I wrote this for a local magazine (hope they publish it), thought I'd put it here for your reading pleasure. Feel free to disagree with me if you must :p
WHAT YOU'RE NOT WATCHING COULD HURT YOU Trevor Seigler
Folks, I watch a lot of TV. Too much, in fact. I suppose if I had a social life, I'd not have this problem. But it actually works for me in this instance, as I will now proceed to rate the highlights (and lowlights) of the fall TV season thus far. What follows is one man's opinion. One man's sleep-deprived opinion.
The Highs:
Arrested Development (Fox): The ongoing story of the Bluth gang has been a bit rocky this year (and guest star Charlize Theron hasn't done much to smooth the waters), but even on a bad note the show continues to be the best on TV. I should say that in past tense, I suppose; Fox has pulled the low-rated but critically-adored sitcom from the November sweeps, in all intents and purposes killing it. One can only hope that this is all a bad dream.
The Office (NBC): With the rumored demise of "AD", and the non-appearance of "Scrubs" on the NBC line-up, this is the best show on television. Having overcome the hurdles of a short first season and rampant hatred from fans of the Brit original, the new season has seen the show and characters finding their own voice. And with a full season ordered by NBC, chances are it won't go the way of other critically-acclaimed shows set in the workplace (remember "Newsradio"?).
Bones (Fox): Apart from the pilot's annoying tendency to have Emily Deschanel repeat that she doesn't like to be called "Bones", this show has emerged as the one "crime scene investigation"-themed show that doesn't cause me to change the channel. After so many "CSI: Toccoa" and "Really Cold Case" offshoots, it's nice to see something that doesn't rely on a brand name to work the same territory. And the fact that David Caruso is nowhere to be seen helps immensely.
The Simpsons (Fox): Matt Groening and crew are going strong, even if sometimes the individual shows aren't. It would be asking too much for the show to maintain the high levels of wit and satire that made it "can't miss" TV back in the day, but for what it still manages to do, it should be rewarded. And it's miles above a recently resurrected animated show.
The Lows:
Family Guy (Fox): Man, I was excited to see Seth McFarlane bring the show back. I had grown to love the old episodes on "Adult Swim", and I looked forward to the new season premiere. For about ten minutes, then the first of what has become an endless reliance on cutaway jokes appeared and there was something missing. Namely, comedy, humor, and actual funny content. The fact that McFarlane forced the woefully lame "American Dad" on the network just makes me feel all the more cheated.
Adult Swim (Cartoon Network): I think about the thirtieth time I saw that one "Aqua Teens" where Carl has to care for Meatwad's pets, I thought to myself that I should really go to bed. And the new shows look like so many late nights spent down at Williams Street smoking a certain illegal substance. The dream is over when the biggest thing you can put on the air is "Squidbillies".
How I Met Your Mother (CBS): I could easily come up with a pun on the title of this show, but sufice it to say this is "How I Turned the Channel When Doogie Howser Started Making Sex Jokes" is probably taken.
Extreme Makeover Home Edition (ABC): Nothing says "saccharine" like this show, where buff prettyboy Ty Pennington pretends to hammer one nail into a board while the real workers do so offcamera. Give me the grungy, weather-beaten Norm Abrams anyday over this charlatan of the "home improvement" television genre.
The Scorecard Thus Far:
It would be fair to say that CBS and ABC are dominating the ratings with shows that I don't watch, while Fox is cancelling shows that I do. I never bought the hype with "Lost", so when "Prison Break" came along, I couldn't care less. And the fact that "That 70s Show" is still on the air boggles the mind. So for that and so, so much more, I give the Fall TV season a 2.5 out of a possible five on the "Trevor Seigler 'Too Tired to Turn the Channel' Rating System". Nielson may disagree, but nobody pays attention to those anyway.
Well, no one except the networks...
and 60 Minutes, that's about it. I was a big x-files fan before it was canceled.
