Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Fall TV Wrapup

With a bunch of new shows approaching, I consider it my duty to wrap up some of my thoughts on fall TV.

Terriers
I gave up after one episode but came back to it after a few more episodes. I'm glad I did. While I didn't love this as much as some others I know, I did like it enough. A very good mix of light and quite dark. Now I feel like I need to go back and watch some Veronica Mars since everyone compares that show to this one.


The Shield
I know this is an old show but I finished it this fall. I don't know why more of my friends aren't rushing to watch this. Trust me! It's incredible!!! In 2008, TV critic Alan Sepinwall wrote that he thinks the series finale was the best finale of any drama he'd ever seen. I think I might agree.

How I Met Your Mother
With my year of being a stay-at-home dad over, I had no more patience for this show. Once Barney and Robin started dating, this show had nowhere else to go.

30 Rock
Another show I gave up on. Pleasant and all each week but it just didn't make me laugh. And someone really needs to get rid of Kenneth the Page.

The Office
Speaking of shows that don't make me laugh. I'm not sure why I keep watching this. As SHR pointed out the other day, all the characters are caricatures of themselves at this point. And Pam and Jim are so incredibly dull and annoying in equal measures these days. And the whole Ed Helms/Ellie Kemper three way love triangle is stupid.

Boardwalk Empire
A very entertaining first season. I'm really looking forward to the second one and I hope they give Omar more to do. I'm not sure why so many people disliked this show so much but I think it suffered from Treme syndrome (people were expecting that to to be The Wire New Orleans style). I think too many people were thinking this would the 1920's Sopranos.

Eastbound and Down
Not as good as the first season, but not terrible. I think the third season will be better.

Bored to Death
I'll keep watching this show but I want it to be better. I want more of the depraved Jonathan Ames or, at the very least, for it to be a little less silly and a little more charming like a Brooklyn version of Stolen Kisses (a movie that Ames has mentioned inspired this series). Still, I love Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis. And I especially love Brooklyn.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
I don't see any reason why this show can't go on for another ten years. It is as funny and twisted as ever. The Lethal Weapon 5 and Christmas episodes were particular favorites from this season.

In Treatment
Is this show coming back for a fourth season? I hope so. This season was great. If anything, 7 weeks isn't enough to tell these stories. I could have used 9 weeks like they had in the first season. It felt like the series might be wrapping up but I want more!

Modern Family
The modern version of Leave It to Beaver. I like it.

Sunday, January 02, 2011

A Christmas Present in January

SHR mentioned a couple of months ago that she really wanted to go to a Jets game at some point. She had never been to a regular season football game. I decided to buy us a pair of tickets for Christmas. How was I to know that Mark Sanchez was barely going to play?

Can you sense the excitement?

Now, can you? Fire!

The crowd was dead - sure was no RFK.

Where is the Redskins Marching Band when you need it?

Touchdown!

For the record, this was my first football game since an Eagles-Redskins game in 1999 at the Vet. It was a good time but I'm definitely curious to go back to a game that actually matters.