I have been loving TV on DVD. If a show is good, I can watch an entire season in less than a week. So, I have come to watch a lot of television. But many friends that I come to talk to are confused when I say "TV" and so it has come to be known that television is something that is broadcast with regular intervals and with advertising. Not the case for me. About 15 years ago, when I moved into an apartment, me and my brother moved into a space that looked like it would be an expensive hook-up to get any TV going. Further we had to consider whether getting cable would be a financial necessity. We both opted out for cable as we had a TV and VCR (I think DVD players were just starting to come out then).

Needless to say, the blue-screen was all the broadcasting we were getting. So since then, I have never subscribed to cable, nor intend to. In fact, now when I am over someone's house who does subscribe to any cable, I further sustain my belief it would be a wasted expense. But thats my opinion. I know alot of people love their HDTV, and all the hi-def channels, but for me: I am sickened by the programming out there, the ads, the constant barrage of station identification and the simple fact that changing 700 channels to finally find something because you gave up 300 channels ago is just monotonous and annoying. No, for me it is about choice and making the decision of what I wanted to watch. (No, I am not interested in TiVo either). So, when people ask me about TV, they are confused when I say "I dont have TV". Sometimes it implies that I actually have no TV in my house (which that idea to the average American is like saying "I dont drink"). 

So, the lowdown is I only have TV, DVD player and VCR that hooks up to my TV. No antennas. Now, with all this digital downloads of TV, plus releases of entire seasons on DVD, it is nice to be able to watch TV again (this is also helped by the fact that the shows are actually good, and to some degree, really competing as better than many of the recent Hollywood movies). So my thoughts about the Seasons/Shows of TV I have watched this year.

Lost: Season 3 - Ok, this is my favorite show on television. There is nothing like it on TV or in the theaters. Which a huge ensemble cast, which everyone is perfectly cast, this stands as one of the greatest shows in TV history. Every season gets more and more curious, weird and strange, but never boring. The Season 4 pilot, which is 2 hours long, is getting its own Hollywood premiere that will be shown on the big screen. I am very excited for this premiere (no I wont see it on the big screen). Season 1. Season 2.

Weeds: Season 1, 2 and 3 - When I saw the first episode of Season 1, it was interesting. Nothing spectacular. But after finishing season 2, it was my new favorite show. Each episode is only 30 minutes (24-27, something like that, but who is counting). But in that small chunck of time, so much happens, but not incidentally or out of step with the show. The great thing about this show is that everything that does happen you see the repercussions of it all. And once the shoe drops, its only a matter of time before the other one does. It is serious and hilarious at the same time. Most people have seen Lost, but fewer have seen Weeds, so this is my recommendation if you have not seen any. I love this show! Oh! And Mary-Louise Parker is the new Diane Lane. She is just hot! (I cheated on Season 3. I just couldn't wait! It is even better than Season 2). Season 1 Blu-ray.

The Office - Season 3 - America has turned the British classic into its own classic. But is the show overripe now? Season 3 was a great season with some new characters and some of the sequences are hilarious. The Office continues to be my favorite and I look forward to Season 4, however, there is something nestled within me that has an inkling this show may have be over-stepping its boundaries. Maybe its all the marketing and all things sellable that is associated with it thats over-exposing it. Or maybe Ricky Gervais was right in stopping while it was hot. Season 1. Season 2.

Entourage: Season 3 Parts 1 and 2 -  HBO on DVD are the most over-priced TV boxed sets out there, which is why I wont buy them. But then, they are "not TV - they are HBO". Despite that fact, Entourage is one of their best shows. Its fast paced, interesting, funny and a seemingly real look into how Hollywood actors function in their world. My only gripe is the shows are too short and Season 3 seemed to take to long to get moving. But with that, the casting is perfect with Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold who is, in my opinion, the star of the show. Season 1. Season 2.

  24: Season 5 - Even though this show is becoming formulaic, each season does seem to get better. My brother noted that the first season, the episodes would start out with the disclaimer "all events take place in real time". But by the middle of the season, they stopped saying that. And it has not come back. I think this is a good maneuver because the show, although tales place within a 24-hour period, would take a toll on some peoples mental capacities of staying up 24 hours straight in extremely stressful situations. And could they handle it 6 times? Jack Bauer has to be the most grounded, level headed and balanced person the world has known to be able to handle such stress that he puts himself in. But, it is a show. Needless to say, although the show is intended to be real time, it actually pulls you out of the realism to think that all of this occurs within a 24 hour period, especially that you are seeing it once a week and the shows at only 1 hour in length can be exhausting. But its very compelling action/drama. Season 1. Season 2. Season 3. Season 4.

Psych: Season 1 - A funny show that probably will die soon. About a guy who people think is psychic, but is actually just a great observer of details. So observant is he, that he notes things that go over peoples heads. But he plays the role well (I dont know who the star is, but "he" works fine) and enjoys fooling the cops and other hot women into believing he is psychic. He also has a partner who is the common sensical dude who feels He is always being antagonized into situations when they could have just opted out and be normal. But a show is a show is a show. You cant not do anything. To quote a book, "No one wants to see a movie about the Land of the Happy People." 

House: Season 3 - There was a quiz somewhere at sometime that if you were sick, would you go to Grey's Anatomy hospital or to House. I chose House. Yeah, he is an extremist. He will let you die so he could know what your problem is. But I find his methods more honorable because, to me, he wants to cure the system, not just band-aid the symptom. And he shows integrity. On top of that, Hugh Laurie is a Brit with an excellent American accent. Who woulda thunk? The show is by and large episodic with background stories that run througout the show. But its well played. I don't recommend this show if you are a hypochondriac. Season 1. Season 2.

 Grey's Anatomy: Season 3 - I enjoyed Season 1. Season 2 was pretty good. Season 3 I hated. Well, maybe not hated, but it really got corny. Katherine Heigel got a Golden Globe for her role in Season 3, which, after watching it, I would have given her a Turkey or a Razzie. Whichever is worse. Her whole storyline was getting over some dying dude she met in the hospital. Half of the season she spent on the floor in her prom dress crying over him. I don't get it. She is not a doctor, she is a drama queen. I would not want her to operate on me. She can give me a sponge bath, but keep those sharpies away! Otherwise, everyone in the show plays out their own issues by either projecting them onto the patients, or figuring it out with each other in front of the patients. Not very professional work ethics. I was not impressed by this season. Season 1. Season 2.

Bones: Season 1 - An interesting show. Somewhat predictable, but well told. Basically Emily Daschanel  (sister of Zoey) plays a woman who is an extreme in objectivity is a forensic scientist who helps the FBI with crime stories. Conveniently, all these murders, deaths, etc, people are only bones (thus the title). So you end up dealing with alot of murders that happened years ago, or people that were burned all the way down. The storylines and characters are fleshed out as the season progresses, but overall you may feel like TV is starting ride on the coat tails of other shows.

Desperate Housewives: Season 3 - 6 hot chicks living in one small suburban street. I want to live on that street. Eva Longoria, perhaps the youngest of the group, is noted as one of the hottest, but I find her more and more irritating as I watch more of this show. Its actually a very good show. Season 1 probably is the best season, while season 2 seemed to hit a bump in the road. Season 3 felt just as good as the original. I am not sure how much longer this show can maintain its momentum, but I am looking forward to season 4. Teri Hatcher does keep me watching. Season 1. Season 2.

Saturday Night Live: Season 1 - Not very funny. Why is this, you may ask. I think the reason is that we are inundated by all the highlights and best-of's for so long we forgot the show is not that funny. But it may also be the simple fact that this show was just starting out and essentially an experiement that needed to refine itself season after season. The openeing season has many slow and boring segments. The musical guests were at times interesting, but even then, its a decision of whether you want to hear the artist or not. The 'Not-So-Ready-For-PrimeTime-Players' were not gelled yet, nor were they all present. Chevy Chase leads off the show with his falling schtick, while others help round out the troupe. No Eddie Murphy yet, and Mr. Bill made his debut in the final episode. Further, each show is almost a full 75 minutes each (and with a full 24 episode season, this is a very, very long show - actually took me a month to watch it). It played on late night television in the 70's, so advertising was minimal. So they had to fill in the show. The most interesting parts were who was going to host the show. So its fun to see Raquel Welch host or Paul Simon (which Simon and Garfunkel perform a reunion right on television and plays 4 songs consecutively, which says more about how famous they were at the time than how good the show was). Lorne Michaels had the hook-ups then, and seemed to be a cool guy who would be on the show once in a while. Overall this set works better as nostalgia than as a season to watch again and again. The set would actually be better if they included the original commercials (perhaps one of the few times you will ever hear me say that). They just released Season 2 this past Christmas, which I want to get, but not in a hurry to. They are on their 20th season now? I hope they don't plan on releasing these once a year.

My So-Called Life: The Complete Series - This is one of those shows that is unfortunate it ended sooner than its time allowed. But at the same token, had it got the recognition is deserves, it may have gone on too long. So all I can say is that its perfect as it is. Definately one of the classic teen-drams to hit television. Young Claire Danes is adorable who falls in love with young Jared Leto. Many of the situations are completely relevant going through the trials and tribulations of the high school life and how one manages through it all, but not without asking all of the existential questions that are necessary to get through it all. A great show!

Undeclared: The Complete Series - From the Apatow troupe, this is almost a spin-off of his other uncompleted masterworks, Freaks and Geeks. While not as good as F&G, it is still an excellent show. You will see similar folks from the F&G like Seth Rogan and Busy Phillips as well as some cameos by Tom Welling (Smallville) and Jenna Fischer (The Office). This particular series explores life in a college dorm rather than a high school. Very funny and relevant situations, without being overly ridiculous. Nevertheless, it is classic unseen television that should be a followup to the F&G series. Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series.

Twin Peaks: The Complete Series - Perhaps one of the greatest shows ever to grace the small screen. David Lynch at the helm with Mark Frost as the co-pilot. This show, however great, had the unfortunate experience of being so popular that it no longer became Lynch's magical child, but the Frankenstein monster of Paramount. Which led to Season 2 being strange and off the beaten path of what the show intended. We all now know that Lynch never wanted to reveal the killer, but the public appeared to be demanding it. I think less that the public demanded it, but Paramount did not want to lose their share of network viewers and so had them reveal the killer waaaaaaaaaaay too soon. Once this was announced, it effectively killed the show. Nonetheless, this is still one of the finest shows ever on television, and in my opinion, created the ground work for new kinds of television, specifically for shows like Lost.

  Veronica Mars: Season 3 - Katherine Bell is hot! There, i said it. I made the public announcement that she is a certified hottie. I dont think the public at large realizes this just yet, but its catching on. Add 1 hottie with great acting and an excellent script, and mix that in with an excellent supporting cast, and you have a show I will watch again and again. Veronica Mars, sadly, did not get the support it should have. Perhaps just overshadowed by Lost and The Office and The Fat Actress, but this was one of the better shows that was playing. The shows themes are heavy subjects, like rape, sex, murder and stealing. This is a lot for a teen show to be dealing with. But it was handled with attentiveness and care that was not graphic, exploitive or over the top. It managed it as part of life and how to handle situations. Katherine Bell as Veronica is a tough little cookie in this show. She knows how to handle herself, presumably learned from her PI dad played by the cool Enrico Colantoni. Katherine seems so comfortable in this role that it seems as if she is playing herself, giving the allusion that this is one cool chick. Veronica Mars: The Complete Series.

 Nip/Tuck: Season 4 - This was crap. Season 3 cliffhanger was awesome, for anyone that watches the show, was about the Carver. Season 4 opened with something about the Carver but quickly dropped the storyline and went on to other things that were silly. Each episode got more and more riduculous and ultimately ended with the "who cares" syndrome. I like the show, for what its worth, but I do recognize that the show is way way over the top. No one in this show knows how to handle situations realistically. Especially the son (John Hensley), who is reckless at every chance he can get, just to spite his parents. His mom Julia (Joely Richardson) can't decide a single thing in her life. Whether to be a mom, a doctor, or a cheating slut. The doctors at large, Sean and Christian, are so insanely egotistical that its surprising they get anything done. Its gripping drama for all arguements sake, but by Season 4, the situations are so stupid and have nothing to do with previous seasons, that I felt that this show is over and out. Season 1. Season 2. Season 3.

Gilmore Girls: Season 7 - Yeah, ok, this is my guilty pleasure. I know I mentioned this show once before, but no one wants to take a chance on it. But I like it. Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as the two Lorelei's are perfectly matched and understand each other so well in the show that it makes you want to sit there on the couch and watch them babble pop culture references for hours on end. The rest of the cast are decent and support these two well (because they are not as funny), but ultimately they help to serve the Lorelei's who are like celebs in their own town. The other thing I like about this show is that it takes place in Connecticut, which is my home state, so its like a little knod from the world of Hollywood that Connecticut is indeed on the map. Gilmore Girls: The Complete Series.

Heroes: Season 1 - Wow, what a show this is. While it did not fulfill my every expectation, it is indeed one of the best shows of 2007.  A full ensemble cast with a high production, complete with an awesome script that is comparable to Lost. If you are into the comic movies, then you will definately love this show. A disappointment is that the powers of these heroes are not utilized well enough or as much as you would like to see. It is a show that focuses on the characters and the over-arching premise. I suspect that following seasons will be better now that the characters are more firmly established so we can start to see them in action. The story-line, although sometimes belabored (and the intro that tells us of previous episodes are sometimes overdone), is very thorough and intense. I had the fortunate experience of watching the Season 2 (yeah, I couldn't wait) and it definately gets better. Unfortunately, as all of the seaons this year, because of the writers strike, all of the shows are cut short, so you are not getting the full effects.

Dirt: Season 1 - Well, I just watched this a week ago, so technically it does not fall in the 2007 category. But I thought I would toss it in there anyway. Its a good show. Nice to see Courtney Cox playing something other than a Friend. She is competent in this role and even looks sexy most of the time. The cast is likable, although, the one dude, Holt McLaren (Josh Stuart), plays this depressive, non-communicative, mope that for some reason all these super hot chicks love (granted he is a celebrity in the show). He keeps swatting them off because he is too miserable inside to get in tune with anyone else in the show. I don't get this! Maybe I should walk around with a raincloud over my head and pretend everything in the world is wrong. I have always thought like-attracts-like, but evidently Hollywood thinks different. Thats my major gripe. Otherwise the show in entertaining and shows off how the Paparazzi works in their ways. It does not make them out to be bad people, just people doing their jobs like anyone else. I think that happened once before in history, and look what happened.

Moral Orel: Collection 1 - I dont know if this was just a collection or if its the first season. Nothing on the box explains what you are getting and looking IMDB and Wikipedia does not answer much either. Nonetheless, I found this show hysterical! Lord, if you only knew how funny this show was, you might be laughing with me. Its an Adult Swim show that spoofs the Davey and Goliath show of the 60's. Orel is a naieve boy who is continually doing God's work. But as little children, we have little understanding of what is said in the Bible, our understanding of symbols and metaphors are not primed, and so what is left is to understand it based on what we already know and experienced. So at such a tender age, things can be a little distorted if you want to refer to the Bible as doing exactly what God wants you to do. Which lends itself well to the humor in this show. Some may find it offensive and blasphemic, which I think is part of the intention, but I find it great that doing Gods work as a little kid innocently funny. Its hard not to laugh. 

Seinfeld: Season 8 - Hey, well. Seinfeld is Seinfeld. By now you either love him or you hate him. I love the show. Its always funny. I have yet to get Season 9, but will get it eventually. This is probably one of the best cast of characters ever on television. There are few shows where 4 people work so well together that to have anyone fill in or be taken off would just throw the whole show into the garbage. You need all 4 characters to make it work. This season you get the ever popular Soup Nazi episode. Love it! "No soup for you!" I can say that anywhere whenever I deny something to someone and it would be understood. Thats what makes this show great. That I can say that line. Seinfeld: The Complete Series.

Rome: Season 1 - I have not seen the second season yet. But I thought the first season was very good. Its another highly produced HBO show complete with a large cast, shot on 35mm, with great locales and set design. The costumes alone probably cost more than entire episodes of other shows. Is it all worth it? I think this show was cancelled. HBO tends to over extend their budgets only to find they cant let the show run its course, like Carnivale (which was great, but very slow and a humungous budget), or Deadwood. Rome had some hot women all around to swoon at the Trojans (yes, they were protected). Not my favorite show as it seemed complicated. Not so much historically, but lots of politics which can turn me off.

Sopranos: Season 6 Parts 1 and 2 - This show set the tone for HBO programming. Seasons 1 and 2 was so highly touted that if you were not watching it, you just were not on the pulse of the American culture. I did not watch it until the 5th season started to play itself out. I found the show interesting. Not great. The seaons were lopsided and uneven, and the characters were like bulls in china shops. All of them. No one is able to deal rationally with their emotions. Which I think is how we are supposed to think that all Italians and Mafioso types handle their situations. If you piss them off, then you kill them, and they are no longer a problem. The acting is by and large competent, but I never fell in love with the characters nor was I overly concerned about any one of them. Not one of them! The focus on Tony Soprano played to perfection by James Gandolfini was, for the most part, interesting. His acting probably made the character better than what was written. This being Season 6 finalizes the show with the controversial finale which was probably the best show ever in the entire series. And I do mean the final moments of the show. I know that sounds cynical, where, in the sense I am saying the best part of the show is when it finally ended. Yeah, in a way I am saying that, but I think it ended correctly. That is to say, unresolved, unanswered, and unknown. And even better is that I don't want to know. I dont have any questions about what happens and I like the show better because of it. Sopranos: The Complete Series.

The L-Word Season 4 - Ok, if you like drama queens, well this is your show. A show about Lesbians. A show about Love. And anything else that starts with L, like Lame. This is a large cast with some credible performances, but overall by a young 30-something group of girls who have nothing better to do than to screw each other to the point of pissing off other characters in the show. Even though the show is about lesbians, its comforting to know they are not male-hating, castrating types. No, for the most part, men are not in their world, so as a subject, they rarely come up. So you can rest assure that you can watch this without feeling any hostility because you were born with a penis. With that said, I actually enjoyed the first season. But the second season through the 4th season, it continually gets weirder and dumber. I got into the characters in the first season, understood them, felt what they were going through. But by the end of the 4th season, I really could care less who does what with who or where or when or how. After a while I just hear myself asking, "oh, she is hot, I wonder if she gets naked". Which, most of the time I get my answer in the affirmative. Season 1. Season 2. Season 3.

Extras: Season 2 - "Are you having a laugh?" Ricky Gervais, the man behind the original Office series takes his work to HBO with this interesting little comedy about being a Hollywood extra. Is it funny? Sometimes. I don't think I enjoyed it as much as The Office. When I rented Season 2, I think I was annoyed a little by it because the DVD menus seemed to give away too much about the show before you had even seen episode one. The menu plays a theme song to something you have no knowledge of, but only until you finish watching the entire season are really atune to what its all about. But being cold on what was to happen in season 2, it was just annoying to listen to, so I found it tainted my experience. There is a DVD coming out with a special show finale, ala The Office. This show was only 6 episodes per season, so Gervais seems to really minimalize his work, I suppose not to overdo his characters, which I respect alot actually. For this show, it works out perfectly because its not a particular favorite. However, HBO still feels the need to overcharge their boxed sets, even if you are only gettin 6 episodes. Extras: The Complete Series with Series Finale.

Smallville: Season 6 - This is a great show. Each season is just as good as the next. Never gets better, but at least maintains itself. In this season they are out of high school and now either in college or in the job world, which, I think everyone from Smallville migrated to Metropolis and works at the Daily Bugle. The drama between Clark and Lana is a little over worked at this point. I, personally, find Lois Lane better looking, even though my brothers find her character annoying and abrasive. Maybe so. Sometimes I overlook the acting. Tom Welling as Clarke Kent is starting to irk me for a few reasons: 1) He is not flying yet. No, he is not Superman, but geesh, throw him a bone already! 2) He is another mopy character that is so involved with his own feelings that he continues to swat the hotties away from him (which makes me start to question his sexual integrity). 3) Aside from Clarke, everyone in the show has, at some point in time, gotten imbued with super powers. 4) Clarkes powers are incongruent in real time/space (more about his speed ability than anything). Season 1. Season 2. Season 3. Season 4. Season 5.

That 70's Show Season 5 - This is a funny show, but gets a little redundant after a while. Topher Grace is funny on the show and Laura Pepron as his girlfriend is a great counterpart to his small weakling self. It's really Ashton Kutcher that makes this show. Err...let me finish that sentence. Its really Ashton Kutcher that makes this show much more shallow and lame than its potential allows. He is a complete annoyance and goofball. His character to me is so far out of reality that he literally belongs in comedy shows of the 70's where they thought being an absolute moron is funny.  Season 1. Season 2. Season 3. Season 4. Season 6. Season 7.

The Simpsons and South Park: Season Whatever - These two shows are great. I put them together for a few reasons. 1) They dont have any real lineage of time. 2) I did not watch them in any particular order, nor am I waiting for the next season to happen. 3) You dont have to watch an entire season to enjoy it. You can just watch an episode at any point in time from any season and its a great show. With that said, these two shows, in my opinion, will be just as classic as Seinfeld at some later point in time. Simpsons has the edge right now as its been on longer and I think has a wider appeal, but both are strong in their characters, comedy, and current social relevance. The Simpsons. South Park.

In sum, I found I have not dove into anything earlier than the Twin Peaks series (which I think is 87-89, around that time). I tried some of the authentic 70's TV shows and was bored by them, so I did not list them here. There were not that many anyways. I probably missed some, and if I did, thats because they were not worth mentioning. So thats my spiele on TV shows for the past year. Comments and thoughts and other show reviews are welcome in our forum here.

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