The Nip/Tuck Award- Worst Series

Named For: Nip/Tuck (FX) 2003-10
Awarded To: Worst series that you used to like from June 1, 2009 - May 31, 2010
Last Year's Winner: no award

Place. Show (Network) Points (My Vote)

5. Gossip Girl (The CW) 3 points

4. One Tree Hill (The CW) 3 points (2nd)

3. 24 (FOX) 7 points

Runner-Up
2. Entourage (HBO) 8 points (3rd)

and the Poolie goes to...
1. Heroes (NBC) 17 points (1st)

Here with his thoughts on Heroes is Poolie voter, T-time...

The first season of Heroes did everything you want in a show of it's ilk. It introduced a set of disparate characters who would be brought together by fate, while steadily delving deeper into the mythology. It asked a series of questions, answering some of the important ones by season's end while leaving major facets of the universe unexplained. The season culminated with an event foreshadowed early in the season, a major obstacle that concluded the destiny of several,
well-established characters.

Or so we thought, because soon into season 2, it all went wrong. The show caved to fans who demanded their favorite characters return and instead of telling a new story in the developing universe, the show began to follow the people we knew as their lives continued. We saw characters who had outlived their dramatic arc be foolishly working into plot lines they simply didn't belong in. As seasons wore on, we learned less and less about the world and the whole series devolved into a series of villains with nefarious plans threatening the same group of characters.

Season One set a blueprint for greatness, if only they had been willing to let obvious deaths like Parkman's stand, and let Claire fade from the spotlight when she had nothing to do instead of following her like a soap. The world at that point was interesting and full of possibilities. Each season should have answered questions deepening the world, while introducing further questions to pull the audience along. Maybe it is a lesson for future shows. The fans got what they asked for, and when they realized it wasn't what they thought, they abandoned the show in droves.

by Tim Forcella

NBC Upfronts- Gut Reactions

Oh NBC, how you are the current laughing stock of John Q. Public. Because of the Jay Leno Show disaster that was the 2009-10 season, the Peacock has a ton of new shows set for next year. Let's take a look at how it all shapes up.

Canceled: Heroes, after a terrific first season, has failed to churn out anything of quality since and has finally gotten the axe. Thank God, because I was too invested to stop watching, and it was killing me to watch such garbage. The original Law and Order is finally off the air, while Mercy and Trauma didn't make it past one season.

Returning: Despite all the trash talk, NBC has a lot of quality programming returning to its lineup. All four Thursday comedies are back for the first time in a while, but Parks and Rec has been sent off to mid-season to leave room for a terrible-looking new sitcom. Chuck is back for what I bet is its last season, while Parenthood will get a second year and Friday Night Lights' final season will get run off some time in the spring.

New Shows

With the multitude of newbies on NBC's plate, there are four that I will give a shot at early on. The Event seems to be the only one that they are showcasing at this point that could be good. It stars Simon Elder from Dirty Sexy Money as the President and is pretty confusing as to what it is actually about. There's an assassination plot, a kidnapping and a CIA cover-up in the trailer so it seems pretty exciting.

I also really like the looks of The Cape. Anything that eerily resembles Batman Begins is worth a look in my book. The main character is framed for murder, fakes his own death and then trains to fight crime as a vigilante in a crime-filled city. Awesome.

And on the comedy side of things, The Paul Reiser Show looks good. I never watched Mad About You, but this Curb Your Enthusiasm-type show shows promise with its trailer. I will also give Perfect Couples a try.  The only notable is Janice from Flash Forward, but the character that likes to leave rooms with his own depressing music seems golden.

Then there are a couple that are in limbo for me. Outlaw is airing on Fridays, but it stars Jimmy Smits as a retired supreme court justice turned renegade so it could be decent. Friends with Benefits seems to be a sort of sitcom starring Kyle from Party Down and Daneel Harris so it could be decent, but the trailer doesn't make it seem that funny.  The Undercovers is a spy show from JJ Abrams.  It is about a married couple a la Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

And then there are a bunch of new shows that don't look good. Love Bites seems to be a mess of a romance show at this point. Another Law and Order, this time in LA. The Chase and Harry's Law are standard cop and law shows, respectively. And then there is Outsourced, which is taking Parks and Rec's spot in the fall and looks absolutely terrible.

Heroes- Nathan/Sylar Is Making My Brain All Kooky

As my cousin Mikey would say...This whole thing with Nathan and Sylar's bodies and minds switching around is making my brain all kooky. When Nathan's mind inside of Sylar's body touched Sylar's mind inside of Parkman's body, Nathan should have been deleted completely right? Or at least suppressed. If the result of the hand touch wasn't Sylar just pretending to act like Nathan for an extended period of time so that he could kill Peter, then I have absolutely no idea what is going on anymore. I lost faith in Heroes a while ago, but this is just getting awful.

Nice little round table question from TVFanatic that fits in nicely.

If Sylar is back inside his body now, why does Nathan still act and think like Nathan?
M.L. House: I'll give someone $10 if he/she can explain what actually took place in Parkman's hospital room. Ready... go!

Dr. Shepherd: I have no idea.

The Barnacle: Stop! You're making my head hurt. Can't we all just mourn Nathan's death next week... even though, you know, he already died last season.

Monday Musings- Once Upon a Time in Good Heroes

Greek
This week's semi-season finale was less than epic. By all means a quality ep, but last week's Cappie/Casey get together seemed more like a finale than this one did. What I continue to enjoy about Greek is the underrated writing habits. My favorite is the way they can hammer a joke into the ground and then find a way to turn it on its head and get so much more out of it.

This season Casey's sort-of nemesis, Catherine, used the phrase 'moving on' in every way possible. She would say it rudely to make her points clear, but Casey finally had enough and used it back at her. Classic.

The growth of the joke that Evan is not funny keeps getting better and better. This week it was portrayed through the fact that Evan knows that something is wrong when Cappie laughs at his joke.

Heroes
Just when I thought that Heroes couldn't get any worse, they go and do something like this week's episode....and totally redeem themselves!!! Now I'm not usually one who enjoys an ep that brings the story nowhere and totally diverts from the plot of the season, but 'Once Upon a Time In Texas' was definitely an exception. Seeing the same scenes that we saw back in season one, in a different fashion, was fantastic. It was extremely nostalgic to a go back to a time when Heroes was actually a great show. To see Sylar and Hiro both in the early stages of their season one heroics was great. But to have future Hiro there, overseeing the whole thing...whew. Awesome! On the flip side...how pointless was the Noah story with this random chick? Just bad.

Monday Musings- Rusty Cartwright's Awkard Comic-Con

Heroes
I think this week was the first episode in a while that I can actually say was GOOD. Here's the thing though...What is the deal with the deaf girl? It's all well and good that she has this new type of power, but who cares? She can see sounds! That may help her in every day life, because she's deaf, but how will she help the world as a hero? (Fast forward to later on in the episode) Oh now I see...Sound can destroy things, that makes sense.

How come when the girls came to accept Claire into the sorority they didn't pour green slime on her? (Saved by the Bell- College Years)

At the end of the ep we finally got to a great story line! Samuel had a mole at Claire's college! Some girl has been doing all of the horrible things around Claire this whole time. Because her power is invisibility (we've seen this before) she could kill her first roommate and get Claire to hate Gretchen by throwing the flag at her and dropping the book in the dorm room so she could see Gretchen's computer. The question that arises for me is 'what is Samuel's end game with this?' Where do Claire and/or Hiro fit into his master plan? And then there is Sylar/Nathan who stumbles onto Samuel's invisible carnival. Is this thing just a figment of some people's imagination or is the whole thing, and all the people, invisible? Interesting prospect.

Greek
Who would have thought that a major Cappie/Evan friendship would be the main thing holding Greek together at this point? Choking down every Rusty Cartwright scene, while shielding my eyes from the awkwardness, continues to be the most difficult thing to watch on television. I can't tell if I hate his story lines because of how much I can't stand this kid, or if I actually love them because of how much I can't stand the Spitter of a boy. This week it was him trying to talk to girls at Comic-Con and then professing his love to his ex-girlfriend via video chat that was on display for everyone at the convention. The epitome of 'tough to watch.' Luckily Dale was there from time to time for comic relief. By the way when Rusty found a computer at Comic-Con it took him all but 2.7 seconds to pop open a screen with video chat that required no login and his ex, Jordan, appeared on screen 3.2 second later. I gotta find a program/computer that works like that!

One Tree Hill
To start from where I left off last time, I'm beginning to build the relationships with the new characters that I need to sympathize with all of their TRAGIC situations. Of the three major, new characters, Quinn is the only one that I am truly indifferent toward. Clay and Alex are similar in that they have gotten bad reputations based on their prior behaviors. In this week's episode they are both beginning to turn the corner and become very likable. There are not many character archetypes that are more profitable than the bad boy that turns sensitive (see: Dylan McKay and even Nathan Scott of season two). Clay has always been a jerk but he is now reaching out to a wounded Quinn. Alex is a major slew with a drug problem. In this ep we see our first glimmer of hope in her as she decides to try and take her writing career seriously. Her encounters with Julian were obviously hilarious so we'll see if this idea of her pans out or she returns to the wreck that she was. Either way, Clay and Alex are definitely two of my favorites on the horribleness that has been the start to season seven.

Poolies Watch- Sopranos Award

For this week's Poolies Watch we have the action series' that will attempt to win this year's Sopranos Award. Last year it was a three show race and in a surprise to me, Chuck took home the inaugural trophy. This year I have the same three series' at the top of the heap; Lost, Chuck and 24 (in that order), but have added True Blood following a terrific sophomore season. None of the first three have started their seasons yet and True Blood has already finished so there is currently anything going on at the top of the category.

Top of the Heap
24
Chuck
Lost
True Blood

Now in the middle of the current nominees we have a transfer, a sophomore procedural and a new budding star. Last year House was the runner-up for the Dynasty Award and now in what is a tougher category should struggle to remain at the top. The Mentalist is the only procedural cop show that I can watch every week and there is a good reason for that...the characters are fantastic. Early on in its second season, Jane, Cho and the rest have yet to disappoint and The Mentalist looks like a lock for a nomination. Flash Forward is only three eps in, but the fact that it has grabbed me and many others so quickly is a good sign. I've been reading plenty reviews with complaints about the show, but those complaints are buzz and I think any show that can create as much buzz as Flash has been, it's a good sign.

Middle of the Pack
Flash Forward
House
The Mentalist

The final three shows currently holding nominations are pretty funny. First we have the Michael Clayton (Bucs wide receiver) of television barely sticking around in Heroes. Like Heroes, Clayton wowed audiences with a fantastic first season in Tampa Bay. He got everyone's hopes up, including mine which led to me drafting him in round five of my 2005 fantasy draft, and then let everyone down with a disappointing sophomore season. Oh he's still a starter for the Bucs, but there's nothing you can do with him now, just like the super hero series that is Heroes. It's still there, and it gets the job done, but more often then not it disappoints the audience. I have high hopes for ABC's new series V and Starz's Spartacus, but if something else deserves the spot, one of these three will probably get cut.

Hanging On
Heroes
Spartacus
V

Next I'll give a nod to a few shows that may or may not be knocking on the door. Criminal Minds and CSI: Miami are the only other procedural cop shows that I can watch every once in a while. Fringe I liked somewhat, but had to give up half way through last year's first season. I know Mags and Rizzo enjoy it so it gets some love here. Dexter and The Tudors are two Showtime shows that I feel I would enjoy if I ever got a chance to watch, but sadly I haven't.

Knocking on the Door
Criminal Minds
CSI: Miami
Dexter
Fringe
The Tudors

Monday Musings- Greek Parties Down

House
The fact that we were back to the same old procedural format this week was doubly bad because House still wasn't back at his old job, so guess who was the center of the show. Dr. Foreman. Yikes. He should really go back to playing basketball players who fall in love with their neighbors because he is awful on this show. Or better yet, instead of wasting all this time trying to fill House's position, he could spend a little more time with his football team! Maybe if he didn't drive back and forth between Princeton Plainsboro and Pittsburgh so much, his squad could be better than 1-2 with a loss to the Bengals!

Greek
So when Evan needed to get a new job so he could stay afloat Cappie suggested this cater-waiter position he saw on the bulletin board. Cap obviously joined him on this venture 'cause there was a cute girl working with the company. When they got the the building it said Party Down Catering on the signage. Are they allowed to do that? Isn't that a show on Starz? I thought maybe it was just a nice quick hitter, but then Cappie and Evan started to put on their pink bowties for the occasion. Okay. I've seen the commercials and promos. Those are their outfits on the show! How is it possible that they can do this?

In other Greek news of the week, they made fun of ABC's medical drama not once nor twice, but three times. I am sure glad I stopped watching that show after one season, or I'd feel embarrassed right now.

Heroes
I know that I'm the type of guy that generally likes villains more than protagonists, but are the Heroes creators intensely trying to glorify its villains? Sure Sylar has been one of the best characters on television for a few years now, and this week's ep didn't stray from the statement, but now this Samuel character is getting me excited all over again. Maybe he isn't going to be a villain in the long run, but right now they're making him seem like one, and a really cool one at that. Peter is lame, Claire is a chick and Hiro is nowhere near the character he was in season one. Don't even get me started on Parkman. This week's highlight...Noah saying, "I'm gonna have to call The Haitian." Hearing the characters on the show call him The Haitian just sounds funny to me, and I enjoy it every time.

One Tree Hill
Another big gripe here. Not only did they bring in new characters that we have no relationship with this season, but they've toyed with our prior relationships with the main characters with all the time jumps they've done. After season four they jumped ahead five years and kept flashing back to the time gap so we could get a fell for what happened while we missed them. This time all we have is the guessing about what might have gone on while we were gone. For example: we haven't enjoyed the journey with Nathan through his first full season in the NBA, so I can't feel for him through his current problems. The only minor storyline that holds any strength is Dan's. This is the only type of thing where the jump helps. He shows up so drastically changed from where we left off with him. Through flashbacks, they give us that back story we need to feel for what he went through to get where he is now. Maybe they want us to like Dan the most (I do right now), but it's sad that I'm losing touch with Nathan, Haley and Brooke because of the jumping around.

Monday Musings

House
I really enjoyed the new format. I really don't like procedurals in general. Other than House and The Mentalist, I haven't gotten into any. This week's two hour premier was pretty much just a solid House movie. It was a nice break from the ordinary dynamic we see of House with his team. He was so good in the Cuckoo's Nest role. It's too bad that next week and every week there after is just going to back to the regular procedural format that we know and like.

The two moments I enjoyed most: The first was when I went from so happy with what House did for the Freedom Master (taking him to the carnival so he could fly), to so sad for what the Freedom Master did (jumping off the parking garage) because of House in a quick minute. The second was when House got the No-Talker and Freedom Master out of their funks. It was so awesome that he didn't just make Run Lola Run tear up, he got the kid to as well.

One Tree Hill
I used to think this show was great because of its dramatic moments and the ability to use music fantastically well. Whether it is because I have been watching a lot of Beverly Hills 90210 lately or something about One Tree Hill has changed, but I have been more and more unimpressed with Schwan's ability to hit me with the intense moment. The problem I realized last night, and JJ realized upon his first and presumably only watch of an episode last year, is that music plays throughout almost the entire episode. And not score mind you, but actual songs that could be used a gut wrenching anthems. When you play songs through the entire episode it takes away from the moments that could use it the most. When I watch an episode of 90210, I'd say 1/3 of it has no sound, 1/3 has score and 1/3 has songs. That is the ideal way to build up the action of an episode and portray certain moments as calm and comical or highly dramatic. One Tree Hill's technique of playing music throughout gives the impression of the entire episode being important, but all this week's ep did for me, was downplay the entire 45 minutes.

Greek
Unlike Gossip Girl, in which Jaydon explained has been lost on him because of the way everyone just trades off boyfriends and girlfriends, I feel Greek portrays the relationships of their characters in a realistic fashion. First let's take what happened earlier in the season with Rusty, Jordan and Andy-licious. After Rusty steals Jordan away from his friend Andy, we never see Andy again. That is definitely what would happen. Then we have Casey who went from Cappie, before the show started, to Evan who she then broke up with for Max. Cappie and Evan have been mad at each other for the entire series because of the Casey triangle. Sure they're slowly becoming friends again, and Casey may end up back with Cappie at some point in the future, but it's a very plausible situation. In Gossip, Nate and Blaire are an item forever, he cheats on her, she gets with Chuck in a strange non-relationship and then all of a sudden gets back with Nate, and then back to Chuck. Besides a semi-arc of a storyline where Nate and Chuck hate each other, they act like the two of them are completely okay with all of this, and that isn't right.

Heroes
It's like they're trying to start over, but it's way too late. They've screwed up the flow of the series enough that a feeling of new beginnings now seems too weird. Hiro used to be so focused on saving the world and thinking about the grand scheme of life, and now he has started 'Dial a Hero'? Interesting. I was so excited to see the Haitian, even if it was only for two seconds. Parkman's dream Syler is absolutely the best character on the show, and might even be better than the real Syler. He might be the only reason I will stick with this show 'til the end.

NBC Fall Preview

What we're excited for from NBC this fall.

Check out the entire NBC lineup and my recommendations here.

The Office

The winner of three Poolies last spring, including The Seinfeld

Award for Best Comedy Series, The Office returns for a sixth season after a bit of a shocker in May. Pam is pregnant, we think, but is that really that important for this show? Maybe. Will she be in the office for much longer? Will she be at home, creating new situations? Who knows, but as long as Michael, Dwight and the gang are on point, it should be another fantastically hillarious season in Scranton, PA.

30 Rock

After receiving two Poolies a year ago, 30 Rock comes back for a fourth season. It seems that many people, not just critics and awards shows, are recognizing the genius that is 30 Rock. As is always the case at the TGS with Tracy Jordan set, I'm expecting some big cameos this fall. If there are none, we can always count on Tracy, Jack and Liz to get the job done in New York.

Heroes

Easy, easy. I know what you're all saying. "This show is terrible!" Although I disagree to an extent, I have to admit that I still enjoy Heroes. It has gone extremely downhill since its fantastic first season, but there is always promise heading into a new volume of the superhero action series. The idea I'm most curious about is the Sylar/Nathan Petrelli combo character. Does one win out over the other? Knowing the show the way I do, they'll probably split into two people so that they don't have to get rid of either character.

Community

This new comedy, starring The Soup's Joel McHale, is about a dude who goes to community college. He was a lawyer with a degree from Columbia (the country), but obviously that's not working out anymore. Also starring Chevy Chase, Community shows a lot of promise in NBC's fall lineup.

NBC Upfronts- Gut Reactions

Well the best news coming from the NBC upfronts was that Chuck WILL be returning next season. It will be cut down in episodes and air in the spring at it's regular 8:00 timeslot on Mondays. Heroes moves to 8 in the fall and will also be a shortened season.

What's Gone
Life, Medium, My Name Is Earl, Kath & Kim, Kings, Knight Rider

--I'm sad to see Earl and Kath & Kim go, but only because they're much better than Parks & Recreation and SNL Thursday Update (which will be on Thursdays this fall)
--Everything else I'm glad to see is gone.

What's Back
Heroes, Chuck, Biggest Loser, SVU, SNL Update, Park & Recreation, Office, 30 Rock, Law & Order, Southland, Celebrity Apprentice, Friday Night Lights

--Pumped that Chuck is back and hope Heroes can try to turn something around. I was hoping L & O had kicked the bucket and do we really need two hours of Biggest Loser? Of course the classic comedy hour of Office and 30 Rock are back in action. With Friday Night Lights airing in the summer, I'll probably download them while they air on DirectTV this fall.

What's New
Trauma, Parenthood, Community, Day One, 100 Questions, Mercy, Marriage Ref

--I will pass on your regular old hospital shows, Trauma and Mercy, and I will definitely not catch 100 Questions with how bad the preview looks. You should check out Parenthood, Community and Day One.

--Parenthood looks like a dramedy about families taken from the first tv series and movie before it. It has Peter Krause (Dirty Sexy Money, Sports Night) and Craig T. Nelson (Coach, Blades of Glory) so sign me up.

--Community is a comedy about life at a community college and it stars Joel McHale (E's The Soup) and Chevy Chase (Vacation, Caddyshack) so I am obviously game.

--Now I feel Day One could be hit or miss. A global event devastates the world and Day One tells the story of those survivors that try to rebuild society and figure out why the event occurred.

The Teri Bauer Award (2009)

The Teri Bauer Award for the
Character You Love To Hate in an Action Series

Rank. Character (Show)- Total Points...(My Rank)
10th. Catherine Weaver (Terminator: TSCC)- 0 points

9th. Jack Shephard (Lost)- 3 points

8th. Olivia Dunham (Fringe)- 3 points...(3rd)

7th. Riley Dawson (Terminator: TSCC)- 4 points

6th. Kate Austen (Lost)- 5 points

5th. Larry Moss (24)- 8 points...(5th)

4th. Bill Compton (True Blood)- 10 points...(2nd)

3rd. Matt Parkman (Heroes)- 13 points

Runner-Up
2nd. Allison Taylor (24)- 16 points...(1st)

The Poolie Goes To
1st. Olivia Taylor (24)- 17 points...(4th)
And with no guest spot, you are stuck with me on this one...

24 has always been a hotbed for hated characters. Whether it was Teri Bauer, Ryan Chappelle, Sherry Palmer, Audrey Raines or the one and only Behroooooz, I have found myself screaming at the tv throughout the show's seven season run. After a yearlong break, due to the writers' strike, 24 has come back with a vengence and given us three, and maybe more, very hateable characters. Larry Moss found himself in fifth for the award, but the mother/daughter combo of President Allison Taylor and Olivia took gold and silver of this awful character olympics.

After the first gentleman has been severly wounded by a terrorist, the President reaches out to her estranged daughter and brings Olivia to the White House. She immediately becomes a nuisance, quarreling with her mother about the past and just being in the way when terrorist Juma comes to take over the White House. After most of the people being held hostage in the White House (RIP Bill Buchanan) end up alright, Olivia goes behind her mother's back to get Chief of Staff/Shawshank Warden Ethan to resign. Interestingly enough President Taylor appoints Olivia to fill in for Ethan while this tragic day continues. She makes dumb move after dumb move concluding with putting a hit on Jon Voight 'the actor's character Jonas Hodges. While not as terrible as past 24 hall of famers, Olivia definitely delivered moments of rage during this year's 24.

We Could Be Heroes

Last night NBC threw two hours of season finale action at us. While this post is going to be mostly about the Heroes Volume Four finale, I need to mention how great Chuck was last night. It was a fantastic ending to an awesome season. If this is, in fact, the last we see of the CIA/Buy More crew, I will be sad but pleased with what they gave us.

Unlike Chuck, which has been getting better and better over the past two years, Heroes has been all over the place. Season One was one of, if not the best first season in my memory. After that the show started on a downslide, which might have been caused by the writers’ strike during the second season. Volume Three started this fall and it was more of the same mediocrity. Now for me, volume four was looking like a step in the right direction, but last night’s finale threw me through another loop.

I have always been the guy who says that, in a serialized action show like this, you need to kill people off at times to keep the viewer’s attention. This is something Heroes wasn’t willing to do. Sure they got rid more minor characters like D.L., Isaac and Linderman, but when they kill off Nikki only to bring her back as Tracy, or they kill Nathan at the end of season two only to have him be healed by Claire’s blood it just makes me angry.

So when spoilers for this volume’s finale said that a major character would die, I didn’t think they were going to cop out like they did. -SPOILER ALERT- So Peter and Nathan go in to attack Sylar (which they don’t let Claire or the audience see, bootleg) and surprise surprise, the killer with multiple lethal powers kills the dude that can fly around. After Nathan’s throat is slit by Sylar, and Peter has mimicked Sylar’s shape shifting power, Peter shifts into the form of the President and stabs Sylar with a tranquilizer. Now Peter, Claire, Noah, Angela and Parkman are left with a dead Nathan and a knocked out Sylar. As a political move, and so that Angela doesn’t lose her son, Parkman gives Sylar’s body all of Nathan’s memories and removes anything to do with Gabriel Gray/Sylar.

So there wasn’t really a death of a main character. Sure the real Nathan is dead, but he’s still around in Sylar. And I guess the essence of Sylar won’t be around, but the preview of volume five shows that the new Nathan starts to show Gabriel’s original power of knowing how things work. So we will probably end up with having a half Nathan, half Sylar dude wondering around in the near future. That's not really killing anyone off.

And to top things off, at the very end of the volume five preview we see Tracy again. After shattering herself into a million pieces a while ago she is now back and has some sort of water manipulation power like Alex Mack. Unless this is not Tracy, and is in fact the third triplet, it is more proof that they can’t kill anyone off.

Best 2 Hours on Television

Monday night on NBC is truly incredible. There is no better one-two punch on tv than Chuck and Heroes.

Sure I watch 24 for action, I watch One Tree Hill for romance and I watch 30 Rock for comedy. Chuck is the only show on television that legitimately pulls these three aspects together for an unbelievable hour of non-stop action. If you are not currently watching Chuck, I strongly suggest you start. "And what bands are you in to?"- Chuck

Heroes last night gave us such a wealth of information and made us ask so many more questions. It truly is back from last year's questionable mini-season. Sylar has been unbelievable so far. He names his kid after Noah, awesome. The ambiguity that I am left with about who is good and who is bad during the 'four years in the future' segment is awesome. Isn't Peter always good? It doesn't seem that way. There will be another Ali Larter character after Tracy bites the dust? All in all, Nathan is still my man and I think will always be my favorite character.

Jump the Shark

A couple days ago I asked the Boss if he watched House this week. He said that after it ended his wife asked him if he thought House had 'jumped the shark.' My response was "Huh?" The Boss was very surprised that I had never heard the phrase before. As am I now that I see how prevalent it is in entertainment and television culture. Jumping the shark is a term used when a show has hit its peak and begins to go down hill. The term originates from Happy Days when The Fonz jumps over a shark while water skiiing. Check out this website where viewers vote on what moment 'jumped the shark' in many tv shows, if it ever did at all. JumptheShark.com

I looked over the shows that I am currently watching and have found four cases of jumping the shark that stick out to me.

Desperate Housewives- After the first season this show has gone downhill and stayed there. The mysterious storyline of season one was a bit of a let down at the end and it continued to be unsatisfying as they brought in new uninteresting characters.

24- After the fourth season, which was the absolute best season of 24, it jumped the shark. The President became involved in the terrorism and it just was not nearly as good.

Heroes- At the beginning of season 2, with the introduction of the South American siblings and Micah's distant family, Heroes took a step back. But I wonder if there is a term such as 'Going under the Shark' because Season 3 is back in action and so far has been much better than season 2.

House- As Mrs. Boss presumed, I feel House is potentially jumping the shark this season. The House/Wilson/Private Investigator storyline has been much less than stellar so far this season. We'll see if it continues throughout the year.

Heroes Is Back

This dude who commented on imbd basically says it all...what a fantastic return!

Heroes: The Second Coming

I swear I never jumped on the bandwagon for season 2. Right from the first episode, I felt it was lame. No Tim Kring, the problem was not the pace or the romance, it was the laughable story. The stilted dialogue. The abundance of plot holes.

This was the best episode since "Company Man".

The season premiere just started explosively and never let up. No questions got answered, and a whole lot more were brought up, but what made this opening exciting was the shear unpredictable factor. It was just solid, surprising and engaging storytelling. It felt fresh and inspired, like the first season.

A phenomenal beginning, and definitely a return to form. 10/10

comment by username: Topher-Liam

NBC Mondays

Chuck comes into its second season as my favorite new show of 2007. The Josh Schwartz action comedy made it all the way to number seven in my power rankings by the end of last year. What makes this show great is that there are completely serious issues of murder and national security and Schwartz turns it comedic. As opposed to other shows that try to make every situation totally dramatic when we could care less about what is actually going on. The LA atmosphere and indie music are staples of Schwartz that come from The O.C. but it really is Zachary Levi as Chuck that brings the show to the forefront. Don't get me wrong, my favorite character is Captain Awesome and I love Chuck's sister Ellie, but Levi is fantastic. A ton of guest stars are set to appear in season two, including Michael Clarke Duncan, John Larroquette, Melinda Clarke and Nicole Richie.


I can't disagree with Jaydon more about his feelings on Heroes. It was a solid number two in my power rankings all year long, although season two was not nearly as good as the premier season. The Mexicans story was a bore and I could've done without the mimic girl, but it was still way better than the first two seasons of two of Jaydon's favorites, Sopranos and Wire. Villains sounds very exciting for the name of the third season and I enjoy seeing an evil Claire in the promos for this season.


My Own Worst Enemy is a new show about Christian Slater, who has two personalities. A regular guy, and some sort of spy. It has potential to be good, mostly because it's on NBC and also because Will Scarlett is the man.