TV Graveyard

So this post is not food or weight loss related, but what good is a blog if you can't write about stuff that interests you right?

2009 was a great and horrible year for television. I was hooked by several great new series only to see them canceled. Once again the driveling, drooling masses would rather watch utterly fake "reality" shows, and the 2% of us who want to watch intelligent thought provoking TV get dumped on.

Kings: NBC - 1 season.

This show was an very interesting modern (or near-future) version of a biblical story. The king of a large country (King Silas, who represents King David) makes a young soldier into a national hero, only to try to ruin him once he gets too popular. What was most disappointing about this show was NBC promoted the heck out of it, only to kill it before it even had a chance. The premiere was on a thursday night, the following weeks episode was on friday, then 2 weeks without shows and so on.. they kept jumping it around.. no wonder no one tuned in.

My Own Worst Enemy: NBC - 9 episodes

Christian Slater as a guy who has two distinct personalities in his head that can be switched back and forth. One is a blue collar family guy, the other is a secret agent. How awesome is that? Interesting concept, the two identities learn about each other and start fighting for control. This one got cut off in the middle and just left hanging. Was a neat show, but I guess campy sci fi is not for everyone.

Defying Gravity: ABC - 7 Episodes

This was an awesome show, but it never had a chance. I can't remember what it was up against, but it shared a time-slot with one of the huge shows on another network. Starring Ron Livingston (of Office Space and Band of Brothers) the premise was a long distance space mission where the astronauts would spend something like 14 years on the ship. Right when they find out there is some sort of "creature" on the ship that's controlling everything they pull the plug...... zap... You can watch the full first season (the last 5 episodes that didn't air) on DVD but why bother? It won't resolve anything and it won't continue. Very disappointed.

Trauma: NBC - One season?

I had heard this show was canceled but a new episode came on last night. Here's the blurb about it from tvseriesfinale.com

"This San Francisco-based drama revolves around a group of brave first responders. The ensemble cast features Derek Luke, Cliff Curtis, Anastasia Griffith, Kevin Rankin, Aimee Garcia, Billy Lush, Jamey Sheridan, and Taylor Kinney. The show struggled in the ratings from the start and NBC initially decided not to order any episodes beyond the initial 13 installments. They later changed their minds and ordered more. There’s a slim chance that there will be a second season but ratings will have to rise significantly."

Sounds like this one could finish it's first season and then be finished. It's a pretty good show.. I imagine with all the car crashes and fires it's a pretty expensive show to produce. When I first heard it got canceled I wasn't surprised.


Shows I'm watching now that I hope don't get canceled:

White Collar: USA

This is a cool show about a con man who gets out of prison to help the FBI, uses his tricks to catch other con men and perhaps still run a few cons himself. Tonight is the season finale of season one.. lets hope it comes back.

Flash Forward: ABC

Returning Thursday the 18th after being off for a while, this great show featuring Joseph Fiennes and Courtney B Vance about trying to solve a mystery where the entire planet blackouts and sees the future. Really great "current day" science fiction. Really hope this one sticks around. Great cast, awesome story.

Fringe: Fox

More sci-fi aliens and parallel dimensions, but still a pretty good show. Some episodes are weirder than others but I like it. Just went off for it's mid season break. I expect it to be back, not sure when. The older scatterbrained, but genius "mad scientist" character really makes it.

Justified: FX

This show premires next week and it looks good. Starring Timothy Olyphant (A Man Apart, Gone in Sixty Seconds) as a lawman of some description (US Marshal maybe?) who returns to his small, crime ridden home town for some good old fashioned style justice. I've only seen the commericals on FX while watching "Archer" but it looks like a good show.

Sons Of Anarchy: FX

Don't know when this will be back on but I can't wait. This Motorcycle gang show is awesome, that's all I have to say about that.

It seems like there were more than 3 shows I watched last year that got canceled but I can't remember what they were.