Confessions of a TV Junkie

I know I have crap taste in television shows for the most part. My reason for watching a show ranges from dumb to… well dumber.  I may watch because I like one or more of the actors. I may watch because it’s based on a foreign show I like or it is at least familiar to me. I might watch because it’s science fiction or about vampires (but this is not a hard and fast rule). I’ve watched shows because I like the opening graphics or theme song.  I guess I get what I deserve when the show turns out to be a dud. While clearing out my DVR I decided whether I should continue with some shows that, in my opinion, have failed to perform.

Take the Philanthropist (NBC). I like James Purefoy. I like Neve Campbell. I like Jesse L. Martin. Don’t get me wrong, the show is not bad. I think I’ve just lost interest. Here’s the story for any given show: A rich playboy ends up somewhere in the world. It can be anywhere.  Somehow, through no fault of his own he ends up in some adventure, usually with bad guys shooting at him or beating him up.

He gets out of said fix by throwing money at the problem in a devil may care kind of way. He manages to do this while coming out the good guy. Most of the stories are told as flashbacks with said playboy telling someone who never believes him until the end. There, I’ve saved you an hour I will never get back.

I tried to watch Hung (HBO). I made it through one and half episodes. I never thought a show about a manwhore could be so sexless, depressing and boring. Friends who have watched more episodes say it doesn’t get any better. I used to like  Thomas Jane, now not so much.

I’m still on the fence about Mental (Fox). I kind of like watching crazy people kind of get better. My real problem with the show is that I was led to believe that Annabella Sciorra would be a major character. That was pretty much why I decided to watch the show. So far she’s the Suzanne Somers of the show. Suzanne Somers at least had a few solid lines together for her last year on Three’s Company. Sciorra and let’s face it, most of the core cast just kind of wander through with one or two lines at most. Why bother. I find it more annoying than actually bad.

Then there’s True Blood (HBO). It has vampires so I had to watch it. It has pasty guys who talk funny (a personal weakness of mine). This second season has not been as impressive or fun as the first. Some friends and I began to think we may have to drop True Blood. Most of us were kind of sad about that. This past week’s episode gave me hope.

Not to spoil anything but some of the best lines come in the first ten minutes. Jason and holy roller Barbie have a really funny exchange. Eric and Sookie have a quick spot of wit. I even enjoy creepy 2000 years old Godric. I still really wish the whole Maryann thing would wrap up. There doesn’t seem to be any point other than stirring up trouble in an icky evil way. Even if there is a point to it all I don’t think I really care anymore. And it goes without saying that my love of Eric grows every week… until Ashes to Ashes returns to BBC next year.  My love is the kind that disappears as soon as you leave the room.

One last thing, I have really enjoyed Better Off Ted. It funny and clever every time. I just hope ABC decides to keep it. They might try running consistently. That might help.