Some things in life are very shocking, and I have to admit that this week’s column about television is going to be lighter than normal. The reason why? Because of a book (I can already here the League of Television Critics rushing to revoke my membership).
Now that we are at least half way through all of my current must watch shows I will try my best to fill in what would otherwise be a bereft column with how I think these shows are doing.
Weeds: Sorry guys, I’m just not feeling it. The show has lost part of its soul, that thing that made it very entertaining and endearing. I tend to get this feeling after a show does something big to shake things up, and last season’s burning down of Agrestic reeked of it. Now the writers are left having to pick up the pieces and delivering us with sub-par stories compared to the first two seasons.
Burn Notice: It’s really hard for them to screw this show up. The thread that continues throughout the series (why Michael was burned) can easily play a back seat to the ‘week-to-week helping of those in need that have nowhere else to turn’ that drives the show. The lead is charming, the supporting cast is great, and the stories (so far) have been just as good as the first season. A solid performer.
Monk: Other than getting burned last week by the listings being inaccurate about what episode was airing I’m very pleased with this season. The episode with Monk being pit against a chess genius was the answer to my prayers in the way of old school Monk. Last week’s episode involving the lottery was equally entertaining. As usual, Monk is a solid performer.
Psych: Still not as much hyper-observation from the lead character as I would like, but the stories have been good. The week of the high school reunion played on the memories of every 30 something as it evoked elements from many of the John Hughes classic films.
The Venture Brothers: If you aren’t watching it, what the hell is wrong with you?!? I command you now to go out and get the first two seasons on DVD, watch them, and get caught up immediately! NOW! GO!
All that being said, let’s move on to the knitty-gritty.
MONDAY
G4 – 8:00 PM: It’s a marathon of Code Monkeys tonight. If you’ve never watched the show but loved playing video games in the 80’s than you should really watch this tonight.
LOGO – 8:00 PM: Small Town Gay Bar is a very touching documentary about bars that cater to the gay community trying to survive in the rural south. On paper this wasn’t my cup of tea but after seeing it I was very impressed with this documentary and the work that Malcolm Ingram did in directing.
SCIFI – 9:00 PM: Again here we are with me telling you about the two part episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. In Chain of Command Picard goes on a secret mission and is captured by the Cardassians. The most compelling part of the two is the latter episode that delves in to torture techniques and their effects on the tortured psyche. Patrick Stewart turns in an A-list performance.
VH1 – 10:00 PM: It’s like The Apprentice: Diddy Edition with I Want to Work for Diddy. 13 wannabes vie for a play on the Diddy Committee (what a pitty). Sorry, sometimes I just can’t help myself.
TUESDAY
OXYGEN – 8:00 AM: It’s a 16 hour marathon of Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. If you start at the beginning by 5 PM you’ve seen it all. If you don’t, there’s plenty of hours to choose from.
AMC – 8:00 PM: I only bring up tonight’s airing of the John Wayne classic Hondo because it was the film that Al Bundy tried an entire episode of Married with Children to see.
WEDNESDAY
NBC – 9:00 PM: The Baby Borrowers return for the Lessons Learned Town Hall Reunion Special.
HIST – 9:00 PM: Tonight’s episode of MonsterQuest is titled Vampires in America. I’m in.
THURSDAY
FOX – 8:00 PM: The final part of the season finale for So You Think You Can Dance. I’m hoping Twitch wins just because of the name (and because it’s what I start to do if someone makes me watch the show).
TBS – 10:00 PM: P.J. is one of the ‘best men’ in Bobby’s wedding on tonight’s season finale of My Boys.
FRIDAY
NBC – 7:30 PM: It’s the Olympic Opening Ceremonies tonight. It’s been a long, hard, protest ridden road to get to this point. Does it make me a hater of human rights if I actually decide to watch this? I’m torn.
Now let’s look at what everyone is trying to counter-program with!
FOX – 8:00 PM: The motion picture Hellboy. Well played, FOX.
FX – 8:00 PM: Another airing of Batman Begins. A reasonable attempt.
TNT – 8:00 PM: Matt Damon kicks more ass in The Bourne Supremacy.
USA – 9:00 PM: The network tries to stick to their guns with new episodes of Monk and Psych. (I’m still pissed at you guys about that submarine listing mishap… I expect my apology in the form of a fruit basket or cookie-gram.)
SATURDAY
With the Olympics going on it’s like no one else is even trying to get viewers tonight.
ABC – 8:00 PM: My nephew Jacob will be thrilled to know that Shark Tale will be on tonight.
LIFETIME – 9:00 PM: One network has the guts to put something new out tonight. The offering is a Lohan like story of rise and fall in True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet. The hook? After rehab the young starlet goes to the suburbs of Indiana to live with Valerie Bertinelli and lives life as a regular teenager to finish high school. What can I say, might be better than watching…
NBC – 8:00 PM: Tonight’s Olympics offering is Swimming.
SUNDAY
NBC – 8:00 PM: Tonight’s Olympics offering is Basketball.
FOX – 9:00 PM: FOX is making a very valiant effort in counter-programming against the Olympics with the re-airing of the entire first season of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. You can catch it airing Sunday through Wednesday for the next three weeks. The show itself was pretty entertaining the first time around, even though the title character is probably the weakest out of the whole bunch. Too bad the first run was cut short by the Writer’s Strike.
TNT – 8:00 PM: Get your John McClane fix on with the original Die Hard and the repurposed Lethal Weapon sequel script Die Hard with a Vengeance.
– Will Wilkins still does Yippie-Kay-Yay Mother… never mind.
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One Response to “TV Or Not TV: 8/4 – 8/10”Leave a Reply |
August 6th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Ahhhhhhhh the Die Hard flicks. Those bring back memories…
Die Hard: “Hans, bubby.”
Die Hard 2: The film broke during the sneak preview. The horror. The horror.
Die Hard with a Vengeance: “Do I look Puerto Rican to you?!” Sam Jackson is such an acting whore. I love that guy!!!
Live Free or Die Hard: Sorry man, I got nothin’.