cordelianne (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
cordelianne) wrote2005-10-11 12:20 am
cordelianne) wrote2005-10-11 12:20 am
Oh Pacey, you blind idiot. Can't you see she doesn't love you? (btvs 5:4)
As much as I'm enjoying the fabulous seasons of Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, Everwood, Prison Break and Arrested Development the rest of this television season hasn't been spectacular (new and returning shows). However, I was delighted by the last new The Simpsons episode "Milhouse Of Sand And Fog" which transported me back to the earlier very fabulous seasons of the show. Inspired by the excellent and very quotable lines on The Simpsons, I thought it would be fun to write about the television shows I've been watching recently by using quotes from the shows.
"I have to do this for work." (The Simpsons 17:3)
If I wasn't watching shows for my own research I'd stop watching Charmed, The O.C., Reunion, Sex, Lies and Secrets, Invasion, and probably even the sadly declining Desperate Housewives.
"You are watching the O.C. on Fox. Coming up next crappy local news." (The Simpsons 17:3)
And if it's not crappy local news, it's the equally crappy Reunion. When I was watching the "1988" episode my cable cut out for a minute and it was the most entertaining part of the show. This is the kind of show that'll have a character say a threatening statement which doesn't make sense for the character to be saying but plays to the knowledge that the viewer has.
"Those tv writers are geniuses. Whatever they're paid, it's not enough." (The Simpsons 17:3)
Well they may not be true for Charmed but I'm really impressed by the writing on Grey's Anatomy, Threshold, House and The 4400. Although I love when The Simpsons and Family Guy draw attention to the writing with quotes like the one above, it's also nice to watch a show and forget about the writing because you're actually drawn into the story and characters.
"How can someone be so offensive and yet so charming all at the same time?" "It's an art form." (Grey's Anatomy 2:3)
This is my favourite questions about all the fun bad boys on television: There's of course Logan on Veronica Mars and Sawyer on Lost. And now Alex on Grey's Anatomy joins the ranks. I'm hoping that James Marsters as Brainiac on Smallville will soon be on the list. I'm also tempted to add House on House to my list, although the question to House would really be: "How can someone be so offensive and yet so damn fun to watch all at the same time?"
"We want to keep the use of magic to a minimum so the demons don't find out we're still alive." "Three chicks move in under the same roof, hello how dumb can they be?" (Charmed 8:3)
I like that the Charmed ones are trying to live "normal" lives (ie. without magic) and are slowly seeing that this isn't possible, but the ridiculous idea that they're 3 cousins of themselves who've moved into their house to look after the kids seems like a stupid plan (and makes even less sense when I try to describe the plan in writing). I couldn't agree more with the Television Without Pity recapper who calls the Charmed ones "Glamorous Idiots."
"Maybe you give them too much credit." (Charmed 8:2)
I would say that the demon community on Charmed gives the sisters too much credit, but since the demons are all equally as idiotic as the Charmed Ones, everyone's on a level playing field. Here's an idea: make the demons actually hard to defeat so that the show doesn't seem like an exercise in whining and stomping around in expensive outfits.
"That's both crazy and self-absorbed." (Desperate Housewives 2:3)
Yes. That does sum up season two of Desperate Housewives very well. It's too bad because I loved the show when it started - it was such a neat mix of satire, soap opera and comedy. Now it seems to have lost the satire, amped up the soapiness while half-heartedly trying to add some humour.
"Sex, Lies, and Secrets" (show title)
No, no and no. There's only one word that can describe this show: Incomprehensible. Although if the show creators are attached to a three word title I would suggest: "Incomprehsible, stupid and pointless".
"It's a natural thing that happens like hurricanes or going to war." (The Simpsons 17:3)
I'm starting to feel that voiceovers (VO) are inescapable natural things because practically every television show is using them right now, even shows I like employ the VO, ie. Veronica Mars, Arrested Development and Scrubs (how I miss you right now Scrubs!!). Here's the list of other shows - that I can recall - which use VO (organized in order of most effective to least effective):
- Everbody Hates Chris
- My Name is Earl
- How I Met Your Mother
- Grey's Anatomy
- Desperate Housewives
- Sex, Lies and Secrets - Although does it count as a VO if it's trying - but failing - to be a faux anthropology documentary commentary?
- Charmed - Thank god it was only one episode but it was excruciating. Phoebe was purposefully imitating Sex and the City, and I fear it has traumatized me enough that I never want to see Sex and the City ever again.
"You're the least objective person I've met." (Bones 1:3)
I'm still enjoying the banter between Brennan and Booth on Bones. Also I was very excited when I saw Chewy from Joan of Arcadia!! Mark Totty played Dt. Carlisle (aka Chewy), Will Girardi's always snacking partner. I must admit that I'm inclined to like Bones because it has David Boreanaz in it as well as Hart Hanson (the creator) and Stephen Nathan (consulting producer), both from Joan of Arcadia.
"Just because something is unfamiliar doesn't mean it's alien." (Invasion 1:2)
Wait, what?! Isn't that exactly what the term alien means? As it turns out Dictionary.com agrees with me, stating that alien means: "Belonging to, characteristic of, or constituting another and very different place, society, or person; strange."
"Where is the clitoris?" (The Office 2:2)
Okay, what's up with women on television being critical of working mothers? It was annoying to see in the Close to Home pilot and was even more annoying in the Desperate Housewives season premiere. It's nice that television shows are portraying the pressures that many women are under to balance kids and work, but does that have to always involve making other women the enemy? It's particularly aggravating because it vilifies women who don't have kids, and both shows have suggested that a woman's life is ultimately unfulfilled without children.
"I'll be right back." (Alias 5:1)
aka the line said in horror movies right before someone dies. Thanks to that anvilicious comment I realized that Vaughan was about to be killed (I had heard rumours but this line totally spoiled me).
Although I'm not feeling the love for that many shows this television season it could be that I've been reading too much Television Without Pity recaps, and also that I've been saving the excellent half-hour shows on my PVR to watch once I've caught up on the hour long ones I'm less excited about. Fortunately I am enjoying the Sitcom Renaissance (remember I coined this term!) and am delighted that after 17 years The Simpsons can still have funny episodes with great lines like this one from Homer:
"Of all the people for Marge to cheat on, why did it have to be me?"
"I have to do this for work." (The Simpsons 17:3)
If I wasn't watching shows for my own research I'd stop watching Charmed, The O.C., Reunion, Sex, Lies and Secrets, Invasion, and probably even the sadly declining Desperate Housewives.
"You are watching the O.C. on Fox. Coming up next crappy local news." (The Simpsons 17:3)
And if it's not crappy local news, it's the equally crappy Reunion. When I was watching the "1988" episode my cable cut out for a minute and it was the most entertaining part of the show. This is the kind of show that'll have a character say a threatening statement which doesn't make sense for the character to be saying but plays to the knowledge that the viewer has.
"Those tv writers are geniuses. Whatever they're paid, it's not enough." (The Simpsons 17:3)
Well they may not be true for Charmed but I'm really impressed by the writing on Grey's Anatomy, Threshold, House and The 4400. Although I love when The Simpsons and Family Guy draw attention to the writing with quotes like the one above, it's also nice to watch a show and forget about the writing because you're actually drawn into the story and characters.
"How can someone be so offensive and yet so charming all at the same time?" "It's an art form." (Grey's Anatomy 2:3)
This is my favourite questions about all the fun bad boys on television: There's of course Logan on Veronica Mars and Sawyer on Lost. And now Alex on Grey's Anatomy joins the ranks. I'm hoping that James Marsters as Brainiac on Smallville will soon be on the list. I'm also tempted to add House on House to my list, although the question to House would really be: "How can someone be so offensive and yet so damn fun to watch all at the same time?"
"We want to keep the use of magic to a minimum so the demons don't find out we're still alive." "Three chicks move in under the same roof, hello how dumb can they be?" (Charmed 8:3)
I like that the Charmed ones are trying to live "normal" lives (ie. without magic) and are slowly seeing that this isn't possible, but the ridiculous idea that they're 3 cousins of themselves who've moved into their house to look after the kids seems like a stupid plan (and makes even less sense when I try to describe the plan in writing). I couldn't agree more with the Television Without Pity recapper who calls the Charmed ones "Glamorous Idiots."
"Maybe you give them too much credit." (Charmed 8:2)
I would say that the demon community on Charmed gives the sisters too much credit, but since the demons are all equally as idiotic as the Charmed Ones, everyone's on a level playing field. Here's an idea: make the demons actually hard to defeat so that the show doesn't seem like an exercise in whining and stomping around in expensive outfits.
"That's both crazy and self-absorbed." (Desperate Housewives 2:3)
Yes. That does sum up season two of Desperate Housewives very well. It's too bad because I loved the show when it started - it was such a neat mix of satire, soap opera and comedy. Now it seems to have lost the satire, amped up the soapiness while half-heartedly trying to add some humour.
"Sex, Lies, and Secrets" (show title)
No, no and no. There's only one word that can describe this show: Incomprehensible. Although if the show creators are attached to a three word title I would suggest: "Incomprehsible, stupid and pointless".
"It's a natural thing that happens like hurricanes or going to war." (The Simpsons 17:3)
I'm starting to feel that voiceovers (VO) are inescapable natural things because practically every television show is using them right now, even shows I like employ the VO, ie. Veronica Mars, Arrested Development and Scrubs (how I miss you right now Scrubs!!). Here's the list of other shows - that I can recall - which use VO (organized in order of most effective to least effective):
- Everbody Hates Chris
- My Name is Earl
- How I Met Your Mother
- Grey's Anatomy
- Desperate Housewives
- Sex, Lies and Secrets - Although does it count as a VO if it's trying - but failing - to be a faux anthropology documentary commentary?
- Charmed - Thank god it was only one episode but it was excruciating. Phoebe was purposefully imitating Sex and the City, and I fear it has traumatized me enough that I never want to see Sex and the City ever again.
"You're the least objective person I've met." (Bones 1:3)
I'm still enjoying the banter between Brennan and Booth on Bones. Also I was very excited when I saw Chewy from Joan of Arcadia!! Mark Totty played Dt. Carlisle (aka Chewy), Will Girardi's always snacking partner. I must admit that I'm inclined to like Bones because it has David Boreanaz in it as well as Hart Hanson (the creator) and Stephen Nathan (consulting producer), both from Joan of Arcadia.
"Just because something is unfamiliar doesn't mean it's alien." (Invasion 1:2)
Wait, what?! Isn't that exactly what the term alien means? As it turns out Dictionary.com agrees with me, stating that alien means: "Belonging to, characteristic of, or constituting another and very different place, society, or person; strange."
"Where is the clitoris?" (The Office 2:2)
Okay, what's up with women on television being critical of working mothers? It was annoying to see in the Close to Home pilot and was even more annoying in the Desperate Housewives season premiere. It's nice that television shows are portraying the pressures that many women are under to balance kids and work, but does that have to always involve making other women the enemy? It's particularly aggravating because it vilifies women who don't have kids, and both shows have suggested that a woman's life is ultimately unfulfilled without children.
"I'll be right back." (Alias 5:1)
aka the line said in horror movies right before someone dies. Thanks to that anvilicious comment I realized that Vaughan was about to be killed (I had heard rumours but this line totally spoiled me).
Although I'm not feeling the love for that many shows this television season it could be that I've been reading too much Television Without Pity recaps, and also that I've been saving the excellent half-hour shows on my PVR to watch once I've caught up on the hour long ones I'm less excited about. Fortunately I am enjoying the Sitcom Renaissance (remember I coined this term!) and am delighted that after 17 years The Simpsons can still have funny episodes with great lines like this one from Homer:
"Of all the people for Marge to cheat on, why did it have to be me?"