Posting frenzy this evening? I suppose. It’s been a while since I posted, and then all of a sudden I’ve got a lot to say.
So I watch a lot of TV in the evenings. For one, with being sick so much recently, it’s much easier to watch TV to entertain myself when I can’t go outside and do something for lack of enough balance or energy and I can’t read for the migraine I have. There’s only so much staring at the wall one can do. For another thing, I got DirecTV when I moved into this apartment, and I feel a financial obligation to make it worth the money I’m paying for it. It’s my entertainment budget for the month, so dang it, TV, entertain me!
Seeing as how this is the beginning of the fall season for a lot of shows, I’ve been watching all sorts of new stories. How they begin actually tells you a lot about storytelling, I think. Heroes, for example, starts entirely too slowly, and in a book, the writer would have lost me by now, despite the intriguing characters. Okay, perhaps not lost me, but I’d certainly have said to find a way to introduce the main conflict of the story more quickly. I must say, though, that the little vignettes in that show do a great job of starting each character’s story with action, especially the cheerleader.
But that’s just one show. Here are all the new shows I’ve been watching, and some not-so-new.
The shows that are standing out to me this fall
Eureka On the Sci-Fi channel, and totally worth finding. It’s like Northern Exposure or the Gilmore Girls, with its fast-talking quirky characters–but in a small town full of entirely science and technology nerds. My favorite show of the year. And the “season” is almost over already!! It couldn’t have been more than six episodes. I hope they come back with more soon.
Jericho which I’m watching right now. Love it. Though I still will always think of Gerald McRaney as a 30-something detective with a cowboy hat permanently attached to his head. I’m on the edge of my seat and I want to know what happens next NOW!
Heroes Interesting concept, but the first episode was all setup and barely any story. Give me story, people! But the characters are intriguing, so we’ll see where it goes. Like I said above, it does a good job in some areas, not so good in others. I’m willing to give it a few more episodes.
Vanished Only so-so, but for some reason I keep watching. It feels like it should be finish
ing up already after only 3 or 4 episodes, because I feel like they’ve already revealed all the secrets that would be within the realm of possibility.
Bones 2nd season, but just as fun. I really love David Boreanaz, just as much or more as when he was Angel (which I only watched all of this summer on DVD).
Shows I’m finally getting to watch from the beginning that I’ve been watching despite not quite knowing what was going on
Avatar: The Last Airbender–about the best show on TV, for all ages. SO fun! Great storytelling, funny and dramatic at the same time. Totally worth owning on DVD, which is my plan when I have an extra $40 in my budget. Until then, I’m DVRing it on Nickelodeon. It’s currently in its 2nd season.
New shows I’m not impressed with:
Men in Trees This looked like it’d be a quirky, fun show like Northern Exposure–set in a small Alaska town, but from the perspective of a woman. But it’s only okay. I’ve continued to watch it because I have hope for it yet, but I’m far more impressed already with Eureka.