Television

[charliesmum]

Been a heck of a week, really, between the death of Butch, and Charlie and me both getting colds, and various other of life's little headaches, I'm ready for a nap. Not to mention the AAAAH factor of what is going on in the world at the moment.

So, in an effort to not think about things, I am going to discuss television.

I seem to have become a fan of the 'clever detective' television genre. I recently got into the shows 'Monk' and 'Psych', (Thanks, TiVo!) and earlier this week I watched the pilot of the show 'The Mentalist'. All three shows deal with private detctive types who have mad Sherlock Holmes-like skills of observation and use them as 'consultants' to help the police.

The only show I seem to be currently watching that isn't about a detective with mad observational skills is House. A show about a doctor with mad observational skills. And there's a new recurring character who is a detective.

Wonder what that says about me?

Have any of you found a new show that you like? Anything that isn't about people with uncanny observational skills, maybe?

Comments

[swordmage.livejournal.com]

I'm quite liking Fringe. Then again - conspiracies and questionable scientific practices are quite fun.

[wolfgangmozart.livejournal.com]

Not that they're new, and I don't know if you get HBO or no, and even then, I haven't seen them in rerun lately; but I've really enjoyed watching Curb Your Enthusiasm and In Treatment.

Curb is random wackiness about the guy who wrote Seinfeld (Larry David) and a comic version of his Hollywood life. Apparently there's only a bare-bones script, with the bulk of it being improv. It's one of those where the people are so pitifully goofy and just Doing It Wrong that you can't help but laugh.

In Treatment is a serious show about a psychiatrist and a week in his life. It was so neat because when it was airing:
--There was a certain different character "attending an appointment" for each day
--It came on Monday-Friday for several weeks

And each person had their set day. So you got to follow both each character weekly AND how the psychiatrist responded for a whole week. Very multilayered.

[gehayi.livejournal.com]

I have a hard time counting House as a doctor with mad observational skills, because he and his team usually make at least two wrong diagnoses per show. The breakdown is generally like this:

First quarter: Doctors baffled.
Second quarter: First wrong diagnosis and treatment.
Third quarter: Patient gets worse. Second wrong diagnosis/treatment.
Fourth quarter: Correct diagnosis. Sometimes treatment.

[jeffxandra.livejournal.com]

Only other thing I'm watching is Chuck, Mondays at 8PM about a nerd who doesn't really have that much in the way of observational skills, but happens to have a supercomputer lodged in his brain...

[chavvah.livejournal.com]

I second this, Chuck is awesome.

[sphinxvictorian.livejournal.com]

I've become a complete and utter fan of Pushing Daisies (ABC, Wednesday nights). It's funny, with a quirky dark sense of humor and yet a lot of sweetness and fantasy. Plus it's got some major Broadway talent, including Ellen Greene, Swoosie Kurtz, and Kristin Chenoweth. Anyway, the first season is out on DVD, and the new season starts next week.

[veganwrocker.livejournal.com]

That's the first thing that came to mind for me as well. I love that show - I'm so happy they're coming back!

[sphinxvictorian.livejournal.com]

It's such a lovely series, and so very fun. It truly won my heart in the first season when Kristin Chenoweth and Swoosie Kurtz started singing Birdhouse in Your Soul, one of my fave They Might Be Giants songs. My partner and I always sing along with that song whenever we're in the car and it comes on the iPod!

[(Anonymous)]

I know me too! My Mom has always loved They Might Be Giants, and we both got so excited when they started doing that. It was so random... :-)

[gwennluin.livejournal.com]

I'm always incredibly late to the party when it comes to TV shows...so I'm only just discovering Arrested Development and a few months ago it was The Office.

I would really like to check out Pushing Daisies and Mad Men as I hear they're both awesome.

[motherdragon.livejournal.com]

Hey there lady I don't have a lot of time will have some tonight when I get home from work, but just wanted to tell you that were comeing unless it will be to stress full then we can make other plans if necessary, you have my number and I will e-mail you the 1-800 number so you can call me toll free will be making the reservation I hope I spelled that right this weekend, will see if travelocesity ect can get me rooms cheeper by chance. If you there is an issue with it you can let me know here or on my e-mail.

Mel's mom!

[charliesmum.livejournal.com]

My only problem is our play opens next weekend so most of my evenings are going to be filled with rehearsal. I'm not even sure I am going to be able to go see Neil! :(

I would very much like to at least meet with you guys for dinner a couple of nights, though, so we'll figure something out!

[motherdragon.livejournal.com]

Well that's not good I did not relize that when I was thinkging of us comeing there. Well I will see if something can get worked out but It will have to be by this weekend so I know what plans were going to follow.

[charliesmum.livejournal.com]

I wasn't thinking, either. It just didn't occur to me that October 1 is also our 'tech week'.

Hopefully something can be worked out!

TV

[betterwishes.livejournal.com]

I haven't read the other comments, but I like Fringe.

[dragonwhishes.livejournal.com]

Man, I love Monk. Psych is okay. I ADORE House, because he's snarky and will totally call someone out on something.

I love Pushing Dasies and Chuck. And I <3 Friday The Thirteenth: The Series (not the movies with Jason Vorhees- this has nothing to do with the movies.) although it only had three seasons and has been sort of dead for longer than I'be been alive.

[placeboweek.livejournal.com]

I <3 Psych! I don't watch much tv these days except for Top Model (I know, lame).

[purplemer3.livejournal.com]

I tend to watch a lot of reality TV. But I agree, Monk is a good show. I saw a couple episodes a long time ago. His OCD is a cool twist!

[veganwrocker.livejournal.com]

I love Monk so much. I haven't seen it recently though - is it showing on regular TV at all lately? (We don't have cable *sad*)
I've also been watching My Name Is Earl, The Office, and Scrubs a lot lately. They're the kind of shows that really are kind of stupid, but they're very entertaining and sometimes do really make you think. Scrubs especially I find very amusing.
But my favorite show will always remain the Gilmore Girls... my Mom and I have the entire series on DVD :-)