The idiot box update

[threemonkeys]

So things are getting bad in TV land boys and girls. The strike is biting and shows are being chopped off half way through their seasons. But what can the dedicated videophile watch. One episode of Torchwood a week isn't going to satisfy us, and don't even get me started about Flash Gordon still continuing while others are ending. So casting the net wide, what is there to trial in the new year:

jPod is a Canadian production of Douglas Coupland's book of the same name. It is very good, matching the book well while also being good television. It is kind of a cross between The IT Crowd and Weeds and that is no bad place to be.

Speaking of Weeds, Breaking Bad is a pretty blatant copy. Oppressed suburban guy (Hal from Malcolm in the Middle) takes to making crystal meth to support his family. It just misses the mark so badly - picking up on obvious story components and just failing to get the mad as a snake attitude that I like about Weeds. The only saving point is that the main character is a chemistry teacher and the opening credits highlight chemical symbols.

While in the blatant rip off department, if you like glossy soap operas, check out The Palace. It is a British West Wing set in Buckingham Palace. It is all about the intrigue. If you like glossy backstabbing dramas then it will hook you badly. Me, I won't be watching it again, if only to preserve my sanity.

Terminator - The Sarah Connor Chronicles is looking pretty damn good however. You might want to forget a little terminator lore and ignore that the last movie happened but I personally don't care about that stuff. I'm just enjoying the show so far. I suspect this one may not have seen Fox's schedule without the strike, but now that its here there should be about 9 episodes for it to prove its worth. I can't be optimistic given recent history but we can hope. Oh, did I forget to mention Summer Glau is in it.

Finally, the only other new show I tried out was Sophie. Just what was I thinking when I thought that a middle of the road Canadian sitcom would be any better than the bland un-funny offerings of other countries. *Sigh* It isn't.

Comments

[angriest.livejournal.com]

The strike is probably going to save Sarah Connor, because it's exactly the kind of show that would've been off the air after 3-6 weeks.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

I hope so. I believe that there are 9 episodes in the can so those should all get shown which might be enough time to build an audience. The strike might also mean the network is less likely to screw around with the schedule as they do with other shows they seem to want to fail. If they keep it in a farly decent time slot it should help build an audience and get more episodes made.