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GFF is a community of gaming and music enthusiasts. We have a team of dedicated moderators, constant member-organized activities, and plenty of custom features, including our unique journal system. If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ or our GFWiki. You will have to register before you can post. Membership is completely free (and gets rid of the pesky advertisement unit underneath this message).
I've only made one journal entry in the last year. I guess this is me fixing that.
It's not that I haven't had anything to talk about, it's just that I discovered the magic of Twitter. Because you know, it takes much less effort to bitch about something when you're limited to 140 characters. So instead of writing long-winded opinions of shitty TV shows, I can write short, concise opinions...about shitty TV shows.
What else is there worth mentioning? Hmm, let's see. My PS3 died again, but this time it wasn't caused by watching a shitty movie on blu-ray! I had it on in anticipation of doing something, but it just died before I actually could do anything. My sister was playing that terrible Atelier Rorona game earlier in the day, so I like to blame that just to make her feel guilty sometimes.
I wasn't going to pay Sony damn near $200 just to send me yet another refurbished unit, so I went to a local repair shop who said they could do it for $100. They tried for like three days, but they still couldn't get the damn thing to work. There was some problem with the video emulator or something like that. At least they were able to get it to work in 1-2 minute spurts, so I've been able to get my save data off of the thing before I replace it.
This happened over the summer, so I've been without a console for the better part of four months now. I purposely decided to wait since I knew there would be some better deals around now (Black Friday), and I knew there wasn't anything coming out in that time that I had to play. So now I'm getting the PS3 Holiday Bundle, which comes with a slim, the new Ratchet & Clank game (which I would have bought eventually anyway) and LittleBigPlanet 2: Special Edition (I already have the normal game, but at least this way I get Move DLC for free) all for $200. Even though I'll miss that backwards compatibility (we still have a PS2 though, so it was never a necessity), this definitely seemed like a better option than taking another crapshoot on a refurbished 60GB unit (apparently I just don't have good luck with those).
And with that, I have doubled my total number entries made within the last year.
I've still been lurking around here the whole time, so I think I'm pretty up-to-date with all the crazy GFF shenanigans. But please, someone tell me what's been going on around here anyway. Preferably in 140 characters or less.
I have no real excuse for not having been around much for a good month or so. Someone please provide me with one.
Let's see, TV. I could write about the rest of the shows I haven't got to yet, but fuck it. Everything mostly ranged from terrible to average, with the best new show by a long shot (Lone Star) having been cancelled by its second episode. Luckily The Walking Dead has come along to take that title, though really AMC, only six episodes for the first season? And while we're talking about AMC, fuck them for cancelling Rubicon. I was only kinda lukewarm to it at first, but by the end of the season I had no qualms admitting it was the best television I've watched all year. It sucks that there won't be more, but what's there is definitely worth watching.
So that's that. Did I miss anything good around here? Someone please provide me with a detailed report that I'll never get around to reading. Thank you very much.
The entry where I apparently throw heaps and heaps of praise towards The Event
Because you know, that's what I'm supposed to do, right?
Terriers - I really didn't know what to expect from this show, as the commercials didn't really say much. But after watching it, I can say that this show is already one of my favorite new shows of the season. It's about a pair of private investigators, one of them a former police officer who was thrown off the force. This show kinda reminds me of The Good Guys, but a bit more serious and without all the old school trappings. Donal Logue (Grounded for Life, The Knights of Prosperity) plays the main character Hank Dolworth, and there are a few other noticable cast members in Laura Allen (Lily from The 4400) and Rockmond Dunbar (C-Note from Prison Break). FX can be hit or miss with their shows sometimes, but this one definitely looks to be one of their better ones.
Hellcats - Okay, this show is just Glee with cheerleading instead of singing (yes, I know there is cheerleading in Glee, but I'm talking about as the focus). I'm not even exaggerating when I say that, either. You have the whole 'we have to win at Nationals or they'll shut down the program' angle, Ashley Tisdale's character is Rachel Berry (I'm dead serious), and the cheerleading coach has beef with the football coach (just like Will and Sue, though nowhere near as good). But even with all that said, it's still not that bad of a show. It might be an unabashed ripoff of Glee, but at least it's a good unabashed ripoff of Glee. And if nothing else, it's a good excuse to watch chicks prancing around in skimpy outfits.
Nikita - Eh. I expected to like this show a bit more than I actually did, but it was just okay. Even though it's an original take on the Nikita story, just the fact that they're using these same characters and the same world opens the door to comparisons to the original La Femme Nikita TV series. Sadly, none the actors measure up to their counterparts in the original (they got the huy who played George Mason on 24 to play the Operations part, which is just kinda laughable), though at least a few of them are still good in their own right. But even based on its own merits, as far as spy shows it's still only kinda average. I'll stick with it in hopes that it will get better, but I'd probably be better off finishing my La Femme Nikita DVDs over watching this.
Mad - This is an animated show (though the term animated applies loosely) based on Mad Magazine that airs on Cartoon Network. Not Adult Swim, Cartoon Network. It's obviously no MADtv, but for what it is it's not that bad. It's kinda like a Robot Chicken for a younger audience, as they do a lot of parodies and stuff that you'd expect from that show (the first episode had a fake crossover between CSI: Miami and iCarly (CSiCarly), for example). Also, the show has Spy vs. Spy cartoons, which pretty much makes it awesome based on that alone.
World of Jenks - This is a show on MTV about a pretentious filmaker named Andrew Jenks. Seriously, the dude annoys me to no end, so it's hard to like a show where the focus is on him interacting with other people. Not the other people are any better, as the episode I watched had him live with some no-name rapper who was probably more of a douchebag than Jenks was. What was supposed to be a serious look at a world most people don't normally experience just turned into a fucking laughfest. Just go watch the show 30 Days instead. It's not exactly like it, but it's close enough and it's actually good.
Outlaw - First and foremost I'm just gonna get out of the way that yes, I know this show is made by Conan O'Brien's production company. I admittedly didn't know that beforehand, but even if I did I wouldn't let that stop me from watching a show (it's not like he's actually in it). So with that out of the way, this is actually a pretty good legal drama. I'm a bit disappointed that they didn't keep the show about its initial focus (the main character starts off the show as a Supreme Court Justice, which I think would have made a better show), but the show that's there is still good. The characters are fun and quirky, but they can get dramatic when they need to. Overall I'd say it's a good show, and I'll definitely keep watching.
The Event - This show looked intruiging from the commercials, but at the same time I didn't get too excited for it because it pretty much just looked like FlashForward all over again. Except FlashForward at least told us what the whole big deal at the center of it all actually was. This show doesn't do that. It doesn't tell you much of anything, really. It's just a bunch of supposedly exciting shit happening for no real reason other than the fact that it's supposedly exciting. Also, there is no sense of time in this show, because after every scene it's suddenly 40 minutes earlier, then eleven days before, et cetra et cetra. Most of the characters were pretty boring, which was surprising considering the cast (even Zeljko Ivanek, who usually plays pretty awesome characters, was pretty boring). I might stick with it in the hope that it'll get better, but so far I'm pretty underwhelmed.
Because seriously, I meant to have this up months ago, but I just got lazy and stopped working on it. But at least it's (mostly) done now, about a few days before the new season starts in earnest.
If you don't know the deal by now, I visit http://tvseriesfinale.com/ to provide a list of cancelled TV shows for this season, while also providing my own commentary. This year, they decided to make one big list instead of several list divided by networks, so I'm just gonna go with that as well (though I did split it up into parts to make it a bit easier to navigate). Same as always, my commentary will follow each show in spoiler tags, and if a show title is clickable it will lead to a previous entry where I discussed that show.
NOTE: Everything is not in full working order as of now. I still need to add most of the links, as well as spruce it up a bit, which I will do over the next few days. I mainly just wanted to get it up now that the majority of it is finished.
A-D:
'Til Death (FOX) - The Brad Garrett – Joely Fisher sitcom survived to see four seasons thanks to a deal with Sony TV who wanted to produce enough episodes for a syndication package. After lots of low ratings, the show’s luck ran out and it was cancelled. The final episode airs on May 19th.
Spoiler:
I was never a huge Everybody Loves Raymond fan, and Brad Garrett may be part of the reason why. Needless to say, the last thing I'd watch is a show with him in the starring role. I actually have seen a few episodes of it though, and as expected it was terrible. Overall, I just hope the cancellation of this show doesn't lead to Garrett making more of those creepy 7-Up commercials.
10 Things I Hate About You (ABC Family)- This adaptation of the movie of the same name (which itself was a retelling of The Taming of the Shrew) did well in season one but viewership dropped off in season two. As a result, there won’t be season three.
Spoiler:
While I have seen the movie, it was nowhere near good enough to make me want to watch a TV series based on it, let alone one on ABC Family. I can't speak for the quality of the show having not actually watched it, but if I had to take a guess...let's just say it was cancelled for a reason.
24 (FOX) - It looks like Jack Bauer will finally get a day off. The network, studio, and executive producers have decided to end the series after eight seasons. Fans can take solace in the fact that there are already plans to make a movie.
Spoiler:
What can I say about 24 that I haven't already said in hundreds of other posts and journal entries? Hands down one of my favorite shows of all time, and while I'm definitely sad to see it go, I can't say I disagree with the decision to end it. It's clear that its best seasons are behind it, and while it can still deliver a show that's better than most others on television, it's probably best to remember the show for what it was rather than trying to recapture the magic of the earlier seasons over and over again.
Accidentally on Purpose (CBS) - We won’t get to see how Billie and Zach do as parents or as a married couple. The sitcom’s been cancelled after 18 episodes.
Spoiler:
The saddest part about this was that it wasn't cancelled sooner. Seriously, this show was terrible, and I still don't get the appeal of Jenna Elfman.
As The World Turns (CBS) - The network has decided to end the venerable soap opera after 54 years on the air, due to low ratings. Proctor & Gamble has pledged to try to find a new home for the series but hasn’t had success yet. It will go off the air in September.
Spoiler:
What the fuck am I supposed to say about a soap opera? Even as far as daytime television goes it's the lowest form of low, so this definitely couldn't have happened soon enough. Too bad there's still quite a few more of these on the air, so axing one is still not that significant of a blow.
At the Movies (syndicated) - The movie review show that featured newspaper film critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel for many years will be coming to a close in August. After parting ways with Disney, Ebert says that he is working on his own program that will incorporate new hosts and interaction with an online audience.
Spoiler:
I used to watch this show sparringly during the Ebert and Roeper years, but it was never appointment television or anything. I don't think I've ever watched it since Ebert left, and especially not after Roeper left. It just seems like in this day and age a show like this is largely unecessary, since you can easily look up a hundred different reviews in a matter of minutes. Granted, part of the appeal was the prestige of the reviewers, but since that was already gone anyway the show probably should have ended sooner.
The Beautiful Life (The CW) - This show about young models portrays the cut-throat and competitive world of high fashion. Starring Mischa Barton, Corbin Bleu, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Nico Tortorella, and Elle Macpherson, it was the first casualty of the 2009-10 season. The drama had poor ratings and was pulled after two episodes. The series’ five episodes have been posted officially on YouTube.
Spoiler:
I feel sorry for YouTube.
Ben 10: Alien Force (Cartoon Network) - The animated series is ending after three seasons and 46 episodes. Fans have no reason to worry though, it’ll be replaced by Ben 10: Evolution later this year.
Spoiler:
I honestly can't tell you what was the last children's cartoon I've actually enjoyed was, but I can tell you it wasn't a show that's been on in the last five or so years. That's not to say that every children's cartoon on the air right now is terrible, though from what I have seen I don't think that would be too far from the truth. As for Ben 10 specifically I can't say I've seen much of it (I think I've seen maybe one episode of it, and that's only because one of the voice actors caught my attention as I was flipping through channels), but what I did see didn't seem that bad. I probably would have watched it if I was younger.
Better Off Ted (ABC) - In truth, ABC probably shouldn’t have given this comedy a second season. Though love it, the series has never caught on with a mass audience. Season two’s ratings were terrible so it won’t be coming back for season three. ABC still has two unaired episodes.
Spoiler:
Not much I can say about this one. I heard it's actually a pretty good show, but it never appealed to me enough to make me want to watch it.
The Bill Engvall Show (TBS) - Comic Bill Engvall plays a family counselor who can’t always figure out his own crazy family. The rest of the sitcom cast includes Nancy Travis, Jennifer Lawrence, Graham Patrick Martin, Skyler Gisondo, and Tim Meadows. The series was cancelled after three seasons and 30 episodes due to a decline in ratings.
Spoiler:
I never liked the whole "Blue Collar" comedy thing. I have no idea how much of that this show featured it, but considering this guy was one of the purveyors of it I just assumed it was steeped in it and never watched it. Needless to say, I'm not sad to see this show go.
Bill Moyers Journal (PBS) - The weekly news program originally ran from 1972 until 1976 and then from 1979 until 1981. Moyers revived the show again in 2007. In November 2009, he announced that he would be retiring from the program as of April 30, 2010.
Spoiler:
I'm not going to pretend I'm one of those people who actually watches PBS, so I have no idea who Bill Moyers is or what this show is about. Yep...
Blonde Charity Mafia (The CW) - This docu-series revolves around a trio of influential young women in Washington, DC. It was initially developed for Lifetime before moving to CW. After delaying its airing, the network has decided to cancel their plans to broadcast it at all. The show may be sold to another outlet.
Spoiler:
Wow, a show that was cancelled before it even aired? That's gotta be a new low for you, CW. Granted, it probably wasn't very smart to pick up a rejected Lifetime series in the first place.
The Bonnie Hunt Show (syndicated) - This talk show has been on the air for two seasons but hasn’t been a big ratings winner in the competitive daytime market. The distributor decided to cancel it though original programs will continue to be produced until June.
Spoiler:
I've seen maybe half an episode of this show. She talked about cupcakes for like five minutes. Cupcakes may be delicious, but they do not make compelling television (despite the fact that there are like three different shows about cupcakes on the air at the moment). For Hunt's lack of common sense, multiple seasons despite low ratings, and overall general suckiness, I'm going to award The Bonnie Hunt Show this year's 'What About Brian? Award for Excellence in Continued Crap'. I contemplated whether or not I should give such a prestigious award to a daytime show (because really, they all suck), but with the lack of any real contenders in the primetime category (most of the terrible shows were new shows that only lasted for one season) this was unfortunately the best choice.
Brotherhood (Showtime) - A gritty drama about two Irish-American brothers; a politician (Jason Clarke) and a thug (Jason Isaacs). Others in the cast include Kevin Chapman, Annabeth Gish, Fiona C. Erickson, Brian Scannell, Kerry O’Malley, Fionnula Flanagan, Madison Garland, and Billy Smith. After three years, Showtime opted not to continue the series. The news broke when the third season was released on DVD as “The Final Season.”
Spoiler:
I don't really know much about this series. It seems like it's good (I did buy the first season on DVD, so I guess it did appeal to me), but I never really heard much about the show as it was airing (unlike other Showtime series, which seem to get a lot of buzz). I guess I'll get around to watching it one day, but until then it's hard for me to get passionate about it either way.
Brothers (FOX) - This sitcom about a former NFL star and his paraplegic brother struggled on Friday nights and then didn’t do any better on Sundays. All 13 episodes aired before the end of 2009 and FOX later decided to cancel it.
Spoiler:
I never did end up watching anymore of it aside from the episodes I watched when I first talked about it. It just seemed kinda destined to fail, which makes me wonder why networks pick up shows like this in the first place. I doubt anyone will miss this one.
The Cleaner (A&E) - This series revolves around a recovering drug addict who helps others beat their own addictions. The drama stars Benjamin Bratt, Brett DelBuono, Liliana Mumy, Grace Park, Esteban Powell, Amy Price-Francis, and Kevin Michael Richardson. The series ended after two seasons and 26 episodes.
Spoiler:
I've heard of this show, but I never knew what it was about. I was hoping it was about a hitman or something, but that doesn't seem to be the case, so I guess I'm glad I never watched it (because what it is about sounds incredibly boring).
Cold Case (CBS)- The investigations are sadly over. Detective Rush and her team won’t be back for season eight.
Spoiler:
I've actually been watching a lot of this show in reruns lately. Yeah, it's pretty much just another boring CBS murder procedural, but this one deals with old murders! Seriously though, this show usually does have some good cases, but the tradeoff is that all the detectives are generic as fuck and I could give two shits about their personal storylines. In a way though, that's an advantage, because you can easily jump in and watch this series at almost any point (I think the first episode I saw was some random season four episode). Despite how much I've been watching it as of late, I'm not too broken up about it being cancelled, since there are plenty of episodes I still haven't watched, and it's not like I care about a proper ending since I don't care about the actual characters.
-Minor addendum (because remember, I wrote some of this shit almost three months ago): Okay, maybe I was a little harsh in saying that all the detectives are generic as fuck. After seeing more of the series I will admit they have some engaging storylines if you're willing to invest in watching the whole series, but by no means are you missing much by not caring about them. The main gist of the show is still the actual cases themselves.
The Deep End (ABC) - A drama about a group of young and attractive legal eagles didn’t get renewed for another round.
Spoiler:
Eh, I watched at least one other episode of this besides the first one, but it didn't really get better or anything, and you could pretty much tell it was going to get cancelled anyway. If you were a fan who wants more, ABC already seems to have adapted the same concept to a new show (Rookie Blue), this time one about cops.
Defying Gravity (ABC) - A group of eight astronauts undertake a mysterious space mission. The sci-fi drama stars Andrew Airlie, Christina Cox, Zahf Paroo, Ron Livingston, Laura Harris, Karen LeBlanc, William C. Vaughan, Malik Yoba, Paula Garces, Florentine Lahme, Eyal Podell, Dylan Taylor, Ty Olsson, Maxim Roy, Peter Howitt, and Lara Gilchrist. ABC aired only seven episodes. The network maintained that they would air the five remaining episodes at a later date but that seems highly unlikely. The sets have been destroyed and the series creator has confirmed the show is finished.
Spoiler:
This show looked kinda interesting, but I never did end up watching it. I don't know if it was actually any good or not, but who knows, maybe I'll still give it a watch one day.
Dollhouse (FOX) - The Joss Whedon series follows a group of people who have their personalities wiped and replaced with other personas for projects-for-hire. Despite low ratings, the series was renewed for a second season but the numbers fell too low for a third year. The show was cancelled and the last episode aired on January 29, 2010.
Spoiler:
I watched and liked the pilot, but by that point I was already so far behind on it that I just decided to skip it at that time and catch it on DVD later (haven't done that yet, but I'll probably get around to it one day). After this and Firefly, hopefully Joss Whedon has finally learned that he and FOX can never make a successful show together. Ever.
E-H:
Eastwick (ABC) - Three women (Rebecca Romijn, Lindsay Price, and Jaime Ray Newman) discover that they have supernatural powers once a handsome stranger (Paul Gross) comes to town. The series didn’t attract enough viewers and was cancelled after 13 episodes. You can read recaps of the two episodes that haven’t run on ABC here and here.
Spoiler:
This show started off pretty great, but by the end of its TV run even I had stopped watching it. Eh, at least we got a good moment or two out of it on the GFF radio show (though it's still no Dirty Sexy Money).
ECW (Syfy) - Syfy’s professional wrestling program ran for four seasons and 193 episodes before going off the air. It was replaced by WWE NXT
Spoiler:
I haven't watched wrestling in more than a year (with the exception of this year's Wrestlemania, since it featured the last match of my favorite wrestler), but even when I did this show was always the bastard child of the WWE. This is where they stuck all the has been and possibly never will be talent, though there were a few people who were actually good enough to make it onto one of the good shows. I've seen a few commercials for the show they replaced it with, but it doesn't look like it's any better than the show it's replacing. Then again, it's not like we need wrestling on the fucking Sci-Fi (I refuse to spell it that other way) channel in the first place.
Find My Family (ABC) - This reality show helped people to reconnect with their love ones. All eight episodes have aired and it won’t be back for a second season.
Spoiler:
This is the type of television show that doesn't appeal to me in the slightest, and I guess most people felt the same. That's not to say there isn't a market for this type of show, but it probably should have been on one of those cable channels that show more similar types of programming (like maybe an A&E or something).
FlasForward (ABC) - This drama started out strong in the ratings but viewership kept dropping. Then, ABC put it on hiatus (in part because of the Olympics) and things got even worse. No season two.
Spoiler:
The show that was suuposed to be the next Lost ended up being cancelled before Lost actually ended. Can't say I'm too surprised, especially when my suspicions about it being a choice between this and V panned out to be true. By no means was V doing excellent, but it was getting slightly (and I do mean slightly) better ratings, and I think most fans of both shows would admit that it was the better show creatively by the end of the season as well.
Honestly, I'm not too broken up about this. It started off alright, but as the season progressed it alternatively got better and worse, mostly worse. In particular, there were some pretty crappy storylines, like the guy trying to save his daughter in Iraq, and pretty much anything involving Dominic Monaghan's character. But the one moment I can point to that kinda ruined the series was when the one FBI agent proved that the flash forwards were not definite, essentially killing the most interesting part of the series for me. It's not necessarily bad that it happened, but it happened way too early in the series if you ask me, so I wouldn't be surprised if this was the point where a lot of viewers lost interest (though honestly, the ratings have been in an almost constant decline starting with the second episode, so that's not much of a valid excuse). I could list plenty of other factors that may have lead to this show's demise, but the point of it is that the show is over.
Flight of the Conchords (HBO)- A unique comedy and music series, this show follows fictionalized versions of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. After two seasons, they decided to call it quits but may return in a special.
Spoiler:
As I've said plenty of times before, I don't watch many HBO shows as they air since I don't have HBO, so I've never seen this show. From what I hear it's pretty good if you're into quirky, offbeat kinda stuff, so I may try it out one day.
Fly Girls - The reality show about five beautiful flight attendants has been grounded after one season.
Spoiler:
Another show that focuses on the lives of beautiful young people? Never would have guessed that was a CW show! Seriously though, this show sounds like garbage, so it's a good thing that it got cancelled. Unfortunately, The CW never learns, so there will be another show just like it next season.
the forgotten (ABC) - Christian Slater’s second TV series fared only slightly better than his first.
Spoiler:
I thought this show was actually pretty good, but I can't really defend it since it did have pretty crappy ratings. I definitely would have liked it to continue, but it a way I don't mind that it didn't since the last episode they did air was a pretty good way to end the series (similar to Worst Week from last year, what's there is a complete story, so in a way it's better that it ended on a high note rather than getting cancelled halfway through a subpar second season or something like that).
Gary Unmarried (CBS)- A moderate success for the network, the ratings dropped in season two. No season three.
Spoiler:
It wasn't a great show, but it was mostly watchable. The most notable problem with this show is that it's constantly making changes (mostly to the cast, which included dropping characters with no explanation), which it must have done at least three or four time throughout its two seasons. The main thing that sucks was that it ended on a cliffhanger, though if I were to make an educated guess I would think that it would have been resolved in a way that wouldn't contradict the name of the series.
Ghost Whisperer (CBS)- Ratings for this Friday night drama fell significantly this season so it won’t be back, unless ABC picks it up.
Spoiler:
Never watched or cared to watch this show. I know my mom used to watch it but she said it started to suck later on. so that's even more reason for me not to watch it. Besides, we all know Jennifer Love Hewitt can't act, she's just there to look pretty.
The Goode Family (ABC)- An animated sitcom about an overly politically-correct and dysfunctional family that stars the voices of Mike Judge, Brian Doyle Murray, Dave Herman, Linda Cardellini, and Nancy Carell. ABC cancelled the series in August after running all of the episodes. Comedy Central later picked up the series. If it performs well, a second season could have been commissioned but the ratings weren’t there.
Spoiler:
I know it's usually three strikes until you're out, but some shows hardly even get one, yet this crappy show got two and still couldn't make it. After an unsuccessful run on ABC and Comedy Central, you just have to realize that the show is not that great. I've talked about the show enough (in addition to the first entry I linked, I also talked about it here), so there really isn't much more to say.
The Great American Road Trip (NBC) - This reality show pitted families against one another as they traveled across the country in motor homes. The show quickly ran out of gas and was cancelled after one season of eight episodes.
Spoiler:
I barely even remember this show. I think I might have watched it for five minutes one day, and it was as terrible as I expected. No loss here, folks.
Guiding Light (CBS) - After 57 years on television, the network decided to end this venerable soap opera. The ratings had been slipping for many years and the curtain came down after 15,762 episodes.
Spoiler:
Oh wait, TWO of these things were cancelled? Maybe we're making more progress than I thought.
Hank (ABC) - Kelsey Grammer stars as a Wall Street CEO who’s fired from his company and returns with his family to live in his small hometown. The rest of the family is played by Melinda McGraw, Jordan Hinson, Nathan Gamble, and David Koechner. ABC shut down production after 10 episodes but only five were shown because of low ratings.
Spoiler:
Unfunny show is unfunny. Nothing much more to say about it thaty I didn't already say in my initial discussion of the show.
Happy Town (ABC) - Viewers will get some answers before the series finale but not all.
Spoiler:
This smelled like Harper's Island all over again, so I didn't even bother to watch it. Luckily I was right.
Head Case (Starz) - Alexandra Wentworth stars as an unconventional therapist that helps the Hollywood crowd. After three seasons, the doctor is out.
Spoiler:
Wow, I've never heard of this show. I've heard of the channel (though I don't have it), and I've heard of other shows on the channel, but I've never heard of this show. Can't say I really care either.
Here Comes the Newlyweds (NBC)- This reality series sought to educate just-married couples by having them take care of babies, toddlers, and senior citizens. It lasted two seasons.
Spoiler:
I've never even heard of this show, but it sounds a lot like that show The Baby Borrowers just with newlyweds instead of teenagers. Either way, it sounds terrible, and the fact that it managed to stay on for two seasons on a major network without me knowing about it means it must be evil.
Heroes (NBC)- After seasons of declining ratings, the peacock network has pulled the plug. There are plans in the works to wrap up the series with an event of some kind.
Spoiler:
Another show that I've kinda gained my freedom from. It's pretty much common knowledge that the show was good in its first season and has been shit ever since. Unfortunately, I've been watching it the whole time, and while some parts have been better than others, for the most part everything post-Season 1 has indeed been shit. Thus, I'm not really sad to see it go. As for the ending, it's not like a show like this was ever going to get a completely satisfying ending anyway, so they might as well just have stopped it now instead of continuing to pile the crap on.
High Society (The CW)- This reality series follows a group of society ladies who attend the best affairs in New York City. The party’s over after one season.
Spoiler:
Oh, another fucking show on The CW about beautiful young people living their glamorous lives? Just copy and paste everything else I said about every other CW show on this list here. I'm sure that'll work.
The Hills (MTV) - After six seasons, the reality show is coming to a close. It’s a safe be that we haven’t seen the last of the cast however.
Spoiler:
I'm just gonna come straight out and say that if you thought this show was real then you're an idiot. Not because they managed to fool you, but because you actually watched this show to begin with.
Hitched or Ditched (FOX) - A reality show about long-term relationship couples finally making the leap. It won’t return for season two.
Spoiler:
Where are all these shows I've never heard of coming from? On The CW it's understandable, but on NBC and now FOX as well? I must be really slipping these days. Though it's probably for the best of course, because the show sounds like crap.
I-N:
I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! (NBC) - The peacock network revived this ABC reality series that puts a group of “celebrities” in a jungle and makes them compete in challenges. It wasn’t a success in many ways and won’t be back.
Spoiler:
It features "celebrities" such as stars from The Hills. That alone should tell you about the quality of this show. Seriously, there was a reason it was cancelled the first time, so hopefully it stays dead.
The Jay Leno Show (NBC) - The network wanted to save money by running cheaper programming five nights a week at 10pm. The official line was that they were pleased with the results but the local affiliate stations, whose newscasts were losing viewers as a result, weren’t. As a result, Leno’s show ended in February and he returned to the Tonight Show on March 1st.
Spoiler:
At this point I'm sure everyone already knows about the whole Jay vs. Conan thing, so there's no point in bringing up that dead horse. I will note though that I have not managed to laugh at a single Jay Leno joke since that whole thing started. For me to hate you that much you have to be a douche of the highest caliber.
The Jeff Dunham Show (Comedy Central)- The ventriloquist’s show got off to a solid start but the ratings quickly dropped. The series was cancelled after one season but the cable channel intends to stay in business with Dunham.
Spoiler:
Surprising considering the premiere was like the highest rated premiere in Comedy Central history, but even people who watched this show were smart enough to realize it was complete garbage and stopped watching eventually.
Joe Buck Live (HBO) - This sports talk show got off to a tough start when Artie Lange essentially hijacked the first episode. Three episodes aired and there won’t be a fourth. Buck is in talks to do a similar show for Fox Sports.
Spoiler:
If I don't even keep up with HBO's scripted shows there's no way I'd be able to keep with stuff like this. With only three episodes though I'm not really sure how notable it was in the first place.
Jon & Kate Plus Eight (TLC) - The marriage of Jon and Kate Gosselin fell apart and so did the show’s chances for a sixth season. Kate will continue without Jon for Kate Plus Eight and that’ll start June 6th.
Spoiler:
Is anyone really considering this show cancelled just because they changed the title and got rid of one of the characters people on the show? Of course not. This crap is still on the air, which makes the Discovery Channel gunman weep in hell.
Kings (NBC) - Ian McShane headlines this series about a fictional version of the United States that’s ruled by an absolute monarchy. The rest of the impressive cast includes Christopher Egan, Allison Miller, Susanna Thompson, Macaulay Culkin, Sebastian Stan, Eamonn Walker, Dylan Baker, and Wes Studi. An expensive program to produce, the series didn’t attract many viewers. All 13 episodes were aired.
Spoiler:
This is another one of those shows that I was interested in checking out but never got around to. Again, I just fell behind in watching shit, and by the time that I could watch it it already looked like it was going to be cancelled so I didn't bother. I may still watch it one day though, as I still think it looks good.
-Minor addendum: I have no idea why this show is even on the list when it was on last year's list, but whatever.
Law & Order (NBC) - This venerable crime drama was poised to surpass Gunsmoke as the longest-running primetime drama in US history. Unfortunately NBC and Dick Wolf couldn’t come to an agreement and the show is ending after 20 seasons.
Spoiler:
Seriously, this is one of the most boring shows on television, so I'm glad to see it gone. Too bad there's still like twelve different spinoffs on the air, though at least some of those might actually be good.
Legend of the Seeker (Syndicated) - This fantasy series ran for two seasons before the Tribune stations opted not to renew their contract. ABC Studios, which produces the show, tried to find stations to take their place but was unsuccessful. One of the producers and one of the stars have confirmed that it’s dead.
Spoiler:
I honestly didn't know they still made shows like this as original programming in syndication. Nothing against the quality of the show (I've never seen it), but that just seems like a recipe for disaster int his day and age. I'm pretty sure Sci-Fi was showing it at one point, so I don't know why they didn't just go to a channel like that in the first place.
Lincoln Heights (ABC Family) - After four seasons, the story of Officer Eddie Sutton and his family came to a close. The show’s ratings had dropped and the cable channel opted not to bring it back for another year.
Spoiler:
Four seasons on ABC Family has to be some kind of record, so yeah. Seriously though, this show never looked that appealing to me (again, partially because it's on ABC Family), though that doesn't mean it's bad or anything. Just not my thing.
The Listener (NBC) - Craig Olejnik stars as a young paramedic who has the ability to listen to other people’s thoughts. Others in the cast include Enis Esmer, Colm Feore, Lisa Marcos, Mylene Robic, Anthony Lemke, Paulino Nunes. NBC pulled the series after eight episodes but all 13 were shown online and in Canada. NBC has cancelled the show but it’s been renewed in Canada. The producers hope to find another outlet in the US.
Spoiler:
Please, just stay in Canada. We obviously don't want you.
Lost (ABC) - What began as a “simple” plane crash story has become into one of the most unforgettable series in television history. The large ensemble cast includes Matthew Fox, Naveen Andrews, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Daniel Dae Kim, Yunjin Kim, Evangeline Lilly, and Terry O’Quinn. It was announced in 2007 that the show would end after six seasons.
Spoiler:
Most of my thoughts about this show can be summed up from my post in the Lost thread:
Quote:
I'm glad I was never obsessed with the show as much as the average Lost fan seems to be. For the most part it was just another show I watched, so while I did enjoy it, I didn't care enough about it to get fixated on every single detail. I never really read all the fan theories or followed discussion concerning the deeper meaning behind things that happened on the show. That's not a knock against people who did do all that stuff, but I think that's the primary reason why they had such lofty expectations for the finale.
I wasn't disappointed with the finale. I wouldn't go as far as to say I was satisfied with it, but the show passed the point of ever being able to deliver a satisfying ending seasons ago. For what it was I thought it was good for the most part, and considering how this show has played out over the years it was probably the most fitting finale we could ever get.
And let's face it, considering we knew like three years in advance that the show would be ending, there's not really much to be sad about.
Melrose Place (The CW) - Not even Heather Locklear could save this spin-off. It’s gone after 18 episodes.
Spoiler:
Oh The CW, this has been your plan all along, hasn't it? Your goal as a network is to just recreate FOX in the late 90s, except you're failing at it. That has to be it, because otherwise I can't figure out why you made this crap in the first place.
Mental (FOX) - This series got off to a slow start last summer and the ratings didn’t get better for subsequent episodes. FOX opted to cancel the show after all of the episodes had aired.
Spoiler:
I watched a few episodes of this when it forst came on, but it did eventually get pretty boring. Based on the ratings though I doubt anyone will actually miss it, not that there were many recurring plotlines anyway (the only thing I remember was something about the main character's sister). I don't know, if the show didn't have such low standards (it starred a bunch of nobodies and was filmed in some South American country, not to mention it was a summer series), maybe it could have been better.
Mercy (NBC) - It looked like this medical drama was going to easily outperform fellow freshman series Trauma. Unfortunately Mercy couldn’t hold onto its audience and both shows have been cancelled.
Spoiler:
It wasn't the best show, but it managed to hold my interest whenever it was on. If I had a choice I would have definitely liked for it to come back next season, but at the same time I'm not surprised or broken up about it being cancelled. But I do want to know where the hell am I supposed to get my Michelle Trachtenberg fix now. Because I'm sure as fuck not watching Gossip Girl.
Miami Medical (CBS) - This Friday night drama took the Numb3rs timeslot but couldn’t beat its ratings. It won’t return for season two.
Spoiler:
Nothing really much more to say aside from what I said when I originally wrote about it. Everyone had to know this was coming.
Monk (USA) - Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) is a police detective whose brilliance is only limited by his obsessive-compulsive disorders. Other series regulars have included Bitty Schram, Traylor Howard, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford. Monk ended after eight seasons and 125 episodes.
Spoiler:
It seemed like a good if not a bit overrated show, I just never got around to watching it (I do have the first season on DVD though). I'll probably get to it one day, but until then it's hard for me to say if it ending was a good or bad thing (though after being on for that long, I doubt anyone is too broken up about it).
More to Love (FOX) - From the creator of The Bachelor, this dating series attempted to match up a bachelor up with a plus-sized mate. It lasted nine episodes and one season.
Spoiler:
Fat people dating show. Because obviously fat people can only date other fat people. About the only good thing to come out of this is a parody they have on the show Huge called Love Handles which is obviously based on this.
The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS) - Julia Louis-Dreyfus and friends won’t be back for season six, unless ABC decides to save it.
Spoiler:
I've tried watching this show a few times, but it was never really that great to me. Not really bad or anything, just not my thing.
Nip/Tuck (FX) - A show that revolves around plastic surgeons, the series concluded after 100 episodes and seven seasons. The last episode aired on March 3rd.
Spoiler:
I was watching this show when it first started, but for some reason I stopped watching it. More than likely it was because it came on at the same time as something else in the days when I couldn't just download a show at a whim. Since then I've bought like the first four seasons on DVD, so I'll probably get the rest and then watch it all at some point. As for the show itself, I heard it got a bit campy in later seasons, but I'll wait to see it myself before judging it. All in all though, it seems like it had a good run, so nothing for anyone to be upset over.
Numb3rs (CBS) - Don and Charlie have finished their cases, after six seasons on the air.
Spoiler:
Yay, another boring CBS procedural. I've watched maybe one complete episode of this along with a few bits and pieces of other episodes, and overall this show is just boring. If CSI is solving crimes with science, then this show is solving crimes math, which shouldn't appeal to anyone. Also, who in the hell decided Rob Morrow should be the leading man of anything? The dude is generic as fuck. I'm sure some people are sad ot see it go, but I'm definitely not.
P-W:
Past Life (FOX) - This drama about a team that try to help people by uncovering past life traumas didn’t make it beyond three episodes before being pulled and cancelled. There are plans to air the remaining episodes this summer.
Spoiler:
This show sounded interesting on paper, but it looked terrible in execution. I ended up not even watching it, and that looks to have been the right decision.
The Philanthropist (NBC) - A billionaire playboy (James Purefoy) decides to use his wealth and influence to change the lives of others. He’s assisted by his best friend (Jesse L. Martin) and his friend’s wife (Neve Campbell). NBC aired all eight episodes but received low ratings. Though the network hasn’t admitted that it’s been cancelled, a “Complete Series” DVD was released in January 2010.
Spoiler:
You can pretty much copy and paste what I said about the above show to this one.
Raising the Bar (TNT) - A group of former legal students reunite at a law firm and in the the courtroom, often on opposite sides. The series features Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Gloria Reuben, Currie Graham, Melissa Sagemiller, J. August Richards, Jonathan Scarfe, Teddy Sears, and Jane Kaczmarek. Ratings were strong for the premiere but quickly fell off and went too low to warrant a third season.
Spoiler:
Finally, a show I'm actually sad to see get cancelled. It certainly wasn't the best legal drama series out there, but it was good for what it was and had some interesting and fun characters. If anything, TNT should have kept it instead of one of the five cop shows it has now just to have some variety. I'd probably be more mad if we didn't have The Good Wife, but since we do I'm still getting a good legal drama fix.
Reno 911! (Comedy Central) - This is a satirical program that follows a fictitious police department in Reno, Nevada. Over the past 88 episodes, the ensemble cast has included Cedric Yarbrough, Niecy Nash, Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon, Kerri Kenney, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey. After six seasons, Comedy Central decided to call it quits.
Spoiler:
I always thought this show looked stupid from the commercials, but after actually watching an episode I found out it wasn't that bad. Since then I've bought a few of the seasons on DVD, so I'll get around to watching it eventually. It seems to have had a good long run (in Comedy Central terms), so nothing to be sad about.
Rita Rocks (Lifetime) - In this sitcom, Nicole Sullivan stars as an over-stressed mom who manages to find time to play in a local rock band. It lasted two seasons and 40 episodes.
Spoiler:
Hmm, I like Nicole Sullivan, but I hate Lifetime. Now I've never seen this show, but I think my hate for Lifetime is more powerful than my love for Nicole Sullivan in this case. Thus, I'm gonna go ahead and say that this show was probably garbage.
Robin Hood (BBC) - A retelling of the classic legend that stars Jonas Armstrong, Lucy Griffiths, Richard Armitage, David Harewood, Keith Allen, Gordon Kennedy, Sam Troughton, Joe Armstrong, Lara Pulver, and Harry Lloyd. It was announced in August 2008 that Armstrong, who plays the title character, would be leaving the show after three seasons. A creative revamp was considered but a fourth season wasn’t ordered.
Spoiler:
I have enough American and Canadian (surprisingly) shows to keep up with that I don't really have much time to keep up with British shows as well. I'm honestly not even sure why it's on this list, though I'm gonna guess that it aired on BBC America or something. Anyway, never seen or even heard of the show, so there's not really much I could say about it. It's good that they decided to end it though rather than try to go on without the character the show is named after (unless Robin Hood turned out to be Doctor Who and all of a sudden regenerated on us).
Romantically Challenged (ABC) - The Alyssa Milano sitcom had just aired three episodes when the network decided to cancel the show. No word on when/if the remaining episodes will air.
Spoiler:
Another boring looking sitcom from ABC. How they managed to give us three good ones in one season while still managing to give us crap like this is somewhat of an anomaly. I only watched a few minutes of an episode, but that was all I needed to see that it wasn't very good.
Ruby & The Rockits (ABC Family) - A teenage girl (Alexa Vega) tracks down her lounge singer father (David Cassidy) and the two move in with her uncle (Patrick Cassidy) and his family (Katie A. Keane, Austin Butler, and Kurt Doss). The series started out strong but ratings declined. ABC Family opted not to order a second season but all 10 episodes aired.
Spoiler:
This show actually doesn't sound that bad (partially because Alexa Vega is hot, of course), it's just too bad I didn't hear about it until it had already finished airing. It seemed pointless to watch it after that, so I never got around to it. Can't say I'm sad to see a show I never watched get cancelled.
The Sarah Silverman Program (Comedy Central) - Season three almost didn’t happen because of money issues. When the show finally returned, the ratings were poor. Sarah and her pals won’t be back for season four.
Spoiler:
Eh, I liked it after watching the first episode, but I just didn't really feel like keeping up with it. I might go back and watch it all one day, but for now it's hard for me to feel anything about it.
Saving Grace (TNT) - A hard-living detective, played by Holly Hunter, is set to solve her final case. The series is scheduled to end after three seasons on June 21, 2010.
Spoiler:
It certainly could have gone on for longer, but I'm still satisfied with what's there. It's just a good thing the producers knew in advance that the show was ending so they could give it a proper ending.
Scrubs (ABC) - Though Zack Braff and others left last season, ABC wanted to keep it going so they’d have more episodes for the lucrative syndication package. The ratings for the “med school” version were terrible.
Spoiler:
I love most of Bill Lawrence's other work (Spin City and Cougar Town), but for some reason I've never really watched this show. From the few bits of it that I've managed to catch in reruns it seems funny enough, but it seems like a show that'd be better to watch from the beginning in order to fully get all the jokes. As for the show ending, it kinda seems like it overstayed its welcome a bit, because most people are saying the last season was largely unnecessary (and I'm pretty sure some of the cast and crew didn't even want to do it). But it had a great run before that, and I'm sure I'll get around to watching it one day.
Sons of Tucson (FOX) - The sitcom got off to a poor start and was pulled after four episodes. Unaired episodes start running June 6th but there won’t be a second year.
Spoiler:
It's hard for me to feel bad about a show getting cancelled when I pretty much hated every character on the show. It just wans't that great, so I'm not surprised that the ratings sucked and FOX gave it the boot. They actually made a good decision!
THe Superstars (ABC) - The reality competition series paired celebrities with top athletes and pitted them against other teams. The ratings were terrible and the network even bumped the finale for a rerun of The Bachelorette.
Spoiler:
I barely even remember this show. That's not good enough. I need to completely forget this show ever existed, because it sounds pretty fucking terrible.
Surviving Suburbia (ABC) - A family sitcom that centers around a grumpy dad (Bob Saget), his family (Cynthia Stevenson, Jared Kusnitz, and G. Hannelius), and his sleazy friend (Jere Burns). The show had a decent start following Dancing with the Stars but fell apart on its own. All 13 episodes of season one aired and the show was cancelled.
Spoiler:
I caught a few episodes of this show, and it actually wasn't that bad. Of course, by the time I saw it its cancellation was pretty much already confirmed, so it's not like I got attached to it. Oh well.
Survivors (BBC) - Not a remake of the 1970′s series, this show was also based on the Terry Nation novel. It lasted just 12 episodes.
Spoiler:
What, another British show? Why is it that the only British show I actually watched (Ashes to Ashes, which did end this season) isn't on here but all these other ones are? As for the show, don't really know anything about it, so I can't say whether it getting cancelled was a good or bad thing.
There Goes the Neighborhood (CBS) - The reality show competition that pit neighbor against neighbor won’t be back for season two.
Spoiler:
Terrible reality show looks terrible. I don't even know the exact premise of the show, but it looked so terrible that it shouldn't matter. I doubt anyone is going to miss this.
Three Rivers (CBS) - This medical series follows those who help people in need to organ transplants. Starring Alex O’Loughlin, the show never caught on in the ratings and was pulled after eight episodes had aired.
Spoiler:
The show started off fine (other than CBS fucking up the air order), and it was an alright show overall, but once CBS put it on hiatus there was really no reason to care anymore. Everyone knew it was gonna get cancelled. Surprisingly, CBS did air the remaining episodes (buried on Saturdays nights), but so much time had passed that I didn't even remember much about the show when I did watch them. But hey, it's a medical show, and there's usually no shortage of those.
The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien (NBC) - The peacock network wasn’t seeing the ratings that it expected and wanted to push Tonight to 12:05am so that a half-hour Jay Leno show could air at 11:35pm. O’Brien wouldn’t do it so the show was ended and he left the network, presumably to start a new late night show elsewhere.
Spoiler:
Small victories, small victories.
Trauma (NBC) - This San Francisco-based drama revolves around a group of brave first responders. The show struggled in the ratings from the start and NBC initially decided not to order any episodes beyond the initial 13 installments. They later changed their minds and ordered more. They didn’t do any better and the show was cancelled.
Spoiler:
This show ended up lasting longer than I thought it would, though it was mainly due to NBC's lack of programming (after getting rid of that Jay Leno primetime show) rather than because it was actually watchable. Oh well, it's done now, and that's what really matters.
The Tudors (Showtime) - The epic drama, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII, is ending after four lavish seasons on Showtime. The series finale is expected to air on June 13th.
Spoiler:
Never watched this show (mostly because it's on Showtime), but honestly it looks kinda boring so I doubt I would want to. It seems like it had a good run though, and you can only go so far with a show based on reality (at least I'm assuming it mostly is).
The Tyra Banks Show (Syndicated) - The diva and host says that she’s decided to cancel the show to focus more on producing. Other reports have indicated that the series was due to be cancelled because of budget issues.
Spoiler:
Tyra Banks isn't dead yet, so we all still lose.
Ugly Betty (ABC) - ABC has decided to cancel the show after four seasons because of declining ratings in both seasons three and four. The series finale aired on on April 14, 2010.
Spoiler:
The show had already peaked towards the end of season two, and while seasons three and four weren't that bad, they weren't good enough to make me sad that this show got cancelled. And since they knew ahead of time, everyone got a satisfying enough ending, which is a lot more than some of the others shows on this list can boast.
The Wanda Sykes Show (FOX) - The weekly late night talk show didn’t meet the network’s expectations so it’s not coming back.
Spoiler:
Certainly not the best late night talk show out there, but it was something to watch on a Saturday night. They'll never have anything as good as MADtv in the timeslot though, so it's not like I have high expectations for any show that occupies it.
While I was way behind on making this entry, I won't be when it comes to talking about this season's new shows. I've already watched all the ones I've planned to so far, along with a few I didn't even know about. I guess this was like the pre-season stuff since most of the new stuff all starts next week. Leave it to The CW to buck the trend and start all their shit about two weeks earlier. But yeah, I'll have all that stuff up soon.
Seriously, can these games not retain their price long enough for me to keep a popular gaming movement going on longer? Four freaking months, seriously?
I'm not gonna lie, I never really thought it would last until 2011, but I definitely did not expect it to end this early. I figured it would last until at least Black Friday. Fuck, next time I'm gonna have to start doing specific months for these things (*FFXV in September 2015*).
While I knew there would be a follow-up entry regarding Summer TV, I honestly didn't think it would be this massive. A few of them are shows I just completely forgot about in the last entry, a few of them are shows I had to wait a bit longer for their premiere, and some were new shows I just hadn't heard about and mostly watched on a whim. Either way, it all amounts to another rather long read (compared to the normal size of these types of entries).
100 Questions - The obvious problem here is that this sounds like a game show, but it's actually a sitcom. If my curiousity hadn't got the best of me (I wanted to see how crappy of a game show it actually was), I would have never checked it out, which would have been a shame because it's actually not that bad. Yes, the basic premise is pretty stupid (some woman goes to a dating agency where they ask her 100 questions...one episode at a time), but it really only takes up about a minute of the show. The rest of the show is your average sitcom about a group of friends, but it's pretty good for the most part. No one on the cast is real notable (the only I knew was the Asian girl who played an awesome bit character on the last season of Ugly Betty), but they're all still pretty good. None of this really matters though, because the show has been getting terrible ratings, which itself is because NBC had no faith in the show and dumped it in the Summer in the first place.
Louie - Despite knowing who Louis C.K. is, I've never actually seen any of his work until this show. The show itself is nothing much but Louis C.K. getting into hilarious situations (think Curb Your Enthusiasm, but with less improv and on a smaller scale) broken up by bits of his stand-up routine, which have so far been the better part of the show. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it seems kinda counterintuitive for a comedian to even have a sitcom if the best part is the stand-up, which you can just go watch on its own anytime. Also, Louis C.K. seems to have a penchant for nudity, if that does anything for you. I heard he went full frontal on his HBO show Lucky Louie, and he's already showed his ass twice on this show. Overall I think the show is worth checking out, but don't expect to be amazed by it.
Huge - I honestly hadn't even heard of this show until I saw an online ad for it on the day it premiered featuring a fat chick standing in a one piece swimsuit looking all downtrodden. If that's not effective advertising, I don't know what it is! In all seriousness though, I wasn't even sure I was gonna watch it (it comes one of the busiest nights (well, as busy as Summer gets), and it's on ABC Family, which is not a channel I'm particularly fond of), but in the end I decided to give it a download. I'm glad I did, because so far the show is pretty awesome. Someone described it as Glee meets Ugly Betty, and while I wouldn't say it's exactly like that, it does borrow a few elements from both shows.
The show is basically about a bunch of kids at fat camp, though the main focus is on one girl in particular. Most of the important characters get a good amount of screen time (and screen size, looooool (sorry, I had to throw that in there)) though, and there are some pretty good plots going on. There are few notable people (Nikki Blonsky, David Hasslehoff's daughter), but the biggest name is probably Gina Torres (of 24, The Shield, Alias, Firefly, and probably a million other shows), who I was kinda surprised to see here. Sure, the show can be a bit schmaltzy at times (I did mention it was on ABC Family), but overall it's definitely great and worth checking out.
Haven - I hadn't even heard of this show until I saw it on Hulu while I went to watch something else. Apparently it's based on a Stephen King novel, which is why I'm not surprised it airs on the Syfy Channel (which explains why I've never heard of it, as I hardly ever watch that channel). The show is about an FBI agent who goes to a small town in Maine (the titular Haven) to investigate some killer, but ends up getting involved in some supernatural dealings. It reminds me a bit of Fringe, with a little bit of The 4400 thrown in. The cast isn't that notable, though it does have Eric Balfour (Milo from 24, mong many other things) in it, and the main character is played by Emily Rose. She's been on a few shows like Brothers & Sisters and ER, but the only real thing that matters is that she plays Elena in the Uncharted series. I fucking love Elena (she's my favorite character by far in that series), and her character on this show is a bit similar to Elena, which just makes the show that much better.
Rubicon - Interesting is about the only word I can think of to tell you how I feel about this show. I mean, it wasn't bad or anything, but I wasn't totally in love with it by the end of the pilot. It's certainly a show that will have to grow on me, because it didn't immediately make me love it or hate it. For some background, this is a show on AMC about an analyst who works for a company who may be more than what they seem to be. Revealing any more than that may be going into spoiler territory (hell, even that one sentence may already be in spoiler territory), but just know that this is one of those grand conspiracy-type shows where you know you won't get all the answers until the end. James Badge Dale (Chase from Season 3 of 24) is the star of the show, playing the quirky genius conspiracy guy pretty well, but aside from him I didn't really recognize anyone (except for Peter Gerety, one of those people who you always see in stuff but don't actually know them by name). The series hasn't officially premiered yet, but AMC has shown pilot on TV already, and you can watch it on Hulu up until the actual premiere in August.
Childrens' Hospital - I'm not a fan of most of Adult Swim's live action offerings, but this one is definitely an exception. Apparently this started off as a web series (I don't really watch many of those, so it figures I've never heard of it), but in addition to producing new episodes for TV they're also adapting the webisodes into TV episodes as well. So the premiere episode was just two of the webisodes (each episode was only 4-5 minutes long) combined with a fake commercial in-between and an interview with creator and star Rob Corddry at the end. As for the show itself, it's pretty much just a parody of medical shows like ER and Grey's Anatomy, but it's damn hilarious (probably more so if you're a fan of the aforementioned shows). Plenty of notable people in the cast, including Corddry (The Daily Show), Erinn Hayes (Worst Week), Ken Marino (Reaper), and Megan Mullally (Will & Grace), who does an awesome parody of Dr. Weaver from ER. The show is definitely awesome and worth checking out, and I think it will be even better when they get to the original TV-produced episodes.
Rizzoli & Isles - Man, TNT had a good Summer last year with Hawthorne and Dark Blue, but now they've failed miserably with Memphis Beat and now this. First of all, maybe they should stop with the cop shows. Even though Saving Grace is off the air now, they still have The Closer, Dark Blue, and Southland, so with these two new shows they're up to five. Give the cop shows a rest. Anyway, keeping my criticism specifically to this show, it just feels so been there, done that. It particularly feels a lot like Saving Grace actually, but without the Southern charm. It does share quite a few similarities though (the main character's best friend is a medical examiner, she has a past with a criminal who disfigured her, blah blah blah, etc.), so I guess that's to be expected. I made it through the pilot, but like with Memphis Beat I lost interest somewhere around the middle and stopped paying close attention to it. Eh, it's not like I needed another show to watch on Mondays anyway.
Covert Affairs - This was another show I never really heard of until it premiered, most likely because most of USA's shows don't interest me (the last show I seriously watched on the channel was The 4400, which ended almost three years ago). I decided to give this one a try though since I read an interview where the star (Piper Perabo) said it feels like a 24 or Alias type of show. Of course that's right up my alley, as both of those shows are some of my favorites of all time.
The problem is, it's not like Alias at all. For the most part, it is Alias. Yes I'm overexaggerating a bit, but it really is amazing how much this show reminded me of it. I'm not saying this in a negative way though, because even though it does feel a lot like Alias, it still has its own style. It's like they took the essence of what made Alias good but still managed to create their own engaging original story to go with it. My main point is that the show is amazing, and it's already (after only one episode) my favorite new show of the Summer. The story is engrossing, and has already left me wanting more. The cast is amazing, as Piper Perabo is the perfect leading lady, and the rest of the cast (which includes some well known actors such as Christopher Gorham, Kari Matchett, Peter Gallagher, and Emmanuelle Vaugier) also plays their roles well. I really can't recommend this show enough.
I think that's it as far as new Summer shows go. If it has already premiered and it's not covered in one of these two entries, then it probably looks terrible even by my standards and I'm not watching it. If it's something that hasn't premiered yet, then I just haven't heard of it. Here's where I type another empty promise about the TV show cancellations entry coming up soon (though I swear I have actually been working on it), and here's the end of the entry.
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