First let me let out some raves. As has been mentioned a long time ago, the big show in our house is Lost. If you haven't watched it - start! Or even better, rent/buy the first season on DVD. So many yummy extras. My favorite character is Sun - I think the actress who plays her (Yujin Kim) is just beautiful and astonishing.
Another favorite which I haven't mentioned in the past is Grey's Anatomy. Yes, I love Desperate Housewives. But so far this season it's been a tad subpar (except Marcia Cross, who continues to rock the free world). Meanwhile Grey's has gotten even better. Remember when ER was really great those first few seasons? It's like that, with less blood. My favorite character is definitely Dr. Bailey, furthering my obsession with strong African-American women. She's played by diminutive actress Chandra Wilson. The men are all adorable, but our favorite has to be George. He needs a hug. From me. Repeatedly.
As for new shows, the one I got hooked on this fall is Commander in Chief. It really sucked me in - how did that happen? Remember that awful Geena Davis sitcom? But seriously - this is a good show. Like the good seasons of The West Wing but more personal.
Now y'all know I love me some reality television. So what happened this season? It all sucks! Survivor is possibly the worst ever, and I'm not even watching it. (Bringing back two former players to give them a "second chance?" Lame.) Beloved favorite The Amazing Race came out with a "Family Edition" which features a plethora of unlikable personalities, lame challenges, and completely unexotic locales (example: find the country's largest office chair in nowhere, Alabama). I'm so disheartened. All I have to say is that the producers of TAR had better turn this ship around, or I'm done with CBS. (This summer's edition of Big Brother was remarkably interesting, so I have hope.)
And now onto my rant for this post. I will be talking about the weekly sob-fest known as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Come on, you know you've watched it. Each week follows a set formula:
- Present non-wealthy family's tragic sob story, generally involving a dead relative.
- Family is sent on a vacation, while Ty sends them periodic videos of what's happening, and it's all completely fake and lame.
- Designers occasionally work on the house, but mostly act in even lamer set-up sketches.
- Family returns while a bevy of paid extras stand around and cheer.
- We see the whole house (which is always ridiculously nice, yet impractical), and the family weeps buckets. We also weep because the kitten - she is being choked.
- Lather, rinse, repeat.
What kills me about this is how unbelievably emotional the designers are. It's like they have all been force-fed estrogen in mass quantities. The biggest crybaby is this woman, but because she's usually pretty sincere, I'll forgive her. Next would be Paul, who is a complete girly-man when it comes to sad family situations. And then we have the woman that I like the least - she's relentlessly perky (and not in a good Paige Davis way), yet always is drowning in crocodile tears by the show's end.
And of course there's also Ty, who is like an extremely annoying Peter Pan. Extreme Makeover: Asshole Edition. I hate him with the passion of a thousand burning hot suns. Where is Amy Wynn when I need her???
My parting thought is how astonished I am by how much I watch on the major networks this season. If you had told me two years ago that I would be watching more ABC than NBC, I'd have said that Britney Spears must be President (please, don't let that happen). Here's the surprising rundown of my regular week on the non-cable networks:
ABC - 5 (DH, Grey's, Commander, Lost, Supernanny)
CBS - 1 (TAR)
NBC - 0*
Fox - 4 (Simpsons, King of the Hill, Arrested Development, Kitchen Confidential)
WB - 1 (Reba)
UPN - 1 (Everybody Hates Chris)
* The one exception is that I do watch Saturday Night Live pretty regularly, but as it's not part of the prime-time schedule, I didn't include it.
Well that's it for this post. I'll try to get back on here with more regularity. Please feel free to post comments, and do visit the wonderful SNU's blog.
