A Plethora of TV Musings

Some spoilers may be contained herein if you are on a viewing schedule that is even more delayed that our usual viewing schedule. I'll try to give a heads up closer to the actual spoiler, but if you're really worried you might want to just skip along.

I'm finding that I actually look forward to the Summer season almost as much (in some cases more) as the regular TV season. First reason? Lots of Kitchen Related Reality. Sadly, these are beginning to wind down (though I saw my first "Back to School" ad in what, thanks to Jim, I now know is "marriage mail" - that's all the junk that you don't want that you get on Thursdays - last week.)

The Next Food Network Star - Voting closed this morning. I already commented yesterday that I was happy with the final two. Having watched Sunday's episode last night I will just say that WOW that was nearly a bad thing. I did not like JAG (and for every time he said he was "Jaggin' something up." I thought to myself that I wished he would, well, you can probably figure it out. It ends in "off".) He's like a wannabe Emeril, without Emeril's charisma. You can't be that over the top and not have charisma. JAG was charismatic in the same way that Marine Corps. drill sergeants are friendly and understanding of weakness. I really, really want Amy to win. I liked her and her food looked interesting. I suspect, however, that we will get stuck with Ms. My Gums Are Too Big For My Mouth And That's All You'll Ever Notice About Me. And that's mostly ok, her food looked good - though it also looked very much like what I (and most anyone who's bothered to learn a little about "everyday" cooking) already know how to do. I just don't have time to watch a show about something I already know how to do. Especially if it's hosted by someone with a mouth that's even bigger than Julia Roberts'.

Hell's Kitchen - So far I'm enjoying this season (haven't seen last night's episode yet.) To date I don't disagree with anyone who has gone home. I do wish they'd not bothered with the whole second chance sitaution for that one person, though ultimately it proved out how badly they needed to go. So, there's that at least. I'm rooting for Rock to win it all. Second choice is garbage girl (can't remember her name - which just goes to show how much I don't want her to win.) I'd be ok with the goatee'd guy being 2nd place as well. I don't think anyone else really has what it takes.

Top Chef - This is intriguing this season. I don't know why it's so enjoyable, but it is. I haven't chosen a #1 contender yet, though I do hope it's not Hung. I can deal with well-placed arrogance, but he's just way too cocky. Ok, I just tried to get to a list of cheftestants so I could say who I liked since names are escaping me, but they way they do it over there is just unfriendly and annoying, so...I'll forgo that and just say that Jennifer Anniston look-alike chick is mildly annoying.

Second reason I'm enjoying the summer season are the non-reality shows that I know would never make it during primetime but are still creative and innovative.

The Dead Zone - I don't have a lot to add to this other than what I originally said here. Still, it's an enjoyable summer diversion and if you haven't given it a try, you simply must.

Psych - This is back on and I'm, well, psyched. I just love the chemistry between the cast members and you can tell they're having just as much fun putting the show together as you are watching it. Silly? Certainly. But again, a wonderful summer diversion.

Burn Notice - This is new this year and we're giving it a go. So far it's been, well, a tad predictble. It certainly would never survive in a regular season, but in a season filled with Monk and Psych, it fits right in and is fairly clever.

Monk - I haven't watched this season premier yet, honestly, because I'm a little tired of Monk. I'm hoping they are working on freshening up the show, because it's been rapidly descending downhill since they canned Sharona. Though honestly, there's only so much you can do with the same OCD gags. At some point he's either got to make progress with his disease (which will kind of kill off the show) or he's got to make HUGE strides in solving Trudy's murder. Otherwise there's no reason to watch. Unless you just happen to like seeing the same OCD gags over and over and over and over and ....

Doctor Who - For all I was disappointed when Christopher Eccleston left after the first season, David Tenant is rocking as the Doctor. I enjoyed Billie Piper as Rose and am still sad that she decided to go, as well. Haven't seen the 2nd episode yet (where they introduce the new companion) but I am glad that they didn't stick with the bride they had in the first episode. She'd've needed to get pushed out the TARDIS very quickly. I know that the changing companionship is more in the vein of the original series, but...well, Piper and Tenant (like Piper and Eccleston before) had incredible chemistry and made the whole thing believable. In fact, they encouraged you to get emotionally invested in the show. I'm not sure Tenant can do that on his own, for all I love him.

I suppose I should go ahead and throw in Stargate Atlantis, though its season has ended already. My main questions for that revolve around who, other than Carter, if anyone will they bring over from the now defunct SG-1. I'm guessing no one, but that's just sad. On the other hand, there are rumblings of a revival of Farscape in some form or another, so perhaps there will be a way to get my Ben Browder and Claudia Black fixes after all. We'll see. There are also rumblings of some sort of Dead Like Me revival, which would be cool, and now that Mandy Patinkin is leaving Criminal Minds, maybe he can be involved. (And, him leaving that show, opens up another hour of TV for me in the regular season, cause I honestly don't think I can dig that show without him.)