The new TV season has started, and that bizarre comedy/espionage TV hit from last year, NBC’s CHUCK, is back- and better than ever! DAMN, I can’t believe how much I love this show; it manages to be funny AND thrilling at the same time- while still making sense! Not to mention being very well acted, having witty dialogue, great guest stars and even surprise twists!
Geez, I sound like a giddy fangirl! But I mean it- there’s no other show quite like this in the air. I recommend it.
On the other hand, HEROES, once one of my must-see TV shows, has fallen a lot in quality. It’s been getting darker and darker, with YET another terrible future to avert, characters switching into more villainous roles, and even Sylar working with the “good” guys? Bleh. Hey, I never expected this to be like a superhero comic, but if everybody is going to have tragic things happen to them this season, count me out.
Maybe that’s why I like Chuck so much. It leaves me smiling (or saying WHOA!) HEROES just depresses me. (Maybe I should tape Chuck and watch it AFTER Heroes. Assuming I continue watching it…)
Oh, and did anybody see the CHUCK/HELLBOY crossover TV ads during the summer? Man were they funny!!
I actually like the turn Heroes is undergoing right now. It’s alot more fast-paced than the second season so far, granted, the fourth episode was only shown just a few hours ago.
You know, I think I’ll give Chuck a try. If Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles didn’t come on at the same time I’d be interested in it. I’ll go ahead and tell you, if dark storylines aren’t your thing, stay away from the second season so far. During the first season, yeah, everyone knew the stakes were against the characters, but every now and then it seemed we had small victories. The quality of the show has gotten better now, but really, at the end of every episode there’s some ambiguity about whether the characters actually won or not, or their victory is usurped without their knowledge. It’s…actually pretty disheartening rather than refreshing, despite how entertaining the show is.
Sorry, I’m verbose. Basically, a show that’s just a bit of fluff and entertainment without such depressing dramatic entanglements might be a nice change. So Chuck might be pretty good to check out.
Somebody here watches Chuck! It’s my all time favorite show right now, and believe me, that’s a hard thing for me to say. The acting and dialogue on the show is awesome. I laughed so hard at the one episode where Chuck learned to tango from Devon, but he taught him the girl’s role! When Chuck asked if the girl could lead, I almost peed my pants laughing so hard.
I hope this show goes on for a while because I was scared that they would pull a “Las Vegas” on me and kill him off after how last season ended.
Mull: You can always tape or Tivo Chuck (or T:SCC). Or watch it online (I think the episodes are available at the NBC website) OR watch it on Saturday Nights ( I THINK they’re repeating them then.) Plenty of choices!
Xero: Contrary to Heroes, the Season Opener of CHUCK was the best episode so far! My favorite moments:
-Chuck bluffing his way out of a deadly trap by armed killers (led by the ever-intimidating Michael Clark Duncan!) with nothing more than his cojones and an I-phone. GOOO CHUCK!!
-Sarah having a throwdown fight with Micheal’s character- and holding her own!! Whoa! O_O
-At the end, when it looked like Casey would follow the government’s orders and kILL Chuck!
:eek:
And that was just part of the episode’s awesomeness! As long as the show keeps this level of quality, I’ll follow it!
Dexter is one of the best shows on television. Period.
I can’t speak for Wil, but for me, there’s a difference between satisfying televsion and truly depressing television. A show can be both at once. Battlestar Galactica is the best example I can think of. That show is notorious for making it’s characters go through the ringer, but even when it’s at it’s most traumatic I’m entertained because I’m genuinely interested in these characters.
Then, there are the shows that are depressing as a replacement for drama. They did this with Meredith Grey in Grey’s Anatomy a bit. It just seems like manufactured drama.
You know, I’ll recognize Dexter as a show that’s excellent at using some terrible situations to create riveting television. To call it a show about a serial killer and limit it to that ignores the memorable characters, the engrossing storylines, and Dexter’s tradmark gallows humor.
I’ve seen my share of “dark” shows. And I can certainly appreciate them, if they’re well-written (and acted, etc.)
But we all have lines we don’t cross. For me, it’s Serial Killers. I don’t care if Dexter’s victims deserve it or not- I KNOW I will never enjoy it, because I can’t stand that type of character. I only tolerate them as villains, and only if they get it in the end- never as protagonists.
Your mileage can vary, of course.
Edit: ARRGH! My cable service was on the fritz tonight, so I missed both CHUCK and HEROES. I guess I’ll have to catch them online. Sigh…
I mean, it’s not revolutionary television or anything like that, but that’s actually pretty refreshing. It’s just about this guy who likes this girl (who’s really pretty) doing their quirky spy thing. I guess, what I mean to say is that it’s a show that has a firm grasp of it’s identity and it was fun to watch.
Chuck has grown on me since you mentioned it last year, Wil. I thought it was just another remake of The Computer That Wore Tennis Shoes but the plot and dialogue keeps me coming back. The hot girls they have as cameos don’t hurt either. ; )
The scene with him bluffing Michael Clarke Duncan is my favourite as well.
As for Heroes What is the deal with Hiro killing Ando? I was expecting him to go back in time and save him at the end of the episode.
What is the deal with Hiro killing Ando? I was expecting him to go back in time and save him at the end of the episode.
I have no idea, I haven’t seen the episode yet. Though I read somewhere that TWO major characters are going to be killed off. God, I hope Ando isn’t one of them, I like him a lot, and Hiro doesn’t work as well without him.
The Computer That Wore Tennis Shoes
Whoa! Now that’s an old and obscure reference! But now that you mention it, it might have been an influence.
Edit: OK, I saw the episode of Heroes I missed (on G4, of all places) and while Hiro killing Ando was certainly out of the left field, I’m sure it’s a trick of some kind. (Though, with Daphne present, it would be hard to pull off without her noticing, since she can see Hiro when he stops time.) I’m pretty sure Ando isn’t dead- at least, not on this episode.
But I mean it- there’s no other show quite like this in the air. I recommend it.
