Jamie's Fall 2012 TV Review

As I mentioned, my TV watching has gotten out of control. But it's all so good. Or if not good, then addicting, or I've watched it so long that I feel like the characters will be disappointed if I don't watch. What? Stop judging me.

Anyhow, there is too much to review to give you all my excuses, so here goes, let's do this by day of the week.

Sunday: Perhaps my new favorite night for TV. Both Once Upon a Time and Revenge have proven that they do have more than just a single season in them that can keep my attention. I absolutely love what OUAT is doing with the split locations for the present and again layering it beautifully with unexpected twists from the past. Plus, Captain Hook - hot! Revenge just keeps getting trashier and more insane and we can't stop watching it. Mostly because we love Nolan. Plus, Aiden - hot!

Monday: Not only are there too many network shows on, but Alphas & Warehouse 13's summer seasons extended into the fall. Both continue to be awesome, so I make it work. How I Met Your Mother is off to a solid start for what I hope is its last season. I will miss it, but I feel they are in a great position to end it exactly the way they want, on a high point in its popularity. I think next season would probably involve a shark. Bones is consistent, although I feel it is also nearing the end of its lifespan. Two Broke Girls continues to make me laugh, largely because of the amazing Kat Dennings. The 10pm time slot is why they invented DVR/TiVo/OnDemand/etc. Castle is rocking the new Caskett storyline, Hawaii 5-0 continues to be solid, and new kid on the block Revolution is amazing. And Uncle Miles - hot! (And complex and a little angry and has a very complicated past, kind of like everyone on Lost)

Tuesday: NCIS continues to build and develop its family of characters every week, and still catch the bad guy. I will keep watching it as long as they keep it on the air.  I am a little behind on Hart of Dixie (because it is not On Demand -- come on CW, what is that about?) but don't worry, I will catch up, Team Wade for life. Cause Wade (you can say it with me if you want) - hot! The New Girl still makes me laugh until I choke and I love the way they have handled Nick & Jess's obvious chemistry without hurting the group dynamic. And Schmidt - hilarious.

Wednesday: I am going to start watching Arrow, as soon as I find the time (cause the few minutes I have seen looked like Batman+Robin Hood+Revenge, and the main guy... hot!), and I have been watching a little Modern Family because it is amazing, but generally Wednesday isn't a big TV day.

Thursday: Sheldon & the boys and girls just keep doing their thing. I don't even have anything witty to say about it. Tina Fey is wrapping up 30 Rock brilliantly, of course. Cause that is what she does. The office supply montage that turned Liz Lemon on was priceless. And Leslie Knope is rocking both city council and the Parks Department. They are even managing to keep her & Ben's relationship fresh with the current long distance element. Plus there is still plenty of screen time for one Ben Wyatt, and, well, do I even have to say it at this point? (Ben - hot!) Meryl is peer-pressuring me into watching Scandal, but I haven't gotten to it yet. We are both loving Elementary though. I strongly believe there is no such thing as too much Sherlock, and I love that there is a female Watson, played by the always cool Lucy Liu. Plus, Sherlock - kinda hot.

Friday: Ah, the final season of Fringe. When it all comes together. I read some stuff pre-season that said they were planning it like a 13 episode movie, and I would totally agree. Don't jump in the middle, this half season series finale is for the committed, or those who can catch up quickly on the previous 4 seasons. I can't wait to see what unfolds each week.

Saturday: It's on a break now, but the 5 episode Doctor Who series made me feel all the feels. The Asylum of the Daleks got Amy & Rory back on track (and spun our heads a little about the new companion as the actress playing her made a surprise early debut and then was a dalek and then blew up?!?!). Dinosaurs on a Spaceship was everything I love about this show- humor, adventure, heart, the Doctor being friends with famous people in history, plus Arthur Weasley is Rory's dad...oh, and there were dinosaurs...on a spaceship! A Town Called Mercy was maybe the weakest of the 5, but gave us a reminder of why the Doctor cannot travel alone. The Power of Three gave us some more Arthur Weasley, and reminded Amy & Rory that life is short, so you should probably continue to travel with that mad man in a blue box while you can. And then The Angels Take Manhattan...tears, so many tears, but Amy & Rory were together, and that is what mattered. Plus, the previous 2.5 seasons had given us no reason to doubt that when it came down to it, Amy would always choose Rory, even over her raggedy Doctor.

 

So, that kind of turned into a Doctor Who series 7.1 review, but whatever. It was really good, it earned a little mini-review.

Alright, back to house hunting.

Books read: 42 (which is the answer to life, the universe and everything)

Coming Soon: Sarah is busy with the dogs, so in lieu of a full blog, she'll be posting a video of herself singing The Sound of Music as she wanders around Switzerland. Please ignore the whining of the dogs in the background, no animals were (seriously) harmed during the filming of her video.

Jamie's Fall TV Preview

Summer TV has been great. Besides The Closer & Eureka, we watched Rizzoli & Isles, Franklin & Bash, Warehouse 13, and Alphas. Plus I started Friday Night Lights, Meryl & I are half way through the first season of Revenge, and we got through the 4th season of True Blood. But now it is September, and all our favorites are coming back. Here is a finale recap and my predictions for the season to come. Some more serious than others. (In order of premiere date)

Glee - Is it okay that I don't really care? I mean, I'll watch until it becomes completely unwatchable. Don't get me wrong, it has certainly had its quality moments (I still can't watch the Furt episode without crying) over the years, but I can't help but think that Ryan Murphy & co expected this show to be cancelled after the first season and have just been winging it every since.

Bones - Bones ran off with the baby, leaving Booth & the team on their own to try and prove her innocence. My guess is that they won't draw this out for very long. I predict that Bones is back to a brunette by episode two. Did they renew for another season already? I kind of feel like it might be time to wrap things up.

Parks & Rec - Excited for Leslie to be on the council, and I hope that we still get some quality Ben time even if he is off in D.C. You can't just give me a couple seasons of Adam Scott and then take him away. But even without him, the rest of the team will be there to cause trouble, help Leslie, and make me laugh.

How I Met Your Mother - Barney is engaged to Quinn, but we all know the wedding they have been teasing is his & Robin's. Oh, and there is...waitforit... a baby! I feel like this show should probably also wrap up this season, but it's talented cast keeps getting more and more popular which is good for ratings, so we'll see. I predict a lot of humor involving babysitters so that Marshall & Lily don't miss too much quality bar time. Also, looking forward to the return of BSG's Michael Trucco. Oh, and meeting the damn mother already.

Two Broke Girls - I am going out on a limb to predict more cupcakes and inappropriate humor.

Castle - After 4 seasons of will they or won't they, they did! Okay, it was never really will they or won't they, it was more like when will they. Oh, and Beckett is off the squad. And the Ryan-Esposito bromance (I find it funny that the two best bromances on television - these two and Steve & Dano - occupy the same time slot) is in trouble. I have no predictions regarding Caskett, but I'm guessing Beckett is back at the station within 2 episodes. Even if my preference is that her & Castle create their own detective agency. Can you imagine? Martha & Alexis could help. Ryan would be their guy on the force that kept them connected, and out of trouble. You'd totally watch that with me, right?

Hawaii 5-0 - Kono went into the water. And she might drown and die. (which is a problem due to the lack of resurrection ships, that was just a little BSG humor). I'm going out on a limb and saying that she won't die. I'm thinking her super hot Yakuza boyfriend will save her somehow? But maybe I just want him to take his shirt off again. Regardless, I'm thinking that the Baldwin brother bad guy is going to be causing trouble all season long.

NCIS - I don't know that I am emotionally ready to talk about this. The office exploded, and Ducky. Oh, Ducky. I just don't know what things would be like without him, so I am going to keep hoping that he is alright.

The New Girl - Hilarity will ensue. Schmidt will be even funnier. Nick will be adorable.

The Big Bang Theory - I predict that by season's end, Sheldon & Amy round 1st base.

Fringe - Final 13 episodes to take place in the future. I couldn't predict this if I wanted, and I don't want to. I want them to do their thing one last time.

Once Upon a Time - Magic! In the real world. What I love about this show is that I have no idea what is going to happen now that everyone remembers. Besides things obviously getting a little uncomfortable for Regina, but that evil witch always manages to land on her feet. Mostly I hope that the curse lifted in time for Augustus to come back to life. And I hope that now David remembers he is Charming, he will be awesome and less of a tool.

Revenge - Well, from the season premiere I know that there is a murder coming, but as mentioned above, I am only halfway through the first season, so I don't know how we are going to end up back at that first scene. Looking forward to being caught up so that I can enjoy the new season.

Hart of Dixie - When I think about how this show ended I become very anxious. We finally get a Team Wade victory, and then George shows up at the door and kisses Zoey. Just thinking about them starting at that moment gives me a pain in the chest. I am probably going to pace. I predict heartbreak for Team Wade, but that's okay, we'll win in the long run. 

30 Rock - No predictions for this one, but looking forward to the final season.

 

New shows: Revolution (I'll try anything the JJ makes), Arrow (my interest in this went up exponentially with the addition of Torchwood's John Barrowman to the cast), The Mindy Project (after reading Mindy Kaling's memoir, I firmly believe she can do no wrong), Elementary (I'll try anything Sherlock at least once, I love Benedict & Iron Man's portrayals so why wouldn't I give Johnny Lee Miller a chance)

Good lord I watch too much TV. And we haven't even discussed that Downton returns in the winter...  

Books read: 34

Coming Soon: Jumping on the "add zombies to anything in the public domain genre" bandwagon, Sarah writes a short story titled Sherlock & the Zombies in Italy, based loosely on her recent experiences in the country. 

Jamie Final Finale Post

Okay, this is it, and then I'm done with this whole TV season.  I didn't put up 30 Rock, but it was good.  Let's just leave it there.  And Sherlock.  Brilliant beyond words.  Bring on summer TV and final season of Eureka (which is so good, seriously, watch it right now, I can't believe they are cancelling it after this because it's so good). 

Finale Follow Up: NCIS
Lived up to the Hype?:  Um, yes. There was an explosion.
Excitement for Next Season?: What part of “there was an explosion” was unclear?
Questions Remaining?: Who died?  Did anyone die at the office?  Did Ducky really die or will Palmer find him in time?  
Standout Performances/Character Moments:  I kind of knew the Ducky thing was coming, I feel like they wanted us to go there with all the will stuff.  But it didn’t matter, because as soon as Ducky was alone on the beach and got that phone call, I knew. Then the tears started and by the end I was searching for the tissue.  Way to just destroy me on a Tuesday night NCIS.
Finale Follow Up: Hawaii 5-0
Lived up to the Hype?: I was behind going into the final week, so I didn’t really feel the hype.  I did wonder how they would top the whole arresting Wo Fat thing. And then they did.  Holy shit did they.
Excitement for Next Season?: Um, Kono is duct taped and pushed into the water.  Yeah, I think that is worth turning in for. Oh, and Shellburn is Steve’s Mom. When he opened the door, I knew before he said anything, but still, mind a little blown.  I have suspected she might not be dead, but did not really put together that she was Shellburn. Crazy.
Questions Remaining?: Hell yes.  Will someone rescue Kono? (My theory is the Chin somehow called Adam and he will get there, I doubt that dirty cop Baldwin brother would be monitoring the Yakuza, thinking that they would help rescue Kono)  What is going to happen with Danny’s custody battle? What is up with the whole Steve’s mom pretending to be dead for decades thing?
Standout Performances/Character Moments: Everything was pretty exciting.  I can’t say that I have any particular moments.  My one criticism is that the jump from Kono going to her house to Chin getting dirty cop Baldwin brother out of jail came off as totally random.  But the intensity picked up again right away with the whole “you must choose” thing.  And, I don’t know if he was able to make a call, but I’m with Meryl in that he chose right.  You have to go for the person who is less likely to get out of things themselves.  Kono is a total badass and it’s definitely possible that she could at least manage to survive to extra time needed.
Finale Follow Up: Glee
Lived up to the Hype?:  There was a lot of hype of this, but I kind of tune out the excessive Glee hype.  I enjoy the show more without expectations. I would say it was exactly what it should have been.  A little bit for each character, parents returning, and some tears.  Until the end.  
Excitement for Next Season?: More curiosity than excitement.  
Questions Remaining?: Should they have just ended it here? I guess the real question is, what the hell is Ryan Murphy’s plan now?  I mean, it definitely seemed a little inconclusive, but where does this show go from here?
Standout Performances/Character Moments: Burt is my favorite whenever he is on.  Burt doing the Single Ladies dance might be the best thing I’ve ever seen on Glee.  I was laughing so hard I was crying, on top of just plain crying at how touching the whole thing was.  Tears everywhere.  Of course then Sue made me cry.  
Additional thoughts: I think that the attempt to prove that the show is not over was forced at the end. The first 2/3 of the episode would have made for a lovely series finale, just needed a couple more musical numbers (perhaps a 2 hour time slot). And then the last third was saying, stick around because there is more to this story. Only all your characters are spread out and the future is uncertain. That works on a certain type of show, where you are waiting to see how they all end of back together (recent years' season finales of NCIS and Hawaii 5-0 come to mind). It doesn't work with a show about a high school Glee club in a small town that these kids have been working to get out of for the last few years. We have spent a few seasons now watching these characters grow into better human beings and we want good things for them, including adventure and stardom and not being in Lima. I felt detached at the end as Rachel went off on her solo adventure because instead of thinking, oh, that’s probably a good ending; I am just thinking WTF are they going to do with this show next year.  And when did Sam become a junior?  I know the show isn’t known for its continuity, but that was just bad.  He came back to do his senior year with his friends, but now he’s a junior?  Oh Glee.
Update: This Hypable article about a Ryan Murphy interview peaks my curiosity a little.
Books read: 28 (Mike Doughty’s The Book of Drugs - absolutely awesome)
Coming soon:  Sarah pitches a Mr. Smith Goes to Washington-like show based on Congressman Burt Hummel’s adventures in D.C to Aaron Sorkin in case his new HBO show doesn’t work out.