Fall TV part deux

The other day I covered my TV viewing suggestions for Fri-Mon. I forget to mention again of course I watch “ Mad Men” Sundays on AMC, but I don ‘t always watch when scheduled. AMC does a great job of posting the show On Demand for free.

An On Demand digression…

NBC charges for On Demand, only 99, that’s just ridiculous. If the networks want us to watch their shows…they should post all of them to On Demand for free, with the spots (commercials) in it and everything. And watch their total viewership go up.

End of rant.

Now I'm getting to the core of the TV viewing week, the days my beloved DVR is truly living for.

Tuesday’s means only two shows for me. "Melrose" and "Wife"

Melrose Place

I was never a "90210" fan only "Melrose Place", which is something I can’t explain; it's just the way it is. Melrose is a gianormous guilty pleasure I’ve never gotten over, so obviously I’ve been looking forward to the reboot since it was announced. And it has not disappointed.

Slicked up for the 00’s, the music is contemporary and the outfit so right now.The characters are not completely memorable but appropriate to the spirit of the show and the crazy casting of the bug-eyed, creepy Simpson-Wenz girl sort of works, she DOES look like Sydney. I’ll give her that. The addition of Michael, Sydney and now Jane seems rather seamless. Of course, I’m looking forward to the return of Amanda, it just seems appropriate.

“Relationships are complicated, cooking comes with instructions, " Auggie. It’s lines like this that make the guilt go away, ha ha. It’s trash TV people, not fine lit, so take it or leave it.


The Good Wife

For me, a big surprise this Fall Season is “The Good Wife”. I’m honestly not a Julianna Margulies fan or foe, there being that fine line between love and hate that both imply emotion.

And frankly I think Chris Noth is over-exposed, playing all his characters the same exact way in different shows. Not that I don't think he’s hot

But back to JM- she does a wonderful job playing the part soft spoken when it could easily be screechy and hysterical. I see now her ER character was annoying to me and also she was mackin’ on Geogre Cloony. This is a personal blog people, not a high minded critical writing spot.

At any rate, it's many members of the remaining cast that makes me happy.

I'm glad to see Josh Charles, playing JM's former colleague and new boss. Josh, formerly of the critcally acclaimed, never watched by anyone but my hubby and I, “Sports Night” seem to immensly help the careers of Felicity Huffman and Peter Krause but Josh Charles, who was “the star” disappeared. At any rate, it's good too see him.



Christine Baranski too, is another actress I really enjoy. Loved her in "Cybil" and “The Bird Cage” She's one of those character actors its just nice to run into.

I finally had to google the woman who plays an assistant at the law firm JM works at because it was driving me nuts, and I couldn't figure it out. It's Archie Panjabi who played the older sister in Bend It Like Beckham

Toss in the Rory’s last boyfriend on "Gilmore Girls"Matt Czuchry, and this show is full of actors I enjoy. The writing isn’t bad, the “ripped from the headlines” topical nature behind the storyline is not too overwrought. The husband’s a slime ball politician who actually went to jail in this one, and the wife went back to work. Her character isn’t defined so much as what we see now, but I think despite the fact we need another lawyer show like we need another hospital show, the "Good Wife" will do good.

Comin' up....two new shows for Wednesday

It’s Monday and I’ve got Mad Men on my mind

No, not men that are mad, but “Mad Men”, a show on AMC that started its 3rd season last week. The program is ultra cool, suave and a critic’s darling. Plus it won a bunch of awards last year, a sure sign that it’s probably a good show and it's not on a “Big 3” network. (Are they even the “big” 3 anymore?)

I personally didn’t hop on the hip bus until after the first season, when I bought the DVD. And then I actually missed the entire 2nd season live. Thanks goodness for on-demand. The point is, these days you can start watching a show even after a few seasons, the catching up part is virtually painless.

For those of you not familiar with the show, ( and it seems most people are not, as it’s not exactly the highest rated in TV land), “Mad Men” takes place at a fictional advertising agency in New York City in the early ‘60’s. The stories circle around Don Draper, played by the mad hot Jon Hamm, and his office staff, family and “friends”. I think the “Mad” stands for Madison Avenue initially, and just the shear madness of the era later on. Just a theory.

New York City is a grand dame in the show and it’s a very interesting commentary on the times. Women are getting stronger in the workplace, for the most part as secretaries, but the truth is good administrative assistants run a company underneath it all.

Elisabeth Moss, the former Zoey Bartlet on one of my fave shows “The West Wing” turns in a fabulous performance as a girl who wants to get out of the pool and into the boardroom with the boys. As an aspiring copywriter, nothing, and I mean Not A Thing, stops her from reaching her goals.

You’d think I’d identify with her; I myself worked in a male dominated business for some many years, putting up with some of the crap. And I’m trying to reinvent myself as a copywriter. But I really identify with the character of Betty, wife to the lead character Dan Draper. Her lonely suburban housewife feels more realistic than any of the characters, who become over-the-top caricatures every once on awhile.


The show is not for everyone, it's a bit dark but very stylistic…and if you aren’t a fan of vices you won’t like that EVERYONE freakin' smokes and drinks ALL the time…something I personally find a hoot, but I know some don’t.

But hey, it’s only a TV show. And if you like it enough, you can “Mad Men” yourself…loads of fun for those slow moments, when you could use a little madness. ☺

The Recovering Actor? SAG round-up

The SAG’s were on Sunday night. Yes, I really am an award show junkie! The SAG's began with a selection of actors from around the room reciting a quick lmonologue extolling the virtues of the craft and ending with…”I’m so-and -so and I’m an Actor”

That get’s me every time, I could’ve been a contender, and I could have been an actor!

My love of the stage started back in a grade school class play, when I slyly expanded the small role of Lady Lemondrop with comedic ad libs. Suddenly, I was a bit of a celeb, and I LOVED it. More school plays, musicals, and summers spent doing shows at the local community center. I was building up quite the resume. Ahh…C’est la Vie.

SAG one-liners round up

• Is there a 30 Rock backlash yet?
• I'm starting not to care for Kate Winslet. I don‘t respect actors who fall apart when they make a speech. Get it together lady!
• That House guy really cleans ‘em up. That show is "eh" for me.
  
• Sally Field winning was a bit of a shock. I guess they still really, really like...oh you know...
  
• Mad Men really is good, just have to be in the right frame if mind.
• There was a nice tribute for James Earl Jones, who is very cool. It was a little long so that is where I switched over to Family Guy. Overall the SAGS are actually pretty snappy time wise. We'll see what the Oscars bring!
  

Seattle Community Examiner: For your consideration-more theaters showing Oscar nominations