3 posts tagged “television”

What television show do you never miss?

If you know me, you'll know I have no easy answer to this question.  Perhaps a "normal" consumer of television could narrow it down to one show that's a given, but it was in the not-too-distant past that I had one show a day, in the spirit of celebrating my beloved boob-tube, I'm going to give the rundown of shows that have been this "go-to" activity in the past.  Let's call it the best of the best television, Katie style. that I could not miss.  Sadly because of schedules and activities and feeding the need to interact with humanity, those days are gone.  But I miss them.  So here's a rundown of what I need to watch these days and a quick look back down Memory Lane (and not Wisteria Lane because I've always found "Desperate Housewives" a completely abhorrent show.)

Present Day Television Needs:

• House (Fox): Hugh Laurie is da man on this Fox show that melted me with the inaugural "You idiot."  Admittedly, the first season was absolutely must-see t.v.  I never missed an episode and actually Netflixed the season to see it again. Not unlike many formula hour-longs, everything after that has been an attempt (sometimes successful) to rediscover that early magic.  Now that Thirteen is a regular character, I've stopped watching because she drives me nuts.  As soon as she kicks it from her Huntington's Disease, I'll be back.
  
• Damages (F/X): This is my current "rush home in a panic while possibly endangering others" show of choice.Glenn Close is not a pretty woman but she is a talented one and in its first season (last summer) it produced some of the greatest moments of television cliff-hangery I've seen in a long time.  Can't say enough good about this show that unfolds like a novel.
• Top Chef (BRAVO): Like it's formulaic predecessor Project Runway, I consider this a high-end reality show.  The people are interesting but *not* candidates for Maury (like they are on, oh, anything on Vh1).  And they're talented.  And let's face it; I have one of the most brilliant crushes on Tom Colicchio in all of his wonderful, sassy baldness.  Yummy all around.
• 30 Rock (NBC): Because I think Tina Fey is a genius.  It makes me laugh out loud at least once a week (I try to re-watch episodes online before the next week's "new" episode).  And no matter how much of a real life jerk he might be, Alec Baldwin is a shining, shining, comedic leading man on television.  Long live Jack Donoghy.
• Dexter (Showtime) (Honorable Mention): This one's hard to count because I don't get Showtime, so I have to wait whole seasons to see the next installment.  This show is compelling in a wonderfully sick and twisted way (Dexter's a serial killer...with a humane side).  When I do sit down to watch it, it's one of those that I'll watch for 5 hours in a row.
  

Wonder Shows of Yesteryear

• Ed: If you blinked at all during the 2000 calendar year, you might have missed this wonderfully creative, kitschy show about a lovable Manhattan lawyer (Tom Cavanaugh) whose high-powered wife dumps him so he returns home to small-town New York to reclaim his high school love Carol Vessey (Julie Bowen).  Quirky-hilariousness ensues.  This show gave Justin Long his veritable start as an up-and-coming star.  Ever since this show, I've been looking for my own personal Ed.
  
• Gilmore Girls: Lorelai and Rory.  I used to run home from graduate school to watch these two and the other Stars Hollow dwellers make their way through life.  They talk fast.  But they feel like your best friends.  The first two seasons were to die for.  By the 7th, I just got angry.  I still love Luke, though, and still believe he and Lorelai were meant to be.
• The Wonder Years: Just good.  Basically Charlie Brown as a non-cartoon.  One of the first comedy/drama mixes that gave us realistic but still funny, 3-dimensional characters.  
• ER: This show was in its heyday when I was in college.  The whole floor of the dorm would take turns hosting "ER night."  Now it's the saddest display of hourly television that exists.  Proof that whatever John Stamos touches will inevitably turn to crap (i.e. Full House, The Beach Boys, Rebecca Romijn, etc.)
• The Amazing Race: This is still on but I have a hard time watching because it's taken the usual route of reality shows that have been on way too long--the contestants are getting truly bizarre.  I watched around Seasons 4-8.  Fantastic, riveting, fun.  They traveled around the world and I felt like I was going with them.  Really good.  And Phil Keoghan has become my favorite host of these types of shows in that he often cannot cover his disdain for the people he has to be around.  Love that guy.

Truth of the matter here is that I could easily keep going.  But this isn't a book.  I just wish all tv could be as good as the shows I've listed here.  I do simply love television.  It comforts me. 

On the docket for tonight: Network television sucks on Tuesdays since House moved to monday nights.  I'm going to try to catch Chuck from last night on-line and then Lost reruns (which I'm watching for the first time!) on Sci-Fi. Recycled tv but still worthwhile.

This is a big week in the life of Katie P. for a lot of reasons.  It's the last week of October meaning that we're leading in to November, easily my most favorite month of the year (though generally under appreciated, I think). It gives us Thanksgiving, wonderfully seasonally cool temperatures and...well, I don't need anything more for it to be great.  But I've also decided to do the InAdWriMo in November again.  This is basically a commitment to myself to write a certain amount of words towards my special field paper in culture.  Last year I soared past my 20,000 word goal so I kicked it up to 30,000 this year.  That's right.  Time to dig in.  The writing meter will appear before you know it.

Having said that, I'm spending this week in preparation for all of this.  Here's my list of things that MUST BE done before November and all its goodness can commence:

1. Swap my computer desk and my square table; computer moves to living room, square table moves to dining room. This is a big move.  In a moment of "academic seriousness," I decided to move the computer away from the tv.  All this did was make me turn on the tv extra loud so I can still hear it when I work.  I should have known better.  When you grow up doing homework in front of the tv, you can't write a dissertation or anything prior to that removed from said tv.  Sad but true.
2. Set up the Wii.  Fall and winter means an almost daily need to beat "Barracuda" on Hard in "Guitar Hero."  And playing Wii sports.  During the summer it almost seemed ridiculous that I bought that thing but as soon as October rolled around, the itch started.  Now it's a full blown rash.  I need Wii and I need it now.
3. Wash my favorite winter blankets.  This means a special trek to the laundromat so I can use the washer marked "extremely large loads" which I always think is the textile equivalent of those trucks moving houses on the freeway that are marked "wide load."  I need those blankets.  I can write when it's cozy.  And those blankets--some fleece, some woven--create cozy.
4. Re-stock my tea.  For singing, I drink this awesome elm bark tea that tastes like licorice.  But for writing, I need some kind of green-tea infused goodness.  I'm thinking ginger might do it this year.  I already bought a couple new "inspirational" mugs.  Awesome.
5. Re-start yoga.  I always think better when my chakras are aligned and my hamstrings are well stretched.  Namaste.
6. Watch "30 Rock." It's good to establish lasting routines and the premiere is Thursday.  I'm ready for the responsibility.
   

If you were stranded on an island, what five books would you bring?
submitted by CJP

I'm starting to have an issue with these questions of the day...I think I've already answered this one last year.  So, because of that, I'm going to innovate.  If I'm stranded on a desert island, reading is going to be of no comfort to me.  No, I'm going to have to go full out and say that I'm gonna need television and I'm gonna need it now.  So, these are the five television shows that I'd absolutely need for "stranded on an island" relief. And you know what?  Don't question the technicalities here, okay.  Since I couldn't be further from an island or the possibility of being stranded on one, the possibility of having cable tv there if I am is just as real.  So here we go:

Television Shows I Must Have if Stranded on an Island:

1. Lost. Duh.  Not only an excellently written show (although Season 2 is a little bit of a disappointment, I'll admit) with compelling characters and a wicked fascinating story arc but helpful in navigating the little mundanities of life in the new world? Sawyer, help me please.  There are 48 people all with special "nature" skills just waiting for such an occasion to help me.  This is entertaining but also educational and how can you hope for more than that, really? (and yes, I made up that word.)  How do I build a fire? Let's watch Locke.  How do I reset a dislocated shoulder or cure a gunshot wound with rudimentary tropical plants? Jack's your man.  How do I horde resources and then sell them to my fellow castaways to turn a profit thereby establishing the first free-market economy

2. Scrubs. I'm thoroughly addicted to this now.  It's like my down blanket on a cool afternoon.  It's like my Dunkin' Donuts coffee at exactly 9:30am every day.  Pure, weird fun even when it was waning in the last 3 seasons.

3. House. Because every deserted island needs a loveable but gruff ass who possesses such stunning brilliance that you can't not have him around.  And Hugh Laurie...well, he's a hot British dude with an amazing American accent. I just love this show and can't get enough.

4. Gilmore Girls (Seasons 1-5).  I'm just gonna hope that seasons 6-7 got wrecked in whatever tragic occurrence left me stranded.  How else would I ever keep up my lightning-fast witty banter skills?  A little Lorelai, a little Rory, add me some Luke and Suki and you've got a good afternoon.  Another great, comfortable, smart show.

5. Survivor. I know, an off-beat choice for my last one.  But given the newest crop of complete idiots populating this show, I think I'd be comforted to know that if they can survive in horrible, awful conditions, then anyone can.  I think the winner of this current season is going to be a girl (again, we have this concept of woman-child which doesn't sound as demeaning as man-child does but it should because that's what I mean) named Sugar who wears her hair in pigtails and talks in a baby voice.  Ultimately, I just think this would give me an ultimate sense of hope.