The Christmas Creep

I am actually delaying a planned post until next year to quickly write this one. I’m going to link to it in the event that it affects this blog or all of my blogs for that matter. There is this thing called the Christmas creep that has been affecting television and other aspects of life since maybe 9/11 or some other time. They do Christmas things too soon in my mind and I obsessively count all of the Christmas commercials that I see while boycotting the first one of the year until the year ends. 

How is this relevant to this blog and all of the other ones? Well, in the event that google is the company that airs it, I will have no choice but to stop blogging with most of my blogs until the New Year is here and I can return to all of my blogs as normally again. Some will be phased out and others will be done with as a post will be done in all linking to this specific post explaining that I won’t be doing a blog post for any of the blogs (outside of the ones that I am finishing until the end of what I see fit). This might not happen at all, but if it does, then you read it in this blog first.

Reviews of Shows that Began in 2006

This post is one of many that should have been done much earlier in the year. But I have to spend a lot of time on it and put it off in favor of ones that I could do more quickly. Since I put this off long enough, then I might as well get to it.

 

Note on DVD suggestion: Sometimes when I do reviews of shows, typically when they are cancelled, I mention whether or not you should get them on DVD. I do some research to see if any of it is even on DVD. Well, I’m done doing research on it due to time constraints. From now on, this will only apply in the event that there is even something to get but you readers will have to do more research yourself to see if the shows in question are on a format. I realize that they might be available to stream instead. Consider it being available for streaming the same topic being covered.

 

30 Rock: Show history- This aired on NBC for a while and entered syndication at one point. What’s it about- Inspired by Tina Fey’s time as head writer on Saturday Night Live, we see the cast of a show with their many adventures of what goes into the show when they aren’t making it. Why I’ve seen it- I heard a lot about it and was wondering if it was any good so I tuned into it when I could. My viewing habits- I watched most of this in syndication when it was available where I lived, but did some of it in primetime towards the end. Where it aired- This was an NBC show. What I liked about it- The show is pretty funny and works very well. It helps to be part of a more usual format and not a mockumentary. What I didn’t like about it- Not all of the main characters were seen as much as they could have been on the show. It wasn’t as funny as one would have liked. More thoughts on it- This is one of my favorite NBC shows and it is fun to watch. Current fate- This is in syndication, presumably on streaming, and the complete series is on DVD. DVD suggestion- I think that it would be worth it. Grade: A.

 

1 versus 100: Show history- It aired some on NBC and also had a scaled down version elsewhere. What’s it about- A game show, a mob of 100 players compete against one player with only one of them winning in the end. Why I’ve seen it- It was on at a good time when it worked out well for me to see it. My viewing habits- I didn’t see much of it. I might have liked to see more of it than I did. Where it aired- This was an NBC show at first until it moved elsewhere later, but I forget where. What I liked about it- The show had a basic to understand format and worked for the most part. What I didn’t like about it- Some of the way that it worked didn’t seem to benefit the main player. The questions were at times too easy or too obscure. More thoughts on it- It worked better than a lot of other game shows that I have seen. Current fate- It is gone from the airwaves as far as I know. DVD suggestion- It could be worth it, but I’d go without. Grade: B-.

 

3-2-1 Penguins!: Show history- This was part of a video series that was adapted for television in a way. What’s it about- Two kids have adventures with a group of space penguins while also learning some life lessons that are a bit adapted from biblical morals. This is by the same people who did VeggieTales. Why I’ve seen it- I wanted to see it a lot when it aired on TV since I don’t know if I could rent it and cared enough to see it. My viewing habits- I watched what I could of it when it aired, but am not sure if I saw as much of it as I could. Where it aired- This aired on NBC as part of their Qubo programming on Saturday mornings. What I liked about it- It worked with its plots and had enough of a recurring storyline in its second season that made it work well. What I didn’t like about it- Parts of the plots and messages seemed obvious. More thoughts on it- It could have more in its original format, but it might have only lasted in some ways since it was on TV. Current fate- This ended after only three seasons with the main second and third being on TV. DVD suggestion- It is good, especially if you have kids. Grade: B+.

 

Chaotic: Show history- This aired for a while. It was a Saturday morning kid’s show. What’s it about- A teen is given access to a special world based on a card game that is played which leads to a lot of some different adventures. Why I’ve seen it- It looked interesting, although I can’t remember for sure. My viewing habits- I saw a lot of this, although I might have missed some of this here and there. Where it aired- This aired on both FOX and the CW. What I liked about it- It was interesting and had lots of good plots. What I didn’t like about it- I didn’t like the animation format change between seasons, even if the new one was ultimately better in the end. A lot of the act breaks were too quickly resolved in the same way. More thoughts on it- It was a pretty good show and not much else about this is worth adding. Current fate- There are hints of a potential revival that remain uncertain for now. DVD suggestion- This could be worth it and nice. Grade: A.

 

Crumbs: Show history- This aired briefly, but didn’t air all of its episodes on TV. They might have become available in some way. What’s it about- A closeted gay man tries to deal with his dysfunctional family such as his mother who just got out of an asylum. Why I’ve seen it- I honestly can’t remember why I saw it at all. My viewing habits- I might have actually seen all of this that aired on TV. Where it aired- This was an ABC show. What I liked about it- It seemed pretty funny in some places and had a plot that worked in some places. What I didn’t like about it- Some of the characters didn’t have as much to them that made them interesting. More thoughts on it- I think that it could have done more if it were given more time to grow, but its low ratings prevented this. Current fate- It only lasted one season. DVD suggestion- It might be worth it if only to see what isn’t otherwise available. Grade: C.

 

Curious George: Show history- This aired for a while on PBS, a second adaptation of the book series. What’s it about- Basically, there are different adventures that a monkey owned by a man in a yellow hat do. This might be a follow-up to a movie with the same animation format. I have not yet seen the movie in question. Why I’ve seen it- I still liked to watch kid shows at the time despite being in my teens at this point in my life. My viewing habits- I watched a lot if not all of its first season. I saw other parts of the show over time, but this wound up being among my great kid’s shows purge that I did where I stopped watching all of the remaining kid show’s that that I still watched. Where it aired- This was on PBS for its whole run. What I liked about it- It had lots of good lessons from time to time. It had lots of interesting characters beyond just George. What I didn’t like about it- A lot of the plots were ridiculous in some way or form. There were inconsistencies between the setting, such as whether George lived in a hotel in the city or if he lived in a house in the country. More thoughts on it- It was one of the greater shows in my mind of the end of when I watched kid’s shows. Current fate- It ended a while ago and does not still air in reruns as far as I know. DVD suggestion- They are good and worth getting. Grade: B-.

 

Hannah Montana: Show history- This lasted for maybe the typical amount of time for a Disney channel show. What’s it about- A teen girl wants to be an ordinary person while also being a rock star as well. She is both as a result. Why I’ve seen it- I guess that I was interesting in it at the time. My viewing habits- I largely only saw what aired of this on ABC and not much else as not much else of this aired on network TV. Where it aired- This was a Disney channel show that aired partly on ABC on Saturday mornings as well. What I liked about it- The show focused a lot on more than just the lead. What I didn’t like about it- Parts of it seemed dumb and didn’t work out as well. This wasn’t as relatable to the everyman as it could have been. More thoughts on it- This was reworked from what was supposed to be a spin-off of That’s So Raven. For better or for worse, this show made Miley Cyrus into what she is today. Current fate- It lasted the standard amount of time and had a movie that relates to it before it ended at some point in time. DVD suggestion- I’d pass on this, honestly, despite liking it to an extent. Grade: C-.

 

The Emperor’s New School: Show history- This aired a few seasons. What’s it about- A continuation of the movie The Emperor’s New Groove, we see Emperor Cusco learning more in school in order to get his job in the long term. Why I’ve seen it- I like the movie so I might as well see the TV show as well. My viewing habits- I watched what I could of this, but didn’t see as much of it as might exist. Where it aired- This was largely a Disney channel show that also aired on ABC on Saturday mornings. What I liked about it- This show was good at keeping the spirit of the movie in its writing style. What I didn’t like about it- Too much of this contradicted the events of the movie and ruined what happened to the characters there in it. More thoughts on it- This would have worked better as a prequel to the movie instead of taking place after it. Current fate- It ended a long while ago. DVD suggestion- This is a good show in some ways, but not really worth owning. Grade: B.

 

Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman: Show history- This lasted for several seasons. What’s it about- A cartoon dog gets real kids to compete in a reality show where they learn things too. Why I’ve seen it- I watched a lot of these shows at the time. My viewing habits- I saw every episode of nearly all of the seasons outside of the last one where I missed a lot of it, but did see the end of. Where it aired- This was a PBS kids show. What I liked about it- It did teach good lessons and worked as a reality competition as well. What I didn’t like about it- The show didn’t always seem fair, at least in the first season. Too much of this was strange at times or otherwise didn’t work. More thoughts on it- I felt that this show was pretty nice in some ways and it ultimately ended due to a sudden lack of funding. This was more connected between seasons than you would like despite new casts in each one. Current fate- This ended a while ago and left the airwaves shortly thereafter. DVD suggestion- This is a good show and might be worth getting in the end, especially to see what all happens. Grade: B.

 

Cake: Show history- I don’t remember just how much of this aired, but it didn’t seem like more than just one season. What’s it about- A teen girl with her three friends work on issues and also do projects in the form of how to videos. Why I’ve seen it- It seemed like it was interesting for some reason or I otherwise saw it for one reason or another. My viewing habits- I saw random episodes of this here and there. Where it aired- This was a CBS Saturday morning show. What I liked about it- It kept things simple by just having a cast of four, no guest stars, and largely focused in one location. The format was easy to follow and stick to. What I didn’t like about it- Too much exposition was used throughout the show’s run as they focused on off camera characters or other things never seen on screen. More thoughts on it- The how to segments towards the middle could drag the plot down at times, but never seemed like they didn’t belong in an episode. Current fate- This didn’t last too long on TV. DVD suggestion- It might be worth it in a way since it isn’t much of a commitment. Grade: B-.

 

The New Adventures of Old Christine: Show history- It aired for a while. It might have lasted until syndication, but I’m not sure about that. What’s it about- A woman has to deal with her ex dating someone with the same name as her. Why I’ve seen it- An episode seemed like it could be interesting or at least tolerable. My viewing habits- I only saw one whole episode of this. Where it aired- This was a CBS show. What I liked about it- The actors are good. What I didn’t like about it- The writing sucks and the plot was bad. There wasn’t much good about this. More thoughts on it- It seemed rather boring in my mind in many ways. Current fate- It ended a while ago allowing its star, Julia Louise-Dreyfus, to go on to do better things by starring on the acclaimed Veep. DVD suggestion- Don’t waste your money on this show. Grade: F.

 

Standoff: Show history- This only aired for one season. What’s it about- Two teammates that are also a couple deal with various hostage situations. Why I’ve seen it- It looked good so I watched it. My viewing habits- While I missed a lot of this, such as the beginning, I did see the end. Where it aired- This was a FOX show. What I liked about it- The show was interesting. What I didn’t like about it- There wasn’t as much of a recurring storyline to keep people coming back for more. More thoughts on it- This is similar to shows like Flashpoint or S.W.A.T. Current fate- It ended a while ago. DVD suggestion- I think that this would be good and isn’t much of a commitment. Grade: A-.

 

Legion of Super Heroes: Show history- This lasted for maybe two seasons. What’s it about- Various DC comics characters join together to fight various villains in a heroic group. Why I’ve seen it- It looked good to me. My viewing habits- I don’t think that I’ve seen all of it, although I’ve seen most of this and the end. Where it aired- This was a CW show which might have aired at the time on Kids WB which they still had at the time. What I liked about it- The show had interesting plots and good storylines to keep you coming back. What I didn’t like about it- It ended on a cliffhanger. Some of the plots were repeated. More thoughts on it- It was a nice animated show that should have lasted longer if only so that we would know what would happen to the characters. Current fate- It has ended a while ago and is unlikely to wrap things up. DVD suggestion- I’d pass. Grade: C.

 

‘Til Death: Show history- This aired for maybe four seasons, although it is hard to be sure of what happened since the airing of it was really messed up. What’s it about- At first, it was about a married couple that had been together for a while becoming friends with a newlywed couple. It changed a lot as it went on but always had the longer married couple as part of it. Why I’ve seen it- It looked good at first when it had started. My viewing habits- I watched what I could have of this, but it had a really strange airing cycle and was screwed in many ways with this. Where it aired- This was a FOX show. What I liked about it- The earlier season episodes worked out pretty well. What I didn’t like about it- The later season episodes were dumb and the episodes aired so horribly out of order that one couldn’t make sense of it. More thoughts on it- The show was more screwed than anything else that I had ever seen on TV and its cancellation was so obvious, I wondered how it even made news. Current fate- This has long sense ended and even entered syndication for a while. DVD suggestion- Don’t bother with it as it probably won’t make sense. Grade: C-.

 

The Unit: Show history- I think this was another four season show with episodes that lasted shorter than they could have for various reasons. What’s it about- A military unit that doesn’t officially exist that does a lot of secret missions as a result. Why I’ve seen it- It was something that my family was interesting in that I ultimately got into as well. My viewing habits- I missed a lot of the earlier episodes, but did see the end of this and kept watching for the most part after I started watching. Where it aired- This was a CBS show. What I liked about it- It had a lot of good drama to it and the story was good to keep up with at times. What I didn’t like about it- I hated what they did with some of the characters, such as the affairs that happened. It didn’t resolve everything in the end. More thoughts on it- This show was a bit screwed by the writer’s strike, but maybe not as much as others were. Current fate- It was in syndication at some point in time. DVD suggestion- These are good to get. Grade: B-.

 

Viva Piñata: Show history- This aired for a bit before some video games related to it came out and this was pulled from the schedule. What’s it about- Different piñatas live on an island with some of them wanting to avoid their fate of being used for their purpose. Why I’ve seen it- It looked good enough, although at the time, it seemed like I watched most kid shows still at the time when it worked in my schedule, although not all of them. My viewing habits- I might have seen nearly all of this, if not all of this. Where it aired- This was a FOX show on Saturday mornings. What I liked about it- It had a lot to it in terms of storytelling and had a lot about different characters. What I didn’t like about it- Some of the plots were dumb. More thoughts on it- This is actually adapted from a video game series although I still don’t know why two games were promoted with it and it was pulled as a result. Current fate- It is long gone. DVD suggestion- It might be good to watch, but not all of this focused on morals. Grade: B-.

 

Shark: Show history- This aired for two seasons. What’s it about- A lawyer solves cases. Why I’ve seen it- I was getting interested in courtroom dramas at the time. My viewing habits- I missed a lot of this, but did see the end of it. Where it aired- This was a CBS show. What I liked about it- The show was good, focusing on lots of characters besides just those solving the case. What I didn’t like about it- The ending, although not a cliffhanger, left more to be desired. More thoughts on it- It would have been nicer if it has lasted longer, but that was not the case in the end. Current fate- It ended a while ago. DVD suggestion- It is worth getting if you want them. Grade: A.

 

Shaggy and Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!: Show history- This aired for a bit on the CW. What’s it about- A departure from the traditional Scooby-Doo franchise, instead of the whole gang solving mysteries, it is largely just about Shaggy and Scooby fighting against a super villain and his minions. Why I’ve seen it- I wanted to so I did. My viewing habits- I saw a lot of this when it aired, but don’t think that I saw all of this. Where it aired- This was on the CW at the time. What I liked about it- The show worked for the most part. What I didn’t like about it- Parts of it seemed unrealistic even in the cartoon world. More thoughts on it- Most would consider this the worst of the Scooby-Doo franchise, although I like it well enough. Current fate- It ended a while ago, maybe lasting just one season. DVD suggestion- This could be worth getting, but you’re just as easily fine without it. Grade: C+.

 

Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters: Show history- This was part of the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise in a first, the only part made by American TV first instead of Japanese. What’s it about- After winning a contest, the friends wind up stuck in a world of capsule monsters. Why I’ve seen it- This was part of a franchise and I had seen the rest of it as well. My viewing habits- I think that I saw every episode of this. Where it aired- This was on FOX, which was unusual at the time for this type of show since it typically aired on the WB or CW. What I liked about it- It was true to the story, not mattering as much that it was added at a certain part of it. What I didn’t like about it- It was more of a departure from the usual format than it should have been. More thoughts on it- It works well as part of the franchise and isn’t missed without it either. Current fate- It lasted just the one special season then ended. DVD suggestion- It could be worth it in the end. Grade: A-.

 

Switching to specific season reviews

 

Power Rangers: Mystic Force: Show history- This is part of the Power Rangers franchise. What’s it about- Rangers have to use magic to fight against various villains. Why I’ve seen it- I like Power Rangers and wanted to see more of it. My viewing habits- While I missed a lot of it, I saw all of this that I could in the end. Where it aired- I saw this on ABC, although it also aired on Disney channel. What makes it different than other seasons- You don’t see this type of magic used as much. What I liked about it- The show had a good plot that worked and made sense. What I didn’t like about it- The lack of true main villain was a bit confusing as it changed a lot throughout it. More thoughts on it- Some say that one of the characters that ended as a good guy was the strongest villain in the franchise at one point. Where it ranks among other seasons- I’d put this on the better end of it. DVD suggestion- I would get it myself at some point. Grade: A.

 

Survivor: Panama: Show history- This aired on CBS. What’s it about- It has Survivor contestants split into four different tribes at first and then differently throughout the season. Why I’ve seen it- I watch all of the Survivor seasons. My viewing habits- I don’t know if I saw this when it first aired, but saw nearly all of it if I didn’t. Where it aired- This was on CBS like all of the seasons have been. What makes it different than other seasons- The introduction of Exile Island as a season long twist was not done before. What I liked about it- There wasn’t too much different about this despite the changes. What I didn’t like about it- I hated how the best contestant this season was the last one voted out. More thoughts on it- I put this more towards the bad or average seasons. Where it ranks among other seasons- This isn’t as high as it could be. DVD suggestion- Unless you are a completionist, then skip this one. Grade: C-.

 

Survivor: Cook Islands: Show history- This was the thirteenth season of the show. What’s it about- This time, contestants are controversially split into tribes by race. Why I’ve seen it- I also watch each new Survivor season. My viewing habits- I probably saw all of this season or close to it. Where it aired- This is a CBS show. What makes it different than other seasons- The opening twist has never been done since, although they now make sure that half of the contestants aren’t white. What I liked about it- I felt that the domination of Ozzy as a player for the most part was fun to watch. What I didn’t like about it- I hated how Ozzy didn’t win. More thoughts on it- Most people hated a bottle twist that I don’t think was as unfair as other thought it was. Where it ranks among other seasons- I put this more towards the middle of the road in terms of seasons. DVD suggestion- Take it or leave it. Grade: B.

Ranking the NBC Shows I’ve Seen: 2021 Version

I doubt that I will have as much of this written as I would have liked, but that shouldn’t matter too much in the end. I’m going to get this post done where I rank all of the primetime NBC shows that I have seen thus far at some point in time. I apologize in advance if I forget anything. I’m also sorry that I rushed this post and published it so fucking late.

 

List of all of the NBC shows that I’ve seen: The Flintstones, 30 Rock, Friends, Parks and Recreation, JAG, The Blacklist, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Law and Order, Law and Order: True Crime, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Law and Order: Special Victims Units, Law and Order: Organized Crime, Community, Chicago Med, Matlock, Will and Grace, Seinfeld, Smash, Superstore, American Odyssey, Better Late Than Never, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, I versus 100, 1600 Penn, The Blacklist: Redemption, Blindspot, Bluff City Law, Awake, A to Z, AD: The Bible Continues, Allegiance, Cheers, Deal or No Deal, Debris, Connecting, The Cape, Council of Dads, Crisis, Crossbones, Ellen’s Game of Games, Emerald City, The Enemy Within, Grimm, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Family Game Fight, Guys with Kids, Howie Do It, La Brea, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Last Comic Standing, Manifest, The Michael J Fox Show, Mr. Mayor, My Name is Earl, Nurses (Canadian series), Powerless, The Pretender, Prime Suspect, Ordinary Joe, Parenthood (2010 series), Perfect Couples, Shades of Blue, The Island, Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday, Truth be Told, Night Court, Taken, Up All Night, Bad Judge, New Amsterdam, Timeless, Weakest Link, Celebrity Name Game, That’s My Jam, Undateable, Just Shoot Me!

 

What isn’t ranked and why: The Flintstones (It has been far too long since I have seen this and I don’t remember it as a result. Plus, I can’t remember if this was even a primetime show like I think that it was.), Awake (I haven’t seen the end of this so don’t know how that would affect my ranking of it as a result), Cheers (While the only episode I saw of this was the pilot and I remember not being impressed by it, it has still been too long ago that I’ve seen this for me to rank it fairly)

 

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Again, I can’t remember this show as it has been too long and it didn’t stick out for me as a result), My Name is Earl (With this one, I haven’t seen the ending and don’t know how that would affect the ranking of it as a result), Weakest Link (There have been too many different versions of this for me to know for sure how it would rank among all of the shows)

 

The bad shows

 

Betty White’s Off Their Rockers- It is hard for me to think of a worst NBC show which is why this is the lowest of them all. I have probably seen less NBC primetime shows than any other network, including those on FOX and the CW which air less shows. (This does not count the former WB network.) Anyways, this was just a pointless show full of dumb crap as old people pranked others in a hidden camera show that didn’t go anywhere and was far from being funny.

 

Just Shoot Me!- Too much of the acting in this was just awful with the writing not much better. This could reinforce negative stereotypes about David Spade despite him not being a bad part of this. Taken- This was so boring and didn’t have much to offer about the back story of the lead of the movie that this was a prequel to that people didn’t even need.

 

The Pretender- I can’t believe that I wasted so much time with this show since I knew it wasn’t that good in the end. I remember it for what I consider to be the worst plot twist in the history of fiction. They took what was a series long plot thread and decided to effectively retcon it in what wound up being the series finale. It then had a bunch of more questioned asked in its not one but two follow up movies that did not resolve anything.

 

Guys with Kids- No wonder so many people don’t think that Jimmy Fallon is funny when they have this type of shit coming out of his writing mind. I don’t know how they could have fixed it. Law and Order: True Crime- They tried to play both sides of this and it didn’t work at all. I’m not upset that I only saw this once in the end. The Blacklist: Redemption- Did they ever resolve the cliffhanger that ended this? It could have worked better, but never really did.

 

Will and Grace- I found this to be too overrated in my mind as what I’ve seen of this just wasn’t good in my mind. Law and Order: Criminal Intent- I couldn’t find much interesting or good about this show that also aired on USA Network. American Odyssey- This had potential, but just became a thread of just how often could the lead get kidnapped and it became to dragged out.

 

The Blacklist- There is too much deception with this show. First, he’s not the father, then he is, then he’s not even who he said he was supposed to be. I’m glad that I left this behind a long while ago. The Enemy Within- There could have been better aspects of the show, but it not lasting probably would not have saved it from its low point on this list. Crisis- The plot got far too ridiculous in the end. Truth be Told- What was this even about? It was dumb. Superstore- I had forgotten that I had even watched this show when it was ending. It was also overrated in some ways.

 

The average shows

 

The Island- A reality show about people surviving on an island with no real purpose was better than some might think, although just good enough to avoid being labeled a bad show. That’s My Jam- I won’t be seeing this again for reasons I’ll get into when I review it later. It wasn’t bad, just dumb. Law and Order- The original was known for changing its cast constantly. While I only saw one episode of this and found it boring, it did provide a franchise of other great shows, two of which you’ll see later.

 

Up All Night- This sitcom about parents of babies had a lot of behind the scenes issues for reasons that I honestly don’t remember or care to look up right now. I do remember liking it to an extent, but can’t remember much else about it. Howie Do It- A hidden camera show where the cameras weren’t even really hidden could have had more to it than it did and it wasn’t a surprise that it didn’t last. Crossbones- This pirate drama about Blackbeard had some issues with it, such as, you know, not having someone with a black beard play the main character, but it was pretty decent, if not too much better than it could have been in the end.

 

Bad Judge- Well, unconventional judge would have been a better name. There were problems with the show, but it was decent enough in the end. Shades of Blue- It was a bit ahead of its time by covering dirty cops. The plots were good enough and characters interesting enough to overlook how you can’t get behind anyone in the end. Still, at least there was justice served in the end for the lead character. Bluff City Law- It was an interesting enough show, even if it never focused that much on things that could make it better. Mr. Mayor- This has room for improvement and could be ranked higher in the future, but we’ll have to see just how well it does. The Cape- A show that was often so bad it was good, it is hard to rank it so middle of the road seems to work best.

 

Connecting- This comedy about people trying to stay together remotely during the pandemic did not work as well as it could have. It wasn’t funny and would have worked better as a drama instead. The Michael J Fox Show- Too much of this was strange as the project that caused them to talk to the camera at times didn’t seem to work as well in the long run than it could have. Plus, it didn’t get to grow as much as it could have. Manifest- Set to air on Netflix to finish its run, a lot of this is weird and doesn’t make sense. I’m not sure that I care about how it will end, although I’m glad that it will have a better ending than it would have had it not been picked up by Netflix.

 

Ellen’s Game of Games- Much of this should have just been left on her show instead of trying to work as a game show which a lot of it didn’t. She’d make a better game show host on a different project. Council of Dads- I never saw much of this outside of its first episode, but feel that it is fair enough to rank it and put it here. Debris- While the ending leaves much to be desired, it was good in some places, just not as good as it could have been. 1600 Penn- A comedy about the White House family, it actually worked some, but not as good as it could have. Powerless- Set in the world of DC comics, we saw more of the everyman involved in the stories. But it never got much of a chance and not airing this in order did not help this out in the end.

 

Nurses (Canadian series)- I still don’t know if the second season of this is coming to the US. There was an American series by this same name on NBC at one point, but I never saw this. I liked some of what I saw of this, even as it seemed like a poor man’s version of Grey’s Anatomy only not about doctors. Emerald City- This show set in the world of Oz had great costumes and set design, but it should have also spent more time working on special effects and the story to not have too much in it seem unrelated to the main plot of what was going on. Smash- This musical show about two competing Broadway productions had a lot to it, but can’t be too highly ranked as it just didn’t stand out like it should have.

 

The good shows

 

Chicago Med- I don’t watch this anymore, but it was good when I saw it. I can’t keep up with it anymore due to various reasons. It got boring in some cases so I don’t miss it. But I feel that it is good. 1 versus 100- This game show was quite interesting with its format and questions worked well. Last Comic Standing- This reality show was a pretty good one, even if it was only as good as the people on it. Night Court- I haven’t seen much of this show, but it was nice to see when I did watch it and I feel that it works well in this part of the list as a result.

 

Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday- While nothing more than a set of specials and an offshoot of the late night show, I feel that it best works here as a result. It could be higher if they did more with it, but I doubt that they could. If only this were a regular summer series. Prime Suspect- A lot of American adaptation of shows can be hit or miss and while this didn’t last long on TV, it did have a lot of stars who worked on other things in the future. Perfect Couples- I’ll never understand the hatred of this show as I felt it was very good. Celebrity Name Game- It can be confusing at times, but it can also be the best run of all the NBC game shows.

 

The Jeff Foxworthy Show- Also airing on ABC, it never had that much time to grow, but did proved to be good throughout its short run. Family Game Fight- This game show has a great format as part of it and works pretty well. Deal or No Deal- This fun game show is complicated, but works pretty well. It now airs on CNBC. A to Z- While it actually stopped at m since that’s all the episodes of it that were made, it was a nice, sweet story despite being an obvious plot from the start to finish.

 

Better Late Than Never- I saw more of the second season than the first, but it seemed to work out pretty well, seeing older people traveling in places that they would need to see before the end. Law and Order: Organized Crime- This is still rather new and can drag on with its story, but I like it thus far. Undateable- While I only ever saw this live and don’t know if it was better in earlier seasons, I did like what I saw of this and felt that it worked out pretty well as a comedy.

 

JAG- While it had most of its run on CBS, the first season of it did run on NBC. It was interesting even as it got to be confusing in some places and it could lose its plot during an episode. Friends- One of the most notable shows of our times, while it often became too focused on the character’s sex lives, we saw much more than that throughout the show’s run. La Brea- While this show is still rather new, I like what I’ve seen of this thus far and look forward to seeing more of it.

 

Ordinary Joe- Three timelines run at once as we see a man’s life. While this could be confusing at times, we’ll have to see when it ends its run next year just how good a show it will remain over time. Timeless- It probably failed due to being similar to other fix history shows of the time like Legends of Tomorrow. It still wound up being good in the end thanks to its finale movie that wrapped up everything. I don’t know how much history it got right and wrong.

 

Grimm- While parts of this could be disturbing and it was one of the weirdest shows that ever aired on TV, it provided great plots and story throughout its run. New Amsterdam- This medical drama has a lot of good with it, even if it gets to be a bit too strange at times. AD: The Bible Continues- It can always be controversial to cover Christian stories since you run of risk of pissing off Christians if you get it wrong and everyone else by simply covering the topic, this seemed to have a good run based on the episodes that I saw of it where it worked as a show without adding too much to it or losing too much of the story. It never seemed to go its own way.

 

Top Ten

 

Community- This sitcom about a study group from a community college had lots of things going on with it while featuring people from all walks of life getting together. It ran for five seasons on NBC and one on Yahoo Screen. A quote from this show was six seasons and a movie so we’ll see if this movie ever winds up being made in the future.

 

Blindspot- A show like this was weird in how it evolved over time, but it always remained to be about one woman helping the FBI solve crimes, even when her evil side took over at one point during the series later. It was confusing in some places, but was always good to watch at times.

 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine- While this started on FOX, it moved to NBC for the end of its run. While NBC never did find good slots to air it on at least in terms of scheduling in the time of year with it airing later and later including ending its run during the summer, this cop comedy was very good and proved that there could be comedies in this type of genre.

 

Seinfeld- A show about nothing proved that four neurotic friends could provide a whole lot of great stories. While the ending was never one that was well liked, pretty much everything else that I have seen before this is good to some degree and worth watching again and again.

 

Allegiance- I loved this show. It was one of the most underrated shows that I know of. And to think, people just thought this was a rip-off of The Americans, a show I never even heard of before and will never ever watch. This show was a drama about a man working with the US government who then has to work with his parents on conflicting issues in an interesting show from start to finish.

 

Parks and Recreation- While the title of this pretty much explains what the show is about, it was always a fun show to watch with all of its characters doing interesting and funny things in a show that seemed to best fit the mockumentary craze that we see from time to time.

 

30 Rock- There was a lot of good sitcoms on NBC back in the day, which makes you wonder why they aren’t trying as hard nowadays. But I loved this sitcom inspired by Tina Fey’s time as the head writer on Saturday Night Live. It proved that it could have a lot of relevant storylines going on and it could work in the occasional current event in as well.

 

Parenthood (2010 series)- There was another NBC show of the same name that didn’t last as long which should not be confused with this one, also inspired by the same movie. It was easy to see why the critics loved it even as it struggled to find viewers throughout its whole run. It focused on a lot of characters and kept up with the kids as much as the parents did too. It also gave us one of the best endings of a show in television history.

 

Matlock- Also airing on ABC, this courtroom drama about a lawyer and people who help him solve cases may not have had much in terms of a recurring storyline, but did last quite well in terms of making a good episode most of the time. Its simplicity is missed in today’s TV shows.

 

Law and Order: Special Victims Units- While a show about sex crimes is certain to be gruesome at times, it also has a great plot with interesting characters and quite a gripped story that keeps you coming back for more. It isn’t hard to see why this would be the best NBC show in my mind and there’s a reason that it has outlasted all the other primetime dramas in TV history.

 

The complete ranking (worst to best): Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, Just Shoot Me!, Taken, The Pretender, Guys with Kids, Law and Order: True Crime, The Blacklist: Redemption, Will and Grace, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, American Odyssey, The Blacklist, The Enemy Within, Crisis, Truth be Told, Superstore, The Island, That’s My Jam, Law and Order, Up All Night, Howie Do It, Crossbones, Bad Judge, Shades of Blue, Bluff City Law, Mr. Mayor, The Cape, Connecting, The Michael J Fox Show, Manifest, Ellen’s Game of Games, Council of Dads, Debris, 1600 Penn, Powerless, Nurses (Canadian series), Emerald City, Smash, Chicago Med, 1 versus 100, Last Comic Standing, Night Court, Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday, Prime Suspect, Perfect Couples, Celebrity Name Game, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Family Game Fight, Deal or No Deal, A to Z, Better Late Than Never, Law and Order: Organized Crime, Undateable, JAG, Friends, La Brea, Ordinary Joe, Timeless, Grimm, New Amsterdam, AD: The Bible Continues, Community, Blindspot, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Seinfeld, Allegiance, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, Parenthood (2010 series), Matlock, Law and Order: Special Victims Units

The Best and Worst Show from 2020

This is normally my shortest post of the year, but I have some to get into before I get to the actual post. While this is still a brief post, I still would have liked this as the last post of the year. I realize that the last post will be scheduled for Christmas Day as that is a Saturday. It won’t be a Christmasy post at all. And I will be scheduling the one for the week after as well. I normally schedule every blog update that is from December 24 to January 1. I schedule updates a lot. I have three big posts planned as all of them (well, that’s not actually true, but I’d like to say that it is) are time sensitive and have to be done this year.

Anyways, when it comes to finishing off the silver globe awards and the golden huckleberry awards with the respective winner and loser of best and worst show on television from each time frame, it made the most sense for me to pick these shows. I wanted both of the 2020 shows on here so I figured that this would be the best way of doing that.

Best show on television in 2020 winner: Taskmaster and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (tie)

Worst show on television from the 2020-2021 season: Mom

That’s about it for this post. I am planning to do a post on the best and worst shows of the decade. Indeed, that should have been done already by now. That is why one of the posts that I want to have done isn’t as needed to be done as it could have been by now. There will be four posts total. There will be nominees of best and worst of the decade, then the winners and losers. You should be able to know what they are (the nominees) based on existing posts, unless I have to change something. But let’s not get too bogged down in all of this. Enjoy this post.

Top 5 Episodes of 1991

I have a shit ton of long posts to do for this blog and a few here and there for other blogs. I have to get a set of annual posts done and pretty much only big projects are left. Anyways, I am going with this post out of all of them since this was exactly 30 years ago that this year happened and it was relevant. I think that I will do something like this every year from this post forward. I was going to do a top ten, but I could not remember enough episodes of shows to work so a top five will have to do. Anyways, here we go with the five best episodes from this year. Each show will only get one episode. Here we go:

 

#5 Percy’s Promise from Thomas the Tank Engine: There isn’t much to say about why I liked this episode out of all of them that aired in 1991 from this show. It was possibly the best episode that year because it took a simple promise and showed the determination that Percy took to get it done. There wasn’t any accident to teach them a lesson or anything too over the top. It was also kind of simple so not worth a spot higher on this list.

 

#4 The Way We Was from The Simpsons: With a lot of potentially good episode to choose from, it seems that this was the best of them since it was the first flashback episode which sought to explain more of what was going on with The Simpsons family from back in high school regarding how they met and then became who they were today. I enjoy a lot of the flashback episodes of this show, at least from early on when they didn’t contradict too much of themselves (versus today’s flashback episodes).

 

#3 The Parking Garage from Seinfeld: I almost went with the episode with them at a Chinese restaurant instead, but this episode is practically the epitome of a show about nothing. The characters are lost in a parking garage and lots of weird things happen. But it is also a great story to see in the end.

 

#2 Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too from The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: With almost a great nod to all of the British shows that end a season with a Christmas episode, we see the last official adventure of Pooh and friends as they await Christmas. While they are all set to receive gifts, it is then revealed that Pooh never asked for one. He seeks to rectify this, but the letter gets lost. He then wants to play Santa to give all of his friends their gifts himself. After things go awry, they realize that friendship is more important as they still get the gifts they wanted to in the end.

 

#1 The Defense from Matlock: In my mind, the best episode of Matlock, we get deep questions that just aren’t seen as much in shows back then. What if killing someone was the only way to save someone else? That question is at the heart of the trial as a man seeks to justify killing his father in order to protect his mother from her husband’s abuse and almost death. While people seek to find a way to get justice for those involved, it is nice to see the serious topic of domestic abuse being brought up even back then in an episode much ahead of its time. Some exceptional episodes of today wouldn’t have been seen without something like this as a guideline of what to do.

 

That’s it for this blog post. Like I said in the introduction, there are a lot of huge posts for this blog that I have put off doing and now I will need to do all five of them in the end with only a short one among the five of them with a sixth needing to be done for next year right away. I don’t expect all of this to make sense to everyone. Now the cheat that used to apply to this one isn’t in it anymore which is why you did not see this last week if that wasn’t already explained. Anyways, here’s the last of this post.

Vague Promos

 Just a quick note that you will be seeing the last of the cheats that I have for this blog as of this post for now as I will be moving these cheats to my Madam Secretary blog on Saturday also meaning that you won't be seeing a post of this blog on Saturday as usual. Now with that out of the way, let's get to the regularly scheduled (well, not in advance) blog post.

Do you ever watch a show and see the promo for it not really reveal much of anything about the next episode in question? What’s up with that? If you want to see what a show’s next episode is like, they should reveal this on the first promo of the show with the episode. Some might offer more details on future promos, but other than that, don’t say much of anything.

 

If more of a show is going to air, which it probably is, then I’d like to know more about it. I’m sure that every fan of the show would like to see it. So why air a promo that is so vague that it reveals nothing about the episode in question? More should be known about it.

 

And there are even worse problems from time to time. Throughout nearly all of Madam Secretary’s final season, there wasn’t even a promo for the next episode at all. What was up with that? I do want to see a promo and I want to get a general feel out of what it is and means. What will happen in the episode? It could be that one thing happening or something like that. What kind of promo is that?

 

Basically, there is nothing else to really say about this problem as they just need to say more about what will go on in an upcoming episode without revealing too much or having a spoiler known in it. I can’t say too much else about it as I just need to know something.

A Lament of the Loss of tv.com

There was a site relating to TV that I liked a lot for a while. The site was tv.com. I actually found it by simply typing it into a computer and I found out that it was, in fact, a website. I liked going to it from time to time and even had an account there at one point. It was a great place for a time.

 

Sadly, this site doesn’t exist anymore. Everything that I ever posted on it is gone. I posted reviews there the likes of which you wouldn’t see in this blog. I’m pretty sure that everything on it is gone and more than likely can’t come back.

 

What happened? I’m not entirely sure of what all went down. It was in March of 2019 when they had stopped doing lots of updates of it. It soon became hard for any user to get on their account, but I still was able to at least once at some point. Soon, all that happened when I tried to log in was the word: forbidden. It became clear that there was no point trying to get on this site anymore.

 

Some of this is what they did to themselves. There were too many connections to TV Guide’s website to the point of wondering why one would do both sites. I think that everyone from one site is on the other site and it some ways, nothing was really lost. But it is still hard to think of what’s all gone now.

 

There isn’t too much else to say. I’m sure that I’m not the only one who noticed or cared that the site was gone from the web. At least part of it still exists in the current site that TV guide has. But it is still hard to think that any work that anyone ever put into that site is gone forever.

Why We Should Feel Bad for Broadway

It has been a while since Broadway is back with their plays and plenty of others. It was among the first things shut down during the pandemic and is one of the last to reopen. Many might wonder why we should care about a multi-million dollar industry being shut down for so long. After all, they could just find work considered essential that would work instead, right?

Well, that’s not how I feel it should be how people feel. After all, you’d probably feel worse for someone who temporarily lost their job during the pandemic than you would for someone who was more well off beforehand. Well, I think that we should feel bad for Broadway and its loss of revenue over the past year and a half. After all, we’d feel bad over the others who weren’t able to work, right?

People forget just how hard it is to find certain work and jobs over the course of time. They just dismiss the poor as lazy or think that those on unemployment as the really rich ones. While Steve Harvey was never on Broadway, I doubt he thinks of the days of him living in his car as the good times that he would want to relive. And while those on Broadway never lost as much as they could have, it was still quite bad that they couldn’t do what they are good at and like to do. 

With so many jobs going away and never returning, it would not be good for one of the most well known to disappear forever. There have been lots of problems with the world today and it is hard to keep track of everything. But we should feel bad for the time that the lights went out on Broadway, even if they now shine brightly again.

Fall Shows 2021 Part 2

There are some ways that I’d want to do posts in the future and what airs always affects things. I was going to review The Activist, but it doesn’t seem like it even exists anymore, unless its name wound up being changed. I only wanted to see that so I could do another set of reviews of Friday shows, but I will have to wait to do that. There are a lot of big posts that I’ll need to get done for the future and there will also be a lot of Saturdays these updates will be scheduled for in advanced. I hope that I can get that and all of the other posts for my other blogs done. I won’t be reviewing anything else new until midseason since nothing else new is slated to start yet until then.

Legends of the Hidden Temple: Show Description- People compete for money and prizes in order to best the other teams by facing off against challenges while trying to best the temple area. Behind the Scenes- This is a reboot of a Nickelodeon show. It features adults now instead of kids. My Thoughts- This still seems targeted in some ways for kids and it can be more difficult and complicated than it needs to be. It still works for some entertainment value, but otherwise isn’t something I find that interesting in the long run. I give it two out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- I have no idea if this will last, but am lead to believe that it probably won’t. Where to Find- On the CW at 8/7 Central on Sundays

4400: Show Description- People from all sorts of backgrounds disappeared over time and all reunite at once under mysterious circumstances, some with magical powers now, leading to confusion and a lot of further mystery into what went on. Behind the Scenes- Typical for a CW show, this is a remake of an existing show from a while ago called The 4400. My Thoughts- This seems like it could be good, if it knows what it wants to be and isn’t too mysterious. There’s more that I don’t know about this as it is too new. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- It might last for now, but we’ll see whether or not it lasts that way or not. Where to Find- On the CW at 9/8 Centrals on Mondays

Queens: Show Description- Members of a black girl band from a while ago reunite while all dealing with personal baggage from what all has happened over time and their lives now. Behind the Scenes- All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. My Thoughts- This show could have some potential in some places, but it isn’t that good a show and not worth watching. I give it one out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This is likely to last starting out now, but we’ll see if it does or not. Where to Find- On ABC at 10/9 Central on Tuesdays

Ghosts: Show Description- A woman has a near death experience and then starts seeing ghosts that have always been there. Behind the Scenes- This is adapted from a UK series of the same name. It also stars Rose McIver from Power Rangers: RPM and iZombie. My Thoughts- This show is funny and has enough in it that is worth keeping up with. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- I say that this is likely to last for now, although we’ll see for sure if it does or doesn’t over time. Where to Find- On CBS at 9/8 Central on Thursdays

Golden Huckleberry Award Winners 2020-2021

It is time to get to the winners (or losers) if you will over what I felt was the worst of TV from the last season. I had forgotten to nominate some shows in some places, but I think that what I’m doing will work just fine the way it is. Now, let’s get to it: 

Main awards: Worst cliffhanger resolution (Prodigal Son), Worst title (Labor of Love), Worst ending to a TV series (Prodigal Son), Worst acting (Mom), Worst writing (Mom), Worst plot (Mom), The good riddance award (Last Man Standing), Why do people care award (Last Man Standing), Worst idea for a show (Mom), Biggest waste of time (Swamp Thing), Most forgettable (Devils), Bonehead decision of the season (Celebrity Watch Party), Worst drama show (Tell Me a Story), Worst comedy show (Mom), Worst new show (Filthy Rich), Why is it still on award (The Blacklist), Most overrated show (Mom), Weakest Characters (Last Man Standing), Why was it created award (Mom), What were they thinking award (Celebrity Watch Party), Why do people like it award (Superstore), Worst retooling of a show (Pandora), Jumped the shark award (Pandora), Most obvious cancellation (Filthy Rich), What’s it about award (Trickster), Time to stop watching award (American Housewife), They’ve stopped caring award (Pandora), Most average show award (The Conners), That’s actually a show award (Celebrity Watch Party), Not worth a second viewing award (Celebrity Watch Party), Weirdest show (Celebrity Watch Party), Worst news show (Full Measure with Sheryl Ackison), Biggest Dud (Celebrity Watch Party), Dead to me award (Swamp Thing), Worst show on FOX (Filthy Rich), Worst show on ABC (The Conners), Worst show on CBS (Mom), Worst show on NBC (Superstore), Worst show on the CW (Trickster), Worst show on every other network (Lucifer), Worst syndicated show (Right This Minute), Worst show on television nominees (Filthy Rich, The Conners, Mom, Superstore, Trickster, Lucifer, Right This Minute)

Other awards: Worst story arc (covering up murder in Prodigal Son), Worst plot twist (Malcolm becoming a killer in Prodigal Son), Worst new character (Helen Pergman from Big Sky, audible), Most hated character (Lucifer from Lucifer), Worst character transformation (Ainsley from Prodigal Son), Most overrated character (Lucifer from Lucifer), Most accepted death (Yavalla from The Outpost), WTF death (Martin from Prodigal Son), Worst Villain (Lucifer from Lucifer), Dumbest scheduling choice (Too many long summer seasons on The CW), Worst episode yet (Watchdog from NCIS), Worst episode this season (The Last Weekend from Prodigal Son), Episode not worth a rewatch award (Loose Ends from Swamp Thing), Dumbest character departure (Jimmy’s wife on NCIS), Weirdest plot choice (getting a team suspended because of dogs on NCIS), WTF moment (Lex acquitted from Supergirl), Worst political commercial (Mitch McConnell’s ad attacking Amy McGrath for comparing Trump’s election to 9/11), Most ridiculous plot point (Gibbs getting suspended over dead dogs from NCIS), Worst season yet (Pandora season 2)

Mondays in Primetime Version 8

Mondays are a day that I’ve had mixed feelings about at times, but they tend to have good shows a lot of the time now. It seems to air a lot of new things a lot of the time. NBC shows a lot of different things over time. They mostly show The Voice as the first show for most of the year. ABC airs Dancing with the Stars in the fall, The Bachelor in the winter, and American Idol during the spring. It airs other things throughout the year. The Good Doctor is the current end of their schedule. CBS shows two different comedies right now at this time and this have two dramas. FOX is airing 9-1-1 and The Big Leap. The CW will not be kept track of this time due to their schedule changing.

The Neighborhood: Status- Currently on CBS at 8/7 Central on Mondays. Why I’ve seen it- I tend to watch a CBS show at least once and this was no exception. Description- A white family moves into a predominately black neighborhood. Notable People- It has Max Greenfield from New Girl. It has Beth Behrs from 2 Broke Girls. It has Tichina Arnold from Everybody Hates Chris. Pros- It has a more racially equal cast than what you typically see. Cons- It wasn’t really any good or funny. The material does not work that well. Note to Parents- There might be some issues with it at time in terms of if kids should watch this or not, but it is probably better than most. Recommendation- I’d pass on this. My Viewing Habits- I only watched this once. Prediction- This will probably last for now as enough other people like it. Reception: mixed to negative. Grade: D.

9-1-1: Status- Currently on FOX at 8/7 Central on Mondays. Why I’ve seen it- When I first watched it, nothing else that I cared about was on. Description- Various emergency workers are shown from their professional life to their personal lives. Notable People- Jennifer Love Hewitt, from Ghost Whisperer and Criminal Minds, is a character on the show. Peter Krause, from Parenthood and The Catch, is another person on the show. Pros- The plot is good and works most of the time. Cons- Some of it can seem a bit unrealistic at times. A lot of what happens can seem like filler. Note to Parents- There are lesbians on the show. The episodes air with a content adversary warning. Some of what happens can be violent more than it needs to be. Recommendation- I think that it is good and worth watching if you have the time for it. My Viewing Habits- I starting watching into its second season around March and plan to keep watching when I can until it ends. Prediction- This will probably keep lasting for now and should air 100 episodes. Reception: positive. Grade: A.

Dancing with the Stars: Status- Currently on ABC at 8/7 Central on Mondays. Why I’ve seen it- I watched it since James Van Der Beek was in a season of it. Description- Celebrities team up with professional dancers to compete on a live show. Notable People- Carrie Ann Inaba, formerly of The Talk, is a judge on the show. Tyra Banks, from America’s Next Top Model and a talk show of her name, is the current host of it. Pros- It can be better and more interesting than one might think, giving its genre. Cons- Too much time is wasted on this show due to set up to dances and other competitions. Note to Parents- Outside of sometimes inappropriate outfits, there might not be too much bad in the show, although you’d have to watch for yourself. Recommendation- This isn’t too bad, but isn’t outstanding either. The main reason why one wouldn’t want to watch it would be time commitment to other things. Prediction- This will probably keep lasting. Reception: good. Grade: B-.

Bob Hearts Abishola: Status- Currently on CBS at 8:30/7:30 Central on Mondays. Why I’ve seen it- I tend to watch a CBS show at least once when I can. Description- A man falls for a medical person who treated him after he was sent to the hospital. Notable People- This stars Billy Gardel from Mike and Molly. It also was created by (or at least produced by) Chuck Lorre who also did Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, and Mom, among other things. Pros- This had some parts that worked and could be interesting long term. Cons- I wasn’t finding much good or funny in it. Note to Parents- This might have the usual problems that you might expect from most of the TV shows nowadays. Recommendation- Don’t bother with it. My Viewing Habits- I watched the first episode, but never cared about seeing it again. Prediction- This will probably last. Reception: mixed. Grade: D.

The Big Leap: Status- Currently on FOX at 9/8 Central on Mondays. Why I’ve seen it- I tend to watch a new FOX show at least once. Noteworthiness- This is adapted from a foreign TV show, I’m pretty sure at least. Description- This is a drama about people who want to be on a dancing reality show with all of the other things going on in their lives. Notable People- This has Scott Foley from The Unit and Scandal among other shows. Pros- There are some different things about it. Cons- This show is very dumb and pointless, seeking to mock what most people think the reality show business is like and not offering anything good. Note to Parents- There are a lot of objectionable things in here and you should not let your kids watch it. Teens might be fine to see this, but not any younger. Recommendation- This is a fail and not worth keeping up with. My Viewing Habits- I watched the pilot, but won’t see a second episode. Prediction- This is likely to fail. Reception: generally favorable. Grade: D. New review

NCIS: Status- Currently on CBS at 9/8 Central on Mondays. 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 three spin-offs. It is the longest running of the dramas that are still on the air on CBS with new episodes. 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 later originally but have since gotten older seasons on DVD and have seen most episodes by now. Prediction- It could be in danger of ending. Ratings wise, you have nothing to be worried about. But given its long time on the air, recent timeslot change, and other knowns and unknowns, there is more to be worried about than not. Reception: very positive. Grade: A+.

Ordinary Joe: Status- Currently on NBC at 10/9 Central on Mondays. Why I’ve seen it- Adam Rodriguez  is in it so I watched it to review for a blog of mine. Noteworthiness- This is based on something called The Format. This was originally written as a pilot back in 2006 before being revived. It was also delayed due to covid related shutdowns such as the originally filming and airing of the show in question. Description- We see three different timelines of the life of one man. It is not that much of a supernatural or science fiction show as it is a regular show done with parallel timelines at once. Notable People- This has Adam Rodriguez from CSI: Miami, among other things. Pros- The show is pretty interesting and it seems simple enough to keep the three timelines separate. Cons- It can be confusing at times. Note to Parents- There are some issues with it that you might typically see in a show from time to time. I don’t think that there is too much wrong in here that preteens and older can’t watch. Recommendation- I say that you might as well enjoy this while you can. My Viewing Habits- I’ve seen this from the start and hope to stay with it until the last episode of this airs. Prediction- This might not last. Reception: somewhat favorable. Grade: B. New review

The Good Doctor: Status- Currently on ABC at 10/9 Central on Mondays. Why I’ve seen it- It looked like a pretty good show to me. Noteworthiness- This is an adaptation of a South Korean show. Description- A young doctor with autism starts working with other doctors and has to overcome stigma. Notable People- Hill Harper, from CSI: New York, stars on this show as well. David Shore, the creator of House, is also the creator of this show as well. Pros- This is wonderful with well written characters, plots, and overall believable medical situations. Cons- Not all the characters are nice people. I know that happens a lot and it can be needed at times, but it can still be a problem. Note to Parents- This is mostly acceptable for kids, but there are some problems with it in terms of what age can watch. I’d say that pre-teens and older should be good with this. Recommendation- I think that everyone should watch this. My Viewing Habits- I know that I have not seen every episode, but I have watched this as much as I can over the course of time and have been a fan of this from the first episode. I missed this show for a while due to work commitments. Prediction- This is getting good ratings for now so it will stay for as long as that lasts. Reception: mixed to positive. Grade: A+.

NCIS: Hawai’i: Status- Currently on CBS at 10/9 Central on Mondays. Why I’ve seen it- I am a fan of this franchise so I watched this show as well. Noteworthiness- This is a spin-off of the NCIS series, the fourth one in the franchise to bare that name. Description- An NCIS team investigates cases in Hawaii. Pros- This show is pretty good and keeps everything that you’d expect from the franchise. Cons- It is run of the mill and ordinary. Note to Parents- There are lesbians on this. The violence is typical of what you would see on TV nowadays. Recommendation- I suggest keeping up with it. My Viewing Habits- I’ve watched this since the first episode and plan to watch it until the end. Prediction- This seems likely to last for now. It will probably last at least 100 episodes. For now, it has gotten a full season order. Reception: somewhat positive. Grade: A. New review

Wednesdays in Primetime Version 8

Wednesdays can be good with television. This is the day of the week I’m most likely to miss shows on a regular basis whenever church gets in the way during Advent and Lent. There are some interesting shows and it has some of my favorite shows. ABC shows comedies before ending with a drama. NBC shows the Chicago franchise all night. The CW shows Legends of Tomorrow and Batwoman. CBS shows Survivor, Tough as Nails, and CSI: Vegas. FOX is airing The Masked Singer and Alter Ego.

 

The Goldbergs: Status- Currently on ABC 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 this 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. Note to Parents- This is borderline over what is and isn’t acceptable so I suggest you watch for yourself to make your own decision. This is a whole lot better in terms of content than you see in most shows nowadays. Recommendation- It is a good show to watch. My Viewing Habits- While I like this show, I normally don’t watch it since too many other things I like air at the same time. I might see more in syndication in the future, when Survivor is on break, or various other reasons that I would like to watch it. Prediction- It will keep lasting like it has already. Reception: mostly mixed. Grade: B-.

 

Chicago Med: Status- Currently on NBC at 8/7 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- At the time, the only show that I watched in this timeslot, Notorious, had its episode order cut so I started looking for a replacement in the timeslot. I chose this show due to its connection to a show that I watched and its fairly new time on the air. Noteworthiness- This is the third installment of the Chicago franchise that has different groups that focus on different things. Description- Basically, this is a medical drama. Notable People- Dick Wolf, who created the Law and Order franchise, also helped create this show. Pros- One of the characters has autism, so that makes the show more interesting. There’s certainly nothing major wrong with it. Cons- It doesn’t seem to be that notable in any way. It seems like just an ordinary show with nothing major ever happening in it. They could make it more interesting than it is, such as caring about the characters more. Note to Parents- Mostly, it’s just the medical stuff that one would see that I would recommend against letting young kids see. Recommendation- I’m not sure what to say here. It is good enough for me to watch, but not really that outstanding a show. I would suggest watching it only if you don’t care that much about anything else. My Viewing Habits- I started watching into what I believe its second season was. I have since given it up now that it competes with Survivor and have not seen it since. I might return to it someday, but have no plans to do so right now. Prediction- I think that this will last for a while still. It is renewed for another season. Reception: mixed or average. Grade: B-.

 

Survivor: Status- Currently on CBS at 8/7 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I think that other people in my family liked it and I found it interesting as well and started watching. Noteworthiness- It shows two seasons a year; one in the fall and another in the spring. It is an adaptation of a Swedish reality show, Expedition Robertson. It is considered the first American reality show and is the longest running one on CBS if you don’t count a news related show like 60 Minutes instead which is not a competition show like this is. Description- Contestants compete against each other to see who will survive in a wilderness place and win a million dollars. Every week, a contestant is voted out and the last few people face a jury of previously voted out people who vote one of them the winner. Pros- There is a different cast each season so if you don’t like one season, you can stop watching and watch the next season. The contestants are interesting often. Drama is always present. Due to the competition nature of the show, it can’t legally be scripted like a lot of reality shows are. Something new always happens in each season. Cons- The people that you hate can make it far while the people that you like get eliminated first. The basic plots of some seasons can be similar to each other. They like to recycle ideas, locations, and challenges. It can be hard to find a normal season anymore. A lot of controversies have arisen on the show. This show has indirectly made every other reality show. They have a tendency to keep having returning players each season which can be off-putting to those that aren’t already fans of the show. They focus too much on twists nowadays. Note to Parents- I watched this as a child, but I’m not sure if your kids should. It is better than the typical show in terms of content that might be deemed inappropriate for kids. Some of it is better at times although it has rarely aired with a content adversary warning. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. I like it and think that you should watch it, but not everyone has my opinion of this show. My Viewing Habits- I came in during the second season and have mostly watched since. Now that I have a blog about it, I will probably watch every new episode until the show ends, if it does. Prediction- It will last as long as it has the same host, enough viewers, and enough money. If the host changes, it might leave the airwaves shortly after although another network like the CW might still have faith in it which could lead to a dramatic retooling of the show plus a fight with any other networks that might want it (if any do). Besides, this is the type of show that can be off the air for an extended amount of time and suddenly return with new people. Reception: good, although seasons vary. Grade: A-. I have a blog about the show:

 

Blog link: https://adamdeckersurvivor.blogspot.com

 

The Masked Singer: Status- Currently on FOX at 8/7 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- It turns out that Shad Moss, whose career I follow for a blog, was on the show so I watched it to see what it was like. Noteworthiness- This is adapted from a South Korean show and is the first non Asian adaptation of the show. Description- Different celebrities in masks compete on a singing show where the loser gets unmasked. While all get unmasked at some point, the winner goes the longest without this fate. Notable People- Ken Jeong, from Community and Dr. Ken, is a judge on the show. Pros- This doesn’t have as bad a voting problem as other reality competition shows since what we see is always pretaped. Even if they aren’t professional singers, they can still be good. Cons- Some have complained that the results of voting is too random and can eliminate great professional singers from the game too soon. Too much of this seems wasted on the banter between the judges and host or trying to guess the identities of the singers. They never seem to criticize bad singers as much as they are too focused on who is who. I do not like the newer wildcard twist as I find it unfair. Note to Parents- This is a good show for the family most of the time. Recommendation- I think that it is a good show in the end and worth keeping up with if you don’t care much about anything else. My Viewing Habits- I saw this once for a blog and returned to it later when Survivor was on an extended hiatus. I don’t know yet if I will see it again due to scheduling conflicts. I only care about who is on it, but don’t have to watch the show to learn about who is on it. Prediction- This will probably last quite a while since it is said to be one of the most watched shows now. Reception: somewhat mixed. Grade: B-.

 

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: Status- Currently on Wednesdays at 8/7 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- The plot is good and gripping. It is very interesting and keeps you coming back for more. Cons- Its connections with other shows are quite a problem. It drags 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 like there are in all of the Arrowverse shows. There are gay and bisexual characters on 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 have missed a lot. 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. It might be in more danger of ending in the future than other shows in the franchise, but we’ll see. Reception: mixed to positive. Grade: A.

 

The Conners: Status- Currently on Wednesdays at 9/8 Central on ABC. Why I’ve seen it- I had a dream about it once and the time to check it out at one point. Noteworthiness- This is a spinoff of the show Roseanne set after her death with the rest of the family on the show. It was created after the star of Roseanne was fired and a version of the show without her was decided to be made in its place, mainly this show. Description- A family deals with various issues and living their lives. Notable People- This has Sara Gilbert who was on The Talk and The Big Bang Theory. Pros- There’s enough of a story in there to keep some people interested in it. Cons- It didn’t seem funny enough or interesting enough to me to watch again. Note to Parents- This might not have too much wrong with it in terms of content, but I’d watch for yourself and decide for yourself what to think. Recommendation- Don’t bother with this show. My Viewing Habits- I only watched this once and don’t plant to watch it ever again. Prediction- I think that this will last. Reception: generally favorable. Grade: D. New review

 

Tough as Nails: Status- Currently on Wednesdays at 9/8 Central on ABC. Why I’ve seen it- At the time, I watched a new CBS show at least once. Description- Men and women compete at real job sites and on two teams to see who is the toughest of them. Notable People- Phil Kogan, the host of The Amazing Race, also hosts this show as well. Pros- It is nice to see something sort of different and contestants that are out of the individual competition are still part of the team competition so that can help them earn money still in the game. I like the show. Cons- Not all of this is worth keeping up with. Note to Parents- There isn’t anything wrong with the show based on what I saw of it. Recommendation- I think that it is worth watching and keeping up with. My Viewing Habits- I’ve seen maybe all of the first season, but have not watched it since due to wanting to see less TV. Prediction- This is renewed for a fourth season already and I see this as lasting for a while. Reception: somewhat good. Grade: B. New review

 

Batwoman: Status- Currently on the CW at 9/8 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I watch all of the Arrowverse shows when I can as this is one of them. Noteworthiness- Part of Arrowverse, this is also adapted from a lesser known comic book character. It also became more notable for replacing its main character with a different one. Description- With Batman missing, a new hero seeks to save the city of Gotham. Pros- The show is interesting as it has some complex characters and can be wonderful like a well made psychological thriller. Cons- It is likely that the first season will be too different from the rest of them. Note to Parents- The main character is gay as are some other people in the show as well. There is also a lot of violence and the occasional sex, but not too much of the last one. Recommendation- I would say that you should watch this and it isn’t as related to the rest of Arrowverse the way other shows are. My Viewing Habits- I have seen this since the first episode and hope to see every one. I have not seen every one. Prediction- This will last until at least 100 episodes, if not later. Reception: mixed or average. Grade: A.

 

Alter Ego: Status- Currently on FOX at 9/8 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I try to watch one new FOX show at least once. Description- Ordinary people compete as CGI alter egos in a singing competition of sorts. Notable People- This has singer Nick Lachey as a panelist. Pros- If you like your typical singing show, you would like this. Cons- It seems nothing more than a take on The Masked Singer but with gimmicks making them ordinary people instead. The judges aren’t as critical as they could be or need to be at times, although there weren’t bad singers the first time. Note to Parents- The only thing to worry about this is song lyrics that might not be appropriate. Recommendation- This isn’t worth your time in the end. Don’t bother with it. My Viewing Habits- I’ve watched the first episode, but won’t see it again. Prediction- I have no idea if this will last or not, but currently don’t have high hopes for it lasting that long. Reception: bad. Grade: D+. New review

 

Home Economics: Status- Currently on ABC at 8:30/7:30 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- It worked with the schedule at the time. Description- A family comedy, each adult sibling lives in a different social class and has personal issues of their own as they deal with each other. Notable People- This stars Topher Grace from That ‘70s Show, Jimmy Tatro, who had a minor role on Modern Family in addition to various other roles, Sasheer Zamata, who was on Saturday Night Live, and Karla Souza, who was on How to Get Away with Murder. Pros- It seems pretty interesting and good from what I’ve seen of it thus far. Cons- It needs to make itself more different than other shows like it. Note to Parents- There are lesbians on this show and sex happens a lot, although most of it is implied. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. I like this show and watch it. My Viewing Habits- I’ve seen this since the pilot, but have not seen every episode. Prediction- This is likely to last for now. Hopefully it will keep lasting. Reception: generally favorable. Grade: C. New review

 

CSI: Vegas: Status- Currently on CBS at 10/9 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I’m a fan of the CSI franchise so I wanted to watch this new one as well. I blog about CSI: Cyber. Noteworthiness- This is a continuation of the original CSI, largely focusing on a new team, but also bringing back people from the original team returning. Description- We return to characters from the original show solving new mysteries and dealing with potential issues of old teammates. Notable People- This has a lot of the original cast returning, including William Petersen, Jorja Fox, and Wallace Langham. It is also created by the same franchise creator as the four previous shows, Anthony E Zuiker. Pros- I felt that this was quite a good show and worth keeping up with. Cons- It can be too mysterious for its own good and also could ruin what’s previously part of the franchise. Note to Parents- Don’t let preteens watch this, but teens and older can. Recommendation- This is good and worth watching. My Viewing Habits- I plan to watch every episode about this to blog about it. Prediction- I don’t know if this is going to last now. You’d think that it would, but the main thing against it right now is whether or not it is just a short term plan in the end. It is going to last 10 episodes this season so we’ll wait to see if there will be more episodes and/or more seasons. Reception: great. Grade: B+. New review

 

Blog link: https://adamdeckercsivegas.blogspot.com/