Saturday, September 18, 2010

Fall LineUp

Well, I wait for the Entertainment Weekly Fall TV Preview every year and it always comes a bit late. I only have a week to devour it before the main bulk of shows start.

My early take - there are only a few new shows I'm excited about. and that's a good thing. I really can't afford to take on too many new ones. So I'll tune into The Event and Hawaii 5-0. And although I'm sure I may look at a few others, those are the only two I hope work out.

I do not know what to do with Lone Star. Something about the premise of this show really bothers me. I guess it's the fact that he's juggling two women. We are trained to believe that behavior is bad, and yet this show is going to try and make us feel sympathy for this con-artist who has to live two lives. Oh, poor him. He will be a hard hero to root for. And although I really don't want to watch it, everything I'm reading says this is a standout show this season and well done. I think I'm going to try and resist. Maybe I'll finally buckle and get Netflix and start up on Mad Men or something.

One show I did start watching is CW's Nikita. I know, I know, CW has issues and the material is often frivolous and poorly done. But I'm a sucker for anything La Femme Nikita. And I actually thought the pilot of this show did a good job melding pieces of each of its previous incarnations. I saw pieces of the original movie, the American remake and Peta's lovely version in there. I wish it had a little more grit and the production was better. I can't tell if it has that feel because it was taped in Canada or the CW broadcast is just that bad. I'm thinking the latter.

Another one I'm not interested in thematically but hear great things about - Boardwalk Empire. I will give this one a shot - even though prohibition gangster stories are not my cup of moonshine, this does have Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald, and Scorsese at the helm (at least initially). I know it WILL be gritty and well acted. Maybe it will feel like another Deadwood.

Get the DVRs warmed up. Happy watching everyone!

7 comments:

Lindle said...

My absolute favorite version of La Femme Nikita is the French original. The music alone was so moody and heart-thumping. B. Fonda and Gabriel Byrne played it well in the American version, but Peta brought it to TV, and I am sticking with her. Little Nikita Barbie on CW has big shoes to fill.

Chad said...

I haven't decided on The Event yet, and I'm just too overbooked to add 5-0.

Agreed on Lone Star.

I've only watched season 1 of Mad Men, but I have to say, that Netflix plan sounds like the right call.

You're watching Nikita? Shocker. :)

I'm curious about the early prohibition stuff in Boardwalk Empire and I have loved Kelly Macdonald in all that I've seen her in.

Thoughts on Undercovers?

Jessamyn said...

Ooh, I forgot about Undercovers. Does that say something? Well I like J.J. of course so I will watch. I just don't want it to be a Mr. and Mrs. Smith. And I feel like Chuck satisfies a lighthearted spy need, so I'm not sure what Undercovers will bring. It all rides on their chemistry.

Mil said...

A new Nikita? I was just thinking of the old one with Peta and Roy (sigh!) that we used to watch. Great music on that show. May I suggest a post for your blog? The great music used on Medium and how it can really be integral to the show. A follow-up on your recent musical post. And a picture of Joe Dubois shirtless would be nice, too.

Lindle said...

You're right, Mil--the music on Peta and Roy's La Femme Nikita was pretty much cutting edge. I remember well the Depeche Mode music set against that lonely train ride in the snowy Canadian mountains.

But Chuck's music annoys me. Now another show that has a pretty decent music score is Covert Affairs (a show you don't get yet in France) I know, it's a matter of taste.

Chad said...

The Chuck soundtrack can sometimes be a little overdone, but I think they make amazing music choices on that show and have bought a few albums based on them being showcased on the show. I think Josh Schwartz and I have must have similar taste in music.

Jessamyn said...

Ooh, I agree mom. Depeche Mode's "Barrel of a Gun" (or was it "Love Thieves"?) is a standout from that series. And I've recently discovered Florence + the Machine from Covert Affairs. Of course I love the opening Cake song for Chuck. And Milam, yes Medium has made some strong choices for songs as part of the story. They had a Coldplay episode this past year and now I can't hear that one song without thinking of the show. Even though I was a fan of the music first.