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Hell all and welcome to another edition of TV or Not TV.

When I sit down to write this column every week I am, more often than not, doing it on a Sunday. With the best of intentions I start writing it mid-day and usually find myself, one way or another, still not submitting it far later than I should. I am telling you this because it has also given me a new perspective on quite a few television shows.

Every week while I’m writing I inadvertently use a second monitor to watch streaming television shows from the network web sites. Today, as an example, I was able to finally get caught up on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

This show wasn’t one that fell off of my radar because of the quality of the show. There are only so many hours of television one man can watch and knowing that FOX has their shows online I watch what I can when I can. I’m very glad for this service because it turns out that, at least in my opinion, they’ve done very good things with TSCC. The first 8 episodes of the season were well structured, well written, and pretty darn entertaining. Elements from Season 1 have carried over to Season 2 and some of them have even been resolved. My only complaint with the show is the acting by the title character and the actor that plays her son, the future savior of humanity John Connor. Both actors seem to have taken the dark futures their characters are supposed to encounter and use that to always deliver dark and brooding performances that never really sell me on much.

The shocking actor on the show is Brian Austin Green who plays Derek Reese. His performance is always spot on as a fighter from the future sent back to the past to aid his nephew in getting to where he needs to be to either stop the impending doom or act as humanities leader. He also plays very well against Summer Glau’s Cameron. Fan’s of the former FOX show Firefly had no doubt about her acting abilities and she does a very good job as the reprogrammed Terminator.

The one thing that is bad about the show is that, admitedly, you can’t just drop in mid-season and know what is going on. The characters have now been on their journey for quite a few episodes, elements from past episodes continue to resurface, and with all the people dropping in from the future it can get a bit confusing. If you can find a way to get caught up to date I’d definitely recommend the show for your viewing time.

Now let’s move on to what’s coming up this week.

MONDAY

ABC – 8:00 PM: There’s nothing wrong with the color setting of your TV, tonight ABC is going green but it has nothing to do with being eco-friendly. Tonight enjoy Shrek the Halls immediately followed by the classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Clearly ABC has bought the rights to just about every holiday special out there.

FOX – 8:00 PM: I am always intruiged when the description of a show says “history changes when a Terminator is sent back to the wrong time.” I hope I get to hear someone say, “Cometh with me if thou doth wish to live.”

ABC Family – 8:00 PM: Talk about crazy counter programming. ABC Family kicks off their 25 days of Christmas programming with the film version of the Grinch. You’d think they would at least put something else on tonight to not compete with their sister station. The ratings game shows no mercy.

TUESDAY

FX – 8:00 PM: The Punisher has now seen at least three movie incarnations. The first was played by Dolph Lundgren. This second feature film version features Thomas Jane as Frank Castle and John Travolta as the bad guy. I’ve never seen it and already I’m rooting for Travolta to get capped.

ABC – 8:00 PM: If you’ve ever wondered about the early years of Kris Kringle and you love the Rankin/Bass classics then you need to watch Santa Claus is Coming to Town. How can you resist Paul Frees as the Burgermeister Meisterburger?

NBC – 8:00 PM: This week’s episode of The Biggest Loser: Families combines two things I could care less about: a makeover in New York and the Tyra Banks Show.

ABC – 9:00 PM: Tonight’s season premiere of According to Jim may be an even greater injustice knowing this show lives while Pushing Daisies is coming to an end.

WEDNESDAY

ABC – 8:00 PM: Speaking of Pushing Daisies, tonight Ned and Olive have to try to find out who killed a rival chef who was deep fried. It’s crispy good entertainment.

CBS – 8:00 PM: Looks like ABC doesn’t own the rights to every holiday classic. Tonight that lovable light up fellah saves the misfit toys and Christmas on Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

FX – 8:00 PM: Take one millionaire, give them the assignment of going into a small town undercover and aware money to the most deserving residents after living amongst them and you get Secret Millionaire.

TNT – 8:00 PM: Try not to shoot your eye out kid while watching A Christmas Story.

CBS – 10:00 PM: I must have lost my man card years ago because I’ve never actually seen the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Will this be the year I break my no viewing streak? Probably not.

THURSDAY

DISNEY – 8:00 PM: Nothing looks creepier to me than the computer animation stylings of The Polar Express.

NBC – 9:30 PM: Liz takes Jack to her high school reunion. This can’t end well.

ABC – 10:00 PM: The Barbara Walters Special tonight has Barbara counts down the 10 most fascinating people of the past year. I’m not sure how I feel about Miley Cyrus or Rush Limbaugh being on the list, but I’ll probably still watch.

FRIDAY

As usual Friday is a massive dud filled night so here are the very weak suggestions I can make.

ABC – 8:00 PM: If you don’t get ABC Family or you didn’t watch it Monday night you can watch Jim Carrey under tons of makeup in Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

NBC – 8:00 PM: If you are exteremely busy and worried about catching your favorite holiday show or flick you can check out Greatest Holiday Moments: TV & Film Countdown.

TNT – 8:00 PM: Once upon a time Whitney Houston was a star and Kevin Costner was considered a romantic lead as can be seen in The Guardian. The schmaltzy song thankfully doesn’t show up until the end.

FX – 9:00 PM: Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis decide to take the year off from Christmas after their daughter decides not to come home for the holidays in Christmas with the Cranks.

SATURDAY

Saturday, as usual, follows Friday’s suit. Here is my attempt at polishing a turd.

NBC – 8:00 PM: If you’ve been watching Crusoe than you might want to know that it’s now on a new night.

OXYGEN – 8:00 PM: Is You’ve Got Mail a clever romantic comedy or a feature length commercail for AOL and Starbucks.

G4 – 8:00 PM: Oh man, for once I may have a real reason to tune in to G4. Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is followed by Real Genius. Both movies are ones I fondly remember from my teenage years and the latter is a less serious Val Kilmer. Hey, at least he isn’t the voice of a car on a lame action show.

SUNDAY

TNT – 8:00 PM: The Librarian is back in Curse of the Judas Chalice. Nothing says action like Noah Wyle and this time he’s saving the world from vampires in New Orleans.

E! – 8:00 PM: Save the cheerleader, save the… oh, wait… sorry. I saw Hayden Panettiere and got confused. This is actually Bring it On: All or Nothing. WIthout seeing it, I’m goin gto chose nothing.

HBO – 9:00 PM: I don’t know what is creepier, the content of the four part mini-series House of Saddam or the eerie portrayal of the former tyrant by Igal Naor.

TNT – 10:00 PM: Timothy Hutton stars as the leader of a modern day group of Robin Hoods who get payback for the victims of the rich and corrupt. He’ll always be Turk182 to me but I’ll still give it a shot.

– Will Wilkins feels like he is still in a turkey coma.

Comments: 2 Comments

2 Responses to “TV Or Not TV: 12/1 – 12/7”

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  2. Gerald Acosta Says:

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