Archive for the TV category

Stories from around the world

I started DVR’ing CBS Sunday Morning a few weeks ago. I know, when did I get so old? My parents have DVR’d it for a while and I’d usually catch an interesting story or two each week and then just burn through the other stuff.

I wasn’t aware of this guy, Steve Hartman, who threw darts at a map of the US, then would travel to that city, get a phone book, and randomly point to a name and do a story on this person. It’s very cool and disappointing at the same time. I had this almost exact idea not too long ago. It had been a while since he did that, this time around he had NASA find spots on the globe and he did the same thing all over the world. He went to three places: India, Latvia, and Oman. All three were amazing stories. I guess this proves his theory is true all over the world.

I wanted to mention how it doesn’t make any sense that I can easily find the clip I want from CBS Sunday Morning, but when I see something hilarious on Letterman that I want to share it’s no where to be found. Wouldn’t want people to easily promote The Late Show.

TV: HSR and 24

High School Reunion
For a few seasons I’ve heard about High School Reunion. I think the show started on The WB, got canceled, but then TV Land picked it up. The latest season started last week. The quick overview, a few people from the Class of 1989 from a high school in Las Vegas reunites in Hawaii. They all live in the same house, which is a requirement of any reality show that makes it on the air. They introduce the cast as their stereotype: The Popular Girl, The Jock, The Cheerleader, The Troublemaker, The Gay Guy. I’m not making anything up, that’s exactly how they name them in the intro. Of course they pick just the right mix to cause problems. They grab some of the popular girls, some cheerleaders (they were different cliques), high school sweethearts, and who would have thought The Troublemaker would be homophobic? There is also The Nerd who nobody remembered when she showed up. She’s a little more confident since she became an exotic dancer. What do you have when you put all that together? A recipe for brilliance? Yes.

Here’s the problem. Next year will be 10 years since HS graduation for me. That’s halfway to this show. No one in the cast seems to have found success or happiness of any kind. Well, except some of the popular girls appear to have found the man of their dreams. Those dreams being someone who will pay for a lot of plastic surgery. Plus, everyone looks really old. If I had my life figured out, I think I would enjoy this show a lot. Instead, I’ve decided to take this as a warning sign.

Thinking about the concept of the show, I’m lucky that I didn’t stick around any high school long enough to be part of a show like this. I guess I could qualify as The Nerd who nobody would remember when you showed up. Only that would be more the fact that I went to each HS for 2 years and took odd classes outside of my grade.

It would be fun to have a version of the show where everyone is successful. You might think that would eliminate the drama. A little bit, but if you put enough high school sweethearts or crushes in the same house they will be extra attractive now that they are successful. The question would be would you rather watch people whose lives are already destroyed continue to go nowhere or have someone successful destroy their life?

When I get home, this show is getting removed from the DVR until I’ve done something with my life.

24
24 started last night. I didn’t watch yet, I got hooked on, and finished, Season 2 of Dexter yesterday. 24 is on the DVR, but I’m not convinced I’m going to watch it. The last, I don’t know, 4 seasons haven’t been all that special.

When the tv season started in the fall, I decided to bench Heroes and Dollhouse and wait for the DVDs. Both shows could be benched because not a lot of people watch them so no big worry of anything be spoiled. Heroes had been weakening since after Season 1. There is so much going on and so many characters, it’s a good show to watch on DVD so you don’t have a week between episodes where you forget the meaningless stuff. Dollhouse had its moments in Season 1 and it’s also something that I decided I’d rather watch right in a row. I haven’t really missed watching either show. In fact, Heroes has been cut completely, I have no desire to watch the DVDs when they come out. Dollhouse I will still watch, but I think it’s getting canceled and it will be only a half a season worth of episodes.

I’m debating if 24 is going to be benched. It’s already the odd show out on Mondays. So I’d have to put in some extra effort to see it. Part of the draw of 24 is the explosions in HD. There is a concern that it is still popular enough that some of the plot might be spoiled. Although, I think I’m behind a lot of people when putting it on the bench. The DVD option is appealing because, is there any better show to watch in one shot than 24?

My feeling is that I might have time tonight to start to watch the first hour. I’ll decide based on that.