Yeah, no, not going to do a textual Pacino thing. Though you were expecting it. Just want to give props to some new TV series I’ve been watching.
Eureka: SciFi Channel’s first intentionally funny live action show (what ever happened to Tripping the Rift anyway?) blends Mayberry RFD with next year’s techies. Good ensemble cast, nice writing, explores most of the normal tropes (clones, nanotech, smart computers gone insane). Remembers there are kids who are really smart but still kids.
Life on Mars: BBC America brought this over and its quite different, just excellent. Cop gets in a car accident and next thing he knows he’s woken up in 1973. Everyone in ’73 thinks he’s transferred in from the big city but he doesn’t understand, keeps hearing voices that make it appear he’s in a coma in a hospital in 2006. Also has to deal with the difference in police work then and now, such as suspects’ rights and crime scene science, and his own mother and father as they were when he was four–except they can’t really be told who he (thinks he) is.
Murder City: Another BBC America import featuring urban cop squad, nothing groundbreaking but good crimes, decent, non-cliched dialog and well-meshed cast. Tivo has been recording Homicide episodes and MC definitely reminds me a bit of it, odd types of crimes and oddly paired characters.
Heroes: Only saw the first episode but it went right into the Season Pass list. Has real possibilities, I like the ‘everyday person’ as evolutionary next step/hero and there’s a quirky bad guy who ought to provide some longterm conflict. If NBC give this one the quick hook, well, I’ll be pissed of course and probably write an angry blog post.
Studio 60: TS1 watches CSI: Miami, which has never appealed to me as I’m no David Caruso fan and Aaron Sorkin did well by me with Sports Night so I’ve watched the first two episodes. Could develop into a hit but the writers will have to be careful IMO about making fun of NBC franchise and obvious inspiration for this, Saturday Night Live.
Returning show tidbits:
The opening hours of CSI and Desperate Housewives were seriously underwhelming, they need to pick up the pace; I gave up on Nip/Tuck after seeing the season premiere, the show has lost all touch with reality. Family Guy has been funnier than Simpsons and American Dad doesn’t tickle my funny bones. When are those new episodes of Futurama going to be on?
Season four of The Wire has been gritty, tough, scary–and that’s just the scenes with the middle school kids! Comcast did finally straighten out the early On Demand access problem, fortunately. Wire in the Blood, speaking of wires, begins another run on BBC America Monday, Robson Green once again called on by the police to get inside the minds of serial killers.
Season six of Smallville starts tonight. Will it be the last? Veronica Mars and friends go to college as season three opens Tuesday; this show barely made the cut in the WB/UPN merger and one wonders about its prospects as well.
Season two of Doctor Who launches tomorrow night and season three of Battlestar Galactica next Friday, both should be great.
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