My Top Ten Shows of 2009

As the year is coming to a close, many websites are touting their "Best of the Year/Decade" lists, and I've read enough of them to know that the best list is always your own list. Looking back on the countless hours of television that I've watched and how much I loved certain things for very different reasons, I can see why critics spend weeks on their lists - they're lots of fun to compile because you get to re-experience all the wonderful stories, but you get into serious debates with yourself, constantly second guessing and rearranging.

After so many changes of heart, you finally have to accept that it's impossible to get it perfectly right. I'm pretty happy with mine. I left off some shows that I love because they either didn't have great seasons this year, or because they are new and I don't feel like I've seen enough episodes to judge yet. Then there are a few that I left off because I haven't seen them yet--after reading the lists of my favorite tv critics, Maureen Ryan from the Chicago Tribune and Alan Sepinwall from the Star-Ledger, I have now moved Torchwood and Parks & Recreation up to the front of the line on things I need to watch.

10) Bones- Giving Booth a brain tumor and a coma dream in which he was married to Brennan gave a new burst of life to this show. Before that, things had fallen into a bit of a lull in which the interactions between the two main characters had become a cycle of life lessons. Now, however, their relationship has become the central focus of the show because Booth is keenly aware and dealing with his love for his partner on a daily basis, just as she is reaching a place where she is starting to realize her love for him. Someone could make a montage of all the emotion you can see in Booth's eyes when he looks at Bones--it would be the most romantic thing ever.

9) The Office- I love these characters so much after 5 years of awkwardness, hilarity, and sweetness, that I will continue watching for a long time. I recognize that the constrained setting means that storylines will be constrained as well and not always be at the same quality level as they once were. But the end of Season 5 was absolutely brilliant, interesting, and funny, as Michael, Pam, and Ryan formed the Michael Scott Paper Company. The beginning of Season 6 has had its ups and downs, but those Spring episodes remain one of my favorite parts of the entire show.

8) Mad Men- Season 3 was the year I fell in love with this show. I had always appreciated the exceptional writing, acting, and vision, but it was more of a fascination with what the characters would do than a deep desire to find out. Beginning with "Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency," all of that changed. With the finale "Shut the Door. Have a Seat," my obsession was sealed.

7) Chuck- Sure, I sometimes get annoyed with Chuck for not manning up. But at the end of the day, this is probably the show I have enjoyed the most over the past couple of years. It's well-made and fun, when it usually seems to be one or the other. After the Season 2 finale--"Guys...I know kung fu."--I knew what a wasted opportunity it would have been if the show didn't return. Luckily, I never had to deal with that. The show was renewed for a third season, which begins in January, and I rejoice.

6) Sons of Anarchy- The premise itself was intriguing enough to make me watch Season 1. Motorcycle club that serves as "The Law" in the small town of Charming, CA. Young man gains a new perspective on life when his son is born and he discovers his dead father's memoirs. All very loosely based on Hamlet. It was pretty great, especially in later episodes. Then Season 2 premiered in September, and I was excited to have something to watch on Tuesday nights. Little did I know that the end of the season premiere would shake me up and leave me in an emotional knot for the next 3 months. I've already written about how mind-numbingly amazing Katey Sagal was. It's worth repeating. She was incomparable.

5) Dollhouse- Aside from the final 3 episodes airing in January 2010, this show's life began and ended this year. It took a little while to find its footing, but it did--just as I knew it would--and it has since developed into as smart and engaging a show as Joss Whedon has ever done. We got to know the Actives (Echo, Sierra, Victor), the Clients (various), and the Dollhouse (Adelle, Topher, Boyd, Ballard, et al). Nothing was as simple as who was right and who was wrong. What this show presented was the idea that, no matter what heights technology reaches, you can't erase a soul.

4) Friday Night Lights- With its return to form in Season 3, fans have learned to forget that the abysmal second season ever happened. In 2009, FNL regained its clear eyes and full heart, and just as the saying goes, it couldn't lose. Tami became the principal at Dillon High School, Julie realized what a fool she had been for letting Matt go, Riggins had the

first healthy relationship of his life with the first girl he had ever loved--Lyla, and Coach Taylor had to deal with an even more annoying booster than Buddy Garrity--Joe McCoe, father of gifted freshman quarterback, JD. One of those limits of making a tv show that deals with high school is that you have to figure out the exact ages of your characters, and then acknowledge that you will have to let some of them go, no matter how talented they are. With "Hello, Goodbye," and "New York, New York," FNL gave beautiful sendoffs to Smash Williams and Jason Street. Then with the finale, a show-changing thing happened when Eric was fired from the Panthers and offered the head coaching position at the newly-redistricted East Dillon Lions. Season 4 would be no longer see our beloved coach at a well-established program, with funds and talent in abundance. Everyone loves a good underdog story. Friday Night Lights itself is one such story.

3) Battlestar Galactica- With the series concluding in March of this year, BSG had a lot of ground to cover in the ten episodes of Season 4.5. Who was the Final Cylon? Where would the fleet go now that their dream of Earth had been shattered by the discovery of a radioactive wasteland? What the heck was wrong with Starbuck? All of these questions, and more, were addressed, if not fully answered (but really, nobody wanted that--it would have taken away all the mystery). The highlights of the end of one of the greatest tv masterpieces of all time: 1) The Zarek-Gaeda coup. This is when characters were tested and true loyalties revealed. I loved seeing Starbuck and Apollo jump into action for Adama. 2) The Cylon history lesson in "No Exit." 3) The deterioration of Galactica, concurrent with the decreasing health of Laura Roslin. The performances of Mary McDonnell and Edward James Olmos were tragic and deeply moving. 4) The gathering of the fleet in "Daybreak." There's a line. Pick your side.

2) LOST- Every episode of Season 5 was full of momentum and tension. It took a while to get used to the time traveling, but after "316" (the episode in which Jack, Kate, Hurley, Sayid, Sun, and Ben returned to the island), it was clear that LOST was approaching its end. We knew that the show was no longer about getting off the island. The Oceanic 6 had come back, each for different reasons, but knowing that it was where they belonged. With the season finale and the possible "RESET" that happened when Juliet hit the bomb, people are concerned that all the character development over the past 5 years will mean nothing if she changed time and made it so that Oceanic 815 never crashes. That won't happen. Without having seen more than a couple of intriguing alternate reality commercials and some cryptic hints from EPs Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, I feel confident that 2010 will bring a phenomenal conclusion to one of the most complicated, but rewarding, viewing experiences I have ever had, and will ever have.

1) True Blood- So much of this year was about True Blood for me. Because of this show, I got some really great opportunities that have brought me closer to my dream of being an entertainment journalist. I got to interview Charlaine Harris twice. I started writing for my first website, and now True Blood has become part of my daily routine. I love the characters and the story. I think the cast, crew, and writers have managed to create something that's bizarre, funny, scary, emotional--and completely addicting.

Upcoming posts:

-Six Feet Under. I finished the fifth and final season about 2 months ago, but I haven't written about it yet, which is probably a good thing. It was kind of a soul-draining experience that I can only now talk about with any real sense of clarity.

-New Year's Resolutions, by which I mean the shows that I will watch in 2010.

Greatest TV Relationships, Part II

I've written before about my favorite couples on television, but this is a slightly modified list. I wrote it for my newspaper, so I tried to pick a variety of couples, and excluded a few that I personally love but aren't necessarily the best choices for a list of the greats.

"A few weeks ago, The Office cordially invited us to the wedding of Jim Halpert & Pam Beesly. Of all the romantic relationships that have been portrayed on television, few are as genuine or as full of love as the one between the adorable salesman and the soft-spoken receptionist. The phrase “made for each other,” which is perhaps overused, definitely applies to Jim and Pam.

Currently in its sixth season on NBC, The Office has been building to this point from the beginning. Remembering the sweet journey that brought Jim and Pam to getting married, the groom himself put it best in his rehearsal dinner speech: “Four years ago, I was just a guy, who had a crush on a girl, who had a boyfriend. And I had to do the hardest thing that I’ve ever had to do, which was just to wait. Don’t get me wrong—I flirted with her. For a really long time, that’s all I had. Little moments with a girl who saw me as a friend. And, a lot of people told me I was crazy to wait this long for a date with a girl I work with, but I think, even then I knew that…I was waiting for my wife.”

In thinking back over the relationship between Jim and Pam, I started to make a mental list of the best television couples. Then I wrote the list down. Here it is:

Eric and Tami Taylor, played by Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights. In a show so real that it transcends television, these two have a marriage that is a true partnership. Sure, they have arguments and struggles—over money, over raising their teenage daughter, over problems at work—but you never doubt that they will get through it together, with honesty and love. You need only watch the Season 1 finale, “State” to understand why the Taylors are included on this list.

Buffy Summers and Angel, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They were a human/vampire couple before it was cool to be a human/vampire couple. In fact, they resisted their relationship until they were powerless to stop it. She was the Slayer, the Chosen One whose life mission was to fight the forces of evil, and he was one such force of evil. But he had been cursed with a soul. He was a vampire tormented by all his monstrous acts, seeking redemption by helping those in need. Buffy and Angel faced demons and apocalypses on a daily basis, and that was the easy stuff for them. The obstacles: he lost his soul, she had to send him to a hell dimension, he moved away because he could never give her a normal life, she died for a few months… Viewers saw the depth of their love by how much pain they felt over each other, but what’s more—viewers saw their love was eternal because, in the midst of their messed up lives, being together brought them the greatest happiness they had ever known, or ever would know.

Sydney Bristow and Michael Vaughn, played by Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan, Alias. When a double agent falls in love with her CIA handler, things are never going to be easy. It took more than a year of unresolved sexual tension for these spies to finally come together. They had the cutest relationship ever, only to have their joy stolen away by an enemy terrorist organization. Don’t you just hate it when that happens?! Sydney was abducted, and her death was faked. Two years later, she awakened with no memory of what happened to her, expecting to return to the comforting embrace of her boyfriend, only to find that Vaughn had married someone else in her absence. Of course, his wife turned out to be a traitor to America, and they killed her. When Sydney and Vaughn did resume their relationship, they were a more world-weary couple with all their new baggage, but they did not allow it to harden them. Their love was as strong as ever, and they went on to find peace in marriage and in a son and daughter.

Lorelai Gilmore and Luke Danes, played by Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson, Gilmore Girls. For the first four seasons of this show, the timing was never right for them. One would have feelings for the other, one would be in a relationship with someone else, one would do something that created major tension in their friendship. It took a self-help book and decisive action to make them wake up and realize that they were in love. Annoying plot contrivances in later seasons drove them apart for a little while, but the whole world could see that the Luke and Lorelai relationship would last when they were eventually reunited.

Veronica Mars and Logan Echolls, played by Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring, Veronica Mars. They hated each other at first, but somehow, in spite of themselves, they became friends and developed an undeniable attraction. Logan could be immature and overprotective, and Veronica had some serious trust issues. They still make this list because they brought out the best in each other, and their love was strong enough to keep them connected even when they were broken up. They have some fundamental character flaws that keep them apart, but they’re still young and have the capacity to change. The show has been cancelled for a couple of years now, but fans continue to hold out hope that in the continuing fictional world, these two will end up together.

Temperance “Bones” Brennan and Seeley Booth, played by Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz, Bones. The non-couple couple of the list because it’s only a matter of time before they get together and live happily ever after. Theirs is a partnership in which completely opposite personalities complement each other to make an effective crime-solving team. She’s a brilliant forensic anthropologist who can tell you everything about a set of bones but lacks social skills with people who are alive. He’s an alpha male FBI agent with an innate talent at reading people. Booth and Bones have grown so much as human beings because of their work together. They have risked their lives numerous times to save the other, and demonstrated that they value their partnership more than anything. They might not be in a romantic relationship (yet!), but their chemistry is magical, and their love is no less than if they were an actual couple.

Chandler Bing and Monica Gellar, played by Matthew Perry and Courtney Cox Arquette, Friends. Ross and Rachel are considered to be the great classic couple in all of sitcom history, possibly in all of television history. Over the course of 10 seasons, those two were either on, off, or in a transition period. But in a far more nuanced storyline, Monica and Chandler became the stable couple of the show. A woman with OCD and a man with a fear of commitment, who were never more than friends, hooked up at a wedding and never looked back."

Epic Post

Apologies for my absence over these last few months! I know it was deeply upsetting to my readers--all 3 of you (Hi, Mom/Claire/Tina)--not to have me rambling about my television obsessions. Well, you asked for it - and now you're gonna get it! (Nobody "asked" for it in the literal, out-loud sense, but hypothetically speaking...whatever! You're gonna get it whether you want it or not!)

True Blood- Waiting for Season 3 has been very painful. To cope, I have rewatched Seasons 1 & 2 approximately 47 times. Also, I am still writing for TrueBloodNet.com, so I am not in complete withdrawal from the show. The actors returned to work last week, and news has been coming out about casting for new characters. I'm excited when I read these because it gives me things to speculate about instead of just freaking out over the unknown, like what the hell happened to Bill?!?!?!?!?!

Mad Men- Season 3 was outstanding, especially the second half. Normally MM is subtle, and viewers can glean from small moments of character interactions what the 1960s were like in terms of gender roles and social norms. Well, with "Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency" (S3, episode 6), a secretary ran over someone's foot with a John Deere lawnmower, and things never slowed down from there. Don had an affair with Sally's school teacher. Sal got fired. Joan smashed a vase over her jerk husband's head. Don secured an account with Conrad Hilton for his hotel chain. JFK was assassinated. Betty discovered Don's secret drawer, and all the lies upon which their marriage was based came crashing down. She ended up leaving him for a man she barely knew. As if that weren't enough, PPL, the British company that bought Sterling Cooper at the end of Season 2, was preparing to sell the agency to a rival ad firm. Rather than let that happen, Don joined together with Roger Sterling, Bert Cooper, and Lane Pryce to start their own firm. The finale was probably my favorite episode to date. Written and directed by executive producer Matthew Weiner (new television genius who joins the ranks of "People whose work I would watch no matter what"), "Shut the door. Have a seat" featured Don and his new partners trying to persuade certain employees to join them. Before any of this could happen, Don had to put aside his differences with Roger and admit that he needed Roger's people skills/client relationships or they would never have enough money to operate. From there, they got Pete Campbell through flattery--Head of Accounts. They got Harry Crane by saying 'join us or we'll lock you in the storage closet'--Head of Television Media. And they got Peggy Olson as their Copy Writer because Don was finally willing to tell her how much he valued her work and needed her help. "What if I say no? You'll never speak to me again." "No. I will spend the rest of my life trying to hire you." My favorite acquisition for Sterling, Cooper, Draper & Pryce--Joan as Office Manager. She's the one who will keep things running smoothly. She may be a glorified secretary, but it's a lovely truth to realize that without Joan, those guys would be completely lost. They set up shop in a hotel suite for the time being, and Season 4 will be about this new business. I am looking forward to Mad Men more than I ever have before.

Dexter- Season 4 has been pretty mediocre in my opinion. On the list of things that interest me: 1) John Lithgow as the Trinity Killer. He has repeated the same pattern of kills in cities across the US for 30 years. Each death represents a member of his family. So creepy, but so fascinating. 2) Seeing Dexter adjust to marriage and fatherhood has been interesting insofar as I was curious to see how he would indulge his "Dark Passenger" when he had a family to take care of. It hasn't presented any major obstacles. 3) I was glad to see Keith Carradine return as FBI Special Agent Frank Lundy, but he was killed when he got too close to discovering the true identity of Trinity. 4) Jennifer Carpenter's performance in the aftermath of Lundy's death was stellar. I have come to expect greatness from Michael C. Hall, and that greatness always overshadows the supporting cast. In the episode "Dirty Harry," I don't even remember what happened to Dexter, but Debra's emotional breakdown at losing the man she loved left a deep impression on me. Unfortunately, the list of things I care nothing about is much longer: 1) Angel's relationship with LaGuerta. 2) Anything having to do with Quinn. 3) Rita's flirtation with her neighbor. 4) Ghost Harry's useless advice. I really like James Remar, but his character has become superfluous. I understand that he is there to function as a sounding board for his son's killer thoughts, but he no longer brings about important character developments for Dexter like he used to. 5) Trinity's home life. I find it highly unbelievable that Arthur Miller would be able to keep up the elaborate act of being a deacon at his church, a volunteer house builder, and a devoted father and husband, when he is so crazy and has an explosive temper. I also find it highly unbelievable that there have never been any security cameras at his kill sights that would get him caught. Seriously, he beat one dude to death in an office, and another time he kidnapped a kid from an arcade. If that happened in real life, he would never make it as a serial killer eluding capture for decades. 6) The fact that Dexter killed his first truly innocent man. He broke The Code. He didn't check his facts enough, and it ended up costing a man his life. Perhaps I would feel more strongly about this if Dexter did, but it hasn't even phased him. So overall, not a great season for me. Although there was a big twist last week that shocked me, and I hope to see more surprises in the final two episodes.

Sons of Anarchy- I wrote about SOA in the newspaper article I posted on here a couple weeks ago, so I'm going to abstain from writing anything more right now. With Season 2, it became one of my favorite currently airing shows, and I fully believe it has the potential to become one of my favorites ever. For that reason, I am going to devote an entire post to it soon, in which I will talk about the implications of the finale and why this cast (especially Katey Sagal) is doing some of the best acting around.

How I Met Your Mother- Only halfway through the fifth season, and they have already ended the Barney-Robin relationship. If it never reemerges, that's going to be very disappointing. My favorite episodes this season have been "Duel Citizenship," (in which Barney spends the entire half-hour making fun of Canada, and Ted, Marshall, and Lily take a roadtrip that highlights the ways that friendships change when someone becomes super couple-y) and "Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap," (in which Marshall unites the group with the 4th slap of the infamous slap bet). I have high expectations for the latter half of Season 5 because of the special 100th episode (a musical edition!!! NPH + music = yay!), and because I am hoping that Ted makes some significant progress in finding the Mother, now that we know he is a professor at her school.

The Big Bang Theory- I went back and watched all the episodes of this show for a couple of reasons. Because I needed more comedy in my tv-watching schedule, and because I am unashamedly a huge geek. All the Battlestar Galactica and comic book references fill me with joy, as do the super-smart, socially awkward boys because they remind me of my own guy friends. I am basically obsessed with Sheldon, played by Jim Parsons. Now that Leonard and Penny are in a relationship, the story is kinda secondary, but that doesn't bother me in this show. The characters are well-developed, well-written, and make me laugh on a consistent basis.

Castle- Nathan Fillion is still being his charming self and making this show one of the highlights of my week. Season 2 has been just as fun as the first, and I was so pleased that ABC ordered the back 9 episodes, increasing it to a full season. The chemistry between Castle and Beckett remains as engaging as ever, and the father-daughter relationship between Castle and Alexis is so adorable and strong that I don't feel like I'm exaggerating to compare it to Veronica and Keith Mars (which, if you've seen VMars, you know is high praise).

Dollhouse- Like SOA, I can't do justice to DH in one paragraph. There are only 8 episodes left in Season 2, and then this little series about the Active that could will be gone forever. Joss Whedon has made it pretty clear that he's not leaving it open-ended for a movie or comic book continuation. So I am appreciating every moment that's left, and continuing to marvel at the spectacular abilities of the writers/directors/actors. More praise to come in an upcoming post.

The Office- Season 6 has been kinda hit-or-miss for me. Episodes like "The Lover" and "Murder" had me rolling on the ground in fits of laughter, while episodes like "Mafia" and "Scott's Tots" had me sitting on the couch feeling confused and uncomfortable. I like new receptionist Erin--I think her eagerness to please Michael is a funny contrast to the way we saw Pam act for 4 years, and I enjoy watching Andy try to ask her out. I like seeing Jim as co-manager with Michael because it wouldn't have made sense for him to go on avoiding work as a salesman and playing pranks on Dwight forever. He has a wife now, with a baby on the way, so his ambition and sense of responsibility has kicked in. He thought the job would be easy because he had seen a fool like Michael do it for so long, but it has presented more obstacles than he expected. For one, Dwight keeps trying to plot to remove him. Another problem is the impending financial collapse of Dunder-Mifflin. Nobody knows if or when they are going bankrupt, so a good solution is to play a murder mystery theatre game to keep everyone's mind off of it. Hilarious. For the rest of this season, I would like to see more of the supporting characters (especially Kelly, Angela, Oscar, Andy, Erin, Creed), AND PLEASE BRING BACK DARRYL (Craig Robinson).

Bones- Season 5 has focused on Booth readjusting to life after having surgery to remove his brain tumor. He's forgotten things about himself, like his garish socks and "cocky" belt buckle, and the fact that he hates clowns. He also lost skills he once had, like how to do his own plumbing and how to shoot a gun with accuracy. But more importantly, he has been affected by the memory of his coma dream. He emerged from it completely in love with Brennan. When Cam and Sweets found out, they told him: Don't tell her unless he's sure because she will never recover if he breaks her heart. The rotating interns continue to be a source of comedy sometimes and annoyance at other times. I only like Wendell, Mr. Nigel-Murray, and Fisher. I can't stand the rest. I don't want Angela to be with Wendell even though I think he's a sweetheart. She needs to get back with Hodgins yesterday. They belong together! The Christmas episode, "The Goop on the Girl," promises to be wonderful. It has a lot to live up to since the Season 3 mistletoe kiss, but with Zooey Deschanel guest-starring as Brennan's cousin, Ryan O'Neal guest-starring as Brennan's dad, and Booth stripping down to his boxers (his clothing is evidence, it has to be done!), I feel certain I will find plenty to enjoy.

Friday Night Lights- Season 4 is knocking it out of the park. Or, should I say, scoring touchdowns (Hehehe......puns used to be the highest form of humor). Coach Taylor and some former Dillon Panthers like Landry find themselves stuck at the rundown East Dillon High School after redistricting divided the town into, essentially, the haves and the have-nots. Tami has stayed on as the principal at West Dillon, but she is no better off than her husband. After she sent the Panther's star player, Luke, to East, Joe McCoy and the boosters were none to happy with her. Football fans are calling in to sports radio to complain about her. They see her as the enemy, and it's tough to see a character I love be so hurt by the hateful things being said about her. She was only doing her job. Meanwhile, Eric is trying to build a new football program with the Lions. They lack discipline and experience, and it will be a while before they win a game, but they have some true talent in RB Luke and another new character, Vince. Offensively, defensively, the boy can do it all. I thought it would be awhile before I felt loyalty to this new team, but it only took a few episodes for me to get the Lion pride. It helped that Panther QB J.D. McCoy has transformed into a total jackass. Life without Lyla and Tyra has been strange, but they aren't gone forever. Soon, we will be losing Matt Saracen, too, and his sendoff has been even more emotional than the touching goodbyes for Jason Streete and Smash Williams. Matt's father was killed in Iraq, and Zach Gilford gave a performance that has many critics calling for his Emmy nomination next year. It felt completely real to the experience of losing someone, and stayed true to his character.

Grey's Anatomy- This season has been hectic and overdramatic, but what else is new? I'm still really into the Owen-Cristina relationship, and I think that merging Seattle Grace with Mercy West Hospital has shaken things up in an interesting way. Sure, I dislike some of the new doctors, but the conflict created by the situation has felt organic. We knew in Season 5 that economic difficulties were plaguing Seattle Grace, so this solution that Chief Webber came up with to keep his job made a lot of sense. It also allowed Shonda Rhimes to deal with her actors' conflicts (Ellen Pompeo's maternity leave, Katherine Heigl's time off to work on a movie), by adding new characters without sacrificing screen time for the people we know. McDreamy hasn't had any major storylines this season, but at least Patrick Dempsey has remained a solid presence. Honestly, I don't really care what he does, as long as he's there for me to look at. He's pretty. My favorite characters have been the same for a couple of years now. Lexie, Mark, Owen, and Cristina. I just think that those actors--Chyler Leigh, Eric Dane, Kevin McKidd, and Sandra Oh--are giving really dynamic performances that keep me invested. It's by no means one of my favorite shows anymore like it was in Seasons 1 & 2, but I can't let it go yet. Sadly, the same cannot be said for Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters, which have become casualties of their own ridiculousness.

As for my new shows--V, The Good Wife, Modern Family, and FlashForward--(all of which I wrote about recently), they are going on the Christmas hiatus along with the rest of the television shows. The issue here is that the networks are scheduling their 2010 returns for strange times. I am referring to V and FlashForward, both of which ABC doesn't intend to bring back until March. That seems almost like a death sentence to me! How can they expect a new show to retain whatever audience it has managed to establish thus far in its first season, when they are not putting it on the air again for 3 or 4 months? I find it hard to imagine that either V or FlashForward will get renewed for a Season 2 with that poor placement. It would be a shame to lose both sci-fi newbies. Although, Glee is getting pushed off, too, with FOX keeping the second half of Season 1 until April, and I feel pretty confident that it will survive. I guess nobody knows at this point what will happen. At least Modern Family and The Good Wife appear to be performing well for ABC and CBS, respectively, and will be coming back with new episodes in January.

I AM SO EXCITED FOR MY MIDSEASON PREMIERES, LOST, CHUCK, CAPRICA, AND BURN NOTICE!!!<--See, I couldn't help myself but to write in all capital letters, so you know how excited I am! Chuck Season 3 begins on January 10th; Burn Notice Season 3, Part II, on January 21st; Caprica Season 1 on January 22nd; and LOST Season 6 on February 2nd. I predict awesomeness from each of them. Obviously, I haven't seen Caprica before (except for the pilot/movie), but with Jane Espenson writing it and a foundation in BSG lore, how can it go wrong?

I don't know why, and I'm certainly not complaining, but TNT will also have a few new episodes for their original series over the next couple of months. The Closer airs for 3 weeks, starting December 7th, during which time Beau Bridges and Mary McDonnell will be guest starring. I've got my fingers crossed for my prediction to come true, which is that Brenda and Fritz will adopt a child. I am always astounded by how patient and loving that man is--he so deserves to be a father! Leverage has several more Season 2 episodes to air, starting on January 13th. This show is another recent acquisition of mine, and one that I am drawn to because I like heist stories and playful banter. Timothy Hutton leads the cast as Nate, "The Mastermind" of the vigilante team, which also includes Parker ("The Thief"), Sophie ("The Grifter"), Hardison ("The Hacker"), and Eliot ("The Hitter"). They do con jobs to help people who can't help themselves. It's like Burn Notice combined with Ocean's 11. Lots of fun.

Glorious New Shows of Fall 2009

When I was deciding what to write for my college newspaper this week, I mostly wanted to spend the entire article mourning the cancellation of Dollhouse. This is the first time I've had to endure the loss of a show that I truly loved, that I thought had a lot more story to tell. (Note: This statement only applies because I didn't watch the my other tragically-cancelled favorites--Firefly, Veronica Mars--as they aired). But, while I am still sad about this, even more I am glad to have been able to enjoy it as long as I did. I am grateful for every single episode, and as always, I always look forward to whatever projects the people of the Whedonverse do, so now I get to add Enver Gojak, Dichen Lachman, Miracle Laurie, and Fran Kranz to that wonderful group. So I didn't spend my article ranting about Dollhouse, but instead took a happier tone and celebrated the great shows added to my viewing list this fall season.

In the ever-changing world of television, you might wake up one morning and a new show has become the talk of the watercooler. More often than not, however, shows have to fight to establish themselves with an audience. So far this fall, networks have already cancelled those series that never really made it out of the gate, like ABC’s Eastwick and Hank. It requires a challenging balance of broad appeal and intriguing, multi-layered characters to make viewers want more.

This fall has been a pleasant surprise, with a handful of memorable new shows that probably have many seasons in their future, as well as several shows in their second season that have managed to overcome the dreaded “Sophomore Slump.” The best freshman series have been spread pretty evenly across the major networks, and come from a diverse range of genres.

CBS has been very popular on the procedural front. The spinoff of the very successful NCIS, featuring Mark Harmon as the sarcastic team leader of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is NCIS: Los Angeles. Starring Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J, the new show, which follows its parent show on Tuesday nights, is able to retain much of the audience, and is doing a good job of finding its own sense of humor while appealing to procedural-loving Americans. Also on Tuesday night is the solid new law drama, The Good Wife. Julianna Margulies stars as a woman in the aftermath of her politician husband’s public affair and corruption charges. In her best role since playing Nurse Carol Hathaway for 6 years on ER, she exudes intelligence and empathy as rookie lawyer Alicia Florrick.

V follows the same setup as the 1980’s sci-fi show on which it is based—an alien race called “The Visitors” arrives on Earth and seeks an exchange of water (to them a valuable resource) for technological and medical advances. After the masterpiece that was the reimagined Battlestar Galactica, I will never judge a sci-fi show as cheesy without first giving it a chance. After only a couple of episodes, V has not disappointed. LOST’s Elizabeth Mitchell stars as an FBI agent who is rightly skeptical of the V, led by the ethereal Morena Baccarin of Firefly fame. They claim that they are “of peace, always,” but their intentions are thrown into a new light when it is revealed that a group of Visitors have been living on Earth for years under assumed identities. Presumably, they have sought to infiltrate the human race in preparation for some master plan of destruction upon the arrival of their species.ABC is continuing to offer quality sci-fi/fantasy fare with FlashForward and V. Both are definite products of a post-LOST era, in which television is becoming highly less episodic in favor of serialized shows that develop over season-long arcs through intricate character development and slowly unraveling mysteries. FlashForward, with an ensemble cast that includes Joseph Fiennes, Sonya Walger, John Cho, Gabrielle Union, and Courtney B. Vance, tells the story of a world in panic after every person blacked out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds and witnessed their lives 6 months in the future. Observing people’s different responses to the event would be an interesting enough psychological study, but add to it that the flashforwards aren’t necessarily set in stone and the possibility that a couple of enigmatic, evasive individuals might have caused the blackout, and you have a pretty compelling drama.

In perhaps the most unexpected development of the fall, ABC also has some great comedy programming. The Wednesday night lineup contains a block of half-hour comedies—Modern Family, The Middle, and Cougar Town. All have their own merits, and a respectably sized viewership. Modern Family, in particular, has been outstanding. Starring Julie Bowen (Ed, LOST) and Married…With Children’s Ed O’Neill, the show follows the same documentary style filming made popular by The Office, this time on the wisdom of parenting. Modern Family is a wonderful combination of laugh-out-loud funny, smart, and endearing,

NBC’s Community, with Chevy Chase and Joel McHale, has also become a fan-favorite, focusing on a quirky group of students at a community college. Although the peacock network doesn’t really have any other noteworthy new shows, Parks and Recreation has been gaining momentum in its second round of episodes, after an uneven freshman season. Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, and Rashida Jones are taking that show to new levels of hilarity, as they continue to tell stories about local government through the lens of the Department of Parks and Recreation of Pawnee, Indiana.

Keeping in tune with the current crazy-hotness of vampires, The CW has found favor with Twilight and True Blood fans in The Vampire Diaries, based on a series of books by L.J. Smith. The young cast is led by Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, and Ian Somerhalder, who portray the strong-willed human girl (of course) and the vampire brothers.

While the next series might not have the most viewers, it has without a doubt the most devoted new fan following. FOX’s Glee has flashy musical numbers, adolescent hormones mixed with sweet emotion, and a unique, if inconsistent, sense of humor. From the creative vision of Ryan Murphy (going from Nip/Tuck to Glee is not exactly the straightest of lines), this series showcases the talent of musical theater superstars like Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison, and Amber Riley. It is the dry wit of comedienne Jane Lynch as cheerleader coach Sue Sylvester that usually redeems even the shaky episodes. Plus, Glee has been so widely embraced by the Hollywood and Broadway communities that they are also able to bring in a shining presence like Kristin Chenoweth, or in future episodes, director Joss Whedon and Spring Awakening star Jonathan Groff.

Another gem of the fall season has been FX’s Sons of Anarchy. Although technically in its second year, this show has seen a rebirth, surging into the pantheon of great television. SOA follows a motorcycle club in the small town of Charming, CA, and, odd as it may seem, is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Charlie Hunnam (Green Street Hooligans) plays Jax Teller, the impetuous young VP of the Sons, whose outlook on life is changed by the birth of his son and the discovery of his dead father’s journal. Jax’s stepfather, Clay Morrow, is the club’s hard-headed president, skillfully portrayed by Hellboy’s Ron Perlman. Katey Sagal plays Gemma, the matriarch of the Sons. In Season 1, she had a toughness to rival any of the tatted, bike-riding criminals, but a brutal attack in the Season 2 premiere left her broken and vulnerable. Sagal’s real-life husband, Kurt Sutter, is the creator and executive producer for SOA—the man knows how to tell a story. Another memorable performance comes from Maggie Siff (Mad Men), as Jax’s rekindled love, Tara. Overall, a great cast and a fascinating glimpse into the hierarchical dynamics of an MC. Because it airs on cable instead of one of the major networks, this drama has short 13-episode seasons instead of the normal 22, so it feels okay to talk about this one as a relatively new show.

All of the above-mentioned shows are worth checking out. There is some high-quality television being made right now, and these new series are rising to the challenge.

True Blood: A Case for Team Bill

In my last entry, I discussed the craziness that has been going on in Season 2 of True Blood, including my frustration as I watch the inevitable tide coming in on the Sookie/Eric relationship. Now, I was told in writing for TrueBloodNet that we are neutral on the Team Eric-Team Bill issue. Everyone has their own preferences, of course, and there are often polls or discussions about why people like one or the other. But we cannot take sides inour articles or anything like that. We try to be positive, not critical. And that's a good model to go by even here, I think.

So. Why is Bill Compton the best choice for Sookie? The #1 reason can be found in Season 1, Episode 12, "You'll Be the Death of Me." Sookie is being chased through the woods by a serial killer, more afraid for her life than she has ever been. Bill, sensing her danger, leaves the safety of his underground sleeping room to go to her. He doesn't care that he will endure unbearable pain and probably die. He may not even make it far enough to stop Rene from attacking her. But he has to try. Completely self-sacrificing--a sign of the depth of his love for her.

Another sign: Season 1, Episode 6, "Cold Ground." Sookie runs to Bill's house. He is being so sweet to her. But, unable to control the reflex, his fangs come out. He hides his face in shame, thinking she will be afraid of him or disgusted by him. But she holds his head with her hands and kisses him. I love that moment.

Next, look at how Sookie and Bill have changed each other's lives. When Bill arrived on the scene at Merlotte's, Sookie was just a waitress. She had spent her entire life in Bon Temps, burdened with a telepathic ability that she never wanted. Most of the people around her thought she was crazy. Even her friends didn't understand her. (Dawn: "Well...honey...didn't you just know already?" Sookie: "I am NOT a psychic!!!") Her family loved her but rarely talked about this crucial part of who she was. And then she got to know Bill, and she couldn't hear his thoughts. She was intrigued by him but, most of all, relieved for the peace and quiet. And he made her feel like she was special and valuable. Here was this handsome vampire who had lived for 173 years, and he wanted to be

with her. "You are entirely different. And the beauty, and the tragedy, of it is that you don't know just how different you are." He comforted her when the most important person in her life died. He protected her when another vampire tried to kill her, in spite of the consequences he faced from his own kind. Sookie had found someone who she could be herself with, who could make her feel completely safe, and who could teach her so many things about the world. Then, for Bill: Sookie brought him back to his humanity. He had lived in the mid-19th century, fought in the Civil War, and been turned into a vampire before he could return home to the wife and children that he loved. For the first 50 years of his new life, he traveled as the companion of his Maker, Lorena, killing humans with animalistic cruelty. He separated himself from her because he couldn't stand to inflict pain like that anymore. He spent the next 75 years alone, interacting with humans only when he glamoured someone to feed on their blood for sustenance. Until he met Sookie. She was young and beautiful and spoke her mind.

She saved his life. She thought that he--a vampire--was worth saving. There was something different about her... The situation reversed the next night when he had to save HER life. He gave her his blood to heal her, knowing that it would form a lifelong connection between them. The more time they spent together, the more he cared about her. The first time he sensed her in danger, he woke up thinking she was being strangled in her bedroom. But the sun had not set yet, so he couldn't go to her. He lay there in agony until it was safe, and then he rushed to her side, only to discover it had been a dream. Later, when he sensed her in danger, she was being chased by someone who would kill her. And Bill didn't care that it was broad daylight. He went to her anyway. Thankfully, he healed, and she was so happy to have him back. He was a "boyfriend." He was in love with her. Sometimes, his vampire side got the better of him, and he did things that he shouldn't. But she forgave him. Because, by some miracle, she loved him, too.

So that's it--my reasons for loving Bill and Sookie together, as much as I can put them into words. I'm not going to bash Eric or Alexander Skarsgard. Eric is a fascinating character--he's a freaking Viking! And Alex does a wonderful job with him. I think he adds a lot to the story.

But when I see people on message boards bashing Bill/Stephen for being boring or annoying or unattractive, I'm disappointed that they would have that kind of attitude. We all love the show, obviously. Some of us are going to like certain things better than others or wish something were a little different. But, in all honesty, whatever Alan Ball comes up with is going to be better than whatever any of us could think of. And I truly believe that more of the book fans are getting to a place where they can appreciate the differences between the show and the books. Both are fun and entertaining. So let's just enjoy True Blood for what it is, and the Sookie Stackhouse series for what it is, without applying preconceived notions from one to the other. True Blood Bill has not shown himself to be a jerk like Book Bill. Stephen Moyer has developed his character in a different way. He has made Bill more of a gentleman and more protective of Sookie, so that the relationship between Bill and Sookie has been much more loving. So even if future events will change this and Sookie begins to gravitate towards Eric, let's not rush this part. Sookie and Bill are still together and in love. Eric isn't going anywhere. But Team Bill is not ready to give up yet (naked Eric dream scenes aside...).

Summer Endings, New Beginnings

I feel guilty for ignoring my blog for the entire month of July. I just haven't made time for it. I've been sleeping/working/traveling/actually watching television, but not writing. I will be back in full force, though, because a lot of my shows are about to kick off their new seasons. I've already made a calendar of premiere dates! (Really. I do that kind of thing.)

When I'm at school, I watch most of my tv alone. I hope that doesn't sound like a pity party because it's not! I like having that time to myself. I've always got a few projects going with some of my friends, as well as weekly tv dates to watch Chuck or The Office or whatever. But I spend more time watching by myself, whether it be old favorite episodes or new stuff for my own television education (Learning is a lifelong process. I wonder if I will ever make it through my "Shows to Watch" list...?)

This summer, however, I have been less self-indulgent. I'm still not finished with Six Feet Under because I wasn't willing to watch even an episode every day. Almost all of what I've watched has been time spent with my family and friends.

So that's it for the explanation part of this post. Here's what I've been watching. But first! My Emmy dream ballot, as previously promised. I didn't choose 6 for each category because I know there are deserving shows out there that I have yet to see (Breaking Bad, In Treatment, etc.), so I leave slots open for them. A star indicates a place where the dream was a reality on the nominations list.

BEST DRAMA SERIES

Battlestar Galactica

*Lost

*Mad Men

True Blood

*Dexter

BEST COMEDY SERIES

*The Office

*How I Met Your Mother

Chuck

*Flight of the Conchords

The Big Bang Theory

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights

Jeffrey Donovan, Burn Notice

*Michael C. Hall, Dexter

Edward James Olmos, Battlestar Galactica

*Jon Hamm, Mad Men

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Mary McDonnell, Battlestar Galactica

Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights

*Elizabeth Moss, Mad Men

Anna Paquin, True Blood

*Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY

*Steve Carell, The Office

Zachary Levi, Chuck

*Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies

Ken Marino, Party Down

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Anna Friel, Pushing Daisies

Yvonne Strahovski, Chuck

*Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA

*Michael Emerson, Lost

Josh Holloway, Lost

*John Slattery, Mad Men

Michael Hogan, Battlestar Galactica

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost

Christina Hendricks, Mad Men

Katee Sackhoff, Battlestar Galactica

Katherine Heigl, Grey's Anatomy

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY

*Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother

*Rainn Wilson, The Office

John Krasinski, The Office

Chi McBride, Pushing Daisies

Adam Baldwin, Chuck

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Jenna Fischer, The Office

Cobie Smulders, How I Met Your Mother

Jane Lynch, Party Down

*Kristen Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies

A few notes:

-It is truly pathetic that the Academy cannot bring itself to nominate genre shows like Battlestar Galactica. They are closing themselves off to some of the greatest work in television.

-I will probably end up watching the awards ceremony, if only to see Neil Patrick Harris as the host. With Jeremy Piven out of the running, I feel pretty confident that he will finally win for his portrayal of Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother. Also, I like Michael Emerson's chances. Ben is a badass.

-As long as Two and a Half Men is still getting nominated for anything, the Emmys lacks all credibility as a serious merit system.

-I realize that 30 Rock is better than I give it credit for- and I hope that one day I change my mind- but I just don't like it. So that's why I don't include it.

-The most criminal omissions on this list- Mary McDonnell as Laura Roslin. Connie Britton as Tami Taylor. Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet Burke. Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse. Where is the love for these stunning actresses?

So You Think You Can Dance- This was a special time for me, my mom, and my sister every week. We watched certain dances over and over ("Calle Ocho"! "Hush, Hush"! "Mad"!), voting hundreds of times for our favorites: Ade, Brandon, Janette, Jeanine, and Kayla. By the Top 8, we were all united behind one dancer- Jeanine. And she won!! Very fun and exciting. And now we don't have to wait until next summer to see more entertainment provided by those rockin' judges/choreographers/dancers/towering British hosts

named Cat Deeley. Season 6 premieres at the beginning of September. From what Adam Shankman has been tweeting about the auditions, it seems like we will be seeing insane amounts of talent.

Burn Notice- The first half of Season 3 concluded with an intense episode for Fiona. After fighting for several weeks with Michael over his dogged efforts to clear his burn notice and get back into the intelligence community, Fiona decided that she couldn't stay in Miami anymore. But an enemy from her past in Ireland came to hunt her down. Michael realized what was most important to him when Fiona's life was in danger. There were many touching moments between the two of them, without them explicitly stating their feelings (which would, of course, change the very nature of their relationship). So this does not imply that Michael is no longer trying to be a spy, but I think he will not be willing to do so "whatever the cost," as his attitude has been up to this point. This season has contained some of the best episodes of the entire show, although I don't think it has overall been as good as Season 2 and the Management/Carla storyline. The Detective Paxson investigation into Michael's activities never posed an effective threat and, as a result, was not a real source of conflict for him. After that situation went away, the rest of the episodes contained only small elements of forward plot movement, with Michael trying to find contacts in the spy business who could help him get back in. The cliffhanger involved the death of his main contact, so that should provide some momentum when Season 3 resumes in January.

The Closer- Episodes so far have been consistent but not extraordinary. I'm not unhappy with them, I just haven't found any standouts. Brenda's grieving over her cat lasted too long. From there, things have shifted to a new houseguest for Brenda and Fritz: her teenage niece, Charlie, who had become too difficult for her parents and grandparents to deal with. Played by Kyra Sedgwick's own daughter, Sosie Bacon, Charlie is bringing out Brenda's maternal instincts. She needs to have a baby already!! Fritz would be such a good daddy. I'm looking forward to an episode that touches my heart. One always comes. Maybe it will be the one that brings back creepy lawyer rapist. I've never seen Brenda as terrified of someone as she is of him, even crazy woman burner, Billy Kroelig.

Nurse Jackie- With only 1 episode remaining in Season 1 (actually, 2 have yet to air, but for some reason, Showtime OnDemand puts up the next week's episode), I officially like this show. Moral ambiguity fascinates me (see: Dexter) because it explores people's complex motivations. Jackie Peyton is a nurse who cares for her patients. After all her years at that job, she still gets emotionally invested. She will do anything necessary to work the system to help her patients. At times, this means doing something illegal. Jackie is deeply concerned for her family. She is also deeply concerned for her boyfriend, Eddie. And for her drug habit. My absolute favorite aspect of this show, and what sets it apart from any other hospital show I have seen, is that it always manages to find the humor in a very serious world. Hospitals are centers of pain, tragedy, and misfortune. But these people do not allow themselves to be darkened by it. They work within it and maintain their optimism. Nurse Jackie is a drama. Yet, I am constantly laughing. Like when Dr. O'Hara steals Zoe's stethoscope and finds great amusement in watching the timid nursing student try to get it back. Like when Jackie's adorable daughter Fiona (played by Daisy Tahan) says ANYTHING. Like when the sweet and oblivious Zoe tries to hug Jackie. Like when bureaucratic administrator Ms. Akalitus grows attached to an abandoned baby and then pretends that the baby is dead when the irresponsible parents try to reclaim their child. Like when Peter Facinelli's Dr. Cooper acts like a little boy (which is all the time). Good show. I'm looking forward to seeing how they do a season finale next week.

True Blood- Saving the best for last! An awesome development: I have started writing for the True Blood fansite, www.truebloodnet.com, as a contributor of news articles related to the show and the people involved with it. The show itself is 8 episodes in to Season 2, and it just keeps getting crazier and better with each week. Sookie and Bill traveled to Dallas at Eric's behest to find out what happened to the Sheriff of Area 9, Godric.

There they met with the Dallas vampire-cowboys, who were convinced that the Fellowship of the Sun Church was responsible. Stan, the leader of the nest in Godric's absence, wanted to go into the church, guns a-blazin'. (Isabel: "Vampire-hating church annihilated. Wonder who did it? Brilliant.") Sookie offered to go to the FOTS posing as someone interested in joining their congregation. She would listen in on people's thoughts and discover the truth about Godric. Isabel knew how worried Bill was about Sookie's safety, so she sent her own human, Hugo, to accompany Sookie on her undercover mission. Problem was-

Steve Newlin knew exactly who Sookie was when she got there, so he locked her in the basement. And Bill sensed that she was in danger. But he couldn't get to her because stupid Eric summoned Bill's Maker, Lorena, to keep him occupied so that he could save Sookie himself. Just as she was about to be attacked by one of Newlin's goons, Godric stepped in to protect her. Then Eric came to Godric (his Maker, from the Viking period), who instructed him to get Sookie out. Newlin was arming his people for a war, which very nearly happened when Bill finally got away from Lorena and made it to the church, followed closely by Stan and the other Dallas vampires. But Godric kept the peace. They all returned to Godric's lair, where Lorena confronted Sookie (Cat fight! It made me very happy to see Sookie get so defensive about her man. Go Team Bill!), Jason apologized to Bill and Sookie for being such an idiot, and Luke from the FOTS brought in a bomb of silver chains and tiny wooden stakes...To be continued after the next episode.

Meanwhile, Jessica made a love connection ever with Hoyt Fortenberry. Too

cute for words!

Maryann has been exercising a powerful control over the citizens of Bon Temps. Wild parties that turn into drunken orgies with demonic black eyes and lots of violence. She is cra-azy. Tara and Eggs are unable to resist her influence, even though they both feel suspicious about the circumstances in which they find themselves. Wake up, morons!

Maryann has a strange fixation on Sam. Like, she wants to eat his heart. She used shapeshifter Daphne to seduce him and then killed her when she was unable to deliver her prey. Sam is definitely going to start fighting back soon! And so is Sookie, when she gets back from her trip and learns what has been going on in her town.

In other True Blood news, Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin are engaged! I am so excited and happy for them. Sookie and Bill 4-eva, no matter what Eric does! I'm not ready for them to break up on the show, even though I know that's where things are headed because stupid Charlaine Harris made Bill a stupid jerk in the books and made Sookie start jumping from man to man like a big stupid ho. I'm speaking out of anger... I love this show.

My television schedule for the fall:

SUNDAY- Desperate Housewives, Mad Men, Brothers & Sisters, Dexter

MONDAY- House, Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, Castle

TUESDAY- Sons of Anarchy

WEDNESDAY- So You Think You Can Dance

THURSDAY- Bones, The Office, Grey's Anatomy, So You Think You Can Dance results show

FRIDAY- Dollhouse

New shows I will be checking out:

Flash Forward on ABC, Community on NBC, Glee on Fox

Summer Musings

After moving into our new house, Charter decided to make my life wonderful by adding HBO, Showtime, and the other premium movie channels to our cable subscription. This has meant that: a) I can watch True Blood when it originally airs instead of on Surf the Channel a day later, and b) I have access to On-Demand. I have definitely been using this newfound power of mine. In the past week, I watched all the episodes of the new Edie Falco drama, Nurse Jackie; the entire first season of Dexter; and random episodes of Sex and the City, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Party Down. No commercials, just quality television at the press of a button. Magic.

This summer is project time for me.

1) Mom, Claire, and I are halfway through Season 2 of Bones. We girls love us some Seeley Booth.

2) Claire and I are a couple of episodes in to Season 2 of Dexter. She resisted it at first, but now she can't deny that she is intrigued by the show. This is only my second time to watch all the episodes, and I am constantly blown away by Michael C. Hall and how he makes Dexter grow from beginning of S1 to end of S3.

3) My friend Camille and I are working our way through LOST. We started at about episode 2.18 because she had watched those last year but never finished. I think it's a good idea for me to return to the earlier episodes because I see details that I haven't thought about in a while. It gives some perspective to the events of Seasons 4 and 5.

4) And for my own television project, I have started watching Six Feet Under with my friend Will. It is so good- hauntingly beautiful and morbidly funny. The characters are seriously messed up. Frances Conroy is possibly one of my top 5 favorite actresses now. And Alan Ball has definitely joined the pantheon of my television gods.

In addition, I've been keeping up with my regular summer programming, plus a couple extras.

The Closer- The first few episodes have been sad ones. Kitty died, and Brenda was very upset. It seems that marriage has awakened her more emotional side. Now, though, she needs to move past it and give Fritz something to do besides take the cat to the vet! Episode 3 gave Corey Reynolds time to shine when his character, Sgt. Gabriel, shot an unarmed kid while pursuing a murderer. As a result, he was being investigated by a police captain from another department, played by the magnificent Mary McDonnell. She and Brenda engaged in a tug-of-war cat fight for the entire episode that kept me on the edge of my seat. I hope to see more of McDonnell this season! What I need from this show now is a light-hearted episode that features more Lt. Provenza. I want to laugh.

Burn Notice- Michael Westen is no longer bound by chains to "The Management" that burned him, but that means he is also no longer protected by them. So this season began with Michael's arrest. He is being watched and scrutinized by an annoying and inconvenient detective played by Moon Bloodgood. Meanwhile, he is trying to get his spy life back because nothing is standing in his way. This causes some tension with Fi because she wants him to be content with the life they've made for themselves these past couple of years. The standout episode of the season so far was a Collateral-esque thriller that saw the return of clever arms dealer Brennen (played by Jay Karnes) who picked Michael up in a car and said, "Steal this stuff for me today or I will kill your brother, Nate." Michael always breaks out his smartest stuff when his friends and family are in danger, like the Cantenna that used a hanger, some metal washers, and a potato chip can to hack into the bluetooth of Brennen's cell phone.

So You Think You Can Dance- Such a fun show. I fell in love with it last summer, and I'm still enjoying it immensely this season. Granted, there is no "Joshua and Katee" couple that I was instantly attached to and voted for every week. But the format of this show is perfect. It's why I bend my no-reality-tv-shall-ever-pollute-my-brain rule. The choreographers, the dancers, the judges- they're all so entertaining. At this point, I'm rooting for Brandon/Janette and Ade/Melissa.

Nurse Jackie- I've only seen 4 episodes so far, which is too soon to make a solid judgment, but I will say that I instantly got a Mad Men vibe from this show, which bodes well for it. Just like Don Draper in the pilot episode when we got to see the enigmatic man spend a day at work, visit a woman in her NYC apartment, and then drive home to a wife and kids that we didn't see coming, Jackie did almost the exact same thing. She's a tough lady. Yet she has an addiction to pain killers. She is morally ambiguous. She turns a dead kid into an organ donor to save lives. She sleeps with her hospital boyfriend and

then goes home to her adorable daughters and loving husband. Hmmmm.... As for the supporting cast, they are funny and wonderful and pretty much unknowns to me, which I kinda like. The only one I'm familiar with is Peter Facinelli who plays Dr. Cooper. He's adorable.

True Blood- Ahhh, now on to my addiction. The season premiere, "Nothing but the Blood," jumped right back in where we left off. With a foot hanging out of Andy Bellefleur's car. We all feared it would be Lafayette. That's what happens in the book. But Alan Ball cast the entire season in surprise when the foot was revealed to belong to someone else (Miss Jeanette who performed Tara's exorcism). Lafayette is being held as a prisoner by Eric in the basement of Fangtasia because of what happened to Eddie. Bill and Sookie are adjusting to life with Jessica. Jason has joined the inner circle of the Fellowship of the Sun. And Tara is still living with Maryann, whose intentions are very suspect. I could go on and on, believe me, but for now I think I'll just list some of my favorite quotes so far:

"Is there blood in my hair? Pam's going to kill me." -Eric

"We also recycle in this house. TruBlood and other glass items go in the blue container, and paper products go in the white container." -Bill

"Make me a vampire. I'm already a person of poor moral character, so I can hit the ground running." -Lafayette

"I cannot, and I will not, lose you. For all the ways I have dismayed, aggrieved, or failed you, I swear, I will atone. But I am not sorry. I refuse to apologize for what you have awakened in me. You are my miracle, Sookie. For the first time in a hundred and forty years, I've felt something I thought had been lost to me forever. I love you. And for that I shall never feel sorry." -Bill

In my next post, I will take the ballot for the Emmys and make my dream nominations list. If the majority of my picks match with the actual nominations released next month, I might reconsider my boycott. Stay tuned.

One-track mind

Here's what I've been thinking about lately:

TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE BLOOD TRUE

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So, yeah. That's pretty much it. I find it sorta difficult to explain what makes my obsession with this show different from my other shows. Obviously, I don't hold it to the same standards as LOST. Nor do I think it changed my life like Buffy. But, at the same time, I can't remember the last time I was this consumed with

excitement for a new season of something. I watched Season 1 online in January just because I was bored at school one afternoon. At first I thought it was a little ridiculous. But I watched all 12 episodes quickly. There was no doubt I was entertained. Then, in March, I decided to watch Season 1 again. And for the last couple of months, I have been True Blood-crazy. I bought the DVDs, rewatched all the eps again with my sister, then watched all the eps that had commentary. I have scoured the Internet for interviews, news, pictures, and promo clips. Season 2 is premiering in less than a week, and I feel like I have to force myself to keep busy just to make the time pass until I can see the new episode. And it is slightly confusing to me because I have no grand delusions about the show. For some reason, I am completely captivated by a telepathic waitress, her vampire boyfriend, and the world in which they live. I think I love it because it's fun, and that's all there is to it. That's why Alan Ball says he wanted to create True Blood in the first place. Stephen Moyer has gone from being someone I was barely even aware of (saw him a couple of summers ago in The Starter Wife, which I didn't even like) to someone I vote for about 50 times in a "Who's the hottest vampire?" contest because I feel so strongly that he should beat Robert Pattinson. I love Vampire Bill. And I do feel like Moyer's real-life relationship with co-star Anna Paquin adds something to the show. It makes it easy for me to become immersed in the story because I know that the love between Sookie and Bill is reality and not fantasy. Plus, my disdain for Twilight aside, vampires are hot. It's the whole biting thing :)

Cliffhangers, and other updates

So, I am now happily settled back at home. All my shows have abandoned me, but I also have a few returns to look forward to. At this point, True Blood is the one I am dying for. HBO keeps releasing these freakin' promos that are just driving me crazy (in a good way). Plus, after reading Living Dead in Dallas, the second book in the Southern Vampire series on which the show is based, I am anxious to see how different Alan Ball will make Season 2. I know a lot of fans who would disagree with me (some of those people over at www.truebloodnet.com are even more obsessed than I am), but I like the show better. This is not usually the case for me- in general, the book beats the adaptation any day. But Alan Ball is simply a better storyteller. And the actors make those characters so compelling. And, I can't help it, I love Stephen Moyer's Vampire Bill, so reading about that complete jerk version of Bill in the books hurts my heart. And I do not accept it. So here's hoping that Alan Ball will take some major creative liberties. Staying true to the spirit of Charlaine Harris' work is a good thing, but allowing oneself to be confined by an already-established story instead of exploring new possibilities would be boring. June 14th cannot get here fast enough...

Also returning soon is Burn Notice on June 4th. The adventures of Michael Westen and Co. are always entertaining, so that will be nice to have again. I don't exactly know when The Closer premieres Season 5, but I assume it will be some time in July. And Mad Men, unfortunately, got into production rather late and does not come back until late August. This is lame. The most pressing matters will be the future of Sterling Cooper, or rather, Don Draper's future with the company, given the merger and new leadership. And, more importantly, the fact that Betty is pregnant with a child neither she nor Don wanted. Season 2 took a bit of a time leap from the conclusion of Season 1, so I wonder how much time will have passed to the beginning of Season 3.

So You Think You Can Dance is about to start. I have very strong negative feelings towards reality tv in general, but this is one of my few exceptions. It is so much fun, and I hope I will find a dancer this season who I can love as much as Joshua from last year. Having the guy you vote for every week end up winning is so exciting. Is it too much to ask for that to happen every season???

Network upfronts have been going on the past couple of weeks. As a result, I have been glued to the Twitter app on my iPhone to see what Ausiello had to report. Here are some of the crucial things: 1) Chuck was renewed. Season 3 will have 13 episodes, airing midseason on NBC. Reduced budget might mean less time with the filler characters like Lester, Jeff, and the rest of the Buy More peeps. Honestly, I don't think this will affect the show that much. I'm just so excited at the prospect of the new and improved Chuck. And NBC and Subway made some big, multi-faceted deal about sponsorship of the show, so it seems like buying that $5 footlong did make a difference!! 2) Dollhouse was renewed. Season 2 will have 13 episodes, airing midseason on FOX. Reduced budget might mean....I don't really know what, but with the high quality writing, I doubt the money thing will affect them that much. I think FOX would have been foolish not to give Joss, Eliza et al the opportunity to explore their story further. And I would just like to point out that I was totally right about both of these shows getting renewed even when tv critics said they didn't have much of a chance. And now those people justify the renewals with the same reasons I have been saying all along (re: FOX, Firefly, Eliza, Joss, etc.). So.... there. 3) Castle was renewed. I am greatly pleased. This show was a delightful addition to my slate and I would have been sad to lose it. Nathan was so adorable and tweeted that he didn't know what to do with himself because his shows never get a 2nd season.

Those are the major announcements. None of my shows were casualties!! I can't remember the last time that was the case. Upfronts was also a time for network people to speak out for some of the shows, which provided interesting insights (Kevin Reilly on House- unbelievable things in store; Steve MacPherson on LOST- S6 will have "some of the best writing ever"). There was a bit of schedule rearranging. Bones will now be paired with Fringe on Thursdays. If I do end up going into entertainment journalism, I think upfronts would be a really fun event to attend. I love montages and other presentation stuff about shows I love! And even about shows I don't really care about.

On to the major stuff: season finales. This year featured a mixed batch. Top honors go to LOST for literally going out with a bang. The hydrogen bomb exploded and the possibilities for Season 6 are endless. I mean, it's pretty clear to me that time was changed. Otherwise, Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and all the 1977 Losties would be dead and there would be no show to come back to. Really, the question now is HOW was time changed? With Jacob now dead, killed by Ben at the urging of evil, possessed Locke, will everyone's lives be different? Flashbacks saw Jacob showing up at key events in several characters' past. Will that alter history? Will the plane still end up crashing? Season 6 is basically going to be the fulfillment of my entire existence. Questions will be answered! Finality will be achieved! Of course, some questions will remain, but I don't mind- LOST wouldn't be the same if there weren't an air of mystery to it. My primary concern is what characters might return (*fingers crossed* Charlie!!!). And, to a lesser extent, but I acknowledge that I still care a lot, whether Kate ends up with Jack or Sawyer. My money has always been on Sawyer, and not just because he is my favorite character. I think they belong together.

The finales of Dollhouse and The Office were really good, too. The reveal that Dr. Saunders was actually a Doll blew my mind. Mostly, it was a deeply profound episode that explored things like the soul and identity. I was really proud of myself for predicting, way back after the very first episode, that Ballard was going to become involved with the Dollhouse. Seems like he's going to be working for DeWitt in some capacity. And then on The Office, there was a company picnic that reunited Michael with Holly. I love them together. Their performance, "Slumdunder Mifflinaire" tanked, but I was enjoying every second. And then Michael went and talked about them being "one of those couples with a long story," and my heart just melted. Dwight's intensity about the volleyball tournament was terrific. And, oh yeah, Pam was pregnant. Jim was in shock and overcome with emotion. Can't wait to see what happens next year.

In the middle of the finale pack would go Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters. With DH, I think the standard was set too high by last year's 5-year leap forward. I just can't bring myself to care that much about who Mike married. I did like the whole thing about Lynette being pregnant. That was funny. Everybody else's stories were pretty amusing. It was an alright episode. B&S was the same. The whole fam went to Mexico. I teared up in the last scene with Nora and Tommy. That was well-acted, and a nice send-off for Balthazar Getty. I adored Kevin per usual. Kitty was still bugging me, right up to the point where she chased after Robert to stop him from leaving. She didn't get to the helicopter in time, but it gives me hope that not all is lost for them next season.

And then, I am sad to say, I was a bit disappointed by Bones and How I Met Your Mother. A coma dream. A not-very-compelling murder story that told me nothing about any of the characters. They're loyal. I already knew that. Then, Booth wakes up and has amnesia. Hmmm... Intrigues me for next season. But beyond that, the episode was a dud. And then a silly little episode about Ted's 31st birthday. Not nearly as epic as previous season finales. The Barney-Robin stuff was kind of ridiculous. I wasn't expecting a definitive development between the 2 of them, but I expected something that would evoke emotion in me on the same level as Barney's sweet longing for Robin all season. And as for Ted and the mother, we found out where he first comes into close proximity to her. So at least that's something. But I'd say that "Right Place Right Time" was the peak of this season.

So that wraps everything up. I have occasionally mentioned a few shows that are on my "Intent to Watch" list. This summer is about working through that list. Projects I have going at the moment: 1) Getting my family hooked on Bones. We have watched 7 episodes in Season 1 so far. It's about to start into the greatness. Also, Claire and I have 3 episodes left in Firefly. That's a quick one to get through, with only 14 episodes total, but she's definitely a new Browncoat. 2) Get some of my friends hooked on stuff. I'm going to start watching LOST from the beginning again (for, like, the 4th time) with someone. 3) Watch shows I've never seen before. The Big Bang Theory. The Wire. Prison Break. 4) Watch shows I've fallen behind on/haven't ever watched all the way through. Fringe. 24. House. Sons of Anarchy.