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).