Territorial Bloggings

And now, back to reality… tv, that is…

I’ve been heinously neglectful of my observations on things tv related — I’ve been bad. Mea maxima culpa!
Before I delve into some realitytv rantings, let me make a brief comment on a scripted drama that’s quickly made its way high up on the coveted Schloß TB Tivo SeasonPass list — The Closer on TNT. We didnt’ watch the first season, and we only started watching the recently-started second season because my mom nagged me into watching it (please don’t rat me out for using the n-word, big sis!). And I must say that it’s been a very pleasant surprise. The cast in general is very good, and Kyra Sedgewick is particularly strong, although her syrupy southern accent is a bit too affected for my taste, and her birght red lipstick is just way to clownish an addition to her laundry list of quirks. Those, however, are just minor nits when compared to the whole of the show’s strong mix of acting & writing.

In the realm of realitytv, we’re smack in the middle of the summer b- and c-list realitytv fare, and I must say that I’ve been pleasantly suprised by a few of the entries.

At the top of the list is So You Think You Can Dance? We didn’t watch the first installment last year, but started watching this season, mainly because there wasn’t much of anything else on after AI finished up. I’m not a huge dance fan, and I freely admit that I know next-to-nothing about the subtleties & finer points that constitute “good” dance. Also, quite frankly, I’m somewhat befuddled by the different styles of dance (contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, popping, etc…). That all said, the format, judging, and overall feel of this show is just outstanding. Even the “train-wreck” audition process was quite entertaining, and not in the oft-mocking/mean-spirited way that AI’s can be. As the snarky, knowledgeable Brit, Nigel is far & away better than Simon (and I love how he plays the “I am the producer” trump card whenever necessary to get his point across). Mary is way better than Paula, insofar as she has no problem tempering her sometimes over-the-top “nice judge” cheerleader shtick with a strong dose of telling-it-like-it-is reality. The rest of the rotating cast of judges who occupy the third seat are also very good, and bring some great choreographer skills to the table. Cat is basically equal with Ryan as the host, albeit better looking, and not quite as cynical about the whole process — although I must say that I find her Brit way of host-announcing (i.e., an annoying “rising” emphasis on the final syllable, almost like turning it into a question) to be rather annoying. (I say it’s a Brit thing because the British guy they brought in to host last summer’s H1t Me Baby One More Time did the exact same thing…)

Also great about SYTYCD? are the dancers. The show does a great job of letting us know more about the contestants beyond their time performing on the big stage. As a result, this group of kids is coming across to me as way more personable & likable than any group of AI finalists that I can remember. And it doesn’t hurt that the girls are almost all HAWT! Especially Allison & Natalie! Rawr!

There are a few other shows that we’re now watching & enjoying, including Last Comic Standing, the recently completed Game Show Marathon (which started slow & finished very strong!), and Treasure Hunters (cheezy product placements aside) which has the hands-down dumbest reality show contestant team EVER, in the Wild Morons, er Hanlons.

Earning a special mention as the show that I’m watching even though I fell kinda dirty/bad after it’s done is America’s Got Talent. There’s so much wrong/bad about this show, but I just can’t help myself - it’s like the car wreck that you can’t help but look at. If ever I thought that a show/contest was rigged, this would be the one. I must say, however, that I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the little 11 year-old redheaded singer from this past week won it all. This girl was/is scary hella-talented — honestly, based on the one-song sample, she’d put a surprising number of AI finalists to shame!
Ah, tv, the fattening comfort food of the brain!
-ghp