a) "American Horror Story"
It was hilarious how quickly all the buzz around this show dissipated once people started seeing the pilot, and now that I've seen it I totally understand why (and have yet to try watching any subsequent episodes). It's not even that this show is that crazy or weird, but just how totally tonedeaf it is to the basic rhythms of horror movies -- that there needs to be some occasional lulls or slowly gather stormclouds instead of just one scene after another of WTF imagery and clanging background music. Also Dylan McDermott's face is some kind of visual shorthand that translates in my mind to "show you don't want to watch."

b) "Homeland"
So far I'm enjoying "My So-Called Spy," I don't really know how much mileage there really is in this premise but it's the kind of thing that at least has a lot of grist for a few good episodes.

c) "Enlightened"
I don't really get this show? It seems like some kind of elaborate ironic twist on something I don't know or care about, and all the characterization and plot they fill it in with seems kind of dumb.

d) "Why Am I Still Single?!"
It's weird for VH1 to have two shows with the same basic premise on at the same time and "Tough Love" is definitely better, but I do find these kinds of shows strangely entertaining.

e) "Whitney"
I think Whitney Cummings is a decent standup and always kind of welcome hoary old school studio audience sitcoms about people's boring domestic problems, but this one just feels so drained of personality or ideas, like they're trying to make the most generic 'relationship sitcom' ever. You know you're doing something wrong when you make people think about how much more "Mad About You" was able to mix it up now and again.

f) "2 Broke Girls"
The other show Cummings created is a little better as a show but still kind of hobbled and full of useless genre conventions, this time the long dead 'colorful characters in a diner' sitcom. I keep trying with this show, and forever shall continue as long as it's on the air, because Kat Dennings is ridiculous, but I have to admit she's kind of the problem with the show, she keeps getting handed all these sassy bitchy lines and doesn't really know how to sell them and kinda falls flat.

g) "Person of Interest"
I'm watching this right now but now really -- all these new network dramas have like this and "Unforgettable" and "Prime Suspect" have just become the shows I leave on when I decide to listen to something on headphones and pretend I'm still 'keeping up' with these shows and 'giving them a chance.'

h) "Boardwalk Empire"
I've only watched one episode of this season, it wasn't as boring as I remember last year being but I still want to kind of kick the habit and leave this alone, it's just not for me.

i) "Bored To Death"
This show got so unexpectedly great in its second season, I'm also prepared for it to let me down now but they seem to be still on a good roll.

j) "Hung"
Last year "Hung" kind of lost my interest while "Bored" commanded it, now I'm ready for them to switch roles again, this year it seems to be kind of finding the fun in its premise again and do something less predictable with the characters.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 10:04 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.