In the past year, maybe especially because I’ve spent almost the entirety of the that fraction of time inside my apartment, I’ve been introduced to a lot of TV shows I used to only hear about but largely ignore. And I’m someone who already spends a lot of time downloading episodes after episodes of most of the better known TV series out there. My fascination for all things sci-fi continues with three seasons of Warehouse 13 and, more recently, four seasons of Torchwood. Funny that these two shows cannot be more different, which I felt more strongly because I watched them back to back, despite both of them involving people who collect artifacts (WH13 – historical artifacts, TW – alien artifacts). Nevertheless, both shows made me sit still in front of my TV for hours, and by the end made wish for a metal step stool so I can easily reach the X-Files DVDs I’ve stored atop my closet.
I’ve been watching a lot of U.S. TV shows since I discovered the wonderful world of Internet streaming and that-thing-I-really-shouldn’t-name but, OK, torrent! But somehow I didn’t realize I’m not that knowledgeable (or that much aware) about their TV shows after all, because I was only following primetime shows. Not that it’s a bad thing, apparently everywhere else daytime TV is not quite as special as primetime. But not to categorize or place judgments; I was so surprised to read that they actually have long-running soaps, and by long running I mean shows that started from 40 to 50? years back! I think I may have heard of it before, but it’s only now that it dawned on me how freaking crazy (and incredible!) that is. I mean any more than decent primetime show is lucky to get to the fourth season (4th year) these days. Imagine having characters be born, grow up, get married, die, get resurrected (it’s soap opera!), and live almost their entire lives before the eyes of the public. Imagine the work of actors and actresses who never left those shows. But I also read that soaps are dying now because they’re not profitable anymore. I’ve always found soaps ridiculous, our local soaps can prove that. Only now when I open my TV to a local channel and see that a teleserye now only has a life span of 6 months, and they actually write tighter stories now that are more or less enjoyable, if not actually free from ridiculousness (it’s TV!), I now appreciate that this is some kind of progress. This is a way of having reel life catch up to real life, although sometimes people can have a hard time separating them. At the same time I also realized how incredibly sad that must be for long-time fans. I get attached to once-a-week series and get depressed when they get cancelled after a few seasons; how much more can soap fans be feeling losing something they look forward to 5 times a week that has been part of their daily existence for so long?
Well, with that thought, I’ll leave you with this clip of Sara Michelle Gellar, as she makes one final cameo to the soap that launched her career -- All My Children -- which is on it’s final week in network television. It’s a short scene in a hospital with people in Cherokee scrubs, but as a big Buffy fan I love the meta-references.
“So I see vampires … that doesn’t make me crazy; I saw them before they were trendy”
There’s this currently airing Philippine TV show (soap opera) about a family torn by their affiliations — military and leftist. I’ve watched most episodes from the time it started airing, and thus far it’s the only one among the throngs of local primetime offerings that I watch with real interest. True, it’s because I think the lead actor is very good (looking, hehe). He’s convincing as the twin brothers who were separated at birth and brought up by different families (who are more blood related than anyone can guess, what do you know!).
[OTT: In Fringe, they show that in the future, FBI agents, and I assume military officers, are identified using a barcode scanner; If we have that now, the shenanigans of the people in this soap will never see the light of day.]
Back to the story: The storyline moves along in an ok pace, at least you’ll be shocked if you’re used to 5- to 10-year running soaps of the old days. The main and supporting cast comprises veteran and good up-and-coming actors, so all’s well in that aspect. But then, I feel that the complexity of the narrative is still just skin deep. At the heart of it, it’s just a love story—of 4 couples, each with their respective ‘triangle’. That the half of each of these couples is a leftist while the other one is with the government is something I’m wondering why the writers thought necessary. I guess nothing is ‘too much’ about soap operas. Of course, the circumstances need to be ridiculous to achieve high drama. But when you tackle ideologies but use them only to create tension among lovers, and then conveniently throw away any lingering ‘what-is-right-what-is-wrong’ questions the story poses because the only real driving force behind the characters is love (and jealousy) and everything else will be set right once the fated are together (to hell with their professed beliefs), it makes one (ok, me) question why choose this setting at all? Well, I guess viewership is all that matters, as in everywhere else when it comes to TV. I can imagine that, ultimately, that a multitude of people watch is more important than good characterization and a solid storyline (besides, in these respects, the show is already ahead than its contemporaries).
If you’re looking for info on that show called “Jersey Shore,” then you wouldn’t click here. I haven’t seen an episode, much less any full trailer of that show (is it from MTV?), but I already hate it. Sorry, if that’s judgmental. I do that sometimes, and since one of my favorite shows, BONES, made fun of it I’m joining that bandwagon.
So I haven’t got the chance to watch “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” either, but I found this video of Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, and Tina Fey—those three tsk, tsk—joining in Jimmy’s parody.
Primetime soap operas are by design outrageous. The storylines go to every imaginable direction, just to drag them out and keep the story going for 30 minutes a day, five times a week. I find myself watching a lot of them lately just because they follow the night news program, and I decided that I’ll make myself start watching the news just so I’ll stay abreast with current events. At least it started that way – I was too lazy to change channels so I left the TV on and while doing some other things, such as my editing work, some household chores, or some other trivial things like making use of my blackhead removal strips, I eventually got the habit of watching everything the local channel has to offer until I get too sleepy that I have to go to bed. I still think they’re outrageous, but it doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy watching them for what they are.
Ok, so I’m doing Bones marathon right now. I’m sure I’m not the only one who identifies with characters and/or situations in TV shows, sometimes overly so, because I think that’s exactly why we get hooked with something – because no matter how different these fictional characters are from us, and no matter how different their (sometimes unrealistic) situations are, we somehow find something to relate to. It could be a character nuance, a specific situation being portrayed, or even a line or two of dialogue that was meant to say something entirely different, they somewhat mirror a small part of ourselves and that’s what makes it so addicting for us.
You don’t agree? Ok, maybe it’s just me. Today, what got my attention in these old episodes I’m watching is all the talk about “living wide.” So Brennan (Emily Deschanel’s character) does nothing but work and rarely takes a break. Suddenly she got this option to leave everything behind, just for a year, to take a sabbatical, pursue romance, and just try something entirely different and out of character. Of course, that’s the simple scenario. Being the complicated character Brennan is, I can understand why she didn’t choose to go, even if everybody else thinks she deserves it. She could have gone with her man into the sunset, bring her body kit, and enjoy the vastness of the ocean on their new boat, and in the process reevaluate her life choices and her future. But she didn’t. She chose her well-structured albeit “narrow” life. Well, maybe she has other reasons, as people always have. But how do you really measure how “wide” you’re living your life? What if you’re not interested to go out there and challenge everything you already know just to “grow”? What if you’re already contented with your present reality? Well, I guess it’s up to each of us to decide. I know I want to do a lot of other things; to explore a little more and challenge myself a little more. But I also know that I may not be able to do everything so I don’t really look at today as “narrow.”
Just a thought. Or maybe I should just watch the show and enjoy it superficially.
Ok, after weeks and weeks of Alternate!Olivia pretending to be Real!Olivia, and Real!Olivia made to think that she’s actually Alternate!Olivia, and the two of them living in the wrong universe with us viewers alternating from watching one’s borrowed world from the other, the sh*t’s going to hit the fan in the next 2 weeks.
If you didn’t get that, then you must not be watching the awesomest TV show on the planet right now! It’s all I wait for every Friday noon (it airs in the US Thursday night). This latest episode had me literally biting my nails by the end, and with that awesome, awesome ending, I’ll be needing to find the top 10 diet pills in the market because I can feel that the anticipation will make me go binging without purging.
I’ll dare say it (and I won’t be the first): Fringe is the best show on television right now. It really is.
Need more convincing? Just go watch it.
Season 3 of this sci-fi phenomenon has produced 4 super-awesome episodes so far, and I can’t wait for more. I’m not sure about the ratings, though, because I believe this show is nowhere near the “Glee” numbers, but I’m hoping that it will catch on. The demography of the show would indicate otherwise, but if that very obvious Taurus advertisement in the latest episode is any indication, the sponsors are starting to realize the potential of this show, to which I say bring on the gratuitous product placements, heck I’ll take even car insurance quotes.
CBS’ The Good Wife is one classy show. That’s only way I can describe it, but it really is something special. It’s smart, tightly written, not without suspense, and have I mentioned it’s really smart and not overly obvious?
The show’s second season just premiered this week. Well, I couldn’t really comment much on the story here without going into too much details. Even Kalinda’s (I don’t even know what to call a private investigator working in a law firm [Private Investigator, maybe? lol] ugg boots can be discussed at length. All I can say is that if you appreciate courtroom, political, work, and family dramas, better give this show a peek. You just might end up tuning in.
I’m thinking that I can count with my one hand how many books, or TV shows, or movies I’ve seen (or read) spoiler-free. I’m impatient like that. Or I rarely like something enough to want to be surprised by it. Man, that doesn’t sound too fun, does it?
Like right now what I know is that somebody’s going to need the best prenatal vitamins at Grey’s Anatomy. The who will be revealed in next week’s finale. Plus, somebody’s going to take a bullet and will most probably bite the dust. Smallville spoilers turned out to be a bit predictable, with the major couple breaking up (there’s only two) and one character death (which turned out to be two character “deaths,” both of whom will probably survive, or be revived, by the next season). I’m generally staying away from Fringe spoilers because that’s the one show I love. But I’m yet to watch The Vampire Diaries finale, which they all say was awesome. I already know what happened scene for scene, though. Spoiled, I told ya.