I love TV. I wish it weren't so, but alas -- I become obsessed with shows, often spending an entire Tuesday in my pajamas watching multiple episodes of my new addiction, whatever it may be, my heart palpitating with every plot twist. But then, something changes: the characters and plot become stale, too tangled (Lost, anyone?), or seriously stupid (PLL) -- and I find myself spending ANOTHER day in my pajamas, watching multiple episodes, just so that I can get the stupid series over with (I cannot leave anything undone, and will finish books I despise 5 pages in as well).
I know I haven't tried all of the TV out there -- Scandal, Mad Men, and Homeland are still on my to-do list (I am waiting for winter when it is only light for like 4 hours to indulge) -- so I cannot speak for them, but I can speak for countless others and ask the TV industry what the point is of starting new bright stars, just to let them fizzle out? Do first seasons that sparkle and die make enough money that it doesn't matter? Do they not realize that people have large imaginations and are vested in their favorite character's fake future, and when things get cancelled their character souls just float around without direction? And how, please tell me, does The Big Bang Theory exist? I am not pretending to know anything about how difficult the industry is -- I would imagine incredibly taxing and incredibly impossible -- there are a ton of smart people trying to make it in Hollywood-land as writers, etc., but like all Joe-schmo viewers out there, I feel like I totally have the right to go off on all of it (probably not true or nice of me).
I do have one positive example to mention: New Girl. A series that in its first season had me smiling like a weirdo, alone in my living room, entranced, while watching each week. Something fun and witty and sweet! Loved it. Unfortunately, I watched my interest wane in the second season, abandoning it completely in the third because I was so disappointed in the few episodes I saw -- and I NEVER do that. To my surprise, I tuned in for the opener of the fourth season to fall in love all over again. I don't know who amped up the writing team but I thank you for returning a little faith to the sit-com! All of the other new shows that seem to be spinoffs of other failed pilot seasons suck. But New Girl is back with a vengeance.
And seriously, New Girl writing team, if for some reason one of you sees this, I would be happy to join the table with you and freestyle some dialogue for Jess and the others -- when she mentions to a romantic prospect that her first 'sexual feelings' were towards teenaged Simba, I peed a little. NAILED IT! And I am embarrassed to say that I feel for Jess in that moment, because Casper and Simba were definite crushes for an entire generation of girls at sleepovers, along with favorite movies being listed as 'Now and Then', 'My Father the Hero', and 'Clueless'.
I will get back to you with whether or not my winter line-up of time wasting delivers on entertainment, or if it just ruins my life. And since I am a binger, usually in bed when things actually air, or waiting for Netflix so I don't have to pay for cable, I am no stranger to the spoiler alert-ers, and I shun you --particularly Dana, who managed to ruin the entire third season of Downton Abbey for me in five minutes, and who I know has already seen all of Homeland. But I forgive you girl --xx.
TV Time