An Brief, Honest Look At The Bad TV Shows I Watch
December 16, 2009
(coincidentally, these are almost all available on Hulu)
Stargate Universe - Not as schlocky as other Stargate shows, except in this case, that's a bad thing. As I've said before, it seems like they're trying to Battlestar Galactica-ize the Stargate franchise. Hell, it's practically blatant... A small group of people alone on a ship with intense struggles between civilian and military rule? Check. Did I mention that they're also constantly struggling with finding supplies to help them survive on their falling apart ship? Come on. The end of SG-1 took a decent dramatic turn, but like Buffy, it was a gradual change from schlocky comedy to drama. This might not be such a bad series were it not for the blatant Battlestar plot points, maybe... Or if they had started schlocky and slowly turned serious. Bah! It still has Robert Carlyle, and I'm still watching it...
FlashForward - Originally, I started watching this just because of John Cho. But I'm sort of into it. Sort of. What keeping me from being a real fan? Logic. I'm going to group this show into the same genre as Lost: a vaguely sci-fi mystery that slowly unravels over the course of the series, providing much drama. And, like Lost, the logic of the characters actions never fails to upset me. Now, the characters in this show do not seem to make as many stupidly illogical decisions, but they also have much less sci-fi mystery to deal with. So, it's a bit disappointing. I'll probably keep watching it at least until they kill off John Cho's character, though. And (not really a spoiler, due to it's vagueness) I was quite proud of the writers for adding the part where the FBI guy jumps off the roof.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Very, very good. I frequently find myself laughing heartily at this show, and I'm pretty sure everyone else will too. Or everyone else does too, already. Everyone's always talking about how 30 Rock is the best comedy on now, but I beg to differ... This show is the best comedy on now.
The Office - It took me a while to view this as a completely separate show from the UK Office. The UK Office is a really good (if really bleak) comedy... One of the best ever, in fact. This show, however, isn't. This is but a sitcom. A really good sitcom, mind you, but still, quite different. But once you accept that, it's possible to enjoy both.
Parks And Recreation - A similar sitcom style as The Office, but with a slightly different sense of humor. At first, I was quite disappointed, but I've come to enjoy it. Although I'm not sure how much of my willingness to watch this is due solely to Aubrey Plaza.
Community - My friend Jesse wrote a much better bit about this show than I can, and I agree with it completely... a sincere show that is actually good.
30 Rock - I think this show used to be pretty solid, but it much more hit or miss lately. It's unfortunate, since this show has provided some of the best laughs I've ever laughed, EVER. But now I've gone entire episodes with only a couple of chuckles. Bummer.
Better Off Ted - I had never heard of this show until Hulu told me it existed, but I'm glad I know of it. This is a rather sincere comedy, like Community. This show isn't great, but it is always pretty consistent.
Outer Space Astronauts - Another show I had never heard of until Hulu told me. This one is sort of crude (visually and thematically) and rough, but as a pretty big sci-fi fan, it's nice to see such a niche show as this: a show for sci-fi fans that pokes fun at sci-fi.
Dollhouse - I admit: I'll watch anything Joss Whedon puts his name on. I'm quite enjoying this show, even if it has felt a little all-over-the-place. It started out slow, and I was up for a slow build, but then it seemed like they kicked up the pace due to sagging ratings or something. This, too, was alright. Then they had an episode on the 1st season DVD release that took place in a dystopian future (and it was AWESOME), and now that show has changed pace and is rapidly approaching that future. Yet another huge change, but still quite welcome. As long as the show either stays in the place it's at or makes another progressive change, I'll keep watching. It's fun.
Fringe - I figured I'd hate this one, but watched it for the hot girl (and, I suppose, for Josh Jackson). Over time, I've gotten into it. Very X-Files-ish, I think.
Lie To Me - Tim Roth. I'll watch anything with him in it. Some of the drama is too blah, some of the proceduralness is too blah, and the episodic nature is not my thing in a drama. But I'm still watching it. I thing Tim Roth is the reason. His characters always have a darkness lurking underneath (or on top, if the role calls for it), and I think the writers are slowly realizing that and writing some more bad-ass plots for this darkness.
Trauma - When I first saw the adds, I thought it was a joke: someone took all the dramatic tragedies from ER and made a show out of it! But I watched an episode anyway (thanks, Hulu), and now I've come to look forward to this.
V - I can't take waiting a week between episodes. I'm not sure if this is because I really like the show, or because the episodes don't seem to cover enough in each one, or what. I'm digging this so far, although there have already been a few times I've been disappointed with a main characters logic, so who knows.
Mad Men - I just started this. I wish I had it on DVD. My current method of watching it really kills a lot of the visual neatness that I can tell the show has. Maybe I'll take a break until I get the DVDs from Netflix. But I'm digging this so far. Not as much as lots of people in the world, but it's alright.
I was watching Dexter, but I gave up on that once Netflix Streaming didn't have any newer episodes. Same with Californication.
I hear there's another season of Party Down coming... Is this true? That would make me very happy. Also, I'm quite looking forward to the new season of Doctor Who. And I wish there would be a new season of Torchwood, too, but I fear that might be totally dead. Are there any Doctor Who fans reading this who can advise me one way or another as to whether I should watch The Sarah Jane Adventures? The brief cameo I saw of the show in either Doctor Who or Torchwood (forget which) made it look a bit juvenile, perhaps.
Anyone have any recommendations for shows I should watch instead of any of these?
Posts
December 16, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Joe, you watched the Wire, right? No I'm not recommending the Wire, but if you've seen it you will understand this reference better: in Season One, when Herc and Carver are listening to one of the low-rise hoppers talk dirty to his girlfriend and laughing, and McNulty comes over and says they shouldn't be listening because it isn't pertinent. Then, right at the end of the call, the hopper actually DOES say something pertinent, two which McNulty responds: "Now all you have to do is explain to a judge why you were still listening after 20 minutes."
All this is to preface that you should be watching Chuck. Season One of Chuck is the first 20 minutes of the phone call. Mildly entertaining, but nothing you would be able to defend to a judge. The second season, however? Totally fucking pertinent.
December 16, 2009 at 11:33 PM
I refuse to watch any ‘Stargate' incarnation that doesn’t star Jaye Davidson. Semi-related, though, is the fact that I watched the ‘Caprica’ pilot the other night and I liked it, which makes me think I should watch ‘Battlestar Gallactica’.
‘FlashForward' is REALLY bad, but I’ve been watching it as well. The entire concept has so much potential which made me hope it would be good, but the show is just really poorly executed. The characterization is shoddy, plus some of the actors are really bad on top of it—the relationship between the main character and his wife is so flat and unbelievable it hurts. John Cho is definitely a high point, though. I intend to read the book that this was based on, since it’s supposed to be much better.
I haven’t watched ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ but I’m going to now per your recommendation.
The point of view you have adopted regarding the British version of the ‘The Office’ versus the American version made me re-evaluate my opinion of the American one. But after re-evaluating I still don’t think I can get past how much funnier the British version is in order to enjoy the American one in any way.
'30 Rock’ has also made me laugh so hard I spit out my food, but it’s been getting kind of repetitive. They keep playing the same shtick.
‘Dollhouse’ is hands-down the best show on television in my opinion, and one of the awesomest shows I have ever seen. The reason this season is kind of screwed up is that the show was cancelled, but Fox is letting them finish off the season. So, they had to cram the rest of the five year story arc into the last half dozen episodes. Thus the extreme speed up in pacing.
‘V’ is one of my other guilty indulgences along with ‘FlashForward’. It suffers from a lot of the same problems. Seriously, why doesn’t the mother just pay attention to her son? This show has some of the most shallow characterizations ever. I encourage you to find the original 1980s miniseries, though, because it’s FAR more painful than the remake. For some reason I watched the entire thing.
December 17, 2009 at 12:51 PM
Jesse -
I've watched Chuck. (It's not currently airing, is it?) I'm a little conflicted by it... It doesn't quite fit in 'guilty pleasure' or 'genuine pleasure' but some weird region between the two. But how could I pass up a chance to watch McKasty as a spy? (Though, the sexual tension between Chuck and the blond girl has sort of driven me crazy a few times, almost to the point of stopping watching.)
December 17, 2009 at 12:56 PM
Cody -
I, too, have watched the Caprica pilot. I'm intrigued... It could end up being pretty good, but I can also see how it might not be. But I'm shocked you haven't watched Battlestar Galactica! You should. There's definitely some crap sub-plots that happen, even a few crap sub-plots that recur and never go away, but it really is one of the best (if not THE best) sci-fi series I've ever seen, due mostly to the fact that it's really a drama series in a sci-fi setting.
Also, I agree completely about FlashForward and V.
December 18, 2009 at 6:24 PM
wow, shit, JOE, you watch lotsa tv. I thought I watched too much tv, but man, joe you watch TV. Better Off Ted is the best thing on your list. Dexter is the best though, you should have had it on your actual list. 4th season was great. worth picking up the show just to build up to the 4th season, dude. Worst TV show I watch regularly: NBC Nightly News. You can feel your brain melt.