But enough bad news, let's discuss the good news, namely the winning shows of the week...
It was another week of great TV, darkened only by the news of what we'd all feared: ABC will be premiering their new reality competition Skating With The Stars this November, allowing them to continue wasting three hours of air time a week on has-beens and celebutantes making fools of themselves to music, even after this season of Dancing With The Stars has ended (God willing). If this premise sounds familiar to you, it's probably because it's nearly identical to Fox's Skating With Celebrities which only aired for one season in 2006. But by all means, please try it again, ABC.
But enough bad news, let's discuss the good news, namely the winning shows of the week...
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The question isn't why should you watch Terriers, it's why aren't you. This buddy crime drama on FX about a pair of scrappy private investigators (the show has nothing to do with dogs, by the way, despite its title) is easily the best new drama of the TV season, providing a delightful cocktail of compelling characters, intriguing mysteries, and witty dialogue. What amazes me most about this show is how it manages to balance the procedural aspect of the week-to-week crime cases with the serialized character arcs and underlying, interwoven criminal conspiracies they encounter. Even more impressive is the amount of character development they've managed to accomplish in only five episodes. Hank (Donal Logue) is a recovering alcoholic and an ex-cop who happens to still be in love with his ex-wife, who's now engaged to another man. Britt (True Blood's Michael Raymond-James) is a reformed criminal who met Hank while he was breaking into a taco stand. Supporting characters include Britt's fiance Katie (Laura Allen), Hank's mentally unstable MIT graduate sister (played by Donal Logue's real sister, Karina Logue), and Hank's former partner, Detective Mark Gustafson (Rockmond Dunbar), who is perpetually sucking on a plastic cigarette holder (they say it helps people quit smoking).
While the show is dark at times, the gritty noir feel of the show is lightened by its sunny California setting and the comedic chemistry between the two leads, Logue and Raymond-James. Terriers achieves that rare blend of drama, mystery, and comedy. And it does so with genuinely good storytelling, something many shows on TV lack these days. So rather than watching a rerun of CSI: Albuquerque or whatever dancing show you recorded yesterday, how about tonight you give Terriers a try? New episodes air Wednesdays at 10 on FX. You can catch up on the first five episodes here. Another exciting week of television has come and gone, and it seems that the new shows are starting to distinguish themselves as either "keepers" or "soon-to-be-canceled." The first new show to get a full season pickup, I'm happy to say, was Fox's comedy Raising Hope. The outlook isn't as good for some other new shows (Chase, The Whole Truth, and Running Wilde, for instance), but more on that later. Let's start from the beginning...
First of all, let's have a moment of silence for a fallen TV gem: Lone Star, Fox's critical darling slash ratings vacuum, was canceled this week after airing only two episodes. Meanwhile, Outsourced and three Chuck Lorre sitcoms are still at large. Is there no justice? Let's not dwell on the negative, though. There were plenty of entertaining moments in television this week...
Since I read this article announcing that the episode of Glee airing after the Super Bowl will feature music by either Michael Jackson or Bruce Springsteen, I haven't been able to stop fantasizing about a Boss-themed episode. (After all, he is the greatest rocker who ever lived.) So I've done Glee showrunner Ryan Murphy a favor and created the perfect Springsteen set list for Glee. Now all he has to do is get the rights to the songs and figure out some choreography.
"Born To Run" - We know the cast can deliver on this song from the Emmys opening (which was phenomenal), so how hard would it be to refashion it as the opening number for the Springsteen episode? "No Surrender" - Since we kind of already got to see "Born To Run" at the Emmys, "No Surrender" would make a great alternative opener. The first line of the song, after all, is "We busted out of class, had to get away from those fools." Plus, "these drums and these guitars" are the instruments of choice for leading men Finn and Puck. If they ever make up, this would be a great duet for them. "Dancing in the Dark" - You can't not include this song in a Springsteen ep. It would make for a great ensemble dance number, or, with lyrics like, "Wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face," it might make an interesting makeover montage, should they be so inclined. "Hungry Heart" - Artie would kill it. And since Tina left him for Mike Chang's abs, he has reason to lament his hungry heart. "Glory Days" - What better way for Mr. Schue to reminisce about his own glory days when he was the star of his high school glee club? I can't take credit for this epiphany, however. It was the esteemed Michael Ausiello who suggested it. "Secret Garden" - This slow anthem from Jerry Maguire has Lea Michelle written all over it. "Thunder Road" - Once you picture Puck with a guitar belting out the song's famous line, "It's a town full of losers, I'm pulling outta here to wiiiiiiiin!" it's kind of hard to stop imagining it. Puck has always said he has higher ambitions than becoming another Lima loser. "Jungleland" - The epicness of this song paired with the emotional turmoil of our beloved Glee cast would make a climactic finale to the episode. What did we learn on TV this week? Well, we learned some valuable life advice from Raising Hope: Don't piss off the guys who's not afraid to pick dead birds out of the pool. On How I Met Your Mother, we learned that the concept of "dibs" was invented by Sir Walter Dibs. This week's Bones taught us that, a) Brennan is the person you want by your side when you come upon a group of armed guerillas (who knew she could wield a shovel like that?), and b) fleas have faster reflexes than any jungle cat. Chuck taught us, "don't mess with a repo man." From Parenthood, we got a lesson on playdate etiquette and the surprising complexities of kindergarten politics. And even though we kind of already knew this, The Vampire Diaries reinforced the law of supernature (is that the noun form of supernatural?) that where there are vampires, there must also be werewolves. All in all it was a very educational week of television. Here's a brief (not really) overview of everything I have deemed worthy of your time (be warned, my standards are not tremendously high).
Fall is here! Which means there's a slew of new and exciting TV shows for us to watch while we sit in our dorm rooms not doing our Spanish reading. And let's not forget the returning shows that can't be missed. However do I manage to watch 24 shows without a DVR? It's not easy, I'll tell you that much. So let's review what shows are required viewing for this television season:
NEW SHOWS: My Generation - Thursdays at 8 on ABC (Premieres Sept. 23rd) Let's be honest, this show will most likely be canceled before Christmas. Why? Because I will watch it. Sadly, I am the Angel of Death of television shows, so please, for my sake, watch this show. It's a mockumentary dramedy following a group of friends ten years after graduating from high school. I'll give you candy if you watch it. Hawaii Five-0 - Mondays at 10 on CBS (Premieres Sept. 20th) What's that you say? They already made a show called Hawaii Five-0 in the 70s? Wow, you're sharp. Like many people, I rolled my eyes when I heard CBS was remaking the hit series (can't anyone come up with an original idea these days?), but I was won over by the compelling promos and the positive buzz that has been surrounding this show. Although the theme song is faithful to the original, there are some changes in the cast: Kono is now a woman (played by Grace Park), and Danny is now Scott Caan (TWIST!). And did I mention Daniel Dae Kim (Lost) is maintaining his Hawaii residency to take up the part of Chin Ho Kelly? The other main cast member, Alex O'Loughlin, is probably the one person with a worse track record than me in shows getting canceled. The star of one-season wonders Moonlight and Three Rivers is playing Detective Steve McGarrett, so here's hoping the third time's the charm for this charming Aussie and that he can finally get a second season out of a show. Terriers - Wednesdays at 10 on FX (Premiered Sept. 8th) This quirky buddy cop noir dramedy has a special place in my heart because the premise and setting is similar to that of the late great Veronica Mars: Unlicensed private investigators uncover the seedy underbelly of Southern California while exchanging witty dialogue and toting along a lovable canine. Ring any bells? Stars Donald Logue (Grounded For Life) and Michael Raymond-James (True Blood) have a beautiful bromance blooming, so tune in if you like funny, well-written shows with cool people and dogs. Running Wilde - Tuesdays at 9:30 on Fox (Premieres Sept. 21st) I shouldn't have to say anything more than "From the creator of Arrested Development," and "starring Will Arnett" to make you squeal with joy (ARE YOU SQUEALING YET?) about this new Fox comedy. Keri Russell costars as the yin to Arnett's yang, the straight (wo)man to his clown. Oh, and Arnett's former Arrested Development costar David Cross will be showing up, too. Hilarity is sure to ensue. Other new shows of interest: Lone Star, The Event, Raising Hope, Better With You, Outsourced, Nikita RETURNING SHOWS: Cougar Town - Wednesdays at 9:30 on ABC (Premieres Sept. 22nd) For the last time, this is not a show about a forty-something Courteney Cox dating younger men. The unfortunate name has given this show a bad reputation, but I assure you it has blossomed into a sharp, funny, well-oiled ensemble comedy about a group of friends/family/neighbors and their respective idiosyncrasies (for a rundown of these quirks, watch my favorite scene from the first season here). Former Friend Jennifer Aniston will be guest starring as Jules' (Courteney Cox) therapist, so that should be fun. I mean, come on, we all know you're watching Modern Family anyway, so how hard is it to not change the channel for thirty more minutes? Find out and you won't regret it. The Good Wife - Tuesdays at 10 on CBS (Premieres Sept. 28th) I'm going to be honest with you, I'm still on a Good Wife high after watching the entire first season in one week, so I'm a little overly excited for the premiere of this perfectly-executed legal drama. Here's all you need to know about The Good Wife: (1) It was the only network show other than Lost to earn a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmys this year, alongside cable powerhouses like Mad Men and True Blood, (2) Michael Ealy (FlashForward) and Scott Porter (Friday Night Lights) will have recurring roles in the upcoming second season, and (3) it's awesome. Chuck - Mondays at 8 on NBC (Premieres Sept. 20th) This show is the Little Engine That Could (Get Another Season), and by some miracle it's still on the air, despite its (undeserved) lack of stellar ratings. Season four promises more excitement, Chuck and Sarah going strong as a spy couple, a baby on the way for Mr. and Mrs. Awesome, and a visit from Chuck's estranged mother, played by Linda Hamilton. How can you say no? Community - Thursdays at 8 on NBC (Premieres Sept. 23rd) Another one of my favorite underrated comedies returning for its second season, Community follows a group of misfits at a community college who form a study group led by Joel McHale, who plays a former lawyer walking the line between sleaze and sincerity like a pro. The cast of this show is pure brilliance (Troy and Abed could easily have their own spin-off), and the pop culture references alone are enough to keep you laughing throughout the whole half-hour. And everyone should be positively giddy to hear that Señor Chang (Ken Jeong, who you may know from Knocked Up and The Hangover) is coming back as a series regular. Can you say "fiesta"? Other returning shows you should watch: 30 Rock, The Office, House, Castle, Parenthood, Survivor, Bones, The League, Modern Family, Life Unexpected, How I Met Your Mother, Gossip Girl, Glee Last night, approximately 13.5 million people tuned in for the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards. To the other 289.5 million people in the country, what could you possibly have been doing that was more important than watching the Emmys? I hope for your sake you TiVoed it.
Without question, the greatest moment of the show was the first seven minutes. The opening sketch (which can be seen here) features Jimmy Fallon (the host), the cast of Glee, and an exciting assortment of other TV stars (and Kate Gosselin) doing a hilarious, Glee-inspired rendition of one of my all-time favorite songs, "Born To Run," by the legendary Bruce Springsteen. It starts out with Jimmy Fallon and the Glee kids, who then recruit Tina Fey (my idol) before finding Jon Hamm dirty dancing with Betty White in a dressing room. (By the way, between his stripper dance moves and his Emmy-nominated stint on 30 Rock, I'm starting to think Jon Hamm might be the funniest dramatic actor on TV.) Once they start singing, familiar faces start popping up everywhere, including Jorge Garcia (Lost), and Joel McHale (star of the hilarious-but-underappreciated Community), all giving their best impressions of the Boss. The best part has to be Tim Gunn, who (literally) rips off Fallon's shirt and stuffs a red baseball cap in his back pocket, imitating Springsteen's famous Born in the U.S.A. album cover. Once they storm the stage, clad in matching Glee costumes (except for Fallon, still in full Bruce garb), Randy Jackson joins Fallon center stage, Tina Fey and Jon Hamm dance like they're extras in Grease, and finally Glee's Amber Riley belts out the last note. And THAT is how you open an awards show. Of course, I might be saying that because they happened to choose an intro that included several of my favorite things on this earth. Let's recap: Glee + Tina Fey + Betty White + Lost + Joel McHale + mockery of Kate Gosselin + Tim Gunn + a Bruce Springsteen song = one of the greatest moments of television I have ever witnessed. Aaaand the night just went downhill from there. Not in a disappointing way, but in a how-can-you-possibly-top-that? kind of way. Although, some would argue that George Clooney's Modern Family skit (watch it here) was even better. But I'm running out of space, and you're running out of attention span, so let's get to it. Here are the night's highs and lows... HIGH: Eric Stonestreet wins Outstanding Supporting Actor for a Comedy Series for his role on Modern Family. And he begins his acceptance speech by saying, "All I wanted to be was a clown in the circus." And, on a related note... HIGH: Jon Cryer does NOT win Outstanding Supporting Actor for a Comedy Series for his role on Two and a Half Men. I've never understood why that show has been on the air as long as it has, or what the thrill is in watching Charlie Sheen play Charlie Sheen. Note to Two and a Half Men: No one cares. Sincerely, The World. LOW: What was up with the ridiculous Tron-meets-The Matrix video game theme of the giant screens onstage last night? Come on, NBC. I expect that from Fox, but not from you. HIGH: Jane Lynch wins Supporting Actress for Glee. She had this one in the bag, and her acceptance speech was humble and wonderful, thanking her parents, showrunner Ryan Murphy, and her wife. LOW: Why does Chris Meloni looks so angry all the time? Is it because Law & Order: SVU didn't get nominated for Outstanding Drama? Honestly, at this point there are enough Law & Orders on TV that they could have their own awards show. HIGH: Jeff Probst's dimples. LOW: Jim Parsons and Sofia Vergara present together onstage. One plays a theoretical physicist on Big Bang Theory, and the other one is Sofia Vergara. There's no scenario in which these two people should be standing next to each other. It's just unnatural. And they knew it, because there's no way the awkwardness of that presentation was faked. HIGH: Modern Family creators spoof Old Spice commercials: "We're on a horse." LOW: Bryan Cranston wins Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for the THIRD YEAR IN A ROW. Seriously, Bryan, give someone else a chance for once. I'm sure your work is great and all, but like I told my mother, getting an Emmy for playing a meth dealer with cancer is like getting an Oscar for playing a disabled concentration camp survivor. It's just not fair to the other nominees. Plus, I really felt it was Hugh Laurie's year to win for House. HIGH: Archie Panjabi wins Outstanding Supporting Actress for a Drama Series for her role on The Good Wife. I've only just started watching this show, but I'm already blown away by Archie Panjabi's performance as the hardened in-house private investigator. LOW: "And the Emmy goes to...Kyra Sedgwick?" (And she makes Tina Fey hold her Emmy statue while she gives her speech!) Apparently in the Emmy business, you either win every year (like the aforementioned Cranston and fellow AMC darling and three-peat Mad Men), or you can win once for every fifth nomination, like Sedgwick. I guess her win for The Closer was overdue, but I really thought Julianna Margulies would win for her first season of The Good Wife. Maybe in four years... HIGH: Julianna Margulies presents the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award to former ER costar and onscreen love George Clooney. Did anyone not get all nostalgic watching those two reunite onstage? LOW: Sorry, miniseries and made-for-TV movies, but no one really cares. (Although, I have been meaning to watch The Pacific.) HIGH: The fact that people are still willing to risk letting Ricky Gervais perform on live television. LOW: Lost gets no Emmy love for its final stellar season. I guess it was just too complex for Emmy voters to understand its genius. HIGH: The realization that George Clooney should a) guest star on Modern Family for real, and b) marry Sofia Vergara. That's a wrap! If you haven't seen at least two of the shows I mentioned throughout this list, you have some homework to do before the Golden Globes. My mother and I have recently found ourselves somewhat unemployed. The children's bookstore we worked in closed at the end of June, so we've had some free time on our hands. Rather than mope around or start the depressing process of job-hunting, I decided to deal with the situation like I do with any problem in my life: Watch Lost.
After enduring months of mocking from my family for my moderate-to-severe Lost obsession, I finally succeeded in getting my mother sucked into the show, much to my brother's dismay. Upon discovering that I had started our mother watching Lost, he sent me a very disgruntled text message--something along the lines of "NOOOO!" But it's too late now; she's already on season two. MWAH HA HA! I am reveling in my second rewatch of Lost. Watching with first-timers is great because you get to witness their every revelation, and their fresh confusion at every seemingly-ridiculous plot turn. (Example: "Why the hell is there a polar bear on this island?!") I swear, if I could erase Lost from my memory and watch it anew, I would do it in a heartbeat. That may sound crazy, but if you watch the show then you understand what I mean. Since the first episode, my mother keeps asking me about all the castaways, "Is he/she a bad guy?" What a loaded question, Mom. How can I put this...? If John Locke was a facebook status, he would be "It's Complicated." And don't even get me started on "Henry Gale." I'm finding it difficult to control myself, trying desperately to keep from saying things like, "Don't worry, Mom. Shannon won't be annoying you for much longer," or, "Don't get too attached to those Tailies." And when she says things like, "This whole thing is obviously purgatory," I can't help but giggle in my corner and say, "That's an interesting theory." Really, I think this whole exercise is just a result of my refusal to accept that this beloved show is really, truly over. So rather than move on, I'll continue to vicariously experience the thrill of that first viewing of Lost. All I can say is, thank God for DVD. I am only mildly ashamed to admit that I am a fan of Zac Efron. (*Insert scoff here*) You may know him from a little franchise called High School Musical, or perhaps the critically acclaimed (not really) 17 Again. I'm not alone in my affinity for the bright-eyed and feather-haired former Disney star: His swoon-inducing charm affects millions of tweens across the world. Do you have an 8-year-old sister/daughter/niece/neighbor? She probably has a poster of Efron on her wall. So, yes, as a 21-year-old, I am just a little embarrassed to admit that I own 17 Again, and I frequently sing along to the High School Musical soundtrack. (It's just so catchy!) However, I like to think of my appreciation for Efron as an investment that will pay off someday, like when he wins an Oscar. What's that? Did you just "pshaw" my seemingly ludicrous prediction? See, this is what I'm talking about. Efron gets written off as nothing but pretty-boy tween eye candy, but I maintain that behind those baby blues lies a talented actor waiting to break out of his tweenie-pop cocoon (a theory that I hope will be supported by his performance in the upcoming drama, Charlie St. Cloud).
Surely people said the same thing about Johnny Depp back when he was just a teen dreamboat on 21 Jump Street, and now he has three Oscar nominations to his name. I'm counting on Efron to make some of the same bold choices that have helped actors like Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt make the leap from heartthrob to legitimate actor. When he finally makes that jump, I'll be sure to say "I told you so," and until that day, I'll continue to fight with my friend's 16-year-old sister over which one of us gets to be Mrs. Zac Efron. |