Top TV Obsessions for 2009
(in no particular order)

Friday Night Lights
Now on its fourth season, Friday Night Lights continues to be amazing. Despite moving on from old characters such as Lyla and Tyra, Smash and Street, the show proves that it could reinvent itself by splitting Dillon into two sides — East and West. Viewers now find themselves rooting for a whole new color, a whole new team… the East Dillon Lions.
This particular shift in the story gave us new and interesting characters as well as a lot more drama caused by the rift that the re-districting created. So far, not a single disappointing episode has come out… with Zach Gilford’s performance in “The Son” as a definite highlight.
With half a season left, I couldn’t wait to see what else the show has in store next year.

Chuck
When the show promised a game-changer by the end of season two, they definitely delivered everything they’ve got. The old Intersect is gone in Chuck’s brain; but Intersect 2.0 proves to be much more interesting than the first one… with Chuck doing kung-fu at the drop of a hat.
A long hiatus is not helping things, however. When the season ended in April, it was set to return March 2010. Thankfully, the season premiere has moved up to January 2010; but it is still a long wait from the awesome second season finale. Hopefully, 2009 brings more good things for Chuck, with guestings from Kristin Kreuk to Brandon Routh in the horizon.

Modern Family
This show is just so much fun to watch. I decided to check this out after its glowing review on Entertainment Weekly’s Fall TV Preview (my annual bible for what’s new that’s worth watching); and I wasn’t disappointed. Episode after episode, the family just keeps on giving the laughs. From Phil Dunphy to Manny Delgado, everyone has something funny to offer each and every episode. It’s definitely one of the best shows to come out this year.

Dexter
Though the Jimmy Prado storyline didn’t provide as much sparks for the show last year, Dexter bounced back quickly with the Trinity Killer in tow during the recently concluded season. John Lithgow’s amazing performance brought on the suspense we always expect from the show; and Michael C. Hall continues to pull his own weight as the Dexter who wants to have it all.
We have yet another long wait to see what happens next; but the finale offered up yet another game-changer that will surely make the next season interesting.

The Big Bang Theory
This show is honestly kicking How I Met Your Mother’s butt recently. I still love HIMYM; but TBBT is much higher on my comedy favorites now. I find myself constantly laughing at joke after joke.
Sheldon, as usual, is the revelation that keeps this show entertaining. Still, credit has to be given to the other characters because they pull their own weight when it comes to comedy… with Howard’s Jewish mom and Leonard’s mom (I loved the Christine Baranski episodes), even Penny and Raj provide enough laughs that are sustained throughout each and every episode.

True Blood
The show definitely officially became a hit this year, with ratings catching up to records set by The Sopranos by the end of the second season. Despite a disappointing finale, True Blood’s sophomore effort is still one that I got completely obsessed with. Sookie’s trip to Dallas, Eric’s obsession with Sookie, Jason’s new friends in the Fellowship of the Sun, and Lafayette’s personal journey since being held captive in Fangtasia kept things interesting. Forget about the Maenad and Tyra… those were forgivable given the other, more fun stuff the show offered.

(more…)

It’s the middle of August and a lot is coming up in the next few weeks. The summer season is winding down so this means finales are just around the corner. Right after that, there will be new seasons of my favorite shows and a bunch of series premieres! Here’s just some of the things worth looking forward to:

True Blood
season finale: September 13
This season has been so addictive. It surpassed the intrigue that was the first season with its new characters, new vampire mainstays (I can’t stop gushing about Eric), and the impending war between vampires and humans. Mary Ann might have become a bit tiring after a while, but the rest of the goodness more than made up for it.
The last episode was really a question of whether a full out war is about to blow up. There are four more episodes to the season so we know there’s still a lot of things that could still happen.

Top Chef Masters
season finale: August 19
This is the first time I watched a Top Chef season from start to finish. It’s down to Rick Bayless, Hubert Keller and Michael Chiarello. I’m cheering Hubert Keller because I think he’s a really cool guy, Rick Bayless next, third Michael Chiarello. Wherever this may go, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a delicious finale.

Mad Men
season premiere: August 16
Last season ended with Sterling Cooper being bought out by another agency, Betty having a short rendezvous with a stranger while carrying a baby, Don going through some weird experiences with a couple of hedonistic strangers and Peggy telling Pete about their baby, among other things. What else this show has in store this season, I don’t really know; but I can’t wait to see what happens.

Greek
season premiere: August 31
This is simply a fun show to watch; and I really wanna know: Will Cappie and Casey EVER get together again? Ever?

Glee
series premiere: September 9
The anticipation for new episodes has been building for quite a while now. Expectations are high; and I’m confident that the show is going to deliver. With its catchy songs, witty dialogue and talented cast, this so far the new show I’m looking forward to the most.

These are, of course, stuff that’s off the top of my head. There’s still the Fall TV Previews coming up so I could pick which shows spark my curiosity and which shows I’m returning to.

Ashley: It’s the end of the world, Cappie. What do you wanna do?
CUE THE END OF SEASON TWO!

Greek returns for a third season after a very exciting end-of-the-world finale. It’s coming in a couple of weeks and I can’t wait. It’s simply a fun show to watch, with characters that I’ve gotten really attached to in the past couple of seasons. I can’t believe no one’s picking it up here in the Philippines! (unless there’s a channel showing it, I just don’t know about it)

Thanks to The TV Addict‘s March 2009 TV calendar, we know exactly what to expect this month. There are a number of sweeps stunts coming our way (Please refer to our crash course # 1 to understand what "sweeps" is. Plus, an answer to why it’s March sweeps this year and not the usual February sweeps.). Also, there are a couple of series and season premieres on the horizon. Here are some of the highlights:

March 3
Reaper returns to The CW for a second season!
I really missed this show. The latter part of the first season has gotten really interesting; and my brother and his wife are just getting into it. So there’s really no choice but to get the latest episodes.

March 5
[edited]
We meet the 12 finalists of American Idol season 8.
After this Wednesday’s results show, Thursday will be the Wild Card Round. Each judge gets to pick 2 contestants from the Top 36. They will perform and the final three finalists will be chosen by the judges on the same night. Exciting!

March 9
Summer Glau guest stars on The Big Bang Theory as herself.
The geeks are gonna go crazy over this Terminator star and I can’t wait to see what happens!

March 15
It’s the series premiere of Kings.
I’m not so sure what this show is about; but there’s some buzz. I’m just being the usual TV drone that I am.

March 16
Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill return.
It’s been a long couple of weeks since we last saw a new episode. I can’t wait to get my hands on them. Seriously. Everyone’s been asking me where the new episodes are. They’re finally back!

March 18
Better Off Ted premieres on ABC.
I’ve seen the promo; and I think it’s a good, quirky comedy that probably won’t be appreciated by most Americans (i.e. Arrested Development). Still, I love these kinds of shows; and I’m hoping audiences will wise up and watch it.

March 20
It’s the series finale of Battlestar Galactica.
I know I haven’t gotten all caught up; but this means I can buy the complete series on DVD soon (original, of course!).

March 30
Greek returns for a new season!
I missed this show a lot. It’s one of those light and fun shows that I really enjoy. Plus, last season’s cliffhanger really threw me. I have to know what happens next.

March 31
Cupid premieres!!!
It’s finally here! Rob Thomas’ second chance at making his old creation a hit… I really hope it’s as good, if not better, than the original. Please!

One of the shows that proved series set in college are not always meant to fail is Greek. It’s absolutely a lot of fun to watch and I’m happy to find out that the new season is coming sooner than I thought (mark March 30 now)! Here’s a sneak peek:

It’s starting… After discovering some new shows over the summer break, old favorites are starting to come back; and I’m not sure if I’m entirely ready to take them on. Still, I’m doing my best. Let’s do a quick rundown, shall we?

The Middleman
(Season 1, 12 episodes in)
Based on a recommendation from Nowhere in Mulberry, my favorite podcast ever, I decided to check out this show about a struggling artist hired by a secret agency that fights aliens, vampire puppets and evil boy bands out to rule the world. Just like the villains in this show say (a lot), "The sheer genius is in its simplicity." The Middleman has a simple premise, yet week after week, it never fails to make me laugh. It’s a show that doesn’t take itself too seriously; so it ends up being completely entertaining. It’s both a homage and a parody of sci-fi shows that is brilliantly written and executed. I love it.

Flashpoint
(Season 1, 7 episodes in)
It’s got Enrico Colantoni, why shouldn’t I check it out? Flashpoint shows the different challenges and situations taken on by the Strategic Response Unit. Be it hostage situations or bank robberies, this show gives you both sides of the story and lets you understand how and why they reach a certain boiling point. I’m always surprised at how affected I am by the perpetrator’s desperate situation leading up to a usually tragic end. While it’s not serialized, each episode is compelling and full of drama.

Greek
(Season 2, 2 episodes in)
I missed this bunch; and now that it’s back, I can’t wait to see what else is in store for Casey, Cappie and the rest of the gang.

Gossip Girl
(Season 2, 1 episode in)
OMFG. This guilty pleasure is backwith a vengeance. Fangirls and fanboys alike are so happy that their favorite Upper East Siders will continue to entertain audiences with their own brand of scandal for a whole new year. Based on the first episode, I think this season has the potential to be just as addictive as the last. I just hope it won’t suffer the sophomore slump we hear so much about. Good luck, GG. Here’s to Josh Schwartz not screwing this up like so many others have.

90210
(Season 1, 2 episodes in)
I still can’t say whether I will like this show or not based on the first two hours. It was pretty uneven; and I didn’t find the characters likable. I guess I was too distracted by Shenae Grimes’ and Jessica Stroup’s too-thin appearance (They’re just too thin!!!). Also, Jennie Garth’s and Shannen Doherty’s appearances were far too random to appreciate as an old fan of the original. I will continue to watch, though. I hope it gets better.

I haven’t started watching One Tree Hill… so I guess that’s it for now. Next week, there will be some more new shows coming out of the woodwork. One is another JJ Abrams creation; and the other is a vampire show. Hmmm…

I absolutely fell in love with this show from the first episode… Breezed through all the episodes in less than a week. Now, it’s almost back with new episodes. Yup, Greek comes back on August 26. There are so many season premieres in the next few weeks, I’m in so much trouble. Still, it’s trouble I want to be in.

Not much entries? Surprise. Surprise. I haven’t been watching that much TV shows lately. I finished my rewatching of Friends by the end of May. Cable still conks out from time to time; and the shows I love are on a break. I also got myself preoccupied with work recently because of a 4-day shoot (woohoo!); and I just got back from a weekend trip to Bora last night (my first time). It’s been a long month without television; but I didn’t let June go by without allowing at least one show to slip in.

I recently got my hands on the first season of Greek, another ABC Family original series that has gained quite a momentum since it premiered last year; and I’m really enjoying the show. Because of the shortage of new episodes, I really needed something new to watch. This is the show that filled that void. It’s light, young and a whole lot of fun. It’s all the teen movies you could think of served one after another after another… I’m loving every minute of it. I can’t get enough of Casey, Cappie, Rebecca, Evan, Rusty and Dale… everyone! Who said shows set in college always fail? I’m only half way through the series; but I can tell it’s going to be a favorite.