Turn Your Televisionary On, We’re Back in Business

Does TV rot your little brain? We don’t think so. We can sit ourselves in front of “the idiot box” for hours, and still engage in witty, insightful conversation after — right?

Due to a freak time machine accident, we must say farewell to Tuesday Televisionary. (BUT IT’S OK, Carlytron is still around in spirit, we did not break up, she has not taken the goldfish or her turntables!) In a brave move forward, I have decided to finally confront my own lifelong TV addiction by turning it into my “job” (in the loosest, most unpaid sense of the word). So, hi! I’m Lola, you may know me from Hey Did You See That Comment! Friday and I’m now in charge of all things “boob tube” related (which hopefully will involve actual breasts).

Here’s the plan so far:
1. Riese & Crystal will recap the entire fourth season of Skins.
2. “Hot Girl of the Week” will become its own post.

But before we change into our pajamas and have a box set marathon, I want you to tell me your favorite TV shows! (I’m secretly in love with you, so I’m going to watch every show you mention, and then play it cool when I talk to you about it later, as though Felicity has been my favorite show forevs.) If you have any feelings about what teevee coverage you want on Autostraddle, do tell!

For instance, one of the shows I can’t shut up about is Criminal Minds. I want to go all fangirl over the solid writing, discuss how Emily is so obviously a huge lez, and hear everybody’s thoughts on the upcoming spin-off series. I want to rave about my newest favorite show White Collar, and how it’s convinced me that I want to become a con artist (if only I had even half of Neal’s charisma). I want to rally my fellow Gleeks to celebrate the show’s total gayness and deserved success. But I said I want you to share any feelings about what Autostraddle should cover. That’s right, even about the terrible/AWESOME shows you love to hate. The shows you watch in secret, but are dying to talk about. Own up!

Hollyoaks

Here, I’ll start. I feel only somewhat embarrassed to admit that I watch Hollyoaks. I say “only somewhat” because most Americans have no idea what programme (spelled the European way!) I’m talking about. I got sucked into watching Hollyoaks when I visited England, because they only have like 10 channels, whatevs. Hollyoaks is a soap opera. But you guys! It’s not like the terrible America soap operas with the cheesy music and shoddy multi-camera angles. Honestly, Hollyoaks looks even better than some of our prime time shows. And they have a (murderous, obsessive, soap opera) lesbian! So, I’m confident enough to own up to watching it, despite the stigma of ‘soap opera’. I track down the latest episode… of a show that runs every day… and doesn’t air on any of America’s bazillion channels.

Hollyoaks

OK. It feels so good to get that off my chest. YOUR TURN!

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148 Comments

  1. I love RuPaul’s Drag Race so much and always have so many feelings about it and watch it every week without fail and also the bonus show, Untucked.

    I also loved the few Glee recaps you guys did. GLEE FOREVER!!

      • Seriously, I love that show so much and don’t even like reality TV. There’s nothing like watching queens get up in each other’s shit to make you happy.

    • Yessss, I love both of those. I feel like a lot of people like one or the other, but I def like them both and pairing them together seems perfect.

  3. Glee because anything Ryan Murphy makes is magic. Does anyone else remember Popular?

    Also Hoarders, First 48, Intervention, especially Hoarders because it is great. Afterwards I throw out everything.

    Um more obscure tv watching, “Kell On Earth”, because watching Kelly Cutrone is just hot. Project Runway too for obvs reasons.

    By far my favorite TV show in my psychology taking semester, is “Criminal Minds”. I have watched it since it began and have a morbid fascination with watching them profile serial killers each week. And my how creative those killers get. Also there is an out lesbian star on the show so I got to support my peeps.

    And my last one is CSI Miami, watching Horatio Cane walk up to a dead body, take off his sunglasses, and say something like, “Danny we will find the man who murdered your mother or my name is not Horatio Cane”, put his sunglasses back on and then the who plays in the background. Swoon.

    • Loved Popular! Did you know that if it had gone on to a third season, Murphy was going to make Sam (Carly Pope) gay. True story. Oh, what could have been…

      • This tidbit gives greater substance to my intense love for Sam McPherson. Like, willing to accept all of her flaws including her matte lipstick collection and tendency to jump to conclusions before getting all the facts despite wanting to be a journalists kinda love.

        Man, did my 13 yr old self want to make out with her. And maybe feel her up a little bit.

    • AHH I miss living with my college roommate, because he had the Popular DVD boxsets. I also liked the first few seasons of Nip/Tuck, but that show got totally cray-cray, and I’m glad it’s finally ending.

      Props to Kirsten Vangsness! Besides being an out lady in real life, Penelope is awesome — I’m good with computers, but she’s a WIZARD!

      • What’s not to love about her, she is fabulous. I love how she interacts with Derek Morgan. There cute. Also her expansive computer knowledge is great, when she says things like, “My firewall is hand coded.” It makes my heart melt.

      • I <3 Kell on Earth! Started watching it randomly one day and could not take my eyeballs away from the tv. So good!

  4. Oh god, I watched Hollyoaks for a few months…until the lezzie went insane. The music is usually pretty good, the story lines and acting, however…maybe not so much. It’s still way better than US soaps, but when you consider how bad our soaps are, it’s not really much of a compliment. I’d recommend thebox for any and all British TV needs. Good quality tvrips are usually up within an hour or two of airing time. Google it (it’s the first result).

    • Also for watching tv on the internet fastpasstv.com is good – has US and UK shows usually up pretty fast after broadcast. The divx den and wisevid links are best. Although yknow, stealing is bad. etc.

      • Oooh I feel like busting out my “Is it stealing if it’s not available for purchase?” argument, and we can all geek out over copyright infringement laws.

        • I often wonder if, when the torrent fairy magically delivers me something, I sent the creators a thankyou card and a fiver, I would at least be avoiding moral infringement, if not legal.

          • i think it is better to buy things if they are being sold. but when ppl are being bitches and not getting with the technology, a girl’s gotta do what a girls gotta do

  5. I am really sad TV Tuesday is canceled. It was one of my favorite segments on AS. I would offer to do it but I am not much of a writer. However I do watch a lot of TV. A lot, too much..

    My favorite show right now is SMALLVILLE, which has reached a new level of awesome even after 9 years. Tom Welling is beautiful. Cassidy Freeman is hot, a badass and kind of bisexy. Clois is my ship couple. Its funny, its cute its action, I love it!

    Other favs: Modern Family, the cutest most adorable, funny show ever. Keeping up with the Kardashians, True Blood, Vampire Diaries.

    I also watch Nurse Jackie, V, Weeds, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Degrassi (IDK Why, I’m grown), Nip Tuck, Spartacus Blood and Sand, Cougar Town, WWE Raw & Smackdown, some others I prob can;t think of right now.

    When you say AS cover, how do you mean? recaps?

    • oooh girl, I dunno if I can get into WWE. I’ll give it a shot just for you? I love a lot of the other stuff you mentioned though, you can count on that.

      As for coverage… I’m wide open to ideas! Recaps, sure. Opinions, pretty screencaps, metaphysical debates… Whatever works, ya know?

      • lol. I started watching WWF in 2000. And even thought it is complete crap compared to what it use to be, every time I leave it I always come back. Ppl say its fake/fixed/reheared, but most tv is fake so that is irrelevant. I wouldn;t jump off a ladder through a table. I admire the athleticism, hard work and dedication to the craft. Those people put it all on the line mentally and physically to entertain. I will always have a respect and love for it. And if all else fails they have hot girls that get physical! :)

  6. I love Nurse Jackie and I’ve been watching The Good Wife because Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi are hot. My girlfriend is a huge fan of Criminal Minds (she could watch it 24/7 and can nearly do so now that Ion is running all the old episodes)but I get distracted by the fact that there aren’t THAT many serial killers in the world. One per week? Really?

    • Hey, sometimes they aren’t serial killers, just potential serial killers! … OK, that part is pretty silly, but I feel like they treat their storylines with appropriate respect (unlike CSI, where they make tons of quips at crime scenes).

      ALSO, I love Julianna Margulies, and I really need to catch up on The Good Wife! It has the unfortunate 10 PM time-slot, and I do most of my TV watching during the day while I work. I should put it higher up on my DVR.

      • The Good Wife is actually pretty solid. I was really expecting it to suck, but I find myself watching and enjoying every week.

  7. I’ve missed the Televisionary so much! I was afraid it had gone away forever. I watch a disgusting amount of teevee. You don’t even understand. YOU DON’T EVEN UNDERSTAND.

    Some of my loves and secret loves (in no particular order): Intervention, Hoarders (and probably the next one they’re coming out with, Obsessed), Bad Girls Club, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Glee, Bones, Ghost Hunters, American Idol, SYTYCD, Nurse Jackie, United States of Tara, The Office, Community, National Geographic Explorer, Taboo, Secret Lives of Women, Project Runway, Rescue Me, Brothers and Sisters, Dirty Jobs.

    Umm…that’s all I can think of right now. I’ll probably think of more later. Like I said, I’m disgusting.

      • I would like to point out that (when I’m not at college) most of my television viewing takes place on wasteunit’s couch, watching the aforementioned shows. I also occasionally force her to watch Criminal Minds (I’m obsessed) and the Real World/Road Rules challenges (I’ve been watching them FOREVER, regardless of their quality).

        The tv shows I watch regularly this season are Criminal Minds, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Glee, and Leverage. And I will not miss an episode of True Blood once it comes back. I’m also a long-time Degrassi fan, and I keep up with it despite the fact that none of the original characters are left.

    • Ah yes, I’ll admit I don’t watch much reality/documentary TV currently… but I’ll start! Because I love all of you so much.

  8. My heart was a little crushed when the Dexter recaps disappeared. When it comes back, if some body will just mention it somewhere in the tv stuff, I’ll be happy. I like all the other shotime shows too and Barefoot Contessa and ICarly. (I do not expect those last two to be discussed though)

    • Oh man, it will be very hard for me to watch Dexter after last season’s finale, but I suppose I should follow through!

      Also, I think iCarly is funnier than a lot of primetime comedies (like Jenna Elfman’s new show or freaking Two and a Half Men… um, not that I’ll strictly exclude those if someone here absolutely loves them!)

      • You don’t have to watch Dexter. Just stick a picture of Lauren Vélez in the tv post every week, because I love her…so much.

        I Carly is funny, and my little girl likes it, and it reminds me of like Keenan and Kel and all those terrible/AWESOME Nickelodeon shows from when I was little.

      • ICarly makes my life haha I’m only 19 so I can have a small crush on Sam right? My sister watches it religiously

  9. I haven’t seen Hollyoaks in ages, mostly because I used to watch it at the gym and now don’t go anymore. Don’t be ashamed though, tonnes of my friends watch it religiously! Thought the lesbian storyline was quite good untill they inevitably made one of them be a mentalist.
    I just watched this weeks NCIS:Los Angeles. Watched NCIS for ages and thought I’d give the spin off a chance and I like it. Its pretty funny and well done and also has a ridiculously hot actress in – Daniela Ruah. (This might be why I watch it every week. She should defo be a hot girl of the week contender, for reals!)
    Also like The Good Wife a lot. Its different from the usual legal dramas and Julianna Margulies 100% deserved her Golden Globe for her role. Highly recommend.
    Also Brothers and Sisters, In Plain Sight, True Blood, Private Practice, Better Off Ted, 30 Rock, Modern Family, obv Gossip Girl, Glee and Skins. Also Cougar Town is funny!
    Also for stuff not on air anymore, obv The West Wing, and The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
    This is very long. But I didn’t have a tv as a child which is why I think I am slightly addicted now. Plus I have the whole of the internets to help me make up for lost time. This could also be why I never get anything done!

    • Aww I had a TV as a child, but only “educational” childrens’ programming (which I still love!) I will check out the NCIS spin-off. I think the original is pretty silly, but I watch it because they air repeats of it constantly during the day and Ziva is smokin’ hot!

        • I think I might do a special on “Shows I Watch Just for Eyecandy”, which is sadly a large number of shows. There’s also a way smaller category of “Shows I Watch Even Though There’s No Eyecandy”.

  10. thumbs up to Criminal Minds talk! also. Glee, True Blood, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, LOSSSSTTTT (do you guys not love/hate it?!?!), The Office, Parks & Recreation, and yes Hoarders…just to throw some real life crazy in there.

  11. Freaks and Geeks. I remember i watched that show a long time ago, and there was probably some sort of lesbian in there…if not, Linda Cardellini could totally pass as one. There was only one season too so it wouldn’t take too long to recap it! =]

    • Linda Cardellini was/is awesome, but I had a major thing for Busy Phillips (and still sorta do, even though Cougar Town kinda squicks me.)

    • Ooh, I loved that show, too. I was an Apatow fan way before it was cool ;) (and John Francis Daley is on Bones now)

  12. Hollyoaks had been a guilty pleasure of mine for about a year, up until the whole psycho-Lydia thing, where I just got bored. There’s still a load of stuff about the soap I like, such as the episode openings which can be really creative/funny. Plus they have lots of hilarious characters: Kris, most of the McQueens.

    Similarly, there’s the lesbian storyline approaching on Coronation Street, but I just don’t know if I’ve got the energy to get into it.

    I guess the programmes I’m most looking forward to right now are…

    – Caprica: I adored BSG, seriously might be my fave show ever, I’ve got the first few episodes to watch
    – Lip Service: I already have low expectation issues with this, but I’m still desperately hoping it will be good

    Other than that, I think I’ll be subsisting on a diet of Glee and Skins.

    One old show that I liked but rarely seems to get mentioned anywhere is Freaks and Geeks. It seemed to slip under the radar, probably due to the general high volume of high school stuff. But I really enjoyed it despite the lack of anything particularly gay.

    • Oooh I think it’d be tough for me to get into Coronation Street, since I never watched it when I was in England. Getting back into Hollyoaks wasn’t so hard, since I still knew SOME of the characters & backplots (and geez, soap operas are complicated!)

      Freaks and Geeeks was so good! It makes it hard for me to watch Judd Apatow’s movies, because I KNOW he’s capable of so much better!

      • Totally agree. The overwhelming mediocrity of his movies has made me strongly suspect that the awesomeness of Freaks and Geeks had way more to do with Paul Feig than Judd Apatow.

  13. Woah, just had epic-great-tv-flashback: Carnivale!

    I only started watching it because Clea Duvall was in it and there was mild girl-on-girl, but then it turned out to be the best weirdy fantastical quasi-religious good vs evil thing since American Gothic!

    • Yes! Carnivale is among the many shows I liked that didn’t get proper attention. It was different than anything else on TV, which I value so much, but apparently = shitty viewership. I feel I must do a long rant about this very topic.

  14. Social pornography – Intervention, Obsessed, Hoarders (and sometimes American Idol) – is so exploitive it makes my conscience cry. I love it.

      • Yes! I love and hate American Idol.. but now that Ellen is on it, I can’t help but watch it.

        Also, YES to Criminal Minds.. that is the only show that I have been consistently watching for years. But now I have night class on Wednesdays when it airs. My life is over.

      • I love that my comment was so awkwardly worded that you started yours with an “um.”

        And Criminal Minds is amazing as long as the murders don’t get overly violent. Violence is sometimes necessary to tell a story, but I don’t like it when the violence itself becomes a form of entertainment. Criminal Minds usually manages to balance nicely, though.
        (I could go on and on about this, talking about news coverage and everything, but I’ll spare you for my ramblings)

    • I like all 4 shows on the NBC’s Thursday comedy block! I love 30 Rock and Julianne Moore… actually, Jack gets ALL the best girlfriends. Salma Hayek, Edie Falco, Emily Mortimer!

        • I was going to mention 30 Rock! Actually almost all the tv shows I now watch are because of Tuesday Televisionary so I feel like it’s your responsibility now, Lola, to fuel my addiction.

          So here are mine: 30 Rock, The Office, Grey’s Anatomy, How I met Your Mother

          Also I wish Salma Hayek would come back.

  16. More stuff occurring to me, probably brain’s way of forcing me to put off cleaning my flat.

    This Life – British drama series from the 90s, had gay blokes but no lesbians. However, really worth watching for Anna (played by Daniela Nardini) who is tied for my fave TV character ever, who is bitchy, kickass, self-destructive and generally amazing. Also features one of TV’s greatest bitch-fights at the series finale.

    Twin Peaks – I love the weird.

    Exes and Ohs – completely surpassed my expectations, and aren’t they meant to be doing a second season some time?

    Green Wing – another British thing, really good if you’re into totally bizarre surreal comedies and features the amazing Michelle Gomez. Think all of it’s available on 4od if you can get that (or use a proxy).

    • Oh totally forgot Twin Peaks! So weird and so good! Also yes Green Wing is totally ace.
      Also Black Books has Tamsin Grieg in it too (and Dylan Moran and Bill Bailey) and is hilarious!

    • I LOVE TWIN PEAKS.

      my sister introduced it to me this summer, and i watched up to when you find out who laura palmer’s killer is with her (i found the moments when you find out to be v. creepy, and i rarely get freaked out by things.)

      because of the blizzard going on right now, i just got around to watching the rest of the season 2 episodes online these past few days. i only have 5 left to watch though, which is somewhat disappointing.

    • I’m a total Anglophile and am also currently stuck in a blizzard zone, so I will seek out the aforementioned shows. I think I’ll end up having to do a list of “Shows I Now Love Thanks to Autostraddlers”.

    • I TOLLLLLLD you, I just need to get caught up! Anna Torv is hot, but her accent is iffy at times. Also, I told you that I thought she and Ari Graynor had chemistry, UNTIL IT REALIZED THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SISTERS. So, I felt squicky for a while there.

  18. from which ep is that hollyoaks photo with lydia kissing? is she kissing sarah? any videos for that scene?

    • Hmm it was right around Christmas, and it’s Zoe she’s kissing. When did you last watch? Things got CRAZY around New Year’s Eve.

      • uhm, last seen one: props around september i think?

        but heard that lydia go jealous when zoe returned (or something like that.. right?) and wanted to kill zoe by sabotaging her flying “something” but looks like sarah got the sabotaged one? and heard that around christmas she stabbed zoe so wtf i she kissing her?

        and – even more – after i know this is lydia AND zoe kissing I NEED PROOF! srsly, havent found anything on youtube so please help me!

        ps: but srsly this is insaaaane. how can this shitty storyline even be acted like she would be real?

      • Lola – there is no shame in loving in Hollyoaks, its the best soap around! It’s the only show i watch regularly, unbelievable stories = awesome!

        And, yeah, zoe and lydia kissed then mike walked in and flipped out. This was like a week before all the stabbing business happened. I also loved the insanity of this storyline and lesbians on teatime tv, even if she was a psycho stabber and parachute cutter!

  19. yes! lola this is perfect because i am in a sociology of pop culture class that could be interesting but instead we just watch movies all the time. so i’m excited to hear you talk about actual pop culture.

  20. I’m eagerly waiting for the next season of ‘Rush’ – it’s an Aussie police drama with a cast of smokin’ hot lady police offers including one who is bi and gets given hot girlfriends. The writing and acting is alright too, I should send you a link.

    I agree about Emily from Criminal Minds, I don’t think a straight girl can rock a pant suit like she does.

    • I never heard of this Rush before you, and am now eagerly awaiting it as well. I watched that show Kick for the lesbians, which was significantly less cool than sexy ladycops.

  21. I’ve been watching a lot of indie GLBT shows lately. Anyone But Me, Sugar Rush, BJ Fletcher Private Eye, Seeking Simone. Saw a couple of episodes of Shirts & Skins and I quite enjoyed that.

    My favorite still-running TV shows are: Dexter, Weeds, United States of Tara, Nurse Jackie, Teen Mom, House Hunters.

    My favorite cancelled TV shows are: Dead Like Me, Boston Legal, Everwood, Sex and the City, Six Feet Under, Will and Grace.

    • Ooooh I loved Sugar Rush! I’m so mad they ended on a cliffhanger. They deserved a third season!

      As for the other GLBT shows you mentioned, a web-series post is def a good idea.

  23. i don’t think anyone’s mentioned it, but i also really enjoy the big bang theory! sheldon might be one of my favorite characters on television right now.

    i also wanted to be a physicist when i was little though, so this might account for some of my appreciation for the show. :)

    • Y’know, I did watch the first one and half seasons, but the traditional sitcom set-up – I hate laugh tracks! – puts me off, and Chuck Lorre is pretty hit-or-miss with me. (Roseanne, YAY! Two and a Half Men, BOO!)

      The little end title cards after each episode are awesome though! And truth, Sheldon is a great character. I think he’s similar to Barney on How I Met Your Mother, in that both shows def wouldn’t survive without their characters.

      I will check in on The Big Bang Theory and see if I like where they’ve taken it since last year.

  24. I don’t feel like this has been 30 Rock’s funniest season. But I am an episode behind and I heard the last one was good. Still love it, I just look forward to Modern Family and Better Off Ted way more than 30 Rock and find those shows so much funnier right now.

    Also, Eric Stonestreet (CAM!!!) sent me a tweet the other day after I sent him one and that made my day. Modern Family is hilarious. I watch every episode twice in a row usually (yes, I have that my spare time, it’s troubling).

    I cannot wait for Nurse Jackie to start again. The first season blew me away, kind of like the third season of Weeds. I just finished all of The Sopranos (which I highly recommend, it is an excellent show) and I am now convinced that Edie Falco is quite possibly the best television actress to ever be on TV ever.

    I tend to prefer serial shows over episodic shows, so it took me a while to decide to get into House, but I bought all of the previous seasons and see now there actually is some real character development (which I missed when I just watched the odd episode here or there), and the show is just so good. Plus Olivia Wilde. OLIVIA WILDE.

    Private Practice is my guilty pleasure. Kate Walsh is soooo pretty.

    As always, if nothing new is on you can never go wrong watching The West Wing. It would so cool if we could pretend it is like 2002 and all watch TWW at the same time and recap the episodes one by one so we can talk about CJ and Josh and Charlie and Donna and everyone else who I have SO much love for. It would be cool, that’s all.

    • I have the WW boxset and my flatmate has just started watching his way through it and is totally hooked, I’m very proud. Its soooo good seeing someone else realise how awesome it is. I swear it gets better everytime i see it (I’m on like my 6th.). Also now we can have favourite character flat arguements, although I always have about ten at any one time.

      • Ahhh, which episode is he on??? As soon as I hear someone, anyone, is watching TWW I have to know exactly which episode they are on. I’ve gotten all of my past roommates addicted as well and the show has become crack for my Dad at my own doing.

        Josh is my favourite. But it pains me to even say that b/c I love them all so much. And like how can I love anyone more than CJ? But there is just something about Josh. No one in my life right now gets it when I say “bring me the finest muffins and bagels in all the land,” it tends to just scare people.

        When I lived in Wales my friends and I would often discuss what our subject would be if we went on Mastermind (British quiz show TV at its best!) and I always said The West Wing S1 – S2 would be my subject. I don’t think there is a trivia question I would not be able to answer, I’ve probably watched every episode from the first two seasons at least 15 times. S3 – S4 at least 10 times. S5+ probs only 3 times each though, because like I’d steal Aaron Sorkin’s sperm to have his children but not so much with John Wells. You know what I mean?

        • I really do know what you mean, it made me very very sad when Aaron Sorkin left, you can pretty much tell the last episode he worked on aswell as there’s a distinct dip in the quality of everything immediately after. Bad times. My flatmate is on Season 2, Ep 12. Its brilliant because now either the WW or The Wire is on in our flat and whenever I come home from uni/the library/anywhere I walk in to awesomeness on the tv. Also the other day at a pub quiz there was a WW question which we aced, obv and then made a joke about the Island of Yap which only we got. Although I am worried about the effect of watching on his progress through uni, although he’s doing International Relations so I figure it can pretty much count as work, right?
          I do love Josh. And CJ, and Leo. And Donna. They are prob my current faves. I especially hate Will.
          Also there is a WW trivia thing on Facebook, you should do it!
          This is ridiculously long, I kind of feel like we’re hijacking the comments with our West Wing love, but whatevs, its amazing!

          • The West Wing is AMAZING and fully deserves any comment hijackings that occur as a result of its brilliance. The only other person I know who is as obsessed with it as I am is a friend of my mother. There is a 40 year age difference but when ever we see each other we fangirl over the West Wing.
            I feel like Josh is kind of a given as a favourite character, because we get to see the most of his story. I love Toby, partly because he reminds me of Eeyore and partly because I identify with him in an odd way. Aside from them Ainsley Hayes from Season 2 is my favourite character. I’ve always loved Season 2 the most, it’s like West Wing – The Golden Years.
            Also Annabeth because, well, Cheno.

          • I just finished re watching season 4 and I love the last few episodes because aaron sorkin gives the NBC the finger.. basically saying ” ok you guys write yourself out of this mess” the tone completely changes after season 4 the writing is just not as good… CAN WE HAVE A WEST WING POST JUST TO DISCUSS FEELINGS? pretty please?

          • YES, I THINK YOU’RE RIGHT, A WEST WING POST IS IN ORDER!

            West Wing made me appreciate politics the way The Practice (which I also sorely miss, but went downhill in later seasons, too) made me appreciate law.

            In the end, I went to school for English Lit, because laziness and Wishbone won out in the end. (I can’t deny my roots! Edutainment FTW!)

          • I am so excited about this West Wing post. I just told my boss about it. He asked me if I had been drinking on the job again (apparently he isn’t a TWW fan).

          • OMG WEST WING FEELINGS OPEN THREAD! Although thats what the comments on any post about it will pretty much turn into anyway. Soapbox, you’re a genius. (Also, I was scared to ask for one in case the WW love wasn’t shared, so thanks!)

          • Arguably (sure), Toby and Omar are the two of the most well-written, well-developed characters on television in the last 15 years on two extremely good television shows. So your flat really isn’t doing bad at all if you’re playing TWW and The Wire.

            I like Will. But maybe that’s only because Josh Malina had a much more endearing character in Sports Night and so I had a soft spot for him.

  25. Few more thoughts on comedies, Kath & Kim (the original aussie version) is poss the funniest predominantly female comedy since Ab Fab. I don’t even get half the references but still piss myself laughing.

    And at the other end of the spectrum, I heartily recommend The Inbetweeners, about a bunch of geeky teenage boys. It used to air after Skins, and it was a fantastic juxtaposition of cool vs nerdy.

    • Yes, ONLY the original Kath & Kim – so glad the American version got canceled! Same with the American version of England’s Coupling, which I LOVED #allcaps

  26. I would really love to see a discussion of The Vampire Diaries- It’s ridiculous, silly CW fluff, but it’s ridiculous fluff that somehow manages to flout a lot of the cliches of the genre, and also? Ian Somerhalder.

    Even if it weren’t about vampires, which I will suffer through a lot for, it has snark and plot and the best music direction of just about any show on TV right now (Depeche Mode and the fucking BIRTHDAY MASSACRE, ffs).

    Other shows that I’d love to see you fabulous women talk about: Fringe, Lie to Me, Bones, Caprica, Castle (Best depiction of an intergenerational family on television, hands down.), and my absolute fav reality show (it beats Drag Race, even): So You Think You Can Dance Australia. The choreography is just as good as the American version, and I really love the way that they approach dance, even though Jason Coleman’s “Dance like a man!” thing drives me a little bonkers.

    • I am not sure what you meant but Ian Somerhalder is brilliant as Damon and he is the reason I stuck with TVD. I want to know what is going on next with Damon. Elena and Steffen are as interesting as watching dough rise, the second time. It is a CW show but The Vampire Diaries has gotten better though, story and dialogue wise so i don;t think its that bad. It’s WAY better than Twilight and like True Blood for teens.

    • I like ridiculous CW fluff sometimes, I really really do. Have you watched their latest show, Life Unexpected? I like it so much for no reason. Well, maybe because it has an AWESOME soundtrack (Regina Spektor!) too, and Liz from Roswell is on it. OMG did anyone else love Roswell? The WB was awesome, and UPN had Veronica Mars, so of course their lovechild The CW delivers. I am rambling so badly here — I need to do a teen drama post.

      • the WB/UPN/CW also use to have great African American shows. Girlfriends, All of Us, The Game, Half & Half, Eve, the Jaimie Foxx show, Sister/sister, smart guy, Everybody Hates Chris, Steve Harvey show, the Parkers, the Parent Hood, the PJs, Moesha, played Bernie Mac and My Wife and Kids reruns. That is what I loved about them. Those shows shaped my adolescence. Now all we have is that half baked Tyler Perry shiz. Now that I think about it, where are all the black shows on tv? Thats an issue that needs a addressing.

        Sorry for the rant

        • Ooooh I do agree on that point. I loved Sister Sister & Smart Guy. ‘Cause I was a bit young at the time, the other shows didn’t appeal as much. As for current shiz, I think True Jackson, VP is awesome, even though I’m NOT so young anymore. I also thought The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency was good, but now they’re not sure it’s coming back. There are a good handful of lead black characters on predominantly white shows. There’s LL on NCIS: Los Angeles, Ice-T on Law & Order: SVU, Tracy Morgan on 30 Rock, Dulé Hill on Psych, Danny Glover on Community, lots & lots of others actually, but they’re all “the black character” on ensemble shows. I could def do a piece on this issue.

          • P.S. – I hope nobody’s offended by my use of the word ‘black’, but ‘African AMERICAN’ excludes The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and Thomas on Skins plus all the other non-American shows, and ‘people of color’ includes other minorities who frankly have NEVER had a focused network (which is also a terrible thing).

            I know labels can be a touchy issue, and as a mixed Asian, I don’t claim to be an authority on other races.

          • Its cool with me. I said African American to be be PC. However i don;t like that term. I say black or just American because I have absolutely no immediate ties to Africa. After 150 years you let that shit go.
            But yeah there is a lack of color on TV. And when they do have a predominately black show it gets cancelled without notice. Like ‘Girlfriends’ (black sex in the city) was on for like 8 years, good rating, really popular, then boom cancelld with out so much as a finally.

          • P.P.S. I really miss In Living Color, which I watched at an inappropriately young age. I know it’s been gone since 1994, but it was hilarious! … In retrospect, they laid into Michael Jackson a lot, so that might not go over too well anymore. And I’m glad Regina King is doing well on Southland (I. LOVE. HER.) but 3rd season of The Boondocks NEEDS TO HAPPEN! Huey is one of my favorite animated characters of all time.

        • I LOVED THE STEVE HARVEY SHOW

          Also did you ever see Thea? That was like my favorite show ever and it got canceled right quick, but I don’t remember what channel it was on… I think Brandy was on it. I really liked Sister Sister and Moesha too. For a while every show I liked got canceled almost immediately — American High, South Central, All-American Girl (Margaret Cho’s show), My So-Called Life obvs. So many.

          Everybody Hates Chris is still on, right? Or maybe that’s just re-runs. I still see it from time to time.

          UPN also had Star Trek Voyager, which was the first show in the ST franchise with a female captain, which I obvs also loved.

    • God, I so disagree with you about SYTYCD – the American version owns the Australian version hardcore.

      Although it was hilarious when Jason Gilkison came on the US version and used some of what my girlfriend and I swear was the EXACT SAME CHOREOGRAPHY they used on the Australian show… XD

  27. i would make a suggestion but they’re all listed here already…i hate commenting late…but i feel i should say Greys anatomy cause its awesome and true blood and lost ( i just wish doc and sawyer would disappear and leave juliette and kate alone together[oxymoron] like they WANT to be)

    • I must confess that I don’t watch Grey’s Anatomy OR Lost anymore (not since the second season for both shows) but I still watch Callie/Arizona and all of Kate’s scenes on YouTube. But there’s so much whack shiz going on with both of those shows, I can’t even…

    • I don’t know if it’s weird but Kate and Claire had very good chemistry this last episode. They would totally raise Aaron together and have him “fare just as well, or not, as kids raised by heterosexual parents”.

      Also, I wish the losties would stop acting all surprised when weird shit happens around them.

      • Mrs. Featherbottom.

        THAT is all.

        (I knew a group of guys in college that went as 4 different incarnations of Tobias for Halloween: Never-Nude, Mrs. Featherbottom, Gay Pirate, & Blue Man. They had to go out as a group though, ’cause alone they all just looked ridic.)

        • OMG MRS. FEATHERBOTTOM. So funny.

          Is there a picturw of these friends of yours? There has to be. Can we see it?

          I’m in hiring/HR and at least once a week someone makes an analrapist joke when we get a resume/application from someone with some kind of analyst experience. EVERY SINGLE WEEK IT HAPPENS AND IT NEVER GETS OLD.

    • There is Arrested Development and there is nothing else.

      Okay well there’s some other stuff. I really enjoy Modern Family on.. ABC, I think? It’s got a nice gay (boy-gay, but still) subplot going.

  29. I’d like a regular live!blog of the show Wizards of Waverly Place.

    I have a lot of feelings about that show.

    Thanks in advance.

  30. I love Criminal Minds. I’m really hoping they don’t make Emily straight in the end, she’s just so obviously not. I think the one thing that really screams it is her swagger(!). I think they have the balance right between character development and the cases. They go along with minimal insight into the characters and then they have something like the 100th episode, which I thought was fantastic.

    Also the West Wing and How I Met Your Mother. Neil Patrick Harris is awesome in all incarnations.
    Also Buffy. Don’t all lesbians love Buffy?

    • I have close friends who do NOT love Buffy, which makes me love THEM a little less. Buffy srsly got me through much of my teenage angst. It was sometimes the only thing I looked forward to during the week; it was really good having it air on Wednesday nights.

    • NPH is awesome in all incarnations. Can we take a minute to talk about Doogie Howser M.D.? B/c that would be awesome.

      • Can we talk about how Willow on BtVS claimed she wrote Doogie Howser fanfiction? Convergence of amazingness!

        • and WILLOW of all people. and fanfiction of all things. such a convergence of amazingness, i agree.

          but seriously, Doogie Howser. I loved how he had a computer like he did. And like Vinnie was climbing through Doogie’s window before Sam climbed through Clarissa’s or Joey climbed through Dawson’s.

  31. I’m a Radio-TV-Film major and lovvved the televisionary blog so I’m excited about this! I watch too much TV, but I figure it’s for school, right? Especially How I Met Your Mother, 30 Rock, Parks and Rec, everything on Bravo, and Real World.

    and Arrested Development, of course.

    • I put The Real World on in the background while I’m on my laptop, glancing up occasionally, and guess what? I never miss any vital plot details! It’s awesome that way. My favorite season was Hawaii though, and I feel like it’s gone way downhill since then. SIGH.

  33. I am so glad I never sleep. It gives me an extra 6 to 8 hours of TV watchin’ time, which will now be MUCH NEEDED.

  34. I wanna start watching TV again. The only show I NEEED to watch (glee) isn’t on right now, and that hurts me. I watched Real World for the first time this season tonight, and I already dislike someone on the show, so i guess that’s a good sign as far as me watching next week????

    I do love a show called Man Tracker though. I can’t really put into words why i like the show so much, but in short, Man Tracker, with his hat and his horse, is pretty bad ass. Also Iron Chef (America and the original)!!!!! That show wins at life. I’d watch Cat Cora sauté any day. :D

    • Glee is a NEED to watch for me too, but I’m kinda sad that it’s coming back with a different time-slot, ’cause my only other NEED to watch is Criminal Minds. My Wednesdays were perfect, because Criminal Minds is so dark and Glee is so fluffy, they evened each other out. It’s been hard only watching Criminal Minds on Wednesdays. Sometimes it makes me feel so cold and empty… like today. SOMEONE HOLD ME!

      • glee has a new time slot?!? …and to think i thought i had a perfect Wednesday coming up this spring (with top model at 8:00 and glee @9, then whatever trashy reality show MTV has @ 10). Ruined. Why you gotta rain on my parade, FOX?

        Lady Justice weeps for this.

  35. NCIS. I LOVE NCIS. Gibbs is so badass, and Abby is a rare mix of awesome and adorable. And Ducky’s accent makes me happy. And trying to guess who the perp is every episode is fun.

    Also, Glee. I spent the entire first episode trying to figure out Kurt’s gender.

  36. AND SCRUBS! How did I forget Scrubs? It’s the best show EVER.
    And Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends.

  37. OMG, the lady who played Liz on Roswell is in something else? OK, this Life Unexpected is eventually going to become my new guilty pleasure, I can sense it.

  38. For quirky’n’British comedy and geekiness, I heartily recommend Hyperdrive.

    I think it only made it about 2 seasons, but it was fun. A little bit like Red Dwarf, possibly even sillier.

  39. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.

    End of story, I just started watching it through Netflix and I can’t get enough. IN LOVE with sweet d.

    Scrubs always makes me laugh, no matter what. 30 Rock is brilliant, I always wanna remember the witty phrases to use later but I can’t. The Office is past its prime but still good. Michael Scott is one of the best characters to ever be on TV.

    BUt please, It’s Alwasy Sunny. I was slow to jump on the bandwagon, but now I’m obsessed. With titles like “Charlie gets an abortion” and “dumpster baby”, how can you go wrong?

  41. Oh Lola, how could you tease me with the chance of a WoWP blog and then skip off into the sunset, leaving my broken heart in the dust.

    :(

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