The Upcoming Season

Friend of mine asked for TV recommendations for this season, and since I’m trying to get back into the whole blogging habit, thought I’d write up my TV thoughts for this upcoming year.

Ones To Watch (or at least give them a shot)

House–best show on TV, although I still haven’t seen last night’s premiere (hey, it’s fantasty football draft season, okay?).

Studio 60–the hour-long drama behind the scenes on an SNL-type show. Aaron Sorkin (Sports Night, West Wing, Few Good Men) is one of the best writers out there for witty banter. But he can’t do relationships, only the pursuit of relationships–but every time he writes the pursuit of a relationship he tries to make it into a relationship. So there are some flaws. Also, Mrs Hose and I saw the first episode of this (she’s a huge Sorkin fan and has openly told me she will leave me for Aaron Sorkin just as soon as he, you know, meets her)–it made me want to watch the second episode but I don’t know if it will work. Anyone who saw Sports Night or West Wing knows the Sorkin style. It works in some contexts like politics because everyone seems very intelligent and witty and deep down we want our leaders to be intelligent but approachable (witty). I’m not sure if that works for TV stars–do we really think behind it all they’re intelligent or likable? We shall see, I’m willing to give it a shot for at least one more episode. And no matter what, the end of the first episode will give you goosebumps. Sorkin is that good a writer.

30 Rock–the half-hour sitcom behind the scenes on an SNL-type show. Cast is great, commercials are funny (although no clips from the show that I’ve seen). But usually when two shows of different formats on the same network take on the same concept, one will fail. (When I commented on this to Mrs Hose said, “Oh, you mean like ER and Scrubs?” I really hate it when she goes and uses logic and stuff on me.) I’ll watch.

Heroes–there’s no hiding on this blog that I’m a geek, a nerd, a comic fan, a gamer, everything that the chubby kid with glasses who kicked your butt on the math tests grew up to become. So I will watch Heroes, I will like Heroes, and I will feel guilty about myself for liking Heroes. Deal with it, you algebra-failing dweeb.

Desperate Housewives–which series will show up, the witty first season, or the over-complicated second season? And does it even matter since nothing good is usually up against it?

Gray’s Anatomy–Outstanding writing on what could have been on otherwise run of the mill show has led to some of the best moments on TV in the past few years. The move to Thursday night shows confidence in the series. Another one to watch.

Survivor–Always fun, this year adds the race controversy with four racially divided teams. Burnett, you wacky funster!

Ones To Avoid (or at least not complain to mean when you watch them and they suck or find another hatch or something)

Lost–you already know how I feel.

The Nine–fox drama about a bank robbery or something. Whatever. The name is overly optimistic. I predict it won’t last The Four episodes in October.

Kidnapped–Ransom: The Series. Blah. If it works, I’ll watch on DVD.

Friday Night Lights–See Kidnapped.

Twenty Good Years–None of them depicted here on television.

’til Death–I didn’t like Everybody Loves Raymond. Why would I like Everybody Loves Raymond’s Goofy Tall Brother?

Everything else on ABC–if they have anything else, that is.

Everything else on CBS–unless you’re retired.

Everything else on Fox–unless you have an IQ below 60.