Since I know that I’ll revisit this one, I’ll go ahead and append the I ahead of time. For this time, we’re going to discuss some of the shows that I currently enjoy. We watch pretty much all of our TV time shifted by DVR, so I only have a vague idea when these shows are actually on.
Community: This one is on hiatus, hopefully to return in the fall. I really like the quirky attitude and the combination of characters, as well as the “themed” episodes (the two paintball episodes, one a War movie, and the other a Western, were particularly well done). The way they’ve brought everyone together as a sort of (er, very) dysfunctional “family” over the seasons has been particularly nice to watch.
Once Upon a Time: A relative newbie, this show is only 8 or so episodes in, but the depth of the story and expanse they’ve covered has been impressive. While the overarching mystery is well done, covering the fairy tale characters trapped in a small town, it is the “character” stories that have been particularly well done (Jiminy Cricket, Rumplestiltskin, and Hansel and Gretel have had their own episodes, essentially). They also picked an excellent evil queen, as I want to smack the smirk off her face whenever I see her on screen.
Big Bang Theory: Wish I could say I was in on this one since the beginning, but a season had passed before Stephen told me I needed to start watching it. Consistently funny, although I fear they might be running out of steam (but seeing as they just aired episode 100, can be expected). I do particularly enjoy any Sheldon-Penny interactions, and I’ve finally stopped referring to Amy Farrah Fowler as Amy Farrah Fawcett Fowler.
Person of Interest: Another new show, this one takes an interesting premise (there’s a government computer watching all of us and knows when something bad will happen, but only gives the SSN of one person involved) and adds an interesting character (Jesus . . . I mean, Jim Caviezel) for a whole lot of sleuthing and shooting (seriously, does no one in this fictional New York report gunfire?). There’s other people in the show too, but do they really hold a candle to the indestructible, omni-talented monkish figure with guns?
The Middle: Solid, workman-like comedy about a solid, workman-like family, usually good for several laughs. Another show that I really like the characters in. I believe it appeals to my Midwestern ancestry, despite the fact that I’ve never been to the Midwest.
These are a few of the shows I watch, in no particular order. No, I do not watch “reality” TV, I may rant on why in another post.
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my comments in no particular order;
The Middle/Community – I just can’t seem to get my arms around these single camera sitcoms. I’m told (by the critics) that I miss out on some the best network television can offer these days (The Office, 30 Rock, Modern Family, etc.) but I just can’t embrace them. We watch The Middle pretty consistently but from my perspective it seems more because it immediately follows Wheel of Fortune. “The lovely Mrs.” has a soft-spot for Patricia Heaton, both from her past roles and her off-camera values so that is her reason for tuning in. There have been a few laughs but not as many as I would like. I like the “unscrubbed” nature of the family, but I really think that has already been done in another sitcom (which I didn’t watch), Roseanne. I do find Brick a wonderful character and wish there was more of him and his quirks, and less of his older siblings who just seem to irritate me. As for Community, I’ve never bothered to tune in (see above) though I would think you would be drawn to its setting of academia, especially from a support, clerical, administration view.
Once Upon A Time – Never seen it but it would seem to me that with Grimm on another network, we probably could get by with just one of these. If that many. Fantasy, fairy tales, alternate universes, etc. are lost on me and just give me a reason to avoid it, not to tune in.
Person of Interest – I really thought this one could be a given in our house, for no other reason for “the lovely Mrs.’ great affection for Caviezel for his role in Passion of the Christ and his appearances on TBN. But it hasn’t worked out that way. For the most part I really don’t think either of us is particulary drawn to the 1 hour drama since it became dominated by “autopsy shows”. She gave one episode 15 minutes and don’t think has returned. I watched one episode, thought it was well crafted and really liked the ambiguous ending of that one, but still no reason to go out of my way to watch. “The Machine” borders on “time travel” so thats tough for me to get around. Tough too, cause they cut the thing in my building so I know some the post people and I would like for them to keep their jobs!
Big Bang Theory – Surprised you came to this show as late as you did, just about the time I stumbled across it. Figured you would have been there from the get go. I still see episodes in syndication from that first season, that I have never seen before I find that to be a joyful experience. Like The Middle, Person of Interest, I have a “tangential” employment interest with Big Bang so I “root” for it to do well. I have to tip my hat to all the actors involved for the ease at which they spew dialogue that to my uninitiated mind actually sounds like they know what they are talking about! I think the Leonard/Penny relationship will no doubt become the equivalent of Ross/Rachel, the one we all root for, want to see, the one the series finale will no doubt produce, but the one that bogs down the series when it exists. I find the “geekness” part of the show the most appealling part, but also the one for which I have little direct knowledge of, the comic books, sci-fi, fantasy games, etc. world. Wish they would concentrate more on that and less on the “sex” (both when it happens and when it ain’t) part but I’m sure that is what the audience wants and the writers/producers are more than willing to give them what they want. It is the one program of the ones you mentioned that I purposely record weekly. And I also am enjoying seeing past episodes in sydication, though their ubiquitousness might lead to a saturation point and burn out. Once again the 3-camera, live audience sitcom delivers, like comfort food, or a worn out sweatshirt, it “feels right” and when done well rarely disappoints.
Unlike you, I do watch reality TV. It’s called “sports”! No script, no faked “reality” when camera and sound crews “happen” to record the “drama”. REAL reality!
“Person of Interest” is intriguing from a meta-aspect as well: it’s written by Christopher Nolan’s (of Batman fame) brother, and arguably is fronted by two characters who *combined* ARE Batman.
Also, it does a pretty decent job of dealing both with the plot-of-the-week arcs and the overall-arc, which explores issues pertaining to privacy, government oversight, personal liberties, etc.
One often-overlooked aspect of the show is that you really need to carefully examine the “found footage” screens that supply the machine’s POV, because often little spoilers are hidden in that. Also, if you examine the HUD that the machine uses, you can see its evolution over time, as it starts initially color-coding people, then providing its own assessments that borderline on certain AI traits.