48 Hours review

I still don't know when I'll be here with a post on the new fall shows. I mean, some I want to see won't even start until next month. I'm still working on other posts in the meantime. Remember that I should be here at a very minimum of once a month. Also, I'm working on a new version of the primetime schedules for each day of the week. I'll even include a new section in each blog post. In the meantime, I'm just going to review the show 48 Hours as there's not going to be a good place to put it except by itself.

48 Hours: Status- Currently on CBS at 10/9 Central on Saturdays. There are times when it fills gaps in the schedule caused by cancellations on CBS, although that hasn’t happened in a while. Why I’ve seen it- I guess it was just me wanting to watch something that was on, although on occasion, I was interested in what the episode was dealing with. Description- A true crime series that is basically a documentary type show exploring a criminal case. Pros- The episodes are typically quite interesting. Cons- It airs at a bad time. It can also be gruesome and drawn-out. Recommendation- I guess that this is worth watching from time to time, although I don’t’ typically go out of my way to watch it typically. Prediction- Somehow it has remained a long time on the air despite it typically airing on Saturdays all the time. I imagine that it will continue to last a while. Reception: positive. Grade: B. 

Syndicated Game Shows

Well, it’s time that I get to talk about various syndicated game shows that are on television. I don’t know why I haven’t reviewed these shows before. I just hope that I don’t forget any shows while I’m reviewing these. I actually can’t think of many that don’t air on a specific network. But I should get to those later. That’s the plan at least.

Who Wants to be a Millionaire?: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. I forget who the current host is because it is constantly changing. Why I’ve seen it- I forget why, but it might have just been general interest in the show or something like that. Description- Contestants answer a multiple choice quiz with four choices for each question for a chance to potentially win a million dollars. Pros- Nowadays, there’s normally always a consolation prize for people who don’t win any money. Cons- The host changes often enough that you can lose track of who is hosting in each episode. That’s not to say that any of the hosts are bad, but it is something to remember since they tend to show old seasons with the newer ones. The questions can sometimes be too easy and other times are too hard. The lifelines or cheats keep changing and are thus hard to keep track of. This might be something that you’d have to watch all the time as contestant tend to spill over into other episodes. Recommendation- I like the show and find it interesting. I don’t currently watch it, but if it fit in my schedule, I probably would. Prediction- I say that this will probably last a good long while as host changes never seem to negatively affect the ratings of it. Reception: good. Grade: B.

Celebrity Name Game: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- It came on at a good time for me. Description- Two pairs of contestants compete against each other and with the help of celebrities to win money. Notable People- Craig Ferguson, who used to host the Late Late Show on CBS, is the host of this show. The celebrities are typically famous as well to some varying degree. Pros- The show is quite interesting. The game is fun to watch. Cons- The game doesn’t always see fair in every way. Sometimes, the host gives the answer away and it seems like points and games can be lost on technicalities. It seems like some celebrity helpers aren’t as good as others and could thus be affecting the game for some people. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. I watch it on occasion. Prediction- I’m not sure if this one will last or not. It might, but I’m not sure. Reception: good. Grade: C+.

Jeopardy: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- Probably interest in it and not knowing of other alternates at the time. Description- In a bit of a switch from the usual game show standard, the contestants are to give the correct questions to various answers. Pros- The show is informative and one can learn a lot from it. Cons- It being a daytime show can make it hard to find and stay into. Plus, it can be annoying that the winner of an episode gets to keep reappearing as often as they want to. Recommendation- I’d say that it’s probably worth watching if you can find it at a good time. Prediction- This will probably last a good while and might even survive the eventual change in hosts that will happen at some point. Reception: great. Grade: B.

Family Feud: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- It was on and I decided to watch it. Description- Two families of five compete against each other trying to figure out who answered what on a survey question. Notable People- Steve Harvey, a comedian who also has his own talk show, is the current host of this show. There were others before him. Pros- The show is funny and enjoyable. Cons- You don’t always see the person you want to win actually win. Some of the format is a bit strange. Recommendation- I’d say that it’s worth watching if you have nothing better to watch at the time. Prediction- This will probably last a good while, although, it’s possible that an inept host could result in low enough ratings that the show would get cancelled. Reception: good. Grade: A-.

Wheel of Fortune: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- I’m not sure, but this is the type of show that everyone probably has seen at one point or another. Description- Contestants spin a wheel and attempt to solve a world puzzle by guessing letters. Pros- The show is memorable in many ways. Cons- The phrases can be stupid a lot and one wonders why they are used. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. I don’t typically watch, but others may like it and find it more interesting than I do. Prediction- I’d say that this show will probably last, with the possible exception of a change of host. Reception: good. Grade: B-.

Elections Drinking Game

Well, I thought of another good drinking game, this one for elections in general. Remember that you do not have to play a drinking game and if you do, you take any risks with it. In fact, with my game, it might work to only take shots once for each commercial. So, here's the quick drinking game, that mostly just applies to election ads.

take a shot a positive ad airs, take two shots if a negative ad airs, take three shots if ad is both positive and negative, take a shot if they approve the message, take two shots if they do not ever approve the message, take four shots if ad is from a Super Pac instead of a candidate, take a shot if ad cites some sort of source, take a shot if footage from an opponent’s ad is shown, take a shot if the opponent is compared to someone else, take a shot if generalizations are made about either a candidate or political party, take a shot if people interrupt each other at a debate

Syndicated Talk Shows

There are various talk shows that exist in syndication. You’ll probably see them at daytime hours, although some are seen late at night. I’m not going to mention or list all of them. I’m sure that I’ve forgotten some that I’ve seen. I’m only mentioning syndicated talk shows and not ones that are network specific like The View. Hopefully, that will happen later. Please note that the reception segment may not be that good since Wikipedia barely talks about it. Anyways, on to the reviews!

The Meredith Viera Show: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- It worked out well for me to see it at the time that it aired in my region. Description- This, simply put, is a talk show hosted by Meredith Viera. Notable People- Meredith Viera was previously on The Today Show and Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Pros- This show might appeal to the more everyman type of person. Cons- A lot of daytime talk shows run the risk of being too bland for one reason or another. This show falls prey to that. It seems too boring and uninteresting focusing mostly on lame topics instead of something that will keep a person coming back all the time. Recommendation- I would pass on this show. Prediction- I have a hunch that this probably won’t last very long. I’ve been wrong before so we’ll see if that ends up being true or not. Reception: mixed. Grade: F.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- I forget why I first watched the show but it might have been just me wanting to see what was on TV at the time. Description- Ellen DeGeneres hosts an interesting and unusual talk show. Notable People- Ellen DeGeneres, well known lesbian comedian, is the host of this show. Pros- This show is quite interesting with its quirky games, audience participation, and wacky guests. It focuses on the everyman a lot. You typically see interesting celebrities. Cons- A lot of the bits go nowhere. Recommendation- I’d say that you should watch it if you ever can. Prediction- I say that this will probably go on for a long as the host keeps wanting to host the show. Reception: mostly positive. Grade: A+.

Maury: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- I wanted to see what all was on at the time and found nothing good on. Description- Typically, the plot of an episode is around seeing who the real father of a child is. Pros- There are legitimate issues that are being worked out. Cons- This show is a terrible monstrosity with how it affects various families and turns drama into just a one hour way of fighting with each other. Recommendation- There is no reason why any sane, self-respecting person would watch this. Prediction- Since it has lasted as long as it has, I doubt that it will end for a while. Retirement of the host is the only way I see it ending any time soon. Reception: critically panned. Grade: F.

The Doctor Oz Show: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- I honestly can’t remember. Description- Dr. Oz offers medical advice and has various other segments. Notable People- Dr. Oz, formerly a correspondent on Oprah, is the host of this show. Pros- You can learn a lot from this show. Cons- A lot of people have criticized the show and think that the medical evidence isn’t always that good or accurate. Recommendation- I don’t see it as that worthwhile since you can’t trust what is actually important or correct. Prediction- With it lasting as long as it has, it will probably stay on the air until Dr. Oz retires. Reception: mixed. Grade: D.

The Jerry Springer Show: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- Nothing good was on. Description- Jerry Springer gets people to have fights on national TV. Pros- It has a cult following. Cons- There is nothing remotely close to being good about this show since it is basically about causing as many problems as possible among the guests on it. Recommendation- Don’t watch it, unless you enjoy wasting your time watching other people have stupid problems for us. Prediction- Unfortunately, it does well enough in the ratings to keep surviving so until Jerry Springer retires, this shit will remain on the air. Reception: critically panned, even considered the worst TV show by TV guide. Grade: F.

The 700 Club: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- The Christian part of it interested me. Description- Various things are addressed in the show, it is supposed to mostly be a Christian talk show. Pros- Serious stories are shown. You get to see nice Christian stories and viewpoints a lot of the time. Cons- The show is fair too political for its own good. The main host has far too many controversial views over time. Recommendation- I’d pass, although if you skip the first fifteen minutes of the show, you’ll probably see good stuff afterwards. It is right at the point of being very good and outstanding, but fails too much due to all the politics and controversies that keep happening. Prediction- This will probably keep lasting a long time, even if hosts are changed, which would hopefully improve the show. Reception: very negative and controversial. Grade: D+.

Live with Kelly and Michael: Status- Currently syndicated in the various morning hours of the day on various networks throughout the country. Why I’ve seen it- I honestly can’t remember why I started watching it, although it was probably just because of how others in my family had seen it. Description- Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan cohost a morning talk show that is live on the east coast as least. Notable People- Kelly Ripa, former soap opera star, is on the show as the longer tenured of the two hosts. Michael Strahan, former sports player, current sports commentator, and also either current or former cohost of Good Morning America, is the more recent regular cohost. Pros- The show is quite interesting with Kelly’s bubbly personality. It is fun to watch and has interesting guests. Cons- The format isn’t that good, as it has a really long first segment and then various other shorter segments. Recommendation- I’d say that you should watch it if you either have time for it in the morning or you are awake when it airs. Prediction- This will probably last a long time. Only if they lose both cohosts at once somehow would I be concerned about it ending. But, chances are that they would just find replacements should one be needed the way they have before. Reception: positive. Grade: B.

Dr. Phil: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- Probably, a lack of alternatives plus a serious interest in whatever episode might have been airing when I saw it at certain times. Description- Dr. Phil McGraw offers advice and tries to help various people with issues that they have. Pros- This is much better than something like, say, Jerry Springer. Serious issues are addressed and solved sometimes. Cons- There’s a lot of more interesting things than this as it just focuses on random people a lot. Recommendation- I honestly don’t know what to mention here. You could watch it or you might not like it, depending on your viewpoints. Prediction- As usual, this will probably last until Dr. Phil retires, although it is very likely that he gets replaced by a similar type of person in the future should he ever stop hosting. Reception: negative. Grade: C.

Steve Harvey: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- It was on and I wanted to see something of some sort. Description- Steve Harvey hosts a talk show. Notable People- Steve Harvey, who currently hosts Family Feud and is a well-known comedian, is the host of this show. Pros- The show is interesting, despite not featuring notable people on it besides the host. Cons- As usual, it runs the risk of being too bland. Recommendation- It might actually be worth watching, unlike the vast majority of male hosted daytime talk shows. Prediction- I’d say that this will probably last a good while. Reception: mixed. Grade: B-.

The Doctors: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- It was on immediately after a show that I typically watched at the time. Description- A bunch of doctors offer health advice to the audience. Pros- You can learn interesting things. Cons- There’s been concerns that information on the show may not be accurate. Recommendation- Honestly, if it works out well for you to watch, then watch, but you aren’t really missing anything by not watching this. Prediction- Since they can always replace doctors on this show with other ones, I’d say that this show’s future on television is secured baring a decrease in ratings. Reception: mixed. Grade: B-.

Rachael Ray: Status- Currently syndicated on various networks. Why I’ve seen it- It originally aired at a good time for me to watch it. Description- Part cooking show and part talk show, Rachel Ray hosts a show. Pros- The show is interesting and actually has interesting people a lot. Cons- The cooking segments, as always, are stupid, to me at least. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. Prediction- This will probably last a while. Reception: negative. Grade: C+.

The Best and Worst Show of 2014

Okay, here’s a quick post that I will be doing. I will post here what I believe to be the best and worst TV show from 2014. The nominees for each were previously mentioned in either the Silver Globe Awards or the Golden Huckleberry Awards. Here’s the winner for each category.

Best show on television from 2014: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Worst show on television from the 2014-2015 TV season: Glee

Those are my thoughts for the best and worst of television from the previous year or TV season. I could list reasons why, but I think that I pretty much sum up my thoughts on shows in reviews for various TV shows that I’ve done over time. I could explain more of my reasons in the future, but I’m not sure that people care enough anyways.

Well, it is time for an update about this blog. For a while now, I’ve only been updating this blog on various Sundays. Now, I’m going to be going back to updating it sporadically. I will post at least once a month, probably more. I’ll still be here, just not when you might like.

Why Season Three Means Good Things for Your Show

The inspiration for this blog post comes from terminology used at a website that I like to check on every now and then called www.tvbythenumbers.com. They refer to something known as the syndication gods that can keep an otherwise lowly rated show on the schedule for another season. This only happens if certain criteria is met. Now I might refer to it in this blog as magic season 3. Basically, when a show is close enough to meet syndication requirements, the show might get renewed when it otherwise wouldn’t have been.

So what has to happen for the magic season three rule to apply? Well, if all of the seasons so far in this show must have had 22 episodes each in them. Otherwise, there will not be enough episodes for possible syndication. In this instance, bad ratings for season 3 may still you get a renewal. If you don’t have enough episodes, that alone will prevent your show’s renewal in the absence of good ratings. So, now you may be wondering what shows in the upcoming season will be part of magic season three. Hopefully, I can remember them all.

The show Mom will be on its third full season in the upcoming season. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will as well. Reign is another one on its magic third season. The Blacklist will be one of them as well. Brooklyn Nine-Nine will be on its third season. Don’t forget about The Goldbergs. You might wonder if Sleepy Hollow is. Well, it isn’t due to it being a limited run series. There might be others that I either can’t remember or don’t watch. Remember that this rule is mostly for just shows on network television as cable shows are different most of the time. Undateable also doesn’t have enough episodes just yet for season three to mean future syndication. The 100 also fails to do this.

That’s all that I can think of for this blog post. I couldn’t think of much to say. There are some times when the magic season 3 thing doesn’t work. It typically does, but not always. Be on the lookout for that in the future.

My Planned Viewing Habits: Fall of 2015

Well, it won’t be long before the upcoming TV season starts. So I might as well mention what viewing habits I plan to have in the upcoming season. Well, I’ll start with the fall of 2015 and I’ll mention other planned viewings in the future, hopefully. I don’t know if things will always go according to plan or not. There’s stuff that I’ll probably only watch once anyways. But, without any further ado, I might as well get to the planned viewing that I will be doing in the fall.

Remember that I have methods of recording shows so that I can see up to three shows at the same time. One, I will watch live, the second, I will record on my laptop using a TV tuner, and the third, I will record on VHS to watch later. There are a bunch of shows that exist that will be moved to midseason. So midseason shows that I plan to watch, whether they are existing or new, will be mentioned later, hopefully. I’ll only mention fall shows for now. Everything up to November will be covered in this blog post. Only new shows are potentially things that I won’t always watch more than once.

Here are the returning shows that I will be watching in the fall. On ABC, I’ll be watching are Once Upon a Time, Castle, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Grey’s Anatomy. There are also times when I might watch The Middle, The Goldbergs, Modern Family, Shark Tank, and 20/20. It is possible that I might get into (or at least once watch) the shows Fresh off the Boat and How to Get Away with Murder for two different reasons. The first show is linked to a comedy that I plan to watch and the other show is to bide me over until Thursday Night Football ends on CBS, but only if the new NBC show at 9 Central on Thursdays fails to interest me. On CBS, I’ll be watching 60 Minutes, CSI: Cyber, The Big Bang Theory, Scorpion, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS, NCIS: New Orleans, Hawaii Five-0, and Blue Bloods. I’ll be watching and blogging about Survivor, Madam Secretary, and The Good Wife. Once Thursday Night Football is over, I’ll be watching Elementary when it is back on. On the CW, I’ll be watching Jane the Virgin, The Flash, iZombie, and Reign. On FOX, I’ll be watching Bob’s Burgers, The Simpsons, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Family Guy, The Last Man on Earth, Gotham, Bones, and Sleepy Hollow. On NBC, I’ll be watching Law and Order: SVU, The Blacklist, and Grimm.

Then, there are the new shows. The new shows on ABC that I’ll watch are Quantico and The Muppets. On CBS, you guessed it, I’ll watch all of the new shows, Life in Pieces, Limitless, and Code Black. Once Thursday Night Football ends, I’ll watch Supergirl and Angel from Hell. On the CW, as there is only one new show, I’ll have to watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. On FOX, the only new show that I’ll watch is Minority Report. But, there are some of these that I may have a hard time being able to watch in the first place and thus, might not end up seeing as planned. For instance, I would have probably wanted to see Made in Jersey when it was on the air, but it was cancelled before I could see it. I forget why I wasn’t able to watch it like I normally would have. Anyways, the new NBC shows that I want to see are The Player, Blindspot, and Best Time Ever.

Well, that’s my plan for the fall. I’ll let you know around midseason what new shows I decided to keep watching and other planned viewing habits for that time. My biggest problem with starting to watch new shows is that I have a rule against putting something new on VHS as I don’t want to record something that I might not like in the end and thus have more than one episode of. I’d let you know the priority for how I would watch these shows, but I don’t think that I will just yet. I might later or I might not. But, hopefully, as the years pass, this will be a more regular feature of my blog.