october 6, 2007Over the summer, I discovered two awesome TV shows: Burn Notice and Feasting on Asphalt. And there was the awesome Doctor Who, who has been the staple of my last few summers.
Now that the regular TV season has started, I have been tasting the goods. NBC has been the focus of my sampling since they have had the most shows that had appeal to me -- though, I did drink some other Kool Aid also. Here are the shows that I sampled:
- Bionic Woman: With all the hype behind this show, with Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica, and with Battlestar Galactica producer David Eick...Bionic Woman was surprisingly disappointing. At least the pilot was. I can see the potential in the show and I'll stick around to see if it is realized. But, as it stands, the show got off to a disappointing start. The little sister bothers me. The faux-San Francisco bothers me. There was no chemistry between Jaime and her doctor boyfriend. It was all a bit flat. And, most disappointing was Katee Sackhoff. I love her as Starbuck on Battlestar Galactica because she nails the part. Here in Bionic Woman, she is all over the map. I think she is playing up the part too much and adding a bit too much camp to the part. I hope she tones it down a bit.
- Chuck: Chuck is half of this seasons "retailer" action-comedy freshmen. The idea was interesting, a Geek Squad-like dude by day and government operative by night. During the opening scenes of Chuck, I had a sense of deja vu. I had seen this particular style of movie making before. The high gloss of it all. Then I saw the executive producer and director was McG -- the acronym that brought you the Charlie's Angels movies. That did not really turn me off, but it gave me an idea what to expect from the show: All dessert, no main dish. And that is just what the show is. Lots of good looking people, lots of glossy visuals, but not much meat to sink your teeth into. This show will probably get cut from my watching.
- Journeyman: This show disappointed me in the first 15 minutes, but then they released a surprise twist on me and that got me hooked. I can't see Journeyman sticking around for long though. The mystery around Livia, I can see that holding people's interest. But, it seems that is not the main part of the show. The show is really about the main character traveling back in time to help people -- a reluctant time traveling savior. I watched the second episode and it is readily becoming apparent that Journeyman is going to be a show that I'll try to catch, but will not mind if I miss. The time traveling bits do not have enough substance to hold my attention. The real world bits are marred by a bad casting decision with the wife. The only interesting thing is the present-day Livia plot. I hope they focus on that more.
- Reaper: The only reason I caught this show was that I noticed Kevin Smith (Mall Rats, Silent Bob, Chasing Amy, etc) directed the pilot. Reaper is the second "retailer" action-comedy freshman of this season. It has a lot more substance than Chuck. It also has a lot more laughs than Chuck. Overall, it is a better show than Chuck because of the strong writing. Ray Wise is awesome as the devil. But, this show may also end up in the "toss" pile, if only because I am not hooked on it for some reason.
- Life: I saved the best for last. I saw the previews for Life a while back, but forgot to put in the recording schedule on the DVR. So, I actually missed the pilot -- but, thank goodness for streaming access to full episodes on nbc.com. I caught the pilot online and just finished watching the second episode. Life is, so far, this season's best new show. The writing is great -- funny, smart, and witty. The characters are awesome and likable -- everyone is flawed in the show and it all feels right. The best thing about the show is Damian Lewis. I caught Damian Lewis in Band of Brothers and I thought he was an actor to keep track of. He really has not done anything worthwhile since Band of Brothers, Life changes that. Lewis is captivating in the show and commands each scene that he is in. His character Charlie is...quirky. Very, very quirky -- but not annoyingly quirky like Monk. And that makes the character enjoyable. If you missed Life, check it out here. This show is not to be missed.
I am trying to get into Heroes again, but I'm having a hard time. I really thought they should have ended the series last season.
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