We have officially entered the Hiatus Period, when most of our shows are not going to be on our screens until 2010. While there are still a few that have to air their midseason finale cliffhangers, I think I have seen enough to issue my inaugural ‘Ish List’, which is like a report card of my take on the TV season thus far. Be warned, I won’t include EVERY show that we cover here, because I am either not a fan or just didn’t have the luxury to play catch up of any sorts. With that being said, I encourage all of you to voice your opinions in the comment box about the stuff/characters/actions/storylines that are/have irked you something fierce so far this TV season. I am giving you my top ten pet peeves this year so far, and I am doing something different by starting with number one instead of ten, because I just have to get something off my chest. Consider it a therapeutic exercise for me, if you will. So I give you, The 2009 Midseason “Ish List”…
1). Col. David Telford from Stargate Universe
While most people feel that trying to stay alive is the crew of the Destiny’s only problem, they really didn’t consider Col. Telford’s ignorant ass…
For reasons yet discovered, Telford has been gunning for control of the Icarus survivors from day one. He has put several people in danger to achieve his enigmatic goal and was willing to sacrifice the entire ship if he didn’t get the job done – if he couldn’t have the Destiny, then no one would. Background info has revealed that Telford has always been an jerk. Ask Greer and Col. Young for clarification. The recent episode, “Life”, just made it clear that this man has no reasoning for his actions, except that he has a vendetta against Col. Young and wants revenge of some sort. But what could have possibly happened for Telford to act in such a way that he’s #1 on my ‘ish list? Until we find out, this is where he shall remain.
2). Blair Waldor from Gossip Girl
OMG! is what I want to say when Blair Waldorf takes it to such a childish level that I have to force myself from smashing
my TV screen in utter ire. In the series of books, Blair was waaaaaay more sympathetic than her TV counterpart. Sure, she was mean but she had reasons to be, like Season One Blair. Now, it’s just plain annoying. It’s like I am watching a cartoon when Blair comes on TV. A least when, let’s say, Family Guy does it is supposed to be funny and not be taken seriously. When Blair sets off her latest scheme, I laugh hysterically. Then I realize that I am watching a soap and not one of Stewie Griffin’s latest putdowns.
Also, it pains me to hear some women say that Blair deserves to be happy and that if she has to scheme to do so then so be it. I can name more than 100 women who would disagree with that statement. Blair makes herself unhappy when she tries to live in a fantasy land and can’t get what she wants (i.e. controlling her friends’ relationships). If Blair doesn’t like Serena’s new boyfriend, guess what? She is plotting to take him down. What true friend does that? And the saddest thing in all of this? Some poor impressionable teenage girls think that Blair’s tactics are how to live their lives at school, but will be rudely awakened when a gang of females beat the living crap out of them one by one.
But Leighton Meester is a damn good actress (and I am slightly in love with her so sue me) and should be treated as such. Personally, I don’t see how the writers feel that Leighton should still play a 15 year old teen in college. Either grow Blair up or give her to someone who will.
3). The Staff of Seattle Grace Hospital from Grey’s Anatomy
This selection here is one of the many reasons why I dubbed myself “The Anti-Critic”. It seems that everyone (TV reviewers/bloggers/fans alike) feels that the Chief of Surgery Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr.) is the reason for the chaos that is the Seattle Grace-Mercy West merger and are calling for his head.
Newsflash. It’s NOT!
The Chief was running one of the top damn hospitals in the country. Then came along a group of interns and doctors with their own baggage of drama, hiccups, and egos. This, in turn, shifted the balance of quality and, ultimately, professionalism that held Seattle Grace in a high position down the sinker. Before the 2005 interns entered the program, there weren’t any LVAD wires cut, there weren’t any love triangles involving wives who slept with best friends, there weren’t any rogue doctors, and there sure as hell wasn’t any sex meetings in the on-call room.
So who’s really to blame? Hmm… Let’s see…
Meredith, Derek, Izzie, Callie, Mark, Lexie, Alex, and even Preston, Addison and George who are no longer with the show. Their drama and unfocused professionalism is the reason why they are staring at a 12 ranking in the polls and steadily dropping. So before people cheer Derek (who the Chief GAVE the COS job to at one time and Derek DENIED it) or Arizona on their endeavors to call the Chief out for his mistakes, you guys might want to rethink the past five and a half years/seasons and put your common sense hats back on. Please and thank you.
4). Carlos Solis from Desperate Housewives
Carlos Solis went from being a prick to a sympathetic character to a world class loser in my book. Now that’s a journey for you!
When Carlos started to circle the ‘Ish List, I don’t know. I think it was when he constantly had something to say about Gaby’s
parenting but is never there to have basis in his opinions. In other words, how can you whine about something that you know nothing or little about? Gaby does the best she can with what she has, which is not much in the “help” department when it comes to Carlos. He unfailingly misses the point that Juanita is a brat and gets away with everything and that as long as he allows that, then Gaby is going to forever catch hell with raising her.
I do remember when Carlos entered the list though. When the principal was going to make Juanita clean up the cafeteria after lunch, Gaby was the only one who thought that was a little extreme for a 7-8 yr old kid. Especially if it means that Juanita might miss class due to this punishment (yes the most logical time would be to have Juanita help out during recess, but who knows that Juanita’s teacher has recess scheduled right after lunch?) Carlos just sat there and agreed without asking any questions as to what Juanita would be doing and what would she be missing in the process. It is the precursor to an “absent father” who parents from afar, but not up close.
Then on Carlos’s professional side, he uses Lynette’s breasts as a means to close a deal. He also seems to be pissed that Lynette is pregnant and wants to get rid of her out of spite. But why would you send a pregnant woman to run a new branch of your newborn business? Doesn’t make any sense to me. I want to call Carlos a damn good person again to the point that I want to say that I miss the blind Carlos Solis. He had more common sense.
Step your game up, Solis.
5) FOX Network
They canceled Dollhouse, there are rumblings that Fringe is next, but American Idol still haunts my TV screen each year. They better be glad that they still have Animation Domination, 24, and Fringe to tide me over. Other then that I would sooo be adios.
This is the first five of ten. Tell me what you guys think and stay tuned for the back five!
**They canceled Dollhouse, there are rumblings that Fringe is next, but American Idol still haunts my TV screen each year. **
Here!Here! Not to mention TSCC. ABC is a close second in my books, cancelling great shows and continuing to produce massive amounts of soul-sucking reality TV drivel.
**There weren’t any LVAD wires cut, there weren’t any love triangles involving wives who slept with best friends, there weren’t any rogue doctors, and there sure as hell wasn’t any sex meetings in the on-call room.**
As a nurse, I am morally opposed to watching Grey’s for all those reasons, and many more.
Can’t wait to see the second half of your list, Mark :)
**They canceled Dollhouse, there are rumblings that Fringe is next, but American Idol still haunts my TV screen each year. **
Here!Here! Not to mention TSCC. ABC is a close second in my books, cancelling great shows and continuing to produce massive amounts of soul-sucking reality TV drivel.
**There weren't any LVAD wires cut, there weren't any love triangles involving wives who slept with best friends, there weren't any rogue doctors, and there sure as hell wasn't any sex meetings in the on-call room.**
As a nurse, I am morally opposed to watching Grey's for all those reasons, and many more.
Can't wait to see the second half of your list, Mark :)
It’s hard to fault Fox’s decision to cut shows with plummeting ratings. Everyone’s entitled to enjoy what shows they want, but don’t expect networks to continue airing them if only you and a handful of others are watching them — especially when shows like American Idol are relatively cheap to make and bring in major sponsorship dollars.
I know that American Idol is cheap to make, but the more people feed into cheap reality shows, the more the quality of television continues to fail. I can fault FOX for deciding to axe shows that do well in DVR viewings, which Neilsen and other rating tracking systems strenuously added to their over tally of a show’s viewings recently. Dollhouse managed a 50% bump in DVR viewings during the week after it aired. An easy rebuttal could be that the live viewings count, because that’s what advertisers want to see. But that isn’t even accurate either, because when you DVR a show then you DVR the commercials as well. So if someone chose to DVR Dollhouse or Fringe for that matter other than a reality program against it then there is a better chance that the person will see the commercial on a later date if not during another live program. So in short, the ratings system is not a truly plausible system to follow when you look at the mechanics of the business, which is hard not to look at especially if you are not a Neilsen family.
It's hard to fault Fox's decision to cut shows with plummeting ratings. Everyone's entitled to enjoy what shows they want, but don't expect networks to continue airing them if only you and a handful of others are watching them — especially when shows like American Idol are relatively cheap to make and bring in major sponsorship dollars.
I know that American Idol is cheap to make, but the more people feed into cheap reality shows, the more the quality of television continues to fail. I can fault FOX for deciding to axe shows that do well in DVR viewings, which Neilsen and other rating tracking systems strenuously added to their over tally of a show's viewings recently. Dollhouse managed a 50% bump in DVR viewings during the week after it aired. An easy rebuttal could be that the live viewings count, because that's what advertisers want to see. But that isn't even accurate either, because when you DVR a show then you DVR the commercials as well. So if someone chose to DVR Dollhouse or Fringe for that matter other than a reality program against it then there is a better chance that the person will see the commercial on a later date if not during another live program. So in short, the ratings system is not a truly plausible system to follow when you look at the mechanics of the business, which is hard not to look at especially if you are not a Neilsen family.
What? Fringe might get cancelled? NO!
As for Dollhouse, I really wanted to like it but I just don’t.
What? Fringe might get cancelled? NO!
As for Dollhouse, I really wanted to like it but I just don't.