My TV show rotation in review - Part 7

Well, my show rotation has been set for nearly 2 weeks now, so it is about time to go through it and write up one of these little blog entries that no one reads. 16 shows are currently in my rotation, however I am very close to finishing up with a few of them.

I burned through the Returned fairly quickly, and now just have 1 episode of that to go. Also, I am down to the final episode of the first season of Friday Night Lights. Once I watch that, I will take a hiatus from the show for a while and insert something else into the rotation to take its place. Same thing with the Returned. I am also nearly done with Chuck season 3, so the same goes for that as well.

I always enjoy writing these blog entries. If anything, it makes me pay a little more attention to each show I watch, so I have something to write about. Often I just play on my phone half the time while watching things, and miss much of what is going on. With this, that doesn't happen.

Since it is almost finished, might as well begin with the Returned.

Season 1

Episode 8

"The Horde"

I started this show about 2 weeks ago, and I am now on its last episode. Usually I watch shows pretty slowly, so this is fast for me. Never mind the fact that this is only 8 episodes long.

I like it a lot. The language spoken on this show is entirely in French, so you have to read subtitles to follow along. I don't mind this at all. It helps me pay attention. The show is filled with great characters. Each one feels very fleshed out, complete backstory and all. The show is nice to look at, set in a small town with beautiful scenery. It has kind of an eerie feel at the same time.

What keeps me watching is the mystery of the show. People who have died have started returning to this village. A boy who was murdered 30 years ago. A girl who died in a bus accident 4 years ago. A man who killed himself 10 years ago.... and there are more. At first, everyone is rightfully confused - as they should be. Once they start to piece things together, things really get weird.

Some try to leave, only to find that they are driving in a circle and can not leave. The dam nearby the city seems to be breached, although no one can find anything wrong with it. The water level in the lake is going down, and hundreds of animal corpses are showing up in the water. Also, a church steeple has begun to rise from the depths of the lake.

All these things seem to somehow be connected, but as of yet - we don't know what is going on. I love it. I'm sad that this is the last episode already. It took them 3 years to release a second season over in France, so hopefully it doesn't take them that long to bring season 2 to Netflix. I want more!

*watches episode*

It was a very good episode. Very fitting for the season 1 finale.

At first I wasn't sure I liked the direction things were going. A new group of hostile Returned approach the village and demand that all the other Returned, like Camille and Victor, be turned over to them. There is a big standoff and confrontation. It took me a while, but I started to get into it.

The episode doesn't answer a whole lot of questions. In fact, it raises many more than it answers. Who are these new Returned? What are they going to do? Why do they want the others? Also, at the end of the episode the dam bursts and buries half the city in water. History has repeated itself.

I can't wait for season 2. I am sure I will race through it just as quickly as I raced through this season. I can't wait!

Season 1

Episode 22

"State"

It has taken me quite a while to make it through this first season. Not because I don't like the show. Far from it actually. It has strong characters, solid acting, and a quite a few tear jerker moments. I can't put my finger on exactly what is causing me to watch it so slowly. The season is only 22 episodes. Why on Earth has it taken me a year to get through it?

I don't know, but there have been a few occasions where I have gone on long hiatuses from the show. Months have passed between episode viewings several times since I have started this. Regardless, I really do like the show. I enjoy the characters, and I am very invested to see where this is going to go next.

Championship game time. It seems anti climactic that the Panthers would win the championship right off the bat in season 1, but we shall see what happens.

*watches episode*

The Panthers did win the championship after all. I thought for sure they were going to lose, which would make the coach's departure even that much more heart breaking since you know he'd want to come back for another season. His wife's pregnancy was another big emotional moment for the show.

Another very solid episode. This show grows on me the more and more I watch it. Over the last few weeks I've really gotten invested in the show and its characters. Now I am finished with the first season, so I will probably take a break for a while. But you can be rest assured that this is a show I will come back to very quickly.

Season 2

Episode 16

"Bewitched, Bothered. and Bewildered"

I've always heard such great things about this show, yet I really haven't developed into a huge fan. Sure - some of the characters are fun. The show does have its strong moments and has had a share of stand out episodes.

But these episodes are few and far between for me. I want to love it. I want to get hooked. But... it's just not quite good enough. The story arc is not interesting enough for me. I have considered giving up and dropping it from my rotation for a while now. I'll ride this out till the end of the season and then see where I want to go from there. 

*watches episode*

This is another one of those every once in a great while really good episodes. In this episode, Xander and Cordelia break up. To win her back, Xander asks a witch in the class to help brew a love potion. The potion backfires, causing every girl except Cordelia to fall in love with him. While this sound good at first, it quickly causes problems including a lot of fighting over him. Buffy gets turned into a rat when she scraps with the witch over Xander.

With the help of Giles, he finds a way to reverse the spell and restore Buffy.

I had fun watching. It was nice to get a break from all the vampire stuff for a little bit. I find the actual vampire slaying to be the least interesting part of the show, actually. This was a very character driven episode, and I enjoyed it. More episodes like this please.

Season 9

Episode 27

"Episode 27"

I recall not liking this season of Big Brother when it originally aired, but I am actually thoroughly enjoying this upon rewatch. OK, maybe the couples twist was unfair. But it was still entertaining. And everything that has happened since the game became individual has been fun too. I like a lot of the characters. Even Matt and Natalie who I hated last time, I have come to like.

The last episode left off with an endurance challenge, so I am eager to see who wins HoH here. I know Adam, Ryan, and Sheila are the final three, so I am guessing one of them wins here, unless one of Sharon or Natalie wins and uses the HoH to take the other one out.

*watches episode*

I had fun, as I usually do while watching the show. The episode began with the aforementioned endurance comp. Natalie and Sheila were the last 2 remaining and Natalie (after annoying the crap out of everyone with her loud obnoxious voice and Jesus talk) finally dropped and let Sheila win.

Everyone in the house wants Natalie out, but she doesn't even know it. Bad move on her part. With so much dependent on the Veto, Sheila nominated Adam and Sharon, hoping to keep Natalie unaware that she was in trouble. I don't know who goes home next, but I am betting that anyone but Natalie wins that Veto and uses it, and she goes home. Or if she does win it, Sharon will go home. All I know is that neither of those 2 make the final 3.

Great season so far. I under rated it vastly in my mind coming in. I have had nothing but fun watching it, and I can't wait to see the rest play out.

Season 3

Episode 15

"Piper Maru"

Anyone who has been following this blog knows how I feel about the X-Files. Yet every single time I feel I need to justify my position on the show. 

I loved the show as a teenager. It was spooky, mysterious, and I really got wrapped up in all the alien conspiracy stories. Plus I loved Mulder and Scully as well. As an adult, I find that the show hasn't aged well. A lot of the episodes are very slow and boring. There are so many conspiracies, alien sightings and convoluted plot lines that I've given up trying to keep track of them all.

I'm not a big fan. You can tell by how slowly I have been watching this. I think I started 3 years and 2 apartments ago. Yet I am still just on season 3. But I keep watching. I haven't given up yet. Here's to hoping that I hit on a string of good episodes that get me reinvested in the show once more.

Actually, looking at the description, I think that this is one I saw as a kid and enjoyed, so maybe I will enjoy it now too.

*watches episode*

In this episode, a French diving team encounters a downed World War 2 vessel and brings an evil entity back that can jump from person to person and kill with some kind of weird radiation burst. A bunch of other plot lines from past episodes are intertwined with this one, including the murder of Scully's sister, as well as... uh some guy who shot Mulder's dad. I know we are supposed to remember all of this stuff, but I didn't.

I really wanted to like the episode. I don't know why, but this show just bores me to death. Every time I watch it I get sidetracked by playing a game or checking the internet. Something. It took me 3 hours to watch a 44 minute episode because it couldn't keep my attention. I am beginning to think that the X-Files just isn't for me. I will finish the season, but after that I am taking a LONG hiatus from this show. And I may never come back. 

Season 31

Episode 9

"Witches Coven"

I totally think I just accidentally spoiled the episode while looking for this pic to post ^

D'oh!

If it is Wentworth going home, then yes I spoiled the episode for myself. Good going! If it is not, then cool. I should be in for a surprise.

Anyway, I have had a good time with this season. The last episode saw one of my favorite old timers, Savage, go home way before his time. There have been a lot of big moments on this season already, and I like almost everyone in the cast. So I am super stoked to watch. If it is Wentworth, then oh well. She is one of my least favorite people in the game anyway and she robbed Savage God of his second chance, so I won't miss her.

*watches episode*

Well then. It was not Kelly Wentworth. It was Kelly Wigglesworth. I'm not too pleased with this vote. I like Kelly a lot, and she was one of my favorites way back on Survivor Borneo. They didn't really show much of her this season so it seemed kinda anti climactic. It felt like we got to know her much better on her original season, and she wasn't done much justice this time around.

I mean, as far as game moves go - it was a big one. The blindsides keep on coming. That part of the game is entertaining to watch. I think Stephen could possibly be in the driver's seat right now, especially with his advantage. He has the numbers, his tight ally Jeremy has two idols. There are so many ways this could go. But with the whole tone of the game changing from week to week, I am not even going to bother making any predictions.

Season 4

Episode 14

"Journey's End"

This is another show, like Buffy, that everyone around me seems to like. I have tried and tried and tried to get into it, but I just can't. It's a little too goofy. Too many episodes I just get it in my head "this is stupid" and I start playing games on my phone while the show plays in the background. 

There have been some stand out episodes - again, just like Buffy. But these are pretty few and far between. I don't know. I'll keep watching for now but it has crossed my mind on more than one occasion to drop this from my rotation completely. This is the second part of a two parter, and I did not like the first episode at all. The Daleks irritate the piss out of me and I just can not take them seriously. I highly doubt I am going to like this episode.

*watches episode*

It was what I thought it would be. I didn't like it much at all. The episode did do a few things right. It was like an all star event of Dr. Who characters. Rose, Donna, Martha, the Torchwood people,  even the little robot dog from the old Dr Who all make appearances.

Still though, I didn't really care for the story of the episode. More nonsense that doesn't make any sense, and the day gets saved in the end. They even teased us with the cliffhanger of the last episode that the Doctor was going to change forms, but then that didn't happen either.

God, I just wish I could like this show like everyone else. I don't know what they see in it. This episode was dumb and if this is the best it has to offer, then I don't know what to say.

Season 3

Episode 17

"Chuck Versus the Living Dead"

I enjoy this show much more than Buffy and Dr. Who, but it still not something that I consider great. I want to love it, but it falls short for me more often than not. There are good things about it. Good characters, fun plot lines, a cute romance story arc, lots of awesome nerd icon cameos.

I just don't think the story is that great. I am not a big spy or espionage plot line person. I get bored often with things like that. And that is the whole focus of the show. I will likely stick with it, since when I finish this season there will only be 2 seasons left (and 1 of them is super short). I am invested in the characters and I do want to see where this show is going to go. But I am in no rush to get there.

*watches episode*

Another OK episode. This show never really excites me too much, so this was a pretty par for the course episode. The episode seemed like a bit of a table setter for things to come. A lot of stuff happened, but none of it really got settled. I know there are only 2 more episodes left this season, so hopefully its wrapped up with a few really great episodes.

But please be better than this one. I thought it was just all right and not special.

Season 1

Episode 4

"Murphy's Law"

This show has been a solid addition to my rotation. I haven't gotten too far into it yet, obviously as I am only on episode 4. But that is mainly because I was watching the Returned in my free time. Now that that is out of the way, I will probably become more invested in this.

It's been at least 4 or 5 days since I have watched an episode, so I really don't remember what's happening. Hopefully it all comes back quick.

*watches episode*

This was good! I like this show much more than a lot of things in my rotation. So much going on here. Good characters, good suspense, good sci fi. My only complaint is the whole teeny bopper feel to the show. The romances and all that seem a little Twilight-esque to me. But I still really like the show.

One major thing that irritated me in the episode, however, was how Clarke kept saving that jerk kid who is horrible to everyone. Why keep saving him when you know he is going to continue to be a problem and try to kill people and make everyone's lives miserable? Sometimes taking the moral high ground can be a detriment, and I hope this is something she learns soon, or she is really going to irritate me.

Season 7

Episode 3

"A Real Snow Job"

I am not super gung ho about this show. At all. But I have it on my computer and I am bound and determined to power through it. Why do I watch it if I am not a huge fan? I used to love the show and I watched it religiously as a kid.

I've made the same comment on previous entries, but I will say it again - it is like I feel that I owe it to my inner child to finish up this show once and for all. I loved it so much as a kid. I don't know what happened back then, but for whatever reason I stopped watching it (likely had to be at school, or was commuting or something) and it made me sad. It will bring a sense of closure to me when I finish this show - whether I like it or not!

*watches episode*

It is what I expected. I don't even come in to the episodes expecting to like them anymore. I am going to make a very bold and unexpected move right now. I never, EVER quit on a show once I've started it. But I am going to. Right now. Life is too short to waste it on shit I don't enjoy. 

If I just go ahead and delete this off my computer, I will be rid of it forever. I still have 50 some episodes left. 

OK, I just deleted it. No more Ninja Turtles for me! I know I wanted to finish this show to provide closure to the TMNT era I went through as a kid, but I'm totally okay with quitting on it. It is pretty terrible.

Season 1

Episode 5

"Drip, Drip"

This show has been a rock solid entry into my rotation. It's about a man who is released from prison due to DNA evidence casting a shadow of doubt over his guilt after being on death row for 20 years. There are still questions revolving around his guilt. Some still think he did it. Others don't. That raises the question - if he didn't do it, who did? Is it someone he knows? Is he covering for someone? Did he actually do it after all?

And we still don't have the slightest idea of any of that yet. Mainly the show has focused on his reintegration into the human race after being locked away in a small room for 20 years. All the slightest things he once took for granted - being outside, looking out a window, interacting with people, etc - now seem overwhelming to him. To top it off, he has been released into a small community where people all know each other and some are still convinced of his guilt. Something bad is going to happen, and soon. I can feel it.

*watches episode*

I am impressed yet again by this show as it delivers another quality episode. In this one, Daniel catches a ride as a hitch hiker with some creepy redneck guy who takes him on a surreal goat herding escapade. I kept thinking the guy knew who he was and was going to do something mean, but it didn't end up that way. The man pays Daniel for his help. The situation was so weird, Daniel has to ask the man if he is real. The man laughs and drives away.

The rest of the episode deals with Daniel's desire to be baptized. The end of the episode concludes with he and his brother (step brother? half brother?) getting into a fight that Daniel wins with a choke hold. And then the episode ended. I really wanted to continue watching, but I can't. I must continue on this one episode per show pace.

But I liked it a lot. This is developing into one of my favorite shows. Good acting, good slow build on the drama. There is something about it that slightly reminds me of Breaking Bad, although the shows couldn't be any more different.

Season 3

Episode 12

"Nightsisters"

Well, now that TMNT has been summarily booted from the rotation, the Clone Wars stands as my only cartoon. I'm not a huge fan of this show. I have to really be feeling it and in a Star Wars kind of mood to enjoy the show. I'm actually in one of those moods right now. I almost never want to watch this show, but for some odd reason I am excited for it. Let's hope it will not disappoint.

*watches episode*

Wow. What can I say, this was one of the better episodes of the show I have seen to date. It may in fact be my favorite episode from the entire series so far. The episode focuses solely on Ventress. She has been betrayed by Count Dooku. Injured and left for dead, she returns to her home planet of Dathomir to rejoin her fellow Nightsisters. I am familiar with these characters from having read The Courtship of Princess Leia in the past, so it was cool to see this world and these characters brought to life.

Ventress makes it her goal to take revenge upon Dooku. She launches an attack with a few of the Nightsisters, but it fails. They return to the planet and devise a plan to lure Dooku to it, where they will then ambush him. 

The episode then ends.

Like I said, it was really really good. It was nice to see some backstory on a character that we don't know much about. I was kind of fascinated by Ventress and her history, actually. Visually, the show is just stunning. I don't give it enough credit for that. The space battle in the beginning was epic. The locales like Dathomir and Dooku's planet are jaw dropping. Couple the fun story, the great visual style and effects, plus the nice fight scenes in this episode all together and it just flat out works.

This went from a show that I didn't care much about, to something I am excited to watch in just one episode. It doesn't hurt that I am really into Star Wars right now also. This was great.

Season 1

Episode 5

"Hiros"

This show has been a rock solid addition to my rotation since I started it 2 weeks ago. It is not my favorite show in the universe, but it certainly beats the likes of Chuck, Dr Who, and Buffy. There is a solid cast of characters. Fast moving action. Fun super powers. But what keeps me interested is the "Lost" like mystery surrounding all of the characters. Everyone's connected, everyone seems to be moving toward the same common goal, even if not everyone knows what that goal is. I like it a lot.

*watches episode*

Yeah, another really good show. 5 episodes in, and things are still kind of in "setup mode" for now. I am kind of anxious for things to really start moving, some questions to be answered. We hear a lot about Sylar, but we don't really know what or who he is yet. We know about the cheerleader's dad and how he is a bad guy who is kind of keeping tabs on all the super powered people. We know there is a nuclear war coming. We know a lot of things.

Time for the show, in my opinion, to get moving and start answering some questions. Like I said, it is still in setup mode. We know all the characters, we now know all the unanswered questions surrounding them. Everything is coming together now. They need to stop teasing us and start moving in a solid direction. That's really my only gripe so far. I really enjoy this show a lot and I am very happy I started watching it.

Season 1

Episode 5

"Walking Distance"

Unlike other shows, which I watch in chronological order, I have been jumping around from episode to episode while watching the Twilight Zone, trying to pick out the interesting sounding episodes before I watch the less interesting sounding ones. I watched season 2 of this show in its entirety before season 1, because season 1 didn't have the classic theme song for the show yet. I know it is silly but one of the reasons I began watching this show in the first place was for the song.

But now that I am done with season 2, I don't care as much about the song and have come back to season 1. This episode sounds good - about a man who is out for a walk and encounters a younger version of himself. Some of these old Twilight Zone episodes are crap, so here is to hoping this one is not.

*watches episode*

It was okay. It was pretty much what I expected. Man wanders into town where he grew up, finds it unchanged. Meets past self, tells him to enjoy these moments while he can. Man comes back to the present day and reflects on old times. It wasn't boring, but it wasn't particularly exciting either. I guess it was good.

The Twilight Zone is another one of those shows that I could give or take. Some are good, some suck. Some are middle of the pack like this. Maybe from now on I should just skip around and watch the iconic episodes and skip the rest.

Season 1

Episode 4

"Say Cheese"

This show was added to my rotation two weeks ago, and I am enjoying it. I haven't gotten that far into the show yet, due to the fact that I am trying to finish up some other stuff first. But it has been consistently funny and a good change of pace from some of the other more serious shows I have been watching.

I'm still not quite "hooked" yet, but then again comedy really isn't my favorite genre.

*watches episode*

This episode was comprised mainly of flashbacks from family photo sessions taken over the years. Once more, the episode shows how off the wall and dysfunctional this family is. But in a good, funny kind of way. My favorite character is the grandma. Every time she does or says anything, it is always hilarious.

I am really liking the show so far. It has been pretty consistent. The gags and the laughs are pretty creative. I can only hope this show stays consistent and the writers don't run out of things to keep the show fresh. This series could very quickly go from hilarious to stupid if that happens.

Season 2

Episode 4

"Psychodrama"

This show has an insane number of episodes, and at the rate I am watching them it will take me years to finish up. I do like the show however. I enjoy the cast. I enjoy how each episode is like a small scale horror/suspense flick. Every once in a while the show will throw some emotional moments at you as well to keep things interesting.

This isn't a top tier show in my rotation. And perhaps it never will be. I tend to watch shows faster that have a story that carries over from week to week. But this is a solid diversion every once in a while. There have been very few episodes that I have actively disliked or been bored with. I wish it had a little something extra to keep me interested, but I am patient. I can wait. If that something extra never develops, then maybe at some point I will consider dropping this show from my rotation. But as of right now I like it.

*watches episode*

My problem with this show is that it kind of falls into a very predictable pattern from time to time. It seems like there has been a countless number of episodes where the team has been called in to catch someone, and 3/4 of the show is spent on the investigation. Then the unsub elevates his crime, gets careless, does something in public or out of the ordinary, and then gets caught. Rendering the first 3/4 of the episode entirely pointless. And this was yet another episode like that.

I still as a whole like this show - but I really could do with fewer episodes that follow this same pattern.

 ---

OK! I have completed one trip through my show rotation. Because it's early Sunday afternoon and I still have a few hours to spare, I am going to watch a couple shows that are not in my regular rotation. Just to keep my memory of them fresh for when I do resume watching them again.

Consider this like "bonus features" on a DVD. I don't know how many of these I will do, but I am aiming to watch about 3 or 4 shows. I have all day to kill.

Season 1

Episode 2

"It's All Her Fault"

I tested this show out by watching the pilot episode 2 weeks ago. While I really liked the show, I figured I would watch some other stuff and get those shows out of the way first. I knew that if I started watching this, I would burn through the first season in no time, and then have to wait another year for season 2 to appear on Netflix. By which point I will have forgotten everything that went down in season 1.

I'm gonna watch the second episode. Who knows when I will watch the third. I can take my time with this series. I thought the pilot was fantastic, so I am ready to watch a little more.

*watches episode*

I wasn't as enamored by this episode as I was by the pilot. There is a lot to keep track of, and I was confused at a few points during the episode. I like how they flash to the future and back, but it does make things a little confusing.

I have a feeling though that the more I watch, the more it will all start to make sense. It is one big puzzle, and all we get each episode are a few small pieces that don't necessarily fit together. But they will, in time. I am sure of that.

I must say I do like the cast of this show. All the characters (except for the two girls, who I always forget about) seem pretty well fleshed out and relatable to the average viewer. Viola Davis is amazing, and totally worthy of the Emmy she won for this show.

I can't wait till a few more shows get bumped out of my rotation so I can really dive into this show. But for now, I will enjoy the slow pace at which I am watching it.

Season 2

Episode 3

"What is Dead May Never Die"

You may be surprised to see this here, as this show has never been a part of my rotation. If you have been following my blog at all (and you probably haven't) you will have noticed that I decided to read all the GoT books in order to get ready for Winds of Winter next year. In addition to reading the books, I am following along by watching the show as well. While season 1 followed the events of the book pretty closely, I am noticing that season 2 is MUCH different from the books. I don't know if I like it or not.

I know the show and the books eventually become a completely separate entity altogether, but I didn't think it happened so soon. I am still trying to do my best to enjoy the show, however. So fingers are crossed that this episode doesn't irritate me too much  for not being true to the source material.

*watches episode*

Gawd! They've changed so much from the book I can hardly stand it. I mean, it is still a good show. But so many things are different. Not changed for the better. Just changed for no apparent reason at all. One of the best parts of A Clash of Kings was Arya's journey north - encountering all the sacked villages and dead bodies. The eventual battle with Clegane's raiders.

Everything here is either passed over or extremely fast forwarded. Or changed entirely. I'm still trying to see it as a good show. I am sure it is. I've seen this season in the past, but not with the book so fresh on my mind. It just bugs the crap out of me how it is so different.

That said, I will continue on with the show. I will continue on with the books. I always thought the show was great but now I am starting to look at it from a different perspective. One thing is certain - it doesn't hold a candle to the books. This viewing is making that painfully obvious.

Season 1

Episode 2

"Fly Me Away"

All right, one more show before I call it a night. Wentworth is another show I started 2 weeks ago, but it missed the cut of making my rotation. It's not that I didn't like it - in fact I thought it was awesome. I am chomping at the bit to get back to it. But I figured I was better off taking care of some other stuff first and then I would come back to it later.

I'm glad I am watching this now, because it probably won't rejoin my rotation full time for a month or 2 and by then I might have forgotten everything that had happened in the first episode. So its good to keep this fresh in my memory.

*watches episode*

I just have to say - I think it is weird that a little child is given free run of this women's prison full of violent offenders. It seems wrong. Is that really allowed in Australia?

Anyway, it was another really good episode for me. Lots of character development, personal drama, and big emotional moments. This is what good TV is all about for me. The show also has a lot of good plot points too. It is very well done. With so many good plot points out there, plus the potential for even more good stories in the future - with the dynamic of the prison and the relationships of all the inmates - I am very interested to see where this show is going to go.

It has been really good the first two episodes. I hope it can keep it up.

---

Another turn through my rotation has been completed, plus a little extra for added measure. It is break time for Friday Night Lights. I want to see more of the Returned, but I have to wait till the next season comes toNetflix. Season 3 of Chuck is almost over, plus I have booted the Ninja Turtles from my rotation. 

So there will be several spaces in my rotation which need to be filled. It's already been determined that I would add It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia back to my rotation. I was going to add Bloodline, but I think I will hold off on that and put Wentworth in since I like it so much.

I will throw from Dusk Till Dawn into my rotation too, to make it 15 shows. When I finish up this season of Chuck, my rotation will look something like this:

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
Criminal Minds
Clone Wars
X-Files
Twilight Zone
Buffy
Dr who
Big Brother 9
Survivor 31
The 100
Rectify
Heroes
Raising Hope
Wentworth
From Dusk Till Dawn

Mad Men and How I Met Your Mother will be reinserted back into the rotation, probably once I wrap up the current seasons of X-Files and Buffy. When I wrap up the final few episodes of Dr Who, Torchwood will go back in. Plus I am on the lookout for the new seasons of Bates Motel and the Following to be added to Netflix. I have to figure out how Bloodline and How to Get Away With Murder will fit in too.

I will never want when it comes to having TV shows to watch. 

Which shows made the cut?

I have done some deliberating and have decided which shows I shall add to my rotation. My current show rotation stands as is:


Friday Night Lights
Criminal Minds
Chuck
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
The X-Files
The Twilight Zone
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Dr Who
Big Brother 9
Survivor Cambodia


That is 11 shows. Usually I keep about 18 or 19 in my rotation, so I actually have room for 7 or 8 more shows to add. However, the following shows are in my rotation, but I am taking a break from them in between seasons:

How I Met Your Mother - Start of Season 3
Hannibal - Start of Season 3
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Start of Season 8
Mad Men - Start of Season 2

So that is really 15 shows in my rotation when I add these to the mix. And who knows when more seasons of other shows such as Ultimate Spider Man and the Following will be added to Netflix?

So I am going to stick with my initial plan and add only 5 shows from the weekend to my rotation. These shows are:

Heroes
Rectify
The 100
The Returned
Raising Hope

The following shows didn't make the cut:

Arrow
Enterprise
Weeds
From Dusk Till Dawn
Spartacus
Wentworth
How to Get Away With Murder
Longmire
Bloodline

However, all hope is not lost for these shows. I am nearly finished with season 3 of Chuck. I am also nearly finished with Friday Night Lights, season 1. When I finish these seasons I plan to set these shows aside and take a break from them for a while. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia will be inserted back into my rotation in place of Chuck. Bloodline will replace Friday Night Lights. I have to have a little Kyle Chandler in my Netflix rotation at all times.

Additionally, I am nearing the end of Buffy season 2 and the X-Files season 3. But those will probably be a few more weeks.

When I am done with those, I plan to add Wentworth and From Dusk Till Dawn to my rotation.

This is a strategic move. From Dusk Till Dawn is only about ten episodes or so long, and shouldn't take me long to get through. Additionally, both Rectify and the Returned don't have a huge number of episodes. The Returned has 8, and Rectify has - I don't know - less than 20.

So that will be 3 more spots in my rotation that can be opened up for How to Get Away With Murder (another short series as there is only one season on Netflix) as well as Enterprise and either Spartacus, Weeds, or Arrow. I do plan to watch all of these 3 shows at some point. It is just not a priority right now. Longmire was my least favorite of all the shows I watched, so I won't rush to get that back in my rotation.

Long story short, I am going to get around to watching everything!

My new current rotation now looks like this:


Friday Night Lights
Criminal Minds
Chuck
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
The X-Files
The Twilight Zone
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Dr Who
Big Brother 9
Survivor Cambodia
Heroes
Rectify
The 100
The Returned
Raising Hope


Only 16 shows as opposed to the tradition 18 to 20, but my hope is that with fewer shows I will get through some of these a little bit faster. When I finish my current season of Doctor Who (I have 7 episodes left) Torchwood replaces it. And then of course, a bunch of changes will be made once some of these other shows start getting bumped out of my rotation.

I know no one cares what I am watching, but I like to keep things organized. Hopefully there is some method to my madness.

Season 1, Episode 1, Day 4

All right, Sunday is upon us. The last day of my weekend. I am again busy today but I shall see how many shows I can squeeze in before the day lets out. I still have a ton of shows left to watch, so this kinda stinks that there will be some left out, but such is life.

We begin with:

Episode 1

"The Red Serpent"

I've always thought that this show could potentially be something I like. I enjoy Gladiator, as well as Game of Thrones type stuff. I know that the show has been critically well received. I only worry that it may bore me a little bit, which is probably the reason I never bothered to watch it. History and I are not good bed fellows. I have a feeling I won't like this one that much, but I am going to go out on a limb and watch it anyway. We'll see if it can wow me and possibly join my show rotation.

*watches episode*

I am glad I stuck with it through the whole episode. I wasn't a big fan of how it started. I thought the acting was bad and the show was a little too cheesy. Some of the dialogue bored me, and I didn't particularly care for any of the characters. I reached for my phone to start playing games while the episode kept playing. That's never a good sign.

Fortunately, action started happening and the show suddenly got a lot better. Spartacus does a lot of things right visually as far as fight scenes. A lot of the scenery as well as the set pieces are pretty cool too. The story itself all of a sudden amps up to an intense level. Whereas the first half of the show bored me to death, the second half had me riveted. It was really good.

Unfortunately it is facing stiff competition if it wants to earn a spot in my rotation. As of right now, it is an uphill battle for this show.

Episode 1

"Genesis"

How long has this show been out now? I remember this being on TV at the same time as Lost. I've always wanted to watch this show, since I've heard it is good (well, at least the first two seasons) but for whatever reason kept putting it off. No more putting it off!

Time to see what all the fuss is about.

*watches episode*

Not surprisingly, I liked it a lot. I have been hearing about Heroes for the longest time. I knew it would be something right up my alley, and it was. For those who have never seen it, it is about a bunch of people around the world who start displaying superhero like abilities. The episode mainly deals with people discovering and coping with these abilities. They all kinda start to converge in New York City.

I'm really interested to see where the show is going to go. It was hinted at the beginning that these people will somehow save the world. But we don't even know that the world is in trouble yet. There is a lot of journey still to go. A lot of questions that haven't even been asked yet. I can foresee this being a binge worthy show.

Episode 1

"Pilot"

I don't know much of what this is about, but my wife and her family all like this show. I am giving it a try in the hopes it will be good. It looks Western like, and that is not one of my favorite genres. We will see how I feel. I remain cautiously optimistic.

*watches episode*

Sheriff Longmire investigates a fatal shooting. The victim is discovered to have been a father looking for his daughter who he was trying to rescue from a life of prostitution. She had been prostituted out of an RV on an Indian Reservation. There is a Western feel to it, but it is set in present times.

It definitely wasn't bad but I wasn't necessarily a huge fan of this show. It is something I would consider watching again in the future, however. It just isn't quite good enough to crack my rotation with all of the great shows I have been watching. It is a little slow. It was interesting, though. Like I said, I'd give it a shot in the future once I have to  start looking for new shows to watch again.

On a side note, it is nice to see Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica back on the TV again.

Episode 1

"Camille"

From what I have heard, this is a show similar to Resurrection. A bunch of people long appeared to be dead start appearing at their families doorsteps. At first I didn't want to watch it, because it sounded a little too similar to Resurrection. But I stopped watching that show after one season. It was a good premise but I didn't like the way the show was going.

Recently I read an article in good ole Entertainment Weekly about why the Returned was such a great show and we should all be watching. I was intrigued. Maybe this could be the show that Resurrection wasn't.

And now here I am watching it. I think the article mentioned it was a French show with English subtitles. I don't mind having to read subtitles, so bring it on.

*watches episode*

As expected, I liked this a lot. I didn't mind the subtitles at all. If anything, I liked that it is in another language, and that it is set in such a beautiful land so dissimilar to where I come from. It all gives the show a very authentic, intense, but alien feel to it. The atmosphere of the show is very cool.

There were a few characters that I didn't know what was going on with them, but I saw enough to be intrigued. I am sure their situations will be explained in the upcoming episodes.

The first season is only 8 episodes long, so that is a thing it has working in its favor to crack my rotation. I can likely go through this show pretty quickly, and then when I am done with it, quickly replace it with something else that I want to see.


Well, that is it for the weekend. From when I got off of work Thursday and throughout the whole weekend I have been watching pilot episodes of shows on Netflix that I am interested in. 5 or 6 of these shows will be added to my regular show rotation. Many will be left out. Since there were so many shows I liked, this is going to be a very tough decision. I'll post the results tomorrow.

Season 1, Episode 1, Day 3

I have a busy schedule today including work, so let's see how many shows I can get down in the limited amount of time I have before work. I'm a perfect 7/7 in liking everything I've given a shot so far, so let's hope that luck carries over to today.

Episode 1

"Always There"

I have heard nothing but good things about this show. I have been wanting to see this for a while now. I've heard it is vastly under rated and one of the best things out there right now. The premise sounds interesting. A man gets out of jail after 20 years, when new DNA evidence proves he was falsely accused of rape and murder. Now he is struggling to adjust to life outside. I am sure there is more to the story than this. Only way to find out is to watch.

*watches episode*

8 for 8! I thought this show was really good. It tells what appears to be a clear story, has sympathetic characters, and has that special, hard to describe "hook" that makes you want to keep on watching. There is more to the story than I described in the premise. Despite the DNA evidence, there are still lingering questions about his participation or guilt in the murder. Plus he kind of has this awkward, stunted, robotic quality to his speech patterns. Not everyone has welcomed him back with open arms.

I like the family on this show, in particular his sister (although her name, Amantha, drives me nuts!). The story of Daniel's reintegration is interesting enough, but the show also lets us know that there are people out there who DO have an idea of what happened with the murder but aren't saying anything. So there is a whole mystery angle to the show too. I love it and can't wait to see more.

Episode 1

"Pilot"

I'm not huge on comedies, but I do like having 1 or 2 of them in my rotation to keep things light. The other 2 comedies I am watching - How I Met Your Mother and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, are good but I'm not too overly gung-ho about them. Thought I'd give this a try and see if it can supplant one of those two shows in my rotation.

*watches episode*

When I first started watching this, my initial reaction was that I finally hit a clunker this weekend. However, the more I watched, the more I began to like this show. By the time it ended, I was sold. Stylistically I like the show. There is no corny laugh track. The jokes and scenarios in the show are actually funny and made me laugh on multiple occasions while watching this. I almost never laugh when watching those other shows that I mentioned previously.

The show is about a teenager struggling with a low class, white trash family. On an errand to the store, he rescues a woman on the run from a man and she thanks him by fucking him. He finds out the next day that she was on the run from the law for killing her boyfriends, and the family turns her into the authorities. Before she is to be executed, she drops the bombshell that he had impregnated her during their one night together. He is forced to take care of the baby by himself after she, well, gets executed.

A lot of fish out of water comedy here, as the boy struggles to raise this little girl while dealing with his whacky, trashy family at the same time. I thought this was a lot of fun. It had a little bit of an Arrested Development feel to it. This will definitely supplant How I Met Your Mother in my rotation. It is light years better than that show, and one that I will actually watch more than 1 episode every 2 months.

Episode 1

"Part 1"

Here is a show that has interested me since the moment it came on to Netflix. I have heard it is good, but slow moving. So I kind of put it on the back burner for a while. I have a feeling that of all the shows I have watched so far this weekend, this one might be the odd 1 out when looking for new ones to add to my rotation. We shall see.

*watches episode*

Well, surprise surprise. I liked it. It is a bit slow moving, but never at any point was I thinking OMG this is boring. It is very interesting. Lots of good characters. You knew the whole time that something had happened with this family, but you don't really know what. Then the episode hits you with a bombshell at the very end. So was there another brother that hadn't been mentioned? Was it a flash forward? I guess I'll have to watch more to find out.

Simple recap: a family owns a beach side resort thingamajig. They are dedicated to the community, and on the 45th anniversary of the resort they hold a huge party to celebrate their success and also to celebrate the fact that there is going to be land named after the family for all their hard work.

One of the sons is a problem child who rarely comes around and when he does, he always asks for money or a favor. He also gets wasted a lot and has problems with the law. Most of the episode deals with his antics around the family. During all this, we get a little glimpse into the lives of the family and learn that there is a deadly secret which is being kept.

I really want to see more. But with me being 10 out of 10 with liking all the new shows I have given a shot, I don't know when I'll be able to find time for this. It is going to be a very hard process indeed picking out 5 new shows from this batch to add to my rotation. Very hard.

Looks like 3 shows was all I had time for this morning. I'll be busy tomorrow too, but I look to update this with at least 2 more shows before the weekend lets out.

Season 1, Episode 1, Day 2

Let's see how many shows I can watch today. I tried to get up early so I could get a head start on this. But I have kinda been lazy around the house today. Its late afternoon and I haven't watched a single show yet. So I may not get through as many shows as I had hoped.

Let's just dive right in.

Episode 1

Broken Bow: Parts 1 & 2

Despite being a huge Star Trek fan, for some reason I have never gotten around to watching Enterprise. I've heard mixed reviews about it. I have recently started to become obsessed with Trek again, so no better time than now to see what this show is all about.

The first episode is a 2-parter combined into one long episode. Since it counts as one episode on Netflix, I will watch the whole thing. 

*watches episode*

To my surprise, I really enjoyed it. I was kind of under the impression that the show sucked, hence me being a big Trek fan and never watching it. But I liked it a ton.

It is fascinating to me to see the early stages of the Federation. This show takes place about 90 years after first contact between Vulcans and humanity. Warp drive is improving, and the first Enterprise is created as a flagship for the brand new Starfleet. This episode deals mainly with the crew's first interaction with a Klingon, who is injured and must be returned to his home planet. The Klingon is taken off of the ship by hostile aliens, and a big chase/rescue mission begins. There is a lot of action here, and all of it was very well done. It had my attention for sure.

The episode also dealt with how humans and Vulcans felt about one another. There was a little tension between the two races, with the Vulcans feeling that humans were primitive. The humans were feeling that the Vulcans talked down to them. It's an interesting dynamic of the show, watching how they worked together in the beginning. I like T'Pol and am curious to follow her integration aboard the ship.

I'm super stoked to see where this show is going to go. I love Star Trek, so I definitely will want to keep up with this one. My only complaint was the fact that I couldn't distinguish Reed from Tucker. Oh yeah, and the opening theme song. It is HORRENDOUS and needs to go.

Episode 1

"Pilot"

This show doesn't seem to have an overly huge following, but what I have heard about this show makes me believe that I will like it. The description on Netflix certainly sounds like something right up my alley. I love post apocalyptic stuff.

*watches episode*

Who would have thought I would be 5 for 5 so far with really entertaining shows? I liked this one a lot. Probably more than Enterprise and Arrow. It's about 100 teen prisoners sent down to Earth, which had been rendered inhospitable 97 years ago due to nuclear apocalypse. Not everything is as it seems, however. I love sci fi, so the whole premise is intriguing to me. There is a lot of room here for big twists and shocking moments. There is a diverse cast, each with a back story. Shout out to Desmond from Lost and Gaeta from BSG being on the show.

There are interesting and entertaining things happening all over the place. I was constantly entertained from beginning to end. I want more.

Episode 1

"No Place Like Home"

Here is another show that has been recommended to me as something I would like. I hear that there are similarities to Orange is the New Black, and I am a big fan of that show. Other than that, I don't know anything about the plot of this. Here's hoping I can go 6 for 6.

*watches episode*

6 for 6 indeed. I liked this a lot. This was another show that I just wanted to keep watching after I finished with the first episode. It is a female prison drama, and there are some similarities to Orange is the New Black. But the show is actually a lot different. This is much more darker and serious. It doesn't have nearly as much comedy in it.

The main action is shown through the eyes of a woman who arrives at the prison. She is very meek and seems intimidated by all that is happening to her. Through flashbacks we find out that she was in an abusive relationship and had attempted to kill her husband. She gets caught up in prison politics. There is a war between two "sides" in the prison, and she is in the middle of it. 

It was a good episode, and I can see great things coming from this show. I had only intended to add 5 new shows to my rotation, and now I find myself with 6 shows that I like so far. And I still have several more to watch. This is going to be a tough choice isn't it?

Episode 1

"Pilot"

I really like the movie so I was a little excited when I heard they were making a TV show based on its premise. The movie was super gory and had nakedness and stuff, so I'm interested to see if they tone it down for television. I hope not. I have friends who say this is good, so 7 for 7 is not completely out of the question. Let's do this!

*watches episode*

This was good, but I wasn't as excited by it as I was for the previous shows I had watched tonight and the night before. From what I have seen based on this first episode, the show is going to be a re-telling of the movie, just taking its time more, and going into things in greater detail. This episode was about the hostage situation/shoot out at the liquor store that took place early in the movie. Everyone's point of view is shown. There are even flashbacks into the personal lives of some of the side characters. I always liked the Geckos, and the 2 guys they casted to play them are doing a fine job, in my humble opinion.

This is going to be good, I think. And at only 10 episodes long, I could breeze through it quickly if I were to add it to my rotation. We shall have to see....

I am done for today. I had the entire day off, so I was hoping to watch more than just 4 shows. But it is what it is. I'll be lucky to do 3 tomorrow. 

Season 1, Episode 1, Day 1

Almost everything I have been watching on Netflix lately has lost its luster for me. I haven't been able to find anything seriously good for a while now, so I have set out to add some fun new shows to my rotation. My experiment this weekend is to watch at least 2 pilot episodes per day of a show I have never seen before. I'll pick out my 5 favorite shows based on that first episode and add them to my regular rotation.

Hopefully I can find some good things. Because I am not enthusiastic about anything I've been watching lately. These shows include the X-Files, Buffy, Criminal Minds, Chuck, Friday Night Lights, Mad Men, The Clone Wars, Doctor Who.... meh all around. Nothing against these shows but I am kinda getting sick of them. I like epic sweeping story arcs that keep me binge watching, and none of these have been delivering for me. Plus I am at a convenient stopping point in a lot of these shows, so I can always come back to them later. 

I'll watch some shows that people keep recommending to me (yeah, fine! I'll finally sit down and watch Arrow already) plus some shows that I haven't heard much about, but I think look interesting. I have no doubt I am going to find some awesome shows to watch.

Let's begin.

Episode 1

"You Can't Miss the Bear"

Let's start with something lighthearted. Or at least, I think this show is supposed to be lighthearted. I have read the premise of this and I think it sounds interesting. I am actually surprised I haven't given it a go yet. It has a big following so I think it will probably be a lot of fun. But will it be good enough for me?

*watches episode*

It was pretty good, as I expected. It is very character based, so I like that. Lot of solid, entertaining characters on the show. In particular, the kids are pretty funny. Everyone has something interesting about them. I see a lot of potential here. Not only as a comedy but as a drama too. There are so many ways this show could go. 

Is it good enough to become a permanent member of my rotation? Maybe. That's all I can say for now. The characters and the humor of the show make me want to come back for more, but this is 8 freaking seasons long. I don't know how long the novelty of this show will last before it begins to wear off.

Next show!

Episode 1

"Pilot"

A lot of people have been telling me to watch this show for a while now. I like superhero stuff, so you'd think it would be right up my alley. But at the same time, the people that fawn over this show also are the same people that fawn over things like Dr Who and Supernatural, neither of I particularly care for. So my expectations are not high.

*watches episode*

This was much, much better than I had anticipated. I think I expected a boring, Daredevil like type of show. But this is a lot better than Daredevil. I never knew a single thing about the Green Arrow coming in, so the whole episode was very interesting to me. I'm digging the origin story so far. The twist at the end of the episode where we find out that it was mom who tried to kidnap him made me want to keep watching. I'm sure the boat sinking wasn't just a random accident either.

Good cast, good characters, catchy story. I totally expected to find this mediocre, but I liked it a lot. It definitely has a chance to crack my rotation.

But let's move on to another show.

Episode 1

"Pilot"

I have heard good things about this show, but I still don't have any idea what it is actually about. I've been informed that it is something I would like. I know it is critically acclaimed, plus the title of the show intrigues me. I think I will like this.

*watches episode*

Wow, so we are 3 for 3 tonight. Everything I have watched, I have enjoyed a lot. This one maybe the best of all. I can see why so many people like this show. It definitely lives up to the hype. 

I enjoyed how the show set everything up. You've got the kids in the beginning who are looking to cover up a murder. Then it flashes back to them in law school. I had gotten the impression that the beginning was a fake out and it was just a class assignment, like a simulated murder scene. But then we find out at the end that this is not the case. 

There is just so much to like here. Strong characters, a fast moving story line with enough question marks dotted along all over the place to make you keep watching. I'm excited to see where this show is going to go. I still have a lot of stuff to watch over the weekend, but I can't see anything bumping this out of my new rotation. 

That's it for now. I am sure I'll watch more than three shows tomorrow.

My thoughts on the Human Centipede 3

Most people seem to have an extreme reaction when you mention the Human Centipede around them. The majority says that it sounds sick and disgusting, and they will never watch it. Others think it is gruesome, awesome, and hilarious. I'm sure there are a few people out there that have no strong opinions on the movies, but I have yet to meet one.

The premise of the films is that there are people sewn together ass to mouth, to create a large chain of people that resemble, well, a human centipede. The first one is fed through the mouth, and then in turn shits into the mouth of the next person, who then shits into the mouth of the next person, so on and so forth.

I'm definitely not one of the people that are sickened or overly disturbed by the premise of the films. In fact, quite the opposite. When I first heard about the original movie, I was like "yes! Must see that one!" I like blood and gore, and it sounded like it would be right up my alley.

The first movie was gross and all that, but pretty slow for the most part. It had a traditional horror movie feel to it. Two girls are caught in a rain storm and seek refuge at a creepy doctor's house. Little do they know he has a man tied up in the basement, and he was JUST looking for two extra people to participate in a crazy experiment of his. There is a lot of build up leading to the end, where the actual centipeding doesn't happen until the last half hour of the movie. When it does, though, it is well worth the wait.

The second movie ups the ante quite a bit. It is very different from the original. It is filmed in all black and white. It tells the story of a psychotic fat man who never speaks. His favorite movie is: guess what? The Human Centipede. He goes around, drugging people and knocking them out. He takes them to a large storage facility and stashes them all there. The movie doesn't come right out and say it, but we know what he is up to.

After the man has captured enough people, he gets to work. This is definitely the most gruesome of all the movies, and my favorite. In the first movie, the victims are drugged - and when they wake up they find themselves part of the human centipede. In this one, we get to see detail for detail all the gory moments of the procedure. It is definitely not for the weak of heart. Even I was repulsed watching this movie, and I love this kind of stuff.

Since the ante had been upped so much for the second movie, I thought for sure that the third one would be the wildest and best yet. I had heard it was set in a prison (imagine the centipede that could be made!) and also had porn star hottie Bree Olson in a starring role. What could go wrong?

But something did. I was very disappointed in the third one.

The story begins in a large maximum security prison being run by an extremely psychotic and homicidal warden. The man has clear mental issues. He rages around the office, deriding his employees, abusing inmates, and sexually assaulting his secretary right in front of people. How he got to be in charge of this prison is beyond me. So unrealistic.... God!!

The whole movie is just watching this insane warden act out one maniacal fantasy after another. He is mean to everyone. He pours boiling water on an inmate's face, cuts the balls off another one, breaks the arm of another. He is extremely paranoid that the inmates will want to take revenge on him, and regularly has freak outs in his office.

It is gory, yes. But not as extreme as the second one. I just kept waiting for it to get to the centipeding.... and then it didn't. It doesn't actually get to the centipeding until the last 20 minutes of the movie. Literally. The warden only resorts to stringing his inmates together ass to mouth as a way of encouraging good behavior and making the rehabilitation process something that will actually work. It's a sound idea, in reality. Obviously it would never happen, but I think people would commit a lot less serious crimes if they knew they had THAT to look forward to if they were caught.

The actual centipeding itself is much tamer than the previous movies. Since these people are prisoners that need to be released after their sentences, the work done on them isn't fatal or too disfiguring. Their lips and assholes have stitch marks in them when they are removed from the centipede, but that is it. No broken limbs, no skin peeled away from the face. They even use masks and straps to keep the centipede intact.

Seeing as how each movie has progressively gotten more gruesome and intense as the series has gone on, this was a big disappointment to me. I wanted more gore, damn it! This movie is nearly an hour and fifty minutes long, and the first hour and thirty minutes is the warden running around like a psychopath. This is the Human Centipede. Get with the picture, film makers! And then when we do get to the centipeding, it is a lot more tame than the previous films.

I wanted to be grossed out. I wanted to be disturbed. I wanted to watch a movie that would make me regret firing it up in the first place. That is what the Human Centipede is all about. This movie did make me regret firing it up in the first place, but for the wrong reasons.

I have no idea what they were thinking with this one. Seeing how this is the last Human Centipede movie (it is in fact sub titled the Final Sequence) I expected much better. I have learned never to rely too much on names, so I am holding out hope that this is indeed NOT the final sequence. Us fans of the series (and yes, we exist) demand better.

The show vs the book: Game of Thrones season 1

A lot of people who read the Game of Thrones books (or a Song of Ice and Fire series, to put it more accurately) have problems with the TV show for some reason. A lot of people who like ths show can't get into the books. Being a fan of both the books and the show, I decided to do my own comparison.

I have read the book series twice, and have seen the entire show once (well, I have seen the first handful of seasons a few times). Yes there are differences between the two. Things have to be changed, details have to be cut down when you are doing a TV show. Obviously the books are too huge to include EVERYTHING from them in the show.

But I think the show actually did a pretty good job of staying accurate to the source material. Well, for the first season at least. We'll get to the later seasons at a different time. This is all about season one.

A few months ago, I decided to bring the first book in the series, A Game of Thrones, along on a family vacation. I thought it would be a good thing to read "up north", especially at night. Crickets chirping, the camp fire roaring. And it was a great idea. I really got into the book and felt at one with it. By this time I had read the series twice, so I knew what to expect. I decided to take my time with it, pore over the details and just enjoy it for what it is.

Everything about the book is just so well written. The characters are rich, the world is alive and has its own history. Although this is a fantasy book, it has the feel of something that really could have happened - sometime, somewhere. A lot of people I know who like the show have tried to read the books and have said they are too rich or too heavy to get into. Too hard to read. I couldn't disagree more.

Usually I can burn through one of these books in a week or two, but as I said I took my time this go around. I only read a chapter a day, if that. When I got home from my vacation, I was barely a quarter of the way through the book. I'd say it took me a month or two to finish the book, continuing along at my chapter a day pace. If something came in for me at the library, I would set aside A Game of Thrones until I was finished with whatever it was I was reading.

It was a really enjoyable experience for me. I truly feel like I connected with the book better than I had on any of my previous readings. And I REALLY liked the book the first two times I read it.

Sometime shortly after finishing the book, I got it in my head that before I move on to A Clash of Kings, that I should watch the first season of the show and compare the show with the book. Then read A Clash of Kings, then watch season 2, etc etc. Eventually this will break down as the books and show move apart on separate paths, but for the time being, why not?

So I started the show. I must say that I have seen the first season a handful of times. Maybe 3? So this would be my 4th time watching season 1. I originally watched the show before reading the books. I had a hard time keeping track of who was who, so it was at that point when the season ended that I decided to start reading. I think I finished all the books before season 2 started on TV, so I already knew a lot more of what was going to happen than the people who didn't read the books.

Then, before watching season 2, I watched season 1 again to see if it would be easier to follow knowing all the characters. It was, and I enjoyed it MUCH more than the first time I watched the show.

A few years passed and I decided to read the books again. This would be my second time reading them. I did, and I enjoyed the crap out of them. But then I am like hey why not start the show from the beginning again? So I did. To say I was a little bit obsessed would be an understatement. I don't recall where the show was as far as airing on TV at this point, but I believe I watched everything up to season 4 twice. I know that nothing past season 4 I have seen more than once.

Where we stand currently, is we are waiting for season 6 to air on TV next year. The new book should also be out next year. I figured, why not do it all again? Bone up on what I may have missed during my first readings of the book / watchings of the show?

Usually I am a slow show watcher. I have a short attention span and like to move from one show to the next, watching a random episode here and there. I am definitely not a binge watcher. I can't stand to watch more than one episode of a show at a time, unless it is something awesome like Lost or Breaking Bad. Or, apparently, Game of Thrones.

I burned through season one in a little over a week. I just couldn't stop watching. Aside from some age issues between the book and the show (are we really supposed to believe that the guys playing Robb and Jon are only 15 or 16?) I thought everything translated very well. The show is nearly perfectly cast. Tyrion, Ned, Littlefinger, Varys, Sansa, Sam, Joffrey, Arya, etc - everyone just seems so spot on. Except Cersie. The actress who plays Cersei has the bitch thing down pat, but she is described in the book as being one the most beautiful women alive. I don't think the woman playing her is beautiful at all. Oh well, at least the personality fits perfectly.

The only thing the show really does differently in season one is graze over some details. We don't really know who all is related to who, who all the houses are, where some of these people come from, and that is okay. Like I said, you can't fit everything from that massive book into a ten episode TV series. Some scenes are cut down for time. No truly crucial details are left out.

A lot of the background information you get from reading the books is relayed through added scenes where characters are having conversations about the past. People like to talk to whores about ancient history, apparently. And that is cool with me. I'd much rather this than have to listen to a narrator, or have a lot of these important background details completely dropped from the show. A lot of things are covered by these extra conversations. Where the dragons went, the history behind the Iron Islands rebellion, Robert's taking of the throne, Littlefinger and Catelyn's past, etc.

Its a clever way to explain a lot of things that don't come up in regular conversation during the events of the book. I like it when they stay as close to the material as possible, and I don't mind at all that they added these scenes to give us a little background.

Watching the show right after reading the book, I was very pleased with how it turned out. They really found a way to bring this big, complex world together and make it work on screen. I think that a lot of people who are hardcore fans of the show and then complain about the books are being unreasonable. I think it is a fine adaptation. There were a few minor omissions of which I noted while watching the show, but thinking back now I can't think of what they were. Must not be that important!

All the big moments are there. Bran being pushed out a window, Lady being killed, Ned's beheading. All these things really hit hard too. Even knowing what was going to happen, I still was on the edge of my seat watching these things. I really was able to get emotionally invested in the show. As I said, I don't binge watch much, but I couldn't help it with this show. It was just too good!

I can't think of much else to add. I love the first book. I love the first season. Maybe my thoughts will begin to change once the books and the show start to separate a bit in the future, but as of right now, I couldn't be more pleased with how season one was translated to the screen.

And for all of you people who watch the show but can't get into the books, I don't know what is wrong with you! It is not even hard to read, which is what I was afraid of at first. The books will always trump the show for me, no matter how good the show is. You just can't get involved on the same level watching this play out on screen as you can while immersing yourself in the book. You almost become a character yourself, walking around in this awesome world, meeting its characters, and discovering its history.

Read it, if you haven't. It is the best decision you will ever make. In fact, I didn't become the rabid fan I am now until I started reading the series. It puts things into a whole new perspective for you. You won't regret it. Unless you have horrible taste. Then, there is just no helping you.

Video Game Review: Tomb Raider

Tomb Raider

PlayStation

Nostalgia Factor:

I have been a fan of the Tomb Raider franchise since the very beginning. Back in 1996, I remember reading video game magazine previews for the game before it came out. I thought it looked pretty darned good. The same year, I also played the original Resident Evil for the first time and was completely awestruck by the title. It really showed me what video games were capable of, and I was expecting the same thing out of Tomb Raider as well.

The game was released to universal praise. Best of all, it was available for the Saturn - which was the only 32-bit console I owned at the time. There was no way I was not going to get this game. And get it I did, as a gift for Christmas that very same year.

Can you believe my initial reaction to the game was extreme disappointment? I don't know why, but for whatever reason I was expecting something different. I looked at the pixelated graphics, the clunky controls, the cheap deaths left and right. I struggled to make it through a level or two of the game, and I was like - this is crap! I could barely control Lara, much less play the game with the precision required to jump around on all the ledges and platforms in the game.

Eventually my feelings changed. The more I played the game, the better I got. Eventually I started to really enjoy it. I didn't have many games for the Saturn back then, so I didn't have many other playing options. I basically became obsessed with this title, playing it day and night. This was a good time in my life. It seemed like all I did was watch Star Trek: The Next Generation reruns and play this game. Oh, to be 14 again! In particular, I remember a day where it was dangerously cold outside. Negative 20 degrees, something like that. Because I had to take the bus, my brother called me out of school since he was 18 and could legally do so. Hey, I wasn't about to complain. So instead of going to school I just sat at home all day and played this nonstop. I must have played it for seriously 15 to 20 hours straight.

Good times.

I have so much nostalgia for this game. I remember one of my first experiences EVER using the internet was trying to look up a way to get through the stage with the water levels that go up and down. The Cistern. This was age of dial-up internet. It took ten minutes to load one page of simple black and white text from my high school's library computers. But I did it, and I was able to read through those pages to gather the information necessary to make it on to the next level.

In relatively short order, I ended up beating the game. Tomb Raider had turned out to be quite the journey after all! So what did I do? I started from the beginning and played it again. I can't tell you how many times I must have beaten this game. At least ten times. At least.

That being said, it's 2015 and I can't tell you when the last time I played this game was. It has to be at the very least about ten years ago. Well, I'm about to play it now. And due to issues with my Sega Saturn, I'm actually playing the PS1 version of the game for the first time ever. I wonder how it will hold up!

Story:

You play as Lara Croft, adventurer and tomb raider extraordinaire. Lara is minding her own business, sipping on some coffee and looking at her laptop when she's given a business proposition from a rich woman named Jacquelyn Natla. Pardon my spelling if that is wrong. I am not looking that shit up.

Lara is sent out to collect a rare artifact known as the Scion. When she recovers it, one of Natla's men tries to kill her and take it for himself. Lara puts an end to that nonsense and sneaks into Natla's headquarters looking for answers. She finds out there are other pieces to the Scion that Natla is looking for. Lara heads out to collect them before Natla can find them, as she can tell Natla is up to no good.

At the end of the game you find out that Natla is a survivor of the advanced, yet lost, civilization of Atlantis. She was exiled from Atlantis for trying to use the powers of the Scion to advance her own personal agenda. She is sealed in a tube and buried away. Years and years later, nuclear testing in the area awakens her from her slumber. Now she is attempting to assemble the pieces of the Scion to turn herself into some sort of god, or something. So naturally it is up to Lara to stop her and save the day.

Gameplay:

I could see why I wouldn't have liked the controls or the combat when I first played this game. Lara moves forward in a short little burst of steps. If you aren't careful, you can go right over a ledge or somewhere you don't want to go. You can hold down the walk button, which is a big help. This positions you better for jumps and things. Plus you can't fall off a ledge while walking, which is my main reason for using it so much. Push the down button, and Lara takes a short hop backward. Which again can be very dangerous when on ledges and the like. Hold the walk button, however, and she cautiously takes a step back.

Jumping can be a dangerous affair. Every jump seemingly requires precision alignment. If you aren't lined up properly, don't expect to make that jump. If you come into this game with no patience, expecting it to be easy - it is not. And it is not forgiving either. Take your time and understand how the game works and this will be a much more rewarding experience for you. Just beware that there is a learning curve.

Besides running, walking, and jumping, Lara can also hang on to ledges and push and pull giant blocks of stone out of her way. The combat of the game is very simple. Pull out your guns and Lara locks on to the enemy. Hold the fire button. Shoot enemy. That's it. The game does almost everything for you. The only real challenge in fighting comes from dodging enemies that rush at you as you fire away at them.

The controls take some practice, but even now after it having been so long since the last time I played a Tomb Raider game, the controls came back smoothly and easily to me. It took me literally no practice to get the hang of this again. The entire game, I only died a small handful of times from falling off a ledge or mistiming a jump.

*makes cheesy gun gesture, blows off smoking guns*

Still got it.

I don't think I have seen better level design in a game before. All the levels in the game are huge. There are secrets hiding in many a nook and cranny. There are puzzles and things you must do in order to advance to the next level. For example, one stage you must explore looking for cogs in a giant wheel that you must turn. Find the cogs, turn the wheel, and it cuts off a waterfall that you must enter to find the next part of the game. The whole game is filled with puzzles like this. One thing I really love is that it is usually pretty clear where you need to go or what you need to find in order to advance throughout the stage. Rarely are you left floundering.

Lara's journey takes her to 4 major areas. Ancient ruins in Peru, Greece, Egypt, and finally the lost continent of Atlantis. Each stage has within it 4 or 5 levels to complete. Each stage and each area is unique and has its own distinctive visual style. 

All in all, the game takes a good long time to complete. Even having played this game before and knowing what to do (for the most part) this game easily still took me 20 to 25 hours to complete. Maybe more. I should have kept track!

Graphics:

Graphically, Tomb Raider has some issues. When people say they hate this era of gaming because the graphics are ugly, I hate to say it but Tomb Raider is a prime example of this. The environments are heavily pixelated (although I must admit the graphics are better on the PlayStation as opposed to the Saturn). From afar everything in the game looks good, but when you get close it is kind of a mess. There are weird glitches happening left and right. Randomly you can see through walls sometimes, or spot an enemy through a doorway in another room. 

I understand that some new gamers may be turned off by the way this game looks. But I grew up with this game. It was cutting edge for its time. I find the way this game looks to be incredibly charming. The pulsating walls of meat located in the Atlantis stages really do it for me.

All jokes aside, the atmosphere in the game is terrific. You really feel magically transported to some of these dank, nasty tombs. Put on some headphones, play this in the dark, and let it transport you away from your mundane life for a few hours each day.

Sound:

This game does a lot of really great things with its music and sound effects. Music is sparsely used throughout the game. Mainly the game is silent, with nothing but ambient sound effects and Lara's echoing footsteps leading the way. When the music does kick in, it is never anything short of amazing. This game has a really, really epic soundtrack.

Overall:

I think you know how I feel. This game is brilliant. Forget the controls. Forget the janky graphics. You'll get used to 'em both. This game is one of the best.

Everything about Tomb Raider just screams classic. The level design is great. Everywhere I turn, I see something iconic or something that makes me say "this was so ahead of its time!" Maybe there are some rose-tinted nostalgia goggles coming into play here, but there isn't a single level in this game that isn't fun, isn't unique, and doesn't have something interesting about it. I have to reiterate, I have never seen such great level design in a game before. Every level I played, I was like "yeah this one! I remember this level" or "wow, this one was so good!" There isn't a dull one in the batch.

If you are new to the game, it may take you a while to explore each stage and find out what you are supposed to do next. I had an advantage seeing as how I have played this game before. But even still, I got stuck a few times. But the game isn't frustratingly difficult. Be patient, and you will find your way through.

I understand that this game isn't going to be for everyone. I am sure there are some who don't like the way it controls. Or some who think it looks too primitive compared to games nowadays. But old doesn't mean bad. Don't even get me started on Tomb Raider Anniversary, a remade version of this game for the PS2. It is so dumbed down, it isn't even funny. Sure, the graphics are much better. But there is almost no challenge or originality in the game whatsoever. I'll take game play over graphics any day of the week.

So if you can't tell, I really like the game. As soon as I fired it up for the first time in over ten years, I was immediately engaged once again. It sucked me in and I just could not stop playing it. I beat the game in under a week, and played pretty much every night nonstop. I had a great time. Compare this to the last game I reviewed: Final Fantasy 9 where it took me months and months to slog through it. Just the fact that a game like Tomb Raider kept me coming back as often as it did is a testimony to its greatness.

I was going to give it just an A, but the more I think about it, the more I think it gets a higher score. I mean, I really had a great time. Not only does it have sentimental value for me, but it is just so much fun to play. Solving puzzles and exploring have never been as fun in a game. I liked the game when I was a kid. It is only as an adult that I can come back to it and truly appreciate it. This is a classic, and aside from a few graphical issues, I can't say anything bad about it.

It is amazing, and definitely one of the all time greats. Oh yeah, and there's dinosaurs.

THE GRADE:

A+

For a complete index of all my past posts and game reviews, click

>HERE<

VHS Tape #7: Mixed Tape #7

7th VHS tape


(00:00:00)

Jamie Kennedy Xperiment
- Porta Poop skit. Jamie strolls up and down the beach with what looks like a bucket surrounded by a shower curtain. He charges people to use the bathroom without having to get up and walk to the outhouse. An old woman uses the Porta Poop but doesn't have enough money to wipe (it's an extra dollar for toilet paper). A black guy with a Magic jersey gives the lady a dollar. Jamie buries the poop in the sand, and the dude in the Magic jersey gets disgusted and gets up to leave. Jamie then announces that he has been Xed.
- A young man tries out at a water park to become the new mascot. He must compete with someone else for the job. When the guy he is competing with passes out, he is ready to put him in a wheel barrow and dump him in the parking lot to get rid of him.

(00:09:25)

South Park. This is the episode where Kyle's cousin Kyle comes to visit. Mr Garrison creates "It".

MXC - City Kids vs Country Kids
- Great Escape From Foster Care
- Sinkers and Floaters
- Irritable Bowl Syndrome. Vicky Babaganoosh is in this segment, and scores a point.
- Rotating Surfboard of Death

(00:46:03)

MXC - Inventors vs Former Child Stars
- Get Over It
- Sinkers and Floaters
- Door Jamb

*there are commercials in between MXC segments. Was I asleep while recording this? It's funny, one of the commercials features Darren Sharper when he was with the Packers. Now he just rapes people.*

MXC (cont)
- Le Tour De Grand Prix
- Log Drop

Pat McCurdy commercial. WMLW means Milwaukee!

Extra
-Sue Hawk from Survivor gets a makeover
- Superstar USA preview

Survivor All Star F4 appears on the View

Superstar USA. Jamie wins! I don't know why I have this on the tape before the beginning of the show, but ok.

Survivor: All Stars. This is the episode where Rupert wins the million dollar prize. I have this on the All Stars DVD set, so I won't bother recapping.

(1:53:20)

Clip from the Nick and Jessica Variety Hour. You can barely hear what's going on.

Cops
- Crazy drugged up lady with a black winter hat on is put into the back of a squad car and breaks down, trying to kick the windows out. She is pulled out of the car, wrestled to the ground, and arrested.

Superstar USA - audition round. The picture is bad here.
- Mario sings "Celebrate"
- "Like a Virgin" montage
- Terrible guy sings "Alone" by Heart
- You can get with this or you can get with that
- Fat guy sings "Mony Mony"
- Funny looking guy named Richard with a weird bumpy head and a skullet. LMAO!
- Nina Diva!

(2:22:50)

AFV
- Funny clips made funnier by being played backwards
- AFV Fairy Tales. These are funny clips where images of the host's head are glued on to people who are having mishaps.

COPS
- Cops investigate a parked car where a couple of brothers are hanging out. The owner of the car tries to run, but is chased down and arrested. When the vehicle is searched, a plate with cocaine on it is found.
- Cops search a field where a man is hiding. They find him and arrest him. Drugs are found in his bag. He used to have a family and a nice life, but drugs ruined everything. Sad story.
- Peeping tom is caught looking into windows. He struggles while being arrested and has to be taken down.
- Cops try to help out a tattooed guy whose car has broken down. He runs and is hit with the baton, tackled and arrested. Syringes are found in his car.
- Police respond to a domestic call. An irate Mexican guy flails wildly, struggles, and is arrested. The woman who called the cops is yelling in the background: "I just wanted them to talk to you, baby! Calm down." She says baby a lot. The cop in this clip is nerdy and awesome.

(2:56:00)

Austin City Limits: Ben Kweller

Superstar USA - this is a later round in the competition. Players must sing songs from movies.
- Jamie sings "My Heart Will Go On"
- John Michael sings "Eye of the Tiger"
- The flamboyant Jojo sings "Footloose"
- Nina Diva sings a song from Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
- At the end of the show, 4 people go home, including Nina Diva. So sad.

Maury Povich
- Fat ugly, half naked mom runs out on stage and dances. She's given a makeover.
- Woman comes clean to her boyfriend that she's really wearing a wig and is bald.
- 15 year old ghetto slut is pregnant and addicted to sex. She comes back to the show after the baby is born and makes a boy take a paternity test. He isn't the father.
- HIV positive young black girl named Precious comes onto the show

Moral Court clip. Boring.

Maury (cont)
- Young black guy who had lost a chunk of his skull comes on the show. He talks like a retarded person but otherwise seems to be ok.
- Another paternity test.
- Young black boy covered in scabs. He looks like a lizard.

Hilton Griswold clip. He walks to a piano while reading from a piece of paper. Unfortunately I didn't get any singing.

(3:44:03)

Seinfeld. This is the episode where Jerry and Elaine spot George's dad talking to a man in a cape. Jerry dates Donna Chang and is surprised to find that she isn't Asian. George's parents want a divorce.

COPS
- Drug stings. Guys selling drugs to undercover officers are arrested. Meh. These kind of clips are getting old.
- Police are called about a dispute at a strip club. A guy's car is getting towed. The girlfriend of the guy is in the strip club trying to quickly dance for money to get the car released.
- Car is pulled over with a white boy in it who had been smoking pot

*commercials*

COPS - Jersey Cop episode
- Man is caught smoking pot in an apartment stairwell, and calls the cop "Papi" many times
- Young white couple is pulled over while driving through the projects looking to buy heroin

Maury Povich
- Fat black girl who dresses too seductively is made over
- Dirty, pizza making mom is made over
- Woman is reunited with her long lost love after 15 years
- Old hillbilly grandfather with a long beard is made over
- Little girl with extremely frizzy hair is made over

Another Maury episode. This one is all about paternity results and lie detector tests. I won't bother recapping too much since they do this lame shit all the time. One of the clips is about a 42 year old woman who is married to a 14 year old boy. There is also a fat little kid who is only three years old and 117 pounds.

END OF TAPE