Late to the party
I have always been reluctant to watch the new shows each fall. It seems like such a daunting commitment: If you like that first one, there are 23 more where that came from. Seeing every single episode didn't seem to matter much in the late '80s and early '90s, when the sitcom was king and very few shows depended on week-to-week continuity. Even "The X-Files," with its labyrinthine (and ultimately disappointing) mythology, only leaned on its main story arc for about a quarter or a third of each season.
These days, of course, all the best shows require your constant attention. Miss one episode of "Lost," for example, and you're totally ... uh ... lost. The same goes for pretty much any show that's aired on HBO in the last decade; I couldn't imagine starting in the middle with "The Wire" or "True Blood." Then of course there's "24," a show that almost demands you watch it in marathon DVD sessions.
So as a result of all this, I'm always late to the party when it comes to TV. I didn't see a single episode of "Lost" until January of this year, mostly because I didn't want to commit to a mystery that would have an unsatisfying ending. But when it was announced the show would definitely end in 2010, I figured the writers knew what they were doing -- and now I'm hooked for life. (Or, at least until 2010, I guess.) I didn't even start watching "Seinfeld" until Season 3 or so; the first one I saw was about Jerry's smelly car.
And now I find myself intrigued by two shows that have been off the air for awhile.
How come no one told me that "The O.C." was so funny, so well-written? I always figured it was a crummy teen soap, but then I heard that F.O.B. (friend of the blog) Sean T watched the entire run of the show in nine days. So I watched a few of them, and learned that Adam Brody is hilarious, Rachel Bilson and Mischa Barton are gorgeous, and Peter Gallagher plays like the coolest TV dad ever. So I went out and bought all four seasons of the show, and am currently working my way through 22 discs of California fun.
The other show I've "discovered" is "The West Wing," which Bravo started running ad nauseam in the run-up to election day. I was kind of hot and cold on Aaron Sorkin's "Sports Night," which I liked more for its actors than for its writing, but it's clear after seeing a few episodes of "TWW" that it was Sorkin's real labor of love. So maybe when "The O.C." is in my rearview mirror, and after "Lost" wraps up its fifth season in May, I'll get cracking on that one. (And then maybe I'll finally get into "Battlestar Galactica.")
Is there anything I should jump on right now? So far this season, the only shows I've been watching every week are "The Office," "Saturday Night Live," and Bravo's one-two punch of "Project Runway" and "Top Chef." So, nothing too demanding. I gave up on my beloved "ER" after the first episode (Why did they kill Pratt?!?!), and "Fringe" is already losing me.
(I have a hunch I'll be told to start watching "Chuck" and "Gossip Girl." Hmmm ...)
I forgot to mention that I have become insanely hooked on "House" thanks to Netflix. I am on the third season right now. The "bromance" between House and Wilson is thoroughly entertaining.
"How I Met Your Mother" and "30 Rock" are quite awesome. And because it's on right before HIMYM, I have begrudgingly grown to love "The Big Bang Theory." I didn't want to like it, but it's pretty hilarious. "My Name is Earl" is really good this seaon, too.
I would tell you to watch "True Blood," but this Sunday is the season finale already. It'll be on DVD soon enough. And there's "Dexter," which you could easily catch up on.
GG and Chuck are the way to go. Chuck is Seth Cohen works at Best Buy and is a spy with hot girls hanging around everywhere. Chuck needs the ratings to survive another season, so I recommend watching it just to help out those of us who like the show. It's really found a groove here in the 2nd season. Any show where missile secrets are discovered by playing an old Atari game to the music of Rush has to be a winner.
GG is funny too, but in a way different way. GG is funny because of how ridiculous the drama is. There are so many O.C. alumni in those two shows that it's fun to just point them out.
BTW it's all about Summer. She has her moments but is kind of boring as a character until about halfway through season 1. Then she totally takes over as the female lead. It's amazing how that show is supposed to be about Ryan and Marissa, but in the end it's mostly about Seth and Summer.
It's been like 2 months since I ran through all 4 seasons for like the 3rd time. I should totally pick them back up once the fall shows go on hiatus for a few weeks.
How I Met Your Mother is hilarious and delightful, and it is quite clever in its storytelling. I highly recommend it. And I won't even bother telling you to watch 30 Rock because I think enough people probably already have.
I am one of many who didn't watch Arrested Development until it had been off the air for a few years, so I'm quite pleased to hear that they may be making an AD movie.
Then there are the shows that get cancelled after just a few episodes, like Andy Barker, P.I. *single tear*