improved since CBS made the excellent decision to pick up the show after NBC dropped it from their primetime lineup. And if you’re not already watching The Good Wife, I highly recommend it. Crime/law procedurals are not traditionally my cup of tea, but Julianna Margulies has finally landed the perfect fit, in a role that is Emmy-worthy.

FOX

I applaud both FOX and ABC for embracing and having faith in the sci-fi/supernatural genre. Of course FOX does not have the best reputation when it comes to this type of program; it is very disappointing that Dollhouse has been canceled, and I am hoping that more will jump on the Fringe bandwagon because it has improved tremendously in the second season. I long for the good old days when a series like The X-Files survived and endured, despite being moved around in the schedule and landing on Friday nights (which is no longer necessarily a dead zone).

ABC

One of the more obvious winners in my book is ABC. Although they are not quite on par with the quality and consistency of Lost, ABC took a leap of faith by offering up both FlashForward and V in the same year. In addition, they gifted us Modern Family - the most refreshing and brilliantly funny series since Arrested Development.

SHOWTIME

Showtime is THE network to beat, in my opinion. Not since the days of Deadwood, Sex & the City, Six Feet Under and The Sopranos has a cable network dominated with such unique, high quality programming. I am still waiting for HBO to offer up a slate of daring, stellar and provocative shows again. In the meantime, only True Blood has earned a season pass on our TiVO. Dexter speaks for itself – disturbing and phenomenal every single season. But Toni Collette in The United States of Tara and Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie are simply extraordinary. Clearly two of the finest actresses on television today, they anchor their shows with a vulnerable confidence rivaled only by Glenn Close on Damages.

As icing on an already amazing cake, Showtime has landed Laura Linney (one of my favorite actresses of all time) for a new series in 2010 called The C-Word. The show, a dark comedy about cancer, co-stars Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) and Oliver Platt. Linney reunites with Kinsey director Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, Gods and Monsters), who is behind the lens for the pilot.

NBC

To be very frank, if it were not for 30 Rock, the resurgence of Parks and Recreation and the debut of Community, I would probably boycott and/or avoid NBC entirely. I will never understand their egregious, premature decision to cancel Kings, Life and Southland (not to mention my guilty pleasure show Lipstick Jungle), especially when the network chose to fill those prime 10pm slots every night with Jay Leno. I am thrilled that TNT rescued Southland from NBC’s discard pile – I will be tuning in every week when it returns on January 12.

REALITY TV

In general, I do not love the reality television genre. As someone who is far more interested in the creative team of a particular show than the pretty faces in front of the camera, I prefer to support a smart series with an actual writer’s room. That being said, I do enjoy competition-based shows like The Amazing Race, The Biggest Loser, Project Runway and Survivor. This is the first year that a reality show made my list, and that is because the last season of Top Chef featured some of the most talented contestants on any reality series that I’ve ever seen. 

They’re Every Woman

Defense Attorney Patty Hewes. Detective Debra Morgan. Coach Sue Sylvester. Special Agent Olivia Dunham. Copywriter Peggy Olson. Nurse Jackie Peyton. Deputy Director of Parks & Recreation Leslie Knope. FBI Counter Terrorism Agent Erica Evans. And an undercover kick-ass specialist named Echo. These women are all forces to be reckoned with, equally flawed and fabulous. If 2009 was any indication, it seems as if the 2000-teens (what the hell else are we going to call the next decade?) may feature more shows highlighting powerful, compelling women. I applaud and approve.

It is safe to say that I have great enthusiasm for what the next ten years of television has to offer. My hope is that the major networks exercise more patience, listen to and trust fan feedback (to a point), take risks with genre and continue to present unconventional programming. 


As always, I would love your feedback. Which shows topped your list this year and why?

Happy New Year!

-Jo

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The Blu-ray Way

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Film, Television

November 19, 2009

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I am sitting on the precipice of an exciting upgrade. In a few short weeks, we will be abandoning our standard DVD player for Blu-ray. Although we own several hundred DVDs, I look forward to adding newer releases to my collection in Blu-ray!  I was a bit concerned but inquired on Twitter, and apparently when you play standard DVDs on a Blu-ray player, they “upconvert” and play at a higher resolution. 

I am encouraged by programs like DVD 2 BLU, which Warner Brothers just unveiled. They are offering consumers the opportunity to upgrade Warner Brothers films on DVD to Blu-ray for a very reasonable fee. This is merely a glimpse of the future of home entertainment, and as a pop culture sponge, it is about time that I hopped on the bandwagon. 



To me, the only real downfall at this point is that I am unable to play a Blu-ray disc on my Mac. I re-watch a great deal of TV on DVD on my laptop, but will not be able to do so with Season 5 of Lost (which I pre-ordered on Blu-ray; it will be released on 12/8/09).  Of course I am hoping that by the time a 6-season Lost box set comes out in the next year or two…Apple will have joined the Blu-ray party.

I have no plans to replace every single DVD on my shelf, but the following films on Blu-ray certainly top my holiday wish list:

  • The Dark Knight
  • Gattaca
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • The Lord of the Rings trilogy
  • The Matrix trilogy
  • Star Trek (2009)
  • V for Vendetta

Which movies do you highly recommend on Blu-ray? 


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FlashingForward: My New Site

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Television

October 26, 2009

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I never officially announced it here, but it was brought to my attention that I’ve failed to even provide a link in the sidebar. Doh! 



In addition to my Lost site, I recently created one called FlashingForward; it is a spoiler-free, theory-specific site dedicated to the new ABC series FlashForward.

You may have noticed that I have been posting less frequently here. In addition to a very time-consuming Lost Rewatch project and the new FlashForward site, I spend most of my spare time catching up on the many shows I watch per week. I have no intention of abandoning  you or this site, and hope to include more film and DVD reviews soon, as well as analysis of our favorite new series’.

See you soon!

-Jo

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Fall TV 09: October Report Card

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Television

October 14, 2009

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As we snuggle beneath the blankets of fall, I thought it was time to grade each new and returning series thus far (at least those I actually watch).

Alphabetically, of course:
 
The Amazing Race: B
Seriously bummed at last week’s unfortunate elimination due to lost passports.

The Biggest Loser: B+
Pulls the heartstrings, completely inspiring. You can’t help but root for these contestants, and have to like a reality show that changes and saves so many lives.

Bones: B
I am on the impatient bandwagon that wants Booth & Bones to just date already. It is detracting from the show at this point, and just about everyone wants to see them together.  

Bored to Death: B-
This new HBO series has yet to capture my attention entirely, but I enjoy the cast and will continue watching.

Brothers & Sisters: B
They are handling Kitty’s crisis with proper poignancy. Bonus points for not forcing more of Ryan or Tommy on us.  

Community: B
I really like Joel McHale and Danny Pudi, but am not in love with the rest of the supporting cast…yet.

Cougar Town: B
A new and true guilty pleasure. I liked Courtney Cox in Dirt and even more in this role.

Curb Your Enthusiasm: B
I am rooting for him to reunite with Cheryl, and was very entertained by the Seinfeld reunion.

Desperate Housewives: C+
I tuned back in this season solely because of Drea de Matteo. But the new-family-with-mysterious-son storyline is beyond stale on Wisteria Lane.

Dexter: A
Unforseen character twists and surprising endings, plus an even more complicated family life has made Dexter even more compelling this season.

Dollhouse: B+
With the exception of the baby episode, I have loved the second season thus far.

FlashForward: A
My favorite new drama in five years. Here is my new FF theory site, if you’re interested.

Fringe: A
Tied with House for the best first episode of the fall season. They have kicked it up a notch in all areas.

Glee: A
No other show makes me smile or actually reflect fondly upon the awkward years as much as this one.

The Good Wife: B+
A very pleasant surprise and my first ever CBS procedural.

Grey’s Anatomy: B
It took six seasons, but I finally like Meredith Grey.

Heroes: C
I loved the first season, and have been quietly and patiently awaiting a return to form. As of this week, Heroes has been removed from my TiVO Season Pass list for good.

House: A-
Now THAT was a stellar season premiere. I have to say that I miss having Thirteen around.

Medium: A-
Given NBC’s recent series of primetime errors in judgement, I am thrilled that CBS picked up this series.

Modern Family: A
So. Damn. Funny. Easily the best new comedy of the season.

The Office: B-
I loved the last 15 minutes of the Jim & Pam wedding episode. Other than that, I have not laughed out loud once yet this season.

Parks & Recreation: B
A huge improvement from its freshman effort. I now much prefer to watch Amy Poehler than Steve Carell.

Private Practice: B
Bring Naomi back to the right floor, and hire on Charlotte to work there as well. Let the entertaining relationship fireworks begin.

Survivor: Samoa: C+
Perhaps CBS should have reconsidered their over-promotion of Russel as the biggest villain ever. Compared to Richard Hatch, he is dull and rather gross.  

I am excited for the return of 30 Rock, tomorrow night on NBC. And Nip/Tuck returns to FX this evening; it became a guilty pleasure long ago.

But the new show I am now anticipating the most is V, which debuts on Tuesday, November 3 (ABC).  I’ve seen the pilot, and loved it. Stay tuned for a preview review soon.

Let me know what you think about Fall TV thus far; which shows are you enjoying the most and least?

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Deceptive Daddy DEXTER: Season 4 Begins Tonight (Spoiler Alert)

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Television

September 27, 2009

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I have seen the first four episodes of Dexter, and will caution you that there are spoilers contained in the preview below. 



There is not a father on television more flawed than Dexter Morgan. The fourth season of Showtime’s hit series Dexter kicks off tonight, and there are a few rather large surprises in store for more than just our favorite serial killer.

Dexter (Michael C. Hall) and Rita (Julie Benz) are now a party of five; married and living in a new house with their baby Harrison and her children Astor and Cody.  It is safe to say that Dexter has been taken out of his comfort zone, which used to be a dark apartment for one, housing beloved blood samples from his many vigilante kills. Balancing family, work, the dark passenger (his inner voice) and his domineering ghost father Harry (James Remar) proves to be more than Dexter can handle, and the exhaustion that ensues certainly takes its toll.

John Lithgow joins the cast of Dexter this season as the Trinity Killer, Arthur Mitchell. His character makes the Ice Truck Killer (S1) seem benign in comparison. Lithgow is simply brilliant, mesmerizing and creepy as Mitchell, who kills his victims in threes. Although he is primarily known as an Academy Award nominated (The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment) and Emmy winning (3rd Rock from the Sun) actor, Lithgow is no stranger to the villain role. Richochet or Cliffhanger, anyone? Of course there are some who consider his turn as the reverend in Footloose to be villainous, given his ban on dancing and fun in Kevin Bacon’s small town. 

Detective Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) faces more turmoil in her personal life, as FBI Special Agent Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) returns just as she has settled into a normal relationship with Anton (David Ramsey). Her fellow detective, Joey Quinn (Desmond Harrington), continues down a slippery slope by making questionable choices both on and off the job. And expect an interesting power struggle this season between Lieutenant Laguerta (Lauren Velez) and detective Angel Batista (David Zayas). 

There are two very significant surprises within the first four episodes of Dexter; one is more of an eyebrow-raiser, the other a jaw-dropper. The addition of suburban bliss to Dexter’s already complicated life results in a very compelling and entertaining beginning to the fourth season of this stellar series. 



Dexter returns tonight on Showtime at 9pm ET/PT; here is a sneak peek of Episode 401, “Living the Dream.” If you’re not already caught up, visit the Episode Guide for recaps from all previous seasons. You can also follow Dexter on Twitter and become a fan of the series on Facebook. 

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