7 posts tagged “mad men”

I'm in the mood to chat TV. I still don't feel as if I have immersed myself enough in all things television in order to really discuss as I usually do. But I feel the need to blog, and I don't feel the need to blog about anything else right now. So here it goes, The Good, The Bad(Ass), The Ugly on my idiot box:

The Good

Holly on The Office. Amy Ryan is awesome, that's not news. But she's perfection as the yin to Michael's yang (that's what she said). I love Ryan the Temp Receptionist. I'm tired of the Dwight-Angela-Andy storyline. And I thought The Proposal was lovely and that the out-of-the-blue reality of it taking place in a gas station parking lot on a lunch break made it more romantic then any schmaltzy scene could have accomplished. It just worked. Score one for the writers.

I still like Greek. I can't help it. It's escapist TV with likeable characters and good writing. Maybe not so much in terms of story because how deep can you explore the Greek life on a college campus? But the pacing and the wit, the dialogue and one-liners (Clark Duke delivers some real gems) combine to make an enjoyable show.

Okay, I was really reluctant to watch True Blood, especially after suffering through Moonlight, regardless of HBO and Alan Ball. It took about three episodes for me to really care about it, but it has grown on me. Yes, seeing Alexander Skarsgard on my television again, even rarely with that heinous wig and "Kermit the Frog" voice (TM Jacob on TWoP), dose provide incentive to keep tuning in. I don't love all of the B-characters, Tara has grown on me, Lafayette rocks, hate Jason, and I waffle about Sam, but I realized once they killed Gran, and my jaw hit the floor at the end of that mediocre episode, I was hooked on this campy wants-to-be-offbeat-but-not-quite show. Who knows if I'll stick around for season two, but right now, I at least want to find out the identity of the serial killer.

I have been reluctant to get into another JJ Abrams show. Mostly because they all start to feel the same (the score really doesn't help that), although not like David Kelley writing the same storylines into every single show he pens (you cannot have the same weekly tale on Picket Fences and Ally McBeal and The Practice and think people will not notice). I like Fringe, love the cast, but I haven't gotten heavily invested in it yet. And because of my past with Abrams' shows (the lost seasons of Lost, the frustration with Alias), I probably won't dig too deep. I'm taking my new Lost-approach: don't give a rat's ass about the minutia and it will continue to be enjoyable.

Chuck won me over last season. Just a fun show for a Monday evening. Fun is the watchword for Chuck. Zachary Levi remains as adorable as ever. I still don't see huge sparks between Sarah and Chuck. I love the relationship between Chuck and Ellie, Captain Awesome is more awesome, and even Morgan is not as grating. I won't start about Agent John Casey because Adam Baldwin cracking wise as a G-man every week on my television makes me so giddy, I might start gushing.

I like The Mentalist, don't love it. I am really not a fan of Robin Tunney's (even pleased with her demise on Prison Break before I stopped watching seasons ago). But give me Simon Baker (kooky and cool) and Owain Yeoman (skeptical and cool), I cannot resist. My Simon Baker swoon has been mentioned before, and I watched The Guardian, Smith (should've gotten another chance), and then there was Yeoman on Kitchen Confidential (also stellar as Eric Kocher in Generation Kill too), so how am I supposed to resist this one? It's decent, enjoyable, kind of predictable but not yet as obvious or bland as The Closer. And Simon Baker smiles more in one episode than he did the entire span of The Guardian. Did I mention Simon Baker? Sigh.    

The Bad(Ass)

This week on Gossip Girl, Blair threw her purse at Serena's head after outing her murder to the Dean's reception at Yale, all because Serena showed up at Rory Gilmore's former stomping grounds and Blair's dream school, and eventually stole her answer to the Dean's stupid parlor game, courtesy of sh*t-stirring Chuck (that should be his full name because (a) that's all he does and (b) he does it so damn well). Does it get any better than that? Oh wait, it does because now there's a bromantic triangle between Chuck, Nate, and Dan that is much more interesting than any other triangle that ever involved Vanessa and as much yay! as an old episode of Smallville. And all while Dan's little self-righteousness was exposed along with his abs after Chuck sent the angry Skull & Bones boys after fake-Nate, tying boxer-clad Danny Boy to a statue on campus. Danke, Chuck. This season got off to a good start, meandered a bit with the Lord and Duchess crap, but quickly returned to form. And I just found out that my friend S is now hooked too! Unlike Veronica Mars, I had nothing to do with this one, no dvd marathons, no obsessive chattering about it (hard to believe, I know). She alerted me last week with a one line e-mail: "I am obsessed with Gossip Girl." And on that day, leelee's heart grew three sizes.

Supernatural has somehow become one of my favorite shows. I've always liked it, usually recorded and watched it, but thanks to the CW starting its season of shows early, and the cliffhanger of Dean being stuck in Hell last season, I got hooked this season. I like the new Ruby even less than I liked the old Ruby, um, not so much (I watched half an episode of Wildfire once, and it was more than enough, horrible show, horrible acting, horrible horribleness). And I haven't read any forums or posts or visited any sites where fangirls may be going wild in happiness or anger because I am not interested in that point of view. I just watch. And enjoy, more and more every week. This week's bizarre black and white tribute to monster movies was weird, strange, and yet still awesome.

What is going on with Don Draper? This season on Mad Men, he's become a little less sympathetic for me but maybe it's because the women of the show are the true shining stars. And that's the point. I still do not look forward to a finale. The season just flies by too quickly.

How much fun is Michael Imperioli having on Life on Mars? I know, all of the actors are probably having a blast on that show. Harvey Keitel is obviously making the most of his time on the small screen. But every time Imperoli shows up, he just seems to be having so much fun. It has to be a nice change of pace after six seasons of playing Tony's little cousin Chirstopha. 

The Once Bad(Ass) Sometimes Good But Maybe Ugly

I cannot get into Dexter this season. I don't know why. Well, Rita drives me crazy, now more than ever (every time Julie Benz gives that shy Rita-smile, I want Darla to snap Rita's neck), and Deb annoys me again, so that doesn't help at all. I noticed my interest began to wane last season and thought it would pick back up this season. Michael C. Hall is reason enough to watch. He's just too-too-too amazing, regardless of what I think about the stroylines.

Same goes for Pushing Daisies. Well, I know what my problem is with it. I've known all along. I don't see a single sizzle of a spark of chemistry between Chuck and Ned. Never have. And the fact that Ned pined for Chuck so much after she moved out of the apartment, Do Not Care. They have fabulous "best friend chemistry," I just see no romantic chemistry, very rarely and hardly at all, if ever. I like all the actors, but I love Chi McBride and Kristin Chenoweth and Swoozie Kurtz the most, and I think it's tough to fall for a show when the B-characters often outshine the leads. I always wondered if this show would be able to sustain an audience weekly with it's whimsical wit. I think the Tim Burton-esque charm may be starting to wear off from the fantastical MotWs and the cracks in the show are starting to, well, show. But it makes smile and usually laugh, so I keep watching.

Every time I watch Heroes, I end up losing interest about half way through, and doing something else, get on-line, read a magazine, make a phone call. Now, I'm catching up on G4 later in the week because I realize I got distracted while watching. I was really excited about the premise for this season, really inerested in the villians-themed episodes. I still need to watch lats week's episode, which I heard is an improvement, so we'll see. I want to like it, I really do. But for every character I like, there is one I hate, and not in a love-to-hate kind of way. I also think it is still a skosh overrated and always feel a bit detached from it, like it lacks the necessary bit of heart every show needs, regardless of genre. Eh, next week, I could feel the opposite. 

The U-G-L-Y

Okay, 90210 ain't got no alibi. I know, there's talk that it will be better now that the Gilmore Girls pedigree has joined the writer's room, but I just don't see how it's possible. I tried it again, twice, on nights when nothing was on and I needed to noodle out on the couch to something mindnumbing. The characters are boring. The acting is often bland (Tristan Wilds, I hope you are making serious bank on this show because you are much better then it will ever allow you to be). The stories are recycled. And the Jessica Walter abuse (now bumped to recurring) just makes me ache for the snark of Lucille Bluth. It's like One Tree Hill without the Days of our Lives storylines. Which, actually, may make it more boring than OTH.

And those gone but not forgotten . . .

I was a fan of Life last season, but I haven't gotten into it yet. Damian Lewis is the only real draw at this point, I never really latched onto much else, but he's enough with that performance. I was hoping Donal Logue would help, but I don't really care for his character much, which is truly disappointing.

I'm glad that The Sarah Connor Chronicles got the back nine last week because I miss watching it, just haven't caught up with this season's episodes yet. I guess I don't fit any "average" audience demographic since I have trouble choosing between TSCC, Gossip Girl, and Chuck. It seems like for once, the networks programmed shows against each other without incredibly overlapping core demographics, and yet I watch all three of them. Sigh.

So, I took a break for August. Well, I didn't so much take one as it just kind of happened. I've been writing and editing more lately, and that means I want to write and edit and read even less for kicks and giggles. I started a few posts but didn't get a chance to make them public (although I vowed not to revise-revise-revise any more or delete posts nearly finished, so I will make them public). To get back to posting regularly, here's another pop culture List of Lasts.

Last movie at a theater: The Dark Knight. I wanted to see it the week it came out, but that didn't happen. So I waited a bit and made it a Matinee Escape. So what can I say that hasn't been covered by everyone else in the Free World (although, evidently, it's not doing as well in Japan)? Heath Ledger went above and beyond and he elevated this character, this film, this genre. Check. Christian Bale is the best Batman ever. Check. Even though his over-compensating batvoice takes me out of the moment and makes me want to smack him in the batmask. Check. Maggie Gyllnehall was so much better than Katie Holmes could ever have hoped to be. Check. Okay, on that note, I was also grateful to see Maggie Gyllenhall (who I generally like as an actress but don't love because I've become annoyed by her simpering although it was still fabulous to see a film where her bare breasts don't deserve a co-starring credit) playing Aaron Eckhart's love interest instead of Mrs. Tom Cruise. After watching Thank You for Smoking many times, I don't think I could sit through that lack of chemistry again. And although I do love me some Aaron Eckhart, I felt his Harvey Dent was kind of hollow in spots, but then maybe that's the point. Or maybe Heath Ledger's Joker was just so powerful it sucked all possible depth from the atmo on set. My only real complaint was that it felt a bit too long but I am not sure where even ten minutes could have been cut, unlike The Incredible Hulk. So, yes, it really was all that and a bag of butter drenched popcorn, and is not only a great superhero flick, but also just a good film. Yet I think I enjoyed Marvel's Ironman more, which I wish I could blame on how I gravitate more toward Marvel's characters, but to be honest, it's all about Robert Downey Jr., no use denying it.

Last movie on the cable: On a Clear Day. A little British film starring Brenda Blethyn. Peter Mullan plays Frank, a Scottish metal worker who is laid off and decides to swim the English Channel in order to deal with his frustrations and depression brought on by unemployment. As he starts to train with the help of friends, it is obvious he also needs to work on strained relationships with his family, especially his son, a stay-at-home dad with twin boys. It's a lovely story, and if you have a deep abiding love of little UK films like I do, definitely check it out. 

Last episode of Insomia is a Bitch Theater: Bret Michaels now "hosts" the new infomercial for Time-Life's "Hard & Heavy" CDs comprised of "152 of the hardest and heaviest hits from artists like Poison, Whitesnake, Alice Cooper, Heart, Kiss and many more!" Oh yeah, bang your heads to the hardest and heaviest Top 40 songs Time-Life would pony up cash to pay for licensing rights. But that's not all, it gets worse! The nine-CD set includes a disc of cheesy power ballads that made fourteen-year-old girls in 1989 swoon and/or roll their eyes (I'm here to testify, sad but true). But, wait, it gets even worse! The set also comes with an "exclusive" bonus DVD "Hard & Heavy Confidential with Bret Michaels" featuring  masterpieces that changed the world including "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" and "Something To Believe In," played live and acoustic in the Time-Life studio. With no audience. Just Bret with a camera crew. Because that's totally natural (as if, you need twenty skanks who didn't make the cut at the podunk Hooters and thirty cases of Bret Brew for it to be natural!). I don't know what my favorite part of the infomercial is: Bret playing his soulful tunes like he's rehearsing for Rock of Love 3: Team Syphilis vs. Team Gonorrhea; the co-hostesses trying not to ask him if he gets his hair extensions from India or Mattel; or the testimonials about how this unbelievably awesome CD-set truly rocks at parties thrown by white Midwesterners knocking on 40!

Last scripted TV show: Mad Men. Because I do love it, but it is the only new show on (until tonight--I've missed Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass). The second season seemed to start a little slowly but it matched the pace of Don's life, how it had changed as he tried to reform his bad hubby ways, so it felt necessary and natural. I geek out over character development and the writers manage to give each character in a very large cast dimension. What I truly adore about it is that just when you think you've figured out how one character ticks, you find out he/she actually tocks, which adds a startling dose of realism while maintaining creativity.

Last time I watched the finale of Generation Kill : That would be last night when the repeat of the final episode aired. Even though the final two were maybe my least favorite episodes of the series, it still owned me. (As did Jacob's recaps on TWoP, and GK ended just in time to get him back to analyzing the kids of the UES--I love recappers who make it worth reading even if you've seen the episode). It's the best description I have for David Simon's shows. And when I talk about geeking out over character development, well this show is a prime example. It may have been about First Recon's experience at the start of (the later named) Operation Iraqi Freedom, but it was truly about characters. First, let me say, I do realize that these stories are based on one reporter's perception, which has been through many filters, from article to book to screenplays, so everything may not be 100% accurate. But no tale is ever completely accurate based on someone's perception of events. Unless it was recorded and then just transcribed, it never will be. It's not like we watch John Adams and wonder where they found transcriptions of the conversation between Adams, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson about the draft of the Declaration of Independence. It's called writing. And creative license. Just stay as true to the story as possible, get fabulous technical advisors, and tell the tale. If it's wrong, folks will speak out. However, many say it's as close to the actual experience of being in Iraq as possible for a television show. So it's based in reality, and not in a James Frey "Well, maybe it wasn't a million little pieces" way, or the non-reality of the unreal lives portrayed on shows like The Hills. Anyway, I've read several blogs or recaps along the way and it seems difficult to relay what happened in some episodes and keep it interesting. Although not as stagnant and bored as those waiting-waiting-waiting in Jarhead,  these guys were often waiting for a mission, or on the way to their mission, or having their mission changed, etc. But this is where character development comes into play. This story wasn't just about the mission, it was about the men carrying it out, the men giving the orders, and the dynamic between them, how they coped, how they worked, how they lived. And when they are in the middle of a mission, it all clicks into place, even when it seems all is going to Hell fast. I found it truly fascinating and enthralling, and although there are characters who shined, I still liked watching the characters who pissed me off for being assholes, idiots, and cretans because it still felt very true. And seven episodes was the perfect length to tell this tale without characters outstaying their welcome and the impact of it being lessened. Is GK as good as HBO's previous war mini-series Band of Brothers? Yes, but the two are so different in terms of storytelling, purpose, intent, events, culture, and character, they really shouldn't be compared. It's not quite like comparing apples and oranges, more like an M1 Garand to an M16.

Last time I grumbled about GK's Alexander Skarsgård being in True Blood: That would be every time I see the promo. I was planning on catching the first episode of Alan Ball's new show because I have a love-hate relationship with Six Feet Under and I generally like vampire tales (nope, haven't read the books though). Even though reviews for the pilot are wretched. Even though it sounds like it wants to be campy but doesn't stretch enough to accomplish it. Even though Anna Paquin is supposed to have a Southern accent worse than Kyra Sedgwick's in The Closer. So, I didn't exactly have high hopes for it. But now, dammit-to-hell, they cast Alexander Skarsgard. Yes, he is oh-so-pretty, but his talent as an actor is what makes him magnetic, so damn watchable. He's Stellan Skarsgård's son, for Pete's sake. Remember my Paul Walker Principle? Pretty doesn't matter in the long run if there are no acting skills to back it up. Skarsgård sweats skills.

Last book: I just started the Generation Kill book. Since I had already read the articles, I waited until the show was complete. I actually have a couple books going, but that's the last added to my pile. How long it will take to finish, who knows? I still have Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince only half-read (but in my defense, I figured out with Azkaban that I prefer to read them a few months prior to the movie premiere, and, well, it looks like this one may be half-read for a while now).

Last magazine: This week's Entertainment Weekly. So predictable, I know. Eh it let's me bring up Michael Ausiello's blurb about the possibility of a Veronica Mars movie. Or Mars 2.0. Which is kind of a misnomer considering she was proudly Mars 2.0 in season one, going from Veronica the Sweet to Badass P.I. Veronica. Anyway, I'm divided about the idea of a movie. I loved the show, even though the intensity of my love faded with each season. I still adore season one, can handle season two until previous plot points were retconned or forgotten, which takes me to tolerating season three because I clung to the hope that maybe in the next episode those characters would stop acting out-of-character and the show would be the little Noir show it once longed to be. Oh, and would stop retconning important events from the first season. Grrrrr. Sigh. Grrrrr. So, the prospect for a movie still has me hoping it could be badass again but history tells me it might be otherwise. Doesn't matter, I'm a glutton, so I'll pay to see it even if it is crap. However, knowing that Rob Thomas wants to keep it in Neptune, with the same characters and the crime-solving on the Hearst campus, really does help (although at this pace, by the time it gets made, will the young 'uns still look like college students?). Because the VM:FBI pitch was painful to watch and did not resemble the spirit of the show. And the idea that Veronica would make it in the FBI, with her run-ins with the law, issues with authority, and problems following rules, regulations, and laws, felt very unrealistic to me. I like her better dealing with the seedy side of Southern California.

What's so great about summer TV schedules? True there are slim pickings for new quality programming. But that also means when something good is on, chances are nothing is competing against it. And many are on cable so they are also repeated often if you miss them the first time. Here are a few of my summer favorites:

- Generation Kill owns me. I watched the first episode multiple times to catch everything. Like a current Band of Brothers written by David Simon and Ed Burns, so yet another Simon show I can obsess over. I haven't read Evan Wright's book (usually don't go for war/combat-related books, fiction or non-fiction, except for The Things They Carried, a personal favorite), but it's on my list. Especially after reading Jacob's recap on TWoP. Yeah, the first episode's is thirty pages (knew it had to be Jacob with that page count), but as always with his recaps, it's well worth the read.

- Mad Men returns this Sunday. And this past Sunday, we were blessed with a marathon of season one, which was perfect timing for me while I worked on a project. Oh, Joan Holloway, how I covet your sense of fashion and fabulous red hair. She's the perfect combination of bitch and sass.

- Burn Notice is back and such damn fun. I decided to give it a try last summer because I became a fan of Jeffery Donovan's with Touching Evil. He's pretty magnetic, that one. And you can't go wrong with Bruce Campbell in the supporting cast. I've never cared one way or the other for Gabrielle Anwar as an actress, but her kick-ass Fiona won me over, and I now forgive her for ice skating into Brandon Walsh's heart in one of the lamest 90210 Old School episodes ever (and that's saying a lot).

-  Psych is back too. I don't catch every episode, but never fail to laugh a lot when I do. It may not be tops in terms of story, but it makes up for it with character. And I love seeing Dule Hill be goofy.

- The Closer returned and is as charming as ever. Although I find the mysteries to be incredibly predictable, the show makes up for it in character and B-plots. Plus, I wasn't joking when I said I'd follow J.K. Simmons anywhere. Kyra Sedgwick may rock, wonky unrealistic southern accent aside, but after Oz, I watch in awe and fascination every time he erases the strong stench of Schillinger clouding my perception.

- Project Runway, sigh. All hail Tim Gunn, but the show just doesn't grab me the way it once did. I still enjoy it, but maybe I'm just over it? And mentally preparing for next season when it makes the possibly disastrous move to Lifetime and L.A. (no Nina Garcia!). Watching it just makes me miss Top Chef. As does Shear Genius, which I watched a few weeks ago while on the elliptical and I cannot handle the whiny, diva attitudes. I don't think styling hair is easy, and does take skill and talent, but they don't even break a sweat and act like they deserve the Nobel Peace Prize for creating an updo. So annoying.

- Okay, so I can't ignore the giant elephant that is the Emmy nods. Yeah, yeah, they did recognize more outstanding cable shows this year (might that be because so many were already complete due to their production schedules or at least in the can before the strike?) and Mad Men was graced with sixteen nods, a show voters would have been stupid to ignore, what with the critical praise, ratings, and utter awesome that it is every single week. But giving The Wire one nom for its farewell season, possibly the best of all five amazing seasons? Well, once again the Emmys miss the mark, and not just when it comes to The Wire (maybe third show's a charm, Simon will get notice for Generation Kill). As always, it will be interesting to see who wins (kind of) but in the end, it doesn't really matter to anyone who watches shows that do.

- So, the TCA press tour wrapped up. Um, I didn't really follow it this year. With the end of last season, I contracted a bout of TV burn-out, I think. And I am so tired of hearing about the new 90210 (blah, blah, successful stage actress Brenda returns to West Bev in an over-convoluted plot to direct the high school musical. Freaks & Geeks pedigree aside, I question the sanity of a producer who says, "The audience has become more sophisticated...from following celebrity gossip." Thanks to The Hills? Sophisticated is not really the word I would choose). Jessica Walters rocks though. Diane Ruggiero does too. And I was intrigued to hear about what's up for Friday Night Lights. I love its premise, how the story organically can evolve, skipping ahead eight months and picking up with our favorite characters' lives, and the need to bring in new characters as others naturally leave the story; if it gets better ratings, it could last many seasons and remain fresh. As for Dollhouse and Fringe, I'd rather wait to hear what comes out of ComicCon.

- How cool is it to see so many tributes to the fabulous Estelle Getty? She made Sophia Petrillo truly unforgettable, snarky yet lovingly sincere when the time was right. I vividly remember watching Golden Girls with my Nana (as well as Dallas, Falcon Crest, The Love Boat, and Fantasy Island). She's currently in her own Shady Pines and although her short term memory wasn't great before cancer, her senility and dementia was accelerated thanks to "chemo brain." She can solve Wheel of Fortune's puzzles before a vowel is bought but can't tell you what she had for dinner an hour earlier. My heart goes out to Estelle Getty's family and friends who supported and cared for her.

• Chuck! Zachary Levi makes me smile. Adam Baldwin makes me smirk. It's not groundbreaking but it is fun, light, and I didn't realize how much I missed it until NBC burned off the last two episodes in one night (why, Zucker?). Geez, I was even glad to see Morgan, and cheered when he dropped some Farmer Ted on Ellie. Random John Hughes references? You have my heart, Chuck.

• Two weeks ago Friday Night Lights was like the CW of Tuesdays gone by. Matt Czuchry and Francis Capra in one episode. Yeah, Lonestar Weevil was a little over the top, but so far, Radiovangelist Logan's greatest sin is atrocious hair. Oy, those bangs are Chris O'Donnell in Scent of a Woman bad. Don't you just want to reach into the TV and mess them up? As for the show, this past Friday's episode was better of the two. It was closer to the show we met last season.

• Speaking of Veronica Mars, I think Joel Silver may have been behind the notes requesting shirtless Jason Dohring. Moonlight steered in that direction, but maybe they're just borrowing from Heroes' play book. The last three episodes, Dohring was sans shirt in two of them with Alex O'Laughlin sweatily showing how vamps stay buff to open the episode in between (not sure how cardio works for a vamp, but, umkay). In the finale, my Joel Silver light bulb flickered when it was highly unnecessary for Josef to be getting a massage from silicone enhanced extras while chatting with Mick. As for the show, well it did get more interesting toward the end but it's still only mindless fun to watch on a Sunday afternoon. Especially when laughing at the wretched Reign of Terror flashbacks in the finale. Recalling those still makes me snortle.
  

• On Project Runway, Kit going home perturbed me. Yes, her dress was like an ad for Martha Stewart linens but Ricky's ready-to-wear dress was straight off the sale rack of  5-7-9 circa 1997. This past week, Victorya's coat was a rip and she really annoyed, so fine with her farewell. Sure, Ricky shouldn't have been dismissed, although his dress wasn't all that and a trucker hat, but now he has immunity which guarantees we'll be swimming in tears for two more weeks. I liked Right Said Rami's design best (ever since he wore that black shirt with the sheer striping during the Hershey's challenge, all I think is "I'm too sexy for my shirt" during his talking heads), even if he did swipe Jeffrey's finale zipper trim detail (still love that dress, it had pockets!). Eh, I'm just glad jolly Chris is still around, even though his dress did look like something Amanda Woodward would wear to meet Jake for a beer at Shooters.

• I have decided to stop the insanity and resist Rock of Love II. Yep. That's another post, though.

• I'm not toes-over-noggin for The Sarah Connor Chronicles, but it's actiony goodness. Wasn't obsessed with the movies, so that may help. Lena Headey has made Sarah Connor her own, and Summer Glau cracks me up.
  

• Lost returns this week. I gave up on Lost about seven episodes into season two. I was heavily invested in it at the start but seriously annoyed by its finale, only to be completely dismayed by the second season. I wasn't even bitter, I just didn't care so I said bye-bye. But then I caught an episode or two last spring, and because I am a reformed spoilerwhore, became mildly interested in seeing the finale. Not giving a rat's ass made it much more enjoyable, who knew? I will probably catch the new episodes with the blight of programming.

• Jimmy is so out of control on The Wire. But who cares if it means Dominic West returns for the entire final season? Now that Lester has become his partner in faked crime, I find it hella entertaining. I love Lester as much as Bunk.
  

• The WGA made a deal with Lionsgate and now Mad Men scribes can get back to work. Maybe the summer season won't be pushed too far back in the schedule after all. Le sigh of relief.
  

• Eli Stone debuts on ABC on January 31. Reviews haven't been the best, but I'll catch it. Greg Berlanti and Ken Olin among those behind the wheel. Julie Gonzalo, Loretta Devine, and Victor Garber in the supporting cast. Random George Michael appearance (his cameo was the best of Extras' finale). The kicker, Jonny Lee Miller. What can I say? I crushed on Sick Boy and don't care that his Hackers co-star and ex-wife Angelina Jolie still considers him a soulmate. And he's not new to American TV, remember Smith? With Simon Baker? Ray Liotta? Well, I do.

• I didn't post about Heath Ledger last week. At the time, I was stunned and didn't really have anything to say about his death other than, "Oh, sweet boy, what happened?" I just saw Candy a few weeks ago and immediately hoped that his life didn't include an ounce of Dan's self-destruction. Losing him is devastatingly tragic for his family, his daughter, and his friends. It is sad for the film community, those who worked with him, and for those who enjoyed his work, whether you laughed at Patrick Verona, swooned for William Thatcher, or your heart broke for Ennis Del Mar. Looking at his IMDb profile, I realized I've seen almost all of his credited films, several of them multiple times and not because he was easy on the eyes. He was incredibly talented and a joy to watch light up the screen. I tuned out most media coverage (yes, even Defamer) but was elated to hear Joel McHale's short and perfect tribute to Ledger at the end of The Soup (heinous crap quality, but here's a YouTube link). I adore McHale not only for providing me with guaranteed laughter every week but because he doesn't cut E! or head "weasel" Ryan Seacrest any slack. Bravo, Mail Nurse, well done.
  

The Good

Funny or snarky, as long as they make me chuckle, these are a few of my favorite lines.

Gossip Girl's Blair providing a distraction at the Ostroff Center: "Caffeine, Nicotine, Ketamine, GHB, PCP, LSD, Diazepam, Flurazepam. All the pams really, you know I don't discriminate. "

Dean on Supernatural: "I'm Batman." Heh.

Olive's cry for help on Pushing Daisies: "SOS . . .OS . . .OS!"

Because they are my favorite Pushing Daisies peeps:
Olive: "Someone should set you on fire for throwing my heart under the bus when you told me he didn't want me."
Emerson: "That was the truth bus."
Olive: "That wasn't the truth bus, that was the bitchy cross town express!"

Andy on The Office: "I have moonwalked past accounting, like, ten times." (So it wasn't a part of the stellar storyline that took Jim and Pam to the Irrigation Room at Dwight's beetastic non-B&B, but there are too many goodies there. Plus, I heart Ed Helms.)

True, this isn't a line, but it's a YouTuber of Crabman's "Please, Respect the Meat" song (sorry, being lazy with only a link) from My Name Is Earl. I don't always catch Earl, but the past two weeks have been excellent, and this is hilarious.

The Bad(Ass)

Mad Men, my heart breaks that we must say farewell till the summer. So, Preggers Peggy was a plot twist, until I realized she was giving birth. Holy crap, that's a plot twist and a half! If there is the rumored two-year jump between seasons (unconfirmed somewhere on Ausiello), it will be interesting to see Peggy's story fast-forwarded. I'd like to say it's obvious she will put the baby up for adoption (because of her reaction, her career, her "status," and, well, that jackwad, Pete), but the show often surprises the hell out of me. As for the rest of the episode: Pete's still smarmy, Duck's cracking the whip, Don's conflicted and all alone, Betty's growing a backbone. Jon Hamm better receive a nomination or two for his subtle and powerful performance. The scene when Don presented the carousel campaign to Kodak was gorgeous.

"I wanted to be a Jedi." How faboo was Lee Pace in the sword fight on Pushing Daisies? Totally understand why Chuck was all about the swoon. Loved the wack-ass story of Wilford Woodruff (even though he did have a Col. Sanders accent that made my skin crawl with rage) and his ancestors. And then there was Alfredo, the herbal antidepressant salesman, and another appearance of the Darling Mermaid Darlings (Swoosie Kurtz's eyepatch lift and their customized mermaid luggage were such nice touches). Lonely Tourist Charlotte Charles is growing on me bit by bit by distracting me with her amazing wardrobe. I want that red dress—it even had pockets! I do have a personal issue with the Pie Hole being a central locale, though. See, I turn into Homer Simpson every week—Mmmm, pie. I have a sweet tooth and pies rank very high on my craving scale. I also like to bake, so I can be zero to (yummy, low-fat) peach cobbler in under an hour. It's not good for the girlish figure, you know. Twin Peaks was a bad influence too. This week I'll jump on the elliptical while I watch to distract my craving.

Jenny Humphrey on Gossip Girl. "Lunch on the steps?" Aw, Little J, you deserve that stolen jacket. I think Josh Schwartz's dramas burrow under your skin. No matter how much you resist, the over-the-top soapy fun draws you back. It's my cheesy-soapy-goodness indulgence for now.

Supernatural was fun, and Jared Padelecki was hilarious once he lost his luck. "I lost my shoe" still makes me giggle.

The slap heard 'round Dillon. When I saw the promo of Tammi slapping Julie on Friday Night Lights, I thought the show was going mini-mart murder over-the-top again. But, um, Jules totally deserved a little reality smack. Connie Britton is so fabulous, and although I loathe the turn Julie has taken this season, Aimee Teegarden is doing an excellent job.

The Ugly

So this week, I actually laughed out loud at Moonlight. At it, not with it. I realized as I watched last night that you really can't get sleepy when rolling the eyes and laughing that much. And now that I've seen a Dohring-free episode, it's confirmed why fast-forward is my favorite remote button.

This season on Heroes, so far, really not so good. Reminds me why it took so long to regularly watch last season. Too much going on and yet not enough, especially when it comes to making me care about the characters. It feels like the show is spinning its wheels. Maybe it will get better with sweeps around the bend. I was stoked Sylar hitched with the annoying Tears-for-Fears Twins because maybe he will try to take their powers, pronto. West gets on my nerves. Parkman and Mohinder bickering does too. I like Monica but the Big Easy accents are driving me crazy (I'm touchy on southern accents). The best part of last week was Kristen Bell in the previews. "I'm looking for a guy." Heh, that's how you get the attention of VM fans, NBC! (Note to CW promo monkeys: that, right there, is how it's done.) I'm so incredibly excited to see her on my telly again. KB's showing up just in time.

I caught part of the second episode of Viva Laughlin because I just had to see that hot mess for myself. How the hell did it (a) get greenlit and (b) make it past the pilot? Does Hugh Jackman have blackmail on Les Moonves? It is, as many have said, like bad kareoke without the benefit of being drunk to make it fun. Melanie Griffith scares me. She's only 50, but looks like someone at least ten years older trying desperately to look 45 and failing miserably. Leave your face alone!

I am letting Reaper go, I think, but keeping Chuck. I've completely given up on Bionic Woman and Dirty Sexy Secrets. Private Practice only got me for a five-minute Chris Lowell and Paul Adelstein fix before I tuned into Gossip Girl. I recorded Samantha Who? but still haven't watched, whoops. I'm this close to ditching Life because the episodes are forgettable. Damien Lewis, never, but the MotW, always.

My random thoughts on TV that aren’t long enough to stand alone but combined make for one long-ass post:

• Did you watch the Emmys on Sunday? Yeah, nothing else was on but Tell Me You Love Me, so the Emmys it was. Did you also find them boring while still reminding the viewing public how out of touch voters are? Sure, sure, no surprise, especially after six years of Lauren Graham snubs, but you can't blame them for dissing her for last season. Maybe that will change with her new development deal at NBC. So, did you hear a chorus of "Are you f*cking kidding me?" in bad faux-Jersey accents sweep the country when Sally Field won? Followed by "You gotta be f*cking kidding me." when James Spader took the stage? Oh, right, ratings sucked, not enough viewers for it to be audible. Well, at least Spader seemed genuinely befuddled, more so than usual. Okay, so I've crushed on Spader since he was typecast as '80s elitist sleezoid, and he's a fine actor even though the other Jimmy really did deserve the statue, but who watches Boston Legal besides my stepmother and William Shatner? Sally Field reminded me why I don't watch Brothers & Sisters, not for what she said but the shrill rambling (Brain fever, Celeste?), I don't care if Everwood's Emily VanCamp is a cast member now. Give me a Chris Pratt guest stint, maybe I'll reconsider for a few. But what's up with Katherine Heigl actually winning? Did the other gals split the votes? I've always liked her, but, really? Nah-ah, the S-word is not allowed here. Eh, I'm so tired of the Shondafication of the small screen, I'm elated Grey's didn't take more statues. Huh? I agree, Seacrest is a manscaped asshat. But thankfully Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and Steve Carrell were on the recycled stage to give us one worthy laugh.
  

• Oh, Tell Me You Love Me. Sorry, I just can't make that commitment. No, no, it's not me, it's you. Who wants to watch a show about annoying people going through couples therapy for intimacy issues? Agony. It's as if thirtysomething stopped taking its antidepressants and ditched the fun-fun-fun storylines that dealt with kid barf, money matters, soul-sucking bosses, death, and cancer. I tried watching the second episode but my muttering "ShutupShutupShutup" followed by "Uggggh" repeatedly drowned out dialogue. I had issues with the promos that showed creator Cynthia Mort saying something about not even thinking about the sex when she conceived the first script; it just didn't occur to her. I don't remember exactly what she said because my brain imploded on that statement. A show with sexual intimacy as the central theme yet nookie didn't cross the mind? So when it was pitched to HBO, they weren't interested in all the "ground-breaking" nekkid, it was greenlit just because of issues, issues, issues, yay! Riiight. Do airlines service your island of delusion yet? Because I'd love to visit.

• Mad Men was renewed. I thought it would be, but after last week's ending, I would  toss my telly if it wasn't. It rocked my socks. Betty mid-afternoon still in her pink nightie ensemb, perfect hair, cigarette a dangling, using live pigeons in her front yard as skeet just left me giddy and speechless but for a "Hell Yeah!" Housewife Barbie has a dark side, now please let Mouse Ears cross over too. It's a repeat of "5G" tonight, but that's okay. Now that I have renamed the day Mad Men Thursday, I'll be back.
  

• Top Chef, why are we just now becoming friends? We’ve met once or twice, passing primetime acquaintances, and I got your messages about meeting up again but never returned the calls. Now, I look forward to our weekly sit-downs to see what detail Colicchio will nitpick; how Padma can be both goofy and condescending in one breath; if Queer Eye's delightful Ted will judge or that Food & Wine whiner Gail instead; how the camera will catch Hung in some obnoxious act which he will completely deny during a confessional; what Big Gay Chef comment Dale will make this week; how overblown Casey's hair will be during her talkingheads; if Brian will incorporate seafood into a dessert; will Sara expertly roll her eyes while making couscous; and what inane Quick Fire challenge our little cheftestants will face. Sadly, Sara will not get the chance to roll her eyes in Aspen. But maybe she can get an investor now to exhibit her mad skills on a Jamaican cheese farm.

• The new Fall season starts next week. Okay, so Fox launched new shows this week, as has The CW. Again, never got around to commenting on their upfronts either, so meh. Don't really plan on watching Fox much besides 24 anyway. If it weren't for Keifer, sweeeeet Keifer, I would ditch it, although I heard today that Tony "Soul Patch" Alameda will very briefly return. Sneaky rat bastards. Oh, and I will probably catch The Sarah Connor Chronicles whenever it shows up. I did watch Back to You for some inexplicable reason. Kelsey Grammar was trying not to be Frasier Crane, Patricia Heaton the anti-Deborah. I'm a sitcom snob, so studio audiences and laugh tracks don't often reel me in, and I don't think it worked this time either. That said Fred Willard is comedy gold even with a mediocre script.

• I probably won't watch the CW much either but I must admit, I did watch Gossip Girl. Teen dramas are an oxymoron and I am a skosh TV snob. But we've all got guilty pleasures, and these are my guiltiest of TV guilty pleasures. I rarely stick around for a whole season, but I am compelled to check them out once if only to mock. I said I wasn't going to watch GG, but I couldn't help myself. Josh Schwartz, people; no matter how far The O.C. sank, it still hooked my shallow soul in the beginning. As for GG, I have not read the books, nor do I plan to do so. So it's all new to me, and yes, reminds me of Cruel Intentions, but thankfully nobody monotones dialogue like Ryan Phillippe for the small screen. Honestly, it was one of the longest hours of TV I've seen in a while, meaning I checked the clock at the half-hour thinking things must be winding up. Wrong. I miss the comedy of The O.C. because poking fun at itself was incredibly charming. The acting isn't completely wretched. The story is completely predictable. The Humphrey kids are likable, which is good since they are the characters we are supposed to identify with the most as average folk. And Dan already slammed a Ryan-Atwood-new-kid-punch to date-rape-is-fun richie-rich asshole, Chuck. As for the music, not a fan. Although they did work an Air song into the popfest, I've had Peter Bjorn & John's "Young Folks" in my head all damn day now and I have no patience for the whistle in any tune. I forgot that Kristen Bell narrates the show and although her voice doesn't have Veronica's specific snarktastic edge, it was disconcerting having listened to so many VMVOs. But then I thought of it like a big F U to the C-double-U. Bank on my popularity for publicity yet cancel my show, fine, but I will still be narrating what you think will be your biggest hit yet while I kick your ass Monday nights on Heroes. Will I watch again? If I'm home, and not busy, and nothing else is on, maybe, um, okay, probably.
  

• I had planned on a bullet for the shows I'm stoked to see in the upcoming weeks but that's just way too much for a wee bullet to support. That last bullet is on roids so it can handle the wordy weight. So, that will be up later in a separate post. I know, it's like the worst cliffhanger ever, right?
  

Mad Men Marathon!

I am a TV marathon whore. I love them. I've watched shows I never intended to see because of marathons (looking at you MTV and VH1). They are perfect weekend fare when you are cleaning, putting off cleaning, working at home, putting off working at home, etc., putting off etc. Marathons are evil because as soon as one epi ends, another begins, a scheduled cycle of distraction. And I cannot resist an HBO marathon, pick a show, any show (except John from Cincinnati). I am most recently victim of Bravo's Top Chef marathons; not a reality show fan, yet now I wonder if Casey really will end up in the final three since Trey packed his knives.

Anyway, I keep missing Mad Men. My record with it is spotty at best. That's why I haven't really mentioned it here. I was really looking forward to it, but I think I may have seen the behind-the-scenes footage more than the actual show at this point. So I was thrilled when the wish I made for a Mad Men marathon (to anyone who has said the words mad or men in conversation) actually came true. (A TV-geek without a DVR? Right now, it ain't in the budget and I am resisting additional methods to watch because I try to keep an eye my telly time. I gotta leave the couch at some point, right? I saw that Nip/Tuck when Sean tried to help the extremely obese lady who's skin fused to the upholstery. I don't need a couch-cushion shaped ass.)

Sunday, September 2 starting at 10 AM EST, tune in to AMC for seven episodes of Mad Men.

And for those who prefer reading recaps to catch up in the future, Television Without Pity added Mad Men last week with the fabulously snarky Couch Baron recapping episodes.