Sunday, February 25, 2007

The Week on TV

This week Studio 60 hit an annoying new low. The Matt and Harriet plot has been bad, but it seemed like we were going to move beyond it. With a new character -- a bad one --introduced to create a new triangle, not so much. The Danny and Jordan plot was funny, I guess, but it is not enough to take the taste out of my mouth.

Lost was solid, but not nearly as good as the last two episodes. I love this show but I do hate the advertising, which claimed three major secrets would be revealed. I could stretch in an attempt to name the three, but they are minor if they are secrets at all (Jack's tattoos?). This happened at the "Fall Season Finale" as well, which was a great episode, but nothing like a finale; to make matters worse my cable info guide made it seem like Locke would be important, and he wasn't, which I found frustrating because I kept expecting him to do something. The show ranges from sold to brilliant, but the advertising gets in the way sometimes.

30 Rock was great, but I am not thinking of anything to say about it this week. The three lead actors are all just perfect.

6 comments:

Kyle Hadley said...

I find when I just ignore most of what is going on with Matt and Harriet, I enjoy Studio 60 an awful lot. I mean I like the character of Matt and I think Perry is doing a great job, but it I a bit tired. I have missed Jack as well.

I try to watch 30 rock because of Alec Baldwin but Tracy Morgan is just incredibly obnoxious so I tend to not watch it.

Also, Veronica Mars jumped on the Lost and 24 train by killing off a semi main character. I love that the scope of tv is like that now. I mean there will always be a few characters who are safe, but it makes it more interesting for me when main characters can die because I remember no matter what happened to the characters on Alias, tey would never die and it bugged me.

LurkerWithout said...

You found 3 revealed secrets in this weeks Lost? I only managed to pick up two. Jack's tattoos and what happened to the kids. Apparantly they were adopted and given candy...

Really disapointing episode after the previous two strong episodes...

Matt Jacobson said...

My girlfriend and I have finally started watching Lost, jumped into the first season over the past week... last two discs to go. I gave in once I heard Vaughn was writing for it now, which is actually a completely arbitrary reason.

We're both enjoying it thus far, although, I find myself wondering how far they can push this before it gets annoying? It's like watching all 10 seasons of the X-Files condensced into one, with all the unexplained twists and spooky happenings. On the one hand, it's very entertaining, and at least they keep feeding you enough to hold your attention. On the other hand, well... if they don't start making with some halfway decent explanations soon, it may well become annoying.

You've all been watching a lot longer: are the explanations coming? If so, are they worthwhile?

Geoff Klock said...

MH: I cannot see how you can ignore Matt and Hariet -- that's the main thing the show is about. Saying you like the show if you ignore them is like saying you like a painting if you ignore what it looks like. I mean I suppose it smells like SOMETHING, but that was surely not the main aim.

Also: Today -- Monday -- Studio 60 is not on and has been replaced by the pilot of a new show. That's a bad sign for the future of Studio 60 -- it might move time slots, but it also might never come back.

Lurker -- I could not find three, but I could force myself to come up with three if I had to. I am not going to, I am just saying I could. I only put my post in that language because I knew if I said I couln't find the three someone would stretch and name three, which is not the point -- the point is that that kind of claim needs to be obvious.

UM: Lost does not get more satisfying, but it does teach you to enjoy the lack of satisfaction, if that makes sense. You get lots of explanations, but they are more mysterious than the questions they are supposed to answer. I think it is fun but it is not for everyone. It very well written and well plotted but for some people that is not enough -- they need to have faith it is going somewhere, which is fair. I just think individual episodes are so well plotted I don't care if it all ends in an X-Files disaster of a series finale.

Kyle Hadley said...

It has more to do with Liking Sorkin's style of writing than anything. Plus, I do like both characters, just not together. Of course, I'd like more of the other characters but at this point, I'd just like to see the show get its full first season so I can re-watch all the good stuff again on dvd.

I can like a movie for certain aspects without liking the thing it as a whole and that is how I feel about the show.

Unknown said...

Wow, I can't believe you're still watching Studio 60. I'm glad to hear it isn't getting any better, because it means I made the right choice in dropping it.

Geoff, I love that explanation of Lost. "It teaches you to enjoy the lack of satisfaction." They should put that quote on the DVD box, or a print ad or something. I don't watch the show, by the way, but I suppose I might watch the DVD sets someday.

I still think 30 Rock is the funniest show on TV these days. Tina Fey is turning into a really good comic performer, and Alec Baldwin is always hilarious. As is Tracy Morgan, and the supporting cast is uniformly excellent, especially Kenneth. My favorite line from last week's episode: "Oh God, the crab is aroused!"

I have a review of the latest episode of Battlestar Galactica up on my blog, if anybody cares.