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

Are you ready?

Really?

I had to get at least one "really" in there, you know. After all, it's the Jane Rizzoli signature.

Really.

Yes, Jane, Maura, Korsak, Frost, Angela, Frankie, Bass, Jo Friday and the gang return tomorrow night for the beginning of Season 3 of Rizzoli and Isles on TNT.

I'm not sure if I'm ready for the Jane/Maura angst as we continue from where the Season 2 finale left off. One thing I really hope for is that they don't actually kill off Paddy Doyle. I love John Doman in that role. Even if he gets sent to prison (or escapes), he would still be a great recurring guest star. There's also a lot he could do from prison as well.

Thursday brings the new series, Saving Hope, with Stargate's Michael Shanks.


I'm still seriously bummed over the cancellation of Sanctuary. Don't forget to pick up your copy of the Season 4 dvd set when it gets released next month. It's a great season to see Amanda Tapping kicking serious ass as Dr Helen Magnus. Charlotte Benoit even calls Helen the "Doctor of Ass Kicking" in "Monsoon".


Another Stargate alum, Colin Cunningham, returns with the rest of the Falling Skies gang on June 17th.





I still think that the reboot of Dallas is severely over-hyped. However, I am going to enjoy JR, Bobby and Sue Ellen back on the screen. I just hope they don't overdo it with the "young 'uns" storyline. If Dallas is coming back, I want the focus on the older generation. What's the likelihood of that happening? Slim to none?


Got the new issue of Sci-Fi magazine last weekend. If there's one thing that will keep me "sort of" watching Alphas, it's Ryan Cartwright's portrayal of Gary.


Eureka continues to count down to the series finale.


There's still another month until the return of Warehouse 13.


Getting away from sci-fi shows for a moment, I caught the premiere of Longmire last night on A&E.

Even though there was limited Katee Sackhoff & Lou Diamond Phillips screen time in the premiere last night, I found myself enjoying the show nonetheless. I like the gritty feel of the show. I'm also intrigued by the Indian/White Guy conflicts that I'm sure will be highlighted throughout the series. I live about 20 miles from a reservation here in my area, but don't see any of those types of conflicts here.

One of my other current favorite shows is Fairly Legal. However, I really hope they quit with the Justin/Kate/Ben romantic triangle soon. It's really taken away the bickering charm of the show. Plus, I'd really love to have more story lines that include Lauren. We really haven't gotten much of her story since the 'evil stepmother' persona to begin the show. Looking at some upcoming promo pics, it looks like she might actually get a decent story - including romance.


On a final note, how cute is Mariska with her little girl? Awwwwwwwww.

Monday TV Roundup

New show premieres. They always seem to bring out the anticipation that you may be about to embark on a wonderful journey that will last for years. It’s sad that those journeys which last more than a couple seasons are few & far between these days. In the last couple years, there’s only been a handful of those journeys that I’ve been along for the ride with for more than a season - Rizzoli & Isles, Body of Proof, and Sanctuary to name a few. My list of favorite shows that are done in a season or less is much longer than the list of multi-season shows.

Thus, we come to another night of series premieres.

1. Terra Nova kicked off with a 2-hour series premiere. This show came with the heavy baggage of the Spielberg name. That’s the first sign of an over-hyped show. It’s kind of a fun, if tired, scifi concept - time-traveling back to pre-historic Earth. Oh wait. I guess we’re time-traveling AHEAD to 2149, where we see… dinosaurs? Think Jurassic Park meets Stargate. Yes, they even went through a round portal to get to the ‘other’ side. You could probably have heard my groan from 100 light years away when I saw that. The dinosaurs… let’s just say that the limited-budget show, Sanctuary, has MUCH better CGI monsters than this show ever will. It makes me appreciate the work Anthem graphics does for Sanctuary even more after seeing this pilot.

Overall, it’s a show that has time travel, dinosaurs, bad guys, good guys, bad guys pretending to be good guys, and a location that could be considered ‘paradise’. For now, after seeing the 2-hour pilot, I consider it a show that I would continue watching, but will have to lower my high Spielberg-induced expectations considerably. I guess Sanctuary has set the bar very high in my book, and it’ll take something spectacular to reach that level again.

2. Hart of Dixie was another series premiere tonight. Since we’re comparing things to previous shows tonight, let’s call this one Doc Hollywood meets Sweet Home Alabama. Hotshot NYC doctor Zoe Hart leaves the city to, unexpectedly, take over a private practice in small-town Alabama. One bright spot of this show would be the pop-wannabe music throughout(DON’T call it country, please, or you will garner my ire). Darius Rucker, Sugarland, etc. There was a little bit of bluegrass banjo that perked my old-school country ears.

Basically, the show was everything I was expecting it to be. At least for the pilot. Overplaying the NYC vs Southern Hospitality differences, over-confident NYC high-society girl vs Southern Belles, etc. Even though I really didn’t know any of the cast, I did enjoy them. That’s usually a tough sell for me. So, this show is a keeper…for now.

3. Another episode of 2 Broke Girls tonight as well. Yes, another episode and I’m actually still watching. It’s the sarcasm, baby! “I am too poor to have a fear of success”. I think Max is my sarcasm hero!

4. I also was able to watch tomorrow’s episode of NCIS tonight. So much better than last week’s season premiere. I loved the ‘homecoming’ theme. It was funny to hear Jimmy’s recollections and see Abby’s homecoming dates ( yes, plural )

5. Speaking of Tuesday shows – tomorrow brings another over-stuffed hour of Body of Proof, Parenthood, Unforgettable, and Sons of Anarchy. Such a timeslot war for my viewing attentions.

6. on a final note: I watched my first (and definitely LAST) episode of Gossip Girl, just to get a glimpse of Brian J Smith. The things I do for certain actors. Oy. Okay, technically I didn't "watch" the episode. I just fast-forwarded to the part with BJS (which annoyingly was at the very end), so I avoided much of the soap-operaish eyerolling stuff.

Monday This N That

Have I mentioned lately that I really hate Mondays? No matter how much work I’m able to catch up on when I have to work on weekends (work? Weekends? Oy!) my ‘inbox’ is always full again when I get to work Monday afternoons. That means there’s less time to get caught up on the important things – like the ‘blah blah blah’ ramblings of This N That.

1. Jane Lynch rocks – no matter what she does. Here are a couple of the latest Jane tidbits.


I always love her interviews because she has the perfect blend of serious, funny and sarcastic.

2. Where there's Jane, there's Ellen, right?


I guess Ashton didn't get the memo?


Turning to tonight’s TV Roundup:

3. Tonight brings the series premiere of Terra Nova


From what I’ve seen of the previews and reading some reviews, it seems to be an interesting show. Time travel back to prehistoric Earth? Sounds a bit like Stargate SG1 meets Jurassic Park I guess.

4. Tonight also brings the premiere of Hart of Dixie


This one is still on my ‘questionable’ list, but I’m at least going to check out tonight’s pilot episode. The premise reminds me a bit of “Sweet Home Alabama” with Reese Witherspoon, or maybe more like “Doc Hollywood” with Michael J Fox. Once again, the lack of familiar faces in the cast will probably be my deciding factor.

Thursday This N That

Yes, we’re already mid-August and it’s getting quite depressing how the temps are slowly starting to drop around here each day. So much for the month of summer.

On a brighter note:
The hype of the fall tv season is heating up, that means there should be a bit more This N That for me to ramble on as well.

Beginning with the new issue of TV Guide that was in today’s mailbox.


On the bright side, it’s great to see that Mariska & Marg are the top two highest paid ladies on tv. Yet, they still can’t put Marg on the cover?


Don’t even get me started on the disparity in salary for the top two ladies compared to the top two men, which is almost 1/2. I had to laugh at how things are totally the opposite for the pic/salaries for the reality shows:

Strange how in that picture, it's the "ditzy blonde" that still gets the highest pay.

Seeing those lists make me proud to be a fan of Amanda Tapping. Hearing how she made the choice to forgo her salary as Executive Producer on Sanctuary so more money could go into making the show, as well as her comments that she's comfortable with the money she's earned as an actor through the years and doesn't want to be "greedy", and her earnest involvement in getting the charity, Sanctuary For Kids, going, it makes me shake my head at how networks can give someone like Ashton Kutcher $700,000 per episode. My only question is: "Why?"

It was also great to see a nice preview/pic of the new season of CSI with Marg & Ted Danson.

I’m not too crazy about the Action!Cath spoilers that I've heard for the episodes leading up to Marg’s departure from the show in January, but as long as Cath is front & center for a proper sendoff storyline, I’ll take it.

The bad & the good for my current favorite show, Rizzoli & Isles.

LESS time for Mama R? Is that person nuts? I love how they’ve incorporated Angela into more of a main character and now pretty much a busybody for everyone, including Jane, Maura, Frankie, Tommy, Korsak and Frost. Let’s face it. I watch the show to see Angie, Lorraine and Bruce McGill.

It was nice to see a little behind the scenes with the new season of Parenthood - and even a glimpse of Bonnie B!


And how can you not love Betty White and the characters that she plays. Did I not know that Jane Lynch has a new book coming out? Or maybe I did & just can’t remember. Cat Cora ordering pizza? I get the giggles just imagining her critiquing the delivered pizza.



I’m getting a bit more into Warehouse 13.

All I ask is that SyFy quit pissing off the fans of all the good shows they currently have by either switching timeslots or cancelling the damn things. I swear that SyFy makes the worst “Creative Decisions” ever.

On the subject of scifi, I’m anxious to see how Jason Momoa does as Conan. I haven’t seen him in anything other than his role as Ronan on Stargate Atlantis.




A new mini-series that looks cool is Strike Back on Cinemax.

Of course, that would be on a channel that I don’t get.


Added:
Oh, and I just heard the news that In Plain Sight is renewed for a final season. FINAL season? WTF is with canceling great shows these days?

Every time I finally get into a show, they get rid of it. Yet, I've been waiting a few years for them to get rid of CSI, but they don't. I give up!