My Recent Thoughts about the TV Shows I Love. Or Don't Love. Or Used to Love.

I, for one, was glad to see Jack Bauer back in action, saving children no less, last week. Is it just me or was 24: Redemption pretty awesome? I think this show has a serious chance of reviving itself so long as I can buy the reason Tony is still alive. I'm excited about the new direction, and found the child soldier storyline powerful and effective without half the violence of the movie Blood Diamond (which is also good just very very very violent) Some of the things I love about 24 are the incredible production (tight editing, original score, fantastic shots--so few shows have this), the ability to convey serious emotional consequence amidst all the action...and of course Kiefer Sutherland whom we love so dearly as our hero Jack Bauer. A flawed and imperfect hero to be sure, but one that is impossible not to root for. (I once saw a poll that asked who was the better hero...Jack Bauer or Jack Shephard...really? Sorry, no contest)

In other very sad news, Pushing Daisies has been canceled. This is a big loss as far as I'm concerned. Sadly, I tried to force my relatives to watch it Thanksgiving Eve and they just didn't get it. It's a highly stylized show but even as the relatives were rolling their eyes, I was giggling at the funny and smart dialogue. (i.e. from Emerson: "You're about to be the first man to be murdered twice") Oh well. I guess we can't win them all. I hope Lee Pace finds another awesome job asap. I just love him.



LOST released a new promo that struck me with the realization that Desmond might be required to go back to the island. This is intolerable. He can't leave Penny! (not to mention he was on that island for soooo long already!)


Did anyone else watch Gossip Girl last night? Nate continues to baffle me, Dan and Serena clearly need to get back together (am I really supposed to take Aaron seriously? eww!), and Chuck and Blair keep teasing me!!! Actually it looks like Ed Westwick has some great stuff coming up in the next show. By the way, I read that Verizon will have an exclusive series from the viewpoint of Dorota. I have to admit when I first read this, I thought it was the dumbest thing ever. But, I suppose if they make it funny enough, it might not be bad.



Which leads me to the show I wish I liked, but just can't seem to get. I really really really wanted to like Fringe. It had so much going for it. An interesting mythology. A pretty stellar cast. J.J. Abrams. (and other LOST alums) but I've missed several episodes and can't seem to care. When I do manage to watch it, I sometimes have to force myself to concentrate. I've tried to figure out why this show doesn't work for me and sadly I think it's the main character, Olivia. She just has no spark. She's boring. Very boring. And while I'm somewhat interested in Josh Jackson's character and his father, that interest is not enough to overcome the fact that I feel nothing for Olivia. Anyone else share these sentiments?

Oh and I've officially given up on Grey's Anatomy. Considering how much I used to love that show, this is kind of surprising. But somehow, the writers thought when there was backlash over Izzie/George that what the fans wanted was Izzie and Denny sort of resurrected from the dead. The writing is just so completely out there in almost every storyline that I can no longer enjoy it. Which is too bad, because the first two seasons were excellent television.

So....how are your favorite shows going?

My Brain is Dead

For real. But tonight all my stuff should be from point A to point B. Yay!

And then I'm going to sleep for three straight days before getting rid of half my clothes, because WOW do I ever have a lot.

Anyway, I don't think the writer's strike helped television much. I am just not feeling the tv shows anymore. For example, I lost interest in Ugly Betty, Bones had the worst twist ever (which I actually predicted based on one rumor I read that a certain actor was leaving the show), and I just couldn't get excited about Meredith and Derek being together. This means come next year, I'll have more time to read! Ha. Also, I'm worried about LOST. I'm hoping that it won't disappoint. At least David Cook won American Idol.

It rained here yesterday and we had tornadoes!! Isn't that weird????? It's 50 degrees outside and last weekend it was 103. This is the kind of stuff that makes you think....global warming.

And finally, I just finished a really great and heartwarming debut novel by Sherri Sand called Leave it to Chance. If you head over to The Friendly Book Nook you can see how you can win a copy of the book and a five dollar gift card to Starbucks.

I have a lot of blog posts in development, I really do, that are hopefully about a thousand times better than this one. Once my life is back to normal, i.e. internet is up and running and I've tossed half my clothes from the window, I'll be back for discussion!

Have a great weekend everyone! What are your plans?

Mostly LOST, (but a little bit of Grey's)

Before I dig into LOST, I need to say a few things about Grey's.
What in the world was that whole survey everyone's sexual partners junk? I can't imagine that happening in the real world! The show seemed really far fetched tonight. I have to say that no matter what, Sandra Oh is an absolutely terrific actress who delivered that strange little monologue brilliantly. Don't you think?

Ok LOST...Claire has officially entered the camp of the creepy. What was up with that creepy smile? And was anyone else impressed with the casting and acting of the little boy John Locke and the teenage John Locke? And weren't we all thinking little boy John Locke was going to pick up the knife so it seemed strange that he wasn't supposed to? Why was the knife wrong? And yay for seeing Sayid and Desmond again, though I'm concerned for Desmond's safety. Michael apparently continues to be un-killable which I guess means the Island isn't through with him yet. And you know I have to ask....what does "he wants us to move the island" mean??????? So...
is Claire dead or possessed or what? Why is Christian so important or does he factor in since the Island is essentially his burial ground? Ok, I've got to get to bed, but please feel free to share your thoughts if you watch either show. Or not. It's really up to you.

(Oh one more thing. I do have another guilty pleasure called Gossip Girl Does anyone else watch this show? I know it's a teeny bopper show. Anyway, if anyone else watched did you not think this week's episode was like a story on speed? Sloooowww down writers! There's plenty of time to tell all these juicy stories!)

Grey's, LOST, and the Future of Addictive Television

Grey's Anatomy was ok tonight. Now that I know (spoiler alert) that Derek and Meredith will be getting together for good, I want it to happen already. I want a nice beautiful romantic reunion. I also think we are headed for a same gender relationship on this show, and that will be the big kiss. These are my theories. I did love what Ellen Pompeo had to say in this interview though. She's so honest!

Now onto the superior show...LOST. I rather like Daniel. Jack is still a complete mess that wants a woman to feel like she owes him something off the island. Kate is obviously still torn between two men. Where in the world were Sayid and Desmond tonight? (Ok fine I realize I can't see them every episode...it was so much better watching on DVD because if they weren't in an episode or two you didn't have to wait weeks to see them again!) Claire is obviously hallucinating something fierce and abandoned her baby. Jack seems to know the baby is related to him off the island and I better get some answers in the few episodes we have left!!!! I want to know what those who stay on the island are doing. What are they doing there? What cost did the Oceanic Six pay to get off? Why must they go back? Who is meant to raise Aaron? And who is in the bloody coffin??

OK, I had one more post planned for my addictive television series and I'm going to include it here. There are two shows that I am looking forward to coming on next year that have great promise. One is Dollhouse created by Joss Whedon of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame. I'm especially excited about this because those who've read the pilot are buzzing. Televisionary Blog had this to say about it:

In the gifted hands of Joss Whedon, Dollhouse is a beautiful enigma wrapped in a riddle, a gripping conspiracy story for the ages filled with urban legends, memory tampering, and long-buried secrets coming to the fore. It's a Shakespearean story of hubris and likely vengeance, filled with sound and fury and signifying, well, lots.

Sounds fantastic!!!

The other show is called Fringe and comes from J.J. Abrams and a bunch of other people. This show has a few things going for it. J.J. Abrams. It's a supernatural drama which means loads of story to be explored. The pilot has a 10 million dollar budget. And another thing this show has going for it? Joshua Jackson has been cast. Yes, that's right.

So...those shows should be awesome come fall or spring or whenever they premiere and I'll probably talk about them again then because they will probably need ratings help.

Sooo...what did you think of LOST and Grey's tonight?

Addictive TV round-up (and last night's addictive tv)

LOST won the poll! Probably because it's in one of the best seasons right now, and because let's face it...it's brilliant.

Grey's Anatomy came in second. There was a time when I would have agreed with this, but Grey's has just not been the same since the George/Izzie hook-up, Mer/Der break-up, Burke/Christina failed wedding. I think it might be hitting its stride again, though, last night was pretty good.

Other also made a strong showing, so if that's what you voted for please state in comments what show is most addictive to you.

I wrote about LOST, Buffy, and I also wanted to write about 24, but I couldn't think of a clip that stands out. I think 24 would have done better in the poll if season six hadn't been such a...downer. This show is addictive tv at it's best for the first five season, though, the stakes are always so high. Jack Bauer is one of the finest characters on television ever (that I know of..please keep in mind, I don't actually watch as much tv as it seems and only really started watching tv since I've been in my 20s).

So what did you all think of Grey's Anatomy last night? I was really pleased to see Meredith in therapy, that girl needs it. I was also happy to see her win the contest, she's had nothing but downers for so long that it was nice to be reminded that she is a gifted doctor. If you can't tell, I'm absolutely a Meredith fan. I generally always like main characters best. I liked Buffy best, I liked Harry Potter best, I like Jack Bauer best, I like Meredith best. How about you? Do you usually like the main characters or do you find yourself more attached to secondary characters?

LOST was all kinds of awesome last night. I was blown away by the Smoke Monster...that was so cool. Also everything with Ben and Charles Widmore is fascinating and poor Sayid! In the span of one year he's lost two women he loves (three if you count the other assassin girl)! Someone wondered whether or not the Oceanic 6's relatives would continue to get murdered..if so is that to get them to go back to the island? What exactly is the relationship between Ben and Widmore and who was the German chick working for? Poor Alex. I'm sorry she died with so many unanswered questions about her past. I am really looking forward to the many answers we are supposed to receive this season...

Share your thoughts in comments.

Caedmon's Call Music to be Featured on Grey's Anatomy

I just got an email from the Caedmon's Call folks that says, well, the above.

This could be really huge everyone.

Music featured on this show has made careers (The Fray, Snow Patrol).

So I think it's pretty exciting. I usually do like the music on this show. And sadly, this is the last episode that has been produced due to the WGA strike.

By the way, the song is supposed get like five minutes of airtime. Wow.

2007 Favorites (and not so favorites)

Time for my favorites and not so favorites of 2007! I will have watched, listened to, or read these in 2007, they weren't necessarily released this past year.

Favorite book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling.
Honorable Mentions: Quaker Summer by Lisa Samson, Frenemies by Megan Crane, Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin, and The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen. I'm sure I'm forgetting something.
Not so favorite book: The Pact by Jodi Picoult. Not that it wasn't an absorbing read, it was just also somewhat unsettling.

Favorite movie: Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? It was fun and funny. I'm no film snob.
Honorable Mentions: Music and Lyrics, August Rush, Daremo Shiranai, Zodiac, Reign Over MeNot so Favorite: Pirates of the Carribbean: Dead Man's Chest. Let's get real.

Favorite television show: This is hard because I feel I ought to measure it by what show I looked forward to the most which always changes depending on the plotlines. I think I'm going to say The Closer. I feel like it was the best season yet, and Kyra Sedgwick is amazing.
Honorable Mentions: Damages, Pushing Daisies
Most Miserable Failure in the TV Show Department: Grey's Anatomy. Season two of this show was so stellar but they traded in the strength of their characters for sensationalized and contrived plot lines. The fall they took was so steep, I'm not sure the show will ever really recover, though it's been a bit better. One stand-out moment was Sandra Oh's amazing performance when Cristina realized that Burke had left her. Her sorrow and new found sense of freedom as the grip of that unhealthy relationship fell from her was brilliantly portrayed.

Favorite CD: Jason Gray's All the Lovely Losers I bought this cd and ignored it for awhile, and then finally listened to it and loved it.
Honorable Mentions: Bebo Norman's Christmas from the Realms of Glory, Caedmon's Call Overdressed, Sara Groves Tell Me What You Know
Not so Favorite CD: Katharine McPhee. Honestly, I thought she had a nice voice and would make a much nicer album.

Shiny Moments of 2007: My friend Louisa visiting and going to Vegas, seeing my sister's family twice, visiting the rainforest of Costa Rica, participating in the 40 Day Fast and Inspired to Action, watching more students lives transformed after months of hard work, and all of the small glimpses of God that He gives me.
Not so Shiny Moments: Saying good-bye to friends as they moved country, getting a ticket

Fall Television

Premiere week is underway on the networks, which is always a very interesting time to watch tv as a bunch of shows are pushed at you. It's that rare time when you might just discover the next Veronica Mars or 24 or X-Files. Or you might just be bored. I always like to watch the pilots, but I have to admit this year I'm just not interested in very many. I'm looking forward to Pushing Daisies which will be on tomorrow night. I wanted to watch Journeyman, but was too tired and fell asleep. So that's sort of how this television season seems to be going.

On the bright side, I enjoyed the return of Heroes, a show I like but am not as obsessed with as the rest of the world seems to be. Anyone else notice it was heavy on the subtitles last night? That's interesting for American television. I'm going to give Grey's Anatomy another shot. And tonight Bones comes back...if you've never watched this show and have time in your life, it's got some great quirky characters and often brings up the discussion of science and faith. I feel as though a broad range of opinions are presented and respected on the show. It's one of my favorites.

It's also interesting to see how many shows are based on books this year....Women's Murder Club, Lipstick Jungle, Gossip Girl....

I know that some of you apparently don't even watch the news as indicated on the poll. :-) But I can't help but get swept up in story no matter how it's presented....film, tv, novel, blog. I enjoy television!

Tolerance

Having grown up in an evangelical Christian environment, tolerance was always sort of a bad word. Well, I also attribute the automatic shiver that goes down my spine when I hear the word to a teacher screaming, "I will not tolerate this behavior!"

A strange word to be certain. A concept that is certainly glorified in our society. But the thing is, I mean the question I ask, is what is tolerance? And is such a thing really possible? Are we truly more tolerant as a society now than in the past? And has the journey towards tolerance affected our society in negative ways as well as positive ones?

Where is this coming from? you may ask. The recent events going on at the Grey's Anatomy set sparked this line of thought for me. I blogged about it a bit before, but I've also wasted some time reading various reports on it and different viewer forums. Overwhelmingly, people are calling for Isaiah Washington to be fired and calling him assorted names that are presumably more acceptable than the one he called TR Knight. And the anger....the anger directed at Isaiah, at ABC, at Shonda Rhimes, really really surprised me. Even after Isaiah apologized, met with GLADD leaders, and checked into some sort of rehab, people persist in their stance that he should be fired, and quite honestly, that he is unredeemable.

Tolerance? For TR Knight, yes. For Isaiah Washington...no. Somehow and for some unknown reason, it is acceptable to rip the man to shreds based on a few incidents, that were shocking and reprehensible yes, but of which we do not have the full story. A few incidents which cannot and should not define him as a person as a whole. How can we judge anyone on a few moments in their lives when they chose to hate instead of love?

So maybe yes, our society has become more tolerant. But by no means has tolerance made us more forgiving, understanding, or loving. In fact, it's quite possible, it has merely shifted the fuel of our hatred.

My Thoughts on the Latest TV controversies

Well, well.

There certainly has been a lot of controversy on television lately. Starting with American Idol. People seem to be increasingly dismayed that Simon is rude and picks on people for their personal appearance. People are saying that the majority of the "loser" auditions this year appear to be people who are mentally unstable, or otherwise not responsible for showing up on a television show notorious for mocking those lacking the singing ability/starpower sought. Honestly, I have a little trouble feeling really sympathetic about this. Surely, somewhere, these people have seen American Idol before signing any release papers. In addition, I really don't feel that these auditions are as real as they seem. While I agree that Simon crosses the line in what he says to people on several occassions, if you are going on a show like American Idol, please watch some auditions before signing away your rights. And please practice before going and please get some constructive feedback from neutral parties. The auditions are my least favorite part of American Idol, and I'm fine missing them.

Secondly, Isaiah Washington and TR Knight. Isaiah Washington calling TR Knight a word that is unacceptable to call someone who is homosexual. And then lying about it and using the word again the night Grey's Anatomy won the Golden Globe. I find this whole incident to be very interesting because I think it shows our increased tolerance of homosexuality as an orientation and a strong calling to equate an incident like this to a similar racial incident. Furthermore, I think it shows us, how we are increasingly intolerant of those who harbor any prejudice. Although in each incident of this kind that has made the news (Mel Gibson, Michael Richards, and now Isaiah Washington) the leaders of offended group have shown a willingness to meet with the offender and help rehabilitate them, the public seems much less forgiving. I am certain that a lot of the problem in this particular case, however, is because it's so personal. TR Knight has to work with Isaiah Washington and the character of George O'Malley actually looks up to and respects the character of Preston Burke a great deal. Isaiah Washington didn't make a broad sweeping comment, he made a very personal attack. In that regard, I find this incident to be truly troubling and very sad. And last night's episode of Grey's Anatomy was an interesting episode in so many regards, very personal and touching and capturing much of human drama and emotion, but it was greatly overshadowed by the controversy currently surrounding it. For just an insight to how personal this episode was to the writers, check out the Grey's Anatomy writers blog here.