Tag Archives: ABC

What I am Watching

Posted on by renmiked

I have decided to cut back most of my TV watching this fall season.  I just do not have enough time to keep up with the mediocrity that networks are pumping out these days.  From Lost rip-offs to medical dramas there is so much garbage on right now, that it was incredibly easy to pare it down.

I started this process last year.  This year I decided to go all out, and eliminate anything with more than a twenty episode season from my viewing schedule.  I do have two hold-overs with long seasons, Glee and Supernatural, that I have already been watching so I will continue even though they are long seasons.  I have concerns for Glee, since they are planning to do a 25 episode season.  There is no way to keep up quality with that length of a season.  I haven’t actually started Supernatural this season yet, and still have the finale from last season to watch, but I do plan on watching it eventually.

I did watch the first season of Fringe during the summer but, I really did not have the desire to watch another 23 episode season and commit to a long season this fall as well.  Another show I picked up over the summer was Eureka, and it has been added to my TiVo season passes.  I’m not sure when it comes back on, but I like that it is a lighter show and is only around 15 episodes on average.  Also it is not overwrought  with an intense overly complicated mystery that drowns out the characters and fun.  Basically, I can accept a lighter show having a slightly longer season, 15 – 20 episodes, but serialized dramas with an intense mystery need to be shorter.

I am looking forward to The Walking Dead in a few weeks, I really hope it lives up to the expectations.  The bar is going to be set very high for a show that is on the same network as Mad Men and Breaking Bad.  AMC has definitely done it the correct way, by giving us shows that concentrate on characters and story, not an event or mystery.  I tried watching the first episode of Rubicon but it was far too slow and uninteresting, so that may be the exception.  Mad Men on the other hand, had its best season to date.  The characters, except Betty, are compelling and complex, making the show a pleasure to watch.

The big four networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX) have no concept of how to produce shows with great characters anymore.  There is not one thing on those networks that spark my interest at all.  There may be a show or two that I am missing but I doubt it.  I’m not a huge fan of the network comedies either but they are not as bad as the horrible dramas they put out.  I’m not sure if these networks will survive to the next generation.  The only shows getting serious ratings are watched by older people.  Shows like Two and a Half Men, The CSI‘s and the Law and Orders have ratings, but I’ve  never met anyone under 50 who watches any of those shows.  What are they going to do to appeal to an audience that wants quality and won’t tune in just because it’s on a major network?

I’m not going to rant about the networks any more, they are digging their own graves without any help.  Let me just run off a few other shows I am watching or will be watching once they come back.

Terriers I believe it’s on FX and is a great and gritty detective show

American Pickers is on History Channel and a definite to check out if you like Antiques Roadshow or Pawn Stars

American Chopper the show is much better than it has been in the past two season, a guilty pleasure.

LA Ink 100% guilty pleasure, I’ll put it on in the background or buzz through it

Eureka this show is probably nearing the end of its run but I suggest picking it up from the beginning

LOST Quick React

Posted on by renmiked

Here is what I currently feel about the finale of LOST last night: I thought the scenes between Jack and MiB were great intense classic LOST moments. Watching MiB finally “get to leave” the island, although not how he intended, was completely epic. The light cave has grown on me and I had no issues with that, unlike in “Across the Sea”. Now, the flash sideways is the real game changer. I think I loved it. To me it solidified that the real reason this show worked was not the mythology, but the characters and actors. Watching Vincent lay down with Jack was an absolutely perfect ending. I wasn’t thrilled with the connect the dots style explanation from Christian, but I can live with it.

On another front, I really don’t know how psyched I am for a rewatch. The show’s ending was so complete that I feel like I’ve lost a friend. I will go back and watch episodes here and there, like looking at old photos or videos of someone who’s no longer with you, but I don’t want to relive the experience. I just want to fondly remember a wonderful time in my life and use it going forward to stay positive and grow.

What LOST Has Meant To Me

Posted on by renmiked

I started watching LOST from the begining like many people and quickly grew to love the show. By the second season I was looking for other ways to enjoy and experience the show which led me to find The Lost Podcast with Jay and Jack. Once I listened to their podcast I started to look for other podcasts and found: Fivehundy By Midnight, The Idle Review with Josh and Jen, The Dharmalars, Media Junkyard, Metrobuzz, The Scope…etc
This then led to involvement in social media like the Jay and Jack message boards and then Twitter. From Twitter I ended up going to Raliegh and meeting many of the people I communicated with on Twitter and sites like Yublog.org. This in and unto itself was a giant step for me. I was someone who was somewhat introverted and this opened a door for me to experience different people and views of the world. So to sum this up, thank you to LOST abs especially “Thank you” to the people in the LOST and associated communities who have accepted me as a part of it.