Tuesdays in Primetime Version 4

Tuesdays are a competitive night on television. Except for CBS and the CW, all networks have an hour of comedies at this time. It is also when some of television’s most popular shows are on. The only problem is that the shows are so good, you won’t be able to watch them all.

The Middle: Status- Currently on ABC at 8/7 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- Survivor was on hiatus (this show used to air on Wednesday) and I heard this was good. Noteworthiness- It is tied with Modern Family as longest running ABC comedy still on the air. It actually started a half hour before Modern Family did, if I have my information right. Description- The comedy adventures of an ordinary family in Indiana. Notable People- Patricia Heaton, who was Debra from Everybody Loves Raymond, is the mother. Neil Flynn, from Scrubs, is the father of the show. Pros- Mothers would like this show. It is quite funny from time to time. The youngest kid’s quirkiness is humorous. Cons- Some inappropriate stuff comes up sometimes. However, the show is typically always PG so it’s not as bad as it could be. Note to Parents- This is probably more acceptable than a lot of other shows in terms of content, but I’d ultimately watch it for yourself to make a decision. Recommendation- I say that you should watch this show if you can. My Viewing Habits- I have had a hard time keeping up with this show and have seen most of it due to syndicated repeats. I am planning on sticking with it until the end. Prediction- It is officially on its last season right now. Reception: positive. Grade: B+.

The Flash: Status- Currently on the CW at 8/7 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- General interest in shows like it. Noteworthiness- This is set in the same world as Arrow. This show is based off of a comic book series. Description- This show is about a person who is struck by lightning and gains the power of super speed. It is not ordinary lightning. Pros- The show is pretty good. It seems interesting. There’s a lot in here that keeps you coming back. Cons- It may seem similar to other superhero TV shows. It is too connected to Arrow and other shows in the universe which can cause problems if you don’t watch all the other shows. Note to Parents- This show is targeted to teens and is safe for them to watch, although enough of it is bad for younger audiences. Recommendation- I think that this is probably worth watching all the time. My Viewing Habits- I have been a fan of this since the first episode although I have missed a lot of it as it went on. Prediction- This will probably last a good while. I haven’t heard problems with ratings so I think it will do well. Reception: positive. Grade: B+.

NCIS: Status- Currently on CBS at 8/7 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- My brother and the rest of my family liked the show and I thought it was good enough to watch all the time. Noteworthiness- It is a spin-off of the show JAG. At least at the beginning, the cases on the show were inspired by real cases. I don’t know if they still are. It has two spin-offs. Description- A team of federal agents solves murders of marines and navy members as well as other crimes relating to them and other people. Notable People- Wilmer Valderama from That 70’s Show, Awake, and Minority Report, is a character on this show. Pros- It stays fresh despite its long time on the air. The humor is quite interesting. Cons- It is running out of steam. It has lost a lot of its cast as it has gone along. Note to Parents- I’ve noticed enough bad stuff in here, but mostly related to violence more than anything else. I watched this as a teen and don’t see why others can’t too. Recommendation- It is one of my favorite shows. I say watch it if you have the chance too and aren’t already. My Viewing Habits- I got into this late originally but have since gotten older seasons on DVD and have seen most episodes. Prediction- It will last a while more. Reception: very positive. Grade: A+.

Fresh off the Boat: Status- Currently on ABC at 8:30/7:30 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- It aired with a comedy that I normally watch. Noteworthiness- This is based off of a true story and book, but I don’t know how much. Description- Set in the past, this is a sitcom about an Asian family that moved to America and other friends in their lives. Pros- This is actually quite good in terms of quality. Cons- The show can be weirder than it needs to be. Note to Parents- This is actually quite acceptable in terms of material as I can’t think of much bad in here for kids and other young ones outside of a gay character (that I know some people wouldn’t like but most wouldn’t care about). Recommendation- I would watch this show if you can. My Viewing Habits- I got into it into its second season and have watched on and off as long as it fit in my schedule which it hasn’t always has. Prediction- It is doing well in the ratings right now so it should last. Reception: critically acclaimed. Grade: B-.

Black-ish: Status- Currently on ABC at 9/8 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I had time the one time I tuned in. Noteworthiness- This is based on a true story or might have been at one point in time when it first started out. Description- This sitcom is about a black family. Pros- It is popular with critics. Cons- I thought that this show was terrible. I didn’t find any of it funny nor did I understand the purpose that it had. Note to Parents- Having only seen one episode, I don’t know what to put here. It might be okay for kids, but I really don’t know for sure what to tell people. Recommendation- I wouldn’t watch it, but that’s just me. My Viewing Habits- I don’t watch it. I only saw it once then had no interest in watching it again since it just didn’t click with me. Prediction- I say that this will last until syndication. It might have lasted that long already. Reception: positive. Grade: D.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: Status- Currently on Tuesdays at 9/8 Central on the CW. Why I’ve seen it- I had an obligation to watch one midseason replacement on the CW at the time plus a general interest in the show. Noteworthiness- This is adapted from The Flash and Arrow TV shows using characters from them and from DC comics. It is set in the general Arrowverse. Description- A time master gets a team of people from our time to save the world from a threat in the future. The plot has evolved beyond that, although the idea of time travelling superheroes is still there. Pros- I love this show and think that it is awesome. The plot is good and gripping. It is very interesting and keeps you coming back for more. Cons- Its only potential problems are with its connections with other shows and it potentially dragging on too long. It recycles too much from Arrowverse without bringing too much on its own without it. Like all shows in this franchise, it is hard to understand it without watching the other shows as well. Note to Parents- This is probably the standard amount of objectionable material, although it doesn’t seem as focused on sex as some shows. There’s a lot of fighting in it. Recommendation- You should watch this if you don’t already have more important commitments. My Viewing Habits- I have watched this since the first episode, although I might have missed a few. Prediction- This will probably last for a while, if all goes well. The only thing against it is whether there are simply too many shows for the network, but I see it lasting a long time. Reception: mixed to positive. Grade: A.

Bull: Status- Currently on CBS at 9/8 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I always watch a CBS show under most circumstances and I thought that this show would be interesting too. Noteworthiness- This is inspired by something Dr. Phil did before he went into television. He also helped create the show. Description- This is about a jury consultant who helps with court cases. Notable People- This stars Michael Weatherly, well known from NCIS, as the main character. Pros- It seems like a pretty interesting show as you normally don’t see courtroom dramas from this perspective. In fact, it makes you wonder why you don’t see shows like this more often. Cons- Michael Weatherly is doing a bad job of separating himself from NCIS as his character on this show is very similar to the one he played on NCIS. Also, it doesn’t seem realistic as no other courtroom drama has this angle on it. Note to Parents- This is the standard amount in terms of what is acceptable for kids or not. Recommendation- I would watch this show if you could. My Viewing Habits- I have watched it since the first episode, but I don’t think that I’ve seen all of it. Prediction- With an NCIS lead-in, it’s unlikely that this fails any time soon. If it ever losses that in the future, then there could be problems. I guess we’ll have to see what happens with it, but it will last for now. Reception: negative. Grade: A.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Status- Currently on FOX at 9:30/8:30 Central on Tuesdays. 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. 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. Note to Parents- I’m not sure if this has ever aired with a viewer discretion is advised warning, but there’s enough in here that’s bad for younger than teenagers. Recommendation- This show is pretty good and I recommend it. It’s nice to see a cop comedy instead of the typical cop drama. My Viewing Habits- While I have liked this since the first episode, I have not always watched it, although I do whenever it works out in my schedule. Prediction- I don’t know if this show will last or not. I hope that it does, but it might not. I say that it might last for now. Reception: positive. Grade: A-.

Law & Order: True Crime: Status- Currently on NBC at 10/9 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I saw this since an alumni from The Good Wife is in this. Noteworthiness- This is inspired by a true case and part of the Law and Order franchise. Description- It is about a real crime committed by two abused brothers against their abusive parents. Other seasons will probably have different crimes, should they make other seasons. Notable People- Josh Charles, former star of The Good Wife, is in this show as well. Pros- It addresses serious concepts. Cons- It seems to do too much at once by trying to cover all the angles. Also, the plot is very grim, grimmer than SVU even. Note to Parents- Don’t let kids watch this. Recommendation- I’d put this at a toss-up. My Viewing Habits- I’ve seen it once online and could watch more if NBC came in where I lived or I cared enough about it. Prediction- I don’t think that it will last much longer. It depends on if the network wants to keep it around or if they see it as only a limited thing. Reception: mixed. Grade: C-. New review

NCIS: New Orleans: Status- Currently on CBS at 10/9 Central on Tuesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I watch the original so I figured that I should watch this as well. Noteworthiness- It is a spin-off of NCIS. This show is actually filmed in New Orleans where it is set. Description- This is a show about an NCIS team set in New Orleans. Pros- There are plenty of good things about the show. It is as interesting and good as most dramas are. It keeps the charm of NCIS even with a different cast. The different filming location probably helped it. Cons- Some people have been annoyed by the fake accents of the characters. Plus, it may not be as interesting or good as the original NCIS is. Some of the choices made with the characters are bad decisions on the writer’s part. Note to Parents- This has the standard amount of stuff that you would find it shows. There is more violence in it that is negative for kids than anything else. Recommendation- I think that you should probably watch it. My Viewing Habits- I have watched it since the first episode, although I have not seen all of it. Prediction- I think that it will probably last a while. Reception: mostly positive. Grade: A.

Fall Shows 2017 Part 1

Here are my reviews of this, the first batch of new fall shows that are airing in 2017. I will get to the next batch sometime later. I hope that I have enough of this here, but just know that TV is getting to be too weird with how it does schedules so it might be a while until part 2 arrives. You will see more updates on primetime schedules in the meantime until the next part and the ones after. Now that I’ve made you really confused, let’s get to part 1 of these reviews, which will probably be a whole lot more than what part 2 will have.

The Orville: Show Description- I don’t know that much about it right now. I just know that there is a crew in space with different things going on. Behind the Scenes- Seth McFarlane, creator of Family Guy, American Dad, The Cleveland Show, and various other shows, is the creator and stars in this one, which is a bit odd since I think this is a drama and not a comedy. My Thoughts- This is different as it tries to address current day topics in a new way while adding its own creation and stuff. I’ll have to see more of it to know how I feel, but I think that it is good enough to keep watching for now at least. Hopefully I'll understand more what it is about later. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This looks likely to stay around for now. Where to Find- On FOX at 9/8 Central on Thursdays

The Good Doctor: Show Description- A young doctor with autism starts working with other doctors and has to overcome stigma. Behind the Scenes- This is created by the same person who created House. One can wonder why it took so long for him to do a new show again. My Thoughts- Since I have autism, I feel that putting it front and center in this or any show means that they have to tread carefully. Based on what I’ve seen thus far, this show looks pretty good although I might not keep watching if I do not like how the main character is portrayed in the future. I give it five out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This is getting good ratings for now so it will stay for as long as that lasts. I'd say this will be here for a while. Where to Find- On ABC at 10/9 Central on Mondays

Me, Myself, and I: Show Description- This is the story of a person’s life at three different stages, old, middle aged, and young. It replaces 2 Broke Girls. Behind the Scenes- Bobby Monahan from Saturday Night Live plays the middle version of the main character. My Thoughts- Well, I think that its main flaw is presenting itself as a comedy when it would work better as a drama. I do still think that it is a good show outside of that and worth watching. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This is likely to stay around, for the moment at least. Where to Find- On CBS at 9:30/8:30 Central on Mondays

Young Sheldon: Show Description- A spin-off of The Big Bang Theory, it features Sheldon Cooper at a younger age. One can wonder why they didn’t call it Evolution Theory. It replaces The Great Indoors. Behind the Scenes- Jim Parson, who plays adult Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory, is the narrator of this show. My Thoughts- This looks like it could be interesting but doesn’t seem to have the same type of appeal that The Big Bang Theory does. It doesn’t seem as funny as one would want it. But it does seem interesting. I give it four out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- It could stay, but we won’t know for sure until it is airing at a regular time. Where to Find- It is not on at the moment, but in November, it will be on CBS at 8:30/7:30 Central on Thursdays right about The Big Bang Theory airs.

Law & Order: True Crime: Show Description- It is about a real crime committed by two abused brothers against their abusive parents. Other seasons will probably have different crimes. Behind the Scenes- This has Josh Charles who used to star on The Good Wife. My Thoughts- It can seem good in some ways, but it has problems too. For one, it seems to do too much at once by trying to cover all the angles. Also, the plot is very grim, grimmer than SVU even. But it does address serious concepts. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This could stay around, but only if the network doesn’t just see it as a limited thing. Where to Find- On NBC at 10/9 Central on Tuesdays

SEAL Team: Show Description- This show is about those in a team of Navy seals and their adventures. It replaces Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. Behind the Scenes- The main male lead from Bones is the star of this show. My Thoughts- It seems pretty good based on what I saw of it thus far. I hope that we get more layered characters in the future. But it makes the military look good and delves into some of the mention issues they might face. I give it four out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This is doing well in the ratings at the moment. Where to Find- On CBS at 9/8 Central on Wednesdays

Wisdom of the Crowd: Show Description- A person creates technology to help ordinary people solve crimes. It is currently replacing Elementary only that show will be back at some point. Behind the Scenes- There’s nothing to add here this time just yet. My Thoughts- It seemed good and interesting enough. It tries to be different, although it can see like the same old type of crime show. Also, it seems like CBS is trying to recreate Person of Interest in a way with this. But it is nice how it presents a different way of having people solve a crime. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This could last longer. Where to Find- On CBS at 8/7 Central on Sundays unless delayed until later due to sports.

Marvel’s Inhumans: Show Description- A royal family of inhumans get lost on earth and there are issues with people’s lives and powers. Behind the Scenes- This is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and might link with Agent’s of S.H.I.E.L.D. in different ways. I’d be a bit concerned that this might be the network’s attempt at replacing the other show. Also, this was originally going to be just a movie before they made it into a show. My Thoughts- It seems pretty good in terms of quality. It might seem all over the place in terms of writing, though. It also could use some work on character development and the fish out of water concept. Still, there is enough interesting things in here for me at least. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This seems like it could last for now. It might not should there not be a more long term plan with it in the future. Where to Find- On ABC at 9/8 Central on Fridays

The Gifted: Show Description- Set in a world with X-men, a family finds themselves on the run with the help of other fugitive mutants. Behind the Scenes- This is inspired by the X-men comic strip. This also stars Amy Acker who was in Person of Interest and various other shows. My Thoughts- This is pretty good and pretty interesting. It’s only flaw might be needing to slow down a bit and not focus on too much at once like it has been doing. I give it four out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This looks like it will last for now. Where to Find- On FOX at 9/8 Central on Mondays

9JKL: Show Description- A man lives in an apartment building right next to other family members of his leading to wild antics as usual. It currently replaces Man with a Plan, only that show will at some point. Behind the Scenes- The main star of this show who is also the showrunner based this off of part of his own life. This also stars Liza Lapira who starred in NCIS, Dollhouse, Traffic Light, Super Fun Night, Don’t Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23, Battle Creek, and Cooper Barrett’s Guide to Surviving Life, among other things. My Thoughts- This has about all the bad stuff that you would typically find in a sitcom like amoral characters. The writing and acting could use some work. Still, it seems good enough most of the time. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- It might last for now. I’d be concerned, though, if you are a fan of this once it loses its lead-in of The Big Bang Theory, although it could change nothing. Where to Find- On CBS at 8:30/7:30 Central on Mondays

Ten Days in the Valley: Show Description- A woman’s daughter goes missing and we spend time with everyone related to her life in a period of ten days. Behind the Scenes- The star of The Closer is the star of this show as well. My Thoughts- It is pretty good and interesting, but it does run the risk of being too mysterious at times. I give it four out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This will not last. Where to Find- On ABC at 10/9 Central on Sundays

Ghosted: Show Description- Two men work with a paranormal investigation agency. Behind the Scenes- This has Adam Scott from Parks and Recreation as one of the main stars. My Thoughts- This is clearly a buddy cop TV show with a supernatural twist. Despite it having half of an overused premise as a plot, it can be pretty interesting at times. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This is doing well at the moment. Where to Find- On FOX at 8:30/7:30 Central on Sundays

Well, things got a bit crazy on my end in terms of what I could end up watching due to various problems and issues that should hopefully be solved right now. You should see some of what I was unable to review this time around in the next part of these posts. To be continued…

Back to School Commercials 2017

I’m wondering if I should do a post like this for political commercials. I doubt that I could keep it straight from this and the Christmas ones, but I should do something since I had to put up with them since June for a primary that wouldn’t happen until March. That doesn’t mean that these commercials weren’t bad. They started on July 11^th, 2017. Then they increased from there.

In 2014, the official count of back to school commercials before Independence Day is 1. The official count before August is 48. The official count before September is 158. The official total of the whole year is 170. In 2015, the official count of back to school commercials before Independence Day is 0. The official count before August is 44. The official count before September is 125. The official total of the whole year is 136. In 2016, the official count of back to school commercials before Independence Day is 1. The official count before August is ~61. The official count before September is ~261. The official total of the whole year is 286.

In 2017, the official count of back to school commercials before Independence Day is 0. The official count before August is ~68. The official count before September is 219. The official total of the whole year is 234.

Well, there isn’t much else to do in this post except come up with this ending to this post. I don’t know when to stop counting them for sure going into this post so I’ll probably wait until the end of October, but I don’t think that there would be that many after September ends anyways so I might just end it there. I don’t know when you’ll see this. But if you are reading this, you are seeing it now.

SNL Drinking Game

Well, for various reasons, I'm not able to do a different post of this blog at the moment. So I'm coming up with another drinking game as well. Also, my laptop is having loading issues and they might not get resolved at a good time. Until something is known for sure, you'll never know if these updates will continue as they would normally otherwise. I'm thinking of getting the issues checked out on Monday if I can. Anyways, this is a list of reasons to take a shot while otherwise watching Saturday Night Live (SNL). Remember that drinking games are always played at one's own risk. When would one drink while watching it?

Drink every time someone breaks character, drink at every cameo, drink every time the audience cheers, drink at every live goof, drink if the sketch involves all or nearly all of the black cast, drink if they do political commentary instead of actual jokes, drink during a one joke sketch every time that one joke is used, and drink if you didn't find a whole segment funny or good in any way.

How I Decide What Shows to Watch Live and Record for Later

You may know from reading the reviews I post in this blog and various other posts that I have a way of watching many different shows all at once. I once could do four shows at once with two VCRs that could record stuff, a TV tuner that could record something, and a show to watch live as it airs. The whole process can be complicated and I gave you a hint of this life in a post entitled a week in the life of a TV junkie. So how do I decide what gets watched or recorded on what format? Well, things are always subject to change, but I figured that I might as well mention all the various rules I have about it.

Before I go too far, I should say that things are subject to change in the format that I use as things go along. What I do some of the time, I don’t do all of the time. Each day and week is different than the next and that is why I never know for sure what is happening. Plus, I have to record things for someone else which can be bothersome at times.

Normally, what I watch live is considered a priority one show. What I record on my laptop is considered a priority two show. What I record on tape is considered a priority three show. Anything that conflicts with them that I like but decide not to watch sometimes due to that many good things being on at once is a priority four show. There has not yet been a priority five show. If there are good things on each network all at the same time, that is rare and doesn’t always happen. Even then, there is likely some show that I don’t care enough about to watch even if I do like it.

Starting out, the shows that I would watch would be whatever has been on longest is watched live, the second longest is on my laptop, the third longest or shortest amount of time would be on tape. This isn’t always the case going on. For one, I try to avoid reruns, but I can’t always do that every time. Also, I only avoid reruns if I have seen it because I can miss episodes a lot. I also want to give priority to special episodes which may only count as season finales.

There tends to be a gap between when I record something on tape and when I watch it as unless I am really far behind on them. That is why any show I have not seen most not be put on tape since I want to know then and there if I like it or not. This could affect the recording schedule. Also, if something is on instead of the usual programming, I tend to ignore it unless I have nothing else to watch.

It can be hard to keep track of some shows. If I know that one is ending or could end, I try to watch the last episode live instead of recording it. I do have to record some on tape at times and do this by choice at times. If I can’t see something live, I record what I can although I can’t record everything. Sometimes I can’t watch anything at all even if I am at home all day.

One of the things that I have changed in the rules is keeping up with the ratings of shows. This means that if I know a show could be ending, I can avoid putting it on tape if and when possible. Now new shows are more likely to get cancelled than most existing shows. This means that even shows that I like more or have been on longer can get put on tape instead. Another thing that I have to worry about is reception problems with channels where I live and I might have to avoid putting these shows on my laptop due to these problems.

Honestly, I don’t know what else there is to say regarding it. I could do a log about it for this blog, but I don’t think that it is worth anyone’s time, not even mine. I watch what I watch when I can watch it. I don’t watch what I can’t see whenever it is that I can’t see it. I watch too much TV. I don’t watch what doesn’t come in as that isn’t worth anyone’s time. I try to avoid watching things online whenever I can as a lot of network’s websites’ aren’t reliable. I hope that they can change that as I know that someone reads this blog, although it probably isn’t always the same person. At least I don’t do this for nothing. I’ll be back with new posts at some point in time and if I do wind up on an odd hiatus for any reason, then I hope to be back by the next month sometime.