TV Season in Review

I haven't written much about television since the new season began in September, mostly because I haven't had time to watch much television since September, let alone write about it, but I've caught up as best I could on the few shows still on my must-watch list, and I'm ready to evaluate how good they've been these past 2 months.  Some shows are taking a hiatus (Lost), some are nearing the end of their fall seasons (The Amazing Race, South Park, Weeds), some are just beginning (The OC).  But I've given a letter grade to everything I've watched.  And we'll start with the "A"s and work down from there.  You'll be surprised to see what's at the bottom.

• Lost (Grade:  A) Much has happened in this abbreviated six week mini-season (new episodes are on hold until February, so that they can run through the rest of the season without repeat interruptions).  And when a lot happens on Lost, it's a good thing.  I didn't necessarily like all that happened, but then I did like enough of it to keep watching and to keep wanting to watch next year.  In case you haven't kept up, here's the quick recap:  Jack, Sawyer, and Kate were kidnapped basically because Jack is a spinal surgeon and the Others' leader (Ben, formerly known as Henry Gale) has a tumor on his spine.  How they knew Jack was a surgeon and what exactly the Others are up to remains unclear.  But they still claim they are the "good guys", even as they kept Kate and Sawyer locked in a cage all season.  Jack agreed to the surgery, but stops midway through with Ben's life on the line and gets in contact with Kate just in time to save Sawyer's life.  Oh, and Kate and Sawyer totally did it.  That's when the "season" ends.  In other news, Locke saves Eko's life just in time for the island's black smoke monster to kill him; a polar bear appears just in time for Locke to kill it; Desmond seems to be able to see the future; Charlie is still annoying; and Sun is a big fat liar and kind of a slut.  Also, Jin knows what everyone is saying.  And Hurley is still fat.
  

• The Amazing Race (Grade: B)  It hasn't been a particularly entertaining group of contestants, as they've all been pretty nice and basically good to each other, in contrast to earlier seasons (and who wants to see that?).  The final five teams consist of: Dustan/Kandace, blondes who met at Miss America and are as smart and good at this game as they are good-looking - although their constant effervescence is pretty annoying;  James/Tyler, male models who used to be drug addicts who may or may not be "more than friends", athletically gifted but not that bright, but generally nice;  Rob and Kim, a dating couple with a verbally abusive and really annoying male part of the couple (but not nearly as bad as some former contestants); Godwin and Erwin, Asian brothers who are criminally nice to the other teams and never seem in a hurry, usually finishing near the back of the pack as a result; and Lyn/Karlyn, a pair of single mothers and friends from Alabama who are by far the least athletically gifted team left, but are pretty smart and ruthless.  No one except for the Cho brothers likes them.

• The O.C. (Grade: B-)  The three episodes of the season so far have dealt with the fallout from Marissa's death last spring, and it's being handled surprisingly well.  Ryan, Summer, and Julie are all still having big trouble with it, and handling it in various bad ways.  Julie and Ryan were conspiring to find and kill Volchok, while Summer has hidden from Seth and her house and everything that reminds her of Marissa.  But everyone has survived so far, and Volchok turned himself in to Sandy - which I guess is as good as the cops at this point - and they all had a happy Thanksgiving dinner, filled with homeless people a la Christmas at the Walshes, lo those many years ago on 90210.  Yeah, that was pretty lame and knocked the show down at least one grade.  But Taylor Townsend's been great as comic relief so far this season.  With Summer all depressed all the time, she's been a saving grace.

• Real World / Road Rules Challenge (Grade: C+)  We're running out of old-timers from seasons of the two programs that I actually watched, so that has made it a little difficult to find rooting interests.  Plus, most of the most colorful characters from years past (Coral, The Miz, Katie, Rachel, Tonya, etc.) - even those that I despised (Veronica) - are missing.  But it's been a pretty good show.  Beth is annoying as the "villain," and the Jodi/Kira/Robin troika of popular girls is about as blase a trio they could find, but the challenges have been good and I like the "every man for himself" theme of this season, as opposed to the team-based challenges of the past.

• South Park (Grade: D)  I don't know what to say.  It's been disgusting, disturbing, pointless, and crude.  But those used to be the highlights of the show.  It unfortunately has not been very funny.  And the targets of their political satire have been weak and/or obvious and mostly lame.  I'm not even sure what the 2-part futuristic space episode featuring Cartman being frozen was trying to say.  There was some stuff about atheism, I guess, but that's not exactly a huge demographic to make fun of.  Are they out of people to skewer?  Is it really necessary to have talking otters be the focus of half of an episode? These are questions I cannot answer.

• Survivor / The Nine / Friday Night Lights / Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip / Kidnapped (Grade: F)  The "F" is for finished, as in "I've finished watching these programs."  All except Survivor were new shows that I gave a chance.  Some had a few good episodes.  Some did not.  But none of them were good enough to keep me watching, unfortunately.  And all of them have struggled in the ratings, so perhaps I wasn't the only one failing to be entertained.  As for Survivor, this I think is finally the year I've given up on it.  It was a great show, and it had a great run.  I just can't care about it any more.  Some say I should have come to that conclusion years ago.

• Weeds (Grade: Incomplete) - I don't have Showtime and although thanks to Charles U. Farley's taping and DVR prowess, I do have copies of most of the episodes, I haven't gotten around to watching any but the two episodes of the season, which weren't that good.  I'll get around to it eventually.  Maybe during Christmas vacation.

Comments

[LegFuJohnson]

Charles RU Farley is taping Weeds for you? Then why am I bothering? You can just get the tapes from him then.

But you should be watching House, and 24 starts in 2 months. No excuses.

[Jan-I Like Men]

I think you owe Friday Night Lights another shot. Awesome show with hot women.