loki_niflheim

Let me start off by outlining the shows I watch by priority and here is what will happen with the list next season:
1. Better Off Ted
2. Chuck
3. Eureka
4. Kyle XY
5. Psych
6. Fringe
7. Eleventh Hour
8. Pushing Daisies
9. Supernatural
10. Dollhouse
11. Dexter
12. NCIS
13. Life
14. Kings*
15. Knight Rider
16. Legend of The Seeker
17. Reaper
18. CSI NY
19. Lie To Me
20. Heroes

Italics 50% or less likely chance of a next season
Strike Officially cancelled
*Shifted to next season

I'm losing half of the shows I watch religiously and most of them in my Top 10. (Updated 19/05: They renewed Better Off Ted, Chuck and Dollhouse)

Kings, the only serious 'political' drama show that I watch because it's SO BRILLIANT, is moved to start again in June before they decide to keep it or axe it. Granted it's only on #14 because I have to build my guts to watch David despair/rejoice in his fight against all odds. It's one show that you're never quite sure the protagonist will come out the winner in the end and the twists always comes unexpectedly.

Stupid NBC and ABC. And why is TV.com showing 'Lost' as Top 10 Australian Show?

Reaction to: Which shows are coming back for ABC? and Downturn in economy could save faltering shows

Amused by The Presidential Election is third in top ten TV series, says Time.

Related links:
Veridian Dynamics ads (Fictional company in Better Off Ted)
Captain Awesome's Tips (Captain Awesome is a character in Chuck)
Brave New World (Various medical articles on topics covered in Eleventh Hour)
Create Your Own Dollhouse (Random Dollhouse DIY creative art?)
Billy's Blog (Billy is a character from Knight Rider)
Build Your Conspiracy Theory (...behind the plot in Life)

Got to watching a few pre-airs and I'm so happy!! There's so many good series coming, or at the very least I love the preairs! My favorite has to be Pushing Daisies. I had big hopes for it since writer Brian Fuller (Dead Like Me) is involved in it (I love Dead Like Me even though I couldn't slash anyone).

( Pushing the Daisies... )

( There'll be a ninja in Chuck... )

The doubtful list:
Damages sounded really interesting, and it was. Glenn Close is an amazing actress, I have to say. The series reminds me a lot of The Devil Wears Prada but a movie with a career woman in the lead role would feel a lot like that, except Damages has a major, major twist. You can just see the whole concept about predicting your next three moves in chess. I'm amazed but not enough to really hook me in. Mom loves it though (when I try 'briefly' told her the plot), so might still follow this one.

Action shows aren't my thing, which was why it took me a while to take up 24 and I caved in only because there are many actors that I like made guest appearances in that show. So I don't know why I was watching Saving Grace, except perhaps to watch Holly Hunter act. Saving Grace is really in-your-face. It's really rough which makes it feel realistic. It's a good series with a good plot, but not my cup of tea. Might just follow it and see.

Bionic Woman was a bit weak. The female lead kept reminding me of someone and I kept thinking, "Wasn't she in Doctor Who? But where's the English accent?" But I was wrong, she was in Jekyll. The plot was alright, but the acting didn't quite hit the spots and the lines... hmmm... could be a lot less typical. heavenly_rain would squee knowing Kretschmann is playing a very good villain here. Here's for her:


Looking forward to spring.

Well! It's been a while...

Kyle XY Season One is now out on DVD! The sight of Matt Dallas on the cover of that DVD with that clichéd pose (which I think was more about showing the fact that Kyle doesn't have a belly button than actually 'posing') had me chuckling in surprise. I really do prefer it if they used the season one publicity picture for it, because the first season was all about the Tregger family teaching Kyle about life. This cover and the look makes it seem like it's a Matt Dallas thing than a Kyle thing. There doesn't seem to be any bloopers in the DVD, but in any case, I hope the region 4 DVDs will come out soon. The new season will start on June 11th (10 days from now).

And for those who liked The Dresden Files, that one is available for preorder on Amazon (available August 7). The Dresden Files was O.K., but it's missing a certain something. I like the characters, especially Bob the Ghost, but the plot is rather simplistic because they keep the secrets that may reveal why 'Harry is so important/powerful' very closely. Also the Council's attitude toward Harry, which is implied over and over, but hard to understand. Maybe the books explains it better.

I'm finally getting my Supernatural Season One region 1 DVD (yay!) I wanted the region 1 version instead of region 4 because the region 4 Supernatural DVDs don't have any outtakes/gag reel, which I think what makes buying DVDs worthwhile. And I mean, don't anyone wants to watch what stupid and funny stuffs goes on behind the scene of Supernatural? The second season DVDs are also available for preorder now, but they won't be available until September and how different they'll be with the region 4 release is yet unknown.

They've also started publishing Supernatural novels, Nevermore and Witch's Canyon. One that will be released in August and November respectively. I've never read any of the books from both Jeff Mariotte and Keith R.A. deCandido. Both seemed to be pretty prolific, but if one of them was a woman I'd buy their books without a thought. Call me sexist if you like, but I found that women writers tends to write the story in the way that I like. Luckily Keith posted an excerpt to Nevermore at his website to help readers get to know his writing style. *reads* Not bad. *adds into the list of books to buy*

Amazon also finally has SGA:Entanglement (Book 6) by Martha Wells in stock. Went and ordered that as well as Book 7 and 8, SGA:Casualties of War and SGA: Blood Ties. That's about it SGA-wise. Bought the region 4 season two DVDs, ogled it, but haven't got around to watching it yet. Seems there aren't a lot of blooper reels this time around, just lots of cast interviews.

Now, on to CSI... CSI: Las Vegas is like fine wine... it gets better as it got older. Whoever came up with the miniature killer storyline should really be commended because they are really using that storyline to the fullest. All the special effects using the miniature models are just brilliant, especially the scene where Hodges was visualizing himself inside Penny Garden's miniature model and Grissom came over, casted a shadow over him (episode 7.20 Lab Rats). A scene straight out of a comic book, with the whole 'Grissom is God' implication. LOL. This season also has the most number of episodes that I loved.

Brass, as always, had the best line. It tickled me crazy when he said to Grissom when they had the miniature killer (who hates bleach) in the interrogation room: ( Slight season seven finale 'Living Doll' spoiler ) XD. God, I love that guy. I love his character.

CSI:NY was OK, I'm thinking heavenly_rain is going to be so broken-hearted with the whole Danny/Lindsay thing. I'm kind of broken-hearted with Mac/Peyton thing, but I have a weakness for her British accent so I kind of can't hold a grudge.

CSI:Miami had most of my rants, though this is the first season I really watched. I've just finished watching first season of CSI:Miami a few days ago and I have to say, I like it better the first season before Horatio became... almost God-like. He has been able to get almost everything he wants in the first season, but in the latest season it seemed almost easier.

All CSIs are renewed for another season, along with all the other shows I watch. Just have to figure out what else to watch in June other than Kyle XY. Psych won't be until July and Dexter won't be until September along with all the other shows. *sigh* Looks like I'll have to go back watching animé (Claymore, Raideen, Darker Than Black and a few others I have to chase up).

I started watching House M.D. from season 3, so maybe I'm missing a ton of things, but I'm starting to get bored of House M.D., mainly because one of the plot progression is extremely formulaic to the point of being undeniably predictable.

There is always at least two plotline in House M.D., the 'trying to cure patient X' plotline and the 'something is going on with House' plotline. The first plotline always follows this pattern:
- Patient is suffering from an unexplainable condition.
- House debates with his team, most of the time the team comes up with the wrong suggestions, then they all proceeded to give the patient a treatment or a test.
- Patient shows signs of progress or test gives favorable results.
- Patient condition worsens and then back to the drawing board for House and team.
- Repeat the last three steps until (a) the patient ends up in the surgery room (b) the show is into it's 35th minute.
- House has a sudden epiphany based on things that he inadvertedly said and solves the mystery of the patient's condition or rescues the patient from something permanent in the surgery room.

Rinse. Wipe. Repeat in the next episode.

The second plotline is less formulaic and usually more interesting, but this plotline also felt more like a sidestory than the main plotline (the boring one). So I'm starting to ask, "What's the point of this program?" Other than:
- Showing that doctors really doesn't know what they're doing and often makes the patient worse before making them better.
- Showing that even the so-called 'genius' doctor makes mistakes in every episode.
- Doctors might be smart but they're stupid when it comes to laws.

( Things I don't get in Season 3, obviously contains spoilers )
I find it somewhat interesting that this is being brought up a culture where I've learnt that when one is in pain, one takes a pain killer to relieve the pain without trying to find out the source of the pain and treat it. I was often baffled by the advertisements for Panadol where this nurse would be suffering from fatigue and pain, she'd popped a Panadol and went all smiles afterwards. My issues with overworked Manifest committee members during Minifest and Manifest was met with this suggestion: "Maybe we can get those caffeine shots they distribute around the universities during exam time." He was referring tubes of 1000mg liquid Guarana. I was thinking more along the lines of rest, labour management and delegating, not resorting to chemicals to make the body thinks it can do more. Since then I had always thought that the western people just deal with pain using pain killers. Easy and fast, who cares what caused it? We don't have time for that. Substance abuse? You want to be anywhere important, you should do it.

Oooh nice, another chromatic boxset for second season of Stargate Atlantis region 4. *drool*

My sister's gone home, so now I can get back to my regular programming and catch up on things to watch.

I went and bought Starsky and Hutch TV series season 4 last week. I got hooked after reading all the Starsky & Hutch slash out there and so I was curious about the show. The DVDs are pretty standard, you won't find any extras in it since extras didn't come standard in VHS as they do with DVDs nowadays. Surprisingly, I recognized several celebrities who plays in today's TV series, such as Kim Cattrall (Sex & The City), Joanna Cassidy (Six Feet Under), and more. Considering that this TV show started in 1975 and ended in 1979, it's amazing how some of these people didn't look like as if they've aged that much!

I find myself liking this series. The difference in acting skills between the leads and the 'random perps' were rather obvious, but it didn't put me off, because they're all so funny. I can see why Starsky and Hutch are being slashed, they're just so good together, to each other and with each other. It's the slashiest non-gay series I've watched, next to The Sentinel. Though I haven't watched Due South, which was recommended to me. They're all cop shows, I wonder why :P

Anyway, back to S & H. The closeness of these two characters is really startling, they get into each other's space with an ease that you rarely see in TV nowadays. They whisper sweet nothings to each other, smile tenderly at one another, the intense stares, the touching, the cute moments... *spontaneously combust*

Other than the slashy goodness, which should be enough for most of us, the series also put into contrast as to how much 'cop shows' has changed in 27 years. Bloodless crime scenes, bloodless gunshot wounds, detectives working a crime scene without gloves (though I'm not sure whether this was acceptable back then), having a 2-3 minute scene of people in 'dancing fever', corded phones in cars, etc. Classic.

The lack of gore and blood, all the TMI cams really threw me off. I mean, compared to another show I watch that requires some self-fortifying just to see the opening credits: Dexter, it's like Sunday cartoon versus Texas Chain Massacre. It's quite amazing how much we've learnt to tolerate what we watch on TV nowadays.

Yes ladies and gentlemen who I've hooked into Kyle XY, there will be a second season to Kyle XY. No mention yet when it will start exactly, but it's definitely next year.

Continuing with plot holes, bad dialogues, good-looking guys and more plot holes, it's not surprising that Smallville was pretty low in the rating scale for it's premiere. Supernatural premiere was actually better than I'd hope, and my prospect of actually being able to follow this series rises significantly after failing to be interested in the first season.

I've officially nicknamed CW (Network) as Chick World Network. CW TV is actually a TV network combining the programs from UPN and Warner Bros TV. I've just realized recently that the programs/series on this network usually involves good-looking guys and girls, which I suppose is suitable for the audience they're aiming at. I was looking at Runaway as a potential series to check out. I read the plot at first, which sounds interesting enough, then I looked at the pictures and thought, "Huh, pretty boys," then I saw the network and thought, "Huh, figures."

Anyway, Smallville premiere. People probably ask me why I still watch this series for all the hatred I have for it. I think Smallville could do with better writers, but unfortunately I just find the whole relationship between Lex Luthor and Clark Kent/Superman irresistable so I'm watching it through the gaps of my finger, so to speak. Sometimes when I watch Smallville it reminds me of "Anime Laws of Physics" and how there should be one for Smallville. Some cringe-worthy moments and the saving grace: ( (as usual, this contains spoilers...) )

Well, now I've seen Firefly and starting on Stargate SG-1. Watching them one after another really show the contrast between the two series and a possible reason why Firefly stopped at season 1 and Stargate is on it's season 9. Apart from the studio cock-up, of course.

I don't like Firefly all that much. The crews has their moments, yes, but the series is up and down and spin me around that it really doesn't go anywhere. My favourite episode is of course, Ariel, because you're being told more about the world outside the small cities, the technology the Alliance has developed and the people who are chasing after the Tam siblings.

One of the things that struck me watching these Sci-Fi flicks that most of them seems to suggest that each planets only have one country.

Stargate is by far a better-told story. The logic behind Stargate is flimsy and sometimes pretty laughable, not to mention inaccurate. Firefly has a very rich background and complex 'verse, but they're sorely lacking in good story-telling. As they said, good ideas doesn't mean good execution, and a good story-teller would make a great story out of nothing.

There's an independent group who wishes to continue Firefly into a second season through online delivery. As much as I think most of Firefly episodes are lacking, I think I'll be supporting for a second season of Firefly, I will hope they'll write the stories better this time 'round.

Firefly Season 2 Appeal