Mid-Semester Review

I decided to revisit the “what am I watching” post from earlier this fall. I gave a fairly long list of shows that I would try give a shot and now I want to see how the delivered:

Original Post:

Heroes: It seems to be well written. I really liked the opener and will watch it until it loses me. This is what happens every year and by October this list is cut in half.
Lost: No need to explain. Either you watch it or you don't
Studio 60: I loved the opener. I really did. I thought Pete was overacting a little, but lets be honest here... it's Amanda "Can I take my shirt of now?" Pete. Second show was not as good, but we love Sorkin and think this will work.
The Office: If you don't watch it, leave. Ahh, don't speak.. just walk away and never return.
Kidnapping: Not sure why I am watching this one, but I am.
The Amazing Race: The Family Edition almost killed the show. It was awful, but they come back this year with some killer teams (2 already eliminated). They have the couple, 2 years into it and deciding if they should make the next step, that absolutely hates each other. They have (had) 2 groups of very attractive women. Miss New York and Miss Cali are still in it, the spunky cheerleaders are gone. They have a lady with one leg. They have a middle aged giddy gay couple, that provide serious comedic entertainment. They have a father and daughter duo, where the father cries in disappointment about his daughter being gay. Two Country Bumpkins from Kentucky who have no idea where they are. They may win; they think they are still in Kentucky. It is amazing. Good cast, I am in.
Friday Night Lights: Machon liked High School.
30 Rock: Alec Baldwin, enough said.


Watching because of Machonette:
Greys Anatomy
Dancing with the Stars
Gilmour Girls
Desperate Housewives

Well to start off, I picked a fairly good lineup considering how many shows have been axed at this point. Everything is still on or finished the season except Kidnapping, which as you can see, I was barely with it anyway. Now for the mid semester review:

Heroes: It is well written and each show has been had numerous “get the F**k out of here” moments. They found a way to take the comic book concept and make it appealing on a mass level. They came out firing the first half of the season with “Save the Cheerleader, Save the World”, then did something most shows today don’t and answered that question. Now the question is “Are You on the List?”

Lost: It’s tough to say because we only saw the first 6 episodes, but as I have posted before… I thought they were great. That being said, they real party begins next Wednesday.

Studio 60: It has been very blah, but I still watch it. It is becoming increasingly clearer that Amanda Peet can’t act and her value rises drastically when she is taking her shirt off.

The Office: Anyone who reads visits 10CFP on a semi-consistent basis knows how we feel about this show.

Kidnapping: Axed and it wasn’t even that bad. It just wasn’t that good either and without the start power of a Studio 60, it was only a matter of time.

The Amazing Race: Well, it was what you would think. It was a race around the world with some good teams, some annoying ones, but carried your attention for an hour. The gay couple should have stuck around longer though; their final episode may go down as one of the best AR moments ever.

Friday Night Lights: This show is actually very good. The football scenes are poorly done, but the casting, writing and acting have been extremely solid. The thing is, and Hadley and I talked about it the other day, this show and every other show about sports could be significantly improved if they hired a sport analyst to help them out. A couple episodes ago they have the Panthers go for it on 4th and 8 from their own 40. The point of the play and the episode for that matter, is for it to be the QB’s turning point. All they had to do was have someone with a little bit of football knowledge on the staff and have the line of scrimmage be the other teams 40 and it makes sense. 4th and 8 from the opponents 40, that’s a play every team would at least consider going for it. This would avoid pissing off every football fan who watches the show. I mean crap like this happens all the time and drives viewers away and the actual games are not even a major plot mover.

30 Rock: As stated before, Baldwin is in it. Also, one of our pal’s sister will be on the show next week, be sure to tune in. She actually has a speaking scene with Baldwin and as I told him, if she amounts to nothing else after this… she will always be able to say she traded lines with Alec Baldwin.

And of course I watch 24, mostly because I am scared Jack Bauer would shoot my knee caps off if I didn’t.

It’s been a good year on the tube thus far, and I have no longer any obligation to watch the shows Machonette was pushing. This is a huge added bonus.