Bright Spots in the New Season

I have to say that some of the new shows this season are weak or started strong only to disappoint. I quickly dropped Eastwick due to bad writing (come on - the first episode has a woman talking about vomit on her face) and its attempt to mimic a much better movie. And if you only have half an hour for a family situation comedy, go with Modern Family, an interesting multi-generational comedy, rather than The Middle, which is too much like Malcolm in the Middle (and not only reuses characters such as the youngest son but also the name of the show).

However, the returning Fringe is a treat. The show, brought to you by J.J.Abrams, remains lively and interesting with just enough twists and laughs to keep you coming back. While it has its darker moments, it also has the best qualities that the X-Files also provided by tossing in subtle comedy at a particularly dangerous intersection of events. Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield had it right when he said

It's the most exciting drama around right now, too strange to fit into any stylistic box - too trippy for a cop show, too tough for sci-fi, with an unfailingly amazing cast and dialogue that dances from flippant bitchery to dazed-and-confused profundity. You don't have to follow the wide-scale conspiracy narrative to enjoy the individual episodes, but the deeper you dig into it, the more connections you find.

I wholeheartedly agree. It's more evidence that great TV is possible. I hope Fox knows what it has here.

What You Missed...

I am glad to read I am not the only person who will miss NBC's Kings. David Plotz in Slate magazine has a nice article titled The Death of Kings on why we will miss the program and why it is worth checking out the just released DVD. Here is a sampling of his story:

At times during its short run, Kings was essentially a high-concept soap opera. Yet it was always a soap opera with genuine intellectual ambition, and at its best, it was a provocative thought experiment: How would a religious monarchy work in a modern, pluralistic society? Could the values that Americans cherish survive in such a system? And would the actual presence of God solve or compound the problems of governing a nation? (When God gets angry at Silas, for example, Gilboa's windmill farms break down.)

I plan to pick up the DVD and rewatch the series. Maybe the interest in the DVD will wake up the studios and let them know that this brilliant show was something special that never really had a chance to win the hearts of America, but is worthy of another season. Stranger things have happened.

Catching Up on the New Season

Variety magazine reports that more than 43 new and returning shows will be broadcast between September 21 and 27. Thank the gods for the DVR, but is this really necessary? This is a bit like a buffet - you eat a bit of everything and basically remember nothing. And on top of all this, Ken Burn's finds it necessary to broadcast a 12-hour series on National Parks starting this Sunday and running each night thereafter. I am starting to get the impression that PBS really doesn't care if we find time to watch the program when it is broadcast. Just buy the DVD. P.S. PBS makes more money this way.

In addition to the DVR, we now have Fancast and Hulu. This allows you to catch up on what you missed and really put it all into context. For example, Hulu is currently showing this week's premiere of ABC's Flashforward (Thursdays 8pm ET/7pm CT), ABC's Modern Family (Wednesdays 9pm ET/8pm CT), the returning Fringe on Fox (Thursdays 9pm ET/8pm CT), and ABC's Eastwick (Wednesdays 10pm ET/9pm CT). Also, many of the network webpages offer free clips. So cheer up. You don't have to be glued to you couch all week. Instead, you can be glued to your computer for the next few weeks. Good luck.

Good News for Glee

The Hollywood Reporter noted the new Fox drama Glee has been picked up for the entire season. The article quotes Fox entertainment president (who, surprise, surprise, likes the show)

"The response we've received to 'Glee' has been remarkable," said Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly. "It's already got the makings of a cultural phenomenon. I've seen all 13 episodes, and Ryan Murphy, his team and the talented 'Glee' cast have knocked our socks off with their incredible work. We're happy to pick up this gem of a show, and can't wait to see what they'll do with the rest of the season."

I think I prefer the New York Times take on the pilot

The success of a high school comedy doesn’t lie in its originality, but in how cleverly it contorts the classic formula. “Glee,” a new series on Fox, is blissfully unoriginal in a witty, imaginative way.

I for one think this is good news. One could even say I am gleeful.

Not Bored to Death

You may watch to check out HBO's new series Bored to Death. Starring Jason Schwartzman and Ted Danson, its a fun take on an unemployed writer (Schwartzman) trying to find something new, such as playing the part of a private investigator. Danson plays a drugged-up playboy, whereas Zach Galifianakis (from "The Hangover") plays the goofy, artistic friend trying to maintain a relationship with his girlfriend even though he has a 13-year-olds view of the world. The first show worked, and there is no reason why it cannot be one of the better new shows this fall. Check out Fancast for online episodes.

Patrick Swayze: 1952 - 2009

Patrick Swayze passed away last week after a fight with pancreatic cancer. The star of many films, including Dirty Dancing and Ghost, he also brought a great character to television this past year in the series The Beast (reviewed here earlier on this site). Until recently I did not know he had a job with the Joffrey Ballet's second company and moved to Broadway after an old football injury ended his dancing career. He was always a dancer at heart, from childhood all the way to one of his last films One Last Dance, where he starred with his wife, Lisa Niemi. Patrick Swayze is survived by his wife and mother.

The Return of Mad Men

Don't miss the third season of Mad Men, starting tonight on AMC at 10pm EST/9pm CST.

Yes, it's a guilty pleasure watching this show. First you say to youself, "How can they treat women and minorities like this?" And it is truly amazing and scary when you realize how our society was ordered not so long ago. But then you also notice the warm tones, old songs and innocent simplicity of a society that does not self-censure when it comes to smoking, drinking or even child rearing, and you say to yourself, "The past was truly another country." And it was.

If only we could save some of the past and throw out other aspects. So enjoy it for what it is; days gone by, beautifully recreated, with warts and all.

Defying a Clear Plot - Another Sci Fi Show This Season

I guess everything comes in pairs nowadays. First it was Fox's Virtuality (see my earlier comments) and now it's ABC's Defying Gravity. The fourth episode starts tomorrow night (Sunday's at 10pm EST/ 9pm CST). Overall, the show seems to be more about dating and relationships then any keen interest in space, but it's still early. This crew seems to be hand-picked by the ship (okay, spaceships don't have hands) for a 6 year voyage through the solar system.

So far it seems more like space camp then any serious effort to tackle great tasks. We have come a long way from the Right Stuff. Our steely astronauts have been replaced by whiny individuals who either go wacko when the mission shifts or hear mysterious baby cries while tending to ship duties. The acting has been strong to date, regardless of the script, but the story needs to pick up. I can watch 90210 (even the horrible remake) and get all the teenage antics I need. Let's get with the program, people.

And don't expect many scenes showing a modern America, even though this is supposed to be the 2050s. In fact, in one scene the character is getting onto what seems to be the same city bus I see on the streets today. The only difference was the noise the bus made. Maybe its some sort of new fuel, but I was not impressed. I guess all the set money was used on the spacecraft. Oh well, you can check out the past episodes on the ABC site as well.

Haunted Britain - Vampires, Werewolves and Ghosts

BBC America has a fun new show where a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost share a room. I know, I know, it sounds like another reality show, but it is scripted and far better. The new show, Being Human, is broadcast on Saturday evenings at 9pm EST/8pm CST. The first episode started a few weeks ago and you can catch episode 3 in reruns this week. Episode 4 will start on August 15th.

A few things in the new show are worth mentioning. First, no one likes their plight, so expect a fair amount of moaning. I guess that's what it like being human. For example, Mitchell, the vampire in the trio, does not want to drain humans (yes, the same as Twilight, Vampire Diaries, Buffy, True Blood, etc.). Also, I still cannot figure out Annie. How can she lift objects as a ghost while also walking through walls? Maybe we will get a greater understanding as the show progresses. Maybe not.

I already like where the show is going. For instance, it appears the vampires are planning some form of world conquest and they have infiltrated key parts of the "human" infrastructure. This storyline has promise (of course, it's close to where True Blood has gone, but I hope it has a new twist).

New July Shows - High School and the Supernatural

Tomorrow will be the premiere of two new series that might brighten up the Summer - just maybe.

Warehouse 13 is a new Sci Fi (or is it SyFy?) program that appears to be a mix of Men in Black and Raiders of the Lost Ark (you know, the bit where the Ark is thrown into a huge warehouse to be forgotten for many more years). The show sells itself as two Secret Service agents protecting these weird treasures in a remote corner of South Dakota. The program starts at 9PM EST.

The LA Times seemed to like it, stating "Warehouse 13 has no Cancer Man, no irritating prophesy, no need to bludgeon viewers with lessons in mortality and morality. The warehouse is warm and cozy with its Oriental rugs and Victorian lighting, Rubinek's Artie steals every scene he is in, and McClintock and Kelly provide a happy friction that promises great things." Sound okay?

10 Things I Hate About You on ABC Family also starts tomorrow, but at 8PM EST. I remember the film with Heath Ledger and Joseph Gorden-Levitt, and I don't expect the same great acting here, but it might be worth tuning in. I saw the pilot via iTunes and enjoyed the show. While it continues to play off of every stereotype, isn't that why we watch these programs? High school was all about stereotypes and it was a mine-field we had to survice. Why we want to watch it again is anyone's guess. Do Marines watch the films of their time at bootcamp? Unlikely, but you never know.

More June Shows - Charity and Space Travel

The number of shows rolling out of the summer is picking up speed. It was not so long ago that all these shows would shoot onto our TV screens (or computer screens) in September. I like the way they are spread out nowadays. We have some time to truly digest the various programs. Two to watch are noted below.

The Philanthropist started earlier this week (Wednesday) on NBC and is supposedly related to a true story. NBC bills it as a program that "...follows the heroic adventures of Teddy Rist, billionaire playboy-turned-vigilante philanthropist, taking him across the globe from Haiti to Myanmar, Kashmir to Paris, Kosovo to San Diego. But the story starts off in Nigeria." All I know is that I accidentally switched into it the other night and the main character was supposedly in Nigeria but the background music was Australia's Men at Work. I am not kidding. However, I plan to watch the whole show to give it a real chance. I will let you know. If you want to watch it for yourself and see an online episode then check out the NBC link above.

Note: I finally watched The Philanthropist. It's off to a good start, but not as interesting as I expected. Any program that wants to show American audiences that there is a world outside of NYC and Los Angeles is fine with me. And I don't count Lost or Survivor as international eye-openers, though some do consider Hawaii to be "foreign and exotic." Maybe I will find time for this new show at some point in the future, but I cannot recommend it all that highly right now with all the new shows rolling out.

Virtuality is a 2-hour sci fi drama on Fox that begins tonight at 8pm EST. Here is how Fox is selling it:

From Ron Moore and Michael Taylor, the minds behind "Battlestar Galactica," comes the World Broadcast Premiere of the new science-fiction thriller VIRTUALITY. As the crew of the Phaeton approaches the go/no-go point of their epic 10-year journey through outer space, the fate of Earth rests in their hands. The pressure is intense, and the best bet for helping the crew members maintain their sanity is the cutting-edge virtual reality technology installed on the ship. It's the perfect stress-reliever until a glitch in the system unleashes a virus onto the ship. Tensions mount as the crew decides how to contain the virus and complete their mission. Meanwhile, every step of the journey and every minute of the crew members' lives are being taped for a reality show back on Earth.

As someone who followed BSG for years, I am willing to give this show a chance. Unfortunately, I am hearing that Fox has not signed on for a first season, so we may see this teaser and no more. Maybe America is ready for another sci fi series and the ratings will show it. I hope so. With Terminator now canceled, we don't have a lot of such shows on TV right now.

If you want to learn a little more about the show, check out this interview with Ronaold D. Moore.

The End of The Beast

Unfortunately, the news out of Hollywood indicates we will never see a second season of The Beast (see my earlier blog on this program). According to Entertainment Weekly, the program show starring Patrick Swayze and Travis Fimmel did not do as well as the A&E premiere of The Cleaner (a show that has a second season starting this week).

I think it was a great run and we can only hope to see more of both Swayze and Fimmel in the future, both of whom did some terrific acting in this series. While the news has been up and down over the past years concerning Swayze's health as he battles pancreatic cancer, we can only wish him well.

As far as Fimmel, he starred in a 2008 film Restraint and just completed work on a new film called Ivory. A film review at FilmSchoolRejects defines Restraint as "...an excellent thriller, with strong characters, subtle touches, and suspenseful scenes of tension and discovery"

Merlin Appears on NBC

The BBC television program Merlin has finally crossed the Atlantic Ocean and landed on NBC (see my earlier comments). This much anticipated event was somewhat marred by an earlier golf game that pushed the start of the program off by more than 10 minutes. Leave it to NBC to pay millions for a show and then mess it up for new viewers because of some dumb "sport" watched by a total of 12 people. With hundreds of channels on the cable box let's move sports to their own channels so we can have plenty of space of extra long games and regular programming for the rest of us. What it this, the 1970s? Luckily, NBC also posted the premiere on Fancast. Good save.

Note: Good news! Merlin has been renewed for a second season.

More Online TV

Its worth checking out Fancast to see both new and old TV shows on your computer. Its great that more content is being made available. For instance, on Fancast you can watch: Fringe, Nurse Jackie, Bones, CSI, South Park, The Simpsons, 60 Minutes, and The Tonight Show.

Fancast is a division of Comcast Interactive Media, the Internet division of Comcast Corporation. One might wonder why a cable company is giving away free content. I do, but I am not complaining.

May and June Shows - Dancing, Singing and Nursing

If you missed the premiere of Fox's Glee on May 19, a strange and energetic program that may just make it in the Fall line-up, then you missed a real treat. Showing the pilot a few months early may have been a smart move to generate interest, but I am not sure.

We seem to have a lack of musical comedies on TV for some reason, though I would welcome more shows like Dr. Horrible. The characters on Glee are certainly likable, from the deranged diva to the singing jock. I hope it can keep this same level of fun and quality throughout the rest of the season, which may be hard to do. I am certainly hopeful since its a nice addition to the TV schedule. You can catch the pilot here at Fox.

And I just checked out the first show of Showtime's Nurse Jackie (premiering June 8). It was a good show, sort of a mix between Scrubs and ER. I like the light attitude of the characters, such as the banter while an older woman is choking in a restaurant. I have always liked Edie Falco, and the role of a tired, sarcastic nurse certainly suits her. And you can find the pilot for free on Fancast, a nifty little site for those who like to watch TV online. I recommend you check it out and see for yourself. By the way, E!Online reports Showtime has ordered a 12-episode second season. Not bad getting a second season commitment after just one show.

Long Live The Kings?

I guess not. NBC has decided to cancel its new show Kings (see my earlier comments here). This is somewhat sad since the show was just starting to find its way. Not only does it have a great character in King Silas played by Ian McShane, but it also had a small part for the prior ruler played by the excellent Brian Cox. And while the battle scenes were a little weak, the remake of New York skyline into Shiloh was impressive. According to NBC, new episodes will be back in next month, but this will be the end of the series.

I think NBC is jumping the gun here. The network needs some strong dramas and Kings had some heft to it. From what I am reading, Kings will be back from June 13th to July 25th and then it will be gone. And what is replacing it? Another hour of Dateline. That's right, instead of a creative drama we will get more "news" stories such as Michael Phelps' marijuana story and endless tales about strange deaths. Yes, brainless pulp only one or two degrees above shows like "Cops."

I hope another network has a little more patience. NBC made the right choice with Friday Night Lights, so all hope is not lost.

More Friday Nights

Good news! The television show Friday Night Lights has been renewed for two more seasons. It is currently finishing up its third season (April 10) and it has maintained the high quality of the first season. Unfortunately, seasons four and five will broadcast on DirectTV before NBC, but this is okay if we get to see more of these actors. For past episodes of FNL, visit Fancast.

In related news, Zack Roerig, one of the new characters on FNL in season three, will be part of a new project on the CW - The Vampire Diaries. The new show, based on the young adult novels, will also star Ian Sommerhalder (from Lost) and Michelle Trachtenberg (from Gossip Girl). Go here for more about the novels.

April Shows

April offers up a few hopeful programs, including these two:

The Tudors returns for its third season. While I would not call this show a faithful retelling of Henry VIII, it does have plenty to keep you interested and may even cause you to pull a history book off the shelf to check on a few facts. Now that's something you don't always do with television. Of course, the Wall Street Journal call The Tudors a "lavish soap" where Henry VII is "...transformed beyond all bounds of historical verisimilitude into a buff and bedroom-eyed mannequin with a libido as loosely buttoned as his doublet." Not everyone would say this is such a bad thing. Season three starts on Sunday, April 5th, at 9 pm EST/8 pm CST on Showtime. In fact, you can see the first episode of the season by visiting Showtime's site right now.

Southland is a new NBC show starting Benjamin McKenzie, who you may remember from The O.C. and the movie Junebug. Here McKenzie plays rookie patrol officer Ben Sherman. The scenes of the show look promising and bring back memories of the naive rookie played by Ryan Phillippe in Crash. The program starts on Thursday, April 9th, at 10 pm EST/9 pm CST. Visit NBC for a look at the pilot episode.

Not Your Ordinary Beast

I have to say that A&E's The Beast has really surprised me. The story is a solid and the acting superb. And while I had a bit of fun with Travis Fimmel in an earlier posting, he has disarmed me of any doubts. In fact, while Swayze plays a great part as the cynical FBI agent Charles Barker, its Fimmel's Ellis Dove who is the most fun to watch. His unpredictable style is believable and reminded me of Brad Pitt from the thriller 12 Monkeys (in fact, Pitt was 32 when the film came out and Fimmel will be 30 this year).

Fimmel seems be taking all of this pretty well. In an interview earlier this year, when asked about working with Patrick Swayze, he noted:

Patrick Swayze is a fantastic man and an inspiration to work with. He is a fearless cowboy type and a movie icon. People can learn about not letting the little things get them down when seeing how he did not let anything get him down, even with all he was going through. Patrick was working on the set every day. We worked long, grueling hours, into the night and often until sunrise.

Stay tuned. While I have not heard anything about a second season, I am hopeful.

BSG Ends...For Now

Last night's final episode of Battlestar Galactica was impressive. The program came full circle and ended in such a way that we still have some interesting questions to ponder...including that of our own history (okay, its science fiction, but it always fun to speculate). I will miss Admiral Adama and President Roslin, the two parents trying to control their unruly children while leading a civil war against distant relatives.

This is a series that one can watch over and over again and take away something new. And sadly, as BSG has amply demostrated, history has a tendency to repeat itself. Does this mean that those watching this series in 50 years will have their own examples of terrorism, torture, and unnecessary war to draw on? I expect so. In many ways, BSG is more biblical than Star Trek, with its false gods, scorned prophets and "nothing new under the sun" attitude. Then again, what are we to make of Star Trek's Federation that brings together all the planets into one community (do I hear United Nations or Tower of Babel?), only to be destoyed by the Borg (monotheism or communism, you decide)?

Today's New York Times has a good article that also looks at the role of religion in BSG, from Christian fundamentalism to the Book or Mormon. As with any well done program, we will be analyzing BSG for years to come. So say we all!

Kyle is Gone!

If you are a fan of Kyle XY, then you cannot be happy right now. After three seasons, the series finale was the other night and rather than resolving issues it opened up new problems. Clearly, the ABC Family network was not prepared to end the series or the writing would have been very different. So who pulled the plug? Its not all that clear right now.

However, what is odd is that one of the writers, Julie Plec, seemed to have a few years worth of story lines in her head. For example, in an interview she stated:

Declan and Lori, believe it or not, would ultimately end up together. But before that, Lori would head off to New York to pursue a music career and Declan would have gone off on a training sojourn with Foss. After several years of difficult life experience, Lori would return to Seattle and follow in her mother's footsteps, enrolling in school to study psychology --- realizing that it's her true calling. Declan will always have two priorities --- Lori and Kyle. For Battlestar Gallactica fans, he's Colonel Tighe to Admiral Odama. Declan would assume protection of Kyle from Foss and be his best friend and fiercest protector for life. Lori would be the only woman who could understand that, because she feels just as strongly about Kyle.

Sounds like a great story! So why not continue with the show? Needless to say, though I will say it anyway, a "Bring Back Kyle" crowd has already gathered, with petition and all. Its not such a bad idea, but I think ABC Family will need a little while to realize it shot itself in the foot and by that time the actors may have moved on. Kyle XY deserved another season or at least a well-written finale.

Merlin Comes to U.S. Television

If you have not had a chance to catch any of BBC's Merlin, let me assure you it's a well produced series following the adventures of young Merlin and his friend Prince Arthur. The shows has done quite well in England and is slated for a second season. The show has an excellent cast. For example, Arthur's father, King Uther Pendragon, is played by Anthony Stewart Head (of Buffy fame). Head plays a very dark part in this program and carries it well.

Unlike the BBC's Robin Hood, this story has enough variety and interesting characters, so it keeps you coming back. Also, the friendship between Merlin and Arthur is often tested, but seems very real. Its good to see its coming to the states. I am also glad that we shall see more "historic" pieces rather than the same old cop and lawyer programs. As with The Tudors and Legend of the Seeker (okay, Legend is not historic, but it is fun), not everything has to be set on some gritty city street. Merlin is expected to start Sunday, June 21 , on NBC. Three cheers for Merlin!

February and March Shows

TV is offering up a number of new shows, and also restarting some favorites, during the February and March period. Some of the highlights include:

Dollhouse is a new series by Joss Whedon. It basically details the story of individuals who can be "borrowed" for assignments. And yes, like Firefly, it had some early production issues and network battles, but at least it made it onto TV (with the episodes in the right order). The shows started on Fox Friday February 13th and is worth a quick look. It has yet to grow on me, but I am trying.

Reaper returns for a new season and it has been pretty good show to date. Sam and his crazy friends are still chasing down escapees from Hell, but Sam's odd relationship with his dad is what keeps it going. The new shows started on the CW Tuesday March 3rd.

Kings begins tonight on NBC and I am already hooked. Its the story of a young man (similar to David from the Old Testament) making his way in a Kingdom ruled by Ian McShane's odd King Silas Benjamin. This should keep Sunday nights interesting.

Narnia Lives!

I have always been a fan of C.S. Lewis' Narnia series, and it was great to see the books finally come to the silver screen in a film version directed by Andrew Adamson. Of course, both have now been brought to TV as well. The first film, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was a well-performed movie that earned $745 million for Disney at the box office. The second film, Prince Caspian, was not so well received and earned $420 at the box office (which sounds good until you consider the film itself cost about $200 million to make).

Recent press stories indicate that Disney has pulled out of the third film, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Luckily, 20th Century Fox has stepped in to take over the project. According to a TV Guide story, Fox and Walden will split the $140 million production budget and get the film out in time for the 2010 holidays. This is great news since it would have been sad if only 2 of the 7 books made it onto the screen.

Note: BBC Films has already made the first three books into movies, and a few animated versions are out there, so this is not really the first time the books have been interpreted for the screen. The Disney version just happens to be the first wide-distribution of the films.

The Women of Battlestar Galactica

Sadly, we have only one more episode of Battlestar Galactica to go. Its been a great run, and I will miss the series. The program has been reviewed and dissected many times. Here is one of the better articles I have read, not that I fully agree. Titled Chauvinist Pigs in Space, the Slate magazine piece proposes "...Women—the human ones, anyway—just can't hack it when the going gets rough." Take a look and see if you agree.

Battlestar Galactica

Well, we will finally learn the final pieces of the story in Battlestar Galactica starting later this week (see my earlier link). And you might want to catch the 10 webisodes if you need your fix. While the webisodes are not essential to understand the ongoing story, its a nice way to learn more about the Cylon occupation and Felix Gaeta's role in the whole thing.

I will certainly miss this program. In addition to great writing, it has given us a chance to reflect on the role of civilization. The story lines regarding family, democracy, war and forgiveness are all relevant yet eternal issues, and we get to witness the struggle each week with unique characters that we cannot help caring about.

One positive note about the future is that the creators may take us to the past. A new Caprica series is in the work. I can hardly wait.

Friday Night Lights

Another show going into its third season this month is Friday Night Lights, a terrific series about a football coach and his family in a small Texas town. This award winning program starring Kyle Chandler as Coach Eric Taylor and Connie Britton as his wife is one of the best written shows on TV today. And while we continually hear stories about the "last season" of this show, it has survived in no small part because NBC knows this story is a gem even if the following has not been significant. One thing I do not understand is why FNL started last October on Direct TV. I am sure it had something to do with money, but it was very confusing to fans and a bit too exclusive for those of us without Direct TV. If this is what is necessary for the show to survive, then I guess this is a reasonable price to pay, but I just don't remember this with another TV program. Oh well, enjoy the show. It returns to NBC Friday, January 16, at 9 EST/8 CST.

January Shows

In addition to the second season of Damages, mentioned below, a number of other shows are returning for another season or their last season, including:

Kyle XY, back for its third season, starts Monday, January 12th, on ABC Family at 9 EST/8 CST. While this started as a "family" show, the storyline is pretty interesting and the Tragers are actually a quirky yet fun family to watch.

The Beast, a new show on A&E starring Patrick Swayze as an FBI vet, will premiere Thursday, January 15th, on A&E at 10 EST/9 CST. Given all we have heard about Mr. Swayze's health, I was actually surprised to see him taking on a new show. And isn't his co-star, Travis Fimmel, an underwear model?

Battlestar Galactica, back for the second half of its fourth and last season, starts Friday, January 16th, on Sci Fi at 10 EST/9 CST. The best show on TV should go out with an amazing bang. I think this was one of the first times a non-network really showed its stuff and challenged the Big Boys to take storytelling serious again. Sadly, the large networks will probably go the way of the dinosaurs as they continue to bet their programming on trashy reality shows.

Flight of the Conchords returns for its second season on Sunday, January 18, on HBO at 10 EST/9 CST. This odd little gem is worth seeing for both its offbeat story and outlandish music.

Lost, returning for its fifth season, will premiere on Wednesday, January 21, on ABC at 8 EST/7 CST. While I am not a true fan of this show, it does have its moments and it to did its part to bring story-telling back to TV (complex story-telling I should add).

Trust Me, a new show on TNT starring Eric McCormack from Will & Grace and Tom Cavanagh from Ed, premieres January 26 at 10 EST/9 CST. The previews are not all that encouraging, but it may be worth a look.

HBO Mini-Series

HBO had some terrific mini-series in 2008, and I am thinking of two programs in particular: John Adams and Generation Kill. And what a fascinating contrast it was.

We saw in one instance the birth of this great Nation in the name of democracy and in the next film we then witnessed this great Nation invading another country using these same words. In both cases someone from afar was more likely to see a large nation attempting to crush a smaller one for dubious reasons.

HBO did all of us a great service in showing us ourselves in each struggle, and it was not always a pretty picture. Even so, it was always great acting.

In terms of John Adams, I will forever remember Adam, Franklin and Jefferson arguing politics in the garden. And the scene where a Yankee President visited the slave-built and occupied White House was quite a statement about the foundations of this new country.

In the case of Generation Kill, the despondent look on the soldiers faces when an Iraqi village was unnecessarily laid to waste told us all we needed to know about the situation on the ground in the early days of Iraq (and many would say even today).

I look forward to future HBO mini-series, even though these two will be tough to top.