Coronavirus Changes 3: The Coronavirus Storylines

With shows delayed for as long as they have been due to coronavirus, a lot of them have finally come back to air future seasons. More still are waiting for their return dates as they were never meant to come back sooner this time around due to all of the delays that take place. But there is one notable change that is worth discussing that is happening much to the chagrin of people who were wanting to watch shows to escape the pandemic. That change is quite clear based on the title of this post.

It only seemed natural that such a thing would happen. Sure, some shows probably went back to what they had planned to do before the shutdowns at least starting out. But then they felt that they had to something about one of the biggest stories of the year. Plus, some of them might have honestly just wanted a reason why the characters would be in masks a lot of the time so they have to worry less about the risk of infection on the show.

Plus, it would be hard for a medical show not to talk about the biggest medical crisis this world has seen since the invention of the television itself. Other shows would want to target the issue as well. I mean, even with everything else going on in the world, you’d still want to cover the pandemic. I know that there has been racism against those perceived to Chinese as a result of this. I’d imagine that a show like Grey’s Anatomy could cover the aspect of medical treatment to someone affected by this pretty well while a show like S.W.A.T. has already covered some of the police aspect of it when a main character’s mother was affected by this sort of thing.

What other aspects could be covered? It is hard to tell just how many shows will cover it and a lot of shows might not actually cover it at all if they would rather discuss other things instead. I’d have to imagine that some do want to try to escape from the pandemic by not focusing on it at all. Others aren’t even set in this world so they wouldn’t need to put in real world issues. Some would be better off not focusing on issues like it. And reality competition shows don’t really need to cover them since their focus is on something else instead. They might put in fake crowd shots like in The Masked Singer. Other shows are set before this pandemic happened. Others still were set to air earlier so there’s no need for them to do subjects about it unless they are renewed for future seasons.

One of the most important things that needs to be done is coordination between shows. For instance, now that NCIS: New Orleans has set some of this show during the pandemic, pretty much every other show still on that’s part of the franchise will now have to put this in the storylines. For instance, NCIS is set to, I believe, at some point in the future. NCIS: Los Angeles must as well, although they still might be covering the planned episodes from the previous season first.

Both MacGyver and Magnum P.I. will also have to cover the pandemic as well. Otherwise, we’ll have to split the canon of those shows into two different aspects where one covers the pandemic and the other doesn’t. I do believe that MacGyver might have been the show that lost the most planned episodes so they may take the longest to write the pandemic onto the show provided that they don’t just start over and repurpose this for later. Some scripts and planned plots could be put in new stories.

Honestly, there isn’t much else to cover about this just yet. Some shows have been better off and have ran as usual on TV. Whether or not they will address the pandemic is currently unknown. How much we will see of it on other shows remain unknown at this point in time. As for how a franchise plans to cover it has to be made clear as one show can’t cover it without all the other shows forced to as well. Let’s hope that there is some coordination between the showrunners as a result. As for all of the plots that we will see, I plan to watch as usual and hope that they are good.

A Recap or a Common Courtesy

Maybe it is just because now that shows have been gone for quite a while, when they come back, they can be confusing in some ways. But I think that something good can be done easily to help viewers. It is often done, but since it isn’t, it is good to remind people what it is and how helpful it is. All that we need is a simple recap to keep track of what’s going on with the show.

While some might be annoyed with shows that always begin with a recap, this seems strange to me. But that might not be the case. I like recaps. I can get annoyed when I miss them. I also get annoyed at times when they aren’t there.

It isn’t too bad when recaps aren’t there provided that they have never been part of the show. Thus, you aren’t too annoyed when they never happen because they aren’t part of the show much in the first place. But when they are there, even rarely, you can get annoyed when they aren’t.

What’s especially annoying is that some shows that have recaps don’t keep doing them. Once a staple of the show Survivor, recaps have disappeared in recent seasons. And they don’t even have a theme song anymore either. When recaps disappear from shows, that is especially annoying.

But the most annoying things about a lack of recaps is when a new season starts after a long gap of time has passed between seasons without a basic courtesy of what happened before the show went away. Even during a simple hiatus of a show with a long stretch of time between episodes in the same season, it would help to remember what happened even if we have seen all of what happened before the break. That is why we need recaps in the world of television.

Wish List for the Final Season of Supergirl

I had thought of this idea for a while now, but it was too late to do it in previous season’s posts. Now that I know that the upcoming season of Supergirl will be its last, I might as well do a post on all of what I want to see from the show’s final season. I doubt that they will follow all of them, even if they had any control over it. But these are some of the things that I want to see from this show’s final season. Expect there to be more of these for final seasons of shows that I watch.

1: Don’t kill off Supergirl at the end. Considering how you just did the same thing with Oliver Queen last season, I’d have to recommend against this. She could still appear in other shows in the franchise if you avoid killing her off. If you want to signify her story coming to an end, maybe give a good reason why she would give up her powers, move to another planet full time, or otherwise retire from being the superhero that she is in the end.

2: Set up some links to Superman and Lois. Since this newer Arrowverse show is clearly there to be like this old show and would have different links to it in the end, this is the only time to include all of the Easter eggs that you can between the two shows, even though it might be likely that there won’t be an official and big crossover between both shows ever instead.

3: Make an appearance or otherwise do something relating to Oliver Queen. While he is dead in the show, it is hard to say goodbye to the known trinity of this show the way things are now already. There could be more with them or perhaps a hand off to a new trinity would work as well.

4: Resolve things with her new journalist friend. I forget his name, but they introduced him in the season before the upcoming one as what I felt could be a possible love interest. They also seemed to sow the seeds that he knows her true identity or could easily figure it out. If she is to go out with a love interest, this would be the time to do it in the end. And he’ll make more sense than anyone else.

5: Do a what if Leviathan won episode. I doubt that they could actually have this group wipe out ¼ of all life on earth. It could be interesting to see considering how it would have major affects on the whole universe of this show, but it just shouldn’t be done for real. But, there could be a special way that they take care of this potential plot point by putting Supergirl or someone (perhaps a group of people) in the world where Leviathan wiped out ¼ of the world’s population just to see what that would be like.

6: Keep Lex alive this time. While killing him off only seemed temporary in the season finale of this show’s earlier season and the potential for him to be the season’s final big bad (unless someone else has been announced as that already) is a big urge for them, I want to see his dynamics with Superman that we won’t get to see otherwise if he stays on this show all the time and he dies forever this time.

7: Have Lena switch to Superman and Lois. It would be good to set up the changes that would happen to the shows that are connected like this if we see at least one of the characters from this show switch to the other at some point in time. While that isn’t always feasible depending on what happens with the actors and other people on the show (I mean, I thought that some people from Arrow might be put on other shows and they still could be, especially if they make Green Arrow and the Canaries in a show), it would still be nice to have at least one character from this show move on to a different one.

8: Give Brainy and Nia a happy ending. They or at least someone deserves to see this in the end. There have been a lot of ups and downs in their relationships thus far, which is all the more reason that they need to be good in the end and stick together.

That’s all that I want to see from the final season of this show. I can only hope that it happens in the end. Now some of you might have gotten tired of Arrowverse related posts in this blog since I had talked a lot about Arrow after it ended. But they won’t be over as I got a lot more of Supergirl to share about and discuss in the future, although I plan to wait until after the show is over and, like last time, only do one a month. I also plan to cover another Arrowverse related post in the end probably next month. As for what else I want to do with this blog, you’ll have to see what happens when I write them and I honestly don’t know what will happen for sure. I do hope to get a post on the cancelled shows of this previous season done soon with special notes on things that could go wrong. Until then, stay tuned.

Saturdays in Primetime Version 4

It isn’t often that I review shows on Saturdays as it isn’t often or long that shows air then. In fact, the one new review that I’m adding might already be done airing, but I feel like including it anyways in case it isn’t over just yet. Now let’s get to the reviews.

Manhunt: Deadly Games: Status- Currently on CBS on Saturdays now. Why I’ve seen it- I watch every new CBS show at least once despite the fact that this isn’t really a CBS show. Noteworthiness- This is based on true stories. Part of this is based on the story of Richard Jewel. This also previously aired on cable before it repeated these episodes on CBS to make up for production slowdowns due to covid19. Description- Law enforcement tries to find the person or people who did a bombing while a man has to deal with being falsely accused of the crime. Notable People- It stars Desmond Harrington who was also on Elementary for a season. Pros- This seems pretty good and interesting even if one can be spoiled to what happens by simply looking up what happened in the past. Cons- There could be a bit too much in there at once while also dragging things out for a while. Note to Parents- Teens can watch this, but kids should not. Recommendation- I like it feel that it is good to watch and keep track of. Prediction- There are no plans for any more of this after what airs as it is meant to air for only one season. If they use the title of this again, it would likely cover a different story as they have already done in the past. Reception: possibly positive. Grade: A. New review

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. Note to Parents- Don’t let your kids watch this. It is far too dark for them. 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. My Viewing Habits- I have seen this at times, but don’t tune in most times as it isn’t my cup of tea. 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.

Wednesdays in Primetime Version 7

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 often shows the Chicago franchise all night, but not just yet. The CW shows Devils and Coroner. CBS shows various shows right now. FOX is airing The Masked Singer and I Can See Your Voice.

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-.

Devils: Status- Currently on the CW at 8/7 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I tend to watch a new CW show at least once. Noteworthiness- This is a British show that has aired in the US. Description- I don’t quite understand the plot of it. It relates in some way to banks. Notable People- This stars Patrick Dempsey who is a movie star and also starred in Grey’s Anatomy. Pros- This show is ordinary so one would know what to expect from it. Cons- I couldn’t make much sense of this and didn’t like it as a result. Note to Parents- This is probably not good for kids. Recommendation- Don’t bother with this. Prediction- I have no idea if it will last here or there, but know that it probably won’t here even if it does there and don’t care if it lasts here or not. Reception: good. Grade: F. New review

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 much of this seems wasted on the banter between the judges and host or trying to guess the identities of the singers. Note to Parents- I haven’t seen enough of this to know if it is bad, but my guess is that this is something the whole family could watch. 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 and don’t know yet if I will see it again due to scheduling conflicts. Prediction- This will probably last quite a while since it is said to be the most watched show now. Reception: somewhat mixed. Grade: B-. New review

The Amazing Race: Status- Currently on CBS at 8/7 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- It was originally something that my family was into. Description- Teams of two different people race around the world to hopefully win a million dollars. It is a reality show. Pros- There is a different group of people each season, in case you don’t like one. It has some interesting moments and is hard to get out of once you start watching on episode. The critics love it and give it awards. Cons- If you don’t get into it soon enough, it won’t interest you. The problems that happen to the contestants that lead to a commercial break tend to be solved when it returns before a minute has past. It can be hard to stay into the whole season sometimes. Every episode follows the same basic premise and can get predictable. It isn’t as interesting as other shows are. It can be a bore sometimes with the redundancy of what always happens in every episode. There have been times where they hired contestants who have already worked on other reality shows. It can still be seen as a work in progress despite it being on the air a long time. Contestants have regularly gotten screwed in challenges on the show. Note to Parents- This is probably acceptable for your kids to watch, although it is borderline on that front. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. Like most reality shows, you may not like it, you may loathe it like every reality show, or you can’t live without it. My Viewing Habits- I used to watch this all the time, but stopped watching as I felt it couldn’t do anything it hadn’t already done. While I don’t watch this anymore, I still like it. Prediction- I’m not really that sure about what will happen with this anymore. It might be approaching the end of its life on TV. Or it might stay around for longer. Reception: positive then more negative. Grade: C-.

American Housewife: Status- Currently on ABC at 8:30/7:30 Central on Wednedays. Why I’ve seen it- It aired with a show that I liked and nothing else that I cared about was on at the time. Description- This is more or less your average sitcom revolving around a family of people. Notable People- This show stars Katy Mixon from Mike and Molly. Pros- This is better than what one might expect. Cons- Some of it is dumb and way to similar to other shows. Note to Parents- There is enough in here that will be bad for kids, although a lot of shows are way worse. There are lesbian characters. Recommendation- Take it or leave it. I like it, but I know that it isn’t for everyone. My Viewing Habits- I started watching it into its first season, but never cared that much about whether or not I tuned in a lot. I have missed parts of it at times due to me choosing other shows at the time. Prediction- This might be in more danger since it moved to Fridays, but could last longer. Reception: mixed. Grade: B-.

Coroner: Status- Currently on the CW at 9/8 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I tend to watch a new CW show at least once. Noteworthiness- This is a Canadian show that is airing in the US. It is based on the Jenny Cooper book series. Description- This is a murder mystery show largely shown from a coroner’s perspective. Pros- What I’ve seen of it thus far is pretty interesting and worth watching. Cons- It can be odd in some places, hard to follow and understand in others. Note to Parents- This is probably not something that kids should be exposed to, but teens are okay to watch this. Recommendation- I would have to say that one should watch this. Prediction- Whether or not it last doesn’t depend on US viewers, but will depend on Canadian viewers instead. Whether or not it lasts and airs here is another thing. I predict that it will last here as long as it lasts there. Reception: good. Grade: B. New review

I Can See Your Voice: Status- Currently on FOX at 9/8 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I often now watch a new FOX show at least once when it airs. Description- A contestant has to figure out who can sing and can’t sing with the identification of good singers (or at least one) if they can pick who all is bad, getting money as a result, all without hearing their voice. Notable People- Ken Jeong from Community and Dr. Ken is the host and creator of this show. Pros- The show is pretty straightforward. Cons- I don’t know how much of this could be considered fair to every contestant who does this game. Note to Parents- I doubt that much of this would be bad for kids. Even use a V-chip or see if the reason that it is PG (unless it is ever outright G) is something that you have an issue with. Recommendation- I don’t think that this show is bad per say, but I don’t think that it is worth watching. Prediction- I think that it could last, but probably won’t if they don’t need extra shows like this. Reception: average. Grade: D+. New review

Black-ish: Status- Currently on ABC at 9:30/8:30 Central on Wednesdays. Why I’ve seen it- I had time the one time I tuned in. Noteworthiness- This is based on a true story or might have been at one point in time when it first started out. Description- This sitcom is about a black family. Pros- It is popular with critics. Cons- I thought that this show was terrible. I didn’t find any of it funny nor did I understand the purpose that it had. Note to Parents- Having only seen one episode, I don’t know what to put here. It might be okay for kids, but I really don’t know for sure what to tell people. Recommendation- I wouldn’t watch it, but that’s just me. My Viewing Habits- I don’t watch it. I only saw it once then had no interest in watching it again since it just didn’t click with me. Prediction- This will keep lasting longer. Reception: positive. Grade: D. 

48 Hours: Suspicion: Status- Currently on CBS at 10/9 Central. Why I’ve seen it- I always watch a new CBS show at least once. Noteworthiness- This is a spin-off of 48 Hours that arguably isn’t even a different show. Description- I have no idea what makes this different from the rest of the 48 Hours franchise other than a supposed difference of some sort. Pros- It is exactly what you’d expect from this type of show. Cons- I don’t tend to like true crime most of the time, so I don’t like this. Note to Parents- This is not something that kids should be exposed to. Recommendation- Don’t watch this. Prediction- It might not last, but that won’t matter as long as the parent show stays around. Remember 48 Hours: NCIS? Reception: unknown, but probably what I have for the regular 48 Hours. Grade: D+. New review

Fall Shows 2020 Part 1

With not much of a schedule known yet, I still find it necessary to cover the first half of the new or sort of new shows that are on at the fall before I get to next set of reviews for the later airing shows at some point. I have more of the days of the week of primetime to cover as well so those should be done after this post for a while.

Manhunt: Deadly Games: Show Description- Based on a true story, law enforcement tries to find the person or people who did a bombing while a man has to deal with being falsely accused of the crime. Behind the Scenes- Part of this is based on the story of Richard Jewel. This also previously aired on cable before it repeated these episodes on CBS to make up for production slowdowns due to covid19. It stars Desmond Harrington who was also on Elementary for a season. My Thoughts- This seems pretty good and interesting even if one can spoil themselves to important plot details simply looking up what happened in the past. I like it feel that it is good to watch and keep track of. I give this show four out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- There are no plans for any more of this after what airs as it is meant to air for only one season. If they use the title of this again, it would likely cover a different story as they have already done in the past. Where to Find- On CBS on Saturdays now

Star Trek: Discovery: Show Description- A prequel to the original Star Trek, we learn some of what happened on a different star ship. Behind the Scenes- It originally aired on CBS All Access and is airing repeats now due to the coronavirus. My Thoughts- I find this to be interesting in different ways. While there are some ways it can be mysterious, I think it is a good show worth watching. I give it four out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- It will probably last on CBS: All Access. I doubt that it will rerun a lot on CBS, though. Where to Find- On CBS at 10/9 Central on Thursdays

Departure: Show Description- A plane goes missing and people have to figure out what went on. Behind the Scenes- Archie Panjabi from The Good Wife and Blindspot is a character on this show. I think that she is the lead. My Thoughts- It seemed pretty good, although I’m not sure how there will be enough material for the show to last. I also have no idea how much beyond the first episode is available for free. I give it four out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- I don’t think that this will last, although it can. It is worth noting that since this is a Canadian show, the ratings here don’t matter. Where to Find- Available to stream on Peacock

Filthy Rich: Show Description- A supposedly religious family who is very rich have to deal with what is believed to be the loss of the patriarch of the family and his most notable secret: three kids from affairs. Behind the Scenes- This was filmed a long while ago, once planned to air when Deputy did all the way back around February. My Thoughts- This show is awful, even without the religious overtones. There is not much that is worth watching about this outside of the obvious plots. I give it one out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This might not last, although it is possible that it will. I’d bet on it not continuing over it sticking around. Where to Find- On FOX at 9/8 Central on Mondays

LA’s Finest: Show Description- Two women cops dealing with solving crimes and other issues with their lives. Behind the Scenes- This has aired on Charter before it aired here. My Thoughts- I like a lot of this show as it has interesting plots and characters. I’ll admit that there are the usual sexual objectification problems that you might see from time to time, but other than that, it isn’t too bad. I give it four out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- I have no idea if it will last or how much of it will now air on FOX. It does not really matter as much whether or not lasts here or not. So a prediction is pointless Where to Find- On FOX at 8/7 Central on Mondays

Cosmos: Possible Worlds: Show Description- A science documentary, we see different aspects of life from important scientists from the past. Behind the Scenes- This is hosted by famous scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson. It also aired on National Geographic before it came to this network, although it was at one point supposed to be on FOX first.  My Thoughts- It can be interesting, but parts of it, I found annoying. For one, Christians may not like it even though it doesn’t really attack Christianity that much. (It is more beliefs that don’t align with Christian beliefs that are the issue.) Also, it seems strange that they are using animation for a lot of this instead of live action recreations. I give this three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- This is only meant to air for one season so it won’t last. Where to Find- On FOX at 8/7 Central on Tuesdays

I Can See Your Voice: Show Description- A contestant has to figure out who can sing and can’t sing with the identification of good singers (or at least one) if they can pick who all is bad, getting money as a result, all without hearing their voice. Behind the Scenes- Ken Jeong from Community and Dr. Ken is the host and creator of this show. My Thoughts- I don’t think that this show is bad per say, but I don’t think that it is worth watching. I also don’t know how much of this could be considered fair to everyone in the game. I give this two out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- I think that it could last, but probably won’t if they don’t need extra shows like this. Where to Find- On FOX at 9/8 Central on Wednesdays

Emergency Call: Show Description- People recreate real 9-1-1 calls to give us a way of understanding dispatchers. Behind the Scenes- This is a revival of an old show. It is also hosted in a way by Luke Wilson who also stars on Stargirl. My Thoughts- It was interesting in some places, but also hard to keep track of. It didn’t seem to keep track of everything in a good way. I give this two out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- I don’t think that this will last long. Where to Find- On ABC at 10/9 Central on Mondays

NeXt: Show Description- People worry about the danger of AI and other issues in the world today. Behind the Scenes- This was supposed to air earlier, but didn’t due to delays with coronavirus. My Thoughts- It seems interesting even though it is a bit cliché in some places. I give this three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- It is labeled as an event series so I doubt that it will stick around unless there is a major change at some point. Where to Find- On FOX at 9/8 Central on Tuesdays

Devils: Show Description- I don’t quite understand the plot of it. It relates in some way to banks. Behind the Scenes- This is a British show that has aired in the US. This also stars Patrick Dempsey who is a movie star and also starred in Grey’s Anatomy. My Thoughts- I couldn’t make much sense of this and didn’t like it as a result. I give it one out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- I have no idea if it will last here or there, but know that it probably won’t here even if it does there and don’t care if it lasts here or not. Where to Find- On the CW at 8/7 Central on Wednesdays

Swamp Thing: Show Description- Residents of a town have to deal with a mystery swamp and a creature of plant based life that came off from it. Behind the Scenes- This aired on DC Universe before it aired on television. My Thoughts- It can seem repetitive in some ways. But I’m going to stick with it and only hope that it has a good plot in the end. I give it three out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- It was already cancelled by its parent network. I doubt that this decision will be reversed, although it is possible that it could be at some point. Where to Find- On the CW at 8/7 Central on Tuesdays

One Day at a Time: Show Description- We see the adventures of a family in this sitcom. Behind the Scenes- Like a lot of the network schedule right now, this has aired on cable before it aired on this network now later. First it started on Netflix; then it moved to Pop TV. Now it is on CBS. It might also be the first show that I know of to feature a gender non binary character. My Thoughts- I felt that it was trying too hard in some places and wasn’t worth sticking around because it wasn’t that funny either. I give it two out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- I have no idea whether or not it will last or whether or not it will air much on CBS outside of what already is. I’ll say that it might last, just not on CBS. Where to Find- On CBS at 9/8 Central on Mondays

48 Hours: Suspicion: Show Description- I have no idea what makes this different from the rest of the 48 Hours franchise other than a supposed difference of some sort. Behind the Scenes- This is a spin-off of 48 Hours that arguably isn’t even a different show. My Thoughts- Since I don’t tend to like true crime most of the time, I don’t like this. I give it two out of five stars. Long Term Prospects- It might not last, but that won’t matter as long as the parent show stays around. Remember 48 Hours: NCIS? Where to Find- On CBS at 10/9 Central on Wednesdays

The FBI Declassified: Show Description- A true crime show, we see some of the real life cases that FBI agents have solved. Behind the Scenes- This is narrated by the woman who plays the FBI director on the CBS series FBI right now. My Thoughts- I might like this and watch it some depending on how much it avoids the whole murder episodes which I tend to not like as much. Long Term Prospects- I doubt that it will last that much beyond what has already aired or is planned to air for now. Where to Find- On CBS at 10/9 Central on Tuesdays

Top 25 Episodes of 2019

This is one of the last major posts that I need to get done in a while. I hope that the other one isn’t as late as it has normally been, but we’ll see. I do believe that this is the only one that I have to do this year outside of the reviews that I normally do. I had thought for a while what the best episodes of TV from the year 2019 are and decided to put them here in this blog finally. After doing some research so I could remember what they are all, here is the list of top 25 episodes. Remember that no show gets on this list more than once. Let’s get to it.

#25 Trump Guy from Family Guy- While you wouldn’t expect Family Guy to do something that good in the end, this was a pretty notable episode. In it, the Griffiths move to Washington when Peter gets a job with the Trump administration. We get to see a lot of things well addressed with the scandals of the Trump administration and even saw a new version of a chicken fight again.

#24 He Said, She Said from Brooklyn Nine-Nine- You probably wouldn’t think that a comedy would do a good job of addressing the me too movement or the serious subject of sexual assault. But not only did it do it, but it did it in a good way where we see the unfortunate realism of it yet still tried to move in a good way forward with the sensitive case at hand. I like how this was covered and can only hope that more shows of all genres can cover this well.

#23 oMens from The Gifted- Despite its cliffhanger at the end which I don’t mind since it didn’t leave any lingering questions, I would have to give the series finale of this show a good grade that is so good that it is on the best of 2019’s episodes list of mine. With nearly everything wrapped up, I didn’t mind that it had come to a sudden end that wasn’t that much of a surprise considering the low ratings that the show got in its second season. I am glad that they did as well as they did.

#22 Sink or Swim from 9-1-1- While I could have gone with the Bobby flashback episode, I felt that this one focusing on the tsunami was better. Largely set on one day then later turning into night, we saw the effects of a single disaster focusing on all of the characters of the series while having an important arc for other episodes in the series.

#21 The Beginning… from Gotham-Another series finale, we got a time jump where we caught up on the lives of the characters that were still around and even saw the beginnings of Batman himself. It was a great way to say goodbye to these characters while also catching up to where a typical series like this would begin if it were to happen in the future. It is how an origins story remains just that while setting up the potential for more without needing to see it at all.

#20 Into the Void from The Flash- The season premiere of this show started out what would be the arc of Crisis on Infinite Earths while continuing the previous cliffhanger. It was cool to see this start out what would be the way this show moved forward as it went along throughout the first half of the season. I do like all that it covered as it ever introduced the first big bad of the season which would be quite a good parallel to what would be going on with Barry throughout the season.

#19 Leaving the Station from Madam Secretary- Another good series finale, the show sought to wrap up one of the biggest issues with the country as a whole by finally passing the equal rights amendment. Of course, this is sadly just a work of fiction. But even going with an obvious ending of the last episode largely focusing on a wedding, we saw the series be wrapped up in the end in very good ways.

#18 Chapter 100 from Jane the Virgin- There are going to be a lot more series finales on this list beyond what you have seen already since a lot of shows provided good ending this previous year. This show had no exception to this rule as we saw what remained of the characters getting their last stories wrapped up in the end as yet another wedding happened for the last time this series.

#17 Pilot from Nancy Drew- It seemed like there were enough good first episodes this past year like there were as good last episodes. Taking what some would know about Nancy Drew, this show had a whole lot more than what you’d get if she were still a girl like she typically is.

#16 All’s Well that Ends Well from iZombie- What all is there to say? You’d think that some of what they could have done with this show’s ending might have worked better if they had gone in different ways than they did in the end. But it was still good to keep zombies around while having a lot of cures for those who wanted to be free of being zombies. The zombie hunters were taken out and it seems like all of the major plot lines were resolved with the main recurring villain finally getting his just desserts.

#15 Pilot from Batwoman- Even now, Arrowverse can introduce great new ideas into its franchise by showing a new character to its world. So much of this was great to see as we have one of the most complex villains in franchise history make her debut as the back story of Kate was revealed some.

#14 This Victory Alone is not the Change we Seek from The Red Line- You’d think that a show that was not really meant to air beyond one single season would have a good ending and you would be right. Even as stuff that has become unfortunately predictable in today’s world took hold, the cop responsible for a unarmed man’s death did get what he had coming to him. Everything else seemed resolved in the end which was a pretty good thing.

#13 Pilot from Prodigal Son- It seems that one of the most interesting things in the world of television today is introducing complex relationships between two family members where one is the protagonist and the other an antagonist. While still dealing with terrors from his childhood, the lead of this show has to bring his father back into his life to deal with cases at his place where he works solving crimes. It was a great way to introduce these characters and the intellect of the main character.

#12 The Quest for Peace from Supergirl- The fourth season finale had nearly everything as we saw it wrap up a lot of the season’s major plot points and proved just how good journalism can be. While Lex was taken out for a while (until the crisis), other major plot details were revealed to set the show on its way for future seasons.

#11 False Flag from NCIS: Los Angeles- Featuring the return of JAG characters that we hadn’t seen since that show ended, it was nice to have yet another good cliffhanger leading us into the next season of the show. From having a critical plot that could affect the whole country, they have to stop a war before it could happen in the end, making it another good way of leaving people wanting more.

#10 The Unbefriended from The Resident-While it is always hard to deal with emotional tolls that can happen on the main characters, this was yet another cliffhanger that would leave many wanting more in the end. There was a lot in the episode to keep people interested and that’s what I like.

#9 Please Say No One Else is Dead from How to Get Away with Murder- To think, after this episode had aired, we all wanted to know what happened to Yanni after her and her baby disappeared. There was a lot in this episode too, but that was the main detail that we cared about.

#8 Emerald Archer from Arrow- A landmark episode, I like how they tied in a documentary about the world of the vigilantes of this show with other, important characters of the show’s past. It is hard again not to like what is going on in this episode.

#7 The Stockholm Syndrome from The Big Bang Theory- The last episode of the show, of course they would want to do a lot of great things to wrap it up. From fixing the elevator to finally talking about the large molecule structure from the background of all the episodes, we saw Sheldon finally admit and realize that it was only through his friends that he kept taking advantage of that he was able to make it as far as he did. It was a learning experience for a lot of people in the end with a good way of putting all of the details of the show together.

#6 Pilot from The Passage- I promise that this is the last pilot of any series that I’m putting on this list. I mean, I do wish that they had names for these other than the generic ones. But this is the best of all of the pilots to make the list as we saw the series being introduced in a great way with all of the characters and the premise known very well going forward.

#5 Out of the Darkness from NCIS- With Ziva reintroduced to the show as alive, we got a kickass season premiere that couldn’t even fit all we wanted to in just one episode. With her and Gibbs always having a good way of having each other’s backs, she knew that she had to protect Gibbs even if it meant that she had to blow her secret of being alive. With so much detail given into existing back story that was now being expanded upon even more, it is hard not to like this in the end.

#4 Silent All These Years from Grey’s Anatomy- I know it was hard to reveal even more darkness into the back story of Jo, but this will forever be one of the show’s best episodes and most pivotal ones. While Jo got to meet her biological mother, she also helped a woman who was raped to ensure that others would get the help that was needed. I just feel bad for Jo since this started her on a spiral into depression, but it was still one of the best episodes of any TV show, if not the best from the previous year.

#3 Identity Part 2 from The Orville- With so much story going into just the second part of this episode, we saw an epic battle being fought that could change the future of humanity on this show. This was so well done that it was hard to know any way that they could have improved on the good plot.

#2 School from S.W.A.T.- With two stories running parallel to each other, one a flashback to an old school shooting and the other dealing with a potential future one, this episode was one of the best ones that could have dealt with this situation. The old shooter showed remorse for what he did while the potential new one, who was never shown on screen, didn’t get far in his plot, having only killed his mother and not get into the shooting aspect of things at all. It was hard to finds flaws with how they were able to handle this sensitive subject.

#1 In Memoriam from Riverdale- While they apparently had all of the previous season filmed when the death of Luke Perry happened, one would have to wonder how they would deal with this going forward when the show returned. They came up with such a great episode where we said goodbye to Fred Andrews in a very good way with everything wrapped up in the end.

That’s all for this post as I finished the last really big one that I need to do this year, even though there’s still other big ones that I need to do in the future sooner rather than later. I hope to not miss too many more of the Tuesday posts, but know that at least one in December won’t happen. And that’s provided that this day of the week isn’t done away with entirely. I plan to be back more often this month as I hope to roll enough Survivor episodes in the future to mean updating more of this blog.