Monday This n That

Let the fall tv madness begin.

A few shows have begun their fall tv seasons, but this week, many of them arrive in full force. I’m not too crazy about where some of my favorite shows have been rescheduled to – specifically, Chicago Fire moving from Wednesday night to Tuesday night. Tuesday nights are always busy nights at work and I usually don’t get the chance to do more than casually glance at the shows as they’re airing. Yet, most of my favorite shows seem to end up on Tuesday nights. Damn!

Tonight brings the return of 2 Broke Girls and Castle. I haven’t really been much of a fan of Castle, but have been watching a few reruns lately on TNT. I guess it’s one of those shows that if it’s on my tv screen, I’ll probably watch. It used to be that I’d just change the channel if it was on, so I guess that’s progress, right? I consider myself a ‘casual’ watcher of 2BG and if I remember that it’s on, I’ll watch, just to get my fix of Max snarkasm. However, since it’s a comedy, I don’t really get too invested in the show. For some reason, comedies just can’t keep my interest.

Tonight also brings two new shows that I’m interested to check out – Hostages and The Blacklist.

 

As luck would have it, they’re both on at the same time. Of course.  Sleepy Hollow premiered last week. It wasn’t too bad, but I’m hoping there are a few less head-choppings as the show continues.

Tomorrow brings the season 11 premiere of NCIS



 I know this show is going to destroy me. I’ve heard the first two episodes of the season deal with Ziva’s departure, and I’m just not ready to deal with that. From what I’ve heard about the various characters who will come & go until they settle with Ziva’s eventual replacement, Bishop, I just may have to ‘let go’ of this show for a little while. 

The season 2 premiere of Chicago Fire is tomorrow as well. I’m glad to have this show back, after we left season 1 with a bunch of different storylines – Mills not making squad and going to the Police Academy for an application (I wouldn’t mind him leaving for the PA. He started out as a sweet, naïve newbie, but they turned him into a whiny, grumbly pain in the ass), Severide & Shay running into a pregnant Renee, a big sports bar starting up right down the block from Molly’s, Dawson consoling Casey after the loss of Hallie, Mouch meeting his online girlfriend, and the birth of Kenny Hermann.

There are a few new shows that premiere tomorrow that are on my radar. I’ve watched the pilots for two of them – The Goldbergs and Trophy Wife – and predictably, I didn’t get past the first five minutes of either of them before giving up. Two other new shows – Lucky 7 and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – I have yet to see. However, I’m guessing I’ll probably like MAOS since it’s on at the same time as NCIS, because that’s just how my luck runs.

Revolution returns on Wednesday. However, this might be a show that gets crossed off my list, considering that they killed off the main reason I watched this show – Daneilla Alonso’s character, Nora. 

Other returning shows on Wednesday include SVU and CSI. SVU returns with Liv in the clutches of a monster. And CSI…well, I guess I never did watch last season’s finale, but I know that there’s apparently a ‘significant’ character that ends up in a coffin in the season premiere. Since Chicago Fire isn’t on at the same time as CSI this season, maybe I’ll catch a few more eps. Then again, probably not. The only CSI episode on my radar is the 300^th, which brings back Marg as Catherine Willows.

A new show starting up this Wednesday that I had on my ‘to watch’ schedule was Back in the Game. I wasn’t impressed after watching the pilot, but hopefully things will improve as I do kind of like some of the cast. It feels like a crass version of “Bad News Bears.”

As usual, shows on the ‘to watch’ list for the rest of the week are pretty slim. Parenthood returns on Thursday night. I didn’t really watch much of that show last season. They just never have enough Bonnie Bedelia screen time for my liking. I’m not sure yet about Robin Williams and The Crazy Ones yet, but I’ll check it out on Thursday night. 

Tuesday This n That

The arrival of Memorial Day usually signals the beginning of summer (knowing Mother Nature, that won't come for another two months!). It also means it’s that in-between time. The time where the fall/winter tv season has been completed and the summer tv season is getting ready to kick in. That gives us time to both look back and ahead.

Let’s start with the ending of the fall/winter season first.

NCIS ended with the big vendetta/investigation against NCIS (specifically Gibbs); Gibbs talking to/seeing the ghost of Mike Franks;  Mc Tiva (that’d be McGee, Tony & Ziva for those that don’t get the portmanteau) turning in their badges in defiance. Then Gibbs going on a secret mission to shoot…Fornell? Really? I don’t buy it. We know with Gibbs’ abilities as a sniper that he can shoot him somewhere that won’t kill him. I’m guessing the beginning of next season will have Fornell supposedly dead, but actually laying low to flush out whomever they’re targeting.

Then there’s Chicago Fire. It was nice that they combined the birth of Kenny Hermann with the news of Renee coming back pregnant, along with Shay’s IVF not taking. I liked the part where it became firefighters vs the prisoners. This is much more preferable to the whole firefighters vs Chicago PD and Voight. Speaking of…now that Voight and Anthony Dawson will be on their own show (Chicago PD) this fall, maybe we can finally get them out of this show and focus more on the firefighters/paramedics than on the PD and dirty cops.

Revolution is coming down to the ending of the season, with the finale next Monday. I loved the episode where Nora was tortured (in a dress, no less) and held out for several weeks until she could handle the drugs no more.

CSI had their finale a week ago, but I still haven’t watched it…and not sure I ever will – especially since Jorja wasn’t in it. It’s interesting how just a few changes can make me stop being interested in a show that I had watched for over a decade.

Yes, in my tv viewing world, it’s the actors who determine whether I like a show or not.  I started watching CSI because of Marg. Then I grew to love Jorja, Louise and Eric because of their characters. I mainly lost interest in the show during the Laurence Fishburne/Ray Langston era. Yes, it was just one new character, but it was a character who seemed to take over the entire show. That’s not what the show had been about.

On the opposite side of the coin, there are shows like Chicago Fire and Defiance (one of my new faves). They are both shows that I really didn’t know any of the actors to begin with, but immediately grew to love not just one, but many different characters (and actors as well).

Turning to the summer shows –

Rizzoli and Isles returns June 25^th. I’m so glad they pushed it back from the original starting date. With this new date, I might actually be home to watch it. I love the promos for the new season, especially the ones in handcuffs.

 

I’ve done some research and actually found out just what the two ladies are hiding under that tablecloth.

Now I know why they were hiding the body – because looking at J&M is much more appealing than looking at that guy. They should have just put Giovanni under the blanket instead.

Other returning shows include Longmire, which aired yesterday, but I haven't watched it yet.

Necessary Roughness 6/12, Continuum 6/7 on Syfy, and also Burn Notice will be starting up.

New shows include Motive on ABC. This is a Canadian show that's already been airing there, and now will start in the U.S. I had the chance to watch the episode (1x13?) that featured Amanda Tapping, and loved it. It helps that the show features a few actors that I like.

Another new show that looks really cool is CBS’ Under the Dome. The previews remind me of the Sanctuary episode, Caranten, where Helen & Will were trapped in the time dilation field and couldn’t leave the bubble.

On a slightly different topic, the China Beach full dvd set is available now. I went to amazon to check it out. It’s $400? Seriously? I guess those music rights were worth more than all of the gold in the world – or maybe worth more than all of the Kardashians put together. Seriously? $400? I think I’ll wait for a while before getting that.  Maybe a long while.

Speaking of tv show dvds, I’m still waiting for season 6 of Facts of Life to be released. Why in the heck does it take so long to get more seasons of shows released? I’ve got the first five already, bring me more. Bring. Me. MORE!  Dammit! I saw this short article with Lisa & Mindy in the latest issue of People magazine.

On the music front – I saw the other day that Sheryl Crow tweeted that her new album will be coming out September 10^th. Really? Still another 3 ½ months? Sheesh. All good things come to those who wait, and wait, and wait, I guess.

Speaking of music, for the past two weeks I’ve had Tegan & Sara’s “I was a fool” running through my head. I love the song dearly, but it’s driving me nuts that it’s been stuck in my head for so long. 

Thursday This N That

Where, oh where does the time go? In my part of the universe, time seems to be forgotten as it’s nearing the end of April and Mother Nature still has not brought us spring. As I’ve learned from Sam Carter and Stargate SG-1, time is relative. Funny how I never really learned that in my high school science classes back in the day, but when it’s said by Sam, I seem to remember things easier. Go figure.

I’ve been pretty much spending my time lately with Twitter, which is usually much easier to ramble in 140 characters or less than typing up sensible blog posts (are any of them really ‘sensible’ to begin with anyway?). 

Anyway…back to the topic at hand – which would be tv shows.

Many of the fall/winter shows will be wrapping up their seasons shortly.

That includes NCIS, and from what I’ve seen, it sounds like probably a cliffhanger (which I absolutely hate!), but at least we’re going to get a bit of Tiva goodness in the eps leading up to the finale. I know they won’t give us much, but I’m grateful for the bits & pieces that we’ve gotten over the years.

I watched the NCIS:Red pilots that were part of the NCIS:LA episodes, and they were pretty good. I actually liked them until they brought in John Corbett as an antagonist/ex-lover for Kim Raver’s character. Why do the main characters usually have to be spurned lovers with a history? Oy! I liked the premise of an NCIS ‘mobile’ team that wasn’t stuck in one place for too long.

Chicago Fire has only a few more episodes to go. Unfortunately, it seems that bad-cop Voight is out of jail again and will be in the thick of the plot to end the season. That is SO annoying. I’m also not too thrilled with the Mills/Dawson/Casey love triangle thing. Hopefully with the return of Hallie, things might cool off with that. (doubtful) I also don’t like how they’re using every lesbian cliché they can think of when it comes to Shay. So annoying. All they need to do is bring me episodes with a bunch of call-outs and emergency rescues and I’ll be happy.

Revolution is into its second half of the season now. I’m not too pleased with some of the storylines, and I really could use more Nora. Since they’ve got Daniella Alonso on the show, which means she can’t get back on Rizzoli and Isles any time soon, they’d better give the woman some more damn screen time to make it worth my while. After all, she’s the only reason I’m watching this show.

Speaking of R&I, I saw the new promo pic for season 4 with Jane and Maura handcuffed together, and both in bright red outfits.

Nope. There’s nothing remotely lesbian about that pic, right? Didn’t think so. Haha. I have to wonder, though, why they have June 16^th as the premiere date, when 1) that’s a Sunday, not a Tuesday 2) the premiere date is actually June 25^th. Somebody in the PR department needs to be arrested by Jane and charged with ‘false advertisement’.  I do love that season 4 will bring us through Paddy Doyle’s trial, and of course, Hope will be there too. Now, if we could only get Constance to come back, and it would be nice to see the elusive Mr Isles. Whatever they do, there had better be no Jane/Maura angst this season like the beginning of last season. I don’t think my heart can handle that again.

A few new shows are getting underway now.

I watched the first couple episodes of Bates Motel (based on the movie, Psycho), but it was a bit too dull for my tastes. I’ll probably catch an episode here or there down the road when I remember that it’s on. I struggled through the premiere of Hannibal a couple weeks ago. I liked the visualization of Will Graham being ‘in the moment’ at the scenes and the way they shot them. However, the presence of Laurence Fishburne killed any enthusiasm I had of making this a regularly watched show. He’s just way too dull. All I could think about is that it’s Ray Langston incarnate, and that made me remember the bad-old-days of CSI. The show about Hannibal Lecter also made me yearn for a Jodie Foster appearance – or at least someone named Clarice Starling. This Lecter seemed much slimier than the highly-intelligent Doctor that Anthony Hopkins played.

One series premiere that I greatly enjoyed was Defiance, shown earlier this week.

 
I instantly fell in love with Doc Yewll. It may have been because of her witty sarcasm & one-liners – “good human,” and “if you rush me, we all go boom. If you yell at me, we all go boom. Now you know how I’m doing up here.” And how can you not love a new show that basically starts out with two main characters singing along with Johnny & June on “Jackson”?! That made me smile from ear to ear. One thing that kind of annoys me is that they occasionally talk in a different language. However, there’s one Castithan word that will easily stick with me: Shtako (translation = the 4-letter “S” word, crap, poo, doo doo, etc). Why are the curse words always the easiest to remember? LOL

There will be a few more shows starting soon, including Warehouse 13 Season 4.5 returning April 29^th on Syfy. 

Monday This N That

After a week of vacation, sitting at home doing basically nothing, I’ve realized that…I really LIKE doing nothing!

However, vacations must end and it’s time to return to that 4-letter “W” word. (please, don’t make me say it.)

For the tv viewing schedule, this week seems to be kind of “messed up.”

First of all, tonight brings the mid-season finale of Revolution. I will admit that this show has grown on me more each week. I attribute that to the increased screen time of Daniella Alonso as “Nora.” She brought a female toughness to the show when all of the other females seemed to be whiny, timid, and scared.

Daniella’s “other” show returns tomorrow night. Yes, I know that Daniella was only a recurring character, Riley, on Rizzoli and Isles, but it was because of seeing her on this show that made me want to keep watching Revolution. And the Angie Harmon ‘kiss of life’ syndrome continues as well. Donnie Wahlberg, Billy Burke, Chris Vance, and now Daniella Alonso all hooking on to other shows after being on R&I. Hopefully, since R&I is actually a “summer” show, maybe we’ll still get to see Riley in a few episodes. I know she’ll be in at least one of the upcoming 5 “winter episodes.”

I had re-watched Sasha in “The Last Lullaby” and “Coming and Going” again last week. I keep enjoying her performances a bit more every time I see them. However, no matter how many times I re-watch her NCIS episodes, I still don’t like her as Kate. For some reason, I see Kate as too whiny, bumbling, and nowhere near an equal to any of the guys. I didn’t like that.

Speaking of NCIS, I saw this lovely list for Sasha’s ‘replacement’, Cote de Pablo.

The other day, I ordered an NCIS Bert the Farting Hippo keychain. It should arrive in the next couple days. It would be cute to have a big one like Abby, but this small one should suffice. 

Let’s not forget about the guys now. ‘People’ had their list of ‘hot guys’ in a recent issue, and it included Michael Weatherly, along with Michael Ealy (did they really have to cancel Common Law? Damn!) and Eric C Olsen. However, I have a big issue concerning their ‘graying’ list. Seriously, no Mark Harmon, or even Bruce McGill? Really?

Speaking of Bruce – I heard that he was on the latest episode of “The Good Wife.” I’m not a regular watcher of the show (legal shows bore me to death) but I’ve gotta track down that episode to see him. I still wish that CSI would have revisited the storyline of Bruce as Catherine’s mentor, Jimmy Tadero, in the later seasons. Although, I guess at least they mentioned him in her final episode.

On the subject of CSI, even though I’m not a faithful watcher of the show anymore, I do somewhat enjoy Elisabeth Shue’s character, which I categorize as a mix of early Cath & Sara – fiery, spirited, outgoing, and confident. Two of my favorite EShue movies are “Adventures in Babysitting” and “Cocktail.”

On a sad note, I heard that Larry Hagman passed away on Friday. He was such a wonderful actor. I remember him from his comedy days as Major Nelson on “I Dream of Jeannie” with Barbara Eden. Of course, he will forever be known to all as the ruthless J.R. Ewing on “Dallas.” The catch phrase “Who shot J.R.?” will probably make the Top 10 list for an entire millenium.

 

Wednesday This N That

I’m not sure who has garnered more of my ire lately – Mother Nature or the tv schedulers.

Last week, Mother Nature blessed us with a couple inches of snow. Yes, SNOW – in the first week of October, for goodness sake. Thankfully, it melted in a day, but temps are still a bit cooler than normal around here. I’m not amused.

Another thing that doesn’t amuse me is the current tv schedule. I thought my Tuesday schedule was bad enough with Parenthood and Sons of Anarchy airing at the same time (not to mention TNT airing Rizzoli and Isles reruns at that time as well. UGH). Beginning tonight, the Wednesday tv schedule is unamusingly jam-packed and stuffed-to-the-gills in the 9pm hour here (Central Time).  Yes, that’s the normal time slot for CSI, which isn’t a major concern for me these days because I’ve lost quite a bit of interest in the show and have only become a ‘casual’ watcher lately. The problem comes with the two new shows that premiere tonight in that time slot – Chicago Fire on NBC and Nashville on ABC.

I’ve watched the pilot episode for Chicago Fire and loved it. It reminded me a lot of LA Firefighters, a short-lived show from 1996 with Jerrod Emick, Christine Elise, Alexandra Hedison, and Brian Smiar, and even had a few of the same storylines (colleague’s death, blaming co-workers, taking care of the widow, etc) as well as Emergency (from the 1970s) as it follows both the firefighters and paramedics. The character I was most intrigued with is Monica Raymund as paramedic Gabriela Dawson. She has a great storyline in the pilot episode where it’s her actions vs consequences. And of course, Taylor Kinney (Rizzoli and Isles fans may know him as evil baseball player Jesse Wade) and Jesse Spencer are some nice eye candy. I guess stories/shows about firefighters always intrigue me. Back in the mid-80s, a relative of mine was a volunteer firefighter in a small town, and was killed after falling off a fire truck when responding to a call. How appropriate that Chicago Fire premieres during National Fire Prevention Week.

As for Nashville, I guess I’m not expecting to enjoy the show. All of the promos have made it seem too soapy instead of about the music and the struggle to "become a name." I’m hoping to be proven wrong. I'm hoping that it turns out to be something like the movie, "The Thing Called Love" with River Phoenix, Samantha Mathis, Sandra Bullock and Dermot Mulroney. But I'm not holding my breath on that. However, the absence of Nashville from my over-cluttered schedule would probably be a relief. That would leave only Chicago Fire and CSI in that time slot.

Speaking of CSI – I had a brilliant thought last night that a perfect role for Marg as a guest star would be on Rizzoli and Isles as one of Korsak’s ex-wives. We’ve already seen one of them (Lolita Davidovich as Melody) and during the upcoming winter episodes of season 3, we get to meet another of his ex’s. That leaves one more available, and it would be great to have Marg & Bruce McGill reunited again.

Lest I forget – ‘Arrow’ also premieres tonight on CW. Thankfully, not in the same timeslot as the others. However, I’m not putting much hope into keeping this on my ‘to watch’ list, but I will at least check it out.

Strangely enough, I’ve still got three shows on my Monday night schedule. Of course, two of them have to overlap as well – 2 Broke Girls & The Mob Doctor. 2BG is basically the only comedy show that I actually still watch. I seem to like Mob Doc more every week. I like how Grace seems to learn how to ‘play the game’ more each week, but that also means she’s getting herself deeper into debt as well. How long will Constantine let her keep playing both sides?

Revolution keeps growing on me as well. I actually didn’t mind that they killed off Maggie this week. I can only hope that would mean more screen time for Nora (I love Daniella Alonso) but I have my doubts. I’m guessing it just means more screen time for Elizabeth Mitchell’s character, with whom I’m not impressed.

And finally, there’s Downton Abbey. God, I love this show. There are so many different subplots, that it’s hard to keep up with everything, but they somehow manage to keep it all so intertwined and flowing smoothly. Bates/Anna is so heartbreaking to watch. Matthew Crawley, you’re really going to open a big can of worms now, aren’t you. Yikes. However, I’m not so keen on having them bring Ethel back into the storyline.

I’ve also realized that NCIS:LA can be a great show if there’s enough Kensi/Deeks banter throughout. Those two have such an old-married couple vibe, with a bit of brother/sister one-upmanship.

There will be no new episode of Elementary this week because of the political debate crap that will pre-empt regular programming. As if politicians weren’t high enough on my ‘avoid at all costs’ list, they have to take away more of my regular shows as well?  Assholes.

Now that we’ve caught up on the current tv stuff, let’s take you back a couple decades to some great movies – starting with one of my favorites – Eric Stoltz & Mary Stuart Masterson as Keith & Watts in Some Kind of Wonderful – such a great love story.

And a little bit of insight to A League of Their Own with Penny & Gena.