So, it’s getting darker and colder. And much easier to opt for some couch time over more road miles. All of which, despite the backup of books that I’ve got, has somehow led to more television watching. So, in case you can identify at all, here are some recommendations (besides going to the gym or picking up a book, of course):
- Friday Night Lights – I know what you’re thinking. No show about football could possibly be interesting. Well, that may be true, but it doesn’t matter – this isn’t about football. It’s about high school. And not in all of the awful ways that high school has been done to death on television. It manages to nail the reality of relationships and public pressures without slipping into overcompensating irony or cloying sweetness. You can probably pick this up midseason and enjoy it, but I’d suggest going back to last season for the really good stuff.
- Dexter – Oh, this is a delicious show. Michael C. Hall as a perfectly sensible serial killer in Miami. Acting is great, storylines compelling, and the aesthetics are perfect.
- Weeds – What’s up with this? Shotime having better shows than HBO? Well, that’s what happens when you kill Deadwood, Carnival, etc. Mary Louise Parker is the newly-widowed suburban mom (complete with the ever present iced whatever-you-buy-at-Starbucks) trying to make her way in the world. As a dope dealer. A cringe-inducing premise, to be sure, but wonderfully executed. Bonus: a new cover of Malvina Reynold’s Little Boxes with almost every new episode.
Almost all are midway through the season, but I let them pile up while the sun was still out, and am just now getting around to them. Lots of networks have their shows online, though, or available for free through your cable operators on-demand service. Check them out. And let me know if I’m missing something good.
If those don’t work for you, remember that BSG: Razor is on next week. Or, perhaps it’s time to borrow/catch up on any season of The Wire that you might have missed – the fifth and final season takes us back into Baltimore in January. Also, Jericho may be worth your time, and new episodes are already cued up to act as mid-season replacements.
Finally, two shows I’m watching, but won’t recommend. Nip/Tuck. I tried to stay away. I’m disappointed that I can’t. And, unrecommended for entirely different reasons – Boondocks. Have you *seen* this season? Aaron McGruder must have one rock solid creative control clause in his contract. I have to say, when I heard he was taking the strip to animation, I didn’t think it would work. But this? This is brilliant.
Joy
Did you go back to (or watch at the time) the first season of Weeds? I thought it was much better than the second season (we’re behind real time, watching them via Netflix).
MB
I did see the first season, and agree that it was better. I think you’ll be quite happy with the third season, though.
Catzmaw
With the exception of a couple of partial episodes of Jericho I haven’t seen any of those shows. I’ve read about Boondocks and imagine it would be pretty good.
As for my preferences I’ve gone totally nuts over Pushing Daisies. It’s so darn quirky, morbidly amusing, and tongue in cheek with its fairytale gone modern that I can’t get enough of it.
Karen
We rented Season 1 of Dexter and thought it was so brilliant and excellent that Season 2 was unlikely to measure up, so we left our high regard intact and stopped there. Should we continue?
MB
I think so. There’s a somewhat suspect new character, but aside from that, all very good. Very.
Beth
We love Boondocks and were really happy that it came back.
I hardly have any time for TV and the writer’s strike is just causing me to never even pick up the remote. Maybe I’ll add Weeds and Dexter to my netflix list.
MB
Add Dexter, first.
And I’m as concerned about the writer’s strike as I was the baseball strike. Which is to say, not at all.