How I Feel about Regular New Saturday Shows

Since this last season starting in fall of 2021, the CW has been a show of force on the typically non-existent new programming of Saturdays. While some may see this as dumb or pointless, they are doing something that most other networks don’t do. Most Saturday shows that are new are being burned out and started on other days of the week. The CW is doing something that could benefit itself.

While I normally just watch a movie that I have on DVD, VHS, or blu-ray on Saturdays, it can actually be a nice change to see something new on TV that I wouldn’t otherwise get to see. Whether it is something like Ransom or shows that I like finishing their runs like Ten Days in the Valley or Rush Hour, it is nice that some of the shows that were cancelled do see the light of day without people just having to put up with seeing it online where there could be loading issues or other things up with it.

So how do I feel about it? Honestly, I’m okay with it. I like it a lot of the shows a lot of the time which can actually be weird at times, but not too bad at all. I’m okay spending time doing this thing and seeing these shows. It can be nice for something like this to actually exist in the end.

The Ethical Implications of Watching Bootlegged TV Shows

I’ve done it. I’ll admit it. I know that a lot of people have done it. I don’t like to do it. I don’t want to. But sometimes, there is no other way to see a show than seeing the bootlegged version of it. What are some of the problems that this causes? And what do I mean by a bootlegged TV show?

 

Honestly, I’m not even sure if this something that I should be talking about in this blog. While I’m not sure that watching bootlegged shows is always illegal, I do think that it is morally questionable, hence this blog post. I do know that downloading things are always illegal and could get you in trouble.

 

Why do this if you find it immoral? Well, it is hard to say in every instance. I’ve done it at times when I didn’t know how else I would see the show. I tried to look for the last episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show on the official website but couldn’t find it there. Thus, I had to watch it on YouTube. I also could not find an episode of CSI: Cyber to blog about on CBS’s website once as I missed my chance to see it since it was too long since it aired. Thus, I watched a version of it that was on YouTube. (I remember seeing how the YouTube video had 32 views and I was mocking its low ratings in my mind by thinking, “Wow! That’s more people than what watched the episode when it first aired.”)

 

There’s not much else I can say regarding this post. I won’t get into all of the times I’ve done this and may have to do it again if I can. I do know that I reused the title of a post by mistake. While the post was different, last week’s post should have been something different as I had already covered once why renewals and cancellations don’t always stick. I won’t make up the post. I’m going to end this one here and hope that I can get posts done without repeating myself, leaving things incomplete, and not doing a lot of random things while focusing on what I like to do instead.

Why Renewals and Cancellations Don’t Always Stick

It used to be that if a show was cancelled or renewed, that would be that. Nothing else would change about the news as it always would. But as the world of television changes, so does simple things like whether or not a renewal or cancellation will stay as it originally was announced.

 

This was normally done in just one of two ways that wouldn’t always be that abnormal in the end. The first way is when a just cancelled show would be immediately picked up by another network to air more episodes of that for at least one new season. We are seeing this more with streaming picking up shows that were on network television at some point. The other way was a cancelation being reversed. There is a whole category on Wikipedia on shows revived or brought back after cancellation.

 

What has changed more now with newer television is that the frequency of the shows that are not just cancelled for good or renewed for good is changing as there are always more that are affected by this in the end. The other thing is that the length of time between the original decision and the one that ends up reversing it keeps getting longer as well. It can go a whole season between this decision that winds up reversing it and bringing a cancelled show back for another season.

 

This always sucks for the renewal side of things. If you like a show, you don’t want to hear that it was brought back for another season just to hear instead that it was cancelled at some point instead. This gives people false hope. Also, the idea that a cancellation could just be reversed also gives false hope to that many people who don’t get that when a show they like gets canceled. Still, it can be nice when that happens, even if it leaves for something that you aren’t able to watch, such as various streaming sites, only one of which you might have at any given time.

 

There’s not much else to say about this. I hope that this enough of the topic. There are various reasons as to why this happens. It normally relates to some sort of dispute between companies, such as the one that lead to the shocking cancellation of Magnum P.I. by CBS only for NBC to pick it up for at least two new seasons in the end. But there are any number of reasons that this happens in the end.

Summer Shows 2022 Part 1

As I already knew was likely, I am going to split this post up into multiple parts due to the various times, some late and some already happened, when shows start this summer. For the first time in quite a while for summer shows, at least, if not ever, I am doing this post because one of the new shows I’m reviewing has been cancelled. I might as well get it done as a result.

 

Tom Swift: Show Description- A billionaire inventor has to deal with finding his father who is missing in space and the evil corporation who is out to get him. Behind the Scenes- This is a spin-off of Nancy Drew, although the connection seems very loose as this show isn’t even the same genre. My Thoughts- I think that this is pretty interesting and some ways, even if parts of this are predictable. I give this three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- Due to low ratings, this was already cancelled, although it is set to air all of its only season. Where to Find- On the CW at 9/8 Central on Tuesdays

 

With a record low only one new show to review here, I’m going to mention returning shows that are back this summer that I haven’t reviewed yet and most of it that I already have. I’ll get to another set of these later at some point as well.

 

The Chase: Status- Currently on ABC at 9/8 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- It was the only thing on when I wanted to see something. Noteworthiness- This is based on a British show of the same name. Description- Contestants compete against a trivia master to win a certain amount of money. At some points, they have to avoid being chased out of their money. Notable People- The three most notable Jeopardy players are the people chasing the other, main contestants. Pros- It works well enough as a format. Cons- It can be strange at times. Note to Parents- This seems completely fine to let your kids watch. Recommendation- If you have no other commitments, then watch this show. My Viewing Habits- I have seen this once and might watch it again if it works out. Prediction- Toss-up. It could last, but just as easily might not. Reception: positive. Grade: C.

 

Dynasty: Status- Currently on the CW at 9/8 Central on Fridays. Why I’ve seen it- I try to watch every CW show once, if I can. Noteworthiness- This is a remake. Description- A family has to deal with changing dynamics and working with their respective companies. Notable People- Alan Dale, who had a role on NCIS for a bit, is a character on this show. Pros- The plot works for the most part. It is interesting enough to keep some people into it. Cons- The characters are bad people so it has that against it. There could be more to this. It seems too strange. Note to Parents- There are some of the usual problems like sex and violence. There are gay characters. Recommendation- While I might watch this at times, I’d put this as a toss-up in terms of if people should watch this. My Viewing Habits- I’ve seen little of this thus far due to scheduling issues in my life or against other shows. I watched a lot of the second season, but don’t know yet if I’ll see much of this current one yet. Prediction- This is airing its final season with filming set to last until August. Reception: mixed or average. Grade: B-.

 

Wellington Paranormal: Status- Currently on the CW at 9/8 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- It was a new CW show so I watched it once as I often do. Noteworthiness- This is a show from New Zealand airing in the US. This is also a TV spin-off of What We Do in the Shadows, which would later become its own TV show itself. Description- A mockumentary, police investigate supernatural cases. Pros- This show is hilarious and always fun to watch. Cons- The type of humor isn’t for everyone as not everyone would get it. Note to Parents- There are some issues here and there, but it is relatively fine for teens and older. Recommendation- I quite enjoy it and recommend it. Prediction- Whether it lasts doesn’t rely on US viewers. I hope that it can and think that it might if the ratings here are good enough too. Reception: good. Grade: A. New review

 

In the Dark: Status- Currently on the CW at 9/8 Central on Mondays. Why I’ve seen it- I tend to watch a new CW show at least once. Description- A blind woman deals with various struggles in life such as the death of a man who was close to her. Notable People- Comedian Ben Stiller is an executive producer of this. Pros- There aren’t any shows about blind people and this changes this. Cons- I do not think that there’s enough in the show for it to work as far too much of it was just too weird. I want to like the focus given on a minority character, but can’t as she’s too much of an asshole. Many think that it is wrong for a non-blind actress to play a blind character. Note to Parents- A lot of this show relates to crimes and there are lesbians in it or were at one point. Recommendation- This isn’t worth keeping up with at all. My Viewing Habits- I only watched the second episode and that was it. I have more contempt for it than any other CW show still on the air. Prediction- This had the most inexplicable second season renewal in CW if not television history given its low ratings. I would say that from the fourth season onward, it will probably be more likely to end than last. Reception: mixed. Grade: F.

 

Celebrity Family Feud: Status- Currently on ABC at 8/7 Central on Sundays. Why I’ve seen it- I was able to catch a rerun. Description- This is basically the same as Family Feud, only the people competing are from famous families and competing for charities instead of themselves. Also, winning people wouldn’t be back on future shows like in the regular game show. Notable People- Steve Harvey, well known comedian and current talk show host who also currently hosts the regular version of Family Feud is the host of this show as well. Pros- Everything that you’d love about the regular Family Feud is in this show as well. Celebrities are competing for charity so it is all for a good cause. Even the losers’ charities get money. Cons- To make this an hour, they cram what are two half hour shows into one episode, which I find strange and unnecessary. A lot of the questions relate, intentionally or otherwise, to sex. Note to Parents- You might have some stuff to worry about for the really young ones, but other than that, it should be fine. Recommendation- I’d say that this is worth watching. My Viewing Habits- This is something that I plan to watch when I can although I haven’t always watched it in the past. Prediction- This show comes and goes already so even if it ends, it could come back. I’d imagine that it will probably stay as a long term summer show for a while. Reception: somewhat positive. Grade: B+.

 

The $100,000 Pyramid: Status- Currently on ABC at 10/9 Central on Sundays. Why I’ve seen it- It seemed interesting and I didn’t really have anything else to watch at the time. Noteworthiness- This is a reboot of the pyramid game show. Description- People have to get various questions answered by the other contestant. The current format has a regular person paired with a celebrity and they compete against another team like them. Partway through the game, the regular person is then paired with the other celebrity. Notable People- Michael Strahan, who used to co-host the Live talk show and still helps with sports commentary, is the host of this show. There are famous guests who help each show. Pros- The show is fairly entertaining and funny to watch. Cons- It is weird that they always put together two halves of a show into one hour long show instead of just making this one half hour show while finding other things to air. Parts of the format are a bit strange and don’t entirely seem fair in a way. Note to Parents- This is mostly acceptable outside of potential sexual things said. Recommendation- I’d say that people would like and watch this. My Viewing Habits- I don’t always watch but do whenever I can see it. Normally I watch when I can. I haven’t watched it at all this current season. Prediction- This could last and it might not. Whether it does or it doesn’t, I’m not entirely sure of. If it doesn’t last, it will probably still be revived again at some point anyways. Reception: good. Grade: B.

 

Roswell, New Mexico: Status- Currently on the CW at 8/7 Central on Mondays. Why I’ve seen it- I thought that it could be interesting. Noteworthiness- This is a remake of a show of the same name. It is also adapted from the Roswell High book series. Description- While I’ve seen a lot of the show, I don’t know how to say what all it is about. I know that it involves aliens in some way and other mysteries. There’s a romance and some of it has related to high school at one point. Pros- The show has interesting dynamics. A lot of the plot is worth coming back to. Cons- It can seem boring at times. Note to Parents- There is a lot in here that is bad for the young kids, but teens and older are good to watch this if they want to. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. I think that it is worth watching and do, but don’t think that I would lose much if I wasn’t able to see it anymore. My Viewing Habits- I’ve seen a lot of this and watched it from the beginning, but haven’t seen all of it. Prediction- This is currently airing its final season. 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. 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 Early Show and The Talk, is the host 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- 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. The contestants often aren’t nice people. Note to Parents- I’d say that teenagers can watch this. I wouldn’t go with much younger than that as the typical episode can have enough objectionable things in it. You can watch it with them and decide for yourself what it is like and if you want to comment on it a lot to explain some of it, that would work. Recommendation- This show is a pretty good show to watch. My viewing habits- I got into this late and for varying reasons don’t know yet if I’ll watch it again. I might not see it again as it is too much of a time commitment. Prediction- It will probably last a long time, although it just as easily might not. Reception: mixed. Grade: B-.

On Cancel Culture

I feel like a post on this has been a long time coming. You have probably heard by now about the idea of people or something else like it being cancelled. They are shunned from the general public and have to deal with a lot of controversy regarding who they are.

 

You see, cancel culture effectively began as a backlash to the Me Too Movement. People weren’t just going to take their controversies lying down. The people accused of horrendous things now had a weapon they could use. They could just whine about being cancelled.

 

The thing is, though, are we just supposed to ignore the controversial things that they are accused of? Are they always just the victim of a witch hunt with the women being liars and the accused the real victims? I don’t buy that for a second. I’m not going to go so far as to say that is the case all of the time. Sometimes, a person isn’t actually guilty of the allegations against them. Sometimes the accuser is lying and causing issues for whatever reason. But I don’t buy that this is the case a majority of the time.

 

What I will say is that it needs to be taken on a case by case basis. One can’t be guilty all of the time. One can’t be the victim of a witch hunt all of the time. Some of them might even have truths to both of the sides in the end. Some allegations are more serious than others, obviously. Others don’t like the fact that a certain beloved person might wind up getting cancelled in the end. And when it comes to the world of politics, it is never one side is always innocent and the other is always guilty.

 

Those are my brief thoughts as to the whole subject as a whole. I already covered some of this in a way when I first talked about the Me Too Movement in this blog when it first appeared and before there was a term for the predictable backlash that would come from it. Sometimes you just have to accept that a well loved person isn’t as great as you once thought that they were.