October 16, 2006
The Fall TV Slate

I don't spend a lot of time talking TV around these parts, but there's plenty to discuss lately it seems.


"Shark"
This is one of the best new shows of the season. It's refreshingly unique amongst the rest of the procedurals and seems to really care about its main character, building upon what we know with newfound creativity each week. I hate that I missed the pilot, but the last three episodes (especially William Forsythe's guest spot) have been nearly flawless. Woods is heading for an Emmy nom I think.


"The Nine"
Finally caught up with the first two episodes here, and there isn't a lot to discuss yet. But where do you take a show like this after season one anyway? I don't know, but so far it seems an interesting take on the "Inside Man" structure, and a harmless viewing experience each week (as long as they steer clear of the melodrama of the cop vs. the force stuff).


"Lost"
Sigh. Count me amongst the legions getting TIRED of the relentless measured pacing of this series. No, I don't want the answers NOW, but some more meat on the bone each week would be nice. I liked the opening moments of the season premiere, and I love that they are clearly developing the best relationship of the series (Sawyer and Kate), but I hope we get somewhere soon. Can't count our chickens two weeks in, though.


"Studio 60"
This one is a can't miss each week for me, but it admittedly has some glaring flaws. But most of those flaws exist in the realm of hyper-reality, a typical Sorkin scenario in any case. Most opposition comes from an industry experienced in what's being carried across on screen, but I can't call myself a hater by any stretch. I've got live TV experience in my blood too, mind you, and this stuff is just fun and it moves quickly. Last week's episode was the best so far, and it did a nice job of building on specific characters.


"30 Rock"
On the other hand, this show is a real piece of shit. I'll give it one, maybe two more weeks, but I laughed ONCE during the season premiere - at Tracy Morgan running in his tighty whiteies down the 405. And that's a cheap joke, folks. Alec Baldwin just reads lines of the page and Tina Fey seems to have taken a step back to the pre-"Mean Girls" days of bad, Jimmy Fallon sidekick humor.


"Twenty Good Years"
That's what it's called, right? The John Lithgow thing? Well, I stopped watching ten minutes in. Not my cup of tea. Sitcoms have sucked for so, so long.

Comments

Shark is just a bad copy of House. Rebellious bad-boy professional, female authority figure who's completely unable to control him, attractive multi-ethnic team of young assistants. It's tolerable, I suppose, if you enjoy watching James Woods do his tired old shtick, but I think he stopped being interesting about ten years ago.

"Sitcoms have sucked for a long time"

Do youself a favour and watch Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Extras. Heck, The Office is worth your time as well.

WEll I do like Arrested Development to a point. And The Office is great (but come on - not exactly original). Curb Your Enthusiasm is a separate beat altogether, but we're far from the glory days of comedic television. Far.

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