A blog where a family can be a family

I’ve been really into TV lately.  I think I’ve been doing a slightly unconscious study of it, in fact.  I used to watch TV all the time when I was younger but I took a break in my twenties.  And now it’s roaring back with a vengeance.

I have my “shows” that I watch each week.  I think I have about 6 that I DVR.  And then I watch a couple more on Hulu.  And I follow a bunch of websites on twitter that post reviews of all the shows I watch.  And I read nearly every one of those reviews and recaps.  I like to hear what people think about the shows I like.

I guess I used to think that watching television made people dumber so I snobbed off it.  But my fascination has grown back like a large wart (or something  even grosser).  I like actors and actresses.  I like thinking about how each episode had to be slaved over in the writing room even before any cameras started rolling.  I like how TV shows are like plays.  I like how every TV show has a world where all of these characters and situations exist.  I like how every show has rules about what should and shouldn’t happen in the episodes.  I like how TV shows have to be designed with careful thought about audiences and demographics with an awareness of ratings so stations know if they can keep a show on their channels from a business standpoint.  I like how there are amazing shows that don’t get good ratings.  I just like that those kinds of shows are real.  They give me a weird kind of hope.  I don’t know why.

I like how they have TV shows on DVDs these days.  That’s actually one of my favorite things about life to be honest.  I just think it’s one of the better advances in modern culture.  I would love to have whole television series’s(?) on DVD.  I would be happy with that.

These are the shows I watch regularly lately:

The Office (American version)– I got into this show about 4 seasons in so I don’t constantly compare the episodes to earlier ones (like some people do).  I like it a lot.  And I do watch reruns sometimes, so I’m catching up.  The writing on this show is from another world.

Community– This show and Modern Family are the best shows on TV right now in my opinion.  Some shows are new and fun, some are old and seem to be slipping but Community seems to be in it’s prime right now.  They just started their second season and they seem to be going very strong.  After I watch the episodes each week my first thought is usually, “why can’t every other show be as good as this?”

30 Rock– Like The Office I got into this show late but I did watch the first few seasons on dvd and I do think those shows were funnier (or snappier).  But I still look forward to the new episodes and I think it still has quite a bit of life left in it.

Outsourced– I’ve watched every episode so far and I’m not sure if I can give an honest opinion until after Parks and Recreation comes back in January.  P & R was my favorite show last year so right now all I can see when I watch Outsourced is the show that’s parked in my favorite show’s spot.  Hard to sit back and enjoy on it’s own merit so far..

Modern Family– I didn’t watch this show in it’s first Emmy Award winning year but I took it’s win as a big hint to check it out and I am sooo glad I did.  Modern Family is one of the smartest and funniest shows on TV.  I think this is the only show I watch on Wednesdays but I look forward to it every week.  Now I need to find the dvd of the first season!

Running Wilde– This is another new show and I think it’s really good but there’s a lot of internet talk that Fox isn’t going to keep it on the air, which is a shame because Will Arnett is HILARIOUS and the chemistry between he and Keri Russell is really fun to watch.  It seems like one of those shows that’s just too good to be on network television.  This is the kind of show that should be really popular in my opinion.

Saturday Night Live– I watched this show religiously in the 90’s.  We’re now on a week to week basis but I guess I’m having a nice enough time.  It’s not as awesome as it was back then but it’s still a show that I enjoy watching each week.  I’m trying to not compare it to the older shows, which is kinda hard not to do.

The Event– This is a new show and I’ve seen every episode so far and I have to say that I am pretty bored by it.  It’s supposed to be like Lost but… it really comes nowhere close.  It’s fun how it’s serialized but I’m finding that each week I seem to care less and less what happens or if anybody survives whatever big “event” is supposed to be happening later on.  Maybe they’ll all die.  That might be interesting.  But I don’t know.  This show hovers in the just-good-enough-to-watch-but-where’s-that-remote? -area.

No Ordinary Family–  This is a new show about a family of super heroes.  I don’t know how much I like this one either.  I thought there would be more super hero stuff and less family drama stuff.   It’s okay but I  thought it was going to be like the Fantastic 4.  It’s more about the family trying to be a good family and how that’s what’s “really super” about them.  Zzzzzzz….

Conan– I have a weakness for Conan and I just feel better knowing that he has his own show.  I’ve seen the first 5 episodes so far and I think he’s going to fit in very nicely on basic cable.  He’s such a unique talent, I’m glad that he finally has a place where he can just do his thing without the paranoia that it has to be the most popular late night show on TV.  I know his show is the one I’ll watch and I guess I don’t pay much attention to the other guys.

The Simpsons– Another show I used to watch religiously as a teenager.  I think I’ve missed a few seasons of this crazy-long show.  But I’ve been watching it on Hulu every week lately and it’s just a fun show to watch.  I don’t know if I can compare it to the older episodes.  That’s a hard one.  I remember when it first started and it was so cutting edge.  Now it’s an institution but I’m glad to see that it still seems to have a lot to offer.  Worth watching for sure.

Seinfeld (reruns)– I decided just yesterday that I need to catch up with Seinfeld.  I always liked this show when it originally aired but I think I came into it about half way through.  So there’s a lot I haven’t seen yet.  I’d like to get the dvds at some point but for now I’m just going to record it in reruns because I think it’s on about 8 times a day.  It shouldn’t take too long to catch up.  I did this with The Office a few months ago.  It can’t hurt.  Seinfeld is such a landmark show and it’s still just as hilarious as it always was.

Dallas Cowboy’s football games– I forgot to add this in the first draft of this blog but it’s probably worth noting that I’ve been watching the Cowboys play just about every week this season.  I did give up for a game or 2, though I watched the game against the Giants the other day.  Now I’m not a big football fan my any means but I do get really into my one game a week.  And seriously, it’s hard to live in Fort Worth and not be a Cowboys fan.  There’s something in the air around these parts.  I’m hoping they do better in the second half of the season.  I think I’ve seen more drama than I want to have to handle so far.

Texas Rangers– And I can’t mention the Cowboys and ignore the amazing post season that the Rangers just had.  And again, I’m not a good Cowboys fan and I’m an even worse Rangers fan, but I watched just about every playoff game and surprised myself how much I got into the World Series.  It was shocking to see them get so far and it was sooo fun to watch.  I think everything else in North Texas was put on hold for those few weeks.

Alright, thanks for reading.  Gotta go watch TV now..