This seasons' New Offerings

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mrsl
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This seasons' New Offerings

Post by mrsl »

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A few that I like in this first few weeks:

Blue Bloods: CBS - Friday Night

First off, I'm happy to have Tom Selleck back on weekly TV. The man gets better every year!!! Having Donnie Wahlberg carry most of the load makes it kind of a cake walk for Tom. He can just appear now and then and look stunning, especially in his Chief's uniform. Stupendous!!! And I love Len Cariou as the patriarch, I hope he is featured more as time goes by. Except for last night's show. . . . . I'm not sure it was a proper display of police machinations. Two cop killers, admittedly should be heavily punished - no argument there. Tell me what you think. The two guys get themselves trapped in a storage garage, and waiting outside is half of the NY police department with all equipment waiting, including SWAT. Every cop has some sort of firearm and there are about 5 or 6 of those body shields that they hold and walk behind. With the megaphone they tell the guys to come out with their hands up, the overhead door swings open and all is still with no light in the compartment. After several minutes, someone fires from inside, and all heck breaks out. Every gun held by a cop is fired into that garage, and it's like a Bonnie and Clyde shoot out. . . all one-sided. To me that seemed like overkill. Your comment? Thumbs up.

Hawaii Five-0: CBS - Monday Night

I love it, so far. Alex O'Loughlin, (who I guess we are supposed to know by what they say in the ads), is the son of our original Steve McGarrett, and he is interesting to watch, but more fun to see is Scott Caan (son of James Caan), which you barely have to see or hear to know they are father and son. He has the same movements, speech and other idiosyncrasies of his dad. The first episode, I left the TV to come to the computer and look it up to see who he was because I suspected he was related to James. Daniel Dae Kim (as Chin Ho), is a handsome, athletic fellow who gives a rousing performance so far each week, and the beautiful Grace Park (as Kono), another one I don't know, but have enjoyed watching rounds out the group.

Like the original, this show doesn't stop or slow down from beginning to end, you are committed to waiting for a commercial to take any kind of break. Thumbs up.

Mike and Molly: CBS

At the other end of the spectre from murder and mayhem is a comedy. The premise is two quite over-weight people meet and fall in love. Oddly, these two people are so engaging, that unless they cal attention to their sizes, you don't even notice. They have a great chemistry, and both know how to deliver a comedic line. Molly has a sister who is a knockout, facially and body wise, and a mother who thinks nothing of hurting either girls feelings with her biting remarks. The only think wrong is the show is only 30 minutes, which in itself is a good thing. However, if you don't like the other 30 minute show that accompanies it before or after, you're stuck with finding something to fill in that 30 minutes. I usually go to the computer. Thumbs up.
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Anne


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mrsl
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Re: This seasons' New Offerings

Post by mrsl »

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This isn't new, it's an old show but have any of you ladies noticed how Tim McGee has buffed up and lost weight in his face on NCIS. I think he's fast overcoming DiNozzo as far as attractive goes.
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Anne


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Lzcutter
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Re: This seasons' New Offerings

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Anne,

I am really enjoying Blue Bloods much more than I thought would. I am a big fan of Flash Point, CBS's summer Friday night series, and so I saw my fair share of promos for BB. The promos made it look more like a typical cop show than a show about a family who happens to be cops (and a couple of lawyers). I was sorry to see Donnie Wahlberg leave Rizzoli and Isles after only a handful of episodes so that he could do this show but it was worth it. He and Selleck play a great father and son. And you are right, Selleck looks great in a uniform.

I am also enjoying Terriers on FX with Donal Logue and Michael Raymond James. It's not got very good ratings and I fear FX will cancel it but it has been a very character driven show.

Sad to see Mad Men gone for another year though I really enjoyed, as always, the season. The Good Wife is having a terrific second season without a drop in quality.

Looking forward to December when Burn Notice and White Collar come back for another season.

Missed the two part season finale of Warehouse 13 but it has been renewed for a third season so catching up before next summer should be easy if I keep my eyes open.

For the most part, the new season has been pretty much a dud with the exceptions listed above. I was hoping The Event would be good but the producers seem to think it is an action show and don't realize that if we don't care about the characters all the action in the world is for naught in the long run.

And right now, none of the characters on that show have drawn me in.
Lynn in Lake Balboa

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mrsl
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Re: This seasons' New Offerings

Post by mrsl »

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Lynn:

If you have a TV set-up that offers some free On-Demand, check out Warehouse 13 on there. I think the last three or four shows are still on. It's under Sy-fy of course. BTW, I'm with you on the family part of Blue Bloods.
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Anne


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mrsl
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Re: This seasons' New Offerings

Post by mrsl »

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I can't seem to find any new Closer, Rizzoli & Isles, or Warehouse 13 anywhere. I keep checking their channels but never see them.

I'm really upset over the fact that Haven and Warehouse 13 seem to have been dropped. They were exciting shows and especially in Haven, the cop was just starting to be able to feel and dropping it was heartless to us viewers/fans.

Blue Bloods:

They have continued a high standard of writing and I have to admit I love the family dinners every week. The family cast fit together perfectly, even the little kids. Old man Selleck is still dreamy but I had to laugh when he visited Letterman and said the first couple of weeks he had to keep reminding himself that the gorgeous brunette is playing his daughter, so he has to behave.

Hawaii 5-0:

This is my favorite of the whole season, if for nothing else but Sean Caan. I absolutely LOVE him, just like I always did his Dad. Sean has all of dad's habits and movements, but even more and exaggerated. He and Alex O'laughlin play beautifully off of one another, and Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park are quickly reminding me of the closeness of the team at NCIS.

Harry's Law:

Not as exciting as the other two, but I'm hanging in there because of Kathy. She never fails to be entertaining in whatever vein she chooses - funny, serious, dramatic or psychotic. The shoe store was a pleasant comedic addition, and I think with a little familiarity between the team players, it could lead to a pretty good show for a few years.

Mike and Molly:

Everything I said about this one, goes double tonight. The laughs are often, the stories catch your attention right away, and again, if they didn't reference their weight, you probably wouldn't even notice it, although that is the premise of the show (two over weight people falling in love), so please don't blame me for being negative about over weight people. I am myself and so I live in a glass house.

Does anyone else have any new shows they can tell us about? Unfortunately, all of mine are cramped into two nights and my DVR is going overtime to catch them all, thank goodness it records 4 shows at a time, because I never know what mood I'll be in to watch.
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Anne


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Re: This seasons' New Offerings

Post by Lzcutter »

Anne,

I think the shows you are looking for are coming back late in the Spring and over the summer, including Warehouse 13. TNT has a new show in addition to The Closer, Rizzoli, Leverage and Memphis Beat. It's a new sci-fi show starring Noah Wylie from ER and the trailer for it looks great.

I'm enjoying Blue Bloods a great deal and am looking forward to it going back to Friday night so I can enjoy Justified on Wednesday night.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are my big nights when the Tivo goes into overdrive.

I am always enjoying the line-up on USA right now as well, White Collar, Royal Pains and Fairly Legal.
Lynn in Lake Balboa

"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."

"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese

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jdb1

Re: This seasons' New Offerings

Post by jdb1 »

Good afternoon, all.

I've been watching less TCM these days, and more mass audience stuff, just for a change.

I very much like Hawaii 5-0, even though I think it's kinda silly. The interplay among the cast is very enjoyable, and this show has what the original did not, to wit, a sense of humor. I like the high-tech angle, something of a parody of all those 'in the lab' shows all over TV these days. It's a lot like a comic book, fast paced, simplistic and colorful. My only quibble is that there is very little for the guest stars to do. I see a name in the opening credits and think oh, good, an interesting actor, and then that actor is onscreen for 10 minutes and is gone. I'm wondering if a lot of these people will be back as recurring villains. The first episode had James Marsters (the excellent Spike of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) for about a minute and a half. He was killed off at the end, but then a question was raised regarding his character's actual demise.

I'm also enjoying Harry's Law, mostly because of its lead actress, and Chris McDonald. The show itself seems to me to be a rehash of every other law show created by David E. Kelly, not that that is a bad thing. And don't you find McDonald's character highly reminiscent of William Shatner's on Boston Legal? He even does that name thing: "Tommy Jefferson" as in "Denny Crane." Nevertheless McDonald is, to me, spot-on as the arrogant, showboat litigator, and I've worked with them for 35 years, so I think I know one when I see one. I was very happy to see this week's episode give Tommy a human side, which McDonald showed us so effectively. Apparently there may be a little relationshipping going in there between Tommy and Harry in the future.

And Nate Corddy is so cute -- like Frodo Baggins in a three-piece suit.
klondike

Re: This seasons' New Offerings

Post by klondike »

Great insights, Judith, the ol' Sled Dog always digs your TV show opinions - and I suppose I still can't talk you into checking out "Justified" @ 10 pm on FX on Wednesdays, can I . . ?

BTW, nice to hear the cadence of your light & lively step here in the old neighborhood.
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Re: This seasons' New Offerings

Post by ken123 »

jdb1 wrote:Good afternoon, all.

I've been watching less TCM these days, and more mass audience stuff, just for a change.

I very much like Hawaii 5-0, even though I think it's kinda silly. The interplay among the cast is very enjoyable, and this show has what the original did not, to wit, a sense of humor. I like the high-tech angle, something of a parody of all those 'in the lab' shows all over TV these days. It's a lot like a comic book, fast paced, simplistic and colorful. My only quibble is that there is very little for the guest stars to do. I see a name in the opening credits and think oh, good, an interesting actor, and then that actor is onscreen for 10 minutes and is gone. I'm wondering if a lot of these people will be back as recurring villains. The first episode had James Marsters (the excellent Spike of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) for about a minute and a half. He was killed off at the end, but then a question was raised regarding his character's actual demise.

I'm also enjoying Harry's Law, mostly because of its lead actress, and Chris McDonald. The show itself seems to me to be a rehash of every other law show created by David E. Kelly, not that that is a bad thing. And don't you find McDonald's character highly reminiscent of William Shatner's on Boston Legal? He even does that name thing: "Tommy Jefferson" as in "Denny Crane." Nevertheless McDonald is, to me, spot-on as the arrogant, showboat litigator, and I've worked with them for 35 years, so I think I know one when I see one. I was very happy to see this week's episode give Tommy a human side, which McDonald showed us so effectively. Apparently there may be a little relationshipping going in there between Tommy and Harry in the future.

And Nate Corddy is so cute -- like Frodo Baggins in a three-piece suit.
Judith,

Glad to see you back. I dont watch much new TV, so I cant comment on the Kathy Bates show or anything much other than, new, sports,TCM, and old TV. Old TV can be very bad YV, Burns & Allen & Dobie Gillis is NOT good TV .
jdb1

Re: This seasons' New Offerings

Post by jdb1 »

Thank you, Klonny. It's not that I'm particularly averse to Justified, it's just that I haven't gotten around to watching it yet. I'm still mad at FX for making Damages inaccessible to me. I'll have to remember to try Justified as a replacement, now that I've completely given up on "Dr. House Jumps the Shark."

And, Ken, I can't dispute that so much of what's current on TV is pretty awful, but there's still enough to keep even a TV snob like me interested, so you ought to give one or two of the newbies a look. If you just accept them for what they are, not for what you expect based on TV's Golden Age, you might not be too horrified.

Anne, I think the SyFy shows will probably come back at some intersticial time later in the season. Wasn't it last year that they brought back Eureka in July or August, when no one was paying attention?

I've seen a few minutes here and there of Mike & Molly (is it the lead-in to Hawaii 5-0?) It actually strikes me as rather clever, although the fat angle is going to wear thin pretty soon (hey, that's funny). But my real fave of recent offerings this season is Hot In Cleveland. As you may remember, I like my comedy on the snarky side. HOC is the Golden Girls, extra-snarky.
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Re: This seasons' New Offerings

Post by moira finnie »

It's lovely to see you posting, Judith. I mostly watch old movies, news and PBS. The appeal of many current programs puzzles me, though I did like the few minutes I've seen of Modern Family. I live with someone who could watch those real life crime shows ad nauseum, so it is a pretty unusual event to share any time watching anything.
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mrsl
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Re: This seasons' New Offerings

Post by mrsl »

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LIFETIME,

A women's channel mainly, has a crazy schedule for new seasons like many of the other cable channels. This Sunday was the first for the new season of Army Wives of which I am a devout fan. Not only do I like the various stories included in the show, I also like all the ladies who play the wives. Unlike those fools on Channel 7's suburban wives, these wives are actually there to help their husbands whenever possible, unless something happens to cause a problem of some sort. But the one I'm writing about here, is not Army Wives, but the new show that follows it - Coming Home. It's on Lifetime on Sunday night. If you choose to watch it, make sure you have a box of Puffs or Kleenex right next to you, because you will be using it from beginning to end of the show. The premise is the show arranges for special homecomings for military men returning from the war zones to families that have not seen them in months or years. The wives are bad enough, but when the 7, 8, or 9 year old kids (old enough to remember Daddy), go running and burst into tears will make you go blubbery for sure. Margaret O'Brien and Shirley Temple together, couldn't get the feeling of raw emotion from you that these real kids do when they see their Daddy getting off a plane, out of a car, or whatever. As a rule, I would ignore this kind of show because heaven knows I have enough tears in my life without seeking it out. But as a curiosity, I did watch, and I feel it's good because maybe it will help get some assistance for these families of military men who are in such dire need, and our government is ignoring them. Included also are homecomings that some family member video'd, or some that the returning soldier turned into a joke on the folks, and other silly ideas.

I suggest you try both shows and judge for yourself.
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Anne


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Re: This seasons' New Offerings

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Anne,

Here is the schedule for some of our favorite shows coming back this summer (and two new ones):

Franklin & Bash – Series premiere Wednesday, June 1, at 9 p.m.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar (NYPD Blue) and Breckin Meyer (Road Trip) star in this lighthearted legal drama as two fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants lawyers working for a button-down law firm.

Falling Skies – Two-hour series premiere Sunday, June 19, at 9 p.m.; regular timeslot Sundays at 10 p.m.
Noah Wyle (ER) stars in this drama series from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg about the aftermath of an alien invasion and the resistance movement formed by the survivors.

Returning Series:
Men of a Certain Age – Premiere: Wednesday, June 1, at 10 p.m. – Season 2 continues: Six summer episodes

Memphis Beat – Premiere: Tuesday, June 14, at 9 p.m. – Season 2: 10 episodes

Hawthorne –Premiere: Tuesday, June 14, at 10 p.m. – Season 3: 10 episodes

Leverage – Premiere: Sunday, June 26, at 9 p.m. – Season 4: 10 summer episodes

The Closer – Premiere: Monday, July 11, at 9 p.m. – Season 7: 10 summer episodes

Rizzoli & Isles – Premiere: Monday, July 11, at 10 p.m. – Season 2: 10 summer episodes
Lynn in Lake Balboa

"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."

"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese

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