300 replies to this topic

[lovelynugget]

1. Friday Night Lights. I'm gonna start shilling like crazy for this show.
When I first heard they were turning the movie into a TV show, I figured it would end every week with the team hitting the field for tension-filled weekly game. Instead, it has turned into a character-driven drama with dead-on authentic casting, excellent production and genuine depth of feeling (without being mawkish). This show exposes every gimmick-driven drama (Lost, Heroes, 24) and fusty crime/medical show (CSI, House) as ridiculous unrealistic Hollywood creations. The last 3 FNL episodes haven't even shown any action on the field, instead focussing on the dilemmas of the well-drawn out ensemble characters. Even the supporting roles (Buddy Gerritson, the rehab roommate, Tim Riggins's brother, etc) are crisp and vivid.
Please watch this show before it gets cancelled.

2. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Frigging hilarious comedy showing out in the hinterlands of FX. Currently on hiatus after a short 2nd season, but I fear it might already have been axed. About 4 friends who own a dive bar, desperation for ratings brought Danny DeVito on for the second season as the extraneous father figure. Humor sensibility is akin to the late favorite, Arrested Development.

3. Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman. This show has no chance. Too inside Hollywood, too cynical, too raunchy and dark. But the writing is fierce. Laura Kightlinger should be a bigger star and would be if she were a man. But all those nasty things coming out of woman's mouth will keep her on the fringe. And who the fuck watches the IFC channel? Nobody but losers and film geeks. (Sadly, I'm not a film geek).


It sucks cuz I hate most TV. Unfortunately, I've reconciled that the few shows I do like will probably get cancelled, so I'm trying not to get emotionally invested. But damn, don't FNL got a chance? It's SO red state!

[g.johnson]

Vincent on BBC America. Ray Winstone as a private detective. No gimics. Not even very remarkable plots. Just great writing and acting. Over for the season so you've missed it.

Edit: Oh, three.....

Edit2: Winstone and the show's called Vincent, not Victor. Blame it on the pre-senile dementia.

[Ron Johnson]

The Wire

oh shit, I just realized I am not watching enough TV. I can't even name 2 other shows.

[mongo_jones]

shows that i am watching that nobody else is:

"moby, duck!": no, it is not about a duck hunter from wisconsin on the hunt for a mythical white duck that ate his leg. the show had its roots in a straight on adaptation of the book, but then an executive pointed out that a tv show about hunting a duck makes for a lower budget than one about hunting a whale. everything changed when the wacky tina fey came on board as head writer, and now we have a wonderful life-affirming comedy about a middle-aged man coming to terms with his love of bestiality. randy quaid stars as moby wilson, and tony shalhoub is the lovable, yet curiously attractive duck only moby can see. ellen degeneres plays a neighbour, never seen, who has a meth-lab in his shed.

"when white people attack": a reality show that travels from city to city in the united states.

"desperate housekeepers": a comedy-drama, or dramedy, if you will, in which extremely sexy illegal immigrant housekeepers making minimum wage with no benefits get up to all kinds of sexy shenanigans. who says television does not tackle important issues? the twist? the extremely sexy illegal immigrant housekeepers are swedish!

[lovelynugget]

Edit: Oh, three.....

oh shit, I just realized I am not watching enough TV. I can't even name 2 other shows.

You have room to add Friday Night Lights! Hooray.

Dr. Johnson: I'll try to catch Victor if you will alert us when it comes back on.
Johnson Esq: I don't get pay channels, but Homicide used to be one of my favorite shows so it surprises me not that The Wire is excellent.

[Liza]

Ray Winstone's been on television and I have missed it??? Well obviously I blame the promo department of BBC America.

[Cathy]

Last night my dear husband - who is, he tells me, "a man of the people" - insisted that we watch this train wreck: Pants-Off Dance-Off

oh the humanity

[Evelyn]

Last night my dear husband - who is, he tells me, "a man of the people" - insisted that we watch this train wreck: Pants-Off Dance-Off

oh the humanity

Oh My Goodness!

[foodie52]

Decisiones - on the Spanish channel. What a load of dreck. I'm not actually watching it: I just drift in and out of the living room while my daughter soaks it up. I'm hoping that some day she'll get tired of it. She's allowed to watch it on Friday nights only.

Ugly Betty - is anybody else watching this??? Love it.

Now that American Idol and Project Runway are off the air, I'm not watching much of anything.

[joiei]

Last night my dear husband - who is, he tells me, "a man of the people" - insisted that we watch this train wreck: Pants-Off Dance-Off

oh the humanity

I don't even get that channel

[Cathy]

That's a reason to be cheerful, joiei.

[StephanieL]

Everybody Hates Chris: very very funny. I'm glad it survived the merger of UPN and the WB, and I hope it's surviving the move from Thursday to Monday nights.

[bloviatrix]

3. Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman. This show has no chance. Too inside Hollywood, too cynical, too raunchy and dark. But the writing is fierce. Laura Kightlinger should be a bigger star and would be if she were a man. But all those nasty things coming out of woman's mouth will keep her on the fringe. And who the fuck watches the IFC channel? Nobody but losers and film geeks. (Sadly, I'm not a film geek).

Thanks for reminding me about this one. I watched the first several episodes of this and thought it was very funny. Laura Kightlinger is great.

[mongo_jones]

she's very good on "lucky louie" as well.

[bloviatrix]

she's very good on "lucky louie" as well.

I really liked that show. It was really funny - I was disappointed they didn't pick it up for another season.