TV
A brief listing of some of the shows I’ve seen. For a complete listing check my IMDB profile
Sci Fi
Dark Angel – 4/5
Doctor Who - 5/5
Firefly-5/5 – Star Wars with grit and bootstrap flair. Uneven, but awesome
Fringe-4/5 – flawed, but better than most recent television. Vintage JJ.
Haven -3.5/5 the supporting characters are either dull or constantly being killed off in this very loose take on a Stephen King story, but despite its limitations, the show has gone beyond an initially dull premise and built up a relatively complex and spooky set of overarching mysteries over the course of its two seasons. Oddly endearing, and the likable leads help.
Heroes-rating would depend on which season you’re talking about
Kyle XY-3/5 – a lot of potential and the first season was good, but deteriorated afterward
Lost – 4.5/5-schizophrenic, brilliant, innovative
Roswell-4/5
Stargate SG-1 – 4/5
Terra Nova- 2/5 – uninspired, but has its heart in the right place, so is a sweet and oddly addicting show despite its derivativeness
The Nine Lives of Chloe King -3/5- canceled too soon
The Sarah Connor Chronicles – 3.8/5 – now canceled. Watchable.
The X-Files – 5/5
Warehouse 13-2.5/5 – it’s not that this is a good show. It’s minor and derivative with sometimes painful dialogue – yet the archeological/sci fi twist on the procedural format, as well as the quirky cast of characters, makes this pretty fun at times
Spook:
24 – 4.5/5
Alias – 4.5/5
Chuck – 4/5 – funny, with heart, humanity, and flair
La Femme Nikita – 2/5 – had a few good scenes/moments and a lot of potential but killed by poor acting and loose plot
MI:5- 5/5 – brilliant spook series starring a constantly-changing roster of Britain’s best television actors
Nikita - 4/5 – not groundbreaking, but a solidly written show that knows how to handle its characters and plot-lines
Procedural/Crime:
Bones – 4/5
Castle-4.8/5
JAG-5/5
NCIS-4/5
Sherlock-4.9/5
Touching Evil – 4.5 stars – brilliant Brit show, only flaw is that the episodes are a bit too similar to each other
Wire in the Blood – 4/5 – another Brit show, the pilot episode of this was brilliant (criminal profiler who plays Lara Croft playstation?oh yes), much more so even than Touching Evil, but so gruesome
White Collar -4.5/5
Sitcom & Comedy:
Cougar Town- sunny and deftly written. Much less about sex than about an oddball group of friends who form a mini-family. Hits its groove around episode 8 particularly and is very enjoyable.
Coupling-4.8/5 – Steven Moffat must have plunged brilliant into the world from the moment he was born, since this, one of his earlier series, is just as stunning as current efforts Doctor Who and Sherlock. Witticisms abound in this insanely quotable comedy about sex, dating, and surviving the modern world. Risque, but not crudely explicit. For fans of Friends or How I Met Your Mother.
Friends -5/5
How I Met Your Mother – 4.8/5
Seinfeld – 5/5
Romance & Other:
Awkward-3/5 – this MTV show is oddly, awkwardly lovable
Instant Star - 3/5 – low-key and cheesy Canadian show that is nonetheless insanely addicting, mainly because of likable characters and the instant-sell premise of a girl’s journey to becoming and being a rock star. Watch real-life singer Alexz Johnson fall in and out of love, fight with family, and (often painfully) grow up, while putting it all into song
Hart of Dixie -2.5/5 There’s nothing in this show that hasn’t been cobbled from other, often better shows – yet there’s an elusive, winsome charm about it. Probably has to do with Rachel Bilson, who can’t act yet embodies “endearing” in her petite form. Also, it is beautifully shot – easily one of the most visually appealing shows airing right now.
One Tree Hill-4/5
Pretty Little Liars -2.5/5
Revenge -4/5
Veronica Mars – 4/5 – first season of this cult favorite is wonderful, but it does deteriorate has it goes on. Deeply likable characters and the wit and crime-solving are great, but the plot sometimes got buried under too much teen angst and melodrama.
Pushing Daisies-4/5 – a show with an oddly British feel, it’s a mix of wryly delightful, tongue-in-cheek banter and romance and unexpected gallows humor. Wholly original.
Asian dramas:Rated
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