Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Honorable Mentions

Whoah buddy! The fall tv season is upon us, and so are the September Power Rankings here at the Quiet Pool Perspective. Here is your look at what you should be watching, or catching up on if you have missed the boat.

Show (Last Week) red=moving down, green=moving up

30 Rock (18) Thursdays on NBC
The NBC comedy didn't leave that great of a taste in my mouth after last season, so it falls out of the rankings. It doesn't air again until mid-season, so I doubt it will return any time soon.

Kasey on Bachelor Pad

Bachelor Pad (-) Mondays on ABC
I don't watch Bachelor. I don't watch Bachelorette. But putting all of these crazy people in one house does it for me. This season hasn't had a top group as enjoyable as last year's Dave and Kovacs, but it's been just as fun to hate on Kasey and Vienna.

Entourage (-) Sundays on HBO
I haven't hated this final season of Entourage thus far, but it has been really boring. Other than the episode when Tig blew his brains out, I could really care less about what is going on. I vote for Vince getting back on coke before it's all over. That was the most interesting thing in series history.

Falling Skies (HM) Sundays on TNT
I enjoyed the first season of Falling Skies, but if this was on during the year, it definitely would have started to back up on my DVR. I was never excited to see the next episode, but it was nice to have each Sunday this summer.

Dave and Alex on Happy Endings

Happy Endings (-) Wednesdays on ABC
I just finished listening to Mo Ryan and Ryan McGee wax on about the things they didn't like about Happy Endings. I was visibly angry at them. I really enjoy this series and you all should get on board the Happy Endings train. I'm not sure what the point of airing a new episode in the middle of the summer was, but I was pretty excited to see it.

iCarly (-) Fridays on Nickelodeon
With Hannah, Jonas, and Sonny of the air, Nickelodeon is the current king of teen comedies with iCarly coming into its own. I've enjoyed Miranda Cosgrove ever since School of Rock, but never gave this show a chance until this summer. She and her tv older brother Jerry Trainor kill it on this Nick show week in and week out.

The Lying Game (-) Mondays on ABC Family
I could only get through two episode of Nine Lives of Chloe King, I have seen six of Switched at Birth but not really enjoying it, so The Lying Game is the only new ABC Fam show I am really enjoying. The leading girl is all well and good, but it's her tv sister that I am really loving. This is some nice and light summer fare.

The Mentalist (-) Thursdays on CBS
It took me a while to finish this past season of The Mentalist, but once I got to that finale, I was certainly glad I did. It was some of the most suspenseful and emotional television I had seen in a while. I just don't know where the show goes from here, now that the only long-running story line is basically finished.

Marnie on True Blood

True Blood (HM) Sundays on HBO
This season hasn't been nearly as strange for strange's sake as last year, but I was over the witches from day one...especially Marnie. I can not stand her, and she is ruining the entire season. The only bright spot from this season has been Bill's development into a likable character...well that and the absence of Larry's were-panthers.

Wilfred (HM) Thursdays on FX
I've said enough about Wilfred through my reviews as of late, but I wanted to put it here in Honorable Mentions to note that I was very close to adding it to the Top 20. I have thoroughly enjoyed this first season, and am excited to see the finale.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- Honorable Mentions

Since many shows are on hiatus during the summer, and I am getting ready to leave for an LA vacation (writing this on Sunday), I'm only going to post a few notes on each series. The honorable mentions are some shows that I watch that don't currently make my top 20. They're not necessarily 21-30, but I enjoy them and others should think about checking them out. Without further ado, here are July's Quiet Pool Perspective Power Rankings.

Honorable Mentions

Show- (last time)...red=moving down, green=moving up

30 Rock- (12) Thursdays on NBC
The TGSers seem to really be falling out of good graces at the Pool as 30 Rock falls from 13th to honorable mention after a strangely bad season.

Eastbound and Down- (-) Sundays on HBO
The Danny McBride comedy finally has a second season premiere date. Kenny Powers will return to the screens, where he's always f'ing in, on September 26th on HBO.

Greek- (-) Mondays on ABC Family
Cappie and company are on what I believe will be a quick hiatus. Greek returns for a fourth and final installment before the end of the summer.

Hung- (-) Sundays on HBO
I'm not a big fan of the HBO quasi-comedy, but since I'm writing about it for TVFanatic.com, I figured I'd give it a quick plug here.

Jonas LA- (19) Sundays on Disney Channel
The reinvention for season two takes a dip in comedy but the corny drama is still really good.

Men of a Certain Age- (-) Mondays on TNT
Ray Romano is getting Emmy buzz for his dramatic role as Joe Tranelli, and deservedly so.

Mentalist, The- (16) Thursdays on CBS
The procedural is losing no steam in terms of ratings, but for personally I'd like to see a bit more serialization here.

Persons Unknown- (-) Mondays on NBC
The first three episodes have been decent to good. It's a nice summer thriller if not nearly on par with last season's Harper's Island.

Ricky Gervais Show, The- (-) Sundays on HBO
Probably just as good as a podcast, but the added animation puts it at the top of my animated series list. Can't beat Ricky's laugh.

Top Chef- (-) Wednesdays on Bravo
Quality reality competition currently airing this season from D.C.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- 20 Through 11

Well it's that time again. Along with hearing myself talk, here at the Quiet Pool Perspective we like to let you know what tv you should be watching. Every two months I give you a few quick thoughts on the best television out there for viewing in what we call here at The Pool, the Bi-Monthly Power Rankings. As always I will rank the top 20 series on tv and here's what the May 2010 version looks like.

20 Through 11

Show- (last time)...red=moving down, green=moving up

20. Justified- (-) Tuesdays on FX
I haven't gotten a chance to post about an episode of Justified since the premiere (because Idol and Lost take up my time on Tuesday and Wednesday), but it has been very solid early on. None have been as good as the first ep. The semi-procedural nature of the show is a nice change-up for me. Just like The Mentalist and House, Justified works as a great procedural because of how good the main character is.

19. Jonas- (HM) Sundays on Disney Channel
The Jo Bros finished up their first season of television in March with a fantastic finale chock full of musical performances. All three guys bring a certain Zack Morrisian charm to the show, right down to the words and glances to the camera. People can rant and rave about Glee all they want, but Jonas is the best musical comedy on television.

18. 24- (13) Mondays on FOX
Oh how the mighty have fallen. I'm not one of these guys who's gonna write a show off just because it does the same thing over and over (like many critics out there). I can appreciate the repetitiveness of a 24 when it's doing it well. Last season they did it well. Whether it was the reintroduction of Tony or the fact they were working with the FBI and not CTU, it was a great season. This year they've taken a nose dive and it's sad that they'll be going out on a bad note.

17. Parks and Recreation- (20) Thursdays on NBC
I can't imagine what the addition of Adam Scott to this rising comedy is gonna do. I know I might be a bit biased, because I absolutely loved his character Derek Huff on Step Brothers, but I think the show would be better suited if he played closer to that character than his Party Down character. His dry, down-on-his-luck Henry Pollard works for Party Down because everyone around him is so outrageous, but on Parks you already have April and Ron that fill the quiet comedy assassin roles. We need somebody to come in and tell all of these people how dumb they are. Cue Derek Huff.

16. The Mentalist- (18) Thursdays on CBS
Patrick Jane's sarcasm goes a long way, but it's been the extra effort of Kimball Cho that keeps The Mentalist in the rankings. Yes it's a straight procedural, but every once in a while you need one of those to keep things light. The supporting cast has been great this season, especially Cho, who got an entire ep dedicated to him and his gang related past earlier in the year.

15. American Idol- (12) Tuesdays on FOX
Did American Idol just drop down to my third favorite reality series? It's a sad state of affairs, but how can you blame me? The competition this season has been lacking, the judges continue to get on my nerves, and even Seacrest hasn't been on his game this year. The early eliminations of Lilly Scott and Did Benami didn't help the cause. Maybe it is a product of the majorly boring episode we endured this week, but I'm glad X-Factor will be around soon to spice things up.

14. Survivor- (17) Thursdays on CBS
In my opinion, you should have to watch the Life at Ponderosa webisodes on CBS.com if you watch Survivor. It really gives you the full effect of the season. The bittersweetness that exudes from each contestant that gets voted off is breathtaking to watch. They get to stuff their face with great food, shower away the disgust, and sleep in an actual bed. But then again they lost, so they are deeply saddened at the same time. Great stuff. Oh and by the way this has been a great season of back stabs.

13. Mad Men- (15) Sundays on AMC
I think Mad Men moves up just based on folk lore. When I watch the show it moves down the rankings, and when it's not on it Mad Men moves up. Credit all of the tv blogs and podcasts that continue to claim that it is one of the best shows on television. I still don't see it that way, but if it's not always super entertaining, the superb quality of the series needs to get credit.

12. 30 Rock- (14) Thursdays on NBC
James Poniewozik said that "sometimes it's just worth taking note of what an effortlessly weird show this has become." And I agree completely. I thought at first that 30 Rock had gotten really bad this season, but I might have mistaken bad for weird. Don't get me wrong, it's still not where it used to be, but it's just oh so weird now. Everything is completely over the top, and my memory may be failing me but I don't remember it like that in the beginning.

11. Big Brother- (11) Summers on CBS
The more I watch Idol and Survivor, the more I realize how great the Big Brother season is. There's something so refreshing about relaxing in the summertime heat and watching people fight with each other three times a week. We had a terrible cast of awful human beings this season and it was fantastic. Imagine if they get some dudes I would enjoy watching!

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- 20 Through 11

Now that the Olympics are over many of our favorite shows are set to return. Plenty of new shows are also on the horizon. Let's see where The Perspective's Power Rankings stacks everyone up. January and February brought back plenty of series in the Top 20, including perennial number one LOST. I've also caught myself all the way up on a couple of cable gems (Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad) so things might look a bit different near the top this time around. A few shows that have missed the cut (Bored to Death, V, Eastbound) not because of failure to entertain, but for lack of episodes and too much time off. Without further ado here are the shows you should be watching, The Quiet Pool Perspective's March Power Rankings.

20 Through 11

Show- (last time)...red=moving down, green=moving up

20. Parks and Recreation- (HM) Thursdays on NBC
The Office copycat makes the top 20 for the first time due to the continued strength of Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer, the emergence of April Ludgate as a great female character, and a couple of great guest spots in Fred Armisen and Will Arnett.

19. Flash Forward- (17) Tuesdays on ABC
Most of the Poolie voters seem to like this catastrophic drama more than I or anyone else I read does, but it ideology and potential keep in in the top 20. After a long hiatus let's see if the switching of showrunners (twice?) points it in the right direction.

18. The Mentalist- (19) Thursdays on CBS
Still my favorite procedural out there. Patrick Jane all but matches Greg House step for step, but it is the quality of the minor characters and storylines that put it over the top.

17. Survivor- (15) Thursdays on CBS
It was hard to move up after the ending of last season, so Survivor drops a few spots. I'm more than sure that the original reality series will slide back up the rankings as Heroes vs. Villains continues.

16. 90210- (14) Tuesdays on The CW
They continue to shuffle in and out horrific actors and plots that aren't much better, but it is the nod to the original 90210 that keeps me hanging on. If anything, Annalynne McCord as Naomi Clark is worth checking it out all by herself.

15. Mad Men- (11) Sundays on AMC
The third of five straight shows that moved back in the rankings. Mad Men's move has more to do with the addition of Sons and Breaking than its own merits. The 1960s drama doesn't compare to all the critical praise it receives, but it's still a very good show.

14. 30 Rock- (7) Thursdays on NBC
Tina Fey and crew are really making me wonder if 30 Rock ever was as good as I thought it was. I guess it will have to wait until I check out a few eps from seasons past before I can make that judgment. I do know that this season has been lackluster at best.

13. 24- (6) Mondays on FOX
I huge fall for the real time action series. As was talked about in the second episode of the Quiet Poolcast, this season just isn't doing it for me. Yeah I know many people have tired of 24's ways, but I have enjoyed it throughout. Maybe it's just Dana that is ruining it for me.

12. American Idol- (12) Tuesdays on FOX
There might be only a couple of shows that I get as excited for as American Idol. It doesn't move up the rankings though, because it also has the tendency to let me down. The first week of live shows was a complete disaster.

11. Big Brother- (9) Summers on CBS
I wish that Big Bro got the two seasons per 12 months treatment that Survivor and Amazing Race get from CBS, but then again three episodes per week in the summer is also a pleasant way to spend July and August.

Bi-Monthly Power Rankings- 20 Through 11

As the winter hiatus is upon us, four months of the television season has passed us by. A lot has happened since The Perspective's November Power Rankings, so let's see where everyone stacks up at the beginning of 2010. These Bi-Monthly Power Rankings take into account both current and past performance. For example, although I have enjoyed Modern Family much more than 30 Rock this season, the NBC comedy stays on top of the ABC laugher because of its historical performance. Without further ado here are the Quiet Pool Perspective's January TV Power Rankings.

20 Through 11

Ranking. Show- (last time)...red=moving down, green=moving up

20. Greek- (15) Mondays on ABC Family
This series has to be ending soon right? They can't continue it without the likes of Cappie, Casey and Evan. And they have to be graduating come this spring season. Greek will return this month and if they keep highlighting Cappie and Dale it should stay in the top 20.

19. The Mentalist- (16) Thursdays on CBS
The only procedural to make my top 20, The Mentalist succeeds on the performances of its cast. Sure Patrick Jane is one of my favorite leading characters, but between Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt you always get plenty of laughs in what is a crime drama. As the show loses Charles Logan, who will return to 24 this spring, I'm curious to see how the new boss at the CBI fits into things.

18. Wizards of Waverly Place- (12) Fridays on Disney Channel
The Russo clan took a bit of a drop here, but was mostly because I gave Wizards too much love last rankings. The recent rise of Jonas also made me dial back how much I liked Wizards. The start to the third season has been good, but the Frankengirl episode ruined a lot of things for me.

17. Flash Forward- (HM) Thursdays on ABC
Here's the thing. Everyone I trust who watches television (Poolie voters) loves Flash Forward. Everything I read, on the interweb and the blogosphere, says it isn't any good. My two cents are this. It could be really good, but misses out by a smidge and therefore critics are trashing it. It's still a quality mystery show with a good amount of action.

16. V- (-) Tuesdays on ABC
Anna and her friends have only been invading Earth for four episodes, but they have made an immediate impact. As opposed to Flash Forward, V has done a better job (in less time) at giving their characters some substance. I can relate to Juliet, the Father and T-time (or whatever their names are) more than I have with anyone on Flash.

15. Survivor- (HM) Thursdays on CBS
Although he failed to win this season of Survivor, he single handedly moved it up my power rankings. Without him what would this season of the show have been? Terrible is what I'd say. His skills in the game, his cocky attitude, and his ability to tell the camera exactly what the audience wanted to hear made him one of the greatest reality contestants in a while.

14. 90210- (11) Tuesdays on The CW
While other shows have moved ahead of it, there is no discredit to the the West Bev soap. 90210 is gaining steam in its second season, no doubt due to the creator/writing change. The storylines have been better and the acting has been better (if you don't take into account Tristan Wilds). Naomi Clarke is the best female in Beverly Hills since Valerie Malone left.

13. Community- (HM) Thursdays on NBC
The Greendale Human Beings made one of the biggest jumps in the rankings. I couldn't allow for it to be too far behind the other top sitcoms. It has been that good. Although it doesn't have a big gun, a la Michael Scott or Tracy Jordan, the ensemble as a whole has been as good or better than The Office or 30 Rock this season. Even though Abed and Pierce are my personal favorites, everyone brings something to the table week in and week out.

12. American Idol- (13) Tuesdays on FOX
As we embark on the next installment of Idol, beginning this month, everyone should be worried. Sure everyone made fun of Paula and her drunken comments, but wasn't that half the fun? Sometimes I surprise myself when I state that I think Ellen is funny, but I do. Do I think she'll be able to take the place of Paula? That I am not sure of. And after a season with the crazy but fantastic Adam Lambert, Idol could be in for a let down in 2010.

11. Mad Men- (17) Sundays on AMC
Another big jumper this time around. At the last rankings it was 17 with only one episode left in the third season. That final ep wasn't the sole reason for this jump, but it was a good majority of it. As much as I have claimed that I'm not that into Mad Men, and I only watch it because everyone in the world says it's awesome, I really think that it has resonated with me. The longer I have been away from the ad men, the better the show gets.

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

Thursday Thoughts

Flash Forward
I know it was only the first episode of the series, but I'm absolutely ready to dash for Flash. This was a great season premier and I definitely recommend it as the show to watch this fall so that you don't have to catch up later on. The premise of the show is just fantastic and unlike anything else on television right now. This epic event (everyone flashing their consciousness forward six months) happens to everyone in the entire world at the same time and now the characters in the show have to A)figure out what exactly happened, B)why it happened, and C)is it going to happen again. Much as the series premiers of Lost and Heroes felt game-changing, so did that of Flash Forward.

Now let's talk about the all-star cast of familiar faces in this crew.

The one who is dead in his flash forward- Harold of Harold and Kumar fame

The wife of the main dude- Penelope Widmore of Lost or Charlie's new wife in Terminator: TSCC

The dude Penny cheats on her husband with in her flash- Yes that is Commodore Norrington of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

The head FBI dude in charge of the main dude and Harold- The one, the only, the RUNAWAY SLAVE, Jim from Adventure of Huck Finn

Soon to be seen is the lost from Lost Dominic Monaghan who played Charlie Pace on the acclaimed show

Edit: I forgot about the Famous Jet Jackson

The Office
After two weeks of Office and one of Curb, I think I have to move the Larry David special ahead in my rankings. Office is still very good, but doesn't have the same kick it did during season 2-3 lure. Dwight teaming up with Toby for this week's ep definitely brightened up last year's Lily Finerty Award winner, and didn't drop Dwight at all. Toby yelling at Daryl's sister from the car with the binocs was awesome. How come Jim isn't ever funny anymore. I remember him being funny on occasion in the past.

Community
It has not taken off yet, but another good episode this week. Joel McHale is great and Chevy Chase was even better than week one. The Indian kid wasn't as good as the premier episode, but still quality. I'm looking for one of the chicks to step up the plate and prove something. I feel it might be Pete Campbell's wife. She showed some promise in this ep. At the end, when Joel and Chevy did their epic Spanish presentation, I laughed hysterically. The only problem was that that was the only time I laughed out loud.

The Mentalist
As most procedural do, The Mentalist got right back in the swing of things with their hum dee dumb format. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely enjoyed. Any format would work with this crew. One major note is that Rigsby lost some serious wait between the first and second seasons. If that doesn't get Van Pelt seriously interested in him, I don't know what will. Patrick Jane was on his game as usual, and the overlying plot line of Red John is still lurking. I'm glad that it will always be on the back burner so that the show has some sort of end game.

Parks and Recreation
Ann's boyfriend is fantastic. He lives in a ditch, eats the fruits and vegetables from Leslie's garden, and spies on his ex-girlfriend. Tom Haverford is the only other dude on the show I can't get behind right now. Ann is quality, although she's just playing Karen Filipelli. Amy Poehler is garbage. The good-looking dude isn't funny. The boss doesn't do it for me. And the young girl is boring. Definitely behind Community at this point.

CBS Fall Preview

What we're excited for from CBS this fall.

Full fall lineup with recommendations can be found here.

The Mentalist
As the only procedural show that I have been able to watch an entire season of, The Mentalist does it for me for one major reason. Patrick Jane. This guy is an unbelievable character. As a consultant to the California Bureau of Investigation, Jane uses his mentalist abilities to solve crimes. It is not his abilities, but his cocky attitude and charm that pop off the screen each week. The cast of characters around him put the show over the top for me. Kirsten's sister from The O.C. and the Asian guy from the AT&T commercials are two of the best supporting characters out there.

Survivor
Although still not nearly as good as Big Brother, which this summer's latest installment of the houseguest reality show has proved, Survivor is the next best thing. CBS is really promoting the coming season hard, exclaiming that this fall's version of the survival competition will introduce the biggest Survivor villain ever. Although I'm not quite sure what a reality show villain is, it gets me excited. Is a villain someone that the cast hates, or someone the audience hates? Is it someone that is really mean, but the audience loves? Is it someone that is really obnoxious that the audience can't stand, but because they are so ridiculous you kind of like them? Whichever it is, it sounds good to me.

CBS Upfronts- Gut Reactions

What's Gone
Without a Trace, The Unit, Worst Week, Eleventh Hour, The Ex-List

--Nothing to talk about here. Only thing I watched was Worst Week, and that was sub-par at best.

What's Back
Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, CSI: Miami, NCIS, Mentalist, Criminal Minds, New Adv. of Old Christine, CSI: NY, CSI, Ghost Whisperer, Numb3rs, Cold Case, Amazing Race, Survivor, Gary Unmarried, Rules of Engagement, Flashpoint

--Surprisingly I watch a good amount of shows on my most hated network. Great move sticking with Gary Unmarried and I'll be tuning in for the Race, Survivor, Rules and Mentalist. How many CSIs does CBS really need?

What's New
Accidentally On Purpose, Three Rivers, The Good Wife, NCIS: LA, Miami Trauma, The Bridge, Undercover Boss, Arranged Marriage

--No thank you to all of them.

What's Switched
Medium

--So NBC cancels Medium and CBS decides to pick it up and put it on Friday nights. The funny thing is that because it's on CBS it will now do well. It's a shame that everything does well on CBS but great shows like Chuck struggle to do well on NBC.