Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – Who?

March 7, 2012 By 15 Comments

In this week’s Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday, Tiffany and I get a little out there with reviews of the new ABC mini-series, The River, and the long time BBC favorite, Doctor Who.

::puts on geek glasses::

Doctor Who, for those of you who have spent your entire existence living in some remote desert locale, is the longest running sci-fi series ever. The series initially ran from 1963-1989, then was revived in 2005. There have been six seasons since that time, with the seventh season due to arrive sometime this fall.

I know what some of you are thinking. That doesn’t count as the full run of the series. They remade it, right?

Unlike other sci-fi favorites that have been retooled, recreated, or turned into new spin offs (see Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek: TNG), Doctor Who is an actual continuation of the original series.

So what’s the story?

The titular character goes by simply “The Doctor” (often eliciting the response, “Doctor Who?”). While he looks human, he is actually an alien, the last of a species known as a Time Lord. He spends his days traveling through both space and time in the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space), which from the outside looks like an old style, blue police call box, a choice that blended in when the series began, but has remain unchanged even in the new seasons.

In his travels, he spends a lot of time saving others, and rather than resort to killing everything that poses a threat, gives alien and human threats a chance to make the right choices.

Oh, and The Doctor generally doesn’t travel alone. He picks up human companions* along the way, who he grows to care for, and often has to save from the trouble his travels bring them. No matter how much he cares for them, though, he tries not to get too close, since Time Lords live “practically forever”. While they don’t grow old, Time Lords do regenerate, which has left the way open for several actors to play the lead role.

For the non-nerds reading this, I know. This may sound a little cheesy.

Somehow, though, this series (particularly focusing on the series “regeneration” since 2005) will suck you in, even if you are not a fan of sci-fi.

It may be idea of escaping from a boring life to run off and save the world that may appeal. Or the idea that with power comes the pain of having to use it. Or maybe it’s the the whole “good conquering evil” element that runs through so many of our favorite stories.

Whatever reason draws you in, now is the time to watch. Since the series will return again in the fall, it’s a great time to get caught up on the recent six seasons (available on Netflix).

So, here are some basics. Across the six seasons you will see three different regenerations of The Doctor played by Chris Eccleston, David Tennant, and Matt Smith, simply known to most as Nine, Ten, and Eleven. When The Doctor regenerates, aspects of his personality can change, even his taste in food, so each regeneration means a little something new about the character.

You’ll meet several companions including Rose (Billie Piper), Martha (Freema Ageyman), Donna (Catherine Tate), Amy (Karen Gilian) and Rory (Arthur Darvill), who all bring their own strength and talents in the various catastrophic situations they encounter. One of the great things about The Doctor is his ability to see the good in humans that they don’t always see in themselves.

And of course, there are the bad guys. Aliens of all kinds make appearances, sometimes disguised as humans. Watch out for the Daleks, Cybermen, The Silence, and The Master.

Despite all this saving the world, the show is full of humor, and is lighter in many ways than most sci-fi shows (i.e. I am comfortable watching this with my toddler sitting next to me). If you are afraid of the technical explanations for time travel and the like, have no fear, as  it often boils down to “weebly, wobbly, timey, wimey”.

The writing in the series is especially good in the Stephen Moffat (writer, now executive producer) episodes, whose name you may recognize from an earlier watchwed recommendation, Sherlock. With all this time traveling, be assured that there are definitely twists and turns and lots of the unexpected.

While I haven’t mentioned continuous plot or story running through the series, there are some great plot lines and reveals. But you’ll have to learn about that for yourself. Spoilers.

This is most definitely GMacTV for me. There are the occasional episodes that could have been written better, but I still watch every one. I even re-watch  them.

Are you a sci-fi fan who hasn’t watched Dr. Who? Any other Whovians out there? Who is your favorite Doctor? (I’m a TEN girl myself.)

Now head over to Tiffany’s and find out more about The River.

Come back next week when we review two new (or maybe old) TV shows. We like to keep everyone on their toes.

Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss any of today’s reviews, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.

*not to be confused with a “companion” from Firefly…Dr. Who is very kid friendly

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more
MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies
GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food
JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds
TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol
SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out
NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer
LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech

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Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – A Guide

January 18, 2012 By 32 Comments

My TV watching buddy and I came to a realization recently. Why It’s Worth a Watch has been going strong for quite some time. With so many posts under our belts, we thought now would be a good time to give you a full recap of what shows will be satisfying your entertainment appetite, and which dishes you should pass on.

Going from the worst to best choices, here are the shows I’ve reviewed. Be sure to check out Tiffany’s list for a full guide of what’s worth watching. First off, a quick recap of the Watchwed rating system:

GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more
MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies
JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds
SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out
NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer
LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech

I’ve only had to suffer through one Liver and Onions worthy show, Hawthorne. Thankfully, the show was not renewed for another season, so unless you run into it in syndication, it will be easy to avoid this awful dish.

I was a bit surprised that I only have one awful review, but don’t get too excited. This is less of a sign of better TV shows as it is my reluctance to give anyone a truly awful review, and Tiffany’s reluctance to make me watch something I already think I’m going to hate.

Which probably explains why I came up with Nyquil Induced Viewing. There are a few shows that fall in the “only when under the influence and trapped in bed” category. Sadly, both shows feature a female lead. Hollywood, please, I beg of you, write more quality roles for women. I know you can do it. The Protector and Body of Proof definitely are not evidence of that. (Incidentally, The Protector was not renewed for a second season. Body of Proof has been, but struggles in the ratings.)

When I’m looking for empty calories, my Junk Food TV shows were Chloe King on ABC Family and Harry’s Law. Being that I never returned to watching The Nine Lives of Chloe King, it was junk food that didn’t really grab my sweet tooth. This treat was discontinued (cancelled) in September, but others must still be looking for it, as ABC Family is in talks for a movie version. Harry’s Law sits in the DVR queue for weeks at a time and only gets a watch if there is nothing else around to satisfy my TV craving, but last I heard the network ordered six more episodes, so it’s still safe in the candy drawer.

Going back through the reviews, I noticed that one solitary show was sitting on the back burner still. Necessary Roughness caught my eye initially with Craig Bierko involved, but episodes without him didn’t hold my interest. It wasn’t bad, so it at least deserves to be tossed in the back of my junk drawer for later.

Now, judging by the amount of shows that fall in the MacTV and GTV rating categories, I love TV more than I care to admit.

While I haven’t watched the latest season, my very first #watchwed post fell between Junk Food and MacTV viewing, an impressive feat for a show on a network I never watched previous to this series. Switched at Birth, while predictable, was easy to watch drama on ABC Family. In the same category, a show I enjoy (but don’t get too upset if I miss) is Royal Pains, a light medical drama on USA. Also a simple, enjoyable watch.

Although blessed with a huge budget and substantial names backing it, Terra Nova only garnered a MacTV rating upon additional review. And that’s mostly because I kind of dig dinosaurs. I’m more excited about another newcomer, Falling Skies, set to return in the summer, as well as Once Upon a Time, a fairy tale based series created by the fellows that brought you Lost. Despite having somewhat favorable #watchwed ratings, sci-fi and fantasy shows don’t have a great track record lately, even popular ones, as I discovered when I went to review Eureka. We’ll see if Terra Nova or Falling Skies can break the trend.

That's the fear of cancellation in their eyes.

Comedy sitcoms have been pretty surprising this past year. With ratings ranging from the questionable macaroni salad that is Community to the gourmet mac that is Parks and Recreation, there seems to be something for everyone. Newcomers Suburgatory and New Girl have both been pleasant surprises, shows that I look forward to and even rewatch.

A Mac rated show I haven’t kept up with, but perhaps should, is Covert Affairs. With the soon to be absence of Chuck on my TV (::moment of silence: :) I could use something to fill the gap, and this just might be the right show. For now.

Pourin' a 40...

My favorite of my MacTV shows has to be Person of Interest. Great action, premise, and actors. I really look forward to settling in for this one, living up to its Gourmet MacTV rating.

So, what were my favorites of the “Why It’s Worth a Watch…” series thus far?

Initially, my Gourmet rating bore the kiss of death. Men of a Certain Age, a well written and acted drama, was too slow for the TV watching majority and didn’t survive. House, a show that I admit is probably MacTV viewing for most by now, but still held a special place with me, is also being considered for cancellation.

But the success of some of my other GTV shows gives me hope. The Mentalist continues to move forward with the Red John storyline, but in a way that keeps me interested. The Good Wife and Mad Men are proof that strong female leads can be written on TV (they have more female writers than most shows…take a hint TV). Castle continues to keep me and many others entertained, particularly with its winks and nods to loyal fans with inside jokes and Firefly references.

And Nathan Fillion, of course.

But more than all of them, the fanciest most gourmet meal on my plate goes to:

I just swoon.

Downton Abbey. Season two began last week and I am once more swooning over everything about this show. Originally a “Queue It Up!” selection in our series, it’s back on PBS in full swing and should not be missed. If you watch nothing else, watch this show. It is, without a doubt, absolutely delicious.

WATCH IT NOW!

Ahem.

If that’s not enough for you, Tiffany and I each gave a couple of our Netflix queue favorites in addition to our regular reviews. On my list was Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Sherlock, and of course, Firefly.

We’ve got more new shows coming, so many more reviews to come! What shows already in progress need to be in our list? What new shows are you looking forward to? 

Thank you to all of our readers for your continued support of the Why It’s Worth a Watch series. If you aren’t chatting with us about your favorites on Twitter, come find us using the #watchwed tag.


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Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – Queue it Up!

August 10, 2011 By 49 Comments

This week, Tiffany and I take a break from our usual TV watching to recommend shows you may have missed. Many TV watchers out there are taking advantage of Netflix’ streaming option, so we thought we would share some of our favorites to throw in your queue.

My first pick: Firefly.

The cast, not in costume. Eye candy for all!

I have to confess. I am a Browncoat. That’s right. This show has such a following that the fans have their own cool nickname. And why shouldn’t we?

Firefly is set in the future, the year 2517 to be precise, and the primary setting of the series is the ship “Serenity” named after a key battle that the Independents lost to the Alliance. The “Serenity” is a firefly-class ship, named for it’s resemblance to a firefly.

Lots of fan art out there...

The show itself blends some visuals you wouldn’t expect. The inner planets, those strongly influenced by the central government (The Alliance) are high tech, with strong Asian influence. The outer planets, less bothered by the government, but lacking in the comforts of the inner planets, resemble the Wild West.

The juxtaposition of elements like spaceships flying over herds of horses, while strange in theory, blend together to make an original show worthy of catching your interest.

And then there are the characters, which we all know are my favorite part of any show worth watching.

We may experience some slight turbulence and then - explode

What would a ship be without a captain? Captain Mal (Nathan Fillion, Castle) is a man of some mystery. While his crew takes some less than honest jobs, he is a man of integrity and moral character, with a fierce loyalty to his ship and crew. He was a Sargent in the war, fighting for the Independents (or Browncoats), which is why he finds himself living on the outskirts of society. He leads a crew full of strong personalities, so while he is a great leader, he doesn’t win every argument he partakes in.

Lookin' for a fight...

Adam Baldwin (Chuck) plays Jayne Cobb, the ships muscle. Or guy with grenades. Whatever the occasion, he is ready to fight, sometimes too ready, and isn’t always the brightest. The beauty of his character is that he doesn’t think before he speaks, which on occasion means voicing what everyone else is thinking. It is entirely possible that he isn’t as dumb as he seems.

I am a leaf on the wind

The ship’s pilot, Wash (Alan Tudyk) tends to offer comic relief in even the most stressful situations, and is one of the more sensitive men on the ship, having learned to be a pilot to see the stars. He tries to show his tougher side in one of my favorite episodes “War Stories” when he insists on accompanying Mal on a mission, driven by jealousy of Zoe and Mal’s history as war compatriots.

What I really dig (that’s right, I said dig) about this show are the strong female characters. Zoe (Gina Torres, Suits) is Wash’s wife, but was Captain Mal’s war buddy long before that, having served under him as a coporal. She is strong, a fighter, stoic in the face of horrible circumstances, and adores her husband. How many women on TV are depicted that way?

Then there’s Inara (Morena Baccarin, V) a “companion” who rents a shuttle from the ship, so becomes a part of their crew. She is the equivalent of a courtesan, a position that is looked on with respect by most people, Mal not being one of them. She is educated and independent, and she provides some romantic tension in the show (not to mention brings out Mal’s softer side from time to time).

Kaylee (Jewel Staite, Warehouse 13) is the ship’s mechanic. She is the sweetest character, who has a gift for mechanics, and loves everyone on the ship without reservation. She is the least mysterious character, which makes her that much more likable. She is what she is and you love her for it. (Also, the actress Jewel Staite has a great food blog. Unrelated, but highly recommend it.)

Not original members of the crew, but still very important to the story are the doctor, Simon Tam (Sean Mahrer, Warehouse 13) and his troubled sister, River Tam (Summer Glau, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Dollhouse) who are seeking refuge on the ship, as the young doctor rescued his sister from the Alliance, who have done something to her that he can’t quite figure out. (I’m not telling. Go watch it.) The ship even gets itself a preacher, Shepherd Book (Ron Glass), who’s mysteries we never fully get the opportunity to unravel.

Joss Whedon writes killer dialogue. It’s smart and sharp. It is true banter. Not just two people speaking too quickly for anyone to keep up. (Although you may want to brush up on your Mandarin. Just sayin’.)

And yet, this show, when it aired back in 2002 got the axe before they could even finish the first season. The good news is that if you watch the whole season (including the unaired episodes) and want more, a movie was later released – “Serenity” – that may make you feel a little better.

But only a little.

I’m supposed to tell you my favorite episodes here, but to be honest, I can watch this series start to finish over and over, I love every bit of it.

“Our Mrs. Reynolds” and “Trash” are two episodes with guest star, Christina Hendricks (of Mad Men fame) that are particularly good.

While Sci-Fi, this show has an appeal that goes beyond geek. The cast is talented (and easy on the eyes), the writing is unique, the visuals are interesting; I wish there were still shows like this being made.

As I wait for that to happen, I will continue to stream my beloved Firefly. A GTV (GourmetTV) all the way friends. A nice rare steak with Singapore Noodles on the side.

Shiny.

Are you a browncoat? If not, are you considering adding this one to your queue?

Now head over and see what our TV expert has in her queue. Next week, we bring more Netflix desirables to clutter up your weekends and take you through your laundry piles.

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Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – Science Fiction Edition

July 20, 2011 By 17 Comments

It’s Science Fiction week on #watchwed! We’re bringing you aliens and superhumans care of TNT and SyFy. Don’t forget to let us know what you think about the latest offerings on the blogs or on Twitter.

This week I bring you, Falling Skies!

Falling Skies is set six months after aliens have invaded earth and exterminated a great part of the population. Appealing to not only the scifi geeks among us, history buffs may be pleased to note that the show is actually inspired by the events at Lexington and Concord at the beginning of the American Revolution. Really.

History professor and fearless leader

The man we are meant to see as our hero in the story, Tom Mason (Noah Wyle), is a former history professor, now “freedom fighter”, leading survivors in battle. His greatest fight, however, is the one to find and save his middle son, who has been taken captive my these aliens.

You see, the aliens, classified into two groups, Mechs (big metallic creatures) and Skitters (creepy spidery things), kidnapped a large number of children and control them using insect-like harnesses. So survival isn’t just about fleeing and fighting. It’s also about rescuing, too.

Science Fiction has not been faring well on the major networks outside of SyFy. V, The Event, even Battlestar Galactica (which oringinally was slated for a major network and was, in my opinion, pretty brilliant) didn’t grab the mainstream audience for long.

Can Falling Skies succeed where the others failed?

I think it might.

It has several things going for it which give it appeal to an audience beyond scifi fans.

A man fighting for his family. Humans finding themselves up against each other in a time when they should all band together (which brings us one of the more interesting characters in the series). A possible romance between two “good guys”, the father/leader and the beautiful doctor (the gorgeous Moon Bloodgood) who have both tragically lost their spouses in the invasion.

So pretty. (and Steven Weber!)

Oh, and did I mention that Steven Spielberg’s name is attached to it?

In addition, it will be interesting to find out more about these cruel invaders. What do they want? Do they experience emotion like humans? Is it possible that they are just trying to survive, too?

The dystopian science fiction tale is a nice change of pace in my TV watching queue, so I am going to give this a MacTV. Some moments are predictable and perhaps even formulaic, yet, I am drawn to watch and see what happens.

What do you think of Falling Skies? Are you a fan of the genre, but not the show? Or vice versa? Have you adjusted to seeing Noah Wyle as a bearded hero with a gun?

Now, head over to Tiffany’s blog and check out Alphas, starring David Strathairn (who didn’t love him in Sneakers?) on the SyFy network.

Also, if you haven’t already heard, we will be doing a special Emmy post next month. Check the details here, and cast your votes!

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more
MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies
JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds
SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out
NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer
LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech

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