Getting Up To Date

This television season hasn't really gone by fast. It's been short, that's for sure, but it's gone at its normal speed.

No, I'm the one that's been slow. When you miss one episodes, suddenly it steamrolls to 13 and with the short season, it's the end and you didn't know it. Where did all the time go?

I have excuses. I was getting ready for Europe then I was in Europe, then I got back and was sick because it snowed in London, or we had to let someone go at my paying job and I have to take up the slack or gas is 3 dollars and 33 frakkin' cents. Whatever causes our heads to explode (whether with excitement or frustration), that's my excuse.

Now that I've told you the excuses, I have to say, I don't make excuses. Those things are what happened and I'm sorry that I haven't talked about New Amsterdam, American Idol, Pussycat Dolls Presents: Girlicious, America's Next Top Model, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Saturday Night Live, Lost, Cashmere Mafia, Lipstick Jungle... I wish the list was endless, but I'm just biding my time until we get the final 2-5 shows from our old favourites.

New Amsterdam - Basically, New Amsterdam is the story of a Dutch "raider" who tries to stop some of the other "raiders" from killing the women and children of the Native American tribe that lives on the island that becomes Manhattan and gets stabbed for his efforts. One of the women brings him back to life and tells him he will not die until he finds "the one". So he's lived many lives over hundreds of years (and he's not a vampire) and uses that knowledge to help out present day NYPD. In the premiere, he has a heart attack after chasing a suspect and dies at the hospital but then comes back to life when he's sent to the morgue, prompting him to think that the doctor that worked on him might be "the one". The story has so many good elements, but the pace is too slow. The lead actor, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau,  is better than I expected, even though I don't like the accent he has at times, but he's okay. The other actors are boring and one dimensional. What they discover about the people who have died is much more interesting than what is written for the main characters. But I watch anyway because I want to see what happens if she is "the one" or if we are watching him go through the same cycle all over again.

American Idol - This is the first year that I've watched all the way through, from the gag show to the auditions in Hollywood, to culling down from 24 - 12, and presumably to the end. Apparently, this is a great season. There were a few people that should have left the show early on (I'm talking to you Luke Menard), but at the same time, they all had very interesting voices and many of them are even very good. I think the people who have been voted off so far (except for Danny Noriega and Alexandrea Lushington during the weeks of culling from 24 - 12) has been right on target.  It will be interesting to see what happens, but my favourites right now are David Cook (I did like David Archuleta, but I am entertained every week by David Cook) and Carly Smithson.

Pussy Cat Dolls Presents: Girlicious - What can I say, this is the most entertaining train wreck I've ever seen. My husband made the mistake of working in the living room that night and ended up watching the entire show, not because it was really good or interesting, but because he couldn't believe that the show existed. His belief? Some of the girls will grow up an be embarrassed they were ever on the show. 

America's Next Top Model - A whole bunch of girls living in the house makes for more drama than we can handle - as they all vie for supermodeldom with us cheering them on. I like it because I like the drama. In the same vein, Make Me A Supermodel also did well, but I didn't like that who stayed and who left was up to the public. I wish that the experts in the field, not the people who were just picking people they liked, not people who did particularly well, would have chosen who stayed and who left. However, America did well by picking the model that actually had talent, Holly.

The Sarah Connor Chronicles - This was a midseason replacement, so it started with a limited amount of shows. However, what it did have was a great plot, a lot of action, and some twist and turns along the way. I loved both Summer Glau and Lena Headey in their roles. Nearly everyone else did a great job as well notably Brian Austin Green at Derek Reese, Kyle Reese's brother. The Sarah Connor Chronicles follows the events at the end of T2, offering an alternate timeline to T3.  For those of you who missed the show, download it from iTunes (or somewhere) or buy it when it comes out on dvd. Just make sure you're prepared when Season 2 comes.

SNL - It's actually got some really funny parts this year. I haven't watched the Christopher Walken one yet (it's waiting), but if you can find it on youtube.com, you should try to check it out. The video shorts (NOT the tv funhouse ones) are pretty funny, especially Ellen Page's one. Also, the I'm Dating Your Dad skit with that guy from Superbad...

Lost - What can I say? We are still not getting much more information, but we now know who the Oceanic 6 are, and with the show ending  in 2010, we know that each episode has some meaning in the hierarchy of the show and no episode is stalling for time. I can't wait for the final 5 shows and to find out how they got to where they are now.

Cashmere Mafia/Lipstick Jungle - So, Cashmere Mafia was cancelled and Lipstick Jungle was renewed. They both should have been cancelled, but I digress and hope that a writer's strike free season next year will help me see why LJ is still on our screens.