The 2008-09 network TV season ends tonight at 11 p.m., so it's time to start talking about summer plans for this blog.When I was growing up, summer TV meant lots of reruns, or watching an endless loop of cheeseball movies like "Just One of the Guys" (pictured above) on HBO. And while we could certainly have some fun discussing those movies(*), the boom in original summer programming, plus the existence of great old series on DVD, means that's no longer the case.
(*) For example, where does Joyce Hyser in "Just One of the Guys" rate on a scale of most to least believable Hollywood drag kings in a continuum that includes Gwyneth Paltrow in "Shakespeare in Love," Amanda Bynes in "She's the Man," Julie Andrews in "Victor/Victoria," Kristin Davis in "Sex and the City," and Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore in "Charlie's Angels"? (Streisand in "Yentl" and Swank in "Boys Don't Cry" obviously represent the extreme ends of the continuum.) Discuss.
So look for me to blog on the Summer Burn-Off Theatre run of "Pushing Daisies," on the return of shows like "Burn Notice" and "Mad Men," and on whatever new shows ("Nurse Jackie"? "Hung"?) happen to catch my fancy.
In addition, with the summer TV season just about upon us, it's time to finally get off my rear end and get to those long-promised blog reviews of season two of "The Wire" and of "Sports Night."
The "Wire" reviews will be done the same way I did it last year, with slightly different versions for people who watched all five seasons versus the ones who are watching the show in order and haven't gotten to the later episodes yet. I'm still trying to figure out what kind of schedule makes sense, but Fridays seemed to work well last year.
I still need to figure out "Sports Night." Some people had suggested doing two episodes at a time, both to get through it faster and to simulate the amount of time spent on hourlong rewinds like "The Wire" and "Freaks and Geeks," but between "The Wire," the other summer shows and my desire to finally use some of my accrued vacation time this summer, I think I may be safer to commit to one episode at a time, and we'll get as far as we get before Labor Day. Right now, I'm guessing those reviews will run on Wednesdays.
When I know for sure what the schedule on both will be (allowing, of course, for vacation disruptions), I'll post it here, probably early next week. But I wanted to remind you, as usual, that the blog doesn't go dark in the summer months, and there will be plenty to watch and talk about, plus the return (not today, as I'm too swamped with Upfront Week still) of the open thread discussions people like.
And in lieu of one of those, let me just ask you this: what shows (new, returning, or on DVD) are you most looking forward to watching this summer?
93 comments:
I just ordered the Freaks And Geeks DVDs off Amazon, so I'm looking forward to watching that. I've heard great things.
In terms of new stuff, Leverage is back, which should be fun.
I'll have to make a run through Sports Night. I used to catch re-runs on one of the cable networks when I was younger but never got through anything solid.
Considering rewatching the earlier lost seasons on dvd. With all the hindsight info we have now ;).
Big Brother. What can I say? It'ss a guilty pleasure :)
I look forward to watching both "The Wire" and "Sports Night" along with you. That'll be a lot of fun.
This summer I'm looking forward to seeing [on DVD] "The State" for the first time (too young during its original run, but I LOVE "Stella" and enjoyed the first couple seasons of "Reno 911!"), "Strangers With Candy", some Britcoms like "Peep Show" and "Black Books" (heard great things), and perhaps watching the second season of "Friday Night Lights" (I've for some reason seen both seasons 1 and 3, but not 2. Hmmmm...), and of course re-watching for the zillionth time some old faves like Arrested , F&G and VM.
On the actual schedule, I'm of course looking forward to the last episodes of "Pushing Daisies", more "Mad Men", and the new "Nurse Jackie", which I've heard good things about.
THE WIRE SEASON 2!!!!!! YES!!!! I was hoping you would continue that, although ill probably ending rewatching the first season again in the lead up. And since you've talked about it so much, ill prob get start on Sports Night.
Right now i'm plowing thru freaks and geeks thanks to netflix. I said i would rewatch all of lost before the season 6 premiere (don't know if that is true), and looking forward to season 3 of Mad Men.
And a Just one of the Guys reference!!!!!! Ur my favey Alan.
"Its ok, Its ok, He has breast!!!"
I'm really looking forward to True Blood coming back -- didn't expect to enjoy it so much last year!
Also, I wish ALL of the cable shows would run during the summer. It feels like we wait forever in between seasons of Dexter.
And, Weeds & Entourage. It'll be less of a rush to see those, but I'll see them, and it'll be entertaining. Nice to have shows that, in that respect, never let you down.
Burn Notice and True Blood are both on my list and I got hooked on So You Think You can Dance at my sister's house. Plus I am watching the back seasons of Bones for the first time. Also have netflixed Profiler.
For the gender reversal role, I'd put Tilda Swinton in "Orlando" among the best. Yes, her appearance is pretty androgynous in real life as well. Let's say she has an advantage in this competition.
I am going to re-watch Wonderfalls...one of my favorite canceled series. I hope the lead in that show, Caroline Dverhnais, not sure on the spelling, gets cast in something quick - its been a while. I know she had a supporting part in the movie Breach, which she was very good in.
I plan on catching up with Big Love on dvd this summer, and will look forward to Mad Men immensely and Pushing Daisies wistfully.
I never got Sports Night and always wondered if I missed something, but it just seemed so stiltedly formal and pretentious.
I envy those out there discovering The Wire for the first time.
I tend to pick an entire series to rewatch each year. Last year was The X-Files, start to finish (took about 5 months). This year, I've already started rewatching the 7 seasons of Buffy. And while I love BTVS dearly, I had forgotten just how clunky the first season was - those special effects and fight scenes look to have about the same budget as my lunch money!
Can't wait for the return of Mad Men, and I love Sports Night so I've been eagerly awaiting your rewatch. I'm also planning to pick up Breaking Bad via Netflix, and maybe a few other shows.
I have a question about Sports Night. Are full episodes of the show available online anywhere? I watched every episode when it ran, but it's been a long time. And, if possible, I'd like to catch up before the reviews run here. Without, you know, having to buy the DVDs.
Hey Alan - is the "end of the TV season some official thing like the first day of Spring? 'Cause Ugly Betty (annoying as it has been this season) doesn't end til Thursday. Just curious.
I just finished the last season of Veronica Mars so this summer I'll be watching Freaks and Geeks for *gasp* the first time! Then perhaps I'll start tackling BSG. Or maybe I'll just re-watch Sports Night along with you - can't wait for the reviews!
I'm planning on starting Veronica Mars, The Wire, possibly Oz and hopefully rewatching Lost.
Of course, with Chuck and Lost not returning until 2010, I do have more than the summer to accomplish this, so I'm glad there's so much time. Should be an interesting summer, tv-wise.
Didn't realize you were going to do a Sports Night thing. The Husband and I are already halfway through season 2 of rewatching it after I got the new box set. One of my favorite shows ever, and I just wish they'd removed the laugh track from season 1.
We're just going to start Netflixxing season 1 of Friday Night Lights and True Blood, and waiting for season 2 of Mad Men (got into it late, then adored it, then missed the fact that AMC was rerunning Season 2 something like midnights on Sunday, and recently dreamt Don Draper had proposed to me, so obviously I NEED SEASON 2 SOON) and Chuck (as I keep ranting, haven't seen it because of the House conflict). Also have The Wire and Burn Notice somewhere on the queue.
Occasionally rewatching episodes of Northern Exposure too (mostly it's aged well, but the hair and clothing - on Fleischmann - not so much). And hoping that someday season 2 of Hex will be out on DVD, because, although it wasn't the greatest thing I've ever seen, I still want to know where it went.
And I really really want DVDs of BSG, but I've been holding out for the full-series box set, and now I'm hoping they'll drop the price on it when it does come out. Because, now, ouch.
True Blood & So You Think You Can Dance...I'm absurdly excited for both. I have True Blood's theme song running through my head. :)
Looking forward to starting on the DVDs of Mad Men and Breaking Bad, then Chuck Season 2 (anybody know when these DVDs come out?) and of course, rewatching The Wire Season 2 along with Alan.
I'm glad you're finally getting to see Pushing Daisies. We had the full episode run of S2 in the UK and it was strange watching the last 3 without you comments.
(then they re-showed the episode ITV dropped from the 1st season due to scheduling snafu and I realised just how much Anna Friel has lost weight/had work done since the beginning - she looked like herself again!)
I'm finally getting around to seasons 3 and 4 of Lost on DVD as they moved to pay TV over here after season 2 years ago. I am so far behind.
And perhaps Battlestar, as I've never seen it
I am all over the return of BURN NOTICE and very excited about TOP CHEF MASTERS. I work out in my basement at 4am every morning so I may finally get around to watching Season 1 of 24.
Thanks for saving CHUCK !!!
As a fan of Peter Krause, and Six Feet Under in general, I've been meaning to watch Sports Night. Should be fun to go along with you guys the rest of this summer.
I also plan to rewatch Veronica Mars and finish the 3rd, 4th and 5th seasons of the Wire. After watching the first season along with you reviews and enjoying it immensly, I just couldn't get into the second season of The Wire.
Hopefully your reviews will change my mind about the second season, but regardless I plan on tackling the 3rd season of The Wire fairly soon.
You know, there's a MUCH better picture of Joyce that would have gotten us excited about summer... but I guess you can't post that stuff on this site... What about her bikini shot?
Can't wait for your Sports Night reviews, Alan, and am looking forward to S2 of The Wire as well (I'll be able to participate in the "veterans" discussions this time around, even though I've only seen the full series once).
I'm going to try watching Mad Men on DVD again this summer, as I was unthrilled by it the last time I tried. Looking forward to S2 of Chuck and Pushing Daisies on DVD. Have also recently discovered Spooks/MI5 on DVD, and am going to keep watching that, at least for as long as Matthew Macfayden and Keeley Hawes are on it.
Alan,
The increase in new summer programming has been one of the smartest moves by cable channels in the recent years. I'm not sure how it has helped the cable channels financially, but personally my opinion of networks like USA and SciFi has changed a bit when they are showing original shows during the summer. Shows like Burn Notice and Eureka are now must watch shows for a lot of people like me now because they were on when there was nothing else on.
I'm looking forward to Leverage, plus seeing the burn-off of Pushing Daisies. As for DVD, I'm planning on getting around to Slings and Arrows, already have the BBC's State of Play, and may even find ways to get to Undeclared, Wonderfalls, Dead Like Me, My So-Called Life, and/or The Prisoner.
@Alan -- any thoughts on NBC's decision (apparently) to hold FNL for summer 2010? Personally, while I do not have DirecTV and thus am dreading the wait, I like the move -- networks SHOULD compete more in the summer months, and if summer is where critically acclaimed but small audienced shows have to go to build an audience, so be it. Clearly it'll be better than reality dreck....
Our plan is to start rewatching LOST so that by the time the new seasons starts we will have rewatched all 5 seasons.
BURN NOTICE!
Also, I'm definitely interested in checking out Royal Pains. The premise seems a little odd, but doesn't Marc Feuerstein have to have a good lead part at some point?
DVDs, I don't know. I still have Seasons 4 & 5 of The Wire to watch, but I never seem to get around to it. And there's Keen Eddie which has episodes I haven't seen. And then there's rewatching Pushing Daisies, and the Middleman when that shows up...
The good news is I've finally gotten through most of my DVD movie backlog. The bad news is I finally broke down and got a DVR, which might lead to my watching a lot more Met games.
The real questions is why does Joyce Hyser look and sound just like Fast Times at Ridgemont High's Mike Damone?
I'm looking forward to the return of So You Think You Can Dance, Burn Notice, Psych, and Monk.
Also I can catch up with shows like Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Heroes, and several others that I've DVRed but not watched. I've got between 4 and 11 episodes of these series waiting on me.
And finally I'll probably try watching some of the Blu-Rays I've acquired recently like Star Trek II-IV.
I'm still tryng to get the library to give me Season 3 of Gilmore Girls! Someone is WAY overdue in returning it.
Can we have a day warning on the open threads?
I haven't finished watching Boston Legal (and Castle, 90210, Dollhouse! (don't tell me who Alpha is -I mbailed after 6, but it's on the DVR, Life on Mars, etc) yet!
I'd like to re-view all of Chuck (at least there's *time* for that) - although really... no, probably resurrecting the old blogs in hope of new viewers (streaming season 1 on WB.com for the newbies) would it help? Is there anyone her who hasn't formed an opinion on Chuck? Chuck was always more fun with your blogs. I wouldn't have loved it *as* much.
I've got to get a ton of David E Kelley off the DVR, probably not including the scene where Shatner sang. Bet it was syndie-cut. Is it online somewhere? I'd like to see it just once. DVR blew it when it first aired.
Maybe a spoiler: The Pushing Daisies finale looked as much of a rush job as Brian Fuller said it was. Like very abrupt. Hope they continue with comics and what not.
The Wire season 2 is my favourite in that Beadie has a significant role and not just as Andy Dusfrene to McNulty's Red. His path to redemption, that's what I meant. Love Amy Ryan in that role. As well as Holly Flax. Sometimes I try to imagine them as one character - maybe Michael's the husband who never worked overtime/hard in his life.
The last of the Pushing Daisies episodes are what I'm most looking forward to this summer. Other than that our tv viewing tends to drop off in the summer.
Except of course, for the awesome and totally fun "America's Got Talent"! I love that show.
Don't judge me!
Looking forward to catching up on all the movies I've saved on my DVR.
But also looking forward to the return of Mad Men and Army Wives (a guilty pleasure). And I'm thinking I'll re-watch SportsNight along with you, Alan.
Once my gut realized that Terminator and Life on Mars were both going to be canceled I stopped watching those. So this Summer I've got seven episodes each for those two shows to finish up.
Plus my roommates finally got me hooked on House this season so I'm getting caught up on the series. I'm currently halfway through season two.
You know, there's a MUCH better picture of Joyce that would have gotten us excited about summer... but I guess you can't post that stuff on this site...
Yeah, I don't think that shot would fly. Plus, I wouldn't want to spoil "one of the greatest third-act reveals in the history of cinema."
What about her bikini shot?
A)I didn't actually have the DVD, and had to borrow the screencap from Glenn Kenny's blog. B)A bikini shot might say "summer," but it wouldn't say "Just One of the Guys."
And given the minimum level of drag/JOotG discussion so far, I'm thinking it's probably a good thing for the blog that we have other topics for the summer.
The real questions is why does Joyce Hyser look and sound just like Fast Times at Ridgemont High's Mike Damone?
Holy cow... how did I never notice this before?
This is why I love having a blog, folks.
When are you going to start The Wire season 2? Now I'm all concerned I don't have time to rewatch season 1 first!
I think I'll do the LOST rewatch, too.
And I'll watch Weeds, then Mad Men and Project Runway when they return later in the summer.
And I didn't even know Ugly Betty had another episode left! So I'll watch that too I suppose.
I am anxiously awaiting the opportunity to see the sun... It's primarily a sort of yellowish hue, right?
Actually, all I am hoping for is some nice diversions for the summer. Aside from some of the more "must see" stuff like the end of PD and Mad Men, I am glad I won't have the packed schedule of TV watching I have had for the last 9 months.
And for all the Lost re-watchers, my plan is next summer to take a week off of work and dedicate myself whole heartedly to watching the entire series as one long novel, beginning to end. I made the decision when a friend told me how much better season 2 worked in one long stretch and ever since then I have avoided clip show, recaps, spoilers and reruns. Gonna be AWESOME(ly pathetic)!!!
BTW, there's also Felicity Huffman in Transamerica. And the women in The Crying Game. If that still requires spoilers than I'm in the wrong decade.
So glad Burn Notice is coming back, otherwise it'd be a long summer.
Any idea on when Chuck S2 DVD is coming out? I guess they were waiting to see if the show was renewed, and will time it appropriately now that they know when the Season 3 will start. In other words, not for a long time.
Reaper Season 2, Caprica the movie, Fortysomething (building my Hugh Laurie library one series at a time), Wonderfalls (Christmas gift, I know nothing about it), and Mythbusters.
We might also spend some time studying that glowy thing in the sky allegedly called "the sun."
So does that mean the first person I ever really thought about having sex with was Robert Romanus? Man, my therapist is gonna love this.
Also, I know you follow The Sports Guy, and he recently discussed the concept of "breast virginity," or the first topless female you saw, and I can proudly say it was the lovely Miss Hyser (or maybe the pictures in Buddy's room, but that just isn't the same). Man, I love that movie.
Anyway, I am most excited about Burn Notice, as evidenced by my clapping at a commercial I saw for it the other day which must have showed roughly 22 seconds of new footage. Mad Men's a close second, but it's further off. Also looking forward to finishing Kings. Will you be blogging that as well?
And of course I'm excited to read your in-depth analysis of Season 2 of The Wire. I've been showing it to my girlfriend, and she's completely sucked in at this point, though after the first episode of Season 2 she said, "Ok, I don't wanna sound dumb, but I'm kinda confused." I gave her some un-spoilery help, but being able to point her here after we watch it will be awesome. Alan, as always, you rule for doing this stuff just because.
I plan on watching the following this summer:
The last episodes of Dirty Sexy Money and Pushing Daisies.
Catching up on House S5.
Catching up on 24 S1-7, Lost S1-5, The Tudors S1-3, Mad Men S2, True Blood S1, Dexter S2-3, Entourage S5, In Treatment S1-2, The Shield S1-7.
I'm sure there are others I forgetting, but it's going to be one busy summer! :)
Sports Night! It's what I watch when I'm sick and misserable and need a sure thing to cheer me up.
For the person looking for full episodes online, not that I've ever seen but after the 10th anniversary DVDS came out there were some spectacular deals on the original DVDS on Amazon Marketplace and Ebay type places, may still be.
I missed the Wire when it aired but maybe I'll go grab the first two seasons and start watching now. Eventually I'll catch up with the season two reviews.
I think I'm the only person who is VERY excited that they're releasing Season 2 of Everwood in June (yay!!) so I'll be purchasing that shortly. Amy and Ephram, how I've missed you.
Alan, I'd love for you to review Firefly, because it's relatively short. Just saw all of that a few months ago and really liked it. Now I have to watch the movie.
And SYTYCD is back! The one with REAL dancers! If it only got half the audience of Dancing with the Stars, I'd be thrilled. Woo!
Can anyone tell me if Alias is worth a watch?
I've got a bunch of this season's stuff to catch up on (HIMYM, Smallville, Ugly Betty, the end of Boston Legal, and more). Then there's Burn Notice, the rest of Rescue Me and Harper's Island, and Pushing Daisies burn-off to look forward to. I have a lot of TV to accomplish after work at nights (weekends are for movies and bike riding), lol.
So does that mean the first person I ever really thought about having sex with was Robert Romanus? Man, my therapist is gonna love this.
That would make one hell of an episode of "In Treatment."
Also, I know you follow The Sports Guy, and he recently discussed the concept of "breast virginity," or the first topless female you saw, and I can proudly say it was the lovely Miss Hyser (or maybe the pictures in Buddy's room, but that just isn't the same).
Under ordinary circumstances, Hyser might have also been my first, but for some odd reason, my mother took me with her when she went to see the movie version of "Hair" when I was 5 or 6 years old. She must have assumed I would be too young to be aware of what I was seeing. Rest assured, I was not. Thus, I will always have a soft spot for the films of Beverly D'Angelo. :)
@Fran--Alias is great, but skip Season 3 (I think?) with Melissa George. Boo. But the rest of the show is clever and fun, and she and Michael Vartan have great chemistry together. You'll enjoy the first season, definitely. It's addictive!
On TV, Burn Notice, Real Housewives of NJ, Top Chef Masters and even though I've had it with Idol, I've probably been convinced to watch So You Think You Can Dance.
I'm going to finish catching up with Deadwood on DVD and revisiting The Wire season 2 and THE STATE!
Sports Night! Thank you, you know how much this means to me.
Ha! I can just see the impassive look on Paul's face now as he wonders just how screwed up I really am, and when my father will come up as a major contributor to said screwed-upness.
Bad job by me, forgetting to mention that I also will be enjoying the guilty pleasure of True Blood when it comes back, because as bad as those accents are, and as wacky as it is, something about Alan Ball's stuff always works for me. Plus, I love me some vampires.
Ha! I can just see the impassive look on Paul's face now as he wonders just how screwed up I really am, and when my father will come up as a major contributor to said screwed-upness.
Does your father look like Robert Romanus? Or, for that matter, Richard Romanus?
I just finished rewatching season 1 of The Wire and will probably get through the rest of the series over the summer (checking in for Alan's S2 reviews, of course).
Deadwood is another goal for the summer. Speaking of Ian McShane, I'm looking forward to the last few episodes of Kings, too.
Wanna feel old?
Joyce Hyser is 51 years old!!
(Damn, I AM old!)
Mad Men, Mad Men, Mad Men!
I've been rewatching season 2 with my sister who is seeing it for the first time. I never tire of it. The Jet Set was last weekend, with The Mountain King (my fave of the season) coming up this Sunday.
Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money final episodes. I actually already saw the first of the final three Pushing Daisies.
I'm looking forward to Hung. I'll watch Entourage. I'm hoping to Netflix S1 of True Blood before S2 starts.
I've got West Wing sitting around here, too. Believe it or not, I've never seen a single episode of it.
"Does your father look like Robert Romanus? Or, for that matter, Richard Romanus?"
Not remotely. I was just playing off the fact that, in Season 1 anyway, all his patients seem to have major daddy issues. And yet, you still made me think about it. Perhaps I should change subject before my brain becomes convinced I really do have latent feelings for Damone.
Anyway, super excited for the summer, and for reading the Newbies' reactions to S2.
(I really should figure out how to make italics on here)
I have already seen the last 3 Pushing Daisies and they were wonderful. I didn't feel cheated... with the exception of it getting canceled...I am still disturbed that ABC renews those tacky reality shows and yet keeps killing off its original scripted programing.
As far as what I am beyond excited for this summer is The Closer, Burn Notice and Saving Grace. Plus Rescue Me will be going on too, since they have like 22 episodes to get through...
I was hoping Sons of Anarchy would be back this summer. But I am thinking it is not going to start till the fall. But it was by far my favorite new show from last summer.
I have both seasons of Chuck burned onto DVDs so I'm hoping to catch up and see what all the fuss is about.
I also have yet to watch my saved episodes of Generation Kill.
My wife, who I got hooked watching "The Shield" is waiting for the season 7 DVD set with bated breath.
Weeds is the only summer show I'm really looking forward to. Is Last Comic Standing coming back? Last season was awful but I would give that another chance. I assume there's no Hells Kitchen this summer since they just ended a season. If there's no LCS or HK, then I'm afraid I might get sucked into Big Brother. I need at least one crappy reality show to get me through the summer.
I'm all caught up on "The Office" "HIMYM" "Lost" and "Chuck" and with "Breaking Bad" and "Party Down" finishing soon i will attempt to catch up on some shows that have fallen on the way side.
Mad Men - Need to catch up on the 2nd part of Season 1 and all of season 2.
Rescue Me - Just started season 2
Deadwood - Season 3
Life On Mars (UK) - Season 2
Six Feet Under - Season 5
As a UK resident with an unhealthy obsession of keeping up with my favourite shows it means i have to "acquire" these episodes by devious matters but this blog is a godsend.
I check it every day to read Alan's critiques (which i mostly agree with) and the interesting and varied discussions in the comments.
Keep up the good work Alan!
Also, if anyone is interested in UK dramas and comedies but looking to wade through the bile and straight to the good stuff leave a comment and i'll give out some recommendations :)
@erin. Thanks for the info. I'll give it a go.
First up, I'm going to finish off Moonlighting (I'm on Season 4--AKA the worst season of TV ever) and Degrassi High (the original series). I love TV from 1987.
After that, I'm going to try to get thru Lost before Season 6. And re-watch NewsRadio-because it is awesome. For the Netflix list I've got: Freaks and Geeks, HIMYM, and some old variety shows like Glenn Campbell and Dick Cavett. I'm going to try to figure out the appeal of Mad Men. Everyone I know LOVES Mad Men, but other than thinking Don Draper's pretty cool, I don't get the appeal.
RE: Just One of the Guys. My parents took 9 yr old me and my 6 yr old sister to see that in the theatres. Their reaction was almost as good as when (a few years later) my mother took me and my sister to see Bull Durham...Good times...
There is so much television to watch that I'm not sure the coming summer will be enough to fit it all in, especially since I'd like to get some time outside after the hideously long New England winter.
But my goal is to watch:
Mad Men S2
The Wire S4 & S5
Burn Notice (whichever season is on DVD, I don't have USA)
The remaining, un-aired episodes of Pushing Daisies.
And there's still more I'd like to see - final season of Deadwood, any Entourage, nevermind catching up on shows I missed this season due to a lack of a DVR.
I'm glad the blog will continue though, I look forward to reading every update!
I have a lot of stuff on the queue for this summer. I still need to watch The Wire. I stopped Mad Men midway through the first season because I wasn't feeling it, but I'll probably try and continue with that.
Otherwise, there's Brothers&Sisters (good, anyone?), Curb Your Enthusiasm, Undeclared, Doctor Who, MI-5, Cowboy Bebop, and catching up with Corner Gas.
My cousin lent me all of Alias and I've started making my way through that.
Also, Lost. Maybe. I'm a little bit scared that I'm not going to like it.
@Mads--I watched the first 2 seasons of Lost, and didn't really get the hype of it, so I gave it up. Of course, after I gave it up, I've heard (from Alan and others) that it got really good and did all kinds of things with time and continuity and what have you. Which is annoying. I should've stuck it out longer! So I guess my point is maybe S1 & S2 aren't great indicators of whether you'll like the rest of the show, but if you like them, I'm sure you'll love the entire thing. Especially if you're a big fan of puzzles. And Evangeline Lilly.
Live television I'm looking forward to includes the rest of Kings and the ABC shows, Merlin (on what, NBC?), Burn Notice, Mad Men. DVDs include the first seasons of The Wire, Friday Night Lights, Gilmore Girls, and Murder One (love the theme music). And later on, Season 4 of Supernatural on Blu-ray: I'm finally going to see what's lurking in those dark shadows!
@erin-- Thanks for the heads up, that's good to know. Crazy time-traveling confusing island madness here I come...
@grand-sophy - if Merlin is the BBC show from the UK i'd stay well clear. Dr Who it aint. Shudder.
Has anyone seen the "extended ending" of October Road on the season 2 DVD? Is it even worth buying?
When does AMC's version of The Prisoner debut? If it is this summer, than that. Also, I think PBS is airing a filmed staging of Ian McKellan's King Lear sometime soonish.
I'm excited for Leverage, having just fallen in love with it. And I await the last three episodes of Pushing Daisies.
My current summer project is a bunch of Star Trek: The Original Series.
Oh, right, and Deadwood. That DirecTV thing, the 101, is going to start showing it at the end of the month. I've been sort of scared of the violence I've heard is in it, but will give it a shot. And waiting for the last 3 eps of Pushing Daisies - youse guys who've seen them already, how did you manage it? I always think there's something I'm missing out on...
That's from Just One of the Guys? I assumed it was a male version of Mannequin.
As for burning things off: do you think they'll ever burn off the last episode of the tragically misguided Cupid? It was awful, of course, but the completist in me feels a need to see the end of it.
I'm looking forward to the return of Eureka and Psych. And for the remaining nights of the week... well, it's baseball season, so that will keep me busy six nights out of seven. And, would you believe, I just discovered that Eerie Indiana is on DVD, so I bought that and I'll have to work my way through that series. My VHS tapes of it were made on a VCR with a tracking error; they looked fine on that VCR but don't look right on anything else! Glad to see that peculiar little gem wasn't lost to television history.
@Karen: Deadwood can be very violent at times, not to mention profane at all times, but the writing and acting and look of the show transcend those things easily. The powerhouse performance by Ian McShane alone is worth it.
That's from Just One of the Guys? I assumed it was a male version of Mannequin.
Huh. Joyce does kinda look like Andrew McCarthy, too, as well as Damone from Fast Times.
Also, while YouTube doesn't seem to have the movie's most famous, and R-rated scene, there's always Terry's first trip into the boy's locker room, and, of course, Zabka's first comeuppance.
Huh. Joyce does kinda look like Andrew McCarthy...Actually, I was mostly thinking that she looks kind of lifeless...
And if we're going to talk about women-dressed-as-men, let's not forget Lou/Louise, the girl-dressed-as-a-boy Pony Express rider in Young Guns -- er, I mean Young Riders. She was so completely unconvincing that my first reaction to the TV Guide Fall Preview picture for the show was, "that's not a guy..." Didn't notice anything else in the picture, just the obviously-not-a-guy. Of course, in real life, women dressed as men in the "Wild West" didn't have to be very convincing to get away with it -- have you seen some of those photographs?
On the other hand, I was pretty much buying Joan Plowright as Viola-dressed-as-Sebastian in a 1960s made-for-TV Twelfth Night (although really, it's primarily worth watching for Alec Guinness and Tommy Steele as Malvolio and Feste, who completely steal the show).
I finally got around to Netflixing Sports Night last year. It was entertaining enough, but it really felt like a rough-draft of the West Wing. The most entertaining part may have been identifying the jokes and line deliveries that were re-used verbatim in WW and Studio 60.
Other than that (and it's unfair to complain about a show because it was ripped off later), my chief complaint was that it felt like it really suffered in the half-hour format. It was acceptable marathoning them on DVD, but I think it would have been totally intolerable to wait a week between episodes.
Actually, I was mostly thinking that she looks kind of lifeless...
Well, there is a reason that was the peak of her career. (That, or a stint on "LA Law" as one of Victor Sifuentes' bad news girlfriends.)
And if we're going to talk about women-dressed-as-men, let's not forget Lou/Louise, the girl-dressed-as-a-boy Pony Express rider in Young Guns -- er, I mean Young Riders.
"The Young Riders"! I'm mostly ashamed to admit this, but I was such a sucker for that show when it was on. (I had just read Lonesome Dove and was in a huge Western phase.) Yeah, Lou would definitely much closer to the Streisand/Bynes end of the spectrum than the Swank end.
Come to think of it, that's another actress that disappeared off the face of the earth not long after she stopped dressing in drag. So playing a dude can either win you an Oscar or kill your career, right?
I've seen them all, but if you all haven't, here are some great DVD summertime watches:
West Wing (Seasons 1-4)
Angel (always thought it was funnier and more grown-up than Buffy)
SportsNight
Battlestar Galactica (actually feels more like a Winter break view-a-thon, but nevertheless)
FireFly
The Wire
Homicide (Seasons 1-3)
Two Best Buys and a Walmart later...
I now have Just One of the Guys on DVD. Comedy Central be damned.
Thanks, Alan.
I'll be looking forward to getting stuck into The Wire and finally finishing Sopranos and also anticipating the new series of True Blood.
Two Best Buys and a Walmart later...
I now have Just One of the Guys on DVD. Comedy Central be damned.
Thanks, Alan.
No, no, no. Thank you, Jay. It's moments like this that make me proud to do what I do.
Leverage and Burn Notice are the shows I'm looking forward to this summer (I'm a sucker for caper shows). And will definitely watch along with Sports Night (just ordered the 10th anniversary DVDs despite already having a well-loved copy of the original DVD set) and maybe the Wire too (I saw the entire run, but this would be a good excuse to crack open my unopened copy of the complete series DVD collection).
Chuck is supposed to come out on Aug. I've got my iTunes pass already :)
Alan, thanks for your enjoyable reviews of Chuck and your support. The way you wrote about it and banged the drum so to speak I think definitely helped a lot of people fall in love with the show.
-imkeh
From Jan:
To Barry Gallagher: I'm really interested in some recommendations for UK series--both comedy and drama. I find it very frustrating to get only the chopped up versions on BBC America. I keep hoping they finally put out a DVD of Viva Blackpool here which is complete. I understand Life on Mars is coming out this summer (which I've already pre-ordered). Recommendations would be welcome. Thanks in advance.
"The Young Riders"! I'm mostly ashamed to admit this, but I was such a sucker for that show when it was on. I watched it too, otherwise I certainly wouldn't remember her bad girl-as-boy routine! A show that introduced the world to a young Stephen Baldwin, in the days before he teamed up with Pauly Shore... I recall that she played one of the lesbian founders of Cicely in Northern Exposure, but I don't recall her in anything else. IMDB says she didn't do much since then.
Joyce, on the other hand, has more credits than I would have expected on IMDB. I do rather vaguely remember her appearance in the Trickster episodes of The Flash (yet another guilty pleasure)
Maxed out: Yeah, I'd love to see a Wonderfalls rewatch/writeup around here...
Actual shows I plan on watching: In Plain Sight, Burn Notice, Eureka (whenever that comes back on).
On DVD: In Treatment, True Blood, Breaking Bad, finishing up Doctor Who, uh...I forget, it's a long list for the summer, y'all. I love Netflix. I might go back and watch the rest of Party Down via them too, since I never got past episode 1.
I'll watch Dirty Sexy Money and Pushing Daisies when they air. On DVD, as soon as I've finished S7 of the West Wing, I'll watch Extras (complete series bought on a whim from Amazon Gold Box-hope I like it) and I Love Lucy (Amazon Gold Box again, to educate myself on the classics). If there's time, I'll get Northern Exposure and later seasons of Battlestar Galactica from Netflix. And S4 of Weeds. And I'll rewatch Sports Night along with you.
Working my way through "The Shield," looking forward to the BBC version of "Life On Mars" and finally getting to "Slings and Arrows" and "Wire In The Blood."
(My verification word is "dictic." That's either a breath mint I will never buy or a really unfortunate twitch...)
I am anticipating your Wire blogs Alan. I enjoyed reading them last year and partaking in discussion.
Also excited to see is Burn Notice coming back on the 4th.
There is a Rewatch Chuck on Mondays campaign going on here http://chucktv.net/2009/05/26/chuck-me-mondays-watch-chuck-from-the-beginning/
It's for the summer and until the next new episode of Chuck in March!
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