What's Good on TV right now?

Showtime at I believe 10:00 EST (comes on right after Dexter.)

 

Just watched part 1 of Scorsese's George Harrison: Living in the Material World on HBO.

Phenomenal.

 

I visited my mother this evening, and my goodness ... Rab C nesbit has got a new series. I mean ... it's been a very long time he's not been around.

Here is an example


er .... he is an acquired taste

 

Its not that the shows are "classic" sitcoms, its that these shows are the same jokes over and over. If you've seen one episode of Two and a Half Men or Big Bang, you've seen them all. Ignoring the fact that the jokes are simply not funny, the thing that gets me most is that the writing is lazy and formulaic.

 

Disclosure: I get screeners and sometimes giveaway swag from Showtime BUT I won't endorse a show I don't like. Dexter has been my favourite premium cable show since its debut and now I'm digging Homeland (following Dexter on SHO) which is engrossing and has some really strong performances being rendered by it's cast. I was going to say I'm not a television snob but that is disingenuous. I am. But I firmly believe if a person digs what they are watching on TV or online, wherever--well that's the point--to be entertained (or informed or both). I watch Sons of Anarchy on FX for it's strong acting and writing. I love to immerse myself in Boardwalk Empire (HBO). I'm gearing up for The Walking Dead--another fine cast there and great work on the zombies by Greg Nicotero. Got turned on to the most recent reboot of Doctor Who--now going into series 7 (series = season). It's pretty silly, IMO but witty and I very much enjoy wit. Weeds (SHO) is on hiatus--that has pretty well run it's course but I'll probably watch until it is canceled. Same with True Blood which has a spectacular season 1 and has been wobbly ever since. I can barely remember True Blood season 4 and it just finished. I wish I'd started watching Breaking Bad when it debuted. Now I'm too busy to take on another TV show and will have to catch it on download once something else gets canceled. I watch the previous day's Daily Show with the family at dinnertime. Oh yeah, Spartacus featuring my girl crush Lucy Lawless comes back in January on Starz. That's a very naughty show--so fun!
I should have read the whole thread first. This is my third edit. Shameless on Showtime. They asked me to watch and I fell in love with Emmy Rossum as well as a couple of the kids. Ironically, the star of the show William H. Macy, who I'd usually enjoy, seems miscast in his role as the drunken miscreant father.

 

I've really started looking forward to Monday morning because so many good shows are available for download. I was thinking I'd be bummed when Breaking Bad's season ended but I think Dexter and Boardwalk will step right in and take it's place.

Need to check out Homeland and I can't decide if I like Pan Am or if it's just an airline rip off of Mad Men.

 

Did you see last night's episode? It was aptly titled: "Face Off".

Love that dark humor.

 

It's on my laptop but I haven't watched it yet. Just too beautiful today to be watching TV.

Anyone know when "Justified" is coming back?

 

Haven't seen a return date yet, only 'in 2012.'

 

13 episodes renewed for season 3, but no premiere dates yet. Rumor mills saying Spring 2012.

 

Yeah I've researched it, by which I mean I entered it into "the Google." That's all I got "new episodes in 2012."

 

LOL. That's what I did--after looking at the Fall TV preview calendar and not seeing it there. I wonder if they've started production yet? That will probably be the first clue as FOX/FX is not great about getting the word out very early. I'll post if I see something.

 

Ok got around to Breaking Bad and Dexter. Breaking Bad was a really strong season finish in my opinion. Dexter's losing a little edge.

Also caught the first two Homeland's... might be my new favorite show.

 

Reading this thread makes me realize that I am probably missing a lot of great series programming. I've been reluctant to make a commitment to a show since my last commitment ended with me scratching my head and kicking myself for wasting prime time every Wednesday night (ABC's Lost). As it seems most of the really great shows on now are well into themselves, I probably won't try catching up but will try out a few new ones when the next season rolls around. I did give Game of Thrones a shot, but missed a few episodes and lost interest. Oh well, I'm glad to hear that kick ass shows are still out there and still worth watching.

 

I think we are going to drop Pan Am and keep with Terra Nova for now...

 

I had a hard time getting into terra nova. not sure why. i liked lost.

 

It's not a great show by any means, but we're gonna stick with it for a bit more. Decent cast, good special effects, and big names behind it. Hopefully it'll get better.

 

Started watching American Horror Story on FX two weeks ago. At the end of the first episode I couldn't decide 'why' I was watching it because I didn't enjoy doing so. I can't imagine that they even tried to make something enjoyable as there's no one in the cast that seems in any way sympathetic, likable, funny, etc. However it has some kick-ass actors so I decided to give it 2 more weeks. I thought for sure the reviews would be scathing (they weren't--plus it did well in the ratings). Last night's episode was waaay better, certainly it was more coherent. I need to have at least one character I can root for and the wife/mother played by Connie Britton, seemed to break out of the corner they were painting her in (VICTIM). Rarely in a horror set-up like this--family moves into a house full of horrors does anyone say, "Let's sell this place!' so quickly but she did. End of episode 2. No more horror house. Series ends. That would be novel.

 

As mentioned above, all I know are rumors.
I've seen some say January, February or March.

I found some interesting articles about "Justified", though.

The quote below is just a little bit of the article. Click the link for the in depth interview. (it's worth it, imo)

I found this piece about a couple or three of the villains coming in Season 3.

Here's a schedule of upcoming shows I found posted by a guy/girl on another site.

Also, here's a link to an article about Margo Martindale before she won her Emmy.
http://www.aoltv.com/2011/09/16/margo-martindale-talks-emmys-justified-gifted-man/

I really liked her role as Mags Bennett, and it wasn't until after I watched her win at the Emmys, did I find out from my mom that Margo was from our little East Texas town. She had left before my mom moved here. Still cool, though.

 

I have a dilemma. Usually the absolute most I can watch television is 2 hours at a clip, something I did not consider when I stumbled into the promote-this-show trade. Tonight (Sunday) there are 5 hour-long shows that I want to watch, 3 of which I'm 'obligated'* to watch. I write about Dexter & Homeland as well as The Walking Dead (and I've blown through the 1st three episodes press kit DVD on the 1st two). Then there's the sublime Boardwalk Empire which is can't miss (though I have no obligation) and tonight, Once Upon A Time premieres on ABC and I'd like to have a look at it. I'm actually hoping it is awful and that is quite possible as one of the lead writers is Jane Espenson, who mangled every episode of Battlestar Galactica she was involved with.
I know to use a DVR but I like to watch premium cable shows in real time. This is truly not fun. I've decided though that watching Dexter in real time and then watching the recorded, commercial-laded TWD is how I'm starting off.

*'Obligated' as in they drive traffic to my blogs which makes my blogs more valuable.
What are you guys watching on Sunday nights?