TV Diary
a) "Terra Nova"
This has pretty much all the same flaws as the other Spielberg-produced series that debuted over the summer, Falling Skies: overly familiar premise, bland cast, ill-advised 2 hour pilot episode, special effects that are impressive for TV but quickly lose their novelty. Actually I already somewhat like the characters on this show more than Falling Skies, but it's still just kinda lame.
b) "How To Be A Gentleman"
It makes me so sad to see Dave Foley slumming in a show like this, even if his bits tend to be pretty decent in and of themselves, and I kind of hope it stays on the air and does well enough to help him out of his depressing financial situation. Kevin Dillon was always hilarious to me as Johnny Drama but his character here is a more generic meathead, and his suit-wearing blond foil is like some kind of lame tame off-brand Barney Stinson. That said, the writing on this show is pretty decent, it's mostly the premise that makes everything feel corny.
c) "Suburgatory"
This show definitely isn't the cutting satire it wants to be, and a whole show of a city girl just constantly being condescending about the suburbs is pretty obnoxious. But said girl is really, really cute and a pretty engaging lead for the show, and the supporting cast is solid, so this could actually work.
d) "Pan Am"
I feel like even Mad Men can be annoyingly on the nose and glib about the era it's set in, so with shows like this and The Playboy Club that are almost intentionally broader and clumsier about portraying the '60s, I'm content to just relax and try to appreciate the eye candy (and I've been crazy about Kelli Garner for so long that I'm just happy to have her on a TV show). This is actually kinda sorta better than I expected, if still dumb.
e) "A Gifted Man"
I like Patrick Wilson and this show seems kind of smart and well written, but I just don't know if I can handle any of these brooding network shows about people who talk to ghosts.
f) "Charlie's Angels"
This show just feels so low rent and half-assed, even for what it is, that it reminds me more of that '90 syndicated Pamela Anderson lady spy show "V.I.P." than anything on a network, even something as campy as the original "Charlie's Angels." And I just don't think I'm into Minka Kelly enough to even watch this for shallow reasons.
g) Mel Brooks/Dick Cavett Together Again
Man, I loved the hell out of watching these awesome old dudes sit and talk about the old days for an hour while they've still got their wits about them. Brooks may not be capable of making hilarious movies anymore, but he's definitely still a great storyteller and joke teller.
h) "Happy Endings"
This show was good in its half season in the spring, but it really feels like it's hitting the ground running this fall and cementing itself as probably the best new sitcom of 2011, cast is gelling and the writing's on fire. I'm as surprised as you are.
i) "Whisker Wars"
The world of competitive beard and mustache growing is exactly as absurd as you'd expect, but it doesn't really make for interesting TV.
j) "Ridiculousness"
The idea of this old-ass uncharismatic pro skateboarder from the '90s becoming one of MTV's biggest franchises with 3 shows now is just bizarre to me, and the latest might be his biggest piece of shit yet: another show rehashing YouTube videos, without the joke writing of "Tosh.0" or "Web Soup" or even the slightest attempt to be anything other than idiots laughing at videos you've already seen.
k) "The Big C"
This season had a few good moments and the finale kind of ended with a bang but man I really lost interest in this show.
l) "Parenthood"
I like this season of the show so far but they continue to put these likable characters through some of the dumbest, most eye-rollingly obvious and torturous storylines possible. I'm actually impressed that some of the stupid plots they set into place in the season premiere have yielded some good moments since then.
m) "Tough Love Miami"
I've always enjoyed this silly VH1 self help dating show, so I'm glad it's back. I'm already kind of getting into a groove of rolling my eyes at certain women, although usually I actually kind of like some of them or root for them more.
n) "Breaking Bad"
I have mixed feelings about this season, which I guess is better than feeling totally jerked around and close to giving up on the show entirely at points in the 2nd and 3rd seasons. Now it at least has an end date and feels a bit like they're building toward something instead of making up things as they go along, although it's kind of hilarious how much they've totally forgot that the main characters have a newborn baby. Saul's secretary chewing out Walter in the last episode was just perfect, though, perhaps my favorite moment of the show ever.
o) "Sons of Anarchy"
This season has gotten off to a good start, especially with Rockmond Dunbar from "Terriers" as the new sheriff in town. Man do I miss "Terriers," though.
p) "True Blood"
Totally got sucked (no pun intended) back into this stupid crazy show this year,
q) "Wilfred"
After really enjoying the American adaptation, it was interesting to watch a few episodes of the original Australian series.
r) "Entourage"
This show had an appropriately empty and braindead ending, it was almost kind of fun to see how completely they could abandon all sense of what was even slightly entertaining about "Entourage" to begin with.
s) "Pop-Up Video"
So happy to have this show back, I was literally talking to my wife about how they need to make new episodes like 3 days before they announced it.
This has pretty much all the same flaws as the other Spielberg-produced series that debuted over the summer, Falling Skies: overly familiar premise, bland cast, ill-advised 2 hour pilot episode, special effects that are impressive for TV but quickly lose their novelty. Actually I already somewhat like the characters on this show more than Falling Skies, but it's still just kinda lame.
b) "How To Be A Gentleman"
It makes me so sad to see Dave Foley slumming in a show like this, even if his bits tend to be pretty decent in and of themselves, and I kind of hope it stays on the air and does well enough to help him out of his depressing financial situation. Kevin Dillon was always hilarious to me as Johnny Drama but his character here is a more generic meathead, and his suit-wearing blond foil is like some kind of lame tame off-brand Barney Stinson. That said, the writing on this show is pretty decent, it's mostly the premise that makes everything feel corny.
c) "Suburgatory"
This show definitely isn't the cutting satire it wants to be, and a whole show of a city girl just constantly being condescending about the suburbs is pretty obnoxious. But said girl is really, really cute and a pretty engaging lead for the show, and the supporting cast is solid, so this could actually work.
d) "Pan Am"
I feel like even Mad Men can be annoyingly on the nose and glib about the era it's set in, so with shows like this and The Playboy Club that are almost intentionally broader and clumsier about portraying the '60s, I'm content to just relax and try to appreciate the eye candy (and I've been crazy about Kelli Garner for so long that I'm just happy to have her on a TV show). This is actually kinda sorta better than I expected, if still dumb.
e) "A Gifted Man"
I like Patrick Wilson and this show seems kind of smart and well written, but I just don't know if I can handle any of these brooding network shows about people who talk to ghosts.
f) "Charlie's Angels"
This show just feels so low rent and half-assed, even for what it is, that it reminds me more of that '90 syndicated Pamela Anderson lady spy show "V.I.P." than anything on a network, even something as campy as the original "Charlie's Angels." And I just don't think I'm into Minka Kelly enough to even watch this for shallow reasons.
g) Mel Brooks/Dick Cavett Together Again
Man, I loved the hell out of watching these awesome old dudes sit and talk about the old days for an hour while they've still got their wits about them. Brooks may not be capable of making hilarious movies anymore, but he's definitely still a great storyteller and joke teller.
h) "Happy Endings"
This show was good in its half season in the spring, but it really feels like it's hitting the ground running this fall and cementing itself as probably the best new sitcom of 2011, cast is gelling and the writing's on fire. I'm as surprised as you are.
i) "Whisker Wars"
The world of competitive beard and mustache growing is exactly as absurd as you'd expect, but it doesn't really make for interesting TV.
j) "Ridiculousness"
The idea of this old-ass uncharismatic pro skateboarder from the '90s becoming one of MTV's biggest franchises with 3 shows now is just bizarre to me, and the latest might be his biggest piece of shit yet: another show rehashing YouTube videos, without the joke writing of "Tosh.0" or "Web Soup" or even the slightest attempt to be anything other than idiots laughing at videos you've already seen.
k) "The Big C"
This season had a few good moments and the finale kind of ended with a bang but man I really lost interest in this show.
l) "Parenthood"
I like this season of the show so far but they continue to put these likable characters through some of the dumbest, most eye-rollingly obvious and torturous storylines possible. I'm actually impressed that some of the stupid plots they set into place in the season premiere have yielded some good moments since then.
m) "Tough Love Miami"
I've always enjoyed this silly VH1 self help dating show, so I'm glad it's back. I'm already kind of getting into a groove of rolling my eyes at certain women, although usually I actually kind of like some of them or root for them more.
n) "Breaking Bad"
I have mixed feelings about this season, which I guess is better than feeling totally jerked around and close to giving up on the show entirely at points in the 2nd and 3rd seasons. Now it at least has an end date and feels a bit like they're building toward something instead of making up things as they go along, although it's kind of hilarious how much they've totally forgot that the main characters have a newborn baby. Saul's secretary chewing out Walter in the last episode was just perfect, though, perhaps my favorite moment of the show ever.
o) "Sons of Anarchy"
This season has gotten off to a good start, especially with Rockmond Dunbar from "Terriers" as the new sheriff in town. Man do I miss "Terriers," though.
p) "True Blood"
Totally got sucked (no pun intended) back into this stupid crazy show this year,
q) "Wilfred"
After really enjoying the American adaptation, it was interesting to watch a few episodes of the original Australian series.
r) "Entourage"
This show had an appropriately empty and braindead ending, it was almost kind of fun to see how completely they could abandon all sense of what was even slightly entertaining about "Entourage" to begin with.
s) "Pop-Up Video"
So happy to have this show back, I was literally talking to my wife about how they need to make new episodes like 3 days before they announced it.
This entry was posted
on Monday, October 10, 2011 at 12:38 PM.
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