TV time

the beginning of the school season also marks the beginning of the television season and the hockey season; it also marks the beginning of my descent into academic purgatory on account of all the above.

anyway, here is a list of the stuff i am watching, or will be watching, in case you are interested (since i have good tv taste, right?).

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Book 3: Fire
Genre: Animated Action/Comedy
though it is aimed at the under 18 demographic, the show's depth, excellent writing, spot-on character voicing and stellar animation sets it a cut above all other kids shows. season 3 was originally slated to be the final act of the 3-part story, but it looks like there will be 3 more seasons following this one as well as a live-action movie trilogy helmed by M. Night Shyamalan.

Dexter - Season 2
Genre: Live-action Thriller/Drama/Comedy
the heavily serial nature of this show makes it difficult to watch part way through a season as themes, motifs and story arcs run season-long. but it also makes this show difficult to put down once you've started. i watched season 1 straight through in about 3 days. it walks a fine twisted line between the darkest abyss of human savagery and slightly off-beat black humour. unlike Avatar, i would not watch this with kids.

Pushing Daisies - Season 1
Genre: Live-action Fantasy Drama/Comedy/Procedural
this show just premiered last week and it has already hooked me. it might have something to do with the whacky premise. it might have something to do with the fantastic colours. it probably has a lot to do with the way it reminds me of Amelie. there was even a scene in the pilot episode ("Pie-lette") that had a song from Amelie playing in the background. the lead actress, Anna Friel, reminds me of the canceled Standoff's Rosmarie DeWitt.

Smallville - Season 7
Genre: Live-action Action/Soap Opera
this is one of my guilty pleasures. the writing is crappy and sappy. half of the acting is pretty sucky. and again, the writing is REALLY REALLY crappy. but still i watch it. because it's Superman, pre-flight.

The Office - Season 4
Genre: Live-action Comedy
this show has almost everything i've ever wanted in a show: smart writing, humour (ranging from flagarantly crude to subtle snark), eye-candy, witty dialogue and videography, and characters that i care about. the only thing that's missing is action (but there is some of that).

come January, some other shows will be coming back:
Battlestar Galactica - Season 4
Genre: Live-action Science Fiction Action/Drama
this show can take you to moral, ethical, political, legal, social, and personal places you couldn't possibly grasp on your own. just because it is set in space does not mean they don't deal with racism, elitism, discrimination, love, justice, violence, etc. the dialogue is... not memorable, but the fully developed characters are. sometimes you'll find yourself saying, "Admiral Adama would not have allowed that," when watching the politcal reports on the news. sadly, season 4 will be the last one.

Psych - Season 2 (second half)
Genre: Live-action Procedural/Comedy
you know all those shows that have cropped up recently that are based on Sherlock Holmes? let me refresh your memory: House, Monk, Bones, CSI, blah blah blah... anyways, Psych is the funny version. it reminds me very much of Scrubs. it is a very self-aware comedy that is not afraid to poke fun of itself and the genre of police procedurals.