TOUCH! It starts this week and I'll be recording it. I think it's just a "special preview" and the rest of the series won't start up until later in the season.
Andrew, yes you should record it.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Violence, Running, Blood, and...law cases?
Sorry for the delay but I'd gotten behind of the initial onslaught of winter TV. I have now watched the two hour pilots of both The Firm and Alcatraz.
Let's start with Alcatraz:
It's really hard for me to look at a JJ Abrams show objectively anymore. LOST will forever be in my mind. Speaking of, I've got 5 seasons of that show that I don't know that I'll ever go back and watch if you'd like to buy them for cheap. Back to the matter at hand, this show has some intriguing mysteries set up right from the start...but then again, so did LOST and we all know how that turned out..."it's about the characters, blah blah blah"....................
Okay, for real this time, I'm done with...that show that starts with L.
Alcatraz starts out right away with their premise of the prisoners and staff disappearing instead of being transferred out like the government told us. Cut to present day, a lovely looking unknown actress is chasing a guy with her partner across the rooftops. This chase does not end well for her partner. Oooo, she's damaged now. We then get to see what we assume is the first guy to show back up arrive in his cell on the present day Alcatraz and proceed to leave with cash and mysterious items. The way the whole first hour played out was solid. We got a good background of these characters and some simple characteristics about them and we got some interesting plot elements. Hurley is playing Hurley with a little more sophistication but not much. Sam Neill is Doctor Grant if he became grumpier and all mysterious. The plot movement of the first hour would seem like we might get some answers to mysteries within the first few episodes. The plot twist about a character at the end of the second hour was a genuine surprise, but I have to say something about it. Spoilers Begin! So I really liked the reveal that the assistant had somehow not aged either and was actually in Alcatraz in the 1960s. Is she in on the plot, or is she some kind of outside force trying to stop them? These are things that we might find out sooner rather than later IF, they hadn't revealed that AFTER she got shot and put into a coma. I thought her getting shot was a really cool surprise...until I realized she was a key to figuring out the mystery and then it retroactively became a dumb plot device to keep the answers from us longer, End of Spoilers! Overall it was a decent show with a shocking amount of violence in its second hour but I don't know how long it will keep my interest. I, along with a lot of genre TV lovers I'm assuming, don't have the same kind of patience we used to when it comes to overarching mysteries. We need to feel some kind of movement and I just don't know that this show is going to give us that. In my opinion, Fringe has the perfect speed of plot development. I never feel strung along but I always feel like progress is being made in the main plot arc.
I'll give Alcatraz a few more episodes and see where it leads. 6.5/10
Now onto The Firm. This unfortunately is another show I'm not entirely sure what to think of. The first thing it reminds me of is Damages because it starts out with an attention grabbing scene and then we flash back to six weeks earlier. Now, the good thing about this is it gives us a general time frame for when we'll be catching up to that exciting moment. I'll be curious to see if they give us more pieces as we go along like Damages or if we'll be left to forget about that opening. The end of the two hour premiere suggests the former.
In terms of casting, I think they really hit it out of the park. Josh Lucas has a certain gravitas to him as a main character. His brother is Leoben from Battlestar Galactica so that's going to give you instant points and then the head of "The Firm" he joins is Six from Battlestar so they clearly know good actors. Plus, Juliette Lewis, come on now. I thought the case of the weeks was fairly interesting but I'll be curious if we get to see the actual trial now. The ending board room scene with his new firm discussing their evil plans was a little "Mwahaha!" for me but it ended with a nice little twist akin to finding out about the fiance in Damages. Watching this pilot actually made me want to go back an watch Season 1 of Damages more. 8/10
Despite Alcatraz being the clear favorite for me going into these pilots I really think The Firm was a better made pilot with a more interesting hook. It feels less like genre TV which means we're more likely to get answers and while I know it's not what NBC wants, it's more practical to have a more complete 13 episode arc than Alcatraz which probably already has a 3 or 4 year plan.
In short:
Alcatraz: 6.5/10
The Firm: 8/10
I've got two more episodes of The Firm to watch so we'll see where it goes but I don't see Alcatraz lasting much longer (on my DVR) than another 2-3 episodes unless something amazing happens.
Let's start with Alcatraz:
It's really hard for me to look at a JJ Abrams show objectively anymore. LOST will forever be in my mind. Speaking of, I've got 5 seasons of that show that I don't know that I'll ever go back and watch if you'd like to buy them for cheap. Back to the matter at hand, this show has some intriguing mysteries set up right from the start...but then again, so did LOST and we all know how that turned out..."it's about the characters, blah blah blah"....................
Okay, for real this time, I'm done with...that show that starts with L.
Alcatraz starts out right away with their premise of the prisoners and staff disappearing instead of being transferred out like the government told us. Cut to present day, a lovely looking unknown actress is chasing a guy with her partner across the rooftops. This chase does not end well for her partner. Oooo, she's damaged now. We then get to see what we assume is the first guy to show back up arrive in his cell on the present day Alcatraz and proceed to leave with cash and mysterious items. The way the whole first hour played out was solid. We got a good background of these characters and some simple characteristics about them and we got some interesting plot elements. Hurley is playing Hurley with a little more sophistication but not much. Sam Neill is Doctor Grant if he became grumpier and all mysterious. The plot movement of the first hour would seem like we might get some answers to mysteries within the first few episodes. The plot twist about a character at the end of the second hour was a genuine surprise, but I have to say something about it. Spoilers Begin! So I really liked the reveal that the assistant had somehow not aged either and was actually in Alcatraz in the 1960s. Is she in on the plot, or is she some kind of outside force trying to stop them? These are things that we might find out sooner rather than later IF, they hadn't revealed that AFTER she got shot and put into a coma. I thought her getting shot was a really cool surprise...until I realized she was a key to figuring out the mystery and then it retroactively became a dumb plot device to keep the answers from us longer, End of Spoilers! Overall it was a decent show with a shocking amount of violence in its second hour but I don't know how long it will keep my interest. I, along with a lot of genre TV lovers I'm assuming, don't have the same kind of patience we used to when it comes to overarching mysteries. We need to feel some kind of movement and I just don't know that this show is going to give us that. In my opinion, Fringe has the perfect speed of plot development. I never feel strung along but I always feel like progress is being made in the main plot arc.
I'll give Alcatraz a few more episodes and see where it leads. 6.5/10
Now onto The Firm. This unfortunately is another show I'm not entirely sure what to think of. The first thing it reminds me of is Damages because it starts out with an attention grabbing scene and then we flash back to six weeks earlier. Now, the good thing about this is it gives us a general time frame for when we'll be catching up to that exciting moment. I'll be curious to see if they give us more pieces as we go along like Damages or if we'll be left to forget about that opening. The end of the two hour premiere suggests the former.
In terms of casting, I think they really hit it out of the park. Josh Lucas has a certain gravitas to him as a main character. His brother is Leoben from Battlestar Galactica so that's going to give you instant points and then the head of "The Firm" he joins is Six from Battlestar so they clearly know good actors. Plus, Juliette Lewis, come on now. I thought the case of the weeks was fairly interesting but I'll be curious if we get to see the actual trial now. The ending board room scene with his new firm discussing their evil plans was a little "Mwahaha!" for me but it ended with a nice little twist akin to finding out about the fiance in Damages. Watching this pilot actually made me want to go back an watch Season 1 of Damages more. 8/10
Despite Alcatraz being the clear favorite for me going into these pilots I really think The Firm was a better made pilot with a more interesting hook. It feels less like genre TV which means we're more likely to get answers and while I know it's not what NBC wants, it's more practical to have a more complete 13 episode arc than Alcatraz which probably already has a 3 or 4 year plan.
In short:
Alcatraz: 6.5/10
The Firm: 8/10
I've got two more episodes of The Firm to watch so we'll see where it goes but I don't see Alcatraz lasting much longer (on my DVR) than another 2-3 episodes unless something amazing happens.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Kristen Bell, you can do soooo much better...
So Showtime's new series, House of Lies, started last night. It stars Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell, Jean-Ralphio from Parks and Rec and some random guy that looks vaguely familiar but I can't place him. Let me clear, Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell both did fantastic jobs in regards to the acting. Kristen Bell in particular had a certain gravitas in the pilot and I hope she gets more to do in later episodes.
Now onto the bad. This show was not particularly well made. It's like old school Showtime drivel. "Oh noes, there's a lull in the plot, quick someone take their top off, you two, do each other, can we do some lesbian stuff now!?!?" It was just so excessive, and I say this as a fan of Spartacus. In the 32 minute premiere of House of Lies, there were at least 5 different sets of boobs and 3-4 sex scenes (one of which was two women in a bathroom stall). There were a couple of interesting character moments but overall, the show was kind of a mess.
I'll watch a few more episodes only because of Kristen Bell but overall, this was a big disappointment.
Now onto the bad. This show was not particularly well made. It's like old school Showtime drivel. "Oh noes, there's a lull in the plot, quick someone take their top off, you two, do each other, can we do some lesbian stuff now!?!?" It was just so excessive, and I say this as a fan of Spartacus. In the 32 minute premiere of House of Lies, there were at least 5 different sets of boobs and 3-4 sex scenes (one of which was two women in a bathroom stall). There were a couple of interesting character moments but overall, the show was kind of a mess.
I'll watch a few more episodes only because of Kristen Bell but overall, this was a big disappointment.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Let all acquaintance be forgot for my DVR is full....and I really need to catch up...
Happy New Year to all my followers...though I don't know where you are because I got no comments on my last post. This was your idea people...get with the program!
So, continuing where we left off:
January 17:
Southland - I always wanted to watch this show and just have never gotten around to it. If anyone does and can give some input, let me know...in the comments...where you should all be discussing anyways...
Justified - Timothy Olyphant, that's all you need to know. Watch it.
White Collar - A show that pulled itself out of a bit of a sophomore slump to have a very entertaining first half to its 3rd season. I'm really looking forward to this.
Glee
New Girl
Raising Hope
January 19:
Archer - So I was less than thrilled with LOST-style 3 episode preview in the fall before the full season in the winter. It also didn't help that those three episodes were probably some of the weakest of the series. The last one brought its game back up but the previews for the rest of the season have had me rolling so I'm optimistic.
Unsupervised - This is I believe by the It's Always Sunny people so that warrants a view from me
January 22:
American Idol - Oh what a rocky relationship we have AI. Last season I was very apathetic until a hot little jazzy singer came along and became my favorite contestant since Kris Allen. I was so behind Haley that the night when she was treated like a piece of trash by the judges, I was screaming obscenities at my TV and my blood pressure had to be through the roof. This is not healthy and I don't know if I have it in me to invest like that this year. Plus, the Triumvirate of Evil is back behind the judges table.
January 26:
Common Law - I've only seen the occasional preview while watching Psych and Burn Notice but it looks like it could be entertaining. They have been very few USA shows over the last couple of years that haven't had some redeeming value so I'll be giving this one a shot.
January 27:
Spartacus: Vengeance - Andy Whitfield passing away was a great loss for this show because he definitely made it the hit it became for Starz. However, he apparently gave his blessing to this new guy and early reviews seem to indicate that he does a really nice job. I'm looking forward to seeing if the pattern of increasing quality this show developed in its first season can continue.
Chuck (Series Finale) - I have really enjoyed this season and I really like that this entire season has seemed like an epilogue of sorts for the show. Characters are settling, storylines are coming to a head and I can't wait to see how it all end.
February 5:
The Voice - Another pleasant surprise of 2011. My one note for this show is that the judges stop being cheerleaders 24/7 and give their contestants some honest critiques. If I wanted moronic judging, I'd go watch American Idol.
February 6:
Smash - I know, surprise surprise, the guy who still like Glee is on board with the new musical show. Not only is the show getting very solid reviews but I think the cast is great. Debra Messing has always been underrated in my opinion and Jack Davenport impressed me during the small amount of time I watched Flash Forward. I think it can be really great, like a Glee for thinking and intelligent people.
February 7:
The River - I still don't really know exactly what this show is going to look like on a week to week basis but the trailers certainly have me intrigued enough to try it out for a few episodes.
February 12:
The Walking Dead - After a spectacular finish to a solid run of episodes, I can't wait to see the fallout.
So that about wraps it up for right now. If anything new pops up, I'll let you know. Again, if there's something not on here that you know is coming back, comment below and I'll find out for you.
If you're a Once Upon a Time fan like I am, this interview may make you even more excited for this coming Sunday (warning spoilers for the Fall finale inside) http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/12/23/once-upon-a-time-scoop/
Also, I found this and, especially after discussing all the 2012 stuff at New Year's, it made me laugh quite hard. Enjoy...and post comments!
So, continuing where we left off:
January 17:
Southland - I always wanted to watch this show and just have never gotten around to it. If anyone does and can give some input, let me know...in the comments...where you should all be discussing anyways...
Justified - Timothy Olyphant, that's all you need to know. Watch it.
White Collar - A show that pulled itself out of a bit of a sophomore slump to have a very entertaining first half to its 3rd season. I'm really looking forward to this.
Glee
New Girl
Raising Hope
January 19:
Archer - So I was less than thrilled with LOST-style 3 episode preview in the fall before the full season in the winter. It also didn't help that those three episodes were probably some of the weakest of the series. The last one brought its game back up but the previews for the rest of the season have had me rolling so I'm optimistic.
Unsupervised - This is I believe by the It's Always Sunny people so that warrants a view from me
January 22:
American Idol - Oh what a rocky relationship we have AI. Last season I was very apathetic until a hot little jazzy singer came along and became my favorite contestant since Kris Allen. I was so behind Haley that the night when she was treated like a piece of trash by the judges, I was screaming obscenities at my TV and my blood pressure had to be through the roof. This is not healthy and I don't know if I have it in me to invest like that this year. Plus, the Triumvirate of Evil is back behind the judges table.
January 26:
Common Law - I've only seen the occasional preview while watching Psych and Burn Notice but it looks like it could be entertaining. They have been very few USA shows over the last couple of years that haven't had some redeeming value so I'll be giving this one a shot.
January 27:
Spartacus: Vengeance - Andy Whitfield passing away was a great loss for this show because he definitely made it the hit it became for Starz. However, he apparently gave his blessing to this new guy and early reviews seem to indicate that he does a really nice job. I'm looking forward to seeing if the pattern of increasing quality this show developed in its first season can continue.
Chuck (Series Finale) - I have really enjoyed this season and I really like that this entire season has seemed like an epilogue of sorts for the show. Characters are settling, storylines are coming to a head and I can't wait to see how it all end.
February 5:
The Voice - Another pleasant surprise of 2011. My one note for this show is that the judges stop being cheerleaders 24/7 and give their contestants some honest critiques. If I wanted moronic judging, I'd go watch American Idol.
February 6:
Smash - I know, surprise surprise, the guy who still like Glee is on board with the new musical show. Not only is the show getting very solid reviews but I think the cast is great. Debra Messing has always been underrated in my opinion and Jack Davenport impressed me during the small amount of time I watched Flash Forward. I think it can be really great, like a Glee for thinking and intelligent people.
February 7:
The River - I still don't really know exactly what this show is going to look like on a week to week basis but the trailers certainly have me intrigued enough to try it out for a few episodes.
February 12:
The Walking Dead - After a spectacular finish to a solid run of episodes, I can't wait to see the fallout.
So that about wraps it up for right now. If anything new pops up, I'll let you know. Again, if there's something not on here that you know is coming back, comment below and I'll find out for you.
If you're a Once Upon a Time fan like I am, this interview may make you even more excited for this coming Sunday (warning spoilers for the Fall finale inside) http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/12/23/once-upon-a-time-scoop/
Also, I found this and, especially after discussing all the 2012 stuff at New Year's, it made me laugh quite hard. Enjoy...and post comments!
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