(no subject)

[shadowkat]

Read a couple of posts about people losing interest in Glee or giving up on it, after, wait for it...two episodes. I'm not kidding. They have chosen to kick the show to the curb after two episodes. LOL. (Not counting the pilot - which they appeared to have liked). Wish people did the same with the Twilight books, several reality series and procedurals I won't name and 90210, but oh well.

Boggles the mind. Our society really has become spoiled with choices, hasn't it?
We expect to be entertained now, and if we aren't, we wander off to better climes.
It's weird when it comes to TV, I don't expect that sort of immediate gratification and tend to be fairly suspicious of it when it comes. Mostly because 9 times out of ten the tv shows that gave it to me, sucked beans by about the twentieth episode or even the second season, then either disappeared or I gave up on. Examples of the strikes gold with first episode then staggers into mediocrity include Heroes, Grey's Anatomy, Ugly Betty, Joan of Arcadia, Nip/Tuck and to a degree Veronica Mars...while examples of sort of lame, but has potential, and wow, has become surprisingly brilliant include Buffy, Angel, Supernatural...Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Babylon 5 (although I did like the first two seasons), and Gossip Girl.

I've learned to give a tv show that I find intriguing a ten episode try, a tv show that I find halfway interesting - a five episode try. Heck I hated How I Met Your Mother the first season, second one I liked a bit better.

Granted mileage differs on this, as it does on practically everything including how to discuss things and whether or not to argue and how to best support an argument, people are really frustrating to talk to sometimes. While it would be really boring if we all agreed, there are weeks I wish we sort of did. ;-)

And Glee much like Dollhouse and other off the beaten path tv shows (aka Cult hits) is hardly for everyone. It's satire. I'm weird when it comes to comedy - I prefer satire to "embarrassment/situational" comedy.

In other news Dollhouse has a killer guest cast this season. I don't know who Whedon is bribing but he somehow managed to lure the likes of Keith Carradine, Ray Wise, Jamie Bamber, Summer Glau, and Alexis Denisof to his cast this season. Keith Carradine and Ray Wise are the creme of the sci-fi television guest stars. No one can play twisted, multi-faceted characters like these guys. For a low-budgeted series, that's pretty damn good.

Sorry, but I adore Keith Carradine. Some people love lead actor/actress types, me? I follow the character actors...with a few minor exceptions of course.

Comments

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

I'm right there with you loving the character actors, and I am very excited about Dollhouse's second season...
Personally I thought Glee got off to a great start and I definitely want to keep watching, but as usual a lot of my favorite shows will be on against each other (which is hard on me). Actually I'm just happy there are actually shows I enjoy seeing!

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

See this is one of the glorious things about DVR's - you can tape two shows simultaneously. Also the wonderful thing about DVDs...you can wait and rent them. (assuming of course you can afford either...if you can't, forget what I said above, been there done that.)

Dollhouse S2 looks very interesting - aided greatly by the fact that Whedon's second seasons are always better than his first seasons. He's not very good at intros, it takes him time to figure out what a show is about, what he wants to do, what the cast is capable of, and feel comfy. (Which is why Fox's premature cancellation of Firefly sucked beans. Fortunately they appear to have learned their lesson and did not do the same thing with Dollhouse.)

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I'd suggest just renting Supernatural on netflix or watching the reruns - do it during an off-time.

Never got into Dark Angel, partly because it was opposite something else that I was into at the time and no DVR. DVR's and netflix have changed tv watching.

[eilowyn.livejournal.com]

I've learned to give a tv show that I find intriguing a ten episode try, a tv show that I find halfway interesting - a five episode try.

Brilliant policy, btw. Definitely agree with you that Buffy didn't become brilliant until season 2 (subsequently with the arrival of Spike, of course). You nailed the list of shows that had good first seasons then turned blah afterwards, though I'd add The O.C. to that list of one-season wonders.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Would agree - the OC is another excellent example of the one-season wonders list. Series that peak too early then lose steam.

Most tv shows fluctuate - like Lost and BSG. They have their ups and downs. Which makes sense if you consider the writers are hammering out 22 episodes each year. (Sort of the equivalent of writing, producing, editing, acting, directing 22 films a year. Or writing 22 books a year. Not as easy as it looks.) The UK's policy of 13 episodes a year (Torchwoood and Doctor Who) actually works better and has been adopted sucessfully by several series including Mad Men, and possibly Dollhouse. It frees up the writers, actors and the budget. Cheaper and less exhausting on everyone involved.

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

I saw Keith Carradine in Will Rogers Follies, he was amazing.

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

I saw Keith Carradine yesterday in The Duellists!!! He was great. I wish he would sing his "Maria's eyes" song (from Maria's Lovers)to me.

I think that Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh from BSG) is also guest-starring in "Dollhouse". Joss did love the BSG cast.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Well, will give Whedon this much - he has good taste. But he appears to be grabbing all the male actors and none of the female ones from BSG - although to be fair the female actors have been busier - Katee Sackoff has been in numerous pilots and series. (She's now on 24). Grace Park was on The Cleaner (I think, never watched it), Tricia Helfer has done Burn Notice and several other shows. And Mary McDonnell - is busy with Grey's and The Closer.

Wish he'd cast Marsters and Sackoff as a couple in Dollhouse.
A complicated, somewhat villianous couple. But both are busy with other things.

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

I still love Glee. And now I know who Josh Groban is.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

If someone gives up on a show after two episodes, one should be thrilled they even watched it at all...

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Why?

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Somebody who quits your show after two episodes is likely someone who really doesn't appreciate it and isn't grabbed or interested by it at all. You aren't going to get them as a fan.

It's better to be grateful they watched it at all, then frustrated that they aren't sticking around.

Denial-Anger-Bargaining-Depression-Acceptance.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Not really, there were about six or seven posts/reviews that I saw that were whinging about it. Yours was one of many. If it were just one, I wouldn't have said anything. ;-)

I love the show and am hoping it survives. Too many shows I've loved have died because everyone gave up on them after two or three episodes. Wonderfalls and Firefly are two examples.

It's irritating.

[annegables.livejournal.com]

I think viewers are being trained to give up on shows by the networks who do the same thing. Our whole society is turning into a throw away idea - which has ended up including incredible shows such as Firefly and Pushing Daisies.