Friday, September 30, 2011

What the TV Junkie Thinks of New Shows

Well, well, well. It's been a long time. A new TV season is upon us. TV land isn't what it used to be. No longer are the 3 big networks in control. TV stars aren't as sure footed and movies stars are coming off their high horses. Soap operas no longer rule daytime and reality has split into 2 different kinds of genres: competition and voyeurysm. I've seen some of the new shows and here's my opinion.

Survivor is in Samoa. They're calling it South Pacific. Ok. It's the same format as last season. This time it's Coach Wade and athletic Doofus Ozzie. Coach started out making himself a sympathetic character and then a kind of guru. He's done a good job of befriending everyone and making an alliance of 5 w/ a couple others in his back pocket. The problem is, they're not absolutely tight. Russell Hantz's nephew is on the show and is torn between trying to be a christian example and a playa. He comes off as a total weenie and weird. Russell is more likeable. On the other tribe, Ozzie has also made an alliance of 5 but they're less trustworthy and kind of stupid. Ironically, the people he has in the periphery are the most intelligent. I have a feeling Ozzie will never see his demise coming. He found the hidden immunity idol and already failed to keep his mouth shut. God, these people are stupid. I'm liking that the challenge wins aren't one sided. Each tribe wins every other week. That's cool. I wish they'd show the winning tribe enjoying their prize but oh well. It was interesting that the biggest screwballs were sent to redemption island first. Yay! Funny enough, there's a guy on Ozzie's tribe who is just like Woody Allen. Oh boy. Wouldn't you love to live w/ him.

Top Chef: Just Desserts is midway done. They have a famous pastry chef who seems to have a huge arrogant head. It's getting some deflation as the weeks go on. As we all know, these competition reality shows are really marathons and it's all about who can gut it out the best.

Project Runway is having it's most boring season ever. They're trying to make it dramatic and instead have veered away from what we like best; seeing the designers design and sew. They've had a lot of team challenges and neither the audience nor the designers like it. The designs have been weak with a lot of contestants who lack sewing skills. Nina and Micheal seem to realize they do have power over the decisions due to their triumph last season declaring icky ugly Gretch the winner over Mondo. Tim Gunn is insightful as ever but the designers don't seem to get inspiration.

A new show I'm really liking is Person of Interest. A guy w/ mega electronic "big brother" and a cool intelligent military trained guy work together to stop crimes. It's kind of out there and you have to give it some license but it's really cool and moves along quickly. It's the old Mission Impossible crossed w/ Dirty Harry. Jim Caviezel is mesmerizing, compelling and sexy. Michael Emerson is mysterious and interesting but not creepy. The show has one scene it likes to do and we like to watch. Caviezel's in a room w/ guys w/ guns, the scene shifts to an outside of the room shot w/ a bunch of gunfire going on inside. Then there's 3 seconds of silence and then the door opens and Caviezel cooly walks out of the building w/ dead and wounded bodies behind him. It's cool and a good way to infer shooting but we don't have to see it. It's a real old Hollywood thing but it works. Caviezel is also sticking to his christian convictions and never utters a curse word, shows any naughty bits or does any sex scenes. Thank the gods! Only dumb chicks want to know the private life of the super hero.

Ringer is a new show that has a soap opera feel but actually works. An Al Anon woman runs away from her witness protection cop to her rich twin sister. While on a motor boat in the middle of he ocean, her sister seems to disappear into the drink and the poor former drunk takes over the rich sister's life. They show, it's not that easy and being rich isn't that easy either. It's very interesting cuz we never really know if the sister is dead and somebody is always trying to kill the lady but we don't know if the people are really trying to kill her or her sister. Sarah Michelle Geller does a really good job of playing both parts w/out being hammy. I can't say the same for the men who play opposite her.

The Secret Circle is a new show this season. Young witches in high school. It's really dumb and hokey. The acting is awful, the writing is bad and the whole premise is made for one episode only. Unlike Charmed, they don't fight demons to save humanity but seem to fight each other and the powers aren't impressive.

2 Broke Girls is a new comedy on CBS. One streetwise girl, one suddenly impoverished socialite; both poor waitresses trying to catch a break. We've kind of seen this kind of dynamic w/ Laverne & Shirley, Alice and even Roseanne. I watched the whole show and realized, I didn't laugh the whole show. The jokes are old, the premise is older and the girls aren't appealing. In this economy we really don't like to be reminded of how hard life is right now. The closest to funny was when the rich girl fell in horse crap in her expensive dress. Uh huh, it was crap alright.

It's not new but Two and a Half Men has a new star. I have to say, the premise is kind of asking for a lot of leeway. I don't like Sheen, but I miss him. The problem w/ the show is, the 2 main characters are both pathetic weenies and it's not fun. It's kind of like having a dessert that's just all sugar and needs some sour to balance it. Even Berta isn't her cold callous self. Having the mother on to lend her dry wit would help but they don't utilize her. Jake is now merely a prop and I'm sorry, Kutcher just can't seem to play an adult. I have a feeling this will be the last season for this show.

How to Be a Gentleman needs a way better title but it's too late. The pilot was a little disjointed but okay. They need to do away w/ the nice guy's family and just show the nice milqetoast trying to live w/ the manly slob. We could use another Odd Couple kind of comedy again. We haven't seen one since Perfect Strangers. As long as they don't make the show preachy, it should be good.

Up All Night is about parents w/ a newborn. The mother is the money earner and the father is a househusband. I rarely like single camera sitcoms and this one has the cameraman w/ the worst case of Parkinsons I've ever seen. Either that or he drinks too much and gets the shakes. The story was good and reminiscent of Seinfeld. Maya Rudolph does not have a face for visual medium and her character is annoying instead of funny. Christina Applegate and Amy Poehler's husband are really funny together w/ their scenes quick and witty w/ energy. Luckily, they made the story about the parents and not the baby.

America's Next Top Model is very weird this season. It's an allstar season but the problem is, the women aren't all stars and some are way too old to be models. Most are established in the business and the others are wannabe's that didn't make it the first time. I'm rooting for Laura and Bre.

Well, that's about all. The Amazing Race is just starting and the only interesting part is Ethan and Jenna are competing.

See ya next time people. Stay tuned.