I know that I tend to preface my blogs with some kind of story. I am not justifying the strangeness that is my brain, but I'd like you to understand the "whys" of things.
I watch Raising Hope. I have since the get-go. You may think badly of me for it, but I'm a sucker for a quirky comedy. Now for the why... I started watching because it seemed, at least, like a new take on the same old, tired, family drama. I mean, boy hooks up with serial killer, serial killer gets pregnant then death penalty, boy raises their baby while still living with his parents. I KEPT watching because I found that the parents (or grandparents), Burt and Virginia (played by Garret Dillahunt and Martha Plimpton) were a wonderfully refreshing representation of a couple.
When it was announced that they were cancelling Hope, I was sad. I'm not going to miss Jimmy and Sabrina (the young couple on the show). I won't. I love Burt and Virginia as a couple. In the four seasons of the show, Burt and Virginia had only one disagreement. So that's nearly 90 episodes and ONE fight. Take that Everybody Loves Raymond. I have to say that TV couples have gone downhill. They portray the husband as a bumbling idiot and the wife as a nagging shrew. If I wanted to hear a screeching harpie, well, I don't know where to find one of those... but I find it a shame that Dad's always the dummy and mom is always smugly correct.
Now, that said, Burt IS an idiot. Virginia is probably the "smart" one... but she never treats Burt like an idiot. The man has made some really dumb moves, but Virginia just supports him or even joins in his antics. When Burt bought a Delorian in hopes of being able to time travel, Virginia didn't make him feel stupid for wasting the little money they had, she took turns trying to get the heap up to 88mph! Imagine that: a representation of a couple working together and being in love! It was a wonderful novelty.
So it's a damn shame that we lose out on the strongest relationship TV's had since the olden days. It's too bad that FOX buried this hidden gem on Friday nights - because it missed its mark.
I advise you to put it on your Netflix queue and have a good binge-watch. Keep an open mind, ignore Sabrina and enjoy the giggles that Burt, Virginia and Maw Maw (Cloris Leachman) will provide.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Monday, February 3, 2014
Throwing in the Towel
I watch a lot of shows... I mean a LOT of shows. When new shows come out, I try to squeeze in the ones that I'm giving a shot. Because of my work/sleep schedule, and sharing the television with my son (and by sharing, I mean, I sit through endless episodes of Jessie and SpongeBob until he goes to bed) I can actually only catch up on shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. It does not leave much time for shows.
My other "hitch" is that I'm very loyal to my stars (read: TV boyfriends). Sometimes it forces me to try shows that I normally wouldn't try. However, it's my view that I have to support the things that I like, and NOT support the things I dislike. I will never pay for a movie with Tom Cruise in it. Sure, my $15 won't beggar the man, but I work hard for my money, I'm not going to let him have a penny of it. (I have very extreme opinions of Tom Cruise. I know this. Don't hold it against me.)
So therein lies the problem: How do you decide when it's time to let go of a show?
The easy answer is: when it no longer makes you happy to watch.
The slightly less easy, but still easy answer is: when it is more of a chore than a break.
We made it through the entire first season and part of the second season of 2 Broke Girls... I couldn't take how pleased they were with their own jokes... and the cha-ching at the end that stopped even meaning anything. I held out as long as I did because Ryan Hansen was cast into the second season... VM alumni = support. I love Ryan. I think he's wonderful. I was very sad that Friends With Benefits didn't get picked up. I would've gladly continued to tune in to that one.
I made it through almost two full seasons of Hawaii Five-0. I was about four eps from the end and got busy with other things. The third season premiered and because I was behind, I didn't start watching... tons of episodes were waiting on my DVR... I looked at the 13 eps or whatever I had and the thought of watching them all seemed SO DAUNTING, that I couldn't bear it. I deleted the lot and never looked back. Now I feel a little badly about it because I was supporting Alex - who up to that series, had not had good luck with his CBS shows.
With those two decisions, it became easier to cast away nonsense. I basically have given new shows a 3-episode chance to make me want to watch, and if they fail, they're out. I also will sometimes give seasons a half-season headstart (i.e. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland) and if it looks like they'll be cancelled, I won't bother my butt about them.
But then there are the old standbys...
I am always very behind on Vampire Diaries (supporting Ian, read the books) because it wants to be a good show, and Damon without a shirt is always good... but UGH Bonnie's lip... and Alaric is gone... and I couldn't hate Elena more. It doesn't make me excited to watch, but at this point, I've seen every ep (except the 8 I am behind on)... and when I am watching them (usually in binge format) I eagerly proceed to the next because I want to know what happens. So as of now, I'm NOT deleting it from my repertoire... but I feel like they need to step up their game to keep me tuning in.
Then there is the show that started me on this tangent... Glee. Now, I stinking LOVE musicals. Love them. I will watch Seven Brides until the cows come home... and don't get me started on Can Can... so it was inevitable that I would like a musical show. I knew it. I watched the pilot (it originally premiered after the Super Bowl, I think... some sport thing at any rate) but I watched it on Hulu the following day. I was HOOOOOOKED. I legitimately enjoyed the show. How can you tell? I did not like one boy in the whole cast. Not one. This is the second season where the cast has been split between the school and NYC... and they are just less enjoyable. I even started fast-forwarding Rachel's songs. WE GET IT - YOU SING. There is talk (or maybe more official things) that this season, as well as the next (final?) season will be all NYC. I am NOT on board with that. I don't care that you're going to incorporate Sue Sylvester into the story. If I wanted the Rachel Berry show, I'd ask. So thinking about that, sure, I've been there from the beginning, but it's time to cut the show loose if they're going in a direction I'm not on board with... but the conundrum is that it seems like they're going to pull in my favorite Ohio characters (Sam and Blaine). So do I support the cast I love or do I cut ties with the cast I hate? The bottom line is: because of the length of time invested, I'll give it a chance. I'll see how they do it... if it's too much Rachel, I'll tap out and hope that Darren Criss and Chord Overstreet find work elsewhere that I can support.
You know it must be so difficult to write consistently good episodes of a show - and I feel badly criticizing (no, I couldn't do better), but my time is valuable too, so put your best foot forward, TV shows. Mama needs to be entertained. Dance, monkeys, dance!
My other "hitch" is that I'm very loyal to my stars (read: TV boyfriends). Sometimes it forces me to try shows that I normally wouldn't try. However, it's my view that I have to support the things that I like, and NOT support the things I dislike. I will never pay for a movie with Tom Cruise in it. Sure, my $15 won't beggar the man, but I work hard for my money, I'm not going to let him have a penny of it. (I have very extreme opinions of Tom Cruise. I know this. Don't hold it against me.)
So therein lies the problem: How do you decide when it's time to let go of a show?
The easy answer is: when it no longer makes you happy to watch.
The slightly less easy, but still easy answer is: when it is more of a chore than a break.
We made it through the entire first season and part of the second season of 2 Broke Girls... I couldn't take how pleased they were with their own jokes... and the cha-ching at the end that stopped even meaning anything. I held out as long as I did because Ryan Hansen was cast into the second season... VM alumni = support. I love Ryan. I think he's wonderful. I was very sad that Friends With Benefits didn't get picked up. I would've gladly continued to tune in to that one.
I made it through almost two full seasons of Hawaii Five-0. I was about four eps from the end and got busy with other things. The third season premiered and because I was behind, I didn't start watching... tons of episodes were waiting on my DVR... I looked at the 13 eps or whatever I had and the thought of watching them all seemed SO DAUNTING, that I couldn't bear it. I deleted the lot and never looked back. Now I feel a little badly about it because I was supporting Alex - who up to that series, had not had good luck with his CBS shows.
With those two decisions, it became easier to cast away nonsense. I basically have given new shows a 3-episode chance to make me want to watch, and if they fail, they're out. I also will sometimes give seasons a half-season headstart (i.e. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland) and if it looks like they'll be cancelled, I won't bother my butt about them.
But then there are the old standbys...
I am always very behind on Vampire Diaries (supporting Ian, read the books) because it wants to be a good show, and Damon without a shirt is always good... but UGH Bonnie's lip... and Alaric is gone... and I couldn't hate Elena more. It doesn't make me excited to watch, but at this point, I've seen every ep (except the 8 I am behind on)... and when I am watching them (usually in binge format) I eagerly proceed to the next because I want to know what happens. So as of now, I'm NOT deleting it from my repertoire... but I feel like they need to step up their game to keep me tuning in.
Then there is the show that started me on this tangent... Glee. Now, I stinking LOVE musicals. Love them. I will watch Seven Brides until the cows come home... and don't get me started on Can Can... so it was inevitable that I would like a musical show. I knew it. I watched the pilot (it originally premiered after the Super Bowl, I think... some sport thing at any rate) but I watched it on Hulu the following day. I was HOOOOOOKED. I legitimately enjoyed the show. How can you tell? I did not like one boy in the whole cast. Not one. This is the second season where the cast has been split between the school and NYC... and they are just less enjoyable. I even started fast-forwarding Rachel's songs. WE GET IT - YOU SING. There is talk (or maybe more official things) that this season, as well as the next (final?) season will be all NYC. I am NOT on board with that. I don't care that you're going to incorporate Sue Sylvester into the story. If I wanted the Rachel Berry show, I'd ask. So thinking about that, sure, I've been there from the beginning, but it's time to cut the show loose if they're going in a direction I'm not on board with... but the conundrum is that it seems like they're going to pull in my favorite Ohio characters (Sam and Blaine). So do I support the cast I love or do I cut ties with the cast I hate? The bottom line is: because of the length of time invested, I'll give it a chance. I'll see how they do it... if it's too much Rachel, I'll tap out and hope that Darren Criss and Chord Overstreet find work elsewhere that I can support.
You know it must be so difficult to write consistently good episodes of a show - and I feel badly criticizing (no, I couldn't do better), but my time is valuable too, so put your best foot forward, TV shows. Mama needs to be entertained. Dance, monkeys, dance!
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