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chrisvenusSO I noticed that I'm behind on my NaBloPoMo posting. You've probably already noticed that I've given up on the one per day and am going for the average one per day approach instead. Since my life doesn't seem to be filled with enough interest and wonder to cope with this I thought I'd just start talking about uninteresting things instead...
So this is what I'm watching on TV at the moment (in general):
Burn Notice
This is a fun little spy like series that is on FX (if I remember correctly). The premise is that the lead character used to be a spy until he got "burned". This apparently refers to him being compromised and so totally cut off. He was put in miami (where he comes from) and told not to leave. Given he did nothign wrong and wasn't compromised he wants to find out what happened. This is all just a backplot though to the episodes plot which usually revolves around him helping out an individual in trouble using his spy abilities. He's got a couple of friends who help him out and his mum who helps out but knows nothign about what he does (or did or whatever).
Its a fun series. Interesting plots, intriguing meta-plot with decent pace (ie there are developments rather than just emphasis of current situation). Its also got first person narration voiceover which I am always a fan of in the series. So the lead character will be describing why you do various spy things, what he's looking out for, etc.
I'm really enjoying it. I originally thought I'd just be watching it as filler but its got onto my list of things I'd be annoyed to miss. Fortunately though I don't think the meta plot is strong enough that it would matter if I missed an episode (certainly not in what I've seen so far) and you could almost certainly jump straight into the series now with no real effort.
Smallville
Smallville has just started its 8th series on E4. I've been a big fan of the series, mainly for the character development of Lex Luthor who starts series one as Clark's friend and as the show has moved onwards they have kept the character totally consistent and showed how he has moved to being what others consider evil. The rest of what I enjoyed was shouting "You're such a dick!" at clark (he is most of the reason lex went evil I think) and being amused at the angst levels of it. I tend to actually refer to it as angstville to people nowadays. It seems that people given a choice of actions will always choose the one that leads to most angsting.
The new season I'm only two episodes into and am yet to make my mind up. Several main cast characters have left (Lex, Kara aka Supergirl, Lana (aka main angst source and teenage crush), Lionel (Lex's father and another great character). They have put Green Arrow into the opening credits so I'm hoping he's going to be main cast. They've also got clark working at the daily planet with lois so I'm thinking that we are starting to get close tot he main superman canon. The series is starting to run out of places to go unless they go fairly full on superman. They've got the Justice league (or near enough) superhero team established, I think this series might be seeing a supervillain equivalent. Its all good and I'll be happy to see it go to a much more superhero format if they want but that's never been their intent so I'm not sure. Still, I'm enjoying watching it.
Stargate: Atlantis
The spin off is in its last series. I was always a big fan of SG1 and I'm a big fan of atlantis. Its not being very exdciting at the moemnt though. The metaplot just doesn't seem to be gripping really. Individual episodes are fun and they had a flashback episode recently that reminded me of some of the cool previous episodes. I think I love some individual episodes but as a whole series its missing something to make it compelling. I don't know what, I'm just not compelled. :) they have had some great episodes recently though and I think I'm looking forward to how the series will finish.
Star Wars clone wars
I'm not sure of the exact history of this bbut as far as I can tell between Star Wars episode 2 and 3 there was a cartoon of the Clone Wars made by the people that did samurai jack. It was a great series, very silly, officially canon I think but there was some really weird stuff in places. All good though. Recently they decided to make another clone wars cartoon. This one is I think very inspired by the first one but is full CG for a start. They released a film in the cinema that was, I believe, a introduction to the series but I didn't see it so can't say for sure.
I think its probably vaguely aimed at kids but not in a bad way. It isn't taking itself too seriously as well which is good. I've had several laugh out loud moments such as when the big droid battle ship has disabled a target and one of the battle droids manning the guns says "I still can't hit it!". One thing that also made me very happy is that after the opening episode being yoda kicking ass with clone troopers (who are awesome) followed by anakin kicking ass in the following episode that the last episode was purely clone troopers kicking ass.
So far I'm loving it.
Heroes
And of course Heroes makes the list. No real surprise there. Heroes is twisty turny but I have always loved the way there are so many different threads. I've been half tempted in the past to try to make a diagram (maybe using pieces of string tied around the room) representing when characters have met and so on. I occasionally forget that some of the main characters still haven't met each other (I think anyway, certainly if you count the new main characters). This does have the disadvantage that the plot can move quite slowly at times since you are following half a dozen different threads at any time so some episodes will go by without touching on some of them at all. Fortunately all the threads are at least good and in some cases awesome so I don't feel too much of a loss.
The plot has become a little bit X-men recently I've noticed. Even down to some of the powers seeming to be very similar to core xmen abilities. And of course the general plot is a little reminiscent as is the apparent "science" behind the abilities... No bad thing but seems a bit of a shame that it starts to feel a bit derivative.
Fringe
Fringe is the new X Files. That's my quick description of it. The format of the show is that there is this FBI group designed to investigate strange happenings related to "the pattern" which is a nebulous name given to all the strange goings on. Its all a little mysterious at the moment but that's what meta-plots are all about really in something like this. The episodic format is pretty much "strange thing happens, team investigates and finds cause and if appropriate solution".
One of the things I like most though is the characters. In particular Dr Walter Bishop. Walter's character is a genius scientist who has spent the last 17 years in a mental asylum. His son helps an FBI agent get him out (he is only allowed visits from family and only allowed to be released to family) and the three of them make up the main team that does all the stuff. Walter though plays a wonderful recovering madman. He gets distracted all the time, roams between total social ineptitude and total social obliviousness. His methods are occasionally unethical but more because he just doesn't seem to realise there could be a problem with them. I'm not doing the character much justice but he totally makes this show for me.
Fringe is probably my pick of the shows and the one I most make sure I watch at the moment along with heroes.
And that's my TV roundup. I'm wondering if I've forgotten something. I have been watching a bit of bones recently and cold case mainly because they seem to be on at the right time for me to catch them.
So this is what I'm watching on TV at the moment (in general):
Burn Notice
This is a fun little spy like series that is on FX (if I remember correctly). The premise is that the lead character used to be a spy until he got "burned". This apparently refers to him being compromised and so totally cut off. He was put in miami (where he comes from) and told not to leave. Given he did nothign wrong and wasn't compromised he wants to find out what happened. This is all just a backplot though to the episodes plot which usually revolves around him helping out an individual in trouble using his spy abilities. He's got a couple of friends who help him out and his mum who helps out but knows nothign about what he does (or did or whatever).
Its a fun series. Interesting plots, intriguing meta-plot with decent pace (ie there are developments rather than just emphasis of current situation). Its also got first person narration voiceover which I am always a fan of in the series. So the lead character will be describing why you do various spy things, what he's looking out for, etc.
I'm really enjoying it. I originally thought I'd just be watching it as filler but its got onto my list of things I'd be annoyed to miss. Fortunately though I don't think the meta plot is strong enough that it would matter if I missed an episode (certainly not in what I've seen so far) and you could almost certainly jump straight into the series now with no real effort.
Smallville
Smallville has just started its 8th series on E4. I've been a big fan of the series, mainly for the character development of Lex Luthor who starts series one as Clark's friend and as the show has moved onwards they have kept the character totally consistent and showed how he has moved to being what others consider evil. The rest of what I enjoyed was shouting "You're such a dick!" at clark (he is most of the reason lex went evil I think) and being amused at the angst levels of it. I tend to actually refer to it as angstville to people nowadays. It seems that people given a choice of actions will always choose the one that leads to most angsting.
The new season I'm only two episodes into and am yet to make my mind up. Several main cast characters have left (Lex, Kara aka Supergirl, Lana (aka main angst source and teenage crush), Lionel (Lex's father and another great character). They have put Green Arrow into the opening credits so I'm hoping he's going to be main cast. They've also got clark working at the daily planet with lois so I'm thinking that we are starting to get close tot he main superman canon. The series is starting to run out of places to go unless they go fairly full on superman. They've got the Justice league (or near enough) superhero team established, I think this series might be seeing a supervillain equivalent. Its all good and I'll be happy to see it go to a much more superhero format if they want but that's never been their intent so I'm not sure. Still, I'm enjoying watching it.
Stargate: Atlantis
The spin off is in its last series. I was always a big fan of SG1 and I'm a big fan of atlantis. Its not being very exdciting at the moemnt though. The metaplot just doesn't seem to be gripping really. Individual episodes are fun and they had a flashback episode recently that reminded me of some of the cool previous episodes. I think I love some individual episodes but as a whole series its missing something to make it compelling. I don't know what, I'm just not compelled. :) they have had some great episodes recently though and I think I'm looking forward to how the series will finish.
Star Wars clone wars
I'm not sure of the exact history of this bbut as far as I can tell between Star Wars episode 2 and 3 there was a cartoon of the Clone Wars made by the people that did samurai jack. It was a great series, very silly, officially canon I think but there was some really weird stuff in places. All good though. Recently they decided to make another clone wars cartoon. This one is I think very inspired by the first one but is full CG for a start. They released a film in the cinema that was, I believe, a introduction to the series but I didn't see it so can't say for sure.
I think its probably vaguely aimed at kids but not in a bad way. It isn't taking itself too seriously as well which is good. I've had several laugh out loud moments such as when the big droid battle ship has disabled a target and one of the battle droids manning the guns says "I still can't hit it!". One thing that also made me very happy is that after the opening episode being yoda kicking ass with clone troopers (who are awesome) followed by anakin kicking ass in the following episode that the last episode was purely clone troopers kicking ass.
So far I'm loving it.
Heroes
And of course Heroes makes the list. No real surprise there. Heroes is twisty turny but I have always loved the way there are so many different threads. I've been half tempted in the past to try to make a diagram (maybe using pieces of string tied around the room) representing when characters have met and so on. I occasionally forget that some of the main characters still haven't met each other (I think anyway, certainly if you count the new main characters). This does have the disadvantage that the plot can move quite slowly at times since you are following half a dozen different threads at any time so some episodes will go by without touching on some of them at all. Fortunately all the threads are at least good and in some cases awesome so I don't feel too much of a loss.
The plot has become a little bit X-men recently I've noticed. Even down to some of the powers seeming to be very similar to core xmen abilities. And of course the general plot is a little reminiscent as is the apparent "science" behind the abilities... No bad thing but seems a bit of a shame that it starts to feel a bit derivative.
Fringe
Fringe is the new X Files. That's my quick description of it. The format of the show is that there is this FBI group designed to investigate strange happenings related to "the pattern" which is a nebulous name given to all the strange goings on. Its all a little mysterious at the moment but that's what meta-plots are all about really in something like this. The episodic format is pretty much "strange thing happens, team investigates and finds cause and if appropriate solution".
One of the things I like most though is the characters. In particular Dr Walter Bishop. Walter's character is a genius scientist who has spent the last 17 years in a mental asylum. His son helps an FBI agent get him out (he is only allowed visits from family and only allowed to be released to family) and the three of them make up the main team that does all the stuff. Walter though plays a wonderful recovering madman. He gets distracted all the time, roams between total social ineptitude and total social obliviousness. His methods are occasionally unethical but more because he just doesn't seem to realise there could be a problem with them. I'm not doing the character much justice but he totally makes this show for me.
Fringe is probably my pick of the shows and the one I most make sure I watch at the moment along with heroes.
And that's my TV roundup. I'm wondering if I've forgotten something. I have been watching a bit of bones recently and cold case mainly because they seem to be on at the right time for me to catch them.
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-18 12:56 pm (UTC)Tried Fringe, but didn't really get into it much because of the JJ Abrams syndrome (well... of course, having been created by Abrams). While saying that it's something of X-Files and Lost/Alias cross, the unfortunate addition to the formula is the latter. X-Files had a sort of satisfying closure (or usually lack of closure in a closing kind of way), whereas Abrams plays off the the nonsensical, non-ending GRAND SUPER PLOT WHICH YOU FIND OUT ABOUT BUT ACTUALLY DON'T OMG principal which I could take for 3 series of Alias, 1 series of Lost and, as it turns out, 5 episodes of Fringe.
SGA has had a relatively middling last season so far. Some shining episodes (like the mid-season two-parter and various others) but it has also managed distinctly average ones. Still, it remains thoroughly entertaining to watch, not least for the added awesome of regular Robert Picardo.
Might I make some recommendations? Just in case you want to drop things like Smallville (*groan*) or Heroes (nothing good in Series 3) off the list.
Dexter. If you haven't seen that - do. It's got first-person narrative and is set in Miami (which thoroughly entertained me when I started watching Burn Notice... Michael and Dexter should totally meet) following the exploits of a sympathetic secret murderer.
Pushing Daisies. I think I remember you saying you may have watched the first season. If you haven't, do. Because it's awesome. Every episode is like a very warm hug on a winter's day.
Eli Stone. Jonny Lee Miller plays a US lawyer who starts getting visions which seem to direct him to certain cases and helping people. Played for comedy and drama and an excellent plot and cast.
The Middleman! If you haven't seen the Middleman, then you have not seen TV. It's basically a cross between Pushing Daisies and The Avengers. Or if the Avengers were suddenly remade by Kevin Smith. Basically it's awesome, and it's super-duper funny. AND every episode is chock-full of film and TV references, including references to old Doctor Who, which earns extra points.
...
this comment is a little too long. Apologies.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-18 09:58 pm (UTC)Pushing Daisies is pretty random, but I liked it, though the narrative gets a little wearing if you watch several in a row.
I want proper tv again, freeview doesn't have enough cool stuff :(
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-18 02:26 pm (UTC)Other than that, I'd suggest Chuck. Awesome series. Spy comedy, with fantastic script.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-18 02:31 pm (UTC)Similar to chuck is also reaper in the hour long comedy type format. I really don't know how to summarise that briefly but it is great.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-18 03:15 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-20 09:45 am (UTC)Reaper I saw the first couple of episodes of, it was entertaining but I chose to prioritise other things first.
Another quite fun one is Eureka, though less so if you tend to suffer from science rage. I can still make Rich upset by reminding him about the giant tachyon.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-18 03:17 pm (UTC)Burn Notice & Stargate Atlantis aren't on ours - have seen adverts for burn notice, but haven't remembered to put it on to record - is it worth picking up mid-season, or best to wait for repeats/box-set?
Bones would be a definite recommendation to the list though (actually, depends how goo you are will clinically gory tuff - they do like their decayed corpses...)
Desperate Housewives is also fab, but possibly outside your normal watch list!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-18 03:32 pm (UTC)Bones is pretty much on my watch list but not actually season passed. On both thursday and sunday nights the TV seems to be in the right place after other stuff for watching it (same episode repeated) so I have caught it the last few weeks. And I have no problem with their gore. Much better than medical programs with people being injected and stuff. *shudder*
And desperate housewives has never grabbed me. I've watched the odd bit and piece and I just didn't really enjoy it as much. I suspect its suffered from overhype which can have a very negative effect on me.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-20 09:47 am (UTC)