Monday, August 18, 2014

Read Past Blog Posts

Okay, I'm done with this blog for a while. According to the records on google, there is literally no one reading this blog. I have zero readers on many blog posts for the extensive number of posts that I've done during the summer. Maybe I'm not promoting this blog enough. But it says that nobody has read my thoughts on the midseason shows for the 2013-2014 television season. And reading of blog posts since that has been pretty much nothing with some few exceptions. So I'm not going to post new blog posts for a while since nobody is even reading these. I'm not done posting forever. I plan on returning to this blog at some point. If you do want me to continue with this blog, feel free to comment so I know that someone is actually into this. I hope that someone, anyone, even if it's just one person, can read this blog. I don't know why people aren't doing that. Maybe I don't post this on too regular a basis. But, I keep updated with this blog as much as possible. You will see more blog posts on this blog, just not for a while. For now, this is Adam Decker, signing off.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Cancelled Shows 2013-2014

Here’s a list and review of every cancelled show from this television season. Sorry that it took so long to publish, but since some of the summer shows aren’t announced as cancelled until later (if they are even officially cancelled at all) then it can take a while to know if the list has every show on it. I’ll list as much information as possible.
Cancellation Reasons (for simplicity’s sake, only includes primetime shows): bad ratings (Save Me, Nikita, Lucky 7, We Are Men, Ironside, Welcome to the Family, Back in the Game, Sean Saves the World, The X-Factor, Breaking Pointe, Raising Hope, Mind Games, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Almost Human, Dads, Rake, Enlisted, The Carrie Diaries, Star-Crossed, The Tomorrow People, The Neighbors, Super Fun Night, Suburgatory, Community, Growing Up Fisher, Revolution, Crisis, Friends with Better Lives, Hostages, Intelligence, Bad Teacher, Dracula, Surviving Jack), bad reviews (The Michael J Fox Show, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Dads, Star-Crossed, The Neighbors, Super Fun Night, Revolution, Hostages, The Crazy Ones, Bad Teacher, Surviving Jack), ruined by advertisements (Save Me, We Are Men, Welcome to the Family, Back in the Game, Mind Games, Dads, Rake, Mixology, Super Fun Night, Growing Up Fisher, Friends with Better Lives, Intelligence, Bad Teacher, Surviving Jack), never advertised (Nikita, The Goodwin Games, Murder Police, Us and Them, Breaking Pointe, Enlisted, The Neighbors, Revolution, Dracula, Betrayal), bad title (Save Me, Camp, The Goodwin Games, Lucky 7, Murder Police, We Are Men, Ironside, The X Factor, Breaking Pointe, Rake, Killer Women, Mixology, Trophy Wife, Super Fun Night, The Crazy Ones, Bad Teacher, Surviving Jack), barely existed (Save Me, Camp, The Goodwin Games, Lucky 7, Murder Police, We Are Men, Ironside, Welcome to the Family, Us and Them, Back in the Game, Breaking Pointe, Mind Games, Rake, Enlisted, the Carrie Diaries, Killer Women, The Neighbors, Super Fun Night, Growing Up Fisher, Revolution, Believe, Crisis, Friends with Better Lives, Bad Teacher, Betrayal, Surviving Jack), bad timeslot (Nikita, Welcome to the Family, The Michael J Fox Show, The X Factor, Raising Hope, Mind Games, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Almost Human, Rake, Enlisted, Mixology, Trophy Wife, The Neighbors, Super Fun Night, Community, Believe, Crisis, Hostages, Intelligence, The Crazy Ones, Bad Teacher, Dracula, Betrayal, Surviving Jack), hated by network (Save Me, Nikita, The Goodwin Games, Murder Police, Us and Them, Almost Human, Enlisted, The Neighbors, Suburgatory, Community, Revolution), crappy show (Save Me, American Dad, We Are Men, Welcome to the Family, Back in the Game, Sean Saves the World, The X Factor, Mind Games, Rake, the Carrie Diaries, Mixology, Trophy Wife, Super Fun Night, Friends with Better Lives, Intelligence, Bad Teacher, Dracula, Surviving Jack), retooled (Ironside, The Neighbors, Community, Revolution), uninteresting (Save Me, American Dad, The Goodwin Games, Lucky 7, We Are Men, Welcome to the Family, Back in the Game, Sean Saves the World, The X Factor, Mind Games, Rake, Enlisted, The Carrie Diaries, Killer Women, Mixology, Trophy Wife, Super Fun Night, Suburgatory, Growing Up Fisher, Revolution, Believe, Friends with Better Lives, Intelligence, Bad Teacher, Dracula, Betrayal, Surviving Jack), reality (The X Factor, Breaking Point), summer (Save Me, Camp, The Goodwin Games, Breaking Pointe), Fridays (Nikita, Raising Hope, Rake, Enlisted, The Neighbors, Dracula), midseason replacement (Save Me, Nikita, Camp, The Goodwin Games, Raising Hope, Mind Games, Almost Human, Rake, Enlisted, Killer Women, Star-Crossed, Mixology, Suburgatory, Community, Growing Up Fisher, Believe, Crisis, Friends with Better Lives, Intelligence, Bad Teacher, Surviving Jack), dead on arrival (Save Me, The Goodwin Games, Lucky 7, We Are Men, Ironside, Welcome to the Family, Us and Them, Back in the Game, Mind Games, Rake, Killer Women, Super Fun Night, Growing Up Fisher, Believe, Crisis, Friends with Better Lives, Bad Teacher, Betrayal, Surviving Jack), bad lead-in (Mixology, Super Fun Night, Crisis), competition (Nikita, Lucky 7, Welcome to the Family, The Michael J Fox Show, Raising Hope, Mind Games, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Almost Human, Dads, Rake, Enlisted, Star-Crossed, The Tomorrow People, Trophy Wife, Community, Revolution, Believe, Crisis, Hostages, Intelligence, The Crazy Ones, Bad Teacher, Betrayal, Surviving Jack), low network budget (Suburgatory, Revolution, The Crazy Ones), left on its own term or wasn’t cancelled (How I Met Your Mother)
Cancellation order: Save Me (NBC-0), American Dad (FOX-0*),  How I Met Your Mother (CBS- 0), Nikita (CW- 0), Camp (NBC- 0), The Goodwin Games (FOX- 0), Lucky 7 (ABC- 1), Murder Police (FOX- 0), We Are Men (CBS- 2), Ironside (NBC- 3), Welcome to the Family (NBC- 4), Us and Them (FOX- 0), Back in the Game (ABC- 5), Sean Saves the World (NBC- 6), The Michael J Fox Show (NBC- 7), The X-Factor (FOX- 8), Breaking Pointe (CW- 0), Raising Hope (FOX- 9), Mind Games (ABC- 10), Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (ABC- 11), Almost Human (FOX- 12), Dads (FOX- 13), Rake (FOX- 14), Enlisted (FOX- 15), The Carrie Diaries (CW- 16), Killer Women (ABC- 17), Star-Crossed (CW- 18), The Tomorrow People (CW- 19), Mixology (ABC- 20), Trophy Wife (ABC- 21), The Neighbors (ABC- 22), Super Fun Night (ABC- 23), Suburgatory (ABC- 24), Community (NBC- 25*), Growing up Fisher (NBC- 26), Revolution (NBC- 27), Believe (NBC- 28), Crisis (NBC- 29), Friends with Better Lives (CBS- 30), Hostages (CBS- 31), Intelligence (CBS- 32), The Crazy Ones (CBS- 33), Bad Teacher (CBS- 34), Dracula (NBC- 35), Betrayal (ABC- 36), Surviving Jack (FOX- 37), and possibly more. Others: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; America Now, Bethenny, Judge Alex, The Test, Trisha, Katie, The Arsenio Hall Show
We Are Men: Why I’ve seen it- Devotion to the CBS network and the fact that nothing else good was on at the time. Description- A male centric show about failed relationships and other shit like that that most people don’t care about. Notable People- Kal Penn, known for acting on House and working for the Obama administration, plays a character on the show. Jerry O’Conner, known mostly for Sliders, but also a star of The Defenders, was also on the show. Tony Shaloub, known mostly for Monk, is on the show. Pros- Its time on television was short. Cons- This show was incredibly bad and I don’t know why anyone would like it. It’s just garbage. Recommendation- I’d tell you that you shouldn’t watch this series, but most of you didn’t anyways since it appropriately got cancelled. Cancellation reasons- This show was horrible garbage and was a waste of airtime. I watched the first episode and knew that I wouldn’t ever want to watch anymore. Most people could tell it would get cancelled early even before they saw it. Just trust me if you’ve never seen it. This show sucked. Similar shows- Two and a Half Men and Last Man Standing, although both are considerably better than this show. DVD suggestion- Don’t buy it, although I doubt they’d release it. A Saturday burn-out might happen or have already happened depending on when this blog update is posted. Reception: somewhat negative. Grade: F. This show was replaced by Mike and Molly for a while and will ultimately be replaced by half of Scorpion.
Nikita: Why I’ve seen it- Looked interesting and my brother was into the series. Noteworthiness- It is the remake of another old series and movie. Description- A former female spy seeks to stop the place that trained her. Pros- A good drama that keeps you interested in the storyline. Cons- It can be very confusing and if you miss episodes, you’ll be lost to the storyline. Recommendation- Watch it if you can. Cancellation reasons- It was always lowly rated so cancellation was inevitable, even on a little watched network like the CW. There were various other problems with watching the show such as the network not advertising it as much as they should and constantly changing its time slot with little to no warning that it was on at a different time or even still on. Plus, a Friday night time slot was more than likely going to kill it anyways. It has been sold into syndication, but that doesn’t always last so watch while you can if you are interested in it. Similar shows- Person of Interest, Revenge, and Arrow. DVD suggestion- I suggest that you’d buy the DVDs, but only if you have previous interest in the show. All the seasons have been released. Just don’t confuse this with the movie or the original series. Reception: positive. Grade: B+.
How I Met Your Mother: Why I’ve seen it- My brother watched the show and sometimes I did too. I slowly got into it as it progressed. Description- A man tells the story of how he met his wife to his kids and the adventures his friends and he had during this time. Notable People- Jason Segal, known for some movies like The Muppets, is Marshall. Alyson Hannigan, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is Lily. Neil Patrick Harris, known for his movies, hosting award shows, and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is Barney. Bob Saget, known mostly for his work on Full House, has an uncredited role of the narrator, but he is not the main character. Pros- It is an interesting show that has good plots and a recurring storyline. It has some better planning on what has happened and what will happen on the show, although it messes up sometimes like all shows. It is probably the most well thought out show. They constantly reference the past in case you didn’t see it. Cons- Some of the sexual references are weird. If you aren’t into the show, it can be hard to stay into it as the show has recurring storylines which is easy to miss. Even though it tries to be great at avoiding continuity errors, they still happen. It can be too drawn out with its story arcs. The show has gotten very strange near the end and could be said to be running out of steam and of poorer quality. The ending to the show wasn’t well received by that many people. Recommendation- Watch it if you like it. Cancellation reasons- This actually wasn’t cancelled. It left the airwaves on its own. It might have actually overstayed its welcome on television anyways. Everyone who did the show wanted it to end so they figured that they should probably leave soon and wrap everything up. There was a potential spin-off planned called How I Met Your Dad, but I don’t think that will be made. Similar shows- The Big Bang Theory, Family Guy, and New Girl. DVD suggestion- If you liked the show, you’d probably want to get the DVDs if you can’t watch it in syndication. If you haven’t seen it or don’t like it, then obviously you shouldn’t get it. But I recommend buying the DVDs, provided that you can’t borrow them from someone else who has them instead. Reception: positive. Grade: B-. This show was momentarily replaced with Friends with Better Lives and ultimately replaced by half of Scorpion.
American Dad: Why I’ve seen it- I watched Family Guy so I figured that this might be good as well. Description- A CIA agent’s adventures including a talking fish and an alien with different identities he creates. Notable People- Seth MacFarlane, most well-known for Family Guy, created the show as well as doing some of the voices. Pros- Weird storylines keep this show fresh. Cons- Like every other show on FOX, it has a lot of smut that is bad for people that have real morals. It’s not as good as some other shows. Recommendation- I don’t like this show, but you can watch it if nothing else good is on or so you don’t have to watch just the second half of another TV show or turn the TV off. Special note- In a semi-regular move, this show will be leaving the airwaves on its original network, in this case, FOX, and continuing their episodes on another network, this time being TBS. So it is sort of cancelled, but not really. The official term is called network change if you want to wikipedia it. The show is also in syndication on some channels. Similar shows- Family Guy, The Simpsons, Two and a Half Men, and Last Man Standing. DVD suggestion- I’d say that you shouldn’t buy them unless you were really into them. Reception: positive. Grade: D+.
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Why I’ve seen it- David Letterman was on reruns at the time and I wondered if this was as good as some people say it was. Noteworthiness- A version of this show has existed on NBC for quite some time, making it the longest running late night show of any kind. I don’t know how many hosts they’ve had, but it has had a lot, including all the temporary ones that not everyone would count. Jay Leno himself was a permanent guest host until he started hosting every night. There has also been a lot of controversies from this show. Description- Jay Leno hosts a standard talk show with other events that made it his own. Pros- It follows the same format as most good talk shows so there isn’t much you won’t expect. Cons- This show isn’t that funny or that good. Most of the jokes fall flat leaving a viewer like me wondering why the audience is laughing. Recommendation- This is probably a good thing to be off the air nowadays. Cancellation reasons- For the second time, NBC is making a controversial decision by replacing Jay Leno. They have done numerous controversial decisions regarding the Tonight Show before including: wiping many of the original episodes including almost all of the Jack Parr era and the first ten years of the Johnny Carson era (and there’s probably many other missing from earlier hosts), making Jay Leno the host instead of David Letterman which prompted David Letterman to compete against them for a change and proved that there could be successful competition against this show, and putting Jay Leno in primetime. If this decision proves to be stupid as well, then you should probably expect NBC to slip out of the ratings even more so than they already have. Some people might think that the countdown to his return will start the moment he leaves, but he could really be gone this time. Similar show- none. DVD suggestion- Don’t buy the nonexistent DVDs that would never be released. Reception: mixed. Grade: D-.
Last Call with Carson Daley: Why I’ve seen it- I stay up too late at night and don’t always turn the TV off right away. Description- A strange format for a talk show, I’ve never quite understood it and I can’t really describe it for you. Pros- It is different than the average and usual talk show. Cons- It doesn’t really stand out as something that people would be into that much. Recommendation- Turn your TV off and go to bed or find another show to watch if you must be up this late. This show isn’t any good. Cancellation reasons- It wasn’t poor ratings (which would be understandable this late at night), but the person who did this show wanted to move on to other projects. We have yet to hear if it will continue in some other form with a different host. Similar show- The Arsenio Hall Show. DVD suggestion- They don’t do DVDs for this sort of show because that would be unrealistic. Reception: negative. Grade: D. Okay, I’m not entirely sure whether this is really cancelled or not. But I am still including it in the list in case it really is cancelled or does it appear in future seasons. Besides, you aren’t missing anything if it really isn’t cancelled and I wouldn’t mind posting a repeat review of this show.
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: Why I’ve seen it- Craig Ferguson’s show was on reruns at the time. Description- Saturday Night Live veteran Jimmy Fallon hosts a talk show with various guests and skits. Pros- The show is quite different from the usual and has fresh view on many of the issues that talk show hosts frequently talk about. Jimmy’s bubbly personality keeps things quite interesting. Cons- The guests on the show aren’t focused on as much as they should be. More time is taken on games and random bits than one might like on the actual show. Recommendation- I’d say that you’d probably like this, but I can’t tell you to watch it anymore since the show will have ended by the time this review is posted online. But if his hosting of the Tonight Show is any similar to how he hosted Late Night (which it is), then you’ll be in for a treat when you watch it. Cancellation reasons- With Jimmy Fallon moving to the Tonight Show, he could no longer host this show an hour later. This show is instead being hosted by a different SNL alumni named Seth Meyers. Similar shows- The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Live with Kelly and Michael. DVD suggestion- I don’t know why I have this topic mentioned here since there aren’t and probably never will be DVDs for talk shows. You’d probably like them if there were, but since there aren’t, then you’re out of luck. Reception: positive. Grade: B-.
The Cleveland Show: Why I’ve seen it- I like Family Guy and figured that I would probably like this under the right circumstances. Description- A character from Family Guy (Cleveland Brown) moves to another town and his adventures are viewed here. Notable People- Seth MacFarlane, most well known for Family Guy, the show it span-off from, created this show and voices some characters. Pros- It keeps some of Family Guy’s format with a different set of characters. Cons- It can be uninteresting, inappropriate, and otherwise unentertaining. They use Family Guy cameos as a marketing gimmick. Recommendation- You can watch it if you want and like it, but I’d pass. Special Note- This show was actually already cancelled last season, but since no official word about it happened (not the only cancelled show to never be officially cancelled, by the way), I didn’t include it with cancelled shows from last season. This is why I’m mentioning it in this list instead. I say better late than never. Similar shows- American Dad, Mom, 2 Broke Girls, The Mindy Project, Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers. DVD suggestion- I’d say that you’d probably be better off not watching this TV show on DVD so don’t buy it. But if you see it in syndication and have different views about it, then feel free to buy it on DVD for yourself if you want to. Reception: mixed. Grade: C-.
Sean Saves the World: Why I’ve seen it- I forget why I watched it the one time but it could have been problems with watching one of the shows that I actually did want to watch so I decided to watch this instead. Description- I’m not sure how to describe it except for a work place comedy mixed with family comedy about a single dad who is gay, but apparently wasn’t when he became a dad. I won’t get into a touchy subject like that here. Notable People- Sean Hayes, from Will and Grace and possibly other shows or movies, is the main character of the show. Pros- It follows a similar format to most other TV shows. Cons- It isn’t very good due to bad writing and overall poor quality. Recommendation- I’d say you should skip this show, but you probably already did since it is cancelled now. Cancellation reasons- It was poorly rated and most people hated the show so it getting cancelled was inevitable. Similar shows- American Dad and Mom. DVD suggestion- There more than likely won’t be any DVDs which is good since they wouldn’t sell good anyways. Reception: mixed. Grade: D.
The Michael J Fox Show: Why I’ve seen it- I like the actor and figure that a show he was on was probably good. Noteworthiness- In an unusual decision, the network that did this show forwent a pilot and ordered a full season. Description- A man with Parkinson’s disease goes back to work as a newscaster and we see his adventures as well as his friends and family. Notable People- Michael J Fox, famous for various TV shows like Spin City, Family Ties, and possibly his recurring role on The Good Wife as well as Back to the Future, which is, in my opinion, the greatest movie trilogy of all time, is the main character of this sitcom. Pros- This comedy is pretty good with mostly interesting plots and humor that is clean. Cons- The format can be strange. The basic plots for each episode are unoriginal. Most people don’t like it. Recommendation- I’d say this is probably something that you should watch if you find it interesting. Cancellation reasons- The show got some bad reception but what probably got it cancelled was the bad ratings. This proves once again that they probably shouldn’t skip pilots. Similar shows- The Millers, The Simpsons, and Bob’s Burgers. DVD suggestion- If there are DVDs which there probably won’t be, I think that you should buy them. While I limit myself to one cancelled show from each of the regular networks, you don’t have to and should buy it. I’m hoping that the rest of the episodes will air at some point, like they have in Australia, but I don’t think that they will, although I’d probably have to watch on Saturdays to know for sure. Reception: mostly positive. Grade: A-.
Raising Hope: Why I’ve seen it- I had free time on my hand at the time. I also promised to watch a new FOX comedy at the time. Noteworthiness- Believe it or not, this was actually the longest running FOX live action sitcom despite its relatively short time on the air. That kind of thing shows you what happens with the typical FOX live action comedy. The new longest running sitcom on FOX is now New Girl. Description- A young man finds himself raising a baby with various family and friends of his. Notable People- Greg Garcia, well known for creating My Name is Earl and The Millers, is the creator of this show. Some of the actors might be noteworthy too, but it’s hard for me to tell you where else they are from. Pros- It’s a unique comedy. The grandmother’s craziness always leads to laughs. Cons- The show is pretty weird a lot of the time and not the type of weird that people would like. The morals are bad as usual. Recommendation- Watch this show if you can. It’s actually pretty funny. Cancellation Reasons- It had low ratings and was generally being screwed with by the network. Moving it to Friday nights might have been the final nail in the coffin. Similar shows- The Simpsons, Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, Mom, The Middle, Modern Family, The Millers, and Two and a Half Men. DVD suggestion- If you could only get one cancelled show from FOX this season, then get this one. Reception: positive. Grade: B.
Mind Games: Why I’ve Seen it- I thought that it might be good so I tuned into the first episode. Description- Two brothers and their team change people’s mind without them knowing it. Notable People- Christian Slader, who is known as a cursed actor (actor or actress who seems to only be on short-lived shows) was on this show. The creator of Awake also created this show too. Pros- The show isn’t like the average show. Cons- This show was pretty dull. I don’t know if they’ll even air the rest of the episodes. It sounded like it could be a good show, but that isn’t what I saw when I watched it. It seemed pretty pointless. I didn’t understand what it had to give me that other dramas didn’t. Recommendation- This isn’t worth watching, but you can’t see it anyways. Cancellation reasons- The show got cancelled due to a general lack of interest. Poor quality of the show also helped as well. Similar shows- none. DVD suggestion- Don’t buy it, although I don’t think that they’ll release it anyways. Reception: generally positive. Grade: D.
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: Why I’ve seen it- I watched the original show (Once Upon a Time) so I figured that I should watch this as well. Plus, unlike some people, I like Alice in Wonderland. Noteworthiness- This drama is a spin-off of the popular Once Upon a Time; I heard that they’ll be at least one character crossing over to the other show. Description- Alice escapes from a mental institution to look for a love with characters from Wonderland and various other made-up stories. Pros- The show is interesting to those who may or may not be familiar with these stories or not. From what I understand so far, you don’t have to watch both shows if you don’t like the other show. Cons- I’ll admit, like most TV shows, the special effects aren’t all that good. It has the same problem as the original (Once Upon a Time) as being too complicated for most people to understand. Recommendation- I suggest that you watch it, but not if you aren’t into Once Upon a Time, although it is mostly separate so far so you don’t have to watch both shows. Cancellation reasons- Low ratings are mostly the reason why it was cancelled, but people generally not liking it didn’t do it any favors either. Similar shows- Once Upon a Time, Beauty and the Beast, and Grimm. DVD suggestion- If you could get only one cancelled ABC show from this season, this should be the one. I just hope that they release it, but you’d think that they would. Reception: somewhat positive. Grade: B-.
Almost Human: Why I’ve seen it- I am generally into science fiction, even on a network notorious for screwing with shows like that (and yet, writers keep selling those shows to them and they keep making them). Description- In the future, cops have to work with robot in order to solve futuristic crimes. Notable People- Michael Irby, who used to work on the Unit (I think), is a character on the show (although I never found where his character was). Pros- This is a rather interesting drama that isn’t just the usual cop show. The science fiction elements made it more interesting. Cons- The viewers would be confused by the futuristic aspects on the show that appear and make it more confusing considering how many of it has never happened yet. Recommendation- I’d say that you should probably watch it if you aren’t doing anything else at that time. Cancellation reasons- Since it premiered too late into the fall season (it actually wasn’t a midseason replacement, believe it or not) it might not have done that well in the ratings as a result. Plus, for no good reason, the episodes were aired out of order, causing confusion to the people that did watch. Similar shows- Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Person of Interest. DVD suggestion- I would suggest that you buy the DVDs given these two things: 1- they release a DVD of this show and 2- you don’t mind possible unresolved plots. Reception: mixed. Grade: B.
Dads: Why I’ve seen it- I thought that I might like it, even if the vast majority of people don’t. Description- Two male best friends have to endure their fathers moving in with them. Other friends are in the cast. Notable People- It has Seth Green (known for Robot Chicken, Family Guy, and various movies among other things) and Brenda Song (known for The Suite Life of Zack and Cody). Seth MacFarlane (creator of Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show, among other things), works on the show, but he didn’t create it. If there are other famous people, then I’m not familiar with them. Pros- It is pretty humorous and mostly good. Cons- There are bad stuff that pop up, like the typical sex and jokes in poor taste in most TV shows, that might turn people off. Most places I’ve read don’t like the show. Recommendation- If you keep an open mind when you watch it, you might like it. If not, then you probably won’t want to watch it. Cancellation Reasons- Well, few people liked it and the viewership wasn’t that great. Some people are surprised it lasted as long as it did. Similar shows- Family Guy, Last Man Standing, Glee, and 2 Broke Girls. DVD suggestion- While I don’t think that they’d even release it to DVD, it probably wouldn’t be worth buying anyways. Reception: critically panned. Grade: C+.
Rake: Why I’ve seen it- I have a general interest in legal dramas and thought that this could be good. Noteworthiness- It’s a remake of an Australian TV show of the same name. Description- A lawyer uses unconventional methods to be a lawyer. He also has his own set of problems. Pros- This show has some good parts. Cons- This show is crap. They crammed so much into the first episode that not much was really accomplished in the end. Recommendation- Don’t bother watching it. Cancellation reasons- It had low viewership. Similar Shows- none. DVD suggestion- They probably won’t release it, but if they do, don’t waste your money. Reception: somewhat mixed to positive. Grade: D.
Enlisted: Why I’ve Seen it- I pretty much had to watch this since it was paired with another comedy that I watched. Description- It is a comedy about people in the army here in the United States. Pros- It isn’t bad. Cons- It can be hard to tell what the real point of it is. The episodes aired out of order. Recommendation- It’s your choice whether to watch it or not, I don’t really care. It isn’t bad if you want to watch it, but it isn’t really that good either. Cancellation reasons- It had a late season start, which is never a good sign, low viewership, and aired on Fridays. Similar shows- NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles. DVD suggestion- It’s your choice, but since there won’t be DVDs anyways, then it might not matter in the end. If I’m wrong and there are DVDs, then I don’t know what to suggest. It wouldn’t be a waste, but it wouldn’t be that good a use of money either. Reception: critically acclaimed. Grade: C.
Crisis: Why I’ve seen it- I thought that it might be good. I wanted to see a new NBC midseason replacement show this season. Description- While a group of students from Washington DC, including the president’s son, are supposed to go on a field trip of some sort, they are all kidnapped and held hostage causing a nationwide crisis. We then see FBI agents get into the case to try to fix things or otherwise figure out a way of solving the case for the better. Notable People- Max Martini from the Unit is in this show. Pros- This show can be interesting and gripping. Cons- This show is unrealistic such as the fact that the kidnappers get the parents of these children to do a bunch of crazy things to get their children released while trying to accomplish their various evil plots (the kidnappers are). Recommendation- The show could be better than it is, but it works in some ways. I’d say that it’s a toss-up of whether or not one would want to watch it or not. Cancellation reasons- Low ratings were pretty much the main problem with this show. If it were of better quality, it might have made it. Similar shows- Person of Interest, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Criminal Minds, and CSI. DVD suggestion- Take it or leave it. A DVD release might be unlikely, but it could happen. I don’t think it would be that good, but it’s your choice. Reception: generally favorable. Grade: C-.
Star-Crossed: Why I’ve seen it- I promised to watch a CW midseason replacement and thought that this might be good. Description- It is about aliens living among humans in the future. It is inspired by racial events in American history. Pros- This type of show fits in quite well with the rest of the network since it is similar to everything else that they air. One can be very interested in the characters and overall plot. The show gives an updated version of racial dramas, even if the cast isn’t as racially diverse as one might like. It is among the good science fiction show that television gives us sometimes. Cons- It ended on a cliffhanger. It doesn’t always keep your interest. As usual, bad morals are present. Recommendation- I say that it was pretty good and you might like it. But given its lack of an ending, I’m not sure that you should get into it. Cancellation reasons- As usual, bad ratings are what ended it. Similar shows- Grimm, The Vampire Diaries, and Beauty and the Beast. DVD suggestion- While I don’t think that they’ll release it to DVD, it might be worthwhile if they do. It’s your choice in the end. Reception: mixed. Grade: B-.
Revolution: Why I’ve seen it- I thought that it looked good. Description- A world has existed for fifteen years where electricity (supposedly) no longer exists anymore. A band of survivors try to make their way in this new world with what remains of the old one. Pros- This is an interesting concept that I’m surprised no one has come up with yet (although I could be wrong about that). Cons- The show is strange, dark, and hard to comprehend. It can also be hard to stay into. Recommendation- I think that it is worth your time. Cancellation reasons- Low ratings were probably what did it in. Plus, it wasn’t that well liked critically either. Similar shows- none. DVD suggestion- Toss-up. If you liked it then get it, but I don’t think I’ll miss anything by not having it. Reception: somewhat positive. Grade: B-.
Suburgatory: Why I’ve seen it- I forget, although it was probably a lack of alternative programming at the time. Description- I don’t know what it is about except life in the suburbs after living in the city and culture shock involved with that. Critics like it. It isn’t bad. Cons- I don’t get what it is about. I don’t understand it. Recommendation- It can be good sometimes, but you certainly aren’t missing anything by not watching it. Cancellation reasons- Pretty much low ratings were mostly the reason this show ended, although a lower budget didn’t help things. Similar show- The Middle. DVD suggestion- You might like it and you might not. I, personally, wouldn’t buy them, but if you have a different opinion, then you might like them. Reception: mostly positive. Grade: C-.
The Tomorrow People: Why I’ve seen it- Promise to watch a CW show since the others I watch aren’t on a regular basis at the time this first appeared. Noteworthiness- It is a remake. Description- This show is a science fiction show about an advanced race of humans with special powers, the people that are against them by hunting them, and the main character who is a double agent trying to help his kind. Pros- The show is very interesting. You don’t have to watch all the time to keep up with the storyline (although it does help to always watch it). Cons- This show seems like a lot like of the other shows and movies in this genre. Recommendation- If you have time or like the network then you might want to give it a chance. If you don’t like science fiction, then don’t watch it. Cancellation reasons- As usual, it was low ratings that did it in. Similar shows- Sleepy Hollow and The Vampire Diaries. DVD suggestion- If they ever release this to DVD, then I’d suggest that you get it. If I could only get one cancelled show from the CW this season on DVD, then I’d get this one. Reception: mixed. Grade: B-.
Super Fun Night: Why I’ve seen it- I’m not sure if it was a mistake of some sort or I wanted to watch a new ABC comedy. Description- I think that this has the adventures of a woman and her friends with an enemy as well that complicates things. Although, I’m not really sure what the show is about and you probably wouldn’t understand it either if you watched it. Notable People- Liza Lapira, who starred on NCIS as a recurring member and had roles both minor and major in various cancelled shows like Dollhouse, Traffic Light, Super Fun Night, and Don’t Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23. Pros- The show is unique. Cons- This show is terrible. First of all, my main problem with comedies and why I don’t like them are that they aren’t funny when they are supposed to be. I’m not certain what the plot of the show is. Recommendation- Don’t bother watching it although, you probably didn’t in the first place and that’s why it was rightfully cancelled. Cancellation reasons- Poor reception and viewership is what did it in. Similar shows- The Big Bang Theory, The Mindy Project, and New Girl. DVD suggestion- There probably won’t be DVDs, but don’t bother with them anyways if there are. Reception: mixed to negative. Grade: F.
Community: Why I’ve seen it- It got my interest and the show I normally watched was showing a rerun. Description- This is a show about people at a community college and what unusual things happen there. Pros- The show is pretty interesting and not the type of thing typically shown on television. Cons- It’s hard to understand all of it and missing out on the earlier seasons make it feel like you missed out on something good. Recommendation- I’d say that you should watch it. Cancellation reasons- The network loved to screw with it so when that caused the ratings to suffer, they cancelled the show because of it. Similar shows- The Simpsons and Family Guy. DVD suggestion- I’d say that you should probably get them. If you can get only one cancelled show from NBC on DVD, then this should be the one. Reception: mostly positive. Grade: B. UPDATE: While still cancelled by NBC, there will be new episodes airing online. I hope that this doesn’t affect the DVD releases and it will still be available to buy on DVD. It won’t be free online. It was free on TV since every show on network television is. My DVD recommendation stays the same, however, even if you can’t end up buying the sixth season. The strangeness about this cancellation might change my rule of only one cancelled show per season per network so that I can get the two great cancelled shows from NBC next season that I know that I would want. (Those shows are Parks and Recreation as well as Parenthood, which you will read more about in the next season’s cancellation blog post.)
The Neighbors: Why I’ve seen it- Interested in a show like this, though I’m not exactly sure why. Description- This is a comedy about aliens living in human form on earth and going through culture shock. Pros- The show’s unique humor makes it good. Cons- The concept isn’t original (Similar shows are Mork and Mindy or 3rd Rock from the Sun, neither of which I have seen. Both shows ended a long time before this started). The show can be quite weird and strange to those that aren’t used to that sort of thing. Plots are easily abandoned and it didn’t have an ending even when they knew it was going to be cancelled. Recommendation- I’d say watch it, at first, but not anymore. Cancellation reasons- No one, including the people who wrote it, seemed to care anymore about it. Them airing it on Fridays probably helped kill it, although everyone knew that it was going to be cancelled. Similar shows- The Simpsons, Family Guy, and American Dad. DVD suggestion- This probably isn’t worth the money, even though it started as somewhat good. I don’t think that there are DVDs of it anyways and don’t expect there to be any. Reception: mostly mixed. Grade: C.
Trophy Wife: Why I’ve seen it- Everything I normally watched was on reruns. Description- I have no clue what the show is about. Pros- It has a popular fan base. Cons- The show is nowhere close to being entertaining, funny, or good. Recommendation- Skip this show. Cancellation reasons- I forget why exactly it was cancelled, but it could have had something to do with its title and probably just had low ratings. Similar show- The Mindy Project. DVD suggestion- I wouldn’t bother with it, not that it would be on DVD anyways. Reception: very positive. Grade: D.
Friends with Better Lives: Why I’ve seen it- I watch everything on CBS that I can so I watched this. Description- This show follows stereotypical groups of friends that have different relationships and are at different points in their lives, each thinking that others have it better. Notable People- Brooklyn Decker (who I’m not related to), who is a notable model, stars on this show. Pros- This follows standard sitcom procedure, so you know what to expect. Cons- It has a watered down premise. This show is just the dumb type of thing people make out shows with this plot to be. The show offers nothing new to the television world and just gives us a bunch of old, worthless stuff we’re already used to getting from other shows that were all appropriately cancelled. Recommendation- Don’t bother with it. Cancellation reasons- Like other shows with this bad idea, this one followed suit in getting cancelled. Similar shows- New Girl, The Mindy Project, and The Big Bang Theory. DVD suggestion- Don’t bother getting DVDs that probably won’t be released anyways. Reception: positive. Grade: F. This show will be replaced by Scorpion. It should be noted that Scorpion is an hour long drama and this is a comedy. Mike and Molly, another comedy, is not on the fall schedule and will also be replaced by Scorpion until it returns, replacing something else.
Hostages: Why I’ve seen it- I like shows on CBS so I watched this one. Noteworthiness- It is based on an Israeli show. Description- This show is about a family being held hostage while the captors try to get the mother of the captive family who’s a doctor to kill the president. Pros- The show is complex and interesting. The drama keeps you watching week after week. The ending was quite good. Cons- A problem I can tell you right now is that if you haven’t started watching now, the longer you don’t watch, the harder it will be to understand what has happened so far. It is hard to tell the motives of characters and it is uncertain as to who the good guys are, if there are any. It is confusing and probably not realistic. Recommendation- While some people don’t like it, I think that it’s a good show and think that you should watch it. Cancellation reasons- Since this was called a limited run series (which means a limited number of episodes a season and never a full season of 22-24 episodes) and it was the lowest rated CBS show, it got cancelled. Similar shows- Grimm, Arrow, NCIS: Los Angeles, and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. DVD suggestion- I’d suggest getting it, but there might not be DVDs in the first place. Reception: mixed. Grade: B+. This show was momentarily replaced by Intelligence and will ultimately be replaced by NCIS: New Orleans.
The Crazy Ones: Why I’ve seen it- I like the main actor and the comedy he’s normally in. Plus, it’s CBS. Noteworthiness- It mentions in the opening credit that this show is inspired by what happened to a real advertiser. Description- A man, his daughter, and other workers are part of an advertising agency and humorous antics ensue. Notable People- Comedian Robin Williams, known for comedy specials, movies, and the TV show Mork and Mindy, is the main character. Sarah Michelle Geller from Buffy the Vampire Slayer is also in it. If there are other famous people, I don’t know who they are. Pros- The actors are allowed to improvise and that typically adds humor to the show that we otherwise wouldn’t see. Robin Williams proves that he is still good at comedy and the other actors are good as well. Cons- The plots for the episodes aren’t always good and there isn’t any continuity between episodes to keep people interested in it. Most people don’t like it. Recommendation- I think that this show is worth your time. Cancellation reasons- Probably low viewers and bad reception are what killed it. Plus, airing on a highly competitive night like Thursdays may have helped kill it as well. Similar shows- Two and a Half Men, Last Man Standing, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Bob’s Burgers. DVD suggestion- If you could get only one cancelled show from CBS from this season, then this should be it. Reception: mixed to negative. Grade: B-. This show was momentarily replaced by Bad Teacher and will ultimately be replaced by The McCarthys once Thursday night football ends.
Intelligence: Why I’ve seen it- When this show premiered, there was nothing better on. Notable People- Marg Helgenberger, formerly from CSI, is on this show. Description- This show is about a man with a computer chip in his brain. Pros- It had its fans. Cons- “We’ve given a man information only found in a computer,” is more or less the plot of every episode. You can’t expect much from the show. This show is generally boring and uninteresting. There was not much there and barely any of it was remotely good or entertaining. Recommendation- Don’t bother with this. Cancellation reasons- Nobody watched it and as a CBS midseason replacement, it was doomed anyways. Similar shows- none. DVD suggestion- They probably won’t release it, but it isn’t worth buying if they ever do that. Reception: mixed to somewhat positive. Grade: F. This show will be replaced by NCIS: New Orleans.
Bad Teacher: Why I’ve seen it- I watch shows on CBS at least once to see if I will watch them long term. Noteworthiness- This show is based off of a movie with the same name. Description- This show is obviously about a bad teacher. Pros- It had a short time on television. Cons- As usual in a bad show, the characters are dull and pointless leaving no satisfaction as to why one would be interested in watching this show again. I’m certainly not going to bother tuning in again. This show isn’t even funny. Recommendation- Don’t bother with it. Cancellation reasons- It was a CBS midseason replacement so it was probably already dead on arrival. It had bad viewership and bad reviews. Similar shows- Glee, The Vampire Diaries, New Girl, American Dad, Family Guy, The Simpsons, and Bob’s Burgers. DVD suggestion- While I doubt that there would be DVDs of this show, don’t bother buying them even if there are DVDs of it released. Reception: mixed to negative. Grade: F. This show will be replaced by The McCarthys once Thursday Night Football is over.
Dracula: Why I’ve seen it- No longer into a different vampire show so I wondered if this would be any good. Description- Dracula is in the present day, I think. He’s a vampire, if you didn’t already know that. Pros- Critics like it. Cons- This show is boring and sucks quite literally. Recommendation- Don’t watch it. Cancellation reasons- Low viewership was pretty much what killed it. Similar shows- Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, and The Originals. DVD suggestion- I wouldn’t buy them, not that they’d be released anyways. Reception: positive. Grade: F.
The Arsenio Hall Show: Why I’ve seen it- I haven’t really seen it, but, basically, the good talk shows were airing repeats. Description- A person is really bad at hosting a talk show. Notable People- Arsenio Hall, presumably from the better, original version of this show, is hosting this. I don’t know what he’s known for besides this show. Pros- Someone who isn’t a white guy gets to host a talk show. Now it’s a black guy’s turn. Cons- The show is so bad; I find it quite hard to sit through a whole episode. I’m not sure what the farthest I’ve ever gotten through an episode is. Its lack of humor is embarrassing. I don’t know why the audience is laughing at all. Recommendation- There are plenty of other interesting things on and I’d rather go to bed than watch this. Cancellation reasons- Low ratings pretty much did it in, although it was originally going to have a second season before things went badly for them. Similar show: none. DVD suggestion- There won’t be DVDs, but if there are, then don’t buy them anyways. Reception: mixed to negative. Grade: F.
Other Noteworthy Cancelled Shows: Save Me (This NBC show was about a woman who heard messages from God about things she should do. This show looked bad and if it’s any indication of how it went, I was never able to sit through a whole episode to find out for sure if it was. This show could probably offend Christians and Atheists at the same time, for completely different reasons of course. Like many other shows done by Hollywood, this show totally got Christian views wrong. The promos made it look terrible and it is no surprised that it didn’t last long.), Brooklyn DA (This CBS documentary was about a Brooklyn DA. Now you wouldn’t think that a documentary series would do well on network television and you’d be right. Plus, the network never promoted it either before it aired or while it was airing. I don’t think that it was ever announced as part of the schedule. Like many shows, it just showed up with no warning. And it left just as quickly.), The Choice (I don’t know what this show was about. But I can quickly and easily sum up why it was cancelled: this was a summer CW show that was never advertised.), The Next: Fame is at Your Doorstep (CW summer show that was never advertised got low viewers and then got cancelled.), Ready for Love (Another summer failure.), Camp (This NBC show was about people at a summer camp. Like most summer shows, it was low rated and then cancelled.), The Goodwin Games (It’s never a good sign for a show to premiere as late in the schedule as this show did which is why nobody watched it and it got cancelled. In fact, I heard that this show was cancelled before it even aired anyways, although airing it didn’t change anything. FOX lost another show.), Lucky 7 (The first cancellation of the fall season, this show probably didn’t work due to how uninteresting it seemed. It was an ABC show.), Murder Police (This animated FOX show was cancelled before it even aired.), Ironside (This NBC remake of a successful show didn’t last that long. The original is on Me TV if you find that to be better.), Welcome to the Family (This NBC sitcom was about a family that had to deal with a teenager daughter’s unexpected pregnancy. This overused and bad plot didn’t make for a good show and it didn’t last that long.), Us and Them (This FOX show was cancelled before it even aired an episode. I’m not sure why that was, but this network is typically douche bags anyways.), Back in the Game (This ABC sitcom was about a family and sports somehow related to it. I can’t make it sound better and if it was, then it wouldn’t have gotten cancelled.), The X-Factor (This seemed like an American Idol rip-off with a judge formerly from American Idol on the same network that airs American Idol. This, however, was based off of a British show of the same name. Regardless, it is the reality crap that most people hate. Somehow, this didn’t last a long time like all the others have due to low ratings. So this gives us one last reality show to hate, if only for a moment, since we know they’ll be more.), Breaking Pointe (This is pretty much summed up as a CW show that you didn’t know existed not surprisingly getting cancelled.), America Now (This syndicated news show didn’t really have anything going for it so that’s probably why they cancelled it.), Riot (You’ll see more mention of this show later, with next season’s shows.), Believe (I’m not sure why this science fiction show was cancelled and I didn’t really understand what it’s about, but it’s cancelled whether you like it or not.), Hieroglyph (This was supposed to air with the next season so it being cancelled before it airs could put it with this season’s cancellations, but I will talk more about it later). Bethenny (This was another lame talk show that got cancelled. I never heard of it before it got cancelled and with it being with a host from a reality TV show that most people hate, then it would only help it get cancelled.), The Carrie Diaries (This was a Sex and the City prequel and many fans were in denial about the fact that it would get cancelled. That denial meant nothing as the show eventually ended after getting ratings too low for even the CW.), Growing up Fisher (This low rated NBC show got low ratings and then got cancelled, plain and simple.), Judge Alex (This syndicated judge show got cancelled, but there are plenty more of them on TV so this shouldn’t cause any problems.), Mixology (This ABC show took place all on one single’s night at a bar and was too high concept, and lowly rated, to work.), Surviving Jack (People didn’t want this show picked up and when it was, it got terrible reviews. That might have lead to low ratings that got this FOX show cancelled.), The Test (I’ve never heard of this show which explains its cancellation.), Trisha (This lame syndicated talk show was definitely on the worse side of daytime talk shows, and it got cancelled because nobody likes it.), Killer Women (This show had a terrible title and low ratings so ABC lost yet another TV show.), Betrayal (Maybe it had to do with the fact that it was a new show on Sundays and Sundays can actually treat new shows worse than any other night. In the fall, it was the only new show to air on Sundays and the only one that wasn’t midseason that actually aired to get cancelled on Sundays, although one might count American Dad as cancelled even if it lives on another network. Plus, this show seemed like a rip-off of Revenge that aired on ABC immediately after Revenge. The only surprise about this cancellation, when you think about it, is that it took so long for them to make it official since they never even ordered more episodes for a fall show which always means a show is cancelled.), Backpackers (you’ll read more about this CW summer show in next season’s cancellation.), Seed (as with other summer shows that I don’t find a part of this season, I will mention more about their cancellation next season.), Black Box (This ABC drama was probably cancelled after premiering too late in the season. Plus, it seemed like it was only a last minute replacement to what should have been more Scandal episodes before the season’s episodes were cut when its lead got pregnant. I have a problem with it since it was an unannounced show, although the promos didn’t make it look any good and I might have watched it otherwise.), Famous in 12 (A CW summer and reality show failure, I’ll mention more of its cancellation in the next season’s blog post about it.), I Wanna Marry “Harry” (This was a terrible idea from the start: get females to believe that they were in a reality show to marry the prince of England, when the guy is just a lookalike. You’d think you’d expect more from people, but it was FOX after all. I’m not even sure that they aired all of the episodes, not that people would watch anyways. The point is, we all knew that this show would be cancelled. But, I’ll mention more of it next season, since I consider it a part of that season and not this season.), Katie (I never made time to see this syndicated talk show hosted by Katie Couric, formerly of the Today Show and CBS Evening News. I might have been good, but it must not have been good enough since it is over now.), and more that isn’t worth mentioning.
Note on similar shows: When I do my reviews of shows that were cancelled this, or any, season of television, I mention something called similar shows in a review for one. What I mean by that, is if you are a fan of the show I reviewed that was cancelled, then the other shows I mentioned are like it and could fill the void of the show that was cancelled. For example, if you were a fan of Nikita, then the three similar shows I mentioned might be something you’d be into if you aren’t already watching it because they are similar to Nikita. I mention shows that are still on the air, regardless of if I’ve seen them, they are on the same network, or if I even like the show. I just think that they are similar in some way to another show you might like if you were a fan of the cancelled show. So keep that in mind if a show you like gets cancelled and I mention a similar show that you haven’t seen, then you might want to watch it and you could like it to replace the cancelled show you like.
Original reviews of NBC late night shows from an older blog post. Keep in mind that some of it is now outdated like a lot of my blog posts are.
The Tonight Show is currently hosted by Jay Leno. A lot of people like him, but I don't find him very funny that much. Whenever there is a change of hosts, there is some great controversy which puts one of the hosts on another network. You'll find it on NBC after the news and was a great success when it started and was virtually unopposed for a while. I don't know if there have ever been guest hosts since Jay took over. But it isn't funny with him and he is too normal to be a talk show host. Grade: D.
Late Night is currently hosted by Jimmy Fallon, the third host, although a different show aired before this one with other hosts. It is on NBC after the Tonight Show. It is interesting, but I haven't seen enough of it to know how good it might be. I think that it makes a good alternative, but I haven't seen a full episode to date. Grade: C.

                (In case you are interested in more facts about the upcoming CBS network schedule, since Undercover Boss and The Mentalist are not immediately on the schedule, I thought that I should tell you what show they are being replaced with at the moment. Undercover Boss will momentarily be replaced by Madam Secretary. The Mentalist will momentarily be replaced by Stalker. And Thursday Night Football is going to air for a while before the regular Thursday shows premiere. The Big Bang Theory will air on Mondays for a while but will move back to Thursday on October 30 when the regular Thursday shows will start. Before that Thursday, you will have to see a lot of football which will probably delay the news and there might be even more weird things happening if you live on the west coast, provided that you do not see the same football on time delay. 2 Broke Girls will not air for a while, but will be back on Monday when The Big Bang Theory goes back to the regular time it has on Thursday. You do have to wonder how long CBS has this football deal and if they’ll ever use it to launch new shows later into the season, besides the comedy they are doing this upcoming season.)

Friday, August 15, 2014

Award Show Drinking Game

This is an idea for a drinking game to play when watching an award show. Remember that drinking games may not be safe so play at your own risk and do not play if you know it will cause you problems. I take no responsibility for personal harm by someone else choosing to play this game. Here's the game: drink every time someone cries, drink every time there’s a live goof, drink every time the music cuts off the person giving the speech, drink every time someone said that they weren’t expecting to win, finish your drink if it ends at the right time, take a shot for each minute it is over, drink every time a winner is somehow unprepared for their award such as lacking a speech or doing crazy things during that speech, drink every time someone announces someone else to come on stage or drink every time a presenter comes to the stage

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Summer Shows 2014

Okay, I'm finally posting my review of summer shows this season. I will post more reviews pretty soon since you'd think that they are done canceling shows this season. But, since some of the summer shows from last season have yet to be cancelled and will never air again since they aren't making new episodes, you might never see some shows on the list that are cancelled that should be there. For the record, my list mostly goes off of what www.tvseriesfinale.com mentions on their list. But, I should get to the reviews of summer shows that includes both new and returning shows.

Okay, I’m finally posting about the summer shows of 2014. First, I will talk about the new summer shows this season before going into other summer shows that are currently on the air. This will only cover shows that I’ve seen and want to review. The new shows that I was interested in are Crossbones, Extant, The Quest, Reckless, and Riot.

Crossbones: This is a show about the pirate Blackbeard and the man who is sort of hunting him, with other characters as needed. It airs on NBC and was supposed to air earlier in the season, I think. A period piece on piracy could be good and it is interesting to watch. But, not all of it is really that worthwhile since you can’t tell where they are going. They moved new episodes to Saturday so it could not be more cancelled. I give it three out of five stars.

Extant: It is hard to tell what this show is about, but it’s a science fiction show that involves aliens and a pregnancy of a human by what is guessed to be an alien. This is a summer series on CBS that airs on Wednesdays. With an unexplained mystery behind the show, it can be hard to tell what the real point of it is. But, the storyline of what they have told us is pretty good. Haley Berry, who is famous for movies, is the star of the show. I give it three out of five stars.

The Quest: This is a reality show that seems to be a live action role playing game, that’s a TV show of some sort and a competition as well. It airs on ABC at 8/7 Central on Thursdays. I’m pretty sure that this was supposed to air sooner in the season since, at one point, it was going to air soon after the year (2014) began. I’m not sure that it will last outside of this one season, but what do you expect from an ABC summer series? There seems to be too many people in the fiction of the game (not playing it) than would seem to be necessary. But, the show does have a more interesting format than the standard reality show. I give it three out of five stars.

Reckless: This is a courtroom drama that is hard to explain what it’s about. It is a CBS show that airs on Sundays. Adam Rodriguez from Ugly Betty and CSI: Miami is on the show in a relatively minor yet starring role (he’s not the main character, but he’s one of them). The characters aren’t as interesting as one would like, but the stories always seem to be interesting. I do wonder that if this gets future seasons, if they will air before the summer season. I give it three out of five stars.

Riot: This was an improvisational show that has already been appropriately cancelled since it had nothing going for it. It aired on FOX. Random celebrities, some more so than others, go on a series of different games with no script to go off of. You’d think that a script would help improve on the overall mess of the show. There’s no point to it and it lacks the drive to it that would make a show like Whose Line is it Anyways? good. Plus, the host is the only thing that stays the same while every celebrity is always different in each episode. I’d say something good about this show, but since I already mentioned that it was cancelled, then there’s really nothing else to add. I give it one out of five stars.

Now you get to see standard reviews for TV shows that air during the summer. You’ve probably seen these reviews before since I’ve probably posted some before. But, if people even read this blog in the first place, then I’d be worried about needlessly repeating myself. If I were worried about needlessly repeating myself, then I wouldn’t needlessly repeat myself. I just hope that someone starts reading this blog again, if people did that in the first place.

Rookie Blue: Status- Currently on ABC during the summer. Why I’ve seen it- There was nothing else to watch during the summer so I watched this. Noteworthiness- This is a Canadian show that airs sometimes in America. Description- A bunch of rookie cops (or, at least they were rookies when the show started) solve a bunch of cases. Pros- The show gives you something different to watch on TV sometimes. Cons- It’s hard to know when this is on making it easy to miss. Recommendation- This show is pretty good and you should watch it. Prediction- It has lasted a good amount of time so far. Whether that means it will keep lasting a while or if it will end soon is unknown. I heard rumors that it might end soon but don’t know if those rumors are true. Reception: mixed. Grade: B.

Under the Dome:  Status- Currently on CBS during the summer. Why I’ve seen it- I like the CBS network and nothing else was really on during the summer. Noteworthiness- This is based off of a book by Stephen King. He helps with this show. This was first pitched to the Showtime network which passed on it and gave it to CBS. Description- For some odd reason, a dome traps people in a small town underneath it. Notable People- Dean Norris, from Breaking Bad, is on the show. Britt Robinson, who was on Life Unexpected at The Secret Circle, is another character. There are probably others. Pros- The show is interesting science fiction. It keeps you into the show. The secret lives of the characters are pretty good storytelling. The mystery of the show is gripping. Cons- A lot of people don’t like it. It seems to drag on without a real purpose to it. One wonders what the point of it is in the end. Recommendation- I think that this show is pretty good and worth watching all the time. Prediction- If it keeps the good ratings that it has, it should last a while, even if it airs during the less watched summer. However, if the general negativity of this show continues, then I don’t see it lasting much longer than it already has. Reception: mixed. Grade: B+.

Big Brother: Status- This CBS show airs in three hours of primetime during the summer and on live internet feeds at www.cbs.com. The three primetime hours are basically split into the mostly live show where people are voted out, the show where people get nominated to get voted out, and the show where people compete to possibly change the nominations on the show. Basically, you’d have to watch the average week of shows to get the way it airs. Why I’ve seen it- A parody of it on the Talk interested me in watching the real thing. Noteworthiness- There are many versions of it in other countries, most of which work very differently than ours. In case you were wondering, we were not the first country to do this show, although we were the first country to use the format that it has in almost no other country’s version of it. Description- A group of people, normally strangers, but sometimes not, are put into a house where they are recorded 24/7 and competing for a money prize. Notable People- Julie Chen, formally of CBS’s the Early Show and current cohost of the Talk, is the host of this show. She has hosted this show longer than any other host in any other country’s version of this show. Pros- While it may seem similar to other reality TV shows, it is very different to the usual. You can see whatever you want to online since CBS has live feeds of what goes on inside the house. Cons- Okay, I should warn you that this cons section might be misleading since, although I like the show, I can think of a lot of cons about it, but not that many pros. You have to devote a lot of time to watching it to not miss anything important. The live internet feed gets cuts a lot making it seem like the people that air the show is hiding something. Tons of controversies have arisen on the show, whether they were caused by contestants on the show or the people who make the show. The live shows make you wonder if contestants don’t follow the rules of the game. The live aspect of the show makes the editing of it strange since one doesn’t know what will happen. Information about what happens on the show can be known before it even airs. Recommendation- Despite the rather lengthy cons section that I just mentioned, this show is a pretty good show to watch. Prediction- It will probably last a long time, although it just as easily might not. Reception: mixed. Grade: B-.

Last Comic Standing: Status- Currently on NBC at various times throughout the summer. Why I’ve seen it- Originally, I watched this because my aunt was in the live studio audience of one of the episodes and we wanted to see her in the audience (we did). Since we didn’t know when she’d appear, we started watching at the beginning of the second season and we were too interested in the rest of the season by the time we got to the episode my aunt was in so we kept watching. I haven’t seen much of other seasons so I don’t know what all has changed. Noteworthiness- This show has been cancelled twice and brought back twice so if it ends again, it will more than likely come back later. Description- A bunch of people compete for a comedy deal of some sort. This is a reality show. Notable People- The hosts and judges of the show constantly change, but are typically notable. I’d mention who they are, but you would have better luck just looking up the information for yourself. Pros- The show can be quite good, especially if the contestants are good. Cons- The jokes are only as good as the person who makes them meaning if a contestant isn’t that good, then you won’t be amused. The format is a bit confusing, although they might have improved on it from when I used to watch. Recommendation- If you have time to watch it, then you might as well tune into it. Prediction- It should last a while and, like I said before, if it doesn’t, then it will come back anyways at some point in the future. Reception: somewhat mixed to slightly positive. Grade: C+.

Unforgettable: Status- Currently on CBS on Sundays at 9/8 Central. It is a summer show. Why I’ve seen it- I watch everything on CBS that I can and that’s why I watched this. Noteworthiness- This show was cancelled for a while and then was brought back as a summer series. Description- A detective with a memory condition that makes it impossible for her to forget something helps solve crimes with other people. Notable People- Poppy Montgomery from Without a Trace is on this show as the main character. Jane Curtin, who was in the original cast of Saturday Night Live, among other things, is another character. Pros- The show is quite interesting considering the format of it that you probably wouldn’t see on other shows. Cons- The recurring storyline has been pretty much ignored in the newer seasons and I don’t think that it was resolved beforehand. Recommendation- I’d say that you should probably watch it. Prediction- Toss-up. I don’t know if it will last more, but it could even if it might not. Reception: mixed. Grade: B-.

Friday, August 1, 2014

The Goldbergs Review

Okay, so now that all the new summer shows have premiered, you can possibly expect reviews so or it could still be a long ways off. I still need to finish the cancelled shows from the previous TV season and post it here. I've already started on the cancelled shows for next season, as things typically work in the world. A TV reviewer like myself is never done in this world. You will also see a blog post on the back to school commercials of the year since, like Christmas commercials, there are too many of them too soon and for too long. But, I will get to a full review of the Goldbergs and, hopefully, you'll see something that I'm more likely to want to post since I'm promising to post it anyways. I just hope that it works. Anyways, here's a review of the TV show the Goldbergs.

The Goldbergs: Status- This ABC comedy will air next season at 8/7 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- The first time was because I was unable to stop recording a tape after a different program stopped airing which recorded a whole episode of the show. I watched more episodes because I thought that it might be good after watching that particular episode. Noteworthiness- It is somewhat based off of true events. Description- It is about a man’s life growing up in the eighties when he was a kid and is based on details that actually happened (although I’m not sure just how much). Pros- It can be pretty good and funny sometimes. Cons- It doesn’t make a lot of sense sometimes and can be a bit odd. Plus, there are normally always errors when setting things in the past. Recommendation- I’m not quite sure what else to say at the moment since I haven’t seen that much of it yet. But I say that if you can actually find time for it in your schedule, then you might as well watch it. Prediction- It might last and probably will. Reception: mostly mixed. Grade: B-.