Bones Spin-off

Bones: Finder
Instead of a normal episode they shoved in a spin-off for a future Fox show maybe called The Locator. Some quirky guy is real good at finding stuff and with his wacky crew they find stuff. Apparently brain damage from some recent war made him a super finder and he fears psychiatric help will make him lose it.

It was so obvious that this was just a promotional episode. Add to that it was dull and poorly written and you have a recipe for quick cancellation.

Main character of potential new series.

Great TV Quote of the Day

 "Children act up the most right before they go to sleep...And then you turn your head for one second and they are out cold. And when I see the Tea Party, people marching and 'the President ain't from America' and 'I can't live in this country' and 'I'm marching with a gun'...Oh they're acting up they're about to go to sleep." --Chris Rock refering to the end of racism and it's last gasp. 

Said that many times myself.

Stargate Universe

Stargate Universe: Common Descent

The least good of all the Stargate series is ending the show in a gooder way. Grammar aside the show started slow with a lost in space vibe but without alien encounters or fun sci-fi goodness. Instead they were just very introspective.

Now that the show is coming to an end they are meeting aliens, fighting robots, and time-traveling.

This episode has the crew meeting their descendants on a planet and then getting trapped with them while others search for the the rest of the great-great-great-great-grand kids. Apparently some previous accident split their ship into two and while using the Stargate the crew went 2,000 years back in time.

The second-crew established a modern civilization but the unstable planet caused problem and they disappeared stranding scouting parties throughout the local Stargates.

Confused enough yet?
All I know, since I've been missing a few episodes, is that now everyone on the crew is good and they all love each other, but they're running out of patience.

The Waltons

That's right kids.

Hallmark channel has been repeating most episodes of The Waltons in order for up to 3 hours a day. On Easter weekend they will have a 24-hour marathon.

This show is great and is better than Little House on the Prairie. I have not seen this show since I was a kid since it was not as a popular rerun as other shows of the time. The acting is great, the sets are really well done, and the themes/episode continue throughout the episodes.

For those who do not know The Waltons is a show about a large family living on their own land during The Great Depression. It is based on the book Spencer's Mountain but is only 10-25% based on real the life author Earl Hamner Jr. So loosely based on real life is most accurate.

Each episode is can be broken down easily:
Someone comes to stay with the Waltons, the visitor(s) have a problem and by being around the Waltons they come to realize how family should work and they resolve the problem.

The show is not heavy handed with the judgement and while church plays a huge role the father is not religious because of his war experience but is more spiritual. The first season is near perfect for a drama with moments of comedy. After that subtle changes start appearing that still haunts shows to this day. Typical stuff like focusing on kids instead of older people, using more sets than outside filming, and complaints about money yet always seeming to have more the next episode ( cough...cough...Desperate Housewives...cough).

John Boy plays the role of observer more than the star, at least in the first 3 seasons. It is kind of odd watching this old show knowing that eventually Richard Thomas leaves and gets replaced and by the end the show gets silly but for now it is good. Take a second and TiVo an episode or two.

Sam Axe Appreciation Day (Burn Notice)

All to promote the special prequel 2-hour episode Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe the back story of Sam Axe, played by Bruce Campbell at 9pm ET on USA.

Burn Notice is a great show about an ex-spy trying to get his job back while doing the right thing in Miami. The location and music is good enough to watch on it's own.

This marathon is a good chance to catch up with all the major plot lines. With all the explosions and outside scenes some may wonder what type of budget must this show have. Hawaiian shirts alone must set them back a couple of thousand.

Typically burned spy Michael Weston looks to get his job back and also helps people on cases that need  more than just your average detective. His mom, old frenemy, and on/off again girlfriend all help him. At the end he always wins and gets a step closer to his old life.

Sure it is normal drama format but it is well acted and produced. I hope it ends well because it is one of bright spots on basic cable.

This Old House Hour

A combination of This Old House and Ask This Old House.

On PBS for decades this might be considered reality but it better listed as home improvement. Last week they finished a Los Angelos project and now they are repeating a Renovation of a 1940s House.

I was always drawn to this show because it simple there are no gimmicks and you get to see something from beginning to the end. Shows like Extreme Home Makeover, Trading Spaces, or Flip This House are a joke compared to this original. Teaching history and home improvemnet from the basics to complex is what the show is about but seeing a beautiful finished home is also great.

Airing every Saturday in NYC channel 13 it became a ritual in my home. Granted I would still take a brownstone or penthouse any day but country living looks good on TV.

I have no doubt this show would be one of many that will soon disappear especially since some fools are attacking PBS. For now it is still must see TV.

The Paul Reiser Show: Pilot

I do not enjoy Curb Your Enthusiasm because it is a quasi-reality-fiction-scripted nonsense. Plus it is not funny.

Now imagine someone decided to copy it except on network TV, without bad language, and decide to make it even less funny. Got the picture well that is The Paul Reiser Show.

Image source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2011/04/paul_a_l.jpg

Pilot:
Paul is asked to host a game show and is reluctant but does it anyway and is so awkward that everyone loves it.
He has a group of odd friends who are overly supportive and equally unfunny.
Special guest Larry David made the cherry on unfunny pie perfect.

All My Children Cancelled

All My Children  along with One Life to Live have been cancelled by ABC.

Soaps were a great form of entertainment, a place to speak out on social issues, and a stepping stone for young actors. Unfortunately the trend for the cheap will kill off all scripted TV until all that is left is reality-fiction like Jersey Shore, American Idol, and Oprah. (yes I'll rant about these later)

Soaps like most scripted shows gives you a story with a specific meaning. Unfortunately the narcissism of most people along with the increasing narrow minds makes audiences more fractured. The days when you just sit back and accept the premise of something as a work of fiction for fiction's sake is over.

Most audiences rather see "real" situations and the judge them and then contribute to it until they force some sort of reaction. The Oprah Syndrome for short. The problem is most people are cattle and not smart enough to make the right decision, just abbreviated from old books like the bible and such. Just look at any major event and then see how many people ignore logic, commonsense, and science instead going for simplistic and ridiculous conspiracy theories.

Back to the soaps.
All My Children is being replaced by The Chew a show about food and food trends.
One Life to Live is being replaced with The Revolution a show about fatties and how they will keep up their denial about exercise and blame food.

As the World Turns was replaced with The Talk, a better version of The View thanks to Leah Remini but on the edge of flooding the airwaves with misinformation thanks to Sara Gilbert. Did we need another talk show? Maybe but that won't save CBS.

So what have I've been watching as the TV death-spiral continues? I'll see if I can start sharing soon.