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Well, the Fall - Spring TV season is winding to a close...so here's a quick round-up of the shows that worked for me and the one's that didn't.
Best of the bunch?
1. Revenge - this series just kept packing on the twists and surprises. And unlike other series, it was tightly written and made sense. Each twist actually worked and did not come out of nowhere (yes, I'm looking at you Ringer). The writing remained crisp with several powerhouse female performances - Madeline Stowe as the icy yet oddly broken Victoria Grayson, who at the end is desperately seeking to redeem herself in her daughter's eyes, Emily Van Camp as her nemesis, and the lead protagonist, Emily Thorne, seeking revenge for the transgressions against her father. ( Read more... )
2. Once Upon a Time - the twisty fairy tale series from various writers of Lost and one of the best writers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer....this series packed surprises. It also broke barriers in how narratives can be told. Much of the story was told out-of-sequence, through the points of view of various fairy tale characters. And each tale was often an innovative twist on an old fairy tale trope - ( spoilers )
3. The Good Wife - continues to work on all levels, exploring each and every character in its ensemble cast in great depth. This show, I watch live. And it's the only procedural I tend to watch, although its not really a procedural. More of an ensemble piece. At it's core are the performances of three great female actresses : Christine Baranski, Julianna Marguiles, and the gal who plays Kalinda. But the supporting male performances are equally strong and textured, Cary Argos, Peter, Will, and Eli.
The show focuses on politics in all forms - gender, office, legal, business, government,
and family. Each season delving deeper into the ethical conundrums faced by the various characters in their struggle to achieve their aims.( Read more... )
4. Game of Thrones - two episodes away from the finish line...and this show continues to surprise me with its ambitious writing and scope. It most likely helps that I have a vague memory of the books upon which it is based and am not at all invested in the series sticking closely to the novels in it's adaptation. It most likely will stick closer than most people expect, since the writers are fans of the novels and have enlisted the creator in the project, to the extent that the original creator has written a pivotal episode each season, is hands on in the casting, and often consulted. Granted he doesn't agree with all their choices...but that doesn't bother that much, since I'm not invested in the books. In many ways, I prefer the series. It's tighter than the novels, more focused, and in some respects less violent. There are a few changes that don't quite work, and I'm not sure I understand the point of - ( Read more... )
In regards to last season? In some respects this one is better. There's less gratutitious sex scenes and nudity than last season, although also less male nudity, which is annoying considering I'd rather see Robb naked than Theon. And the additional bits...which weren't in the books are better. Stand-out's include scenes between Ayra and Tywin, Tyrion and Cersei, and Jamie and Robb. I'll definitely be getting it on DVD. It's a keeper.
5. Vamp Diaries aka TVD - possibly the best gothic soap opera on tv. I don't really consider Revenge a soap opera. It rivals Dark Shadows for its twists and turns.
Deftly plotted, with one-liner's that come at a rapid fire pace, Vamp Diaries will make you gasp and laugh often within minutes or at the same time. ( Read more... )
6. Mad Men is also slowly winding down...two - three episodes left, I believe.
And it has not had many stronger seasons than this. At times funny, others tragic and painful...it continues to depict the pain of changing times. Few shows depict the rages and humor of mid-life crisis better. At the same time, it stylishly depicts an era, the 1960s, in pitch perfect shades of grey. Pushing past the nostalgia, to show the cracks, the chauvinism, the racism, and the struggle to overcome and deal with both...which linger today. Watching Mad Men the viewer is painfully aware that no matter where you go, there you are...still. We've not advanced as far as we hoped. Our ills are remarkably similar to theirs. And that...makes us a wee bit uncomfortable. In some respects Mad Men is AMC's most honest serial...because it shows the mundane flow...of everyday life.
7. Big Bang Theory - continues to work, delving deeper each season in the geeky lives of its characters. This season the ladies were given a chance to shine and had more air-time. Becoming less and less "girl-friends" and more characters in their own right.
Community - possibly the most innovative of the sitcoms, at times I wonder if Community exists primarily as a self-aware parody of pop culture, specifically television and film. The two comedies are an odd pair - both depict pop culture geeks, outsiders,
one group is an insanely intelligent yet socially awkward group of scientists, while the other group is a group of struggling adults attempting to get an education, and equally socially awkward. I'm not sure which group would win at a game of Paint-ball, I'm guessing Community would kick Big Bang's butt, but at Trivia Pursuit..Sheldon vs. Adeb...hmmm.
8. Subrogatory and The B*** in Apt 23 - two bitchy comedies about fish out of water. In one, a snarky NY teen moves to the suburbs, in the other, a naive wall street wannabee moves to NYC. Both feel like satires. Sub...is a bit more on target than B...But both charm me at times with the innovative takes on the format. Unlike New Girl, B doesn't try to be charming or adorable, and goes straight for the jugglar. Bitchy. It makes fun of pop culture and societal image. Just as Sub does... and pokes fun at women are seen in society, what is expected of us by men...and sort of flips society the finger.
9. In Plain Sight - the series final season did a good job of wrapping various characters arcs, moving each character forward in a satisfying way or about as satisfying as can be expected from a USA procedural series. Mary finally puts her Daddy issues at rest, frees Marshall - her devoted partner - to advance and move on with his pending marriage, and reunites with her crazy and messed up sis, Squish.
10. Doctor Who wrapped up it's 6th Season, and arc with The Wedding Song of River Song, becoming my favorite of the long-running Doctor Who series. While far from perfect,
the River/Doctor relationship changed the series and played with the trope in new ways, paving the way for a female doctor or at least the possibility of one. River may well be the closest we'll come to. Unlike his companions or the spunky Rose Tyler, River Song was The Doctor's equal in every way, including his somewhat twisted morality, developed as a weapon against him, she in the end becomes his ultimate savior...changing the course of his journey in more ways than one.
* Note - I have not seen Sherlock yet. So cannot comment on it.
Smash - neither the worst nor the best...it was okay. With various flaws. The good news is that the producers figured them out and appear to be correcting them. Not hard to do since every television critic on the planet pointed them out repeatedly. Smash like Glee was at its best when it focused on the musical numbers and the process of creating them, putting on the show, it is at its worst focusing on the interpersonal lives of the characters.( Read more... )
The Walking Dead - like Smash, the Walking Dead had good moments and bad ones.
Deathly slow at times, it rewarded the viewer in the final installments. ( Read more... )
The Worst....
( Read more... )
Best of the bunch?
1. Revenge - this series just kept packing on the twists and surprises. And unlike other series, it was tightly written and made sense. Each twist actually worked and did not come out of nowhere (yes, I'm looking at you Ringer). The writing remained crisp with several powerhouse female performances - Madeline Stowe as the icy yet oddly broken Victoria Grayson, who at the end is desperately seeking to redeem herself in her daughter's eyes, Emily Van Camp as her nemesis, and the lead protagonist, Emily Thorne, seeking revenge for the transgressions against her father. ( Read more... )
2. Once Upon a Time - the twisty fairy tale series from various writers of Lost and one of the best writers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer....this series packed surprises. It also broke barriers in how narratives can be told. Much of the story was told out-of-sequence, through the points of view of various fairy tale characters. And each tale was often an innovative twist on an old fairy tale trope - ( spoilers )
3. The Good Wife - continues to work on all levels, exploring each and every character in its ensemble cast in great depth. This show, I watch live. And it's the only procedural I tend to watch, although its not really a procedural. More of an ensemble piece. At it's core are the performances of three great female actresses : Christine Baranski, Julianna Marguiles, and the gal who plays Kalinda. But the supporting male performances are equally strong and textured, Cary Argos, Peter, Will, and Eli.
The show focuses on politics in all forms - gender, office, legal, business, government,
and family. Each season delving deeper into the ethical conundrums faced by the various characters in their struggle to achieve their aims.( Read more... )
4. Game of Thrones - two episodes away from the finish line...and this show continues to surprise me with its ambitious writing and scope. It most likely helps that I have a vague memory of the books upon which it is based and am not at all invested in the series sticking closely to the novels in it's adaptation. It most likely will stick closer than most people expect, since the writers are fans of the novels and have enlisted the creator in the project, to the extent that the original creator has written a pivotal episode each season, is hands on in the casting, and often consulted. Granted he doesn't agree with all their choices...but that doesn't bother that much, since I'm not invested in the books. In many ways, I prefer the series. It's tighter than the novels, more focused, and in some respects less violent. There are a few changes that don't quite work, and I'm not sure I understand the point of - ( Read more... )
In regards to last season? In some respects this one is better. There's less gratutitious sex scenes and nudity than last season, although also less male nudity, which is annoying considering I'd rather see Robb naked than Theon. And the additional bits...which weren't in the books are better. Stand-out's include scenes between Ayra and Tywin, Tyrion and Cersei, and Jamie and Robb. I'll definitely be getting it on DVD. It's a keeper.
5. Vamp Diaries aka TVD - possibly the best gothic soap opera on tv. I don't really consider Revenge a soap opera. It rivals Dark Shadows for its twists and turns.
Deftly plotted, with one-liner's that come at a rapid fire pace, Vamp Diaries will make you gasp and laugh often within minutes or at the same time. ( Read more... )
6. Mad Men is also slowly winding down...two - three episodes left, I believe.
And it has not had many stronger seasons than this. At times funny, others tragic and painful...it continues to depict the pain of changing times. Few shows depict the rages and humor of mid-life crisis better. At the same time, it stylishly depicts an era, the 1960s, in pitch perfect shades of grey. Pushing past the nostalgia, to show the cracks, the chauvinism, the racism, and the struggle to overcome and deal with both...which linger today. Watching Mad Men the viewer is painfully aware that no matter where you go, there you are...still. We've not advanced as far as we hoped. Our ills are remarkably similar to theirs. And that...makes us a wee bit uncomfortable. In some respects Mad Men is AMC's most honest serial...because it shows the mundane flow...of everyday life.
7. Big Bang Theory - continues to work, delving deeper each season in the geeky lives of its characters. This season the ladies were given a chance to shine and had more air-time. Becoming less and less "girl-friends" and more characters in their own right.
Community - possibly the most innovative of the sitcoms, at times I wonder if Community exists primarily as a self-aware parody of pop culture, specifically television and film. The two comedies are an odd pair - both depict pop culture geeks, outsiders,
one group is an insanely intelligent yet socially awkward group of scientists, while the other group is a group of struggling adults attempting to get an education, and equally socially awkward. I'm not sure which group would win at a game of Paint-ball, I'm guessing Community would kick Big Bang's butt, but at Trivia Pursuit..Sheldon vs. Adeb...hmmm.
8. Subrogatory and The B*** in Apt 23 - two bitchy comedies about fish out of water. In one, a snarky NY teen moves to the suburbs, in the other, a naive wall street wannabee moves to NYC. Both feel like satires. Sub...is a bit more on target than B...But both charm me at times with the innovative takes on the format. Unlike New Girl, B doesn't try to be charming or adorable, and goes straight for the jugglar. Bitchy. It makes fun of pop culture and societal image. Just as Sub does... and pokes fun at women are seen in society, what is expected of us by men...and sort of flips society the finger.
9. In Plain Sight - the series final season did a good job of wrapping various characters arcs, moving each character forward in a satisfying way or about as satisfying as can be expected from a USA procedural series. Mary finally puts her Daddy issues at rest, frees Marshall - her devoted partner - to advance and move on with his pending marriage, and reunites with her crazy and messed up sis, Squish.
10. Doctor Who wrapped up it's 6th Season, and arc with The Wedding Song of River Song, becoming my favorite of the long-running Doctor Who series. While far from perfect,
the River/Doctor relationship changed the series and played with the trope in new ways, paving the way for a female doctor or at least the possibility of one. River may well be the closest we'll come to. Unlike his companions or the spunky Rose Tyler, River Song was The Doctor's equal in every way, including his somewhat twisted morality, developed as a weapon against him, she in the end becomes his ultimate savior...changing the course of his journey in more ways than one.
* Note - I have not seen Sherlock yet. So cannot comment on it.
Smash - neither the worst nor the best...it was okay. With various flaws. The good news is that the producers figured them out and appear to be correcting them. Not hard to do since every television critic on the planet pointed them out repeatedly. Smash like Glee was at its best when it focused on the musical numbers and the process of creating them, putting on the show, it is at its worst focusing on the interpersonal lives of the characters.( Read more... )
The Walking Dead - like Smash, the Walking Dead had good moments and bad ones.
Deathly slow at times, it rewarded the viewer in the final installments. ( Read more... )
The Worst....
( Read more... )