Sundays in primetime version 2

Each network has a different style of shows on Sundays. Sunday is the only time you’ll see primetime from 6-7 Central. Except ABC, all of the major four networks show football for the first half of the season. This causes problems on CBS where most of the shows get delayed which is really annoying. FOX just preempts the first hour as needed which causes very rare delays sometimes. NBC doesn’t even show non-sports until midseason. In terms of consistency, this day of the week has the most, except for possibly Friday. The CW doesn’t show any primetime shows on Sundays anymore. ABC and CBS show mostly the same thing in theory. In fact, it’s creepy how similar they are. FOX shows animation domination, all of them half hour shows that are animated that you shouldn’t let your kids watch (unless, of course, your kids are teenagers, in which case, I’d be surprised if they weren’t watching it, if it is Family Guy at least). Well, there are sometimes like this current season when live action sitcoms slip into the line-up on FOX. When NBC show shows after football season ends, it is normally just lame reality shows and a second edition of Dateline. Here’s my view of the shows that I have seen, some of them, watch regularly.

60 Minutes: Status- Currently on Sunday nights on CBS at 7/6 Central unless delayed due to sports. Why I’ve seen it- Typically, there’s nothing good on other networks when I started, but a general interest in current events is why I typically watch as much as I do. Noteworthiness- Some consider it to be the longest show in primetime. That is probably correct. Description- It is an in-depth news show of current and interesting events. Could be like the PBS news hour with commercials. Normally three stories are shown with the first relating to current events and the last relating to culture. Normally, the last story is a profile on some notable celebrity. Sometimes, a segment is continued in a later segment. Pros- Unique news stories could keep you hooked until commercials. Cons- Nothing keeps you into it if you want to watch something else and the segment you were watching ends. Controversies have arisen more from this show than any other show on CBS. The segments tend to last a very long time which can irate you. Recommendation- You should watch this if you have the chance. Maybe you’ll learn something interesting. Prediction- This show will be on until the end of the world. Even then, it might continue. Reception: positive. Grade: A-.

America’s Funniest Home Videos: Status- Currently on ABC on Sundays at 7/6 Central and in syndication on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- I can’t remember for sure, but back when it had its original host, I watched all the time with my family. I guess we just liked the concept. One of the few memories I have of my father (who is dead) relates to this show. Noteworthiness- It has been on a long time. I don’t know for how long and it did take a break in new episodes at one point. Everything that you see on the show is from viewers. Description- Viewer submitted home videos are viewed as the audience determines which one is the best. It is shown in Los Angeles. I used to watch it all the time with its original host, Bob Saget. He is no longer the host. Notable People- Tom Bergeron, who also hosts Dancing with the Stars, hosts this show. It is confirmed, however, that he will be leaving the show in the near future. I don’t know who the replacement will be, if they continue the show at all. Pros- If you like the Three Stooges, you’ll like this show. It can be funny sometimes. Cons- Most of the laughs comes from people getting hurt. It can get boring quickly. Some of what is shown is far from being funny. Recommendation- Do not watch this show. It is not worth your time. Prediction- This show will be on until people stop watching it, submitting videos to it, or the network finally realizes how bad it really is. A new host could spill its demise as a new host for virtually any show like this could. Plus, even if it ends for a while, it could return. Reception: mixed to positive. Grade: D-.

The Simpsons: Status- Currently on FOX on Sundays at 8/7 Central and in syndication on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- I typically watched reruns when I was a child. It’s probably not something that a young person should be watching, depending on the episode. Not sure why we were into it, but we typically watched it during supper and right before bed. Noteworthiness- It has lasted more seasons than any other scripted primetime show. The original cast is still working on the show. There tends to be a famous guest voice in most episodes. It was originally a spin-off of The Tracy Ullman Show. Over 500 episodes have been made. FOX considered creating a channel for reruns of just this show. Description- This is an animated comedy on a strange family in Springfield. They have different, unrelated stories in each episode. Notable People- Anyone in the main cast because they are in the cast. Matt Groening, the creator who had done different comic book series as well as Futurama. Pros- Funny episodes are shown all the time. There is never any ongoing storylines so you don’t have to be devoted to the show. Despite the fact that it has been on a long time, they still manage to come up with great, new episodes and might be better than when the show originally started. Cons- Inappropriate humor is used a lot. Because of its length on the air, the head writer changes every so often. There is absolutely no continuity between episodes. The show jumped the shark a long time ago, yet remains on the air simply because of great ratings. One wonders why it is still on air when they don’t have good ideas anymore and even air show’s too short segments, which are probably as ridiculous as they sound to you. Religion is typically represented poorly in the show. Recommendation- You should watch it if you like it (and only if you like it) and have the time. It can be quite entertaining. Although, since they don’t have the best ideas anymore, then it may not be worth your time. Prediction- This show will last forever, unless the death of a cast member causes a retooling of the show or otherwise abrupt ending. One can wonder what the death of Matt Groening, who still supervises the show, would cause. Reception: generally positive then somewhat negative. Grade: B-.

Madam Secretary: Status- Currently on CBS at 8/7 Central on Sundays unless delayed due to sports. Why I’ve seen it- I almost always watch a CBS show at least once. Description- This show is about a woman who becomes secretary of state and all the drama that unfolds with it. Some think that this is made to get Hillary Clinton elected president. Those people are morons. Pros- This show is pretty good. The characters are interesting. It is an interesting drama with enough mystery going on to make people interested in it. The show is also pretty realistic, to an extent. Cons- I don’t know if it runs the risk of getting too political based on the undisclosed parties the people are part of. Plus, like other shows, it is in the strange situation of being in a reality that is both real and made up instead of a completely made up reality which would probably be better for it. Also, the number of crisis that the country faces each episode, even though they are relatively minor, can be a bit much, even if it’s needed for the plot of the show. Recommendation- I ultimately think that it is worth the watch. Prediction- This show being on Sunday may be a bit of a risk for this show. Plus, keeping it realistic might be hard as years pass, meaning that it might have to be short term to stay realistic in some way. But, I think that this show will probably last for a while. Or it could become a misnomer if it continues too long. Just remember that it has to have a Madam Secretary at some point to stay true to its name. While they could keep her in office for a while, I’ll probably let the writers do their magic instead of worrying about what they would probably have to do as time goes by. This could be short-lived, but I say that it probably lasts to a second season, although I’m not convinced that it will last too long although it might if its ratings increase. Reception: positive. Grade: B. New review Segue to new blog in next paragraph. Skip if you aren’t interested in a blog about Madam Secretary.

Thanks in part to a dream of mine; I have started a new blog about Madam Secretary. Plus, there seems to be a lack of interest in this blog of mine on TV in general as most of my recent blog posts have no page views. Some that are pretty old have no readers at all. I should note that I will probably continue this blog regardless of if the readership doesn’t improve. Consider this a warning about the future of this blog should readership of this blog not improve. If this happens, most of my reviews will be different and posted at www.tv.com under the account I have there instead of the regular blog posts here. It is up to you to figure out what account I have there, just keep in mind that if this blog gets posted less, then I will only review new shows as of whenever I start the new blog and any shows that get cancelled after that time. This would mean that existing shows that I waited later to get into would not be reviewed unless they too were cancelled. Like I said before, this blog will probably continue. Meanwhile, I will start that new blog. I will post a link here at the end of this paragraph to the new blog. I decided that I would only update the Sunday primetime shows if this new blog was started. Well, I’ve decided to do it. Every time I see no readers for this blog post at the bottom of my list, I will have to update that new blog of mine before I can update this again. And be sure to read stuff at the other website I mentioned earlier where I will post more reviews of TV shows from this point forward. Be sure to read this new blog too, because I want every blog of mine to be read. If you are reading this, there is a new blog of mine. Here’s the link to this blog: http://adamdeckermadamsecretaryblog.blogspot.com/

Once Upon a Time: Status- Currently on ABC at 8/7 Central on Sundays. Why I’ve seen it- General interest in the whole fairy tale genre. Description- The world of fairy tales are trapped in our world (a world of “pure horror”). Well, the show has evolved since then, but that was the original purpose at least. Notable People- The creators of Lost also created this show. Pros- A captivating drama, it keeps you interested with the writers’ take on fairy tales. It is hard to stop watching. Cons- One can wonder if they’ll have enough material for a long series. One could wonder instead if the show moves fast enough. Due to the frequent use of flashbacks, one could wonder also if they can keep their stories straight and avoid continuity errors. Plus, it could be too much like a soap opera for those of you who don’t like that genre. Recommendation- It is a good show, if you don’t mind the other shows at the same time. You should watch it sometime. Prediction- This show is a hit and the network needs more of those so it will stay around for quite some time. Reception: positive. Grade: A.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Status- This show is on FOX at 8:30/7:30 Central. Why I’ve seen it- The critics like it and I thought that it might be good. Description- It is a comedy-drama (mostly comedy) that has cops solving crimes in a humorous way. Notable people- This show has Andy Sandberg (formerly from Saturday Night Live), Terry Crews (known from Everybody Hates Chris), as well as other famous people I don’t know that well or what they are from. Description- A group of cops investigate various crimes in a humorous way for a change. Pros- I’d have to say that it’s pretty good how it takes stuff that could be put in a drama and has a funny spin on it. Cons- The usual bad morals are present and a lot of the humor is hit and miss. Recommendation- This show is pretty good and I recommend it. It’s nice to see a cop comedy instead of the typical cop drama. Prediction- I don’t know if this show will last or not. I hope that it does, but it might not. Reception: positive. Grade: A-.

Family Guy: Status- Currently on FOX at 9/8 Central and in syndication on various affiliates. Why I’ve seen it- I’m not sure why I was interested in it, but it might have been my usual interest in animated comedies. Noteworthiness- To my knowledge, it is the only show in television history that has been cancelled twice yet still manages to produce new episodes. Actually, that might not be true, but few other shows have done that. Description- The animated adventures of a family including their dog and baby who can talk and behave like normal people. Notable People- Seth MacFarlane created the show as well as voices several characters. Seth Green, known for his work on Robot Chicken and some movies is Chris. Mila Kunis, who was in That 70’s Show and some notable movies like Black Swan, is Meg. Pros- The show manages to stay fresh while poking fun at somewhat recent events. Insides jokes come up all the time. Funny episodes are common. The themes that show up are less an approval of them but more a comment on them and how other people can sometimes think. Cons- Bad episodes pop up just as often as good ones. If it weren’t animated, it couldn’t be shown on network television due to sex, violence, and language. It can be too random at points leaving you with no clue as to what is going on. You’ll probably hate as much as you like. At least two episodes were controversial enough to not be aired (although they reversed the decision of one of them later). Recommendation- Take it or leave it. It’s not for everyone, although I like it sometimes. Prediction- It will last a long time because the people who hate it are a minority and could always bring it back another time by buying all the seasons on DVD for themselves. Reception: positive yet controversial. Grade: C.

Resurrection: Status- This ABC show airs on Sundays at 9/8 Central. Why I’ve seen it- For unknown reasons, even to me, I was interested in it. Noteworthiness- It is based off of a book called the Returned. Description- Basically, for some unknown reason, dead people somehow return as they originally were before they died many years later. Mystery of how and why this happened seems to be the central plot of the show. Notable People- Kurtwood Smith, from That 70’s Show, among other works, is a character on the show. Pros- It can keep you interested due to the overall mystery of the show. Cons- It is a pretty strange show. I’m not really sure where they are going with this or what it has going for it since the mystery of the show is unexplained. Recommendation- It is worth watching if you aren’t already into something else. Prediction- I don’t think that this will last that long, although I hope that I’m wrong about that. Reception: mostly mixed. Grade: B.

The Good Wife: Status- It is currently on CBS on Sundays at 9/8 Central unless delayed due to sports. Why I’ve seen it- It was mostly due to a dream implying that I should watch it. It fit with my schedule more following the cancellation of The Forgotten. Description- It originally started with an arrest of a public office holder in Chicago and revealed that he had an affair on his wife. The show, however, is about his wife and her journeys as a lawyer as well as other cast members. It is set in Chicago. Notable People- Juliana Margulies, from ER and other shows, is the lead character Alicia. Others might be present. Pros- It is an interesting show with a recurring storyline. It stays as best as possible with Democrats by neither downplaying them nor making them the best. It is a good courtroom drama. The editing is great. Cons- You’ll be confused watching it without knowing the recurring storyline. It is a weird blend of fiction and reality and can be hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. It can be very confusing with its plots. A whole episode can go by without you understanding what happened in the episode. Christianity has a weird representation which is seemingly from the views of non-Christians. It is very subtle and hard to catch some things in the show. If it weren’t set in Chicago, the courtroom aspect would be even more unrealistic than it already is. Recommendation- Watch this if you have a chance too. Prediction- It will be on for a while if CBS knows what’s good for them. The CBS website lists it as a popular show. Also, I don’t think cancellation by the network will be the end of it as other networks might be interested. Reception: critically acclaimed. Grade: B-.

Bob’s Burgers: Status- Currently on Sundays on FOX at 9:30/8:30 Central. Why I’ve seen it- I guess I just typically like watching these types of shows for some odd reason. Plus, there might have been a gap in my schedule with nothing else to watch at the time. To put it simply, I don’t know why I started watching this. Description- Part of animation domination, we see the misadventures of a family who works in, owns, and (more or less) lives in a restaurant. Pros- It is funny, using a humor not typically seen on television. Cons- There may be worse things than this, but there are a lot of better things as well. It can be hard to stay into it and watch it all the time. It may take you a while to realize that it is good. Recommendation- It is pretty good so watch if you can. Prediction- I don’t know if it will last. I hope so, but I don’t know. Reception: mixed then positive. Grade: B+.

CSI: Status- Currently on CBS at 10/9 Central on Sundays unless delayed or even not aired due to sports. Why I’ve seen it- I watched one of its spin-offs back when it was still on so I thought that I should watch this as well. Noteworthiness- Its pilot was passed by three different networks, ABC, NBC, and FOX, before it was picked up by CBS. It is also the longest running drama on CBS. Description- A team of people solves cases using Crime Scene Investigation. Basically, it’s a mystery show. Notable People- Ted Danson, known for various comedies, actually, is the main character of this drama, although he didn’t used to be. I don’t know if other famous people are there or not. Pros- This is a good crime drama which goes more in-depth into how they solve crimes and catches the person who committed them. Cons- Not enough women are represented. A lot of other shows are just like it. Probably isn’t realistic. It has lost its main character, not once but twice. Main characters have been known to leave in the middle of a season. The show is violent. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. I like it and think that others should watch it. Prediction- Its new time slot won’t do it any favors. While I don’t expect it to fail immediately, beware of its end coming. Reception: positive yet controversial. Grade: C.