Today, browncoats were blessed with a wonderful piece of internet rumor-mongering.
http://www.moviehole.net/news/20071004_serenity_2_a_new_hope.html
I hope it is true. That’s pretty much all I can bring myself to say (you know, for fear of jinxing it). Let’s discuss how cool this is in the comments section.
Greetings gentle readers,
So last week is over and the new shows are still coming. This week we get the culturally embarrassing Cavemen and the return of the Sarah Silverman Program. However that’s for tomorrow, today is for yesterday’s stuff.
REAPER: A quirky, dark supernatural comedy about the devil’s bounty hunter on earth. The first episode worked on several levels, combining elements of Ghostbusters and Buffy with a little Kevin Smith (who directed the pilot) humor thrown in. Currently, it’s in a race with Bionic Woman for my favorite freshmen series. 10/11
KID NATION: After watching this show, you can see that these children are in serious danger: of winning money! We all know kids can be petty (almost as much as adults) and now they are responsible for giving $20k to a fellow pioneer each week. There is no real danger here, unless parents are worried that kids will learn life lessons without them. The show feels both safe and exploitive at the same time. I find it fascinating, but you might find it gross. Watch at your own risk. 8/11
MOONLIGHT: A vampire detective show that copies Angel but doesn’t include the wit/charm/story (ie. good stuff). I got 20 minutes in and then gave up. Sorry, but this show sucks. 5/11
I don’t have an explanation for my title, I just like potato leek soup and thought it deserved a shout out. Now then, onto TV. Sadly Journeyman and Reaper are caught in Tivo limbo at the moment so I’m focusing on the freshest show I’ve seen.
Bionic Woman
If just reading the show’s title makes you a little skeptic, then you and I are in the same demographic boat. I tend to view remakes of dated shows with a cautious eye. It always looks like a gamble. If the creators screw up, all they’ve done is piss off a fan base and add their names to the sorry list of writers/directors whose pride overshadowed their ability. However, every once in a while I’m surprised at how much a reinterpretation can improve and augment a show’s mythos. At their best, remakes distill the elements that translate to modern audiences into potent coolness. Such was the success of Bionic Woman. I can’t argue perfection, but it’s the freshman series to beat and one on the top tier of remakes of all time. The action is fast and impressive, the characters are well-defined and occasionally funny, and the story pulls you in and leaves you wanting more. If you were waiting for a show to take a chance on, this is your best bet so far. 10/11
Next up are leftovers (Journeyman and Reaper) and a few newbies (Kid Nation and Moonlight). Comments: Post ’em if you thought ’em.
Yes, I know I misspelled ‘week’. It’s meant to be a not-so-subtle commentary on this year’s entertainment gladiators (ie. shows) who are battling each other for my attention. Each year the network marches out a new batch of trying-to-be-hip programs that I view as a second job for a few weeks each year. Basically, I put my butt on the couch so you can save yourself the effort (such as it is). Here’s what I watched last night.
Survivor China: (original air date was Thursday Sept 20) The old warhorse of reality TV is back with a new location and not much else. The new location offers a nice new flavor, but like all reality shows it comes down to the people. This year’s contestants include two pre-packaged television personalities: a professional wrestler and a professional poker player. I am a little annoyed that the fame-making power of Survivor is being milked by people who are already famous. But who cares, their misery will still be my entertainment. Points for a fun cast of misfits and a new location, but if you’ve seen the show, you know what you’re getting. 7/11
Chuck: NBC’s bid for total domination of Monday night began here with the story of a low-ambition mildly-charming computer nerd who gets government secrets stuck in his head. The show feels like the scatterbrained lovechild of the Office and 24, combining crazy action (gun play, explosions, and free-walking) with pop culture humor about mundane jobs. The show’s premise stretches absurdity as much as The Biggest Loser stretches spandex and by the end viewers won’t have a clear idea of what the show will look like from week to week. However if you’re satisfied with more chuckles than laughs and an occasional movie-quality stunt, (plus hot girls in their underwear) then give it a whirl. For viewers who don’t have an empty spot in their viewing schedule, wait and see if this pony has more than one trick. 7/11
Heroes (season 2): The story of extremely good looking ordinary people with super powers begins here, four months after last season’s finale. Generally speaking, the episode was as good as most of last season and laid some foundation for where it will go next. But, if you didn’t like last season or felt that each episode accomplished less than most single issue comics, then you’re SOL. However, if you like the show, you won’t get any reasons to stop liking it. 8/11
Okay, that was Monday. Tuesday will be Journeyman (a hold-over from Monday) and Reaper, the Kevin Smith directed comedy about a kid who becomes Satan’s bounty hunter. Email me if you want me to watch something in particular as I’m willing to try anything once.
Laters.