Heart-felt evaluations

[captain_slinky]

Here are the shows we are following this year, along with my impressions so far.

CHUCK (Mondays 8pm, NBC) - "Average" Nerd becomes a super-secret agent by accident. THE GOOD: Adam Baldwin. THE BAD: Every other bit of casting THE UGLY: Woudl have been SO MUCH BETTER if they had chosen an actual NERD for the roll of a Nerd instead of a handsome/hot dude. Any of the three kids from "Superbad" would have made this series so much better, and then have only the Secret Agents be stunningly beautiful. Ya know? GRADE: C+

HEROES (Mondays 9pm, NBC) - Second season of addictive super-powered soap opera. THE GOOD: Characters from last season. THE BAD: New characters. THE UGLY: They certainly do like to take their time on Character Development, don't they? Last season had the pacing of a Garth Ennis book, this season feels more like early Brian Michael Bendis (who took some 6 issues of the comic book to relay the single-issue origin of Spider Man). GRADE: A-

JOURNEYMAN (Mondays 10pm, NBC) - Dude mercilessly tossed around in time, hoping each leap will be the leap home. THE GOOD: I'm a sucker for Time Travel. THE BAD: Lead character sounds too much like Howard Stern to be a supposed life-long resident of San Francisco. THE UGLY: Very similar to "Quantum Leap", only not at all like Quantum leap. Lots of new details added every week. And it's the only show that I've watche din quite a while that gets me yelling at the TV screen. GRADE: A+

PUSHING DAISIES (Wednesdays 8pm, ABC) - The best dark comedic fantasy fairytale musical murder mystery in all of forever. THE GOOD: Quirky! THE BAD: Sometimes TOO fast. THE UGLY: Every episode leaves you feeling warm and sappy. It's a perfect combination of Scooby Doo, Pee Wee's Playhouse, Twin Peaks and Gilmore Girls. Can't recommend this one highly enough! GRADE: A+++

...And that's all the shows I'm REALLY watching this season, other than the obligatory NBC Thursday Night Line-Up. And most of that's just so I can get to The Office in the very center of it all. Although My Name Is Earl is SO MUCH BETTER this season than it was last season! And the new episode of Scrubs didn't make me sad for Zak Braff. And 30 Rock is just... well, it's a great show for people who know alot about Sketch Comdy Shows, but I find it hard to watch with non-buffs.

Comments

[con-grazia.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised you're not watching Reaper! Even though I don't know you, it seems right up your alley! It's my absolute favorite new show. I laugh out loud every week.

I love Journeyman and Pushing Daisies also. I was just thinking today that I'm a bit bored with Heroes this season so far. The flush of originality it began with has worn off a bit for me, but I'm still watching. And I watched the first episode of Chuck and wasn't interested enough to continue.

[agelesseuridice.livejournal.com]

I can't even tell you how much I LOVE Pushing Daisies!
The fast, witty dialouge, very Gilmore Girls, and Kristin Chenoweth, who gets to sing...Dear God I'm in heaven every week!

Chuck has been a big diappointment. Journeyman I'm on the fence with as I am with Heroes. The pacing with Heroes is so slow, I'm getting fed up with it again.

[sasjhwa.livejournal.com]

The only two of those I've been watching are Heroes and Journeyman. Heroes I'm enjoying, but I agree it could be paced faster. I like the Sylar/Maya plot, but it is dragging on too long. She is way to cute to be covered in tears every moment of the season. The Claire plot could have been just cut last night as far as I'm concerned. I really like Ando's new story trying to figure out the scrolls and Hiro's love story. I also like Peter's story, but it needs to get moving.

Journeyman I'm of mixed opinions about. The first episode I really didn't like. I don't like the lead actor. Part of the problem with this show that I predict is that him jumping time is going to become routine and that is the only thing holding the show together. Quantum Leap had that awesome hook where he actually jumped into other people. There are too many unresolved feelings of sexual angst and they are quickly burning through the "what happens when I disappear in this situation" plots. I think as soon as Heroes goes on hiatus people will stop watching this one at all.

[teegin.livejournal.com]

You need to add Dexter so bad to that list dude. Thee greatest! Show ever!

[khristle.livejournal.com]

Chuck even looks a bit like Rory. Oh how I miss GG :(

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

There were several shows that started out this season where I had to decide ahead of time which ones were gonna get passed-up. Bionic Woman and Reaper are chief amongst those that had to be cut before even being given a chance. if they're REALLY good, I'll be able to get the Season 1 DVD soon right :)

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

I like that Heroes is a bit of a tease... they know how to keep a fella interested! I'm giving it every chance I can and being rewarded with all sorts of geeky inside jokes in every episode :)

Journeyman is the absolute worst kind of Fence Rider that there is... on the surface it looks formulaic and contrived and poorly done, but then they put in like 14 seconds each week that makes me go OH! I'm suddenly VERY interested!

Chuck is like the wife-beating husband that keeps getting a second chance. I love it for everything I think it COULD be, despite everything that it actually is. it's the most likely to get cut before the end of the season.

And PUSHING DAISIES! It is our new Gilmore Girls :)

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

i think the way they're going to save Journeyman is by constantly (but ever so slowly) changing The Rules. I predict that (1) He's going to be experimenting with the whole issue of controling his jumps with medication (thanks to the doctor) and (2) will make some changes in the past that will greatly alter his present (Married to the old girlfriend instead of his wife, son becomes a daughter, brother dies, etc).

It's the only thing that keeps me watching, really. The "Putting right what once went wrong" Scooby-Doo parts of the show are just filler.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Don't have Showtime any more, Dude...

Unless *someone* were to accidentally give me three months of it for free *WINK WINK*

First season of Dexter was Da Bomb, of course! I'll have to get Season 2 when it comes to DVD next year :(

[sasjhwa.livejournal.com]

So most of the possible changes they can make will last at best a season before it becomes the change of the week and we all get bored.

The filler parts are what drive the plots so they are too important to relegate. At some point they are going to have to make them far more important to the main story or it will all fall apart.

My prediction right now is that the series won't get renewed for a second season.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Well OF COURSE it's not gonna get a second season! I'll be surprised if we get to see all the episodes that they've already shot!

...But I expect that of *all* my new favorites.

It's just what happens to shows that i decide to like :(

[agelesseuridice.livejournal.com]

Okay I just watched the first 15 minutes or so of last night's Journey Man, and I'm off the fence and it's off the DVR. Last week was bad enough, manipulating the DB Cooper case and suddenly he has money??? This week they rip off the UnaBomber???
It took them only 1 month for them to get to the "ripped from headlines" that it took the Crime and Order francise years too over exploit.
What the hell?? I know writing is hard. Harder if you actually make up your own story instead of ripping taking a known story and giving it a little tweek.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

I have yet to watch this week's episode, but I kinda liked the whole "Taking DB Cooper's Money" twist of last week. Not so much that it was DB Cooper, but I like to see a Time Traveler get a little booty :)

[abandonada.livejournal.com]

I second Reaper! A great show: Funny and scary.

Chuck is pretty good but could be better, Pushing Daisies tries too hard to be clever. Those are my opinions.

[con-grazia.livejournal.com]

I'm sort of with you on Pushing Daisies. I still watch and enjoy it because I think the writing IS clever and funny but I wonder if I'm going to start to find it too gimmicky in short order.

but maybe i'm just a big dork

[nani-ka.livejournal.com]

What about The Big Bang? Yes, geeksploitation, and yes, so they're mining every classic/cliche'd geek thing I've ever met/partied with/listened to/argued with, but it has both Freak & I dying over the inside jokes that just keep coming...

[abandonada.livejournal.com]

I still watch Pushing Daisies, too, and can't figure out why. Maybe because it's at least fresh and different from the rest of the shows. And there's pie!

Re: but maybe i'm just a big dork

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

I dunno, it just didn't sound that great to me. And since I already *live and breathe* that lifestyle I don't really need to see a show that mocks it further, right?

[baeleth.livejournal.com]

ugh...

So the one thing that has kept me in the realm of having only watched the first 4 eps of Heroes & still there, eh? Don't get me wrong. I love character development, but Heroes takes so long to get around to anything actually hapening that I gave up. I caught bits & pieces of the first season on G4 the other day & liked what I saw enough to ask if I could borrow it from my sister. I just think it moves too slowly for me. If they were on at the same time, I'm still in a place where I'd watch Smallville over Heroes. But hey, Smallville has had me since ep 1, Clark seems to finally (albeit slowly) embracing his destiny, the Marsian Manhunter has become a recurring character & now we have supergirl!

Oh, and Pushing Dasies is quite possibly the best new show this season.

I place Burn Notice as the best new show of the Summer season. Can't wait 'till next summer for the second season.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Didn't it take FOUR SEASONS for Smallville to get around to the point??? Talk about yer slow character development!

But yeah... Heroes does give out extra helpings of slow-ass with their Character Development. But then again, isn't that just what it's like in real life? When was the last time that you met somebody who's "Origin" was easily detailed in 47 minutes?

I think I'm stuck on it because it's different like that :)