International Bon Vivant and Raconteur ([info]nick_kaufmann) wrote,
@ 2008-09-06 13:32:00
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Entry tags:tv nerd

The Fall TV Season
With the fall TV season almost upon us, it's time for your faithful TV Nerd to once again dissect the schedule and let you know what I will be tuning in for, what I might tune in for, and what they couldn't pay me enough to watch. As you'll see below, just like the past couple of seasons, there seem to be very few new shows that are piquing my interest.


Sunday
It looks like I'm pretty much sticking with the old standbys on Sunday: The Simpsons (Fox), Family Guy (Fox), and whatever original programming HBO airs (including the new Little Britain USA!). There's a new series called Valentine (The CW) that looked interesting -- ancient Greek gods live in modern-day L.A.! -- until I delved a little deeper and learned what they're actually doing. According to Entertainment Weekly, the Greek gods "help earthbound soul mates find each other." Yawnsville! Why remake The Love Boat on dry land? Talk about a waste of a good concept. Gonna have to see what the reviews say. The show they couldn't pay me enough to watch? New series Easy Money (The CW), about a loan shark who discovers he's adopted. Yawnsville, part deux!

Monday
I'm very excited for the return of two of my favorite new shows from last season, Chuck (NBC) and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox). I'll also be tuning in to Heroes (NBC) again, with the hopes that Maya, with her weird, drippy black eyes and incomprehensible superpower, is instantly eviscerated before the opening credits and never seen again. On the maybe front: Worst Week (CBS) a half-hour comedy that looks like it could be really fun in an Arrested Development way, or utterly tedious. Also, My Own Worst Enemy (NBC), about a normal guy (Henry) whose secondary personality (Edward) is a superspy, and neither side knows the other exists, at least not yet. Issue #1: Christian Slater. Seriously, he was never that great to begin with, and now it's pretty much over. Issue #2: I've seen this show before and liked it better when it was called Jekyll. I'm relying on reviews for both Worst Week and Enemy. The show they couldn't pay me enough to watch? Prison Break (Fox). I gave up halfway through the second season once it became clear to me that they had no idea what to do with the characters after they actually broke out of prison. Now it just looks like a soap opera with a "shocking death" every week.

Tuesday
I'm psyched for the new show Fringe (Fox). It looks like it might be a little too X-Files lite, but I'm eager to check it out. Then there's Law & Order: SVU (NBC). Seriously, you guys, why am I still watching this show? I have no idea. It's practically a parody at this point. Maybe I keep tuning in hoping they'll actually do something with Belzer or Ice-T this time, but I'm always disappointed. Also, Gavin and Stacey (BBC America) is cute and very funny. New series The Mentalist (CBS) looks like it might be a cute procedural, centering around a stage magician who uses his people-reading skills to help the cops solve crimes. We'll see what the reviews say. Tuesday is also chock full of shows they couldn't pay me to watch: the new gameshow Opportunity Knocks (ABC), where they ask family members questions about other family members (if I wanted to see that, I'd go to temple more often); new show Privileged (The CW) about a tutor to two Palm Beach teen heiresses (do you think they will teach each other a little something about life?); and the new Beverly Hills, 90210 (The CW) -- sorry, but it's over. You should have called it something else, because I'm guessing 99% of the original show's fans -- and I was one -- ain't coming back to see a "new generation" go to the Peach Pit and roam the halls of West Beverly High.

Wednesday
South Park (Comedy Central)! Comedy Central is also debuting David Alan Grier's Chocolate News, which could be funny, despite the fact that Grier was, in my opinion, one of the least talented on In Living Color. Worth checking out one time, I suppose. Shockingly, though, other than those two programs, nothing strikes my fancy Wednesday nights. I stopped watching CSI:NY (CBS) years ago. Same with Bones (Fox). They just didn't hold my attention. And the new Knight Rider (NBC)? Please. They couldn't send me a check big enough to make me watch. (Well, yeah, they probably could, but I'd fake it.)

Thursday
As usual, Thursday is filled the gills. My Name is Earl, The Office and 30 Rock on NBC. Smallville on The CW. The return of The Sarah Silverman Program on Comedy Central. Plus two new shows that look interesting: Kath & Kim (NBC), which is on between Earl and The Office , so I'll probably check it out due to laziness alone, and Life on Mars (ABC), the US remake of the UK series about a modern-day cop who somehow travels back in time to gritty, funky, no DNA evidence 1973. It's got Clarke Peters (Lester Freaman on The Wire), Michael Imperioli (Christopher on The Sopranos) and Harvey Keitel. The bad news? None of them are playing the lead. But it still might be good. With so much going on Thursday nights, thank goodness for DVR! Couldn't pay me enough to watch? That would be the new game show Hole in the Wall (Fox), in which contestants must pass through, you guessed it, a hole in the wall. Wake me when it's over.

Friday
Nada. Zip. Nothing. At least until the return of Doctor Who on SciFi, which should be in about a hundred years' time. The show you couldn't pay me enough to watch on Fridays would be The Ex List, about a single woman who learns from a psychic that she's already met the man she's supposed to marry and so starts redating her ex-boyfriends. God. I think I fell asleep twice just typing that out. Also, Crusoe (NBC), a retelling of the Robinson Crusoe story but with an island full of pirates and cannibals. If an angry column of black smoke shows up, call the lawyers. (Addendum: I forgot to mention The Soup (E!). I love that show.)

Saturday
I eagerly await the return of Torchwood (BBC America), and continue to enjoy Primeval (also BBC America). You couldn't pay me enough to watch SciFi's original movies (unless it's the long-awaited Bigfoot vs. Chupacabra, starring Dean Cain as a college professor with Navy SEAL training and a random ex-Playboy playmate as a world-renowned scientist). Also, some new people are taking over for Ebert and Roeper on At the Movies. That should suck.

So there you have it, the TV Nerd's choices for the new fall TV season. How does it stack up to yours?


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[info]rfrancis
2008-09-06 06:52 pm UTC (link)
Seriously, man, I just suffocated under the weight of all those show mentions.

We actually dropped cable back to just the local channels. (OTA is a pain because I live 70 miles from the stations so need a whackin big antenna. Maybe someday.) Of course, a lot of what you listed is on the networks. Just the same, I'm getting a lot of my TV fix, of which there isn't much, off of Hulu and Netflix these days.

Having said that, I'm in for Heroes again... I guess... and How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory for sure. Waiting for this rumored Scrubs return but I guess that's mid-season. As you say, Doctor Who and Torchwood specials when they turn up, and I'd add to that QI, which... hey, which should start pretty soon, it's September already! Awesome. I thought I might give House a go, having sat out the last couple of seasons after that stupid "House makes a cop mad" storyline. We'll see.

Otherwise, right now I'm burrowing through Alias DVDs via Netflix. Oh, and watching new Eureka episodes on Hulu (as I no longer get SciFi.)

An aside: why do I like watching TV on my laptop when I used to fear and loathe the very idea? It's because I'm a huge dork with a terrible memory and I like to pause the show and look things up. When did that character previously appear? What was going on? Hey, who's that person also played? They look familiar. That sort of thing. TV on laptop? ADHDer's dream. Although it does take me a while to get through an episode sometimes...

Oh, yeah, shows. I'm interested in Crusoe and will probably watch the pilot of My Own Worst Enemy although, like you, I'm pretty skeptical. I still haven't seen any of Chuck or Reaper or Terminator. Terminator's on Hulu and the pilot's in my queue (along with the pilot for Pretender -- I know, but I never SAW it -- and clips from The Daily Show and Colbert Report, which is a great way to watch them in my opinion. Hulu is... better than I expected. I hope its catalog improves over time, but still, it's useful. Anyway, Chuck's about to hit DVD and hopefully Reaper will eventually, since that's pretty much my only shot at them. And maybe I'll be done with Alias by then.

What, not watching Sons of Anarchy, then?

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 06:56 pm UTC (link)
You felt suffocated? Imagine how I felt typing all that shit up? ;-)

Interesting that Reaper wasn't on the fall schedule. I'd heard it was coming back. Maybe mid-season again?

Sons of Anarchy is a great title, but the story of a motorcycle club with ties to the mob doesn't strike my fancy. Also, weirdly, I have yet to watch a single FX series to date, and I don't want to ruin my streak!

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[info]colubra
2008-09-06 08:02 pm UTC (link)
I'm bugged by the Reaper omission: I want more and want it now!

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 08:10 pm UTC (link)
I'm jury's-still-out on Reaper, but I was enjoying it by the end. I'm hoping for mid-season.

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(Anonymous)
2008-09-06 08:50 pm UTC (link)
it definitely seemed to me like the writers finally hit stride about 2/3rds of the way in, and I suspect this is because Kevin Smith became too busy to 'consult' very much.

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 08:57 pm UTC (link)
Ha!

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[info]horrorofitall
2008-09-06 09:46 pm UTC (link)
Mid season replacement

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[info]jeffpalmatier
2008-09-06 08:13 pm UTC (link)
I was able to catch most of the first episode of Sons of Anarchy. The writers seem to be taking the subject of outlaw biker clubs seriously in its own right rather than just approaching the show as "Sopranos on Harleys" as I feared they might do.

30 Rock was the first show I ever watched online. I never remembered to watch it when it was airing on TV. I stumbled upon it while websurfing, so I thought, "Why not?" I found watching it to be the most surreal experience. Most of the jokes seemed to fall flat. I understood intellectually why these jokes were supposed to be funny, but they didn't connect with me as actually being funny. Maybe there is something more to this show than I saw. I was left wondering if NBC was keeping this on the air despite low ratings because of their own ego since the show was basically about NBC/SNL. After all, if it is about them, how the could the public not find it fascinating?!

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 08:34 pm UTC (link)
I have to disagree. I think 30 Rock is one of the funniest shows on the air. It took a while to grow on me -- I didn't like the first episode at all -- but once it did, it quickly became one of my favorite comedies.

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[info]scottedelman
2008-09-06 09:36 pm UTC (link)
It took awhile for 30 Rock to grow on me, too. I assumed that Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip would be the winner of the two behind-the-scenes shows, but it eventually grew pompous. And the supposed funny sketches were never funny. What worked on West Wing failed here.

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 09:42 pm UTC (link)
It was exactly the same with me. And now Studio 60 is gone and 30 Rock continues strongly!

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[info]bev_vincent
2008-09-06 07:45 pm UTC (link)
What have you heard about Torchwood? It's my understanding that it will only be back as a five-part miniseries airing over a period of a week.

The pilot episode of Fringe was okay, but the jury's still out as far as I'm concerned.

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 08:11 pm UTC (link)
I heard the same about Torchwood, only 5 episodes, but with Martha Jones now a regular. I don't know if they'll be airing them all in a week on BBC America, though.

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[info]colubra
2008-09-06 08:51 pm UTC (link)
I wonder why both Torchwood and new Dr. Who season are doing this.

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 08:57 pm UTC (link)
Who is having a truncated fifth season because of Tennant's commitment to acting in a play. As for Torchwood, I have no idea. Maybe they miss Owen and Tosh.

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[info]colubra
2008-09-06 09:02 pm UTC (link)
I knew about Tennant's Shakespeare stint (and had originally considered going to see it this week, in fact): just seems counterintuitive to cut back on what people will look to for their Who fix.

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[info]leethomas
2008-09-06 08:08 pm UTC (link)
You are my lighthouse. Show me the way.

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 08:12 pm UTC (link)
I will, as I do in so many other aspects of life. ;-)

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[info]mssrcrankypants
2008-09-06 08:50 pm UTC (link)
Working from the bottom up: I like Primeval quite a bit, but I'll like it more when I can watch it without the lengthy commercial interruptions. Which is how I feel about nearly every episodic show on television, so just carry that comment over. Torchwood I'll give another try.

I have no idea how you can stomach The Sarah Silverman Show. She's turned herself into a one-trick pony, and I haven't really liked her since the unfairly canceled Greg the Bunny. (And no, I'm still not over that.)

Bones got much better for me when they toned down the whole "I know nothing about popular culture" schtick with Deschanel's character. That got really annoying really fast. And how can you possibly skip the pilot of Knight Rider; it's must-see, if only for the potential awfulness factor.

I refuse to get my hopes up for Fringe, as J.J. Abrams has yet to fail to let me down with one of his shows, usually about midway through the second season. And how is The Mentalist qualitatively different from USA Network's Psych? I smell rip-off.

Mondays are Big Bang Theory for me, and nothing else. I'll give Heroes another chance on DVD, but I was thoroughly underwhelmed by the show, and I really can't understand why it's a "phenomenon." And speaking of phenoms, is Lost dead (please, please), or just not premiering until the winter?

Valentine looks like a huge waste of time (like most CW/UPN/WB shows), and a massive waste of potential as you say.

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 08:55 pm UTC (link)
I tend to watch Primeval on DVR, since I'm rarely home Saturday nights, so I get to zip right past the commercials! But yeah, I more than get your point. Commercials are the bane of TV.

I cannot defend my enjoyment of The Sarah Silverman Program. I guess it just reminds me a lot of Strangers With Candy.

Lost will come back in January, I think. After a spectacular fourth season that almost made up for the ubershitty second and third seasons, I can't wait!

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[info]bev_vincent
2008-09-07 02:02 pm UTC (link)
Mondays are Big Bang Theory for me, and nothing else.

I'm also hooked on Two and a Half Men. That show makes me laugh harder and more consistently than anything I can recall in recent history.

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[info]scottedelman
2008-09-06 09:39 pm UTC (link)
I notice that you didn't mention True Blood, and of all the new genre shows—the pilots of which I watched several months ago—it was the one I liked the most.

And the best news above was Little Britain USA. Until you mentioned it, I hadn't even heard of it! Welcome back, guys! I'm going to run off and research it now!

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 09:42 pm UTC (link)
I'm looking forward to True Blood also!

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[info]samrrose
2008-09-06 09:56 pm UTC (link)
Is Valentine that remake of Cupid? I remember Cupid (Jeremy Piven, very cute) and I heard it was being re-made.

Love The Big Bang Theory. Not loving the promos for Little Britain USA. I don't know why The Simpsons is still on.

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 10:11 pm UTC (link)
Nope, Cupid is being remade under the original name. Valentine is its own thing.

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And starting in January...
[info]jenlight
2008-09-06 10:36 pm UTC (link)
finish my sentence!

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Re: And starting in January...
[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 10:43 pm UTC (link)
Lost!

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oh and:
[info]jenlight
2008-09-06 10:38 pm UTC (link)
Maybe I keep tuning in hoping they'll actually do something with Belzer or Ice-T this time

Yeah me too.

I will be watching Chuck, Heroes, The Office and possible that True Blood thing.
I think that's it (well that and SVU if I'm at my folks' place for reason quoted above).

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Re: oh and:
[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-06 10:43 pm UTC (link)
SVU really is a joke at this point. You could add a laugh track without changing a single line of dialogue.

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[info]lokilokust
2008-09-07 02:43 am UTC (link)
naw, i'll stick to movies.

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-07 04:39 am UTC (link)
I just watched the craziest double feature ever: VALERIE AND HER WEEK OF WONDERS, an experimental feminist Czech movie from 1970, and DOOMSDAY!

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[info]lokilokust
2008-09-07 01:03 pm UTC (link)
i have 'valerie and her week of wonders' (and i recommend the source novel, too) but i have yet to see 'doomsday.'
i don't really have much hope for 'doomsday,' but i'll probably see it someday.
i did start watching 'lost' on dvd, and the first season is pretty good, so far.
i just don't care for the television format, for the most part.
i find it restrictive, and i tend to find the commercial breaks (even when the commercials aren't present) a bit jarring.

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-07 02:24 pm UTC (link)
Doomsday is ridiculous, but it's also totally awesome. Just like Escape from New York!

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[info]burger_eater
2008-09-07 06:00 am UTC (link)
No SUPERNATURAL?

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-07 02:19 pm UTC (link)
No. The pilot turned me off so much I never tuned back in.

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[info]burger_eater
2008-09-07 06:27 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, the pilot was ass--lazy and obvious.

It got better later, then it started to get weird. Like, I don't need to know this much about your id type weird.

I enjoy it.

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[info]lou_sytsma
2008-09-07 12:45 pm UTC (link)
Heroes is on temporary reprieve. After the craptacular second season, this one needs a major rebound or buhbye!

Chuck, Sarah Connors, Dexter, Lost are returning favourites.

The Fringe will get a viewing or two as well.

And Saturday nights are sewn up with the local PBS station, out of Buffalo, showing the excellent Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes series.

And of course, BSG, when it returns!

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-07 02:21 pm UTC (link)
Jeremy Brett played Holmes back in the '90s, right? As I recall, he was excellent.

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[info]lou_sytsma
2008-09-07 02:39 pm UTC (link)
Indeed he was. Relevant info:

36 episodes and 4 films in 6 series from 1984 to 1994.
* The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
* The Return of Sherlock Holmes
* The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes
* 2 hours movies (The Master Blackmailer, The Last Vampyre, The Eligible Bachelor)
* The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
with :

* Jeremy Brett (Sherlock Holmes)
* David Burke (Dr Watson until 1985)
* Edward Hardwicke (Dr Watson from 1986)

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[info]scanner_darkly
2008-09-08 09:47 pm UTC (link)
What do you think of what you've heard of s3, Heroes? Other than not wanting Maya around...

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[info]nick_kaufmann
2008-09-08 10:55 pm UTC (link)
I haven't heard all that much, and what I have heard is pretty vague ("There will be villains!"). But I'm looking forward to it.

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