With the initial phase of the 2002-3 TV season over (marked by the appearance of new shows and cancellations), I thought I’d toss in my 32 bits about the new shows still on the air that I enjoy. Right up front you should know that this exclude all reality shows–I think the whole genre sucks, bites, and should suffer a rapid cancellation en masse–even though the Sweet One is a huge fan of The Bachelor, Joe Millionaire, and the like. Most of the good new stuff is police-focused, have yet to see an enjoyable new sitcom this season.
Boomtown – complex police drama that ignores the standard single point of view, straight chronological ordering. Another series that is the vision of a single creative person (Graham Yost) as are the acclaimed Sopranos (David Chase), The Shield (Shawn Ryan), even The West Wing (Aaron Sorkin). Some really good acting from Donnie Wahlberg (yes, the ex-white rapper), Neal McDonough (another Aussie dropping the accent), and Gary Basaraba (chubby guys deserve a little fan support too!). The way Yost takes a story and slices it up among the various character perspectives and time sequences is terrific. Several episodes have shown us (what look like) the last events right at the start and not once did the spoil my enjoyment. And splitting the POV gives a much more real understanding of how police work is done–complex cases take teamwork, not one man.
John Doe – the title character is clearly reminscent of The Pretender (another great, underrated series) but this time he works with the authorities (Seattle Police Department) instead of being on the run from them and so far John hasn’t shown any special physical skills other than coordination. Still wants to find out, perhaps even more than Jarrod, who he is, where he came from, and how he came to be so different. Because of the police focus of the plots, the producers will need to keep coming up with interesting and different cases to solve, a problem that many such series don’t seem able to solve that well (I’m thinking of the last couple of years of NYPD Blue and all of The District specifically). Really good actors: Dominic Purcell (also an Aussie), Jayne Brook, and John Marshall Jones with good wiseass support from William Forsythe. Will be a challenge as well to develop the story of how Doe came to be Doe, government or private concern conspiracy, aliens, or whatever, and keep it meaningful should the series survive and thrive for five or seven years.
BBC America police procedurals – two shows here, Waking the Dead and Wire in the Blood, shown in the same Monday night time slot and two hours per episode. Waking the Dead features the Cold Case Unit (what this team is a unit of, Scotland Yard or other, is not clear nor could I find out via Google) investigating old unsolved cases that come back to prominence through some recent event. Very much a team effort here also in solving the mysteries though with a clear chain of command, just solid, creative police work.
Wire, starring Robson Green, only made three episodes initially but four more will be filmed for broadcast towards the end of the year. Green plays a clinical psychologist working, as needed, with a police squad that investigates serial killers. Green’s Dr. Tony Hill had specialized in researching these villains after their capture but is now called upon to use his profiling abilities to solve and capture current murderers. Waking the Dead also has a civilian psychologist on its team.
Penn & Teller’s Bullshit – I’ve seen only one episode so far but it was so good, so informative and so funny, that I must include it. The first episode totally dismantled (as if any intelligent human being) the so-called Talkers to the Dead like John Edwards (Crossing Over with…). Definite echoes of the recent South Park episode (The Biggest Douche in the Universe) which had much of the same information/target. Queued up for viewing on my Tivo is the second episode, on alternative medicine, can’t hardly wait.
Already cancelled shows that would easily have made this list are Firefly and Robbery Homicide Division but not, sadly, Birds of Prey.
Aside: I wrote this with CNN on over my shoulder, trying to distract myself a little from the grief of this morning’s tragedy. I have nothing useful to add on that event.
BillSaysThis 