Slightly Less Popular TV: Holdouttrout Edition

[holdouttrout]

I watch quite a bit of TV. In fact, I'm kind of in a TV renaissance, where I actually have shows I watch every week. Here are a few I think most of you aren't watching, and why I like them! These are shows that I consider "can't miss" but shows I don't necessarily feel the need to talk about in my journal, although I often discuss them with other people who also watch. I tried not to spoil anything beyond the first few episodes of each.



Flash Forward

Everyone in the world blacks out and sees approximately two minutes of their future. Mark Benford, an FBI agent, is talking on the phone while guys in masks storm his office. Olivia, his wife, sees herself with another man. Their babysitter sees herself being drowned. Another man meets his true love for the first time. Another FBI agent sees nothing at all, while his fiancee sees their beach wedding in Hawaii.

I really enjoy the show--it has a great cast of characters, a convoluted plot, conspiracy theories, questions about destiny versus free will, and explores that how people look at what they have seen can influence what they do and what they understand about their own future. It's only in its first (and probably last) season, so unlike LOST, there's not a lot of catching up to do.




Fringe

Not, certainly, my favorite JJ Abrams show--that would be LOST--but this show has quickly grown on me with its quirky sense of humor and unique take on the paranormal. Plus, Michael Giacchino does the music. What more could you want? Olivia (popular name) is an FBI agent... wait a second. I see where this is going. Anyway, she finds herself investigating some pretty weird stuff, and ends up attached to a special "Fringe" division that includes a mad scientist, his rational son, a faithful assistant, and a long-suffering cow.

It sounds mad, because it is. The general format of an early episode was the mad scientist explaining that they needed to take psychotropic drugs, the son protesting, and Olivia asking where the needles were. (The cow doesn't talk.) I didn't watch it at first because I thought it was an X-Files rip-off. It certainly has borrowed from X-Files, but it has its own unique spin. Plus, it has convoluted plots, an alternate (evil?) universe, and a truly thrown-together, dysfunctional family.




Community

As a rule, I do not watch half-hour shows. It's not that I don't like them, but... I dunno. If I watch them, I tend to mainline--like with Big Bang Theory. I've seen the first season and a half or so, but I can't watch it every week. Community is the one exception, and I'm not silly enough to think that's not at least partly because it's on hulu and I don't have to remember when it's on.

I saw my first episode of Community, just about died laughing, and knew I had to have more. The characters are all stereotypes, but there's something about the characters, too, that seems like more than just "clueless white girl" or "pervy old man." The stories center on a Spanish study group made up of unlikely friends, and it's about their (over the top) adventures in the wild land of community college. It's witty, fast, and fun. Thankfully, Community WILL be back next year.

Comments

[beanpot.livejournal.com]

I am really surprised at how much I love Community - it just cracks me up. And this week's episode was fantastic!

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

There's just so many little, hilarious things throughout each episode!

[zorb]

This week, and two weeks ago, were amazing! The show is the highlight of my Thursday nights.

[nandamai]

I think the reason the stereotypes work on Community is that the characters know they're stereotypes. Except for Pierce, of course, but that's the beauty of Pierce. I also love that they talk openly about race and have an ongoing dialogue about what's racism and what isn't.

I do think they've fallen down a bit in recent episodes. I think they originally had a 13-episode order, and then it went to 22, and now it's 26, so the ideas have started to run a little thin. Also, I demand MOAR JOHN OLIVER next season. MOAR.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Yes! That's exactly it. I was thinking, "well, the show knows they're stereotypes," which is true, but, YES. The characters know. Excellent. Yes to your other points, too. :-)

[ziparumpazoo]

You know, for the longest time, I thought the cow was one of Walter's hallucinations. That's what I get for not watching from the beginning. Lol.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Ha ha ha! It totally could be, too. :-)