“Don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone….”
Are you one of the people who discovered “Freaks and Geeks” on DVD and wondered “Where was I when that show was on?” or the slightly more to the point “Why didn’t I help ratings by watching this awesome show when it was actually on the air?”
How about “Wonderfalls” or “Undeclared” or “Invasion”?
Things could have been different for those shows if more people had realized, a lot sooner, that these shows were wonderfully written, acted, directed, produced, etc.
It’s that line of thinking, about gone-too-soon shows, that gets me worried about the rest of the season, and what’s going to happen in May when season picks up are announced, and we’re left to pick up the pieces of our broken hearts when the shows we love aren’t given the green light for another season.
I implore you as fellow TV-addicts – watch the following shows (1 new drama, 1 new comedy, two old and perfect dramas that aren’t quite ready to be over). Don’t just watch them – love them, talk about them with your friends, tell your family that you won’t speak to them until they watch these shows with you. Long story short, help these shows get the second (or in some cases, 4th) season that they deserve!
1. Friday Night Lights – I sing the praises of this amazing show on a pretty much daily basis. There probably isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t tell someone how much I love Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford). I bring Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) up in conversation, quite smoothly, as if the name and the character belong in every day convo. In case you haven’t heard, or read about the show, Friday Night Lights is, at its core, a show about the Dillon Panthers football team. But it truly is so much more than that. Their coach, Eric Taylor, is one of the coolest characters ever put on screen, and Kyle Chandler knocks it out of the park every week. His chemistry with his on screen wife, played by the illustrious Connie Britton, is some of the best and smoothest chemistry that I have ever seen portrayed. The teenage cast of this show is so much more real than anyone you’ll see portrayed on One Tree Hill, or some other show with the same regard to high school. More about life relationships, getting through the hard times, dealing with rejection and pain and loss than it is about football, this show is hands down one of the best shows that I’ve ever seen produced. The idea of missing out on a chance to see at least a second season of this very near perfect show scares me, to be perfectly honest. Some might say that I take the TV addiction way too far when I say that I can’t picture a world where FNL isn’t playing once a week, Wednesdays at 8!
2. Knights of Prosperity – Donal Logue is hilarious. He’s an every man, a hero for the normal guy. He and his rag-tag bunch of Robin Hoods stealing from Mick Jagger to help their own need for something better for themselves…they make me smile. Are they as pitch perfect a cast as the Bluths from Arrested Development? No. Are they are polished as other comedies we’ve seen in years past? No, but there is something so true, real about these people that I can’t help but imagine that if we all formed our own Knights of Prosperity and commandeered a local Jewish-supply store, we too could rob someone rich and famous because we put our mind to it, and because we believed in ourselves like his bunch does. I’ve heard from various sources that KOP is in desperate need of viewers if it intends to even make it through season 1. I implore you, as loyal readers and people who enjoy good entertaining comedies, give this show a shot!!!!
3. Veronica Mars – There are the naysayers that believe Season 3 hasn’t been as good or original as Season 1 or 2 was. Does that mean that this talented cast, this amazing batch of writers, that they don’t deserve to live on for at least another season? What some view as a bad episode, I’d still say is probably one of the best shows on TV. For those of you who have yet to try and catch on to the cult phenomenon that is Veronica Mars, you have time as they’re all new for the rest of February and they return in April with stand along episodes to pull you right back in! The show has found itself constantly struggling to find viewers, though it is critically acclaimed and loved by those who watch it. It is never too late to get caught up – give yourself two-three episodes for the rest of February, and I bet you’ll be hooked and you’ll get your friends and family hooked as well!
4. Battlestar Galactica – I constantly find myself talking about how great this show is. Other shows talk about how great this show is (who remembers the amazing BSG related conversation Veronica Mars had with Cheating!Max in the last episode or how many times Seth Cohen has mentioned the show on The O.C.?). Yes, it’s on SciFi, which immediately makes a lot of people make that “oh she watches a Science Fiction show” face…you know the one where the person you’re talking to makes that scrunched up, rolling the eyes, “is the interest in Science Fiction contagious” face….Prove them wrong. Catch one of the Season 1, 2, 2.5, 3, or 3.5 episodes in replay both On Demand and on Sci Fi itself and you’ll be hooked. Rent the DVDs, get caught up. You’ll be an addict in no time. Let’s bump the viewership up enough to basically require, not just insure, a Season 4.0!!
What shows are you worried about as we get a bit closer to the end of the 06-07 TV year?
In Other News….time to check in on those resolutions!!!
1. To watch Jericho’s first 11 episodes (make that the first 12 episodes, as an upcoming column will be dedicated to a review/preview of the upcoming Spring Premiere!!)
Well, I’ve gotten 5 episodes in, and I have to say that I’m pretty hooked on this show. Skeet Ulrich is my new TV boyfriend, and I cannot wait to get myself all caught up!! I want to thank everyone who has begged me not to give up on this show! It really is solid entertainment.
2. To avoid American Idol at all costs.
This has been going remarkably well. I even successfully avoided the Entertainment Weekly issue devoted solely to American Idol. I don’t miss it at all!
3. To avoid spoilers.
This is going a lot better than I ever thought it would. I was one of those people that jumped on any new piece of upcoming episode information I could find. I have been LOVING not knowing what’s coming up. It’s such a treat to be able to be completely unaware and completely shocked when things happen that I didn’t expect!
4. To start and/or join an FNL fan club.
Well, I haven’t necessarily started or joined any club, I spread the word about FNL wherever I go!!!
5. To watch Lost with no expectations.
Let’s see how this goes on Wednesday night when Lost returns at 10PM on ABC!!! Fingers crossed that it will work out for me!!
6. To stop hating GG just because Christopher makes my skin crawl.
I’ve been watching GG with a certain apathy that is owed to a show that has withered since Season 5. But I have refrained from saying “I hate Christopher” or “I hate this show” every time it comes on, or I see a preview, so I think I’m making progress!
7. To worship all things Jack Bauer for the remainder of my days on the planet.
Um, yes please. I’m completely in love with Kiefer!Jack. This season it’s no different. Sure I thought his torture of his brother was insane, but who else can make me so angry and reduce me to tears in the same scene!!!
That’s it for this week –
Feedback is welcome and celebrated – mytakeontv@thetvaddict.com
Amrie