Fall season, end of week 3

I'm all caught up, so let's get right to it. First, new shows:

• We Are Men: Last week, I said it was funny. This week, it wasn't as funny—and it was promptly canceled, making it the second new show (after Lucky 7) to be canceled this season.
• Sleepy Hollow: Last week, I had decided to give it up. Then I read that John Noble (Walter/Walternate on Fringe) would be joining the cast, so I decided to keep watching. This week's opening, with Ichabod giving advice to the OnStar-like operator was priceless.
• Hostages: Last week, I said I didn't want to be interested in the show but was. This week, they totally hooked me. I've added it to my viewing schedule.
• The Blacklist: I really want to like this more. I'll keep watching—if only because I'm interested in Red's relationship with Agent Keen and because I want to know what Agent Keen's husband is up to.
• S.H.I.E.L.D.: I gave it up this week. Vic will still watch, and if it gets better, he'll let me know and catch me up and I'll pick it back up. The thing is, I only have so much free time. I have to be very selective in my viewing.
• Back in the Game: I dropped it after the third episode. The end of the second episode was touching and then hilarious, but the third episode just didn't do anything for me.
• The Tomorrow People: This is a great new sci-fi show on CW. We loved the pilot, so it's definitely going into the three-time pile—and I expect a full-season pick-up on the CW as well as in the Love Shack.
• Ironside: Dropped after 15 minutes. It just didn't do anything for me, and now that the rest of my schedule is shaping up, I don't have time for shows like that. NOTE TO NETWORKS: The longer you wait to premiere things, the less room I have in my schedule.
• Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: I couldn't really get into it. Dropped.
• The Crazy Ones: Still needs to be a little more balanced, but I added it to my viewing schedule.
• Betrayal: Dropped it. It's just tough to watch a show that's centered around adultery, and it's not a great show.
• Masters of Sex: Not impressed. I'll do one more week per my three-time rule, but I don't expect it to be on my schedule after that.
• Reign starts this week. It's on the schedule to give it a try, but I don't think I'll enjoy it.

Returning shows:

• Castle: Finally they're back to a "regular" show. I love that—SPOILER ALERT—Castle offered to move to D.C. (even had already leased an apartment there) just before Beckett got sacked by the feds. This way, she can't spend the next several episodes saying "You never wanted me to go there anyway."
• Revolution: I was going to drop it after last week's episode, but next week's episode sounds interesting, so I might keep going. Just for a little while.
• Scandal: Man, this show packs a lot into an hour. It's juicy delicious. Love it.
• Glee: On the one hand, this was a wonderful tribute to Finn. Each person got his or her own moment, and they incorporated the old and new casts wonderfully. I felt like Finn's mother's grief was the most real. But to have Puck and Santana and even Mr. Schue sobbing like babies felt ... forced. Not that they wouldn't be terribly sad. It just seemed over the top. The song tributes were nice. I even liked Rachel's rendition of "To Make You Feel My Love," which is a song I really love sung by a character I don't even remotely like. (Although, just to be my nitpicky self, I hate the way Lea Michele squinches her eyes when she sings, AND although I felt that her tears were real, I don't like the way Glee has the actors sing in a studio and then lip-synch for the show. If you're singing while you're crying, it doesn't sound like that.) And there were truly some wonderful moments—both funny and sad, which is one of the things that Glee does best. AND I have no doubt that these people loved Cory Monteith and are genuinely sad about his death. BUT on the other hand, I have a hard time watching a show give tribute to someone who basically killed himself with a drug overdose. I know addiction is hard. I know he'd been struggling with it since his teens. It's just really hard for me to understand. Still, I give the episode an A. It might make me tune in again when the show starts back up after the World Series. (But it might not—let's face it, it's likely that the show will now carry on as if Finn never existed. Unlike Grey's Anatomy, which still references Mark and Lexie from time to time. [Not that I'm not still mad at Shonda Rhimes for killing them off.].)
• Blue Bloods: You know, I don't talk much about Blue Bloods, but I really love this show. It's an amazing family drama with a police procedural built in. I love the Reagans.

Here's that link again to Zap2It's renewal/cancellation index. It looks like a lot of shows are on the bubble—let's see how it all shakes out over the next few weeks!

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/the-renew-cancel-index/

Go Broncos! Beat the Jaguars!

Fall season, end of week 2

OK, we had a Harry Potter marathon last week, so I'm a little behind on my TV watching. Let's see what we have:

• We Are Men: I can't believe it. It was funny. We haven't added it to our viewing schedule, and I expect it to be canceled (see http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/10/06/bubble-watch-ironside-we-are-men-sean-saves-the-world-welcome-to-the-family-headed-to-cancellation-the-originals-super-fun-night-start-on-the-bubble/207079/), but it was much funnier than we expected. Maybe because we had such low expectations.
• Sleepy Hollow: I've decided to give it up. It's just ... not what I expected, and it feels a lot like Supernatural, which I no longer watch. The leads are great together, but I'm just not that interested. Vic is going to keep watching—for a little while.
• Hostages: I don't want to be interested in this show—but I am. I'll give it another week.
• The Blacklist: I've added it. If Vic doesn't like it, I'll watch it in bed, like I do Glee and Grey's Anatomy.
• Brooklyn Nine Nine: Giving it up. Although we laugh in places, and Andre Braugher is getting funnier each week, Andy Samberg's character just pisses me off.
• S.H.I.E.L.D.: We didn't like it as well as the first week—but it feels like it's still finding its legs. We'll give this one another week.
• The Crazy Ones: I don't think reviewed this one last week. I thought the first episode was fair. Robin Williams and James Wolk have great chemistry (their pitch to Kelly Clarkson was hilarious), but as my friend Michelle says, "A little Robin Williams goes a long way." That's true. I haven't watched this week's episode yet, but I hope it will be a little more balanced. I'm also hoping that they give Sarah Michelle Geller's character more to do than be exasperated with Robin Williams's character.
• Betrayal: Ordinary, but I'll tune in for a couple more episodes.
• We haven't watched Back in the Game (second episode) or Ironside (first episode) yet. I'll let you know how they fare next week.

Some talk about old shows:

• Castle: HUGE PET PEEVE. When writers put the lead character who is also the title of the show in peril. SPOILER ALERT: Did anyone think Castle was going to die in this episode? The show is called "Castle." Sure, there comes a time that they could kill off a title character—Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy? Maybe. (Certainly, had Shonda Rhimes not killed off Lexie Grey.) The show can be as much about the other doctors as it is about Meredith (although none of the current crop of doctors can carry the show—with Lexie and Mark gone and Cristina leaving the show at the end of the year, it would be harder to go on without Meredith). If the show is ending? Title characters beware. But it's highly unlikely that a show will kill off Temperance Brennan (Bones), Catherine (Beauty) and Vincent (the Beast), Oliver Queen (Arrow), or Ironside in the middle of their runs. So really, writers, don't put those characters in mortal danger. We aren't sitting on the edge of our seats to find out whether they find the antidote in time. We know they will. Find a more novel approach to thicken the plot.
• And as long as we're on pet peeves, can we stop watching a scene and then have another scene pop up that says "x [hours/days/months] earlier"? That device was innovative the first few times. Now it's just cliché. Find another way.
• Glee: This week was better than last week, but of course SPOILER ALERT Rachel would get to be Fanny Brice. And so I don't care about that story line. Still planning to ditch the show after this week.
• Scandal: CAN'T WAIT TO WATCH IT!
• The Good Wife: Loving it.
• The Mentalist: Meh. Ready for them to wrap it up, to be honest.
• Homeland: Meh. First season was still the best. Plus, Brody/Damien Lewis is such a compelling character/actor, he needs to be in the show. I've heard because he's on the run, he's only going to be in about half the episodes this season. I think that's a mistake.
• Masters of Sex: Pretty boring for a show about sex, and it doesn't paint William Masters in a very flattering light. But I PAID FOR IT, so I'm going to give it another try.

This week's premieres:

• The Tomorrow People (10/9): I love a good sci-fi romp. Let's hope this is one.
• Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (10/10): Not expecting to love it—I canceled its cousin (Once Upon a Time) after the first season—but we'll see!

And that's all the TV news this week. See you next time!

Fall season, end of week 1

Let's get right to it: How are the new shows faring?

• Sleepy Hollow: Still intrigued. Will watch one more week.
• Brooklyn Nine Nine: Better on second viewing but still haven't permanently added to my viewing schedule.
• Hostages: Meh. In the three-time pile.
• The Blacklist: Love it. I'm ready to add it; Vic's not so sure—yet.
• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: I liked+ it. I thought it was funny and look forward to another episode. But we haven't added it to the viewing schedule yet.
• Trophy Wife: Unfortunately, this went into the dumping pile five minutes in. Admittedly, I did expect it to go there, but I was hoping it would be better.
• Lucky 7: Made it through the whole episode, but into the dumping pile it went. Again as expected. I felt like I could have written the rest of the season myself.
• Back in the Game: I did not like it, but Vic thought it was worthy of a second look.
• The Michael J. Fox Show: We made it through a whole episode, but could have put it in the dumping pile much earlier. Dumped!

And the old shows that premiered this week?

• Castle: Loved it. It was a little more awkward than it needed to be, but let's face it, anyone who thinks Beckett is moving to Washington is ... [insert appropriate adjective here].
• Person of Interest: Loved it. I love the addition of Amy Acker and Sarah Shahi.
• Chicago Fire: This is never my favorite show, but it's a reliable performer, and nothing has changed.
• Modern Family: Laugh-out-loud funny. Plus Phil reminds me of Vic in a lot of ways (and let's face it—I'm Claire), so that probably helps. Although I would give much better proposal advice than Claire did.
• Criminal Minds: Continues to be one of the most disturbing shows on television.
• Revolution: Not sure I care anymore. I'll see if Vic does.
• Grey's Anatomy: Sure, Shonda Rhimes killed off another cast member, but I thought it was a great premiere.
• The Crazy Ones: I actually liked it. Robin Williams eventually ended up at the top of his game, and he has great chemistry with James Wolk. Sarah Michelle Gellar leaves something to be desired—but I'm not a fanboy, so I suppose that has something to do with it.
• Glee: I think I'm going to drop this after they dispose of Finn. I just found myself not caring about any of these people anymore.
• Hawaii Five-0: Reliably fun. The story lines are preposterous, but the scenery is gorgeous—and I'm not just talking about Hawaii.
• Blue Bloods: This is just a great family/police drama. Love it.

This week's premieres:

• Betrayal (9/29): This is one that Vic picked—he must have been on HRT that day. We'll see how he likes it.
• The Good Wife (9/29): Florrick+Agos: Can't wait to see how this plays out!
• The Mentalist (9/29): I'm really interested to see who Red John is—and I've heard things about a cast shuffle up, so it'll be fun to see how that shakes out over the season.
• Homeland (9/29): I'm on the phone with DirecTV as we speak because I'm tired of watching this on my computer. Showtime, here I come!
• Masters of Sex (9/29): As long as I have Showtime, I might as well watch this, right? It is atop virtually every critic's list.
• We Are Men (9/30): These previews are looking more and more horrible. I may not even try it.
• Ironside (10/2): Ditto.
• Scandal (10/3): Yet another show that had a great cliffhanger that I can't wait to see how it resolves.

And while I won't go off on another Emmy rant, I will say that this year's Emmy show was not that great. The awards were fun—there were a lot of surprise wins, and one of my favorite Neil Patrick Harris lines was "No one's winning their Emmy office pool this year."—but the show was ... in a word ... awful. I liked the host bit at the beginning that ended with Kevin Spacey doing his bit from House of Cards, but that was it. Most of the presenters were wooden and horrible. There were so many show-stopping events (and not in the positive sense of the word), such as The Number in the Middle of the Show, the Year in Television piece, and the extended death tributes (which were moving but really stopped the show cold). I'll tell you this, if they don't start doing better shows, I will only watch for 10 or 15 or 20 more years. ;-)

Happy TV week, everyone! See you next time!

Full review of the new fall season!

OK, let’s talk TV!

 

First, we’re going to talk about last week. Then we’re going to talk about the new shows—most of which start up this week! Then I’m going to give you a link to a premiere date calendar so you can find out when all of the shows you watch (but I don’t) are starting. And finally, I’m going to go on a little Emmy rant.

Last week:

Three shows were on last week that I will report on:

·         Bones: Not too shabby of a premiere. They took the worst part of last season’s finale and fixed it.

·         Sleepy Hollow: This went in a completely different direction than I was expecting, and I can maybe see how it could work. I’m intrigued. It goes on my three-time list. For those of you who don’t know or don’t remember, here’s how I roll with a new show:

o   If I like it immediately, I add it to my viewing schedule. This is rare. I didn’t even add my beloved Grey’s Anatomy to my permanent viewing list until midway through the second season.

o   If I like it but am not sure where it’s going, I put it on my three-time list. That means I try three episodes and make a decision from there. This is where most of my new shows go. And I’d say the results are 50-50 whether I add it or not. If I don’t particularly care for a show but I really like the actors, this saves the show from …

o   … the dumping pile. I’ve dropped shows after five minutes and after five years. Most I’m able to sit through an entire episode.

·         Brooklyn Nine Nine: I wanted to like it more than I did. Andy Samberg was a little too zany, and Andre Braugher was a little stiff. But I laughed out loud in several spots, and I really feel like this has potential. Three-time list.

Below is a list of new shows I am trying. Note that I do not generally describe what the show is about—there are plenty of resources available for that (for example, http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2013/05/fall-tv-2013-complete-night-by-night-grid-for-the-broadcast-networks.html). I can’t do all the work for you, can I?

·         Monday

o   We Are Men (9/30): I am trying this because I like Tony Shalhoub and Jerry O’Connell, but the more I see of it, the less I like it, and it is getting mixed to negative reviews.

o   Hostages (9/23): This is an interesting idea for a limited-run show, and in fact they are only producing 15 episodes this season. I don’t see how it can take a second season, however. Good actors, interesting premise. TV Guide Top 10.

o   The Blacklist (9/23): One of my—and most critics that I’ve read—most highly anticipated shows. I love James Spader, and the material looks rich.

o   Almost Human (11/4): This is my other most highly anticipated show. I can’t believe I have to wait another month and a half for it! It’s from the creators of Lost and Fringe, and it stars Karl Urban and Michael Ealy, two amazing dudes. This is another one that the sources I’ve read love.

·         Tuesday

o   Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (9/24): I really wasn’t interested in this at all—until I started reading about it and seeing the previews. It’s an intriguing premise, and it could really pay off. This, too, is getting critical raves.

o   Trophy Wife (9/24): This is one I’m watching for Bradley Whitford. I just love him, and I have to see how it plays out. I also like Malin Ackerman (the titular wife) and Marcia Gay Harden (one of the exes). It does not look good, however, and I don’t expect to add it to my viewing schedule.

o   Lucky 7 (9/24): This is not getting critical acclaim, and the premise has been done better before. And even though it is a TV Guide Top 10, I don’t expect I’ll add it to my schedule.

·         Wednesday

o   Back in the Game (9/25): I like the two leads in this (James Caan, Maggie Lawson), although I don’t know that it will be that good. (But it is a TV Guide Top Ten.)

o   The Tomorrow People (10/9): My friend Michelle says this is a remake of one of her favorite shows growing up. I had no idea it was a remake! She expects it to be nothing like her childhood memory and expects to drop it, but I am not shackled by this, so it might be OK.

o   Ironside (10/2): Speaking of shackles, I don’t think this is anything like the beloved show with Raymond Burr, but I like Blair Underwood, so I’ll try it anyway, even though most critics are panning it.

·         Thursday

o   Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (10/10): This is sort of a spin-off of Once Upon a Time, which I watched for one season and then dropped. But it looks different, and it’s getting some critical acclaim, so I’m going to try it.

o   The Crazy Ones (9/26): This is getting mixed reviews, but it has Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Geller, so I have to at least give it a shot.

o   Reign (10/17): I’m so-so on this show and probably won’t like it, but my decision to watch was boosted by a TV Guide Top Ten designation.

o   The Michael J. Fox Show (9/26): I’ve long been a fan of M.J. and his wife, Tracy Pollan—so having a show loosely based on their lives makes me smile.

·         Friday

o   Dracula (10/25): Huge fan of the blood sucker, so I have to watch. Not a huge fan of Jonathan Rhys-Myers, and they always screw up Dracula, so I don’t expect to keep watching.

o   Enlisted (11/8): I’m not even wholly committed to trying this show, so chances of my picking it up are pretty slim.

·         Saturday

o   Is there even any TV on on Saturdays?

·         Sunday

o   Betrayal (9/29): I’m not a huge fan of nighttime soaps (anymore—you know I was a huge fan of Dallas and that ilk in my younger (waaaaay younger) days. But we watched a preview of this, and Vic actually thought it might be interesting. So, OK, I’ll bite.

o   Masters of Sex (9/29): This is on Showtime, which we do not get, but it has gotten such rave reviews we may watch it on our super secret online viewing portal.

Let me tell you about some shows I’m not trying, in no particular order:

·         Mom: I love Allison Janney, and Anna Faris can be hilarious. Even the subject matter sounds like it can be both funny and touching. But I am no longer a fan of the laugh track—and this sounds like it has a laugh track. Give me a live studio audience (a la Friends) or a Modern Family any day.

·         Dads: No. And I predict (hope) it will be the first thing canceled this year …

·         … unless it’s The Goldbergs.

·         The Millers: Oh, how I love Will Arnett and Margo Martindale. But oh, how I don’t love a laugh track and the setup-pitch one-liner comedy anymore.

·         Super Fun Night: Love Rebel Wilson. Can’t imagine loving this show.

·         Sean Saves the World: Love Sean Hayes. Can’t imagine loving this show.

A few notes about returning shows that I read in TV Guide:

·         Criminal Minds is going to have a special episode later this year that “brings back some old favorites.” I can’t wait to see Elle and especially Gideon again. THAT BETTER BE WHAT THEY MEAN BY “OLD FAVORITES.”

·         I’m excited that Sarah Shahi is joining the cast of one of my favorite shows, Person of Interest.

·         Revolution looks like it’s going to be a whole new show this year. Interesting.

Premiere dates:

http://www.zap2it.com/tv/fall-tv-preview/zap-2013-fall-tv-premiere-dates,0,3765795.htmlstory

 

Emmys:

So I just found out today that, in addition to the “death montage,” where they show the faces and names of people who died in the past 12 months who were influential in television, this year the producers decided to run five special memorials during the show of people who were, I can only assume, were extra influential. Like James Gandolfini. Jean Stapleton. Jonathan Winters. Gary David Goldberg. And … Cory Monteith? When I told Vic who was on the list and I mentioned Monteith’s name, he said, “Who?” (Finn on Glee, for those of you who don’t know.)

I think most people could figure out why the first four names were on the list. James Gandolfini—the first modern antihero, paving the way for Vic Mackey, Walter White, Dexter Morgan and who knows how many others. Jean Stapleton—Dingbat. The heart and soul of All in the Family and a legendary comedienne. Jonathan Winters—a TV legend who had appeared on dozens of TV shows over his long career, including his own. Gary David Goldberg—creator of Family Ties and Brooklyn Bridge, among others. All previous Emmy winners, by the way. Cory Monteith—drug addict with three whole seasons of Glee under his belt, and no Emmy nominations.

Well, maybe there weren’t any more-notable people who died in the past 12 months. Oh, yes, there were. (I apologize in advance if I leave out your favorite.) Annette Funicello, sweetheart of the Mickey Mouse Club. Jack Klugman, star of the two long-running TV shows The Odd Couple and Quincy, M.E. And my personal favorite, Larry Hagman. Do I even need to tell you his resume? No. How many people say “Who?” when you mention his name? Not very many. Larry Hagman was a television icon whose appeal spanned generations. The Who Shot J.R.? episode of Dallas pioneered the modern cliffhanger. He was beloved by his family co-stars. He loved his life and worked (if you can call what he did “work,” given his relish for the role of J.R. Ewing) practically until the day he died. And he was generous to boot, donating time and money to various charitable organizations.

Instead, we’re going to celebrate and honor someone who basically caused his own death and will, in the long run, leave no imprint on the television world whatsoever. (One could argue that Gandolfini’s physical condition caused his own death as well, but no one could say he was not a brilliant actor who changed the television landscape.) And why? Because the Emmy producers want to lure younger viewers to the show. (No, this is not speculation—this is what they said in response to the outcry.)

Asshats.

See you next week (or earlier!) with a report on the new shows I watch this week!

Fall TV Is Here!

Howdy! It's my favorite TV time of year—the fall TV season!

Unfortunately, I'm not ready to discuss it. Yes, I've picked most of what I'm going to watch, but no, I don' t have time to write about it this week. And I'm not quite finished with my preparations.

So let me just tell you what's premiering this week (stuff that I watch—not everything), and I'll try to get a good blog post in next week:

• Bones, 9/16. This is a returning show. It left me cold last year, with the way it ended, but it sounds like I will be rewarded for coming back this season.
• Sleepy Hollow, 9/16. This is a new show. At first, I was all "Sleepy Hollow"? How can they make a show about that? But the preview made it look very intriguing, so I'm excited to try it out.
• Brooklyn Nine Nine, 9/17. This is a new show that has great potential. It starts Andy Samberg (from Saturday Night Live, Lonely Island and D*** in a Box fame) as an awesome cop who's nevertheless a slacker/prankster and Andre Braugher (Homicide, Last Resort, lots of other heavy dramas) as his new, by-the-book captain. Sound familiar? Sure. There are tons of shows and movies that pair a free-wheeler with a rule-follower. But what I've seen and read make this show look hilarious, and I can't wait to watch the first episode.

Full premiere calendar—along with previews of the two new shows I mentioned above—can be found here:

     http://xfinity.comcast.net/blogs/tv/2013/08/14/fall-2013-premiere-schedule/

And don't forget the Emmys next Sunday!

Love Talk to you next week.

Where did the spring go?

No post since February? Lame. It's almost time for upfronts, so I thought I'd catch us up.

First, the blog started because Shonda Rhimes killed Lexie Grey. So let's get an update of where I am on Grey's Anatomy. Damn. I'm loving it again. Why? Because the doctors bought the hospital, and Jackson suggested that they call it Grey - Sloan Memorial Hospital. So, even though I still disagree with the decision to kill of Lexie Grey (and subsequently Mark Sloan), at least they are being honored in some way. Also, you know how sometimes characters die or move and then you never hear about them again? That's just not the case here--we're always hearing snippets about Lexie and Mark. So, it could be worse.

New shows:

• The Following: I kind of have a love-hate relationship with it. They keep using the kid to get leverage, and I hate that. It always feels contrived. But I love Kevin Bacon's character, Ryan Hardy. He is perfect.
• Hannibal: I kind of have a love-hate relationship with it. Reminiscent of the Night Stalker reboot a couple of years ago, I think I would like it better if they hadn't called it Hannibal and based it on characters we already know and love. Because these characters are different, and I'm not a big fan of "different."
• House of Cards: I've only watched a few episodes, but it is delicious. Can't wait to keep watching.
• Here are some things I didn't like, so I quit them--sometimes after a few episodes, sometimes after one, sometimes after 10 minutes: Golden Boy, The Americans, Monday Mornings, Bates Motel, Cult
• How to Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life: The title is too long for me to watch. (Just kidding. I didn't like it, so I quit.)
• Family Tools: I like the people in this, but I don't think I'm going to like it. I'll probably quit.
• Zero Hour: I liked it, so it got canceled.
• Still haven't seen premiere dates for Dracula or Family Tree (mentioned in a previous post).

My favorite TV renewal scorecard was run by a blogger who recently passed away. :-( I had an alternative, but it really isn't as good. But that's the one I'll be using from now on. So let's see if any of my shows have been canceled.

[insert time to check http://tvline.com/2013/01/04/tv-shows-renewed-cancelled-2013-abc-nbc-cbs-fox-cw/]

OK, no. Nothing's been canceled yet. But while I was out there, I found out that Glee has been officially renewed through season 6. Really, Fox? It's so up and down this year--what makes you think it will get any better through season 6? Whatevs.

I also found out that The Following has been officially renewed, which is great. But based on the previews for the next few weeks, I can't imagine the story they're going to tell!

And that's all the TV news I have today. :-)

Regarding the (E)state of Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey, Season 1: Wonderful. Marvelous. Loved it. Just the right balance between upstairs and downstairs, meanness and kindness, love and hate. Could there be a better man than Lord Grantham? Could there be a finer love than Anna and Bates? Could anyone throw a barb like Maggie Smith?

Downton Abbey, Season 2: Started out wonderful. Started out marvelous. Started out with the right balance ... well, you get the picture. But many of the characters seemed to become caricatures. (I'm talking about you, Mrs. Crawley--get that chip off your shoulder!) The couple we loved to love got screwed by the couple we love to hate. Lord Grantham almost has an affair??? And don't even get me started on Daisy and William.

Downton Abbey, Season 3: Started out OK. Matthew and Mary's wedding? I'm in. Shirley MacLaine as a more tart Maggie Smith? I'll watch that. But this situation with Mr. Bates must be rectified. Mary has to be less bitchy--and Matthew must stop being so self-righteous (more caricatures). The creators *must* stop treating Edith so badly. And how is it that Lord Grantham has become such an idiot. He can't manage money, he can't manage Downton, he can't even manage ... well, I'll resist the urge to say lest I spoil episode 4 for those of you who haven't watched it.

But if you've been reading Love Talk, and if you're caught up on Downton, then you know why I'm writing a blog post.

Lexie Grey.

That's right. Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey, has apparently graduated from the Shonda Rhimes School for Killing People (or Giving Them Illnesses) for No Good Reason.

I didn't really care when he killed poor Mr. Pamuk. He's on a new show now anyway. Vera Bates? Rest in hell, bitch. William? Really, I didn't care about him. (No offense, William.) And I know they wanted to have Mary and Matthew together, but what did poor Lavinia ever do to anyone that they had to kill her? But this latest death? (Which again, I will not mention for anyone who's not caught up.) NO REASON FOR IT. STUPID. NO NEED. WTF? And I also don't want to spoil what's going on downstairs, but let me just say that I don't believe for a second that the person who had an illness scare earlier in the season is not actually ill.

So I once again am suffering from Lexie Grey-itis. I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore. Take that, television.

OK. That's enough for this week. I have to go watch Glee now.

Let the Winter Season Begin!

When last we met, I was culling my new shows, enjoying my old shows, and lamenting breaks and Lexie's death. (Yes, I am still obsessing. This week's Grey's had a reference to McSteamy and Shonda killed yet another character, and the preview for next week's Grey's SHOWED LEXIE AND MARK'S FACES AGAIN.

So I thought I'd check in with where I am on my existing shows and start to talk about some of the shows coming up in the "winter season." (Don't get me started on "winter season." We used to have one TV season. It ran from September through May, and that was good enough for us. Now we have a winter season, a summer season and the early-mid-late-early fall season. Why can't we just have three seasons that run consecutive episodes with no breaks: September through December, January through May, June through August. I should be the head of a network.)

OK, I stopped watching:

• 666 Park Avenue, which has since been canceled.
• The New Normal
• Arrow (although Vic still watches)
• Beauty and the Beast (although Vic still watches)

I was still watching Emily Owens, M.D., and Last Resort. These have both been canceled. Last Resort's finale is 1/24. Not sure about EO.

I'm back on the Glee train--but I can't say for how long. The last couple of episodes were pretty good, but there are still issues.

Downton Abbey started last week. I'm rewatching the first two seasons before I get started. If you need something to tide you over, I suggest Downton Arby's: http://screen.yahoo.com/downton-arby-s-28723019.html

Fringe ends this week. I caught a glimpse of Fauxlivia in the preview for this week's episode, but there are a lot of things that have me worried. I'm ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT.

My summer shows are coming back (yes, even though they are no longer the exclusive purview of summer, I still call them my summer shows.

• Suits (1/17)
• White Collar (1/22)
• Psych (2/27)

The new show I'm most looking forward to is The Following, starting on Fox on Jan. 21. I love Kevin Bacon, I love James Purefoy, and, yes, I watch shows about serial killers. Other new shows I'm interested in:

• House of Cards, Netflix (2/1): I'm excited that Netflix is creating original programming--I mean, how else am I going to get new episodes of Arrested Development (premier date TBD)--but why can't I save this show to my Instant Queue before it starts airing?!?
• Golden Boy, CBS (2/26): A cop show from Greg Berlanti starting Mr. Pamuk from Downton Abbey and the marvelous Chi McBride. I don't have high hopes for it, but I'll give it a try.
• The Americans, FX (1/30): Keri Russell as a KGB agent who has infiltrated an American suburb in 1981? Count me in.
• Monday Mornings, TNT (2/4): Another medical show? I know. But it has Apollo from the reboot of Battlestar Galactica (insert purring noise here) and a bunch of fantastic actors, so I kind of have to give it a try. Did I mention it has APOLLO???
• Zero Hour, ABC (2/14): Hello Dr. Greene, welcome back to network television! Plus a show about conspiracy theories? Yes, yes, and yes.
• I don't know much about the three shows--no premiere dates, too lazy to look up stars and plots and even the networks they're on--but just given what they're about, I'm curious.
• Hannibal (about Hannibal Lecter)
• Dracula (about ... if I have to say it, you're too stupid to be reading this blog, no offense)
• Bates Motel (a Psycho prequel from Carlton Cuse, the guy who gave us LOST)
• Family Tree, HBO: Something from Christopher Guest. That's a must watch.

Regarding a couple of other new shows: I tried 1600 Penn--no, and I recorded Deception and couldn't bring myself to watch it. I've seen previews for Do No Harm, and that doesn't interest me.

That's all the TV talk I have this week!