Returning/New Shows:
9:00 PM – Washington Heights (MTV; 1/9)
A Jersey Shore/The Hills like show cast in Washington Heights? I’m only watching out of morbid curiosity.
10:00 PM – The Americans (FX; 1/30)
I don’t know about a Cold War drama set in the 1980s but it’s on FX and it stars Keri Russell. That’s at least worth a look.
The Rest:
8:00 PM – Arrow (CW)
9:00 PM – Modern Family (ABC)
10:00 PM – Nashville (ABC)
9:00 pm: Modern Family (ABC; 10/26)
The show is getting more hit or miss as it ages. The characters who were breakouts – Phil (Ty Burrell) and Cam (Eric Stonestreet) are now becoming overwhelming. Also, the way the writers make the two wives – Gloria (Sofia Vergara) and Claire (Julie Bowen) – increasingly shrill is borderline sexist.
10:00 pm: Nashville (ABC; 10/10)
My most anticipated new show this season. Why? Connie Britton. After her performance as Tami Taylor in Friday Night Lights, I would watch any show that she starred in. Speaking of which…
10:00 pm: American Horror Story (FX; 10/17)
I watched the first few episodes because it starred the aforementioned Britton but it was just too silly. Then I heard all the buzz after the Halloween episode aired and came back. I don’t regret watching it but if I had missed it, I think I would have been okay with that. I’m actually curious how this will work with some returning actors playing different characters in a different story.
10:30 pm: Key & Peele (COM; 10/26)
I’m hoping the consistency of the skits improve in season two. The funny skits are hilarious and stayed with me. The bad skits, however, have this insular quality like you can tell they are the only two people who would find this funny.
9:00 pm: Happy Endings (ABC; 10/23)
I think Happy Endings has taken over Modern Family‘s spot as ABC’s funniest show. The way I feel about this show now is how I used to feel about How I Met Your Mother in the good days (seasons 1-4)
9:00 pm New Girl (FOX; 10/25)
Zooey Deschanel is still the weakest link in this cast but she improved as the season went on. Well, she didn’t necessarily improve. She just meshed better with her castmates. She’s about to lose this show to Schmidt (Max Greenfield). I haven’t seen a secondary character hijack a show from it’s star like this since Urkel.
The fall television season of 2011 will be remembered for Homeland. It was easily one of the best first season of a show I’ve watched from start to finish. I debated doing a post about my top ten TV shows of 2011 but got lazy. I couldn’t decide whether Homeland or Breaking Bad would take the top spot. I thought nothing could top the fourth season of Breaking Bad but some of Homeland’s individual episodes (particularly “The Weekend” and “The Vest”) are up there with the best episodes of the year (another post I was too lazy to write).
Ultimately, my top ten TV shows of 2011 without any elaboration are:
Why can't I find a date?
Since I’ve moved to Los Angeles, the way I watch television has changed. I no longer have cable and rely mainly on the Internet (some means more legal than others). I’ve been fairly successful in keeping up with my shows without a DVR but the hassle of shows building up on my hard drive has made me quick to drop shows.
As I started contemplating this post, I bragged to myself that I could cut my viewing hours down to maybe 15 hours. The new crop of shows are not that appealing and most of the shows I currently watch I’m not completely enamored with. I’ll also admit that shows that Cindy and I aren’t both into are less likely to be watched regularly. Fall TV hours are 22.5 right now but by November, I think I can get to the 15 hours I so desire.
Since I don’t watch these shows when they air on TV, no point in listing times. New shows in bold.
This is going to be a strange TV season for me. No Lost for me to analyze. No 24 or Jack Bauer for me to cheer. Not even a Heroes for me to mock from afar. There are few shows I truly love now so feel free to call me during these shows. I may actually pick up.
Usually, I break this down in terms of what I’ll be watching live and DVRing then making a separate list for what I’ll be watching via other means (OnDemand, Hulu, other unsavory means). For your benefit, I’ll list everything I plan to watch by their airdate and time. Just know that, somehow, I’ll be watching all these shows at least once. Continue reading
It’s back (now that there’s finally enough TV on to rank it)
The Power Rankings: (may contain mild spoilers)
10. The Simpsons (Episode: “Thursdays with Abie”): It’s rare that a Simpsons episode stands out especially one that centers on Abe
9. Scrubs (Episode: “Our Couples”): This show is much better a) without J.D. and b) with Lucy being mentored by Elliot. I still could have done without it ever existing but it’s not a complete waste of time.
8. Ugly Betty (Episode: “The Passion of the Betty”): Another one of those everything-goes-back-to-normal-at-Mode episodes with both Hal and Matt taken care of and Wilhamina getting her spot back
7. Friday Night Lights (Episode: “The Toilet Bowl”): My least favorite episode of the season. Even though the Lions finally won a game, it felt like nothing happened.
This is going to be a mess. With a bunch of shows doing delayed returns (not coming back until March/April), it’s hard to discern what I’m going to be able to watch live and what I’ll be watching via the internet. So I’m just going to list them all with their return date. Just know that some how, some way I will try to watch all these shows.
Sunday:
8:00 – 8:30 PM: The Simpsons (1/3): What will it take for me to stop watching this show.
8:00 – 9:00 PM: The Pacific (3/14): I own Band of Brothers and still haven’t watched it. That’s a damn shame
9:00 – 9:30 PM: Family Guy (1/3)
9:30 – 10:00 PM: Sons of Tuscon (3/14): The only reason I’m giving this a chance is because it stars Tyler Labine, the main reason I watched Reaper
9:00 – 10:00 PM: Big Love (1/10)
10:00-11:00 PM: Breaking Bad (3/21)
Monday:
8:00 – 8:30 PM: How I Met Your Mother (1/11)
8:00 – 9:00 PM: Life Unexpected (1/11): It’s supposed to be good
8:00 – 9:00 PM: House (1/11)
8:00 – 9:00 PM: Chuck (1/10 premiere, regularly airs on Monday)
9:00 – 10:00 PM: Gossip Girl (3/8)
9:00 – 10:00 PM: 24 (1/17 premiere, regularly airs on Monday)
9:00 – 10:00 PM: Parenthood (3/1): It sucks that Maura Tierney had to drop out but Lauren Graham as a replacement is great
9:30 – 10:00 PM: The Big Bang Theory (1/11)
10:00 – 11:00 PM: Castle (1/11)
10:00 – 11:00 PM: Damages (1/25)
10:00 – 11:00 PM: Greek (1/25)
It’s that time of year. Here are my 15 favorite television shows of 2009. Please don’t confuse “favorite” with “best”
15. Party Down
14. 24
13. Glee
12. Modern Family
11. Curb Your Enthusiasm
10. Breaking Bad
9. Damages
8. Burn Notice
7. Torchwood: Children of Earth
6. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
5. Battlestar Galactica
4. Friday Night Lights
3. Sons of Anarchy
2. Lost
1. Mad Men
