TV at the Winter Break

Since so many shows have gone on winter break (February12th, Walking Dead, really?!?), here are some meditations on the first half of the season.

Best New Shows

• Homeland – I watched it in 2 days – I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to wait every week for a new episode.  It's fraught with twists, suspense and ‘Oh Shit’ moments.  Damian, Claire and Mandy Patinkin all deserve Emmy nominations.
• New Girl – She’s cute, awkward and quirky and so is the show.
• Surburgatory – Apparently, Jeremy Sisto grew up,  is playing a sane person and I like him a lot.  The girl is Emma Stone-ish and I like sarcasm and hating everyone, so she’s cool.  And who doesn’t like random appearances from a super-tan Alan Tudyk?  Dumb people.
• Ringer – It’s very soap opera-y, but it’s had some good twists.  Plus, they say Siobhan a lot.

Shows I Gave Up On

• Pan Am – I thought it would just be slutty broads in different countries, but one’s a spy???  And one’s French?   Is this a fairy tale?  One and done.
• Person of Interest – I liked Michael Emerson in Lost and I assume I’ve seen something with Jim Cavaziel (Frequency was a really long time ago), but I don’t like procedural crime dramas and there’s a new cast every week, blech.  2 was enough.
• Up All Night – I love Will Arnett, more specifically, I love GOB Bluth.  I’m not into babies or crying or lameness but I still gave it a try.  The deciding factor was Maya Rudolph’s Oprah-esque character.  A lot of people have a hard time managing jobs and babies, why do they have to be LA douchebags with a famous, way too over the top boss?  Bosses can suck when they’re regular people too.  3 and out – I really tried.

Shows I can’t believe I’m still watching

• 2 Broke Girls – No America, it’s not that good.  It’s rife with puns, wordplay and lame accents.  I like Kat Dennings, but her timing is off and she over-punctuates every joke.  Then there’s the laugh track.  Why CBS why??
• Once Upon a Time – I’ve watched every episode, so I’m kind of trapped now.  In my defense, I watch it while I do other things (obviously not cleaning), and it manages to hold 31% of my attention.
• Two and a Half Men – I don’t mind Ashton Kutcher.  What bugs me is that no one seems to remember that Judy Greer has already been on this show.  She played Ryan Stiles’ sister for a couple of episodes and dated Charlie in 2007.  I guess they fired the casting director with Charlie Sheen.

Things that TV needs to fix

• Community – So Whitney gets a new night and a full season, yet Community is in limbo?  Is there a radiation leak at NBC?  Why broadcast an original show with layered characters and 80 jokes per minute when you can air a canned laughter sitcom with a shrill, horse-faced hambone?  Stellar decision-making.

P.S.  I totally agree that Hearts of Darkness was better than Apocalypse Now.  (secret handshake)

• Cougar Town – It still has no time slot or date to return, but there are so many horrible shows on.  Have you seen the commercials for the guys that dress up like women to get jobs?  So this has more potential than Cougar Town, ABC?  A rehash of Bosom Buddies??   It only lasted 37 episodes in a time when people had more than a 2 second attention span.  Everyone who okayed this should be fired and then forced to watch all 3 episodes of Work It.  Vindication - Work It was canceled after 2 episodes and Cougar Town returns Feb. 14.