Monday, December 28, 2009

Random Thoughts on 2009, Pt. 2

Here is a continuation of the pointless musings I made yesterday. Again, if you haven't seen any of these, there might be some spoilers. Enjoy!!!

Pleasant Surprise from Two Years Ago That is Still a Joy: The Big Bang Theory
We here it all the time, Jim Parsons is brilliant as the uber-nerd Sheldon. But the fact of the matter is, he is. Somehow he takes a character who is arrogant, self-absorbed, and totally insane and makes him utterly likable. Possibly even lovable. Brilliant as he may be, I don't think Sheldon would be even slightly tolerable without the other members of the wonderful ensemble (Raj is a personal favorite). Calling them supporting is an insult. Each one provides their own distinctive flavor, and I can't imagine this show without them. It may not be considered groundbreaking, but BBT never fails to make me laugh, which something I can always root for.

Runner-up: How I Met Your Mother
Another wonderful ensemble, I didn't really start watching until the second season, but I am really glad I did. I may not laugh as hard as with BBT, but I actually do care about the lives of these utterly silly people. They may not be real, but they sure feel like it.

Show I Always Stood By but Haven't Watched This Season: Heroes
I was there for the anti-climatic first season finale; I was there through Hiro in Ancient Japan; I was even there when Sylar gained his 10 billionth power. But for some reason, I haven't caught a single episode this season. A few people have told me it has improved, but I don't know, I just can't bring myself to go back. I never thought it self-destructed like so many have declared, but it was getting harder to defend some of the decisions of the writers. I might go back, but I'm afraid when I do, Heroes might not be around.

Runner-Up
: Ugly Betty
When it first premiered, I was in love. Then Betty fell in love. Then she lost it. Then she fell in love, then she lost it. By then, I lost it too, which is a shame, because I adored everything about it. But I am pretty sure I'll start watching again, at least more so than Heroes.

Random Thoughts on 2009, Part 1

There are probably a lot of great moments I have missed, but here are some from the top of my head. Enjoy, and feel free to suggest some of your own. If you haven't seen some of these yet and are waiting for the DVD's, be warned, there might be some spoilers.

Most Heartbreaking Scene Involving a Vampire: The moment True Blood hit the scene, I was hooked. Love, sex, and Vampires, how could I not be? With all the emotions the show makes me feel, I never once thought it would bring a tear to my eye. But that is exactly what happened during the "I Will Rise Up" episode. After a grueling ordeal with the Fellowship of the Sun, Godric, the young looking but much older Vampire (and maker of Eric) wishes to end his immortality. As the sun rises, Godric is engulfed in a blue flame, bringing Sookie (and the viewer) to tears. It is a credit to the writing that created a brief character that instantly clicked with audiences, and hopefully will never be forgotten.

Runner-up: Vicki getting staked by Stefan in the Vampire Diaries. The first episode really had me worried that I wasn't going to like this supposed Twilight wanna-be (even though I do believe the books it is based on are much older) but boy was I wrong. The show was able to take a cliche character (girl from the wrong side of the tracks) and add a new dimension after Damon turned her. Vicki's growing desires made her someone to sympathize with, and I literally gasped as Stefan lunged the stake into her heart in order to protect Elena. Like Godric, she was a character I wished to have lasted longer, but will probably never forget.

Pleasant suprise: The No. 1 Ladie's Detective Agency
The stories are not always sunny, but you would never know from the warmth produced by star Jill Scott. Plus, let's not forget her assistant, played to hilarious perfection by Anika Noni Rose. This show is a pure delight, and even when the cases and situations seem heavy, some how you will always end up with a smile on your face.

Runner-Up: Glee
I am worried that this show might fall on the weight of it's own ambitions, but even though it has come close, it is still a winner. Hilarious and heartbreaking, it is the the very definition of escapism. I dare you to find anyone who has not wished that some of their life's moments can be expressed through song. Go on, try.


Show I Love but Felt Odd Watching: So You Think You Can Dance, Fall Season
I'm really going to have to blame it on the fall scheduling for this one. From the very moment the judging format changed in the beginning due to the world series, something felt a little off about this season. Not that the performers didn't try (Legacy, you are a star in my book) it's just that it felt so out of place. I love this show so I will watch it even if they extend it to the fall again, but I hope they fix whatever made me feel so uncomfortable about this season.

Runner-up: Project Runway
This ones a bit easier to put my finger on. The constant changing of judges made this favorite of mine a little hard to withstand. The inconsistencies in taste were a little hard to watch. So much so I was having Michael Corrs withdrawal. Thankfully, they will be back to N.Y. and hopefully not have many "guest" judges.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

I'm just gonna say it: I watch a lot of T.V. And, I love it. All of it. From your comedies, dramas, and even reality T.V., I can just watch about anything. I also like to use my big, opinionated mouth let anyone who will listen to me know how I feel about what I've just seen. Since those people seem to be few and far between (I do have friends, they just don't have that same passion for couch-potatoisms, those poor souls) I figured, hey, why don't I combine my love of T.V. with my second passion: surfing the net. I'm a frequent watcher of message boards and blogs, but I've never been the type to comment unless something really moved me. So that's exactly what I'm going to do.


Every time I watch something that tugs at my heart, makes me throw a chair out the window, or heaven forbid, turn the channel, I'm going to write review of it. The only qualification I have is an opinion and thousands (or maybe even millions, OK not really) of hours in front of the television. I can't promise I'll get to every show out there (I still work full-time and try to have a social life) but I will try to get to as much as I can. I'm also welcome to any suggestions on any great T.V. I'm missing. So hand me the remote, cause here we go.