Debbie:
As I was vacationing last week, and happily reading over 700 pages of glorious text in only five days, I thought about what TV shows I may be missing.
Strangely enough, I didn’t yearn for a one. I knew my DVR was picking up Burn Notice , The Glades, Leverage and other summer shows I enjoy, so I was content in reading and playing family games.
I’m pretty sure I would have felt differently if it was high TV season and I was missing Supernatural, but I thought long and hard about which current television show I missed the most while I was beaching it.
If I had to pick, it would be a toss-up between White Collar and Psych. Yeah, I love you too, USA Network. I guess I must be longing for the buddy show, because those are the two that I would watch if I wasn’t all good-momming it last week. I love the pop culture references and the banter between Shawn and Gus; OK, Shawn and anyone. And the way Neal, Mozzie, Peter and Elizabeth all interact and relate to each other charms me.
So, Bob, I ask you, if you were not watching TV for a week, right now, in the middle of the summer TV doldrums, which show would you be missing most?
Bob:
This is, maybe, the easiest question you could have asked me. It’s not even a contest, as there is only one show on these days that even gets me a little excited. I could not live without Mad Men. It doesn’t just get me a little excited, I squee in excitement when I sit down to watch an episode, and I giggle with glee when it is over. Seriously, it’s one of my favorite shows on television, and this young season has been excellent.
If I were away for a week (yes, please), I would definitely be thinking about Mad Men come Sunday night or Monday morning. In fact, I might even take the hour out of my vacation, find a wi fi source and catch the new episode. Honestly, I can’t even think of another candidate right now. This summer has been particularly slow for me when it comes to TV. I’ve even given up on a few shows that I used to watch (White Collar and Burn Notice) because they just weren’t keeping my attention.
More than ever I’ve embraced my role as a TV snob, and Mad Men hits all the right notes for me. It’s deep, the characters are all interesting and real, the plots are subtle, there is a balance of comedy and drama, and the show looks great. It’s definitely one of the better looking shows on television, and was made for high definition. You really need to get on that train, Deb.
Debbie:
Ah, if only I had asked you a couple of weeks ago; it would have been a tougher choice!
So what train do I need to get on, the TV Snob Express, the Mad Men Locomotive or the HD Engine? I perhaps ride the caboose of the TV snob express at times, because I admit I’m growing tired of summer TV and am anxious for my favorite fall shows to start. But then again, when two of my favorite fall shows are Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries, it seems I need to jump off that caboose right about now.
I’m on the Mad Men train, I’m just slow about it, I’ve watched and enjoyed most of season one with Keith as he did his Virgin Diary and I’ll catch up on the rest eventually.
The HD Engine? I have it, I watch it but I do not embrace it. I am so sure no one out in TV viewership land needs to see Meredith Grey’s cold sore in such vibrant detail. That is all.
Bob:
Yeah, I was mainly talking about the Mad Men train. I know you well enough not to bother to even invite you onto the TV snob train.
There’s nothing wrong with a lot of these summer shows, and honestly a lot of them are good, but they just are not doing it for me this year. They are so “light” and “fun.” Perfect for a lot of people in the summer, I’m sure, but I was just craving something else for the last few months.
Debbie:
Yeah, quality television can be so depressing…. I’ll tell you that my favorite TV snob shows are House and Dexter, just so I can regain my status as a caboose-rider.
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Aug 18, 2010 @ 11:00 EST5EDT
Wow, guys. You’ve certainly hit on some of my favorites, but to ask me which Summer show I would miss is like asking me which of my favorite restaurants I would miss. Sometimes I crave one over another, but I enjoy every one of them when I’m in the right mood.
I’m not as concise with my list since I’m a big, old TV pig and like way too much TV to narrow it down to one or two shows. I’m a fan of the light and fun shows of the Summer, with a couple of heavier dramas thrown in for balance.
I’m a self-admitted scifi slut, so it wouldn’t be a proper list if I didn’t include my two favorite Summer offerings from SyFy: Warehouse 13 and Eureka. I like the banter and chemistry between Pete and Myka. They’re like brother and sister instead of some potential romantic couple and that’s a nice change. Actually, all the characters interact well together. Speaking of which, Eureka’s little “reboot” has made things fun again by rearranging some of the players, yet keeping the chemistry alive. I don’t know if this should go in the scifi or comedy category, but the return of Futurama on Comedy Central has me laughing again. I don’t know if it’s the writing or the fact that it’s been off the air for a while, but I’m enjoying it more than I think I ever have.
USA Network is my favorite network during the Summer and I won’t miss White Collar, Psych and, surprisingly, Royal Pains. The latter isn’t really much better than it was the first season, but the writers have brought Evan down a few notches and made him into a character you can care about rather than a character you’d like to shoot.
The Glades is nothing more than a fun procedural, but that’s what makes it a show a must watch. When the regular TV season comes along, there are about 2734 procedurals and not many that are fun.
For the serious drama, or snobbery, I love Mad Men as always, but Rubicon has become my favorite of the two. I wasn’t too keen on the pilot, but I always say I’ll give a show 6 episodes and it only took 2 for Rubicon to draw me in. While I look forward to Mad Men each week, I eagerly anticipate Rubicon and only hope it can keep up the level of intensity it has set up.
See? Like Lay’s potato chips I couldn’t eat just one!
ARGH! What I meant to say was, “USA Network is my favorite network during the Summer and I WILL (not won’t) miss White Collar, Psych and, surprisingly, Royal Pains.”
Rescue Me would be the one that I would really miss. It already happended this year, and I could not wait to fire up the dvr to watch once I returned home!
First thing I thought I would watch was True Blood…but I didn’t end up watching that for a few days. I think it was more of a situation where I needed to be in the right mood for it and not eating a meal!
Covert Affairs was the show I missed the most. But, I did catch up on all the USA shows. I love them all.
Covert affair will be the one I miss. It’s my favorite this season.
I’ll miss Matt Bomer and the ‘White Collar’ crew the most.
I’ll give a +1 to Tom’s list up there at the top. I’ve always been a sucker for a good Syfy show. They do a great job of blending awesome tech/weirdo stuff with good character interaction.
Royal Pains has gotten much better this year with the addition of Henry Winkler and a much more intriguing interaction between him and Boris.
Rubicon grabbed me pretty hard from the get go. It probably helped that right before the premiere, I had just gotten done watching The Pacific and was pumped to see some more James Badge Dale (you don’t think AMC planned that did they?! :-)
But my biggest show I would miss would be Entourage. Yes, it’s not quite the same this season as in summer’s past, but we’re getting deeper into a storyline that isn’t so happy go lucky anymore. It’s getting pretty interesting.
I’m with Tom–his 2nd part–White Collar particularly. Also, even though I think the addition of the added burned spy to BURN NOTICE dropped it a bit; I still find it must see. Then CLOSER has got to be another consideration–sure do love the fact that they came up with TIVO and DVR’s. As someone pointed out the other day; the real problem with the shows, is they have too short a season. Many of them, I prefer over a lot of the junk the networks come up with–especially the “Reality” crap.
I just watched a bunch of “Lie to Me” episodes and even if it’s only the second half of the second season, I’d miss that show. Mad Men is a whole different ballpark. That’s must see TV, I would feel lost without it, but I’d definitely “miss” Lie to Me. After hating it initially it really grew on me. I consider the USA shows to be generic dribble compared to it. Especially “White Collar” and “Royal Pains”. Not “The Closer” even though it has gotten really idiotic in parts as well. The characters have become too “quirky”, e.g. overdoing their schticks too much.
Even though I listed some USA shows as “must-see” (in fact, I watch all the USA original series) I agree that they’re not very meaty at all. But…that’s exactly why I like them. They’re my “Summertime popcorn flicks” if you will that are full of nice, fluffy fun. I still enjoy some heavier stuff like Mad Men and Rubicon, plus I’m a gigantic fan of Lie To Me, but I like turning off my brain a little for some fluff.
Not trying to argue with you, just giving my reasoning behind my love of those shows.
Someone pass the cotton candy! :o)
I enjoyed the first season of “Royal Pains” for what it was – fluff. Nice cars, good looking women but little substance. I understand the good ratings, the show is done well all in all. It’s just that I wouldn’t miss it. It’s like sugar. Empty calories :-)