Mid-Season Round Up

For those waiting desperately for my Mid Season TV reviews, here they are.

Battlestar Galactica -- While the time between the end of the mini-series and the start of the first run of 13 episodes was interminable due to "cliffhanger" aspects (of which there weren't many), the time between the end of season one and season two's gonna be worse for similar reasons (thankfully new episodes start this summer). This show is everything an adult could want from well written sci-fi. While the 10 year old in me still has a fondness for the cheese of the original series, this reimagining blows that out of the water. There's some real tension this time out as the remains of the human race are actually on a desperate run for survival (where in the original they just kind of lazily wandered from strange planet to strange planet asking "Is this Earth?")

Life on a Stick -- This odd sitcom is pretty funny, but the premise is weird. A slacker lives at home with his remarried parents, his step-sister (mother's daughter), step-brother (the one child of both parents) and works at the mall at a hot dog stand with his dim-witted best friend and hot girlfriend. Plots revolve around odd situations like the episode where the step-sister winds up with the same Nazi-like German teacher her brother did. It's actually pretty funny. Or maybe the level of what makes me laugh has dropped several notches.

Eyes -- I've always liked Tim Daly's work as an actor. This show is no exception. Here he plays Harlan Judd of Judd Risk Management. These are the people you call when your CEO embezzels $100 million. A nice mix of witty repartee and dark espionage this series easily matches the quality of ABC's other new powerhouse dramas (Lost & Desperate Housewives). Can't wait for more episodes.

The Office -- I haven't really seen the BBC original, so I can't comment. This series started off funny, but after having seen 5 episodes it gets less funny and more repetative (we get the point) with each one.

Stacked -- Wow. Pamela Anderson can actually do comedy. This sitcom harkens back to what now seems a bit antiquated -- the one setting "situational" comedy. Set in a bookstore run by a high-minded failed writer (Elon Gold...late of another antiquated sitcom "The In-Laws"), Anderson stars as the new dimwitted employee who tries to give change when a customer uses a credit card. Not classic comedy, but it produces a few laughs. Worth wathing just for Christopher Lloyd's oddball Professor who seems to spend his time in the bookstore like Norm did at Cheers.

Carnival -- This wonderfully weird apocalyptic drama returned for a second season which is mostly sitting on my Tivo with the entire run of Karen Sisco waiting to be watched. Saw the first few episodes and couldn't bring myself to care anymore about the show. What was once interesting now seems boring. They should have gotten to the point sooner. A third season has yet to be ordered, but I'm guess HBO will figure out a way to wrap up any loose ends to appease fans.

Deadwood -- Unlike the above HBO show, this one is one cocksucking, motherfucking piece of shit Western (meaning all of that in the good sense...just trying to describe it the way it's lead characters would) that also has lost a bit of lustre in its second season. But, unlike Carnivale, it still seems to be headed somewhere.

Law & Order: Trial by Jury -- I like Bebe Newirth and I miss Jerry Orbach, but this show is just pushing this franchise ever so closer into "Law & Order: Meter Maids" direction. With four entries here and three "CSI" I don't think there's enough "news" to fake for these shows anymore and it shows on this one. Third time's the charm...fourth time...well...it's just a bit much.

South Park -- Returning for its ninth season and it's starting to also run out of steam. Every other episode is over the top funny (like the season opener "Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina") or poking fun at very timely topics in the usual way ("Best Friends Forever" saw kenny dying again, but being kept on life support as Cartman lobbied congress to remove his feeding tube so he could inherit Kenny's new PSP). But the episodes in between are just wheel spinning (a baseball themed episode was like watching molasses fuck). I expect better from this show every time out.

Jake in Progress -- Having completed its 13 episode run, I feel a bit cheated because the show had the chance to end with some closure (playboy publicist Jake winds up in serious relationship with boss' new secretary) but instead opted for a last second (literally...after end credits rolled) cliffhanger (his ex-wife we've heard so much about returns just before she's supposed to remarry). The rest of the series was actually rather witty with a well crafted cast. Rick Hoffman's Patrick (a David Blaine clone/rival) was the highlight and is Emmy worthy. I'm gonna miss this show as I'm pretty sure it won't be back.

Doctor Who -- This show has returned to the BBC after a very long hiatus (it's been off since 1987 I think) and has become a stellar hit over in the U.K. Unfortunately, who knows when those of us in the colonies will get to see it as it has no place to air yet (supposedly Sci-Fi Channel passed on it). The reviews are good and I can't wait...with any luck it'll at least get a Region 1 DVD release sometime around Christmas. Meanwhile, the day after the show premiered, it was announced that star Christopher Eccleston would no longer be playing the Doctor's Ninth incarnation. For the second season he will be replaced by David Tennant (now playing the 10th Doctor...at this rate, the new series will run out of regenerations for the Doctor faster than the old show got to number 7).

That's all for today. Hope to be back soon.