Redeemed?

It's that time of year again - May Sweeps. And with that, many of my favourite shows are back on the air with new episodes and giving it their A game.

Two shows stand out as stepping up to the plate as their season winds down. The first is Stargate Universe. I have been on the fence for this show. I loved Stargate Atlantis. I have never watched Stargate SG-1. What I liked about Atlantis seemed to be missing from Universe - witty dialogue, engaging characters, and action. Many nights I felt like I was watching a soap opera. However, I feel like the tide is beginning to turn. There is still too much personal drama for my liking and there are still some actors along for the ride who clearly didn't graduate from drama school, however, the dialogue is getting better and the action is coming into it. I find myself anticipating the next week's episode - this is a good sign. I like that we're showing a human side to Dr. Rush, but I dislike how much we are supposed to dislike him. I miss Rodney. Couldn't they bring him on for a guest stint through the magic body swapping crystals?

The other is The Office. Don't get me wrong - I have always been a huge fan. And I followed religiously when Michael started his own paper company and when things started to derail a bit. But lately we're back to office gold. Back to the good old pranks and funny hilarity that is The Office. I very much enjoyed last week's intro where Pam and Jim are communicating in Morse Code. Bring on the funny!!
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In other news - Glee mania seems to have taken over. Everybody seems to be watching the "back 9". The Madonna episode was classic and I loved every second of it. And, predictably, it's been hard to regain that momentum. Still loving Sue Sylvester though. And I liked the Cheerio ep on weight and self-esteem. Many felt it was a weak episode but I felt that it gave a good message.
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And I couldn't finish off this post without mention of The Amazing Race finale. I was bitterly disappointed that Dan and Jordan won. I was rooting for the cowboys like most of the world, but I just felt the way they butted in line at the airport in Shanghai was unsportsmanlike and kudos to the cowboys for taking the higher road. I would have laid out Jordan flat and walked over him to the check-in counter.

Seriously?

Um, hello, someone is messing with my TV schedule and I am not pleased.

Lately I feel like the networks are playing a game of chess with my shows and moving them around willy nilly. Someone better declare checkmate soon.

So - after an agonizing wait we have a new episode of The Good Wife. And just as soon, we have another break before the rest of the season airs in May. I knew I didn't like CBS.

And Law & Order recently switched nights. Glee returns on Tuesdays. Every week I have to head to spoiler sites to figure out when what I want to watch is on, if it is even on, and when it might be on again.

I liked this episode of The Good Wife, but I felt it fell a little short on plot development. We had a 3-second window to look at the Will/Alicia relationship, 5-seconds to see that Dianne is getting it on with the Republican balistics expert and the rest of the episode just focused on the case at hand. I did really like seeing the case through the jury's eyes and having that drive the episode. The ending was tense and I was on the edge of my seat - as I know I was supposed to be. And I had the gut wrench when she accepted the deal because I knew if she did they would find her not guilty. I would have almost preferred that we didn't see the slips of paper in the wastebasket. I think it would have been much better to just show them throw the ballots out and leave. Not so cliched.

New Criminal Minds tonight - that was exciting. We are introduced to the new BAU team that is going to lead us down the spinoff path. Led by Forrest Whitaker this team is entirely different from our favourite agents at Quantico. This team is more rogue, more "edgy" - if edgy means you did 6 years, 3 months and 4 days at St. Quentin (and I'm not talking about the tiny town in New Brunswick - I mean the prison). Mixed reactions tonight on the message boards - many loved the ep but not the new team. I'm sensing a little pushback. I'm new to Criminal Minds this year so not as invested - maybe that makes it easier for me? I've also never watched NCIS and I'm hearing lots of comparisons to their spin off. In any case, I'll state it for the record. I like the new team. I really like the Brit. And I like that this team is different, mysterious and slightly below our radar. Hotch's team always feels so stuffy to me (it's gotta be the suits) that this feels like fresh air. And here's hoping for a little agent romance.

Against my better judgement I watched 90210 this week. Jasper's suicide attempt reaked of pathetic-ness. Could we not just have him killed off? And maybe Annie too? At least try and make her character likeable. Please??? As for the rest of them - I was all into the Silver/Teddy romance in the beginning. But now it's falling into cliche land as well. I just don't feel it. And Teddy looks old enough to be her father. I liked her and Dixon together last year - Silver often had the best lines before she went nutty and her mother died. And the fact I just wrote all that proves this show is just...beyond. The whole lesbian romance between Adrianna and Bruce Willis' daughter also isn't doing it for me. Mostly because I think Willis Jr. can't act and that irritates me in every single scene.

Last but not least, (at least for this post), watched the preview for Vampire Diaries tonight and if the preview is anything to go by this Thursday is going to be intense. I could hardly watch the preview. The show continues to string me along and make me laugh. I loved the end of the last episode where a Stefan, fresh from battle, is having a post-date bedtime chat with his love while Damon is carrying a dead body over to the fire to burn. I love that it never seems to take itself too seriously. I hope they keep up the freshness of this show in coming seasons.

Oh - and Glee returns on April 13th!!!!

No salam, no alaykum, sweet Lord break out the bacon!

FINALLY.

(that line by the way, I can't take credit for - it was perhaps one of the best lines Rev. Thorne gave this season.)

It took one long painful year, but finally, Little Mosque on the Prairie (LMOTP) is back in fine form. I think somewhere during this season (maybe when the ratings sunk and all the fans started crying out how the show had jumped the shark and created the worst possible character ever in Rev Thorne) the writers had an "ah ha" moment (as Oprah calls them) and decided they needed to return to their roots - funny dialogue and the Amaar/Rayyan romance. If only they could have brought Yasir back for the finale it would have been perfect.

I have really enjoyed the last few episodes of LMOTP. I liked that Amaar and Rayyan were starting to look at each differently, I felt the hope for them again. I liked that Rev Thorne got his comeuppance, as did Baber. I liked how Amaar's character grew into a strong imam, one that, if I were Muslim, I would want to have as my own imam. I just wish it hadn't taken all of season 4 to get us back to where season 3 left off. Here's hoping for a season 5 because I really want to see an Amaar/Rayyan wedding. But the rumour mill is saying is cancellation heaven for this show. And that makes me sad. Because those budget cuts at the CBC are probably what doomed the show - (seriously, did they hire replacement writers, because the show had a lobotomy for the first 3/4s of the season).

I never like to see anything run into the ground. Especially a good, funny Canadian show that was new and bold and different from the rest of what is on TV. It makes me sad.

Do you hear me CBC??? You make me sad. If you cancel LMOTP I may have to break up with you. I may have to side with all those other Canadians who say the CBC is irrelevant and useless and can't come up with any good shows, and I don't want to be that kind of person. I must admit though, I've had a wandering eye. Sometimes I wonder why you can't be more like the BBC...
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So, I've picked up Criminal Minds. Good golly, when am I ever going to find the time to watch all these crime dramas??? I like it though. I think I might it save it for when nothing else is on, but I'm trying a new experiment. I'm watching the show backwards, starting from the most recent episode. A whole new perspective on a series emerges this way. Reminds me of that movie "Irreversible" that I saw when I was living in Scotland (Edinburgh Fringe Festival - well worth a watch but I must warn you that the movie is in French and it is brutally violent. Brutal.). Loved episode 100. Well played. Though to me Hotch is still and will forever more be "Greg" from Dharma & Greg. My husband watched a clip with me and says "Oh, it's Greg!" and I told him the other day to prepare for episode 100 because "Greg's wife dies". It's funny how some characters never die, even when the actor is in a new and completely different role. Is that the actor's fault? Do you think it's because they can't break out and do something different? Or is it the viewer's fault? I'll have to sleep on that.

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I think I may have to root for the detectives now on the Amazing Race. But I still love the cowboys the most. And I'm so glad team Big Brother is gone! Now if Miss North Carolina or whatever state that dimwit is from could just get eliminated I'd be all set.

It's All Good

I feel like such a hypocrite.

I swore off CBS when they canceled The Unit last year. Swore up and down that we were over and done with. That there was no redemption. Especially because I was still hurting from Veronica Mars and that, ultimately, was CBS (the owners of the CW).

And now, here I am, about to write on CBS's new drama The Good Wife.

I didn't intend to start watching, honestly. In fact, the first episode I think I caught while away on tour and I thought, well, this is kinda interesting. And I'm addicted to procedural legal or crime dramas so really, they had me at their first case. Now I'm hooked.

I'm glad to see that The Good Wife has really become a breakout hit for the 09/10 season - Julianna is amazing as Alicia Florrick. I love the dynamics of her home life and the firm life - the balancing act that is her life - and Peter's own trials. However, it occured to me the other day that what I really love about this show are some of the very same things I loved about Veronica Mars. In fact, I feel like I'm watching a grown up version of Veronica Mars in some ways.

First, the basics. Over-arching season long mystery? Check - Peter's appeal and the did he or didn't he take bribes and try to fix cases. Individual episode mysteries? Check - every episode features a case that really leaves you wondering who did it - and usually gives the answer by the end of our 60 minutes together (43min honestly because I stream it online without commercials). Strong female lead and characters? Check - Alicia is tough and smart, Kalinda is someone I'd take with me in dark alley, and Diane is a fighting female partner who gets what she wants but who also has a strong moral conscience. Witty dialogue? Check - Peter has some great lines, as does his new political advisor. But even the banter around the conference table or in the courtroom is good. Take tonight's episode where Will asks the prosecutor - "Do you have a map? So I can show you where you live." Cute boys? Check - Matt Czuchry - nuff said. But I have to say, Josh Charles (Will) isn't hard to look at either. And Big, er, Chris Noth, certainly has his following.

Nope, I have to admit - I may hate CBS a little a bit, but The Good Wife has softened the blow.

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Ok, who didn't laugh hysterically when Pam fed the wrong baby on The Delivery episode of The Office? I continue to love Pam and Jim and I think parenthood will just bring more opportunities for laughs. I'm so glad the writers didn't waste too much time getting these two together. It would have been torture to have them still pining for each other this many seasons later. And I love they are married and have a baby!! And that life in the office is still hilarious. Not so struck on Andy and Erin though. I think the writers are trying to make this the next Jim and Pam but I'm not buying it. I want Holly back! It's time Michael has some love.

Oh, and I nearly died laughing with Dwight and the "I couldn't find your ipod"

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Would really like the writers of Little Mosque on the Prairie to just finally put Amaar and Rayyann together. Is that really so much to ask? Can we please get rid of Rev. Thorne now that the mosque has been kicked out of the church? I feel like this season has been too ridiculous. However, I do like the direction they are starting to take Amaar - I just feel we were too long getting here and the Thorne in my side is interfering with my love of the show.

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That's it for this post.

Oh, and I'm totally rooting for the cowboys on The Amazing Race.

Don't Watch This Alone!!

I learned a valuable lesson over the Christmas holidays. If your husband works nights, and you are home alone, it's probably not the best time to start watching a series about ghosts and other things that go bump in the night.

No, I'm not talking about Supernatural. Though I did watch the first and second seasons. The boys were cute. I can't remember why I stopped watching. Seems like too much effort to go back to it now...

It all started innocently enough. All the shows I regularly watch were on hiatus, had their "fall finale" (what the heck is a fall finale anyway???) or did not have new episodes until January. But I had Christmas cards to mail out to my clients and hours of monotonous stamping, stuffing and addressing. I NEEDED something to watch to get me through it.

I decided on Ghost Whisperer.

I have, in the past, watched the occasional episode. Just recently when we were in New York and my husband and my business partner were lost in Queens trying to find cheesecake (don't ask) I turned on the telly and caught an episode. I vaguely remember watching a few when it first started. But I always had too much else on the go.

But with nothing else to watch I thought I would give it a go and watched the first episode of this season (5). I was kinda hooked. I watched all of the fall episodes over the next couple of days. But I have to admit, the Shadows give me nightmares. And to this day, nothing I have watched on television creeped me out more than Sally Stitch.

That particular night I could hardly sleep. Everywhere I turned I thought I saw Sally Stitch with her eyes sewn shut trying to talk while her mouth was sewn shut. I have had recurring nightmares of her. And, of course, don't I watch it while my husband is on his night shift??? What is wrong with me????

So, lesson learned. But I am curious - I think there's more to Sally Stitch than meets the eye. And I think the Shadows are going to make a comeback after Christmas. So I just may have added yet another show to my list...

But I won't be watching it alone.

Fate

If there is 1 thing I have learned in the past 24hrs it is that there are a lot of Rita haters out there. Those who hate Rita and are glad she is dead and those who hate that Rita is dead. There doesn't seem to be anybody in between. Except maybe me.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not thrilled they killed off Rita. I thought she was Dexter's anchor, his link to reality, his ground pole so to speak. With her gone what will become of Dexter? What will become of the kids? For once, Showtime's most watched show left us with more questions than answers. In fact, they almost left us a blank slate, ready to be filled with season 5.

I said after they killed Lundy that I was in for the ride, no matter who was left standing. And here I am, feeling like I've just hung on for deal life on a twisty turny, upside down roller coaster.

Frankly, Lundy's death still shocked me the most, still surprised me the most. Showed me that this is a show that really doesn't play by the rules. I surmised at the time that Rita or Deb might go down in the finale, so I wasn't completely shocked or horrified. In fact, I felt eerily close to Arthur's Trinity, like I was on one of those moving sidewalks at airports. Slowly going towards my destination, always moving forward yet while standing still, unable to get off because of the walls on both sides. I was almost serene really. I felt the fuzzy edges of the screen. I felt like this had already been decided. "It's already over" really resonated with me. In that moment, that exchange, that look in Arthur's eyes, I knew that it was. That we as the audience had climbed aboard the moving sidewalk. It was only a matter of time until we found the body.

The method was typical and yet a-typical of Trinity. A woman in a bathtub, but this one married, this one for revenge. And little Harrison left sitting in his mother's blood, much as Dexter had years earlier. What will this do to Dexter and Harrison's relationship?

So many loose threads left dangling. So many possibilities. Limitless options open up for the future. Like many of you, I feel like it will be a very long wait to next September...

Death of the Theme Song?

I have loved theme songs for as long as I can remember. I'm talking right back to the Muppets and Sesame Street themes. I have tape recorded, bought CD's and downloaded theme songs that I have listened to over and over again. I have started watching some shows based solely on a strong theme song (Charmed and My So Called Life immediately come to mind.)

I have sung along to Cheers, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, WKRP, and Fraggle Rock. I've been spooked by The X-Files and Unsolved Mysteries. I've danced to the Cosby Show and rocked out to Veronica Mars (original theme from seasons 1&2 only). The music from ER, The Unit and Everwood let me know it was going to be a good night.

But it's not just the music - it's the montage that I love too. How the characters are introduced, how the show is portrayed. It's like the cover of a book. It's the 20sec intro that tells me what I'm in for, relives the best moments of the show, and sets the tone for what is to come.

But this year, as I've been watching TV I've noticed something's missing. Then it hit me. The theme song. And I don't like it one bit. Glee, the Good Wife, Vampire Diaries all have no theme whatsoever. 90210 has been shortened. Even Little Mosque on the Prairie has gone through a change in music (though at least they kept an opening montage.) I haven't been this upset since ER cut out its iconic theme song and Veronica Mars slowed down the awesome "We Used to Be Friends" to sad, pathetic slowness.

I understand the show's rationale - skip the theme and get 1 minute more of show time. At least, that was ER's excuse. Skip the theme and don't have to pay any royalties. Skip the theme and skip paying the editors to put together a montage. Skip the theme and no need to pay those editors again when the cast changes.

But skip the theme and skip making your show iconic, or even memorable. Why do we love Cheers so much? Because everybody knows "Where Everybody Knows your Name."

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I also have to take a moment to comment on Dexter. Frank Lundy's death was right out of left field and jarred me emotionally in a way I wasn't expecting. I felt like he had been taken to soon. I ached for Deb. Which is exactly how the writers want me to feel, so kudos to a show that doesn't play by the rules. And how much does Jennifer Carpenter deserve an Emmy for her parking lot scene with Dexter where she talks about how broken she is? I bawled. That was one of the best sad scenes I've ever seen on TV. Can't wait to see where the season will end up and not entirely sure who will be left standing. While my gut wrenches at the thought of Rita or Deb or the kids being killed, I'm in for the ride.