As the next TV season approaches, you're most likely getting excited for the return of some of your favorite shows and anticipating the slew of new, over-hyped programs, half of which will most likely get cancelled within the first month. I'm about to propose to you an idea that might just turn your TV viewing habits upside down: There are amazing shows in their second or third season that you've probably never even considered watching. Need time to fit in some new shows? Well, there are a few you should drop, because let's face it, some of TV's biggest franchises are getting stale. You die-hard fans may not want to hear it, but I think it's time you let go because when these shows really start to suck, it'll hurt even more. Here we have put together some material on what's awesome and what's crap.
Awesome:
How I Met Your Mother One Little-Sitcom-That-Could is CBS's "How I Met Your Mother," which airs Monday nights at 7 p.m. The show follows protagonist Ted Mosby, played by relative newcomer Josh Radnor, as he tells his two children the story of how he met their mother. Essentially, the whole series is a flashback, accompanied with occasional narrations from the one and only Bob Saget, who plays the voice of future Ted. Like any good sitcom, Ted spends his time in New York City engaging in zany hijinks with his best friends, newly married couple Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan), ex-girlfriend Robin Scherbatsky and best friend Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris). The cast is an interesting and talented mix but Neil Patrick Harris steals the show. Personally, I can't say how glad I am that Doogie Howser MD has found another vehicle for himself in a chauvinistic, self-absorbed character that doesn't mind beating a bunch of elementary school children at laser tag. The way the writers play with chronology is refreshing and the dialogue is littered with popular culture references. The dispensable characters run as thick as they did on Seinfeld.
Crap:
Grey's Anatomy That's right, all of you pre-med students, "sensitive" guys and girls that are going to get up in arms over this, but "Grey's Anatomy" is flat-lining. It's a simple fact that for every reason you can give me why "Grey's Anatomy" is a good show I can give you two that explain why it blows. Keep in mind; this is all coming from a former fan. Seasons 1 and 2 were amazing, and season 3 even had its moments, but the web of relationships and engagements strangled the show. The show used to have interesting medical cases mixed together with the personal drama, but now it's just a bunch of sad doctors in a hospital. The hospital isn't even necessary anymore to support the story. Not to mention, with a main character as annoying as Meredith Grey, this season will be a bad one. Katherine Heigl's portrayal of Izzie is one of the only things left on the show worth watching, but it's not worth being subjected to the awful surprises the show has to offer. Like none of us saw it coming that Dr. Yang and Dr. Burke weren't going to get married, and honestly, even mentioning Dr. Grey's near death experience comes with an automatically implied "WTF?!" Honestly, the show has covered so much ground so quickly it has nowhere else to go. My advice? Hunker down with a big bar of chocolate to deal with the withdrawal, and instead of watching "Grey's Anatomy" watch "Love Actually," "Sleepless in Seattle" or "Princess Diaries," because those are actually of decent quality, and you won't end up depressed at the end. If you don't want to listen to me, that's fine, keep on watching. Just know that two seasons from now when Dr. Yang gives birth to an alien baby, I'll be waiting here with my "I Told You So" dance-and it's a doozy.
Awesome:
Pushing Daisies There's been a lot of good buzz about this show. If early reviews are to be trusted, this could be a major hit. Ned is a man with a special gift: he can bring the dead back to life by touching them. However, if he touches them a second time, they die again and cannot be revived ever again. Ned exploits his talent by working in a morgue and solving crimes for reward money. What better way to solve a murder than to just ask the victim, right? But what happens when he revives an ex-flame whom he can never touch again is what will have us setting our DVR. We haven't seen anything like this before, and it seems to have the potential to be hysterically funny and very intriguing for weeks to come. "Pushing Daisies" premieres on ABC, Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m.
Crap:
Moonlight Mick St. John may be a private investigator, but he's got a bit of an advantage over your average PI. He's immortal and can suck peoples' blood. Yes, this is a vampire show and yes it's about good vampires versus evil vampires. Sorry, "Underworld" fans, no werewolves. This premise is reminiscent of "Angel": a vampire as a detective solving supernatural crimes. While "Angel" dealt with all kinds of supernatural woes, it seems that Mick is stuck solving a wave of murders plaguing Los Angeles. I don't see this show lasting very long without something major shaking up, and seeing as how the name has already been changed twice I'm figuring all the shaking's been done. First episode airs Friday, Sept. 28 on CBS at 8 p.m.
Awesome:
Reaper Imagine this scenario…You're 20 years old and your parents have never expected anything from you. They are incredibly tough on your little brother but you always get to slide by. On your 21st birthday, a man shows up to tell you that your parents sold your soul to the devil before you were born and that's why they've never pushed you to succeed. Seriously. Well, this is the premise for "Reaper." Sam must use supernatural tools like a dustbuster to go capture souls escaped from hell. Sounds a bit out there, but the pilot was written and directed by the king of the slackers, Kevin Smith, so maybe this one will score some "Dogma"-like laughs. Check it out early because the premise may polarize the public until the CW cans it.
Crap:
Scrubs Looking to save an extra half hour on Thursday? Then stop watching "Scrubs." The show jumped the shark long ago and has been dragging along like a bloody stump ever since. But you may say, "Why would I stop watching now; it's the last season?" We'll remedy these thoughts with a little exercise. Think back to one of your other favorite sitcoms, such as "Friends" or "Seinfeld." Now think of your favorite episodes. Odds are, those favorite episodes didn't occur in the last season. There will be three memorable episodes this season, the premiere, the sweeps week "special" episode, and the finale; you can skip every other one. The quirkiness of the Ally McBeal-esque fantasies has worn off and even my favorite character, Dr. Cox, just can't rip into JD like he used to. The show has committed several crimes that are known to kill series, including pregnancy, babies and marriage. And frankly the most interesting character, the Janitor, is the one we know the least about. Can anyone say spin-off? Let's just hope it's more successful than "Joey" and when watching TV on Thrusday, I think TLC would agree with me when I say, "No Scrubs."
Awesome:
Gossip Girl The CW promises that "Gossip Girl" will be the next big hit of the season. But don't CW shows often fail? Do you remember "The Mountain" or "The Bedford Diaries?" No? I'm not surprised; neither made it through an entire season. What these two particular failed attempts have in common is actor Penn Badgley, probably the biggest name actor in the "Gossip Girl." This new show does come with a built in audience because of the success of the "Gossip Girl" novels by Cecily von Ziegesar, the twelfth of which releases on Oct. 2. While true fans of the books may be disappointed by a few of the casting decisions and many of the changes made to storylines, the teenage girl inside us all will watch fervently the friction between Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen. While the show may be trashy to the tilt and overstuffed with drama, every girl likes living the lives of this trendy Upper-East Siders vicariously. "The O.C." was huge in its first season as an original property, so we'll probably be seeing this show for at least the rest of the season.
