It’s been too long since I wrote anything here. I’ve had this desire to write reviews of TV shows for a while, so I may as well do it.
I’ll write about one days’ shows at a time. All shows that air on the same night. I’ll rank them from +5 to -5 with zero = “meh, I’m too lazy to turn it off.” Also, I will only comment on shows I have actually seen. At least half a show. There are so many I won’t even waste that much time on.
So, let’s start with Sunday.
The Amazing Race: +1 It’s a reality show. I don’t like reality shows. There is nothing real about them, they are all contrived. But this one usually is interesting enough to watch.
Top Gear: -2 I’m not a car guy. I see a car as the landlocked equivalent of a boat: the hole you throw your money in. I’m not against people who enjoy cars, but the British, elitist, know-it-all, anti-American point of view is so off-putting, that I can’t stand the show.
Once Upon A Time: +3 It started out as a series of fairy tales, re-written into a modern setting. The recurring sub-plot of the relationships between all these characters has made it into something more, though. Fairy Tales, yes, Disney, No. Handling a fantasy subject without sinking to a childish level is a big plus.
Family Guy: +1 It’s a comic/animation. Stewie is a hoot and Brian, the dog, is the only sensible one in the show. It’s rude and crude and politically incorrect at times and definitely not for children. I’ve enjoyed some episodes, but others were just so-so. It’s not The Simpsons.
Talking Dead: -3 All talk, no substance.
The Walking Dead: +5 One of my must-watch shows. I usually like post-apocalyptic stories and this one drew me in. I know it’s based on a graphic novel and I don’t care.
Bob’s Burgers: -4 Grotesquely drawn, bland characters. Painful to watch. Not funny. Trying too hard to be the next King Of The Hill.
The Mentalist: +4 While the whole Red John backstory sometimes gets a little tedious, it’s a solid detective story with a list of interesting characters. The quirky, ex-carney, Patrick Jane and his interplay with the straight-shooting Lisbon. Stoic Cho, likeable Rigsby and Amazon-ish Van Pelt complete the diverse cast.
Shameless (US version): +5 Another must-watch show. How can you not like a family so dysfunctional that it makes yours look like Ozzie and Harriet. Stars William H. Macy. On Showtime.
The Musketeers: +4 Nearly a must-watch. A first-season British show, I can see an American version coming down the road. There isn’t an original thought in the heads of US network programming executives and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time until they steal this idea and ruin it. Loosely based on the book, The Three Musketeers, it’s well acted and written, but not so full of itself that it’s not enjoyable. I hope it doesn’t run dry of good plot ideas after a season or two.
The Simpsons: +2 I don’t often watch it, but The Simpsons is a staple animated show you can count on. For more than 20 years since starting as short pieces on the Tracey Ullman Show, it’s entertained consistently. Never afraid to tackle controversial topics, but not as edgy as South Park, it’s a good middle road the whole family can enjoy on some level.
That’s it for Sunday. There are other shows, but I either have never seen them, or they aren’t currently airing.
I had meant to work my way through the week and give my comments on my favorite shows each day, but, well, I’ve just been too busy and haven’t gotten around to it.
I continue to watch my favorite shows after the fact, at my leisure. You could say I DVR them, but I actually let someone else DVR them and then I download the show.
I’ve really gotten spoiled by the lack of commercials. When I do watch a show in real time, I get so annoyed at the mindlessness of most commercials and how much contempt that most companies must have for their customers. And then the house ads from the networks telling you what show to watch next. Once again, they treat us like idiots and we let them.