I usually don’t ask for a lot for Christmas. Like any self-respecting only child, I had my typical bratty period where I asked for more than I really should have, but for the most part, I have to struggle to fill my Christmas list out each year. This year was no exception, as I really only needed some computer updates, some shoes, a TV season or two, and some odds and ends, but you know what? If I could have asked for anything, I mean anything, I would have submitted this, my TV Christmas list of improvements that some of my shows can make in spring.
V: Pick up the action and answer a few questions
I feel like one of the few people who truly enjoyed V in its interrupted debut season. Granted, it wasn’t as thrilling as it could have been, minus a few truly excellent moments/plotlines, but it had the potential to be magnificent. To reach said potential, however, they really need to pick up the action and answer a few questions. I’m not someone who needs loud bang-bang-shoot-‘˜em-up thrills every 5 seconds nor am I someone who needs every single minute detail spelled out for me; I have enough of a willing suspension of disbelief and love for the overall effect of a story to be willing to overlook some deficiencies. But V felt like it didn’t have as much at stake last season and that’s completely the opposite of what was actually going on in the storyline. I wanted just basic information, e.g. what the aliens look like, why they’re there, what they’re capable of, etc. Here’s to a strong 5th Column, more genuine tension provided by interactions between the aliens and humans, and an actual glimpse at who these people are.
America’s Next Top Model: Less obvious winners, more realistic challenges, more active role for J Alexander, continued presence of fashion icons
Goodness, where to start? I love Top Model, I will always watch Top Model, but I have to say that Top Model is a mess. Moreso than usual, even. Last season added in the high fashion element, which included stronger prizes and better guest judges, but it was derailed by the most obvious winner in the show’s history and a tendency to want to embarrass the models as opposed to actually, like, teaching them stuff (rollerskating and a moving runway? Really?). Silly concept, that teaching. J Alexander had a minimal at best presence this year, resulting in no real chance in anyone’s walk from the beginning of cycle 15 to the finale. For the show to really sink its teeth into me again, I would need for Alexander to be allotted the time to really teach these girls and I’d make sure that every challenge actually related to the real world and not ANTM Land (which are two entirely different things). If you go to college and you only learn how to doodle and eat cheetos, you’re not going to know what to do when you get a real world office job, y’know?
Nikita: Stay dark
Due to the show’s sagging ratings following The Vampire Diaries, it was reported earlier in 2010 that the network is retooling things to make Nikita a lighter, more compatible lead out. One of the proposals is for both Nikita and Alex to get love interests, which is something that could bellyflop and bring things to a major halt for the freshman drama. Nikita doesn’t have the same impact if it places the relationships at the forefront when its themes of redemption and justice have been so prevalent; the stolen looks between Nikita and Michael, the obvious tension between Nikita and Owen, those are intriguing, subtle, and just enough hook to keep you watching if the tightly choreographed action sequences aren’t your cup of tea. If I had my way, Nikita would stay somber and dark. I mean, if you watched the episode before the winter break and didn’t get chills, Nikita isn’t the type of show for you in the first place.
Community: Keep up the momentum
I really wasn’t enjoying this season of Community until a few episodes ago. It was leaning too heavily on parodies, meta jokes, and fairy tale storylines instead of, y’know, plot development and characterization. I absolutely adored last season’s Modern Warfare, a takeoff of action films, but that was because it was big concept but well executed and unexpected. This season’s offering had been mostly uninspired and flat until the past few weeks. After the bottle episode kind of reset everything, the show has given us a semi-realistic take on conspiracy theories, a serious but insanely well done trip to the bars on Troy’s birthday, and a magical Christmas special that explored Abed’s emotional past. My hope for 2011 is for Community to remember that people care about the show’s characters and how they interact with one another first and foremost.
Parenthood: More Drew
Apparently Lauren Graham’s character Sarah tends to forget that she has two children for 3-4 episode stretches at a time because we’ve really not seen Drew much here lately. And by here lately, I mean he’s been such a non-entity the entire series that his diminished presence in season two is even sadder. There are so many teen boy/single mom stories that could be mined, let alone finding Drew a male mentor in Adam, seeing his feelings about having a successful sister, or even exploring the gay vibes that he sends out. Something, anything would be better than having him pop in, mope around, and then disappearing into the Great Upstairs of Television that has claimed the lives of Judy Winslow and Chuck Cunningham. Heck, even if they have an episode about Drew feeling ignored, that would be a nice nod to viewers concerns and it’d bring Drew into the fold a little bit more. I would gladly trade time from everybody else’s storyline to get more depth added to what could be the most important teenage male character on TV if handled right.
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